Important update

IMPORTANT UPDATE- AS OF 10/20/2013 WE ARE NOT RESPONDING TO ANY EMAILS DUE TO AN INCREASED WORK LOAD AND LIMITED TIME SCHEDULE. We are very sorry for any inconvenience we cause, but we do not have the time. 

You can still send us requests, but we will not get to your book/ARC for a while. Thanks for your consideration! 

Review: Death of the Mad Hatter by Sarah J. Pepper

Title: Death of the Mad Hatter

Author: Sarah J. Pepper

Reviewed by: Cassie

Book provided by author for an honest review.

Summary: (from Goodreads.com)

The Jack prophesied: If the king loses his head, the nthe Queen with a Bleeding Heart would rule the Red Court until Time ceased to move forward. When a second carried on for infinity, every creature in Wonderland would tip their Hat to the misfit girl with a Boy's name (or was it a boy with a Girl's name?) who'd end the Reign of Terror. However, it all hinged on the One-Eyed Hare being able to convince an uninspirable Heir that the impossible was indeed possible--like stopping time--and that Love was worth a Beheading.

Heads would Roll . . .

Hearts would Break . . .

In the end, would it matter who Reigned?

I'm not familiar with the story of Alice in Wonderland, so I'm not really positive how original the book was. However, I think that it's very unique! I don't think I've ever read a book like it.

It was a very interesting read and even if I don't know the original story,  I do know the characters are very unique and believable. This isn't a book I'd usually read, but I still recommend it out there, especially since if you want to mix up your reading! I found the end wrapped up the story rather nicely and that I enjoyed the book.

As we all know, nothing is perfect. Death of the Mad Hatter was a bit overdone at times- some of the love confessions had me cringing. I mean, I salute any man who would say that mushy mush stuff to me. If he could cook on top of romancing me with the words Ryley uses, well damn. He'd be mine before he could blink! However, I don't think any teenage guy would say that sort of thing, as I know a great many teenage guys who would rather fight a grizzly then admit that sort of thing. So, suffice to say, Ryley was a bit mushy to be believable.

Other than that, I don't think there was much to criticize! 

Sorry if this is really short, I have a lot of homework to do and a lot on my mind. . . But I do have an announcement to make.

I believe Rafia and I are going to shut down Fiction Fairies for the foreseeable future so we won't be responding to any emails or be updating our blog until homework dies down. I'M SORRY!!

Until next time, 

Cassie

Review: Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Title: Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2)

Author: Veronica Rossi

Reviewed by: Cass!

Summary (from Goodreads.com):

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both. Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night? In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable

Okay okay let me just start by saying this was wicked awesome. Now, it's not one of my favorites but I think that for a lot of people it would be! I prefer first person POVs to get a better feel on the characters' emotions. Through the Ever Night is 3rd person POV with some juicy emotions mixed in but just not quite my cup of tea.
To start off, I know we all love us some yummy male characters. I'd just like to say I imagined Perry (with his blonde hair and green eyes and wonderfully "wild" thing going on) as a mix between Jamie Campbell Bower (he looked really, really good in the Mortal Instruments trailers . . .) and Alex Pettyfer.
Okay, mostly Alex Pettyfer.

Yeah. Just absorb that face in for a while.

Then there's Roar. Something about him just makes you love him... He's got that seductive dark look going. And he's deliciously devilish. Some people compare him to Ryan Reynolds, but I like to think more of this:

Dominique Capraro ladies and gentlemen.

Orrrrr one of my personal top droolworthy guys:

Francisco Lachowski... 

Wasn't that nice?

Okay, back to the book.

Not only are the characters (Roar especially) superb, but the world is fantastic. Veronica Rossi transports you to this place and then carries you away with her story. The pacing is great- not too slow and not too fast. It's insanely creative. Never boring, never too crazy, and full of twists and turns and a lot of emotional bombs.

Basically it's a great read and I know you'll love it. Check it out!

Thanks for stopping by~
Cass

Review: The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Title: The Assassin's Curse

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke

Reviewed by: Cass!

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse -- with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

I have to be really honest guys! This book is the book that got me out of my book slump! First book I could finish in the longest time ever.

So why's it amazing?

EVERYTHING.

First and foremost (and most importantly?!):

The author's name. Cassandra- nice name, eh?

That's right. I love Teen Wolf.

SECOND REASON:

Ananna is a badass. And a pirate. And she's not perfect but SHE WORKS IT!

THIRD REASON:

Naji makes assassin sexy. And also scars on the face.

FOURTH REASON:

The world building is wicked.

FIFTH REASON:

EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.

There's not much romance but it's still AMAAAZING. 

GO READ IT. NUFF SAID.

~Cass

Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

Title: Prodigy

Author: Marie Lu

Reviewed by: Cass!

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request - June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It's their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she's haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood- what if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action.

All right y'all, wow it's been a LONG LONG LONG time since we last posted! Sorry 'bout that! Lately I've been extremely lazy so I've been avoiding my laptop and this blog. In fact, I've only started reading again (GASP!) in the last two weeks! GAH! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU CASSANDRA??!!

Anyways, back to Prodigy. So. Let me tell you a little story.

Last year, I picked up Legend by Marie Lu and LOVED IT. Like, I just had this inexplicable sense of enjoyment after reading it. You all know what I'm talking about- read a good book that you HAVEN'T heard about (thus no false expectations) and then have this book high where you're like "The world is amazing and so is this book and wow so is everyone! AMAZINGGGGG!!!" And then you want to sing and dance even though you can't sing.

So I started this book thinking I'd have that feeling but I didn't. Why?

The characters.

OH BOY. Yeah, I didn't like June, Day, Tess, Razor, Thomas, blah blah blah at all. The only characters I did like are dead. Oh, but I do like the Elector. God he sounds hot.

. . . That's not why I like him. I swear. 

But honestly, I can't remember the last time I picked up a book in which I had to stop every twenty pages or so and either swear at the characters, slam the book down in disbelief/rage, or well, you get the idea. It wasn't pretty.

Honestly, I think the only saving grace for this book was the world. Marie Lu did some pretty fantastic world building and the Republic and Colonies seem to come to life. It's rather amazing.

And yes, the characters do have layers but here's the deal:

I read books to enjoy the characters. I occasionally like the demented sexy ones (Shatter Me all the way baby, oh and Shadow and Bone!!! GOD the Darkling and Warner- BABES) but back to the point, I don't deal well with characters who show their true ugly. Do I really want to read about a sweet, caring girl morph into the spiteful bitch we all hate because she's jealous and hurt? NO. NO I DON'T. Leave all the ugly to me sweetheart- I don't want to realize that the nice girls out there might just hate me.

Wait. I could rant about all the issues I had with the characters for a long time, but I don't think anyone wants to hear that.

Basically, you have to deal with some realistic but ugly character situations, and a fantastic world. Not too bad, but I didn't like it as much as Legend.

Ta-ta for now! Check our blog soon for more reviews!

Cass

Update!

Hey y'all!

I know we haven't posted anything in a while... Yikes, what a gap! Just wanted you to know we're not ignoring you, we actually have 100+ unread mail... I haven't read a book in almost four months, I dunno about Rafia. These last few months I've been swamped with lacrosse and a boatload of homework, and I know Rafia's super busy too!
This upcoming month I'm still going to be really busy with drivers ed and summer school (summer school with Rafia!) so we're still probably not going to be reviewing, reading, OR posting anytime soon.
Finals are next week, so we might be able to squeeze a few in though after! ;) cross your fingers, I know I am!
We're going to try to respond ASAP to review requests, we apologize to all the people we ignored or didn't get back to! We cross our hearts and hope to die we'll get back to you and all that good stuff.

Gotta run! Thanks for stopping by!
Cassie

Oh... here's a cute pic ;)

Wish I could pull that off...

I'd end up more like

Ok. NOW I gotta go. BYE

Review: Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder

Title: Falling For You

Author: Lisa Schroeder

Reviewed by: Cassie

Summary (from Goodreads)

Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He's nothing like her abusive stepfather--in other words, he's sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give.

As Rae's affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans of her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous.

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness... and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.

Yet again, I felt, was false advertising. When you read this summary, what do you think of? Well, I don't know what you thought, but I believe a lot of readers though what I thought. I thought we would get an abusive boyfriend who makes Rae turn to Leo, a funny, sweet guy. But, being an abusive AND jealous boyfriend, Nathan would do something to land her in the hospital.

This will sound really messed up, but I wanted to read about that. It fascinates me, and I kind of wanted to see her reactions and thoughts, and what happened.

I won't say why I'm disappointed, but I was rather disappointed in this book. Leo AND Nathan did nothing for me, I didn't really like the story, and I just don't like contemporary in general.

But for those contemporary lovers out there, check this one out! I think it's actually a pretty decent one :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Cassie

Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Title: Poison Princess

Author: Kresley Cole

Reviewed by: Cassie

Summary (from Goodreads)

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces The Arcana Chronicles, post-apocalyptic tales filled with riveting action, the dark mysticism of Tarot cards, and breathtaking romance.

She could save the world--or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future--and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Devaux.

But she can't do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even htough he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side...

When you read that excerpt, what did you envision? Because I'll tell you what I envisioned. Two possible ways this book could turn:

1.) This could be a really awesome book with a seductive love and amazing action and battles. It wouldn't hurt to have really cool characters, too... Man, I was really hoping for this one!

2.) Then there was the chance this could turn out really lame and cliche with a cheesy, horny love with barely any plot-development or action.

Surprisingly enough, I didn't get either of these options. Not even CLOSE. What did I get?

Well, I got nightmares. That's what I got. Seriously, the night after I started reading this, I went to bed and woke up sweating because I was having nightmares about how the story could go... And, well I just happened to be one of the people getting a brutal death.

Because, ya know, there are a LOT of brutal deaths in this book.

Normally I am fine with messy situations, because it's just a book, right? But this was completely false advertising I felt. It didn't say there was gonna be any dark and evil and brutal deaths, but there were many. This was actually a really dark book, not anything like I was expecting. Now, that is NOT a bad thing. I was just surprised.

I must say though, the writing was very well-done. It could very well be turned into a good movie.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cassie

Review: Immortal City by Scott Speer

Title: Immortal City

Author: Scott Speer

Reviewed by: Cassie

Summary (from Goodreads)

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them.

He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery.

Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love. 

Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi- and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.

Okay y'all, I gotta admit... I was really, really pleasantly surprised with this. I thought I was going to get a really stupid, rah-rah-angels book, let's do a fake romance!, kinda thing, but nope! I was actually really happy with this. In fact, (totally awesome) I really thought for a while the author was a woman, the writing was so well-written from the girl's POV.  Now, it's not to say guys can't write a female POV, it's just that usually you can tell or the girl is way to cruel, ya know? This one, it's pretty darn good.

Yeah, so I was really happy.

Maddy is a pretty cool chick- yeah, a lot of her reactions are totally realistic. However, some of her was a little overdone. Like, her indifference to everything? Yeah, I'm sure she was slightly interested by it. SLIGHTLY. I am one of the most indifferent girls out there 

(just ask anyone in my classes, they'll probably say I have Kristen Stewart Syndrome)

and I still have a MILD interest in girly shit. Just an FYI to all guys who think indifferent girls don't, and Scott Speer.

Other than that, I really liked this. It was really smooth, kept the pages turning, and actually quite refreshing.

Now, big plus- even though I didn't find the romantic interest appealing, I still liked it. That says something about it, okay?

It was a nice little read, and I'm really looking forward to the next book!

Thanks for stopping by! We'd love to read your opinions, so post a comment!

Cassie

Review: Undeadly by Michele Vail

Title: Undeadly

Author: Michele Vail

Reviewed by: Cassie

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper--and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite boarding school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath.

Life at Nekyia has its plusses. Molly has her own personal ghoul, for one. Rick follows her there out of the blue, for another...except, there's something a little off about him. When students at the academy start to die and Rath disappears, Molly starts to wonder if anything is as it seems. Only one thing is certain-- Molly's got an undeadly knack for finding trouble...

Guh, this one was a flop for me. I had a LOT of high hopes for this, and had waited a really, really long time. Like, I would check almost every day to see if it was on the way, and then squealed when I found it was.

And, while it may be just me, I think you may very well find this enjoyable. No doubt about it that it's a very unique and original twist on two elements, but I feel as if it was the writing that made me not like it.

The writing made me have headaches, see. It was very stop-and-go, insert-personal-thought, try-to-be-witty sort of writing. Molly, the main character, was decent at times, and I got sucked into the story. But then she would go off with some of her 'witty' thoughts, as if speaking to the reader, and I would get really disoriented and annoyed. If you're cool with these things (and no, she's not like Sophie from Hex Hall at all) then go ahead. I fully endorse you try this.

Secondly, the plot was pretty convoluted. What exactly was I reading about? Was it the problem at her school? Her quickly-approaching destiny? Her relationship issues? I really had no idea what the climax was, (okay I did but I thought it was so stupid) and I was getting a headache.

And lastly, the characters. Okay, so she likes to hang out with 'freaks' or outcasts. That's cool- no really, it is. I totally understand it. But see, I didn't even understand why she didn't try to hang out with 'normal' kids. All of these normal kids were surrounding her, but she totally ignored them, to hang out with outcasts that didn't have any endearing qualities to them. Oh, except one of them. Her name was Barbie.

And lastly, the romance was bang-my-head-against-the-wall-worthy. I really didn't understand either of them ('hot' trainer or cliche highschool football star... totally original) or the appeal, so I just... meh. You know in Half-Blood and Vampire Academy, the instructors were totally sexy and like, lemme get my paws on you types of guys? Rath was just there. And Rick, the football guy, was totally blah.

Now, I still think you should try it out if you don't care about the heroine's voice, because her voice portrayed this all in the wrong light. If you just read for the story, go for it. I like to get the feel of characters, and I didn't like it for this book.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cassie

(we're still gonna be really busy these next few months, FYI)

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Review: The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin

Title: The Waiting Sky

Author: Lara Zielin

Reviewed by: Cassie

Note- So sorry we've been gone a while! Rafia and I have been loaded with schoolwork this past week, among other stuff! We're probably going to be busy for these upcoming weeks/months-possibly until summer- just a heads up!

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

One summer chasing tornadoes could finally change Jane's life for the better

Seventeen-year-old Jane McAllister can't quite admit her mother's alcoholism is spiraling dangerously out of control until she drives drunk, nearly killing them and Jane's best friend.

Jane has only one place to turn: her older brother Ethan, who left the problems at home years ago for college. A summer with him and his tornado-chasing buddies may just provide the time and space Jane needs to figure out her life and whether is still includes her mother. But she struggles with her anger at Ethan for leaving home and feels guilty--is she also abandoning her mom just when she needs Jane most? The carefree trip turned journey of self-discovery quickly becomes more than Jane bargained for, especially when the devilishly handsome Max steps into the picture.

Pros:

-Jane's story is extremely well-written and her emotions are very real

-Max is amazing, pretty much

-Her best friend is super awesome

-The story is thrilling, with emotional highs and lows, and heartwarming

Cons:

-Jane is a bit stubborn, maddeningly so at times, when it comes to admitting her mom has a problem

-She's reluctant to accept help

-It's a bit melodramatic

-I wanted more Victor

Overall, it's a sweet read. Usually I don't go for contemporary, so if I'm giving it a positive review, it's probably good!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cassie

Review: What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Title: What's Left of Me

Author: Kat Zhang

Reviewed by: Cassie

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else--two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren't they settling? Why isn't one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn't...

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she's still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with others. And yet... for the chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Have you ever been to an ice cream shop, and you didn't know what to choose because there were so many tantalizing flavors whispering your name? (Of course you have.) And then you choose one, one that looks really good and the name is practically demanding you choose it, right here, right now? And then you have the spoon of ice cream in your mouth, and instead of going mmmmm you sit there confused and wonder why it looked so good but tasted so blah?

Well, that's like what happened to me with this book. I read so many glowing reviews, and I thought this must be pretty darn amazing for that to happen. But then I cracked it open, and I just couldn't get into What's Left of Me.

The premise is extremely promising; I couldn't get these sentences out of my head. A girl trapped in a body, experiencing things she can't control and might not want. A horrible nightmare. And if you liked The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna a lot, this sort of had the same vibe. Except it wasn't as emotional.

I feel like this was sort of a warmer-upper for the future books, where a rebellion may or may not happen in the name of hybrids, but I'm just not interested enough to find out.

The characters were mediocre; not bad, not good. The plot was also mediocre; there wasn't much action. The idea was amazing, and hopefully Kat Zhang will pound action into her next book. Because if Eva had a little more spunk in her, a little sass, then I would have probably found myself unable to put down the book. Unfortunately, Eva isn't spunky and none of the characters are, so I found them boring. If you don't care about sassy characters, I'm sure you'll find this book intriguing and probably like this. This just wasn't my cup of tea, so I found it boring. :(

Thanks for stopping by!

Cassie

Review: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Title: Bittersweet

Author: Sarah Ockler

Reviewed by: Rafia

What we say: Deliciously amazing!

Summary from Goodreads:  

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life... and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last...

So, I have this thing for cupcakes. And hockey players. And contemporary books. But put it together, BAM! You have a very happy Rafia ;). I've been eyeing this book for a while now and when I finally got my hands on it, I wasn't disappointed! The summary is a little inaccurate, but I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't an extremely emotional or intense book and it was a nice, light read for sure!

I gotta say, Hudson wasn't my favorite kick-ass character but she definitely sassy and held out on her own. She didn't really stick to ideals with Will which sorely annoyed me. Heck, Will just annoyed me in general, but that was probably the point of his annoying annoyingness. BUT Hudson was really cool with how she deal with the hockey players and she was pretty awesome on the ice. I was so glad when she finally came to her sense though! I liked her strong sense of family ideals and her "take no nonsense" attitude but she was a little annoying at times.

Josh... *swoon* can someone get me some smelling salts over here? He was so sweet, caring, and another Hockey Player. Yes, we must caps that for Hockey Player is a respect role around here ;).  But you must earn the caps! And boy oh boy, did Josh did or what? I wanted to smack Hudson over the head and get her to see the amazing guy in front of her! If a guy brings you music and skates with you on a lake, why not appreciate him?! I wish there was more depth to his character, because it seemed like there was a lot more to him than what met the eye. 

Bittersweet was a great book and a light read. There were parts that could have been improved but overall, it was a nice break from some paranormal and fantasy books! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to comment!

xox

Rafia

 

Liebster Blog Award

Hey guys! Just wanted to let you guys know, we got nominated for the Liebster blog award! Thank you Oana @ All Fantasy Worlds for nominating us!

What is this? Well:

Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers that have less than 200 followers and the purpose is to get to know them since we think that they deserve it. The world "Liebster" is German and means favorite.

In order to accept and participate there are some steps:

1. Tell 11 things about yourself.

2. Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.

3. Post 11 questions for those who will be nominated by you.

4. Nominate 11 bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

5. Get in contact with those 11 bloggers in order to inform them that you nominated them.

Alrighty then! Let's start!

11 Things About Us:

Rafia:
1. I have three sisters and a baby brother who I love to death!
2. I have a popcorn addiction, quite strange. . .
3. I'm a volunteer at our local hospital and class secretary, but am actually not very social.
4. Call me cliche but personality in a guy matters the most to me, most pretty boys are douchey!
5. I want a white convertible Volkswagon Bug named Dixie, don't judge!
6. I get bored very easily but books are one of the only things that have stuck with me for a long time. The other? My bestie, Cassie :)
7. I get annoyed really easily but its hard for me to hate a person.
8. I've always wanted to travel but my parents are really overprotective.
9. I want to live in New York City or California.
10. I love music and listen to really random songs. . . my phone has more variety than most radio stations!

Cassie:
1. I have three cats, and someone told me he thought I'd end up as an old cat lady.
2. I have an older brother who I totally love, even if I don't show it, and hope he dates the sweetest girl out there.
3. I'd totally crush on a bad boy, but I'd have to be his princess :)
4. I absolutely LOVE alternative/indie/alt-rock music. Rafia makes fun of me for it, but I don't care ;)
5. If I could live anywhere, I'd either 1) have a farm in, like, New Zealand or Australia or something with my hubby or 2) have a white stucco, terra-cotta tile roofed house on a cliff overlooking the ocean in like Italy
6. Really weird but true- If I had a car, I'd get an electric blue Jeep and name her Hunter. (Pitch Perfect scene, anyone?)
7. I think girls who wear a lot of make-up, wear push-up bras, or tight clothes really shouldn't. If you can't find a guy that likes you for you, he isn't worth your time.
8. I love donuts, and ice cream is my comfort food!
9. My life's goal is to go cliff diving in Malta, Italy!!
10. My favorite color has always been blue, even when I was five.
11. If someone talked bad about someone I really, really cared for I would physically fight that person if it came down to it.

1. What other hobbies/ obsessions do you have besides reading and writing?
Rafia:Well. . .my obsessions are ramen noodles, attractive book guy characters (see below), and decorating my room! And Once Upon a Time, totally awesome show! And collecting random quotes.
I used to play soccer and I love it, but its too competitive and I'm not good at all!
I like cooking, sleeping, popcorn, and watching awesome comedy movies with my sisters.
Cassie: Ah, my strong point. Well. Kaiden Rowe, Will Herondale, that guy from Skylark (basically a lot of guy book characters), For Darkness Shows the Stars, and movies my dad and I watch together :)
I also do lacrosse, but I'm not great at it.
I used to run, but then I had a really mean cross-country coach so I quit.
I love painting and drawing, but usually don't get to.
I really want to cliff jump.
Andddddd...
Ice cream.

2. Do you lend your books to friends?
Rafia: Yes! I don't normally buy books, but when I do. . .
Cassie: YEAH! Well, if they want one. But a lot of the time just with Rafia :)

3. Have you ever convinced someone who hasn't read a book in their life to start reading? How?
Rafia: I have tried! Actually pestered my intense math buddie who doesn't read a lot but eventually read Crewel by Gennifer Albin. Check out Cassie's review on it!
Cassie: Err. . . No. I'm afraid not :(

4. What book did you hate despite everyone saying it was awesome?
Rafia: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols. . . loved the concept but hated everything else.
Cassie: Oh boy. Don't hate me, but I couldn't finish Across the Universe. I just . . . Couldn't.

5. Which book character would like to date and why?
Cassie: OH MY GOSH. 
Noah Shaw from The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer because he's SO sweet, funny, adorable, protective, amazing, and perfect.
Or, (but they wouldn't be so great boyfriends) Will Herondale, Gabriel from Spark, and Kaiden Rowe. They are SO swoon-worthy (and misunderstood).

Rafia: Ah . . . this is hard. . .but I have to steal Cassie's man and say Noah Shaw! He's sweet, overprotective, cares about Mara so much! And possibly Nathan from A Midsummer's Nightmare. I'm all for the good guy thing ;)

6. If your life could be turned into a movie, which actress/ actor would you like to play you and why?
Rafia: Definitely Zooey Deschanel! I love her quirkiness and bangs that I know I can't pull off.
Cassie: Ah . . . Well. I'd have to go with Emma Stone. She's pretty awesome.

7. Which is your favorite villain?
Rafia: Very difficult. . . But I love Warner from Shatter Me, especially after reading Destroy Me.
The Magister from Infernal Devices. . .weird but he's an evil genius.
Cassie: Ooooooh! This is good.
Warner from Shatter Me. OH YEAH.
The Darkling. I LOVE HIM.
Sebastian from TMI. He's so messed up, I love it.
SETH. From the Covenant series. At least, I'm hoping he's evil.
The list goes on . . .

8. Is there a genre you would never read?
Rafia: Hmm, probably not! I tend to go through phases with different genres and I don't think I've missed any yet!
Cassie: Ummm, not really. Although there are some I would TRY not to read, if possible.

9. Which is your favorite classic novel?
Rafia: Definitely Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre! I have a thing for Jane Austen and Bronte.
Cassie: I haven't read many, but I do like Jane Austen books

10.What magic power would you like to have and why?
Rafia:Mind reading, always wanted to know others thoughts and it'll keep me entertained in class ;)
Cassie: Being able to control the elements- so cool.

11. Who is your favorite author and what question would you ask him/ her if you had the chance?
Rafia:Taherah Mafi- How on earth did you come up with Shatter Me? And why am I so divided between Adam and Warner?! This has never happened . . .
Cassie: Leigh Bardugo- How did you even come up with Shadow and Bone?? And what about the Darkling? What's up with him? (I LOVE HIM [don't know what that says about me . . .])

We nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Blog Award:

1. Liana @ Book Addict.
2. Heather B @ Owlnestly Book Reviews
3. Nuzaifa @ Say it with books
4. Rhomy @ I know that Book!
5. Carmen @Shadows of the Past
6. Fam Min @The Bookling
7. Kayla @ Ramblings of a Book Junkie
8. Gemini Rising @Gemini Rising
9. Raafia @ The Peanut butter Fairy
10. Annie & Demi @ Characterized Book Reviews
11. Anacrasia @ Reading with Anacrasia

And here are the questions for our nominees:

1. If you could choose one book to be made into a movie, which one would you choose?

2. When people ask you what your hobbies are, do you include reading/ writing in them? Why or why not?

3. If you could be the inspiration for one author's book/ series, what author would you hope to inspire?

4. Have you ever gone into a rant about a book with someone? If so, what book and what were you saying? If not, what book could you see yourself doing that with, and what would you say?

5. What's your favorite genre and why?

6. If you could get inside the head of one character/author, whom would it be, and why?

7. If you could meet one character you've always wished you could date, and there was an immediate spark between you two, whom would it be and what would you do?

8. Say your whole book collection got burned down, and you have only twenty dollars to spend on books right now. What books would you immediately buy?

9. If you could tell a heroine a piece of advice, who'd you tell it to and what would it be?

10. What part in a book do you secretly like, even though you shouldn't? (villain obsessed with the girl, good guy being snubbed, prude turned player...)

11. What's the funniest line you've read in a book?

Please don't forget to leave me a link to your post if you choose to accept the Liebster Blog Award! We're really looking forward to reading your answers!

Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Unravel Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Reviewed by: Cassie

What we say: fantastically fantabulous!

ARC provided by Pitch Dark for an honest review

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

tick, tick, tick, tick, tick

it's almost

time for war

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her--people with gifts--and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart--and Adam's life.

Unravel Me is a breathtaking read with an exhilarating plot and electrifying romances. Tahereh Mafi whipped up a masterpiece with countless memorable scenes, two sizzling hot guys, and one delightful plot.

So I just wanted to put out there that while I read this, my vocabulary consisted of: "Oh my God.", "OH MY GOD" and, oh! "OHMYGOD!"

Literally. I went on a freaking emotional roller coaster, and I think I almost cried I was so emotional. Because, must I say it?, WARNER. I always thought he was fascinating, and he's a star player in this one. I was so, SO happy when all these scenes with him popped up, and all I could think was, 

"Keep 'em coming."

Quite honestly, whenever I thought I was Team Warner, Tahereh Mafi would ninja-attack me and slam me with a scene with Adam and then I was like, Team ADAM. I kept going back and forth, which is REALLY impressive for me, and I . . . I just couldn't. I was in an hot guy emotional overload. And for all those Warner haters out there, I just want y'all to know we see a COMPLETELY different side of him, so don't hate! Seriously, I honest to God bit my fist I was so torn.

And, maybe it was just me but during Shatter Me the writing style for me was fascinating but overdone, but for Unravel Me, it was PERFECT. I really got a feel for Juliette, her feelings, her instability, her confusion, her desire, her hopes, all of it. And when she gets mad, it's insane. I love crazy-angry girls who pack a punch (they fascinate me), and in this book Juliette does it all. She's angry and violent, scared and lonely, hopeful and thoughtful . . . everything. It's insane.

The plot was delicious and kept the pages turning and turning and turning. The characters are extremely well done- their emotions are depicted flawlessly- and I really, really wish I could read the next book right now!

Yep, needless to say I am obsessed with it. I want more Warner!!

Me ^

Thanks for stopping by-

xoxo Cassie

Review: Shadows of the Past by Carmen Stefanescu

Title: Shadows of the Past

Author: Carmen Stefanescu

ebook provided by author for an honest review

Reviewed by: Cassie

What we say: mysterious and magical!

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

When Anne and Neil leave on a one-week holiday hoping to reconcile after a two-year separation, little do they know that destiny has other plans for them. Their discover of human bones and a bejeweled cross in the hollow of a tree open the door to a supernatural realm and the anguished life of Genevieve, a nun from medieval England.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve her eternal rest?

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.

Shadows of the Past isn't a book I would normally read; I usually read only YA because I'm pretty picky. And my dad would throw a fit if he saw romance/adult book covers. That being said, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised with this! Despite what the cover may suggest, this has few romantic aspects (you know, steamy hot scenes) which was kind of a relief to me. Why? Well, my older brother somehow saw my phone while I was skimming a romance book and never looked at his little sister the same way again.

Anyways! So.

Shadows of the Past switches back and forth from the past and the present. I'm fine with this, and it actually was a really good choice. It made me intrigued by the historical mystery, yet kept it so that I wasn't so fed up with it that I quit the book. Normally I don't do historical fiction, but the parts of this book that were historical fiction actually made me like the book more.

Now, we don't really get much look into the characters- an aspect I was 'eh' about. Usually the characters make or break the book for me. If the characters are really well done, I LOVE the book, and vice versa. In Shadows of the Past, it's done in 3rd person, so we don't really get much insight to the characters. I still felt pretty sad for Genevieve and Andrew, but I felt a bit detached from them.

With a refreshing plot, thought-worthy mystery, and sweet romances, Shadows of the Past is a book you should definitely give a try. I didn't even have an inkling as to what happened to the nun and priest in the past, and although I couldn't relate to the characters because they were older and pretty seriously in love, I still enjoyed them.

Thanks for stopping by! Review for Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi soon to come!!
Cassie :)

Review: The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook

Title: The Almost Truth

Author: Eileen Cook

Reviewed by: Cassie

What We Say: Fun and flirty (with a bit of a flair!)

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

From the author of Unraveling Isobel and The Education of Hailey Kendrick, a smart, romantic novel about a teenage con-artist who might be in over her head. Sadie can't wait to get away from her backwards small town, her delusional mom, her jailbird dad, and the tiny trailer where she was raised . . . even though leaving those things behind also means leaving Brendan. Sadie wants a better life, and she has been working steadily towards it, one con at a time.

But when Sadie's mother wipes out Sadie's savings, her escape plan is suddenly gone. She needs to come up with a lot of cash--and fast--or she'll be stuck in this town forever.

With Brendan's help, she devises a plan--the ultimate con--to get the money. But the more lies Sadie spins, the more she starts falling for her own hoax . . . and perhaps the wrong boy. Sadie wanted to change her life, but she wasn't prepared to have it flipped upside down by her own deception. With her future at stake and her heart on the line, suddenly it seems like she has a lot more than just money to lose . . .

The Almost Truth had sent me the vibes of The Heist Society (which I rather enjoyed) contemporary-ized, which really attracted me to read this. Unfortunately, the book wasn't really focused on her con-artistism, and rather was focused on her life and how she could improve it.

Don't get me wrong; I liked it. In fact, I think you lovelies would rather enjoy it. You just have to like contemporary books (which I don't, really) and not think this was about Sadie and her amazing con-artism.

The characters are diverse, but a bit bias. Our only POV is that of a poor girl who doesn't like rich people, and her dream of becoming un-poor. She's strong, stubborn, a bit naive, but a good POV. Different. She's troubled, hoping for the best but expecting the worst, and feeling unloved.

Overall, the plot was overused, cliche, and a bit predictable, but the story was light, sweet, and fun. This is more of a summer read, in my opinion, but if you wanna hit it up today, go for it!
Thanks for stopping by!
Cassie