REVIEW: Splintered (Splintered #1) by A. G. Howard

Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard

Publication Date: January 1, 2013

Publisher: Amulet Books 
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer  

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble


My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence.

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

LOVED. LOVED. LOVED! I truly loved reading this book! (in case you couldn't tell lol)

I had seen this book around the blogosphere for a while and never really had any interest in it until one of my friends read it and raved about it. So I was still skeptical at first, but of course I trust my friends reading choices and decided to give it a try. Boy was I amazed at how hard and fast I fell for this story!! From the synopsis you can see that it's kind of an Alice in Wonderland re-telling, which I totally loved reading. Retellings are kind of my new obsession which works out perfectly because they are popping up everywhere.

The author, A.G. Howard, did such an amazing job writing this story and it was so fun to read. The world building was off the chain! She took our boring and colorless world and turned it into a never ending rabbit hole that lead to a beautiful and fun filled Wonderland!

Alyssa, our MC, is such a fun character to read. She's always known that her family is cursed ever since her (infinite greats) grandmother, Alice Liddell, fell into the rabbit hole and got the family line cursed. The fear that Alyssa has when she starts hearing the bugs and flowers speak to her is so genuinely real that you really feel for her. I mean, I personally think it would be awesome to hear bugs and flowers speak, but after her mother is committed into the asylum for losing her mind for the same things that Alyssa is going through, She becomes extremely worried and fears that she will end up there too.

Then there's Jeb, I mean OHMAHGOD!!!! I think he is so swoony!! Also a bit dramatic, but definitely swoony! Jeb goes above and beyond to protect Alyssa and it's just so romantic to watch it all unfold! I want to say that the love they share is wonderful to see but it's definitely more than that. The bond they share as friends is so special, it honestly makes me jealous. I wish I could find someone that will love me unconditionally the way Jeb loves Alyssa (and the way she loves him.)

Now to Morpheous, I don't even know where to begin with him. I want to say that he's a mix between swoony half the time but also scary the other half of the time! He says some pretty romantic things to Alyssa, which of course gets her to do what he wants, but he also does some pretty scary things that had me questioning his motives. He's definitely a manipulative character but you can tell that he also genuinely cares about her. I definitely had a hard time deciding if I liked him or not but I can tell you for sure that I never trusted him. There were moments when I had to wonder if I actually could trust him but then I realized that if I had to question whether I could trust him then that meant I couldn't.

Overall, I really loved this book and I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of this series! If you haven't read it, I highly recommend that you do!

COVER REVEAL: Alpha (Mackenzie Grey #3) by Karina Espinosa

SHIFT (book 1): http://smarturl.it/49zrvq

CAGED (book 2): http://smarturl.it/hzfe3y

ALPHA (book 3): TBA

About the Author:

Karina Espinosa is the Urban Fantasy author of the Sins of the Fallen series and the Mackenzie Grey novels, and a Senior Contributor for HollywoodNewsSource.com. Infatuated with travel, pop culture, and the need to write everything down, she spends much of her days in front of a computer working on her next book, shopping online, and listening to music. With nomadic tendencies, she is currently resting her head in South Florida until the itch to move strikes again. You can usually catch her on Facebook, Instagram, and live-tweeting during episodes of The Walking Dead and Orphan Black. Follow her on social media!

Author / Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

BOOK TRAILER: United We Spy by Ally Carter

Hi Swooners!

So our dear friend, Ally Carter, has generously released a book trailer for her latest (and FINAL) Gallagher Girls book, United We Spy...SQUEEEE!!!




Check it out and tell me how much you LOVE it and CAN'T wait for this book to come out already...

3 days and counting!!!




So here it is...

COVER REVEAL: Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood

OMG! OMG! OMG! It's here swooners, it's finally HERE!!!!!!

Take a look at the cover of Sisters' Fate (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #3)



Perfect timing since I JUST did my review of Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)

This is an AWESOME series and I cant wait for the release of this book (the last book in the series) which was also "released" to us as AUGUST 14, 2014 

I know this will be a bitter sweet ending and i'll be sad to say goodbye to my favorite witchy sisters :o) but it will also be a great conclusion to a GREAT series!!!

Let the countdown begin!!!!

REVIEW: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles: Book #1)  by Jessica Spotswood
Publication Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenille
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship- or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word…especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood- not even from each other.

I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about the turn out of this book because it started off a little slow, but after a few chapters it pulled me right in and I couldn't put it down...Definitely a happy surprise!!

Now to the nitty gritty...Born Wicked takes place in the 1800's and follows a trio of sisters who, you guessed it...are WITCHES!!! Naturally, they are very cautious regarding their magic because being caught using magic almost certainly means DEATH (or the asylum...who knew right?!)

Now, Cate is the oldest sister and our main character. We see the whole story unfolding through her eyes...and what eyes they are! For a girl from the 1800's, she sure knows how to GET DOWN!!
Love affairs, mind magic, and boys galore! I mean honestly, I cant even begin to imagine what it would be like to be her. She has all this power and can do so much with it, who wouldn't want that right?! Well apparently Cate doesn't want it, and understandably so. I wouldn't want the baggage that comes with being Cate either! This poor girl has to juggle being a witch, taking care of her sisters and keeping their magic in lines, keeping her own magic in line (which apparently can be quite difficult when you're kissing a boy xD) and figure out whether or not she will join the Sisterhood or get married...that's a tough life for a 16 year old if you ask me!

Now lets talk about the BOYS!!! When we first meet Cate we learn that she needs to find a husband...and SOON! If she doesn't, the Brotherhood will chose one for her and nobody wants that! So we meet suitor #1, Paul McLeod, who appears to be the only interested in Cate. They have been friends since childhood and Paul is now interested in marrying Cate. At first im a little skiddish about Paul. he seems nice enough, but I couldn't tell right away how genuine he was. But after seeing him with Cate during their "alone" time I have to admit that he's kind of dreamy! Something about him is so tempting to me. He's funny, charming, sweet and tough, but not too tough...just the right amount.

But he totally gets blwon out of the picture when we (meaning Cate and myself) realize that Finn Belastra, the Gardener, is actually pretty cute and totally sweet and pretty much perfect! Yea, sorry Paul, you've been DUMPED! Finn takes sweet and charming to a whole new level when he and Cate fall in love...that's right! I said it folks...they fall in LOVE...Oh and he proposes to her with his mothers ruby ring while daring to defy the Brotherhood...SWOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!

So this is what I leave you with swooners...Go READ THIS BOOK...I need more people who share my feels about it (hehe)

REVIEW: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5)  by Tahereh Mafi
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: eBook Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner- and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of…

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as eve, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

So I have to admit that i'm totally in shock with Warner right now. I just can't believe that he isn't the person I thought he was. He seems so sweet and kind in this novella that it leaves me feeling really, really, REALLY sad for him. Especially now that he's actually in love with Juliette. I mean come on, Warner?! Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be...

We come to learn a lot about Warner in this novella, showing a side of his that we never knew was even there. Turns out he's not as heartless a we thought! It definitely leaves me wondering what is going to happen with him and Juliette. Maybe there is something there after all??? Maybe she's the one to change him and make him a better person. Or maybe not! 

My thoughts? Keep dreaming Warner! Juliette and Adam BELONG together!!!

COVER REVEAL + BOOK RELEASE: The Transfer (A Divergent Story) by Veronica Roth

FOR ALL DIVERGENT FANS.....



This is for you my friends~~~

So i'm sure you've all heard about the four short stories that Veronica Roth will be writing...well here's the cover reveal for the first one, The Transfer...I know, I know...SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!

This book (and the other three) are all in Four's POV Whoot! Whoot! (xD)

You can find this eBook (only) available September 3, 2013...That's right AVAILABLE TODAY!!!!!

From what i've read in the blogosphere, this novella is most likely a prequel to Divergent...So let the anticipation unfold swooners!!

REVIEW: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
Publication Date: November 26, 1865
Publisher: Macmillan
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Weary of her storybook, one “without pictures or conversations,” the young and imaginative Alice follows a hasty hare underground—to come face-to-face with some of the strangest adventures and most fantastic characters in all of literature.

The Ugly Duchess, the Mad Hatter, the weeping Mock Turtle, the diabolical Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat—each more eccentric than the last—could only have come from that master of sublime nonsense, Lewis Carroll.

In penning this brilliant burlesque of children’s literature, Carroll has written a farcical satire of rigid Victorian society, an arresting parody of the fears, anxieties, and complexities of growing up.

Carroll was one of the few adult writers to successfully enter the children’s world of make-believe: where the impossible becomes possible, the unreal—real, and where the height of adventure is limited only by the depths of imagination. 

For some reason, this book was an incredibly slow read for me. I just could NOT get into it and i'm not 100% sure why.

For what it is, I can see why people were amazed at the writing style in this book when it originally came out in the 1800's. Lewis Carroll, pen name to Charles Dodson, was such an imaginative and creative writer for his time. He took a simple verbal story to a little girl and turned it into a superstar book franchise. Can't hate him for that..

Though I have to admit that this book was not my cup of tea (pun intended...hehe)

It really didn't give me the feels and addiction I was hoping for when reading. I kind of expected this book to be THE happy place of all happy places because I just knew (or thought I knew) that it would be one of the best books i've ever read....unfortunately it was not.

For one thing, I always assumed that Through the Looking-Glass was kind of a continuation to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Now I find out through this combination book, that they are actually totally different stories and that all "Alice" movies have combined into one story. I feel a little betrayed about that, but I can move on.

I wish there was more detail I could give you about the two stories, but they were both so hysterically insane that I simply just can't find any words to describe them to you.

The only thing I can say about my thoughts on this book is that we did not click! Unfortunately so, because I truly had high hopes for it and am slightly disappointed in my regards towards it. But as I said earlier, I can totally see why this book was loved during its time and even can appreciate that it will always remain a classic!

Though I did not enjoy my time reading it as much as I would have liked, I highly recommend everyone to find a copy of this book (or its variations) and start reading a piece of history that is sure to leave you feeling, if nothing else, impressed!

QUOTES (#1)

So I thought I'd try something different this week. I'm so addicted to words and the feelings they can elicit that I just HAD to start giving you a list of my favorite quotes.

I mean hey, the best way to get to know someone is by the books they read right? Well, here are some of the quotes from those amazing books I've read to help you get a little bit of a better look into the mind of Lexi :)

"Wonderland was all we had in common, after all; Wonderland was what was denied the two of us. I had denied him his; he had denied me mine." Melanie Benjamin, Alice I Have Been

"'Zach,' I said as I lay there 'Where did you go? When were you looking for me?' I shifted in his arms, looked into his eyes. 'Crazy.' His voice was a whisper against my skin. 'I went crazy.'" Ally Carter, Out of Sight, Out of Time

"'Just so you know Gallagher Girl,' he whispered softly, 'I'm going to kiss you now.'" Ally Carter, Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

"'I remember everything about you,' says Peeta, tucking a lose strand of hair behind my ear. 'You're the one who wasn't paying attention.'" Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

"I think...you still have no idea. The effect you can have." Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

So that's it for today! Hope my little teasers pique your interest to read theses books and love them as much as I have...

Happy swooning :)

REVIEW: Hush by Stacey R. Campbell

** *My FIRST blog post...Squeee!!!!***

Hush (A Lakeview Novel #1)  by Stacey R. Campbell
Release date: January 23, 2013
Publisher: Green Darner Press from Gemelli Press LLC
Source: Ebook from NetGalley
Buy it at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound

*I received this ebook from Green Darner Press through NetGalley, but it did not influence this review in any way *

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Netgalley):

What if your entire life was a lie?

When her adoption was finalized Blakely Henry’s parents swore to never question the origin of her birth. But after Europe’s favorite monarchy is killed in a single act of terrorism questions arise.
Max Ryder thinks he knows the truth.

Sworn to secrecy, Max is admitted into an exchange program halfway around the world with the sole purpose of finding out if he’s right.
When a stolen email surfaces, Blakely’s life is threatened and Max start to question what he is really after.

From the exclusive rolling lawns of Canada’s most prestigious boarding school to the University of Saint Andrews’ hallowed grounds, Hush weaves a tale of suspense and romance that is as addictive as any real-life royal scandal.


Let me start by saying that I absolutely love the IDEA of the story! I just wish the author had handled the plot line leading up to the climax a lot better. Hush offered a potentially good story that I feel the author could've made great.

Sadly, though the idea was great, the writing wasn't. There were just too many factors getting in the way of this book.

First off, there seemed to be too many "unique" names. I know, it sounds silly, but when you read a book and your main character has such a unique and beautiful name you can't give all the supporting characters unique names as well. The main character's name is Blakely. That's a great name, but the rest of the supporting cast have unique names too: Tyson (girl), North (boy), Riley (girl) and of course Blakely (girl)

I feel like I couldn't fully appreciate Blakely because there were too many other names competing for attention.

Also, another peeve I had with this book, is that there were way too many POV changes randomly throughout the chapters. Sometimes I didn't realize right away the change had occurred. It definitely threw me off a bit.

So overall, I think this book had a great premise, just not well executed. Too bad too, because it truly had hope of being a great story and THAT was the only thing keeping me reading the whole way through, the HOPE that it would be as great as I imagined!!!


Side Note: Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book through Netgalley