Whatever It Takes ~ Disruption by Jessica Shirvington Review

Disruption (Disruption #1) 
By Jessica Shirvington

Rating: 4.9


'"Ditch the driver and meet me back here at nine and..." I gave him a look up and down, settling on his shoes."...wear appropriate shoes.

"What are appropriate shoes?" he asked, standing. 

"Shoes you can run for your life in," Gus answered helpfully. Then added, unnecessarily, "Welcome to the Maggie-verse."'

 
This book is totally badass in every way possible.

Spotting the book on the library shelf, I feel in love with its shiny gold cover (plus Jessica Shirvington is an amazing author, so it was an instant pick). People will always tell you, 'Never judge a book by its cover.'

Well, judging from Disruption's cover, it was going to be an incredible read. And the story most definitely lived up to its beautiful cover. It was incredibly engaging from the first few pages and I couldn't put it down.

So if you're a fan of the TV show Revenge you'll love this book.

I was trying to pinpoint what this book reminded me of, and I finally realized it whilst typing this review up - Revenge. Girl's dad is involved with some dealings that then get him taken away from his daughter, who swears that she'll get her revenge (or in this case find her father) no matter what it takes...yeah, there are a lot of similarities between the two.

However Disruption comes out on top by a mile, with its unique concepts, technology, kickass fighting demonstrations, and cliffhanger. Actually, I reckon Disruption should have its own TV series...actually, make that a movie. A big blockbuster film with a great soundtrack & a dreamy actor who plays Quentin ;)

Hey, a girl can dream!

Ah the web we weave when we begin to deceive!

Never did the above saying make more sense than in this book. A major theme in Disruption is guilt. Guilt is our female protagonist Maggie's constant companion.

And the more guilt she feels, the more lies she uses to cover it up, aaaaaaand so the vicious cycle continues!

One thing that did confuse me in this book. Maybe I missed a part where it was explained to the reader, but...where are the rest of the world, exactly? 'Cause all I'm reading is 'United States of America', 'USA Individual Identification Act', etc, etc etc.

Did England get wiped out? Is the USA separated from the world by a big shield? Does everyone else have these M-Bands, courtesy of the USA?

To sum up, I have no why - if the USA are the only ones using these M-Band - no other country has stepped up saying, "Uh...these are a bad idea, guys. Like...really bad."

No one? No UN meeting to discuss the ethical controversies surrounding these M-Bands? Everyone's just ok with the government monitoring everything about us and turning us into pheromone-crazed tech-heads?

The future looks grim indeed. 

If someone you loved was in danger, how far would you go to save them? Find out how far Maggie is willing to go by grabbing yourself a copy of Disruption today!

'"To do what you're doing, to risk everything the way you are. He must be an amazing man. He's lucky to have you."
(...) I shook my head sharply. "I've done nothing to help him."
"But you will won't you?"
"Whatever it takes."

He nodded, as if we were pleased with my response. "I have no doubt."

Good to hear, I suppose. Considering he was the 'whatever' it was going to take.'

Books That Need More Attention Hop ~ Ondine Quartet by Emma Raveling

I'm so happy and honored to be a part of the Books That Need More Attention Blog Hop! 

What is this, you may be asking?

This hop is about books you love that not enough other people have found out about. With our busy lives and lengthy 'to be read' lists, sometimes those special books that can truly alter our reading experience slip through the cracks, unnoticed. 

And this hop is about making sure you bookworms know about the books worth reading that you might not have picked up yet! 

As a part of the Books That Need More Attention Hop run by the amazing Valerie Fink, I'm blogging today to bring to your attention a truly unique & exciting YA series.

The Ondine Quartet by Emma Raveling.

This feature includes a whole lot of excitement - from a fun Q&A with the author, to lots of great giveaways!

So hang on to your hats...and let's get started!

A Nightmare Alice ~ Ensnared (Teaser) by A.G. Howard Review

Ensnared (Teaser: Splintered #3)
By A.G. Howard

Rating: 5


'"Worst case, you're driven to madness. Are you willing to risk losing so much?"

"I've already lost everything and I've already gone mad." I meet his bulbous gaze. "Need a demonstration?"'


A whole new Alyssa is ready to take on Red & she's not backing down.

Fans of A.G. Howard's brilliant Splintered series - get ready to fall in love with the new, darker and far edgier Alyssa that has come out to play!

The first three chapters included in the teaser draw readers straight back into the world of Splintered, as Alyssa and her father find themselves having to work together. A most unlikely team, to be true! 

Prepare yourself for intriguing memories, talking beetles, dolls, and butterfly rides, as Ensnared's magic takes flight in this sneak-peek that is sure to leave you wanting more.
 
This teaser is most definitely a promising start to what is sure to be a true gem of a book! 

'The first pixie was right. I'm the epitome of Alice. A nightmare Alice. An Alice gone mad, who thirsts for blood. When I find Queen Red, she'll beg me to stop at her head.'

This Girl Is On Fire ~ Heir of Fire Review

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)
By Sarah J. Maas 

Rating: 5+


'It wasn't the carved oak furniture, or the faded green drapes, or the warmth of the fire that made her stop dead. It was the dark-haired woman seated behind the desk. Maeve, Queen of the Fae.

Her aunt.

And then came the words she had been dreading for ten years.

"Hello, Aelin Galathynius."'



'That girl, that princess, had died in a river a decade ago. Celaena was no more Aelin Galathynius than she was any other person.'

Although Chaol Westfall may be reeling from the shock of discovering that Celaena is Terrasen's rightful queen, Celaena has no true feelings on the matter.

Her past - and who she used to be - are buried deep inside her. And she plans on keeping it that way.

Too much has happened for her to ever consider taking up a crown. Wendlyn offers nothing more than a chance to drink herself into oblivion, as she tries fruitlessly to forget what sent her there in the first place. 

Nehemia. Chaol. And a tyrant on a throne that is not his own.

'Celaena was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, heir to the throne and rightful Queen of Terrasen. It made her his mortal enemy. It made her Dorian's enemy. The future he'd once dreamed of was irrevocably gone.'

Back at the palace, Chaol struggles to deal with the truth behind Celaena's parting words. And they're made no easier to handle by the appearance of a person who looks all too familiar. 

Aedion Ashryver, the King of Adarlan's General of the North.

And Celaena's - Aelin's - cousin.

Chaol has a heavy choice to make. Can he trust anyone with Celaena's secret...even someone who shares the same blood as her?

'She'd been running for so long that she didn't know what it was to stand and fight.' 

Although the humans of Wendlyn may not know a queen is in their midst, some powers certainly do. Especially Maeve, Queen of the Fae and Celaena's aunt. 

Coming face-to-face with the woman her mother, when alive, had kept her hidden from is not a wise move to make. But Celaena needs answers. Answers that could change the fate of the kingdom and that could allow her to return to Adarlan at last.

But everything has a price. And Maeve isn't going to give those answers to her for free.

'I wish you to become who you were born to be. To become queen.'

Celaena is to reside at Mistward, under the experienced eye of Prince Rowan, nephew of Maeve and bound to the fae queen's service. There, he will test her until she has proven worthy of gaining the answers she desperately seeks.

But these tests, unlike the ones that made her King's Champion, are not concentrated on mere mundane methods of combat and killing. 

They require Celaena to use her magic.

Which is easier said than done. No matter how hard she tries, she cannot seem to summon up even a spark - something that infuriates Rowan to no end. 
  
The light inside her is barely flickering. For what does she have live for? For what purpose does her existence serve? Such questions Celaena must answer for herself.

'She has no hope, Prince. She has no hope left in her heart. Help her. If not for her sake, then at least for what she represents - what she could offer all of us, you included. (...) A better world.'

Rowan Whitethorn has better things to do than babysit a spoiled princess who refuses to tap into her own magic. He may not know much about Celaena, but what he does know doesn't exactly inspire him to aid her. 

Yet the more time he spends with Celaena, the more he comes to realise that the girl before him is only one side she shows the world. Every now and then he gets glimpses of a fiery, passionate woman who would do anything for those she holds dear.

And he can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, she has the potential to be the queen she was meant to be - if only she'd find the strength to face her fears head-on.

'You do not have a heart, Manon. We are not born with them, and we are glad of it.'

Over in the Western Wastes, Manon Blackbeak - the heir of the Blackbeak Witch Clan - has only one goal. 

To win the War Games, so she can one day become Queen of the Waste.

She is a killer, but the skills that got her that title won't help her in the Games. To do that, she will have to train Abraxos, her chosen wyvern, and get it to make the Crossing successfully.

But time is against her, as is the stubborn Abraxos. But Manon has never backed down from a challenge before and she'll be damned if she will this time, when it really counts.

'Behold my power (...) Behold what I grapple with in the deep dark, what prowls under my skin.'

Will Celaena accept her past and find a way to start a court that will change the world? What secrets will lie in Maeve's much sought-after answers? And what tricks does the evil king on his stolen throne have up his sleeve?

Only time will tell.

'She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, heir of two mighty bloodlines, protector of a once-glorious people, and Queen of Terrasen.

She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius - and she would not be afraid.'


**A big thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book and to Sarah J Maas for writing it!**

The Girl Who Never Was ~ Review

The Girl Who Never Was (Otherworld #1)
By Skylar Dorset

Rating: 4.7



'Maybe no one should claim me at all(...) Maybe I'm just me. Why has no one considered that ever, in my entire life? I'm more than just a pawn in some stupid prophecy.'


Hold on to your magical sweater & get ready for the ride of a lifetime!

This book was fantastically, wonderfully, confusingly perfect. 

I cannot describe it in any other way but this: reading The Girl Who Never Was is like picking up an apple, biting into it, and discovering that it's actually filled with your favourite ice-cream (for those who are curious, my favourite ice-cream is Gelatissimo's lime gelato. I'd take that over an apple any day!)

Weird. Intriguing. And amazing!

But more importantly, it's filled with 'double take' moments. Times where I had to turn back the page and re-read a section a few times before it fully sunk in. Because let's face it - not all of us were born as faerie princesses/faerie travelers/wizards/ogres.

Some us are utterly (and miserably) mundane.

And for us mundane beings, it's sometimes hard to understand a book whose plot is deeply embedded in many, many riddle-like explanations.

I don't believe that the heroine receives even one straight answer to any of her (a.k.a the reader's) questions during the entire book.

I feel the heroine's frustration. Because hip hip hooray - every other character knows what's going on! Isn't that swell...for them. But hey, I'm here too. And I don't have the faintest clue what the hell is going on.

Does she have a mum? Oh, wait, her mum's trying to kill her? Ok...but hang on, how come when she meets her mother, she doesn't kill her? What's the deal with escaping inescapable places? Do promises count for anything with faeries? Why aren't all debts stitched?

In the words of the King of Siam from The King And I, "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."

The list of confusing questions goes on and on. But what remains is a weird sense of understanding.

This may just be the first book ever where being confused has made sense, besides A.G. Howard's Splintered series. It's like...we're never meant to know everything. And that what we know isn't true and is ever-changing.

There are no rules.

And we, as readers, have a strict set of rules when it comes to what we expect books to do and/ contain. But the thing is, this world that the author has created has no rules. It takes on a life of its own and even the main characters are left confused as the tables are turned time and time again.

It's part of the weird and wonderful magic this book possesses. I finished the book feeling a mixture of emotions - ranging from "What the hell just happened?" to "I want more!"

That said...I want more!

That cliffhanger had me as angry as a cat dunked into the middle of a pond. Not at the book - but at that lovely character who decided to forget everything they'd gone through and threw everything away for nothing.

I mean, I finished that book at 1am...so perhaps I wasn't totally rational at that point. But I really did think that the character of the character who 'turned', so to speak, really did a 180 spin during that last chapter.

Has that ever happened to you guys - where a character just out of the blue changes dramatically in the course of a few chapters? It reminded me of the drastic change in Adam in Ignite Me. And it annoyed me a little, especially since I was really starting to like that character, too!

Not to mention I just looked up Book #2 on GR to find out it comes out in December! So close and yet so far!

So if you're a fan of Alice-In-Wonderland-ish, fae-inspired stories, I really recommend giving this book a shot. In the meantime, happy reading! <3

A Person Not A Possession ~ Some Boys by Patty Blount Review

Some Boys
By Patty Blount

Rating: 4.9


'The cops wanted to know if I was Zac's girlfriend, if I was drinking, doing drugs, if I ever worked as a stripper, if I ever kissed Zac before that night.

What the hell does any of that have to do with what happened?

Do the laws against sexual assault not apply to strippers? To girlfriends? I don't get that. (...) He thinks because I went to the woods, drank alcohol, and dressed the way I dress, I should have expected this to happen. That I actually wanted this to happen.

(...) What the hell, just what the hell was wrong with how I looked...why does he care if I wear eye-black like the football team? It's my face. It's my body. I can dress it up or down however I want. Why is that such a hard concept for guys to accept? All that crap Jax said about dressing to be noticed - being noticed is fine. But being noticed isn't the same as being ridiculed, insulted, ostracised, shamed.

Being noticed isn't an open invitation to guys to do whatever they want to me.'


This book carries an important message. This book made me cry. 

I know rape is a complex issue to discuss. I also know that although this book concentrates on a female victim, that there are also male victims of rape out there. 

But what really got me was the shaming. And not the shaming from the guys - I understood the whole 'buddy' system, with the rapist's friends sticking up for him and shunning the girl who dared to speak up. But the shaming by the girls was the most painful to read about. 

We girls, as a species, can be cruel.

Gossip is like a type of currency. Some girls can be more two-faced than Professor Quirrell from Harry Potter! 

But we should never, ever, ostracise another person purely based on idle gossip. And especially when they may have suffered major trauma. You never know what trials a person faces in their daily lives, hidden behind the smiling mask they wear day to day. Don't judge by appearances. Stick up for one another.

The right way isn't always the easy way.

This was another valuable lesson from this book. Peer pressure VS human decency. Speaking up VS importance of friendships. 

But although all these things came into conflict with one another, it was not being able to face one's self that finally brought Ian to the 'good' side. Not that Ian had actuallydone the deed. But he kept choosing to remain ignorant, despite knowing deep down that what was happening was wrong.

True, he ends up growing a spine for Grace. And to fix all the wrongs. But he mainly does it because he cannot stand the person he sees himself becoming. He knows he can't live with himself if he stands back and allows things to continue as they are.

So here's a challenge for us all.

Let's take a good look at ourselves. Maybe glance in the mirror, or sit alone in quiet contemplation.

And let's think: do I like the person I am? Do I like the way things are?

More importantly, it's not a matter of whether you like this or that - but do you knowthe person you are? Do you truly know the way things are, or are you blinded by false loyalties and excuses?

Let's open our eyes and our mouths.

Let's see what's really there - past the lies, rumours and labels. Let's speak the truth. 

Let's make this world a safer, better place :)

What is right sometimes isn't easy. But it's worth it.

A Day To Fight For ~ Skyla Madi's Oblivion

Oblivion (Guardian Angel #4)
By Skyla Madi

Rating: 4.7 


"I've been stuck in a school in the middle of nowhere with people that don't even like me. I've been fighting vampires that want my blood and I've been in love with a guardian angel, which (...) is illegal in my world. 

I've done horrible things - I've killed vampires and people have died because of me...life was - is - hectic, but at the end of the day, when I'm alone and the craziness dies down...I always think of you.

Every day I live is a day that I had to fight for."


My thoughts on the book:

The final instalment is here.

And if you thought the previous books were great, be prepared for the best book yet! Oblivion will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

And it'll have you madly swooning over Eli.

Especially that bit in Chapter 7 when he thinks he may lose Ruby to Hunter. I think I teared up a bit there (plus Eli's super cute when he gets all vengeful!). Poor Eli has to deal with a lot of issues in Oblivion, especially when it comes to his and Ruby's relationship. 

As for the epilogue...major. Fangirling. Mode.

I super-duper recommend this book - and this series for that matter - to everyone! With amazing concepts & a unique twist on angel mythology & legends, the Guardian Angel series is not one to be missed :)

__________

'Ruby and Eli have risked it all to keep their love hidden… but no great feat goes unnoticed.
The council has called on the secret lovers to attend obligatory hearings. After the dramatic events that took place with Lucian, the council wants answers.

They know the small group of friends that exist within the walls of Sage Sanctum are withholding important information from them and in order to protect their society from exposure, they need to contain it and fast.

Ruby and Eli are sick and tired of concealing their feelings…

They want equality and they want it now. They’re ready to take on the world in order to be together…and they just might.

Unfortunately, their epic love takes the back seat as new problems arise and their friend’s needs come first, which beckons the question;If not for love, then what else?' (Blurb via Goodreads)

Under The Sea ~ A Sneak Peek of Ally Condie's Atlantia

Atlantia (Sneak Peek)

By Ally Condie 

Rating: 4.8

'Though my feet are firmly on the ground of Atlantia, I'm dissolving.

My sister's gone.

She decided to go Above.

She would never do this.

She did.

The last thing she said to me was that the city was breathing. I hear my own breathing now, in and out and in and out. 

I live here. I will die here.

I am never going to leave.'

My thoughts on the sneak peek:

Welcome to the underwater city of Atlantia.

'Atlantia does resemble a giant sea creature sprawled out in the ocean. The tentacles of our streets and thoroughfares web out from the larger round hubs of the neighbourhoods and marketplaces. Everything is enclosed, of course.

We live underwater, but we're still human; we need walls and air to protect us.'

Rio, our protagonist, dreams of glimpsing the Above - of leaving Atlantia. But all her dreams turn to ashes when her twin sister Bay chooses to go Above instead, stranding Rio Below.

And so begins Rio's journey to uncover the secrets of the past and discover her future.

Ally Condie's done it again!

I remember that feeling I got when I read Matched for the very first time. I was totally in love with Condie's world and the clever way in which she'd brought that world to readers. 

Reading this excerpt from Atlantia was the same - if not better. Atlantia holds a level of sophistication I feel Matched lacked. Atlantia's characters are more complex and the storyline grips you right from the start.

I'm excited to see how Atlantia will turn out and will most definitely be buying myself a copy, come October :)

Pick of the Week: The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld

The Last Days (Peeps #2) 
By Scott Westerfeld

Rating: 4.1 


“'Ring around the rosie.
A pocket full of posie.Ashes ashes, we all fall down.'

Some people say that this poem is about the Black Death, the fourteenth-century plague that killed 100-million people...

Sadly, though, most experts think this is nonsense.

How can I be so sure about this rhyme when all the experts disagree? 

Because I ate the kid who made it up.”


My thoughts on the book:

Scott Westerfeld's writing is a gift to the senses. 

Unlike some books, where you're tempted to skip the large chunks of description between the relevant pieces of dialogue, The Last Days' descriptions are, quite simply, lavish. 

The descriptions transport you right into Scott Westerfeld's kooky, paranormal world, overwhelming your senses and making you feel as if you were standing right alongside his characters.

Despite the tendency of certain characters to act either creepy or relatively annoying at some parts of the book (or a mix of the two), overall the book was an enjoyable mix of modern music making and the enigmatic side of the paranormal.

Shadowhunters Unite ~ City of Heavenly Fire Review

City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) 
By Cassandra Clare 

Rating: 5


"I'm a warrior," he said. "I was brought up as a warrior. I didn't have toys, I had weapons. I slept with a wooden sword until I was five. My first books were medieval demonologies with illuminated pages. The first songs I learned were chants to banish demons. 

I know what brings me peace, and it isn't sandy beaches or chirping birds in rain forests. I want a weapon in my hand and a strategy to win."


From cave kisses and twin thrones to weddings and funerals, City of Heavenly Fire is an epic read.

Be prepared to cry both happy tears...and many, many sad tears. 

Because Cassandra Clare has done what Cassandra Clare does best: she's given us a tale filled with our favourite characters and plenty of chances for these characters to make a mess of things, almost-die, kiss, and throw about snarky commentary (and then almost-die again).

So grab your seraph blades (and your flamethrower) & prepare for the final battle!


My thoughts on the book:

Honestly (although I thoroughly enjoyed the book) I think I liked the parts with Emma Carstairs and the younger gang more. 

Why? Well, probably because I haven't gone through an entire series with them - they're new, exciting and a 'breath of fresh air' in a story filled with somewhat repetitive character behaviours. 

I can't wait to see what Cassie does with Emma, Jules and the others in her upcoming series. They're brilliant characters and I just know their stories will be just as addictive as Tessa's and Clary's. 

A few more notes:

• Simon = total tear fest. I could barely see through the waterfall I was crying.
• Magnus + Alec = cuteness
• Jem = seriously badass. And kinda hot for a Silent Brother, as Isabelle Lightwood noted ;)
• Clary = *sigh* Clary was...Clary. Lots of Jace kissy-face time, lots of bad decisions, some rune making. Emma Carstairs totally wins in the heroine department, though. Sorry Clary!
• Tessa = fangirling
• Jace = romantic speech appreciation

Are you looking forward to reading City of Heavenly Fire? Or, if you've read it, did you enjoy it too? Let me know below!