A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas Review

For those of you who don't know much about me, there is one YA/NA author that I love and her name is Sarah J. Maas. I love all of her works and her writing style is so captivating. She literally makes me feel so many emotions when reading any and all of her books that I can't help but buy the newest one as soon as it comes out and then hate myself for the year long wait I've just brought upon myself once I finish it. I am a huge fangirl of all S J Maas does (please see my countdown to Queen of Shadows on this blog), so of course I bought A Court of Mist and Fury as soon as it came out and read that thing like my life depended on it.

The first book I ever read by Maas was A Court of Thorns and Roses, which got me on the S J Maas fan train leading me to binge read the entire Throne of Glass series and was still left wanting more. Before I read ACOTAR, I was never the biggest fan of Fae inspired novels. Maas had me changing my tune after I got involved with the beautiful story of Feyre, Tamlin, Lucien, Rhysander, and all the other completely dynamic characters that I decided Fae novels were a breed of YA/NA that I needed to learn more about. And thank God I did.

I digress...A Court of Mist and Fury is the sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses, which is a fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, although no where near the beloved children's tale we all fell in love with. Maas created a complex, sexy, and engulfing new story in a world that I feel apart of now. When the first book ended, I thought it wrapped up kind of nicely. There was room for development (at the time I was team Tamlin, but I wanted to know what this Rhys character's deal was) and I wanted more of the Fae world outside of the Spring Court. In the sequel, Maas delivered on all of my desires as Feyre decides that maybe the Spring Court just isn't the right court for her.

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***

Maas may be the only author that can cause someone like me to jump ship so fast that it makes my head spin. (Please skip this next part if you haven't read Throne of Glass and want to avoid spoilers) In Throne of Glass, I was team Chaol all the way. Loved that guy. Then we had to go and meet Rowan and I found myself on another ship it was crazy. (Those of you that skipped the TOG spoiler you can continue reading again) And here I am, in the middle of a story I thought I had all figured out and knew who I was going to ship and what not, deciding that I was wrong and Maas is right. She is always right.

The love story between Feyre and Tamlin was a beautiful one. A classic one. It made total sense to be the winner of ACOTAR, but now that Feyre is changed, now that she is in a new world living a different life than she's ever had to live before, it makes sense that maybe her heart beats a different way. And then it made total sense for the Rhys ship to sail because, I mean, you should read the book. You'll fall in love with him so fast...ugh.

Aside from the romance in this book, which is hot and perfect, Maas also introduces a slew of new characters that you can't help but fall for. Azriel, Mor, Cassian, and Amren are a few people that I want to know more about. Damn, I should've bought the Target edition just so I can get a short story revolving around a few of those characters. Anyways, these are characters that mean something and build a story. 

For a while, I was really blah on the idea of introducing a seemingly original storyline in this one. What was the point of making me love the secondary characters like Lucien when she was just going to divert attention away from him in the end? Then it all made sense thanks to that heartbreaking ending. Everything came full circle and I am in dire need of the next book. ASAP.

Maas does a fantastic job of world weaving. It's truly a raw talent. At the end of this book, all I can say is that if you haven't read this series, you need to, and be prepared to have your heart ripped out and still beating at the end of it because I think it's going to be a long while before I can fully function again. And that's what I learned when I read this book cover to cover.

On a side note, who all is excited for Empire of Storms????? I literally cannot wait. Maas, you are a genius and I can't wait to see what's in store in both of your beautiful tales.

The Crown by Kiera Cass Review

So I'm jumping a little out of order here on my TBR list, but it's only because I have been awaiting this release since I found out there was going to be two more books in the beloved Selection Series. So when this book hit shelves, I had it downloaded on my Kindle in seconds. Then I tore through this beauty so fast and was left with so many emotions...Ugh.

Anyways, for those of you who don't know anything about the Selection Series. I highly suggest you hop on that train and binge read the entire series since all five books are finally out. The first three books in the series follow the story of America Singer, a girl in the country of Illea, who is competing with thirty-five other girls for the heart of the prince. However, America isn't trying to win his love, but keep the stipend the crown is sending her family. Now, it's hard to go much further into detail without giving away anything about the series so if you haven't read the Selection Series I would STOP READING NOW. And for those of you who haven't yet read The Crown and don't want any spoilers, then you should also STOP READING NOW.

The Crown follows the end of America and Maxon's daughter's journey to find love and eventually run the country. Eadlyn never though she would find love in The Selection, but she has, and now it is a matter of holding on to it or doing what is best for her country.

Alright, so first off, I think this is a very classic and simple way to end such a beautiful story. Very fitting. I know this might not be a popular idea, some people might be wanting more, especially with the mixed feelings towards the series to begin with, but I thought this story was great. It wasn't supposed to be anything incredibly mind blowing, it wasn't supposed to tug on your though process and make you think about the world differently. It was written to entertain readers and it definitely succeeded.

Now onto my reactions. First of all: MY SHIP SANK. Oh man, since The Heir I had formed a beautiful ship between Eadlyn and Kile and I wanted that ship to sail so badly. I loved them. Their story was perfect. Children who grew up hating each other, then turned into friends, and then grew feelings for each other...UGH perfect. I hate that my ship sank so badly, but at the same time I see why it had to. Kill would have to sacrifice everything to be with Eadlyn - as romantic as that is. Eadlyn loved Kile too much to take away his dreams. Am I a terrible person for wanting her to take away his dreams? Probably.

On the other side of the romance, the guy Eady actually fell in love with, Eikko or Erik. I think this romance had some build up going towards it, but I wanted so much more build up. I think I could have really gotten on board with this ship if only there had been just a bit more. More drama. More tension. More. Honestly I think they work and I'm so happy they get their perfect ending, but I felt like there could have been more build up towards it.

I'm also very confused. Why would a king and queen just happily hand their reign over to their teenaged daughter so they can live their happy life as just people? I get the appeal, and I can see that they're going to have a tough time being the king and queen, but there is no way in hell they would just let their teenage daughter run their country. Doesn't make any sense. Sorry Kiera Cass.

However, I loved this story. I was so happy with it, kind of put off by some of the things that happened and it took me a while to get over the shipwreck. And that's what I uncovered when I read this lovely book cover to cover.

The Carnelian Legacy by Cheryl Koevoet Review

The Carnelian Legacy follows the story of Marisa MacCallum as she goes for a ride and then finds herself in a new dimension where she must make tough decisions that challenge her heart. As Marisa falls for a boy in this new dimension, she finds out that love is complicated no matter what dimension you are in. In the end, she must decide if she's going to betray the boy she loves for the greater good of his kingdom or will she abandon everything and risk starting a war.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I must say, this book did not do it for me. I hate writing negative reviews, so I'm going to keep this short and as sweet as possible. Frankly, it took me a long while to get through this book. I kept having to stop and put it down before I could pick it back up again. The writing style didn't hook me and the story wasn't anything too special to get me to want to push through it. Frankly, I was disappointed. I wanted so much more from this book and just did not get it.

When I started this book, especially after reading the synopsis, I had high hopes for this story, that it just didn't get up to. It had a really good concept, I just felt like it fell a little flat. Of course, this could just be me. If the synopsis hooks you like it did me, then don't let my poor review stop you from getting yourself a copy of this book. This might just be the kind of story and that needs a certain person to read and fall in love with it. I'm sorry to say, but that person is just not me. And that's what I have discovered after I read this book cover to cover.

Crystallum by Laney McMann Review

**I received this book free from the publisher through Netgalley in return for an honest review**

Crystallum is the first book in The Primordial Principles that follows the story of Kadence Sparrow as she finds herself in the middle of the Primordial race that she has always known about, but never been apart of until now. Here's the full jacket flap summary:

Kadence Sparrow wasn't born a devil's child-she was turned into one. Now, she's hiding from the truth, and running for her life. 

For years, Kade's true nature has lurked behind an illusion, so when her dad gets another job transfer, she knows the drill: no close friends, no boyfriends, and most importantly: don't expose what she is. Ever. Keeping secrets is easy. Lies are second nature. So is the loneliness-and the fear, but when the Shadows attack, and Kade meets Cole Spires, she could expose everything she's trying to hide. 

As one of the Celestial Children, Cole lives by an oath: defend the Ward, protect the Primordial race, guard the gateways, and stick to his own. Everything else is a distraction, and besides, he's lost enough. Cole's job is clear, and no one his age does it better. So, when he meets Kade in a club downtown, he assumes she just wants his attention. Most girls do, but Cole soon realizes ... Kade isn't like most girls. 

The children of heaven and hell are living among us, fighting an age-old war. And falling for someone from the opposition is not an option. But a chance encounter between Kade and Cole will blur the rules, as Kade's journey to keep her truth hidden catapults them together and into a web of lies, forcing her to not only face the demon inside her, but to answer the hardest question of all. 

Which is thicker-blood or water?

I started reading this book and it immediately sucked me in. I am very much acquainted with the ideas of half-angel and half-devil children, but Crystallum took a different approach to the whole idea of it that I really enjoyed.

One of the things that I can't ignore that bothered me, is just how much some of the aspects of the story reminded me of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters series. Aside from that, it was a very fun read that had me hooked from start to finish. If you're looking for an enjoyable read that feels a bit familiar at the same time, then Crystallum is the book for you. By the end of it, I was thrusting for more.

The characters in this book were diverse, entertaining, relatable, and had readers really connecting with them. I really love the secondary characters in this book and hope that Lane delves more into their stories in the next books.

Basically, this a good book that deserves a read and I will definitely be picking up the next book when it hits shelves! And that's what I discovered when I read this book cover to cover!

Illusion by Lea Nolan Review

Hey there everyone! Today, Cover to Cover Reviews is the next stop on the Illusion Blog Tour! And I am sharing with you my review of the book.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As many of you know, Illusion is the third and final book in the Hoodoo Apprentice series. The series is one that comes with intrigue, danger, and of course that charm we all love. It follows the story of Emma and her companions Jack and Cooper, among others, as they find themselves immersed in Hoodoo.

I was new to this series when the publisher invited me to review it, but once I picked it up, it was a series I could not put down. The first two books were enthralling and I was relieved that I had the third and final book to follow them up with. And let me say, Illusion did not disappoint. Between the action and the dark elements that I loved so much, Nolan has found a way to end this series on just the right note.This installment starts off fast, so be prepared. But once it gets going, you almost can't believe you finished this series so fast.

I really like the Hoodoo approach Nolan took. It's completely different from most YA novels and was a refreshing read. However, the characters are much younger than I thought they would be. Normally, it bothers me to see such dark elements thrust upon such young protagonists, but Nolan wrote it well and I don't see a need to complain about that with this series on every note except the romance one. The characters just seem so young for there to be any level of actual love growing between Cooper and Emma. When I was that age, just going to the movies with someone was a big deal. However, Nolan did a good job of balancing that aspect of the novel so that it was satisfying for readers that were into it and manageable to read about for readers that weren't. And really, who could focus on the romance with everything going on in that story! And I say that as a good thing. There was so much action going on that it was near impossible to put the book down because I was afraid I was going to miss something. Emma has a lot of ends to tie up and saving to do.

All in all, Illusion was just wonderful. I wish I would have gotten more involved with the series when it came out some time ago, but I am so happy that I finally got to read it. This last installment is the perfect ending to a wonderful series!

Lea Nolan is having giveaway for her wonderful series! Above is what the grand prize will be for those who enter. If you haven't already and want to enter, please follow this link:  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/OTAyMjM3MzE4ZWE3ZWQ1YzBkZDE2YTA1YzNkOGNlOjMx/?

Thank you for stopping by Cover to Cover Reviews on this fabulous blog tour for Lea Nolan to celebrate the final installment in a wonderful series!

The Revolution of Ivy by Amy Engel Review

A book that is highly anticipated, particularly in the Entangled Teen realm of YA publishing, is The Revolution of Ivy after the first installment, The Book of Ivy, took off gathered a rather large following, including the trending hashtag #BishopIsMine. This is easily one of the most popular books from the publisher. I, myself, fell into the mass following of Ivy. So when I got the opportunity to review the sequel, and supposed conclusion,  I could not pass this one up.

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

The first installment, for those who don't know, is about a city called Westfall that is one of the surviving communal towns after the War when everything went downhill. So it's a little dystopian, but it has a new and refreshing take on what the future looks like in literature. At sixteen, they force the daughters from the losing side of town to marry the sons of the winning sons of town. And in this installment, Ivy Westfall is being forced to marry her father's sworn enemy's son Bishop Lattimer - the son of the president of Westfall. Only there is one stipulation to that marriage contract that Bishop and the Lattimers don't know. Ivy's father has trained Ivy to kill Bishop; to put their family back in power. As all romance YA novels go, Ivy fell in love with Bishop and couldn't kill him. But she loved her family as well and couldn't let them go down for the planned assassination, either. So she took the blame and was put out of the "fence", which hardly anyone survives. And that's where The Revolution of Ivy picks up.

Ivy Westfall is lying beyond the fence, open to any threats out here. But she has this sort of hope that she can survive.

No one survives beyond the fence. At least that’s what my father always told me when I was a child. But I’m not a little girl anymore, and I no longer believe in the words of my father. 

Amy Engel has an enrapturing way of writing. She has easily created some of the most lovable characters in YA. The reason for the Bishop hashtag is simple: Engel wrote the perfect guy into Bishop with imagined skill and everyone loved him. With the first novel being such a success, and setting up this series for a whirlwind of events, I was expecting a lot out of this second novel. And she delivered.

All of our fears were realized as readers as we go through this installment. Mark Laird makes an appearance and it becomes pretty intense from there on out. 

I loved the new introductions of characters that were relatable and lovable. I would like to know more about the relationship side of Ash and Caleb, however. The idea of a civilization thriving outside of Westfall's walls is not far fetched. Rogue societies like that would definitely exist - and some even do know. Ivy stumbling across them was only good luck on her part.

Once Bishop shows up, the story-telling remains kind of lulled, hanging suspended, because as a reader, I knew something big was going to happen. And then something did. Bishop and Ivy finally have that long anticipated heart-to-heart after months of tension, but it's Callie's sister's head on the chopping block that sends this story back into motion.

I don't know why Ivy would want to go back and save her sister after all the hell she put Ivy through, but whatever Ivy needs to do. The fact that what happens actually happens makes me kind of annoyed that they even returned at all. They were doing just fine beyond the fence. But then everything works out and we get a happily ever after.

I was expecting a bit more of a morose ending with the world they live in being so dark. But everything worked itself out. Sure, there was that big explosion of an ending that had my head whirling, but Engel wrapped it all up nicely, leaving little to few loose ends. It's the perfect conclusion to The Book of Ivy. And if you haven't read either, now is the time. It's a wonderful series that will bring you in and hold you hostage for the duration. It's a definite recommend. I wonder if Amy Engel plans on writing more...I wouldn't object.

The Revolution of Ivy is the perfect ending to a perfect story. Many conclusions lack the emphasis the series needs, but this one did not. It's filled with relatable and lovable characters and a storyline that's a little refreshing, in some ways. And that's what I discovered when I read this book cover to cover.

The Revolution of Ivy will be on sale November 5th. 

The Summer Marked by: Rebekah L. Purdy Review

Ah! It's finally here! I must say, I was not expecting a sequel to The Winter People because it just ended so perfectly and nicely. I don't know what went into Purdy's decision making on a sequel, whether is was just the need to return to that world or she really did have so much more to say, but I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to receive and review this ARC from Entangled Teen.

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

All of my initial reservations about this book disappeared as soon as I started reading it. I loved seeing immediately in to Salome's life with Gareth in the Faerie realm. It was like a glimpse at "happily ever after" until Nevin had to show up and burst that beautiful bubble. But before that, we see a glimpse of the past where Salome's grandma is actually hiding a girl for the Faerie Queen that the queen bestows all of her powers in. Your inference that the girl is actually Salome isn't ever actually confirmed, but it's almost as good as confirmed over the course of the story and, especially, that first chapter where Doris (the grandma) is telling the real stories to little Salome and little Kadie, but the stories are actually based in truth.

Clearly, not everything ended happily at the end of The Winter People, although I didn't want to believe that. There was still turmoil in Faerie, which is probably one of the reasons a sequel was in order. The Winter Kingdom is still trying to take over everything and the Summer Kingdom is the only other one still standing - Autumn and Spring having already fallen to Winter. Nevin is king of Summer and Gareth is one of their best warriors, so Salome can't get out of Faerie trouble. That and Winter is still hellbent on killing her. Fun.

Meanwhile, Salome's best friend Kadie is returning from college for Thanksgiving with the plans of making this stay at home permanent. She followed her high school boyfriend to Texas and he ended up cheating on her. Of course, when Kadie returns home, something isn't quite right at her house. So she goes to Salome's where things are even weirder. She gets turned away at the door, and then gets a text "from Salome" that she's at this club and had a fight with Gareth (totally not true because Salome is off in Faerie trying to save Summer). So Kadie goes to the club and ends up getting kidnapped and dragged to Winter where she's held prisoner for information about Gareth and Salome and Summer.

Kadie is forced to spend her first night in Winter in the Red Room (which immediately reminded me of Fifty Shades of Grey). In the Red Room, it's really decorated with human body parts such as skin and bones (completely grossed, but I honestly loved it). So Kadie runs out of the room and comes face to face with a tree that is actually Salome's father. So let's throw it back to the time in The Winter People where Salome's dad hit her. Yeah, apparently that was not her dad. That was a Fae disguised as him, while her dad was really in Winter being turned into the tree. That piece of the story has yet to be fully explained, but her dad does die because Kadie puts him out of his misery towards the end of the story.

While Kadie is being held prisoner and having Etionne, one of the Winter Princes, take care of her and is probably the only reason she survived as long as she did with that mouth of hers, Salome is traveling to Summer with Gareth. First, they pick up some weapons in the ruins of Spring and a sword of the four kingdoms chooses Salome (major foreshadowing here). As they continue on, the run into some former soldiers of Spring and Salome is hearing voices. There's so much going on!

Trolls attack Gareth and Salome and Gareth sends Salome on ahead for safety with her horse that protects virgins. Why was this relevant? I mean, it did save her ass in the end, however. While trying to stay safe, Salome runs into ghosts that are tied to the ruins she's hiding in. They say she's the only one who can save them and we start to get this whole chosen one thing going on. I liked how in the first book, you didn't feel this, but it's okay that we do now.

Nevin shows up to save Salome. Gareth is still fighting off the trolls, and while Salome is rightfully worried, Nevin keeps trying to get her to calm down and it feels kind of sketchy and like he has ulterior motives. Gareth shows back up and everything is currently fine for Salome. Not so much for Kadie who's resilience has gotten her work in the Bone Yard. Basically in the Bone Yard, they separate the bones from the skin and muscles and blood. I found myself asking why all this darkness was necessary, but the answer was just that it made it more interesting. It shows how dark Winter really is and, let's be honest, who doesn't love a little gore?

Back in Summer, Nevin drops the bomb that he needs a queen so that the magic in Summer is more powerful than the magic in Winter. He wants his queen to be Salome. Like really? She already has Gareth and is like in love with him. Why does he have to complicate things!? But shockingly, it's not because he has secret feelings for her and wants to steal her from Gareth (because that just would have been too much for me). He actually has only loved once in his life and it was the King of Autumn. Awesome.

So everything is all crazy and twisted and Kadie is fighting for her life, Salome is dodging attempts on her life as well, and I'm starting to wonder what is this going to boil down to. The Winter Queen befriends Kadie (completely weird, but I see where it's going) and asks her to kill Salome. Etionne escorts Kadie to Summer so she can do her job and while Kadie is blood bound to the Winter Queen, she kind of has no choice. Etionne runs away to go and try to fight to save Faerie, and somehow Salome survives a dagger to the heart. Salome becomes Summer Queen, but also has the markings to be queen of all the other kingdoms (I am set in my inference that it's because she has the Faerie Queen's magic in her and only that reason), saves Gareth after he almost dies on one of Nevin's missions, and that happily ever after I loved so much from the first book is completely shot out the window.

So, basically, I had only a few qualms with this book and here they are: Kadie just accepts this Faerie-ness way too easily and quickly, and at one point she actually just states that she's in Winter and I was like "how do you know" with a bajillion question marks after it; I did not like how Kadie became all self-centered and tried to kill Salome because I thought she had more willpower than that (note: this is not a comment on the story or choices, just personal opinion I had while reading); and I don't really understand how Salome came back to life?

However, there is much praise I have for this book. Bringing in the other fae made it way more interesting. It still kept the darkness I loved from the first book even though they were in the sparkly faerie realm. Salome is slowly becoming a badass and I love it. And at least Gareth and Salome get to still be together even though Salome is married to Nevin and Queen of Summer.

I cannot wait to figure out how all of this plays out in the next installment. Hopefully that book comes out soon...

Hope you enjoyed this review! Please leave comments!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer Review

A series that is taking the YA world by storm is none other than The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. I'm ashamed to admit, but I am a little late to the Lunar Train, but with the final installment, Winter, coming out soon, I figured now was as good a time as any to hop on board.

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

The first installment in this series is Cinder. It's a dystopian twist on the classic fairytale Cinderella, as I'm sure you probably guessed from the title. Now, I'm not a big fan of robots when taking that approach to dystopian novels. I just don't like robots, they seem cheesy to me. And that's one of the reasons it took me so long to pick up this book. But I did, I put my bias opinions aside about robots, and ended up falling in love with this story.

Now, this one took a bit to get going for me, but it did it in a way that was very relatable to the classic tale. A lot happens in the story, but it doesn't really pick up the pace until the last quarter of the movie. Same with this story. I liked it in the beginning, but I didn't love it until the last part of the novel.

One of the greatest aspects of this story is the parallels between the original and the dystopian. The futuristic inspired characters based off the original ones, is incredibly adorable. The evil step-mom, the fairy godmother, the carriage, IKO! Meyer creates adorable and lovable characters in a very dark setting. Her style really pulls you in and the story keeps you hooked.

The rest of this series is going to be thrilling and I can't wait for it. Cinder is a marvelous retelling and an enthralling set up for an exciting adventure and that's what I discovered Cover To Cover.

Illuminate by Tracy Clark Review

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

Since this is my first review of the series, let me go back over the first two books to get you caught up.

In the first book, protagonist Cora Sandoval discovers she can see auras and that her aura is solid silver unlike the many colors of the regular people around her. She also ends up falling for Irish exchange student Finn who randomly leaves after they have a few intense make-out sessions. Anyways, on Cora's journey to discover who she really is and what her special aura means, she travels to Ireland where she delves deep into her roots. She discovers she's Scintilla and thanks to her new friend Giovanni, she's on the road to finding all the answers with his help.

Of course, what is a good story without some bad guys. So these Arazzi guys show up and are actually the kind of people who kill by taking someone's energy/soul into their own creating a solid white aura. Oh, and they desperately want to kill Cora because she's like their natural born enemy.

Now, both of these books kind of ran together in my head, so I can't remember quite when book two picks up, so I'm just going to summarize them all together now.

Cora gets captured by this Arazzi man who happens to be Finn's uncle. And Finn happens to be an Arazzi (Ooh! Drama). Only Finn hates what he is and refuses to accept it. Cora still is doesn't know how she should feel about her first love being her natural born enemy and then there's Giovanni who's like perfect and Scintilla and helping her, but she swears he's hiding something from her. Anyways, Giovanni and Cora get captured by Clancy (Finn's Arazzi Uncle) and it turns out that Clancy has Cora's mother who was presumably dead for the majority of Cora's life. The reunion is short lived as Cora's father shows up to save them and dies so that they can all escape.

There's still so much more to discover about Scintilla in Ireland, so Cora can't just return home like everything is okay. Especially since her father died trying to help her. But luckily, that little secret Giovanni has been keeping is going to help them (supposedly). There's this facility in Dublin that can help them and he knows the doctor running it. They manage to get there and everything is fine and all until it's not.

They lock Cora in one room and Giovanni in the other in hopes that their strong feelings for one another will cause them to hook up and create children so that they can be studied like lab rats. They fake it, sort of, to get the doctor guy off their backs, but Finn walks in and sees it and everything goes down hill from there.

See, Finn was at the facility in time to see that because his "good friend" Lorcan (note the sarcasm there) brought him because Lorcan's mothers Ultanna is working with the doctor. Now, Ultanna is a very interesting lady. She believes she's immortal and is head of this Arazzi organization known as Xepa, which is hellbent on destroying each and every Scintilla. (Cora actually manages to sneak into a Xepa party wearing Ultanna's ring to do so recon).

Anyways, they manage to escape from the facility, leaving a lot of people dea. And literally nothing is okay anymore.

Cora gets kidnapped again, her mother gets kidnapped again, and then Mami Tulke (Cora's grandmother) gets kidnapped by Clancy and he's planning on using them for some kind of sacrifice. Cora's mother dies, but Mami Tulke and her both manage to escape.

Things happen, etcetera etcetera, and here we are. Book three: Illuminate.

This book starts off with a bang. Finn and Cora both kill Arazzi and regular humans working with the Arazzi. But the trouble they are facing is way bigger than an ambush leaving them murderers. Cora must go to Italy, Giovanni must go to Chile to be with his surprise daughter Claire (the offspring of an experiment done at the facility), and Finn must stay in Ireland.

I did not like how these guys were split up for the majority of the book. I get why it needed to happen, though. Real life does not mean they all get to hang out and do research together. Finn had responsibilities in Ireland. Giovanni had to be with his daughter for obvious reasons. And Cora needed to finish this lead. I just wish it hadn't been that way for selfish reader reasons.

Giovanni starts to prepare the Scintilla in Chile who were hiding out on Mami Tulke's ranch, which was like major news and made me really happy, for war with the Arazzi. Now this approach seemed pretty rushed and kind of sat awkward with me. I mean, I probably would have been the same way in a situation like that, but it was just a little odd feeling for Giovanni to hop right on in to battle strategy.

Finn's off in Ireland getting cozy for strategic purposes with Ultanna's daughter, who inherits the throne her mother left behind. Lorcan gets super pissed about that and Soarise is kind of sketchy this entire time. (I would like to say that I pegged her as the bad guy the moment she walked onto the page!) Finn isn't completely helpless towards Cora's cause. He's researching and doing as much as he can to help her using his Arazzi status.

Cora, on the other hand, makes a shocking discovery in Italy that I think we need to discuss. Cora discovers what that key that's been around her neck forever unlocks. And it's a picture of Mary and Jesus. Surrounded in a silver aura. As Scintilla.

First off, this is very dangerous for a writer to do. You don't know how your audience is going to react to taking something religious and powerful like that and messing with it in your writing. But I applaud Tracy Clark for doing it at the same time.

Now I know that many of you probably weren't too happy about this approach because it could be considered slightly blasphemous, but before you bring out the torches, hear what I have to say about it and why I think it was a smart thing for her to do.

Tracy Clark's world is entirely her own. If it were real, the odds are that someone like Jesus would have been Scintilla and there's literally nothing wrong with that. I mean, why wouldn't he be? He brought people back to life, so did Cora. It makes total sense and it would almost be inaccurate for that not to be the case.

Of course, it was kind of strange and it did take me a while to get used to it, being a Catholic myself, but I see where she was coming from and I respect that. It did work for the story as well, I must say. And when the story goes on and talks about the corruptness of the Church, I feel conflicted on that part. There is truth in it. Many churches are corrupted although I think our pope now is doing wonders for the Catholic community. But hey it is what it is and it worked for the story.

The story goes on and everything is sort of weird for a while. Cora enlists the help of some documentary person in return that she expose Scintilla. It reminded me of some book I read, but I couldn't place it. It was a nice road she took it down, however, because it offered more to the story than just going to Chile and saving the world would have. She had someone documenting it the entire time.

But then the Arazzi show up and Cora touches some age old book and suddenly everything is put in perspective. Arazzi and Scintilla are not natural born enemies. They were born to be together. So does this mean Cora chooses Finn? Because I was still stuck in that love triangle. And I guess I still am because what they decide to do doesn't exactly explain anything to me. Other than that they restored balance to the world (I'm talking Arazzi and Scintilla as a whole and not just Cora and Finn).

The Arazzi and Scintilla join themselves to each other by the Scintilla giving themselves to the Arazzi and then they all kind of erupt into light and disappear. It's a beautiful idea. But I'm going to be honest with you, I was left with no closure!

What happened to Claire? Was she really Arazzi because I didn't think so. And what about all those people falling down randomly and not because of Arazzi attacks? And who did Cora choose? Because it didn't feel like she chose Finn for romantic reasons. Please Tracy Clark, answer these questions and I will be able to die in peace!

Overall, it was a good book. I rated it four out of five stars on Goodreads. Deviate is still my favorite installment of the series, especially since it's got the best cover (in my opinion) and I'm really sad to see this series end. Cora was a character I related to and loved. I can't believe it's all over.

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas Review

Hello, lovelies! Today, I have finished the most anticipated book of September on my list, Queen of Shadows by the amazing author Sarah J. Maas.

This is one of my most favorite series ever and this book definitely tops the charts. In case you haven't been keeping up with the blog, over the past seven days before the release, Cover to Cover Reviews hosted a countdown to the release, and I must say, now that I've read it, that this book was definitely worth the wait.

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

Celaena Sardothein, now going by Aelin, has returned for her trip across the seas where she has embraced the side of her she was taught to keep down by Aborynn who is King of the Assassins and she is finally ready to claim her kingdom (insert screaming here!)

There were so many things left off in Heir of Fire that are finally addressed here. For instance, what did Chaol do when he left the palace? What the hell happened to Dorian? How's the Rowan and Aelin thing going to work out? And what about all those characters from the novellas? Well, thank you Sarah J. Maas for answering all of those questions.

Chaol has become leader of the rebels; Dorian is completely enslaved by his father, although he does try to fight it at first; and Rowan and Aelin totally become a thing (thank the Gods this ship has sailed!); not to mention the lovely end-tying she did regarding the characters we met in the novellas.

Now, I don't have anything bad to say about this book. Sorry, I just don't. I love being honest, and so I will be. I LOVED this book and I'm already ready for the fifth installment.

I loved how Maas brought in characters from the novellas, particularly Lysandra. Lysandra was really the only one to make an appearance and actually become a character and more than just a cameo (like the Red Desert story). She quickly became one of my favorite characters. First, she'd been through hell in a hand basket and here she is, still standing. You got to give that shape-shifter props! Speaking of shape-shifting, that was such a surprise, but a welcome one nonetheless. It would make complete sense that when magic was outlawed, many different things happened and they got stuck the way they were.

Now, Chaol really angered me in the beginning. He was so angry with Aelin and I was just like, "Get over it dude. It is what it is." But I get where he's coming from. In any society, change and things that are different are scary. People like what they know and when they don't know something, they usually run the other way - just look at the US now, or rather a year ago. People don't like things they can't control. It would have been a lie for Maas to write Chaol just falling in line with all this. With everyone falling in line with all this, even.

One thing that I'm not sure where it stands on the love/hate scale is how I felt like this installment took place in a completely different world than the first three, even though it didn't. And I think I know why. Celaena was the protagonist in those first three books. She was the Assassin and a spunky teenager who learned to look out for herself and only herself. In Heir of Fire, we start to see that shift in world's as I put it, where Celaena is becoming Aelin. And as the protagonist shifts faces, the atmosphere of the story completely changed. I'm not sure if I love it or hate it, but I get it. If that makes any sense.

However, I am cursing Maas' name for one reason and one reason only: all the questions I have left now that I've finished the book! What's going to happen to Dorian and Chaol? Are Aelin and Rowan ever going to officially be together? What's left of Terrasen? How is this going to work? Where are her people? Do Lysandra and Aedion ever get together because I totally ship that? What about Evangeline? And can we talk about the witches? Is there really going to be a war? Because I still don't believe Manon is going to side against Aelin in the final showdown.

I guess that's why she's written a sequel. Please, book five, get here soon!

And that's how I feel now that I've read Queen of Shadows cover to cover! Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! And keep checking back and follow me on social media to get updates for the newest reviews and other fun stuff!

The Last of the Firedrakes by: Farah Oomerbhoy Review

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

Ah, how do I put this lightly. This book was cheesy, to say the least. Think Harry Potter meets Twilight with dashes of medieval times. Needless to say, I felt like the author was trying too hard with this one. Ask anyone, Harry Potter and Twilight don't mix.

First, I would like to comment on the cover of the book. I really liked it. It was part of what inspired me to read this book. That and the summary. It captures the story perfectly and was just the right kind of cover to capture the eye of readers as well.

So let's start with aspects I didn't like. There was too much telling and not enough showing. The author would just say that something was and everyone (characters) would automatically believe it. But then later, she would show something that completely negated what she had said earlier on.

I felt like a lot of times the story line got way too cheesy for my taste. Like "Oh! Rafe!" was a bit too much for me. And while I'm all for a knight in shining armor, Rafe's character definitely felt too good to be true. And - for the record - I called him on being the crown prince like a long time ago.

Another problem I had was the naming. Now, I'm a huge supporter of weird names. I like the unusual and always have. However, there were some names in this story that I couldn't shake. Two, in particular, kind of sat wrong with me because all I could think about was Disney. 1) Aurora. Now this one didn't bother me too much because they called her "Rory" for the majority of the story, but all I could think about was Sleeping Beauty. The other Disney flashback was 2) Morgana. First, she was playing the villain and with a distinctive name like Morgana, all I could think about was Ursula's evil sister from The Little Mermaid II. Like, I literally was waiting for some underwater ice cave to pop up out of nowhere. Other than that, some of the names were just really hard to pronounce and I kept getting tripped up on them, but that's nothing new for me. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm pronouncing "Cassia" right (and yes Ally Condie and I'm looking at you).

Now, every person in this book just seemed to go along with the crazy. Aurora would explain something to them and they would be like "Oh, yeah, you totally have my trust." I kept waiting for one of them to turn on her (besides the obvious like Damien and Leticia). But no, everyone was so cool with everything, even once they found at she had like fae-mage powers.

And that brings me to the parallel between Harry Potter and Twilight. Obviously the mage aspect of the story with a special mage school just screamed Harry Potter to me, but in a definite cheesy voice, because it didn't fit right in this world. The fae part reminds me of Twilight because I've learned that fae seem to be the new vampires. Like Stephanie Meyer who altered the vicious version of vampires into these sparkly fairies (yes, pun intended), the author chose to ignore the more vicious side of the fae that I've kind of gotten used to, and made them happy powerful people. It took me a long time to warm up to fae in my beloved novels. But as long as they like killing people, I'm totally good with it.

(I would like to make a note that I do not hate Stephanie Meyer or her vampires or Twilight! That is the book that got me reading again and I owe my gratitude to that woman!)

As if the magical folk in this book couldn't get even more outlandish, the author has this pegasus. I like flying horses as much as the next eight year old, but in a YA novel, I expected more from the horse. Like, why couldn't it spit fire? While Snow, the pegasus, was probably one of the more badass characters in this story, when she talked, all I could hear was this majestic lady voice that was even more prestigious sounding than the dragon in Eragon and that dragon was a badass.

Literally, this book reminded me of drunk college girls on a very basic level. It was like, if one person said, "Hey! I'm a fae-mage!" Everyone else would shout, "I totally support you!" in a high pitched squeal that would have everyone sober within a five-mile radius covering their ears.

However, the story at its bones was good. I liked the concept of a strange new world with a girl who discovers she's heir to a throne and has all these powers she has to control, plus that forbidden romance blooming. It's the bones of most YA books, which is why I appreciate it. There definitely could have been more done to it to enhance the book. The meaty part was lacking. The execution of the storyline could have been better. Maybe all it needed was the right eye to look at it and help the author, because I feel like this story definitely had potential.

The Last of the Firedrakes is the first installment in this series, and I will probably read the rest just because I want to know how this story ends and it was a quick read. I also look forward to seeing how this author's writing grows the more she writes and the more books she puts out. 

Writing is a process, I know, and I hate judging books when I realize how much effort an author has put in to this story. I appreciate that. I didn't fill those pages, the author did. But I promise honest reviews and I would be betraying that promise if I sugar-coated everything I wrote.

And that is all I have to say on The Last of the Firedrakes. I hope you like what I discovered, as I read this book from cover to cover!

The Winter People by: Rebekah L. Purdy Review

On September 22nd, 2015 the sequel to The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy The Summer Marked will be out, and so will my own review of the book. So to prepare us all for that, I have decided to write a review for the first installment. Yay! Book Reviews!

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

So let me just say that I really love this book. It started off perfectly. It was dark, creepy, mysterious, and I literally had no idea what was going on and that was beautiful. There were these two mysterious hot guys and snow. Like, who could think of a better combination of things to write about?

So the main character Salome is like terrified of winter because when she was younger she almost drowned in a pond. She has this best friend Kadie (who isn't that important in this book compared to the sequel, which you will soon see) who supports Salome in her fear because she's a good friend and understands (also, Kadie is probably my favorite character, which will be explained further in the review for The Summer Marked). Yet, Kadie still likes to force Salome to push the boundaries of her comfort zone.

Anyways, Salome frequently is over at her grandmother's house and her grandmother is pushing Salome out in to the cold to go do chores out at this shed where she meets hottie number one: Nevin. This is the first guy Salome thinks she could really have feelings for and she looks forward to seeing him as often as she can. But then there's Gareth (swoons) who's like Salome's knight in shining armor on more than one occasion, so it's no surprise that she picks him in the end. Anyways, Gareth is mysterious but not in the way Nevin is. Nevin doesn't really go places besides that little spot on Salome's grandmother's property. Gareth is like in a band and Salome is instantly drawn to him.

Well, anyways, it turns out that there's this curse on Nevin and he's been using Salome to break it using magic, so she doesn't really love him, she just thinks she does. And there's this witch in the woods behind Salome's house trying to kill her. So there's tons of action and twisted romances.

I cannot say a bad thing about this installment until the very end of this book. And it's not really a bad thing. I don't know if I was just too stupid to realize it, or what, but I did not realize this book was about faeries until near the end. Salome also didn't until that point, and I think we both were a little shocked. I thought this was just a dark story and I loved that, but then Purdy had to explain it with fae and it just kind of felt like this bubble I created popped and I was brought into her story. And the ending was really abrupt and I just felt like it took so much away from the entirety of the story that I fell head over heals for.

Regardless, I'm not holding the faerie part against the author or the book. This is a definite recommend read and I can't wait for The Summer Marked!

The Kanin Chronicles #1 and #2 Review

I am about to start reading Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking. In preparation for the final book in the series, let's take a trip down memory lane through the first two books in the series and see what I thought about them.

I'm going to start off by saying that I love Amanda Hocking. I fell in love with her Trylle series and when The Kanin Chronicles hit shelves, I was quick to buy and read them. The author's personal story is one of my favorites, so if you don't know what it is, I suggest you read the interviews with her and her self-publishing turned traditional publishing success. It's truly inspiring for any aspiring authors.

**WARNING: SPOILERS POSSIBLY AHEAD**

Frostfire is the first installment in The Kanin Chronicles. We are introduced to a nineteen-year-old Kanin (type of troll in the Trylle universe Hocking established in her previous trilogy) that happens to be a troll. Now, Bryn Aven is not your average Kanin. While she has troll blood, she also possess the blood of the Skojare. The genes from her mother's bloodline has her blonde hair and blue eyes sticking out in the Kanin kingdom, making it very hard for her to fit in. 

Bryn has a job as a tracker - she goes out and acquires the switched children and brings them back to their real homes with the Kanin - but she dreams of being one of the elite guards that guard the king. When a ghost from her past shows up, Bryn is given the opportunity to prove herself worthy. You see, years ago, Konstantine Black tried to kill her father, who is an important figure-head in the Kanin kingdom. Black attacks once again and Bryn is on the mission of her life to take him down. Once and for all.

Of course, none of this can ever be easy. Aside from Bryn's determination and the level of difficulty of her tasks, Bryn is growing fonder and fonder of her boss Ridley Dresden.

This first book introduces readers to a group of rather unique set of characters that one can immediately connect with. Bryn has spunk and is so enjoyable to read about. She's incredibly headstrong and it's refreshing to see YA female leads focusing so hard on their mission and their own lives instead of the romance, although there is plenty of that, too. I'm a huge fan of romance, but not cheesy romance. The fact that Bryn is willing to put her feelings for a boy second, is already showing just how awesome she is.

Besides romance, the second thing that sells books is action. People love reading about people falling in love and people kicking people's butts. Frostfire does not disappoint in either of the two areas. There is just the right amount of action that doesn't make you feel like you're in a war novel, but is plenty to satisfy.

The world in general that Hocking has created in this new series is brilliant. It is familiar enough thanks to the Trylle series, but different enough that you still get those first-time feelings readers get when they enter a brand new world. The Kanin are much different than the Trylle, but also similar enough that readers who read both series can see where they do have similar traits. If you haven't read  the Trylle series, yet, you are not going to be lost while reading this one. In fact, it'll make you want to read the other one even more!

This first novel leaves readers anxious for the sequel!

Following where the first left off, Ice Kissed immediately drags readers into the story. Everything Bryn Avery has thought she knew is turned upside down. Bryn had Konstantine Black within her grasp and he got away, and the more she pursues hunting him down, she finds that maybe everything she thought she knew isn't what it seems.

Bryn is half Kanin and half Skojare. It has always set her apart from the Kanin where she lives, but when the Skojare become threatened with a common enemy to the Kanin, Bryn's King thinks it best to send Bryn out to help them. The Skojare princess has gone missing and Bryn is sent to help find her, only the journey to finding the princess, leads Bryn to more questions than answers. And the readers are on the same page as her.

When Bryn finds the princess, after supposedly being separated from that particular mission, she starts to wonder what side of the war brewing she is standing on and which side she wants/needs to be on.

For the reader, it's nice to see Bryn's other life that she  could have lived with the Skojare. Hocking infuses a lot of mystery and danger in Bryn's journey as she wanders into strange waters (pun-intended). Of course, this complicates the storyline a lot. Bryn's budding romance with Ridley is strained and her hatred for Konstantine Black wavers. You start to wonder what is going on, and that is just what Hocking wants.

At the end of this book, readers are left with answers to some previous questions, but even more new questions. I honestly can't wait until the final book in the series Crystal Kingdom. 

Welcome!

Hello, everyone! This is my first official post on the new "Cover to Cover Reviews" blog!

This blog will post reviews about books that I've read. I tend to stick to YA fantasy and paranormal, but that's not to say you won't see other sub-genres of YA, or even a New Adult or Middle Grade book!

The posts should be plentiful with posts around every week, sometimes more often than that!

To get "Cover to Cover Reviews" launched, I will be posting a series of posts over the next few days to get you caught up on what I've read (and loved) and to prepare for some new posts that will inevitably be coming soon!

If you would like to request that I review your book, please feel free to contact me!

I hope you enjoy the upcoming posts! Thanks for stopping by!