Review: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Title: Vanishing Girls
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release date: March 10th 2015
Source: Edelweiss
Format: eARC

Rating: 4/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

Vanishing Girls left me with a good taste in my mouth, it captivated me from the first chapter and didn´t let me go until the mystery was solved. Although from the first quarter of the book, I had my theory of what was really happening (and I was right), but still I was very intrigued by the plot.

The main characters of the book are a 17 years old Nick (Nicole) and 16 years old Dara, two sisters, that all their life had been very close and sort of best friends, until the night they both have a car accident and while Nick was driving, she had only minor injuries, while Dara ends up with facial scars and other serious injuries, that night is their breaking point because from that day they don´t speak to each other again and Nick goes to live with their father and Dara stays with their mother.

The story is told from dual point of view, both Dara´s and Nick´s, but the latter is the main voice and through her we see memories of the months preceding the accident, plus Dara´s journal entries, we get the picture of their problems and life before the accident.

There is a subplot about a 9 year old girl, she disappeared mysteriously and is mentioned through the course of all book, but it is not until the last chapters that her disappearance has some relevance and is intertwined with the main plot.

Overall, I really enjoyed Vanishing Girls, it's a good thriller that its last chapters had me on the edge of my seat and has a very interesting twist (but it isn´t unexpected, because I saw it coming), but I didn´t lost interest in it. This books has mystery, suspense and drama surrounding the sisters, plus I get really care for what happened to them (which is important for me). I do recommended this Young Adult thriller.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.

Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading

Currently reading

What I´m going to read next?

What are you reading today? 

Leave me your links!

Stacking the Shelves (43): February

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga´s Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail. 

These are the books I got in February.

FOR REVIEW

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Undertow (Undertow #1) by Michael Buckley
Shadow Scale (Seraphina #2) by Rachel Hartman

Thanks to Random House Children's Books, Disney-Hyperion, HMH Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the eARCs.

BOUGHT

FOR MY KINDLE

Seraphina (Seraphina #1) by Rachel Hartman

Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School #2) by Gail Carriger 

Waistcoats & Weaponry (Finishing School #3) by Gail Carriger

The Sin Eater’s Daughter (The Sin Eater’s Daughter #1) by Melinda Salisbury
Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown
Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2) by Kresley Cole

The Treatment (The Program #2) by Suzanne Young
The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead


Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1) by Gail Carriger
Changeless (Parasol Protectorate #2) by Gail Carriger
Blameless (Parasol Protectorate #3) by Gail Carriger


Heartless (Parasol Protectorate #4) by Gail Carriger
Timeless (Parasol Protectorate #5) by Gail Carriger

What books did you get?

Leave me your link in the comments.

Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Title: Seraphina (Seraphina #1) 
Author: Rachel Hartman
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release date: July 10th 2012

Rating: 5/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

In the kingdom of Goredd, dragons and humans live and work side by side – while below the surface, tensions and hostility simmer.

The newest member of the royal court, a uniquely gifted musician named Seraphina, holds a deep secret of her own. One that she guards with all of her being.

When a member of the royal family is brutally murdered, Seraphina is drawn into the investigation alongside the dangerously perceptive—and dashing—Prince Lucien. But as the two uncover a sinister plot to destroy the wavering peace of the kingdom, Seraphina’s struggle to protect her secret becomes increasingly difficult… while its discovery could mean her very life.

This is one of those books that once I finished reading it, I keep thinking about it and remembering details I liked. I really loved the way dragons are described and the fact that they can take human form.

After years of dragons attacks into the human cities, for the past 40 years there has been peace between humans and dragons, because the Queen and Ardmagar (the dragon leader) signed a treaty, but now that it approaches its anniversary of the truce, Prince Rufus was killed and is suspected to have been committed by a dragon which would violate the treaty and if that was true it could break it. That´s why the Captain of the Guard must clarify the murder as soon as possible, as this is creating hostility toward the dragons and due to a misunderstanding between Seraphina and Captain of the Guard, she ends up helping him with the investigation.

Seraphina is an insecure and reserved young woman, that recently started working as an assistant to the royal composer Viridus, she lives in the Royal Palace, there she gradually begins to be noticed by the princes, first by Princess Grisselda, to whom she teach music, but is her knowledge of dragons behavior that makes her stand out and then by Prince Lucian Riggs, who is betrothed to the princess, besides of being the Captain of the Guard, so they end up assisting each other in the research related to dragons. I liked the interactions between Prince Lucian and Seraphina.

Seraphina has a secret that could bring her problems if its known, for this reason she has always led a quiet life without friends and without calling attention to itself. She feels a special affection for her teacher the dragon Orma, whom she had known since childhood and thanks to this she has an extensive knowledge of dragons, their behavior and their thinking.

I really liked the way the dragons are represented and in their human form they don´t show feelings, since it´s considered unnecessary, dragons are intelligent, very logical in their thinking and very direct in their speech. So Seraphina interactions with Orma are very entertaining.

The world building is well defined and very vivid. I loved it!. And the author writing is beautiful, it´s easy to imagine the world where Seraphina lives.

Overall, Seraphina is GREAT read, it´s a very entertaining epic fantasy novel, which is beautifully crafted with good and lovable characters, with its dose of action, suspense, mystery and romance. I highly recommend it for fans of epic fantasy books.

Book trailer

Waiting On Wednesday(162): The Walls Around Us

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I´m waiting this week is

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

Release date:  March 24th 2015

“Ori’s dead because of what happened out behind the theater, in the tunnel made out of trees. She’s dead because she got sent to that place upstate, locked up with those monsters. And she got sent there because of me.”

The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices—one still living and one long dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries.

We hear Amber’s story and Violet’s, and through them Orianna’s, first from one angle, then from another, until gradually we begin to get the whole picture—which is not necessarily the one that either Amber or Violet wants us to see.

Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and innocence, and what happens when one is mistaken for the other.

Why I'm Waiting?

The story sounds good and I´ve been seeing some good reviews of it on goodreads.

What book are you waiting this week?

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Top Ten Favorite Books of the Last 3 Years

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. 

Top Ten Favorite Books of the Last 3 Years

(in no particular order)

Young Adult

Sunrise (Ashfall #3) by Mike Mullin :  It is a very realistic book, raw, violent and scary at moments about survival in a post-apocalyptic world. And I loved the ending, it felt right and it left me very satisfied on how things end. The Ashfall trilogy is one of the best of this genre that I've read so far, I recommend it to everyone, it´s a trilogy that you can´t miss!. (My Review)

The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3) by Julie Kagawa: The Forever Song is an incredible conclusion for the amazing Blood of Eden trilogy! Julie Kagawa is an excellent story teller and I really love her writing and and the way she tells Allison Sekemoto´s story and this time she had a surprise up her sleeve, yes! I was surprised and confused, but it was a good twist in the story. (My Review)

The Perilous Sea (The Elemental Trilogy #2) by Sherry Thomas : I really  really loved this book! It´s a perfect combination of romance, friendship, lovable characters, action, magic, suspense, mystery and unexpected twists and turns that had me glued to the book all the time. I highly recommended this book. (My Review)

The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3) by Rae Carson :  I love this trilogy but The Bitter Kingdon is my favorite, loved the ending, loved the romance, loved it all. (My Review)

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare: This book is a very good end of a trilogy, I really loved it! the story is really intense and the last chapters were particularly sad, but it has a sort of happy ending and the epilogue is one of my favorite parts of the entire book. (My Review)

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill: All Our Yesterdays is an action packed novel with suspense, intrigue, betrayal, and a little bit of romance, with a bittersweet ending but it could not have ended any other way. (My Review)

Seraphina (Seraphina #1) by Rachel Hartman: A great epic fantasy book, I really love it!

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) by Kasie West:  Pivot Point is definitely a must read! it has a very original story (although it reminded me a bit of the movie Sliding Doors), is funny, with a bit of mystery and of course romance and although there are two boys in the story there is no love triangle.(My Review)

New Adult

Archetype (Archetype #1) by M.D. Waters : This is a the first book of an adult distopyan/sci-fi novel. (My Review)
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay:  I really loved this book, mainly because the ro mance is slow, the characters are easy to love and it has a happy ending. I can not say it's a pretty story, because is a tragic and beautifully told story. This is a book worth reading.(My Review)

What are your favorites books of the last 3 years?

Leave me your links!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.

Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading

Burning Kingdoms is the second book in The Internment Chronicles, and it really bored me most of the time, is very slow paced, almost nothing relevant happens to the story and I'm annoyed about the love triangle, as said boy has very few interactions with the main character and suddenly they´re attracted to each other .... I did not like the love triangle.

I really enjoyed Vanishing Girls, it´s a story where the main plot are two sisters that used to be very close, but due to a car accident that only caused minor injuries to Nick, meanwhile Dara ends with scars in her face and reconstructed arms and legs, so throughout the book they avoid each other, because Nick was driving the day they had the accident. But while the beginning it feels like a sort f typical contemporary book, as it progresses it turns into a thriller where a nine years girl disappears and all the people are looking for her and this disappearance is constantly mentioned during the book and it is not until the end that we see why. It also has a twist that may or may not be predictable.

And I also read Audition, a short story and prequel of Seraphina, it´s very short history but is about Seraphina´s audition to become Viridius's assistant. My favorite part is the interaction between Seraphina and her teacher Orma.

Currently reading

What I´m going to read next?

What are you reading today? 

Leave me your links!

Review: A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas

Title: A Wicked Thing (A Wicked Thing #1)
Author: Rhiannon Thomas
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release date: February 24th 2015
Source: Edelweiss
Format: eARC

Rating: 3/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Rhiannon Thomas's dazzling debut novel is a spellbinding reimagining of Sleeping Beauty and what happens after happily ever after.

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

Her family is long dead. Her "true love" is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her. With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Rhiannon Thomas weaves together vivid scenes of action, romance, and gorgeous gowns to reveal a richly imagined world … and Sleeping Beauty as she’s never been seen before.

A Wicked Thing is the retelling of Sleeping Beauty or at least is based on it, but the plot takes place in the "happily ever after" and the story begins with the kiss that awakens Princess Aurora, who has been asleep for 100 years and upon waking she learns that all those she knew are gone and now she is expected to have her happy ending, with a prince she does not know, nor is attracted to. It is also expected that now that she awakened, better times will come for her impoverished kingdom.

What I liked the story is how Princess Aurora reacts once she´s kissed by her "true love", which is a complete stranger, her reaction was very real and also when she finds out that several princes have kissed her for the past 100 years .... it gives me the creeps.

But beyond that the plot is very predictable, with a very slow pace and there are times when almost nothing happens and it felt very dull romance. Prince Rodric of Alyssinia, is whom awakens Aurora with a kiss, he is nice guy but does everything that his parents tell him to do, so he knows he must marry her, for the good of the kingdom. Prince Finnigan of Vanhelm is interested in Aurora, but only because is convenience for him. And finally we have a boy Tristan working in a tavern/inn that becomes friend of Aurora. Of all of I liked Prince Finnegan because he´s the most honest.

A Wicked Thing is very slow paced and almost everything interesting happens in the later chapters, but overall it´s an okay book, but I felt that something was missing.

Review: Red Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Title: Red Blooded (Jessica McClain #4)
Author: Amanda Carlson
Publisher: Orbit
Release date: September 9th 2014
Source: Netgalley
Format: eARC
Reading level: Ages 18 and up

Rating: 3.5/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository
You can read my review of Full Blooded - here, Hot Blooded - here & Cold Blooded - here

Jessica is going to Hell.

After settling a fragile truce between the vampires, werewolves and witches, the last thing Jessica wants to do is face the demons head on. But when the Prince of Hell kidnapped her brother, he set into motion a chain of events that even Jessica doesn't have the power to stop.

Now, Jessica must go into battle again. But Hell is a whole new beast -- new rules, more dangerous demons, and an entirely foreign realm. And when Jessica is dropped into the Underworld too soon, without protection or the help of her friends, she must figure out just how powerful she can be... or she will never make it out alive.

I really like the Jessica McClain series, is a good choice for those interested in urban fantasy for adults.

This is the fourth book in the series, Jessica does not rest because her brother was kidnapped by the prince of hell, in order to force her to descend to the underworld and all because of the prophecy that supposedly says she will caused chaos in the underworld.

So Jessica prepares to go to hell along with Ray and the Vampire Queen, but something goes wrong and Jessica ends up alone in hell, without help and tools she expected and with  all the demons and other creatures from hell hunting her, as she tries to rescue her brother.

The story so far is really good, but the four books have happened in less than a month (Jessica´s time), because due that the time in the underworld and our world runs differently, at the end of this book several months have passed on earth, while for Jessica it was only a few days. And because of this I felt that it lacked of interaction between Jessica with the other characters, as in this book we saw little of Naomi, Danny, James and Marcy ... and even Ray, Tyler and Rourke didn´t appear much in the story. Plus it´s necessary to develop a little bit more the romance between Jessica and Rourke, so they can finally have quality time together, since all the time they´re always running from one place to another, fighting against threats that are always present.

But overall, I enjoyed reading Red Blooded which still has a lot of action from the first chapter, the universe where the story takes place is still expanding, it has suspense, romance and several surprises and with an ending that leaves us hooked for the next book.

Waiting On Wednesday(161): Six of Crows

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I´m waiting this week is

Six of Crows (The Dregs #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Release date: October 6th 2015

Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven in this brand-book in the world of the Grisha by New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Why I'm Waiting?

Okay...confession time ..I still haven´t read the Grisha trilogy and the Dregs duology is set in the same universe, so I know(think) that I need to read them before I read this. I already own the first two books in the Grisha trilogy so I just need to buy one more book and read them back to back....no problem. I can do it. 

What book are you waiting this week?

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