Angela's January Read-Cap

Holy doughnut holes where did the month go?!! Is January seriously over??? And did I seriously read 25 books? Rhetorical question or not, the answers are both yes. I can't really put a finger on if this month was a good month for reading or not. The highs were high and the lows were low. I did get a lot of simple reading done... aka I read more novellas than normal. Managed to finish some series I didn't get to last year, and started some new ones I was really excited about. Below are all the books managed to slam into this wickedly quick month. (Click the titles to go to the reviews)

Inexcusable- Chris Lynch
Hooked on the Game- C.M Owens
The Conspiracy of Us- Maggie Hall
Elixir- Jennifer L. Armentrout 
Apollyon- Jennifer L. Armentrout
Sentinel- Jennifer L. Armentrout
Stay With Me- Jennifer L. Armentrout
Bound by Duty- Stormy Smith
The Invitation- Roxy Sloane
Broken Skies- Theresa Kay
Hardwired- Meredith Wild
Red Rising- Pierce Brown
Golden Son- Pierce Brown
Losing It- Cora Carmack
Blackbird- Anna Carey (broke up with)
Reborn- Jennifer Rush
Flawed- Kate Avelynn
Never Never- Collen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
Slammed- Colleen Hoover 
Ignite- Lily Paradis
Dark Places- Gillian Flynn
The Duff- Kody Keplinger
An Abundance of Katherine's- John Green
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs
Collide- Ella Adams

Guess now that I'm looking over my list, January was a really good reading month. As far as my top picks go, I have quite a few. Broken Skies, Red Rising, Golden Son, Never Never, and Slammed  are without a doubt my favorites. Broken Skies is the start to a new series about my favorite subject... YES ALIENS!!!! Then there's the Red Rising Series which includes Golden Son, which if you follow me on any social media you know I'm obsessed with. And finally to wrap up my favorites is Slammed and Never Never. Fisher is a new author to me but this book wont be the last of hers I'll read, and I'm pretty sure you can't say the name Colleen Hoover and NOT have someone say "omg I love her". All five of these books were books I ranked five stars on goodreads and ten stars on our blog.

My favorite surprise scandy read was definitely Hooked on the Game. Yup the name is awful, the book was cheese, but dang it if I didn't love it anyways. So good bad!

But on too the books that let me down... because sadly there were more than I would like in this month. The Invitation is the book that I believe I rated the lowest, giving it a one star on goodreads. It was just so pointless! It was a novella that also served at a prequel... hated it. Next was BlackBird which I failed to finish. I just couldn't get behind the leading lady, or the story. Stay With Me was just a WTF in itself. I think my biggest let down was The Conspiracy of Us. I was SO excited when I saw and heard about this book. It seemed to have everything I was looking for in a YA novel, but ended up having nothing I wanted. It had such hype and didn't live up to the high reviews on goodreads.

Well there you have it... Another month, another list.
See ya in February!
-Angela


Don't forget if you'd like to purchase any of these books use out BookDepo list on our home page.

Leah's January Reads

Half Blood by Jennifer Armentrout

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawks

Fever by Maya Banks

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Paper Towns by John Green

Broken Skies by Theresa Kay

Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Erased by Jennifer Rush

Bound by Duty by Stormy Smith

Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Charmed by Michelle Krys (ARC)
Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahren 

This year has started off so good with reads!! I've started SO many good series and finished a few. It's nice to tie up some loose ends and start some new beginnings. Even though I've super late to the game, I'm super excited to have started The Covenant series by Jennifer Armentrout. Y'all know our love for JLA runs deep, and I just LOVE this series so far. I've only read the first book, but I'm planning on ordering the rest next month. Two other exciting opportunities I got this month was when two up and coming authors approached us to read their books: Broken Skies by Theresa Kay and Bound by Duty by Stormy Smith. I loved both of the books so much that they are instantly on my 2015 favorites list. YES, REALLY. I'm so excited for the sequels of both to come out. I loved reading books that are being made into and have been opted for movies. Paper Towns (seriously, can John Green write anything bad??), Miss Peregrine's, and Red Rising were all so good. I also got an amazing opportunity to receive an ARC of Charmed by Michelle Krys which doesn't come out until May. Thank you Brittany from Brittany's Book Rambles for the ARC! Y'all got check out her blog, it is one of my favorites! Angela and I also did another book swap, so I have loads of new books to read next month.

My absolute favorite for this month, though, was Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover. This book was absolutely amazing. Definitely one of my all time favorites. We have the opportunity to go to a book signing for CoHo next month in Savannah and I AM SO EXCITED THAT I CAN BARELY BREATHE. She is becoming one of my favorite authors.

Losing It by Cora Carmack

Bliss Edwards decides the best way to deal with the problem of her virginity is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible and have a one-night stand. This plan fails when she freaks out and leaves the gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one would believe. The plan fails even harder when she finds out that the man she left is now her new theatre professor. 

Okay so I'm gonna start off by saying that I know I'm going to be in the minority here with my rating... but whatever. Losing It to me was just so/so. I read the whole book in about two hours because it is a really short and quick read, which was nice. I think my main problem with the book though was that I read it after I read Unteachable... so now every time I read a book with a girl who falls in love with her teacher I will forever be comparing it to that book. Unteachable set the bar so high that it'll be near impossible to pass. If I would have picked up this book first I probably would have given it a higher rating. 

The characters however are lovely. Bliss is realistic and believable. She going through the same hurtles anyone her age would go through. Garrick, the professor, was about the same. He sound sound super yummy and could say Sup to me in a bar anytime... BUT their insta-love was a little to much for me to get behind. I felt like there was enough time for them to be dropping L-bombs, but there was nothing behind it to support why they were actually saying it. It didn't feel like the two had any build up, or really even got to know each other before they started saying it. 

I just didn't feel the chemistry between the two of them like I was hoping. The story however does flow smoothly through out and has a great pace. The really isn't much world building (which isn't uncommon for these types of books). I like the sub characters. I like how Cora didn't do a typical class and more of a play and how that all tied the story together. 

My main problem with this book was it's predictability. Everything that happened I saw coming. I never didn't know what was going to happen. Every thing from how they met to how it ended, I knew the play out few pages before hand. The other thing that irked me was the cover of the book... This might seem silly to some but I think most book lovers can agree... I HATE when book covers have people on the front that DON'T match the description of the people in the story... I just don't get it. Like I said, maybe that's just me. 

I'm probably judging this book a little more harsh than I should, because there is no doubt that Cora Carmack  is a talented writer. I will pick up her books in the future and will more than likely like them more than this. Losing It was just in the wrong reading place at the wrong reading time for me. 

5/10 Stars 
-Angela 

(Losing it BookDepository)

Flawed by Kate Avelynn

Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago. James will protect her from their violent father and their absent mother if she promises to never leave him. This has worked for them forever... Until her brother seeks more than a sister. Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend their whole lives. Now he is Sarah's boyfriend. Keeping their relationship a secret might be the thing that finally  breaks James. 

I picked up Flawed because I'd never heard it brought up without Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma being brought up after. Forbidden is one of my all time favorite books, so I knew I had to pick it up. I get why they are being constantly compared, but truth be told they have very little in common. If I would have read Flawed first I would have liked it more. That being said I still really enjoyed it. 


The back story between Sarah and James is dark and Kate leaves no detail unsaid. And I loved how dark it got. Her mom is practically comatose, and her father is an former boxer turned abusive alcoholic. The only person she can count on is James.The relationship between them starts off so sweet. A bond that many would love to have with a sibling. But then their relationship turns too something wrong and sour. Sarah's character is weak and throughout the story is trying to find legs to stand on. She's trying to figure out who she is. James character goes from a strong leading male to a weak breaking human. Seeing the two switch places made for an interesting read. Then there's Sam. WHOOSH swoon worthy Sam. The moment he is introduced was the moment I fell for him. Each character to me had so many thing to like about them and thing about them I disliked. But all were so well written. Sam was without a doubt my favorite thing about this book. I couldn't get enough of him. 

"I have no idea what he sees in me. Strength, he says. Beauty. A big heart. I see none of these things. I see fear, flaws and a heart so full of blackness I can't give up on my own selfish wants to set him or my brother free."

The pace of this book is steady through out, and doesn't pick up much speed until the last handful of chapters. The ending more than made up for anything the plot lacked. It was the main reason I loved this book so much. Everything went down in the most perfectly heart pounding and heart punching ending ever. If this stories first half would have been as strong as the last half I would have given this book a higher rating. I even feel having it in dual POVs might have given it a little more edge. Either way it will be a book I recommend to many in the future. If you're looking for something a little on the darker emotional side Flawed is a good fit. 

Flawed is heavily weighed on one thing and one thing only... When stuck between a rock and a hard place, what choice would you make? 

8.5/10 Stars 
-Angela 

(Flawed Book Depository)

 

Slammed by Colleen Hoover

After the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Will Cooper is 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 they go on a heart-stopping first date, only to be slammed  with a shocking revelation that puts their new relationship to a sudden halt.
 

“Push your boundaries, that's what they're there for.” 

It's currently 2:10 in the morning... I finished Slammed over 30 minutes ago... And I just stopped crying. I went into Slammed ONLY knowing that this book involved slam poetry. I've never even read the synopsis too this story (after reading Ugly Love I knew that when it comes to Hoover books you have to go into it blind). The odd thing is of all of Colleen's books, I own this one I've had the longest and I'm just now reading it. I HATE MYSELF FOR THAT!!!!

I would never believe that this was Hoover's debut novel. It's so strong that I assumed it was a 4th or 5th book. Nope. She never fails too incorporate something new and unique into her writing, if it's paintings, music, or even poetry she really has a style all her own. There are only three writers I will drop everything I'm  reading to pick up their work... That's John Green, Jennifer Armentrout, and Colleen Hoover.

Slammed follows the story of new Michigan transplant, Lake, as she is forced to start a new life her senior year of high school. After her fathers untimely death her mother can't afford to keep them living in Texas. First day in the new place Lake's brother befriends the boy next door... Introducing Lake to Will. The charming, handsome, and sweet poet.

The characters in this book feel so real! Lake and Will are written too perfection. Lake, though mature for her age has the same immature moments as the rest of us. Will is just so sweet, speaking in a way that will have you swooning all over the place. Both their love towards there family captured my heart 200%. Both characters physical appearance is described just enough to give you and idea then left you to make your own decision. As the characters develop in the story the story itself grows into something so hard to capture in words. I thought that the insta-lust that happen right away was going to ruin this book for me. But at the end I realized that this story might have involved love but it's not the love you except. I wish I could explain that more but it's the only way I can say it. It about a deeper kind of love than just being with someone. The sub characters like Eddie and the baby brothers are PHENOMENAL. Colleen has it so they are sub characters that manage to shine so much light without ever over powering.

The plot has this pace between fast and medium, and it was at a rate I'd never experienced before. Then of course there's the whole poetry and music aspect that was put into this story. It's what takes Slammed to the next level. The poetry is introduced in the first handful of pages. I didn't know how I was going to feel about it... BUT WOW. Seriously the first poem had me in tears and they only got better from there. The quotes from The Avett Brothers are perfect placed and were just a nice little treat at the start of every chapter. Like I said, this is a story you need to go into blind, therefore I can't, even though I want to, go into more detail. This book started strong and then had me a blubbering mess by the end. I don't know if I should be mad or thankful that Colleen is constantly finding new ways to tear my heart out of my chest. I don't think I've ever not been a mess at the end of one of her books.

This story made me laugh a hundred times, and cry at least five. Slammed is one beautiful, quotable, and poetic line one after another. Slammed touched me on such a personal level and I probably cried harder than most. This book is a must read, and definitely made it's way into my all time favorites.

10/10 Stars 
-Angela 

(Slammed Book Depository)

Erased by Jennifer Rush

So in book two of the Altered series by Jennifer Rush, we pick up pretty close to where book one left off. Anna is still on the run from The Branch with the boys and tension is at an all time high among everyone. Anna still is in lurve with Sam, Cas is still hot and fun, Nick is still angsty hot, and Trev is still a traitor and working for The Branch.

As the book goes on, we learn a LOT more about each of their pasts, especially Nick. I'll admit I was not on Nick's team at all in the first book. I thought his attitude was over the top and he needed to turn down several notches. After what happens with him in book two, and the friendship that he develops with Anna... I'm all about Nick now. Through his flash backs and some other things, you are able to figure out a lot about him and why he acts the way that he does. By the end, I was SO #teamNick and I wanted Anna to dump Sam and be with Nick instead (don't worry, this doesn't happen to my dismay so it's not a spoiler). Nick is just sooooooo hot with his tortured soul and wrong side of the tracks background. Don't get me wrong, Sam sounds handsome, but he just sounds so boring compared to Nick. What would be really awesome is if Maya Banks or some other scandy writer got ahold of these characters, if you know what I mean. #notweird

ANYWAY.. I didn't see some of the big twists coming and my jaw was left hanging open on THE FLOOR. We find out the truth about the night Anna's parents die, Anna's connection with The Branch, more about sister Dani, what's going on with Trev, and all kinds of crazy stuff. We get to meet tons of new characters who really do a good job of adding to the story.

I thought the ending was pretty perfect. All the loose ends are tied up (my favorite) and I really think it could have been the end of the series. I'm actually pretty confused about what is going to happen in book three that just came out a few weeks ago because literally everything is good and happy and fulfilled at the end of book two. I will say I liked this book a lot more than the first. Altered was good, but it wasn't my favorite. Erased is much better as far as pace, character development, ending, and just overall likability. I think this series is super underrated series, so I think if you are a fan of The Bourne Identity series, The Raven Boys series, and even Shatter Me then you will like the Altered series.

Book Depository Link

5/5 stars

The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall

Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn and some want her dead. Avery must follow a trail of clues left to her by a family friend. She wont be going at it alone... Stellan and Jack will both be a long for the ride and keeping secrets of their own. She will have to choose not only between freedom but between the boy who might help her save the world, and the one she's falling in love with.

Okay... Where to start... Guess I'll start with the most obvious thing about this book, the cover. The cover of this book pulls you in! It's a beautiful... But it also managed to do one of my biggest pet peeves. The girl on the front doesn't match the girl on the insides. Avery is shorter with dark hair. The girl on the cover appears taller and has dirty blonde hair. I HATE, HATE! when books do this. I know I have never done cover art before but I'm pretty sure the people who make it get a copy of the book, so I don't see how it could be so hard to make them match. 

Now on to what's inside, The Conspiracy of Us was just fine. That's it though, it's just fine. The book starts off with Avery the girl who is constantly moving with her mom and has a very average life. She doesn't have many friends, etc etc. Then of course the story has the mysterious boy in class that she swoons from from a far. Jack. He sounds super hot but as far as his character went I didn't really have any connection too him. Same with Stellan... correction I probably liked Stellan more. Avery is the same way. Most of the time she was kind of annoying. I was hoping she would turn out to be a super bad-ass. I really prefer my leading ladies strong and independent and THEN they have a boo on the side. Avery was whiny and heavily relied on the guys around her. All three of the main characters are just like-able enough for you to keep reading but nothing you haven't seen before. 

The plot of this story was probably my biggest issue with this book. It started off like it was going to be a unique story that twisted history, but the incorporation of historical "facts" ended up being a turn off for me. The running around from country to country made the book rather sloppy. Along with all of that this book suffered from a case of predictability. There wasn't a single "twist" that happened that I didn't see coming from a mile away. And for that "dramatic conclusion".....

Sorry but I saw it coming from a mile away. The second Avery got on the plane I knew every single step she was about to take. I found myself underwhelmed with this story. As for what I liked, I LOVED!!!! the romance scene between Avery and Jack. It was written Flawlessly. It was sweet, creative, and was a highlight in this book. It wasn't enough for me to rate this higher, but I did get a little weak in the knees. 

Hall's writing is strong, and I feel like if I was new to YA I would have fell for this story harder... Sadly I'm not new to the game so I didn't get all I wanted from this book. I had high hopes for this book and have sadly been let down. I don't know if I'll continue this series or not. 

5/10 Stars  
-Angela  

Bound by Spells COVER REVEAL!!

We are so excited to have the opportunity to share some exciting news with y'all!! Bound By Duty is one of our favorite fantasy reads so far this year, and the second book of the series will be out in a few months! This is the cover reveal for Bound By Spells!!

   

Release Date: March 19, 2015

Aidan Montgomery hadn’t been prepared for Amelia Bradbury to walk in and then out of his life. He also hadn’t expected to find the powerful magic hidden deep within him for the last nineteen years, but he’s embracing it — finding more control and more answers every day. Now, with the help of Amelia’s best friend, Bethany, Aidan is on a quest to understand his destiny and find Amelia. Amelia decided to stand by her duty, which meant walking away from her first chance at love. Trapped in Cresthaven at the Queen’s mercy, she spends her days with Micah — an ally she still holds at arm’s length — struggling to manage her heartbreak while keeping her mind focused on the task at hand. As she continues to unlock the secrets of the Keeper power, Queen Julia’s true motives reveal themselves, forcing Amelia to decide, yet again, how much she’s willing to sacrifice. Will Aidan get to Amelia before it's too late, or will the very power that sustains them keep them apart?

Add it on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/15ryC4K

Haven't started the Bound Series Yet? Start reading Bound By Duty!

Amelia grew up in a world of half-truths. She knows she's an Elder but has no idea what that means. Her father reminds her daily that she must maintain control but he refuses to explain why. Even worse, she's betrothed to the prince of the Immortals and she doesn't even know his name.

Finally breaking free to live a few normal years at a community college, the last thing Amelia expects is to find her best friend in a cheeky Southern girl and to fall for a self-assured human who sees her for who she is and not what she'll be. As she learns more about herself, Amelia realizes the line between love and duty is a thin one. As her power continues to increase exponentially and her questions are slowly answered, Amelia must make the ultimate choice. The question is, will her head or her heart win the battle?

Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Gmm13A

Giveaway!

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About Stormy Smith

Stormy Smith is the author of the Amazon best-seller, Bound by Duty. She calls Iowa’s capital home now, but was raised in a tiny town in the Southeast corner of the state. She grew to love books honestly, having a mom that read voraciously and instilled that same love in her. She knew quickly that stories of fantasy were her favorite, and even as an adult gravitates toward paranormal stories in any form. Writing a book had never been an aspiration, but suddenly the story was there and couldn’t be stopped. When she isn’t working on, or thinking about, her books, Stormy’s favorite places include bar patios, live music shows, her yoga mat or anywhere she can relax with her husband or girlfriends.

Bound by Duty by Stormy Smith

Amelia is an 18 year girl who is finally on her own and off to college after years of being kept hidden away and protected from the world by her father. She has grown her whole life knowing that she is special and that she has powers but her father has refused to teach her anything about herself or her abilities. Her mother died when she was born and her brother left home when she was young, Amelia has been alone most of her life aside from her nanny, Rynna. She finally decides to go off to college to be able to enjoy a few years of her life that she will have to herself because the one small tidbit about her life that her father had shared with her is that she was betrothed to a prince (the son of an evil queen) when she turns 21. She picks a small college in the town that her brother lives in so that she can be close to him. While she is at school, she becomes best friend with a saucy southerner named Bethany who is really the only friend she has ever had. Bethany's boyfriend, Micah, is a fellow Mage and is the only one other than her brother that Amelia can confide in about her magic. She also catches the eye of a handsome tattooed Theo James looking dude, Aidan. Not only is Aidan absolutely ridiculously steamy hot, but he is amazing and sweet. He lets Amelia know right off the bat that he wants to be with her and won't stop until she says yes.

That's the basic bare bones of the book. When I read the synopsis for the story (which is just a little less detailed) I knew that I had to read this book. I love fantasy books that have a magical element. What I wasn't expecting was to like the book as much as I did. It was a very quick read for me even though it was decently long (360ish pages), but I was so wrapped up in the story that I couldn't put it down.

I absolutely love the characters in Bound by Duty. Amelia is the main lady and she is so realistic. You feel sad for her because she has spent her entire life feeling alone and trying to hide what she is, and now that she is finally coming into her own, poop is starting to hit the fan. One of my favorite scenes from the book is when Amelia has her first real breakthrough with her powers. She has so much frustration and hurt and anger built up that she just goes off to this secluded place behind her apartment building and goes all Mara Dyer on these rocks and blows stuff up. She completely loses her shit and it is absolutely amazing. I was fistpumping and cheering her on the whole time while I had my own surge of girl power. Through the story, Amelia's character development is insane. She goes from being ignorant and weak and afraid to being strong and powerful and in charge. She knows what she has to do even though it breaks her heart.

And now I get to my favorite thing about this book.... Aidan. Oh my goodness. Aidan. He is ultimate book boyfriend material because is handsome, witty, sarcastic, and he just does not give a damn. He wants Amelia and he doesn't care what he has to do to get her. As it turns out, they need each other and their love story is one of my favorites. The ending of the book and the cliffhanger ripped my heart out and threw it on the ground. My poor booboo Aidan. I need book two NOW so I can know what happens. Honestly, the spoiler plot twist that happens with Aidan you can kind of see coming a mile away, but I didn't mind. I think I have figured out what his fate is regarding the second book, but I guess I'll have to wait to see if I am right.

The other characters add a lot to the plot. Cole, Micah, Bethany, and even Charlie bring this story to life and set it apart from others life it. I love the connection between Amelia and Charlie. The jury is still out on my feelings about Micah, but we will see how that goes as the series goes on. Bethany is so feisty and a little fireball. One critique is that I didn't find it believable how accepting she was to everything so quickly, but I am glad that she was. She was just a little too "oh okay, that's all right honey!" to the whole shebang. Bethany is the type of friend that every girl dreams for. I also secretly hope that a love affair between Cole and Bethany happens because that would be totes cute!!

All in all, this is an amazing book. If you are a fan of magic and like reading fantasy in a contemporary setting, then this is your book. It took a lot of elements from my favorite fantasy books (Throne of Glass, Hexed, Rebel Belle, Mara Dyer) and threw them all together. I'm so glad Stormy Smith gave me the opportunity to read Bound by Duty. I am adding it to my 2015 favorites list, and I cannot wait to see what happens when the second book releases!!

5/5 stars

Second amazing gifted book this month. Bound by Duty had so many things going for it that I really liked. Magic, mystery, and hot hot guys. I don't think there's much I can say about this book that Leah hasn't already covered, but I'll give it a try... Bound by Duty isn't a book I would usually pick up, so I'm glad that I had heard such great things about it.


The main character in this book is Amelia. I loved the struggles she faces with her powers and how she handles everything. I love her relationship with her brother Cole. I love strong stories that include amazing sibling bonds. The two other characters in it are Micah and Aidan. I loved both of them so much! I don't know which one of them I liked more. If I had to choose... Probably Aidan. He's so sweet, a little thirsty.
but sweet. I did however hate how Amelia treats him. She's so back and forth with him... Ugh sometimes it go on my nerves. Aidanand Amelia are both so much more than meets the eye. It really doesn't hurt that he says things like this...   

"I don't know. Probably because that's what my dad called my mom. I have some of their old letters and he always called her doll."

SIGH so stinking cute. This book was fast paced with lots of surprises. I can't wait to see where this book goes... because with that ending I have no idea really where it's heading. 

9/10 stars 

-Angela 

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

Keir Sarafian knows many things about himself. He's okay with being just above average. He is a talented football player, a loyal friend, a devoted son and brother.  He is just overall a good guy. Yet the love of his life thinks otherwise. Gigi says Keir has done something awful. She accuses him of raping her. Keir doesn't understand. He loves Gigi and would never do anything to hurt her.

Inexcusable is a the store of Keir recounting the events leading up to that one fateful night, in order to uncover the truth. Did he or did he not rape Gigi?! This book had me confused on so many levels. I didn't know how to feel. One moment I as so convinced that he didn't do it, then the next I was determined to uncover that he did do it. This isn't a fasted paced loved story, it's more of a who'd-done it. If that makes sense. This review wont be long and it wont be detailed because I feel like this book is one you need to go into with no preconceived notions.

The main character is (obviously) Keir, all other characters are just sub. Keir is such a puzzle. I have no idea if I loved him or hated him... Even after I finished it. This book took me down a path I had never been down. The way Lynch presents this novel too us by showing us both the light and darkness too each side of a story, is what will have you feeling something you haven't before. Inexcusable is a novel I think I can't decide how to feel about. I don't know if I loved it or hated it. The riddler way it's written had me falling hard for it, but at the same time I felt that there was something else I needed to give this a higher rating. 

How Chris Lynch could write such a short novel, say so little words, and yet leave you so bone chilled is beyond me... This book will have you wondering if you sometimes see yourself as something other than what you really are.

 A book that will have you guessing till the VERY end. I have no idea how I feel about this book, so pretty sure Lynch did what he set out to achieve. Inexcusable  left me wondering what just happened to me and what the hell did I just read.  

If the middle of this book was as strong as the end this would have been a ten star book...

8.5/10 Stars 
-Angela

Bringing Sexy paperBack

These are the intelligent, charming, witty, and handsome men that write YA. We know in this genre women reign and we here at SBSR wanted to shine a little light on these fellas.

We decided to start off with our personal favorite.... Pierce Brown. The 26 year old author has been getting a lot of buzz lately. If you are into books at all then there's no doubt you've heard about his Red Rising series. At just our book store alone he is on at least 5 different favorites tables, it's insane... With just two books currently out and it even only being January people are already saying that Golden Son will probably be the best book out this year (I fully agree with this). Brown actually wrote 9 books before having Red Rising picked up. Red Rising is also set to become a movie, and we couldn't be more excited about it.With casting and dates still up in the air, well be waiting hand and foot for more details.
Pierce Brown is just oozing with talent, and we can't wait to continue too follow his career...
It also doesn't hurt that he has a super love for Harry Potter.

John Green. How can you have a YA list without this man not being mentioned?! Ya can't! Within the last few years he has became a house hold name. With a writing style all of his own, there's no questioning why so many love him. Green is the only man who can get away with killing off your favorite character and it just making you like him more. And books aren't the only thing he's ruling in... He has mastered the ranting YouTube video and has also brought so much attention to YA with his book to screen movie The Fault in Our Stars. With countless book awards under his belt and with Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska in the works to become movies, it's no surprise why he made this list. No one does teenage angst quite like this man. 

Ransom Riggs. He's debut novel Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children hasn't gone unnoticed. It's currently in production to become a movie, with both a bigger director and big actors set to star in it. He has brought something really interesting and new to this growing genre by incorporating pictures into his work. Creepy, Creepy pictures... He is the husband of one of our favorite authors Tahereh Mafi and they are without a doubt one of our favorite book couples. He is another author that post videos on YouTube, and is very active on his instagram.  With an amazing sense of humor, we can't get enough of Ransom Riggs... and Yes that is he's real name.

J.D Netto... What you haven't heard of him?.. Well you're about to be schooled. He is the author of the new-ish series Whispers of the Fallen. This Brazilian-born talented man is steadily rising up in the Ya book scene. During his senior year in High School, J.D.Netto had an idea "What if Lucifer had a Diary? What if the Diary was a secret? What if the secret was a reality", this idea and were sure many others are what brought you this series. This man isn't just a talented author he is also a talented graphic designer... You can get a small glimpse at that on his instagram page. One of the main reason were loving this man is because besides having interesting reads he is also super involved with his fans.. And nothing is more charming than being grateful. 
 

Theo Lawrence is a graduate of Columbia University and the Juilliard School. He is the writer of the Mystic City series, which is a series we recently started.  As all the other men on this post writing isn't his only gift... Ya boy can sing. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Off-Broadway. Lawrence is still and up and coming Ya author that we can't wait to watch and learn more about. Plus the covers of his books ARE AMAZING!

Golden Son by Pierce Brown

Golden Son continues shortly after where Red Rising left off, Darrow, a rebel battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Embedded fully in with the Golds ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down society from within. 

"...So it's pride."
"It's always pride."
"Pride is just a shout into the wind."
He shakes his head, voice deepening. "I will die. You will die. We will all die and the universe will carry on without care. All that we have is that shout into the wind-how we live. How we go. And how we stand before we fall." He leans forward. "So you see, pride is the only thing..."

Red Rising took me by surprise... Way way by surprise. Golden Son did the same and then some. I have no idea where Pierce Brown came from and I really don't care. Golden Son puts Red Rising too shame! Everything I wanted too get out of book one and didn't till the end you'll get out of the entire book two. Golden Son is none stop action! 

There were a lot of politics in this book and I would usually be turned off by this but not in this case. Darrow navigates his way through all of the plotting and plans of others in ways that nobody expects. In a way that I've never read before. Darrow is a character unlike anyone else. He isn't the only character in this book that you'll be falling for. Servo is a character you can't ignore. Easily one of my all time favorites. Lorn is another strong and ballsy character, and constantly telling it how it is. Friends become enemies, enemies become friends. Characters I don't even want to mention will have you freaking out.

The plot of this story is just action, unlike the first which was a lot of info dumping and world building, Golden Son is just nonstop the whole time. Until the last page you'll be on the edge of your seat. I started this book at 6pm and ended it at 8pm... It was that captivating.   Instead of the story being held in one solid location reads will get to see and experience more of universe. More second books suffer from "second book syndrome", but this wont be a problem when you pick this up. There's so much suffering, pain, and sorrow pushed into this book.

This novel had me freaking out and wanted to flip tables until the ending... because that ending... that ending is world shattering. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME MY BRAIN ACTUALLY CRIED OUT IN PAIN BECAUSE A BOOK SHOOK ME SO HARD.

 Intense, brutal, heart-breaking, The Red Rising series isn't one you're going to want to miss. I could go on for days about plot, characters, and my love for what this series turned out too be but this is something you need to enjoy yourself. I find it so hard to find books I can recommend for guys but I will no longer have to struggle with a book to mention.

Comparing this book to Ender's Game and The Hunger Games makes complete sense, but at the same time Golden Son is in a class all of it's own. 

Take everything you love in books, throw in a bitchin ending, gore for days, and a touch of Star Wars and you'll get Golden Son. 

10/10 Stars 

-Angela 

Ignite by Lily Paradis

After her father’s untimely demise in a mining accident and her mother’s abandonment, Lauren Lindsay is no stranger to loss. Becomes self sufficient Lauren has learned to worry about one person only and that is herself. That all works her step mother passed away asking Lauren to take care of them in her will.

Lauren's first instinct is to run, until she meets Dean Powell.

I finally decided to download this book when I saw they had it free for a day on kindle... Yeah I normally don't like to E read and I really don't like to free download books, BUT I'm waiting on a book shipment from both Barnes and Nobles and Bookdepo, so I figured why not.

I really liked the concept of Ignite. Girls family passes away leaving behind three step siblings for her to take care of. Ignite was creative and, yes it's been done before but not in the way Lily has presented it (at least not that I have read before). The story is sweet and overall it flows well. Something else that I really liked in this book was the way the romance was constantly building all leading up to this one moment. It was again something new and enjoyable.

The characters in this book were too me hit or miss. Lauren was fine, but I had a hard time connecting too her. I think if the series continues she will become a stronger and more like-able character. Either way one moment I loved the girl the next I wouldn't. The sub-characters aka the children in this book are sweet and well written along with realistic. They acted the ages they were...
Then there's Dean Powell..... HE IS WHAT MADE THIS STORY!!! He is a strongly written leading male. I really really enjoyed him. He was the perfect amount of both mystery and romance. Filled with great one liners I was never once let down by his character. His bad-boy past was something new for us to read. I would normally HATE when characters do super fast dramatic character development, but Dean's character wore it well. Didn't hurt that 99% of the time he had me melting off my chair. 

I do wish that the story did take a little more time to focus on  Lauren's relationship with the kids and little less on time with Dean (at the same time I want more Dean, so hard to even explain!). With that being said I'll lead into the few issues I had with this book.

I know Lauren is learning how to do this parenting thing but sometimes I got so mad at her choices and wanted to reach inside the book and throat punch her... BUT by the end I think she was getting way better at the whole "new mom thing". Then there was a slight issue with something said in the book. I can't go too heavy into the real reason this bothered me because I don't want to spoil anyone... But at one point Dean says he doesn't drink because of past issues, and then in one scene in the book one of Lauren's girl friends says Dean shows up to this event every year drunk... It was something so small but for some reason it really stuck with me (I think once you read it you'll pick up what I'm putting down). Then there's the editing issue. There are a few minor ones in this book, nothing to insane, nothing that was so bad that it should keep you from reading it. I know the issue has been brought to Lily's attention and has been addressed in a strong and honest way which I really respect... Link here --> http://lilyparadis.com/?p=893

But back to the posi things... This story heavily relies on the romance and it's a good thing. It's really what carried the story. It's just a sweet little nugget and was something I found myself staying up late to read. If you want a nice wear a big sweater, drinking tea, and curling up for a quick read book this is a book I would recommend to you. If you like romance but find NA to heavy, Ignite would be perfect. Yeah, there are a few pitter patters in the plot, BUT I think as a possible series-cute-romance it hits the nail right on the head. I like that Lily brought so many new items to the table with this book. I look forward to picking up future books by her, and if this series does continue I will be getting the next one.... Gotta know what happens with my boo Dean. 

(edit- After marinating on this review for a few days I actually bumped up my rating from what I orginally had it as. Even with the few negatives I said I really did like this book. And the more I thought it over the more I get excited to see what else Lily gives us.)

8/10 Stars 
-Angela

This Movie That Book

So we just left spin class and figured before we die we would post this little nugget. Posting this a few days before we wanted too because coincidentally I (Angela) got asked twice today about bookish movie recommendations online.
 
A lot of times when were talking to someone about books they say things like... "Yeah I'll just wait till the movie comes out" or "I don't know, I think it's hard getting into books, maybe if they were more like movies I wouldn't have trouble.". And tons of other reason like that too why they want to read but haven't really gotten into it yet. We've even had people ask what book they should read if they like certain movies. So that gave us the idea to do something new on our blog... Today we give you our first "That book" post. We came up with a list of 25 movies and books that are similar to them. We picked movies from all genres and books that would match them. Some of the movies chosen are movies that came from a book so we decided to give you alternative books for those as well. 

The title of the movie will be listed below the picture and the title of the book and author will be listed below that. If we have posted any reviews on our blog for that book as usual just click the titles and it'll take you straight to the review.

 

 Carrie 

Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkins

  Gladiator

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

The Mortal Instruments 

Fallen by Lauren Kate

 P.S I Love You

 Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern

Book of Eli

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

 Cinderella

 Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Fault in Our Stars

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

X-Men

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

 Never Been Kissed 

Losing It by Cora Carmack

Juno

Eleanor and Parks by Rainbow Rowell

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

The Program by Suzanne Young

 Pans Labyrinth

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
 

The Hunger Games

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott 
 

Girl Interrupted

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

Bourne Identity 

Altered by Jennifer Rush

X-Men 

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Craft

Merciless by Danielle Vega

War of the Worlds

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

 Flowers in the Attic

 Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

 Daybreakers

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

 Seven

Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Coneheads

Alienated by  Melissa Landers

 

 Titanic

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Man in the Iron Mask

Pawn by Aimee Carter

Underworld

 Black City by Elizabeth Richards