Girl of Myth and Legend

Rating: 4 out of 5

Favorite Quote(s): I couldn't pick between these two so I'll put both...

"...you'd better stand back because mine is a fire that will consume anyone in my way, and when it does, I'll rip off that mask you hide behind, stare into those eyes of yours, and all I'll see is pure, naked, unfathomable fear looking back at me."

"I am sacred. I am a coward, and even so I will survive, because nothing can beat me. Break my bones, sorch my flesh, haze my mind, discourage me all you want, and I will survive. I have something stronger, something untouchable. I will survive. But I promise you, you won't make it off this mountain, I'll make sure of it."

Summary: Leonie Woodville wants to live an unremarkable life. She wants routine, she wants repetition, she wants predictability. So when she explodes in a blaze of light one morning on the way to her college, it’s enough to put a real crimp in her day.

And things only get weirder…

Leonie learns from her father that she is last of the Pulsar, a phenomenally powerful member of a magical species called the Chosen. It will be her sole duty to protect the Imperium, a governing hierarchy, from all enemies, and to exceed the reputation of the Pulsar before her. So – no pressure there, then.

Leonie is swept away from her rigorous normality and taken to a world of magic. There, she is forced into a ceremony to join her soul to a guardian, Korren, who is both incredibly handsome and intensely troubled, a relationship for which ‘it’s complicated’ just really doesn’t cut it.

But Leonie is soon to learn that this ancient world is no paradise. With violent dissidents intent to overthrow the Imperium, and dark entities with their own agenda, she and Korren find themselves caught in a war where they will have to overcome their differences if they are to survive.

Review: I really enjoyed this novel!! The beginning was slow, but once the book picked up, I couldn't put it down. (My iPad had to die before I could stop.) 

The world Simlett creates is flawless, not in the sense that it doesn't have faults or darkness, but in the way she's able to depict it so well with so little words. She also beautifully balances the dialogue and the action in all of her scenes. 

The story is told mostly from the point-of-view of Leonie, but there are a few flashbacks and short chapters from the point-of-view of Korren. I found these to be essential to the reader. They help us better understand Korren, a creature with a complicated past and an even more complicated mind.

One of the best things about this book, however, was the intense mystery. You honestly didn't know who to trust. There was not a set "good" or "bad". The plot was compelling and complex which could mean endless possibilities in the future. 

Shadows

Rating: 4 out of 5

Favorite Quote: “I know exactly who I am. It’s everyone else who seems to be having a problem.”

Summary:  It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters was in the car crash that killed her twin brother, Jude. Her body has healed in the sunshine of Pandanus Beach, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she kills demons and other hell-spawn.

And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams—he claims a history with her brother that makes no sense. Gaby is forced to accept that what she thought she knew about herself and her life is only a shadow of the truth—and that the truth is more likely to be found in the shadows of her nightmares.

Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And most importantly, who can she trust?

Fast-paced and gripping, Shadows, the first book in the Rephaim series.

Review: I started reading this series because I craved a book that involved angels/demons.  I don't know what it is about these type of story-lines, but they always seem to pull me in. I was a little nervous because the cover seemed a bit off. (I know. I know. We aren't suppose to "judge a book by its cover", but we all do it anyway.) It wasn't that the cover was necessarily ugly or bad, it just didn't seem to fit with the summary.

Don't worry, I sucked it up, and after reading a few chapters, I was like "Okay. Yes. Yes. I'm getting into it." The author does a great job of setting up the main character and establishing the mundane world before introducing the angelic world. Most books have a few chapters or a chapter where the protagonist is living out their everyday, normal life, but unlike other novels, I didn't feel rushed. I got to know Gaby, understand how she sees the world, and create my own opinion about her.

I especially  appreciated the way Gaby's special "amnesia" played into the plot. Although,  Gaby was learning and exploring this new world with us, she had a history with many of the characters.  This allowed for a greater build-up of suspense, and allowed for an overall more satisfying story.

Last. but not least, the characters. If you have read any of my past reviews, you have noticed the emphasis I put on the importance of solid literary personalities. Gaby was easily relateable without being  too unrealistically good.  As much as I liked her, Raffe was my favorite character in this novel.  I thoroughly enjoyed his complexity. At first, he seemed to be nothing more than stereotypical bad guy turned good, or bad boy with a heart of gold, but after finishing the novel, I see that giving him such a vapid label would be a cruel injustice.

Ugly Love

Ranking 4 out of 5

Favorite Quote: "But then I met you, and every single day since then, I've wondered how someone could be so beautiful if there wasn't a God. I've wondered how someone could make me so incredibly happy if God didn't exist. And I realized...just now...that God gives us the ugliness so we don't take the beautiful things in life for granted."

Summary: When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn't think it's love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her. 

Never ask about the past. Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all. Hearts get infiltrated. Promises get broken. Rules get shattered. Love gets ugly.

Review: I decided to read this book because I've liked every novel I've ever read by Collen Hoover. Plus, this particular story had a pretty high rating on goodreads, and I heard something about it being turned into a movie. I just love being able to go see a movie and tell all of my friends "I read this book." (It makes me feel so smart! My friends also love spoilers so I get to have all the power!!) Before I go into anything about this book, I just wanted to let you all know that it contains some sexual content. It was for this specific reason that I was afraid of reading it, but I told myself "Hey! Got to try something new, right?!...." However, after reading it I can assure you that, if you aren't into that sort of thing, all you have to do is skip over those few pages/parts. (You won't miss anything that connects drastically with the plot.) 

Okay, to move on... This book was surprisingly good. I was kind of shocked by some of the inspirational content. (*My favorite quote.*) At moments, it left me smiling blissfully and other times I was just like...dang.... 

The story switches point of views, but not in the way you would expect. You'll read a chapter from Tate's point of view in the present and then the story-line switches to Miles point of view where he tells the story of his past. I really liked this aspect. In most contemporary romance novels nowadays one or more of the main characters will have suffered from a catastrophic event or set of events, but the reader isn't really made aware of the details of these events/event. That is what is so great about Ugly Love. You get to live through the WHOLE backstory of the darker character (which I appreciated immensely). Honestly, this is what made the book for me.

Besides that, I'd have to say, it was nothing spectacular. It is a typical romance novel without any quirky tidbits or unique plot twists, characters, settings, themes...(*other literary terms*) Even with that said, you should definitely give it a read. It's a good book and it may surprise you. (In a thumbs-up-way not a thumbs-down way!) 

Side Note: I'm taking book recommendations. If you have found an amazing read...or you wrote one. (Even if it is on Wattpad. Because I love Wattpad.) Hit me up! Oh...and also if you have any suggestions for songs I adore listening to music while I read!