Hurricane Kiss (Worst title of 2016)

Hurricane Kiss by Deborah Blumenthal
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult
Pages:256
Goodreads
***I received a copy of this from netgalley book in exchange for my honest review***

" For sixteen-year-old Jillian McKay, the threat of Hurricane Danielle means a long car ride with her neighbors--including River Daughtry, the former star quarterback of Harrison High. The guy who was headed to glory until suddenly he disappeared to a West Texas juvenile detention center. Once cocky and flirtatious, he's now silent and angry. When their evacuation route is gridlocked, River is the first to recognize the danger they're in. Together he and Jillian set out to seek shelter in their abandoned high school. As they wait out the storm, they confront the past and realize survival is about more than just staying alive--it's about fighting for yourself. "








Okay, full disclosure, I'm not a huge fan of romance. Because of this, I didn't really expect to love the book but I thought I would give it a try for two reasons; because the early reviews were good, and because it was dedicated to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

The first half of this book felt like most New Adult books I've read.

Girl of Myth and Legend by Giselle Simlet

Girl of Myth and Legend by Giselle Simlet
Genres:Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 363
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Goodreads
**Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this book**

" Leonie Woodville wants to live an unremarkable life. She wants routine, she wants repetition, she wants predictability. So when she explodes in a blaze of light one morning on the way to her college, it’s enough to put a real crimp in her day.And things only get weirder…Leonie learns from her father that she is last of the Pulsar, a phenomenally powerful member of a magical species called the Chosen. It will be her sole duty to protect the Imperium, a governing hierarchy, from all enemies, and to exceed the reputation of the Pulsar before her. So – no pressure there, then.Leonie is swept away from her rigorous normality and taken to a world of magic. There, she is forced into a ceremony to join her soul to a guardian, Korren, who is both incredibly handsome and intensely troubled, a relationship for which ‘it’s complicated’ just really doesn’t cut it.But Leonie is soon to learn that this ancient world is no paradise. With violent dissidents intent to overthrow the Imperium, and dark entities with their own agenda, she and Korren find themselves caught in a war where they will have to overcome their differences if they are to survive.Dare to dream. Dare to hope. Dare to be a legend.Book One in The Chosen Saga. "

The Chosen Saga is off to a good start with this book. It started off very quickly, too quickly. Honestly, after reading the first chapter of this book, I put it away for a while, it totally turned me off. Eventually though, I did come back to it and I'm glad that I did.

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 320
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Goodreads
**Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this book**

"Seventeen-year-old Mercedes Ayres has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy fulfills a specific criteria: he has to be a virgin. Mercedes lets the boys get their awkward, fumbling first times over with, and all she asks in return is that they give their girlfriends the perfect first time- the kind Mercedes never had herself.
Keeping what goes on in her bedroom a secret has been easy- so far. Her absentee mother isn’t home nearly enough to know about Mercedes’ extracurricular activities, and her uber-religious best friend, Angela, won’t even say the word “sex” until she gets married. But Mercedes doesn’t bank on Angela’s boyfriend finding out about her services and wanting a turn- or on Zach, who likes her for who she is instead of what she can do in bed.

When Mercedes’ perfect system falls apart, she has to find a way to salvage her reputation and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. Funny, smart, and true-to-life, FIRSTS is a one-of-a-kind young adult novel about growing up."

"I used to like the name Mercedes. That is, until I figured out I was named after a car. The shiny red car that my dad loved more than anything--the one he waved from as he drove away"

I'm going to start out by saying that I disagree with most reviewers.

Henchgirl by Rita Stradling

Henchgirl by Rita Stradling

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages:344

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Goodreads

The children of dragons and humans, the dracons, control eighty percent of the world’s governments. Humans worldwide are either subservient or prey. On the small vacation island of Mabi, humans call for war.


Sixteen year old Dakota Kekoa lives a double life. By day, she pretends to be a human to infiltrate Mabi Academy, a 'human's only' high-school. At night, she works as a henchman for her draconic mafia family, utilizing her ability to steal and manipulate emotions.
When Dakota’s human friend is kidnapped, she takes on the mission to find her. This is not just any mission though; she is diving head first into the escalating conflict between humans and dracons. As more girls disappear and some are discovered dead, Dakota realizes her first honorable mission may also be her last.

This is the very first ARC I've ever gotten, and I want to thank NetGalley for providing that to me in exchange for an honest review.

The island of Mabi Island (loosely based on Hawaii) is basically owned by Dakotas grandfather, a powerful half-dragon with over 500 children. This makes Dakota one eighth dragon, making her the only type of female Dracon capable of producing off-spring. Not wanting to spend her life being used for her womb, Dakota becomes a soldier for her grandfather, using her special abilities to threaten his enemies and gather Intel for him. She uses the payments for these jobs to help provide for her family since her alcoholic mother spends all their rent money on useless things. 

Dakotas' current mission, one that she's been working on for years, involves going undercover in an all human school. She's finally starting to get close to her ultimate goal, when everything starts to go wrong. With the arrival of some powerful guests, Dakotas grandfather suddenly stops showing her any of the favoritism she's used to. At the same time, one of her best human friends mysteriously disappears. As Dakota works to find her friend, and uncovers the truth about who her grandfathers guests are, her whole life is turned upside down.

Dakota is the best kind of protagonist; witty, headstrong, and sarcastic while still being vulnerable and scared at times. She's a heroine who isn't afraid to ask for help when she needs it or to speak her mind. Her lack of manners and etiquette was charming and relateable. Her loyalty and trust towards her friends and family makes her exactly the kind of girl I would've wanted as a best friend in high-school.

When I downloaded this book to my Kobo, I wasn't especially excited. The premise sounded interesting enough... An oppressive dystopian society ruled by half human-half dragons. Once I started reading the book however, I realized that I am either incredibly unobservant, or the synopsis sucked. Either way, Henchgirl does not suck, not at all. In fact, I read all 300+ pages in one sitting, which I haven't done in years.

I am seriously so happy that I read this book,  and I can not WAIT for the sequel.