Famous Last Words by Katie Alender *ARC REVIEW*

Title: Famous Last Words
Author: Katie Alender
Pages: 320

Willa is freaking out. It seems like she's seeing things. Like a dead body in her swimming pool. Frantic messages on her walls. A reflection that is not her own. It's almost as if someone -- or something -- is trying to send her a message.

Meanwhile, a killer is stalking Los Angeles -- a killer who reenacts famous movie murder scenes. Could Willa's strange visions have to do with these unsolved murders? Or is she going crazy? And who can she confide in? There's Marnie, her new friend who may not be totally trustworthy. And there's Reed, who's ridiculously handsome and seems to get Willa. There's also Wyatt, who's super smart but unhealthily obsessed with the Hollywood Killer.

All Willa knows is, she has to confront the possible-ghost in her house, or she just might lose her mind . . . or her life.
My Rating:✰✰✰✰1/2
I received an early review copy for exchange for an honest review.

I was mainly attracted to this book by the title, since I am a huge Looking for Alaska fan. I wasn't sure what this book was going to be about, and went into it pretty blind. But I really did enjoy it although I normally do not read thriller/ghost books. Surprisingly, it kept me turning the pages and I wanted to read more.

The writing was very easy to read which made it more easy to get into the story. The beginning was slightly slow, compared to the ending, but it wasn't boring in any way. There was some back story and some introductions as the main character, Willa, goes to a new school and adapts to her new house.
I actually did like Willa and how she reacted to the unfortunate situations she was in. I wasn't a fan of Marine, as a character, but think that more books should have slightly less likeable characters friends. (does that make sense?)
Wyatt was obviously going to be the love interest in this book, but I did like how there was close to no romance. The ending as an exception, this whole book was about the mystery of the Dianna and the ghost; the romance was not always there.
 I didn't like Reed since he seemed to likeable, but I also predicted what happened in the end. Jonathan got more likeable as the story continued, as well as the mom.

The plot is my favorite thing about this book, especially the last half of the book where things got very traumatic and interesting.
I couldn't help but compare this book to my favorite TV show, Criminal Minds, and it read like an episode of it, filled with anticipation and dread.
I am glad to say that this book felt like an actual journey and story that had some development. In the beginning, Willa feels very new to her new location and house, but by the end, it felt like it was a part of her.
This book didn't disappoint and it was very compelling. I also love the cover since it is so relevant to the story and I do want to buy this book.
Overall, the story was very thrilling and eerie. Some parts did creep me out, but the plot was great and I recommended this for people who want to try out some thriller books.

Spoilers:

I suspected Reed or Jonathan to be the murder, and when Willa first thought it was Jonathan, that was when I knew that it was going to be Reed.
I loved the idea of the murdered staging scenes from creepy movies where the people died. When Willa got captured and was abducted by Reed, I did not want to stop reading. I knew that she going to make it out alive, but I didn't know how. The scene was so eerie, and I felt as if I was there in that moment and I felt terrified for her.

In the beginning half of the book, the ghost thing crept me out, but by the end, it didn't. Like Willa, I was able to sympathized with Paige and understand that she was trying to protect Willa. The ending was satisfying and happy.

Newsoul Trilogy by Jodi Meadows: Incarnate, Asunder, Infinite

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows
Pages: 374



New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

My Rating:✰✰✰✰✰

I really enjoyed this book and found the world very interesting. The main character, Ana, is different from everybody else because she is a new soul and has not been alive for lifetimes. Because of this, she is an outcast to everyone since these millions of people have been reincarnated over and over again, remembering each life before.

I wouldn't call this book a dystopian, but more of fantasy which I haven't read a lot of. The idea of sylphs were very different and the dragon element was cool. I liked how I was able to picture this world of Heart with the white pulsing wall and stone temple. This book was very original and I had no idea what was going to happen next which I liked. It had a lot more action than I thought it was going to have.

The beginning was good but Sam was introduced pretty quickly. I am so happy that it didn't feel too insta-lovey and they didn't jump into a relationship right away. They started out as friend and after that, everything went uphill in the story and I loved it. He was so sweet and stood by Ana no matter what. I liked him more and more as the story continued and think Ana and him were great for each other. It was so sweet that he created music for her and named in Ana Incarnate so that even if she did die, she would be immortal like it said in the book. Music was such a big role and I love music and the instrument playing in this book. It was very cool when it was revealed that Sam was Dossam.

Ana did show some great development in character and the friendly people around really helped her realize that she wasn't no one and she was allowed to love and feel things. She became more independent and brave and not so immature.

I really did not like Li and most of the council members since they made Ana's life harder. But as characters to the story, they were important and were there to make Ana seem more vulnerable and give her character more depth. Li's visit to Heart actually did scare me a little because I was worried for Ana and did not want her to be away from Sam.

My favorite chapter is the masquerade one because it was perfect. I loved what Ana and Sam were wearing. Her butterfly dress and mask with his shrike one. I loved how Ana knew it was Sam and the had their first kiss there.

The writing was great and I loved it. I haven't read writing this good in a while and Ana's voice was very clear to me. She spoke like she meant it and didn't back down. I have no idea what's to come in the next two books, but I am looking forward to it.

I will always think of this book when I see a butterfly.

Title: Asunder
Author: Jodi Meadows
Pages: 406

DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

My Rating:✰✰✰✰

Asunder takes place right after Incarnate, and deals with the aftermath of Templedark which was the event that happened towards the end of Incarnate, when the temple's light went out, and whoever died that night would not be incarnated.

Ana and Sam go through struggles as they learn that there will be more newsouls being born. Their goal is to ensure that all of the newsouls will be treated equally, but things don't go to smoothly. Most of the people are in grief of those who will not be back. Some blame Ana for it although she had nothing to do with it.

When Ana and Sam go to Purple Rose Cottage, they meet Cris and learn somethings about him. After that, Ana tries to find out more about Menehem's research on sylph and why they like music and listen to her. She and Sam go to his lab where she tries to get more information by reading his journals and looking at his experiments. Ana finds out that there is some connection between sylph and Janan since they both repel to a certain poison.

There are also two newsouls born, Anid and Ariana. This causes Heart to stir and some people even tried to kill those who were carrying possible newsouls.

One of the most saddest parts was when Sam and Ana find that all of Sam's instruments in the parlor are destroyed. It was so awful for Sam and it was if he just lost it and couldn't do anything. It made he feel awful, seeing him that way since he spent his lives building such beautiful instruments that would play perfectly. During this phase of time when Sam was just lost of everything, Ana really tried to comfort him and do what he always does for her which was sweet.

Ana and Sam's relationship was very realistic and I liked how it was not perfect. It was clear that their huge age gap is a problem to some people, and their big fight was very believable. Stef's feelings for Sam really got in the way of the friendship of the three as well as Ana's relationship with Sam. At some parts it seemed as if they were drifting apart from each other, but they always loved each other and ended up with one another.

The times that Ana was in the temple freaked me out because Janan is just creepy. It was hard picturing what the temple looked like at times with it's everywhere light and dead silence, but it was clear that it wasn't a nice place. When Ana revisits the temple, Sam doesn't go with her, leaving her alone and trying to find out more about the books in the weird language she stole from the first time.

She runs into Meuric who has not died yet but eventually does later. When she leaves the temple, someone steals the key to the door that the temple. She also learns that time is passes differently in the temple.

Ana goes into the temple again and finds Stef and Cris who have been missing for a while.They go into another room where Janan's dead human body is on the table with a knife through his heart. There were also skeletons in the room, all linked by chains. It represented how everyone was linked to Janan.
At this part, I felt like it was a little bit too much information at once, but it did add up to the big thing that happens, which is Cris sacrificing himself. I got a little teary eyed, knowing how sweet and kind he is. He was a great loving character who dearly wanted his friends to be free. So he stabs himself and joins Janan's walls, being able to open a door for Stef's and Ana's escape.

When the two leave, Ana finds out that Cris has become a sylph and she wants to know more about them. Although some of the people, like Merton and Deborl, who tried to harm her is in imprisonment, she is still exiled from Heart because they can no longer trust her since she has kept the books and Menehem's lab a secret. Councilor Sine promised to ensure that the newsouls get treated fairly which was Ana's goal.

Now Ana must leave Heart with Sam, their adventure continuing.

I really got to know the characters more in this book and I liked how consist they stayed. There were also some new ones like the pregnant women who got threated because they carried newsouls. Either way there were more people on team newsoul!

Ana was more stronger in this book and has developed over all. Her goal was to change how people treated and saw newsouls and I think she did complete it more ways than others.

Overall, the plot was good and the writing was great. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Title: Infinite
Author: Jodi Meadows
Pages: 418

 

 DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.

FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.

CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.

 

My Rating:✰✰✰✰1/2

 

As for most good trilogies, I already miss these characters. I started this book while I was in a reading slump and wasn't able to pleasurably read it until I was out of the slump. But I still had a satisfying feeling after finishing this book.

 

Ana gets exiled from Heart and Soul Night is approaching.

 

The majority of this book was about the journey that Ana, Sam, Whit, and Stef take in order to stop Janan from ascending. Some parts dragged on and most of it was good writing.

 

I liked how there were new concepts added to the story. For instance, we get to see real interactions with some of the other creatures, such as the dragons, centaurs, and phoenix.

 

I really had no idea what was going to happen in the end. When Whit, Stef, and Sarit died, I was pretty much completely sure that they were going to come back since Ana and Sam had no one left. I didn't expect the ending chapter to be told that way but loved it. The characters were brought back and there was the sense of calmness and normalcy which was great. I am so thrilled that Ana and Sam get a life together and it made me really happy. They belong with each other.

 

Overall, I did enjoy this trilogy and liked the difference of it. The ending was very satisfying since Janan and all of the antagonist died. I loved how music had such an important role in the story.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitxpatrick
Pages: 398

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?
My Rating:✰✰✰✰

This book took me a while to read for some reason. I just wasn't in the mood for it and wasn't invested with it and was reading other things, that I couldn't just focus on this one book. After reading, I felt satisfied and was able to say that this was a fairly good book.

I enjoyed the story and the writing, and this book had many favorable parts. It wasn't a bad contemporary but wasn't amazing either, but I did like some of the different qualities that it had.

Samantha was just so normal. She didn't stand out to me and felt like a classic YA female protagonists who experiences love for the first time. There was one line in the book where she said that having blonde hair and blue eyes was "nothing special" although I feel like most generic people don't look like that. At times, it felt like there were some things holding her back and if she just went with her gut, problems would be resolved much faster.

As far as Jase goes, I liked him but my main problem was that he was too perfect and everything was so nicely laid out. I understand that the book was told from Sam's perspective so she might see him as flawless, but it didn't seem realistic and played the classic cute boy from next door card. I was glad that it wasn't insta-love, but their relationship didn't give me any feels.

Of course, Grace and Clay weren't my favorite people. The scenes that were about the political campaign were not my favorite.
We didn't get to see much of Tracy and her character didn't play any big role sadly. For some reason, I kind of wish that something about their dad was going to be revealed.

Tim actually grew on me as a character and I liked how he was always there in the book. As the story progressed, we see him change positively and become a good friend of Jase and Sam. Nan, on the other hand wasn't my favorite since and I felt like her and Samantha didn't have that great of a friendship.

I did enjoy reading about the Garretts and the scenes at their house. It was fun and enjoyable to read about all the different kids. I did like the family dynamics and the comparisons between the Reed and the Garretts household. That was one of the things that made this book not too bad: the family story lines.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this book and think that some people will like it more than others. It's a good book for the summer and if you like romance, you should pick this up.

More specific thoughts (might contain spoilers):

I did like the plot although it felt separate to me. Since I read this book so slowly, I kind of imagined it in parts. The first part was about Samantha and Jase, and their growing relationship. Then, the second part would be when Grace hit Mr. Garrett, and the math after that.
I didn't mind the storylines and thought that they were fine. The ending was okay but was pretty open without much closure on if the Garretts get better or on what Sam's mom does after.
All in all, I think that things get better and everything works out.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 404

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another.

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

My Rating:✰✰✰✰✰

This book was amazing and was filled with epicness. I usually don't read fantasy, but was so pleased with this one. I had heard so many great things and was happy to say that I agreed with all of them!

The book takes place in a whole different world and what starts the story is the king's want for an assassin.

The main protagonist, Celaena Sarodothien is one of the greatest assassins who gets the opportunity to become the king's champion and ultimately, win back her freedom. She was totally kick butt yet it was clear that she was just a teenage girl. She had her strong moments and a few weak ones but her character was so powerful. I loved how she didn't really need anyone else and was independent.

The Captain of the Guard, Chaol Westfall, is one of my favorite characters ever now. He trains Celaena during the competition and the two create a strong relationship. I love Chaol more than I love the prince. Chaol is such a strong person yet he has his own problems too. But he is always on Celaena's side and understands her more.

I expected to like Prince Dorian, which I did, but I didn't love him. He was sweet and kind but I didn't swoon over him. I knew that he and Celaena were going to start something, but I have a feeling that it won't last. Since they got together in this first book, I expect things to die out. It was cute how they played billiards together and he bought her candy, and a puppy and books, but I'm rooting for Chaol.

Nehemia and Elena played an important role in this story and both characters were great. I love Nehemia's friendship with Celaena and how she always had her back. Also, Elena and the whole hall behind the tapestry really gave me the chills. Reading that part, did scare me as well as when Celaena found Wyrdmarks under her bed.

But some characters annoyed me like Cain, Kaltain, Duke Perrington, and pretty much all of the other competitors. (except for Nox who I really hope makes an appearance in the future.)

The plot had everything. There was so much action, and some romance, and fantastical elements. The Wyrdmarks and just everything that had to do with this book's world was amazing. It was planned out so well and the map in the front of the book has everything.
One of the best things about this book is its uniqueness. I have never read anything like this and just everything stood out to me. Even the names were so creative!

The plot was more than just the competition and the romance. There was this big mystery about the strange Wyrdmarks and the competitors who were getting murdered. It added more to the book and I really liked how the book wasn't built around the romance but was around just the entire world.

Sarah J. Maas's writing was flawless. At first, it did take me a while to get into it, but after that, I was so invested into this book. This wasn't a book a read in one or two days. It actually took me a while to read it and  I was able to stretch it out and still enjoy it. The descriptions and dialogue really made the world feel real. I loved how Sarah took the time to write about the dresses that Celaena wore and just overall, her words were great.

I also really want to read more about Celaena's past and who Sam was and what's Arobynn really up to. I highly recommend this book and think everyone should give it a try.

What I thought about the ending:

I cannot wait to read Crown of Midnight and the entire series. The final duel between her and Cain was so much build up and that whole scene was crazy. It was slightly confusing since we know what Celaena's knows and since she was drugged everything was thrown off and she could see the evil monsters that Cain summoned. But I am so happy that  Cain is dead and even more happy that Chaol won't get punished for killing him.

I can't wait to learn more about the in between worlds and the Fae and just everything magical and fantastical. I also think that we will be able to see all of the wonderful places the map shows an maybe even more.
I am so happy that Celaena friend zoned Dorian, in a way. She has a very good explanation for it and I really hope that she ends up with Chaol although she is strong by herself. I am so happy for Celaena and am ready to see what happens to her next.