Defying Destiny by Kylie Price

WHY IN THE WORLD DID I LET MYSELF TAKE SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK?? I don't know but hey, I read it now! This is the second book in the Trinity series by Price, I do have the first book reviewed and I will be reviewing the third book. Price has an adult genre book out as well if the YA book isn't your cup of tea. I do have to thank Price, she gave the ebook to me for free, a long time ago. Thank you so much Kylie, you're seriously the best <3 And I suck and take forever to put up reviews. I need to get back in the swing of things.



Everything is changing. Some things really quickly and others not quick enough. Limits are pushed and bonds are formed or broken. Doubt can be poisonous and Trinity is slowly being infected from it. If she can get over the doubt and trust herself, she might be able to see things clearly. She can either defy what fate is trying to push her towards or continue. Which will it be?

I like that this second book picked up almost right after the first. Seeing as it's been a while since I read the first there wasn't much recap, which was good and bad. Good, because it was like picking up a new book and jumping into something awesome. Bad, because it took me a little longer to piece things together but I really didn't mind it. I laughed quite a few times and I think my favorite part was when Trinity got all excited to be able to buy her own underwear. I get excited for new underwear too!! I know I was looking for a breakdown from Trinity, as I explain in the first book review. Well she did have that breakdown but got back up for the most part. I also liked that there was more of Garth, I don't know why but I really connected with him in the first book, and I did see the surprise with him coming. I liked the ebook format because it was easy to pull up the Kindle app on my phone and read. That's all I liked about the ebook format.

Lets just get the ebook dislikes out of the way. I didn't like that I didn't have a physical book to read but I will buy one eventually. I was reading off of a tiny screen and had to frequently stop because my eyes started to hurt. Even with reading books on a computer screen I still have to stop. I couldn't tell how far along I was because half of the time when I tried to get the page count to come up it didn't. Now things I didn't like about the book, it went by really quickly. I feel like I could have finished it in about a day if I really was able to sit down and read it. There was only a few spots that I felt like they dragged on but really it wasn't much.

I'd love to have this book in print and eventually I will buy it. I'm not a fan of ebooks but I do like the format. I don't ever see myself fully committing to them because I love my print books. I do see myself rereading Defying Destiny, I will read the next book, and I'm not saying that because Kylie gave me both books. I'd love to read anything from Kylie and I know I would have still if I never entered the Goodreads giveaway. I recommend her books to everyone.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Page Count: 240 pages Kindle edition

Price: Free from the author but Amazon $2.99

Next Book: The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker

I'm sorry, I'm going to try and get back into things but sometimes adulting takes over ones life.
~Jade

You can also follow me on these sites: Facebook, Goodreads, Tumblr and now YouTube

Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake

Nightwalker is the first book in the Dark Days series by Drake. There are six full length novels and a few novellas. Drake has another series out just in case Nightwalker isn't your type of book. I found this book in the fantasy section of my library. This was published back in 2008 and the last novella was published in 2012.


By now Mira is used to being a nightwalker, it's been a few centuries since she has been made. Her mysterious power over fire makes her different from the other nightwalkers and has made her an interest to others. So far it seems that her power is keeping her from meeting her end. A new enemy has arisen and his name is Danaus, a vampire hunter. He's killed many of Mira's kind and she now has to make a decision, either hunt or be hunted.

Again another book that had a lot of action and a few sub plots that could make or break the main one. I think so far they are making the main plot stronger because all the smaller plots are adding to the suspension of everything that is happening. I especially think the conflict between Mira and Jabari could be a great explosion and I hope that Drake explored it. I do like that there is a slightly more complex hierarchy of vampires. There are the ancients, the middle groups and then lower and newer vampires. I haven't heard the term naturi before, which is another name for the fey creatures. The fey are not small or pixie like with Drake. They are not always nice either and this was a great change of pace.

I only have a couple of dislikes and one of them really dropped my rating for the book. Some authors hang onto a phrase and just use it to death. Drake used so and so person "ran their hand through their hair" so many times that I quit reading the book for a few days. In one chapter alone it was used three times. I tried to keep count for the book as a whole but I quit counting after it was used the eight time. I don't know what Drake could have used in replace of that phrase but something else was needed to express their frustration. The second thing that annoyed the crap out of me was that Mira couldn't seem to wear the appropriate attire. Yes, lets wear leather high heel boots while knowing that I have a number of people on my ass. There is cool looking combat ready clothes that she could have considered, knowing that there are lots of people that want her dead.

Nightwalker was a great read, and I was kept interested throughout the book. If it weren't for the phrase "ran their hand through their hair" I would have given the book a higher rating. I don't know if I would reread Nightwalker any time soon. I would like to own the book however it is a book that I would be willing to pass up for another. Honestly, I do recommend this for young adults as well, there's a few PG-13 parts but they don't last but a few paragraphs at most.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Page Count: 370 pages (paperback)

Price: $7.99

Next book: Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh

Thank you so much for reading!
~Jade


If you would like to follow me on other social media here is where you can find me: FaceBook, GoodReads, and Tumblr.

Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

Firstly, thank you to everyone who has read or viewed my blog. I woke up last week and when I logged into blogger I found that I was at 2,000 page views!! I know it may not seem like much but for me it is way more than I thought I would get when I first started this review blog some time ago. Thank you again!

Now that that is said, this is the first book in the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance, there are a total of 6 books published and two more anticipated. I have heard that the seventh book in the series has had it's publication date pushed back a couple of times. It doesn't seem that this will be happening any more, hopefully. There is quite a number of books by Chance published, some that go along with this series and ones that do not.



Sometimes being able to see the future isn't as cracked up as it sounds. Cassandra Palmer knows this all too well because her ability makes her sought out by the dead and undead. Ghosts aren't a problem but they will talk your head off. It's all the other creatures of the night that make problems for her. Cassie escaped a crazy house run by an even crazier vampire three years ago and has avoided vampire as much as she can. But the person she is running from has caught up to her and she goes to the vampire Senate for help. Their help comes with a price, and she ends up working with one of the most powerful vampires. He demands a price to be paid as well and Cassie doesn't know if she is willing to pay up.

I guess I go through fazes of getting books that don't have enough action, to getting the books filled with action. Touch the Dark had lots of action, pretty much from about 20 pages in there was almost nonstop action all the way through. I was kept interested with the action but also with the talk about Cassie's back story, and especially a few of the vampires too. As always, I loved that there was more than two mythical creatures in the book. I do plan on reading the second book eventually and I hope to see more of the Fae, and witch aspect. *SEMI-SPOILER ALERT* I did see the part with Tomas coming. I didn't really like him in the beginning, he gave me a weird feeling. *SEMI-SPOILER ENDED* Whereas I wasn't really surprised, I am glad that Chance did that because otherwise events that where going on wouldn't have made sense. I extremely liked that just because one becomes a vampire, they are not automatically "awesome", they get there through lots of work and through the years. Otherwise they are nothing special.

I know I said I liked all the action, but I also had a slight problem with it. There wasn't much down time, and with this things moved really fast. I got confused quite often in the beginning because of this. Cassie would start to talk about her time with Tony and it just wouldn't make sense to me as to what was going on, and then the fighting would start. After a while it did become clearer but that was more toward the end of the book. I would have preferred a little novella to come before this first book just to give a taste as to Cassie's history.

With the couple of problems I had with Touch the Dark I still really enjoyed it. Like I said before I really want to read the second book because things have just gotten started. This is considered an "adult" book, there are a few sex scenes, but I have read much, much worse. A more mature teenager could handle this book no problem. I recommend this book, obviously with the caution to the younger audience because of the sex. I wouldn't mind owning this book, but it remains to be seen how the rest of the series is going to turn out.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Page Count: 307 pages (paperback)

Price: $7.99

Next book: Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake

Thank you so much for reading!
~Jade


You can find me on: FaceBook, or GoodReads, or Tumblr. Go check them out feel free to subscribe to this blog, like, friend or follow any of the others too!

I Kissed a Zombie, and I liked It by Adam Selzer

This is a stand-alone book by Selzer, who does have a number of other books published. I honestly don't know how this review is going to turn out at the moment of typing this. I really hope I don't hurt anyone's feelings. I don't intend to, and this is my honest thoughts and feelings of this book. If you loved or liked this book there is not a thing wrong with that.

Uniquely named Algonquin (Ali) Rhodes is the high school newspaper's music critic. While reviewing a gig she gets awestruck by a singer named Doug. He looks goth, and not a fake kind of goth. They are introduced after he gets done singing, and upon a little questioning he talks very quietly almost like a whisper. Once they are dating, Ali finds herself falling hard and because of this she doesn't notice a few things about Doug. He doesn't change his clothes, his head is slightly shaped differently, and he really doesn't speak. It isn't until a classmate points out the obvious for Ali, that it all comes crashing down. Doug isn't exactly a goth, he's a zombie. Seeing things in a new light, Ali learns that zombies are really hard to get rid of. Not to mention the vampires, that are practically like the mafia, don't appreciate Ali's critique that makes fun of the band.

I loved Ali's full name, Algonquin. I thought it was really different and I haven't read any other book with that name for any character. I like her whit for the most part and I really wish that she would have used her brain a little more than she did. I like that vampires, werewolves, and zombies are known and how that came to be. Obviously not all zombies are mindless because Doug is up and walking without moaning "brains". He's alive because he drinks embalming fluid to keep him going, where as if he doesn't he will turn to dust which is what happened with most of the other zombies. I love the message at the end the "don't take life for granted". I think a lot of younger people do do this and don't realize that you won't have your younger years forever. Don't just waste it away, enjoy it, because eventually you won't be able to. The vampires straight out annoyed me but in a good way, it's been a while since I have read a book where the main character doesn't like them. I also like the point that gets made of, get your head out of your S.O. butt and back into your life. Your life cannot just stop because your boyfriend or girlfriend is there. You have to live for yourself. I chuckled just a couple of times, I wish I had more because this book had a lot of potential for it, but it just didn't happen.

Now, this is the part where I hope not to offend anyone. For this being a younger young adult novel I can see where some of this is relevant, but for the most part I found it annoying. Ali lets herself be blinded over the fact that Doug sings a few songs that she loves and he really puts some emotion behind his singing. She blatantly ignores the very, very obvious fact that Doug is a zombie. Then once she finds out she decides to break up with him but never gets around to it. She decides to break up with him over a few things; him not texting her back that very moment, him not telling her that he is a zombie the very moment that they met, and a few others. Also along the lines of her not realizing that he is a zombie, Megamart are the people who made the zombies rise and used them as slaves. Doug takes her to Megamart to specifically pick up his medication. She then goes into this rant about Megamart, and reveals a few things that all point to Doug being a zombie. Yet it still didn't click for her. For a girl with a head on her shoulders she sure as hell let one thing knock it off. I really didn't see a plot to this book. Live life fully? Don't take things for granted? Don't be an ice queen? What? My favorite annoyance is the sexual innuendos list. "We might have to do #7 from out list later." They hadn't been dating long and yet she is ready to go all out with him. Don't put this in a YA book. I really could go on about what annoyed me in this book but I won't.

I can see this being a younger adult novel, it's small, and it's a quick read. I think younger girls especially need to see how dumb it can look for them to be completely and utterly wrapped up in their S.O. It took for Ali to see how others where acting, before she realized that she was doing the same, and it looked bad. There is nothing wrong with being in love, just don't make it the end all be all when you are still so young . I liked a few of the messages but overall this book annoyed me and made me want to hit my head against the wall. If I saw this book for sale I most likely wouldn't get it. I recommend this book to those who have read this review and still want to read it but you have been warned.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Page Count: 177 pages (paperback)

Next Book: Gone by Lisa McMann

Thanks for reading!
~Jade

Trinity-The Prophecy by Kylie Price

I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway* that Kylie Price herself hosted. The Prophecy is the first book so far, there is a second book planned as far as I know. Price does have another book out called Wings of Vengeance. I did mention The Prophecy in my November and December book haul, and along with the book a few other goodies came all the way from Australia! I want to visit Australia in the warm months, and I am happy to have something that came from there *strokes book lovingly*.

Since fifth grade Trinity, Nikkee, and Sky have been best friends. It seemed that nothing could tear them apart. Until Trinity's eighteenth birthday, a day that should have been a big deal. The big 1-8, but it turned out to be anything but a milestone. Time was running out for Trinity, a prophecy foretold that she would be scratched by beast and bitten by monster. By the next full moon she would have to choose a side. So many questions pop up in Trinity's mind, will her friends still be there for her? Which side would she pick? What would happen afterwards?

I don't think I have read many books where an individual who has been attacked by a werewolf and bitten by a vampire has survived without being in a lot of pain or just died. I liked that a lot about The Prophecy. I couldn't put the book down, even with a few things that bugged me which I will get into later. I loved that there was a bigger backstory that kept being hinted toward and then finally told. The backstory really had me interested because it was the reason (for this particular book) as to why some supernatural creatures where created. I'm very curious to see how the second book pans out in terms of Trinity and her decision. Character-wise, I loved Nikkee I think she is another best friend that everyone should have. Sky, I wasn't too crazy about just because of the way that she acted but it is still very redeemable. I really want to see more from Garth though, he really intrigued me and he wasn't in the book all that much. Even though things moved really quickly, I feel as though it worked really well for The Prophecy. If it wasn't as fast paced as it was I could see myself having a hard time finishing the book. I laughed a few times which I always enjoy from a book. The preview for the second book realllly has me wanting more. The action in The Prophecy started and ended very well and I didn't have a problem with any of it. This ends with my love-hate relationship of a 'to be continued' cliffhanger, but I will take where it ended.

There where a couple of things I wasn't too happy about. They did drop my rating just a bit but not dramatically at all. The first one was the first third to almost fourth of the book I felt like it was "and then this happened, and then this happen, and then, and then" etc. Though those words weren't said all the time that is how it felt. It bothered me, but I could ignore it easily and soon it just stopped. The other thing was Nikkee seemed a little too good of a friend to be true. Nikkee is rich and it is mention a number of times that she is, and like I said it just read to be too good to be true. I hope that made sense.. But that's how I felt, if you feel different that's perfectly fine. The final thing that really bothered me that I could have missed, was that Trinity seemed to have little inner turmoil going on. I don't feel that there was a lot, and I don't know about anyone else but if I was told the things that Trinity was (and I won't even spoil them because it will ruin a good portion of the plot) I would have lost it mentally. Trinity held it together nicely, yes. She did have a smaller breakdown, yes. She did have Nikkee to help vent and talk things over with, yes. I guess I would've liked to have read a little more in terms of a inner battle with herself. There was some, it just didn't feel like enough to me.

All in all I really, truly did enjoy The Prophecy. It was a very good read and I loved it. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who wants to read it. I don't see anything wrong with an advanced reader in middle school reading this. It's a pretty clean book even with the fighting in it, much worse is seen in movies. There is some Australian terminology, but if you use your context clues it's not very hard to figure out what it means. Obviously I own the book, and I would reread this many times before I would put it down for a length of time. I will review the next book, and any of Price's other books when I can.

Rating: 4.7 out of 5.

Page Count: 320 pages (paperback)

Price: ???

Next Book: Strong Like Me by Laurel Veil

Thanks for reading!
~Jade

*Note: I am in no way being coerced into making a review. Leaving a review is happily welcome but not required, thus if I don't like a book I will say so. This review is based upon my true feelings and thoughts about the book. I promise you I wouldn't let anything sway my opinion about a book.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Second book in the Lunar Chronicles, I do have the first book Cinder reviewed and it is linked as well. Like the last book, Scarlet is a spinoff, only this time of Little Red Riding Hood. The next book is Cress. The fourth book Winter comes out late this year. There is a short story that goes along with this series, called Glitches. You can get free on Amazon for your Kindle. There are a few other books and short stories that go along with the series, one other is also free.

Cinder has returned for the second book. She's trying to escape from prison and if she succeeds she will become the most wanted person in Commonwealth. Then halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother has gone missing. She meets Wolf, a street fighter, who may or may not have information about her grandmother. As much as Scarlet doesn't want to trust him, she is drawn to him and he to her. The two of them begin to decipher a mystery, and they come up against yet another when they meet up with Cinder. Together they must try and stay one step ahead of Queen Levana. The one who rules Lunar and is meaner than mean and will do anything to get Prince Kai to become her prisoner....I mean king...

For a YA novel I really think adults and "older" people could enjoy this read. I'm really glad that Cinder was still a main character in this book, along with Scarlet and a few others. So far my list of people that I like is growing, most of the new characters introduced in Scarlet I came to enjoy. Captain Thorne is the comic relief that we need from time to time with his whit and I like that about him. I found Wolf to be very endearing, because I knew he wanted to do good but just had a rough start to life. Along with a few things that where out of his control, but he didn't let that deter him, especially after he met Scarlet. I wasn't too sure how both Cinder and Scarlet where going to be able to coexist in this book together, but their plot lines came together nicely. Meyer did a great job with the two. I didn't have one problem with the action in this book, it started earlier and lasted long enough for me. I find it fascinating that in just a short amount of time I read two separate books both with a bad guy named Jael. I wonder if I will find a book where he is the hero of sorts? Once again as in Cinder, you can see the parallels between Little Red Riding Hood and Scarlet. I am wondering how Cinder and Kai's relationship is going to pan out though, or if it does. I also liked that Levana's character is continuing to be unraveled slowly and in a way that is keeping me interested. Along with that we as a reader are learning some very interesting things that are going on on Lunar. I hope that Meyer will divulge more on what is going on on Lunar.

Honestly, I don't have anything to rant about that I didn't like. As I said before whereas I have had problems with when the action starts in a book, I didn't have it for Scarlet. The spoiler that is marked ahead, if you have read Scarlet, then it shouldn't be a spoil for you. *SPOILER-ALERT* I have seen a theme from the first book to the second one, where someone dies. In the first book it was Peony, and then there is grandmother in this one. And quite possibly a second yet to be confirmed or revealed as a hoax. I wonder who is next, I wonder if someone will perish in Cress? *SPOILER-ENDED*

As of now, I recommend this book and the previous to anyone and everyone. Not just young adults. I would even say that an advanced reader in middle school could conquer this book. There isn't anything that I would say is something that a parent may take offense with. Even with the bloodier descriptions, they could have been a lot worse, and I guarantee that you see worse in movies. I hope I continue to be happy with this series and if I am not you will know. I would reread this book and I do want to own it. If you haven't read these books yet, I say go for it!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Page Count: 454 pages (hardcover)

Price: $17.99

Next Book: Trinity-The Prophecy by Kylie Price

Thank you for reading and I hope that everyone has a great 2015!

~Jade

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

I know, I said OCD Love Story would be the next review up, but this book had to go back to my library sooner than expected. I have seen the movie and it was what prompted me to pick up and read the book. I am not going to be comparing the book to the movie now, but if people want me to and say as much, I will. This is the first book in the Mortal Instruments series, I do plan on reading the series when I can. So here is this review, and I hope you enjoy!

Think it was going to be just another day, Clary Fray witnesses a murder in a local club. The people committing the murder are just teens themselves and they have these weird markings on them. They are the Shadowhunters and they are warriors who rid the world of demons. Jace is the magnificent, blond of the group and no more than a day later Clary is in his world. To top it off her mother disappears and Clary is attacked numerous times. Clary is a mundane and has the Sight, the Shadowhunters are unsure of what to make of this. Hopefully it all pans out for itself, and for the good.

I finished this book, in about a day and a half. I am kicking myself for not reading this either when it got popular or when it caught my eye a few years back. Clary, Jace, Magnus, and Simon are my favorite characters by far, mainly Simon and Jace for their witty sarcasm and dry humor. City of Bones was fast paced and sometimes I got caught up in it and other times I was fine. I almost feel as though if it weren't so fast paced it would have been too wordy for my likings. The surprises aren't too crazy but hinted toward in a fashion that you know something is going to happen because of it. *SPOILER-ALERT* Not too sure how I feel about the whole brother-sister action in the book but hey, that may just be another twist in the series. *SPOILER-ENDED* I like that things were explained in a way that was as short as possible but held all the necessary details to get the readers through the book. I laughed a lot as well while reading, and I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting things to be more serious and I am really glad that it wasn't. I am also glad that this book isn't vampire based. There are vampires in it but there is other folklore that comes into play and it works for this book. This isn't a smaller book, this is a slightly bigger book and it is another nice change I have been reading books that are on the smaller side.

As for things I didn't like, one was mentioned in the spoiler part. I have a feeling it is all a bunch of lies but there is something that someone said that stops me from pushing it aside. The action in this book is another thing. Yes I said that I liked it but at the same time if it weren't for the humor in the parts that aren't full of action, I wouldn't have liked it. I did get confused in a few parts, I'm not too sure if it was the way that the passage was worded or what, but it didn't trip me up too bad. Hopefully this series doesn't disappoint in the end.

I devoured this book in a day and a half and if that doesn't show you that I liked it, I don't know what will. For a 'teen' book, I think people of all ages would enjoy this. It just feels right to me, and I think I might like this series a lot (at least I am hoping). I definitely recommend this book to everyone who has either looked at it, considered it, or anything. I would love to own this book one day and maybe I will. As usual when I can get my hands on the second book I will read and review it.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Page Count: 485 pages (paperback)

Price: $10.99

Next Book: OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu

Thank you for reading!
~Jade

Girls That Growl by Mari Mancusi

This is the third novel in the Blood Coven series. I have reviewed the first two books as well.

Rayne is back and this time she has to join the cheerleaders for Slayers Inc. Not for any slaying vampires job, but because they are growling. Not to mention a member of the football team is missing. This isn't the only thing that Rayne has on her hands. Jareth has become the complete opposite of what he used to be when he couldn't walk in the sunlight.

Rayne becoming a cheerleader? Yeah it happens. Completely out of the blue. But it wasn't that bad, there were some funny moments as Rayne blackmails one of the cheerleaders into getting her and another girl  onto the team. Even bigger shocker is that Rayne stays on the team! Throughout the book Rayne learns new things about herself, and she figures out that things need to change for the better. Which I liked because she is growing up, no more is the little girl who judges people based on the clique they are in. Jareth is someone who helps her see this too, along with Mandy (a girl on the cheerleading team, the one she blackmailed). *SPOILER-ALERT* Though Jareth has to go about it quite differently he has to break her heart and make the reader sad when he breaks up with her. It is short lived thankfully, and they get back together. *SPOILER-ENDED*

I didn't really like how easy it was for Rayne to figure out a cure for the cheerleading squad, and their predicament. It was about 4 pages, then problem sloved! Just have to go give it to them, without them actually knowing. It disappointed me, because it seemed like everything about this book was a simple fix. Nothing lasted very long, and the big problem in the book was fixed in seconds. I was hoping for more of a struggle with the main problem. The main struggle was with Rayne and her accepting things. I understand that but even that was almost a quick and easy fix it seemed.

Overall this was a easy read. I finished it quickly and didn't have a problem understanding anything. I wanted more of a struggle with the main plot, but I did pick this up from the "Teen" section of my library. That is probably why. Though I was disappointed with this book a little I would read it again just for the laughs that I got form it every now and then. Macusi is a very good writer and she does keep the reader engaged. This book was not left as a cliffhanger, so I am unsure what the next book is going to be about. There is a subtle hint in the book before the end, but even that doesn't really make for a cliffhanger because the reader is more interested about what is happening at the time the hint is dropped.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Page Count: 249 pages (paperback)

Price: $9.99

Next Book: Ask For It by Sylvia Day

Thanks for reading!
~Jade