April 2018 Book Haul

Hey, guys!

Today I'm bringing you my April book haul! I've managed to stress-buy so many books (for cheap prices) and I've acquired some freaking amazing ARCs and review copies from a bunch of publishers and authors. I'm so excited to read these books. Here are the books I've acquired this month! I'll link in reviews! 

I've bought quite a few books that are duplicates of what I already have. I only do this if they're cheap and if I genuinely adore the book and want a duplicate to collect. I'm an odd collector. 

You can check out my major Indianapolis excursion that I took with my friends on my Instagram page highlights!

1. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn (gift)
2. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
3. Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston (signed)
4. The Jewel by Amy Ewing
5. North Child by Edith Pattou (special edition!)
6. The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan
7. The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus #2) by Rick Riordan
8. The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan
9. The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan
10. The Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan
11. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Gods of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan 
12. The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Gods of Olympus #2) by Rick Riordan 
13. The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Gods of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan 
14. The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Gods of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan 
15. The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Gods of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan 
16. Aerie by Maria Dhavana Headley
17. Made You Up by Francesca Zappia
18. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
19. Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen
20. Alanna the First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
21. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
22. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi and Mattias Ripa
23. Persepolis 2: A Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi and Mattias Ripa
24. Saga Vol 1 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
25. Saga Vol 2 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
26. Saga Vol 3 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
27. Saga Vol 4 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
28. Saga #1 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
29. Rugrats #1 by Box Brown
30. Moonstruck #1 by Grace Ellis
31. The Wicked + The Divine #20 by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson, and Clayton Cowles
32. The Runaways #7 by Rainbow Rowell and Kris Anka
33. Jim Henson's Storyteller: Fairies #1 by Matt Smith and Dan Jackson
34. Lumberjanes: Beyond Bay Leaf Special #1 by Faith Erin Hicks, Noelle Stevenson, Rosemary Valero-O'Connell, and Shannon Watters
35. Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian (3 samplers)

ARCs

1. Eggsistential Thoughts by Gudetama the Lazy Egg by Francesco Sedita
2. Gudetama's Guide to Life by Francesco Sedita
3. West by Edith Pattou
4. Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka
5. The Weekend Bucket List by Mia Kerick
6. Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza

Thank you, Simon & Schuster, HMH, Penguin, Speak, and Mia Kerick!

Number of Books Read: 25

Number of Books Unread: 15 + sampler

 

Happy reading!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Closed Giveaway} Rings of Time by Renee Veillet

Hey, guys!

      Today I'm bringing you an awesome giveaway for a paperback copy of Rings of Time by Renee Veillet. Renee has kindly sent me 2 copies of her debut novel and one is to go out to one of you! Rings of Time came out in late October of this year, so it's brand-spankin' new! It sounds fantastic, so I can't wait to share a copy with one of you!  

Goodreads synopsis:

Abandoned at birth, eighteen-year old Emilie is searching for her family. Just as she is about to unravel the clues to her mysterious beginnings, she is thrust back in time a century, into the arms of a handsome stranger in the year 1913. Emilie’s attempts to return to the future are quickly put on hold as she gets caught up in the harsh realities of early homesteading, where self-reliance is key to survival. Stubborn and proud, Emilie makes it her mission to thrive in her new surroundings regardless of the inhospitable young man who feels responsible for her well-being.  The past and present collide as unexpected connection are revealed. Secrets and lies become exposed causing Emilie to question everything she believed to be true. How much is she willing to sacrifice for a family and a chance at love?

~~~

Page Count: 276

Published by: Tellwell

Published On: October 20, 2017

Avaliable on: Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Book Depository

**Rings of Time is also available via Kindle Unlimited for Free!**

~~~

Renee Veillet lives in Calagary with her husband and two sons. She has a Diploma in Business Administration from Grande Prairie Regional College and is studying writing at the University of Calagary

Click {here} for a Q&A!









How To Enter To Win: 
Enter through the rafflecopter for multiple entries to win!
When Does It End? 
January 5th! This is a 10-day giveaway!
U.S. only!
What Do I Win? 
A paperback copy of The Rings Of Time

Good luck, readers!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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~~~

Follow the Entry options for a chance to win RINGS OF TIME!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Review} Ruby & Olivia by Rachel Hawkins

Page Count: 240

Published on: October 24, 2017

Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Mystery, Paranormal

Source: Paperback - via publisher 

Age Rating: PG

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

A spooky middle-grade story that's full of fun, friendship, and humor--perfect for fans of Ingrid Law and Lisa Graff.
Ruby is best friends with Emma, but she and Emma's twin sister Olivia are definitely not friends. Unfortunately, Emma will be away for the summer, while Ruby and Olivia are going to be stuck at a community service day camp for troublemakers--together. 
To kick off the spirit of service, the campers are outfitted with bright pink polka-dotted t-shirts with smiley faces on the front, then tasked with cataloging the contents of an abandoned mansion. Sorting through objects in an old house sounds boring, and working with each other is that last thing the girls want to do, but the stuff is actually pretty cool. There's everything from mink stoles to golf clubs to stuffed deer heads . . . and . . . wait . . . is that stuffed deer head watching them? 
When the taps run freezing cold and doors slam inexplicably, Ruby and Olivia wonder if the other campers are having a bit of fun, or if the abandoned mansion is looking for new residents. To solve the mystery, Ruby and Olivia will have to put their grudges aside and figure out how to be a team with or without Emma.

~~~

Hey, guys!

This adorable spooky middle-grade book was sent to me for an honest review from Penguin Random House. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

   Ruby and Olivia follows two young girls who are sent to a community service camp after getting into trouble. The kids are sent to a spooky house to inventory and count the items in preparation for renovation. Two of the girls, Ruby and Olivia, become unlikely friends as supernatural and spooky things begin to happen to the campers. They begin to investigate the house in order to figure out what's happening; and when they begin to find clues to the answer, who knows what will happen. 

   I was so excited to receive this book for review. I'm such a sucker for twin books and the fact that it had a spooky element to it really reeled me in. I really enjoyed those aspects, as well, however, I do not think they were incorporated as well as they could have been. I feel like the characters could have been a bit more dynamic and their relationships could have been more realistic. The relationships in this book felt like plot devices rather than something that should have been a concrete part of the book. The plot could have been more fleshed out as well. I think that Rachel Hawkins has a really sweet base to an even spookier story. However, this is an adorable middle-grade novel. I really did enjoy the characters and I really enjoyed the premise of the plot. 

     I really enjoyed the spooky bits of this book, but I really didn't think that they were fleshed out enough to actually be spooky. There just wasn't enough happening for it to be legitimately spooky. Granted, it's a middle-grade book, but I know plenty of kids in the age group that would like to get scared pantsless. 

     I really didn't think that the sister relationship between Emma and Olivia was resolved either. I just felt like it was resolved too quickly and too efficiently. There wasn't nearly enough said to resolve their issues. I also don't like how the drama between Olivia and Ruby was resolved. It was too convenient and too quick. I just felt like the characters were two dimensional and static. I wish there had been more development.

     I really loved how Ruby and Olivia's friendship developed. I think that their friendship is really interesting and as they grow closer, they'll become really good for each other. I love how Ruby helped Olivia grow as a sister and I love how Olivia helped Ruby communicate and express herself. This book perfectly showed what it's like to be in the awkward middle school age. These girls were super cute. I'd love to read more about them.

      For what this book is and for the age group that it is marketed for, I think this is a cute book. I think that it is thoroughly entertaining. I would have loved to read this ten years ago. This would have been one of my favorite books, I'm sure. As a twenty-year-old, it just wasn't all for me. My sister, Bailey, will love this book, though. I can't wait to show her it. She loves Liesel and Po by Lauren Oliver and this gives me some spooky vibes, so she will definitely love this one.

AUTHOR BIO

Rachel Hawkins is the author of Journey's End, the Rebel Belle series, and the New York Times bestselling Hex Hall series. Born in Virginia and raised in Alabama, Rachel taught high school English before becoming a full-time writer.

Happy reading!
Olivia 

~LivTheBookNerd~

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Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

Page Count: 256

Published on: July 11, 2017

Published by: Simon Schuster

Genre(s): Fiction, Women's Fiction (Chick Lit), Contemporary, Adult, Mystery, Drama

Source: Paperback ARC from publisher

Age Rating: New Adult/Adult

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

Twitter: @lauradave

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

From Laura Dave—the author of the “addictive” (Us Weekly), “winning” (Publishers Weekly) and critically acclaimed bestseller Eight Hundred Grapes—comes a new novel about the secrets we keep…even from ourselves.

Sunshine Mackenzie truly is living the dream. A lifestyle guru for the modern age, Sunshine is beloved by millions of people who tune into her YouTube cooking show, and millions more scour her website for recipes, wisdom, and her enticing suggestions for how to curate a perfect life. She boasts a series of #1 New York Times bestselling cookbooks, a devoted architect husband, and a reputation for sincerity and kindness—Sunshine seems to have it all. But she’s hiding who she really is. And when her secret is revealed, her fall from grace is catastrophic. What Sunshine does in the ashes of destruction will save her in more ways than she can imagine.

In our modern world, where celebrity is a careful construct, Laura Dave’s compelling, enticing novel explores the devastating effect of the secrets we keep in public…and in private. Hello, Sunshine is a fresh, provocative look at a woman teetering between a scrupulously assembled life and the redemptive power of revealing the truth.

~~~

This book was sent to me from the publisher for an honest review. This does not affect my review at all. 

Hey, guys!

      I was contacted by Simon Schuster to read and review Laura Dave's newest novel (WHICH COMES OUT TODAY!). I was automatically intrigued by the synopsis of this book. YouTube star? Cooking? Drama? Secrets? This sounds like a great novel! Of course, I accepted the review request and I anxiously waited for my copy to come in the mail. This book was compelling and addicting from page one. I really could not put it down! The main character had such a complex and drama-filled story that I just had to know more. It didn't matter that I didn't like her one bit! 

     This book was such a lovely read. It sucked me in and wouldn't let me go. Laura Dave has such a great writing style. Her characters are so complex and she manages to create such interesting backstories within a fairly short book. 250-ish pages isn't very long, but with Dave's writing it seemed much longer (I mean this in the best way. I didn't want this story to end).

      Hello, Sunshine follows the lifestyle mogul and internet chef, Sunshine Mackenzie. Sunshine has everything! A loving, hunky architect husband, multiple #1 NYT best selling cookbooks, a great reputation, and a new cooking show with the Food Network in the works! In reality, Sunshine isn't the golden girl that she reveals online...she has secrets..lots of secrets that she doesn't want revealed to the world. When those secrets are revealed, her "perfect" world comes crumbling down and she doesn't know what to do. In this novel, Sunshine Mackenzie has to figure out who she is. 

      I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters that Laura Dave created were really interesting, though not all were very likable. The main character, Sunshine, was definitely not the greatest. This doesn't mean that she was a bad character, she was just not a great person. Sunshine is very cringe-y sometimes and it's hard to feel much sympathy for someone who basically ruined her own life. The other characters, were also tragically realistic as well. There weren't too many people that I genuinely liked all the time. I don't think that was an issue though, because all of the character had their own REAL issues that they dealt with on a daily basis. The one character that I absolutely loved was Sunshine's nce, Sammy. She was just such a cute kid. She was so smart and snarky. She reminded me of my sister Reagan. A character who is like my sister is a huge win for me. 

      I felt like all of the side characters had really interesting stories and backstories. There was never a time where I thought a character should have been omitted from the story. Each side character helped the main character's story progress or added another interesting quality to the story. I loved how Laura Dave wrote these characters. It was so fun to read. 

     I also don't think that this book is driven by a strict plot line. This book is very character oriented, which I loved. It also wasn't driven by any kind of romance. It was all about Sunshine's story and her journey to finding herself again. If you're looking for a women's fiction story without the unrealistic romantic relationships and interesting characters around every corner, than this book is definitely for you. 

       Sunshine's story was so compelling and her character arc throughout the book was fantastically done. Dave wrote her change in such a real way. Sunshine had to go through denial, forgiveness, and growth to get to where she was at the end of the book. This book is a great beach read, car read...well, it's just a great summer read! I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an interesting contemporary read. I'm definitely going to have to pick up Dave's other popular novel, Eight Hundred Grapes. It sounds so interesting. If it's anything like Hello, Sunshine then I will be more than pleased. 

Other Awesome Contemporaries:

Me Before You (Me Before You #1) by Jojo Moyes

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Eliza & Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

I hope you enjoyed this review! 
Happy reading!
Olivia 

~LivTheBookNerd~

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Dead Ed In My Head by Barbara Catchpole

Page Count: 160

Published on: May 2017

Published by: Raven Books

Genre(s): Contemporary, Paranormal
Source: Paperback - provided by publisher

Age Rating: middle grade

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

My Rating: 1 star

Overall Opinion: 99% boring 1% entertaining

Goodreads synopsis:


Tod, the hero, is in Year 11 of school. He is an angry boy with relationship issues with his father who has left home to set up with That Little Tart From The Office and with his mother who is nine months pregnant. He deals with his anger by behaving badly and shouting. As if that wasn't enough for any teenage boy, his head becomes invaded by the undead spirit of a wannabee Rock Star (Ed). Ed grows into Tod's brain, even trying to take it over and being quite frankly no help at all. During the story Tod meets his bossy girlfriend and delivers a very smelly younger baby sister together with gaining insights into why adults are so useless. It is a funny book about the disadvantages of having anyone else share your head. 

Barbara Catchpole was a teacher for over thirty years. She taught English, Special Needs and more or less anything else that was left over at the end of the timetabling. She has three sons of whom she is unbearably proud. She still spends a lot of time working in schools. Her main interest is in writing books for young people that are set in the real world and presenting characters that could be real teenagers. She tries to make them funny most of the time with just a little sadness thrown in because life's like that. She believes that adults can communicate really well with teenagers if the adult just makes a huge effort.

~~~

Hey, guys!

I was sent this book by the publisher for an honest review.

      Overall, this book was a major disappointment. I was rarely entertained and the majority of the story was so boring and blah. It was a waste of two days (the only reason it took two days was because it was so boring and awful). It was just very badly written and lacked any kind of substance. I would not recommend this book.

     This book follows seventeen year old Tod who is an stereotypical troubled and angry teen. His world becomes even more filled with angst when his head is invaded by his friend, Ed, an elderly gentleman who just died. Over the course of the book, Tod meets new people and gains insight into the world of adulthood. 

     Let's just start with the whole premise. The premise was originally what interested me in this book when the publishing company requested that I check it out. However, while the book sounds really interesting the whole execution of it was a total mess. The characters are so boring and two-dimensional, they didn't fit the age group they were put in (it read like a children's or middle grade novel), and the plot lacked any kind of structure. Not only did the author censor certain words she didn't keep the censoring consistent. Not to mention that the cover even has the term "nob" which is considered a British curse word.

    The main character Tod was really annoying and quite immature for his age. He lacked any kind of dimension, common sense, or personality. Anything that happened to him was way too convenient and annoying. The character Ed did not enable the story to flow much at all. His appearance in Tod's head was never rationally explained -- was it magic? was it a supernatural influence? was it fate? -- it was never explained at all. Tod's girlfriend (I don't even remember who she was) was really annoying as well. Their relationship just suddenly happened and it was very insta-love-y and, again, annoying. Their relationship was supposed to make Tod look like he was growing as a person, I'm sure, but it did absolutely nothing for the story. 

Overall, this book was not good at all. I feel like more effort went into the cover than the story, which is very sad. 

Books You Would Love:

Drowning of Arthur Braxton, The by Caroline Smailes

A Time To Reap by Jonas Lee

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The by Mark Haddon

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Happy reading, all!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository

@LivTheBookNerd on Books Amino

If I Fix You by Abigail Johnson

Page Count: 304

Published on: October 25, 2016

Published by: Harlequin Teen

Genre(s): YA, Contemporary, Romance, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction
Source: Paperback - sent from the author and publisher

Age Rating: YA

TRIGGER WARNING. MAY CONTAIN HEAVY TOPICS PERTAINING TO ABUSE, DOMESTIC ISSUES, AND FEELS

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

Twitter: @AbigailsWriting

My Rating: 4.25 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Readers of Sarah Dessen, Cammie McGovern and Morgan Matson will adore this thought-provoking, complex and romantic contemporary novel from debut author Abigail Johnson, about finding the strength to put yourself back together when everything you know has fallen apart.

When sixteen-year-old Jill Whitaker’s mom walks out—with a sticky note as a goodbye—only Jill knows the real reason she’s gone. But how can she tell her father? Jill can hardly believe the truth herself.

Suddenly, the girl who likes to fix things—cars, relationships, romances, people—is all broken up. Used to be, her best friend, tall, blond and hot flirt Sean Addison, could make her smile in seconds. But not anymore. They don’t even talk.

With nothing making sense, Jill tries to pick up the pieces of her life. But when a new guy moves in next door, intense, seriously cute, but with scars—on the inside and out—that he thinks don’t show, Jill finds herself trying to make things better for Daniel. But over one long, hot Arizona summer, she realizes she can’t fix anyone’s life until she fixes her own. And she knows just where to start . . . 

~~~

Hey, guys!

     I was contacted by the publisher and author to read and write an honest review. This book will become a quick favorite of those who enjoy Rainbow Rowell, Morgan Matson, Sarah Dessen, and Jenny Han's books. If I Fix You follows sixteen-year-old Jill. Jill's life has taken a turn for the worse when her mother just up and leaves her father after a major scandal. Suddenly, Jill's life is broken and a mess and she doesn't know what to do. As she tries to move past her mother's rejection, a new family moves in next door. The neighbor boy, Daniel is intense and really great looking. As Jill and Daniel become friends, she tries to fix his tragic situation the best she can. But she has to realize that in order to help others, she must heal herself before she can do anything.

     I really enjoyed the characters in this book. The main character, Jill, was fantastically fleshed out and I really enjoyed getting to know her as the book progressed. Her growth as a character was really wonderful to read about. She never caught a break in this book and she always tried to make her situation better and to move past it and grow. Jill's character is really natural and relate-able. She's so fun and snarky and I adored her conversations and hilarious antics with her friends and dad. She is so passionate about cars and being a mechanic and I just loved it. Her emotions were so valid and were written really well. It was so natural and I never felt like Abigail Johnson was over doing it or writing about it badly. 

      The main two guy characters were also really interesting and well written. The character, Daniel, was such a deep and fascinating character. His whole situation was so tragic and heartbreaking. I really felt for him. As I continued to get to know Daniel, and as Daniel and Jill became closer friends, I started to really love their friendship. I never really shipped Jill and Daniel, however, I thought they were better off as friends. This isn't a spoiler, I promise. This is just an opinion. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens. The other guy character, Sean, wasn't as developed as Daniel, but he was still very dreamy. I loved seeing his character progression as the book went on. I think that because the book was always in Jill's point-of-view, it really emphasized the changes that she experienced and she really was quite observant when it came to how their friendship fluctuated. Their friendship was quite rocky for the majority of the book, but I loved reading the flashbacks and moments where Jill looked back on the time before her mother left. 

     The whole drama that took place throughout the book was written so seamlessly. The combination of the problematic friendships, the family drama, the domestic issues, and boy-issues were such heavy topics by themselves, but Johnson wrote them all in the story so wonderfully. It never felt like there were too many issues to handle or that any of them were too much in one story. The twist that happened towards the end wasn't a complete surprise in my opinion. I speculated that it had happened, but it was still quite tragic when it was confirmed. I feel like the topics that this book emphasized was done very well. It was very realistic, and I'm kind of in love with Johnson's writing style. I can't wait to read her new book! 

     Overall, this book was really fantastic and I was thoroughly impressed. It really exceeded my expectations. The writing was flawless and the characters were so fantastically fleshed out.  I adored the setting and the couldn't put this book down. Johnson's debut, in my opinion, was a complete success. I can't wait to read her second book which comes out later than this year. and I can't wait to see how her writing career pans out from here. 

Other Contemporary/Realistic Fiction Books You'd Love:

• Textrovert by Lindsey Summers
• Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant
• Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• Girl Online by Zoe Sugg
• Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Happy reading!
Olivia 

~LivTheBookNerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository

@LivTheBookNerd on Books Amino

The Chronicle of Three: Bloodline by Tabitha Caplinger

Page Count: 192

Published on: November 3, 2015

Published by: Blue Ink Press

Genre(s): Paranormal, Science Fiction, YA, Fantasy
Source: Paperback - sent from the author

Age Rating: YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

Twitter: @Tab_Caplinger

My Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Zoe thought the loss of her parents would be the most difficult thing she’d ever have to endure. When she began seeing things she couldn’t explain in her new home of Torchcreek, Virginia, she was sure the grief was driving her mad. Instead Zoe discovers she is part of an ancient bloodline, one destined to defeat the powers of darkness from condemning the world. But Zoe, the daughter of the three, isn’t just another descendant–she’s the key to humanity’s salvation. 

In this first installment of the Christian fantasy trilogy The Chronicle of the Three, Zoe Andrews learns that not all shadows are harmless interceptions of light. Some are a more sinister darkness that wants to torment the soul.

~~~

Hey, guys!

I was sent this book from the author for an honest review. 

     This book followed the main character Zoe who's parents have just tragically died. She moves in with her aunt, Claire, and they move to Torchcreek, Virginia to start again. Instead of finding a serene little town to live comfortably in, Zoe finds that she is beginning to see strange apparitions that plague her everyday life. She soon finds out that she is apart of a long bloodline of warriors who fight demons from Hell that are trying to disturb the peace of the Creator. Zoe finds out that she is the essential key to saving humanity from the dark and mysterious demons. This book is the first of three books that incorporate Christian elements throughout the story. 

     I really wanted to adore this book, but there were some aspects of the book that were sorely lacking. I found that the characters were very two dimensional. They had promise, but I genuinely want to know more about the story and about what happens to them in the second and third books. There were also so very cliche tropes that occurred throughout the book (i.e. the chosen one, forbidden love between supernatural and the non-supernatural). While these tropes were entertaining, I felt like they were underdeveloped and didn't add enough to the story. I felt like the plot points could have been expanded upon. The plot, unfortunately, was really lacking as well. I felt like it was also somewhat underdeveloped. I had so many world-building questions and I felt like should have been answered as the book continued on. I was really interested in the whole demon/dark forces aspect of the book and I really wish there was more of a complex explanation to Caplinger's rendition. 

      I also thought that events that occurred were too easy or they were too convenient. There were moments in the book that I saw coming from a mile away and some moments were there was something completely lacking. This sounds very vague, but if you have read the book, it would make much more sense. Apologies for the vague-ness. 

      I think that my favorite aspect of this book was how Caplinger incorporated the Christian faith and practices. I thought that it was done extremely well. I really enjoyed to see the characters grow and develop though the book was quite short, there was still a very prominent change in the characters. I can't wait to see how they develop in the next two books. I also was really intrigued by the relationship between Claire and Michael. I'm such a sucker for supernatural and non-supernatural relationships. I can't wait to see what happens in 

      Even though I had quite a few issues with this book, I look forward to continuing on with the series. Caplinger has begun a really intriguing and inspiring series that I can't help but be excited for. Her characters and plot have the potential to be something really fantastic. I look forward to understanding what will happen next. 

Book 2: Released February 7, 2017

Happy reading, everyone!
Olivia 

~LivTheBookNerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository

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