Capering On Glass Bridges

A little while back, I received a YA Fantasy novel by a debut author for review. It's been a while since I've read a fantasy and I was glad to read this one! Although I do have a few remarks regarding the book, I did find it very unique and did enjoy it. Also the cover of Capering On Glass Bridges by Jessica Hernandez is absolutely stunning.

Send by the Utdrendans, a group of strong saviors is on their way to the dark lands of Mar. Normally, nobody would step foot in the land since it's full of dark creatures and danger, ready to kill you when the darkness falls over the land. This time around Kaia and the others will do anything to step foot on the lands of Mar and bring the most important message to the king: you can safe your kingdom. The curs that has fallen over Mar can be destroyed and the land can become one of the greatest again. But Kaia and the rest won't get through Mar that easily... where there is darkness, there is a great danger. Will Kaia and the others be prepared to leave everything they love behind and try to safe the kingdom of Mar?

Starting of with the characters: Kaia Stone! From the very beginning a mysterious vide hangs around Kaia. The land she's from has a pairing ceremony, this means that each of the citizens will receive a Canonipom. This is a mythical creature that complements its owner and is also a friend in times of loneliness. Kaia doesn't have a Canonipom, but the rest of her family does and this makes sure the reader already starts with forming questions and dig in further in the story. This was something I really did enjoy, and the best thing about it is that our questions will be answered if you're really reading attentively.

Kaia not being paired brings a few of her characteristics to the surface, for instance Kaia is a bit doubtful about herself because she doesn't understand why she's not being paired. And a bit of jealousy will tip at the corners of this character. I loved to see this side of Kaia, especially because it makes her sensible! This isn't the only side we'll get to see of her...

Kaia is send by the Utdrendans, another population in this book, to bring a message to the King of Mar, the cursed land. This does make sure that the character feels like she has a purpose in life and isn't 'the girl who wasn't paired'. It also brings the wise and strong, more confident side out of Kaia. This characters has so many qualities that it's hard not to love her! 

As for her sisters, those were amazingly written too! Although Elania was the one that got my attention most. She's the eldest of the family and when Kaia leaves for Mar, she's the one to join her. Elania seems like a very supportive character in this book and doesn't want her sister to be stuck alone in Mar if the curse isn't lifted. That's what I really appreciated about this character! Especially because she's willing to do anything for her sister and that's a beautiful side to her. 

Other characters that were important to the story were Aylin, the princes and Pelliab. As for Aylin and the princes, they were a very nice addition to the group going to Mar because they brought a certain happy, family vibe to the group and that lifted everyone's mood including the one of the reader's. As for Pelliab, here's another character that has a very mysterious vibe hanging around him.

Pelliab is also one of the chosen ones to deliver the message to the king in Mar but he's a very introverted person. This also means that he doesn't talk a lot and is very composed! That won't stop the reader from getting suspicious about him and this will also be an asset to the story because Pelliab does have some things in store for us near the end of the book. 

Other things regarding the characters are the mythical creatures that lure around all the lands. As I already said before we have the Canonipom but there are also the turned ones in Mar, the Flirds and many more to come across in this book. These sure were a great asset to the book because they made sure you used your full imagination and also made the story more interesting and enjoyable because you're totally into the fantasy novel. 

The little remark I have about the characters was that in the beginning I was quiet confused with who everyone was and what their connection was to one another. It wasn't totally clear in the beginning and did brought a bit of confusion with me, but the further you go in the story the more you'll begin to understand. 

Now the plot, the plot is something very intriguing and unique! I haven't read a fantasy that describes the scenery as this one so you're in for a whole new world that's described fantastically. 

Also, as I already mentioned before, they're send with a mission: to help lift the curse. It's pretty soon we find out that our character Kaia is determined to help out and act on her purpose, that's also why she's such a strong character but her parents aren't okay with it at all. Well, her father isn't. This will also make sure the plot will take a turn to how she's going to do what she wants to do without hurting her family too much. 

When Kaia is on her way to the land and is together with the rest of the savior party, the plot has a lot in store for them. It isn't a secret that the land of Mar holds dark creatures and is very dangerous. It therefore doesn't take them all too long before having a first obstacle. And the plot will keep surprising you with these kind of things before they can get to the king.

I think this was something amazing about the plot, the author had enough imagination and fantasy to create a lot of hard obstacles and problems the characters needed to overcome or get through so they could do what they came to do. You're in store for so much and it's also not predictable at all, there is a high level of surprise each time something happens and I was fond of that!

Even when they arrive and want to talk to the king, we see that their adventure isn't quiet over and there were already so many things that had happened before! Also after they spoke and delivered the message the plot has things in store for us, as well as a very big secret that will be revealed. I have to say, I was shocked at that point!

An asset to the story were the few tales or legends that we got during the book. We get to know the land of Kaia and how it was created but we also learn more about the mythical creatures and how or why they were created. 

The remarks I have concerning the plot were the fact that I often missed details. At certain moments during the book, I was lacking who was saying what. There was a huge conversation which was entertaining but I couldn't make out who was talking at that moment and this led to some confusion on my part. I also had a few scenes where I loved to have some more scene setting to add to my imagination and also so I could understand it more properly. 

The ending left me a bit disappointed because it was incomplete. Although it does make sure that the readers will be eager to read the second part, The Yesterdays Of Tomorrow, due to its ending, I wasn't that satisfied with it. 

©Jessica Hernandez

Although I lacked the scene setting at times and details to who was talking, I did enjoy this book. It will make up for the confusion I had during the book by using a lot of my imagination but also because of its strong characters. Each character is very unique and determined to act on the purpose they were send for and this will add to the story. If that doesn't lure you in yet, the mythical creates are also a very intriguing side to the story and the land of Mar has a lot in store for you. Capering On Glass Bridges is very unique and intriguing book with the surprising element each time the group experiences the darkness of the cursed land during their quest to safe the people. Also, I want to thank Jessica Hernandez for giving me this opportunity to read her book so thanks a lot!

"No darkness, no turned ones"

Forever

It's time to say goodbye to one of the most amazing series I've read in a long time! It's so sad that series need to end at a certain point in life... I feel so miserable when it ends because they are so good. And also today, I kind of feel sad because it's all over! I'm talking about Forever by Maggie Stiefvater which is from the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. 

Sam needs to risk his own life to keep the person he loved most safe. For her he would do anything, even face his own inner demons which has been something he wanted to avoid forever. Not getting a chance to live his life, Sam will try and safe her together with the new friends he has made. But saving her also means being targeted by people and trusting people he never thought he would trust. Will all that be enough to safe her?

This book is of a series and isn't the first book in the series, if you haven't read the books then I strongly recommend not to continue and go to the review of the Shiver! If you read Shiver already then I also recommend not to read on in this review but go to my review on Linger.

Maggie Stiefvater goes out with a bang! This book, again, took me into its world of wolves and danger but also the world of all the mixed feelings and different personalities. What I adored most in this book was the fact that there were still the four plot lines like in the book before this one, Linger.

In the beginning of Linger, I wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not these extra plot lines. This mostly because during a chapter the plot lines would change. You'd start with Sam and then go over to Isabel and so on. I was a little scared of this in the beginning because there are 4 different POV's and therefore it might become a little too much and too confusing? But after a while, I had to admit that this wasn't the case at all. In fact, I really enjoyed to be in so many heads and know what they were thinking and how they were feeling in that same moment. This caused in the beginning of Forever that I was absolutely happy because I still had the chance on being in four different personalities!

Of course the two story lines which we have been in contact with the most, were the ones of Grace and Sam. In this book, their strengths were accentuated which I always have been a great fan of. Grace is the one with mostly the brains. She will think if it's a good idea, see if it's logical and if they can make it happen while Sam is her opposite and thinks mostly with his heart. This makes him somewhat weaker in comparison with her but in this book we will see that this really is his strength. Naturally, their weaknesses will come around too, there are moments where we can see they're having a hard time and feel lost in that moment. I was keen that their strengths were the most important but was also very happy that we saw their weaknesses shine through. That made sure that the characters were a lot alike us because also we have our strengths and weaknesses and we're also confronted with them daily. 

The following story line was the one of Isabel. I already mentioned in the review of Linger that I was really keen on her because she has a very sarcastic personality but also always said what needed to be said. I also said that she was suffering due to certain circumstances, in this book we see that she has gotten over those circumstances and is her best self again. Of course we often see her rethink about the past and crawl back into a dark space in her head. Yet overall we can conclude that Isabel has shown her strongest part in this book!

But also her POV won't only show you her strengths! Her weaknesses will shine through and with those we got to see another side of her. She isn't as confident as I first would have described her. Isabel will act cruel at times and her laugh could kill but because of the last important character, we can see that Isabel does suffer from her own insecurities. Above that we also get to see her bond with her parents and get to know that she doesn't like going in discussions with them. This will form a big dilemma for her near the end of the book and give us some major, shocking news! 

The person that still influences Isabel the most, is our last character that gets his own story line: Cole St. Clair. And I have to say that this character has shown the biggest development in this book. When in Linger I thought we had unraveled everything there was about Cole, I was wrong. Forever will give you the whole picture of Cole St. Clair and also show the readers how you get out of a dark place. Cole suffers a lot and will finally explain how he really feels, this time around he won't hide himself after a smile but he will be confronted with the past. This said, Cole will make a huge change and become so different that I wouldn't recognize him in comparison to the first book he came in. 

Above that this character will mostly be confronted with his weaknesses but will make them his strengths. He will give major adjustments to the story and we even could call him a big hero! What I absolutely loved with his character too were the many discussions between him and Isabel. These create tension between the characters and give a very pleasant feeling for the reader. What I did miss in the book was more interaction between them near the ending and I hoped on a lot more feelings on their bond which I really missed out on. 

This said about the characters, I feel it is time to talk a bit more about the plot itself. The plot was building further onto the plots of the first two books but was also going to it's highest point because it is the last book. This caused a lot of tension which I was absolutely crazy about! 

I still had a lot of questions from the first two books that were left unanswered and was very happy that these questions all were answered in the last book! Also one character who is discussed a lot by flashbacks of Sam will come around again and will add to the craziness in the plot! 

Yet in this book there will be a huge mission that needs to be solved and the characters will all have to work together to create a solution. This was also the part that was influenced a lot by Cole and by close bystanders of Isabel! These two persons will add more tension and create more feelings to this book! I can already tell you guys that I was shocked at the end but also very exciting by everything that was created and succeeded! 

A thing that I found a little bit confusing was the ending! I'm not going to spill anything, I'm just saying that I'm not really sure what the end really is now and how I should interpret it. This might be something only I have had a difficult time with but there might be others too. I read the author's note to find out if what I made of it might have been explained in it but there wasn't an explanation. It's a pity that the end was so abrupt and confusing on my part. But as I said, it might be me!

Overall this book was as a amazing as the first two books! The plot builds onto the other plots and answers a lot of questions. The strengths are accentuated but also the weaknesses will shine through which makes sure the characters are very reliable and very realistic. The book will give you a huge dilemma and task that's fueled and influenced by other characters which gives you all the more feels such as romance, excitement, thrill and tension! I wished this series would never, never end but of course to everything good comes an end but I can say that I'm really satisfied with this series and definitely recommend it! 

"Grace, this isn't how it ends."

Melody's Key

A week ago, I was asked to read for review by an author, he send me the synopsis of his first published book and can I just say that I was sold the moment I read it? Only by reading the synopsis, I was convinced that this book had a lot in store for me and god, were my instincts right! If you're looking for a very sweet romance and a book full of passion then Melody's Key by Dallas Coryell is the book you absolutely need!

Tegan Lockwood was stuck in life. All the opportunities that were given to her she declined because of her duty towards her family. They had been having a very hard time lately and were in debts, they couldn't lose the extra power. They wouldn't survive without her help. And that's why Tegan gave in, because they needed her. Struggling with past events, Tegan has a hard time giving her life some color and find things that make her truly happy. That is until a new visitor comes around in Lockwood Holiday and it sure brings some sparks in her life...

This book got me upside down everyone! Just truly upside down! You'd start to get depressed because your life never turned out like theirs. This book will absolutely give you feels like this and I'm totally loving it! Before I go further about the plot, I will discuss the characters starting with Tegan. 

Tegan, which by the way has a beautiful meaning you'll discover yourselves, is actually a pretty tough girl. She'll stand her ground when she has to and she'll do what she has to do to make sure her loved ones are okay and happy. Even if it means declining certain things that would make her dreams come true. I really appreciated that in this character because it really showed her love and affection for her family and how caring she really is. Even though Tegan shows a lot of her sarcastic and tough side, deep down she isn't that tough.

Tegan has been dragging a tragic and hard event with her for a very long time now and it's really making her feel bad. Throughout Melody's Key you'll feel how pained she is and how much she closes herself of for the world, for people. Also, because of these past events, she is determined that love is not real. Tegan's set on not letting anyone in that could hurt her and she absolutely shows her insecurities throughout the book. This really showed the realistic to this character and I was really keen on seeing that because it made sure we all could relate to her. 

Another thing that I discovered about Tegan was her passion. She loves to be a part of music and art and really loses herself in it. This was one of the things that really accentuated that part of her and it showed you how much she needs these things to escape from reality and just to be able to forget what has happened to her. 

Next up, I want to discuss her family because I was so keen on them, really each and every one of them. It's been a while since I read a book where the parents weren't the evilest of the evil. Her parents are very caring and really try to make their kids lives amazing and that makes them really amazing. Although they have a hard time with Lockwood Holiday, their business, they try to make a lot of time to have that great family bond. This creates such a happy feeling with the reader when they read about it, but more about that later in the plot!

Tegan also has 3 brothers: Joe, Noah and Michael which are also amazing characters because they were really funny. We don't see that much about their personalities, which I did love to see more, but when we did see them they were always making comments about each other or trying to trick each other and this led to moments were you could really enjoy them and even laugh with them. 

As for Tegan's sister, she was my favorite in the Lockwood family. She and Tegan always pranked each other which showed us how good their bond really was. Yet Ryleigh has a very caring side and also a very understanding side. Throughout Melody's Key we'll see her laugh with her sister and trick her all you want, but when her sister is in trouble or doubting herself, Ryleigh will be there to catch her from falling and give her a good piece of sisterly advice. She's a very supporting character that can be very mature at times when its needed and that was something I really appreciated in her. 

That sums up everyone in the family and to conclude that, I'd like to underscore how much I was a fan of them. There are no words for how close they are and how amazing each and every one of them is described by Dallas Coryell. Their bond is very realistic and relatable but also has this unique side that makes you want to be a part of their family too. 

Two more characters I want to discuss, first off: Mason. Tegan hates him the first time he comes around. He's a jerk, he's mean, he seemed angry and someone who would just sleep with a different woman each and every night. Yet these are some of her, and maybe even some of the reader's, superficial judgments. The first few things we get to know about this character might lead us to think about him like that but Mason will come to surprise us more than once in this book. 

This character is not who you expect him to be and it was amazing how we discovered him together with Tegan and see that, even though a lot of people like him, he is just a normal person with normal problems. I loved to see this character because he did show many changes himself but also made sure that we could see other characters in the book change in a positive manner. 

Dallas Coryell, the author

Lastly, there is Simon. And can I just tell you guys the following: I need a Simon in my life! He's absolutely adorable and has the same side as Ryleigh: the caring and understanding, the supportive side. He's such a great person but has always been a victim of bullying which you'll find out more about in the book itself. Also this character will show major changes by make a stand even if things might not end up the way you'd want them to be. We will see him struggle with his identity and how people react on his identity but I can honestly say that he's just an amazing character! Simon has an amazing personality and I really wish he was real because I heart Simon, okay? Okay!

This concludes everything about the characters. They're very well written and will take you down under in this book. They'll create this loving and caring atmosphere and really make you feel the feels of the book! 

Secondly, the plot! To my opinion, it tended to build up a little slow but, we also know by now that I'm just a very impatient person and I just really wanted to know who the secret, mysterious visitor was! What I did absolutely adored in the beginning was how descriptive it was. We're surrounded by nature and you'd think there isn't much to describe about it but the author made sure you'd be able to visualize everything. From the air hanging there to the flowers that grow there and I absolutely loved it. If you're someone that wants to use your imagination to the fullest than these descriptions will make sure of it. I, myself, am a huge fan of visualizing the environment and I was absolutely not disappointing. 

Another thing you might enjoy then is the background about the family. There will be parts in the book where you get a little history about the family, about how they met each other, about new characters coming along and it was really nice to read. You knew the family was having a hard time but you also would go back to where the problems started which made sure you'd understand it to the fullest. 

The plot has a very sweet atmosphere that really takes you into the story. You'll be put in weird positions that are awkward because Tegan drooled over a boy, but you'll also experience the cozy moments. As I said before, the parents of Tegan will really try to make time to have a nice moment with the family and you'll be totally part of that. These were the moments I, as a reader, really lived up to because of the atmosphere that was created. 

There is, for example, Sunday Pancakes, where her dad feels like he's the king of the kitchen and just makes amazing pancakes while others drool over the food and make some jokes. Or there is the moment they decide to go to the lake and go picnicking. These were the moments that broke through the doubts and insecurities the main character, Tegan, was having and made her relaxed. 

Which brings me to the feels in this book because there are many! You won't only relax, you'll also laugh and feel awkward it makes you smile and you'll fall in love. This book is filled with feels, as well as romantic ones and friendship ones. It's really amazing to read and to experience. Especially the romantic feels! We know how our main characters thinks about love, she think it's not real and her believe for it will be tested in the story.

Something that was a great asset to the book were the letters Tegan reads. How she got them and why she reads them will all be answered in the book, but I loved the way they were presented! Also, it boosted the theme and gave an extra to the atmosphere the book already created. The letters have this history clinging to them together with a good portion of romance which gave a nice break from the story from time to time.

Melody's Key will also focus on the development of the characters and how you can grow from being closed off to become more open to new people. To turn your bad judgement into an apology and so on. But it'll also focus on the artistic side! Tegan has a passion for music and art and these things will return to her when she grows more open towards people which is a great development to see. The author also made use of song lyrics that are also an asset to the book because you can really read them. It's not just one sentence where they say "They now make lyrics", you can really read it and see what they created. 

It does sound like it's all sunshine and roses but the plot will take multiple bumps in the road and cause the characters to be confronted with their insecurities and believes. Also the family's huge problem will take a very interesting turn, as well as Tegan and her ability to let people in and to believe in love. The plot really then focuses on how certain characters will react and how they solve this problem. Of course, this leads to more feels you'll experience while reading which is only a good thing. But it also accentuated how realistic the story is because life is not a smooth sail and you will be confronted with difficulties. 

For short, the plot focuses on a very realistic side of life and will really pull you down under in it. You'll just live next to the characters and see them live up to your expectations. If that's not enough, you'll also feel what they feel and go on a very exciting journey of falling in love, opening up to your feelings and to people, grow into your strong self no matter the past and feel passion! The characters are also unique and have such a strong bond you can't do anything else but love them and want them in real life. Sure, I might've thought the build up was a bit slow and I wanted to see some more of the brothers but I do absolutely recommend this book! It's a great conclusion to my summer holiday because it also it set in summer and really made me feel excited and all warm inside! Also a very big thank you to the author, Dallas Coryell to give me this opportunity to review this book! It was a great pleasure and I really enjoyed it! I hope you'll write more books, because this one was outstanding and a great first published book! Thanks again!

"Lost without you."

Beautiful Creatures

Time for a review about a book that I've received from someone from my family! So thank you for the book, I have really enjoyed reading it so now it's time to review it: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. I've seen the movie a year and a half ago? But I didn't remember a lot anymore so everything was a surprise in this book.

Ethan can't wait until he can leave his old, silly town and go somewhere bigger. He's been counting down the months and dreaming ahead. Yet it's not only a bigger city he's been dreaming about, but also about a girl. It isn't until months later that Ethan finally discovers who that girl is and sees her walking around in Gatlin. 
Lena's also counting down the days. Yet for her there isn't anything pleasant at the end of her counting. She's losing herself because of her powers and has a very hard time controlling them. If that isn't hard enough, people want to destroy her. 
Ethan can't leave Lena alone and will do anything to find out what the hell is going on with the girl of his dreams. Together, they'll have to fight the good or the bad....

Let's just start with the characters! First of Ethan Wate. He's the normal guy you'd expect every guy to be in a town like Gatlin. Gatlin is, in Ethan's eyes, a silly and stupid town and he absolutely can't wait to get out of it. I guess this is already a point where many readers can relate, some of us might or might not want to leave the city they're living in because it's silly or old or what not. It's also the point where you think that he's normal. The thing that made Ethan not the normal guy you'd expect him to be, are his dreams. 

The book will make you live with him in his dreams and that's where all the mystery will start. Ethan is completely clueless and so are we. We don't know who the girl is or what the dream might mean which gives us the impression that it might be totally nothing. It isn't until another character appears in the book that Ethan, and the reader, starts to understand there's more to it than we thought. It's also at this point that Ethan starts to show his determined side. He's determined to find out what's going on and when people start hating the new town girl, he's also determined to make it stop.

That's what I really appreciated in this character. The will to be different than the rest, and stick up for this girl that's being bullied. He really tries to make her feel at ease even though she's having a hard time. When she tries to shake him off, he's still determined to go for it. It's also from this point in the book that we see Ethan grow into someone very understanding and willing to help others, but mainly Lena. 

Of course there's also the part of Lena being in his dreams and Lena not being able to control her any more. This is also something that drives Ethan to stick around and to find out the truth. Nevertheless he won't use her for his own causes. He'll really help her out and be there for her which I absolutely appreciated in this character. 

As for Lena, the mystery all comes with her. The moment she enters Gatlin weird things start to happen, but us as a reader don't know if it's really a good idea to assume it's all because of her. I did like Lena a lot because also she has a very determined side but through it all, her gentleness will come around. She's also very stubborn and doesn't want to get attached to people because she's absolutely sure she's no good for them. Lena also proves us that she's a very emotional girl and that's something other readers can relate to when they can't always agree with Ethan. 

Of course there's so much more to Lena than we all think. Does she have powers? Is she just weird? We don't know the truth until far into the book. What we do know from the start is that everyone hates her because she looks weird and because of her family. Lena tries to be really strong and that's one of her strengths but throughout the book we'll also see the realistic side of people who are being bullied: they break at one point. Even through Lena has a hard stare and strong features, there will come a moment when she breaks and that will cause a lot of fuss with the class and with the reader. 

What I already can conclude to these two characters is that they will complete each other with each their own different strengths and weaknesses which I absolutely adored about them. Even though they don't always think alike they'll try to find a way in between. It's also Lena's gentleness that'll let Ethan in because he's so determined to stick around. These two will have a very rough start because Lena's not the type of person to let people in and I really enjoyed seeing that in her. 

Another character I'd like to discuss is Macon. Macon is Lena's uncle and also has a very determined and stubborn side. He's also the person that caused a lot of fuss in Gatlin itself, people think he's something supernatural because he never leaves his house. For short: people think he's weird. This is also one of the reasons for Lena's classmates to start bullying her and saying she's weird because of her uncle. 

Yet I really liked Macon a lot. He's protective, I give him that but throughout the book there were moments I really could laugh about what he said or what he was trying to say. He often scares Ethan and this also creates a moment of pleasure for the reader. Although I think he's funny, I as a reader still asked the same question over and over again: who is Macon really? From the beginning it felt like he was hiding something, many clues in the book will give you that same impression which is a great asset to the book. You're not only trying to find out what's going on with Lena but also trying to unravel Macon. 

A few other character I'd like to discuss, but briefly, are Link, Sarafine, Ridley and Larkin. First, we'll start with Link. Link is Ethan's best friend. I absolutely respect this character a lot because he never left Ethan, even when things got very weird. The moment Ethan sticks up for Lena, people start to hate on him too. Link doesn't get influenced by it and really wants to help him out. He's a very loyal person which also shows the bond Ethan and Link have.

As for Sarafine, Ridley and Larkin. They're part of Lena's family. The deal with these characters is that we don't know much about them. Did I think that's a bad side to the book? No, not really because the book will tell you a bit more about them and how they're related to Lena's family. I just appreciated these characters because they'll mislead the reader a lot which makes sure that the tension and mystery will thicken and stick around a lot longer. 

What I want to conclude about the part of the characters, is that they really create more mystery. There will be moments where you think that they're who you think they are, and moments where they just mislead you and you had mistaken them for another. It really feels as if many characters have two faces. This could symbolize the good and the bad in people which will also be a very important aspect in the book. The characters will also make many changes and grow into their confident selves which I think is also a great asset to the book.

Oh and there's also a dog! I know it's weird to say but I absolutely loved him. It's not that he doesn't have a function in the story. In the beginning it might seem really weird but at the end you'll understand what his purpose is. Other than that I absolutely loved the idea of the dog because he was very loyal and tried to keep his family safe. 

As for the plot, it's is all about mysteries and trying to discover certain truths. I can absolutely guarantee you that that's the case in this book. Of course, there's also the aspect of friendship and a growing bond but mystery is the one thing that's the most important in this book. 

From the beginning to the end you'll be getting clues to what's going on with certain characters but there's also a bigger purpose. This bigger purpose is being searched by Lena and Ethan. This will also create more questions with the reader and it'll make sure you want to keep reading in the book. What I did notice is that the authors really wanted to make you wait. You started with a lot of questions and not with a lot of answers, you had to be patience to get them. This makes it harder to unravel the truth but I think that's a good thing about the book because it makes sure you keep your attention and the story won't get easily boring. 

When we finally unraveled one thing, there are still another dozen things to find out such as a secret locket we find or the fact that there are characters we know so little about. It's as if you're doing your own investigation while working together with the two main characters. 

Which also brings me to the POV of this book. The book was written in Ethan's POV, which is something rather new for me because I don't read a lot of books that are totally written in the POV of a male. I did really enjoy it though because this time you were in the head of the "normal" person in this book, or so you might think...

There was a little excerpt that was written in someone else's POV, this was a bit confusing because I didn't know we were reading it in someone else's POV. The book doesn't tell you that it's not longer Ethan. It was surprising but a bit confusing! 

Another thing I want to mention about the plot is that the book will alternate between moments of pure mystery and moments of realistic, boring schooldays. This is one of the things that make this book very good because you also get to see normal schooldays that contain more information of how Ethan's life is or how people react on Lena being new on the school. It also makes sure you don't need to keep focusing on the mystery and you can take a break from it.

Above that there's also the part where the good and the bad will take turns in this book. It'll be a big question for us readers if the good or the bad will win and what it has to do with the bigger mystery but I absolutely enjoyed the part of good versus bad because it added to the story. 

Other than that the plot will also have many plot twists, especially when the end is nearing and secrets will be revealed. If all I can say the plot will keep you busy with trying to find things out and that's a good thing.

As a conclusion to this review I can say that this book really surprised me with the amount of mystery it contains. Also, the characters will add so much more to this story. You'll have a lot of characters and a lot of events happening but it won't make you confused. It does contain growing bonds and the characters will show certain developments throughout the book. If that isn't enough, there are also parts where you can really relate to certain people and parts where you can laugh because of what is said. For short, this book is a great book! I recommend it to people who are really into paranormal and mysterious stories! Other than that I'm really curious to where the following books will lead! 

"The right thing and the easy thing are never the same."

Linger

After my first meet-up with one of Maggie Stiefvater's books I couldn't wait to read on in this trilogy! The first book, Shiver, was finished in one day because it was so good. My review about Shiver is online so you can go check it out if you haven't read the second book in this trilogy: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. That's the book I'll talk a little bit more about today!

Sam and Grace have to fight to stay together. Her parents are having a hard time with accepting Sam and the whole town is up-side-down since the disappearance of a town girl. All the while, Sam is still struggling with his past and Grace is having trouble with her future, the two are captured in a whole new problem they need to solve. Together with that problem a lot of other mysteries start to unravel themselves and time is running out. The wolves are being hunted on and the clock is ticking not only for the wolves but also for the others. They're coming to get you...


This book was mind-blowing on a whole new level. First of there are two knew plot lines that accompany the original plot lines of Sam and Grace. One of these two, is Isabel who, if you read my review on Shiver, did start growing on me because of her sarcasm mainly. And the second newcomer is someone totally new: Cole. Believe me, he's going to make this book even deeper than it was before he was here. 

Maybe first a little bit more about our two original characters Sam and Grace. The end of the first book really had me by the heart. It was emotionally great and I was so happy with the ending! The sweet bond between these two characters goes on in this book. Although I missed some of their earlier spark, it was still there and I still enjoyed it a lot. Sam and Grace are just the two characters to die for. 

Did they change a lot? Well, to be honest Grace is still herself and she's still very intuitive, mature and amazing. I did notice a change in Sam mainly because his life is totally different now and he's trying to enjoy it between all the new-forming problems and tasks that are thrown at him. Yet I did think he felt more happy than he has ever before and this gives you a very pleasant feeling about this character. You just get happy because he is. 

Other characters that are from Shiver and come back are Grace's parents. I never liked them, not even for a bit. Mainly because they were being the kids and acting stupid. They didn't even care about Grace or asked how she felt and waited until she made dinner. This time around they start acting as "The Parents" and disapprove of Sam. Of course, they got on my nerves immediately and also on those of Grace. Grace will act out on them and tell them she's been building her life alone and that they haven't been around but her parents stay calm and are acting like they're deaf.

 They don't want to hear what she's got to say and they just keep saying how bad Sam is. All the while they haven't been around themselves. Let's just say that I'm still not a fan of them. What I did realize during these events is that you really feel the emotions of Grace a lot when her parents are acting like this. It's as if Grace is manipulating you through the book to feel what she feels and that's a great asset to the story. I could crawl into her body and feel how she felt with the situation and I could understand her. Understanding a character is something important in a book, that's how I see it!

Now, the two new plots. First of Isabel! Isabel is the sarcastic one of them all but she's been suffering a lot lately due to certain circumstances. Her parents are also suffering and that's why she feels lost and lonely in the world. I started to love this character more and more all the while she started to develop another personality. She isn't only sarcastic, she's blunt and she'll say what needs to be said. At first you might think she's absolutely horrible and cruel but most of the time she's right. Someone needed to say it and she did it.

But I don't think that's all to this character! Sure she acts blunt and all but she's suffering and she gets angry a lot. Mainly I thought that was because she didn't want to act on what she was really feeling: lost and lonely. Isabel tries to prevent that people see her as a weak little girl by hiding her true feelings behind her mask of anger, sarcasm and bluntness. Throughout the book we do get glimpses of the real Isabel, and believe me they're worth waiting for through the story. I hope that we'll get a bigger picture of the real Isabel in the last book of this series!

A character that really influences her in the book and makes her get all hot and cold is the newcomer: Cole. In the beginning, I have to admit, I didn't feel it for him. He was quiet, cruel and it felt as if he just really didn't care about anything. This is the moment when you start realizing he resembles a lot like Isabel. There are so many things to uncover with this character because he's something new and shiny in the book. He's the one you will start investigating and together with the other characters, mostly Isabel, you'll start to uncover and unravel him and see who he really is. He's more than only his cruel, empty smile and I appreciated the search for the real Cole!

As for the plot, it was as good as the first book! Although there was one aspect that was a little predictable when I was nearing the end and reading the last half of the book. Nevertheless, I found this book very well because it builds on to events from the first book. The things Beck did will come to mention but there's also a part that will not be discussed and which I'm eager to find out in the last book, if they'll mention it at all! 

They don't only build on the events from the first book, of course there are new problems that will be formed. One of them is the thing I found rather predictable, which isn't a bad thing because I still enjoyed it and was surprised at the end. This meaning that I thought things would have turned out differently but believe me: even the ones who think they know the end because it's predictable, are being left with a surprise! 

Another new thing created was the fact that Grace's parents are being difficult of her bond with Sam and another new event that will become a problem just started to create itself when the end was almost there. Which means I'm really eager to read the last book and see if new plot lines will come or old characters will stop hiding themselves! Above that I'm also looking forward to the fact that they have all these new problems and mysteries to solve and I wonder how they are going to manage them. After all, the next book is the last book in the trilogy so it'll either be all solved and a happy ending or all failed and a bad ending. Let's hope for the former!

In comparison to the first book, it's also not very fast paced anymore. The characters take their time to develop themselves more and so do the new events. I can conclude this review with saying that this book just gave me more happy-feelings and made me very curious to the next book (that I'm going to start after I'm done with writing this!). Maggie Stiefvater did a great job again and made sure you wouldn't get bored with the old characters (not that I would get bored, but hey!) by mixing in new plot lines of new characters that need to be unraveled by us readers. I recommend this series because it contains everything you need for a good, sweet read: suspense, mystery, love, friendship, amazing characters and a very strong plot! 

"I feel the weight of the pack's gaze..."

Summer read of August: Did I Mention I Miss You?

August is halfway through and I have found the summer read for this month! After waiting for ages the last book in this fantastic, phenomenal series has arrived. I guess I can even say this is my most beloved series and it pains me to say that this also means it's the end of the trilogy. I finished the last book: Did I Mention I Miss You? By Estelle Maskame.

This review might contain spoilers obviously because we're in book three so many things have changed since book one, also in the plot. Therefore I recommend you to read the reviews I did on the first two books. Did I Mention I Love You? is the first book in this trilogy and Did I Mention I Need You? is the second in the series, book two of course also contains more developments in comparison with book one so beware! Just clicking on the title will open up a new page with the review. 

It's been a year since Eden had heard anything from Tyler. Not only did he leave her not to come back but he also made sure she had to go through all the comments and hateful things that were caused by coming out with their relationship. Eden has been having many rows with her dad and her younger stepfather but also the relationship with her mother is under a certain pressure. She's living in constant sadness, hatred and rage towards and because of Tyler. Then, after a year, his face is back around asking her to come with him to Portland, yet Eden doesn't know if she wants to do this to herself all over again.

I know it feels as if I'm constantly saying the same about this series, that it's amazing and absolutely the bomb and all that but I'm going to say the same thing all over again. I just can't say anything differently about this series because I just really adore it a lot. And again Estelle Maskame made me fall in love with the third and last book in this trilogy. 

Even though each book builds on its previous one, each book will create a new and different environment that will make sure it's not getting boring. Last time around, the book ended with a big plot twist and cliffhanger which I'm sure many of us were eager to discover more about. The book has a time jump of a year and we can absolutely feel the difference when reading the book.

Eden isn't the girl we saw her grow into the first two books. She's sad, she's raging, she's hated and that's really weighing down on her. The reason for her sadness and raging is of course the stepbrother, Tyler. He has left her after all they've been through and after they came out with their relationship. Her behavior therefore is something we can really understand and can tap into. I can't believe I hated Tyler, I've been a great fan of him since the beginning but now he's gone I was fuming myself! And that's what so great about this book and also the trilogy, what the character feels, is something you can and will feel too. Also this book will create many feels just as the previous books did, but I can't complain about that since I'm really someone who loves feels in books!


It was a whole different side that we got to see and Eden just seemed so depressed, she didn't enjoy anything. She didn't want to go out. She didn't want to be dancing and smiling all the time. She was devastated and totally wrecked. I know what I'm going to say now isn't really logical but I was glad to see this side of Eden. It might have been a bit extreme but it also reflects the feelings we all feel when our heart gets broken. And I say extreme because I don't think that many of us hold those hating, raging feelings for a year. Of course I can understand that Eden does. It's been a few years that they know each other and you know, get together a lot and then things happen and everything starts crashing down and he leaves. 


Above that she also has her dad and younger stepbrother hating on her. Not Tyler, because he's not around, only on her. They throw remarks at her, they say mean things. And I wasn't surprised that her dad did this because since book one we've seen her dad is just... not a dad (by lack of a better word), and the book will explains why her dad is being like this which I was not prepared for!

 The thing that surprised me most was Jamie, he's in his puberty and we see that he starts to grow up. What surprised me with this situation was that Jamie had so many similarities to his older brother, it was just scary. But what the point is, is that Jamie also has a hard time accepting Eden and Tyler, he throws many hurting comments too. I never saw that coming because he's Jamie. In book one, I wanted to see him so much more because he was gentle and accepting of Eden but now I just was hating him a lot! 

Also the relationship between Eden and her mother comes under pressure because Eden has many flares of hatred coming and going which she then points to other people around her that have nothing to do with it. Her mother will suffer from these two and Eden and mom will have some difficulties because of this. 

A parent that did make me feel happy was Ella. She's the mother of Chase, Jamie and Tyler. During the previous books we got to know her better and got to know some of her past. We know she's a very stressed person, a somewhat broken person but one that really loves her children. Including Tyler who in book one did drugs and so on. I absolutely adored her even more in this book because she has a very accepting nature and even though half of her family hates Eden, she tries to lessen the pain on her and tries to calm down the family. She is such an example and such a sweetheart you just feel bad for her. She married a man in the past that hit her oldest son, now she married a man that hates his own daughter and her son. 

I absolutely felt sorry for Ella, it really feels as if she only has bad luck. Throughout the book we also hear Eden say that she looks older because of the stress and that makes it so much more relatable and realistic. I think a lot of people who have stress and are in hard situations will be able to relate. As conclusion to this character I can say that she's a very strong person and never gave up on her family, not in hard times not ever. She's also very determined to get where she wants to go and I really appreciated that in this character because she will try to clear the air. Book one made me doubt a bit about this character but now, I can say she really, really grew on me. 

Two characters to go! Rachel, the best friend of Eden is a character I have a lot of respect for! During this hard year, Eden has been very hard to handle. As I said she has many flares of rage coming and going, she's down and sad. Yet Rachel keeps supporting her, helping her to get out and forgetting about the man who tore down her world. I really, really respect her a lot because many friends of Eden have walked away by now, Rachel sticks around and helps, supports a lot. 

Lastly, Tyler. In the beginning, when he wasn't around, I hated him as much as Eden did. I didn't understand why he left her. I didn't understand why he gave up on her. I didn't understand why he never called or texted or tried to reach her. But, I guess my rage didn't stick as long as I planned. The moment Tyler walks back in... I kind of swooned for him immediately. I'm weak, I know! Tyler always has had this composed and mysterious air hanging around him and this time around he was even more composed than before. 

The thing that I did really saw that was different with Tyler was that he had changed so much, even though he still had that same composed and mysterious composure. He looked away more, he was surprised a lot, he didn't always seem to get things. He was more insecure! who had ever thought that after all this time we'd see Tyler grow to be a bit insecure. Although he had all the reasons to be insecure, I was really surprised and happy to see it since it's a side of him he has hidden pretty well.

Another thing that was changed about him was that he was a lot calmer, didn't get mad very easily anymore, didn't cuss a lot. He was a better version of himself and that might have been the reason he left: to become a better self. The reasons of his departure will be revealed in the book but I don't want to share those. 

So yeah, while Eden was smacking him in the face, I was just sitting there and hoping his face wasn't ruined. I'm such a weak person, swooning while I should be mad! But I'm pretty sure many others of us had the same reaction. (Admit it!) 

Now, the plot. Things from book two, Did I Mention I Need You, still need to be solved and then there's the whole family drama that's taking turns so a lot is happening! Did I think it was too much? Not at all. Did I find it thrilling? Absolutely!

The moment Tyler steps through the door, Eden's Dad's having a heart attack and Jamie was just raging together with Eden. Ella thinks it has been enough drama and hate and rows so decided to go on a family trip to clear the air. This got me so excited, because I knew things wouldn't be going very smooth and all but just the confrontation was amazingly described and written. You would devour this book together with taking teams on the arguments all the while you saw Tyler a bit lost in the whole crowd. 

The thing with Tyler being lost in the crowd is that he's been away for a year. He never expected things to be so out of hand and to be so mean. Tyler doesn't know what to do or how to feel. Or to say for that matter, to Eden who's been living in their mess (that he left) for a year. I really enjoyed seeing this because I think he kind of deserved it and it showed another side to Tyler: the lost puppy we all love. But the arguments really throw in some toughness and fuel to this book to create this atmosphere we all knew was coming down.

Although there's a lot of drama, Chase (the youngest) is being left out of all of it. As if it's a silenced rule! I really appreciated that too because it's something more realistic then we think, sparing some people because they shouldn't be having a hard time. 

If you think things get solved, no they don't because it's not that easy. In real life things don't get solved in a second, and that's why this book again shows us the realistic parts of life. Meanwhile Tyler decided to ask Eden out to go to Portland. Eden's past hometown, which makes her more angry, he "stole" that from her too although the true reason for "Portland" will be revealed! She accepts, they leave without anyone knowing. Not even Eden's mother but that's because at that point they have a fight about Ella. I'm telling you guys this book contains so much stuff and so many arguments, you'd think there wouldn't be any solutions at all! 

But there are. Always. And that's why Eden has accepted and went with Tyler to Portland. Again, as in New York (book two), we get this amazing and detailed version of the surroundings in this city and we really can visualize it. It's something I really want and seek in a book and each time I get it so I'm glad. Together with this city, we get Tyler. The plot now takes a whole different turn. We leave the storm that's their family, and we get in a very calming atmosphere where we'll know the reasons for Tyler's leaving but also we'll see why and how he has changed.

This might be the part that I loved the most in the book because we finally get some evidence it wasn't all bad. We see and live through the changes he has made, we'll get to know certain motives of his and we, together with Eden, will discover him all over again. And you'll be so proud of him, you might forget what he has done to Eden.

Yet things that happened in Did I Mention I Need You weren't all solved at the end of the book. There's still the Tyler's dad issue and the part where he and Eden chose to be together. This book will cover these parts and maybe solve them or bury them. It's also the part in Portland that really surprises the reader because you never expected Tyler to have grown as mature as he has in Portland. He build a career, build his home and so on. Portland gives you all the answers you'll need on all your questions and therefore the passages in Portland will be very satisfying! 

I could ramble on more about the plot but I don't want to. The reason for that is because now would be the part where spoilers are present. I really want you guys to discover more of the book on your own rather then me telling everything and ruining the rest of the journey! But what I can conclude of the plot is that it really contains a lot but won't leave you with any more questions. If  you think that all this information and all the things that are happening will be confusing, I can assure you that also won't be the case. The book concludes the story, and it really pains me because it's such a good story but to all good stories comes an end of course! 

The plot has it's thrilling and tension parts but also it's calming, swoon worthy, loving and gentle parts. It will create a new city that's described very well so you can visualize it and walk through it yourself. Above that, it'll cover so many things and unanswered questions you'll be very satisfied at the end. 

This does bring me to the conclusion of this review and therefore the whole trilogy. The book(s) contain so many feelings, so many great characters that are well written you could grow to hate them or absolutely adore them. You see the characters grow to be their mature self and to become a better self. Did I Mention I Miss You just won't leave you untouched! It's absolutely amazing, phenomenal, great, funny, gentle, realistic and relatable,... I could go on but I think you guys get what I'm trying to say. It's the book that just got to my heart and tore it apart to put it back together. For short: it's amazing! Go read it! It really contains so much it can't be boring at all! It's a perfect summer read, and the one book that stands out this month. 

Two more things to say: if you are a great fan of this book series and haven't seen what Estelle Maskame has uploaded on Instagram, please let me show you down below! Can we all take a moment to just start screaming! Is this a new story? Or is this a new story about Eden and Tyler? A sequel? Who knows! I'm just so excited! "It's a secret", like hell it is! It's amazing, she's writing a new story! (Please tell me, I'm not the only one jumping around being excited?). 

And lastly: what are you still doing here? I thought you were already on your way to the bookstore to buy the book?! Also Estelle Maskame, you did absolutely fantastic on this series. Much respect! 

"And I thought you meant you'd come back"