The Fallen Isles Trilogy Book 2: As She Ascends by Jodi Meadows

The Fallen Isles Trilogy Book 2

MIRA, THE HOPEBEARER

Mira Minkoba is on the run with her friends after a fiery escape from the Pit, where she’d been imprisoned for defending the dragons she loves. And she wants answers. Where have all the dragons been taken? Why are powerful noorestones being shipped to the mainland? And did the treaty she’s been defending her whole life truly sell out the Fallen Isles to their enemies?

MIRA, THE DRAGONHEARTED

As her connection to the dragons—and their power—grows stronger, so does Mira’s fear that she might lose control and hurt someone she loves. But the only way to find the truth is to go home again, to Damina, to face the people who betrayed her and the parents she’s not sure she can trust.

Home, where she must rise above her fears. Or be consumed.

The second page-turning novel in Jodi Meadows’ Fallen Isles trilogy scorches with mysterious magic and riveting romance as one girl kindles a spark into a flame. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35429996-as-she-ascends

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

I'll admit, getting into this book was a little hard. However, I think that was mostly because it's been a year since I read the first one. What I should have done was re-read that first book before starting As She Ascends. That way it was fresh and I remembered what had happened and who everyone was. As I was reading it slowly came back to me in terms of who is who and what had happened. Despite that, I will say the beginning of the book was a bit slow for me. It wasn't until later in the story where it picked up and next thing I knew I was at the end and ready for more. I really enjoyed reading As She Ascends. It was nice to dive back into this world. And it was nice to see Mira find her courage and her voice. Mira is stronger than she knows and it was nice to see her finally push back and fight for what she wants. Lots of action and truths are revealed about the Fallen Isles and the Mira Treaty. And of course dragons! Who doesn't love dragons? Especially, Mira's Lala? If you enjoyed the first book, then this one does not disappoint! I'm looking forward to the final book next year. 

Ghosts of the Shadow Market Book 6: The Wicked Ones by Cassandra Clare and Robin Wasserman

Ghosts of the Shadow Market Book 6

Celine Montclaire goes to the Shadow Market to escape. She would go anywhere in Paris, or the entire world, to escape the suffering she experiences at the hands of her family. She did not expect to meet Valentine Morgenstern there, or to have him promise her freedom and the heart of the man she secretly loves. On one condition, of course. At the Shadow Market, nothing is for free.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40956578-the-wicked-ones

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Another great novella in this collection. We finally get a close look at Celine who we all know is Jace's mom. This was a great story because we got to see who Celine was. Someone we didn't have a lot of information on. But to get her point of view was quite the insight. Her unrequited love for Stephen Herondale, her awful abusive childhood that left her with scars both physical and emotional, and how manipulative Valentine truly was. He was always clever, but this story alone showed how deep and true that was. And while we learn more about Celine we also continue Jem's story. He is at the end of the Herondale line and there are always some twists left. We finally get to see where the trail ends. Jem i still holding on to his humanity, but in this story we got to see how impossibly close he could be to losing himself. Tess and Will are the only ones who anchor him in his thoughts. And he has to constantly remind himself of them or he fears truly losing himself. Another great story in this collection and I can't wait for more.

A Hard Play Novel Book 2: Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh

A Hard Play Novel Book 2

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh continues her Hard Play series with a sweet, sexy romance featuring big, fat, OTT weddings, a meddling grandma, and a too-serious hero who needs to be unbuttoned…

Nayna Sharma agreed to an arranged marriage in the hope it would heal the fractures in her beloved family… only to realize too late that a traditional marriage is her personal nightmare. Panicked, she throws caution to the winds, puts on the tiniest dress she can find, and ends up in the arms of a tall, rough-edged hunk of a man who has abs of steel—and who she manages to mortally insult between one kiss and the next.

Abandoned as a child, then adopted into a loving family, Raj Sen believes in tradition, in continuity. Some might call him stiff and old-fashioned, but he knows what he wants—and it’s a life defined by rules… yet he can’t stop thinking about the infuriating and sexy woman who kissed him in the moonlight then disappeared. When his parents spring an introduction on him, the last woman he expects is her. Beautiful. Maddening. A rulebreaker in the making.

He’s all wrong for her. She’s all wrong for him. And love is about to make rebels of them both.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41453773-rebel-hard

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

I loved Nayna and Raj when I met them in Cherish Hard, so when I heard they were getting their own book, I was super excited! And it was everything that I hoped it would be. I love their story. It was sweet and fun and hilarious and so many other things that I look for when I am reading. Their relationship was so real in their fears and hopes and dreams. 

Nayna agreed to an arrange marriage believing that it would help her family but it leaves her feeling like she is trapped in a cage with no way out. Raj was adopted as a child and remembers the feeling of not being wanted, so he decides that he wants something traditional and stable. But when they meet by chance, neither come out the same. Suddenly, tradition doesn't sound like the right path for Raj, not when he can't stop thinking about the woman who kissed him and then disappeared. As for Nayna, the agreement to an arranged marriage especially doesn't sound like a good idea after meeting Raj. But then fate decides to help them out once more, when their parents arrange for them to meet, not realizing they knew one another. 

From there, Nayna and Raj decide to explore the spark between them. The best part is that they understand one another. Raj wants to marry Nayna but he doesn't want to force her. He wants her to marry him because she wants to, not because her family is telling her to. Nayna wants adventure and doesn't want to end up feeling caged in marriage, even if it is with a man who makes her heart flutter. However, she can't let him go and is willing to explore the relationship between them. Their love for one another has them willing to do whatever it takes to find a way they can be happy. Even with the pressure of family and tradition. They know that their future is with one another, the question is will they be given a chance to make the path themselves. 

Absolutely loved this book. All of Nalini Singh's work is brilliant. And I am looking forward to more stories from her.  

I received an ARC for an honest review.

Alienated Series Book 3: United by Melissa Landers

Alienated Series Book 3

After thwarting a deadly coup and saving the alliance between their worlds, Cara and Aelyx have finally earned a break. Their tiny island colony is everything they dreamed it would be―days spent gathering shells on the beach and nights in each other’s arms.

But the vacation is short-lived.

The treaty between Earth and L’eihr has awakened an ancient force that threatens to destroy them all. The Aribol, mysterious guardians charged with maintaining interstellar peace, deem the alliance a threat to the galaxy. They order a separation of the races, decreeing humans and L’eihrs must return to their own planets within the month or face extinction. In fact, they already have agents in place on Earth, ready to begin.

With the clock ticking, Aelyx and Cara assemble a team of colonists and race back to Earth, where they unite with old friends to solve the mystery of who the Aribol are, what they want, and the real reason the alliance has provoked them. As tensions build to a full-scale war, Aelyx and Cara must fight harder than ever―not just for their future, but for the survival of both their worlds. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26180279-united

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

A really great ending to a good trilogy! This last book didn't hold back. Just when Cara and Aelyx are figuring out how to run a successful colony, the Aribol arrive ready to destroy them all. They are called back to Earth to try and save both their worlds. What was really great about this last book was that the solution to their problem wasn't obvious. Each time they faced something, things got worse. The heroes discouraged that their future may not exist. But they kept fighting even when it was hopeless. There wasn't an easy solution. They learned little by little about their enemy and working together, humans and L'eihr, they became successful. Lots of adventure with a really sweet ending. 

Alienated Series Book 2: Invaded by Melissa Landers

Alienated Series Book 2

The romantic sequel to Alienated takes long-distance relationships to a new level as Cara and Aelyx long for each other from opposite ends of the universe...until a threat to both their worlds reunites them. 

Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.

Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life.

The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17316770-invaded

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

Second book in the series and I have to say I think it was better than the first one. Though it wasn't fun to see Cara and Aelyx apart, Cara got to see what L'eihr is like. And boy, is it different from Earth. In this book, Aelyx is fighting hard to fix the alliance between Earth and L'eihr after the mistakes he and his friends made. And though he didn't expect it to be easy, it's a lot harder when there are people trying to assassinate him. But despite that, he wants to succeed, not just for him and Cara, but for Earth who will die without L'eihr help. Meanwhile, Cara is trying to find her place on L'eihr, improve the rights that the colony will have if the alliance is successful, and try to figure out what exactly is going on, on this planet because something isn't right. Not when The Way members Jaxen and Aisly are clearly different. There is something bigger going on that just finding a way to work together. Definitely kept my interest and I am looking forward to reading the third and final book. 

Alienated Series Book 1: Alienated by Melissa Landers

Alienated Series Book 1

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. 

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class. 

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13574417-alienated

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

I haven't read much alien books The only one that I can think of are The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout (which is AMAZING), the I Am Number Four series by Pittacus Lore (however, I didn't read all of them and the ones I read was quite a long time ago, and there are probably some more but as for aliens come to high school those are probably it. Though I ahve to say Alienated was pretty good. The difference between the series I have read before and this one is that instead of the aliens secretly being here and humans eventually finding out about them, they are already here and there is a full blown plan of how to create an alliance between the two. With a student exchange program between humans the L'eihr, Cara and Aelyx enter quite the rollercoaster of events. Neither are entirely thrilled about this exchange but with time they realize the importance of it. There is a strong theme of them versus us in this book. Not everyone is happy about the L'eihr's interacting with humans and it is clearly shown. However, not everyone is against it. Cara and Aelyx try to survive the viscous threats and learn about one another. And it's in those moments that they become friends and then something much more. I think this is a good start to a potentially great series and I look forward to reading more.