Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, #1)

*this is a netgalley review

Summary:

"In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.
When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.
Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of Xseries, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense"

Plot: The story line starts off quickly and you are instantly intrigued by all that is happening and than the book hits a lull and kind of it like a roller coaster from there on... you hit an exciting part and then slow down and back and forth. Lots of side stories, that may seem random but I promise they are not. Overall, Mead is really building the RUNA world and Mae and Justin's story lines for the series here.

Characters: I love both the Main Characters Mae and Justin. They each have their faults and their strengths which makes them very relate-able and like-able characters. Yet, they each have that extra umph that makes them special as well.

Pros: For those who are only familiar with Mead's Young Adult work this book is a nice medium for you. Although, it is definitely an adult book.

Cons: Due to the cramming of information it can get a little confusing at times.

Final Thoughts: The beginning and ending are what really sold me on Gameboard of the Gods. I like Mead's concept and take on the Gods and how she uses them. Although, there weren't A LOT of Gods in the story line like I expected. I can tell they will play a bigger role in the series. Mead's adult writing is a tiny bit slower paced than her Young Adult writing but I got used to it. If you are a loyal Mead fan, you can safely add this to your must read list.

Top Ten Tuesday - Books With Travel

Hosted By The Broke and The Bookish

I LOVE to travel and growing up I was very blessed to get to travel A LOT. My Husband and I still "travel" but due to limit funds, we are usually just traveling from Southern California  to Northern California and back. In fact, my husband has yet to even leave California. So, The best solution for me is to read books involving travel, that way I can imagine myself on these journey's.

1.

What a perfect book to subside my Wanderlust and give me an inner-peace.

2.

Traveling around the world, with the help of some envelopes? Sure, Why not?! Gives it a fun twist.

 3.

 Studying abroad in France is always something I wanted to do, and Anna and the French Kiss gives it a realistic approach.

4.

 I said this in my review, everything about this book makes me think of The Lizzie McQuire movie.. which takes me back to how I felt then about Italy and just makes me love the thought more!

5.

An old school Italian family, visiting Italy and South America. This book give a more sensual and romanticized version of traveling abroad.

 6.

Good All American Road Trip.

 7.

An adventurous road trip.

 8.

Walking around London with your MTB. Perfection. 

The Impostor Syndrome

I was reading an interview with Emma Watson and she was talking about how she had the impostor syndrome. Where no matter how much success she has and how much people look up to her she still feels like she is an impostor, that at any moment someone will find her out and realize she isn't that good at what she does. Which for the record, I think she is a great actress. In her auto-biography Sheryl Sandberg (Lean In) talked about this too, that she felt she was a fraud and when I heard Sheryl talk about this and when I read Emma Watson's interview, it hit a chord for me.

I am an IMPOSTOR.
At Least, I always feel this way. Which is odd and may surprise some people that I feel this way, since in general I can be a pretty confident and sometimes cocky person. I mean I AM an only child, it comes with the territory. However, deep down I always feel like I am not good at what I do and I have always been this way.

Even, when I got the part in a play or when I got invited to train is Florida for soccer. I would get excited about these things, but the second I had to get in a group with other talented people. My brain, would instantly say... "You're not good enough, to be here and they know it" and even when people would tell me differently, I would still believe that. I think this also had to do with the fact that once people I knew were watching me, or peers with the same interests were watching me... I would choke. I'd get so nervous, that I would pretty much suck at whatever I was doing.

Then I began this blog, and the feelings came back. I started thinking to myself... "they know, they can tell I am not as funny, or book smart as them. I don't read intense literature, I can barely remember anything I had learned in my english classes! They will know that I am not good enough to be a book blogger." This feeling has gone away a little, but it still creeps up on me.

Do You Ever Feel Like You Are An Impostor? Is there something that you are good at, and that others compliment you on, but no matter what you still feel like you are just faking it through?

A Look Back At May

KINDLY TAKEN FROM JAMIE AT THE PERPETUAL PAGE-TURNER

IMAGE FROM May

May In One Word

Quick

5 THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN MAy:

1. Went To My Sister In Laws Northern California Bridal Shower

2. My Nephew turned 2

3. Went to The Ellen Show.. Kind of, with My Friend Tabitha and Her Mom

4. Went to Sharks VS Kings Play-off Game! 

5. Disneyland For My Mom and Aunts Birthday

5 SONGS THAT WERE MOST POPULAR ON MY IPOD THIS MONTH:

1. I Want Crazy By Hunter Hayes

2. Gone,Gone,Gone By Phillip Phillips

3. Come & Get It By Selena Gomez

4. Lego House By Ed Sheerhan

5. Mirror By Justin Timberlake

 

TOP 2 BOOKS I READ THIS MONTH:

1. Gates of Paradise By Melissa De La Cruz

2. The Truth About Me and You By Amanda Grace

MOST POPULAR REVIEW THIS MONTH

(I do this based on Stats)

The Madman's Daughter By Megan Shepard

 

MOST POPULAR 4 BLOG POSTS OVERALL THIS MONTH

1. The Great, GREAT Gatsby Post

2. Review: The Girl With The Iron Touch(#3) 

3. Review: Paper Valentine

4. Review: The Gates of Paradise(#7)

3 NEW OBSESSIONS IN May

1. Peach Snapple Tea

2. Instagram

3. Candy Crush!

2 THINGS I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN june

1. My 1 Year Wedding Anniversary

2. My Sister In Laws So.Cal Bridal Shower

The Madman's Daughter

Summary:

"Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.
Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.
Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect."

WHAT THE FUCK?! 

That is the best way for me to describe The Madman's Daughter.

I am still not even sure if I like this book or not. There is a lot about this book that I liked and appreciated. I mean I was addicted to reading it! However, there were moments that were very frustrating and the ending.. UGH! The ENDING! 

The Madman's Daughter does not give you what you want as a reader and I think sometimes that is what makes it hard to be a reviewer, because just because the author doesn't give the reader what they want doesn't mean the book is a bad book.  So this is where I struggle.  

My only actually writing problem with this book, is that the back and forth was a little too much and at times had me wanting to just skip through it. 

Overall. Good Book. Just Be Forewarned, that you may get disappointed and annoyed at times. Oh and creepy, the book is REALLY creepy! 

The Girl With The Iron Touch (Steampunk Chronicles #3)

Summary:

"When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives. With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin. Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine. To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has...."

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series! I love how each series has focused on different characters, but still been able to focus on the other as well. This time we really learn more about Emily, and we add a new member to the group (kinda) Mila. Someone I wish we saw more of was Jasper... So, I am a little curious what will be going on with his character. Cross really has master the give a little and take a little aspect of writing. Giving me something I want, then taunting me with the next book. Also, so far in the series, there hasn't been a book I hated and she hasn't done anything to make me hate the characters or plot line either. Which I can't say about a lot of other series I have read lately. My only complaint is I wish the books were just a LITTLE longer, I want to see a tad more character development. Oh and THANK YOU for more Jack Dandy. I missed him in The Girl in the Clockwork Collar.

Overall, Cross knocked it out of the park again. I am always enraptured in the series and I highly recommend you read it, if you have yet to do so.

The Gates of Paradise (Blue Bloods, #7)

Summary:

"Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince of Hell is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent on winning the heavenly throne for good. This time he has his greatest angels by his side, Abbadon and Azrael—Jack and Mimi Force, as they are known in the Coven.
Or so he thinks. Even as Lucifer assigns Jack and Mimi the tasks of killing their true loves, the Force twins secretly vow to defeat the Dark Prince once and for all. But how far will Mimi and Jack go to conceal their real loyalties?
Meanwhile, former vampire Bliss Llewellyn has joined forces with Lawson, the greatest wolf of the underworld, to free his people from their imprisonment in Hell. As they struggle against impossible odds, an ancient message, woven into the very fabric of time, reveals just how much depends on the success of their mission.
Lucifer seeks the key to the Gate of Promise, and when Schuyler is taken captive and delivered straight to Hell, she must make an unthinkable choice—the same one the archangel Michael was forced to make during the Crisis in Rome. Will Schuyler find the strength to do what he could not?
The epic, heartbreaking Blue Bloods series comes to a close with this final novel about staggering courage, unbearable sacrifice, and the immortality of true love."

Man oh man, did this book come full circle! I enjoyed every moment of it and if you are a fan of the series, I do not think you will be disappointed. I am SO very excited that De La Cruz will continue the story lines in a new series. Since I am not fully ready to let these characters go.