WHERE HAS THIS BEEN? | NEW FAVORITE

Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1)
by Elise Kova
Publish Date: August 27, 2015
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Status: Complete

          A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond.
          The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.
          Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all-the Crown Prince Aldrik-she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

I FEEL SMART | KAFKA

Kafka on the Shore
by Haruki Murakami
Vintage International Edition
August 2015
Status: Complete

         Powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom.
         As their paths converge, and the reasons for that convergence become clear, Haruki Murakami enfolds readers in a world where cats talk, fish fall from the sky, and spirits slip out of their bodies to make love or commit murder.

I'm Surprised | The Prophecy of Shadows

The Prophecy of Shadows (Elementals #1)
Author: Michelle Madow
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Publish Date: January 26, 2016
eARC courtesy of NetGalley
Status: Complete

          When Nicole Cassidy moves from sunny Georgia to gloomy New England, the last thing she expects is to learn that her homeroom is a cover for a secret coven of witches. Even more surprisingly…she’s apparently a witch herself. Despite doubts about her newfound abilities, Nicole is welcomed into this ancient circle of witches and is bedazzled by their powers-and, to her dismay, by Blake-the school’s notorious bad-boy.
          Girls who get close to Blake wind up hurt. His girlfriend Danielle will do anything to keep them away, even if she must resort to using dark magic. But the chemistry between Blake and Nicole is undeniable, and despite wanting to protect Nicole from Danielle’s wrath, he finds it impossible to keep his distance.
          When the Olympian Comet shoots through the sky for the first time in three thousand years, Nicole, Blake, Danielle, and two others in their homeroom are gifted with mysterious powers. But the comet has another effect-it opens the portal to the prison world that has contained the Titans for centuries. After an ancient monster escapes and attacks Nicole and Blake, it’s up to them and the others to follow the clues from a cryptic prophecy so that they can save their town…and possibly the world.

Awakening Review

Awakening (The Dark Rituals #1)
by Catrina Burgess
Publish Date: Full Fathom Five Digital
Publish Date: October 7, 2015
Status: DNF

        Seventeen-year-old Colina was born a healer. But after a horrific event forces her to leave her clan, she becomes desperate to learn the dark magic of the death dealers, mages who draw their power from the spirits of the dead. Colina was taught to fear and hate death dealers, but becoming one of them is the only way for her to get the revenge she seeks-and the only way for her to survive.
        Colina asks a young death dealer named Luke to help her, but he’s reluctant to train her in the Death Arts. Little does she know convincing him to teach her will be the easiest part of her journey. To become a death dealer, Colina will need to undergo three dark rituals, each more terrifying than the last. At the same time, she’ll have to deal with her growing feelings for her mentor. Too bad the first ritual involves him strangling her to death.
        As Colina undergoes the trials, she discovers an untapped darkness within herself. If she survives the horrific rituals and gains dark power, what will she become?

Happy New Years

It's been a pretty great year for me. I learned a lot (mostly about coding and how big an ass it is). I met people and made friends. I got a lot more books. I got a new bookshelf and rearranged my books too many times. I got back to watching The Royals.

Wasn't a good idea.

I hope everyone enjoys their New Years!

It's New Years Eve, I don't know why I'm posting this.

Just go with it.

CoHo Binge Wrap-Up

        The month of December was "dedicated" to reading CoHo books. I had a lot of fun reading her books and seeing her writing style evolve thoughout her books. CoHo's earlier works are very different to her later works. I thought Hopeless was disappointing. I really didn't like it. The relationship happened really fast and it felt juvenile. I never finished Maybe Someday because I just didn't like the first pages. I know, bad description. It was a bout how a girl was in a long-term, terrible relationship, but for some reason, she falls in love with a life-changing guy.
        I really liked Slammed. I thought the supporting characters were outstanding. They created such a nice atmosphere. It was very welcoming and loving. It gives you all sorts of feels. I was very emotional.
        If you're looking for a dark, mysterious romance, without alpha males, Never Never is great. It's dark, mysterious, captivating, alluring and the dual-writing-partnership-thing was seamless. It's hard to tell that two authors wrote the books together. However, I recommend you marathon the series, once they're ALL out. The cliff-hangers will drive you crazy.
        If you never read a CoHo book, but plan to, I recommend you read the books in this order.

1. Slammed: a really light intro to CoHo
2. Hopeless/Maybe Someday: not my favorite books, but definitely give them a try.
3. Never Never: a bit dark, but super enjoyable
4. Ugly Love: it's steamy and slightly dark. (I'm trying to go from dark to light)
5. November 9: a cute relationship that's unrealistic.
6. Confess: the holy grail.

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.

Fooling Around With Cinderella Review

Fooling Around With Cinderella (Storybook Valley #1)

Author: Stacy Juba

Publish Date: September 24, 2015

Publisher: Thunder Horse Press
Status: DNF

       What happens when the glass slippers pinch Cinderella’s toes? When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom. First in the Storybook Valley series, a blend of sweet romance, chick lit, and fairy tale fun.