Book Review: Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

Title: Only the Good Spy Young Series: Gallagher Girls #4 Written by: Ally Carter Published: June 29, 2017 by Disney Hyperion (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis:When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.  Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers—or even her own heart.   In this fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series, the Gallagher Girls must hack, spy, steal, and lie their way to the truth.as they go searching for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie’s future may lie deep in the past

This series keeps getting better. I am really taking my time reading them at a rate about one a year but I am loving my summer read of a Gallagher Girls book. They are such fun and engaging spy novels with fantastic characters and a lot of action and mystery.

I think the best thing about this book is the way that the world has developed over time. With each book everything keeps getting bigger as we learn more about the world and the spy organizations that are affecting it. It's not often that I come across a contemporary, mystery or otherwise, that has such a developed mythology to it and this is one that definitely has that. In this book we learn a lot more about the Circle of Cavan and I found it quite interesting but there is still so much to learn.

And because there was still so much to learn it made for a book full of mystery, but there was a lot more to the plot than that. What I really enjoy about this series is that there is the plot for the series that this books services but each one also has it's own individual plot as well. And both the individual and larger plot were very interesting. This is a spy novel and therefore the book is full of action and adventure. The characters were going on missions, breaking into places they were locked out of, breaking codes, and narrowly missing being captured during the whole time. It makes for a totally engaging plot that had me whizzing through it's 250 pages.

But I will say, I didn't totally love the pacing of this one. Yes, it is a fast read. it's incredibly engaging and there are only 250 pages so it's easy to finish this book in a day or two. It's a fast and fun read that is the perfect palette cleanser. But it also had some weird lulls to it. It didn't flow as well as I remember some of the other books. Maybe because it serves as a more transitional book for the series or maybe because it has just been a while since I read the others but I felt like it was a little disjointed and almost too fast. I would have appreciated a little more development with some parts of the book.

However, I always love my time I spend with these Gallagher Girls. Ally Carter really knows how to write fun and likable characters. In these four books I have definitely have connected with Cammie and all her friends. What I appreciate about Cammie is that she is this kickass spy do just about anything but she also surrounds herself with a team of friends to help her. There is a real story of friendship and teamwork here that I enjoy a lot. However her friends did take a bit of a backseat here to Zach. He was the star secondary character here, well and Mr. Soloman. And both of them were interesting in the same way. They are characters who have you questioning what they are doing and why they are doing it. I really like those characters and I like both of them for that reason. But in general I think Ally does a great job with her characterizations.

On the whole I really enjoyed Only the Good Spy Young. It was a really fun and action-packed read with a fantastic world and likable characters. I;m really enjoying this series and hoping to find time over the next few months to finish the last two books.

I give Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I really enjoy this series. I wish I had taken the time to read it early.  If you are looking for a book that on the more lighthearted side but you want an interesting mystery then definitely check it out.

Have you read Only the Good Spy Young? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine

*** This is the third book in a series. If you have not read Ink and Bone and Paper and Fire read those first. Seriously, they are amazing. What are you waiting for? Go read them! ****

Title: Ash and Quill Series: The Great Library #3 Written by: Rachel Caine Published: July 11, 2017 by Berkley (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone and Paper and Fire unite to save the Great Library of Alexandria from itself in this electrifying adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.  Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny....  Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library’s rule.  Their time is running out. To survive, they’ll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies—and to save the very soul of the Great Library....

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thais fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I absolutely LOVE this series and this book proved it even more. It's a book and a series that is full of action and adventure, complex and likable characters, an amazing world, and such a thrilling plot. It's seriously everything I want in a book and more.

One of the things that continues to impress me about this series is the world building and atmosphere of the series. In Ash and Quill, the author was able to further develop the world with the trademark atmosphere and darkness. In this book we are first taken to Philadelphia. I was super excited to see what the US is like in this alternative reality I was not disappointed. Philly is controlled by the Burners (hey Burners, stay away from my part of Pennsylvania). As the political intrigue of the series continues it was fascinating to see a group of people and a place that rejects Library control for similar reasons but very different ways. It added a lot of interest and drama.

But honestly, most of the drama and amazing world building comes from The Great Library itself. Normally a library would be an amazing part of the world of a book. It's the place where our book loving protagonist finds knowledge and people who also love books. And yes, that happens here but The Great Library is the main antagonist. And as crazy as this sounds, it is a brutal antagonist. It is super hardcore and one of the most brutal dictators I have ever seen in a dystopian. It makes for a really interesting story to hate the library. And the more we learn about it and the more we see in this book, the more I do just that.

And with a brutal antagonist like this, you know there is going to be an exciting plot. And Ash and Quill had a really amazing plot. As the series develops, the stakes become even higher and was how it was here in Ash and Quill. This is a book that is full of action, adventure, and mystery. From the first page to the last the action didn't stop. It took you on a wild ride full of daring escapes, thrilling fight scenes, and plenty of surprises. Rachel Caine's writing gives it a really cinematic quality. I am not the kind of person who often visualizes what is happening but here I can't help it. It really built to an exciting conclusion that had me absolutely in need of the next book. I even found myself attempting to turn the pages at the end of my e-ARC because I needed more and I needed it ASAP.

However, I think what really connected me to this book was the characters. Over the past three books I have become so attached to each and every one of them. This is one of those book that has a group of diverse people from different walks of life that come together to make an unlikely team. And what a great team they make. I loved seeing them interacting throughout the book. There's fantastic banter, shippable romances, great friendships, complex family dynamics, and a brilliant mentor/mentee relationship. And it handles all these relationships beautifully. Caine doesn't take it easy on these characters though. Every time I found myself thinking how much I loved a character something else would happen to them. But they are all so smart, tough, and resourceful especially our main character Jess. The way this book ended I am incredibly worried about what is going to happen to them next, but I can't wait for that ride.

Because if these three books have been any indication we are going to be in for one amazing ride in the next two books in the series. Ash and Quill was an amazing read and I loved every second of it. It's a truly thrilling adventure novel with a fascinating dark world, amazing characters, and a great plot.

I give Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If you read the first two books and loved you need to read this book. If you haven't have read them and you are looking for a unique dystopia or alternative history or book with a ton of action then check this series. Everyone should read it and then talk to me about it because I am OBSESSED!

Have you read Ash and Quill? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica

Title: Every Last Lie Written by: Mary Kubica Published: June 27, 2017 by Park Row Books (Harlequin) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author of THE GOOD GIRL, Mary Kubica is back with another exhilarating thriller as a widow's pursuit of the truth leads her to the darkest corners of the psyche.  "The bad man, Daddy. The bad man is after us."   Clara Solberg's world shatters when her husband and their four-year-old daughter are in a car crash, killing Nick while Maisie is remarkably unharmed. The crash is ruled an accident…until the coming days, when Maisie starts having night terrors that make Clara question what really happened on that fateful afternoon.  Tormented by grief and her obsession that Nick's death was far more than just an accident, Clara is plunged into a desperate hunt for the truth. Who would have wanted Nick dead? And, more important, why? Clara will stop at nothing to find out—and the truth is only the beginning of this twisted tale of secrets and deceit.  Told in the alternating perspectives of Clara's investigation and Nick's last months leading up to the crash, master of suspense Mary Kubica weaves her most chilling thriller to date—one that explores the dark recesses of a mind plagued by grief and shows that some secrets might be better left buried.

Every summer I devote a month to reading mysteries because nothing says beach reads like a thriller messing with your head. It has become a bit of a tradition to read a Mary Kubica book as a part of that month. Her books are some of my favorites and this one was really good.

As far as the mystery goes, this was not one of my favorites. Now don't get me wrong, it was interesting and very engrossing. I've read every single on of Kubica's books and she definitely has a way of making me question everything. I love that in my mysteries. I love spending the whole book doubting who could be responsible and how it all went down. But I also love when the mystery is solvable. I like when there are subtle clues along the way that help you figure things out so that when you get to the big reveal you feel vindicated and like you accomplished something. And while the mystery here was technically solvable it didn't have as big an impact when it all came out. It just fell a little flat for me.

But that isn't to say that this had bad pacing in plot development. No, in fact it had amazing plot development and pacing. The book slowly built to a thrilling conclusion that had me completely on the edge of my seat. I seriously did not want to put this book down as it neared the climax and big reveal. It was seriously so thrilling. I would probably say this book is more of a psychological thriller. The plot development is more of the mess with your head kind of book and less the detective, or even average person, solving some crime. I'm totally okay with the thriller aspect I just went into it thinking it would be more of a mystery.

I think a lot of the thriller aspects also came from the characterizations. This is a book full of complex characters. I mean with a title like Every Last Lie you have to imagine that the book is going to have plenty of lies and there definitely were. The characters were all so untrustworthy. On top of that the narrators totally had an unreliable narrator vibe to them. The book alternated perspectives between Clara and Nick. Clara's were the after and Nick's were the before. I think because of these two things, Every Last Lie had a bit of a Gone Girl vibe as you spent a lot of the book trying to figure out what happened and who to trust. Clara in particular had that unreliable thing going as she was not dealing with what happened very well and much of this book is her downward spiral. But it absolutely made for interesting and engaging characters. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.

But the thing that Kubica does really well is make you connect with the characters. Despite the fact that, or maybe because of it, Clara is not dealing with the crash very well you are rooting for her. Her world is torn apart and you want to help her piece it all together. You want her to find closure and solace in what happened to Nick so she can move on. And as far as Nick's story despite all the lies and bad decisions that unfold throughout the book you can't help but like Nick. He's sweet and compassionate and loves his family. That's what is at the heart of this book. It's about family, loss, and so much more.

On the whole this was a good read. I do wish the big reveal had more of an impact but this isn't really a mystery. It's a psychological thriller about a woman who is figuring out what happened to her husband after she shortly gives birth. In that respect it was a great read.

I give Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you like Mary Kubica or similar thrillers and mysteries in the vein of Gillian Flynn or Paula Hawkins definitely check this one out. If you're looking for a gripping read that will keep you hooked from beginning to end this summer check this one out.

Have you read Every Last Lie? What did you think? What's your favorite psychological thriller? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Before the Devil Breaks You Series: The Diviners #3 Author: Libba Bray Published: October 3, 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: After battling a sleeping sickness, The Diviners are up against a group of new and malevolent foes--ghosts! Out in Ward's Island sits a mental hospital full of lost souls from people long forgotten. Ghosts who have unusual and dangerous ties to the Man in the Stovepipe Hat also known as the King of Crows. With terrible accounts of murder and possession flooding in from all over New York City, the Diviners must band together and brave the ghosts haunting the asylum to bring down the King of Crows

Why I'm Waiting:

I'm a huge fan of Libba Bray. I have read almost all her books (all except Going Bovine which I own but still haven't read). The Diviners is the series that made me want to read her but it is not the first of her books I read. It is however my favorite.

I really ;love this series. It is everything I love in a book and more. It perfectly combines historical fiction, supernatural fantasy, mystery, and even horror into one amazing story. I really loved the first two books in the series when I read them a few years ago. They creeped me out and kept me on the edge of my seat building to such amazing climaxes. This is the third book in the series and I am so excited to learn more about what is going on within the world and also read a new and fascinating story.

I also really love the characters in this series. This is a book that has a tone of main characters that all get a little attention and perspective. I normally have a hard time with that kind of thing but it really works here. All the characters are so different and the story so involved that it gives you a lot to connect with and makes for a more well-rounded character. Plus Libba Bray really does a great job with developing interesting and complex characters. In all her books I have loved the large cast of characters she creates and this series is no different.

In general this is just going to be such a perfect read for the fall. it's atmospheric and creepy in a way that I think people will love if they are or are not a fan of horror. I have been anxiously awaiting this book for like two years and I can't believe it's almost here. I'm so excited to read it.

I already have this book preordered and I am super pumped to read it soon after it comes out. Although I may need to read the other books in the series. It has been awhile since I read them and I could use a refresher. Plus they are both amazing. Can't wait!

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on Before the Devil Breaks You along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

Title: Our Dark Duet Series: Monsters of Verity #2 Written by: Victoria Schwab Published: June 13, 2017 by Greenwillow Books (Harper Teen) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: THE WORLD IS BREAKING. AND SO ARE THEY.  KATE HARKER isn't afraid of monsters. She hunts them. And she's good at it.  AUGUST FLYNN once yearned to be human. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.  THE WAR HAS BEGUN.  THE MONSTERS ARE WINNING.  Kate will have to return to Verity. August will have to let her back in. And a new monster is waiting—one that feeds on chaos and brings out its victims' inner demons.  Which will be harder to conquer: the monsters they face, or the monsters within?

I loved This Savage Song, it was one of my favorite books of last year, so I was beyond excited that find out what would happen next to Kate and August. Our Dark Duet was a great sequel full of amazing world-building, a thrilling plot, and great characters.

With Our Dark Duet Victoria once again proved she is a master at world building. I have never read one of her books that didn't have an incredibly fleshed out world. I was very impressed with the world in the first book and here it was even better. In Our Dark Duet we get to explore more of the world at large as we follow Kate who starts the book in Prosperity hunting monsters. It was nice to see what things were like outside of the city we were introduced to in the first book, but Verity is what I cared about. Specifically the monsters of Verity. The groundwork was laid in the first book so here we could just kind of see the monsters in action. Plus we got an all new monster, one that was just as cool and dark as those in the previous books. The Chaos Eater was so interesting and the more we learned about the more interesting it became. I loved seeing it in action and how the characters interacted with it. It added an interesting new dimension and expansion of the world. I have always loved how Victoria creates a fascinating and unique world in her books and Our Dark Duet did just that.

But the other thing I loved about this book, and Victoria's writing, is the characterizations. These are some of the most complex and likable characters I have ever read. I absolutely loved August and Kate in the first book and the more time we spend with them, the more I like them. These are characters who walk that line between good and bad, doing the wrong things for the right reasons. August had really interesting development in this book. The effects of the first book have hardened him a little bit but he is still grappling with who he is and who he wants to be. He has to come to terms with being a monster while still doing the right thing. It made him incredibly likable and interesting. But if TSS was August's book this one was Kate's. She was the more engaging character here for many reasons. Kate is a smart and tough character full of snarky one-liners but still very vulnerable and here she showed us her best side and her worst. She always wanted to be a monster and here she kind of got her wish. We explore her humanity a lot throughout the book and it was fascinating.

And that is just the good guys. With "good" guys like this you can only imagine how dark the antagonists were. The bad guys of this book were seriously complex too. They were devious and I loved them. Sloan is back in this book and scheming and plotting for control of Verity as well as to get revenge on Kate. Then there was Alice, the new Malachi that Kate created in the last book. She was amazing! So devious and deadly. The contrast between her and Kate was fantastic. It was like Kate being unleashed and uninhabited. She was a great foil for all the main characters, even Sloan. Victoria just has a great way with villains and character development for dark and complex characters. Our Dark Duet was a great example of that. Every character here is dark, complex, and so engaging as the walked that fine line between good and evil.

This is also a book that has an incredibly thrilling plot. The events of This Savage Song left a power vacuum in Verity that was explored in the plot of Our Dark Duet. The monsters have been unleashed and are reeking havoc on the city. It made for some really great action scenes as we followed Kate and August as they hunted the monsters. And then there was the Chaos Eater. A new monster that possesses people and stirs them to violence and to destroy everyone around them. That too led to some really thrilling moments and a good mystery as we learned how it works and how to destroy it. Everything really built to an exciting conclusion that had me totally reeling. Seriously, THAT ENDING! I really can't with that ending.

I will say, however, that the pacing on this book wasn't my favorite. It took me much longer to get through this than I expected. I am used to the fact that fantasy books have a high amount of exposition but sometimes I think it was just too much. I definitely think it was too much. It took almost 200 pages before it really hit the plot of this book and it was really hard for me to get into it until that point. It wasn't until Kate got back to Verity that I was really engaged. I spent a week reading the first half of this book but then I finished the second half in two days. I wish it was just a little more balanced but that is really my only criticism.

Our Dark Duet is a great sequel to a fantastic YA fantasy duology. It has a Dark an fascinating world, likable and complex characters, and a thrilling plot full of action.

I give Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked the first book in this series you definitely need to read the sequel. It was fantastic and worth a read. Plus I absolutely recommend this book to fans of dark fantasies.

Have you read Our Dark Duet? What did you think? Seriously, what did you think. I need to talk to someone about this book and what happened. Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

June Wrap Up and July TBR

Read in June: Historical Fiction

Well, I had a bit of a back slide this month. I had been doing really well but I started to slow down towards the end of the month with ALA. But I still did okay and I'm not mad because I typically do read less during the summer. This month I read a total of 10 books. So many of them were really fantastic though. My favorite book of the year so far came this month and there were a few others that I really loved.

For challenges, I am doing okay but not as well as I would hope. I decided to go for a Goodreads goal of 100 books for the year and that was a really good decision but it may have been a bit too low. I'm halfway to 120 with a total of 65 books for the year so I am thinking I can now meet that goal. But I like being ahead of that challenge and I feel much better about meeting my goals. I am also on track for the Debut Author Challenge of 25 debuts despite the fact that I didn't read any debuts this month. Oops. Good thing I was ahead last month. For the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge, I read 3 this months which makes my total 18 for the year. I'm thinking the 36 target is more doable, as I am halfway there. For the Rock My TBR Challenge I read 1 book for that this month towards my goal of 25 for the year bringing my totally up to 8 for the year. I'm definitely behind on this one but I might be able to meet the actual challenge goal of 15. And finally, I did 2 post for the Discussion Challenge, making my total 7 for the year.

The Books

1.) Spectacle by Rachel Vincent Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]

2.) Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson 
Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
3.) Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

4.) The Fallen Kingdom by Elizabeth May Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

5.) The Suffering Tree by Elle Cosimano Rating: 7.5 out of 10 [My Review]
6.) Runaways Vo. 1: Pride and Joy by Brian K. Vaughn 
Rating: 8 out of 10 [No Review]
7.) The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee 
Rating: 10 out of 10 [My Review]
8.) This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab Rating: 9 out of 10 stars [Original Review]
9.) Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
10.) Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]

Other Posts

Obsidian and Stars Blog Tour: Guest Post
Discussion Post: Why I Think Audiobooks Are The Best Way to Reread, Bookish Event Recap: ALA vs. BEA
Crossing Over: Time Travel with a Historical Focus
Waiting on Wednesday: Invictus by Ryan Graudin, Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore
Stacking the Shelves: June Haul

To Be Read in June: Mysteries

I know that most people think of fluffy contemporaries when they think of summer beach reads. But not me, I like to read super intense mysteries on the beach and during the summer. And it's as if the publishers have listened to my requests because there are so many exciting new mysteries coming out of this month. Also other exciting new books.

Books for Review

Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica - Add to Goodreads
I have loved every Mary Kubica book I have read and I've read every Mary Kubica book. She has a fantastic way of create a mystery that will have you guessing until the very end. They're super intense and atmospheric. I can't wait to read her next one.

Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine - Add to Goodreads

I am a huge fan of this series. It's such a complex and interesting combination of fantasy, dystopia, and steampunk. And by the third book I am super invested in these characters and what is going to happen to them.

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas - Add to Goodreads
I really liked Kara's debut and I'm excited to check out to read her next book. I'm expecting another interesting YA mystery from this one'

Final Girls by Riley Sager - Add to Goodreads
This sounds like a really fantastic read. It's like a fun combination of mystery and horror in the vein of all those teen horrors for the 80's and 90's. I know someone who already read it and they really enjoyed it.

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff - Add to Goodreads

I picked this up at ALA and I was so excited. I didn't know it was going to be there amd I was so thrilled because I loved Nevernight and I'm pumped to find out what happens next to Mia and co.

You Don't Know My Name by Kristen Orlando  - Add to Goodreads
I have a review copy of this that I never read but when I did the blog tour of The Love Intererst the author mentioned it as one of his favorite spy novels and it made me want to read it.

Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle - Add to Goodreads
I picked this up at ALA and it sounds really interesting. It seems a little bit like magical realism but there is enough mystery elements that I think it works for this month.

Be True to Me by Adele Griffin - Add to Goodreads
I have heard good things about this book so I picked up a copy at ALA. For some reason I thought it was a contemporary romance but it's actually historical fiction and that there is an interesting twist. I'm excited to read it.

New Releases

The Inevitable Collision of Birdie and Bash by Candace Ganger - Add to Goodreads
I recieved a finish copy of this from the publisher in the mail and it sounds super cute. I know I prefer mysteries in the summertime but sometimes it is nice to throw a contemporary in there.

When Dimple Met Rishi by - Add to Goodreads
I've heard nothing but great things from people about this contemporary. I picked up a finished copy at ALA and I'm pretty excited to read it. Again, sometimes it's nice to break things up with a cute contemporary.

Backlist Books

The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter - Add to Goodreads
I still need to read the last three books is this series. I loved the first three and I even bought the last three recently but I still haven't read them. But they're fast reads and I need to get some backlist books in for my challenge.

There you have it. Some of the books I hope to read in June. As always, these are subject to change. I may read all of these or I may only read a few and then read a bunch of different ones. But honestly I think this list I can stick to. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!