Stacking the Shelves

Hey everyone! It's been forever since I've posted and I apologize. Work has been hectic and very time consuming so I haven't had a ton of time on my hands, but I'm hoping to start posting regularly again because I have a ton of amazing books to read!

These books are from the past few weeks. I went to two different signings, one for Emmy Layborne and the other for the Fierce Reads tour with Caragh O'Brien, Laigh Bardugo, Gennifer Albin, and Marie Rutkoski, and was able to get a bunch of books signed!

Bought from The Strand in NYC:

Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

Velveteen by Daniel Marks

What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel

Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz and Ron Bass

Traded/Borrowed from Lili @ Lili Reflections:

Sanctum by Sarah Fine

Easy by Tammara Webber

Gifted/Traded with Nicole @ Paperback Princess

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (signed)

Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

Attended Emmy Laybourne Signing:

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

For Review:

Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

Level 2 by Lenore Applehans

Won from Marissa Meyer:

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

This was the most amazing surprise ever! I won a flag design contest held by Marissa Meyer and my flag was her choice as the "author's pick". It took me forever to design and draw the flag but it was well worth it because this is a signed and annotated copy of Scarlet which means I have a ton of Marissa's notes in the margins of this book. It's amazing!!!

Tell me what you all got this week and be sure to leave a link so I can check out your posts!

Stacking the Shelves

OK I haven't done one of these in FOREVER (I'm talking months here) so I actually have a ton more books to show, but for the sake of space, time, and my sanity, I'm just going to show you guys my most recent books. Please check out Tynga's Stacking the Shelves post while you're at it!

Bought:

52 Reasons to Hate my Father by Jessica Brody

Unwholly by Neal Shusterman

Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

For Review:

Splintered by A.G. Howard

The Forsaken by Lisa M Stasse

Adaptation by Malinda Lo

                                                  

Swapped:

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle

Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

1 Year Blogoversary Giveaway

Happy Birthday Lost Amongst the Shelves!

Lost Amongst the Shelves is celebrating its FIRST BLOGOVERSARY! I'm officially a year into this crazy obsessive blog and I couldn't be happier with where things are going. To say thank you to all my wonderful followers I am putting together a BOX-O-BOOKS for you!

I don't know what exactly is going to be included, but I plan to update with some fun pictures. How this will work is for every milestone of 50 new followers (if that occurs) I'll update the blog with a picture of a book that'll be in the box you could win. Make sure to come and check back! (So the more who enter the more books you could win!)

I have some great books along with some book swag that will definitely be up for grabs with this giveaway. I will also give a second winner the choice of a book (valued $15 or less) from the Book Depository so my international friends can enter too!

US only:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

International/US:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions

You must be 13 years or older to enter either giveaway. 

The Box-O-Books giveaway is for US shipping only/ TBD is for International or US Shipping (please make sure that TBD ships to your country). 

The giveaways will run until October 13, 2012 when 1 winner for each prize will be chosen and have 48 hours to respond to my email, otherwise an alternate winner will be chosen. 

I am not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items. 

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is the meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It features a new blog every week along with a book related question to promote blogs and new followers. I'm not sure what the question is exactly, if its read and loved or read and didn't like so I'm answering both...

What is the best cover of a book you read and didn't like?

It would probably be the cover for Entwined by Heather Dixon. I think the cover is absolutely gorgeous and would hang it on the wall as beautiful book art, but the story itself just didn't do it for me. It was a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses and just lacked the spark or pizzaz to make it stand out. If you're going to retell a fairy tale you need to do something AMAZING to make it stand out, otherwise its just going to be the original plot with a different cover and title.

What is the best cover of a book you read and loved?

This one was so much harder to answer because so many of my favorite books have such gorgeous covers! I think some of my favorites would be...

Dirty Little Secret

Dirty Little Secret is a meme hosted by the lovely ladies at Under the Covers! I haven't participated in such a long time (I'm a total slacker) but to go along with the Book Confessions from this week's TTT I've joined in on this week's discussion:

Book Abuse! What's the worse thing you've done to a book.

I'm definitely a reformed book abuser. I'm so ashamed to say that I used to dog-ear pages and bend the spines of my books. I was lazy and normally lost any store bought book mark, but now I use whatever is in sight to mark my pages- receipts, post it notes, business cards- you name it I've probably used it. 

More recently though, I accidentally almost destroyed my copy of Defiance by C.J. Redwine. During the summer my favorite spot to read is at my pool in any sort of float so I can work on my tan and TBR list. This normally results in some pages being smudged with tanning oil or frayed edges of covers from my hands being wet, but nothing too substantial. However, while reading Defiance I accidentally dropped the book into the float with me! I recovered quickly, but not before the edges of all the pages got soaked. The book dried, but now its really lumpy and crinkly, but still readable!

Cover Reveal: Slated by Teri Terry

Slated (Slated #1) by Terri Terry

Published: May 3, 2012 by Orchard Books

Pages: 448

My Review

Here is the new US version of Slated's cover. Its similar to the UK version, except it has the added city sky line at the bottom. I personally like the UK version a little more for its simplicity which relates really well to the book. 

I received Slated for review back in May and was floored by this book and gave it a resounding 5 star review. It's incredibly written with such thought provoking and original story lines that will engross any reader. I loved the concept of this book, Kyla was an amazing MC, and I'm desperate for its sequel Fractured which is expected to be released in May of 2013. 

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Title: Something Strange and Deadly
Author: Susan Dennard
Series: Something Strange and Deadly #2
Published: July 24, 2012 by Harper Collins
Rating:

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

A Copy of this Book was Provided by the Publisher for Review

My Review:

Something Strange and Deadly tells the thrilling tale of a zombie outbreak during the Victorian time period of Philadelphia integrating a cool mixture of the walking dead and proper etiquette. Eleanor is a teenage girl burdened with the responsibilities of taking over her household after her brother strangely disappears and her mother overspends the families diminishing funds. While dodging unwanted suitors and trying to keep her family afloat, Eleanor makes it her purpose to find out what has happened to her brother and how the newly undead zombies are involved.

Eleanor's character was fiercely independent and quite a rebel for her time period, which I adored. I love the strong female protagonist, especially those with vulnerabilities. For Eleanor its her loyalty to her family and need to protect them. It made her easy to relate to and enjoyable to read. Even better...she's not a swooner and doesn't fall all over her suitors.

The premise of the story reminded me a lot of Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel. The charm and propriety of the Victorian Era meets the grittiness and horror of a zombie invasion. Its a very thrilling concept that I believe Dennard was able to deliver. The majority of the book was shrouded in mystery after Eleanor's mother hosts a seance party with local socialites in an attempt to impress while contacting her late husband. Instead, a shadow monster is released who wreaks all sorts of havoc on Eleanor and her peers. I loved the introduction of the Shadow Hunters and their part throughout the story. They were the life of the book, especially witty and sarcastic Daniel who definitely knows how to challenge Eleanor. The feistiness in their budding relationship was perfectly done!

The balance of romance and action in this book was also impeccable. There were some great adrenaline scenes and some twists in the story line that kept the mystery surrounding Eleanor's brother's disappearance alive. There wasn't an overwhelming amount of romance, which hopefully means that Dennard is building up the romantic tension for the reader in future books! I also felt the zombies could have been a bit scarier, they weren't the gory flesh eating zombies I was initially picturing, but more like mindless corpses who felt more robotic than zombified. However, the ending of the book definitely kicks up the thrill factor and leaves the door wide open for this series. 

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

Top Ten Book Confessions

1. I am a recovering dog-earer. It's true! In the past I used to dog ear my books like crazy. I know, its so bad, but I never thought about how it hurts the book- I just didn't want to lose my spot. Now I grab whatever is in reach to use as a bookmark: receipts, post it note, bills...whatever works!

2. I read all of the Harry Potter books out loud. After I started the Harry Potter series and became obsessed with them, I had to share them with my sister. Only problem, at the time she really couldn't read (she wasn't dumb, just young). So I started to read them out loud to her. By the time Deathly Hallows was released my sister could read fine (I think she was in middle school) but it was such a tradition that I still read it out loud to her. 

3. I've named my future children after favorite book characters. So I'm not anywhere near ready to be planning for babies, but in my mind I've got baby names picked out already from some of my favorite books. 

4. I talked about my Blog in my last job interview. One of the questions HR asked me was what I liked to do in my spare time and immediately I said read. That then broke out into a full on discussion on my book blog and how I review books online which was a great confidence booster during the interview. 

5. I don't have a library card. I cringed writing this last one. I moved to this town in the middle of high school and never got around to getting one. Then I went off to college where I had a library on campus. Now that I'm back home again I have no excuse! I tend to just buy the books I want because I have no patience, but a library card would save me a lot of money!

6. I LOVE reading the acknowledgements section of books. Even though I have no idea who most of the people are that the author is thanking, I still love reading them. It's like a little window into the genius behind the book and who was a part of making the book a reality.

7. The majority of Classics bore me. In high school I took an AP literature class which sounded amazing at the time, but turned out to be a nightmare. When I'm forced to read a book I tend to like it even less. I enjoyed a few, such as Pride and Prejudice and Frankenstein, but dragged my feet through To the Lighthouse, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Grapes of Wrath...

8. I sometimes get embarrassed when in the YA section of stores. I look like an Olympic power walker when going to the book store. I normally go with a set book in mind, stalk the shelves for it, and then leave. I'm very self conscious of people judging me over my taste in books, especially when they spot a 23 year old standing next to a 13 year old looking at the same books.

9. I used to cheat with coupons. I used to have a Border's Reward card and get coupons in my email. Anytime I got a coupon I'd print out two and make my sister use one so I could get discounts on two books. Then when I was in college, I used to borrow my friend's B&N card to get the better price because I was too cheap to pay for my own card. Do you know how dumb I looked trying to recite her home phone number at the register?

10. I own a Kindle but hardly use it. I was so psyched when the Kindle first came out thinking I'd load tons of great books on it to take anywhere. However, I can't quit physical books. Even if the Kindle price is cheaper I'll buy the book. Its so gratifying to see my shelves fill up and have books stacked everywhere!

Follow Friday

Follow Friday time! Follow Friday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. The meme promotes new blog followings along with featuring a book related question. This week's question is:

Worst cover? What is the worst cover of a book you've read and loved?

I received Kevin's Point of View from the author, Del Shannon, back when I first started Lost Amongst the Shelves. It was actually my first physical book I received for review. I was a little skeptical at first, especially with the cartoon doodles on the cover (I mean, there's a kid with no neck and a naked butt)...but this book is HILARIOUS! The two main characters reminded me a lot of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the trouble they get into is laugh out loud worthy. Such a fun and enjoyable read across all age groups that the cover just doesn't do it justice.

Leave me a comment below with links to your FF and I'll be sure to return the favor!

The Unquiet by Jennine Garsee

Title: The Unquiet
Author: Jeanine Garsee
Published: July 17, 2012 by Bloomsbury
Rating:

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home, undaunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom. At school, her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?

My Review:

The Unquiet is by far one of the most spine-tingling, nerve racking, chilling book I have EVER read! It is so difficult to portray such a creeptastic level of scary in books because the writer has to rely on the reader's imagination, but The Unquiet has definitely delivered!

The story centers around Rinn, a teenager suffering from Bipolar disorder who has a very compelling past. Upon moving to her mom's childhood town, Rinn learns that her new house and new school has some dark secrets that quickly take root in Rinn. Her main focus becomes the school's ghost, Annaliese,  who is much closer to Rinn than anyone would suspect. The story spirals into one of the most eerie books of this year while Rinn and her friends try to unearth Annaliese's secrets in order to save one another.

Garsee's ability to give the reader goosebumps while reading is one of my favorite parts of this book. The story has some mind-blowing twists that will really mess with not only Rinn's perspective on reality but the reader's as well. When Rinn comes off her medication, allowing the entire wrath of Annelise in, reality is warped. You're constantly questioning, "did that really just happen or was it Rinn's mind?", which makes the story horrifyingly addicting. There are some imaginative scenes, mostly centering around the school's pool, that are just so perfectly written that surpasses any horror movie.

While the plot is amazingly developed, the characters are equally engaging. Rinn is definitely likable with such a vulnerability that makes you love her and a past that gives her an edge. Nate is that lovable boy next door that adds the perfect balance of romance to this thriller. Together, with their friends, there is a great sense of balance with this book.

I cannot gush enough about the amazingness of this book. I was up till the early morning finishing this story and was completely blown by its ending. I LITERALLY got chills finishing The Unquiet and recommend this book to anyone who is up for a great scare!

Drain You by M. Beth Bloom

Title: Drain You
Author: M. Beth Bloom
Published: July 24, 2012 by Harper Collins
Rating:

Quinlan Lacey's life is a red carpet of weird fashions, hip bands, random parties, and chilling by the pool with her on-and-off BFF Libby. There's also her boring job (minimum wage), a crushed-out coworker (way too interested), her summer plans (nada), and her parents (totally clueless). Then one night she meets gorgeous James, and Quinn's whole world turns crazy, Technicolor, 3-D, fireworks, whatever.

But with good comes bad and unfortunately, Quinn's new romance brings with it some majorly evil baggage. Now, to make things right, she has to do a lot of things wrong (breaking and entering, kidnapping, lying, you name it).

There's normal, and then there's paranormal, and neither are Quinlan's cup of Diet Coke. Staying sane, cool, in love, and alive isn't so easy breezy.

A Copy of this Book was Provided by the Publisher for Review

My Review:

Drain You is the average take of paranormal vampires meets teenage angst without any real flare or originality. While reading Drain You I couldn't help thinking that I've heard this story before...namely Twilight. 

The premise of Drain You revolves around Quinn and her need to be different. I appreciate the break from the cookie-cutter MC, but most of the time Quinn comes across as trying too hard to be original, which in my opinion defeats the purpose. She's got a bit of an edgy attitude which was amusing, but for some reason I couldn't connect with her. The majority of my issue lied with her overpowering independence which completely clashed with her neediness once she met the absolutely gorgeous vampire James. It felt like there was a switch in character the second James enters the story which was disappointing.

I also couldn't get past page after page of cliches. The biggest 'no-no' for me was the insta-love. I can never believe a romance when both characters just fall head over heels within the first few pages. I need development and challenges to make me root for them, but when love comes so easily (and then almost instantly followed by sex) I just lose interest. For Quinn and James their obsession for one another was a little nauseating, and very reminiscent of Bella and Edward.

Along with the insta-love there was the underdeveloped love triangle in which Quinn's best friend Morgan had absolutely no chance. There was the odd family of gorgeously ostracized vampires (again very Cullenish) as well as the melodramatic best friend Libby who is completely helpless and just as obsessive as Quinn. Overall, I couldn't help looking for Twilight similarities while reading Drain You. Unfortunately, this vampire book just didn't bring the needed spark to be a stand out book and fell completely flat for me.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lyn Anderson

Title: Tiger Lily
Author: Jodi Lyn Anderson
Published: July 3, 2012 by Harper Collins
Rating: 

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

A Copy of this Book was Provided by the Publisher for Review

My Review:

If you never wanted to be a lost boy after watching Peter Pan you're childhood was definitely lacking. Peter Pan is one of the most imaginative and creative fairy tales and Tiger Lily has just brought a new and captivating twist to this beloved classic. The reader is introduced to Neverland in a way like never before with clever back stories for all the popular characters- Hook, Schmee Peter, the Lost Boys, Tinkerbell, and most importantly Tiger Lily.

Not only does this version of Peter Pan focus on the 'pre-Wendy' days of Neverland, it showcases the relationship between Peter and Tiger Lily told in Tinkerbell's perspective. How insanely genius is that?! Anderson definitely gets major bonus points for originality with this retelling! Tinkerbell provides a fun and pure narrative of Tiger Lily and Peter's friendship turned romance. It's clearly fascinating to read a romance without the fluff of the girl's overactive imagination or the boy's hormonal sex drive. Instead, Think 'tells it as it is' which makes the story all the more enjoyable in my opinion. 

What I love most about this book is Tiger Lily though. Her story is heart-wrenchingly sad, but her character is vivacious and strong which makes it impossible not to love her. After years of watching Peter Pan, never had I honestly been interested in Tiger Lily because she was developed as such a background character. However, after reading Tiger Lily, I'm instantly a fan and want to kick Wendy out of the picture! For an author to successfully make me 'change sides' is amazingly talented!

Most of you know the story of Peter Pan though, and that Tiger Lily doesn't get the staring role in the end. I'm happy that Anderson stuck with the integrity of the story and didn't try to warp the ending just to make it a happily ever after. 

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Title: Girl of Nightmares
Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Anna #2
Published: August 7, 2012 by Macmillian
Rating: 

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.
His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live--not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.
Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.
Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

A Copy of this Book was Provided by the Publisher for Review

My Review:

I am continuously being blown away by the level of CREEPINESS that is being flawlessly inserted into YA books nowadays. I consider myself to have a high tolerance for being scared, especially when it comes to books where its the hardest to terrify a reader, but Kendare Blake has once again conquered the fright factor in the follow up to Anna Dressed in Blood. 

In this sequel, we return to Cas' flight to discover the mystery behind Anna's disappearance months ago amidst a terrifying ghostly battle. After falling in love with her ghost, Cas is determined to save Anna's soul from what he believe to by infinite torture with a personal demon. Thankfully, we have returning characters Thomas and Carmel to aid in his paranormal mission as well as add some romantic angst to the drama. 

Girl of Nightmare's lacks the initial scare that captivates readers in Anna Dressed in Blood, but makes up for it in a eerie and well plotted build up to one horrific ending. Where Anna Dressed in Blood was filled with unknowing scares and sometimes gore surrounding a crazed killer ghost, Girl of Nightmares is a much more haunting read as we experience poor Anna's torture through Cas' nightmares and daydreams with much more heart break and darkness. 

Adding to the drama of Girl of Nightmares, readers get to learn more regarding Cas' past and where his abilities derive from. This definitely added to the depth of the read as well as some new fascinating characters- namely a personal favorite in badass Jestine who has a complex interest in Cas and Anna. I loved the purpose of her character and where this story is leading to. 

Overall, Blake blows em away with an equally scartastic read that lives up to the hype of Anna Dressed in Blood. As a sequel, this book has an individual flare that complements Anna perfectly and will definitely bring on the goosebumps!

Cover Reveal: The Violet Fox

Book Name: The Violet Fox
Author: Clare C. Marshall
Publisher: Faery Ink Press (http://www.faeryinkpress.com)
Release date: October 13, 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Violet Fox Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14743283-the-violet-fox

There are two kinds of people in the land of Marlenia.

The Marlenians, who live on the surface,

and the Freetors, who are forced to live underground.

The war between them ended two hundred years ago, but the Freetors still fight for the right to live under the sun. Fifteen-year-old Kiera Driscoll embodies the Freetors' hopes as the Violet Fox. In a violet cape and mask, she sneaks around Marlenia City stealing food and freeing her people from slavery.

Then the Elders task her with a secret mission: retrieve a stolen tome that contains the secrets of Freetor magic, something the Marlenians both fear and covet. Kiera must disguise herself as a noblewoman and infiltrate the Marlenian castle.

Before the Freetor-hating Advisor finds out her real identity.

Before her brother is imprisoned because of the secrets he hides.

And before she falls any more in love with the prince she's supposed to hate.

More is happening in the castle than she realizes, and Kiera is faced with a difficult choice. Will she be loyal to her people and their fight for freedom, or will she be loyal to her heart?



For a chance to win an ebook copy of The Violet Fox enter below!



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Once by Anna Carey

Title: Once
Author: Anna Carey
Series: Eve #2
Published: July 3, 2012 by Harper Collins
Rating:

Sixteen years have passed since a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth’s population. After learning of the terrifying part she and her classmates were fated to play in the rebuilding of New America, eighteen-year-old Eve fled to the wilds and Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the king of New America. However, her freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. Eve quickly learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems and soon finds herself in the City of Sand and the palace of the king. There she uncovers the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb, they will enact a plan as daring as it is dangerous. But will Eve once again risk everything—her freedom, her life—for love?

A Copy of this Book was Provided by the Publisher for Review

My Review:

If you haven't read this first book in this series, Eve, I would recommend picking up a copy now, because this story just got ten times more intense!!

In Once, the reader delves deeper into the politics of this new dystopian world. At the start, a huge plot twist is revealed regarding Eve, which changes the story drastically. The secret could easily be predicted, but its a welcome 'game-changer' that stirs up the drama, risk, and desperation of this story. I definitely believe that this was the extra oomf this book needed to set it apart from every other dystopian. 

The majority of this book focuses on this major plot reveal, so I'm sorry this review is a bit vague, but I don't want to ruin any surprises. The pace of this book has slowed down a lot, but that doesn't detract from the writing or plot. If anything, it adds a bit more thrill to the story line because you don't know when all hell is going to break loose. The bad guys are a bit harder to figure out and as a reader you're left with that feeling that you can't trust anyone. 

I will tell you that the romance has stepped it up, as it is much steamier. The relationship between Eve and Caleb has progressed beautifully and there is a palpable tension between the two characters. There are quite a few 'blush-worthy' scenes which only increases my love for this pairing. There are also quite a few new characters introduced who also stir up some much needed insanity, but even more enjoyable is the chance to revisit some old ones. There is a perfect balance of old and new in this book which will lead perfectly into the third book of this trilogy.

Overall, this book was definitely an improvement to an already successful dystopian. Everything has intensified- romance, risk, betrayal, secrets- and everything comes together into one INSANE ending that will leave you desperately wanting more. Carey has skillfully created an amazing bridge book that has upped the anty in an already amazing series.