NICOLE'S REVIEW: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Title: The Fill-In Boyfriend

Author: Kasie West

Publication Date: May 5 2015

Publishing House:  HarperTeen

ISBN: 9780062336385

Summary: 

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend - two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that she can win back to real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favour and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party - three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Out of all the contemporary books Kasie West has published, this has got to be my least favourite. Why? Maybe because the character is boy obsessed? She's more concerned with appearances which makes her come off as really shallow. And don't get me started on her obsession with social media and the validation of strangers. The number of likes your photo on Instagram or that picture you tweeted of your hipster coffee does not make you.

These are the characters I cannot relate to. I just can't wrap my mind around not ditching people who aren't good for you or for being too concerned about what other people think. I'm super chill, I don't get worked up over boys and what people think. I don't find myself losing sleep over tossing toxic people to the curb or for not being on top of the social hierarchy. I couldn't relate to the obsession with social media too. I'm known to delete photos on Instagram though, not because of the number of likes but because of the overall quality of the photo. (Sometimes I don't because I'm lazy and I have way too much nail ideas.)

So maybe this is why as I was reading the book I found that it contained way too much unnecessary drama. Also the whole fake boyfriend trope isn't really my thing. I hate it with a vengeance. And Gia's friends - all I have to say is what kind of friends are they? I'd insert a few cuss words here but I'm not allowed to swear. Pffffff.

That's not to say the book was a total disappointment. I did finish it in one go and while the romance wasn't the best, it wasn't the worst too. After reading The Distance Between Us and On the Fence though, I kind of expected more from Kasie. I did notice that there was more character development in this book seeing as how Gia goes from shallow, flighty popular girl to someone more mature. Not perfect, never perfect, but way better than how she was at the beginning. And as for the fill-in boyfriend? Cute. He's probably my favourite out of this cast of characters. Different from the type you normally find in contemporary novels.

Overall, in my opinion, this isn't one of Kasie's best works. A bit of a let-down but that doesn't mean I'm giving up on her books. If you want to try her contemporary books may I suggest The Distance Between Us? That one was so cute I find myself reaching for it from time to time when I'm in need of fluff in my life.

Thank you to Harper for an advanced copy of this book.

Rating: 

 

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Shadow of the War Machine by Kristin Bailey

Title: Shadow of the War Machine

Author: Kristin Bailey

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: February 3 2015

Publishing House:  Simon Pulse

ISBN: 144246805X

Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary: 

Meg has come a long way from her days as a lowly housemaid, driven to learn the truth behind her parents' murder. She's since discovered that they were part of the Secret Order of Modern Amusementists - an underground society of inventors. Determined to reclaim her heritage, she joined the Amusementists as an apprentice, but that hasn't brought her closer to the person responsible for the loss of her family: the man in the clockwork mask.

Now he is coming for her. But Meg is tired of being hunted and intends to become the hunter. With help from Will, the boy who holds her heart, Meg embarks on an adventure that takes them far from the cold London winter and into the heart of France.

But the City of Light is filled with dark shadows. There's a plot afoot that could turn the tides of a terrible war, and cost the lives of millions - that is, if it doesn't take the lives of everyone Meg holds dear, including her own.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Before I even begin to review this book I just want to say sorry for being MIA the past few months. I've recently moved to Vancouver and it was a bit hard for me at first, having to uproot myself from friends and family but it was something I needed to do. Thank you to everyone who's still checking out the blog and for not abandoning us. You guys rock. Anyway, now that that's over with it's on to the review! (Hopefully I get to blog more often now.)

It's time for the hunted to become the hunter. Meg is sick and tired of living in constant fear and worry, she's determined to put an end to the man in the clockwork mask's diabolical scheme and his reign of terror. 

Let's cut to the chase. The ending? Lacklustre. Anticlimactic. I seriously did not expect it to end this way. The villain turned out to be textbook, a little boring and one-dimensional. I mean having read the first two books and finding myself quite invested in the story, this is just incredibly disappointing.  

The romance? Meh. The truth is, after the first book the romance kind of just sizzled out and I couldn't bring myself to cheer for the Meg and Will any longer. It was like now that they're together the tension and sparks and heat between them just disappeared. Woohoo! Together forever, who cares about keeping the sparks/love/lust alive? Don't get me wrong, Will is Meg's rock, her pillar of strength, but he kind of had more similarities with a rock than with an actual human being. He was that boring! I can't even remember what role he played anymore.

The characters? I would have liked them to be fleshed out more. I mean it's the last book in the series! Better end it with a bang, right? But as I was reading this, I found myself slowly losing interest in everyone.

One thing I might have slightly enjoyed were the twists the author introduced in the story. And the battle scenes. Although truth be had the battle scenes were kind of wrong, like they didn't quite fit the story. It's like when you're playing tetris and you get the Z shaped block and you're going all "This should fit here but somehow it doesn't ohmygosh I don't get it!!!!" Well. That's just me probably but seriously there was just something strange about the battle scenes, like they were somehow forced so characters could be killed off and voila! They lived happily ever after.

So to sum this review up -the last book in The Secret Order series was very disappointing. I wish it would've ended with a bang, but I guess not. The characters were boring, the villain was textbook and everything was wrapped up in a cute little bow. 

Thank you to Simon Pulse for the advanced copy.

Rating: 

 

                       

[Blog Tour + Giveaway] NICOLE'S REVIEW: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J.Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: May 5 2015

Publishing House:  Bloomsbury

ISBN: 1619634449

Source of Copy: Blog Tour

Summary:

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin - one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled the world. 

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it...or doom Tamling  and his world - forever.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

A Court of Thorns and Roses took me by surprise. Truth be had, you guys, I wasn't Maas' biggest fan but thanks to this book I'm now a convert. I cannot wait to get my hands on an actual copy of this seriously rocking book. Seriously. Seriously.

It's winter and Feyre's family is running low on food. Times are hard so she heads deep into the forest to go hunting. She comes upon a wolf and, because she's totally desperate, she shoots it down with her arrows not knowing that the wolf was faerie. Soon this beast-like fae comes knocking on her door demanding restitution and sweeps her away to his castle in the woods. Okay maybe there was more of the threatening and the roaring as there was the sweeping and there wasn't much knocking either. Feyre soon realizes that an ancient evil is enroaching on fae territory and might, if not stopped, creep into human lands soon.

Can I just say that Feyre is the luckiest girl? I mean she has all these beautiful men to look at. There's Tamlin and Rhys and Lucien and ohmygosh how is a girl to choose? But hot men is not all this book has to offer, it's got Feyre who is a kickass heroine in her own right. She's fearless and bold and cares deeply. She's probably got a better heart than I do despite her rough exterior. 

I loved the relationships in the book. Feyre and her sisters, Tamlin and Lucien, and even Rhys. Maas has such interesting characters I just want to find out more about them, peel them back layer by layer so I can understand them and fall deeper into love with them. And the romance? It does not fail to titillate (it seemed appropriate) and I just want to smoosh Tamlin and Feyre together all the time. 

I do have a bone to pick with Amarantha, the villain, she seemed to be so textbook villainess for me. Doesn't mean she wasn't scary and slightly disturbing but she just felt a little one dimensional for me. Impossible challenges? A riddle to solve? I even felt a little cheated when Fayre had a little help with the tasks. But you know, I enjoyed myself so much so I'm not gonna complain. Much. And another thing, this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, yes? So why wasn't Tamlin more...beast-like? Oh sure he has a mask stuck to half of his face and he can shift into some sort of lupine creature but come on, I thought he would be more physically monstrous. 

ACOTAR is a retelling of beauty and the beast, a wonderful, fearless, fierce retelling of the classic with amazing imagery and world building. I might still be a little cautious of Maas' Throne of Glass series but this one is definitely on my favorites list. Definitely recommend this for people who're fans of fantasy. And NA! This is definitely NA I could get into. 

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

How pretty is the cover for A Court of Thorns and Roses? I couldn't resist doing nails. 

Not sure if you guys can tell but that's a wolf. On the middle finger. I had to make my own sheer black polish to tint my index and ring fingers. 

I think this is pretty obvious. Haha. 

You can check out more of my nail art over on instagram. Just search theunicolenicorn.

CLICK THIS FOR THE GIVEAWAY LINK

                        

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #25 : A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Title: A Little Something Different

Author: Sandy Hall

Format Acquired: Paperback

Publication Date: August 26 2014

Publishing House:  Swoon Reads

ISBN: 97812500161454

Source of Copy: Gifted

Summary: 

Lea and Gabe are in the same writing class. They get the same culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is a little aloof, Gabe is shy, and it looks like they are never going to work things out.

But something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at the local Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV series. The bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes Lea and GAbe were meant to be together.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Seriously, guys, I have not read anything as cute as this book. It's told in fourteen different points of view, none of them in our lead characters' voices. You would think that it would be incredibly confusing, but it's not. This book was an absolute blessing, I was craving a light, fluffy contemporary to read -because it was almost Valentine's Day - when this fell into my lap. It had been collecting dust on my bookshelf for some time and I thought I'd save it from its misery. 

I find that I need to repeat that this book so disgustingly cute. We get to see Gabe and Lea's love story through the eyes of the different people they come across in their everyday life. Friends, teachers, the bus driver, the baristas at Starbucks and even a squirrel and a bench. How fun is that? Gabe in particular is crazy adorable, and so awkward it made my heart melt. I loved his conversations with his friends and the way he pined over Lea and got so flustered when they engaged in conversations. I just wanted to smush their faces together. 

You know what's unfair though? That this did not happen to me in the four years I was in college. I bounced from clique to clique because I'm picky with my friends, met a lot of new people which was fun, but not once did I meet a guy who gave me the butterflies. Obviously, I was meant for greater things like fictional boys. 

Anyway, another thing that I like is that despite being awkwardly cute characters, Lea and Gabe don't fit into any pre-designed molds. Gabe is an athlete, a sort of jock, and he has his own issues - like the trauma he suffered from his car crash. Lea is not your average bookish, good girl type, she parties and has a penchant for stalking Gabe. (I feel for her, I used to do this in college too) They are the recipe for ultimate cuteness. It's insane! I couldn't put this book down mainly because I couldn't wait for them to get together and every time something got in their way it was just SO. FRUSTRATING. Just kiss already!

In a nutshell, this book is basically the epitome of CUTE. Really, the next time someone asks me to gift them something cutesy I am so giving them this book. Read this if you're looking for something light and fluffy and oh so very romantic with a different writing style. For an added bonus, it has the POVs of a bench and a squirrel.

           

                               

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Here's a set inspired by this insanely adorable book. For more details and the materials used head on over to my nail art blog. Enjoy guys!

                      

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #23: Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Title: Storm Siren

Author: Mary Weber

Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: August 19 2014

Publishing House:  Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins

ISBN: 9781401690342

Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary: 

As a slave in the war-weary kingdom of Faelen, seventeen-year-old Nym isn't merely devoid of rights, her Elemental kind are only born male and always killed at birth - meaning, she shouldn't even exist.

Standing on the auction block beneath smoke-drenched mountains. Nym faces her fifteenth sell. But when her hood is removed and her storm-summoning killing curse revealed, Nym is snatched up by a court adivser and given a choice: be trained as the weapon Faelen needs to win the war or be killed.

Choosing the former, Nym is unleashed into a world of politics, bizarre parties, and rumors of an evil more sinister than she's being prepared to fight...not to mention the trainer whose dark secrets lie behind a mysterious ability to calm every lightning strike she summons.

But what if she doesn't want to be the weapon they've all been looking for?

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Nym is a slave facing her fifteenth auction. Technically, she shouldn't even be alive since she's an Elemental and her kind are usually killed at birth - and are usually male. She's kind of an anomaly of sorts. But a slip-up at the latest auction has her catching the eye of a court adviser who seeks to hone her into a weapon to use in the war and Nym isn't sure if she can, or wants, to be the weapon they need.

I love this book. I like Nym and how she's, basically, a tortured girl who's got powers she can't control and carries around a whole lot of guilt in her heart. She copes through self-harm and I like how Weber tackled this subject in the book. I also like how Nym treats her disfigurement - she doesn't go around throwing pity parties for herself but accepts that that's what she has and just goes with it. I mean what's a disfigured hand compared to her powers which have killed people? Some tell her she's special but she just doesn't buy it, doesn't believe she is and wishes she weren't. 

I loved the romance too. How could I not? Eogan was just about perfect and I loved his relationship with Nym - kudos to the author for not letting the romance take over the story. Even if I wish there were more kissy scenes, I'm perfectly okay with the way Weber wrote this. 

Another reason I enjoyed the book was the prose. Weber's writing was so beautiful and lyrical, I couldn't help myself, I had to keep on reading. The world she built was amazing too with the magic and the steampunk-like elements in the story and the way she doesn't gloss over the hard stuff like slavery and Nym's self harm.

But the most amazing thing about this book? The way I got blindsided. You know how you're near the end of the book and everything's coming to a close and it all points towards a happy ending? Yeah. Then when you get to the end it's like BAM IN YO FACE. I never expected it an I had to reread a few times just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. I'm not even kidding, I even checked to see if my book had missing pages. It was incredibly painful and I stared it it for a few seconds in open mouthed shock before cussing it out and rereading again.

Safe to say I am looking forward to the next book because I have this desperate, all consuming need to know what happened. WHAT HAPPENED???! And every time I see my copy of Storm Siren I end up feeling so frustrated so I legit need the next book. Looking for your next fantasy read? This. You need to pick Storm Siren.

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Just a quick announcement! I have finally caved and created a blog dedicated solely to my nail art. You'll find more pictures for the nail art set over there plus a list of all the book manicures I've ever done. Some don't get published on this blog. 

Hope you like this! Link to the nail blog below.

I drew out Nym on my nail by the way. It was tough but I did it.

More pics on my nail art blog. Novel Nails Designs.

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #22: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Title: Snow Like Ashes

Author: Sara Raasch

Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: October 14 2014

Publishing House:  Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 9780062286925

Source of Copy: eARC/Purchased from FullyBooked

Summary: 

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now the Winterians' only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for an opportunity to steal back Winter's magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter's defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterian's general, Sir. Training to be a warrior - and desperately in love with her best friend and future king, Mather - she would do anything to help Winter rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore their magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she's scaling towers and fighting enemy soldiers just as she's always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn't go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics - and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Run, survive, repeat - that's all Meira's ever really known. Training to be a warrior to reclaim the lost Winter locket and help rescue her people and reclaim Winter to its former glory. When word reaches her of the locket's location she jumps at the chance to do something for her people. But a mission gone awry leads to a different destiny - something she could never have imagined. 

Snow Like Ashes came as a surprise. I started this book late last year, reached a couple of chapters in and quit it. I was in the midst of a crazy book slump (also known as the quarterlife crisis) and couldn't bring myself to read anything. Thankfully I managed to score an actual copy of the book and hooray! So. Good.

Meira is a strong character. Fierce and strong-willed. Which was probably why being stuck in camp drove her stir crazy. But I found her actions to be a little selfish sometimes - wanting to go on missions just so didn't go crazy in camp? She wasn't even any good with hand to hand combat. But I get it, I understood her need to prove herself to Sir and Mather but she could be a little rash. 

As for Mather, well, despite the summary claiming that Meira was desperately in love with him I just couldn't see it. I mean they could be really good friends but that's the extent of their relationship. The pretty boy I wanted to see Meira with though was Theron. Yes guys, there is a love triangle but I'm not complaining because in my eyes Mather doesn't stand a chance. Theron is the Cordellian prince and he fits Meira. He's stable and calm and he sees her eye to eye and their chemistry was just...mmmmmm. Yes please. Can I also add that he has a wonderful physique and wields weapons masterfully? Oh, Theron. 

Raasch does a good job with the world building, it gets a little confusing at first since there were eight kingdoms to keep track of but you get the hang of things soon enough and it's an enjoyable ride from there on out. The magic is a little difficult to understand, initially, but as the story progressed, I got a feel for how things worked. 

The ending was done beautifully, enough to give readers satisfaction but with room for more. Can more be scenes of Theron with his shirt off? 

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Just a quick announcement! I have finally caved and created a blog dedicated solely to my nail art. You'll find more pictures for the nail art set over there plus a list of all the book manicures I've ever done. Some don't get published on this blog. 

Hope you like this! Link to the nail blog below.

More pics plus details HERE.

                        

NICOLE'S REVIEW: No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

Title: No Place to Fall

Author: Jaye Robin Brown

Format Acquired: eARC/Hardcover

Publication Date: December 9 2014

Publishing House:  Harper Teen

ISBN: 9780062270993

Source of Copy: Edelweiss/Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary: 

Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, takes care of her baby nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend, Devon's house.

But when Amber learns about an audition at a prestigious arts school, she decides that her dream - to sing on bigger stages - could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon's older brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out. The more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes...and Amber starts to wonders if she's such a good girl after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family's world - and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between "good" and "bad" there's a whole world of possibilities.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Nothing screams good girl like singing church solos, babysitting your nephew and staying out of trouble. At least that's what Amber's definition of good is supposed to be. Good girl Amber also has a dream to sing on bigger stages and become a superstar. When auditions for an art school are dangled in front of her face she grabs at this chance to a new life. But in the span of a few bad decisions, Amber's whole world comes crashing down and she's torn between the good, the bad and everything in between.

I am not a fan of Amber. She's the supposed good girl - singing in church, hanging with friends, doesn't get into any trouble. But then from the get-go she was portrayed as sort of a party girl. She hangs out with hikers in the hopes of getting hot and heavy with one - because no regrets and they're out of town, who's going to spill her secrets right - smoking weed, doing drugs. She came off as a hypocrite and that didn't endear her much to me. The secondary characters weren't any better. 

I did not like the plot. It was confusing and messy and I didn't really feel like the story was going anywhere. Amber also makes a lot of stupid decisions that puts people she cares about into trouble. It's incredibly annoying. I wasn't a fan of all the cheating too. It happened again and again and again which made it incredibly hard to finish the book because it was just so...stupid! Add to that the endless stream of pointless drama and I had to resist banging my head up against a wall. 

Time and time again we hear about how Amber is such an amazing singer and she is always put on the spot. You know, I got it. She's a great singer. So? Doesn't mean I'll like her any more what with the incredibly asinine choices she's made and, because I'm petty, the overalls she always sports. Her signature, psh. Sure.

All in all, No Place to Fall just wasn't for me. The plot is incredibly slow and nothing really happens throughout the whole book. The whole incident that would supposedly change her family's life was rather anticlimactic and boring. The cheating was a definite downer and Amber is a huge hypocrite. 

Rating: 

                     

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Her Dark Curiousity by Megan Shepherd

Title: Her Dark Curiosity

Author: Megan Shepherd

Format Acquired: ARC

Publication Date: January 28 2014

Publishing House: Balzer + Bray  

ISBN: 9780062296641

Source of Copy:  HarperCollins

Summary: 

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island - and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau's horrific lefacy - though someone, or something, hasn't forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father's creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she find herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer - Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Note that this is a sequel and a review for the previous book, The Madman's Daughter right can be found HERE. 

Juliet's back in London trying to make sense of things and make a new life for herself. Figuring out medicine to stay her illness is just one of her problems. There is talk of new murders around town and the killer leaving behind a calling card - three slashes on the victims eerily similar to what happened on her father's island. She's afraid that one of her father's monsters followed her back to London and she has no choice but to help put an end to it before another hapless innocent dies.

Poor Juliet, she has a new life - better than her last but things start going wrong when the murders start. If you're guessing it's Edward than give yourself a pat on the back. Juliet is torn between keeping him safe and finding a cure for his condition and ultimately destroying the creature that shares the same body as her beloved Edward. She makes a lot of stupid decisions which were born out of a mix of desperation and loneliness. But I suppose that's what I like about her. I mean we all make stupid decisions, why can't she? She never pretended to be perfect.

The Beast's obsession with Juliet is reason for the murders he commits - no one hurts the love of his life and the Beast will allow nothing to come in between them. I understand also her connection to Edward and why she's so adamant to save him and find a cure for him. She's desperate for a cure because if she cannot cure Edward, if he is not worthy of saving, then how about herself? 

I truly like Shepherd's writing. The story is dark, desperate and action packed filled with twists and turns and weird science that, if you think about it hard enough, doesn't quite mesh. So don't think too hard on it. Just go with it. 

Her Dark Curiosity is a step up from the first book. I liked this better. Probably because Juliet is toeing the line of her morality and seeing just how like her father she can be. I can only wonder what's going to happen in the next book.  

Rating: 

                       

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #20: Winterspell by Claire Legrand

Title: Winterspell

Author: Claire Legrand

Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: September 30 2014

Publishing House:  Simon & Schuster

ISBN: 9781442465985

Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary: 

New York City, 1899, Clara Stole, the mayor's ever-perfect daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother's murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.

Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

Her home is destroyed, and her father is abducted - by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they're to surive Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets - and a need she can't define. With the dangerous, seductive fairy queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won't leave Cane unscathed - if she leaves at all.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

I know this book got a lot of rather low ratings over on goodreads, and while normally that would dissuade me from buying a book I was feeling rather adventurous and thought why the hell not? Luckily I didn't hate the book and that little issue with the statue that a lot of people commented on? I found that I was oddly okay with it. It was a good looking statue.

It's not easy leading a double life. On one hand Clara is the mayor's daughter; prim, proper and perfect as can be on the other she's training to fight under the odd Drosselmeyer's tutelage. Little does she know that she's going to be putting all the skills she's learned to the test when strange creatures enter her home and abduct her father on Christmas eve forcing her to put her trust in Nicholas as they travel to the lands of Cane to save her father.

Clara starts of a little wimpy but it was great to see her grow as a character as the book progressed. I also liked how Legrand explored Clara's sexuality in the book because while it's obvious that she had a thing for Nicholas I'm also pretty sure she was into Anise which makes her bisexual. I haven't seen a lot of LGBT characters in fantasy so this was a surprise.

Okay, so about that statue issue. Clara might have had a thing going on for a good looking statue and maybe that might be uncomfortable for people because it is an inanimate object, I couldn't blame her. As I said, dude was hunky and turned out to be Nicholas. No big surprise there. His relationship with Clara was kind of rocky at first and he might be a little crazy but thank goodness he managed to fix himself and their relationship.

I also liked how deliciously dark the book actually was. There's a lot of misery and death and depravity and a whole bunch of sick and crazy people in it. Also drugs and a faery war. And the world building was quite detailed and highly imaginative. 

Truthfully, I'm not that familiar with the Nutcracker story so I don't know how true this stayed to the original and what aspects of it Legrand kept in this retelling. What I can say is that I liked the story and I'm glad that this book ended well and is a stand alone.

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Finally! Another Novel Nails feature. I did this set a few weeks back and you can find it on my Tumblr in case anyone is interested. I'll place the links down below.

The cover was way too pretty to pass so I thought I'd do a set inspired by it. 

Nail polish used:
OPI Haven't the Foggiest
OPI Miss You-niverse

The pretty book.

I made a gradient using the purple and silver on three nails.

Close up of the hand drawn art. A raven, thorns and the gate (I have no idea what it is) on the cover.

Added a few jewels too.

The thumb.

Hope you like this set and if you want to check out my Instagram click HERE. For my Tumble, HERE.