Ruined (Ruined #1) by Amy Tintera

Ruined (Ruined #1) by Amy Tintera

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Publisher: HarperTeen  

Age Group:  Young Adult

Pages: 368

Summary:  A revenge that will consume her. A love that will ruin her.

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

My Thoughts:  Oh I loved this one and I flew right through it!!!!

We are introduced to Emelina Flores who comes from Ruina which is basically destroyed now and not many people survived.  Hardly any really. She also has a sister named Olivia who was taken by the King and Queen of Lera. So, of course Em gets a plan to get into their home and find out where she is and take her back. But of course this can’t just be simple. She has to get in there undetected and really get to know them. So, what does she do? She pretends to be someone else and marries Prince Casimir. What a well thought out plan. AND LONG! Haha!

I really liked the plot of this one. I also liked all the side characters. I liked her friends. I liked her old boyfriend, if he can call him that. And that made me tear up. You know which scene I’m talking about, dang.

But I also really liked Cas. And I understood him. He was compassionate. He had a heart. He knew right from wrong. It was hard to dislike him and I couldn’t even though Em wanted too also.

I also loved the plot of this one. There was so much action and I liked learning about what people could do, especially her sister.

This also leaves it open for a sequel so I’ll be reading that for sure! I need to know what happens next!

Overall:  I loved this one!! I whizzed right through it! I loved the characters and the plot! I enjoyed it a lot!! I’d give this one more of a 4.5 cupcake rating!

Cover:  I like it! It is kind of plain but still neat.

What I’d Give It:

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Release Date:  August 2, 2016

Publisher:  Atria Books

Age Group: Adult

Pages: 384

Summary:   Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

My Thoughts:  Oh wow, wow, wow. I knew when I read that description about a doctor named Ryle I knew I’d want to read this one! I read so many great reviews of this one before I really even knew much about it.  I don’t want to say many spoilers here!!! I laughed, I cried, I want to throw things.

We are introduced to Ryle who is a doctor. He is a smoking hot doctor too! Oh my. So sexy and so adorable and so handsome. But he’s also not as perfect as everyone thinks. He has a dark side.

We also meet Lily.  Cool sappy Lily. I really liked her. She was strong willed yet also was maybe too compassionate.

When Lily and Ryle meet is a disaster of sorts, but a good one for the most part.Kind of.  They end up meeting more than once and are thrown into each others lives.  We also meet another guy named Atlas. I really was torn. I liked them both so much. Even through Ryle’s hardships I still felt for him.  And Atlas, Oh Atlas baby.

This book was pretty good. And especially hot. But it was also so heartbreaking. I don’t even know. People were saying how torn up they were after reading it and I get it now. It really has the feels alright. It makes you so happy, and so thrilled but it also then breaks your heart into pieces. Yes, it’s worth the read. It’s soooo worth all the emotions.  Even though it’s heartbreaking, I think it all fell into place on how it’s supposed to be. Just one wild ride alright.

Overall:  All I can really say is WOW. Just Wow.

Cover:  Love it!!! It doesn’t give anything away, yet it’s neat.

What I’d Give It:

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Release Date: July 26, 2016

Publisher: Point

Age Group:  Young Adult

Pages: 336

Summary:  Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

My Thoughts: I just adore Kasie West and I jump on her books!! She’s a auto must buy for me. I just love her contemporaries and I will always read them as soon as they come out!

I just knew the plot of this one sounded right up my alley.  Writing on desks back and forth to a penpal (kinda) this sounded like something I would have did in high school. And I’m guilty of drawing pictures on those desks honestly.

We are introduced to Lily who really hates chemistry class. So, she does her best and just starts writing lyrics on her desk to pass the time. Until one day she sees a reply back. And that starts the whirlwind of these letters.

Lily kind of wants to know who's writing her but on the other hand, she doesn’t want to know. It’s more fun when it’s anonymous, it could be anyone!

We also meet a few boys throughout the novel and Lily’s best friend. I liked one of the boys more than the other of course from the get go! I just knew he’d be interesting.

I don’t want to say too much about this one. Yes it’s a bit predictable but it’s still a lot of fun and will keep you up all night reading it! I stayed up until 3 am just to finish it. I had to know the ending.

Overall:  I loved this one!!! Read it as soon as I got it and finished it within a day. I just adored the heck out of it and loved every minute of it. I wish it had been longer even so I could keep reading it!!!  I loved it!! 5 cupcakes all the way!!!

Cover: Love it!!!  Love how they are sitting on the porch and they both look so cute!! Also love their little signs!! Very cute!!!

What I’d Give It:

Now And Forever by Susane Colasanti

Now And Forever by Susane Colasanti

Release Date:  May 20, 2014

Publisher:  Viking Books For Young Readers

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 240

Summary: What if your boyfriend was the world's biggest rockstar?

Sterling is crazy in love with Ethan. Not only is he the sweetest boy she's ever met, but he's an incredibly talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. And since forever, he's believed he has what it takes to be a star.

When Ethan becomes an overnight sensation, he's thrown head-first into the glam world of celebrity-and so is Sterling. Before she knows it, she's attending red-carpet premieres, getting free designer clothes, and flying around the country to attend Ethan's monumental sold-out concerts.

It's a dream come true...but whose dream is Sterling living? And what do you do when "forever" comes to an end?

My Thoughts:  Yep Yep, Colasanti is one of my all time favorite authors. I just devour her books when I start them.

We are introduced to Ethan and Sterling. Perfect couple. Sterling wants to go to college eventually while Ethan just wants to play music. So when he gets a record deal, his goals and dreams sour. Sterling tries her best standing by him and she’s a good girlfriend. I didn’t like how she started treating some of her friends though there for a while. I could see a bit of a change in her.  I also liked all the other characters. Like, the guy friend she meets on Ethan’s tour and her best friend who's a girl. I liked Ethan enough but I never felt much for him.

I really liked Now And Forever but I just felt like it was too focused on Ethan’s music career. I know that is the point, but I just didn’t love that angle really.

I liked this one, I did but I felt like it was probably one of the least favorites of Colasanti of mine. Just wasn’t as drawn into the story-line I think.

Overall:  I generally liked all the characters and how things went down. I kind of saw the Ethan situation coming from a mile away so I wasn’t really surprised when that happened. I wish I had been, but I just wasn’t.

I can’t wait to see what Colasanti writes next and I still have a few more of hers to read to get caught up.

Cover:  Love it! These books always have such cute and realistic covers. I’m always drawn into the book by those amazing colorful covers! Love this one!

What I’d Give It:

Glass Sword by by Victoria Aveyard

Glass Sword by by Victoria Aveyard

Release Date: Feburary 9, 2016  

Publisher: HarperTeen   

Age Group:  Young Adult

Pages: 464

Summary:  If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

My Thoughts: I can remember reading the first one in this series and loving it to pieces. I had even heard some negative reviews of it but I was one of the people who loved it.

We are back with Mare who is basically on the run now. She’s with her brother, and of course Cal.  Cal is probably one of my absolute favorite characters of this  book. And its surprising since if I remember correctly I liked his brother better in the first book.  

It was a little hard to get into this one. I felt like I couldn’t remember certain details on how Red Queen ended. But I remember LOVING it.  

Mare is basically trying to recruit others like her and get to them before they end up dead. I won’t sugarcoat it. She makes it sometimes. Sometimes she doesn’t. I really liked learning about the different characters and I did enjoy the scenes where she’s bad-ass.

I’m not sure what else to say about this one. I enjoyed it. I liked it. But it just wasn’t as good for me as the first one. I had a bit of trouble getting through it.  I had trouble keeping my interest on the book.  

Overall:  I wanted to give it 5 cupcakes! But somehow I’m a little bit torn I guess. I just didn’t connect with this one as much.  Honestly, I think if I had read it RIGHT after Red Queen, I maybe would have enjoyed it more.  Definitely read it though if you’ve already read the first.  I think this is more of a 3.5 cupcake rating for me.

 

Cover:  I like it. I really like the color and the crown. Cute!

What I’d Give It:

Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton

Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton

Release Date: September 6, 2016

Publisher: Balzer And Bray

Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 368

Summary:  Aspiring reporter Piper Baird decides to write a scathing exposé on the overprivileged students at an elite Washington, DC, school, only for her life to change when she begins to fall for the story's main subject, in this new realistic contemporary romance from Brodi Ashton, the author of the Everneath trilogy.

Raucous parties, privileged attitudes, underage drinking, and diplomatic immunity...it’s all part of student life on Embassy Row.

Piper Baird has always dreamed of becoming a journalist. So when she scores a scholarship to exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC, she knows it’s her big opportunity. Chiswick offers the country’s most competitive prize for teen journalists—the Bennington scholarship—and winning will ensure her acceptance to one of the best schools in the country.

Piper isn’t at Chiswick for two days before she witnesses the intense competition in the journalism program—and the extreme privilege of the young and wealthy elite who attend her school. And Piper knows access to these untouchable students just might give her the edge she’ll need to blow the lid off life at the school in a scathing and unforgettable exposé worthy of the Bennington.

The key to the whole story lies with Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish ambassador—and the boy at the center of the most explosive secrets and scandals on Embassy Row. Rafael is big trouble—and when he drops into her bedroom window one night, asking for help, it’s Piper’s chance to get the full scoop. But as they spend time together, Piper discovers that despite his dark streak, Rafael is smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous—and she might have real feelings for him. How can she break the story of a lifetime if it could destroy the boy she just might love?

My Thoughts:  I don’t know. I wanted to love this one alright. I really did. I was sooo excited to read it and while I did enjoy it, I felt like it was aimed at a younger crowd. Even as Young Adult, I felt like it was just young. Maybe just my reading mood.

We are introduced to Piper who gets into a new school and it’s an opportunity to really help her writing career. She has to take intuitive and really rise above the other students. And, in order to do this, she has to do something to stand above the crowd. Something really huge.

Piper gets the idea of exposing the students who seem to be rich and have all the power. Their parents are "somebody" and it helps them in their everyday life, making things “easier” on them.

We meet Rafael who Piper met right away and gets to know pretty easily. She does have to put herself in his sights a little bit but it all works out. She also gets somewhat close to him and realizes there may be more depth to him than she originally thought. And then things go haywire. I was really really wanting to read this one. And I did enjoy it, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted.  

Overall: It was a cute novel and I did like the characters and the idea behind the plot. But I just didn’t connect to it very well. It may be that I just finished a bigger book and I had trouble getting into this one. I know I can’t love love love every book. I just didn’t fall in love with the romance I suppose.  I also really like Ashton so I will continue to read her novels!

I’d say this is probably a 3.5 cupcake rating for me.

Cover: I do like it! Like the colors and the the couple standing there. Its very eye catching.

What I’d Give It:

When We Collided by Emery Lord

When We Collided by Emery Lord

Release Date:  April 5, 2016

Publisher:  Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages:  352

Summary: We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know…

Jonah never thought a girl like Vivi would come along.

Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.

Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.

In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever.

My Thoughts: I have loved all of Lord’s previous books so I was excited to pick this one up. I liked it but it just wasn’t one of my favorites of hers.

We are introduced to Jonah who comes from a big family. Tons of brothers and sisters, and a mom. And a dad who passed away not too long ago. His mom is kind of in a depression funk and he’s been trying to do the best he can helping out around the house and with his siblings. He has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.

We are also introduced to Vivi.  Vivi is carefree and wild. But she wasn’t always this way. She suffers from depression and anxiety and has been through alot and still is struggling.

A lot of secrets along the way and a lot of family drama and romance. I liked Jonah’s family. I just loved the family angle. I also liked Jonah and Vivi together but I found each one a bit boring alone.

I liked this one but I felt like I just wasn’t into the plot, because if I’m reading, I usually try not to read books about anxiety and depression since it just makes me sad.

Overall: I’m still a big fan of Lord’s book even if I didn’t love this one as much as the rest. I’ll be looking forward to the next book that’s written! I’d say this one is probably more of a 3.5 cupcake rating for me.  

Cover:  The cover is really neat. I do like the cover a lot. I like how its artistic.

What I’d Give It: