Review: World After - Susan Ee

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

World After is the second book in the Penryn & End of Days series, so naturally check out the first book in the series, Angelfall before doing anything else. But do note, that this a a solid sequel in the series, which is pretty badass.

This book was stressful. I had no idea how it was going to end without something horrible happening to one of our beloved characters. Similar to the first one, one bad situation seemed to follow another,which had Penryn running for her life while trying to protect her family. This book also delivers the same amount of gore that the first book gave, which I really enjoy in a YA novel. So if you don't like graphic imagery, avoid this series! 

However, this book did suffer from a bit of second book syndrome, OR better known as filler to bridge the introduction to the series and the conclusion. There was some good story development and I can sense a kick ass conclusion to this series. However, what a lot of what made the first book so good was the banter between Raffe and Penryn, which was missing in the first 2/3 of this book. Together Raffe and Penryn are badass and the slow burn sort of romance is to die for. Without it, the story did lack some luster.

What still is awesome about this story is Penryn. She is still badass and holds her own. Who doesn't love a badass female heroine? Plus a lot of the new developments could really be awesome in the next book. Let's hope anyway. 

Conclusions - Still pretty badass but not as badass as the first book. Thumbs up for this series and the next book better be super badass. Penryn and Raffe are still very enjoyable together and I am secretly hoping for another steamy kiss. 

Rating: 3.75/5

Ms. Marvel Volume #1 - Short & Sweet Review

I LOVED this story. It was a perfect way to kick off a new Ms. Marvel series and a great way for people like me (aka comics noobs) to jump into the Marvel Universe. Ms. Marvel follows Kamala Khan, a Muslim-American teenager who mysteriously gets super powers to become the new Ms. Marvel. However, the story was a lot more depth than just your basic back story. I found it very relatable for anybody who has ever felt different or has parents who are over-bearing. I found her family was relatable to anybody, because we all have weird siblings and embarrassing parents. This volume was a fantastic introduction into Kamala's life and I am excited to read the next volume to see where her character goes from here.  

Rating: 4.5 / 5 

Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

I decided to pick up the second book in the Shatter Me series, it happened. Unravel Me is the sequel to Shatter Me which follows our heroine Juliette and she just so happens to have the ability to kill with just her touch. Now, this is the second book in a series so go check out my review of Shatter Me to see my thoughts on how the series began. 

Now, I think I enjoyed Unravel Me. It was entertaining but I wasn't super invested in the story. I think one of my biggest issues with this series is that I don't click with the writing style. I find the author over used metaphors and it got tedious to read. However, I know many people really enjoy this style but I am just not a fan. No shame, I like what I like. What I did enjoy was the twists and turns this book delivered. There was definitely some VERY exciting plot revels that I honestly didn't see coming. That is what kept me going throughout the novel. I really enjoyed how the story built and am excited to see where it is going.

The other thing that bugs me at times throughout the book is the romance. There is a major love triangle developing which I find is a plot line that is way to overused in YA. Realistically, how many people have really been in an intense love triangle? Very few. However, I can understand why this one is building. In one corner you have Adam, the guy that Juliette really loves and cares for. Then you have Warner who she has a passionate connection with, BUT is also kind of the villain (Or maybe a developing anti-hero). Both of these guys and their relationships with Juliette bother me. Adam holds Juliette back from reaching her full potential, while Warner is very obsessive over her. I don't think either of these guys are right for Juliette, and I would rather her dump them both and be a strong independent women.  

Conclusions: Overall, I enjoyed Unravel Me but wasn't blown away. The plot is interesting and I am very interested to see how this series wraps up in Ignite Me. However, I don't gel with the writing style. I would also like to say that this is a romance book in a dystopian world. I really focuses on the romance, which can be a good or bad thing depending on what your are expecting or looking for.As long as you are in the mood for some romance, this is a good option. I do enjoy this series, I don't love it but I would recommend to YA lovers.

Rating: 3.25 / 5 

(Unravel Me - If X-Men was a romance)

Losing It by Cora Carmack Review

Losing It by Cora Carmack is a New Adult Novel about a virgin named Bliss. Bliss is in her senior in college and still hasn't lost her virginity. When she goes out to find a guy to have an exciting one night with, she meets Garrick. Sparks immediately fly but it turns out to not be as easy as she thought it would be. 

I have some major issues with this book, however I was exactly what I expected a very guilty pleasure romance read. What it had going for it was that Garrick could be quite swoon worthy and their relationship was definitly steamy. However, that was all it had going for it. My biggest issue was that I felt like Bliss' friends were virgin shaming her. Which isn't right or fair. Losing your virginity is a very personal thing and everybody should do it when they want to and how they want to. The major culprit of this was her friend Kelsey, whom I hated right from the start, She was the most annoying and selfish character I have read in a very long time. Bliss needs to drop her as a friend ASAP. Another thing that I disliked was the pressure from Bliss' mother to be engaged by the time she graduates. Ummm, girls don't go to university/college to get engaged. This is not the 60's, women don't need men to support them. I did however like that Bliss realizes this herself and didn't take that shit from her mother. 

Conclusions: It was at times an entertaining guilty pleasure book. It followed the "new adult romance" formula to a T and was very predictable. I have some issues with it that really brought down the reading experience for me. Not the worst thing out there but I feel like the author took some tips from Fifty Shades of Grey. Why is biting of the lip thought to be so attractive?  I will never know.

Rating : 2.5 / 5 (Essentially a bad lifetime movie)

Review - Anglefall by Susan Ee

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Angelfall is a post-apocalyptic novel that takes place after the world has been destroyed by Angels. The story follows Penryn and her family trying to survive in this new world. When her sister is taken, Penryn needs the help from someone she thinks could be her enemy to get her back. 

I was actually very surprised with this book. It was filled with action and the story never took a dull turn. However, it isn't your traditional YA. You were painted a picture of the violence and gore. The the author didn't hold back on the bloody and disturbing descriptions, which I appreciated because that is what a post-apocalyptic world would look like. I really liked the main character, Penryn. She was a girl that could defend herself and didn't need anybody to carry her through life. She was a strong female lead and I didn't feel like she made any unwise or unrealistic decisions. I also found that Raffe was a good male lead, but I still feel like his character needs more time to grow. I feel like there is still a lot of mystery surrounding him and the other angels which I am excited for in the further novels. The romance (or not so romance) I feel was handled perfectly. You could see how conflicted they were but couldn't help but have some sort of loyalty to each other after what they went through. I also enjoyed how Susan Ee handled the mental illness of Penryns mother which I think added more depth to the story and the characters. 

Conclusions: 2 thumbs up from me. Angelfall is exciting and action packed. Very good solid characters and the story didn't slow down during any part. However, if you are not a fan of violence or bloody scenes during your books I would avoid this one. It reads like YA but with more adult content. I will definitly be continuing with the series.

Rating: 4/5 (Perfect for fans of post-apocalyptic books)

Review: I Hate Myselfie by Shane Dawson

I received a copy of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I Hate Myselfie is a collection of 10 essays by the Youtuber Shane Dawson. In this book he explores his childhood as a fat kid, losing weight, his life as a youtuber and just generally being a bit different from the rest of the general population. The first thing I really want to say about this book is that if you love Shane you are going to absolutely love his book. He is very true to himself and how be portrays himself online. However, if you don't like Shane's videos than stay away from his book. I have watched Shane's videos in the past and find them funny. He tends to push the envelop with his humor and his book is no different. 

I want to start by saying I benign read this book over 3 or 4 days. It's super easy to get through because each of the essays are quite short. Everyone has it's own qualities that make it different and special. You can really tell that Shane has a distinct voice which shines in every essay. In addition to the writing, each essay started with art by a young artist. I really loved that addition and want to lurk them all on social media to see more of their art. But back to the story, it was funny and emotional in places. I really appreciated Shane's honest and anybody who has ever felt like they are ugly or different will relate. Sometimes I did feel a bit offended his jokes, specifically the rape jokes. However, I knew what I was getting into when I read this book and I know that's just the kind of humor he does and I was prepared for it. I can see how other people could be highly offended so if you offend easily avoid this book! 

Conclusions: Overall, an awesome collection of essays from a very funny guy. It was hilarious and surprisingly relatable and emotional. However, a draw back that it isn't for everyone and can be offensive to some. Shane has an interesting take on the world and makes you appreciate how other people live. 

Rating: 3.75/5 (Tearing up and laughing at once)

Short & Sweet Reviews: Cocktails in Chelsea by Nikki Moore

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Cocktails in Chelsea by Nikki Moore is a short story that takes place mostly in a cocktail bar in London. I can't say a lot about this story or else I would spoil it but it follows a girl named Sophia who is visiting London for a long weekend to spend some time with her friends. In the meantime, she meets a boy and the story takes off from there. 

I had a fun time reading this story. It was short, sweet and to the point. I liked how Moore developed the characters in a short period of time, as well as the romance. I think the length of the story was a perfect length to develop the kind of romance that was portrayed. It could give you a few butterflies without investing into a 300 page epic roller coaster romance (which can be exhausting). What I had trouble with was how confident Sophia seemed at some points then the complete opposite in others. I didn't like that she kept second guessing herself after just being so confident. However, I could relate to her character a lot and she reminded me of myself at certain points. I was also thrown off a bit when you got a duel perspective from both Sophia and Nathan. I didn't expect it but I think it would okay for this story. I found that you only got small amounts of Nathan and mostly all Sophia. I would have liked to see more of both of them because that is something I haven't seen a lot of in this genre.

Conclusions: A very light romance that can definitly make someone smile. Not ground breaking by any means but a cute quick read. The romantic interest is swoon-worthy enough for a quick daydream. Would be something that I read recommend to light romance lovers.

Rating: 3.5/5 (Cute but average romance)