A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

OHMIGOSH. WHEN WILL THIS TORMENT END?!?1

Though to be honest, the torment is so sweet that at the same time I never want it to end. Jeez, how long has it been since I felt like this after reading an amazing book? Sure, there are plenty of books that were good, or adorable, or heartbreaking, but to have on be all of those and have the addition of some very sweet characters, and plotline, is just too much goodness for one person. You've done it, Sarah J. Maas. You've created a book that was too good for me too handle. 

Okay, let's make this a bit of a coherent review. Three months have passed since the events that A Court of Thorns and Roses ended with. You'd expect everything to be going dandy, Feyre is finally united with the man that she loves, Prythian is saved from the crazy Bitch Amarantha, and mortality is no longer a problem now that Feyre is a High Fae. Well, guess what? Shit is definitely fucked up. 

''It was easier not to have to explain anyway. To not have to tell him that though I'd freed him, saved his people and all of Prythian from Amarantha... I'd broken myself apart. And I didn't think even eternity would be long enough to fix me.''

PTSD people. A real disease, and something that young adult literature often overlooks and ignores. It always amazed me when characters went through these horrible ordeals, and turned out okay, being able to just shake it off. Perhaps there were a few that did, but none as effective as Sarah J. Maas. I could practically feel Feyre's depression, how tired she was of it all, wanting to just give up. It hurt my heart, made me want to rage at the world, at the unfairness of it all.

 ''It was all I could do to keep from screaming, to keep from shattering into ten thousand pieces as I sank onto the marble floor, bowing over my knees and wrapped my arms around myself. ''

 What amazed me the most though, was the character development they all went through. We get shown different sides of these characters, and it was executed so well, that I just was shocked speechless. I don't wanna spoil too much, but boy, did I have to rethink everything I thought was true. And let me repeat, it was done so well I was just speechless, but in a good way. I can't bring into words how much I loved this book.

I thought the first book in these series was awesome, as it had amazing relationships, and an amazing plotline that wasn't predictable. Well, A Court of Mist and Fury blew it away with awesomeness. The characters were even better, they were so fleshed out, each of them had their own story, and they were so believable, that I just wanted to cry from all the goodness in this book. As for the plotline, I can honestly say that it was one of the best that I have read. Unlike the first book, A Court of Mist and Fury did not focus on the romance, but rather on the threats that loomed on the horizons, and they were actually being active and doing things to prevent it. 

I'm not going to start talking about Rhys, because if I do, I will probably never stop. Let's just summarize by saying that he was as sweet and awesome and funny as I had predicted. And I loved the fact that he was damaged as well, and healing. It showed us a different side to him, how much he had sacrificed for his friends and family, making me want to step into that world and shout to all it's people what a great, great person he was, and how much he sacrificed. 

And:

One thing that I hate most in books is when the heroine is strong as hell and wants to fight, but the hero discourages it, just because he is an overprotective asshole, with the excuse that they can't concentrate if the heroine is in danger. None of that bullshit here people! Feyre was encouraged to fight along with all these badass characters, was trained to help them, made to embrace her powers. Boy was she badass! She almost scared me. Almost. 

And the ending! Dear Mother of God, the amazing, heartbreaking, thrilling, and just delightfully evil ending this book had blew me away. It again showed how much trust the hero had in our heroine, that he was able to make the hard choice. Because that's what they were similar in more than anything else, the ability to sacrifice any and everything so they could save the world and the people in it that they loved. It still had me in tears, but they were the good kind.

It depresses me that to read the next book, I have to wait until May 4th 2017. THAT IS A FUCKING YEAR AWAY PEOPLE. What exactly am I going to do with my time till then? Other books will pale next to this one. I am definitely diagnosing myself with a book-hangover. And you know what? This book was worth it. I can honestly say that I have never read a book that made as much of an impact on me as this one. To list all the reasons why I loved it, I would need to live at least seven times as longer as I have now, just so I would have enough time. Sarah J. Maas, thank you for this awesome book!

'' ''He thinks he'll be remembered as the villain in the story.''

She snorted.

''But I forgot to tell him,'' I said quietly, opening the door, ''that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key.'' ''

 

Worth It (Forbidden Men #6) by Linda Kage

I fell in love once.

It was amazing. She was amazing. Life was amazing.

I lived for each time I could see her, and nothing else mattered, not that our families were enemies, our time together was forbidden, or we had to meet in secret.

Our love could conquer all.

Until it didn't.

So I was ripped away from the love of my life and shoved into hell, forced to continue without her.

It shattered me, broke the best parts of me, left me permanently damaged.

Or so I thought.

Years later, I swear history’s trying to repeat itself because she’s back in my life, and I’m just as drawn to her as I was before. But I'm older and wiser now, and I know she should stay away from a worthless ex-con like me.

So, I will not let her in. I absolutely refuse to hurt her. I will keep her away.

Then again, sometimes risking your greatest fear to get to a smile makes everything worth it, and besides, I’m not sure I can resist her, anyway.

This is the story of how Felicity Bainbridge changed my life forever, starting one summer day long ago after I was forced to change a dirty diaper...

--Knox Parker

Wow. Okay, so I don't know why, but this didn't feel like any of the other Forbidden books. I mean, the reason I loved those was that they were funny as hell, and light and easy reading, while at the same time being deep and emotional.

Worth It was not what I expected. It was dark, and at some times really heartbreaking. It tore my heart out of my chest, stamped on it, put it through a grinder, and then spit on it. But meanwhile, it was also filling it to the point of breaking with goeeyness and making me squeal with joy.

Doesn't mean I didn't love this book to pieces. Because I did. I feel deeply in love with this book, just like any other in the Forbidden Men series.

Okay, going back to the beginning. So this story is not told in chronological order, and we have two points of view, our two awesome main characters, Felicity and Knox. We also have two timelines: the present timeline and the 6-years-back one. Lemme just tell you guys, they were like day and night. 6 years ago, we had this cutest little storyline.

'' ''You know that, right? You're safe here.'' His hushed voice coaxed more from me than he probably intended. ''Just... please stay still with me for a couple  minutes longer, until they're gone, okay? Then, maybe give me a head start before you scream as loud as you want. ''  All I heard was, stay with me, and please. And oh my word, I was tempted to give him anything he wanted. 

But when I lifted my gaze to his, his chocolate brown eyes met mine, and he looked so.... Parkerish.''

 Basically, Knox and his City were crazy in love, the kind of love that lasts a lifetime. They were considerate with each other, open and sharing. And ohmigosh, but did I just adore them. City was practically unpractical, and Knox was just such a good guy, I couldn't help but wish I had a boyfriend like him.

And then I'd flip the page to a new chapter and everything went dark and gritty. Because of course they couldn't just have a little bit of a hard time, noooo, these two had to endure hell.

''I'm just some wasted shell of space who won't stop breathing. And I can do nothing but hurt you. There's this stain on me. I'll never get it out.''

MY BABIES GAAAH!! I don't wanna say too much lest I spoil it for you guys, but can I just say my heart broke for these two. Their story was so sad, I could not handle it. They deserved so much more, and their innocence was taken away from them at such a young age. Tears were literally streaming down my face the whole time.

The one bright spot was the supporting cast. We got to see a lot of the others, and I loved that! Okay, so I wasn't the biggest fan of Noel, but the rest of the Gamble family is so adorable, especially little Colton. And Ten, and Caroline, and Quin, and Zoey, and Eva, and Reese, and Mason and the fucking sweetheart Pick. We even got some hints to Asher's story, The Girl's Got Secrets. MWAAH ASHER AND PICK YASSS!!

Anyhoots, what are you waiting for, read this book, and add one more awesome-sauce book to your shelves!

A Perfect Ten (Forbidden Men #5) by Linda Kage

Let your hair down, Caroline, they said. It'll be fun, they said. 

I know I've closed myself off in a major way over the past year, ever since “the incident” where I messed up my life completely. It's past time I try to live again or just give up altogether. But this is quite possibly the craziest thing I've ever done. In a last ditch effort to invigorate myself, I'm standing outside Oren Tenning's bedroom, I just peeled off the sexiest pair of underwear I own, and my hand is already raised to knock. My brother would disown me for doing anything with his best friend, and he'd probably kill Oren. But if I play my cards right, no one will ever know about this. Not even Ten. 

Maybe after tonight, I’ll finally get over this stupid, irrational crush I hate having on the biggest jerk I’ve ever met. Or maybe I’ll just end up falling for him even harder. Maybe I’ll discover there’s so much more to my crude, carefree hunk than meets the eye.

It's not a good book, Nigina, they said. Don't read it, they said.

I have waited so freaking long for their story, and finally I read it. It was everything I dreamt it to be. Funny, deep, emotional. I cried my eyeballs out at the ending. Going into this book I was going nuts, because a good friend of mine, who has practically the same taste in books as me, told me it wasn't as good as she thought it was. NOOOOOO, I thought. I freaked out, I didn't dare read it. But then I got over myself and read the damn book. And while I get why some people might be offended by some things in this book, I just didn´t give a flying fuck. Sure there were minor flaws, but who cares. As long as the story was interesting to me. As long as it wasn´t all too horrible. Okay, if I´m a hundred percent honest, I had some issues too. But, overall, it´s a good book, would definitely recommend it. It was definitely one of the most emotional books in the series though, so be warned. Or maybe it´s just because it´s 2 am right now, and I just finished the book, and am so freaking tired.

Anyhow. The characters were amazing, I really loved Ten and Caroline in this one. I mean, I always knew Ten had the potential to be an awesome sarcastic little shit, but his sweet side really surprised me. He was so freaking gentle and caring with Caroline, I just melted in a poodle. Talking about Caroline, wow she was freaking fierce! Didn´t think she had it in her, with her past and all, but she was an amazing surprise. I just basically had Katy Perry's Roar in my head every time we had her narrative. YOU GO GIRL!!

All of the characters were a surprise, come to think about it. Though not all were good surprises. I could describe Noel in one word in this book: dissappointment. Bleh. I never really liked him, but in this book he was just ugh. Noel did some pretty horrible things, in my opinion, and I would not have forgiven him that quickly. He was just such a jerk, and incredibly insensitive.  Ah well, whatever. Super fun that we got to see a bit more of the Gamble family. Colton and Brandt were just the best, and Aspen turned out to be pretty awesome too.

The story was so emotional. I just wanted to bawl the whole last chapters of it. Maybe it´s just me, but their backgrounds also made their story so freaking interesting. I just, I was so invested in everything they did. I think that, in these series, the first book, The Price of a Kiss would be the absolute best, with With Every Heartbeat and A Perfect Ten as a close second. Yes, they share the second place. Do not make me choose between my babies.

What I had a pretty big problem with though, was the slut shaming. Especially at the beginning. Every girl who was just near Ten was automatically classified as a whore or slut. Not cool. And what´s with the abortion hate in this book. Basically, they insinuate that every person who has had an abortion has just killed their baby. I get the point they were trying to make in the book, what with pregnancies and stuff, but still. It just made me queasy how they handled that topic in this book. It defenitely did not sit well with me, but maybe I am just overreacting.

Okay, well, sorry for ramble review, my brain is pretty fried right now. Conclusion:

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

OH. MY. GOSH.

I could not believe how much I loved this book! I've seen it floating around on Goodreads, and people could not stop gushing about it,  but I always put off reading it. Maybe it's because I read Sarah J. Maas's other series, the Throne of Glass series, and while I thought it was good, I was left a bit disappointed because of all the hype around it, which helped raise my expectations, which in the end weren't really met. But that's okay, since I didn't give up and kept reading the series and found out I loved it!

But I'm getting off topic.

What did ACOTAR give me that was so great? It gave me wonderful characters with whom I could symphatise with. It gave an unique world, in vivid details. It gave me amazing and complex relationships between the wonderful characters, and not only romantic ones, but ones of friendship and family, and even dislike and hate. It gave me a intriguing, unpredictable, and most of all, very enjoyable storyline.

Sure there were things I didn't like. For example, the one thing that defined Faeries, was taken away from us. In this version, the Fae could lie. Boooo. And yeah, the dreaded hint of an awkward book triangle. Gosh, I really hope that won't happen. 

Please don't let it happen. Please, please, please.

But I think it's definitely somewhere on the top of my favourite books of 2015 list, because of it's freshness. It was just so completely not what I expected it to be, especially the second half of the book. And, let's face it, I'm a sucker for good romance. Add to that the fact that my favourite movie growing up was Beauty and the Beast, and I was in a load of trouble. When Sarah J. Maas managed to write a retelling that was as good as A Court of  Thorns and Roses, I was sold.

And now I have to freaking wait until 2016 for the next book, with that ending. AAGH. Is it 2016 yet?

Wicked (A Wicked Saga #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

I think I sort of forgot how awesome JLA's books are. It's been so long since I read one, that I forgot how much I love them. Can't wait for her next book!

Okay, so Wicked. At first, I was kind of reluctant to start it. I mean, her other books are my favourite books, and there's always that apprehension about whether it will be as good as the other books. Well, I can say for a fact that it is just as good, if not better! Gosh, it was perfect. Sure, it started a bit slow, and at first I seriously disliked the mythological aspect of it, but it kind of grew on me. At the end of the book I think it was even one of the best things about this book. Shocking,  huh?

But the romance was amazing too. Ren Owens is definitely one of Jennifer Armentrout's creations. I mean, have you guys seen Daemon and Aiden, and the tons of other hot, jerky-but-at-the-same-time-sweet guys she's written? Yeah, Ren has JLA written all over him. AND I LOVE IT!! 

Besides the swoon-worthy looks and charms of the love interest, we have our main character Ivy. She was so strong, and brave, not to mention smart. I love how she didn't immediately start trusting Ren just because they had some serious chemistry. No, winning over this lady's trust was not easy at all. And she had baggage too, but it didn't stop her from living her life. Okay, maybe it partly did, but I totally understood it. And besides, she got over it pretty fast. 

Although the storyline was pretty predictable, I still found it interesting enough to keep on watching. I could see the plot twists at the end coming from a mile away. But oh well, it was still good, so I just enjoyed the ride. I guess at this point I only have one thing left to say.

Wolf Bride ( Lust in the Tudor Court #1)

England, 1536. Lord Wolf, hardened soldier and expert lover, has come to King Henry VIII's court to claim his new bride: a girl who has intrigued him since he first saw her riding across the Yorkshire moors. Eloise Tyrell, now lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne Boleyn, has other ideas. She has no desire to submit to a man she barely knows and who - though she is loath to admit it - frightens her not a little. Then comes that first kiss. It awakens in both a fierce desire that bares them to the soul. But as the court erupts into scandal around the ill-fated Queen, Eloise sees first-hand what happens when powerful men tire of their wives. Dare she surrender her body and her heart?

I freaking love historical romances. It's a combo of the two things I adore most in the world, and most of the time there is also some smexy times in it as well! And I can tell you this, if nothing else, Wolf Bride has bedroom steam like no other book, and the best thing is, this is supported by two characters that are so freaking likeable, that you get conflicted about which one is your favourite.

I'll just start off by saying that I love the story of Anna Boleyn. Since I watched the movie The Other Boleyn Girl when I was young, I was obsessed. And maybe it is because of that obsession that I was a bit disappointed in the historical part of it. It was an interesting choice to not go into how Queen Anne became Queen and what she did to do it, but about the consequences, not only for her, but also for her ladies-in-waiting, and it paid off. While I might've liked to see a bit more of that department, the part that I did get to see I enjoyed thoroughly. 

Ohmigod you guys. The best part of this book was of course the romance. And no, not only the bedroom scenes, because though I do love me some smut-reading, I also love me some romance. And it was good in this book. It build slowly, almost catching you out of nowhere, and hitting you right in the feels. 

In short, what are you waiting for?! Go read this book, and love it to death, people!

*I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley*

Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

This is a world divided by blood - Red or Silver.

Reds are commoners, ruled by Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will change.

That is, until a twist of fate brings her before the Silver court. Here, surrounded by the people she hates most, Mare discovers that despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly ability of her own.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the king hides her in plain view: betrothed to his youngest son. Trapped, Mare decides to use her new position to bring down the regime - from the inside.

But this is a game of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

This book surprised me with how much I loved it. I mean, I read the review, I knew it was good, but this good? I'm shocked, and in a completely good way. First I read the reviews, and they convinced me to buy the book, along with the gorgeous cover and title - and I know we shouldn't judge a book by its cover and yada yada yada, but whatever, I still do, it's my guilty pleasure. Shhh, don't tell anyone - and once I read the blurb I was sold. But I still held back with my expectations, because recently, it's just so hard to find a good series, that I don't even get my hopes up. But Red Queen surprised me. It was amazing, and I am so happy I bought it! And now I have the pretty cover on my bookshelve. I don't know why, since it isn't really  anything special, but the cover just amazes me. 

Can I just start with saying how awesomely unique and refreshing the world Aveyard created is? I mean, Silvers, Reds and just everything she thought out? I just can't stop gushing about it. Victoria Aveyard just has a way with her words, and it captivates and intrigues you.

''In school, we learned about the world before ours, about the angels and gods that lived in the sky, ruling the earth with kind and loving hands. Some say those are just stories, but I don't believe that. The gods rule us still. They have come down from the stars. And they are no longer kind.''

 And oh, the plot. The wonderful, brilliant and captivating plot. It was so freaking inpredictable, and the plot twist kept surprising me every time. Which is not an easy thing to do. I just never knew what the characters were gonna do, and could never figure out which character was trustworthy, and who wasn´t. It was just one freaking maze. In a completely good way.

Aside from having a strong storyline, and an awesome setting, Red Queen also had amazingly fleshed out characters. They were so freaking complex and no one was completely bad, or good. Mare was my favourite, because not only was she fun because of her wit and dry humor, she also did not lack intelligence. Being a Red and treated horribly by the Silvers, she understandably wanted some changes, and did things to make sure that those changes were made. But then she found out that they weren´t all that bad, and she fell in love with one of them. This is when most of the YA books turn horrible, and the girl decides that she should call off the revolution. Well, not this girl. Not A-FREAKING-MAZING Mare Barrow. Nope. She decided that for the greater good, she could, and would, put aside her feelings. And that's when I decided. Mare Barrow officially made it into my female-main-character-that-I-love-and-freaking-admire list. 

Ohmigosh tho. The two princes were awesome. Maven and Cal. They were complete opposites, but I could so identify with Mare's struggle. Though really, for me it's clear from the start whom I was rooting for. I mean, it's like putting chocolate against any other food. It's obvious that chocolate will win, though there are foods that are absolutely delicious. However, nothing wins from chocolate. NOTHING. 

And who is this chocolate guy, you ask? Sheesh guys, do you even have to ask? Cal, of course! *rolls eyes*

But the plot twist. THE FREAKING PLOTTWIST THAT I DID NOT SEE COMING, AT ALL. It just basically came out of nowhere and slapped me in the face. It had me shocked and devastated, and aching for the next book. I can't freaking wait!!

''I am the King. And you could've been my Red Queen. Now you are nothing.''