Ruined - Amy Tintera

Began reading: 8.6.2016
Completed reading: 13.6.2016
Overall rating: 4.6 stars

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war, her parents killed and her sister kidnapped. Even though Em is only a useless Ruined - completely lacking any magic - she is determined to get revenge.

Her plan is simple. She will infiltrate the enemy's kingdom, posing as the crown prince's betrothed. She will lead an ambush. She will kill the king and everyone he holds dear, including his son.

The closer Em gets to the prince, though, the more she questions her mission. Her rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life - and her family - on the line, love could be Em's deadliest mistake.

Ruined by Amy Tintera is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy and romance. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book ever since it was introduced on Epic Reads, and I purchased it as soon as it appeared on the shelves of bookshops here. I just have one word: YES!

                        

First of all, there were ZERO errors, such as spelling and grammatical, in the book. I can’t stress how happy that made me feel! The novel was well-written, with the use of literary techniques. Every character and situation was described in great detail, which made me enjoy the plot a lot more. There were some really good quotes, including:

Her mother had always said that the only way to find peace was to kill everyone who threatened it (p. 7).

Make people fear you, Emelina. Her mother’s words echoed in her head. Stop worrying about what you don’t have and start focusing on what you do. Make people tremble when they hear your name. Fear is your power (p. 10).

He looked down at her to find her lips slowly curving up. It was the first genuine smile he’d seen from her, and by far his favorite. That smile held secrets he desperately wanted to know (p. 54).

‘Sympathy doesn’t mean much if you don’t take action’ (p. 71).

‘Always assume everyone is lying. Don’t trust anyone, except those closest to you. You have tendency to see the good in people, and I admire that, but it will destroy you. I promise you it will’ (p. 124).

His skin sparked and sizzled beneath her fingers. He was fire she could touch (p. 145).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

Usually, I prefer a plot that is not fast-paced, but moves at a reasonable speed. However, this plot was fast-paced, but it worked really well. It kept the novel interesting, and I felt thoroughly immersed. There were a few times when I was so intrigued by the book that I forgot I was even reading – before I knew it, I had read 100+ pages. This was one of the main reasons why I liked this book so much!

I found the plot to be really interesting, which links to the previous paragraph. It was similar to other novels, such as Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series, but I much rather this single novel over the other series’. It contained a lot of elements that interested me more than the other books, which was why I adore this novel.

It was emotional at times, which were successful in making me teary and hitting me right in the feels. The death of a particular character was pretty damn close in bringing me to tears, so I must commend Tintera. I like a book that can tug at the readers’ heartstrings. I was just so attached to all of the characters that I ended up catching all the feels!

                       

From the book’s blurb, I assumed that there would be quite a bit of romance, but I was pleasantly surprised. There was a good amount of romance, which is always a great thing. I’m not a fan of all that mushy, fluffy stuff but this book had none of it. There were moments that made me say ‘awww’, but none of the romantic moments were over the top. I really, really, really liked that!

There were some really good plot twists scattered throughout the novel that kept me on my toes. For example, the very first chapter was full of dramatic twists and turns that started the plot with a bang. After that, the twists just got better and better! Even towards the end of the book, the plot twists kept coming and I had to hold my breath so many times! It was incredible!

My favourite character was Emelina Flores, as she was a badass, sassy, talented and deadly. I just couldn’t get enough of her character! It helped that she played a vengeful assassin – I just really like female protagonists that are sassy and dangerous. Cas is a notable character, as he turns out to be the perfect prince (and possible boyfriend…?). I don’t blame Em for falling for him – in my mind, he’s gorgeous!

                                 

I really loved the way Fabiana and Olivia were portrayed, which was interesting to see. I loved how Fabiana was outspoken and was protective of her son. *WARNING: SPOILER* It was a shame that she abandoned him towards the end, but it made the plot a lot juicier. As for Olivia, I expected her to be a quiet girl, especially since she had been tortured by the king. When she escaped, she turned out to be an outraged, hard-hearted, bloodthirsty queen who was very protective of Em. It made the characters a lot more fascinating. I LOVED IT!

To be honest, I loved the entire book: from start to finish, but if I had to pick a particular part as the standout, I’d choose Em’s time in the palace. It was where she was able to undertake espionage, and get close to the royal family. I loved how she could play Princess Mary and deceive the entire royal family. It was also where she developed feelings for Cas, and it was great to see how she fulfilled her role while trying to ignore these feelings.

Recommendation time! if you like the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard, and The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Kill Bill, Kill Bill 2, The Assassin and Hanna.

I will be reviewing the rest of the series when the books become available. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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Trust Me, I'm Trouble - Mary Elizabeth Summer

Began reading: 18.1.2016
Completed reading: 23.1.2016
Overall rating: 4 stars

I crawl around the blood. Uncurling his fingers, I pull out a three-inch figurine. She's in a sparkly blue dress, her hair is shorn in a pixie cut. Her expression is mischievous, but what shakes me to my core is the feeling of long, thin ridges pushing out of her back. I turn the figurine over: delicate, translucent wings.
The blue fairy.

Staying out of trouble isn't possible for Julep Dupree. Running cons holds her guilty conscience at bay, but unfortunately, someone wants Julep to pay for her mistakes... with her life.

Against her better judgment, Julep takes a shady case that requires her to infiltrate a secretive organisation, one that may be connected to her long-gone mother and the enigmatic figure called the blue fairy. But there's not much time to worry about right and wrong - or to save your falling heart - when there's a contract on your head.

Murders, heists, secrets and lies, hit men and hidden identities... If Julep doesn't watch her back, it's her funeral. No lie.

Trust Me, I’m Trouble by Mary Elizabeth Summer is a contemporary young adult novel that incorporates mystery, thriller and romance to create an action-packed sequel to Trust Me, I’m Lying. I was excited to read this book when I purchased it, and overall, I thought that this novel was slightly better than the first.

First of all, the book was well-written, as there were no spelling or grammatical errors. Also, situations were described in great detail. However, the same could not be said for the characters’ descriptions. I found this an issue in the first book too, and I hope that this issue could be fixed when the next book is released. As usual, I found some quotes that I really liked. They include:

Ghosts don’t haunt people. Guilt does (p. 4).

Normal is not a thing I’m ever going to be, no matter how hard I try to convince myself otherwise (p. 101).

‘No one gives you a leg up in this world. The only advantage is the one you take when no one else is looking’ (p. 318).

…bad things only get worse when you hide from them (p. 334).

Character development was one the highlights in this novel. Many of the characters experienced growth, which was great to see. For example, Julep grew more confidence, Sam matured, and Dani grew to be more compassionate. Character development provides readers with a way to connect with the characters, and allows us to see why a character is the way they are. For this reason, I value character development in a novel, and why I enjoyed this book.

There were so many plot twists throughout the novel, which is what I like to see! I may have mentioned before that too many plot twists ruin the story for me, as it becomes overwhelming. In regards to this book, the amount plot twists kept the plot interesting, and had me going:

                   

A great deal of humour and sarcasm was included in the dialogue, which made me chuckle a few times. The use of humour and sarcasm was good in the previous book, and I was glad that it continued in this novel. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* Here are some examples:

Julep: ‘This isn’t Petrov. If he had this kind of reach, he’d have gone for me directly.’

Murphy: ‘As someone who stands next to you a lot, that’s really comforting,’ he says (p. 26).

…Murphy pulls the van into the back of the parking lot for Allied Security Systems, Inc. I’m pretty sure the Inc. was added for the sake of the acronym (p. 232).

‘His name is Spade. He is not just a professional. He is the professional you call if you are not getting results.’

Mike rubs his face. ‘I’ve heard of him. From D.C., right?’

‘D.C., Los Angeles, Istanbul. He is a force of nature.’

‘Fantastic,’ I say, hugging my soon-to-be- dead self. ‘Do you suppose it’s too late to take out a life insurance policy?’ (p. 263).

I think that Summer should have given bigger roles to secondary characters such as Sam, Bryn and Murphy. I didn’t like that they were just there in the background. It would have been nice to read more about them. Hopefully, they’ll make a bigger appearance in the next book!

In the previous book, Dani was my favourite character. Now, Sam is my favourite character. Although he didn’t play much of a role, I did enjoy reading about him when he did appear. I thought that Sam was mature, extremely loyal, mysterious in terms of sharing his findings and experiences with Julep, and supportive. Lily closely followed, as she gave us a clue into how Tyler’s family was coping after his death. Lily was someone that I didn’t trust in the beginning; however, she proved to be trustworthy and helpful. I hope to read more about her in the next book.

On the other hand, I didn’t really enjoy Julep’s character at certain times. In contrast to the previous novel, she had become more childish, whiny and clingy. It just really annoyed me. As I mentioned in my review for the last book, I thought that Julep exaggerated her grifter reputation. She kinda sucks at getting jobs done, yet has the audacity to say: “I am the best grifter in Chicago…” (p. 338). Yeah, no. You may be the luckiest, but definitely not the best.

                                   

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* Also, I had no idea why Mrs. Richland was mentioned in regards to the contract. It seemed totally out of place, and did not affect the outcome. It bothers me that such a bombshell was dropped, yet didn’t influence the story line. Hopefully, it will have a bigger significance in the next novel.

I enjoyed reading about Julep’s first day at NWI, with the leadership and trust activities. I thought this was creative, and was a great way for Julep to meet the other characters. I didn’t see how this would later involve a major plot twist, but now that I know, I think that it was an awesome idea!

I also liked the suspenseful ending! I will definitely read the next book to find out what is on the flash drive, but I really, really, really hope that the suspense won’t result in disappointment.

I have to admit that I ship Sam and Julep — much more than Julep and Dani. I think that Sam and Julep have known each other for far longer, share some intimate memories and get along incredibly well. I really want to see these two together! My favourite part of the book with these two:

‘Do you remember taking my hand?’ He turns my hands palm up in his.

I nod. I remember losing my equilibrium for a split second and grabbing Sam to steady myself.

‘You took my hand and you looked at me, and suddenly I knew how to fly’ (p. 210).

                     

Recommendation time! If you like Unbecoming by Jenny Downer, Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes 3 Days to Kill, The Tourist and Rush Hour.

My review for TrustMe, I’m Lying can be found by clicking on the title.

I will also be reviewing the rest the series when the book(s) are released. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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Trust Me, I'm Lying - Mary Elizabeth Summer

Began Reading: 14.2.2015
Completed Reading 18.2.2015
Overall Rating: 3 stars 

Julep Dupree is a second generation grifter, or con artist, studying at St. Agatha’s. The private school costs the students of prestigious families a large amount of money; money in which Julep cannot afford. Julep uses her grifter skills to earn her tuition by charging her clients for her business, as well as calling in favours. When Julep returns from school one day, she finds her apartment ransacked and her father missing. With a gun and a note, Julep seeks the help of her friends to find clues that her father has left for her. Her grifter abilities come into use when she attempts to find her father, and uncover a dark secret about her father’s kidnapper.

Trust Me, I’m Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer is a novel with traces of mystery, action and a hint of romance. Personally, I was excited about reading this book. I love the intensity of the blurb:

I reach in and grab the envelope. As I rip it open, I have this strange sense of doom. I ignore the feeling, but when I pull out the contents, I’m even more unnerved. In one hand, I hold a note: Beware the field of miracles. In the other, I hold a gun.

I’m in love with the theme of espionage, action and drama. I enjoyed reading this book; however, there were some problems with parts of the book that bugged me. Julep had mentioned numerous times that her dad was the best grifter, and he taught her the art of being a grifter. Since Julep is a second generation grifter, I had expected her to be better at the job. However, she had trusted Tyler Richland and some other individuals too soon. Tyler Richland had not seemed to notice Julep before he began spending time with her and this confuses me. Throughout the story, Julep questions herself as to why she includes Tyler in her secret tasks. Therefore, repetition was also an issue for me.

The descriptions of characters were not in detail, which made it difficult for me to stay focused on the novel. For example, Tyler’s appearance was not described until almost halfway through the book. I tend to enjoy books a lot more if descriptions of people and places were in more detail.

Romance is not a focal point in the book, which I was disappointed with. I adore stories about spies which have been mixed with a bit of romance. I suppose that the small amount of romance in this novel creates a sense of emotion towards the end, which worked for me.

I really liked that there was no time lapse between chapters. Most books don’t continue the story immediately at the beginning of a chapter. Usually, there is a certain amount of time that passes before the narrative continues. This usually irritates me, as I don’t have any idea about how much time has passed, or what has happened between each chapter.

The novel was very creative, which kept the plot interesting enough for me to continue reading. There were various plot twists, secrets, lies and betrayals that made the story a whole lot more entertaining. It created mixed feelings, which is what I take pleasure in.

Finally, I really enjoyed the writing itself. There were many quotes that had summarised the emotion in a particular scenario. For example, “Anger is almost always based on fear, and fear is the easiest emotion to manipulate” (p. 267). I had taken a rather motivational quote from the book, which I hope to use in everyday life: “You can’t do anything about what’s already happened. Adapt” (p. 257). It may already be a widely used quote, but I had never heard of it before now. I love it a lot!

Dani was definitely my favourite character! I thought that Julep would be my favourite character, as I usually like the protagonist. I found that Dani was the type of woman I would love to become. She is fiercely protective and loyal, as well as a total badass, haha! In the beginning of the book, she did not seem to be respectable or decent as other characters. Because of this, I think she may be overlooked by other characters, such as Julep’s best friend, Sam. When I came across the GIF below, it somehow reminded me of Dani. Total badass!

Now, it’s time for recommendations! Unfortunately, I haven’t read many books that contain espionage, but I have seen other readers recommend Ally Carter’s Heist Society series. I think I’ll need to read this series, haha. I recommend this book to anyone who likes action and deception with a hint of romance. If you liked Ocean’s Eleven, James Bond or Deceptive Innocence, you will love this book!

Overall, I give Trust Me, I'm Lying a rating of 3 stars. While the book was entertaining in some areas, the majority of the book was a bit of a disappointment. However, I'll be looking out for book #2 Trust Me, I'm Trouble, and hopefully, I'll be able to review that one too! 

Happy reading!

Buy the book: http://www.bookdepository.com/Trust-Me-Im-Lying-Mary-Elizabeth-Summer/9780385744133