Angela's March Reads

Ahhhh March, you came and went so fast. March was.... well it was a climb reading wise for me. Saying I was in a slump would be an understatement. I couldn't seem too truly get into anything. As usual I had some high highs and low lows. This month I read a total of 20 books. Not my best numbers, but still ahead in my reading. I wasn't as active as I usually am on here or any bookmedia. I had some vacation time this month and just caught up with friends, family, and my home life. It was also my birthday this month so I was rather busy. (Planning on posting my birthday book-haul soon.) Leah and I have been planning some up-coming events so that ate up a lot of time as well. Hopefully I can catch up on some reviews in April. As far as my March reads go, here you have them:

Transparent- Natalie Whipple
Conviction- Kelly Lou Gilbert
My Heart and Other Black Holes- Jasmine Warga
Confess- Colleen Hoover
Hopeless- Colleen Hoover
Maybe Not- Colleen Hoover (Re-Read/Audio Book)
Obsidian- Jennifer L. Armentrout (Re-Read)
Onyx- Jennifer L. Armentrout (Re-Read)
Opal- Jennifer L. Armentrout (Re-Read)
Origin- Jennifer L. Armentrout (Re-Read)
Opposition- Jennifer L. Armentrout (Re-Read)
Beautiful Disaster- Jamie McGuire
To All the Boys I Loved Before- Jenny Han
The Last Time We Say Goodbye- Cynthia Hand
Keep Me Safe- Maya Banks (DNF)
Lovely Vicious- Sara Wolf
Savage Delight- Sara Wolf
Brutal Precious- Sara Wolf   
Sisters of Shiloh-Kathy Hepinstall, Becky Hepinstall Hilliker
We All Looked Up- Tommy Wallach 

My top picks this month are: Confess, Lovely Vicious, and my two re-reads, The Lux Series and Maybe Not. I usually wouldn't pick re-reads in my top picks for wrap-ups but since I was so sluggish with my reading and nothing else really stuck I'm going to go ahead and toss them in. Lovely Vicious was the book to break my reading slump, and I'm sad I read it so late in the month. This book had me laughing hard with it's strong leading lady and catchy one liners. Maybe Not is a book you've recently heard me talking about... I saw recent because I read it last month, and yes again this month. Well listened to it this month. The audio book for Maybe Not is amazing, even the second time around it still had my sides splitting. One of my all time favorites. The Lux Series, yes all five, are making in my top picks because even as a re-read I still loved everything about it. Daemon Black. That's all I need to say. My very top spot goes to Confess. Confess easily made it's way to number one this month, and on to my list of all time favorites. A new March release from Colleen Hoover had me balling in the first ten pages, with an unforgettable ending. Colleen Hoover write life altering books and a favorites list wouldn't be complete without on of her books on it.


My book fails were easy to pick as well. The biggest letdowns were: Transparent, To All the Boys I Loved Before, and Beautiful Disaster. Transparent was a book I was really looking forward to. With it's pitch comparing it to X-men I found myself letdown with its lackluster story and predictability. To
All the Boys I Loved Before was a contemporary read that has a lot of hype following it... I however found the story boring. When I heard a girl writes love letters to her ex loves and then the letters get out I figured the story would be filed with a lot of poetic thoughts and drama. Sadly there was nothing specials about it. And for my biggest disappointment, well I know you all saw this one coming, Beautiful Disaster. Saying it sucked would be going easy on this gross little number. It's not only one of the worst things I've read all month, it's one of the worst things I've read all year. Ugh thinking about it again puts me in a rage.

I'll just stop right there... See y'all in April.

-Angela

Wicked by Jennifer L Armentrout

Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout
22 year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student... She's part of the Order. An organization that hunts down and kills Fae. Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s 6 feet and 3 inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. Losing the boy she loved nearly destroyed her, but the tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants and needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her. 

I'm pretty sure I start off every review for a book that Jla writes by saying something along the lines of this... JLA HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!! Another amazing novel. This lady can write anything. Contemporary, paranormal romance, NA lit, anything. If she published her target shopping list I would read it because I know she would make it amazing. Wicked was so wicked!!! Too me it was like the polar opposite of her Dark Elements series and I loved that (I love The Dark Elements)!I just loved that it was so different.

Wicked is a paranormal new adult and a first in The Wicked Trilogy. Pretty sure at one point I told Leah I thought I just got pregnant reading this. Whoosh it was so hot! It wasn't just the steamy scenes that made this book. It was everything. The world building, plot, flow, and the characters. Ivy is funny, strong, and awkward. The things that go on in her head are hilarious. Ren is so upfront, charming, and wickedly hot. The relationship between Ren and Ivy is almost insta-love but falls closer to insta-lust. Which I think is a good thing. The things they say to each other (mainly Ren) is so so yummy. 

"um, yeah. I do. Baking... is like a hobby." Okay that was a total lie. The only cakes I could bake came out of the box. It was Tink who baked the cakes from scratch. "And why haven't I been offered any cake?"..."You're going to have to get to know me better before you taste my cake."... "Was that an invitation? Because I'm willing to get to know you in any way possible if that means I get to taste your cake." "Invitation for....?" Oh my God. My words replayed. My face turned crimson. "You are such a pervert!"

I really enjoyed Ren as a character so much. He is seriously like the sweet caring version of Roth from TDE. They even both ride motorcycles. He also knows Disney movies. For some odd reason men knowing Disney movies is hot. Hell, Jla seriously can make anything hot. She did some job on Ren. Kid you not this was me 99.9% of the time he was involved...

He was the perfect leading man. Romantic and Take charge. One of my favorite things however is how Ivy is described. She's a curvy frizzy haired ginger. Loved it! The romantic scenes between the two of them are written perfectly. Saying they were hot would be an understatement. I was reading this at work and had to stop because I couldn't stop blushing. I can't wait to see what happens between these two crazy kids as the story continues. As for sub characters the main ones are Val and Tink. Val is Ivy's best friend and is a little on the slutty side (no judgement). But my favorite, FAVORITE character is Tink. OMG I love him so much!!!! The one foot-troll doll lovin-pop culture junkie-little brownie stole the show. Everything he says is amazing.  

"Grabbing a scarf off the chair, I threw it at him. He caught it, clutching it to his chest as he flew into the air. "You gave Tink a scarf. Tink is free!" He flew out into the hallway like a little cracked-out fairy, screeching, "Tink is freeeeee!" Ren looked at me. "What the actual fuck?" I sighed. "He's obsessed with Harry Potter. I'm sorry."

  

The Twilight, Dr. Who, Harry Potter, and Salt and Pepa references he threw around killed me. It had been a long time since I had laughed that hard, and at a sub-character too. He took this story too a whole new level. 

"He ignored me. "Sex is best when it's one on one!" Stopping in the hall, I turned to where he was doing a pelvic thrust. "Isn't that a George Michael song?" "Maybe. but he was wrong. I like to think sex is best when it's like three on three or something. Seems more adventurous." Whatever. Goodnight, Tink." I closed the door as he broke out in a Salt-n-Pep a song. 

Every character in this book is so perfect. The plot if fast paced and action packed. There was never a dull moment, or a time I was bored. The plot starts strong and doesn't let up. There are two twist in this story. One was very predictable and one I had no clue was coming. I don't think I've ever updated my GR status so many times before, especially out of pure excitement. Seriously wasn't kidding when I said I needed water. This book was like a sauna!! And the ending. Holy sweet Jesus way to leave us hanging!!! Wicked has to be one of my favorite books and start to a series I've read all year.

10/10 Stars

-Angela

Angela pretty much summed everything that I wanted to say perfectly. All I really want to add is how much I really, truly enjoyed this book. It is by far, hands down, no contest my favorite JLA book so far. The plot stays interesting the entire time and you will not be able to put it down. Ren is my ultimate book boyfriend and has not only made a place for himself on the Holy Grail of Book Boyfriends list, but he has taken the #1 spot which was formally held by the (literally) out-of-this-world Daemon. Ren is a beautiful mix of Daemon and my former #2, Roth. I think what really sets him apart from the others is that there isn't a point in the book where he is angsty and has to/wants to push Ivy away. From the very beginning, he knows he wants to be with her and isn't shy about his feelings. He doesn't play games and is upfront with her the entire time.

The plot twist in the book left my jaw and my brains all over the floor. JLA bamboozled me!! She had me CONVINCED absolutely convinced that the story was going to go one way but at the very end (like literally the last page) she drops bombs everywhere and smacked me in the face with her plot twist. IT IS SO GOOD! I don't know how I am going to make it until summer 2015 for the sequel. If you haven't read this book yet........ ORDER IT RIGHT NOW YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE ASAP. 

5/5 stars 

-Leah