Review; Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Synopsis: Time is slipping away.... 

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

My Thoughts; 

I enjoyed this book a hell of a lot more than I thought I would! It definitely took me by surprise! I'm still not entirely sure what this book is classified as in genre... it's kind of sci-fi I would say. Regardless, it was fast-paced and had my attention hooked the entire the time!

Talla Holloway was an awesome main character. She was very headstrong and also witty and I loved the humour she and some of the other side characters added to the book! When she was given the opportunity to enter the Brimstone Bleed and possibly win a Cure of any illness for her sick brother, she immediately jumps at the chance to save him. I loved how even when Talla got to the Brimstone Bleed and realizes she has no idea what exactly she signed up for, she stills is determined to win the Cure for her brother. 

I don't want to say too much more about Fire & Flood because I feel like you shouldn't go into this knowing too much. You definitely want to be surprised at some of the things that happen and I don't want to give too much away!

Overall, I really really enjoyed this book, it took me completely by surprise! It was fast-paced, had my attention hooked the entire time, seriously I stayed up until 3am reading this and still woke up wanting to read more. I would definitely recommend to fans of The Hunger Games, but keep in mind while it's the same basic idea as THG, it is pretty different! It's got great characters, an intriguing plotline and tons of surprises with a hint of swoony romance! I loved!

Rating; 4.5/5

Review; Broken Skies by Theresa Kay

Summary; Thirty years ago, civilization collapsed. Few survived.
Ten years ago, the aliens arrived…and stayed.
One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.
Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do anything to get him back.

In seventeen-year-old Jax Mitchell's world, humans are nearly extinct and alien settlers have arrived.

Until recently, the E’rikon have remained segregated in their city and ignored the few humans who have tried to engage them… but now they have taken Jax’s brother. To rescue him, she forms an uneasy alliance with a teenage E’rikon left stranded in the woods. She agrees to guide him to the city if he sneaks her past the human-proof barrier. Too bad it’s not that simple.

Jax, who cannot stand to be touched, finds that she’s drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales on his back. And he’s equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn’t know the alien’s true motives and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.

With the aliens and the humans at odds, the connection forming between the two teens has consequences. What started off as a rescue mission sets a chain of events in motion which threatens not only the remaining humans and the growing alien society, but Earth itself.

My Thoughts; 

Broken Skies is about a girl named Jax, a fiery red-head who lives with her twin brother Jace at a camp after an event that killed 90% of the worlds population. Girls are shipped off to breeding camps since after this event it's been hard for women to conceive, and aliens have dropped down to visit. And try to take over the world. And also steal Jax's twin, Jace.  

Jax, our main character, I really enjoyed reading from her point of view. She was sarcastic, fiery but also vulnerable and caring. I loved the relationship she had with her twin, and I loved that Theresa would add in special moments of Jax and Jace, so even though Jace wasn't physically there, you still felt that connection to their relationship. Lir, the love interest and also alien who helps Jax get into his city where they're holding her twin, I also loved. I had my moments with him, where I thought he was being a total idiot, but overall I loved him and he was sometimes just so sweet. The relationship between Lir and Jax was so entertaining and fun, I really enjoyed it! 

The plot was very fast paced, which I enjoyed! The book in general was fast paced, and so entertaining I read it in no time! I just kept wanting to know more, read more about Lir and Jax! I love alien books and this one is no different!

I would recommend this to fans of Twilight and The Lux series! It was entertaining, funny, fast paced and had a great romance! I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, Fractured Suns!

Review: The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Summary; Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others.

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.

My Thoughts; 

I'm still not completely sure how I feel about this book. At times, I felt like I was really enjoying it and really getting into it but then other times I would feel like I'm not liking at all where the story is going. 

This is a fantasy, set in the world of the Indigo Kingdom. It felt like a fantasy world with a twist of superhero/vigilante type vibe going on. It was very interesting and very different, definitely a surprise! In the Indigo Kingdom magic is banned and illegal because it creates a wraith and is quickly destroying all the kingdoms. 

Black Knife was a very interesting character, very mysterious and I loved the vigilante part from him. Unfortunately I figured out the plot twist of who he was pretty early on. I liked Wilhelmina's character as well, although I didn't connect to her very much. I liked that she was brave and determined to do whatever she could to get her kingdom and people back. I wasn't a huge fan of many of the secondary characters; Patrick had seemed sketchy and pushy from the beginning and Melanie, Wil's best friend, also seemed sketchy and very suspicious. 

Overall, I'd say if you're a fan of fantasy and strong female characters, I think you'd enjoy this! The pacing isn't fast but it's got a very compelling plot and a mysterious superhero/vigilante!