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My Library in the Making

I just read anything and everything that I find interesting.

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When the World Was Flat (and we were in love)
Ingrid Jonach

15 Minutes (The Rewind Series)

15 Minutes - Jill  Cooper Actual rating: 3.5(View this review on My Library in the Making.)15 Minutes combined two time travel tropes: the "oh I have special DNA" trope, and the "some modern Einstein created a time machine" trope—that mix made this book different from the other time travel stories I've read.What brought this book down a notch for me was Lara, our heroine. She irritated me by acting like a spoiled brat when she realized that she had changed the future drastically with her alteration of the past, expecting others to understand her outbursts and inconsistencies. I also rolled my eyes when she couldn't keep her raging hormones in check even while she was dying from brain hemorrhage. "Lar? You okay?" He strokes my hair back. Is he finally going to kiss me? Maybe he realizes we're meant to be together. "Your eyes are going bloodshot. Lara? Can you hear me?"Uh, yep.Maybe it was just from my lack of sleep, but I didn't fully grasp the science behind time travel here in 15 Minutes. There were too many Lara's running around and too many pasts, presents, and futures interlacing with one another, and it just befuddled me. I also didn't like the mere "I'm special" reasoning as to why Lara could change the past. (I take it there were others like her, but we don't encounter them in this first book.)Like I mentioned before in a review for another time travel book, I like this sci-fi sub-genre because I'm curious of the what-ifs, and the answer to that question here in 15 Minutes is one of the harshest I've read. The synopsis promised a high-octane thriller, and it totally delivered. Just when I thought I had this story all figured out, it proved me wrong, and it was made even more unpredictable by the most sci-fi love triangle I've ever encountered in fiction."It makes me uncomfortable. You know all these things some other version of me told you, and you're looking at me like you expect something of me. Like what? Should I fall back in love with you? Because you told me that's how things are supposed to be?"The ending was a cliffhanger, but not the type that made me want to throw my phone against a wall. Give me the sequel now, please!MY FAVORITE PART was when Lara used her ability to save Molly. Talk about getting back at the enemy more than once! :))
The Girl Next Door - Selene Castrovilla (View this review on My Library in the Making.)I've always been a softie when it comes to terminal illnesses in books and movies, which is why I try to avoid those as much as possible. This is the reason why I haven't read John Green's The Fault in Our Stars yet, and until now, I'm still not sure what compelled me to read The Girl Next Door. Not that I regret it.The first thing I noticed was the beautiful writing. Selene Castrovilla knew how to gut-punch with just a few words, and with this story she's telling, she sure hit me more than once. But it wasn't all sad. The dry humor in this book, particularly Sam's and her mom's, had me laughing out loud a lot of times.Mom sighed. "Is this my punishment for writing smut all these years? If I switch to Christian writing, will things be different?" "Only with your royalty checks."Jesse's initial sarcasm also made me snort very un-lady-like, even though I knew it was brought about by his helplessness.As is the usual case with terminal illnesses—or any illness, for that matter—the sick person isn't the only one who suffers. Sam might as well have been dying herself. She definitely couldn't hold back her emotions well, and I hated how she would often get selfish and even more depressed than Jesse. But turns out she actually had deep-seated issues of her own, so I just felt for her in the end.One of my few qualms with this book was how there wasn't a lot said—or, rather, showed—pertaining to their friendship because when the story opened, Jesse already had cancer and Sam was already sleeping in his room. But their romance? Oh, it was there, alright. Theirs was a sad, beautiful, tragic love affair, and I'd be damned if I say I didn't root for them to live out the rest of their young lives together, for Jesse to beat his cancer.Just when I thought I'd survive this without the waterworks, the dam broke. The book was beautiful in its entirety, but the ending particularly even more so. Until now, almost a day after finishing it, I'm still telling myself that my tears were happy ones.MY FAVORITE PART was"I want you to hold me just like this—I want you to hold me when I die."*SOBS*

Acid

Acid - Emma Pass Actual rating: 4.5(View this review on My Library in the Making.)My, my, my—what a read! Acid is definitely one of the most shocking books I've ever read. It had me in its grip right from page one and took me to one hell of a dystopian ride; it didn't lack the complexity that I look for in books.Jenna Strong. Strong, Jenna: yep, that's exactly what she was. No damsel in distress here, people. She was always fierce and brave yet she never came across as heartless, only unforgiving. Her levelheadedness showed in the midst of all the crazy twists and turns that the story took, and I just really admired her. She's definitely up there in the "List of Kickass Heroines" along with Katniss, Hermione, and Tris.The simple and direct writing was perfect for Jenna's violent and unpredictable story. There were even extra stuff like news reports between chapters that made it easier to envision this futuristic UK. Also, I like how the romance complicated the plot nicely and not irritatingly. It wasn't anything swoon-worthy—though it did have its moments—but it also didn't feel unnecessary to the story and, in Jenna's harsh life, it was as real as it could get.I remember having two problems with this book: first, I felt like the pace could have been amped up a tad bit more, and second, it wasn't quite explained how they changed Jenna's face twice—yes, twice—and then managed to revert it back to the original. (This isn't spoiler-y, I swear; her face is the least of her worries.) Also, with the volume of dystopian series out there, I had my doubts with just how standalone Acid would be, and like I'd guessed, the story was wrapped up nicely but with an obvious possibility of a sequel—not that I'm complaining.I RECOMMEND THIS TO fans of the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth.
What Endures - Katie   Lee (View this review on My Library in the Making.)I have to admit, I got interested in What Endures because of how much it sounded like The Vow, one of the not-so-few movies that made me bawl like a baby. This book didn't succeed in making me do that, but it still tugged on a few heartstrings.The main characters were okay for the most part. At first, I wanted to shake Megan so hard because she was obviously taking the easy way out by avoiding rekindling her relationship with Jason, even when he, unknowingly, wanted to do that same. Eventually, I understood what she was doing and just pitied her, but not as much as I pitied Jason. He was the golden boy (well, man, really, as he was 27) who had suddenly lost everything. His struggle was painful to witness, even for a mere onlooker like me.Perhaps that's my biggest issue with this book: not how the characters irritated me with their running around in circles, but how I never felt a connection with them. They felt distant the whole time, and what kept me reading was only my curiosity at how their story would play out. Also, I'd just like to point out that "starting anew" would have been easier had they let each other finish their sentences. Seriously.The last 20% of this book was too clogged up with a mixture of internal monologues and lengthy conversations, and soon enough I just wished for Megan and Jason to go straight to the point and get it all over with. But despite my problems with their way of handling things, I did genuinely root for them to be together, so What Endures clearly did something right.MY FAVORITE PART was Jason's birthday :3

The Woken Gods

The Woken Gods - Gwenda Bond (View this review on My Library in the Making.)When I first read that synopsis, I knew I'd love The Woken Gods. All that promised mystery, intrigue, and action? This magnificent book didn't just deliver—it surpassed. I may have just read one of my top ten fave books this year.The first surprise that this book gave me was the mixture of mythologies from various ancient civilizations, making it stand out amongst the numerous YA myth-inspired novels out there. The author executed this story with obvious knowledge that could be observed especially when the gods interacted with each other. That's not something I've seen a lot of in the other books. Also, the idea of relics—divine objects or artifacts that humanity had somehow learned how to use—was just fascinating. For example, there was one called Babel Stone, a chunk from the famous tower that let its user speak any language.The Woken Gods was made even better by the characters. Kyra, our heroine, was simply admirable; I rooted for her right from page one. She was smart, thoughtful, and honest. She had never imagined the chaos she was about to get into, but when push came to shove, she knew how to play her cards... even against some vengeful and merciless gods.And then there was Kyra's ragtag group of allies. Her best friends, Bree and Tam, who put her safety before their own. Thanks to, I don't know, teenage hormones, their friendship was complicated and simple at the same time, but they stuck it out together till the end. There were also Oz and Justin, government operatives tasked with watching over Kyra but ended up helping her immensely in her mission. Together, they were practically just a bunch of kids going against elders and gods, but they did what they could with what little they had, setting aside their differences for the greater good. All that without unraveling suppressed superpowers along the way—'cause let's admit it, that's what happens most of the time.All the interconnecting conspiracies made The Woken Gods a true thriller, but it still had a twisted sense of humor that perfectly fit this twisted book. It was truly unpredictable, and there was a well-developed and swoon-worthy romance to boot. Despite a few slow moments, I was never bored. To sum this up, The Woken Gods is a freaking awesome book that I would definitely recommend to Rick Riordan fans, and oh, who do I have to beg for a sequel? MY FAVORITE PART was Kyra riding on Anzu. I may have turned green with envy.

Visited

Visited - Janine Caldwell (View this review on My Library in the Making.)Honestly, I expected Visited to be as sci-fi as the other YA alien books I've read like JLA's Lux series and Melissa West's The Taking trilogy, but it didn't go down that road. The "alien" and "living the dream life" shenanigans were interesting but the book gave more focus on the characters, and my investment in them was what kept me reading.The main character, Joanna, was nothing if not relatable. Or maybe that's just me identifying with her—selfish, solitary, awkward, insecure, and a wee bit spoiled. If I were her, I'd have reacted the exact same way she did when she deduced that James was an alien. Indeed, two of the very few things we didn't have in common were her height advantage and a guy BFF.I've said this a few times before, but I'm seriously loving books on alternate realities/parallel universes right now. Seeing the what-ifs get answered is fascinating; add to that a gorgeous alien and I was just hooked. James' true identity was revealed early on in the story but his mission wasn't, giving this book some kind of a thriller vibe.Addictive, romantic, and a real eye-opener, Visited was made even more unique with a plot twist from nowhere near the end. The writing was uncomplicated yet beautiful, but at times it had more breaks than I'd have liked. But ultimately, I loved this book for two reasons: the realistic open ending regarding the romance (I swear this isn't a spoiler), and the important lesson of "Appreciate what you have."MY FAVORITE PART was Joanna's second fall-off-the-roof moment :3

Northern Bites (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 2)

Northern Bites (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 2) - Nikki Jefford (View this review on My Library in the Making.)Even though Transfusion didn't impress me much, I picked up this book with high hopes because the author herself told me that there'd be more vampire-hunting in here than in the first book—and more vampire-hunting I got, sure enough. Northern Bites was certainly more addictive than its predecessor, and I had a hard time putting it down.Along with the action, our main character has also gotten infinitely better. Aurora Sky was braver, more level-headed, and determined, with a clear goal of not letting her vamp hunter identity stop her from continuing with her education (a noble cause, if you ask me). She was also more badass than I could remember her being; even her heart's woes brought about by Fane didn't weaken her that much.Northern Bites was nothing if not a string of surprises, the first of which was how little I cared about Aurora's love life. I was in this for the action, for the vamp hunting shenanigans, not for the mixed signals that Fane kept sending Aurora's way. I didn't understand just what exactly his problem with her was, and I wanted to shake Aurora until she stopped clinging to the memories and moved the hell on... to Dante. Seriously. The fellow vampire hunter was obviously into her, but Aurora kept denying it until he made an indisputable first move that had me giggling like a madman. *waves Team Dante flag*The second surprise was how I ended up liking Valerie. She was mean and bitchy, no doubt about that, but at least she wasn't two-faced. I sympathized with how she wanted to make the most out of her un-life and admired her courage to do it. Her relationship with Aurora also felt very real, how it slowly morphed it something like friendship, and I actually held my breath hoping they'd be besties. Oh, well. Maybe next time.And the last surprise? The killer they were hunting, of course! I didn't see that one coming, and I'm usually good at this kind of guessing game, so props to Nikki Jefford for that one. Aside from the relationships between the characters, I'm not seeing a real arc in this series—think one of those long-running cartoons on TV—but somehow, I'm more than fine with that because these are characters I can't see myself tiring of.MY FAVORITE PART was the dinner with Aurora, her mom, her grandma, and Dante XD

All Our Yesterdays

All Our Yesterdays - Cristin Terrill (View this review on My Library in the Making.)Holy cow. I won't be surprised if All Our Yesterdays ends up being one of my top five reads this year. It has everything I want in a book, and I was hooked right from the start. Considering the main characters' situations, the story should have been predictable, but it couldn't be farther from that. It actually made me gasp loud enough for my brother to hear from his room and think I was having a panic attack or something.Cristin Terrill's take on time travel is different from everything I've read before, more scientific than fantastical, making this book more sci-fi and more plausible than the others. In here, the time travelers can change the past and greatly affect the future, upping the stakes in this exhilarating ride of a book.The characters felt very real, and even if they were "related" to each other, they all had this individuality to them and it was just impossible to mix them up. They also showed how easy it is for people to change in a short period of time. Surprisingly enough, my favorite out of the bunch is the antagonist, the "doctor". His mind was messed-up, but the extra insight (God it sure is hard to avoid spoiling this book) on him portrayed his complexity, and by the end, I pitied him more than I despised him.And apparently, Cristin Terrill knows how to write a damn good romance—a love triangle, even—with it adding punch to the action instead of getting in the way. And All Our Yesterdays is nothing if not action-packed; putting this book down was nearly impossible because something happened in every chapter.A story of friendship, ambition, and betrayal, All Our Yesterdays is the book I'd give to a sci-fi-wary reader. The pace is crazy and the plot full of twists, leading to a shocking end. I can't imagine how the sequel will play out since this first book was wrapped up really well, if a little vague, but I'm already anxiously waiting for it!MY FAVORITE PART is Marina leaving James in the restaurant. It really shows how a single decision can determine the future, even of another person.

CHAOS (Kardia Chronicles, #1)

CHAOS (Kardia Chronicles, #1) - Christine O'Neil (View this review on My Library in the Making.)I don't know what exactly I expected from Chaos, but it's certainly far from what I got. This take on mythology is fresh and unique, but to be honest, what kept me reading was the characters; they all had spunk for days and I could read about them even without Maggie's semi-god drama factoring in their story.Now let me talk about the stars of this book. I liked Maggie right from page one, but as soon as she declared herself a YA reader, we clicked. Like snap. Yep, we're total besties now. (I wish.) Being inside her head was hilarious, and add to that her snappy, sarcastic lines, and I was hooked. She made some questionable decisions, yes, but not downright-stupid ones. And even with her freaky evil power, she tried so hard to do what's right, so props to her.Mac Finnegan, the new-ish guy who knew how to push Maggie's buttons and also made her writhe with "want", was a mystery for the most part, but it never got frustrating because the truths about him trickled in satisfying amounts. The reason for his initial douche-ness was ample so he's forgiven. But what I don't get is why he dated the Queen Bee of the Mean Girls. He didn't really seem taken by her, so now I can't help but think that he just used her. Oh, well. I didn't see any redeeming quality to said Queen Bee so whatevs.The maddening sexual tension between Maggie and Mac, fueled even more by their frequent verbal jabs, had me both pulling at my hair and grinning like a maniac. Their advice columns were so much fun to read because knowing their conflicting takes on the same topic revealed just how different their ways of thinking were. "Opposites attract", indeed."Any other hidden talents you haven't mentioned?"I mulled it over. "I can pulverize the shit out of fruits and vegetables." "Excellent. If I need a smoothie, I know who to call."Funny, sexy, and intense all at the same time, I definitely recommend Chaos for people looking for something a little heavier than contemporary to read. There wasn't much going on in the conflict part aside from Maggie's out-of-control powers, but I never got bored, and I'll surely be on the lookout for the sequel!MY FAVORITE PART was Snowflake Swirl night. The Wobble scene made my heart swell :3

Stormdancer (Lotus War)

Stormdancer  - Jay Kristoff Actual rating: 3.5(View this review on My Library in the Making.)One negative review was all it took to turn me off from reading Stormdancer around the time it was released. It mentioned the overuse of Japanese words and whatnot, and I knew I'd have a problem with this book. But when PBT announced that they were organizing this tour, I thought, why the hell not? And I'm glad I gave it a chance.A lot of people had a hard time getting past the beginning of this book, and I'm one of them. The first hundred pages were a struggle, wordy but with little action; I actually dozed off after every two chapters or so, but even with those breaks, I missed no detail. I thoroughly understood each of the numerous characters and could clearly envision the dystopian world polluted by proud leaders, blackened rain, smothering air, and cowardly tyrants parading around in iron suits. Anyway, as soon as I got past Part 1 (there are three, if I remember correctly), this book got infinitely better and I started devouring it.Aside from Yukiko, the MC, a few other characters had their share of narrating. As someone who's read three of the A Song of Ice and Fire books, that didn't daunt me, but my aforementioned splattering of Japanese words did. Well, it irritated me, to be exact. They were often unnecessary to the story, and my life-long affinity for everything Japanese was the only reason why it didn't confuse me. If you've watched a decent amount of Samurai X, I reckon you'll be fine, too.Yukiko is one of those all-around likable main characters. She wields her katana like it's nobody's business and stands up for what she believes is right, even when faced with the impossible. But even then, she's still a normal sixteen-year-old who can get wounded and fancies boys. Her transformation throughout this book is remarkable, hardening her already tough spirit, and she made me facepalm only once with her romance with the green-eyed samurai (Don't even ask me how he, a lordling from an elite family so there's no freaking way he's bi-racial, got those green eyes.) Mad love wasn't what they had—it was mad lust.Perhaps the other main character in Stormdancer is Buruu, the mythic creature that ended up becoming Yukiko's closest friend and companion. At first he was a beast with a mind sharper than the other animals, but his time with Yukiko made him almost like a human in thoughts. Watching him and Yukiko slowly learn to trust and care for each was fun and endearing.Plot-wise, Stormdancer wasn't as complex as I'd hoped it would be, and I attribute its length to the clutter that was the prose. Still, its story is a fun, unpredictable adventure that I enjoyed, and I will surely make time for the sequel in the future.MY FAVORITE PART is Yukiko and her father's bittersweet team-up in the ending.
Interim Goddess of Love - Mina V. Esguerra Actual rating: 3.5(View this review on My Library in the Making.)I've been meaning to read Interim Goddess of Love since January of last year, and now I'm mentally kicking myself for waiting this long to read it. I sure had been missing out! This book is very cute, fun, and light, but that doesn't mean its plot lacks complexity. There are so many aspects to this story aside from what is indicated in the title, and to mix all that in less than two hundred pages makes this a gripping read—not to mention the Philippine setting makes it easier to envision the story.With her smartness, determination, and practicality, it's impossible for me not to like Hannah. She doesn't let anything stop her from reaching her goal and faces everything head-on, even if it's deities from Filipino myth who are stopping her. One of the very few issues I have with this book, though, is her characterization. Even with the first person POV, I don't feel like I connected much with Hannah.Filipino myth—which I shamefully know little about—isn't the only thing that Interim Goddess of Love is full of. Get this: cute boys. A whole lot of them. Well, not really, but three of them. And they're in one group of friends, like, just as Hannah says, a freaking boy band. First is Quin, the Sun God and Hannah's boss. The mixed signals he keeps on sending confused and frustrated me just as much as they do to Hannah, but the little snippets of memories that enter her dreams suggest a whole other thing. Next is Diego, the moody bad boy who never fails to find, or start, trouble. He's more like a new friend at this point, but there are two more books... And then there's Robbie, the nicest and most normal of the bunch, and the one I'm currently rooting for. "Where is the Original Goddess of Love?" That's a question I'd been distracted from up until the final quarter of the book. I'm pretty sure it's not my failing memory, so I'm disappointed that this question doesn't get an answer in this first book. But I'm sure we'll get that and a deeper knowing of the characters in the next books, which I'll certainly get to before this year ends!MY FAVORITE PART is Bash night :3
Antithesis - Kacey Vanderkarr (View this review on My Library in the Making.)Antithesis didn't turn out the way I'd thought it would. That blurb is so vague, so misleading, that my jaw dropped when I found that my theory about this book couldn't be farther from the truth. And if you're wondering, I'd assumed this book was psychological, that Gavyn was crazy. She wasn't.Now, before you stick around any longer, I'll tell you that I plan to be as vague as possible in this review and keep the air of secrecy that the blurb-writer intended. Let the book surprise you.The plot kicked off nicely right in the first chapter, and my brain was just like "WTF is happening?!" Like I said, utterly wrong theory. The sci-fi element *hint hint* was a big surprise, and one reason why I really enjoyed Antithesis was because I haven't read lots of books about said sci-fi element. I do believe it's becoming quite the crazy lately...Gavyn was a likable character. Her handicap made her unique, not bitter. She was actually quite the normal teenager with worries, insecurities, raging hormones, and a ridiculous bucket list. But one thing I disliked about her was how she constantly ranted about her red hair as if it was a handicap like her one-armed-ness. I'd love to have red hair!What is it with fictional guys named Liam? Each one I've read so far have all been smart, hot, and a little bit naughty—written to make me insane, I think. But Liam's not as memorable as his relationship with Gavyn. It's easy to find swoon-worthy boys in books, but swoon-worthy couples? Nuh-uh. These two were so hilarious and awkward yet still sexy and sweet together. I may have snorted and giggled a lot.Gavyn and Liam's crazy adventure made for a fast-paced, unputdownable read. I have to admit that the climax felt like a cop-out, but the ending sure has me up for a sequel if there'll be one!MY FAVORITE PART is the shower scene! Sweet baby Jesus (hmm, JLA reference?).
The Dirty Secrets of Markham Savoy (Colebrook Academy Series, #1) - C.C. Dalton,  Twist Literary (View this review on My Library in the Making.)The Dirty Secrets of Markham Savoy is a unique book in that it's really short, kind of like a novella in length, and it made me think of the first episode of a new TV series where you're introduced to the story, the main characters, and their issues, then poof, you have to wait for the second episode to know more. This might put off readers who want a complete story arc by the end of a book, and I'm usually one of them, but not with this one.I've watched every single episode of Gossip Girl, and from that you can deduce that I have a thing for egotistical teens who wreak havoc with their fat bank accounts and act like they own the world, and Markham Savoy was exactly that... and more. He's smart, practical, and an environmentalist too, but like most great men, a great woman was his undoing.I finished this book in one hour, but that wasn't just because of the length. The plot was very interesting and progressed fast that I couldn't stop reading. It wasn't just Markham who made the story compelling—the other characters also had a lot to do with that. Strangely enough, the one character who I found a tad bit boring was the girl of Markham's dreams, Piper Harrington, but I sensed an underlying complexity to her so I guess she'll get better in the next books.If you can't already tell, I totally enjoyed The Dirty Secrets of Markham Savoy. It had me at page one because I genuinely wanted to know more about Markham and his world. I recommend it to people looking for a short, light read, and I'm certainly eager to read the next books!MY FAVORITE PART is Markham repaying Piper. So adorable!

No Reverse

No Reverse - Marion Croslydon (View this review on My Library in the Making.)No Reverse is one of those books that had me at the blurb. It sounded so unique and mysterious, and I knew I just had to read it. Unfortunately, it's left me underwhelmed.The first problem I encountered in this book was the main characters. They were both indecisive and grudging, and they kept pushing then pulling each other, but let me discuss them in detail.I don't like the choice that Cassie made years ago because she really should have trusted Josh to know what he wanted, but at the same time, I understood why she did it. It was stupid but selfless of her. Ugh, go figure.Josh,on the other hand, was said to be this perfect guy, smart, ambitious, driven, blah blah blah, but I never really saw that brightness. He was actually reckless most of the time, but he had an undeniably good heart. And I pitied him when Cassie finally told him the truth—a truth that's not very hard to guess, but I'll keep my mouth shut anyway.Apart from the main characters, the secondary ones shined. They were infinitely more interesting, particularly Josh's and Cassie's other love interests, and no worries because they'll be getting their own books. Or at least Sam will.Even though I wanted to thump the MCs on the head a lot of times, I still enjoyed No Reverse, and that's saying a lot because my liking of the characters usually determines my enjoyment of a book. But what did this book in for me was the ending. It was so abrupt and solved almost nothing. I'll check out the sequel for sure, but I won't be rushing to do so.MY FAVORITE PART is Josh and Big Fat Spoiler's touching first meeting.
The Liberator  - Victoria Scott (View this review on My Library in the Making.)The Liberator picks up a few weeks after the events of the first book. There is immediate tension as Dante's given his first job as a Liberator, but that means we get immediate fun. Even though I read The Collector a few months back, I didn't have a hard time getting back into this fictional world of Team Heaven, Team Hell, and soul stamps.I liked Charlie in the first book but even then, she felt flat, and that unfortunately carries on here in the sequel. I know she's complex, but she somehow doesn't feel that way. And then she goes on doing stupid things out of pressure, and I just downright disliked her. Dislike, actually, as in present, but I hope that changes in the next book.Thank the Big Guy for Aspen, the reason why I enjoyed The Liberator so much more than its predecessor. She's infinitely more interesting than Charlie, and I'm sad that she didn't get more of the spotlight. Aspen is a broken soul, but that sadness doesn't keep her from being fierce.It's Aspen who speaks next. "Can it, chick. If you're really able to bring a hundred years of peace to this hellhole, then this isn't just about you. Got it?"You said it, girl.Wait, I'm forgetting something here. What—oh, right, it's who. Sorry, D-Dub. I'm pleased to say that Dante Walker is still his rude, expensive-brand-loving self, and I still loved him. He's badass but sassy, something I haven't seen in any other bookish guy. Like the first book, The Liberator worked because of Dante's entertaining voice, and I seriously can listen to him prattling on his narcissistic shit for days.I remember letting this slide in The Collector, but here I see less basis for the "love" between Charlie and Dante. There's a lot else going on plot-wise, and we're made to accept their relationship for what we're told about it. Intense and fast-paced yet still poignant and touching, The Liberator certainly outdid The Collector. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who'll find it hard to put down, and I can't wait to pick up the third book in this delightful series!MY FAVORITE PART is Dante being bad with Aspen. I never shipped them, but their dynamic's just so good.

Hover (The Taking, #2)

Hover (The Taking, #2) - Melissa  West (View this review on My Library in the Making.)Hover picks up a few weeks after the events in Gravity. Ari is in Loge, home planet of the Ancients, and the only person she knows, Jackson, she can't trust. She is held a little better than a prisoner and kept in the dark as to what's happening on Earth. To sum it up, this girl is not pleased at all.I'd planned to re-read Gravity before picking up this book but, due to time constraints, I was unable to do that, so I was nervous that I wouldn't understand what's happening. Thankfully, West did a good job of jogging up her readers' memories. No time was wasted, throwing us straight back into action, and I was never bored.Ari was still her no-nonsense, badass self, and I still loved her. She knew how to read between the lines and how to prioritize, so there was no facepalm moment for this heroine. Being in another planet, she was curious of everything and wary of everyone—as she should be because like in Gravity, enemies hid everywhere, especially amongst friends. The romance between Ari and Jackson was subdued, and I know I'm not the only sad shipper here, but that was inevitable due to the nature of their hostile situation. It actually worked really well for the story—I'd have hated to find them kissing while guns were pointed to their heads. And we love anticipation, yes?As in Gravity, the world-building was impeccable. It wasn't at all hard to envision Loge, its light purple sky (yep, that one on the cover), its two moons, and how the planet was slowly shriveling to death. Also, I'd forgotten just how scientifically-probable this series is. I'm an alien-believer so that's not a far stretch, but even the technology is something I can easily imagine having in the future.Incredibly fast-paced and action-packed, Hover certainly outdid its predecessor. It's a book that's hard to put down, what with all the conspiracies and secret missions. The ending was a cliffhanger, but one that I loved, and I'm just desperate for Collide!MY FAVORITE PART is, uh, shall I call it the shower scene? The moment that shower was mentioned, I knew shenanigans would ensue in it.