Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Second book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Meyer.

Back Cover:
Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My Reaction: 
I really loved this book! I really loved Scarlet and Wolf as separate characters and also as a couple. I think I enjoyed their developing love story more so than what was happening with Cinder. I would actually love a spin off series with only Scarlet and Wolf. I think they have the strength to carry a series or at least another book about them. 
I really enjoyed how Meyer weaved the tale of Cinder in this second book. It really explains how she was taken care of when she was brought to Earth. I was like "WHOA" reading about the suspended animation part that she was put in so she could heal. It was very well thought out and believable. It really brought the whole story of who she is together and wrapped up any questions reader's may have had about her. 
I will admit that I fell in love with the character Wolf. I mean the description of him- *swoons*. He's a strong character alone but with Scarlet he's even stronger and better. It's a true love that you just 'get' right away. And when they have 'the talk' at the end of the story...I admit I teared up. Don't judge me! I get attached to characters and Wolf is a good one. Scarlet definitely needed him and he needed her. One thing that broke my heart, was when they arrive at the base camp for the gang and Scarlet realizes that Wolf has lied to her. He is a member of the pack still. It broke my heart too. But the fact that he saved her, and kept saying "she's mine!" I just..*swoon*...I can't put into words how much I love him. And his love of tomatoes...I just can't even..
Something that broke my heart, was when Kai decides to marry Levana. I know he did it to save his people but damn, she's such a heartless bitch that you just feel for him. I think that Scarlet makes a fair point that some of it is Cinder's fault. She escaped and hasn't accepted her role as Princes.. Someone who can overpower Levana. 
Thorne. At first, I didn't like this guy. He seemed pompous and like a grade- A jerk. But as I kept reading, I really like him. And I like him for Cinder more than Kai. I really feel like Cinder and him just have a good thing going and it could lead to something else.  

I definitely just loved this book. Which is funny, because it took me 3 times of checking it out before I actually sat down a read it. Once I did, I literally read it in 4 hours. It's sooo good and quick to read.

5 out 5 stars.
Check out this series if you haven't already. It is SO worth reading. 

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

This book has a very pretty cover, which is why I really wanted it. It's also a great read so it wasn't chosen in vain.

Summary
Incarnate introduces Ana a nosoul, someone who is new to the world and hasn't been reborn like everyone else. Everyone else is 5,000 years old or more, but not Ana. She is the first nosoul to ever be born. She has no friends, no one that loves her. Even her mother hates her. Then on her 18th birthday, she sets out for the city in hopes to find some answers. Along the way she runs into some trouble and is saved by Sam. Sam is the only person who has ever talked to her nicely or at all. He's the only person who hasn't shunned her and told her she was a nosoul. He calls her a new soul. Along the way, Ana and Sam's relationship blooms, forming into this love that Ana has never known. Ana also finds out Sam is the man from the past thousands of years whose music has inspired her to keep going and kept her sane all these years. Their passion for music and the arts fuels their love making their relationship deeper and more real.
Once Ana is allowed to enter the city, everything goes from bad to worse. She is put on curfew, made to check in, and get a proper education (something her mother slacked on). If it wasn't for Sam, Ana wouldn't be allowed to look into her father and also why she was born. There is always something that gets in her way. Will she find out why she was born? Why she replaced Ciana? Yes. She does. And man, it's not what you expect! Her father is the reason (Spoiler). He created a way to stop souls from being reborn.

My Thoughts:
I really liked this book. It took me a few days to read it because it does start out slow and Ana's pity party does get on your nerves which makes you want to get away from her for a bit. But if you can get passed her pity party of 'why me' then it's really a great story. The idea of people being reborn for thousands of years over and over again, it's interesting. The author really does a great job weaving this tale of being reborn and remembering your past lives. It's truly awesome! Ana is a good character, she's stronger than you realize at first and does eventually become the person Sam believes in. Sam is the person you would want to meet along any journey. He's passionate, artistic, and (in my head) handsome. He's what Ana needs in the book- someone to believe in her. Because he also needs someone to believe in him. Their relationship is very romantic and fast and just what you think of when you think of teenagers. Even though Sam is thousands of years of old, in this life, he's Ana's age.
Like I said, it's a great story and the details of this world are extraordinary. It's a great read and makes you think.

4 out of 5 stars!

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

This is another book that I picked up based on reviews by friends and Tumblr posts. I AM SO GLAD I DID!


Synopsis:
Harper Price has it all. Money, look, the perfect boyfriend. She's involved in almost every extracurricular activity at school except the newspaper. Her nemesis, David Stark, is on the newspaper and she likes to stay as far away from him as possible. That all changes the night of Homecoming when the 'janitor' gives her this creepy kiss- and she become super strong. She is now a Paladin. A protector of someone or something even if it costs her her life. Who is this person or thing she must protect? She soon finds out, it's David Stark. The one person she could care less about and now she's sworn to protect him. Protect him from what? This part of the story involves so much more detail. It's set  in Alabama so the southern humor and charm is all throughout this book.


My thoughts:
I loved this book! Being from the South I found this book so funny. The thought of Cotillion and all the proper manners for you elders and what not, I totally understood. Even if you don't understand the Southern ways, this book is so charming and funny that you'll enjoy it anyways. Harper is a fierce and smart girl who has a good head on her shoulders and embraces the Paladin powers. David seems like your average high school guy who also has a bad case of no fashion sense. The story is set at a good pace and is very action packed for something that you would think wouldn't really be. It's interesting also in that it tells this detailed outline of what Paladins are and relates it to history. It's a good book and an easy read. It'll make you laugh and you'll totally be all OMG! a couple places.

5 our of 5 stars! Read it.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I saw this book on Tumblr a few times and decided to get it from the library to read. I started and finished it in 1 day (my husband is always so shocked I do this but really, if it's a great book- it's not hard).

Shatter Me is about a girl, Juliette, who is trapped. Well, she's held in an asylum..cause she's dangerous, not crazy- very, very, dangerous. She's been held in the asylum for years. Her parents wanted her to be locked up. Her parents were scared of her. They hate her. She hasn't been outside in years. She hasn't seen another person or talked to anyone in years. Then, out of the blue she gets a cellmate- a man. Someone she remembers from her life growing up. But does he remember her? She could never forget those eyes. Those blue eyes. At first, she doesn't talk to him. She ignores him. But then, she slowly opens up. She tells him her name. She talks. He talks. They bond.
Then you find out it was all a trap. A crazy setup led by an even crazier guy- Winston. He wants her to help him rule the world...oh wait..why is she dangerous? you're wondering..She can kill people with her bare hands, she can suck your life out of you by simply touching you with her bare hands. And she's SUPER strong. She's a tiny wisp of a thing- who can lift grown men off their feet, blast through walls and lose herself to the power she possesses. She's a force to be reckoned with. Someone you need and want on your side. Winston is no dummy. He's power hungry. He wants her to help him rule the world. But then something happens..Winston, the bad guy, falls in LOVE with her. But even more than that, the 'cellmate' Adam is in love with Juliette also. Adam is really a soldier in Winston's army. Adam isn't supposed to feel anything. But Adam and Juliette love each other. They run away together.
Then you meet Kenji. Honestly, I love Kenji. He's the one I would date in the book. He's the jokester but kickass soldier who can do what no one else can- blend in with backgrounds..that's right- he can make himself invisible. How effin cool is that?!
So, Juliette learns, after she and Adam break out of Winston's crazy house, that there is a safe place for them, for everyone who isn't fooled by the new government. There's a rebellion forming. There's also people like her, who have special gifts too. She's not alone. She's not crazy.
The relationship between Adam and Juliette is sweet. Their relationship oozes off the pages of the book. You can feel the passion they have for each other. It's a great relationship. The author created a relationship most people in real life look for their whole lives. And these teens in this book, get it. They have this overly emotional LOVE for each other like no one else has had. It's a good relationship. But you get the feeling it just can't happen. Why can Adam touch Juliette without dying? No one else can...and that my friends, is why I read the 2nd book right after this one...

5 out of 5 stars! Must read!!
I would also like to mention that this story reminds me of the t.v. show Heroes.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

First, Rainbow is an awesome name!

Eleanor & Park is a good novel. I almost gave up on it in the beginning because it was a tad slow getting to the goods. Eleanor is a red headed 16 year old who wears men clothes and lives with her Mom, brothers and sisters, and her step-dad. Park is a 16 year old boy who reads comic books, likes rock music, and has had his seat on the bus to himself all year. Until Eleanor arrives. At first, you think it's a typical 'bully the new girl because she's overweight' type novel but then it gets good instead of awkward or boring. Eleanor is a sarcastic, mean teen who is smart and brave and has more confidence than she realizes. Park is a semi-popular kid who doesn't know what he wants until he meets Eleanor.
Their romance is like a Romeo and Juliet tale. Which isn't all that a stretch since Rowell mentions this story a few times in the book. You get it. They are definitely star-crossed lovers. Eleanor's family is...different. Her step-dad is an ass, alcoholic and abusive to her mom. Her siblings are too young to understand. Her Dad is a moron and blind. The only good people in her life are Park and his parents. They care. They see her. They accept her, eventually.
Basically, Eleanor arrives on the school bus and has no choice but to sit with Park on the bus. He's resentful and ignores her. Until he realizes that she's reading his comic books over his shoulder. Then he starts to let her read with him on the bus and then he lets her borrow them and his walkman. It's really quite sweet. The school bus romance is crazy and funny but sweet. Park falls in love instantly and you get the sense that Eleanor is but she can't 'risk' it. She's afraid of her step dad and has no one to talk to. Her step dad is a piece of work. In the end you find out that he's been watching her...yes, like that. She ends up in a good place, with her Aunt and Uncle who save her and her family. But she doesn't end up with Park. She doesn't go back for him and he doesn't visit her. It's until a year later, after all the drama of getting her out of the state, that she finally FINALLY says those three little words.

It's a good book. It's definitely a teen book but young adults may like it as well.

3.5 out of 5 stars. Slow going, typical

A Potion To Die For by Heather Blake

I'm a lover of mystery books. Especially the kind where mystery, love, and humor are all weaved together. This book is probably one of the best first books of a series that I've read in a while. The main character, Carly Bell Hartwell, is strong, independent, funny and also a witch. Her specialty is potions for the mind, soul, and body. As the oldest cousin she has the family 'secret recipe' to making potions. Her cousin Delia is constantly trying to find out the secret so her hexes will be more potent. The whole story revolves around Carly and how a dead lawyer is found in her store with one of her potion bottles in his hand. The whole town of Hitching Post, AL thinks she did it. And now, her business is taking a hit. What a girl to do? Solve the murder of course. With many twists and turns and you'll never guess who did it end this book is great!
One of the characters that did steal the show for me was Carly's best friend Ainsley. She was once a wile child but now a preacher's wife with 3 crazy kids. She brings the humor and Southern love and charm to this but also a sense of kickassery to the story too.
Another character worth mentioning is the swoon-worthy love interest of Carly's, Dylan, the sheriff. Those two have some history! Like being engaged twice and both times never getting hitched history. Burning down a chapel is mentioned a few times throughout the story too.
Aunt Marjie is also a character that people will love! She's a crazy old lady who has an itchy trigger finger. I loved her!
I really think that if you want to start reading good mysteries you should start with a good series...START WITH THIS ONE! Loved it sooo much. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

5 out of 5 stars!

What the Dog Said by Randi Reisfeld

This is a great story of love, loss, and finding a way to get back 'normal'. Grace is a young girl whose father has died. He was killed by an unknown gang member. When Grace's sister insists they adopt a dog, Grace goes along for the ride, a little begrudgingly. What she finds at the pound is Rex, a talking dog. Yes, that's right. A. talking. dog. Rex is a great dog. Perfect for Grace. He helps her out of her funk and gets her back to her 'normal'. All along the way, Grace wonders though, Who or What is Rex? Is he just a dog? Is she going insane? Or is Rex her dad's soul reincarnate? Grace's journey of healing is sure to make you laugh, cry, and have a good ole time...like any dog with a good book.

5 out of 5 stars! Great book that brings out emotions from the reader!

The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill

This book was so interesting! The main character, Jack, starts out as a whiny oh -whoa -is- me kid who is very annoying. As the story progresses though, Jack finally gets it and understands his role in life.
This story is full of magic, friendship, love and some evil. The evil in this story is best described as, creepy. The She is the evil half of a lady who split herself in two, She and the Other. The She half steals souls of people in order to get more powerful. The Other half was wielded into a house where the professor and his wife live. Throughout the story, I thought that Mabel was the good half but then it became clear that the house, with its pulsing of heat, its fondness for Jack was indeed the Other.
While the story is a tad confusing overall, it is a great story of finding who your really are and accepting yourself. Jack was a lonely boy who finds out he's not who he thought he was. He finds out that he's been invisible most of his life because in fact, he's not human.
One of the best characters in the story is Wendy. She should get her own book! She witty, strong and independent. She is a great contender for a co-star in the book.
A great read for 6th graders and up. Adults who like fantasy/magic will enjoy this read.
4.5 out of 5 stars! Slow beginning that warms up fast.