A Short & Sweet Review: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows (#4) by Sarah J. Maas (Sept. 2015)
648 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Source: The library.
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Rating:

Goodreads Summary: The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

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My Review

Fans of the Throne of Glass series won't want to miss the heart bursting fourth installment, Queen of Shadows. The stakes just keep on getting higher.

What I Loved: Celaena. Even when she frustrates me I love her. She is amazing.

What I Freaking Loved: Every other freaking character, but mostly Manon and Lysandra, bad-assery at its finest.

What I Was Beyond Thrilled About: The plot. Seriously. The action. The fighting scenes. This book was nerve wrecking.

What Disappointed Me: How Maas handled Chaol and Celaena's reunion. Sigh.

What Drove Me Crazy: That ending. Thank goodness we have two more books to go!

Straight to the Point: A Quick Review of The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (July 2015)
370 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Political Thriller
Publisher:Bloomsbury
Source: The library.
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Rating:

Goodreads Summary: This thriller YA is Scandal meets Veronica Mars.

Sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick has spent her entire life on her grandfather's ranch. But when her estranged sister Ivy uproots her to D.C., Tess is thrown into a world that revolves around politics and power. She also starts at Hardwicke Academy, the D.C. school for the children of the rich and powerful, where she unwittingly becomes a fixer for the high school set, fixing teens’ problems the way her sister fixes their parents’ problems.

And when a conspiracy surfaces that involves the family member of one of Tess's classmates, love triangles and unbelievable family secrets come to light and life gets even more interesting—and complicated—for Tess.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for this compelling teen drama with a political twist.

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My Review

Let's cut right to the chase and talk about how everyone should read The Fixer.

It has hilarious, smart, and wonderful memorable characters.

There are secrets, shocking surprises, and thrilling twists.

It's a quick read guaranteed to entertain.

The Fixer is a unique novel.

I am a fan of the television show House of Cards and this book reminded me of that. It was almost like a young adult version. Maybe that will sway you to read it.

The Bottom Line: The Fixer is fun. Read it.

A Straight to the Point Review: Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella (June 2015)
288 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: The library.
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Rating:

Goodreads Summary: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

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My Review

I loved Finding Audrey. Loved it. You should read it. You should read it right now. 

Here is why...

Finding Audrey has a cast of wonderful, creative, crazy, sweet, and memorable characters. I loved adorable Audrey and her whole family. Her mom may have been a little tiny bit annoying at times, but I still loved the whole family drama. 

First love is always sweet. 

I think teens and adults should give this book a chance simply because it deals with social anxiety disorder and how hard it can be for someone who has it. I don't think mental illnesses are taken as seriously as they should be still today and this book shines a light on that. It also talks about the important subject matter of bullying. Even though Kinsella tackles those tough subject matters in this book, she still manages to fit in humor (many LOL moments) in what I thought to be a respectful way. 

I closed this book with a smile on my face.

A Straight To The Point Review: The Queen of the Tearling by: Erika Johansen

The Queen of the Tearling (#1) by: Erika Johansen (July 2014)

448 pages

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: HaperCollins Publishers

Source: The Library

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother - Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid - was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea's uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea's 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother's guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom's heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother's legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive...

My Review

The Queen of the Tearling is a MUST read for all Fantasy fans, scratch that, it is a MUST read for anyone that even likes fantasy a tiny bit.

Here is why…

The Queen of the Tearling is full of rich memorable characters. The main character, Kelsea, is a strong, calculating, hard not to like Queen.

It is never boring. It’s full of magic, secrets, and intense scenes.

As you keep reading and get further and further lost inside the story you will acquire more and more feels.

Talk about beyond exceptional writing.

This quote: “Even a book can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and when that happens, you blame the hands, but you also read the book.”

Bottom Line: I NEED book two.