Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass is a companion to The Selection series and should only be read after you have read the series. It fills in some gaps and answers some questions about some of the main characters in the series, and retells events from different perspectives. It gives background about Queen Amberly and Maxon. Shares perspectives from Aspen, Marlee, and Celeste. It gives more details about Marlee and Carter woodwork’s story and Lucy and Aspen’s romance. It gives closure on what happened with Kris, Elise, and Natalie after The Selection was over and they lost.
This was not as good as the books in the series but I still enjoyed reading it. It seemed kind of like dessert—a nice final touch but not really necessary. I devoured the series and enjoyed it immensely so was glad when I discovered this book which gave me a little more.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)
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She's charming, smart, gracious, beautiful; and though she's seen her share of sadness, she tries to be joyful. So how did this magical woman fall for someone the likes of Clarkson Schreave?
From page 6--An Introduction to the Queen of Happily Ever After (Companion to the Selection Series) by Kiera Cass.
Being able to pull up a verse in the middle of a totally different activity is more important than saying it 10 times, one after another. You memorize when you practice recalling, not when you repeat.
From page 17 of Hiding the Word in My Heart--Fun Ways to Memorize the Scripturesby Tina Houser.
Joseph Scriven (1819-1896), writer of the much-loved hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," knew the pain of heartache and loneliness. His bride-to-be drowned the evening before their wedding.
From page 14 of Tune My Heart to Sing--90 Devotions on Hymns from Our Daily Bread.
Gerard's:
Manfred groans and sinks down on his haunches. I lean forward, taking in the macabre scene. Letting it in--that's important.
From page 10 of The Ice Beneath Her byCamilla Grebe.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. Happy Reading!
The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a YA contemporary fiction mystery about Tess Kendrick, a 16-yr-old who is taken by her older sister, Ivy, the "fixer." Ivy left the ranch years before and works closely with the President of the United States in D.C. to fix problems. Tess resents Ivy for not taking her along when their parents died so lives with her grandfather whose Alzheimer's gets worse, When Ivy visits, she moves the grandfather to a care facility in Boston and has Tess live with her. Ivy tries to protect Tess from getting involved in her job but Tess becomes involved in spite of Ivy's efforts. Tess is shocked as secrets come to light and bravely seeks the truth.
This was very good with a combination of politics, murder and family relationships. I enjoyed the plot and the characters and especially the surprise twist near the end. I finished this in two days and looked forward to getting back to it.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)
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In The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson, Ted and Lily meet at an airport bar. They get to talking and drinking and all of a sudden, they feel a connection. They decide to hatch a plan. If it goes as planned, their lives will be forever changed. I enjoyed this book. The plot is good and the characters are cold-blooded to say the least. I loved the ending!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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In The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles, it has really been a bad year for 17-yr.-old Zoe. Her dad died, an older couple who befriended her was killed, and now a blizzard has come and her young brother and her are in it and are being attacked. Then a stranger comes out of nowhere and Zoe's life as she knows it will be forever changed.
This book had me from page 1! The story is really good and I cared about the characters. It went quick! I really enjoyed it and feel it was well worth reading!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Frost Blood by Elly Blake is a teen fantasy involving some people with special powers called Frostbloods and Firebloods. Frostbloods like all things cold and can create ice and cold as opposed to the Firebloods who like things warm and can create fire and heat. Although they are mortal enemies, Arcus and Ruby join together to destroy the curse behind the throne of the King Frost Blood. Ruby, the main character, is a 17-yr.-old girl who was brought up to hide her gift so must be trained to develop it. She is believed to be the special Fireblood who will be able to destroy the curse behind the throne. There is lots of action with some surprises in the turn of events!
This book kept my interest from the start and I especially liked the parts of Ruby at the Abby and her fighting the King’s champions in the arena. Although the magic involved in this book around Manix was a bit confusing to me, and the writing was not that great, I thought it good enough to continue on with this series. The relationship between Ruby and Arcus that develops didn’t really grab me but maybe that will become more interesting in the next book. I am giving this 3 stars because there are other “super power” series I’ve enjoyed much more.
(Karen's review 2-8-17, 3 stars)
In Frost Blood by Elly Blake, Ruby has power but her mom
forbids her to use it! But when her mom is killed and Ruby is put in
prison, she yearns for revenge and to use her power. Later some men
come and help her escape. She is in a safe house where she is told that
she must destroy the throne and kill the king or all is lost! Does
Ruby have the power and the will to do it? I thought
this book was really good! There is plenty of action and the writing is
really good! Ruby is a great character! Can't wait for book 2!
(Gerard's review 1-21-17, 5++ stars)
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Flames ate at my clothes and roared in my ears. My skin was blistering hot, but it didn't burn.
From page 13 of Frost Blood by Elly Blake.
I sat beside her, holding her hand. Silly as it sounded, I had slouched in my chair, certain that would make her come to and correct my posture.
From The Crown by Kiera Cass (Book 5 of The Selection series.)
Gerard's:
Zoe had the binoculars trained on Stan when he turned back toward the lake and saw it blazing in the darkness--and when he first noticed the figure shooting toward him, covering hundreds of feet in an instant.
Stan was terrified.
From page 38 of The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles.
An flips through the channels. There will be tornadoes, floods, landslides, ash, fear, depravation, suffering, death.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. Happy Reading!
Rules of the Game by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton is the third and last book of "The Endgame" series. I thought this one was the best of the three! It is a non-stop thrill ride with action galore that kept me turning pages throughout the book! I wish the ending could have been different, but that being said, I still give this book and this series 5 stars! Glad I read it.
(Gerard's review)
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In The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, a man called Kvothe is telling his life story to a chronicler. He has heard about Kvothe and wants to find out what is fact and what is fantasy. This is the first of three books in this series. This book covers his life until he is in his teens. The stories in this book are really good! It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I had to keep flipping pages. Not sure if this book is for everyone, but I enjoyed it! It lived up to the hype for me.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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I loved The Crown by Kiera Cass, the fifth book in The Selection series because Eadlyn grows up quickly when her mother has a heart attack and shows both maturity and compassion for others, finally! This was a really fun series and I was not disappointed at all in this last book! She picked the one I thought she should and I loved how she became so caring about the feelings of the selected. I do not want to spoil anything because if you are reading this series, you have to read this one too!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)
I should have dressed up to do these videos--thought of it too late!
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Windwitch by Susan Dennard is the follow up to Truthwitch which I Loved! Iseult is trying to reconnect with her sister, Safi. There is plenty of good action in this book with surprise twists and turns. I enjoyed the characters of Merik and Aepvan also. Looks like a book 3 is next and I will be on it!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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The Heir by Kiera Cass is the fourth book in this series and although I enjoyed this one the least, it still gets 4 stars from me. This is 18 years after the end of The One and the main character is America and Maxon’s eldest by seven minutes, Eadlyn. The castes have been faded out by now and there is peace; however, old prejudices and discrimination still exist among some people. Small fights all over continue to break out over dissatisfaction with the monarchy. In an effort to provide a distraction while Maxon and America try to figure something out to correct the situation, they ask Eadlyn to have a selection of her own. She very reluctantly agrees and this book then becomes similar to the TV show, The Bachelorette! 35 suitors are picked live on TV with a draw, choosing someone from each providence. Someone entered Kile Woodward’s name (Marlee’s son who grew up in the palace with Eadlyn) and he is one of the selected. Eadlyn thinks love makes one weak but made a deal with her parents to go through the process for three months provided if she didn’t find love, she would not have to choose anyone in the end and that any of them were free to leave any time if they chose. Her parents are hopeful, she just wants her freedom. It’s fun to look back to the previous book as her parents reveal things about their Selection experience to Eadlyn and how interested she is
Eadlyn is a spoiled brat and basically rude to the suiters, but in spite of herself, her wall begins to crumble and she does start to really care about some of them. Her best dates turn out to be the ones that the cameras aren’t ready for. The two group dates were really fun. Some of the guys were outside playing baseball and she came by and decided to join them! The other was set up by the guys who felt left out of the ballgame—they got her to agree to join them for the “best date ever.” They put on a talent show and through this she actually laughed and finally enjoyed herself while getting to know a bit more about the suitors.
Eadlyn is so bratty that I did not like this book as much as the previous ones, but by the end she was becoming more decent. I like how there are really several possible choices for her and I am not sure who she will pick. I think it is a very interesting addition the Henri needs a translator, Eric who tries to stay in the background and is quite smart. Henri speaks only Finnish but is very nice and a great chef! Their kitchen kiss was so sweet! I also like seeing America’ and Maxon’s friends appear in this book as well. I cheered when I saw Aspen is now a General! I flew through this book as well and continued right on with the next. I am eating up this series and highly recommend it as a light, funny, entertaining read.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)
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Karen's: Her heavy eyes filled with tears. "Then I don't care where it is. I'll go."
From page 118 of The One by Kiera Cass (Book 3 of The Selection series).
Kile wasn't as obnoxious as Josie, but, in all the years I'd known him, he'd never made anything remotely close to an interesting conversation. So help me, if I ever got a bad case of insomnia, I'd hire him to sit in my room and talk.
From page 31 of The Heir by Kiera Cass (Book 4 of The Selection series).
I sat beside her, holding her hand. Silly as it sounded, I had slouched in my chair, certain that would make her come to and correct my posture.
From The Crown by Kiera Cass (Book 5 of The Selection series.)
Gerard's:
And the sight of her hand in front of her, lifting the latch, pushing the door. And again, and again, and again, every moment since: the slow sweep of the white-painted wood, and the widening expanse of light, and her hand falling to her side through the weight of the still air, and her voice catching in her dry throat. And the room beyond.
From page 21 of Little Deaths by Emma Flint.
"You are going to keep Playing, but I want to see if we can gain an advantage first. Perhaps you can push back at the keplers, as well as do something that will help you deal with the others."
From page 82 of Sky Key (Book 2 of Endgame) byJames Frey & Johnson-Shelton.
Once the warship had burned to a flaming skeleton and the heat off the attach had drawn back, Safi turned to Vaness. The empress stood rooted to the ground, stiff as the iron she controlled.
From page 28 of Windwitch by Susan Dennard.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. Happy Reading!
Little Deaths by Emma Flint is based on a true story. Ruth Malone lives a loose life, and that is putting it mildly. She has two kids and an on-again-off-again relationship with her husband. One night her kids are missing and in the days that follow, both are found dead. Did Ruth do it? The police and public opinion have her guilty. This book played out pretty good and kept my interest for the most part. It is worth reading for sure!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)
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The One by Kiera Cass is the third book in The Selection series and my favorite so far! In this the action really picks up, Maxon and Aspen form a bond, America's father dies, Maxon finally chooses his princess and it has some surprises and several die. This is like a roller coaster with happy moments and very sad moments. My emotions were all over the place. The relationship developments, the danger at the palace, the plot with the rebels and Maxon's father continuing to knock America out of the competition made this book hard for me to put down.
I am loving this series and so glad I gave it a chance despite the boring covers. I like both Maxon and America and loved the ending of this one even though it was not what I expected! I am flying through these books because I am enjoying the characters so much. What a great book, loving this series!
(Karen's review, 5 stars)
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Sky Key by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton picks up where the first book left off. The nine remaining players are looking for sky key. Good action in this book too. I have my favorite players and they are still alive. Moving on to Book 3.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Endgame--The Calling by James Frey & Nils Johnson-Shelton has constant action! Welcome to Endgame. Twelve players in the whole world. They have been trained for this. They must find three keys. There can be only one winner, no rules, Kill or be killed! The one feature I enjoyed about this book was the constant action. I never knew what was coming next! This is the first book of three so I will be moving on to Book two!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)
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Karen's: But how was I supposed to decide between two good possibilities? How could I make a choice that would leave some part of me devastated either way?
From page 30 of The Elite by Kiera Cass.
But anyway, to get back to the point: lifesaving and driving people nuts are Granny's superpowers. Which perhaps makes her a bit of a dysfunctional superhero.
From page 3 of My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman.
Gerard's:
Marcus has wanted, waited, and prepared for Endgame his entire life. He is not longer bored, and he won't be again until he either wins or dies.
From page 4 of End Game--The Calling byJames Frey & Johnson-Shelton.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along, so I thought I would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading. Happy Reading!
The Elite by Kiera Cass is the second book in The Selection series and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first one. This book has some heartbreaking moments surrounding Marlee and the competition gets a bit more interesting with only six girls left. America questions if she actually could be a good princess if she let her feelings for Maxon blossom into love or if she should just pull out and look to a future with Aspen. She really shocks the royal family with her philanthropic presentation on TV and the king really hates her now! Maxon stands up to his father for the first time to protect America and he and America finally have a heart-to-heart talk while hiding together during an attack. Will she trust Maxon? Will she learn when to keep her mouth shut and control her emotions? As she learns more what is involved in being a princess, she has more doubts but is greatly encouraged when she receives a very sweet letter from her father.
I look forward to reading book 3 and am excited to read all the rest of the books in this series (3 more to go). I really admire America’s courage but hope she can learn to control her emotions better. I love how her maids all adore her and are so eager to make her look good and help her any way they can. This book has lots of good moments but also very sad things with some surprises along the way. I really liked how sweet Maxon when he surprised America at how he handled the Marlee situation.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)
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