Blog Tour: Enigma by Tonya Kuper

Welcome to my stop of the Enigma blog tour! Today I have a review for you, as well as an awesome giveaway!

Title: Enigma

Author: Tonya Kuper

Series: Schrodinger’s Consortium #2

Release: July 3, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Synopsis:

Worst. Road Trip. Ever.

Escaping with Reid Wentworth should have been fun, but how can I enjoy it when I just (accidentally) killed someone, my mom and brother are in danger, and the Consortium is trying to enslave humanity? (Yeah, they aren’t fooling around.) So feeling something for Reid Wentworth was not part of the plan. Trying to help unite the Resistance against the Consortium means I can’t be distracted by hot boys.

The Resistance secret hideout isn’t exactly the rebel base of my dreams. A traitor there wants me dead, but we have no idea who it is. And with both the Resistance and the Consortium trying to control me, the only one I can trust is Reid. If we’re going to have any chance of protecting my family, controlling my unstable powers, and surviving the clash between the Oculi factions, I’m going to have to catch this traitor. By using myself as bait.

You Can Find it At:
Goodreads
Google Play

BAM

Chapters

Indies

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

TBD

iBooks

First Impressions

I read Anomaly at some point last year, and I've been excited for Enigma ever since! I picked up Enigma and I just devoured it! I started it one evening, and finished it the next morning! I was excited to get back into Josie and Reid's world. The beginning was a little rocky as I tried to remember all the terminology, but otherwise it was off to a great start.

Characters

While Josie and Reid share the main character role, Josie really shines as the lead. She has powers beyond imagination, quite literally, and isn't afraid to use them. I also loved seeing how much Josie cares about her family. Her little brother Eli is one of the most important people in the world to her, and it's touching to see how much she cares about him.

Reid and Josie have a wonderful relationship. If you've read the first book, you know that they've both liked each other since they were kids. Reid was best friends with Josie's older brother, but situations drove them apart. But now they are back in each other's lives, and making the best of it. It was always fun to have the two of them in a room together, and I'm a big fan of the smooching too.

World Building

The series takes place in our world. This gives it a nice grounding, while also adding in a sci-fi element. Also, Josie is a huge nerd, and that adds to the world. She's constantly making Star Wars, Star Trek, and Marvel nods. Being an epic fangirl myself, it was super fun to see an awesome nerd portrayed in a book. While Josie's segment of the Oculi world is small, I could feel the author hinting at a larger world. Be it another sequel or a spin-off, I would love to see and learn more about the world of Oculi and Anomalies.

Other Books In the Series

Title: Anomoly

Author: Tonya Kuper

Series: Schrodinger's Consortium #1

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Synopsis:

Reality is only an illusion.

Except for those who can control it…

Worst. Birthday. Ever.

My first boyfriend dumped me – happy birthday, Josie!- my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…

Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.

When hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…

To sum it up: The Matrix meets Divergent in contemporary high school. Intrigue, action, romance with lots of hotties, and (understandable) quantum physics theories.

You Can Find it At:
Goodreads

Author Bio:

Tonya Kuper is the author of ANOMALY, the first in the Schrodinger's Consortium Series, a young adult science fiction trilogy, released November 4, 2014 by Entangled Teen. She fell for Young Adult lit while earning her Masters degree in Reading Education. She's a mom to two awesome boys, an alt music junkie, a Star Wars nerd, and in love with Sherlock.

You Can Find Her At:
Twitter

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Google +

Goodreads

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Opposition
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Lux
Publisher: EntangledTeen
Release: August 5, 2014
Review: Five Stars

Characters: Katy, Daemon, Beth, Dawson, Luc, Archer, Dee

I love these characters! I relate to Katy so well. Book bloggers for the win! Daemon is so swoon-worthy, I can't even. Beth and Dawson are fairly minor characters, but their predicaments still affect the plot. Also, ADORABLE BABY! I have endless swoons for Archer too. As you might have seen in my review for the previous book. Luc is pretty cool too. He knows so many secrets that the reader finds out bit by bit. I haven't liked Dee after about book three. She finally comes around a bit in this book, and her character is solid by the end. That said, as far as Katy and Daemon go, there was WAY too much sex. I don't mind some, but it gets to a point where enough is enough.

First Impressions: 5/5

I really love Jennifer L. Armentrout. The book starts crazy weird. I won't say why due to spoilers, but crazy weird. People are dying, things are exploding (EXPLOSIONS), etc. Everything a reader loves.

Writing: 4/5 Though Jennifer L. Armentrout's writing has definitely improved, it still leaves some to be desired, which I'm sure will all improve in time.
Plot: 4/5 The plot feels a little disjointed, since the major problem was introduced at the end of the previous book. She dealt with it well though, and managed to get everything done in the minimum amount of time, while still adding humor and romance.
World Building: 4/5 The author didn't have to do too much world building. Most of it was done in the previous four books. I would have liked to know a little more about the background of the bad guys though.
Characters: 4/5 The character development was good, and the only thing really to be desired was the amount of sex.

Overall, this was a really solid conclusion to a wonderful series. I can't wait to read more of Jennifer's books!

Blog Tour: Salt by Danielle Ellison

Welcome to my stop on the Salt blog tour! Below, you'll find a review of the (spectacular) book and, at the bottom, a giveaway! I hope you enjoy, and make sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour!

Title: Salt
Author: Danielle Ellison
Release: January 7, 2014
Pages: 250
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review: Five Stars

Salt was amazingly spectacularly stupendous! I just, AH! I've been reading a bajillion books recently but this was the one I needed! Gah, the feels! I cannot put how amazing this book into words without simply telling you to GO READ IT! I hate reading eBooks. They're hard to read, things crash, the internet gets in the way, and they're all around annoying. I started this one and finished it in a few hours flat. At this point, my only thought is GIVE ME MORE! *visits Goodreads* What?!?! How is there no information on book two! You see my dilemma. Anyways... Just, read it. If my insane ramblings don't convince you, check out the rest of the tour for proof!

The main character is Penelope. She is so bleeping awesome! She is a witch. I actually don't read a lot of stories with witches as main characters, much less witches that fight demons. It's always nephilim or something. And while I have nothing against nephilim, it's cool to see other species get a go at them too. Penelope is incredibly stubborn, sarcastic, and funny. She has a joke for every situation. She's also slightly broken from her past. Throw in Carter, and something's just waiting to explode. (In case you were wondering, stuff does. Explode. A lot.) The romance and tension between them is perfect and causes all the feels. When they're together, stuff, good, bad, or otherwise, happens in large proportions. Carter keeps a few secrets from Penelope that she is not happy about, but were somewhat obvious to the reader, if they know what to look for. He's also incredibly hot, which causes Penelope to distrust him immediately. Also, he's kick-butt. Penelope is pretty kick-butt, she does take down demons for a living after all, but Carter is like Penelope on steroids when it comes to fighting.

Confession time. I signed up for the tour because the book looked interesting, but by the time I picked it up (which took a while, I'm a huge procrastinator) I'd completely forgotten what the book was supposed to be about. So, before starting the book, I looked it up on Amazon, and boy, was I surprised. Things suddenly looked much brighter in my world. By the time I was halfway through, this was happing.

@Tween2TeenBooks :D
— Danielle Ellison (@DanielleEWrites) December 30, 2013

@Tween2TeenBooks Yay!! :) So glad you are enjoying it.
— Danielle Ellison (@DanielleEWrites) December 30, 2013

And then, when I finished, I was at this point.

@Tween2TeenBooks :D *beams* That makes me happy to hear!!
— Danielle Ellison (@DanielleEWrites) December 30, 2013

@Tween2TeenBooks :D I like smiles!
— Danielle Ellison (@DanielleEWrites) December 30, 2013

Salt was amazing in so many ways. Along with the characters developing perfectly, the plot did as well. As far as characters go, some of you might have seen my conversation via Twitter last night talking about why characters always have to start at rude before they can evolve. In this, the characters started as themselves and ended as someone better. It wasn't some full out "I can't love you because I'm ___" facade thing. It was amazingly refreshing. The plot was fast paced, and after the first thirty pages or so, I'd lost track of how fast I was reading. The book was over way too soon and I can't wait for me. So yes, if I could, I would give this book a million bajillion stars. Since I can't I'm giving it a full five. Happy reading!

Blog Tour: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

The last blog tour of the week! It's been super fun having all of these, but talk about exhausting! Check out the post below for my review, the book trailer, an awesome giveaway (seriously, I'm really tempted to enter), and the rest of the tour dates!

Title: Olivia Twisted
Author: Vivi Barnes
Release: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 352
Review: Five Stars!

Holy *bleep* Olivia Twisted was good! I went into it with lowish expectations (not usually my kind of book) and being dead tired after reading four books since Sunday. Blog tours are tiring people! It was an amazing read that I could not put down! It started off kinda slow, but picked up almost immediately. For those of you that have read A Girl Named Digit (which I highly recommend) this is for you! Realistic story with crazy-smart female lead who ends up getting in way over her head.

The main character is Olivia. First off, at the beginning of each chapter, there is an excerpt from Oliver Twist. In this book, the other characters have to 'twist' Olivia. Olivia Twisted, Oliver Twist. Get it? Anyway, Olivia is a true heroin that I can admire. She's been faced with the foster care system since her mother died and it hasn't been easy. Yet she stands up after, has a series of rules for herself that keep her out of trouble and that every kid should have. Olivia has strong morals, and when people she love are doing things that don't agree with these morals, she says 'No matter how much I love you, I can't stand by you as you do this.' She manages to take most things in stride, and faces touch situations with a calm face and a rock-hard (ish) plan.

The other main character is Z. Yes, Z. A slightly cheesy point that's brought up at one time is that his nickname is Dodger, which is the name of Oliver's friend (I think) from Oliver Twist. Z is a hacker. He does bad things. And his job is to twist Olivia. His morals are not nearly as strong as Olivia's, and I believe his character as a person is lacking, but as he meets and interacts with Olivia, he slowly begins to truly find himself and where he belongs. What Z really needed was someone who made him truly feel something and would inspire him to be better. Olivia is that person.

My one big complaint, we as readers don't know what happens to the other characters. We know what happens to Olivia and Z, but his family and their friends are left hanging. From how the story turns out up to that point, the readers are given an assumption, but nothing is solid. While I didn't feel a connection to all the various side characters, each one of them struck me in some way. The plot doesn't necessarily twist (hehe) and turn like some books, but it does leave the reader wanting more. The story is successfully wrapped up, save for the item mentioned above, and it can definitely stand alone. Not to say that I wouldn't want a spin-off of some kind about Sam and the other kids from Monroe Street. The book definitely deserves a full five stars!

Blog Tour: Infinity by Andria Buchanan

Today, I am happy to be taking part in the blog tour for Infinity by Andrea Buchanan! My post is a review of the first two books (due to the amount of tours I'm in this week-one every day) I could only get the first two read, but the review of book three will be added as soon as humanly possible! And make sure to check out the bottom with an awesome giveaway and links to the rest of the tour!

Titles: Everlast, Evanescent
Author: Andria Buchanan
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Series: The Chronicles of Nerisette
Review: Four Stars

These books were really good! Due to reading them so last minute, some skimming was done, but I can't wait to go back and reread them in depth! The idea behind the story is definitely original. Generally the characters start in a fantasy world or the real world and don't leave, but these characters start in the real world and get sucked into a fantasy world THROUGH A BOOK! Yes, I said book.

The main character is Allie Monroe. Like the Abnegation say in Divergent, the leader should be someone who does not want to lead. Allie is an unpopular, quiet, high school girl. She doesn't want power and she sure as heck doesn't want to lead a country. Yet when she arrives in the fantasy land, she's immediately give power. My biggest problem with Allie is her self-confidence. It's next-to-none. And while it's realistic to have times when you're down, Allie constantly doubts herself and lets others get in her head. Besides that, I really like her. Allie leads her country with a firm hand and promises the way to a better future. Her romance with Winston was interesting. It's made known from page one that she's had a crush on him for as long as they've been friends, but that he hasn't returned her feelings. The romance comes on very suddenly, and while I like it, it could have felt more
natural.

The plot of the books was interesting and different. It didn't twist and turn as much as some others, but it still left me wanting more. Let's just say, book three won't be waiting very long to be read. I feel like the characters besides the Allie are fairly weak. The author manages to make me feel attached to them, I would cry if her best friend Mercedes or Winston were to die, but the reader simply doesn't know enough about their backstory. The characters are slowly built upon, but it could be more so. The writing is also well done. Nothing is explained too much nor too little. I always understood what was going on, even when coming back from a long period of not reading. The books were fun and interesting, but with a couple faults. I give them a solid four star review!

Blog Tour: Made of Stars by Kelley York

Hello, and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Made of Stars, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! Check out my review of the book below, as well as an awesome giveaway and the other tour dates!

Title: Made of Stars
Author: Kelley York
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release: October 1, 2013
Pages: 320
Review: 4.5 Stars

Oh dear god, this book made me cry. I ended up reading this book because I thought it would only end up being so-so and I'd have to skim it (plus, I might have put it off). That was not the case. After the first couple chapters, this book had sucked me in. I was invested in the characters and could not put it down. I seriously read all 250 pages in one afternoon. It. Was. That. Good. The writing style was different and yet like many others at the same time, which gave it an interesting blend. Their were issues that were eventually addressed in the book that I realized at the beginning, way before the characters did.

Made of Stars contains three main characters. First is Hunter. Hunter is a graduate of high school and is spending the year with his dad while trying to figure out where his life is going. His sister Ashlin is the other main character. The two of them are half-siblings and she's also a recent grad and taking a year off to figure things out and to keep close to their dad, who was shot on the job a few years earlier. I really like the two of them. They're not incredibly strong nor annoyingly weak. They aren't clairvoyant yet their not completely dense either. The two of them are much like normal kids, save their family situation. I may never look up to them as role models, but the two of them are accurate and relatable. They face issues that most kids face. They have a few odd ones (their parents and the third main character to name a couple), but most kids do. Their language is much like any other persons'-fairly decent with a few indecent words thrown in. Plus, their the ultimate role models of siblings, the ones every parent hopes that theirs will be. Maybe because they're apart so much that they don't have time to fight, but these kids actually have the ability to have decent conversations and *gasp* work together! The final main character is Chance. In a word, he's broken. At first glance, Chance is the best friend every kid wants. He's fun-loving with a never-ending want for adventure. Yet there's something hiding below the surface. Chance spends more time at Hunter and Ashlin's house than his own. And as they soon learn, most of what he's told them, and they've believed, from their childhood is a lie. Chance has a horrible home life doesn't know what to do. It ticks me off to no end that he won't accept the help of those who love him, but it's what most kids do in his situation. His character is in some ways extremely strong, but in other exceptionally weak. I had the highest hopes for his character, especially as more and more came out of the closet. One thing this story does really well, a gay relationship. While I read some good ones, they often feel awkward or are skimmed over as a minor detail. In this, the main romance is between Hunter and Chance. It was exceptionally done and I couldn't not route for their happily ever after.

If you are wanting to read this story and want a perfect happily ever after, stop now. It is not. There are things left hanging and honestly, the end is heartbreaking. My best comparison would be a short story I read in sixth grade. Have any of you read The Lady or the Tiger? Well, the ending was much like that. The reading is never quite sure who did what and what will happen. I'm pretty sure (correct me if I'm wrong) that this story is a standalone. I hope to all hope that it's not, because I'd love the characters to get their happily ever after, but I doubt there will be a sequel. The end is done in such a way that just enough is left hanging to keep you wondering, but not enough so as to leave the reader without closure. An author stated, I can't remember who, a while back that an unhappy ending is not a sad ending but one without closure. This story was not a happy ending, but it wasn't unhappy either, it was sad. It was bittersweet and heartbreaking, but not a bad ending. I'm listening to Animal by Ke$ha as I write this, and I can't help but think how accurate the song is, or at least the feeling of it, not necessarily the lyrics. As the author said in the acknowledgments, this is, above all else, Chance's story. And it is. Chance is a sad, broken character who is faced with enormous difficulties. I love him as much as I hate him. This book is one that will stay with me and will cause me to be awake at all hours awash in tears. I don't know how I can't give it 4.5 stars.

Chaos by Christine O'Neil

Title: Chaos
Author: Christine O'Neil
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release: August 26, 2013
Series: Kardia Chronicles
Pages: 292
Review: Five Stars

Chaos was amazing. It was spectacular. It was superb. Words cannot describe the awesome that is this book. If you look here, you can see that about a month ago, I was part of the cover reveal for this book. The language in this book is a bit over the top, and I don't recommend it to readers who are either younger or like clean books. The romance isn't as over the top, but the moments, which are few and far between, are steamy. I find that Entangled Publishing tends to have really good taste in books to publish. I've read multiple books published by them and each time they are amazing and often better than I expected, like with Chaos. Chaos was provided for me in eBook form by the publisher. I expected it to be just another book that I read, one that wouldn't stand out, but boy was I wrong. I read this book in approximately one day. So what if I was up past midnight, it was worth it.

The main character is Maggie. She is pretty awesome. I have a couple pet peeves with her, which I'll get out of the way. One, she has a fairly poor body image. Not to say she hates herself, but it's little comments that hint at her insecurity and could affect the reader, especially young women. Two, she blames herself for things that either aren't her fault or anyone else would have done in her position. Namely with a character named Eric. She blames herself for what happened to him and, while she may have been the catalyst, it was his fault and his alone. Maggie apologizes easily, but that's something that I think will change over the course of the books. Her language is crude, even compared to other books I've read, but at the same time, I know people who speak like her in real life. It may not be the norm, but after what Maggie's been through, she can say just about anything she wants. The male protagonist is Mac. Granted, he's a jerk for most of the book. I'm positively sick of his behavior by this point, but if nothing else, I think that will turn around in book two. After the end of Chaos, there's no doubt in my mind that book two will be angst filled. That disappoints me, only because I feel that angst tends to get in the way of actual plot. Hopefully, the characters will be able to get over it sooner rather than later, but only time will tell.

The book was plotted perfectly. It was plotted in such a way that I read it so fast, that I can barely remember how fast or slow it was. The plot might have been slow as can be, but it kept me interested which caused me not to notice. The story is amazingly done with just the right balance or development and action. The end was somewhat predictable, but that is to be expected after reading so many books. It's almost easy to pick up the foreshadowing in books after reading as many as I have, but this book had me reading so fast that I didn't really have time to think about it. More serious readers might have a hard time with the book and determine it 'fluffy' but you really should read it. As a teenager myself, I can connect with the main character and empathize with her. I get what her and her friends are going through. There are grammatical errors, but only a few. So get those spines cracking and dig in!

Origin by Jennifer L Armentrout

Title: Origin
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release: August 27, 2013
Series: Lux
Pages: 364
Review: Five Stars!

Do you know how hard it was to choose a book to review? I've read SO many amazing books recently that is was super hard to choose one. Origin was the one I was most excited for though, so I decided to review it first. Let me tell you, this book was amazing. If you look back at my not to amazing review of the previous book, this one turns it all around. The writing is as amazing as always. The characters begin to heal, only to hurt all over again. There were a few awkward moments, but overall I really liked it.

This story did something different from the previous books in the series. Origin is told from two POV's. The main character Katy and the male protagonist, Daemon. It's nice to finally get inside Daemon's head for long periods of time. Part of the reason I was so annoyed at Daemon in Opal was that I didn't know what he truly meant and why he was so condescending. Origin shed some light on his character and I had loads of fun getting to know him more. Katy develops exponentially in this book. She finally learns what she's fighting for, and the true scope of the situation and hole they've been thrown in. I can't help but love Katy and find her hilarious. Her inner monologue is a never-ending stream of funny mixed with bits of love and seriousness. Katy knows when to be silly and when to get down and dirty. In this, we finally get to meet Beth, the love interest of Dawson who was also kidnapped by the government and who's freedom cost Katy hers. Beth is portrayed as weak and fragile, but a big reveal towards the end of the story tossed my presumptions out the window. This reveal will be a big problem in the final book and I'm excited to see it play out.

The best part of this book? One word. Archer. His character is so awesome, so swoon-worthy, that he gets his own paragraph. Archer is Katy's guard of sorts, and from the page we meet him, I know I like him. His character is obviously hiding something, but that only intrigues the reader more. Archer is mysteriously kind and randomly humorous in a place that have little of both. I was praying that Archer wouldn't become an enemy or bad guy, because I couldn't stand to loose his character. I can't say any more so as not to spoil the surprise, but I'll give you one hint. Archer knows more about the Origin project than he lets on. Here's a fan-made picture of Archer in case you're in doubt.

Archer was my favorite character, but my favorite part occurred on pages 260-261. In fact, they're so awesome, I just have to share them with you.

Reading my new name for a third time, I still couldn't believe it. Something about this name was familiar. "Anna Whitt?"

Dee bounced a little. "I picked the names."

Things started to click into place. "What's yours, Daemon?"

He flipped his billfold open and snickered. "Kaidan Rowe. Hmm. That has a nice ring to it."

My mouth dropped open as I twisted toward Dee. "You picked names from a book!"

She giggled. "I thought you'd like that. Besides, Sweet Evil is one of my favorites, and you made me read it, so..."

I couldn't help it. I laughed as I stared down at my picture ID. It was an identical copy of my real driver's license, except it was a different state and address. Underneath it was my actual ID-Katy Swartz-and a few other sheets of folded paper.

Gosh, I missed my books. I wanted to hug the, love them, squeeze them.

"I found that in your bedroom," Dee explained, tapping a finger off it. "I snuck in and got you some clothes and this before we left."

"Thank you," I said sliding my new ID over my old one. Staring at both was going to give me an identity crisis.

"So, wait, my new name is from one of those books?" Daemon frowned. He also had his real ID, but there was a bank card underneath, set to Kaidan's name. "I'm afraid to even ask what it's about. I better not be named after any kind of magician or something lame like that."

"No. It's about angels, demons, and nephilim, and..." I stalled, acutely aware that everyone was staring at me like I'd grown a third eye. "Kaidan's like the embodiment of lust."

If you can't tell why this is my favorite part of the story, it's because two of my favorite series, the Sweet trilogy and the Lux series, were combined into a page and a half of pure awesomeness. I actually got into multiple twitter conversations with both authors. One went something like this.

@Tween2TeenBooks Yeah baby! ;) @JLArmentrout
— Wendy Higgins (@Wendy_Higgins) August 28, 2013

 Anyway, I just loved this book. It was so amazing and fun. I cannot get enough of the characters or the story. There are awkward moments that I don't think are needed in the story, but maybe they're building up to something special. Who knows? It's no question that this book receives five stars!

P.S. After finishing Origin, this *might* have also happened on twitter...

@Tween2TeenBooks I want to see this happen. @JLArmentrout @Wendy_Higgins
— Victoria Scott (@VictoriaScottYA) August 29, 2013

And in reply to that...

@Wendy_Higgins @Tween2TeenBooks @JLArmentrout Let's make this happen.
— Victoria Scott (@VictoriaScottYA) August 29, 2013

And this...

@Tween2TeenBooks @VictoriaScottYA @JLArmentrout Now that's just dangerous, right there.
— Wendy Higgins (@Wendy_Higgins) August 28, 2013

Re-Review: Opal by Jennifer L Armentrout

I've come to realize something. Over time, my ideas on books will change, along with my reviews. I was rereading Opal when I realized this. Below, I copied the original review of Opal. In bold, I've added my comments and/or additions to the review. I will start doing this time to time when my review of a book changes. I will always note when it's a re-review. Feel free to add your opinions in the comments!

*Sigh* Opal is amazing! Yet another awesome book by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Let me tell you, the stakes are raised tremendously and you never know if there's a traitor or betrayal right around the corner! This book had so many plot twists, I could never tell what was going to happen next. It's yet another gobble-it-up in one sitting book.

Katy and Daemon, they just can't seem to get along, even when dating. They're both stubborn as mules which I'd guess is a big factor. Daemon can't stand to see Katy in danger and Katy can't stand to sit on the sidelines. They have very differing opinions, but the times they're not fighting...wow. It's the only comment I can make. Daemon is much more than a stubborn mule. While his cocky and rude attitude is funny and exciting in the first book, by book three, it's gotten kinda old. He acts increasingly mean to Katy, so much so that I couldn't finish the reread. I feel like he puts down her character. While earlier insults had no depth and Katy could brush them off, they now know each-other well and he knows exactly how to get under her skin. Daemon insults who she is, not just what she's trying to do. Katy doubts herself in this book. Not a single character stands up for her or is a friend. Her best friend is playing the blame game and Katy's going right along with it. Daemon is putting her down and he won't listen to her when she needs him to most. While I wish her character was stronger in this book, no one stepped in to help her self-esteem. She needed a rock and instead got a bunch of pebbles. The one person who seems even slightly there for Katy is Daemon's older brother Dawson. While romantically, his interests lie elsewhere, he is the only one that understands exactly what Katy's been through as of the end of book two. He empathizes with her and her with him. He's not the most stable rock, but he's there. He provides momentary relief until all the other characters come back to their senses.

Opal will make you smile and want to throw the book at the wall (I think I almost did at points). But that's what a good book and author does. While that's true, I wish the smile slightly outweighed the throw the book at the wall. If you can feel along with the characters and feel just as in deep as the characters, well, that's a good story that's sucked you right in. The books in this series have totally done that for me. Opal is the third out of five books plus a prequel. The prequel comes out in February and the fourth book comes out in the summer. Opal is fully deserving of this five star review! I enjoyed Opal as a whole. It's plot is still enticing. I just couldn't stand the characters. Luckily, I have hope for them in book four, Origin, but I will not be picking up Opal again for a while. The story is good and fun, but I can't get past the characters and therefore cannot enjoy all the amazing aspects of the book. Opal has been downgraded to a three.

The Collector by Victoria Scott

Wow, this book was good. Plus it's told from a male POV, which made it different than usual. The main character, Dante, is sure aware of his own self-worth. The story was well told and amazingly done. I couldn't help but love every character, even the bad guy-who happens to be the main character. Yeah, you heard that right. Why is he the bad guy? Well, Dante happens to be a demon and soul collector for hell. He works for Boss Man to collect the bad souls as well as tag a soul when one commits a sin. Dante being Dante gives the story a unique aspect that you simply don't find in most books. It's interesting to see from the 'bad guy's' point of view for once. The story really shows the whole 'don't judge a book by its cover' thing. Just because Dante works for the bad guy, doesn't mean he's completely evil nor beyond redemption.

Dante is a walking, talking contradiction. One moment, he claims he likes his job and is a bad boy, the next he's thinking about how much he hates being a Collector and regrets what he's done. Dante has been sent to collect a girl named Charlie's soul. Why? He doesn't know. But he does know that if he does this job, Boss Man will promote him, and that's what he wants. Dante is constantly conflicted about what he's doing though. He knows it isn't right, and wants to make amends, but won't sacrifice himself to do so. He is extremely arrogant, selfish, and, well, mean. At least, to start with. As the book progresses, so does Dante. It's amazing how one person has the ability to make him rethink his whole world. He learns life-altering things that can change everything. As secrets come out, he's pushed to his limits, and does things he never imagined he would.

The plotting of this book is superb. Just as it began to slow down after some action-packed/crazy scene, Dante plots some new antic that throws readers right back in. It takes place in a small town where not much is expected to happen, until Dante shows up. Victoria Scott takes readers for a wild ride on an action, romance, and rebellion filled roller coaster of a story. It's an amazing debut novel and a spectacular addition to the YA genre as a whole. Dante has girls swooning everywhere. It packs one heck of a punch and doesn't stop. I was flipping pages until I hit the very last one. The sequel, The Liberator, comes out in August and I sure can't wait. I give this book five stars!

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

*Sigh* Opal is amazing! Yet another awesome book by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Let me tell you, the stakes are raised tremendously and you never know if there's a traitor or betrayal right around the corner! This book had so many plot twists, I could never tell what was going to happen next. It's yet another gobble-it-up in one sitting book.

Katy and Daemon, the just can't seem to get along, even when dating. They're both stubborn as mules which I'd guess is a big factor. Daemon can't stand to see Katy in danger and Katy can't stand to sit on the sidelines. They have very differing opinions, but the times they're not fighting...wow. It's the only comment I can make.

Opal will make you smile and want to throw the book at the wall (I think I almost did at points). But that's what a good book and author does. If you can feel along with the characters and are feel just as in deep as the characters, well, that's a good story that's sucked you right in. The books in this series have totally done that for me. Opal is the third out of four books plus a prequel. The prequel comes out in February and the fourth book comes out in the summer. Opal is fully deserving of this five star review!

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Wow, Onyx is good. I officially love the Lux series. It has everything a series good need: action, romance, and plenty of mystery. There are plot turns and flips at every corner. Let's just say, the ending, totally unexpected! The author had me riding along with every word, right from page one. I gobbled the book up in one sitting. The book is about aliens, and let me tell you, I've never seen hotter aliens in my life! I swear, every one of them makes me melt!

If you look at my previous review, you see that the main character is named Katie. She is an amazing heroin. Definitely someone to look up to. She fights for what she believes in, what is right. But even she makes mistakes, which proves that she's human...or as close as she can be anyway. There's the male protagonist, Daemon. I love him just as much as Katie does, but I don't think he completely gets her. It seems like he's always chiding her for risking her life. But she's risking her life for good things that she believes is right. They're both stubborn, which makes for a great/horrible match, and the funniest love/hate relationship EVER! Often in books, it's portrayed that the guy is super sweet and 'gets the girl better than she gets herself'. That is not the case. He gets her just as much as any other guy would, which gives the book a more real feeling.

The book is officially AMAZING! I believe the writing could have been better though. And I wouldn't have minded if Daemon was bit less snooty to Katie. But hopefully, it will work out in the end. This is the second book in the series, and I can't decide if it's just as good or better than the first. They're both SO amazing! Anyway, I give the book a solid five.

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Oh my god! This book is amazing! How often to you see hot, sexy aliens? I got the book for Christmas and was flipping pages so fast, I finished the next morning. It's a read in one sitting, gobble it up book. I could not put it down. Obsidian is the first book in the Lux series. I've been wanting them for ages. The authors writes, and has written, tons of YA books, so check them out.

The main character is named Katie. Her father passed away from cancer three years prior to the book. She lived in Florida and has just moved to West Virginia at the beginning of the book. Let me tell you, Katie has an attitude you will never forget. She doesn't hesitate to challenge authority, or super-powerful aliens, if she feels it is in the way of what she feels is right. She meets the male protagonist, Daemon, at the beginning of the book and it's not love at first sight. Thank god! In fact, they're probably arguing for half the book. It gets slightly tedious, but it's fun.

One of the best things about this book? No love triangle. Katie's never going 'Do I like him or him? He's super hot, but he's super sweet. What do I do?' It was a big relief. I hate being torn between two guys. These books are definitely cookies for the mind. All in all, an amazing read. I give it five stars!