Reading Angel

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comI had no expectation when I started reading On the Fringe. It had been a year since I bought it, and I could not remember any of the hype from when it came out. The only thing I did know was that it was going to be a ghost story, and I love a good ghost story. Did I get what I was looking for? Yes and no.On the Fringe was a romance at heart. I really enjoyed the beginning, when we get to see Claire and Daniel starting to fall for each other, even though we know something bad is going to happen. It was a sweet time and I enjoyed the scenes of them together alive more than I did the rest. The love story really begins once Daniel is dead and Claire has a near-death experience, at which point she can see Daniel's ghost, and once a night they can touch and talk for a few short minutes. Besides their love feeling a little rushed, the romance was sweet and kept me reading to see how it would all turn out for them.The spooky ghost villain was where I really had a problem with On the Fringe. Like I said, I love a good ghost story, and I just did not like the bad guy. The reason that he was doing what he was doing was very unclear, or it was clear but never really matched the actions he was taking. What he was able to do was never clearly explained, and how he was defeated seemed to just be a fix-it solution. This part of the plot is why I had to drop it down to three stars.Overall, On the Fringe was a really sweet and enjoyable romance between a human and a ghost. If you enjoy romances I would recommend it based on that fact alone. As a scary ghost story on the other hand, it did fail a little, so it's all in what you are looking for.

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comAfter the terrifying events of Ashfall I wasn't sure what other horrible things Mike Mullin could possibly put poor Alex and Darla through. I was afraid that Ashen Winter would suffer that terrible second book syndrome. Once I started reading it did not take me long to discover that Mike Mullin had a vast array of horrible situations for Alex and Darla to go through and that the second book syndrome I was worried about was never going to happen.Ashen Winter is a long book. It's hefty. It's big, and heavy, and you could probably knock someone out with it if you were in a pinch for a weapon like the characters in this book often are. The thing is that I never felt like I wanted the story to be any shorter. I didn't want it to end! I needed more of Alex, and I for sure need more of Darla!! I have a major girl crush on Darla. I love that Darla is the kind of girl who shows Alex how to fix things, and grow things, and just takes charge. They are a great team together, but Darla is one amazing chick to have around in a crisis! I can't tell you much about the goings-on of the plot because I don't want to spoil anything, but it was just as heart-pounding and crazy as Ashfall!Ashen Winter is an amazing sequel to one of my all time favorite post-apocalyptic books. It is gruesome and terrifying. Full of cannibals, military rogues, food shortages, human trafficking, and more. I loved every single cringe and can't wait for book 3 to give me even more! If you are a lover of horror or post-apocalyptic, and you don't have a weak stomach then start this series ASAP!

4 1/2 really :D + Kitsune being mentioned FTW!!!

Find more of my reviews at http://www.readingangel.comM. Leighton is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary romance writers. After reading The Wild Ones and falling so so in love, I could not wait to read Down to You. Cash and Nash were two extremely sweet pieces of man candy and I loved every second of this steamy story.Down To You is one of those times I wish I hadn't read the synopsis first. It made me guess what was going on earlier than I would have had I not read it. Even though I didn't guess how everything in the big "surprise" was going to be revealed, I had guessed the basics of it. I think I would have just enjoyed it more going in ignorant of the synopsis.I LOVED LOVED LOVED Olivia. She had such a great sense of humor and a fantastic way of looking at life that I just connected so completely with. Then you have Cash and Nash - HOLY WET PANTIES BATMAN!! Cash is the perennial bad boy. The owns a night club, does what he pleases, makes your blood boil with sexy, kind of bad boy. He also has something more compassionate, understanding, and intelligent hiding behind that motorcycle helmet that just might be Olivia's undoing. Nash is just the kind of guy Olivia needs. He is steady and caring. The perfect guy and just as stunningly sexy! Only problem - he's dating her cousin Marisa. Two hot guys, both with a conflict, how will she ever choose? I say have your cake and eat it too girl!!! Needless to say, Down to You is scorching hot, full of funny, and an emotional roller-coaster. The ending has me ready to learn how to hack M. Leighton's computer to find out what will happen next! I recommend Down To You to all contemporary romance readers out there for sure!!Favorite Quotes:"She laughs. "I'm beneath no man!"she replies harshly. Then, with a mischievous quirk to her mouth, she adds, "At least not without dinner and a drink first.""Ohhhh, so that's how it's gonna be! Because there's a McDonald's right across the street.""No, I don't want you to kick his ass.""You sure? Because I specialize in deassholization."This time she smiles."Deassholization?""Yeah. Just think of me as the Orkin man of assholes - putting assholes in their place."

Find more of my reviews at http://www.readingangel.comI loved the action and gruesome lifestyle that was portrayed in Quarantine. The idea of all these teens locked up together in one building, living under their own codes, in their own gangs, just trying to survive was awesome. Most of the time I felt like I was watching a movie play out in my head, which always makes for a really fun read for me.I really liked David and Will as main characters. I love reading from a male POV and David was fantastic. He went from being a sad boy who had lost his mother and was dumped by his girlfriend, to the always protective older brother, to an incredible leader of a rag-tag gang. David made a great leader and I loved watching him come into that role. Will was also a great counterpart for David. While he was annoying at time it was because he always felt overshadowed and unappreciated by his brother. Lucy was prissy, but also learned how to stand up for herself and take up for herself and I really liked her character. Also, the bad guys were bad ass!! Sam and Hilary have a lot of depth to what makes them both tick and I loved hating on Sam! He was NASTY!!!There are a couple problems I had with Quarantine. Even though I felt like I was watching a movie in my head, I felt at least 75-100 page of it could have been cut without hurting the story any. If it would have really been a movie I would have been able to fast-forward through those more repetitive parts. I also felt that the virus was never really explained very well. I know that the kids didn't get much info on it since they were locked in the school, so we didn't either because we are only getting their POV, but it made me pull out of the story some. Some things in the story felt unrealistic, (yes I know that some things are supposed to be, but most things are NOT!) for instance, how suddenly every teen there knew how to fight, and there was enough condoms that no girls were getting pregnant. (I don't know why I think of these things, but I do! LOL). While these things did bring down my rating, I still liked the book, so they didn't bring down my reading too much.Quarantine was an action-packed book that was gruesome, hard-core, and yet still managed to weave in elements of family, friendship, loyalty, and romance. While it had it's flaws I would still recommend it to fans of action, suspense, and fighting.

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comEvery Day is different than any other book I've ever read before. 'A' wakes up in a different body every single day. 'A' never forms any attachments, any lasting relationships. Then one day 'A' meets Rhiannon while in the body of her boyfriend Justin and 'A' can't help but fall in love with her. Once 'A' moves on to other bodies 'A' tries to forget her and go back to the previous existence, but can't. Can one person love someone if they are never in the same body??It was so amazing reading this story of 'A' and the love that formed for Rhiannon. 'A' is neither male nor female, and it took my brain a bit to not read 'A' as one or the other. Every Day really makes you think about how you love the person, not the shell.Not only did I really enjoy reading the story of 'A' and Rhiannon, but I really loved diving into the lives of each person that 'A' became. While 'A' was in their bodies we got to really see a a part of each and every life, so it was like reading several mini-stories inside of the larger one.Every Day was a raw, emotional read that threw the normal view points of people out the window and really makes you think about what is underneath. Each day and person that 'A' changed through made me think, and made me hope. The ending was sad and satisfying at the same time. I recommend Every Day to anyone who likes a love story that's different and unique and not always HEA.

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comThe Evolution of Mara Dyer was the crazy head-trip I expected it to be and so much more! The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was one of my favorite books last year, so I couldn't wait to read it's sequel. Evolution made the mind boggling madness of Unbecoming seem sane!Mara is not even sure what is going on with herself anymore. Bless this poor girl's heart, but the whole book she either thinks she is insane, that she's being stalked, or that she has some kind of power. Problem is, I don't know which it is the whole time either, or if it's any of them!! Her family won't believe what she does see, and she only has Noah to turn to.Noah, oh Noah. Still so devastatingly charming and sexy. The witty banter between the two of them that I loved so much from book one is the main thing I missed in Evolution. I understand that their relationship was in a very different stage, but I really missed it. There were times I was sure that Noah was just the enabler to Mara's delusions and others that he was her only saving grace!At times I think things tried to be a little too confusing. There were flashbacks to the past of her grandmother, and some of them just never made any sense or added to the story for me. There, of course, were several things still left completely unexplained that I'm sure will be played out in later books, but I just feel like there are too many questions or confusions for me. That's why I had to give it a 4 star.Overall, I still loved getting my mind blown by Michelle Hodkin! The Evolution of Mara Dyer was a great mystery that left me guessing all the way through, and completely shocked with every twist. If you like mysteries and thrillers give this series a shot!

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comI have been hearing a lot of buzz on Pushing the Limits, but I just did not expect for this book to unglue me like it did. I started this book around midnight one night, thinking I would just read a few minutes before falling asleep, and I did not shut it until I finished the last page at 6 AM. It was so worth the loss of sleep.Echo and Noah are two of the most real characters I have read in a long time. I love them both so much. Each chapter alternated perspectives between the two and I loved that we were able to get inside both of their heads. It gave so much depth and emotion to the story.Echo is a lonely and scared girl. She hides the scars on her arms that were caused by an accident that almost killed her. An accident she can't remember because her brain has repressed it. She also hides herself from the world, with her hair and her attitude. Her brother died a few years ago in Afghanistan, she's not allowed near her mother, and her father is more interested in his new pregnant wife (Echo's old baby sister!). Mrs. Collins, Echo's psychologist/counselor suggests she tutors Noah to make some cash to finish restoring her brothers car. Since the car is all she has left of her brother, she will do it, even if it means dealing with Noah. I loved watching Echo's journey in this book. It was a beautiful, heart-wrenching, and breathtaking story. She had many bad thing happen to her, but she still came out so strong.Noah is a foster kid who is struggling. He lives with his two best friends in the basement of his foster parents house. They're the stoners of the school and Noah has the male slut reputation down. Noah's parents died a few years back in a fire and they separated him from his little brothers. He will do anything to get them back. Even go along with Mrs. Collin's tutor plan. I love Noah so much! He is so dedicated to his brothers and their well being. It pulled at my heart like nothing else. Every scene with them together tore me apart. He is sexy and charming and really grew into an incredible young man in the length of this novel.Echo and Noah together - FIREWORKS! They understood each other like no one else could. They could lean on each other, plan with each other, and do "normal" with each other, that they couldn't with any one else. Plus, those kisses!!! YUM YUM!!!There are two other characters in this book that I have to talk about because they are awesome! Mrs. Collins, the social worker is first. She was incredibly funny and you could tell her love for these kids was genuine. I loved that she was so sneaky! She always had their best interest at heart. Her driving scenes are some of the funniest moments in the book. Then there is Jacob, Noah's little brother. This kid stole my heart. He was so full of spunk and fire. He adored his big brother and wanted to be that same hero to their littlest brother. He was complex, and struggling, and oh-so-adorable!Pushing the Limits is going to be on my list of favorite books for this year. It's a contemporary that is so raw and real and emotional that I felt so invested in every step these characters took. I can not wait for the spin off book. I will be reading anything Katie McGarry puts out next!

Find more of my reviews by www.readingangel.comI LOVED LOVED LOVED The Wild Ones!! I adore contemporary that has humor and sexy all mixed in and The Wild Ones hit all of those spots with a bang! I had no idea that I would fall for this book or these characters as hard as I did, and I just wanted more as soon as it was over.Trick is one sexy cowboy that I'd definitely save a horse for! Lord, please give me a treat! I was swept away from the second those boots walked into the bar. With eyes described as "eyes that make me want to gasp and giggle and do a strip tease all at once," I was his!! Then to learn that he was putting dream on hold to take care of his mother and little sister, I just don't know how I can ever get over this man.Cami is spunky, strong and trying to find her independence. When she meets Trick in a bar her whole outlook on life is turned upside down. Cami has a steady boyfriend, one hand-picked by her father. Problem is that it's not just a one time meeting with Trick. He ends up working in her fathers stables and plaguing her every waking thought and every dream (not that I can blame the girl!). I really loved how Cami grew in this book. She really matured into an exceptional woman and I loved watching her stand up for what she believed in and for who she loved.Cami and Trick are characters that are in their early 20's and this is another thing that made this book a big hit for me, I love New Adult. It's a time of life when you are just beginning to find some freedom and find who you truly are and what you want out of life. It's also a time when the weight and responsibility of life starts to hit you in a very real way. M. Leighton really hit all of these facts of life with her characters in The Wild Ones.The Wild Ones was a phenomenal romance that had me cheering, laughing, and fanning myself down. Not only are Trick and Cami fantastic but there are side characters that I would love to read full books on! With shocking betrayals, passionate romances, forever friendships, and an incredibly satisfying ending, I can't recommend The Wild Ones enough!

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comI think my love for all things Jennifer Armentrout is well known at this point. If not then I'm not sure where you have been. Onyx did not disappoint EITHER time I read it! That's right, I've already read it twice!! I devoured it again yesterday in one day. It's just that good! I had to re-live every pen poke, every "hey kitten", every sexy sexy Daemon moment all over again and it was even better the second time around. (I'm not sure how that's possible, but it was.)For anyone who read Obsidian and wasn't a fan of the more jerky side of Daemon, you will all be so pleased when you read Onyx. The Daemon in Onyx, while still snarky, is sweet, romantic, protective, and completely drool-worthy. (Although I have found him drool-worthy since he first showed up at the door with his shirt off...but, you know ...) Katy, too, has grown. She is no longer timid in any way. Katy is MAD about the way Daemon treated her in the last book, and a few gifts and sexy looks aren't going to make up for that. Boy's going to have to work harder than that to prove his worth to her. I love how during all the tense suspenseful moments, suddenly Daemon or Katy will suddenly throw this funny barb at you that will have you rolling with laughter. Dee is not in Onyx as much as she was Obsidian, and while that fit the book, I missed her something crazy. She is one of my favorite characters in the Lux series, so I really enjoyed what I did get of her, and really hope for more of her in Opal. There are a lot of new players in Onyx, and some old players we thought were possibly out of the game for good, and it all escalates to one shocking revelation to who is really betraying them all. I was on the edge of my seat praying that they all made it out alive.Onyx is one of those book that you just have to stop and hug every so often! What?? I'm the only one that does that? I don't think so!! There were so many heart-wrenching or touching moments that I would literally just close it and squeeze the book tight! If I haven't convinced you to pick up a Jennifer Armentrout book yet then I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, for the love of hot aliens everywhere, read this series!!

Find more of my reviews at http://www.readingangel.comTahereh Mafi has a way of taking what you think you know and ripping it out of your brain and then stomping all over it. Be prepared for a game changer. Unravel Me is not your typical filler-sequel. A lot of action is going down in Unravel Me as well as a lot of crazy emotion and I was barely hanging on for the ride. I loved diving father into the heads of certain people and finding out what made them tick. At the same time, I would think I had someone figured out and an anvil would drop on my head!I love how Juliette really grew more into herself and her powers in Unravel Me. She really became a more independent creature and began to thrive. I loved seeing her less self-conscious. Kenji, who again, was one of my favorite characters, was a big part of breaking her out of her shell. He really just tells her how it is, no BS. I love that about him.Warner plays a much larger role in Unravel Me and there is one scene with between him and Juliette that had my heart beating in over drive and breaking in to a thousand pieces. While I came to love Warner so much more in Unravel Me, I think we were really shorted on time with Adam. He just wasn't given his fair dues. I am completely torn as to which guy I like more. I'm Team Juliette at this point.Unravel Me has a deep sense of foreboding over much of it and when the other shoe drops, it drops hard. The action is explosive and the ending, while not a terrible cliffhanger, still has me counting down days until I can get my hands on the next installment.

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comI absolutely adored Past Perfect so I'm not sure why I waited so long to pick up my copy of Mostly Good Girls. I already knew that I was a fan of Leila Sales writing and she did not disappoint. Mostly Good Girls is the story of two girls who had always been on the same path, but suddenly start to find their own way, the problem is whether it will still be side by side.Violet and Katie are such a great pair of best friends to read about. I adored their little "projects" they did together. Even though Violet is middle class and Katie is rich, Violet has to work hard to get her grades and it all comes easy to Katie, they are still inseparable. They make a very funny pair of very innocent 16-17 year olds.I loved the boarding school setting in Mostly Good Girls. It wasn't a wild boarding school we see in a lot of books these days where everyone is acting out, drinking, ect. This is 53 juniors who are working hard to get straight As. Who get offended over the smallest thing. Who are in constant competition against each other. It really reminded me a lot of Chilton from Gilmore Girls and this gets ten thousand hearts from me!! I think Mostly Good Girls was a fantastic contemporary about two girls who are just trying to figure out their place in it all. I know that Leila Sales is one author who is an auto-buy for me, and if you haven't given her a chance yet, and you are any fan of contemporary at all, I'm begging you too now!!

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comThe Goddess Legacy shows that there really is two sides to every story.The Goddess Queen - If you've read the first two books in this series then you know that you are rooting for Hera to take a fall. Goddess Queen is the story of Hera and Zeus' marriage and it's utter failure. Reading how horribly Hera had been treated and seeing her feeling for Hades begin so far back, and how purely they had started, I couldn't help but suddenly root for her to win. Lovestruck Goddess is the sweet story of Aphrodite and her loving heart. I loved seeing Aphrodite with Eros as a toddler. That was my favorite part of this particular tale. It showed a softer side of the goddesses that you don't normally get. Seeing Aphrodite struggle between the love of two very different brothers (and as the goddess of love, that is VERY hard) was so sad.Goddess of the Underworld - I loved reading Persephone's POV of her life with Henry, from their wedding until she became mortal. We got the story of this in pieces from both the other books from every one else's views, but reading Persephone's side of things was great. I really like her as a character and I loved seeing the mean side of Aphrodite. God of Thieves - Hermes/James is my favorite of all the gods/goddesses in Aimee Carter's world. Seeing the story of this girl he loved was such a treat. It really broke my heart seeing how his family ostracized him because of what happened with Persephone, and his hunger for familial ties. Seeing Henry continue to punish him in the ways he did in this story made me want to reach through the pages and pummel him.God of Darkness is the story of Henry wanting to fade and the girls who tried before Kate. This was absolutely heartbreaking to read. There is a moment with him and James that made up for the last story. It was incredibly sweet and redeemed Henry for me. God of Darkness also tells the story of why Kate's mother decided to have her.I absolutely loved reading all of these tales from the different gods/goddesses perspectives. It really showed such incite into them and i could see why some of them did so many things they did during the previous books! If you are a fan of mythology at all, I recommend The Goddess Legacy!

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.com Serial Hottie is an extremely fun coming of age story about a tomboy who is finally breaking out of her shell and becoming a girl that all the boys start to notice. Too bad all this happens right when a serial killer is stalking girls who just happen to look just like her, and her new crush across the street fits the serial killer profile just right! Although me and sister Angela share a name, I am much more of a kindred spirit with main character Ellie. Ellie is a hard-core tomboy - rough and tumble through and through. I can so clearly remember that summer when I came into puberty and all the guys I had always hung out with for years suddenly realized I was a girl. Like with Ellie and her friends, it led to a lot of hilarious and lewd comments and embarrassing moments. Reliving all of this happening with Ellie and her crew of boys was so much fun for me. The guys in her neighborhood are so funny and brought back a lot of great memories for me.On the opposite end of the rest of those boys, you have Seth. The new boy across the street is suave and sexy and mysterious. Just the kind of guy that would normally go for Angela, yet he is constantly in pursuit of Ellie, even when she does nothing but blow him off. I love that although Seth makes Ellie swoon she doesn't take any of his crap and stands up for herself, she's always on the defense. Even though he's the first guy to show her that kind of attention, and he's super hot, she's not a puddle of goo at his feet.Now, there were a few times that I had a little trouble with the reality of their situation. She was very naive at times and it would get on my nerves. Her still being alone with him, or going out with him when she was so sure he was a serial killer, was just way off for me, which is why I had to knock it down a rating.Serial Hottie is not just a great coming of age story and a cute romance though. You also get a very intriguing mystery. I was constantly trying to figure out who our serial killer was, and I'm normally really good at guessing these things. I actually didn't get this one until right before our main character did so it was a big surprise! Serial Hottie has something for everyone; mystery, romance, comedy, and more. I would recommend this one for sure!

Find more of my reviews at http://www.readingangel.comShatter Me was one of those books that was recommended to me over and over again. I was scared that it was just going to fall flat and not live up to all the hype. I tried my best to go into it without all of those expectations. I really think there was no need. Shatter Me was really just a great read that I couldn't help but enjoy.I was a little worried that the writing style was going to be a problem for me. It was a very unusual style of writing but it ended up not bothering me at all. I actually really like the stream of conscious way it was written. It seems to flow close to how my brain works (does that make me slightly crazy?).When we first meet Juliette as a girl locked away in a cell she is so very damaged. Although she was broken, I love that she still maintained a sense of self and a will to fight. It was great getting to watch her journey unfold. Seeing how incredibly strong she still remained after all she had been through was a great testament to her growth during this novel. Adam, oh Adam. Adam is simply AMAZING. He is such a caring and good-hearted individual. He is so loyal and never gives up on the people he loves. Plus, there is just something about tattooed guys that is SOOO sexy!Warner is so creeptastic. He's one of those bad guys that will have you feeling sorry for him one second and wanting to shoot him in the face the next. Kenji is HILARIOUS! Seriously, every time he opened his mouth I was snorting with deliciously evil giggles. I wanted to pull him out of the pages and eat him up.Shatter Me seems like it will be the start of a wild and exciting super-hero adventure. The pace kept me flipping pages and wondering what would happen next. Do I recommend it to everyone? No. Not everyone is going to love this style of writing. I do suggest you give it a try and see what you think for yourself.

Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.comNever Enough is an extremely emotional contemporary book. I cried so hard at one point that my husband walked through to find out what the heck was wrong with me. I devoured the entire 400 pages in one day because I just couldn't leave the lives of these characters behind until I had reached the end of their story.Loann has always tried to live up to the heights that her amazing sister reaches. Claire is popular, beautiful, a good student, and has the one guy that Loann has been in love with forever. Loann always feels like she is never enough for anyone. It's not long into the story before Loann loses the few friends she does have, but luckily she meets Marcus. I love Loann and Marcus's friendship. It was so slow building and true. Marcus was such a sweet character. Even though he was dealing with a lot of difficult things at home he always knew exactly what Loann needed and was there for her.Claire, Loann's seemingly perfect sister, is only perfect on the outside. Hiding it from everyone, she is dealing with a very very dangerous eating disorder. Denise Jaden did such an amazing job with this. You really saw how one girl struggled so hard to be perfect and how hard she worked to hide what she was doing. The lengths she would go to, and how much it could tear one family apart. Never Enough hit on just a few issue of self-esteem, but the greater meaning was there for all to see. We all feel like we are never enough sometimes, and if you don't move past it, that can become something that can tear you apart from the inside out. I think everyone can relate to this book and I loved every second of it. It broke my heart into a thousand pieces and put them back together again. I can't wait for more from Denise Jaden.