Vixen (The Flappers #1) - Review

flappers. girls in rebellious dresses. and boys with dangerous intentions.

gangsters. speakeasies. and forbidden love.

it's 1923. "and anything goes".

Vixen was a roller coaster of secrets, alcohol, and dangerously invigorating love triangles. The first Flapper book in a whirlwind series encased so much and covers the grounds of crazy ex-besties, picture perfect couples with cheating scandals behind closed doors, vengeful souls, and partying far past bedtime.

I really enjoyed the teenagers and young adults in the book, but I couldn't bring myself to pick up the second book in the trilogy. The sporadic drama and topsy-turvy plot twists made me invest too much into the characters (more than I was comfortable with because I grew attached). If you think about it, that's not such a bad complaint about the book. Maybe one day I'll finish the series, but as for now, I'm remaining a one-timer.

Overall, historical fiction is my #1 favorite genre of these past couple of years, besides the few other dystopia and fantasy hits!

x3.5!

Belle Epoque - Review

Would you want to be hired as the "ugly friend", an undercover role beside a French aristocrat for the sake of making her look more beautiful to possible suitors?

Maude Pichon, a runaway from Brittany avoiding a lurid arranged marriage, had no other choice but to fall prey to being the "average-looking friend" next to Isabelle, a girl desperately in need of a husband in order to soothe the fretting heart of her social climbing mother, the countess.

Things swirl into action as she meets the rest of the "Repoussoirs" in the agency, normal to ugly looking girls in need of jobs and willing to be drab for the sake of a decent income and attending social gatherings, balls, operas, and other highly exclusive festivities. Dukes with dreamy gazes, artists with scruffy composures, and elegant gatherings encompass Maude's world as she attempts to keep her identity a secret from Isabelle, who she was hired to be "ugly" next to. But at the turn of the century with advancing technologies, gorgeous fashion, and the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Belle Epoque Paris, secrets don't stay secrets for long. And everyone knows it.

I really enjoyed the simplicity of Belle Epoque! It was an easy read and truly captured the perfectionism of the beauty era in Paris, France. Historical fiction is sure to be a rising genre and Elizabeth Ross does not fall short of the intriguing stories intertwined with flowing dresses and forbidden glances! Ross made me ponder the value society puts on beauty and the inner-motives of friendships. She opened my eyes to the necessity of not only genuine feelings in relationships, but following one's own dreams as opposed to what others want you to do. I recommend this novel to anyone searching for a quick, Euro-historical read displaying strong, compelling, and developed characters with classic plot twists! 

x3.5!

The Luxe Series - Review

scandal. secrecy. daring gowns. mysterious kisses. dangerous boys. the wealthy aristocrats of Manhattan, 1899.

This is The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen, within the gloriously prestigious setting of large penthouse suites and unctuous gala events. I followed the daughters of dwindling wealth, Diana and Elizabeth Holland. Diana, a sixteen-year-old, raven-haired, sultry-eyed beauty is the adventurous, wild kind. Elizabeth Holland, the eldest of the Holland sister duo, is the obedient and compliant one with many forbidden secrets rummaging beneath the iron of her skirt. Henry Schoonmaker, the rebellious son of a multi-million dollar empire constructed by his lineage, is looking for a little more danger than society is willing to allow him to handle. Penelope Hayes is the overly extravagant eighteen-year-old immodestly searching for the love of Henry in which she had almost grasped. Carolina Broud, planning her exposure into legitimate upper class society and will do what ever it take to get her name in papers even though the only thing she has to her title is being a house girl with her sister, Claire, for the Holland family.

And then there's society: the most scrutinizing and all-ears form of gossip and midnight chatter. Throughout the adventurous course of the series, these characters of the Luxe series embrace the whispers, the getaways, the glamorous balls, and ever-watchful eyes of people hoping to catch the next big talk of the city. With crazy, unimaginable plot twists and on-your-feet wit of these sporadic characters, I was always entertained! Godbersen kept me compelled by the angelic atmospheres, the perfectionist smiles, and innocent public personas, in conjunction with the scandalous escapades and dramatics occurring behind closed doors.

Pick this series up before Josh Schwartz, creator of the wildly successful Gossip Girl TV show takes the Luxe and puts it on the screen!

x4!

The Space Between - Review

In the deep crevices of the chaotic cities of Hell, sixteen-year-old pale beauty Daphne, daughter of the most infamous demons Lucifer and Lilith, suddenly sparks a desire to be more than her Pandemonium world. The spontaneity of her thoughts leads her on a roller coaster adventure when her soul-saving brother, Obie, has vanished on Earth. 

Worried he might be in danger because of a lethal Earth warden and intrigued by the mysterious boy, Truman, whom Obie has saved, Daphne embarks on an enticing yet catastrophic journey through differing worlds. And which will she choose? Life or death? Earth or hell?

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read that I devoured without thinking! Brenna Yovanoff gives an avant garde angle on the protagonist with her dark and brooding ancestry, while putting in her midst a troubled, confused, and helplessly adorable guy, Truman. Somehow his dreams hold the key to finding her earth-lost brother. And he also might hold the key to her stale, yearning heart. The Space Between never lost my interest! Wild and absorbing, I'd follow this story line to the ends of the…earth?

x3.5!

Born Wicked - Review

Perfect, corset-wearing, pretty witches disguised as innocent, perpetual girls. Boys who manipulate society to bend in their will. And a plethora of spells to cast down New England's petty streets in the year 1900.

Cate Cahill and her sisters have a secret. And it involves little murmurs that magically repair ripped dresses, turning things into new objects, and controlling the environment around them. Witches are a taboo in a life where the Brotherhood, a band of conservative, women-demoralizing men, keep girls silent and stuck on traditionally feminine tasks. 

Can Cate Cahill keep her "brewing" secret forever? Or will a spell slip out before she can retract it? Also, she needs to remain flawless in the eyes of her primary suitor, long-time friend Paul.

Jessica Spotswood evidently dotted her I's and crossed her T's. I enjoyed the witchery, the lingering glances of handsome Paul, and the paranoia within the mysteries of a secret letter Cate receives. I recommend this book to devout witch-book fans, someone looking for a little historical fiction fantasy, or someone like myself, a rookie to all things spell-casted! 

x4!

Requiem - Review

It's the final book in the Delirium trilogy.

In the final installment of the enticing and adventurous, dystopian Delirium trilogy, the finale comes to a soft, yet complex end. I enjoyed the book, but was saddened there was no definitive ending, something I could grasp. There were so many loose ends, untold, and unseen stories, but overall, author Lauren Oliver delivered. 

While there are less dramatic metaphors and other captivating, poetic literary elements in the last book as compared to the previous two, we get to see the evolution of Hana, the strengthening of neglected people in a society of bland rules and regulation, and the final love story everyone has been itching to read! 

Avid fans of the Delirium trilogy will be sad to see the story go, but the disastrous yet beautiful Deliria of LOVE will always prevail. 

x3.5!

new ARCs January 2013

I can't wait to dig into Requiem!!!! The FINAL installment in the Delirium Trilogy by Lauren Oliver! It's going to extremely epic, I can FEEL it. *Spoilers* > Especially since the hugely enticing love triangle going on between the three major characters, Julian, Lena, and Alex! :)

 I have no idea what this book is about, but I am READY for it. It's THICK and take a good, long look at that cover! :) Brilliance. Pure brilliance.

January Book Haul

Venom - Review

It's the dazzling days of Renaissance in Venice, Italy. Gowns, heels, embroidered handkerchiefs, and a few wealth-wielders all grace the island of San Domenico in which the confined beauty and orphaned Cassandra Caravello is privileged enough to have a taste of. In the midst of peace, Cass finds herself drawn to jotting down her caged feelings in the darkness of cemeteries where the dead don't judge. But things begin to get complicated...and deadly. Especially when she discovers her dead friend's grave contains the wrong body!

Suddenly, dead bodies of young girls are missing all over town and with some snarky persuasion from "bad boy" Falco, she'll embark on a murderous mystery that could both reveal heart-jerking revelations and the reality of a man stalking her every whereabouts. The mystic nights soon become crowded with the brooding, blue-eyed artist Falco, dangerous Italian locations, and stolen gondolas across skinny waterways. Solving the murders and discovering who the grave-robber is as well as other deepening puzzles becomes a hassle for Cass who constantly worries about strict Aunt Agnese discovering her late-night adventures.

Did I mention she's engaged to a man of perfection in which she hasn't seen in three years? In "Venom", Fiona Paul raises the stakes with each chapter and forces your emotions to hop onto the roller coaster of secrets, lies, strangers, drunken kisses, and page-gripping chases. Cass gradually develops into a much stronger, much more confident female lead. Her easily admirable authenticity is what adds depth and reason to this action-packed, story-twisting debut. Just when you think you know who the culprit is, you've been outwitted by the warped minds of the numerous in-and-out characters. You've never been this paranoid about the true intentions of each person in this chilling first installment in the brand new historical trilogy. I could literally go on and on, but I'd spoil half the exhilarating story! I strongly recommend this to readers who've had a taste of "The Luxe" series by Anna Godberson, "Gilt" by Katherine Longshore, and anyone who has a knack for flowing gowns, sultry boys in masks, and a deathly villain with blood on their hands...

I give this novel five out of five beans!! It's a MUST!

x5!

Gilt = Impeccable

Gilt, gilt, and more gilt. I couldn't get enough of the rawness of this novel. It is literally one of the best written young adult novels based on history that I have ever read!

Cat and Kitty are sisters from another mister for life and plan on keeping it that way, regardless of their pipe dreams to be in the court of King Henry XIII. Yet one day, Cat is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime, in which she gladly excepts. Being shipped off to live in his gorgeous palaces, travel the country, and experience life as a privileged woman becomes a reality, and she eventually becomes Queen of England. Little did she know, as she drags Kitty into the world she's grown to become infatuated with, secrets and twists and lies and love etch its way underneath the bedsheets of these gossiping and frolicking youngsters. It becomes a power struggle, filled with roaring fights all the way to the very last pages--the edge--of what it means when you've gotten something you've always wanted, and can't let it go.

I give this novel five out of five beans, people! Stock this up on your book shelves this summer because it's going to suck you in to the world of aristocracy, ruthlessness, pain, sworn secrecy, and a dirtiness I've never felt or known until I picked this book up. The psychological attachments are mind-blowing and I can only imagine what experiencing life in the 1500s while being courted by one of the most infamous kings on the planet was like for a young, naive girl like Catherine Howard...

x5!

Black City - Review

What if a cult religion was spreading through your city like a wildfire? What about a vampire-like Darkling with fangs and blood-curdling snarls?

In Black City, disrupted and destroyed after horrific wars found it, Natalie Buchanan is the offspring of a ruling government official. Ash Fisher is a dark-haired, half-Darkling who gets to live amongst humans instead of the other side of the wall where his other kind writhe and yearn for the kill. In a city of tension, Natalie and Ash are managing to fall for each other. Just the slightest idea of such a thing would be considered heinous, unacceptable, and would result in instant death--they've seen it happen before. So why are they falling for each other? Especially since Ash is partly made up of the same creature that slaughtered Natalie's father, a man who was once passionate about helping these souls.

Humans want Darklings out and gone. For good.

How will their blooming love survive when war is vamping, religious leader Purian Rose is taking over, and some dark and dangerous creature seems to be haunting Natalie's every footstep?

Although I was initially sold by the beautiful cover of the book and it's inviting synopsis, while diving into the book I was quickly taken aback by how deep and specific the ideas and emotions that had been springing out of the pages like fairy dust were. It tugged at my heart to see people punished as an example for others, simply for something as natural as love, regardless of their opposing races and beliefs. Elizabeth Richards creates a strong story with other likable friends that tag along in the ultimate tale of keen love and treacherous war. Teens will enjoy this book as much as I did because it interlaces peace and conflict together in the most magnetic and alluring way!

x3!

Divergent - Review

Fast forward, people. It's a futuristic Chicago divided into factions everyone is born into based on selflessness (Abnegation), bravery (Dauntless), honesty (Candor), intelligence (Erudite), and kindness (Amity).

Beatrice Prior, a sixteen-year-old Abnegation girl, must choose the faction she will become part of for the rest of her life.
Will she stay with her family or abandon them for her heart's desire?
Shortly after her selection, she is thrown into a foreign world, including an older boy with a mysterious attitude and a jumbled past. As he deals with his own rivalries and she copes with this unpredictable lifestyle she has thrown herself into, the world of factions in which she lives in is gradually conjuring a scent of war in the air.
Every decision she makes will determine the fate of her life and the people surrounding her.

Full of secrets, pain, staggering discoveries, breathtaking imagery, tear-jerking action, and gut-churning revelations, this book turns you upside down and inside out as you're clawing for the sequel after such an incredibly wicked ending. This debut novel by Veronica Roth ensures that there's world-building to be done, more of Beatrice's transformation to be made, and a strong heroine for the book to elevate in such an already riveting and fresh dystopian trilogy.

Four out of five beans for this brand new author that latched on to the hearts of many YA-loving, dystopian-obsessed fans out there. While there lacks a bit of world-building and an understanding of how Chicago came to be the way it is, I'm hoping for explanations in the sequel to this fantastic epic, titled--interestingly--Insurgent.

The Delirium Trilogy - Review

I'm jumping off the walls for this brand new fantastic dystopian trilogy that's flying off the shelves faster than I can type this new post!


Curious to know what this bestseller is about?


Delirium, the first installment in this exhilarating series, is focused on Portland, Maine in the future where the government has declared love "amor deliria nervosa" a disease and all humans must get "treated" for it once they turn eighteen years old.


Delirium seeps into the composed--at first--mind of Lena Halloway and the procedure that's nearing her by the day. During this countdown, we learn about her world, her living with aunts and uncles that cannot love, and this obsession society has with NOT getting this disease. Along this journey, she gets a change of mind and meets a "cured" boy who will alter her life as she knows it and it'll force her to make grave decisions about the future she thought others had total control over! 


Elements of the past with her dead mother and flashes of the her possible future haunt this young teenager as character development is key and apparent! An incredible and long read that will leave your fingers permanently clamped to each page!


But I won't stop here. The second book in the trilogy, titled "Pandemonium" with a fiery cover, continues this epic journey on what it means to fight for love and fight for the freedom! It's tear-jerking and includes tons of page-flipping action that has your stomach churning and fingers turning for more!


I give Delirium five out of five beans and Pandemonium four and a half!


Stay connected because the third and final installment in this defiant series is heading our way! 

x5 & x4.5!