To Sleep in the Stars by Christopher Paolini

when a story starts out happy... you just like...know someone HAS to die. 
I'm here for the animals. The pig...
Is that Han Solo I see?
Hey look. It's Christopher's sister.
So as a woman, I am cackling because...no. 
Ohhh the puns.
So yeah...at parts I thought about The Host by Stephanie Meyer. 
I'm getting Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles vibes from Falconi.
And I'm getting dalek vibes...The Star Wars references and the Star Trek references and the Doctor Who vibes
Aaaaand I called it. I called the thing (that I can no longer remember that I called) 
Christopher dropping words of wisdom that slap.
I love Gregorovich. I love him so much 
Gahh I have a character I like and I just want more
880 Pages

The Brightest Night by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Luc and Evie... I can't. Like...dskjfklsajfksjafkjaskfdjasdf
Kat and Daemon. I can't. I can't. Someone send help. I can't.
The banana... I love it. Little feet and socks... I just.. heart explodes.
The sass.. chef's kiss.
Grayson perplexes me...
(Ok does anyone else love Luc's love of llamas, and the fact that Jennifer Armentrout also has llamas...because samesies)
Hey look... Jennifer Armentrout predicting the future...again. 
Alexa play the "Oh No" tiktok song.
Aaaaaaaaaaand now we wait. 
512 Pages

The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat
Luc is a gentleman (the walking on the left side so that he's closer to the road)...I can't....
Jennifer Armentrout really do be predicting the year of our Lord 2020....
I am always down for scary boy being soft for one girl.
Can someone please love me like Luc loves Evie... Plz. Please.
 464 Pages

The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout

gkjfskldjklsafjdklsjafkljsalfj CAMEOS.
I'm not saying get rid of April, but like.
Luc has iconic shirts, and I love him.
oh the snark
ok Jennifer. Stop making jokes about angels and aliens in the two universes where they could be in a crossover. Or give me the crossover, you coward.
Babe he can probably hear you thinking.
Ohhhhh the Twilight vibes.

384 Pages

Oblivion by Jennifer Armentrout

...yeah it's three books in one... all from Dameon's perspective... I'm here for it.

Book 1: Obsidian (411 Pages)
What we learned: Dameon is thirsty for Kat and for milk. Dameon really likes red.

Book 2: Onyx (392 Pages)
Dameon discovers that the best way to win women is in their natural habit with their favorite thing--snick snacks.
Me knowing things that'll happen.

.....Details Jennifer.... And the foreshadowing....ummmm

Opal by Jennifer Armentrout

....So we're all just collectively in pain. 
Dawson.
Yeah I kind of love this cover...Cause Dameon's smirk.
All of the high school things
Alexa play the Mission Impossible theme.
And we're in pain again...that's a Sarah J Maas cliffhanger...no wonder they're friends.
452 Pages

Onyx by Jennifer Armentrout

D. T. R. ....like seriously. 
And I'm getting New Moon vibes....and it got better...I'm real glad that it didn't turn into New Moon.
When you read a crap ton of a series real close together and you can't remember when things happen. 
I am here for Kat growing and turning into a BA... (I mean she was already BA, but still). 
Also why am I smarter than the main character that reads a ton...Like come on... Be suspicious. 
Why does Jennifer have to hurt me like this. 
416 Pages

Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

WST VIRGINIA
Ok so the writing style took a hot sec to adjust to, but man...fast read.
...I'm really picky about covers...I just want the old one that's less sketch (and by less sketchy, I mean less likely for someone to judge me for...yes I know).
I love Dameon.

Obsidian honestly gave me some Twilight vibes, but like....it got better. 
400 Pages

Between Frost and Fury by Chani Lynn Feener

Sequel to Amid Stars and Darkness

Between Frost and Fury by Chani Lynn Feener

Summary: "Delaney finds herself kidnapped by aliens, at the center of a tense political battle between two alien kingdoms, and the attention of Trystan's romantic attentions. Just another day in the life of an ordinary human girl."

Well, darn. I had such high hopes for this sequel, but it didn't quite deliver. I wanted more drama, more intrigue, way more action and more well-loved tropes. I need Trystan to be more extreme, one way or the other. 

I'll definitely read the next one though!

360 pages

Noir by Christopher Moore

What do snakes, moonmen, "IRS agents," and a bartender have in common? A lot more than you think. I've been reading Christopher Moore for a few years and he never fails to disappoint with his entertaining plots and his humor. This book was full of colorful characters and hilarious shenanigans and was worth every minute of reading.

Rating: 4/5

Pages: 339

Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon

Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received the full cast audio production free through Audible, and it was interesting enough. This would not be something I could read in print, as the story is entirely dialogue (so the characters discuss back story and world building). I assume it’s also available in print, though I doubt that would be the recommended way to experience it, unless everything but the dialogue was just cut out for this reproduction. If someone more informed reads this review and can answer that, please leave a comment.

The sound effects were actually helpful, and normally I hate excess sound in an audio format. However, this is the exception, since this story isn’t about the writing but about dramatic effect.

Apparently, this somehow fits into the storyline between some films, but I know nothing about that and haven’t seen the films. Regardless, I was able to follow along. Looking back, it probably would have been good to know that in advance, so I could watch/listen in order.

I occasionally had trouble understanding some of the dialogue in the recording, due to they synthesized sounds of some of the voices. Also, I spent a good chunk of the time mixed up about who was who, but it turned out to not really matter all that much. I could still follow the story, even without having a clue whose voice I was listening to. I just learned the characters more by their voices than their names.

Pages: 352

Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

Summary: "When seventeen-year-old Katy moves to West Virginia she expects to be bored, until she meets her neighbor who just happens to be an alien."

I had been in a bit of a reading slump, and this book pulled me right out. It's not a new story or unique in any way, but I was intrigued by the alien lore, the love/hate story, and the action scenes. Katy is an interesting and relatable heroine. I hope the next books in the series are just as good!

335 pages

United by Melissa Landers

United by Melissa Landers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a satisfying conclusion to an enjoyable series. I'm happy I read this trilogy. It's sci-fi, but it somehow still manages to be light. It's fast paced and easy to read with memorable characters.

Pages: 317

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Henry Denton knows that life sucks. Judge for yourself:

(view spoiler ---I took this segment of the review out to avoid spoilers, so you'll have to stalk me on Goodreads if you want it: View all my reviews)

There are only 144 days left until the end of the world, and it’s on Henry’s shoulders to decide to save the world or not. But he doesn’t need 144 days to know humanity sucks, and it isn’t worth saving.

This is a painful, thought-provoking look at life, grief, and the choices people can make when faced with the worst. The story is staggered with individual short stories about what will bring about the end of the world, from a science perspective. All of them are creative. Many of them are funny. Most of them are shocking. Some are just sad, but overall, it adds an interesting element to Henry’s story.

This story is as ugly and heartbreaking as it is gorgeous and funny. It’s reminiscent of Andrew Smith’s Grasshopper Jungle, except it’s far more linear and organized, while GJ is chaotic and disorganized. That doesn’t make them sound similar, but if you read both, I think you’ll see what I mean. And you should go do that right now. Read them both. Trust me.

Pages: 464

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved book one of this YA post-apocalyptic series in which aliens have taken over the world and are trying to destroy humanity. This book never drew me in. Maybe it was me, as I was seriously fretting while reading and probably distracted, but the story never gave me good reasons to want to stop fretting and invest.

For me, it suffered from second book syndrome.

Pages: 320

The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore

Summary: The Fate of Ten picks up right after The Revenge of Seven with the invasion of Manhattan. It is the sixth book in the Lorien Legacies series. I believe that there is going to be just one more book in the series, and I'm quite looking forward to it. This installment is told mostly from John Smith (Four) and Six's points of view, plus a new human character gets a chapter or two. Parts of this book were excellent, but others were a bit slow. I was frustrated with John's storyline, as he was separated from the rest of the Garde for most of the book. The strength of the story is when the Garde is all together, working as a team to take down the bad guys. Once again, the book ends on a major cliffhanger, and I will have to wait a year to find out what happens next!!

399 pages

Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore

Summary: "The Garde, broken and divided, discover that the Mogadorians have commenced their ultimate invasion plans and will stop at nothing to thwart it."

Book Five in the I am Number Four, aka the Lorien Legacies, series. This book is so very exciting and adventurous, and ultimately left me wanting more, as always. By this point, I've gotten very attached to the members of the Garde and their friends; I can't wait to see what happens next.

It's going to be a long, anxious wait until August of next year. 

Make sure to check out the other books in this series (highly recommend): 

I am Number Four 
The Power of Six 
The Rise of Nine 
The Fall of Five 
The Revenge of Seven

371 pages