Review: The Last Exit to Normal by Michael Harmon


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Title: The Last Exit to Normal
Author: Michael Harmon
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Hardcover, 288 Pages
Published March 2008
Add it on Goodreads!
Summary: It’s true: After 17-year-old Ben’s father announces he’s gay and the family splits apart, Ben does everything he can to tick him off: skip school, smoke pot, skateboard nonstop, get arrested. But he never thinks he’ll end up yanked out of his city life and plunked down into a small Montana town with his dad and Edward, The Boyfriend. As if it’s not painful enough living in a hick town with spiked hair, a skateboard habit, and two dads, he soon realizes something’s not quite right with Billy, the boy next door. He’s hiding a secret about his family, and Ben is determined to uncover it and set things right. In an authentic, unaffected, and mordantly funny voice, Michael Harmon tells the wrenching story of an uprooted and uncomfortable teenaged guy trying to fix the lives around him–while figuring out his own.
This book came out in 2008, which was 7 years ago, so obviously it isn't one of the super-new releases that keeps up with the times 100%. But it was still an alright book that I liked - and it was really funny at times, too. 

First thing's first: this book was alright. Nothing spectacular, but not atrocious, either. Ben's sarcastic sense of humor is what made me decide to go from giving this book two stars (It Was Okay) to three stars (I liked it). Seriously. Some of his random outbursts to others (as well as his inner thoughts) had me laughing so hard that tears were coming out of my eyes. I even took pictures of some of my favorite lines and sent them to my co-blogger to get her to laugh, too.

So, back to the story. Ben's dad announces that he's gay, his mother leaves immediately because she isn't able to handle it, and then Ben gets to move to the middle of nowhere in some rural Western town with his dad, Edward (his father's boyfriend), and Edward's mother. Oh, I almost forgot - this is AFTER Ben goes on a criminalistic spree to get back at his father for ruining his life. (Because, as Ben points out various times throughout this book, it's hard knowing that your dad married your mom and had you even when he knew he was gay the entire time. It's tough to know that your existence was formed off of lies and not love.)

The thing I wasn't so crazy about in this book was the ending. (Some spoilers are ahead, so skip to the next paragraph if you haven't read the book yet.) The last 10-15 pages or so of this book, everything happened at once. There was the fire set to kill Billy and Ben, Ben rushes in and saves Billy, and everyone and everything ended up happy and perfect. It doesn't make sense. It was too rushed. I read some other reviews of this book, and one reader brought up an excellent point - it felt as if the author had so much to say and add at the end of the book, but he didn't really want to make the book any longer than it already was (which was BS because it's only 288 pages)...so he decided to cram all of the climax stuff into the last 15 pages. It was just too much to absorb all at once, and it definitely made the book feel a lot less realistic. 

The other thing I didn't really understand was how unrealistic it was. Ben goes from being some punky city boy, Mohawk and everything, but then he comes to a rural town and it takes him only about a week to meet a girl, "fall in love," and change his whole appearance and the way he acts. In the beginning of the book Ben is ranting about how he knows he isn't going to fit in at his new home. It takes him less than seven days to go from being the outcast to someone who blends in perfectly.

That whole part was just a great big "Huh????????????????".

However, it was still a nice story. It was an interesting plot, to see some kid have to deal with his family splitting up because his dad was leaving his mom for another man. It's definitely a type of story that I haven't read before. Ben's quirky sense of humor and random outburst kept me laughing the entire time.

All in all, The Last Exit to Normal was an insanely humorous book about what happens when your life gets thrown upside down and you're put in a totally new situation. I liked the book, and Ben's humor was definitely the best part. I'm impressed with Michael Harmon's books and hope to read more of them in the future - I just wish the ending of this one wasn't so rushed.

Rating: 

Waiting on Wednesday #26: Never Always Sometimes & A Madness So Discreet


"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine where we highlight some of the upcoming books we can't wait to read!

Jessica's Waiting On:


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Title: Never Always Sometimes
Author: Adi Alsaid
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Harlenquin
Publication Date: August 4th, 2015
Summary: 
Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they'd never, ever do in high school. Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never die your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he's broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It's either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember. Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every. Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they've actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.
I loved Adi Alsaid's Let's Get Lost, and I'm just as excited for Never Always Sometimes! Even though it's a long time until August, I'm expecting my ARC to come soon, and I couldn't be more excited about it! :D 


Amber's Waiting On:


Title: A Madness So Discreet
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror, Thriller 
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: October 6th 2015

Summary:
Grace Mae knows madness. She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum. When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past. 
I will read anything by Mindy. I really loved both of her Not a Drop to Drink books, and was thrilled to see that she had another YA project in the works!



What are you waiting on this week? Leave your link so we can stop back! 

 

Book Blitz: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir


I am so excited that AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir releases today and that I get to share the news, along with a special introduction from Sabaa herself!
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A letter from Sabaa Tahir:


Dear Readers,

Today, my “baby” AN EMBER IN THE ASHES is finally out in the world! From inception to pub date, this journey took eight years. And what a journey it was: writing, rewriting, revising, editing, querying, submitting; Meeting other debuts, bloggers, booksellers and librarians, and hearing their thoughts on EMBER. There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the radness.

And now, the book is here! I am so excited to see it in the hands of readers. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. To celebrate release day, I’m giving away two signed, first-edition hardcovers of the book. Details below!

All my best,

Sabaa

About An Ember in the Ashes:


Title: An Ember in the Ashes 
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 464
Buy it: AmazonBarnes & NobleiBooks, Goodreads

Summary: 
Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told. LAIA is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution. ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor. When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself.


Check Oout The Book Trailer!




About Sabaa:



Sabaa Tahir grew up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s 18-room motel. There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, raiding her brother’s comic book stash and playing guitar badly. She began writing An Ember in the Ashes while working nights as a newspaper editor. She likes thunderous indie rock, garish socks and all things nerd. Sabaa currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.



Giveaway Details:


2 winners will receive a signed hardcover of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES. US Only.

3 winners will receive a hardcover of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES and a Sword Letter Opener! US Only.

Ends on May 9th at Midnight EST!



   

Review: I Was Here by Gayle Forman


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Title: I Was Here
Author: Gayle Forman
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Hardcover, 288 Pages
Published January 2015
Add it on Goodreads!
Summary: When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.
I was so excited for this book, for two reasons: One being that the summary sounded like it was going to be an interesting and heart-wrenching read. The other being that I loved all of Gayle Forman's previous books and I expected this one to be just as wonderful as the rest.

I was let down, and that kind of sucks.

I did finish this book, because I'm not a fan of DNFing and I also was curious to see if maybe the beginning was what sucked for me and things would start getting better towards the end. Throughout the entire book, however, I just wasn't that into it. Cody, the main character, felt kind of "blah" or "meh" to me. She was really bland. Whatever you knew about her you learned from her recalling past events with her best friend Meg. But even at the end of the book, if I was asked to describe Cody, I wouldn't know how to. She was very, very bland. Nothing special - but I can't really explain it. She was even less than average, if that's such a thing.

I don't know. All I know is that I couldn't attach myself to her at all because I felt that there was nothing to attach myself to. That's what the entire book felt like to me. Nothing special happens and nothing gets accomplished. (Spoilers ahead so skip to the next paragraph if you haven't read this book yet!) Cody mourns Meg's loss, travels to go see her father and that ends up being a failed plan, she confronts Meg's supposed killer and then just walks out and gets nothing done about him either. Pretty much, you're left with the same problems at the end of the book that you had in the beginning. Meg is dead. Cody misses her. Nobody is held responsible. And Cody still never meets her father.

I also had a hard time grasping the relationship between Cody and her mother, Tricia. Were they close or not close? Was Tricia a good mother or a bad mother? Who the heck makes her daughter call her by her first name because she felt that she was too young to be a mom? That's seriously screwed up. But the most baffling part was that sometimes Cody would talk about her like she was a horrible, neglectful parent, and other times she would talk about how close they were. I felt like she couldn't make up her mind. Which was another thing Cody was - indecisive. 

And - brace yourself for the rant - there's a stifling amount of insta-love in this book. And if you've been a reader here at The Book Bratz for awhile, you'll know that insta-love is the one thing that can make me go from wanting to rate a book five stars to giving it two. I can't stand it. (More spoilers, so skip the rest of this paragraph if you haven't read it yet!) Cody goes from hating Ben McAllister's guts, thinking he was the reason Meg committed suicide, to giving up her virginity to him on a road trip in a motel (how cliche). Then he admits he's in love with her...there was just so much insta-love that it was stifling.

All in all, I Was Here was okay. Not as spectacular as I was expecting, and way too much insta-love. It was really bland, but there was good potential for the plot, although nothing ended up even getting accomplished. I'm disappointed because I love all of Gayle Forman's books and I just wasn't that crazy about this one. Hopefully Gayle's future books don't follow the mold of I Was Here - I know she's an awesome writer and I guess we're all just entitled to a bad book or two. *shrugs* I was expecting more, and got way less, which is disappointing, but this doesn't in any way affect my view of Gayle Forman and her past/future books. I'd definitely still pick up work of hers in the future.

Rating: 

ARC Review: 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger

Title: 5 to 1
Author: Holly Bodger
Genre: Dystopia
Source: NetGalley 
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 12th 2015 

Summary: 
In the year 2054, after decades of gender selection, India now has a ratio of five boys for every girl, making women an incredibly valuable commodity. Tired of marrying off their daughters to the highest bidder and determined to finally make marriage fair, the women who form the country of Koyanagar have instituted a series of tests so that every boy has the chance to win a wife. Sudasa, though, doesn't want to be a wife, and Kiran, a boy forced to compete in the test to become her husband, has other plans as well. As the tests advance, Sudasa and Kiran thwart each other at every turn until they slowly realize that they just might want the same thing. This beautiful, unique novel is told from alternating points of view-Sudasa's in verse and Kiran's in prose-allowing readers to experience both characters' pain and their brave struggle for hope

Review:  



I am honestly disappointed. I had really high hopes for this book, and it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I am more disappointed in myself for requesting a book because the cover caught my eye. I didn't dislike like this book as a whole though. I liked the feminist theme, the idea, the world built (somewhat) but there were many things that I disliked as well. 


I didn't connect with either main character. There was just nothing there. I struggled with the verse, it was beautifully written but I wasn't getting a clear picture of anything. The world building came mainly from Kiran's point of view, and that was very limited. I honestly disliked almost all the characters in this book. Sudasa's family was a huge thorn in my side for more then half of this book, it was quite irritating. 


As I mentioned the writing was beautiful, and I do plan on reading more by Holly in the future. Maybe I'll even give this one another go. But as beautiful as the writing was 5 to 1 lacked on certain aspects. I did how ever like the idea behind 5 to 1: Woman taking the upper hand and forming their own country to avoid prosecution of their gender. The feminism message is something that I thoroughly enjoyed, and that was enough to pull me to finish through instead of putting it down and starting something else. I also enjoyed the Indian culture, but is was hard to get a grip because nothing was explained and I don't know much about the culture to begin with. 

Overall I thought this book was a disappointment, I wasn't impressed. If anything I was frustrated. 5 to 1 does have an interesting concept and may work for some people. But for me, this one was meh. 

Rating:



Review: The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines, #6) by Richelle Mead


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Title: The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines, #6)
Author: Richelle Mead
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Hardcover, 348 Pages
Published February 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Add it on Goodreads!
Summary: Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives. After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world. 
I still can't come to terms with the fact that this series is over (the extension from Vampire Academy, which I had a hard time letting go of as well *sad face*). However, despite how sad I am about this series coming to an end, I'm super excited for Richelle Mead's next project, Soundless, and The Ruby Circle itself left me feeling pretty happy. :-)

I loved the relationship between Adrian and Sydney in this book. The dynamics of their relationship are both so perfectly balanced, and they are both the literal definition of "opposites attract." Sydney is super organized and logical and careful, while Adrian is messy and sarcastic and funny and acts on a whim just because he feels that he can.

(However, it's officially been an entire six books that I've read with Adrian in them - plus the others from the Vampire Academy series - and I'm still not in love with him. I think he's alright. A good guy for Sydney. But to me, he's just "meh." Which really disappoints Amber because she's been telling me since I first picked up the Bloodlines series that by the end I would be head-over-heels in love with Adrian. I'm not. *shrugs* He's not a bad character, but he just isn't swoon-worthy to me.)

The Ruby Circle started off a bit slow for me, but it eventually progressed and dove into more details and picked up a little more. But the first few chapters of this book were definitely dry. Not much happening besides Adrian and Sydney complaining about their lack of privacy as newlyweds. 

As for some of the things I loved in this book (major spoilers ahead), I loved Rose and Dimitri's little announcement at the end. I was so excited, but I kind of wished that more would happen. After finding out that dhampirs could have children, I was hoping by the time the epilogue rolled around they would have tons of kids and be married already. But it's alright - I'll settle for an engagement, because I love Dimitri and Rose so much. :) I loved the little moments of passion between Adrian and Sydney, too!

As for what I didn't like, I HATED the fact that Neil ran off and left his son Declan behind. Whatever reasons and excuses he told Adrian and everyone else were total BS. You are a FATHER, and you don't run away and refuse to see your son. I know that Mead probably put this piece in as a plot twist (because it would be expected for Neil to welcome Declan with open arms), but I couldn't stand it. I definitely wasn't happy with it at all. The same with the fact that Nina never recovered from her overuse of spirit. It's the last book in a six-book (plus the Vampire Academy books) trilogy, for crying out loud! I want a happy ending! 

As for what I wish I knew, I wanted to know more about Rose and Dimitri's future and also about what happens between Sydney and her dad and her sister and her mom. That was a majorly ignored loose thread.

However, despite my unanswered questions and the few pieces of the ending that I wasn't that crazy about, The Ruby Circle was still a good book. A lot of mysteries get solved and a lot of important things get done, and Sydney has definitely progressed as a character from the first book to the last, going from being petrified and repulsed by vampires to going on to marry one.

All in all, The Ruby Circle was an enjoyable conclusion to the Bloodlines series that left me feeling semi-satisfied. I gave this book four stars rather than five because I was expecting just a little more to happen. I didn't think so many loose threads would be left, and the book itself just didn't feel like an epic conclusion. But the actual plot itself was great, and I'm super sad to finally finish the Vampire Academy/Bloodlines series. However, I'm super excited to get my hands on Richelle's next book, Soundless! (No vampires this time, though...*sad face*)

Rating: 

ARC Review: A Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep (Blog tour + Giveaway)



Title: Cold Burn of Magic (Black Blade #1)
Author: Jennifer Estep
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: K-Teen
Publication Date: April 28th 2015 

Summary:
There Be Monsters Here. . . It's not as great as you'd think, living in a tourist town that's known as "the most magical place in America." Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power. I try to keep out of it. I've got my mom's bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick. But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend's pawn shop, and I have to make a call--get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn't. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I'm stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I'm going to end up just like her. .

Review: 


I loved Jennifer's Mythos Academy series (Well, the first few books that I did read) and was thrilled when I saw she was publishing another novel.Jennifer has a writing style that sucked me in and I couldn't wait to see what was in store for her readers this time around. A Cold Burn of Magic was both intriguing and thrilling. 

I loved Lila, she had this wit and snark to her that you couldn't help but like. She was kick ass and tough, not coming off as immature as some lead heroines are. Lila easily could have fell back on people to support her after her mother died, but she didn't. She wanted to do it on her own, and that gave me a respect for her. Lila also didn't use her powers as a crutch as some YA heroines do. It was quite refreshing. 

I really enjoyed the world building in this novel. Jennifer created a town where magic is commonly known, run by mob like families, with fairy tale monsters and creatures. A lot could have went wrong. Jennifer made everything flow together smoothly and make sense. All of the characters, minor ones included were well developed, giving you a clear picture of who and what Lila was dealing with at that specific moment. 

A Cold Burn of Magic was packed with action, betrayal, thrilling moments, and moments that will leave you hanging off the edge of your seat. Jennifer did not fail to deliver in her latest novel. I am egarly waiting for book number two now. I need to know what is going to happen! 


Rating: 




Books in the Series:



 


Follow the Tour:


Follow the Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.



Buy the Book:


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About Jennifer




Jennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin adult urban fantasy series for Pocket. Books in the series are SPIDER'S BITE, WEB OF LIES, VENOM, TANGLED THREADS, SPIDER'S REVENGE, BY A THREAD, and WIDOW'S WEB. THREAD OF DEATH, an e-novella, is also available. HAINTS AND HOBWEBS: AN ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN SHORT STORY can be found in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF GHOST ROMANCE. DEADLY STING, the eighth book, is set to be released on March 26, 2013. Jennifer also writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington. Books in the series are TOUCH OF FROST, KISS OF FROST, and DARK FROST. CRIMSON FROST, the fourth book, is set to be released on Dec. 24, 2012. FIRST FROST, a prequel e-story to the series, is available as a download. HALLOWEEN FROST, an e-short story, is available in the ENTANGLED e-anthology. Jennifer is also the author of the Bigtime paranormal romance series. Books in the superhero-themed series are KARMA GIRL, HOT MAMA, JINX, and NIGHTINGALE. A KARMA GIRL CHRISTMAS, an e-story, is also available. Excerpts, free short stories, and more information on Jennifer's books can be found at http://www.jenniferestep.com.



Giveaway:





Review: The Wicked Will Rise (Dorothy Must Die, #2) by Danielle Paige


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Title: The Wicked Will Rise (Dorothy Must Die, #2)
Author: Danielle Paige 
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Hardcover, 293 Pages
Published March 2015
Add it on Goodreads!
Read my review of:
Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die, #1)
Summary: To make Oz a free land again, Amy Gumm was given a mission: remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, steal the Scarecrow’s brain, take the Lion’s courage, and then Dorothy must die....But Dorothy still lives. Now the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked has vanished, and mysterious Princess Ozma might be Amy’s only ally. As Amy learns the truth about her mission, she realizes that she’s only just scratched the surface of Oz’s past—and that Kansas, the home she couldn't wait to leave behind, may also be in danger. In a place where the line between good and evil shifts with just a strong gust of wind, who can Amy trust—and who is really Wicked? 
When I attended BookCon 2014 last year, I got the amazing opportunity to meet Dorothy Must Die's author, Danielle Paige, and obtain a signed copy. I read it immediately and couldn't put it down. Rightfully so! Dorothy Must Die ended up being one of my favorite reads of that year.

So this year, The Wicked Will Rise, Dorothy's second book in the trilogy, was released (less than a month ago), and I instantly knew I had to get my hands on it. (I actually ran out of reading material while I was in Hawaii, so I ran to the nearest Hawaiian Barnes & Noble and grabbed myself a copy!)

What I love about this series is that it isn't a retelling, per say. I've read my fair share of those and I'm never that big of a fan because I know the story already. Like retellings of Sleeping Beauty, or Little Red Riding Hood - you can change the characters and the situation all you want, but the ending will always be the same. Which is never any fun.

The difference with this series is that it answers the question of what happens after the story ends. From what we all know in pop culture about The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy gets to go home and be with her family again and everything is happily ever after. In this series, however, Dorothy gets tired of Kansas - and she wants to go back to Oz. So Glinda brings her back. And everyone is so happy to see Dorothy that they give her everything she wants.

That includes all of the power in Oz. And what may have started as Dorothy's good intentions quickly spiraled into something ten times more dangerous: she became Oz's princess (after making sure the current princess was no longer fit to rule) and practically a dictator. 

So, this is the second book in the trilogy that explains what happens after the "The End" of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. And let me just tell you, it isn't anything pretty. Amy continues her battle against Dorothy and sets out to take the Lion's courage, the Tin Man's heart, and the Scarecrow's brains. Only after she obtains all three of those items will she be able to kill Dorothy.

Only, of course, nothing ever goes according to plan. So the question you're all wondering is, does she succeed in killing Dorothy in the second book? *shrugs* I don't know. I think you need to read the book to find out. 

This was a super fast-paced, violet, dark and dangerous book that pretty much nails home the fact that Oz isn't the perfect land of sunshine and fairytales anymore. I LOVED IT! Especially Amy's wit. It had me laughing the entire time.

All in all, The Wicked Will Rise was a fast-paced, thrilling and dangerous, dark and spooky read that follows up Dorothy Must Die nicely. I was a bit confused about the ending, but it holds a lot of potential for the third and final book in the trilogy, so I'm pretty excited!

Rating: 

Cover Reveal: This One's For You by Brandy Jellum

Woohoo! We're so excited to be teaming up with Good Tales Book Tours today to introduce to you guys such an awesome cover...This One's For You by Brandy Jellum!!

Are you ready?

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Title: This One's For You
Author: Brandy Jellum
Expected Publication Date: March 12, 2015
Publisher: Booktrope
Summary: All alone in a new state, Brennan Daniels has only the memories of her best friend, Reagan, to keep her company as she starts college. Reagan is the reason for everything Brennan does—before she died, she made Brennan promise to stay good until she found a man worth keeping. No boys, no dating, and definitely no falling in love—those were the rules for college, and Brennan carved them into the brick walls guarding her heart…
But there’s a fire burning behind those walls, and when Brennan meets Owen Scott, the (mysterious) new guy across the hall, she can’t deny the pull between them. He is everything she should never want. Everyone warns her to stay away—even Owen himself—but the heart wants what the heart wants, even if it knows that it’s going to get hurt—even if it means throwing old promises to new flames…
How awesome is this cover? The font is so cute, plus the colors and the simplicity of it just work out and pull you in, especially if you're interested in YA contemporary.

About the Author

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Brandy’s passion for writing began long before she actually sat down to write. As a child, she has had an obsession with reading, everything from the classic stories by Jane Austen to YA Fiction by Richelle Mead. Finally, in 2012, she decided to create her own stories for people to fall in love with. Brandy bounces back and forth writing both Romance and Young Adult Fiction (which is mainly just for fun). At the beginning of 2014, Brandy signed a contract with publishing company Booktrope. She is very excited about the next chapter of her life and cannot wait to share her books and passion with readers. When she isn’t writing, she can be found chasing after her husband, her four children and her black lab, Diesel. Or curled up on her favorite corner of the couch with her newest book. 

Special thanks to Good Tales Book Tours for allowing us to be part of this cover reveal!

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