Book Review Round-Up is a new feature where I talk about several of the books I’ve been reading lately.

Book #1: Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger

Source/Format: borrowed the e-book from the library

What It’s About: Class is back in session…

Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style–with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what–or who–they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.

Gather your poison, steel tipped quill, and the rest of your school supplies and join Mademoiselle Geraldine’s proper young killing machines in the third rousing installment in the New York Times bestselling Finishing School Series by steampunk author, Gail Carriger.

What I Thought: This was such a fun book to read!  I mean, her books are always fun to read, so this isn’t unusual or anything.  I love seeing what Sophronia is up to, and I was quite surprised by how the book ended! I really didn’t see that coming!  And I also want to see how that plays out in the next book!  But I also want to see how things go with Sidheag and some of the events that happen in this one that we see much more of in the Parasol Protectorate series.  It really makes me want to go back and listen to that series to refresh my memory! Anyway, I’m curious to see if Sophronia will end up with someone (and who it would be), and I really am looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see how things turn out.  Especially with everything that keeps happening!

Rating: 4 stars.  I really liked it but didn’t love it.  While it’s a fun book that makes you wonder where things are headed, it also didn’t have the appeal that the other books did.

Book #2: Breaker by Emma Raveling

Source/Format: own the e-book!

What It’s About: War. Prophecy. Freedom.

She fought for herself.

She fought for friendship and love.

Now, Kendra Irisavie fights for the survival of her world.

War rages on, leaving no one untouched. Destruction rips through elemental communities and terror flourishes in its wake. Suspicion soars, order fractures, and loyalties crumble despite Kendra’s desperate attempts to protect everyone she holds dear.

When an organized Aquidae army launches a series of merciless assaults, Kendra and her friends set out to end the bloodshed once and for all. With the fate of elementals hanging in balance, the Shadow and sondaleur hunt each other down in a brutal match of cunning and will.

Kendra has trained for this her entire life. But in a ravaged world where trust is scarce and no life is sacred, she soon realizes her battle may be against an invincible enemy and that her darkest days lie ahead.

Twists and turns shape her harrowing odyssey, leading to a stunning climax that challenges everything she believes in.

Torn between destiny and autonomy, Kendra must finally decide whether the cost of freedom is too high.

Heartbreaking decisions, turbulent alliances, and shattering revelations collide in Breaker, the explosive conclusion to the Ondine Quartet.

What I Thought: I just loved Breaker!  You really couldn’t ask for a better ending to a great series!  There was part of me that didn’t want to finish reading because  didn’t want it to be over and yet I needed to know how it all ended.  We do find out who the Shadow is, and I was surprised and yet not surprised by who it was.  I mean, it really was perfect, but there was a small part of me that thought it would be someone closer to everything.  I’m glad it wasn’t, because that would have been horrible, and yet that’s totally what I was expecting.  There were a couple of character deaths that had me completely shocked, and one, I had to go back and re-read a few chapters because I couldn’t believe I missed it…only to not see even the slightest of hints. Maybe I need to re-read it again to see if I can find it…

Anyway, it really was a heart-breaking but hopeful end to the series, and I really want things to work out for Kendra, with being called to the ocean and then coming back with no memories…I hope they come back! Because I really want her to remember things.

Rating: 5 stars for being an awesome book that really tied everything together.

Book #3: Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown

Source/Format: own the e-book!

What It’s About: Kendra has always felt overshadowed by her older brother, Grayson, whose OCD forces him to live a life of carefully coordinated routines. The only way Kendra can stand out next to Grayson is to be perfect, and she has perfection down to an art — until a cheating scandal threatens her flawless reputation.

Behind the wheel of her car, with Grayson asleep beside her, Kendra decides to drive away from it all — with enough distance, maybe she’ll be able to figure everything out. But eventually, Kendra must stop running and come to terms with herself, her brother, and her past.

With undeniable grace and humor, acclaimed author Jennifer Brown explores OCD, the pressure for perfection, and the emotional highs and lows of a complex sibling relationship.

What I Thought: I liked Perfect Escape!  Not as much as I loved Hate List (because, really, I love that book so much, and it’s really hard to not compare every other Jennifer Brown book to that one, which is sort of unfair), but I still really related to both Kendra and Grayson.  I could definitely relate to Kendra, and how she felt like she needed to be the perfect child, especially with everything going on with Grayson.  You did get how people treated her because of it, and that was completely horrible of them.  Seriously, it made me so angry.  Anyway, it was really easy to understand why Kendra acted the way she did, and I think it’s something we can all relate to in some way.  Still, I didn’t completely love Kendra, and felt like she didn’t really get what Grayson was going through, and saw him more as a problem than an actual person going through something.  And I felt like she really didn’t seem to learn from her mistakes.

I also really understood Grayson, and how he felt.  I’ve struggled with depression for a long time, and I can totally relate to wanting to be normal, even though there really isn’t a normal.  I also really felt for him, because it definitely seemed like his parents weren’t quite sure what to do and that they seemed to walk around on eggshells because of the fact that he has OCD.

And the ending!  It just sort of…ended.  I really wanted more resolution with what happened when they got back home.

Rating: 3 stars.  I liked, and I could relate to both Grayson and Kendra, but I also found myself annoyed with both Kendra and how the book ended.

Book review round-up is a new feature, where I talk about a few of the books I’ve been reading.  It was inspired by a weird blogging/reading funk I’ve been in, and this is the 2nd one!

Book #1: Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

Source/Format: borrowed the e-book from the library

What It’s About: When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the ton. Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.

Wealthy beyond most men’s dreams, Cam has tired of society’s petty restrictions and longs to return to his “uncivilized” Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship—but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. But can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honored arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter…

What I Thought: I thought Mine Till Midnight was okay.  I really felt like there wasn’t any chemistry between Amelia and Cam, and it was hard to root for them and care about their happily ever after.  I so did not feel it between them. That’s pretty much it, because I really can’t recall anything else.

Rating: 2 stars.  Pretty much because I didn’t feel it between Amelia and Cam.

Book #2: Doll Bones by Holly Black

Source/Format: borrowed from the library

What It’s About: Zach, Alice, and Poppy, friends from a Pennsylvania middle school who have long enjoyed acting out imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures, embark on a real-life quest to Ohio to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl.

What I Thought: I thought Doll Bones was okay.  If I were in elementary school or middle school, I’d probably love the adventure but it didn’t quite work for me.  I think because one of them was way more into imaginary adventures than the other two, and it seemed weird that no one would notice a few kids wandering around by themselves for a while. I know they need to in order to fulfill their quest, but something about it made it hard to get into.  It is clear that there’s a very established story in the world they created, and that is a story I’d love to read…it seems much more interesting than the three kids growing out of their imaginary adventures.  But I do think some people will like it, even if it wasn’t for me.

Rating: 2 stars, for reasons I mentioned above.

Book #3: The Truth About Air And Water by Katherine Owen

Source/Format: I own the e-book!

What It’s About: They share an epic love but one moment changes everything. A life together that seemed certain is shattered. One learns you never love the same way twice; the other learns what it means to come home. You only think you know how this love story goes, but do you really know how an epic love can end?

What I Thought: I am so glad that there’s a sequel to This Much Is True!  I really liked seeing what was going on with Tally and Elvis, and even though things were rough for them, like really rough, they did get through it.  And I really hope that there’s another book, because I feel like their story is far from over.  It definitely stands on its own, and even though you don’t need to read the first book in order to know what’s going on in this book, I think it’s a really good idea to read the first one in order to fully get how much these two have been through.  It has more of an impact when you understand everything that’s happened.  And I just loved it, and it was heart-breaking but not heart-breaking and angsty the way This Much Is True was.  I don’t know if it’s because of the weird reading funk I’ve been going through, but it didn’t hit me emotionally the way I thought it was.

Rating: 5 stars for being such a great story, and for keeping their story…very true to them, and who they are as a couple and as people.

I haven’t been blogging a lot lately, and have pretty much been sticking to Top Ten Tuesday posts and a movie review (for Insurgent), but I have been reading…and since I want to talk about what I’ve been reading, I thought I’d do a few posts where I talk a little about the books I’ve been reading.  This is the first of several review round-ups I’m working on, so enjoy!

Book #1: Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Format/Source: borrowed the e-book from the library

What It’s About: Emily is about to take some risks and have the most unexpected summer ever in this new novel from the bestselling author of Second Chance Summer and Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour.

Before Sloane, Emily didn’t go to parties, she barely talked to guys, and she didn’t do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—someone who yanks you out of your shell.

But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list with thirteen bizarre tasks that Emily would never try. But what if they can lead her to Sloane

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Wait…what?

Getting through Sloane’s list will mean a lot of firsts, and with a whole summer ahead of her—and with the unexpected help of the handsome Frank Porter—who knows what she’ll find.

Go Skinny Dipping? Um…

What I Thought: Since You’ve Been Gone is an okay book.  It’s definitely a cute book, and I liked seeing Emily get out of her comfort zone.  I wasn’t completely into the book, mostly because who Emily was seemed to be really dependent on Sloane being around, and if Sloane wasn’t around, Emily wasn’t much of anyone.  It really did feel like her entire life and personality and identity revolved around Sloane.  While I can relate to your identity revolving around someone or something, it really felt irritating in this book, especially since she seemed to have latched onto a few different people, only for the something really similar to happen again.  I felt like Sloane was also a really shitty friend, especially with how she just left Emily with no explanation, and just a list of things to do.  Even though her explanation at the end of the book made sense, it was really hard to care, no matter how hard I tried.  The characters weren’t memorable, and I felt like her friendship with Sloane was built up to be bigger and more important than I felt it was.  I think teenage me would have liked it, but for adult me, it was too boring and felt pretty tame.  I did like the random playlists throughout the book, and I wish I had thought to check out some of the songs before I had to return it to the library.  I don’t know that I’d buy it, because it would be silly buying it just for the playlists, but I’d definitely check it out from the library again just for that.

Rating: 2 stars.  It’s cute but Sloane just seemed like an (understandably) not so great person, while Emily seemed really dependent on others for her identity.

Book #2: Huntress by Malinda Lo

Format/Source: borrowed the paperback from a friend

What It’s About: Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn’t shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people’s survival hangs in the balance.

To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls’ destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.

The exciting adventure prequel to Malinda Lo’s highly acclaimed novel Ash is overflowing with lush Chinese influences and details inspired by the I Ching, and is filled with action and romance.

What I Thought: I liked Huntress!  I think I would have liked it more if I hadn’t read it at a time when focusing on anything except staring blankly into space.  Timing really is important when it comes to reading, because I felt like nature hanging in the balance really didn’t come through.  I think a few other things didn’t make a lot of sense when I was reading it, but I honestly can’t remember what they are now!  She did create a really interesting world, from what I can remember and after reading Adaptation recently (and really liking that world), I do want to go back and re-read it, since I really do think I read it at the wrong time, and my thoughts on the book suffered because of it.  Anyway, I liked that Kaede and Taisin live in a world where same-sex marriage is rare but also…not a big deal at all, especially when it comes to arranged marriages and marrying for alliances.

Rating: 3 stars.  I liked it and I really wish I had read it at a time when I had more energy to focus on it, because I think I would have like it a lot more.  I’m definitely going to have to re-read it.

Book #3: Waterfall by Lauren Kate

Source/Format: e-book from the library

What It’s About: Eureka’s tears have flooded the earth, and now Atlantis is rising, bringing with it its evil king, Atlas. Eureka is the only one who can stop him, but first she must learn how to fight. She travels across the ocean with Cat, her family, and Ander, the gorgeous and mysterious Seedbearer who promises to help her find Solon, an enigmatic lost Seedbearer who knows how to defeat Atlas.

Once on land, Eureka is taunted by gossipwitches, a group of displaced Atlantean sorceresses, and ambushed by locals struggling to survive amid the destruction her tears have wrought. And she feels no closer to facing Atlas or saving the world when Solon lets slip that love is Ander’s weakness, and that any affection he feels toward her makes him age faster.

Trying to make sense of the dark world her sorrow has created, Eureka receives startling insight from an enchanted pond. Her bewildering reflection reveals a soul-crushing secret: if she’s strong enough, Eureka can draw on this knowledge to defeat Atlas—unless her broken heart is just what he needs to fuel his rising kingdom…

In Waterfall, Eureka has the chance to save the world. But she’ll have to give up everything—even love.

What I Thought: To be honest, I remember nothing about Waterfall.  Seriously.  I have it rated 4 stars, and I could not even begin to tell you why.  I really couldn’t.  Obviously, I didn’t love it or anything, and I’m pretty sure that I didn’t like it the way I liked the first book.  Actually…I did like the place where Solon lives- it felt like a really pretty place.  I just wish I had more thoughts!

Rating: 4 stars.  I wish I could remember why.  Maybe I’ll do an updated review on this one if I find myself re-reading it.