The Demon Queen Thrives On Fear

~The Demon Queen
And The Locksmith~
By Spencer Baum
Amazon

In Turquoise, New Mexico, a small group of hippies believe that the mountain north of town emits a constant, resonant hum that is only audible to a chosen few. They call themselves the Hearers, and the fact that fourteen-year-old Kevin Brown has never trusted them makes it all the worse when his own ears begin to ring, and he comes to realize "The Turquoise Hum" may be much more than a sound.


This book was...bizarre. But that in and of itself isn't a bad thing. I don't even really know where to start...

Flickering In and Out of Invisibility

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, Unravel Me, Fracture Me, Ignite Me, and especially Restore Me or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Shadow Me~
Shatter Me
Book 4.5
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Juliette is still reeling from Warner's betrayal, and Kenji is trying to balance his friendship with her with his responsibilities as a leader of the resistance against the Reestablishment. Things get even more interesting when an unexpected person from Omega Point’s past surfaces.

The ending of Restore Me left readers gasping, and this novella full of Kenji’s signature sass and big heart is the perfect story to tide fans over until Defy Me.

That was NOT okay.

Destroyed and Restored All At Once

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, Unravel Me, Fracture Me, and Ignite Me or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Restore Me~
Shatter Me
Book 4
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she's got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

I thought this was a trilogy. Even Tahereh thought it was a trilogy based on her author's note at the end of Ignite Me. But I guess there were just too many unanswered questions about how Juliette and Co. would continue their revolution. And I must say, I am glad she chose to continue.

Ignite, My Love. Ignite.

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, Unravel Me, and Fracture Me or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Ignite Me~
Shatter Me
Book 3
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.


I could not put this book down. No, seriously, on my first read-through I managed to read the entire book on a work day. It was amazing.

The Bones Inside of Me Fracture

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, and Unravel Me, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Fracture Me~
Shatter Me
Book 2.5
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam's newly discovered half brother, won't be that easy. The Reestablishment can't tolerate a rebellion, and they'll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.


While I absolutely love the Shatter Me series as a whole, this is probably my least favorite part of it. Not that it's not good, but...well...

One Accidental Opportunity Unraveled Everything

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, Shatter Me, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for it. Unravel Me, however, will remain spoiler-free.
SPOILER ALERT

~Unravel Me~
Shatter Me
Book 2
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

It should have taken Juliette a single touch to kill Warner. But his mysterious immunity to her deadly power has left her shaken, wondering why her ultimate defense mechanism failed against the person she most needs protection from.

She and Adam were able to escape Warner’s clutches and join up with a group of rebels, many of whom have powers of their own. Juliette will finally be able to actively fight against The Reestablishment and try to fix her broken world. And perhaps these new allies can help her shed light on the secret behind Adam’s—and Warner’s—immunity to her killer skin.


I was hooked from page one. There were definitely some X-Men vibes coming off the Omega Point setup, though it's hard to compare with Juliette being secluded so much. I wish we could have met or at least seen some of the other mutants.

What is the Giant Turtle Standing Upon?

~Turtles All The Way Down~
By John Green
Amazon ~ Powell's

Turtles All the Way Down is about lifelong friendship, the intimacy of an unexpected reunion, Star Wars fan fiction, and tuatara.

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.


I like to tuck in stand-alone books in between series, or when I'm waiting for the next book to come in, so I have something to read but not a whole nother endeavor. I'd heard of John Green (who hasn't?), and have seen The Fault in Our Stars, so when I saw this was available to borrow, I thought, why not? I didn't read the blurb, didn't know anything going in, and boy did I get more than I bargained for.

To Kiss A Beautiful Boy

~Lips Touch: Three Times~
By Laini Taylor
Amazon ~ Powell's

Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls:

Goblin Fruit
In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses
A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling
Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?


Three short stories, some shorter than others, all centering around kisses. With so little time spent with the characters, I was a bit surprised that I came to care about them so much. But then, that's my typical reaction to Laini's writing.