10 Infinite Weeks: Infinite Limits Review

PLEASE DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT READING THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE BOOK BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A SHIT LOAD OF SPOILERS. 

First of all, HOLY CRAP. I COULDNT FUNCTION AT ALL AND I DIDNT WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE FEELS BUT I JUST UGH. Told you there'd be caps locks, Megan. 

When I started reading, I became overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia because man oh man, did I miss these characters. Reading Infinite Limits was a nice break from Stephen King, although Doctor Sleep is definitely giving me feels. Buuuut Infinite Limits definitely topped the charts. Why? Read on, if you dare. 

First off, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. HOLY CRAP, CONGRATS TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE YALL HAVE BLOSSOMED INTO BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES. A quote taken from one of my Who Is Charleigh McAfee post. I love it how Audrina and Jade learn to let go and move on. It just goes to show how much people can change, no matter how long it takes. And it sure did take a long time, lemme tell ya. 

Let me focus on Audrina specifically. She kept going back to Pax and then she finally let him go because she realized that he didn't need her like she thought he did. I thought that that was especially hard to do because you're letting go of someone who means so much to you. Good job, girl. I mean, I don't love you, but I commend you for that. 

AND JADE. MY BABY. I WANT TO HUG YOU. also great development. I love how she chose to move away from all of her troubles because with people, they sometimes don't chose to do that. They let their problems follow them. But Jade didn't. She tried to fix them... Or at least get away from them. That's literally my situation right now. 

Silas and Larson. Stop being cute and supportive of each other. I love how Silas was just supportive and ready to lend Larson a hand or shoulder or whatever the phrase is. I'm super tired, so I honestly don't care. And then Larson finally gets the courage to tell Silas everything. DEVELOPMENT. UGH. 

okay, pax. Who I never call Paxton. The whole "Pax committing suicide thing." I liked it in the sense of "wow, thanks for acknowledging that this is an actual thing." But I hated it because wow, Pax could actually die. No. Just Pax in general was great. He wanted to fix things and he did. Granted it wasn't easy, but he did it anyway. Just goes to show that if you really want something, you can get it if you try hard enough. 

CHARLEIGH AND LOGAN WERE SO CUTE. UGH. That's all

All in all, the book was fantastic. With its ups and downs, it left you on the edge of your seat. It left you in tears or laughter or tears of laughter. Whatever you prefer. The book was just amazing. Okay? Okay. Go read it. Now. Please. So I'll be happy and can get sleep at night. Ha. Just remember that it's okay to be happy. :)

DFTBA,

Lauren. 

10 Infinite Limits: What Does Small Circles mean to Me

Books have the tendency to stay with us long after we finish reading them. That's an understatement. They don't have the tendency, they just do. That's basically my relationship with Small Circles. 

Books also have the tendency to pull on your heartstrings and make you cry like a baby, good and bad. Or maybe a mix of both. Small Circles is one of those cases because it's like Megan just reached into my head and pulled out all of my problems and feelings and put them into different scenarios. And for that, I say thank you, Megan. It's like you just get it and it's really refreshing. 

Small Circles speaks about things that some people are scared to talk about. But that doesn't solve the problem. That just leaves it there with the possibility of getting worse. The only way we are going to solve things is taking the first step and acknowledging that things are wrong. I really appreciate that throughout the book, problems weren't made light of and that they're treated with the air of seriousness it deserves. Four for you, Megan. You go, Megan. Ah, Mean Girls. 

I feel like you could say that Small Circles is one of those things where you could say a lot but you can't get it out because of the fact that the thing means so much to you that you can't possibly get out everything you want to say. Or maybe I'm just tired. Probably both. 

If anything, thanks to Megan for creating characters that I love and a story that will stay in my heart forever. 

DFTBA, 

Lauren. 

10 Infinite Weeks: An Interview with Megan Duke

Have you accepted Megan Duke as your Lord and Savior? Because she writes awesome books that make you cry. Kidding, Jesus all the way! (Not trying to offend anyone's religion, by the way.) I got to ask Megan some questions concerning Charleigh and the Small Circles series.

1) What inspired you to start writing Small Circles?
The first thing that motivated me was the passion I had for writing a coming of age story. I knew I wanted to write a contemporary/realistic novel, so once the ideas started coming it was quite easy to get going with it. One of the biggest things that inspired me was equality and the need for diversity in YA. I wanted to have a gay teen male be the main character, versus just a side character. Also, the “it’s ok to be happy” mantra had a huge influence in the inspiration.

2) Is there anyone out there who helped or inspired you throughout the writing process?
Other authors are the most influential people to me. I look up to John Green and Maggie Steifvater, as well as authors like Jandy Nelson and David Levithan. I want to write stories that are truthful and still fun. These authors did that.

3) how was the writing process with all three books? Surely there were ups and downs.
Each book took a different level of dedication. Three Sixty was the easiest for me, partially because it’s so short. But also because I knew the storyline from the very beginning. I had no question of what was going to happen. All I had to do was sit down and right. Small Circles and Ninety Degrees were a bit more intricate. I had to create the characters and build the story from the beginning. And there was still room for them to grow and expand. What I’d originally planned for Ninety Degrees was not how the final book ended up.

4) Small Circles has definitely helped me, and countless others, through tough times. Did you have any trouble writing the hard parts of the story?
I didn’t have a hard time writing the touchy parts, but I had a hard time releasing them into the wild. I was terrified of what the public’s opinion was going to be. Especially because I live in Nashville - a major part of the Christian bible belt. Because a huge chunk of my story revolved around a gay couple, as well as drugs and sex and profanity, I had no clue how readers were going to take it. But I had to remind myself that writing is a freedom of speech. It’s a form of expression. And I’m not here to please the people that don’t agree with me. I’m here to inspire the readers whose lives I can make a difference in.

 5) Getting on the topic of my character for 10 Infinite Weeks, where did the inspiration for Charleigh come from?
Charleigh McAfee started with a name. “Charleigh" was all I had when it came to Silas’ best friend. I had no clue what she was going to look like or what her personality was going to be. But then it came to me pretty easily. About 50% of Charleigh’s character is based off one of my best friends. This includes the different hair colors, and the clothing style. As well as her view of the world. Her “we’re just lines and angles” attitude came from my friend. Charleigh’s physical appearance was inspired by a reader. I knew a girl that was not confident in her looks, thinking she was big boned and not skinny like other girls. I wanted to write a character that she could relate to, so I targeted Charleigh towards her and other girls like her.

6) Charleigh has had some ups and downs with the two boys in her life. What would you do in her situation?

If I were Charleigh, I would have done the exact same thing. However, I would have wanted Logan to be my boyfriend from the very beginning. I’ve been in similar situations before. Not as extreme, but I was tied between choice like her. I had to make my own choice. For Charleigh, the choice was made for her by Tucker stepping away.
7) Sometimes, authors tend to put a little bit of themselves into their characters. Are there any qualities or little details from Charleigh that you see in yourself or the people around you?

Definitely her style. Her clothing is completely mine. I write on all my shoes just like she does. And I had all guy friends in high school, just like her.

8) Where did you get the idea to name her Charleigh McAfee, which—not gonna lie—reminds me of coffee.

I actually created the name Charleigh when I was writing my first attempt at a novel. It was called “Never Let Go”, but this was in like eighth grade, so it wasn’t good. I’d always loved the name, but I wanted to spell it differently. As for the last name, I just looked in my baby book of names. That’s how I come up with a lot of them. Except for Paxton, Larson and Audrina. Those names were the first character I came up with, and they came to me naturally.

9) Are there any hints you can give us concerning as to what happens to her in the story?

As for Charleigh, I can promise that she is happy. We pretty much know her fate at the end of Ninety Degrees. It doesn’t change that much, except for a few life mile marks.

10) I've always wondered about past characters coming across new characters being introduced after another's passing. How do you think Charleigh and Owen would've interacted around each other, or would that be entirely up to us as readers?

I’ve never thought of Owen interacting with any of the new characters from Ninety Degrees. It seems weird. If Owen was still alive, Silas would have never been introduced into Larson’s life. This means Charleigh would have never crossed paths with Larson’s friends.  At the same time, they all knew of one another because they attended schools in the same town. At the beginning of ND we see that Silas and his friends were actually had the same restaurant as Larson and his friends. Maybe, if things had turned out differently, they would have still met. For Owen specifically, I think he would have been amused by Charleigh at first. Maybe even envied her. I have no doubt they would have been good friends, though.

DFTBA,
Lauren

10 Infinte Limits: Who is Charleigh McAfee

Charleigh McAfee is a character introduced in Ninety Degrees, the second book in the Small Circles series. She's that kind of person who doesn't appreciate herself as much as she should. She's used to getting things her way and doing things herself, two things I wish I had under my belt. She's always been able to understand her best friend, Silas, but things change when a new student transfers to Chattanooga Prep. As she shows interest in the new guy, feelings for another guy resurface, feelings she thought never had a chance. Her newly found obsession with finding love inevitably leads to heartbreak--who would've thought! Not me. Through all of this, she finds out that what she does matters.

Charleigh's got this free spirit vibe goin' on, and I really like it. With her dyed hair and written-on sneakers, you can probably find her look-a-like on tumblr. Her personality is different, so to say. She's got spunk that you don't see in characters these days. Even the way her name's spelled is different; you don't see that many Charleighs walking around with their names spelt like that. Or I just don't know many Charleighs.

Her relationship with Silas, her best friend, is honestly one of my favorites. Their relationship is genuine, and you can tell because Silas trusts Charleigh enough to tell her that he's gay. I really appreciate friendships like that because in some stories, the characters have crappy friends. It's nice to see a friendship that means a lot.

Charleigh and Logan. What can I say about them? A lot. Their relationship is slightly complicated so to say. Well for starters, Charleigh had feelings for Logan and didn't think he'd ever recuperate them... Surprise! And then of course Logan inches away because he's not good for her or he's a bad influence. Something like that, I don't  remember. And honestly, this was different because usually, the guy uses the fact that he's a bad influence as an asset. Another thing I appreciated.

Let's move on, shall we? Hey, look, there's another boy?? What a shocker. The thing is, I actually liked Tucker. He genuinely liked Charleigh and wasn't that much of a douche. Although I have to say, stealing the pills for his brother wasn't the best idea. I like how their relationship started in art class and Charleigh wouldn't include him in their art project and how it "blossomed like beautiful, horny butterflies." That quote was brought to you by my friend, Bailey.

All in all, Charleigh McAfee is a unique character with an interesting story. If you want more info on her, I suggest reading Ninety Degrees I remember remotely nothing from that book. Stay tuned for the next post which is going to be up today because, wow, all f my posts are overdue. Help. :)

DFTBA,
Lauren

What is 10 Infinite Weeks + Predictions for Infinite Limits

!0 Infinite Weeks is a blog tour that lasts for 10 weeks leading up to Megan Duke's Infinite Limits, the last book in her series, Small Circles. Each week is dedicated to a  specific character, including  exclusive cosplay photos, video releases, interviews, and reviews. The first three weeks are hosted by Megan on her blog, so go check it out. The next seven weeks are lead by seven other bloggers, writing and sharing posts about our favorite characters that we know and love. 10 Infinite Weeks kicked off with Audrina Ashby, Logan Brown, and Carter Walbridge, brought to you by Megan, and week #4 is my week with Charleigh McAfee.

Here's the schedule for the rest of the blog tour:
Week 5: Sillas Mcfuller by Lainey at The Belle Beauty Blog
Week 6: Tucker Watson by Bryce at Novels to Song
Week 7: Jade Walbridge by Jennifer at The Book Fighters
Week 8: Owen Spencer by Catheryn at The Book Lioness
Week 9: Paxton Graham by Jaclyn at Living in a World Full of Book Quotes
Week 10: Larson Ashby by Ana at Ana Loves

Predictions for Infinite Limits:
I'm going to be completely honest when I say that I forgot what happened in all three books. I've been meaning to reread them, but I just don't have time. So let's see how this turns out.

If you were present for Megan's live chat,u know that she read an excerpt from Infinite Limits concerning Paxton getting a certain phone call about his dad... I think.

My guess is that he owns the company his dad left when he committed suicide. I'm not sure how accurate that is because I don't know how any of that works, but i's just a hunch.

I don't want to say this, but I honestly think that someone's going to commit suicide as well. I mean, it's the last book, someone's going to die. Sad but true. I think, if someone were to do it, it'd be Paxton because after everything with his dad and the whole thing with Jade, Carter (who is a complete asshole), and Audrina, that leaves you a little unhinged.

As for the rest of them, I'm not really sure, but I really hope that everyone finds out the whole thing with Audrina and Carter wasn't really Audrina's fault.

That's all for now, 'til the next post, DFTA
-Lauren

Book Review: Tortured Souls by Kimberly Wheaton

Before I start this review, I'd like to say a few words: Oh. My. Gosh. I can't even, I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW, PLEASE. Ah, now that I have that out of the way, I can finally start my review without fangirling too hard.

Kimberly has created a fantastic story, with amazing characters, a compelling plot, and so much more. The plot was just right, and things didn't feel rushed or too slow. A thing that really annoys me is when the pacing in a story doesn't feel right and is choppy. Kimberly, you're doing it right. Another thing is that there are some parts that feel unnecessary, but fear not! Everything that happened was interesting and important, the circle itself, the investigations, everything. It's a win-win really, so basically, the plot was on point. 

The characters were phenomenal; they really made the story come alive. Kacie is a fantastic main character. She's very determined and knows what she wants to do and gets stuff done. Her backstory just made me cry and look up to her as a character. Throughout parts of the novel, she lets herself cry, because God forbid main characters from having emtotions, but she doesn't over do it. Logan is a wonderful character, he's supportive, nice, and let's not forget a complete gentleman. It's a nice break from your usual brooding, dark male lead. Let me get this out: We need more people like him! Guys are just really stupid, that's all I'm saying. I just really appreciated his character. Rebecca, Carl, and all of the other members of the circle helped the story come to life. They're funny, sarcastic, and honestly remind me of people I know in real life. I especially loved Daniel's nickname for Kacie, it's little things like that that really make the book special and entertaining. The relationship between Kacie and her family made my heart melt, which is something I rarely say. The protectiveness they show throughout the course of the novel was very heartwarming. I really liked the development between Kacie and her father. Even though he doesn't believe her at first, but slowly learns to accept her for who she is, along with her abilities. To me, this is something that should be touched upon more. Being in the same situation, but obviously not possessing supernatural abilities, I know how it feels like to be put down for the things I have, while my parents don't believe me, just because it's something they don't have cold, hard facts on. So thank you, Kimberly. 

I could say so much more about this book, but we'd be here all day. Plus, I think if consist mostly of fan girdling in all-caps. All in all, this book was very fun to read, making me cry, laugh, and squeal. Thank you, Kimberly for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book. Guys, please check it out, because it's totally worth reading. 

DFTBA, 

Lauren

***im so sorry this is up so late, because school has been so busy, and I haven't had time to sit down and write my review. But better late than never.***

Interview with Kimber Leigh Wheaton, author of Tourtured Souls

Since I'm a part of the promotional tour for Tortured Souls, I got a chance to do an interview with the author, Kimberly Wheaton, and here it is!

Describe Tortured Souls in a few sentences.

Tortured Souls is the first book in The Orion Circle series which featured a group of teenage paranormal hunters. Think Scooby Doo meets Supernatural. Tortured Souls is about Kacie, the newest member of the Circle. She is a physical medium who is being stalked by the ghost of a serial killer.

Tell us about the main character in Tortured Souls.

Why did you decide to write in the paranormal genre?

I've had an interest in the paranormal since I was a child. I love all sorts of mythology and folktales. My bookshelves are filled with books on the paranormal that I've collected through the years. In The Orion Circle series I plan to really explore the supernatural world: ghosts, cryptozoology, werewolves, vampires—you name it. I just find the whole supernatural world fascinating.

What was the first paranormal book you remember reading?

I had several nonfiction books about ghosts that I absolutely loved. They’re long gone now, and I can’t remember the titles. They were both paperbacks, and I read them until they fell apart. The first book I read in the adult category was Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. I was in fourth grade at the time, and yes, I did lose sleep because of that book. There are still scenes that stick out in my mind even after all these years. I became a huge Stephen King fan after that. I also found Dean Koontz and discovered I liked his work even more!

Are any of your characters inspired by people in your life, past or present?

No. All of these characters came straight from my imagination. I always tell my husband that he is the inspiration for all of my heroes and villains. But in Tortured Souls that simply isn’t the case. Fortunately my husband is nothing like the Foxblood Demon!

When can we expect the next book in The Orion Circle series?

I’m working on both books 2 and 3 right now. I started book 2 several weeks ago and realized about one-third of the way through that I had two distinct plot lines. These need to be explored in separate books, so I had to split them. I’m also working on book 1.5 which will be a collection of short stories. I hope to have one out around November 4^th.

I hope you enjoyed this interview and are interested in picking up Kimberly's awesome book, and be sure to stay tuned for my review of Tortured Souls, which will be up soon.

-DFTBA, Lauren
 

Interview with Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki

I had the awesome chance to interview Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki, the authors of Branded. I know this is two months late, but better late than never, right?

What inspired you two to write Branded, and how long did it take? This is probably the most popular question people ask us. We have always talked about & shared books we enjoyed. We’ve also been close friends since 1999, so our friendship has already weathered a lot of changes. We used to meet to talk about books we were reading when we considered writing one of our own. Then one day, Abi came up with the concept of branding people with their sins & we took it from there. It was never really a choice to co-author… it was just something we did because it worked. We wrote our first draft in just three months!

Are there any meanings or specific reasons behind the names you chose for your characters? Honestly? They were just names we liked & thought fit our characters. Except for Zeus. His name was taken from Abi’s Rottweiler that had passed away a year or two before we wrote the book. As you can tell from the story, we’re both dog lovers!

Is there anyone who inspired or helped you two to write the book or had any affect on your writing? I think we inspire each other a lot, especially when one of us gets in a rut. The other person that really helped us along was our editor, Amy Eye. She pushed us to write better, to be consistent with our characters, and to dig deeper even when we were tired during the whole editing process.

Are any of the relationships between characters based off of any relationships you two have in real life? I think all of our characters could reflect people we’ve met along the way in life. Hopefully, that’s what makes them relatable. For me (Missy), Alyssa was a reflection of a girl I used to babysit, who passed away from cancer when she was only 10. She was full of hope & faith until the end.

And there’s Zeus, who is a reflection of our dogs. Abi & I both have two dogs each, and we love them. They’re so forgiving, trusting, and lovable.

How did you guys get the premise of the story, and was it hard to write about? Abi came up with the concept, and from there we built an entire society. Sadly, it wasn’t too hard to write because there are places in our world today where governments are unjust, people are murdered or displaced and left to fend for themselves.

How did the two of you meet and decide to write a novel together? We met at college orientation in 1999 and have stayed in touch since, regardless of the stage of life we were in. While I’ve always been a bookworm, Abi was inspired after reading Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. After that, we started meeting & discussing books we were reading. It was just natural to write one together. J

Lastly, what advice would you give aspiring authors about writing or publishing a novel? Advice to up and coming author- Stick with it. Believe in it. Find a good editor. Find reputable bloggers that will give you an honest opinion & believe in your book! Ask other authors for advice when you need it. The indie community is very supportive if you just ASK. It won’t be easy, and it’s definitely a long process, but it’s worth the effort when you can say you wrote a book!!!

 

Book Review: Small Circles by Megan Duke (#1)

I got a free copy in exchange for a review, preferably an honest one. My laptop kept crashing, which prevented me from posting this at six a.m, so I started typing on my Ipad. Needless to say, Safari wiped away my review when I went to switch a song. Why am I telling you this? Because it's my sheer love for this book that keeps me forward to continue writing this review. I mean, I could just type a paragraph on how I love this book, and everyone should read it, ect, but... It's more than that. I...more I got a free copy in exchange for a review, preferably an honest one. My laptop kept crashing, which prevented me from posting this at six a.m, so I started typing on my Ipad. Needless to say, Safari wiped away my review when I went to switch a song. Why am I telling you this? Because it's my sheer love for this book that keeps me forward to continue writing this review. I mean, I could just type a paragraph on how I love this book, and everyone should read it, ect, but... It's more than that. I want people to read my honest opinion and as to why I love this book and why people should read it. Besides, I'm not one to break promises. Small Circles is one of those books where you stay up 'till God-knows-when or wake up at the crack of dawn to finish, because you can't stand not knowing what happens next. For me, that's when I know that I love a book. First off, I'd like to thank Megan for sending me a copy, it's an honor. The plot was fantastic, it drew me in on a roller-coaster full of laughs, emotions, and heartbreak. Nothing felt unimportant or out-of-place, everything fit perfectly. The book was well-paced, and it felt as if everything was actually happening in real life, to the point where I had to remind myself that it wasn't. I liked how there were so many trials they had to go through, because that's how life is. It throws curveball after curveball, hitting you in the face repeatedly, knocking you down. The characters are phenomenal, I really came to care for all of them. They're three-dimensional, some days, they're having a good time, enjoying life, but their lives also happen to be messy and just catastrophic. They're not near to perfect, heck, Paxton even had a screw just a little unhinged. I loved how their relationships between each other grew. (view spoiler)[Owen and Larson came to love each other as more than friends, and Owen learned to accept it and try to find himself in the process. Jade became Paxton's crutch throughout the aftermath of his father's suicide, when he couldn't tell the other two. Because Pax is right: Sometimes, you just need someone to be there. I loved how it slowly blossomed into a relationship, and I also loved how Jade and Larson became friends—really friends—during their freshman year of college. (hide spoiler)] These relationships didn't just happen all of a sudden, it took time. The themes throughout the novel were just.... wow. My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations, right now. It's one of those things where you have to read the book to know where I'm coming from, I guess, because I just can't adequately describe it. I'd just like to say thank you, once again, to Megan, because she helped me realize that it really is okay to be happy. All in all, Small Circles is a fantastic book, one you'll cherish for a lifetime. DFTBA, Lauren

Book Review: Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki

So about a month ago, I got asked whether or not I'd like to take part of the Branded blog tour for the novel Branded by Abi and Missy, obviously I couldn't resist, so I said yes. When I read the blurb on goodreads, I thought to myself, Finally, some originality. I have to hand it to them, Abi and Missy created an awesome premise, something I've never read about before. Overall, I liked the book, but some things prevented me from loving it, like everyone else. 

At the beginning, like, literally, the beginning, you see our protagonist Lexi about to hang herself. Well that's something you definitely don't read everyday, especially not at the start. I also caught myself empathize for her as soon as the action started, and Lexi said, "Help me, Daddy, I need your strength now." I just wanted to give her a giant hug. And then there's the branding of her tattoo—blue for lust, and being taken to the Hole. Throughout the whole process, Lexi stayed strong and put on her game face, who doesn't love a strong character, right? Although I gave to point something out, while her actions were admirable, as soon as she got to her room-of-cell, she started cringing, cowering, and screaming at everything. But, hey, we all have our limits, right? 

Enter Cole, the strong guard who's assigned to our lovely protagonist. At first he's all, "These are the rules, and if you break 'em, you're dead." But then he starts actually getting to know Lexi, and that's when we get to know the guy under the mask. I have to say, that guy's pretty funny, even though his singing is... unique. What happens next, you ask? Well, they fall in love, that's a no-brained. I thought it was nice, although it felt slightly rushed, and, to me, it felt like we don't really know Cole all that well. Unless that's saved for the next book. 

Every male lead needs a faithful companion, enter Zues the "guard dog." From what I've heard, he's everyone's favorite, mine included. He's that ice-breaker kind of character. He actually reminds me of a dog I used to have. But that's not all. Who can forget Alyssa and Stutton? I love Alyssa. I love how she's such a great presence in such a bleak and horrible place. I love how she brought out the best and brightest in everyone. I thought it was so cute how she went on a "date" with Cole. Ah, memories. I've gotta admit, I was pretty sad when she died. I mean, we all knew it was coming, but I didn't like it. But, to quote Charles Xavier, we all have to die sometime. And Stutton, one of the few decent people in the Hole. I love how blunt he is with Lexi, threatening to cut her hand, or at least I think it was her hand, off. There was a moment, that's unforgettable, when Cole was gone on a mission, and Lexi was sulking and couldn't think about anything else. Stutton sets it straight and knocks some well-deserved sense knocked into her. Yay, applause! This is another thing that bothered me. Lexi switches her personality left and right constantly. It was hard to understand, well, her at some times. Especially the part with Cole gone. She tells Stutton that she's got it all under control and then proceeds to mope around, not taking into consent the repercussions of her actions, like how she can get everyone killed. Like, c'mon, Lexi, you dint need a man. 

Lexi's background. I felt so sorry for her. I mean, if I got stuck with a douche of a step-dad like she did, I'd probably lose it and punch him in the face. When she wrote that letter to Cole, it felt like someone stabbed my heart. 

KEAGAN. three words: I wasn't expecting that. Okay, four words, I can't count. 

Once again, I liked the book. I did, and have I mentioned that I adore the cover? It was just those things that threw me off. That's not to say I won't pick up the next book, of course I will. Although I hope to see some character development and getting to know Cole better. I'd like to thank Abi and Missy for having me a part of this blog tour, even though my post is two days late. (I apologize.) every time I'd see a post on Instagram or Twitter, I'd start crying, no kidding. Congratulations once again, you two, I couldn't be more proud. 

Stay tuned for an interview with Abi and Missy about Branded, which will be in a seperate post, and happy reading. 

-Lauren

Book Review: Ninety Degrees by Megan Duke (#3)

Okay, so here's my real review of Ninety Degrees. I finished it on Friday, when I should've started studying for exams, oh well, no harm done, right? Once again, Megan has done it again, with new characters, new settings, and new things to be uncovered, she wrote yet another book that I absolutely loved.

Whenever there are new characters added into a story, I'm always scared that I'll end up despising them or something, but with Ninety Degrees, there's nothing to fear. I was really excited to see--or shall I say read--Silas' side of the story. I mean, he is dating Larson after all, even though that's at the end of the book. Enter Charleigh, the girl with the pink in her hair and lyrics on her sneakers, the free spirit. It didn't take me long at all to fall in love with her, probably because I want to be her. Okay, not necessarily be her, so to say, but have her personality and free spirit; that's one of the things I love about her. And of course there's Logan, the best friend to the other two, aren't they lucky? Of course they are. I absolutely adore these three, so much that I wish I could pluck them from the pages and call them my own. I love how they're so diverse from each other, and their friendship isn't all rainbows and dauntless cake. What else do you expect from a Megan Duke book?

There were so many conflicts throughout the novel that just tore me apart, I loved it. I loved how there were inner-character conflicts as well as character-to-character conflicts. It felt as this was happening and as if I'm the bystander. Say, for instance, Tucker stealing the drugs from Logan for Maddox. That just broke my heart into a thousand pieces, right there, folks. It's like Megan just took any ole person walking down the street and decided, hey, I like you and threw them into the story, and I loved that.

The plot was just mind-blowing, truly fantastic. I still can't wrap my mind around it, it left me pretty speechless. No, really, I don't know what to say, well, type. So I'll make this brief: I loved it.

I'm sorry that this review is shorter than the other two, personally, I blame exams for frying my thought process, but I feel like I can't express the awesomeness of these books--and Megan herself--enough. If you haven't read Ninety Degrees, or Small Circles, well what are you waiting for? Go, go, go, and pick up your copy now.

P.S. Thanks again, Megan, for the copy and poster.

Book Review: Three Sixty by Megan Duke (#2)

NOTE: Please don't read this review if you haven't finished Three Sixty, this review contains spoilers, only because I'm too lazy to actually put the "spoilers" thing on Goodreads.

I finished Three Sixty in the middle of the week, and to say that I was rendered speechless would be an understatement. I honestly wing it with reviews and type as thoughts fill my brain, but I just can't, right now. Thinking back on the novel, it was just a crazy ride of ups and down, as to be expected, but wow, it was quite intense, and I applaud Megan for that. Okay, enough rambling, let's get in with the review.

I really loved how we got an insight of who Audrina really is; in Small Circles, we only really see her as Larson's little--by a year--sister who did it with Paxton. Authors have the opportunity of taking a great secondary character with potential and screwing them up, but fear not! You really get a grasp of who Audrina is, what her motives are, her relationship with Paxton, life before Jade came into the picture, and even her "status" at Foster and Allan. I loved how all of this tied into her said motives and her actions.

The plot is absolutely fantastic, it exceeded all of my expectations. So much has happened in 120 pages, it's unreal, but not that it's unrealistic, if you know what I'm sayin'. Things happened for a reason, they didn't just happen. It's like, they didn't just go to a party, things led to other things, and that affected not only Audrina as a character, but also Carter. And not just those two--eve33ryone else was impacted in some way throughout the novel, and I loved it. It just feels like this could happen to very real people, and that's what I liked best about it.

Speaking of characters, they were phenomenal. I love the relationships they have with each other, how Larson and Audrina are so close, her friendship with Paxton, just all of them. Starting with Larson and Audrina, you clearly see how their relationship as siblings are, what their lives were like before when they were kids, and it's like you get to know them better, because in Small Circles, Audrina was really just a secondary character. With her relationship with Paxton, it was more than just a thing, it's more than just her coming to him when she needed to forget. She really does care for him and vice-versa, and it just broke my heart when she told him that he doesn't need her, anymore. And it's not your typical "oh, you have her now," and for good reasons. she's genuinely scared that he doesn't need her around and for good reasons.

And then there's Carter, Yeah, I don't like him, but I have to say, he's a great character. You can see his motives and why he does what he does, but for his actual actions? No, I'm not feelin' it. I liked how we got to see some of his background and how he was as a kid. I especially liked how we fond out the reason as to how and why he came to be the person he is now. It makes him seem as if he's doing everything for a purpose, which he is, rather than doing it just to screw with everyone. I just hated what he did to Audrina, someone needs to punch him, oh, wait, Paxton already took care of that. Overall, I hate him, but he's such a great, rounded character.

And last, but not least, Silas. As much as I miss Owen, I really do want Larson to find someone else, because it's okay to be happy. Although I do agree that I don't want Owen to become just another guy, I feel  like that'll never happen. I like Silas, I like his hipster glass, I loved how Audrina "interrogated" him, but most of all, I love how he makes Larson happy.

The letter. Oh, the letter. Larson, please, stop, you're pulling on my heart strings. I love how he came to peace with everything, and by everything, I mean Owen. I'm sorry, I just can't say anything else other than that I loved it and the fact that they named their son Spencer.

The pregnancy, aagghh.That's all.

I just wanted to thank Megan for sending me a PDF and giving me a chance to review this incredible companion novel.

-Lauren.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Or as I like to call it, Turkey-Murder Day. I just wanted to write a little post to say that I'm very thankful for friends, family, and this blog and everyone who's read my posts. Hope everyone's having a great Thanksgiving, and eat lots of food, om nom nom. Yeah, my family doesn't believe in the concept of "turkey." But we do have shrimp pasta and green bean casserole. Stay safe!

P.S. I have, like, five blog posts I have to finish, and they'll be up at least this week... Hopefully.

Much love,
Lauren

Book review: House of Hades by Rick Riordan

So this has been long over-due, I finished the book when it first came out, so about a month ago. I didn't write a review for it until now, because my laptop's been dead, and I couldn't find the charger. I really loved this book for many reasons, and I'm highly anticipating the last book of the series.

Rick wastes no time, diving right where we left off. Percy and Annabeth fell into Tarturus and left the other demigods to travel to the House of Hades. They're freaking out and aren't necessarily sure what to do next or what path to take, since there are monsters attacking, constantly, and this is when you realize that they really depended on Percy and Annabeth.

I really liked the Tarturus scenes. Not because of Percabeth or anything like that, but I just thought it was cool. The two of them are really impressive as characters, and as soon as the land, they waste no time to fabricate a plan. They're getting to the point and getting what they need to do done. You see, in some YA novels, let's say, after the characters just escaped a near death trap, they idly stand there and give each other that I'm-glad-you're-not-dead hug and all that gist. And here I am thinking, what the heck, you guys could be doing something more productive than standing there, get to it. But no, they're on the ball and working as a team. I think it's great, because most couples start fighting and blaming each other for stupid reasons. They're past the point of fighting, like how they used to in the PJO books, and I think that part of the reason is that they've been friends with each other for such a long time. But seriously, though, Tarturus was just awesome and a lot more different and darker than what we've read, and I loved that Rick brought back old characters, like Kelli and the empousa, and the fact that they were forced to experience the pain of how the monsters and their enemies were killed, like when Annabeth turned blind temporarily, like Phineas.

Another thing that I kept noticing was that Percy kept mentioning the whole bad guy/good guy thing. This is character development. Percy is starting to realize that just because they stopped Kronos and everything doesn't really mean that they're that good of people. Remember, after he made the gods let Calypso free, he didn't make sure that it actually happened. After Bob helped him, he just left him there to clean up in the Underworld.

"Even as he said it, Percy felt like a liar. He'd left Bob in the Underworld and hadn't given him a thought since. What made them friends? The fact that Percy needed him now? Percy always hated it when the gods used him for their errands. Now Percy was treating Bob the same way."

 

When they walked into that death trap with Akhyls, Percy started gagging her with her own poison.

 

"He didn't want to stop. He wanted to choke this goddess. He wanted to watch her drown in her own poison. He wanted to see just how much misery Misery could take."

 

Percy's bitter, he's bitter at a lot of things: towards the gods, monsters, Gaea, ect. He's tired, and he's done with having to deal with, well, everything. When he says "He wanted to see just how much misery Misery could take," he means he wants to see just how much pain and sorrow and misery that she can withstand, like he does, having to deal with seeing his friends die in the Titan War, the pressure of fulfilling the prophecy, and the gods using them for their own benefits and treating him like toys, he never really gets a break.

Now it's time to talk about the other characters. Again, they're operating with out the other two, but you really get to see them work as a team and see their awesome personalities and traits and what they can bring to the table.

The best character, though, would have to be Frank, hands down. No, I'm not talking about how he's not chubby, anymore, and how he's got the muscles and stuff. No, just no. Frank develops into a leader and a soldier, directing armies and leading them into battle, versus the chubby, cute, shy kid who didn't have that much confidence back in Camp Jupiter. And I just think he's developed nicely, in this book.

Okay, so can we talk about Nico freaking DiAngelo, please? I don't care that he's gay, I really don't. It's just that it was a little, hmm, how do I say this correctly, unexpected? So he did everything out of... love? I honestly thought he did it because of the whole Bianca thing, like he never really let go? Here's my problem with this, it didn't really seem real? Like, it didn't transition smoothly, we all know Nico's this really creepy kid who likes to be alone and prefers the dead over the living. Yeah, but since when was he ever angry? But I saw this picture on Instagram, and apparently it wasn't really planned and about how he thinks it's important that we shouldn't ignore a person's sexuality, and I totally agreed with him. Since it wasn't planned, I'll let it slide.

All in all, the book was amazing, and I'm just really glad that there's not yet another cliffhanger and that the characters are okay. Hopefully, my dad will let me preorder Blood of Olympus from Barnes and Nobles, since it's the last one in the series, and he knows how much this series means to me. Tell me what you thought of the book in the comments. I have homework to do, (bleh) so until next time.

-Lauren

 





Eye of Minds, Rapture, The Midnight Dress, and Ender's Game

Hey, guys, this is just an update, I've been reading three books, lately. Well two, but when I'm done with those, I'm starting the third. Now I know what you're thinking: You can't read two books at the same time, it's like starting one series before finishing another. I know. And guess what? I break that rule, I do what I want. I finished House of Hades [a while ago], started reading Eye of Minds, and now I'm on to Rapture.

I'm doing a review on HoH, later, but that's not the point, I picked up EoM because i figured, hey, I like James Patterson, I mean, he wrote The Maze Runner, which I love, so why not? I read the blurb and found out it was about the Internet, sort of. It's about a world where people can go in and out of a game called the Virtnet as freely as they choose. I love the Internet as much as the next girl, but I mean, I'm not really a gamer. I'm not saying you specifically have to be a gamer, but I think you'd like the book more if you were. I like the book, I do, but I'm not pulled into the story like i was with TMR. I'm going to finish it, but I just haven't had time, because of school- too many projects and tests.

As for Rapture, when I read the Fallen series over the summer, Barnes and Nobles didn't have the book, and I couldn't order it off of Amazon or anything. So i just couldn't finish the series, but then Lauren Kate had a book signing--that I didn't go to--and I got it. I'm debating whether or not to do a book review on it, but I might not.

The last book I got was The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee. I'm really excited to read this book, I feel like it has a cozy atmosphere, and it's mysterious in a calm manner.

I'm going to see Ender's Game on Sunday, and I'll definately do a review on the movie, the book is amazing, and I can't wait to see it on the big screen.

By the way... 15 MORE DAYS 'TIL CATCHING FIRE AND 16 'TIL THE DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIVERSAY.

-Lauren

Book Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

So I finished Allegiant this Sunday, and I figured I should write a review to help myself cope with the ending. So here goes nothin' .

The Cover:

Isn't the cover great? Everyone's trying to figure out what the water means, and I realized after I finished reading that the water is the tears of the fandom.

The Book:

First, I'd like to point out that I didn't like the plot much, not that it wasn't good or anything, it was great. But, I just kept asking myself, Why are they in the Bureau? What are they doing there, what's the purpose? But then I remembered, so it's okay. Maybe I wasn't paying attention enough (to be fair, my family was watching football when I read this) but the book itself, I loved. The things that Tris and Tobias talk about are just so interesting, for example: 

 “She taught me all about real sacrifice. That it should be done from love... That it should be done from necessity, not without exhausting all other options. That it should be done for people who need your strength because they don't have enough of their own.”

“You don’t believe things because they make your life better, you believe them because they’re true.” 

"Knowledge is power. Power to do evil...or power to do good. Power itself is not evil. So knowledge itself is not evil.” 

The plot was well-paced, nothing felt dragged, things kept happening, and there wasn't a time where they weren't just sitting there doing nothing, except for, like, meals and all the Fourtris scenes. 

Let's get to the elephant in the room, shall we?

Tris's Death:

At first, I was numb with shock, I didn't know what to think or how to feel. I admit, I was mad, I thought, Why would she do this, why would she kill off Tris?! But then I thought about it.

Tris didn't die in vain, she died accomplishing what needed to be done, and she saved her city, her mom and dad's city. That's why the future looks so bright two and a half years later, because of what she died doing. She died displaying her selflessness, wisdom, and bravery. She died as Tris, not Tris the GP, not Tris the Dauntless, or even Tris the Divergent, but as Tris, who would rather have herself die than her brother for the wrong reasons. She died knowing she'd leave Tobias behind if it meant that everyone else in the city and future kept their lives. And in that moment, she really was being selfless. And what did her mother say? "They'll take care of each other." And what were Tobias's final words of the book? "But now, I am also learning this: We can be mended. We mend each other." Honestly, it was a beautiful way to end the book, Tris dies finally and completely understanding what it means to be selfless, and she knew what the benefits and consequences were. In Divergent, she wouldn't let Tobias get shot, but shot Will in the head. She was being selfless, protecting someone she loves, but she'd rather live than die, shooting Will, which tells us that she doesn't comprehend what it is to be selfless. In Insurgent, she was also being selfless, but to an extent, because she kept throwing herself out there, being reckless and self-destructive. She realizes that her parents didn't just give up their lives for her to act that way. Finally, in Allegiant, she sacrifices herself so that the city and everyone she loves can have a better future, even if it meant dying.

Tris undergoes character development. In Divergent, she says, "Can I be forgiven for all I've done to get here? I don't know. I don't know. Please." In Allegiant, she says, "Can I be forgiven for all I've done to get here? I want to be. I can. I believe it." She's done so much for her city and people that she believes she can be forgiven, and she has.

In conclusion, I'd like to thank Veronica Roth for creating a beautiful series that I will continue to cherish and love in the future, the books have taught me so many things, like being the kind of person you should be and how to act. You've changed my perspective and morals about life and myself as a person. No one's ever done that, and I applaud you.

If you haven't read Divergent, I highly recommend it, it's such a fantastic series. Please tell me what you thought of the book and your feelings on the ending.

Be brave.
-Lauren

Divergent Trailer

I GOT LAZY AND DIDN'T REVIEW THIS UNTIL, LIKE, A WEEK AFTER THE TRAILER CAME OUT. Oops

Let's talk about the Divergent trailer, shall we? Now if you haven't heard of/read Divergent, here's how it goes: It's a dystopian YA novel (trilogy?) written by Veriniaca Roth. Now I know what you're thinking. Oh, it's just another typical YA book in a dystopian world with a love triangle, blah, blah, blah. Wrong. The book takes place in a futuristic Chicago where everything's separated into factions, Erutide, Amity, Abnegation, Dauntless, and Candor. Together, the leaders of those factions rule the government. At the age if sixteen, you get to choose whether to stay or leave your faction. Our main character, Beatrice (Tris) Prior, leaves Agnegation and chooses Dauntless, and then stuff happens. That's all I'm gonna tell you. Oh, and there isn't a love triangle. Let's get on with the actual review. 

"The future belongs to those who know where they belong." Jeanine Matthews. Excellent choice, Summit. She has the right characteristics: blonde hair, blue eyes, ect. But that doesn't really matter to me, whether or not they look like how the author described them in the books. With just that one line, I got chills. I think she'll be great.

Here's a thing I don't get: why is everything orange? I mean, look at this.

    

Everything looks amazing. Everything looks suspenseful, thrilling, exciting, ect. I got chills throughout the whole flippin' trailer. And for me, that never happens. Usually, I'm really critical about trailers, but I actually think they'll do a good job with this. The acting's really good, and I don't really have anything bad to say.

BUT CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT THAT KISS?! 

Tell me what you think in the comments, what you liked and didn't like and whether you think the movie's gonna be good or not.

-Lauren

Movie Review: Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

So I finally got to see CoB today, and I thought it was fantastic. Now that doesn't mean I thought it was the best movie adaption I've seen, but it was a lot better than most (Percy Jackson). Even though some parts were out of order at the beginning, they stayed true to the dialogue, and I loved it. Of course they didn't have everything in the movie, they had extra scenes that weren't in the book, like Jocelyn being kidnapped and Clary and Jace's conversation about why she's been drawing the runes.

 

The acting was great, I almost cried. Almost. Especially when Simon said, "I'm the one who's always been there for you, not him." I basically lost it. Every character did an awesome job portraying their characters. I didn't see Jamie on screen, I saw Jace. When one of them got hurt or tortured, in Luke's case, I died a little bit inside. It just felt real, I don't know how to put it in any other way.

 

 

 

Every great movie has fight scenes! Okay so not every movie, but this one had quite a few of 'em. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for fight scenes. There was the one when the two guys-- I think it was Pangborn and Blackwell, I don't remember their names--were trying to find the cup, the one at the hotel Dumort, and the one between Jace and Valentine. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that's all of them. They left me on the edge of my seat with my eyes glued to the screen.

 

Sadly, I couldn't find a picture of Jocelyn beating the crap out of the guy with a frying pan, but here's a picture of Simon shirtless, instead.

 

 

All in all, the movie was great, filled with action, romance, humor, and a great--and maybe confusing--plot. (I just don't want to go into further detail) If you haven't seen the movie yet but have read the books, I highly suggest you don't spend your time comparing the movie to the book. Yes, they got stuff wrong, but it's still a good movie. For the people who haven't seen it, go see it. That's all I'm saying. Tell me what you thought of the movie in the comments.

 

 

Now, I have to get back to fangirling about the Divergent trailer.

 

-Lauren

 

 

 

 

 

 



New CoB Clip on Yahoo Movies

If you haven't seen it yet, you can watch it here.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones movie comes out in 15 days on August 21st, and they just released a new clip on Yahoo Movies. I'm a really huge fan of the books, and this clip just got me even more excited. In the clip, they show the angelic power rune that Clary (the protagonist) draws, which I think is awesome because they have to focus on the big picture since it's the first book and can't have all the little details. 

Then, they show Pangborn and Blackwell, I guess you could say, "breaking and entering" into her house and trying to find the mortal cup and taking Clary's mom. You get to see Jocelyn's (her mom) amazing fighting skills. It's great that they added this in because, in the books, you don't really know what's happened, just that Clary comes home to find the house wrecked and her mother missing. 

Meanwhile, Clary's interrogating Jace (one of the main characters) about why she's suddenly drawing the runes and why she can see him, yet no one else can. They added a little part where two guys are near by and hear her yelling at him, but they don't see anything. It's nice to see a little bit from a mundane's perspective. 

Then, there's the ravener demon. I don't know if raveners can take on the form of another living creature or not-they can't-, but it took in the form of a dog. I imagined that it was snake-like, but it looks sort of slimy and like it has legs. When Clary ran off after her mom called, she didn't have Jace's sensor, so instead of using that to kill it, she used a fire iron-I think that's what it's called. It's a pretty cool and smart alternative, despite, you know, almost setting the entire apartment on fire. 

The clip showed a lot more than the movie trailers did, and it's five and a half minutes long. I suggest reading the books, they're amazing. Before or after you watch the movie, it doesn't matter, as long as you don't read it before you go watch it, like, the day before. You'll end up disappointed and judgemental, so just don't read it before you go see it. If you go see it. Tell me what you think in the comments and whether or not you'll be seeing the movie and/or reading the books. 

-Lauren

Hardcover vs. Paperback

I don't know which one you prefer, but I honestly have mixed opinions with both. Let's start with some pros and cons.

Hardcover

Pros:

• They last longer than paperbacks.
• They're more durable.
• The pages don't tear as easily, since they're thicker.

Cons:

• The binding isn't all that great after a while.
• The spine gets separated from the binding.
• The dust jacket tends to get creased, torn, folded, ect.
• The corners of the book itself tends to curve inward.
• It costs more than the paperback. 

Paperback

Pros:

• It's cheaper.
• It's smaller compared to the hardcover.
• It's easier to carry around.

Cons:

• The cover starts to peel. (That's what happened to my copy of City of Bones.You can check that book out here.)
• It has smaller print. 
• If the pages get wet, it's harder to dry the pages.
• It's easier to ruin because of the thin pages. 

The reason to this post is because I think that there are some books that are special and deserve to be in hardcover, and there are some books where you just feel that you should have it in paperback. And then there's the ones that you can't decide on, so you grab the first copy you see. I don't know if I'm the only one, but I hope this helped in any way possible. Feel free to tell me your opinions in the comments and follow.

-Lauren