TORTURE DOWN TEEN ROMANCE LANE IV

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1)
by Kresley Cole
Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers | August 19, 2014

     She could save the world--or destroy it.
Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life--until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, killing everyone she loves, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future--and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.
     But she can't do either alone.
With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally trust Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?
     Who can Evie trust?
As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side...

AUDIOBOOKS / CALL ME BY YOUR NAME REVIEW

I listened to Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman and narrated by Armie Hammer because I absolutely loved the film. The film was incredibly beautiful and heartbreaking. I suggest you watch it if you haven't already. Chalamet delivers a raw and powerful performance. Since I loved the movie so much, I took the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone: to try audiobooks and to read the book. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the experience.

ATHEISTS WHO KNEEL AND PRAY

Atheists Who Kneel and Pray
by Tarryn Fisher
Self-published | July 13, 2017

     Yara Phillips is a wandering muse.
     She dates men who need her, but always moves on to something new, never staying in one place for very long.
     David Lisey is in need of a muse.
     A talented musician lacking lyrical inspiration. When he first sees her, he knows he's found what he's been looking for.
     Yara believes she can give David exactly what he needs to reach his full potential: A broken heart.
     David’s religion is love.
     Yara’s religion is heartache.
     Neither is willing to surrender, but religion always requires sacrifice.

Possible minor spoilers?

NOT-YOUR-MAMA'S GRAPHIC NOVELS

Saga (Volumes #1-6)
by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Artist)
Image Comics | October 23, 2012
I recommend this with a passion!  

        When two soldiers, Marko and Alana, from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

 It's a 4.5 because I wasn't thrilled with the plot direction, but it's great nonetheless. I can't stop forcing this book unto people and saying it's great, really.

PLEASANTLY SURPRISED | AM I MAAS "TRASH" NOW?!

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1)
by Sarah J. Mass
Bloomsbury USA Childrens | May 5, 2015
(oh look, my birthday)

      She stole a life. Now she must pay with her heart.
      When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin-one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. 
      As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin-and his world-forever.

POSSIBLY THE BEST COHO BOOK EVER

It Ends with Us
by Colleen Hoover
Atria Books | August 2, 2016
DON'T READ SYNOPSIS! Best to go in blind.

        Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up-she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.
        Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.
        As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan-her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

WE COULD BE BEAUTIFUL | REVIEW

We Could Be Beautiful

by Swan Huntley
Doubleday | June 28, 2016
ARC Copy Courtesy of Publisher

        A spellbinding psychological debut novel, Swan Huntley’s We Could Be Beautiful is the story of a wealthy woman who has everything—and yet can trust no one.
        Catherine West has spent her entire life surrounded by beautiful things. She owns an immaculate Manhattan apartment, she collects fine art, she buys exquisite handbags and clothing, and she constantly redecorates her home. And yet, despite all this, she still feels empty. She sees her personal trainer, she gets weekly massages, and occasionally she visits her mother and sister on the Upper East Side, but after two broken engagements and boyfriends who wanted only her money, she is haunted by the fear that she’ll never have a family of her own. One night, at an art opening, Catherine meets William Stockton, a handsome man who shares her impeccable taste and love of beauty. He is educated, elegant, and even has a personal connection—his parents and Catherine’s parents were friends years ago. But as he and Catherine grow closer, she begins to encounter strange signs, and her mother, Elizabeth (now suffering from Alzheimer’s), seems to have only bad memories of William as a boy. In Elizabeth’s old diary she finds an unnerving letter from a former nanny that cryptically reads: “We cannot trust anyone…” Is William lying about his past? And if so, is Catherine willing to sacrifice their beautiful life in order to find the truth? Featuring a fascinating heroine who longs for answers but is blinded by her own privilege, We Could Be Beautiful is a glittering, seductive, utterly surprising story of love, money, greed, and family.

(Go here to win a  $2,000 gift card from Amazon, not my giveaway)

OWEN MASON GENTRY, READ MUD VEIN NOW!

Mud Vein
by Tarryn Fisher
CreateSpace | March 8, 2014

          When reclusive novelist Senna Richards wakes up on her thirty-third birthday, everything has changed. Caged behind an electrical fence, locked in a house in the middle of the snow, Senna is left to decode the clues to find out why she was taken. If she wants her freedom, she has to take a close look at her past. But, her past has a heartbeat...and her kidnapper is nowhere to be found. With her survival hanging by a thread, Senna soon realizes this is a game. A dangerous one. Only the truth can set her free.

Pay no mind to the cover. This book is great.

HE WILL BE MY RUIN REVIEW

He Will Be My Ruin

K.A. Tucker
Atria Books | February 2, 2015

          Twenty-eight-year-old Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a bottle of Xanax and a handle of Maker’s Mark, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers secrets in the childhood lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man who Celine herself claimed would be her ruin.
          On the hunt for answers that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life-and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered. 

COHO RELEASED A BOOK FOR FREE: *FANGIRLS A BIT*

Too Late by Colleen Hoover
WattPad | March 30, 2016
Reaction: Oh lord... You need some Jesus. (Says the Atheist)

          Sloan will go through hell and back for her little brother. And she does, every single night.
          Forced to remain in a relationship with the dangerous and corrupt Asa Jackson, Sloan will do whatever it takes to make sure her brother has what he needs.
          Nothing will get in her way.
          Nothing except Carter.
          Sloan is the only good thing to ever happen to Asa. He knows this and he never plans on letting her go; even if she doesn't approve of his lifestyle. But despite Sloan's disapproval, Asa knows what it takes to get what he wants. He knows what he needs to do to remain on top.
          Nothing will get in his way.
          Nothing except Carter.

YOU REVIEW

You (You #1) by Caroline Kepnes
Publish Date: September 25, 2014
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Status: Finished

         When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.
         There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight-the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.
         As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way-even if it means murder.

NOVELLA: THE DREAMCATCHER

The Dreamcatcher (Dreamland #1.5)
by E.J. Mellow
Publishing: February 26, 2016 | Four Eyed Owl
Status: Finished

       He captured hearts and now he’s captured the spotlight.
       Experience The Dreamcatcher, a novella comprised of scenes from The Dreamer told from Dev’s point of view, as well as seven extra scenes that did not appear in book one!
       *This is a companion piece to The Dreamland Series and is to be read after The Dreamer for story consistency and spoilers.*

FOR GAMERS & BOOK NERDS

Arena by Holly Jennings
Publishing Info: Ace | April 5, 2016

Status: Complete
Source: NetGalley eArc

         Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV. She’s died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...
         The RAGE tournaments-the Virtual Gaming League’s elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a no-holds-barred fight to the digital death. Every bloody kill is broadcast to millions. Every player is a modern gladiator-leading a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses.
         And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real.
         Chosen to be the first female captain in RAGE tournament history, Kali Ling is at the top of the world-until one of her teammates overdoses. Now, she must confront the truth about the tournament. Because it is much more than a game-and even in the real world, not everything is as it seems.
         The VGL hides dark secrets. And the only way to change the rules is to fight from the inside...

THE NOT SO EPIC CONCLUSION | :' (

Never Never: Part 3 (Never Never #3)
by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
Self Published
Publish Date: January 19, 2015
Status: Complete

           Together, Silas Nash and Charlize Wynwood must look deeper into the past to find out who they were and who they want to be. With time ticking down, the couple are in a race to find the answers they need before they lose everything. Can they regain what they once had? And will it restore who they once were?

OMG THIS BOOK!

Slammed (Slammed #1)

Author: Colleen Hoover

Publish Date: January 4, 2012

Publisher: Atria
Status: Finished

         Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.
         Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.
         Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

Hopeless Review

Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover
Publish date: December 17, 2012
Publisher: Self

       Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…
       That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.
       Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

CoHo Book Binge: First

Never Never Part 1 & 2 by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher

Publish Dates: January 7, 2015 & May 17, 2015

I went into this series with absolutely no knowledge whatsoever (Just like Silas and Charlie.) I'm sorry. Throughout this review, I'll be referencing the book. I thought the series was completed, but now I have to wait until January 26, 2016 for the final installment. I'm so smart sometimes... So hangry with myself.

DAMN THIS BOOK: November 9 Review

November 9 by Colleen Hoover
Publish Date: November 10, 2015
Publisher: Atria Books

          Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day of her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon's last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

The Divide Review

The Divide (Dreamland #2)
by E.J. Mellow
Publish Date: October 15, 2015

        Molly finally uncovers the truth about the strange dreams that plagued her sanity for weeks. Now destined to accept a clandestine role, Molly must find the strength and courage buried deep to push forward and succeed.
        With the help of Dev, the roguish blue-eyed man of her dreams, whose dark past resurfaces to haunt him. Molly prepares to test the limits of her newly awakened powers and set right a world on the edge of being consumed by nightmares.
        But when an unknown shadow stalks her every step and a shocking revelation about her ancestry comes to light, Molly may find herself forced to make a decision that could leave her alone in the dark and standing on the wrong side of a divide.

Book Review

The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Publish Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Doubleday

     The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Reves and it is only open at night.
     But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway-a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love-a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
     True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.