SPIES AND PREJUDICE by by Talia Vance

Spies and Prejudice
Talia Vance

Rating: C+
Synopsis:
Fields’ Rule #1: Don’t fall for the enemy.

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend. She’s busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she’s sure all men commit. And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either. 

So when arrogant—and gorgeous—Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her “nothing amazing,” it’s no loss for Berry. She’ll forget him in no time. She’s more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother’s death. 

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way? Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat? And why can’t Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide.

My thoughts on the book:
Spies and Prejudice is a quick and light read. For those who are tired of the typical Dystopian and Paranormal novels, but are looking for something outside of the ordinary contemporary story, this teen spy novel is for you. For those of you who want a bit more depth and relationship development in your novels, you may want to skip this one. While I enjoyed this book, it definitely did not stand out. The spy content made it a bit different from the regular contemporaries, but at the end of the day, this is just another YA romance with the usual insta-love.

Berry is a strong and straight-forward heroine, both qualities that are rarely done right in YA literature, but Vance nails it. Berry never comes across as bratty or overly dramatic, and I really liked that about her. She does seem real, though, because she misses her mom. She acts like a teenager without acting like an annoying teenager. She should have stood out more to me, really, but for some reason I never fully connected to her. I can't figure out why, though. Tanner and Drew, the two love interests, form the typical and over-done YA love triangle. It's clear from the start who Berry likes, and of course, Berry makes up her mind instantly, though she doesn't act on it right away. One is good, one is bad, the roles reverse, nothing special here. I'm not going to completely spoil it and tell you which is which (there are plenty of times throughout the novel when it's not exactly clear), though. I also was a bit annoyed at the hokey naming of the characters. "Strawberry Fields" and "Mary Chris Moss," really? Some people may find the names cute, unique, and even chuckle-worthy, but I found them annoying. It looked as if the author was trying too hard to be clever, and it just fell short. 

The plot itself is reminiscent of the Heist Society books, except Vance didn't do as good of a job making it believable that teenagers would be this involved in spy work. For some reason, I just didn't buy that these characters would have access to, and actually care about, all of this confidential information. The romance, as stated previously, was lacking development, in my opinion, though Vance does throw in quite a few twists and turns with the characters (and romance). I saw them all coming, but at least things weren't exactly straight-forward. The pacing is pretty spot-on, and I didn't feel like anything was rushed or that anything dragged on endlessly. The ending ties things up nicely, but leaves room for a sequel if the author so chooses. 

Overall, I'd recommend this novel to people who enjoy spy books and to those who are looking for a light read with (sometimes cheesy) humor. This is one of those novels that will appeal to certain personality types and completely annoy others. I fell more to the annoyed side of the spectrum, but I could see what the author was trying to do. While her particular brand of humor didn't appeal to me, I can see it appealing to others. 

Order Spies and Prejudice

Stacking the Shelves #33

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by  Tynga's Reviews! This meme showcases the books received, bought, or checked out from the library over the past week. 

This week's haul is a small one. 

Won:

A Darkness Strange and Lovely
By: Susan Dennard
Synopsis:
Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

Check out my review of it here!

Feature and Follow #36

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Please state in the post if you're a new follower or old follower. If you don't tell me that you are following, then I don't know that you are. Therefore, I'll not follow you back. I would like to follow each and every one of you back, so it is important that you clearly state that you are following me and not just stopping by. When someone says, "just saying hi!" or "just hopping through!" then I have no idea if you are following or not. That means that I may or may not return the visit, depending on how much time I have. The people who state they are following me will definitely get a visit and follow back. Also be sure to leave a link back to your blog, otherwise I won't know where to go to follow you! Thank you.

CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight
Sarah J. Maas

Rating: A+
Release Date: 08/27/13
Synopsis:
An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

My thoughts on the book:
I went into Crown of Midnight with impossibly high expectations, and Maas somehow managed to exceed them. This book is fantastic, not to mention the best novel I've read all year. Crown of Midnight is even better than Throne of Glass, and I didn't think that was possible. The character growth in this novel is astounding, the plot is intriguing, and the ending left me wanting more. Maas' writing is wonderful, and she maintains an air of mystery throughout the entire book. The pacing is perfect, and I love each of my favorite characters even more now. Crown of Midnight cannot be missed. 

Celaena becomes an even more complicated character in this novel, and while she is a bit selfish at times (and called out on it by several people), she grows immensely. I really enjoyed learning more about her and watching her grow. Chaol completely and totally won my heart. I still like Dorian, but I simply adore Chaol. He is the most selfless, strong, intelligent, and caring character in the novel. We get to learn more about him and his past, too, in this installment, and the more I learn, the more I love him. He's just amazing *dreamy sigh*. Dorian needs to grow a set, but he's trying. He does grow a lot as a character in this book, and he is becoming more likable. However, he's still so naive and weak that he just doesn't make a good match for Celaena, in my opinion. Like I said, I still like him, but I don't like him for her. The king is even more awful this time around, and we get to learn more about how he colonized and oppressed so many nations. We are also introduced to some new characters, such as Roland, Dorian's creepy cousin, and Archer, the courtesan. Each character, regardless of how big of a part they play in the book, is well-developed and unique, which adds a feeling of reality to this fantasy novel. 

The plot is intense, action-packed, and full of mystery, suspense, and emotion. I could not put this book down. As the story unravels, many of Celaena's secrets come to light. Every time I thought I knew everything there was to know about her, another secret was revealed. Just like in Throne of Glass, Maas puts Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian through so much that it's hard to tell if they'll all make it to the end or not. Also, there is a lot of emotion in this story. I laughed and cried several times while reading this. Because Maas' characters are so real, it's easy to become attached to them and care about what happens to them. When something bad happens, I end up crying right along with the characters. When something funny happens, I laugh right along with them, too. The pacing is spot-on, and Maas' writing is beautiful. The descriptions and continued world-building are clear, and it's easy to picture the world in which Celaena and company live. I enjoyed the political angle of the story, too, and I was happy to see that colonization and oppression are addressed. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, and while many of the questions brought up in Crown of Midnight are answered, new questions are introduced in the last chapters. So now I'm counting the days until the next installment is released. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to absolutely anyone. This series is one of the best that I've ever read. If you haven't read Throne of Glass yet, you're missing out. If you've already read and loved Throne of Glass, then you have to pick up Crown of Midnight on August 27. You will not be disappointed. 

Pre-order Crown of Midnight today!

CONSUME by Melissa Darnell

Consume
Melissa Darnell

Rating: A
Release Date: 08/27/13
Synopsis:
Tristan Coleman has survived the change from Clann magic user to vampire, much to Savannah Colbert's joy—and despair. By changing the Clann's golden boy and newly elected leader, even to save him from death, she has unleashed a fury of hatred and fear that they cannot escape. 

As the Clann and the vampire council go to war, Tristan and Sav face a new threat—a fracturing of the all-consuming bond they share. To fight for peace, they must forge a new trust and risk everything to take down their deadliest enemy, even as they must run for their lives. Soon they will learn that some bonds are stronger than love—and some battles cannot be won without sacrifice.

My thoughts on the book:
Consume is a perfect ending to the Clann trilogy, and the best book in the series. The characters continue to grow in this installment, and the plot is full of romance and suspense. I was hooked from the first page and was sad to see this book, and series, end. I enjoyed my time in this rich world. However, the ending is satisfying. Darnell leaves the story in a good place, and I can't wait to see what she creates next.

Consume alternates between Savannah's and Tristan's first person points of view. Through the characters' narration, we get to know them better. Savannah is extremely level-headed and grown-up in this installment. I really enjoyed seeing how her character changed and grew until she reached her full potential. She's strong and won't compromise her values for anyone, including Tristan. Tristan, on the other hand, has a tougher time evolving, but guys usually do grow up more slowly than girls do. He becomes a really mature and intelligent character by the end, though, and I really like the person he grows into. Savannah's mom got on my nerves, as usual, but her dad really grew on me. I wish we'd gotten to see more of her friends, but that's okay. There really was no way to fit them into the plot more than Darnell did. 

The writing is good and Darnell's explanations are top-notch. She really allows us to understand how vampires in her world work, and I liked that a lot. The settings varied, and there wasn't much focus on place, really. I could picture what she describes, but she doesn't describe a whole lot in terms of the environment. The plot more than makes up for that oversight, though. It's complex and well-written. Darnell manages to take a stand against blind hatred without getting preachy, and while there isn't much mystery, there is a ton of suspense. I really didn't know who would make it to the end and who wouldn't. The ending itself ties things up nicely and is satisfying. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who is looking for something a little different than the standard vampire fare. Darnell has created a wonderful and intriguing world with well-developed characters that you won't want to miss. 

Pre-order Consume!

Waiting on Wednesday #32

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post hosted at Breaking the Spine. Here is the upcoming release that I'm not-so-patiently waiting for! 

This Wednesday I'm waiting on The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead. I absolutely love this series, and I can't wait to see what happens with Sydney and Adrian next, especially with how Indigo Spell ended!

Release Date: 11/19/13

Synopsis:

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

Top Ten Tuesday #8

Hey everybody! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and Bookish. This week, I'll be listing the 
top ten things that makes my life as a blogger easier. 

10. Scheduling posts - everyone knows that life is busy, but blogs don't write themselves. Therefore, whenever I have a tour stop or a review that needs to be posted in the future, I schedule my posts. Most weekends, I try to get all of my reviews lined up for the entire week. Sometimes that works, and sometimes that doesn't. Usually my weekends are pretty busy since I work during the week. Anyway, scheduling posts makes my life a lot easier. It ensures that I don't miss my post dates, and that takes away a lot of the stress of blogging. 

9. My Kindle - If I had a physical ARC of every book that I've reviewed in addition to the ones I like enough to buy, then I would have no room left in my house. I love the fact that I can read a book on my Kindle, and if I enjoy it, then I can add it to my collection. It frees me up to try more types of books that I may not have tried otherwise and allows me to post a lot more reviews. 

8. Net Galley/Edelweiss - Along the same vein as the Kindle, these two sites make requesting ARCs much easier and less time consuming, which frees up time to read and write reviews. I prefer e-ARCs to physical ARCs since I always buy the books I like, anyway. It's the least I can do for a book well-written.

7. Blogger - I can write HTML. In fact, I used to be really good at it. I'm a bit rusty now, and if I had to format every single post I wrote, I'd probably never get a review written. I love the compose option on Blogger where I can just stick things where I want them and the HTML is written for me. 

6. Rafflecopter - When I host giveaways, it is important to me that picking a winner and managing the entries is quick and easy. That's where Rafflecopter comes in. The simplicity of it makes it my go-to for any giveaway I have. 

5. Photo editing software - I like to make my own buttons and banners. I'm not the best in the world at it, but it's fun for me and allows me to sharpen my skills (and believe me, they need it). I used to have Photoshop on my old computer, but I recently upgraded to a Mac, so I'm not sure what software I'll be using now. Any suggestions are welcome. 

4. Twitter and Facebook (and Networked Blogs) - Twitter and Facebook allow me to promote my posts even further, reach out to authors I love, and communicate with other bloggers. I have everything set up to update my Twitter and Fall Into Books FB page as soon as a new item posts, which frees up time. It also helps me spread the word about my blog. 

3. The library - a lot of times I don't want to be responsible for reviewing every book I try. If I'm hesitant to try a novel, unsure of the genre, or haven't heard anything about it, I don't want to be expected to review it. Therefore, the library is a fantastic way to try new books. I don't have to buy them if I don't like them, and I don't have to finish and review them if I don't like them. Also, I've discovered some amazing authors through checking out random books at the library (Kirsten Gier, Kelley Armstrong (this was a long time ago), and (most recently) Anne Bishop). 

2. Good Reads - this site is amazing. It allows us to share reviews, talk about books, and maintain lists of books we've read and want to read. I pull a lot of my content (synopses and cover photos) from Good Reads. Everything I need for a review is right there in one place. I don't know what I'd do without this site.

1. My readers/followers - You guys are one of the main reasons I do this (aside from wanting an outlet to discuss books in a largely illiterate world). I love reading your comments and your blogs and seeing what you all think. I love fostering discussions about literature instead of just spouting out my opinions like they're the gospel. Thank you for reading and for commenting. You make this worthwhile.