The Outsider - Stephen King - 5 stars

Wow, what can I say about this book? King has done it again? He outdid himself? YES! A lot of people think that King has lost his touch with his writing, but let me tell you something, this is an amazing read full of mystery, suspense, thriller, and supernatural. Be prepared for a great ride with this one, it is a very engaging and captivating story. Be aware though, that if you have not read The Bill Hodges trilogy, this one will have spoilers in it.

I knew that I would enjoy this one after reading the plot of the story. I could already hear all the questions forming in my head. Who? When? How? A few times I thought I actually pin pointed the story only to realize I had been wrong each and every time. King strings readers along very well with this one. The pacing of the story was incredible. Slow enough to learn everything you needed to know about our setting and it's residents, and fast enough to keep it exciting. I love when I can barely put a book down, and this book was like that.

Our characters were multi layered, very strong, very well developed. So many awesome characters that are so very different from each other. You watch them grow throughout the story and become actual people. Our supposed bad guy in the story, Terry, is a pretty strong character. As you read you think 'There is no way this guy is a killer. It has to be someone else', where at the same time you are telling yourself 'He could be just hiding it all very well and he could actually be the killer.' There is also Ralph, our detective, who really struggles with solving the case. He holds evidence that is very contradictory and causes all kinds of questions including questioning his morals and even himself. Then there is Marcy, the would be killers wife, who you think would be meek and mild, giving in to all the stress, crumbling under the pressure. True she does crumble now and again, but really, she takes no ones crap and she is not afraid to tell anyone her thoughts or what she thinks about the case. There are also plenty more notable and unique characters throughout the story.

Overall, one of my favorite reads of the year! I was sad the story was over when I turned the last page. It has been a little while since I have been this engaged in a mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute spent. King fans are sure to love this one, mystery fans will get a great dose of whodunnit, in a supernatural sort of way!

Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas - 5 stars

Wow, all I can say is that this was a great read. So glad that I finally picked it up. Readers will enter a world that is both fascinating and spellbinding. I could not believe how engaging the story was for me since I really don't do well with fantasy most of the time, especially adult fantasy, but since I can usually do ok with YA Fantasy I thought I would give this one a shot, years after all that hype. I am so glad that I did.

The plot of the story is what first got my attention. It has that hunger game feel to it, yet so different from that. I could imagine the center ring where duels are performed, or the arena where they would test their abilities. I also love that our main character, the assassin, is a very strong female character. Also I love the setting of this story, the way the author writes it and describes it makes me believe that these places actually do exist, like I could leave tomorrow and go there for a visit. I also loved the supernatural feel to the story as well.

The characters, are probably the best part of the story, for me anyway. Celaena is such a great character. She has a very strong side, yet she knows when to be soft. She fights for those things she believes in. I wish that she could have played her part to her full potential throughout the story, but I understand why the author wrote it the way she did. I am sure in future books she will be able to be more of the badass that she is. If I were to choose between the Crown Prince, Dorian and the Captain of the Guard, Chaol, then I would definitely pick Chaol. I feel like he is more trustworthy, he saw the seriousness in things that were happening and choices being made. It seemed like a lot of stuff was a big joke to Dorian at times. He fought for a lot of things, but when it came to his father, well Father knows best I guess. Both are great characters, but really, when it comes to someone watching your back, that would Chaol for me.

I look forward to the rest of the series, and how these characters progress through the story. I would recommend this book/series to anyone who has a love for fantasy. Even if you are like me and struggle with it, then this would be a book for you to start with.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before - Jenny Han - 3 stars

I was glad when I finally got ahold of this book, but it was just ok for me. I did end up watching the movie before I read the book and I would have to say watching the movie can pretty much give you the whole gist of the story. There was not much difference between the book and the show.

I thought the premise of this book was good, and even the execution was ok and while the book was somewhat engaging I can see how this would be better suited for the younger crowd. It was quirky, cute and definitely a feel good book. So if that is what readers are looking for this one fits the bill. I am not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I guess I was looking for a little more. Something more to happen with these letters and the characters involved. I feel like it came up short in that aspect.

Even though this book was cute and charming, I will probably not continue with the series. But I could highly recommend this book to someone probably in their early teens, or to readers who are looking for a quick read.

Violent Ends - Collaboration of Authors - 2 stars

This a (purely fictional) look into the life of a school shooter, Kirby Matheson, a seemingly normal kid who had many friends, loved reading and even loved being in the school band. This story is about the accounts, leading up to the attack, from several different people, peers and teachers alike, who were involved with Kirby at some point. It seemed that many of the students and teachers had very different experiences with him.

I discovered that there seemed to be many sides to Kirby, some that would never lead you to believe that he could ever be killer, other parts you could definitely think 'Oh yea, he is definitely capable of these atrocities.' You just have to read the book and decide for yourself at what point did Kirby break. I was never really all that sure when or what caused the issue. I felt the story was simply incomplete. Sure you get to see what other people saw, or what they thought, but readers never really get to the nitty gritty of Kirby himself. So that was a little disappointing for me. I feel like Kirby's perspective throughout the book would have had a much better spin on the story.

It was pretty cool as to how this book was written though if I understand correctly. Several different authors wrote each of the different perspectives in the book. So that is kind of a neat aspect to the story, But I don't feel like it flowed very well because of that. It was almost like what was being written did not add up to Kirby's character if that makes any sense. He was a killer, but he did not at all act like one for the most part.

Salt to the Sea - Ruta Sepetys - 5 stars

I knew I would love this story because I love this time period and I loved her other book, Between Shades of Gray. The author is very talented. She can whisk readers back to a time of desperation and a place of desolation with the turn of a page. Such a poignant story that is told here. One that will keep you turning the pages till the story is over.

The plot is 1940's midst a Soviet advance into Germany. The people are trying to find passage among 4 ships ready to set sail. The story focuses on a small group of these people desperate to survive and flee that hands of the soviets, the ships promise that to them.

The story is told in 4 perspectives, 4 different characters, which does help to keep the story straight. There is Joana, who is a young nurse, Florian, a soldier, Emilia, a 15 year old from Poland, and Alfred, also a soldier. These characters are all so different from each other, but come together in a way that will wrench your heart from your body. So be ready with the tissues.

Defy the Stars - Claudia Gray - 4 stars

This book to me falls into YA Sci-fi pretty much. I do have trouble with science Fiction unless it is YA. So I got lucky with that. I have not heard a whole lot about this book in the past, but I have had it for a little while and finally decided to read it and put it on my Great list challenge. I found that it flowed very well, was pretty engaging and had some great characters in it. I did kinda figure though that it would just be another space book, but it surprised me. I really enjoyed it. It reminded me a bit of the Illuminae series, which I loved.

The plot was pretty exciting despite the fact that it seemed to have a slow start, but once it took off, it took off. Of course while most the solar system was fake in the story it really made you believe that all of these planets really do exist, from one being a party and vacation planet to another be a very desolate and dry planet. You get to travel among the stars in a huge ship called the Daedalus. It is equipped with everything you would need to survive especially when your goal is to save your own home planet with a very intelligent life-like Mech named Abel as your companion.

The characters were probably my favorite part of the story. I enjoyed Noemi and Abel the most of course. I thought they were pretty well thought out when they were being written. I would have liked a little more back story on them, but maybe that will come with future books. Noemi is very strong and I liked how she thought things out, also how she kinda goes with the flow. Abel is very patient and learns quite a bit more about himself than he bargained for I think, once he gets with Noemi. Great, fun, exciting characters in this story.

I was not aware that this book was the first of a series and I look forward to the other installments of this series because the ending of this book was not what I wanted, but was what told me there were other books, and I was pretty thankful for that because I would have been extremely disappointed otherwise. I recommend this to others who like science fiction, and even if you don't. If you enjoyed the Illuminae files you will surely enjoy this one.