Tag Archives: Entangled Teen

Oblivion

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“Modesty is for saints and losers. I’m neither.”

Title: Oblivion

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux #1.5

Publication: December 1st 2015 by Entangled Teen

Pages: 1005 Pages (350 for Print)

Source: Amazon

 

Summary from Goodreads:

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it.

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are.

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can’t stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game.

Falling for Katy—a human—won’t just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen.

 

My Thoughts:

I must warn you before I get started, this review is probably going to be composed of incoherent fangirling.

If you don’t know, are new, or have forgotten – I am a complete psychopath obsessed with the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I live on these books – they are everything to me and one of my all time favorite series (of course there are others, but these hold their own.) So, imagine my excitement/dread/squealingness when I found out that there was not only going to be a movie, but there was also going to be a compilation of the first three books released from the man himself, Daemon Black’s, point of view. Just for clarification, the print copy of Oblivion is only the first book, Obsidian, retold in Daemon’s voice, and the electronic copy is the first three books (Obsidian, Onyx, Opal) told in his point of view. I bet you guys all know which one I splurged on, huh?

I don’t even know what to say about this book guys, it was glorious. DAEMON MOTHER FREAKEN BLACK IS IN THE HOUSE! Guys, guys, guys…..my precious little baby is the best thing every. This book has it all – the feels, books, sass, electrifying chemistry, badassery – all of it.

Reading these books over again, especially viewing them through another set of eyes, was a mind blowing experience. I was able to pick up on details that never registered before, I was able to picture things in a whole different way, I was able to experience entirely new scenes. There was also the old favorites (the cookie scene, Daemon carrying Katy, the smoothie, the spaghetti – all of it.)

I think my favorite part was being able to see it all through Daemon’s eyes, being able to watch his change happen internally – it made it all the more drastic. Seriously, if you thought he was an asshole in Obsidian – try reading what he actually wanted to do without throwing the book in a fit of rage. Daemon is not a nice guy, not really – we all know that. But, reading it this way enables us to understand his reasoning much earlier on. If you’ve read these books, you know exactly what I am talking about. I mean, seriously, Daemon is pretty much like this on the inside:

And so, as any man does, he channels it into a razor edged wit, narcissism, and a trigger happy temper that puts fireworks to shame.

I think the most heartbreaking part about all of this was the fact that he knew exactly what he was doing; he knew exactly how cruel his words were and how it was making Kat feel – but he did it because he thought it was right and he didn’t know what else to do. He couldn’t lose Dee, not like with Dawson. I have to say, this book made me fall in love with Daemon all over again – douchbaggery aside. I’ve always loved him, even in Obsidian, therefore this book hit me right in the feels.

Everything about Oblivion was perfection. I don’t even know what to say because I loved this book so much. Internally right now, I’m screaming incoherent ramblings about Daemon, cookies, and alien babies. This book… this book is amazing and exactly what I needed. I can’t think of a better way to spend the first couple days of Christmas break than binge reading this beast over and over again. This glimpse into Daemon’s mind is like diving into a black hole, it consumes you – but you can’t help but enjoying the trip and then wishing for more.

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Because I love these books so much, please enjoy some of my favorite Daemon moments listed below:

“I knew there was no way she was going to get the box up that porch without falling and possibly breaking her neck. I raised my brows. If she broke her neck, then I guessed that solved the whole ‘moving in next door’ problem.”

“And because I was competing for world’s biggest dumbass, I stayed out there, in the trees, stomach grumbling like a damn engine, and helped her carry in box after box without her even knowing.”

“I was waiting. There were better things to do than this. Like beating my head against cement. Or listening to Dee describe in painful detail every intricate and disturbingly personal attribute of each of those guys in that band she loved.”

“Her face had lit up with the biggest smile, as if the leaning tower of books were really a million bucks. It was all very – not cute. What the hell was I thinking? Not cute at all.”

“Katy. Her name was Katy. Reminded me of Kitty. Kitty cat. Kitten. Look at me, putting all these words together.”

“Her little hands balled into fists. I think she wanted to hit me. I think I might’ve liked it. And I think I seriously needed help.”

“I called up Andrew, Adam’s twin and the Thompson brother who matched me in temperament and personality. In other words, we were fucking balls of sunshine.”

“I called up Andrew, Adam’s twin and the Thompson brother who matched me in temperament and personality. In other words, we were fucking balls of sunshine.”

“Jesus, all this thinking about my feelings and hers was probably going to give me a period.”

“Colds turned into pneumonia and killed people. Mental note: pick up vitamin C before school tomorrow and force it down Kat’s throat.”

““Damn. That got me in the feels. Straight sucker punch.”

“I continued making the sexiest snow angel known to man.”

“I don’t know how to make you better. I wish I did, but please stay with me. I need you, and I can’t lose you. Not now. Not ever.”

“And I also know that although she wasn’t mine now, she would be one day.”

“I knew right then I would burn down the whole universe for her if I had to. I would do anything to keep her safe. Kill. Heal. Die. Anything. Because she was my everything.”

 

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Coming Soon: December 2015

Posted in Coming Soon by

Get ready to add these 12 upcoming young adult novels to your bookshelf! I went down the rabbit hole of Goodreads and my bookshelf so I could share what books I’m most excited for this month!

  1. All We Left Behind by Ingrid Sundberg

Summary:

When Marion Taylor, the shy bookworm, meets sexy soccer captain Kurt Medford at a party, what seems like a sure thing quickly turns into a total mess. One moment they’re alone in the middle of a lake, igniting sparks of electricity. The next, they’re on dry land, pretending they’ve never met. But rather than the end, that night is the beginning of something real, terrifying, and completely unforgettable for them both.

As Marion and Kurt struggle to build a relationship from the fractured pieces of their pasts, every kiss they share uncovers memories both would rather keep buried. Marion desperately wants to trust Kurt and share the one secret she’s never told anyone—but some truths aren’t meant to be spoken out loud. Kurt is also still haunted by his mother’s death, by the people he hurt, and by the mistakes he can never take back.

Explosive together and hollow apart, Marion and Kurt seem totally wrong for each other—but could they turn out to be more right than they ever thought possible?

December 1st 2015 by Simon Pulse

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2. Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary:

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it.

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are.

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can’t stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game.

Falling for Katy—a human—won’t just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen…

December 1st 2015 by Entangled Teen

Add to Goodreads

3. Nexis by A.L. Davroe

Summary:

In the domed city of Evanescence, appearance is everything. A Natural Born amongst genetically-altered Aristocrats, all Ella ever wanted was to be like everyone else. Augmented, sparkling, and perfect. Then…the crash. Devastated by her father’s death and struggling with her new physical limitations, Ella is terrified to learn she is not just alone, but little more than a prisoner.

Her only escape is to lose herself in Nexis, the hugely popular virtual reality game her father created. In Nexis she meets Guster, a senior player who guides Ella through the strange and compelling new world she now inhabits. He offers Ella guidance, friendship…and something more. Something that allows her to forget about the “real” world, and makes her feel whole again.

But Nexis isn’t quite the game everyone thinks it is.

And it’s been waiting for Ella.

December 1st 2015 by Entangled Teen

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4. Their Fractured Light by Aime Kaufman

Summary:

A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.

Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.

Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.

When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

December 1st 2015 by Disney-Hyperion
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5. Gateway to Fourline by Pam Brondos
Summary:

Strapped for cash, college student Natalie Barns agrees to take a job at a costume shop. Sure, Estos—her classmate who works in the shop—is a little odd, but Nat needs the money for her tuition.

Then she stumbles through the mysterious door behind the shop—and her entire universe transforms.

Discovering there’s far more to Estos than she ever imagined, Nat gets swept up in an adventure to save his homeland, an incredible world filled with decaying magic, deadly creatures, and a noble resistance of exiled warriors battling dark forces. As she struggles with her role in an epic conflict and wrestles with her growing affection for a young rebel, Soris, Nat quickly learns that nothing may go as planned…and her biggest challenge may be surviving long enough to make it home.

December 1st 2015 by Skyscape
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6. Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom
Summary:

The Rules:

Don’t deceive me. Ever. Especially using my blindness. Especially in public.

Don’t help me unless I ask. Otherwise you’re just getting in my way or bothering me.

Don’t be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I’m just like you only smarter.

Parker Grant doesn’t need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That’s why she created the Rules: Don’t treat her any differently just because she’s blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.

When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there’s only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that’s right, her eyes don’t work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn’t cried since her dad’s death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened–both with Scott, and her dad–the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.

December 1st 2015 by Poppy
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7. Instructions for the End of the World by Jamie Kain
Summary:

He prepared their family for every natural disaster known to man—except for the one that struck.

When Nicole Reed’s father forces her family to move to a remote area of the Sierra Foothills, one without any modern conveniences, it’s too much too handle for her mother, who abandons them in the middle of the night. Heading out to track her down, Nicole’s father leaves her in charge of taking care of the house and her younger sister, Izzy. For a while, Nicole is doing just fine running things on her own. But then the food begins to run out, the pipes crack, and forest fires start slowly inching their way closer every day. Wolf, a handsome boy from the neighboring community, offers to help her when she needs it most, but when she starts to develop feelings for him, feelings she knows she will never be allowed to act on once her father returns, she must make a decision. With her family falling apart, will she choose to continue preparing for tomorrow’s disasters, or will she take a chance and really start living for today?

December 8th 2015 by St. Martin’s Griffin
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8. The Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morill
Summary:

With her trusty baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm—the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize.

Liza can’t imagine senior year without the band, and nothing will distract her from achieving victory. She’s therefore not interested when her old camp crush, Lenny, shows up on board, looking shockingly hipster-hot. And she’s especially not interested in Russ, the probably-as-dumb-as-he-is-cute prankster jock whose ex, Demi, happens be Liza’s ex–best friend and leader of the Athenas, a show choir that’s the band’s greatest competition.

But it’s not going to be smooth sailing. After the Destiny breaks down, all of Liza’s best-laid plans start to go awry. Liza likes to think of herself as an expert at almost everything, but when it comes to love, she’s about to find herself lost at sea.

December 8th 2015 by Delacorte
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9. Inherit the Stars by Tessa Elwood
Summary:

Three royal houses ruling three interplanetary systems are on the brink of collapse, and they must either ally together or tear each other apart in order for their people to survive.

Asa is the youngest daughter of the house of Fane, which has been fighting a devastating food and energy crisis for far too long. She thinks she can save her family’s livelihood by posing as her oldest sister in an arranged marriage with Eagle, the heir to the throne of the house of Westlet. The appearance of her mother, a traitor who defected to the house of Galton, adds fuel to the fire, while Asa also tries to save her sister Wren’s life . . . possibly from the hands of their own father.

But as Asa and Eagle forge a genuine bond, will secrets from the past and the urgent needs of their people in the present keep them divided?

December 8th 2015 by Running Press Kids
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10. This Raging Light by Estelle Laure
Summary:

Can the best thing happen at the worst time?

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she’s about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend’s brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure’s soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

December 22nd 2015 by HMH Books for Young Readers
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11. What’s Broken Between Us by Alexis Bass
Summary:

A year and a half ago, Amanda Tart’s brother got behind the wheel drunk and killed his best friend. Today, he’s coming home from prison.

Amanda’s been the one living with the fallout, made worse by her brother’s recent unapologetic TV interview. People think he’s a monster. Still, she loves him. It’s her dark secret, until she starts getting close to Henry again–whose sister is paralyzed from the accident.

A year and a half ago, her brother destroyed his life. Now Amanda has to decide if she’ll let his choice destroy hers.

December 29th 2015 by HarperCollins
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12. Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer
Summary:
Thomas Bellweather hasn’t been in town long. Just long enough for his newlywed mother to be murdered, and for his new stepdad’s cop colleagues to decide Thomas is the primary suspect.

Not that there’s any evidence. But before Thomas got to Garretts Mill there had just been one other murder in twenty years.

The only person who believes him is Charlotte Rooker, little sister to three cops and, with her soft hands and sweet curves, straight-up dangerous to Thomas. Her best friend was the other murder vic. And she’d like a couple answers.

Answers that could get them both killed, and reveal a truth Thomas would die to keep hidden…

December 29th 2015 by Kensington Books
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I’m so excited and I can’t wait to get my hands on these! The best part? It’s December so that means one thing… 

Teaser Tuesday # 13

Posted in Teaser Tuesday by

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading

This weeks Teaser Tuesday is for Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout!

Anndd… because of Daemon Black’s natural tendency towards sass… I had to share more than two.

“Jesus, all this thinking about my feelings and hers was probably going to give me a period.”

“I called up Andrew, Adam’s twin and the Thompson brother who matched me in temperament and personality. In other words, we were fucking balls of sunshine.”

“Huh. Perhaps I was a bit too much of a dick the first two times I talked to her. Good thing she didn’t know I briefly considered burning her house down.”

Goodreads

Amazon

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Waiting On Wednesday # 11

Posted in Waiting On Wednesday by

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted each week by Breaking the Spine and lets us spotlight a book that we are eagerly waiting to be released.

This weeks Waiting On Wednesday is Nexis by A.L Davroe!

21480858

Publication: December 1st 2015 by Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

In the domed city of Evanescence, appearance is everything. A Natural Born amongst genetically-altered Aristocrats, all Ella ever wanted was to be like everyone else. Augmented, sparkling, and perfect. Then…the crash. Devastated by her father’s death and struggling with her new physical limitations, Ella is terrified to learn she is not just alone, but little more than a prisoner.

Her only escape is to lose herself in Nexis, the hugely popular virtual reality game her father created. In Nexis she meets Guster, a senior player who guides Ella through the strange and compelling new world she now inhabits. He offers Ella guidance, friendship…and something more. Something that allows her to forget about the “real” world, and makes her feel whole again.

But Nexis isn’t quite the game everyone thinks it is.

And it’s been waiting for Ella.

That moment when a book synopsis features the names of two of your favorite bands. Cue Evanescence and Guster montages… if you don’t know who they are, shame on you – look them up. I’m a huge fan of dystopian novels if you haven’t picked up on that already. I love everything about them, and even though most of them are the same in some way, shape or form, I keep coming back for more. Nexis is no exception, this book sounds amazing! I mean, unbiased music obsession aside, I think the whole concept of a virtual reality game sounds pretty damn sweet.

Goodreads

Amazon

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Forget Tomorrow

Posted in Reviews by

“In Eden City, your future memory is your biggest recommendation. More than your grades, more than your credit history. Because your memory is more than a predictor. It’s a guarantee. “

Title: Forget Tomorrow

Author: Pintip Dunn

Series: Forget Tomorrow # 1

Publication: November 3rd 2015 by Entangled Teen

Pages: 400

Source: Publisher

Summary from Goodreads:

Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided…by your future self.

It’s Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she’s eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they’re meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.

Or in Callie’s case, a criminal.

In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo―a hellish prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes.

But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all—Callie, herself.

My Thoughts:

Thank the lord! I have finally broken free of my bad book streak when I cracked this gem open. Forget Tomorrow, while being exactly like every other dystopian young adult book ever, was a thrilling ride about the meaning of fate.
Pintip Dunn has created a world we have seen many times before, I mean – these people even have to sit in a shiny chair to receive their “future memory” in order to know where they belong in society. *cough* Divergent *cough* I mean, seriously. This one girl is basically the chosen one because of her strange mental powers and, because of them, she is the key to unlocking this top secret government thingy. DIVERGENT!
Ignoring that little tidbit above, Forget Tomorrow truly was entertaining. It had an interesting, though overused, premise. The characters were interesting and mostly well developed. But, most of all, the book was about Callie’s relationship with her little sister. Sure there is romance and what not, but this book operates almost solely on the fact that Callie wants to protect Jessa – and it was beautiful. That’s not to say that there isn’t swoon worthy romance, because there is – it wouldn’t be Entangled Teen without it, but it doesn’t play a main part in the book – at least not to the same scale.
So, we open up right before Callie’s birthday – the day she will receive her future memory. These memories basically rule the entire society. You could want to be the greatest author there ever was and you could be an amazing writer, but if your memory shows you doing anything but that – that is where you are forced to go. Callie wants to be a chef, a manual chef to be exact (everything is made in this high tech future machine thingy that I can’t remember the name of). But, when Callie receives her memory – she sees herself murder her sister. Yupp, that’s right. Sweet little Callie who only wants to protect and love on Jessa, kills her – at least according to her future memory. You see where this is going, right? Basically, she turns herself in (shocking) and spends a few weeks in prison listening to and seeing horrible things. But then, one day Logan breaks her out. Logan is both her childhood somewhat friend and the local hunk of this book. So, Logan and Callie escape the facility and then make a run for this so called safe haven out in the woods… a lot of other shit goes down, more Divergentness ensues. The ending! Oh my god the ending of this book is a total rip off, grrr. But, I still liked it – it still tore my heart into a million little pieces because I completely understand why she did what she did and I know that I would do the exact same thing. If you’ve read it, you know exactly what I’m talking about and exactly why it is identical to Allegiant.
Callie was a good main character, I’ll give Dunn that. She was kind and gentle, but she also wasn’t afraid to throw down to get stuff done. She is literally driven by her need to protect Jessa, which is something I really identified with. She was somewhat aloof, though. Like, she would suddenly make a huge, life changing decision out of nowhere with no build up to it – or she would completely contradict herself. This was mostly true when it came to Logan, there was a lot of stuff going on with Logan – not all of it good. They had their swoony moments, but mostly, it was her trying to avoid him for the greater good and it just pissed me off. Like, if I were him, I wouldn’t put up with all of her crap.
Also, the romance. I couldn’t get into it. There were moments, like I said, where I really felt connected to Callie and Logan’s relationship. But, the pacing was way off. Things happen way too fast throughout the majority of this book. It was one of my biggest issues really, besides the fact that this is a rewritten version of Divergent. There was a lot of stuff going on and not enough space to cram it all into; in the end it just felt rushed which really took away from the overall experience. I wanted to see Callie emotionally wrestle with herself more, I wanted to see more description of what was going on. I don’t mind solid action, but when trying to send a message with that action a little more explanation is needed. It wasn’t strong enough on its own.
Overall, despite my issues, Forget Tomorrow was an entertaining escape from reality. Honestly, I really did enjoy it. I loved the family aspect, I loved how willing Callie was to do what was necessary, and I love the whole idea of fate against free will. This book explored it in a new way, I’ll give it that. If you’re looking for an exciting read, or if you just love Dystopian books as much as I do, I do highly recommend you read this. Dig a little deeper and go past the surface layers, you’ll find this book is saying much more than you originally thought.

Goodreads

Amazon

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