Since You've Been Gone by, Morgan Matson

Summary:

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just... disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try... unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough.Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait... what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Um...(Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 449

Release Date: May 6th, 2014 

Review:

    Since You've Been Gone is the perfect book to read during the summer. You can read the book anytime during the year, but it has a better impact during the summer. I rated Since You've Been Gone five stars out of five stars and it is now one of my favorite contemporary books of all time and one of the best books I have read so far this year. 
    While reading Since You've Been Gone, I felt like I could do anything. Now I really want to try something I would never have done before. I love reading books that make me feel great and make me see the world differently. 
    I love Morgan Matson's writing style, it was easy to follow and I did not want to put the book down. I read Since You've Been Gone in two days which surprised me since it was 449 pages long, but it did not feel that long of a book. The story flowed perfectly and I really want to check out Morgan Matson's other book, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. I highly recommend reading Since You've Been Gone. 

*Spoiler Section*

     

    I could really relate to Emily. Lately, I have been going through some friend problems with a friend who I have been best friends with for nine years. Our friendship reminded me of Sloane and Emily, because, we seemed to be attached at the hip, called one another constantly, always hung out, etc. She was not like Sloane and suddenly disappeared out of thin air, but she changed and we quickly became less close. It sucks not being close to her after almost nine years of friendship, but I did get some good things out of breaking apart. Like Emily, I made new friends and did things I had never done with her. I became less dependent on her and was able to do fun things without her. I loved how Emily grew as a character and became her own person, not someone Sloane made her be. Unlike my friend and I, they became friends again. Maybe not exactly how their friendship used to be, but neither of them are the same person they used to be. That is how I hope it will turn out for me.

    I loved that Emily's family was featured a lot in the book. In most books, their family is in the background and not touched on. But, we got to see Emily's crazy play writer parents and her height defying little brother. Her family was so funny and I was glad I got to read about them. I do feel bad for Emily sometimes because they are a bit embarrassing, but they always want what is best for her. 

    I love the cover of Since You've Been Gone. It captures the summertime feelings and I love the inside and outside pictures on the dust jacket. The beautiful pictures tie into the story. I really love that the cover has things in the picture that are mentioned in the book. It shows that the cover designer(s) learned about the book that they were trying to present, which seems rare when thinking about book covers and the content of the books. The cover was perfect and I wish there were more out there like this one.

    Collins, Frank, and Dawn are friends that I could see myself having. I loved that Emily completed the list and was able to make friends along the way. It really shows her character development throughout the book. She goes from having one best friend for two years to making three new friends in a matter of weeks. I am proud of Emily for making new friends and finishing the list. I was worried at the beginning that she would not end up completing it. But, I was happy she ended up proving me wrong. 

    It was neat that every so often she would have a flashback of something. It was nice to slowly learn about Sloane, Sam, and Gideon than learn about them quickly in the span of a few pages. It pulled out the suspense and you were able to come up with theories of what happened between the four of them.

    In a well-ordered universe, we would get a sequel to Since You've Been Gone. The book left off in a perfect spot, but with most contemporaries I still want more. I want to see more of Frank and Emily's and Collins and Dawn's relationships. Also, I want to see what will happen with Emily and Sloane's friendship. But, the ending was satisfying and I am glad that Emily is hopefully going to take more chances. 

    Since You've Been Gone was fantastically written, fun, exciting, and was the perfect summer read. I am excited to read more of Morgan Matson's books and I will hopefully take some risks this summer!
    On a side note, I met Morgan Matson at Book Con this May (my review and pictures from Book Con: http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-con-2014.html). She was so nice and it was a pleasure to meet her. 

~Casey

Summer Reading Plans

Now that school is out, I have so much more time to read! My plan is to:

• Finish series that I have already started. That will involve some re-reading because some of these series I have not read in a couple of years. 
• Start new series.
• Read a few contemporary books in between.

My goal is to finish:

• The Fallen series by Lauren Kate
• The Hex Hall trilogy by Rachel Hawkins 
• The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. 

I would like to start:

• The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas 
• The Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

I am not sure if I can meet my goal but I am going to try. What are you planning to read this summer? Do we have any series in common?  Also, if you have read any of these series, what did you think of them? Share your comments below. 

Happy reading!

~Casey

ARC Review: Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements #2) by, Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary:

Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…(Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 446

Expected Release Date: October 28th, 2014

Review:

     Before I start talking about how much I loved Stone Cold Touch I figured I should tell you guys how I ended up getting an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of it. To do so I have to rewind back to Book Con (my review on Book Con here:  http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-con-2014.html). I was at the Spencer Hill Press booth and getting some of the bookmarks, pins, and a small poster of The Return (also by Jennifer L. Armentrout) when I noticed that Jennifer L. Armentrout was standing in the booth with the people running it. I was surprised no one recognized her, I did because I met Jennifer two other times prior to Book Con. Anyways, I went over to her and asked if she could sign my poster of The Return. Jennifer recognized me and she signed my poster. Then she asked me if I was going to go to her signing for the ARC of The Return, I replied yes and she gave me a ticket to get one of the ARC's at the signing because there were a limited amount. I also said I was excited to go to her ARC signing of Stone Cold Touch. It turned out that they had run out of ARCs at the Stone Cold Touch signing during BEA (Book Expo of America) so I was really sad. But, she said she could get me a copy. Two weeks later, I ended up getting an ARC of Stone Cold Touch in the mail! I want to thank Jennifer for the ARC of Stone Cold Touch and for giving me a ticket to go to the signing for The Return! 

     To me and many others, Jennifer is infamous for her huge cliff hangers. But, her most painful cliff hanger had to have been White Hot Kiss. Knowing that, I went into Stone Cold Touch expecting a really bad cliff hanger and I got it. The cliff hanger in Stone Cold Touch was not as bad as White Hot Kiss, but I am itching to have my hands on the third Dark Elements book. That is the one down side of ARCs, you have to suffer cliff hangers longer than people who get the book the day of its release. I am hoping to get an ARC of the third book so I do not have to wait as long. But, with no release day set for it, I am nervous how long I have to wait.
     During White Hot Kiss, I was not a huge fan of the love triangle but I grew to like it in Stone Cold Touch. But, I still like Roth and Layla together more than Zayne and Layla. 
     I love how unique The Dark Elements series is, I am unaware of any other authors using gargoyles. Most paranormal books use vampires, demons, werewolves, witches, etc. Some of those types are featured in the series but the main focus is on gargoyles. I have never even seen gargoyles being mentioned in other paranormal stories as living creatures. The concept of gargoyles in The Dark Elements series is so interesting and I wish there were more books out there with gargoyles. 
     Jennifer has amazing writing, is kind, caring, and goes beyond what she has to for her fans. I would highly recommend any of her series or any of her stand alone novels. I have loved meeting her three times so far and am hoping to go see her at the release party of The Return and other book events in the future. I would also recommend going to any book event she will be attending, you will not regret it. 

     In Stone Cold Touch, we meet new characters and many shocking revelations are unearthed. Stone Cold Touch is a great sequel to White Hot Kiss and I can't wait for the next book in the series! It has the perfect blend of romance, action, suspense, and surprises. I rated Stone Cold Touch five out of five stars and I highly recommend it or any other books by Jennifer L. Armentrout. 
~Casey

City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by, Cassandra Clare

Summary:

In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments! (Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 725

Release Date: May 27th, 2014

Review:

     It is crazy that The Mortal Instruments series is over. I always knew it would come to a close, but it is so much different in theory than actuality. But, this series has come to a close whether any of us want it to happen or not. The good news though is that Cassandra Clare is going to have at least three more Shadowhunter trilogies for us to enjoy. I have figured that I will be in my early to mid-twenties when all the Shadowhunter trilogies stop. So, there will be no shortage on those! Anyways, I have a spoiler review of the City of Bones movie here: http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-mortal-intrument-city-of-bones.html and my spoiler review of City of Lost Souls here: http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/city-of-lost-souls-by-cassandra-clare.html 
     This will be a spoiler review so if you have yet to finish The Mortal Instruments series or The Infernal Devices trilogy (a prequel trilogy to The Mortal Instruments series) then I suggest leaving because I will be spoiling crucial information. I would highly recommend reading both The Mortal Instruments series and The Infernal Devices trilogy because they are fantastically written and have a great plot (I prefer The Infernal Devices trilogy over The Mortal Instruments series though). I still have yet to decide what I would rate City of Heavenly Fire but it is somewhere in the 4.5 out of 5 stars to the 5 out of 5 stars range. 

*Spoiler Section*

     My predictions for deaths in City of Heavenly Fire were almost spot on. I believed Simon, Jordan, Sebastian, and Raphael would die. Sometimes I hate being right. When Sebastian died I cheered, but it was depressing when Jonathan died because he never got to live or choose how he wanted to live his life. It was also sad for me when Jordan and Raphael died. I believe those two deaths were overlooked by most. Many people disliked Raphael but I was fine with him, I believed he had good intentions but sometimes they came out wrong. Also, many people seemed not to care too much for either Maia or Jordan but I really liked them together and as separate individuals. Jordan should have been able to live longer and to find out that Maia did not want to be with him anymore (which I disagree about, I liked them together as a couple). None of those deaths I cried over though, but when it came to Simon I was bawling my eyes out. Technically he did not 'die' but he got all his memories wiped out of Clary, Izzy, Alec, Jace, and everything/everyone from the Shadowhunter world. It was as if the Simon we knew died because all the memories we shared with him were gone and he no longer remembered any of them. I hated when it was talked about the memories being wiped from his brain and describing each one because it was extremely emotional to hear about all the things he was forgetting. When Clary called him and went to the school to see if he had any recognition of them it was liked tearing off a band-aid because I had accepted he was gone but seeing/hearing him ripped it off and made me cry again and again. I could especially not contain myself when Isabelle read his band poster and discovered that it was named 'The Mortal Instruments'. But, I am ecstatic to know that Magnus helped him get a few of his memories back and he will get them all back once he gets turned into a Shadowhunter. It is a bit odd to think of Simon as a Shadowhunter though. One great thing about him turning into a Shadowhunter is that he and Isabelle can finally be together since there is nothing 'wrong' about two Shadowhunters being together! Supposedly we will get to see Simon's Ascension, which will be awesome. There is a possibility he could not survive it but I believe he will, if not I will be extremely angry and sad.  

     I loved that we got to meet the main characters of The Dark Artifices trilogy, the next new Shadowhunter trilogy. I feel so horrible for all the children though. In City of Heavenly Fire they had to get through so much, their parents/guardians death and Helen being exiled to Wrangel Island. I am so glad that Emma and Julian have each other to lean on for support and I am glad that by becoming parabatai they have no chance of being separated from one another. The bad thing about becoming parabatai is that they can't love each other in the way of boyfriend/girlfriend because for some reason that is not allowed. That is a problem because later on I know that at least Emma likes Julian (I don't quite know if the feeling is mutual) and I think they would make an amazing couple but it is not allowed (but forbidden romances seem to be more fun). 

    Compared to Will and Jem's relationship, Jace and Alec's relationship seemed non-existent.
It seemed like Jace and Alec did not care that much about one another like Will and Jem always did. But, in City of Heavenly Fire I saw Jace and Alec's relationship become more like an actual parabatai's relationship. They seemed to have understood one another better. I am also excited to see Emma and Julian's parabatai relationship in Lady Midnight.

     I have never missed William Herondale (my future husband) more than I have in City of Heavenly Fire. It was so obvious how much Tessa and Jem missed him and wished they could all be together. It was so nice to see familiar faces from The Infernal Devices in The Mortal Instruments series, yet it was odd to think of them being over 100 years old and the huge change in society since we first met them. I did like that City of Heavenly Fire did not spoil much from The Infernal Devices. So, for those who have yet to read The Infernal Devices and plan to after reading The Mortal Instruments then they still can. Also, I was laughing so hard when Jem stole Church at Luke and Jocelyn's wedding, he really loved that cat. I am hoping we will see more of Tessa and Jem in The Dark Artifices. I really want Jem to talk to Emma and tell her that she is not the only Carstairs left.  
     I love how The Infernal Devices trilogy and The Mortal Instruments series tie together. When everyone was talking about how the London Institute somehow managed to be fine after Sebastian's attempted attack, I knew that it was saved by Jessamine. My theory was confirmed correct when Magnus said it was protected by a ghost. It is so cool to see the two series connect, especially since they have a one hundred year time gap. 
     Now, lets talk about the couples in City of Heavenly Fire. My favorite couple out of all of them is Isabelle and Simon. Yet again, I am not sure if they are considered a couple. But, since Simon will turn into a Shadowhunter I believe the possibility is still there and they somewhat defined their relationship. I am so happy that Magnus and Alec are back together! It is depressing that Magnus will eventually have to part with Alec when he dies, like Tessa and Will, but at least they are making the most of the time they have together. One thing I still wonder is, Magnus wrote down a lot of his life for Alec to read and I am curious if some of those stories are The Bane Chronicles? I feel horrible for Helen and Aline's relationship. Helen was exiled to Wrangel Island and Aline decided to go with her. I hope the best for them and I am sad that they may not be included in The Dark Artifices. It was saddening to me when Jordan died because I really liked him and Maia together. But, when we found out that Maia was going to break up with Jordan the day he died it was depressing because you could tell how much Jordan cared for Maia, it would have broken his heart. I do not mind the possibility of Maia and Bat ending up together, they do not make a bad pair. Lastly, we have Jace and Clary. I do not know why, but I was never in love with their relationship. Most of the time I love the main romance in the story, but not in The Mortal Instrument series. I believe it may have something to do with the start of their relationship when they thought they were brother and sister. I did not believe they were brother and sister but, I think maybe that was a way of fate telling them they were not meant to be.I am glad they got together though, they deserved happiness in the end.
     I was squealing when it came to Luke and Jocelyn's wedding. We have all been waiting forever to finally see them getting married. At first I was mad that the actually wedding ceremony was not seen in the book but I was glad we got to be a part of the reception. I felt like my kids were all grown up and leaving the nest. We had to wait a while to see the wedding, but it was worth it.
     My favorite part of City of Heavenly Fire was after Raphael gave Simon the drugged blood and Simon and Clary went to the Lightwood's house and Simon was yelling that he loved Isabelle. Simon and Isabelle are not only my favorite couple, but my favorite characters from The Mortal Instruments series.
     I was ecstatic when Jace said he will keep the Herondale name because I have had so many fond memories with the Herondales and I do not want to see the name gone from the Shadowhunter world.
     Comparing The Mortal Instruments series and The Infernal Devices trilogy I still like The Infernal Devices trilogy better. I liked the characters, setting, and love triangle better in The Infernal Devices. The Infernal Devices is my favorite trilogy of all time. In close second place is The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer trilogy.
      The cover and inside illustration on the dust jacket are beautiful. The City of Heavenly Fire cover is my favorite cover out of all six books in The Mortal Instruments. It has been quite a while since I have read City of Glass so I am not sure if I like City of Heavenly Fire or City of Glass better. But, those are my two favorite books from The Mortal Instruments series. 
     Overall, City of Heavenly Fire was a great ending to The Mortal Instruments series and all the characters will be missed. But, I hope we will get to see them in future Shadowhunter books like The Infernal Devices characters. City of Heavenly Fire had a great balance of action, romance, adventure, fantasy/paranormal, comedy, and amazing writing. I am so excited for Lady Midnight, the first Dark Artifices book, coming sometime in 2015. 
     On a side note, I got to quickly meet Cassandra Clare at Book Con this May (my review and pictures from Book Con: http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-con-2014.html). I am so happy I was able to meet her and get a picture with her. She was so nice and I hope I can meet her again and get her autograph next time!  
~Casey

Just One Night (Just One Day #2.5) by, Gayle Forman

Summary:

After spending one life-changing day in Paris with laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter, sheltered American good girl Allyson “Lulu” Healey discovered her new lover had disappeared without a trace. Just One Day followed Allyson’s quest to reunite with Willem; Just One Year chronicled the pair’s year apart from Willem’s perspective. Now, back together at last, this delectable e-novella reveals the couple’s final chapter. (Via. Goodreads.com)

Pages: (E-book) 40

Release Date: May 29th, 2014 

Review:

     I read Just One Day last December while I was on vacation in Florida, and I read Just One Year in January of this year flying home from Florida. I was so mad, like everyone else in the fandom, that both books left off in the exact same place. So, you can imagine my reaction when Just One Night's release was announced. I rated Just One Night 4 out of 5 stars. It was interesting to see their story intertwine as they told one another their story to find the other. But, yet again I want more. Just One Night left off in a better place than Just One Day and Just One Year did. But, like most contemporary love stories I want to see the couple longer and see exactly where their life takes them together. I am very glad that Just One Night was written to tie up the lose strings though. If you have read both Just One Day and Just One Year I would highly recommend reading Just One Night. Or if you have read none of them I would highly recommend starting of with Just One Day if you enjoy romance and adventure/travel books.  

~Casey

Movie Review of 'The Fault In Our Stars'

Summary:

Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel's other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. (Via. www.imdb.com) 

Running Time: 124 minutes (2 hours and 4 minutes)

Release Date: June 6th, 2014

Review:

     The Fault In Our Stars is one of my favorite books of all times and was my most anticipated book-to-movie adaptation of 2014. I read The Fault In Our Stars in April of 2013 and it was the second most emotional book I have ever read, the first being The Book Thief. The movie of The Fault In Our Stars was more emotional than the book was, I advise bringing a whole box of tissues, you will need them. The movie was a great adaptation of a book and the movie was great in general. I still do not know what I would rate this movie, but I do know it is emotionally draining. I would recommend going to see the movie if you are a fan of the book or even if you have never read the book, it is a movie worth seeing. But remember, bring the tissue box, I am in no way joking about that fact.

*Spoiler Section* 

     Like I mentioned several times before, this movie was extremely emotional. I cried so much in the beginning and the middle that when Gus died I could no longer cry anymore, I ran out of tears. I loved the movie but it was painful watching because I cried so much. It would have been a more enjoyable movie had I not cried every five seconds. But, it was a relief to have Gus in the film because he would lighten the moment and make you laugh before you had to cry again. 

     I had two favorite scenes from the movie that were also in the book.  The first was when Gus drove Hazel to his house. I loved how Gus was a horrible driver and the scene made me laugh so much. The second scene was when when Gus, Hazel, and Issac egged Monica, Issac's ex-girlfriend's, car. I loved how Issac kept missing the car by such large distances because he was blind. I liked during that scene when Gus told Monica's Mom the number of legs, eyes, and working lungs the three all had together. 

     I think the casting was great for the movie. All the actors/actresses embodied their characters so well. It sucked to be constantly crying over this movie instead of enjoying it but, that proves how well the actors/actresses performed. If the movie was not emotional then the actors/actresses failed to make you feel those emotions. But, they did a phenomenal job of making the audience feel their pain. I give them a round of applause for that. 
     I liked how Hazel narrated the movie, it helped the movie flow together. Also, I like when Gus and Hazel were texting one another that there were cute speech bubbles that would pop up and show what they were saying so you did not have to squint and read what was actually on their phones. Some people probably thought it was cheesy but I thought it was adorable. Plus, it felt like you were a part of the conversations. I know when I watch Pretty Little Liars that it is so hard to read the girl's cell phones when A or someone else texts them. Also, it goes by quickly and you have to speed read to catch it. But, in The Fault In Our Stars that was not necessary. You could read it and take your time doing so.

     I know this is not much of a review but it is hard to put into words how amazing yet painful this film is. I would like to go see this film again but it is so hard to watch people struggle with terminal diseases. That is the main difference between the book and the novel. In the book it is depressing when Gus dies because you learn to love him. But, in the movie these characters are actually human beings and you see them constantly suffering, which is so depressing. 

     Overall, The Fault In Our Stars has amazing acting. It is romantic, funny, and depressing all at the same time. What else could you ask for?

~Casey

Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2) by, Kresley Cole

Summary:

Shocking secrets.
Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who’ve been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It’s kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies.
With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery.
When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she’s drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can’t remember—but Death can’t forget…

In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Timesbestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles. (Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 320

Release Date: October 1st, 2013

Review:

     I started The Arcana Chronicles in mid-January this year by reading the first novel, Poison Princess. I absolutely loved Poison Princess and wanted Endless Knight so bad. I rated Poison Princess a 5 out of 5 stars and Endless Knight a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I would highly recommend these books to anyone that enjoys romance, action, paranormal, apocalypse and The Hunger Games.  

*Spoiler Section*

     The covers of both Poison Princess and Endless Knight are absolutely stunning. The color schemes are gorgeous and the backdrops are amazing. My favorite out of the two covers would have to be Endless Knight. I live in Pennsylvania so during our winters we get a ton of snow and I am bias because I love pictures of snow. Recently the cover of the third novel, Dead of Winter, was released and they changed the covers! Now the covers are mostly words without any people. I hate cover changes. 
     There was only one thing in Poison Princess that bothered me, and continues to in Endless Knight. At the very end of Poison Princess when Evie kills Arthur, Jackson makes the sign of the cross with his fingers at her, I felt that was so out of character for Jackson. Evie brings it up in several occasions in her mind during Endless Knight because she is ashamed of what she is and that Jackson hates her for it. But, every time she brought it up it bothered me. The Jackson I know would not have cared about Evie's powers. He would have embraced them, not shamed them.
     Speaking of Jackson, we have this epic love triangle going on in Endless Knight. In Poison Princess I assumed that there would eventually be a love triangle between Jackson and Death. If you would have asked me before I read Endless Knight who I liked better with Evie I would have with no doubt told you Jackson. But after reading Endless Knight, my mind had been changed. A lot of the time love triangles are so obvious as to who will win but in The Arcana Chronicles I am not too sure. I am rooting for Death but there is a possibility Jackson and Evie could get back together. I do not want Jackson and Evie to get back together because I feel so bad for Death after he told Evie their own back story and how she has caused him so much pain. Death reminds me so much of Warner from the Shatter Me trilogy. Also, I do not want Evie with Jackson because he used her to get to his half brother, Evie's old boyfriend, Brandon. But, I believe Evie still wants to be with Jackson, even though she likes Death. So, anything could happen. 
     I really like the characters from The Arcana Chronicles, they are extremely reliable. Since we met Matthew in Poison Princess I always picture my cousin, Andy, as him because they are both autistic and love space. They do not have similar physical characteristics but I can't help imagining Andy as Matthew. Matthew also reminds me of Jude from Never Fade. Jude was my favorite character from The Darkest Minds trilogy. I think they are similar in my mind because I feel like something bad is going to happen to Matthew like something did with Jude (technically I did not just spoil anything from Never Fade). If something bad happens to Matthew in any of the following books, which I feel will happen because something always happens to my favorite characters, I will be really depressed because I love Matthew. 
     I was glad Lark made a list of players because I was getting really confused as to who they were sometimes talking about. I hope in Dead of Winter and the rest of the books in this series will have a page with all the players and their names on the opening page for reference. I also liked how Evie talked about the rules of the game on the beginning page of the book because I actually forgot that this series had to do with a game. Refreshing my memory of previous books in a series is one of the most useful things an author can do (also maps and flow charts work too).
     I love all the world building Kresley Cole has done. It is based in the United States but after the apocalypse it feels like it takes place in some completely different world. Plus, Death's castle does not help, how did he hide it from people before the apocalypse? 
     Overall, Endless Knight was action-packed, romantic, funny, thrilling, and cliff hanging. Kresley Cole has a gift for extremely detailed writing and crafting amazing worlds. I can't wait for the release of Dead of Winter in early 2015.
~Casey

Book Con 2014

     One word to sum up Book Con this year was, chaotic. Saturday, May 31st was the first ever Book Con. Book Con was formally known as Power Reader Day at the Javits Center in New York City. Book Expo of America (BEA) is a convention also going on in the Javits Center during the week before and the day of Book Con. Book Con is open to the public while BEA is open to publishers, bloggers, librarians, etc. I understand that Book Con was new this year so it was going to be somewhat unorganized but they should have known from previous Power Reader Day and BEA events how to make it more organized. In my eyes, they failed to make Book Con a pleasant experience. Imagine about 8,000 people in a small area where it was hard to move without running into people. I can't tell you how many times I lost my parents in the mess. They also ran out of so many books! Some signings had to close down because there were not enough books to give out. Also, they quickly ran out of tickets for autographs (for example: Cassandra Clare & Cassandra Clare/Holly Black) and we waited in line without getting any. The day mostly consisted of waiting in lines for tickets to get autographs and in line to get the book autographed. 
     Next year I am hoping to go to BEA and skip out on this madness. The one thing that made the lines, stress, and chaos worth it was meeting some of my favorite authors and getting pictures and/or pictures with them. One of the other good things about Book Con was that there were panels, authors, etc. for people of all ages, so everyone in my family got to met or see people they wanted to.
      At Book Con I got a ton of bags, bookmarks, cups, pens, pencils, etc. I was expecting more books though. People that I had heard that went to Power Reader Day last year had gotten a ton of ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) and finished copies of books. I got a few regular books and one ARC so I was disappointed in my haul but at least I got some books. Here are the books I got:

Free Autographed Books 

(ARC) The Return by, Jennifer L. Armentrout

Never Fade by, Alexandra Bracken 

(E-book) Since You've Been Gone by, Morgan Matson

(E-book) The Forever Song by, Julie Kagawa

Purchased Autographed Books:

The Whispers Of The Fallen by, J.D. Netto
Rebellion by, J.D. Netto

Pictures:

(Me)

(Kat O'Keeffe, Ariel Bissett, Me, Christine Riccio) 

(Me & Cassandra Clare)

(Alexandra Bracken)

(Half of Grumpy Cat)

(Morgan Matson & Me) 

(Me & Jennifer L. Armentrout)

~Casey