Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

Lola & the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins ★★★★ 4.5

I'm giving this book 4.5 stars! Here's why:

• Lola = an exaggerated version of me
• Cricket
• Lola's parents are hilarious
• Anna and St. Clair are back!
• The outfits.
• Cute, predictable love story (we all like those sometimes)
• CRICKET.

This review is going to be pretty short because 1) it's my first, and 2) I actually don't have much to say about it. BUT, here I go, into more depth!

Now don't get me wrong, I REALLY enjoyed this story. Like, really. I actually think I liked it a bit more than Anna & the French Kiss. It just wasn't the most memorable story ever. But I'm not docking any stars for that. There are plenty of epic fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, etc. books in the YA world. Sometimes we just need a break! My go-to books when I need a break are generally cute, princessy books. But this time I chose Lola.

Lola is great. I love her. I read the first paragraph of the book & was like, OH MY. YES. She is me! A giant, frilly dress & combat boots! Story of my life! So I immediately loved Lola.

I also loved Max. I thought he was so patient and seemed caring enough. But the one thing - the absolute, 100% dealbreaker - was his temper. I don't do well with anger, EVER. So as soon as we saw that side of Max, I was converted. Cricket all the way.

Only Stephanie Perkins could give a character a name like Cricket & make me fall in love with him. Cricket creeped me out at first. I was unimpressed. He seemed awkward & not-so-attractive. Which is not usually what I expect from a love interest. But he was so smart and so sweet and his sense of humor wasn't blatantly obvious, but it won me over in the end. (:

I loved Lola's parents. Nathan and Andy were SO funny and I loved how I was able to picture everything they said and did and that made them even more entertaining! I also loved Lola's friends, particularly Anna & St. Clair. Obviously. I missed them. I was overjoyed to see them again.

Overall, I thought this book was wonderful. It was enjoyable & left me in a good mood. I took off a half star because Lola kind of got whiny and self-centered toward the end, and for some reason that really bothered me. But... she's a human. It's expected. I still love her. And I'm super excited to read Isla & the Happily Ever After!

Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins ★★★ 3.5

I'm giving this book 3.5 stars. Here's why:

• Back to Paris!
• Return of the couples!
• Cute love story that distracted me from the heartbreak caused by Never Fade...

I don't actually have a lot to say about this book. I suppose that's why it's getting 3.5 stars.

It was my least favorite out of the A&tFK (Anna & the French Kiss) books. And I can tell you exactly why. It was... okay. Just okay. I thought it was cute. It wasn't too dramatic, and that's just what I needed. But it was SO not dramatic that I had trouble trying to see the plot.

Was there one?

What was it even about?

If someone asked me what Isla was about, I'd say, "Uhh... um, well you see, it's a... there's this girl, Isla, and this boy, Josh... and... there's love. And Paris. And, misunderstandings? It's. Uh. Screw it. It's just a cute story about two people falling in love."

There wasn't much of a problem. There wasn't much of a story. But I DID enjoy it. It was sweet and beautiful. It's just that there wasn't much. And again, I'm glad for that. I needed a break from high-action, high-drama, let's-save-the-world books.

I also feel like I don't really know the characters. Still. After finishing the book. Isla seems cool, but... who is she? I think she's pretty introverted, but I don't know much about her likes, dislikes, life outside of home, past, etc. I just don't know her.

Same with Josh. He's definitely cute, thoughtful, funny... And it was better for him because he was in A&tFK, so he at least had some background. We already knew a little about him from Anna's perspective. And we saw Isla once. Just once.

I really enjoyed when they all came back. Anna, St. Clair, Lola, Cricket. That was good. That made me remember all the things I loved about the first two books. But those things just weren't in Isla.

Final thoughts: Cute story, good characters, blah. It was just there. So I read it. And it was forgettable. But still cute and entertaining nonetheless.

The Kiss of Deception - Mary E. Pearson

The Kiss of Deception - Mary E. Pearson ★★★★★ 5.0

What WHAT! Another 5 star book! Way to go, Mary! Here's why I'm giving it 5 stars:

• Captivating writing
• Three - no, FOUR perspectives!
• Rafe & Kaden, adorable in their own ways
• The world (Terravin!)
• The twist...

If this book is known for anything, it's the twist. I've heard about its existence so many times, but... let me tell you, it is NOT what I was expecting. It confused me beyond all confusion and I loved it. This book. It's a winner.

In The Kiss of Deception, we first meet our main character/princess/heroine, Princess Arabella something something something Jezelia of the House of Morrighan, known as Lia. And it's her wedding day. She's about to marry a Prince of another kingdom - she's never met this guy - to form an alliance. So naturally, she runs.

One of the palace servants, Pauline, goes with her, and they ride off to a little town called Terravin. Terravin is the cutest town ever. It's colorful, right by the ocean, and it's so friendly. They feel right at home and end up working in a tavern, where they meet two mysterious (and attractive) young men who take a sudden deep interest in Lia. Little does she know that one is an assassin hired to kill her and the other is the prince she refused to marry. Both men get to know her and, as always, there is a sort of love triangle going on.

Those are the basics.

Mary Pearson's writing is beautiful. This book was easy to read, but written in such a captivating way. From the first chapter, I couldn't want to finish the book so I could find out what happened next. I was pleasantly shocked, because this was certainly NOT a book I was expecting to love so quickly. I loved it from the very beginning, but in the end, it just gets better.

Throughout the book we get to hear from Lia's perspective, but it is peppered with chapters revealing the perspectives of Rafe, Kaden, and even Pauline. I absolutely loved how it switched between characters and I think it was expertly written.

Final thoughts: You should read this book. Maybe you won't love it. But I did! It was an unexpected treat, and I am SO looking forward to the next book, The Heart of Betrayal, which comes out in July. (:

The Nest - Kenneth Oppel

I'm giving this book ★★★★ 4.5 stars!

This book was VERY unexpectedly wonderful! I know there are lots of extremely mixed reviews about it, and I totally get that. BUT IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. Honestly, one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read.

I'm quite shocked that I liked it that much.

I only started reading it because it's so short.

I guess I should get this out of the way: I'm giving it 4.5 stars as opposed to 5 because it was just a tad underdeveloped for me.

Guys, confession. I've never cried because of a book. Fact. I know I am a heartless monster. But this is the closest I've ever come! Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but to me this book was about accepting imperfections and loving ourselves and others anyway. The main character, Steve, was someone I could totally connect with - even though this is a middle grade book and I am 23. Steve is often worried, anxious, depressed, obsessive-compulsive... and I loved that he seemed so REAL even though the book was bizarre.

Apparently it was exactly my kind of bizarre.

So, if you're not aware, here's the basic storyline:
A boy has a new little brother who has a lot of health problems and he's constantly at the hospital. No one is sure that he will survive. A huge wasp visits Steve in his dreams, telling him that she will make his brother better and that she needs Steve's help. But Steve is pretty sure that it's not just in his head...

I feel like that's basically all I can tell you.

I generally am not into books that teach lessons - again, I know I'm a monster - but this book spoke right to me. It was creative and touching and gorgeous and absolutely unexpected in every way. I think this is just one of those books that you'll either love or hate.

Cress - Marissa Meyer

Cress - Marissa Meyer ★★★★★ 5.0

Woohoo! Cress gets 5 stars! Here's why:

• Cress + Thorne, Cinder + Kai, Scarlet + Wolf !!!
• Kaaaaiiiiiii!
• Iko & her new hot bod
• A glimpse into Levana's eyes
• Cinder's growth
• Luna
• Crazy Princess Winter

I feel like there are SO many more things I could list because I thoroughly enjoyed this book, cover to cover. Which surprised me.

Here's a little more about me: It takes a lot for me to like a book written in third person. I just connect so much easier with first person, naturally. Cinder was a good book. It's the book that made me want to read again.Scarlet was not quite as good, but I still liked it a lot. CRESS. BLEW. MY. MIND. In the third person! I think that Marissa Meyer made a FABULOUS choice in switching perspectives so often. Because it's NOT in first person, but we still see what everyone is thinking, doing, and how all of those thoughts and actions are interconnected. I just loved it.

The couples are adorable. Cinder & Kai are still my favorite, because I absolutely adore both of them. And at the end of the book... Oh my goodness. It was perfect. They are PERFECT. Scarlet & Wolf are my least favorite couple, but I still love them a lot because I have a soft spot for Wolf. And Scarlet is a good character. Maybe I just feel like I don't know them as well as I know the other two couples. Cress and Thorne are extremely cute. Thorne is hilarious and brave and thoughtful... Cress is one lucky fictional gal. But I actually think I love all three of the men equally. They're all SO different, but I appreciate them all the same and I love hearing about them. 

But... poor Wolf.

Iko is also a great character, and always has been. My heart melted a little when Thorne gave her that gift. Iko deserved it this whole time. She's so cute and funny and optimistic. And she's so human!

I liked seeing from Levana's perspective toward the end (or was it even the last chapter? I'm not sure.). I think she is an awesome villain and I'm REALLY excited to read Fairest.

Cinder is an incredible main character. I've loved her this whole time. And I loved her even more in Cress because she grew so much. She's also very accepting of everyone - she was so ready to save Cress!

Finally, Luna. I think Luna is such a cool place. The way Marissa Meyer described it... GORGEOUS. When Scarlet was trying to escape the ship after it landed on Luna, I was completely mesmerized and enchanted by Luna. Additionally, we meet Princess Winter on Luna. I think I'm going to like her A LOT. She's crazy, yes. But she seems so completely good, and beautiful and sweet. The crazy could be a good addition to the series. ;)

Final thoughts: Cinder was great, Scarlet was good, Cress was AMAZING. Love love loved it. 5 stars, absolutely. Can't wait for Fairest & Winter!

The Ruby Circle - Richelle Mead

The Ruby Circle - Richelle Mead ★★★ 3.5

I'm giving this book 3.5 stars. Here's why:

• I AM DONE. Yes. Finally.
• Adrian. Always Adrian.
• MAGIC.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book much.

I knew I wouldn't.

I just... after reading 11 books about lots of the same characters & the same world, it gets old. At least for me. So I knew going into it that I just wanted to be done with it. I put off reading it for a bit because I knew I wouldn't be that into it. But I also knew that once I finished it I'd be done with all those MOROI & STRIGOI & DHAMPIRS & ALCHEMISTS & WARRIORS. And the witches.

Because of my bad attitude & VA/BL exhaustion, this isn't going to be much of a review. I am just so freaking happy to be done! I DID IT. I DID IT. I DID IT.

But this review would be totally incomplete if I didn't mention Adrian. So... Adrian. I absolutely love him. I have since we very first met him in the VA series. Personally, I'd choose him over Dimitri in a heartbeat, but to each her own ~

[Also I named my car after him.]

[What? Seriously? Yeah. Truth.]

The magic in this book WAS cool. I actually did like that quite a bit. The human magic AND Adrian's spirit magic. Because it's Adrian. And he's adorable. I think Bloodlines was my favorite book of this series and they progressively got worse for me, but hopefully I'm the only one who thinks that. I thought the first book was really cool, surprisingly. But then, not as cool. And less cool. And even less cool. And maybe part of that was me getting tired of the series. But I'm not 100% sure about that.

Final thoughts: It was a necessary read, and it was a decent conclusion.

It's not you, Richelle, it's me.

The Assassin's Blade - Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin's Blade - Sarah J. Maas ★★★★★ 5.0

So freaking amazing. This book gets 5 stars. Here's why:

• Who doesn't love Celaena? Obvs.
• Arobynn... good or bad?
• SAM. CORTLAND. My heart. Myyy heeeaaarrrttt.
• The Silent Assassins
• Thankyouforthebackstory, Ms. Maas.

This is a collection of five prequel novellas to the Throne of Glass series.

And these novellas are INCREDIBLE. The great thing is that they all go together. One leads right into the other, so definitely read them together if you get the chance to pick up The Assassin's Blade.

I have only read Throne of Glass. I decided to read the novellas after the first book because I've heard that's a good way to do it. And I was not quite ready to get back into the series, so the novellas were a way to keep myself involved in the story, but not so much that it overwhelmed me. I know it's odd, but I get overwhelmed by huge, dramatic, fantastic stories. So I have to take a break and read a cute fairytale or contemporary or, in this case, novellas. AND I LIKED THEM MORE THAN THRONE OF GLASS.

I. Liked. Them. More.

And I loved Throne of Glass. It wasn't the best book in the history of the universe, or even my favorite book of the year, but I loved it. And then Assassin's Blade happened.

And Sam happened.

And. Well that happened.

Sam...

So I absolutely adore Celaena. I'll be honest: I usually get sick of headstrong, super independent main characters. But I think Celaena is possibly my favorite female character ever. And this remained true through The Assassin's Blade. And when you combine her with the beautiful gift Sarah Maas bestowed upon us - Sam Cortland - it's perfection. They're perfection. They're both cocky and funny and compassionate. Compassionate assassins. Ha! Whatever that means.

Sam is so sweet and so manly and just so good. And. Well, if you've read Throne of Glass, you probably recall Celaena thinking, Oh Sam..., mysteriously time after time. So. It's no secret that there can't really be a Team Sam anyway, even if that's what the masses demand. Which sucks.

However - and don't attack me for this - I'm still all for Dorian, 100%. Even if Sam could happen.

I also feel like we didn't get to know Sam that well. Which, you know, was kind of inevitable considering everything that went down. But I wanted to love him. I just hadn't gotten to that point yet. I wish. I really wish.

He was... you know. Near perfect. But a mysterious kind of perfection with an air of uncertainty. For me, he was incomplete. I felt like my vision of him was perfect as far as our deficiency of knowledge allows us to see him. Maybe that's good. Maybe we'd all never recover from Sam and never love Dorian or Chaol because of that. Maybe it was Sarah J. Maas's intention to never let us fully get to know & love Sam so that we couldn't pine for a character that isn't really a possibility as far as love interests go. Just a thought.

While on the subject of characters...

THERE WERE JUST SO MANY. And I loved all of them. And hated some. But still loved them. I love love love how Sarah J. Maas can give us awesome characters all around. Every. Single. One. There were none that were boring or dull or unmemorable. Which is shocking. Because we were introduced to so many new/old (old because it's the past) people.

Arobynn. We got to know him better. And... he's... I'm both charmed and fascinated by him. Should I be? No. I shouldn't. Absolutely not. BUT AROBYNN IS SO AWESOME. And awful. Please, PLEASE don't understand me wrong. He's awful.

<3

And the Silent Assassins. So cool. I loved seeing Celaena's time with them. Especially the Mute Master. It seemed like such an incredible place and I wish we could have seen more there. Maybe in future books..?

Final thoughts: Maybe my favorite book this year so far. Or Cress. Cress... Not sure. BUT YOU HAVE TO READ IT. I'd actually suggest doing it like I did and reading ToG first, THEN The Assassin's Blade. Because I liked to have that mystery and then be filled in on it later. It made it more interesting. And then there was one part... where I wondered... if we had already met those characters in ToG. Hmm. So read it. Please. Please. If you haven't picked up this series, do yourself a favor. (: I can't say enough about this book. So good.