The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

                                             🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But, it's not a skill that she's ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie. What Cassie doesn't realize is that there's more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she's sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive. Think The Mentalist meets Pretty Little Liars—Jennifer Lynn-Barnes' The Naturals is a gripping psychological thriller with killer appeal, a to-die-for romance, and the bones of a gritty and compelling new series.

I love thrillers and I have been on the lookout for one to read. I found The Naturals on a list on Goodreads, saw that it had a fairly high rating, and thought that the synopsis sounded interesting enough to check it out.
This book reminded me of some of the thrillers that I had read before but it changed things enough to keep things interesting. The author gives us the serial killer's point of view which I love! I love to feel like I've gotten inside of a killer's head and understand what their thought process is when they target their victims. Jennifer Barnes did an excellent job of providing that for the reader.
The characters were interesting and different enough from each other in personality and abilities to keep things intriguing throughout the book. I was intrigued by their abilities and felt that they had a realism to them. There are people out there that truly can read other people so well that it seems like they have a gift. I'm not sure why the author shoved the romance aspect into the story because it didn't need it. I wasn't completely bothered by it but it did feel a bit out of place. 
I didn't expect the serial killer to be who it was until later on in the book. The author was able to surprise me at least somewhat which I can appreciate. Usually, I can guess pretty quickly "who done it" in most books and movies. I enjoy it when an author is able to throw me off the scent.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series and I hope that it lives up to this one. If you want to compare this book to others, I would say that it is like The Body Finder and I Hunt Killers both of which are also great books! 

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

                                              🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌗 (4 1/2) out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


Synopsis:

A pulse-pounding thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life--and her own.

Time is slipping away. . . .

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

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

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


I've wanted to read this book for a while. It was added to my to be read pile and I forgot about it until I found it at the library the other day. I have to say that it mostly lived up to the hype that I built up in my head. 

I thought that the idea of animal companions or pandoras was an interesting and unique idea. I can't really say to much about them without giving some things away but each of the contender's pandoras had a special set of skills that made me want to keep reading so that I could find out what else they could do. 

The contenders that we are introduced to in the book were also compelling. They each had different back stories and reasons for entering the race. I was suspicious of pretty much all of them that came into contact with Tella because I didn't feel like any of them were telling her the whole truth. I found myself feeling particularly wary of Guy during the course of the book. I was curious about him much like Tella was and wanted my questions answered before I committed to thinking of him as someone who could be trusted.

However, I found Tella annoying at times.  She could be very shallow and it made her come off weak and useless. I mean, who cares about nail polish or what your hair looks like when your brother is dying and you are fighting to stay alive!?! I found myself hoping that she would change over the course of the book because I knew that I wouldn't want to read the next book in the series if I had to put up with her having the same attitude. It could be possible that I have been spoiled by the other female characters like Katniss and Tris which makes it harder to except characters like Tella. 

There were a lot of layers to the story which I appreciated. It led to many questions that I couldn't automatically figure out the answers to like I can with other books. I love books that can keep me guessing and this one did just that. It was also action packed beginning early on in the story and continuing throughout making for a thrill ride of a book. It reminded me of Hunger Games in the sense that there were people controlling the game and contenders had to deal with not only the elements but also the other contenders.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

                                                🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis:
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

I have heard a lot about this book over the past couple years and even more when the movie came out. I was at the library the other day and thought, why not? I didn't really know much about the book other than it was popular and about a girl that stole books. I was conflicted about what rating I should give this book. I appreciated the subject matter because even though this book is fiction it is important to remember that particular time in history. I feel that the author did a good job of pulling the reader into the time period. 

It was also interesting to have a main character that was not Jewish so that readers could see what was happening through the eyes of a person who was not directly effected by the events that were taking place.  I appreciated seeing how things affected Liesel because I don't think that people understand that the German people were going through trials as well especially if they did not follow Hitler. 

It was interesting to have Death as a narrator and it initially pulled me into the story. I thought, "well this is a different and interesting way to tell a story!". Even with all of this I had a hard time getting through the story. I feel bad saying that I found the story dull but I feel that it didn't really pull me in. The pacing was extremely slow and I found it hard to relate to the main character. I think it is because I was not told a lot about Liesel other than a few things at the beginning and how she felt about certain events that happened. I actually think that I would have preferred more of the story to be about Max, the Jewish man in her basement. He was a far more interesting character with a compelling backstory.  

 

Mind Games by Kiersten White

                                          🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis: 
Fia and Annie are as close as two sisters can be. They look out for each other. Protect each other. And most importantly, they keep each other's secrets, even the most dangerous ones: Annie is blind, but can see visions of the future; Fia was born with flawless intuition—her first impulse is always exactly right.

When the sisters are offered a place at an elite boarding school, Fia realizes that something is wrong . . . but she doesn't grasp just how wrong. The Keane Institute is no ordinary school, and Fia is soon used for everything from picking stocks to planting bombs. If she tries to refuse, they threaten her with Annie's life.

Now Fia's falling in love with a boy who has dark secrets of his own. And with his help, she's ready to fight back. They stole her past. They control her present. But she won't let them take her future.

I think that this book might be misunderstood. There are a lot of books that center around a person at a school/academy/private institution and how that school turns out to be a horrible place where terrible things are done to people or the students are trained to do terrible things. This book might sound like it is one of those books from the synopsis but I have to say that it is better. It is reminiscent of those types of plots but I also believe that it blows them all away! 

Mind Games is the perfect title for this book because it seems like every single character is playing some sort of mind game. I loved it! It felt like a thriller and I love the darkness and psychological games that come with that type of genre. 

The main character, Fia, reminds me a lot of Katniss Everdeen and Black Widow combined. I loved her! She is tortured character but also processes so much strength and love despite what the Keane Institute has forced her to do. I appreciated the fact that the author didn't gloss over or sugarcoat the things that she had to do for the institute or how it changed her as a person. I enjoyed the character of Annie as well but I connected with Fia more. Annie was very naive even though she was the older of the two girls. I did grow to like her more as the book progressed though.

I thought that the plot was interesting and the pacing in the book was spot on. I felt like I was dumped right into the action and it kept coming up until the end of the book. My only issue with the book was that I still have some unanswered questions. I still don't really understand how the institute came to be or what Keane's end game is. I feel like some things could have been explained better regarding the plot but overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next one. 

180 Seconds by Jessica Park

                                            🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis:
Some people live their entire lives without changing their perspective. For Allison Dennis, all it takes is 180 seconds…

After a life spent bouncing from one foster home to the next, Allison is determined to keep others at arm’s length. Adopted at sixteen, she knows better than to believe in the permanence of anything. But as she begins her third year in college, she finds it increasingly difficult to disappear into the white noise pouring from her earbuds.

One unsuspecting afternoon, Allison is roped into a social experiment just off campus. Suddenly, she finds herself in front of a crowd, forced to interact with a complete stranger for 180 seconds. Neither she, nor Esben Baylor, the dreamy social media star seated opposite her, is prepared for the outcome.

When time is called, the intensity of the experience overwhelms Allison and Esben in a way that unnerves and electrifies them both. With a push from her oldest friend, Allison embarks on a journey to find out if what she and Esben shared is the real thing—and if she can finally trust in herself, in others, and in love.

There are no words!!! I loved everything about this book! Jessica Park is a favorite of mine because she has this ability to write characters that jump off of the page centered around plots that are so refreshingly unique! I definitely have a bit of a book hangover after reading 180 Seconds!
I found it so interesting that the whole story begins with a social experiment and centers around it in some way, shape, or form. It was a refreshing way to tell a story combined with the social media aspect that came with the character of Esben. I love how this particular author uses social media in her books to further plot and help readers further understand the characters. It is easier to understand the type of person that Esben is while reading about his time as a social media star. He was a beautiful character and I loved how he wanted to focus on and encourage postivity in the world. It was wonderful to see a character that was genuinely good and trying to make the world a better place.
I loved all the characters in this book but I have to say that Allison was my favorite character. I related to her on a deep level because I saw commonalities between her and myself. I could understand why she kept those around her at arm's length. She didn't want to get attached only to risk getting hurt when she didn't meet the expectations of others. I saw the beauty in her when she is first introduced in the book and my love for her grew the more I came to know about her as the book progressed. 
The 180 second social experiment that Allison gets roped into in the beginning of the book has got to be my favorite part of the book! I love the progression that happens and the emotions that Esben and Allison each show along with the reactions of each of them in turn.
What an amazing story with so many amazing messages throughout! I devoured the words from start to finish! This is a book that helps you to see that there is good in the world but also trial and sadness. It reminds you that even when you have gone through pain, like the characters in the story you have the strength to get back up and decide what to do moving forward. This book broke my heart and mended it again so many times in the best way. I was devastated when I reached the end because I wanted to read more. I would highly recommend it to anyone!

 

Roommates With Benefits by Nicole Williams

                                       🌟🌟🌟 to 🌟🌟🌟🌗out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:
Soren Decker. He’s the epitome of the “bad boy, good man” persona. The best of both worlds. The worst of them too. He’s the type of guy most girls wouldn’t mind sharing a confined space with, except my new roommate isn’t all swagger and chiseled abs.
He’s bossy. Messy. Cocky. Infuriating. Doesn’t believe in personal space. Has no qualms about roaming the apartment with a loincloth-sized towel cinched around his waist. Seems under the delusion he’s my personal protector (refer back to infuriating). He plays college baseball and holds down a part-time job—I don’t know where he finds the time to get on my nerves.
We have nothing in common . . . except our attraction to one another. And in six hundred square feet of shared space, the tension only has so much room to grow before one of us gives in to temptation. But really, what chance do a couple of young kids chasing their dreams in the big city have of making it?
Since Soren claims I know squat about sports (he might have a semi-point), here’s a stat for him—one in a million. That’s our odds.

I was worried about reading this book because of the title. I thought that it might end up being a smut fest with hardly any plot. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised! The story focused more on the growth in the relationship between Soren and Hayden from roommates to something more.

I loved Soren! He was supportive, sexy, and respectful. I love books that have a love interest that is a genuinely good guy rather than the tortured bad boy. I feel like a lot of books out there focus more on the bad boy so this book was refreshingly different. Soren had an edge to him but it was due to his masculinity and sex appeal rather than him having sex with anything with female anatomy or breaking the law. I kind of wish that I could have heard his point of view in the book. I think that it would have made for an even more interesting story.

I had a bit more trouble understanding and liking Hayden. She was sweet and determined but
I feel like she gave more and worked harder when it came to relationships in her life that were toxic rather than giving more effort in relationships that had more meaning. Speaking of toxic relationships...Soren warns her about it and she keeps making excuses for the person. I had a hard time believing that she couldn't see that that particular person was a skuz bag. It was written all over them. Soren only needed to hear a description of the person and he could see it. There were other ways in which she was naive and it just seemed ridiculous that she didn't understand the way that things are in a big city. It seemed like common sense to me. 

Another thing that I appreciated about this book was that both of the characters were good, clean cut individuals. It seems that too often there are books where the female lead is "innocent" and the male character is not. I loved that Nicole Williams wrote characters that were both this way. It added an interesting element to the story that I feel other books out there don't have.

Overall, I felt that the book was refreshing and if you are looking for a book that is written well and a bit different then you should read it!

Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.

Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

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Low Over High by J. A. DeRouen

                                               🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis:
I fancy myself a purveyor of truth, a sifter of lies, a cutter of bullshit. It’s not a gift, but rather, all skill, honed to a razor’s edge after one too many trips down the rabbit hole.

Some may dismiss my talent as misplaced and misguided cynicism, but they’d be wrong. Cliches about hope and faith in mankind are concocted unicorn farts, an effort to keep the dreamers dreaming. Experiences don’t lie—people do.

While I’m not proud of the circumstances that led me to this way of thinking, I respect the journey. The road to enlightenment can be dark and foreboding, but the destination makes it all worthwhile.

But funny thing about the past—it’s a defiant child refusing to stay in time out. No matter how deeply buried, it can always pop up when least expected, and sink its fucking claws into the flesh of your heart. No, not my heart—I no longer have one. I foolishly gave it away years ago, but I still feel the ripping in my chest as I fist the crumpled note left on my porch.

I’ve avoided this day, ran from it, for the past eight years.
And still we meet again.

But to truly understand … to feel my dread and fear my future as I do, it’s important to know what happened in my past.

Or who…

My name is Marlo Rivers, and this is my story of corrupted love.

The synopsis of Low Over High really caught my attention. I wanted to know more about this character who called herself a sifter of lies. I feel like the synopsis didn't exactly fit with what I learned about the character throughout the story. Although I feel that the prologue and synopsis of the book are showing the reader what Low becomes after everything that takes place in the book.

I loved the banter between Low and Ever! It made me laugh and made me interested in what either of them would say next. They had an interesting relationship that started out rocky but became more as the story progressed.  I thought that their relationship was beautiful albeit flawed. It seemed like Ever had a foot out the door the whole time. 

I feel that the characters made some bad decisions in order to cope with what they were dealing with that led them down even worse paths. I'm not saying that they deserved what happened to them but I didn't understand why they didn't follow their gut feeling about a certain character in the story that they were friends with. 

This was a really good book and my second book from J. A. DeRouen. She writes in such a way that you are transported into the story and have to keep reading to know what happens to the characters that she has made you care about. I would highly recommend this book!