Two Truths and a Lie (TLG #3) by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★★

Picking up where Never Have I Ever left off, Two Truths and a Lie opens us up to a whole new can of mysteries and surprises. In this world, nothing is ever simple and with every answer comes a new question. You don’t know who you can trust and nearly everyone is keeping secrets. But who’s harmless and who’s a walking nightmare?

Still being pulled into a dangerous position by the hand of blackmail, Emma Paxton must successfully continue to live out the life of her twin sister, Sutton Mercer, all the while playing a twisted game with the anonymous person who killed Sutton. Emma has so far been able to impersonate her twin with grace and even has Sutton’s friends and family fooled.

The only person who knows Emma’s real identity outside of the killer is Ethan Landry, the cute and mysterious friend that Emma has sparked with from the start. Both Emma and Ethan have developed feelings for one another–but can Emma pull off having a relationship and solving her sisters murder?

Things are about to get even more complicated with the return of Sutton’s ex-boyfriend, and Madeline’s brother and Laurel’s best friend, Thayer Vega. With his return comes more memories of Sutton’s, more tension and more answers. Emma is spooked and suspicious by Thayer’s behavior more than once, and he instantly becomes her number one suspect.

Don't You Forget About Me (GG #11) created by Cecily von Ziegesar | Rating: ★★★★★

At last, summer is coming to an end for our kids but their exploits are far from over. Drama boils over as love triangles grow and decisions are made. We’re reunited for one final party in the city before everyone departs for college. Dan’s sexuality is explored and his mother makes a surprise appearance. Don't You Forget About Me is Gossip Girl in all its glory: pure fun and sarcasm and romance and fashion.

Although university is just around the corner; their changes are only just beginning and this summer is sure to end on a high note. Who will actually follow through with their plans for university? Can Blair, Nate and Serena work out their problems?

We start off with the return of Blair and Nate; they have spent the last few weeks of their summer together on a romantic getaway. Passion was high, the sun gave them that perfect tan others will surely envy and they are preparing to start at Yale together.

Or so Blair thinks. There’s that little matter of Nate not actually receiving his diploma…

Would I Lie to You (GG #10) created by Cecily von Ziegesar | Rating: ★★★★★

You can expect the usual realistic and sloppy portrayal of the teenage mind in this hot installment. Gossip Girl continues to cater to its audience–light, juicy, fashionable and fast reads that leave you giggling a little bit to yourself. It’s dizzily trashy and that’s what makes it dazzling. Yes, it is the perfect summer treat for those who want to kick back, lose themselves in luxury and drama.

Summer lives on as the drama reaches an all time high in Would I Lie To You? the second to last installment in the original series. And with filming at an end for Breakfast at Fred’s, Blair and Serena wind up staying in the Hampton’s as fashion muses for a very famous designer.

Of course, this doesn’t mean they will be the face of this designers new line and have to share the spotlight with their own lookalikes. Neither duo seems to be happy about this, and Blair feels that the models are very much so up to something.

They happen to be living next door to Nate, too, and because of this their love triangle is back on. Blair, Nate and Serena reunite as the best friends that they are but there’s always more lingering in their hearts. While things heat up between Nate and Blair once more, Serena begins to question her feelings for Nate and comes to the conclusion that she has loved him all along.

Breaking Dawn (Twilight #4) by Stephenie Meyer | Rating: ★★☆☆☆

"You could run from someone you feared, you could try to fight someone you hated. All my reactions were geared toward those kinds of killers – the monsters, the enemies. When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give your beloved, how could you not give it?"

Breaking Dawn gave me a m a s s i v e headache this time around. That’s my first thought when rereading it: BD is headache inducing.

Way back when, I loved this novel with all my heart but now my feelings about it are mixed at best. As I’ve said before in past revisions and reviews, the Twilight Saga will always have a special place in my heart–it’s just that I’ve grown out of it and in place of the love I once had for it, I mostly am indifferent towards it.

Hailed as a romantic and action packed finale to the much beloved series, Breaking Dawn follows Bella and Edward as they prepare and celebrate their upcoming nuptials with friends and family. Together, they plan their future and Bella attempts to make a compromise when it comes down to sex, college and when she shall be changed to a vampire. After all, becoming one is the only way Bella and Edward can have a “true” happily ever after.

But is happily ever after really in the cards for these two?

Never Have I Ever (TLG #2) by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★★

“My enemies are everywhere. And sometimes, those we least suspect turn out to be our biggest threats.”

Emma Paxton’s life is growing more and more complicated as she races to solve the murder of her long-lost twin sister, Sutton Mercer. Sutton’s spirit is tied to Emma’s and is forced to follow her twins every move in the afterlife; allowing her to to know the sister she didn’t know she had and longing for closure. Silently, both girls are given the chance to know each other even though death separates them.

It’s all very sad and scary but very, very intriguing.

In order for Emma to solve this unexpected murder-mystery, and get back to life as she knew it, she has had to take her twins place unknown to anyone besides the cute-and-mysterious Ethan Landry and of course the murderer.

And although Sutton is there with her in spirit, she has no recollection of what happened the night she was killed and has no way of communicating with Emma. Everything is one giant mystery for both girls and it’s surprising the way it unfolds.

Making the stakes higher than ever, Emma is blackmailed into playing a convincing Sutton–for all those in Sutton’s world, they don’t know that she is dead. And in order for the killer to get away with murder, Emma is the key to everything.

The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan | Rating: ★★★★★

Many ways to fly, but only one way to fall.

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

How can I describe the feeling of reading The Gracekeepers without spoiling everything? It’s utterly impossible. I loved this novel so much more than I could have possibly imagined and I can honestly say it’s one of my favorite releases this year. It came to me during a very dark period this spring, at a time when my grandfather was nearing his death and I needed a distraction, and it soothed me wonderfully.

The Gracekeepers is smart and moving, vivid, engaging to the highest degree, and poetic in a way that is sorely lacking in fiction. It has many layers to it and is overall a delight to read. I truly feel privileged.

Kirsty Logan’s prose is comparable to Margaret Atwood, as I’m sure you’ve heard, and it’s a title well deserving. She has a gift of creating a world that is unlike any other and gracefully navigates through it all. I am trying not to spoil all of it, because reading it is something you have to experience on your own.

Only in Your Dreams (GG #9) created by Cecily von Ziegesar | Rating: ★★★★★

Summer is here and things are heating up for our recent high school graduates in the ninth book of the pop culture phenomenon that is Gossip Girl. Sadly, Only In Your Dreams is the first of the series to be written by a ghost writer instead of Cecily von Ziegesar and it definitely shows.

But the ghost writer does capture Cecily’s series in a way the mimics her style perfectly. While it isn’t the best of the series, it is still juicy and stylish in the way that only Gossip Girl can be.

Everyone’s favorite Upper East Siders are nearing adulthood and have vowed to make this summer their best yet. Serena’s begun production as the lead in Breakfast at Fred’s, only to find out acting isn’t quite as easy as she thought. Her only saving grace is her looks and her ridiculously adorable and sweet costar, whom she definitely develops a crush on.

But is this something she can pursue? Or is he just not that into her?

And then there’s Vanessa who, after getting booted from her apartment by her older sister Ruby’s return, finds herself temporarily homeless.

Luckily for her, with Serena’s help, she is able to land a job on the movie set. And she moves in with the Humphrey’s. Rufus is surprisingly cool about it and soon she finds herself staying in Jenny’s old room. It’s a cozy little set up and things look up for our favorite edgy, badass, bald, budding filmmaker.

If I Fall, If I Die by Michael Christie | Rating: ★★☆☆☆

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

If I Fall, If I Die showed promise in its summary and by reading just a sample of it we can see that the authors prose is lovely and shows potential. But somehow, it just isn’t enough much of the time. It doesn't flow quite right and it's neither engaging in a solid or shallow sort of way. If I’m being honest I couldn’t believe how slow it was. I had to put it down multiple times and pick it back up to skim through it which was generally disappointing.

It had the unfortunate ability to drag on and on and on. That's my first thought we thinking back to every chapter, it felt like it was never going to go anywhere or even end.

While it didn’t leave the most lasting impression on me, I must admit that there were some portions of the book that I just had to highlight quotes and passages–when it gets into its groove, boy does it go.

Described as a coming of age drama and mystery by Michael Christie, the story follows a boy named Will who has been pretty isolated through the years by his mother who suffers from agoraphobia. Christie manages to portray this illness truthfully and it’s his biggest success within this story.

The Shore by Sara Taylor | Rating: ★★★☆☆

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Sara Taylor’s novel The Shore is described as something unique and engaging, featuring shifts in narration and the timeline. While it was an entertaining novel, the flip flopping between it all became a bit too frustrating for me and took away from the novels overall rating – a good chunk of the stories featured in it were wonderful due to Taylor’s writing style but there were a lot of moments where I had to pause and refocus my attention on the novel.

That’s the bad news: it’s not always the easiest to follow and some parts lack something. I can’t explain what, really, but there were moments that just weren’t engaging in the least. It was disappointing to see the way timelines went in and out of with each other that it took me ages to know what was really going on.

Moving through different point of views is always, always a difficult task and The Shore is very frustrating on that front. I couldn’t keep up most of the time because it was all over the place and I think that it could have been situated a little better than it was. It tries time and time again but as the story progresses, it just trips over itself and doesn't click well.

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★★

"I understood we used to be close. But they were like books I'd read two summer ago; I knew I'd liked them, but I couldn't tell you now what they'd been about."

In true Sara Shepard fashion The Lying Game is filled with style, wit and mystery to the highest degree. All made simple in its fast pace and entertaining tone. Armed with her easy-to-read and suspenseful style, Shepard glides through the first installment of her under appreciated series smartly and leaves readers with a heavy, dark and vivid image of what is yet to come.

Much like Pretty Little Liars, the series starts with a spooky and mysterious tone: death and possible betrayal is at a high. Sara Shepard will fuck with your mind and pull the rug out from under you every time you think you've got it solved. For The Lying Games, our narration is split into twos: Emma’s thoughts in life and Sutton’s in the afterlife. It’s a refreshing twist to her writing and Sara covers ground pretty well with both girls thoughts.

Emma Paxton is a kind, intelligent, sarcastic and down-on-her-luck teenager who is fast approaching her eighteenth birthday. Ever since her mother, Becky, left her to fend for herself at the age of five she has bounced back and forth between foster homes.

The Good Girls (The Perfections #2) by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★★

"I mean, that's where you're going with this, aren't you? Just because we rattled off some names doesn't mean we have any control over them dying or going missing or whatever."

What are my thoughts on The Good Girls? Good question. Okay, okay. Hang on. Let me catch my breath in time for this one because let’s be honest here: Sara Shepard threw me on my ass with her plot twists in the sequel to The Perfectionists. This isn’t the first time she’s done this but in this novels case… it was mind blowing. I was so shocked; my jaw hit the fucking floor.

I’m going to urge anyone who hasn’t read the conclusion of this novel to not read on when it comes to this review, because–HELLO!–spoilers.

You know those books where you think you have everything figured out? Or at least an inkling of where the plot will go, when the big reveal will come? This is absolutely one of them–I’m still in complete shock over who the killer was. I feel as though I’ve had the rug pulled out from under me.

It’s true that Sara is the master of suspense, of manipulating our emotions, of giving us a false sense of comfort only to tear it away. So I think it’s safe to say that everyone was expecting a twist of epic proportions, but I am surprised. Delightfully so.

Nothing Can Keep Us Together (GG #8) by Cecily von Ziegesar | Rating: ★★★★★

After the not-so-shocking dramatic end to Nobody Does It Better, Gossip Girl heats up as high school graduation approaches, their futures now closer than ever, new and old romances ignite, long standing friendships fall apart and Jenny looks into various boarding school options.

And word on the street is that a certain filmmaker is looking to remake Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Any guesses as to who is one of the many, beautiful, hopeful young actresses? Breakfast at Fred’s seems to be generating a ton of buzz and this serves as a central plot point along with graduation.

With Nate and Serena as a couple, Blair decides to take her life into her own hands and start fresh. Yale has accepted her and she finally feels as though she’s gotten back into her groove; although it’s clear that she feels the sting of Nate and Serena’s newfound couple status.

Nobody likes to see their two best friends date, especially when one of those best friends is the love of her life. But luckily for B, Nate is just as devastated by this turn of events as she is. He so clearly misses Blair. Surprisingly, the same could be said for Serena. In fact, their so-called romance is built more on the point that both want to prove to Blair that their surprise hookup in the last book was more than just a hookup between two friends.

The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★☆

It’s no secret that I am a massive fan of Sara Shepard and have been for years. Devouring The Lying Game and Pretty Little Liars series has been a bit of an addiction for me since my teens; so it’s no surprise how thrilled I was when I heard about The Perfectionists, Sara’s latest dive into young adult suspense and glamour.

Not only is the cover gorgeous, the plot shows promise in the same way that all her books do. Although Sara’s writing isn’t the best in all the land, she makes reading fun and each story oozes scandal, luxury, death and mystery. It’s easy to see why her work is adapted frequently and why she dominates her portion of the genre.

Sara’s mind is filled with ideas, this much we know. She just knows what she’s doing to make readers crawl back. But while The Perfectionists was a fun, thrill filled read that shined bright with dark air and mystery, it wasn’t her best work. I keep noting that some of the characters felt less alive than her previous works.

This isn’t to say that The Perfectionists was boring or a chore to read. It’s fast and fun and very delicious in its own right; it just had moments where you felt very unattached to some of the characters.

Almost like they weren’t quite fleshed out beyond a brief summary of interests and physical appearances. It was odd.

Ava, Caitlin, Mac, Parker and Julie were all entertaining in their own rights and it was easy to get wrap up in their drama, yet more often than not I found myself feeling rather underwhelmed by their plots and characteristics. Mostly, they were forgettable.

Nobody Does It Better (GG #7) by Cecily von Ziegesar | Rating: ★★★★★

Nobody Does It Better is serving up the scandal and luxury Gossip Girl is known for. Things are looking up for our favorite Upper East Siders as graduation nears and their futures become all the more clear. In these teens charmed lives, anything goes and it’s clear that anything can happen in the city that never sleeps.

But even in all their glamorous exploits, decisions have to be made. So what does the future hold for Blair, Serena, Nate, Jenny, Dan, Vanessa, Aaron and Chuck? Where will their lives lead them next? It’s bound to be juicy and Gossip Girl is there to report everything.

Where we left off in You’re the One That I Want: Blair and Nate finally have sex and are stronger than ever–or are they? Blair’s expectations are high and notoriously framed around her favorite films… but is it possible for her to have it all? Or is she destined to become just another society princess in a sea of designer wearing women?

As for her relationship: Gossip Girl’s it-couple has always been up and down. And that is no different in Nobody Does It Better, in spite of the romantic and picture perfect ending to the previous installment.

Unbelievable (PLL #4) by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★★

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the naughtiest of them all?

Sara Shepard’s bestselling series Pretty Little Liars continues on with its fourth installment: Unbelievable – with more drama and revelations than the last. It should be noted, too, that a good chunk of our questions are finally answered and the identity of the notorious anonymous texter is revealed.

And with every answer, with every turn, the title proves to be a proper fit. As with the last three books from the series, we pick up right where we left off in the residents lives of Rosewood. Now, answers are near the point of being revealed when it comes to discoveries on who killed Alison and who is tormenting the girls anonymously.

Aria, Spencer, Emily and Hanna have all suffered from the harassment of A and in Unbelievable we can sense that this was only the beginning. A’s little game is far from over. Each girls lives have been changed drastically over the years and the gap between them all has only grown since the death of their clique leader all those years ago and now the wrath of A.

Can they escape this vicious circle? Is it possible?

Hanna is currently in the hospital after finding out the identity of A; who had promptly hit Rosewood’s resident It-Girls with a vehicle to shut her up. Life as Hanna knows it had already been on the rocks, as she lost everything she’d worked so hard for.

I Take You by Eliza Kennedy | Rating: ★★☆☆☆

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

For months I’d been anticipating the release of Eliza Kennedy’s debut novel; the blurb I’d read sounded like it had all the makings of an entertaining spring and summer, kick back and relax read. And the cover art: boy, is that cover a beauty. I couldn’t stop starring at it. I still can’t; in spite of the flaws of the book the cover art is still lovely.

I squealed a lot when I saw my request had been filled. There may have been a bit of obnoxious, neighbor's stare inducing, happy dance. I honestly couldn’t wait to dig in. It promised to be delicious and offensive in that good, fun sort of way. And while it did strike a lot of chords humor wise, it was generally a letdown. I can’t figure out where everything went wrong – Eliza’s writing is easy, descriptive, stylish and witty.

But the story was so… sigh.

And the characters are even worse.

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer | Rating: ★★★☆☆

“And the sound of your heart," he continued. "It's the most significant sound in my world. I'm so attuned to it now, I swear I could pick it out from miles away. But neither of these things matter. This," he said, taking my face in his hands. "You. That's what I'm keeping. You'll always be my Bella, you'll just be a little more durable.”

Upon finishing my reread of the entire Twilight Saga, I have come to the conclusion that the series is incredibly dull and I can’t understand how I was so into it way back when. While Twilight was a solid introduction to Stephenie Meyer’s supernatural romance, New Moon was thoroughly horrendous. I had little hope for improvement while going into Eclipse regardless of the fact that it was at one time my favorite in the series.

What frustrates me most about the book is that Stephenie has a great grasp on human emotions. She does wonderful describing it; letting you into her characters minds. Meyer’s is also good at creating a new take on supernatural creatures as well as painting us a clear image of what the world her characters live in is like. It’s only when she tries to put it all together and make the story go a certain way when things get a bit wobbly.

Eclipse improves on a lot of things, in particular what New Moon failed. Bella is happy to have Edward and the Cullen’s back in her life and is now certain that one day soon she will become a vampire and live happily ever after with her friends. Blah-blah-blah. Her only struggle is trying to maintain a friendship with Jacob, her shifter best friend who is openly in love with her.

Perfect (PLL #3) by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★★

She knew too much. -A

Sara Shepard’s completely addictive bestselling series Pretty Little Liars continues down its dark and delicious path of Rosewood through its third installment, Perfect, and picks up right where Flawless left off.

Everyone’s favorite liars and readers alike have hardly had a chance to breath, and things are only looking more dramatic from here on out. Trouble is certainly brewing in the beautiful, exclusive town of Rosewood -- what could possibly happen next?

Pretty Little Liars is wildly entertaining in the vein of Cecily von Ziegesar's Gossip Girl book series, for its exploits of rich, mysterious and beautiful teenagers, with dashes of a good old vintage young adult thriller reminiscent of Lois Duncan. With every clue, with every description and development, with every answer comes about a dozen more questions.

And that, my friends, is what makes the suspense of A and who killed Alison DiLaurentis so fun.

Us by David Nicholls | Rating: ★★★☆☆

“I had always been led to believe that aging was a slow and gradual process, the creep of a glacier. Now I realize that it happens in a rush, like snow falling off a roof.”

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

David Nicholls knows how to tug on your heartstrings; this much we already know based on his bestselling novel One Day. When I received my copy of Us, I knew only one promise of the general plot: rediscovery in a last ditch effort to save one marriage and bring a family closer together.

What our leading man doesn’t understand is that sometimes marriages fall apart and you have to let go. Which is both a curse and seemingly admirable. His optimism in rekindling his marriages romance is something that everyone can relate to because it’s something that often comes up in everyone’s life; whether that be romance or friendship there’s always something in us that wants to save a connection.

And while it makes some of his efforts cringe worthy, and at times messy, it also makes him real and shows readers how easy it is to feel for him as he plans for the trip. Douglas is thoughtful and filled with humor in his narration that it makes the novel that much more likable.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater | Rating: ★★★★★

...she didn't realize about Blue and her boys was that they were all in love with one another. She was no less obsessed with them than they were with her, or one another, analyzing every conversation and gesture, drawing out every joke into a longer and longer running gag, spending each moment either with one another or thinking about when next they would be with one another. Blue was perfectly aware that it was possible to have a friendship that wasn't all-encompassing, that wasn't blinding, deafening, maddening, quickening. It was just that now that she'd had this kind, she didn't want the other.

At last, here we are. I've blown through this series in less than a week and this morning I finished Blue Lily, Lily Blue (the third installment in the phenomenal The Raven Cycle series) and I have to say that it is perhaps the best book yet. Here’s why: after the massive cliffhanger and the events to the previous book, everything only grows more challenging and thrilling from this point on.

Within the first few chapters of BLLB, which picks up where TDT left off, we are beginning to see something growing stronger and more spin tingling than before in the plot. It’s almost as if it’s reaching its climax, but the promise of more to come is still there.

Maggie continues to bring us into such a fantastically dark and magical world that it’s just… breathtaking. She’s made a lifelong fan out of me and I can’t help but to admire her mind, her writing (which is almost poetic and refreshingly vivid and sarcastic) and everything she’s done so far with everyone’s favorite Raven Boys.

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater | Rating: ★★★★★

"Want and need were words that got eaten smaller and smaller: Freedom, autonomy, a perennial bank balance, a stainless-steel condo in a dustless city, a silky black car, to make out with Blue, eight hours of sleep, a cell phone, a bed, to kiss Blue just once, a blister-less heel, bacon for breakfast, to hold Blue's hand, one hour of sleep, toilet paper, deodorant, a soda, a minute to close his eyes.

What do you want, Adam?

To feel awake when my eyes are open."

I’ve got to admit, I’m on a serious roll when it comes to my binge reading sessions of the three already released books in The Raven Cycle. As of now, in the second book, things just keep getting better and more engaging and remains to be one of the most intriguing novels I’ve picked up this year.

It's got everything: questions, answers, magic, mysterious, thrills, romance and more. Most importantly, everything is so well developed that not only does it fit together--it can carry its own weight. What makes this book isn't just the mystery, the magic, the darkness -- it's the fact that everything about it is so thoughtful and the characters are stunning.

Maggie once again blows me away with her incredibly fascinating descriptions, her plot twists and developments.

You're the One That I Want (GG #6) by Cecily von Ziegesar | Rating: ★★★★★

You’re the One That I Want is the sixth installment in the pop culture phenomenon that is Gossip Girl and is my personal favorite of the series of books. For a series that is as messy and poorly written as GG is, it’s still thoroughly entertaining, stylish and engaging.

And in this installments case, the writing has improved immensely.

In true GG fashion, its main plot line is fueled by teenagers misbehaving and narrated by the queen of gossip herself. Most of our favorite UES teens are nearing the end of their high school careers (graduation is just months away!) and seem to be branching out more and more as they discuss what their adult lives will soon hold for them.

YTOTIW promises its usual array of scandal, gossip, fashion, luxury and sex. It’s the perfect combination of teenage angst, hormones and boredom. Which is what makes it fun and appealing to teenagers. Each character is different and yet still obtainable. They can all be extremely horrible to each other, yet you want to root for them in many ways.

Pretty Little Killers: The Truth Behind the Savage Murder of Skylar Neese by Daleen Berry and Geoffrey C. Fuller | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.8)

There’s something striking about the case of Skylar Neese, a bright teenage girl who was murdered by her two so-called best friends in the summer of 2012, and with every shocking detail and theory comes the realization that it all hits close too home. When you think of the ups and downs of teenage friendships it’s not often you think that, upon friendships falling out, murder will soon follow.

In all its horrific notes, you can’t help but wonder how this could have happened or why. Skylar Neese’s murder is startling and captivating in the most horrible of ways to everyone who comes across the case. Maybe even to keep her quiet about secrets that only friends share. Noted as one of the most cold, shocking murders of our time it’s likely that you know the chilling details already and the lack of remorse that both teenage murderers offer.

What’s more appalling and terrifying than their lack of remorse is their reasoning. Supposedly, Skylar was murdered by her two best friends Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf because they simply didn’t want to be her friend anymore. Is your stomach turning already? I know mine did. Yes, Pretty Little Killers shines light on all the skin crawling details of this mysterious case.

Lord knows I nearly vomited the more I studied the case as well as tweets that followed from the killers. It blows my mind in the worst possible ways and reminds us all that we can’t even trust our own best friends because we never truly know anyone.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater | Rating: ★★★★★

"She wasn't interested in telling other people's futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own."

After months and months of procrastination and hearing nothing but good things about the series from friends, I finally found myself reading the first installment of The Raven Cycle: The Raven Boys. Those who frequent the book community have all heard the hype for this series and can’t help but to be intrigued by it.

I’d purchased the already published books in the series back in April as an Easter treat for myself but I hadn’t found the time to start them – I was almost holding off until the final book was in print, for binge reading purposes, but because it is slated for a release in 2016 I’d decided to finally get off my ass and check it out.

And honestly? I’m sure glad I did. It was enjoyable from start to finish and one can quickly see why it’s as well received as it is. This is my first book experience with the phenomenally talented Maggie Stiefvater and I’m glad it was. She has a way with words, truly, and it just blew me away.

The Raven Boys is the perfect opening novel for any series and authors everyone should take notice. It’s dark, vivid, mysterious, magical and, yes, a little bit frightening.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer | Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

While I do have a certain fondness for the Twilight Saga, more out of nostalgia than actual love, New Moon is the exception to that interest. I absolutely loathed this book then, and my feelings remain unchanged: I hate New Moon far more than I do of almost any book in the world. Somehow Stephenie’s writing weakened and remains her worst to-date and soils the already weakened plot.

I’m honestly not trying to be mean about it, either. It’s just so bad.

Aside from the flaws: Twilight was romantic, adventurous and sometimes charming and funny, New Moon is a bore and downright offensively flawed. It shows us true emotional turmoil, breaking our hearts – that is true, but it’s so painfully unhealthy that it’s obvious a lot of concerns have been brought out from its original publication.

There is to say, though, that Stephenie’s still pulling our heart strings, even if it’s in pure irritation.

All that follows isn’t realistic (beyond the supernatural elements) or believable or healthy. It’s painful to read because with the amount of times the secondhand embarrassment and annoyance hit you, you find your interest and patience dwindling. I wanted to shake Edward, I wanted to shake Bella, I wanted to roll my eyes at the melodramatic tone the entire damn story took on because holy crap was it B-A-D.