Betrayals In Spring (The Last Year Series, Book 3)
by Trisha Leigh

I’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is, if you haven’t read the other books in this series you’re going to want to skip this post for fear of spoilers. The good news is, if you haven’t read the other books in this series, the first one is FREE for kindle today so go download it and get started asap.

I picked up this series because I saw Whispers In Autumn for free on my kindle and as soon as I finished I promptly bought the sequel. Then, as I sat in eager anticipation of Betrayals In Spring, I signed up for the author’s newsletter so that I could read the bonus scenes she writes from different character perspectives. And then I followed her facebook page so I’d be the first to know when the next book came out. I’m nothing if not thorough. And slightly obsessive compulsive.

So when I saw her ask if anyone wanted an advance copy of the book to review I was all “PICK ME RATNAO!” And then I read the whole thing in one sitting.

Here is an excerpt from the book description

After being left alone last season with only his Element father for company, Lucas has started to question whether their rightful place isn’t with the strange alien race as opposed to humanity. When an emergency forces Lucas to aid the Others so they can remain on Earth, Althea worries that she’s lost him once and for all.

Even if she can convince Lucas their side is the right one, the Prime Other holds Deshi captive and shrouds any knowledge about their fourth in clouds of secrecy. What they discover deep underground is a roadblock they didn’t expect – and one that could steal their last hope of saving humanity.

I was a bit nervous going in because I feel as though the third book in any series is always the weakest because it has to do a lot of work to move the plot forward towards the conclusion. And while I definitely liked books one and two the most, Betrayals In Spring does a great job of being the middle child of the series. What I didn’t like? I think it’s geographically a bit hard to follow. They move around a lot. Although this *might* have something to do with my complete lack of geographical knowledge and the fact that I am nearly thirty and still can’t read a map.

But that’s my only nit-pick. All of the reviews I’ve seen so far have been four to five stars and I am quick to agree. One of my favorite things about it is that while there is a bit of a love triangle (it IS a YA novel) it is swiftly resolved here. There is no “I love the vampire! No! I love the werewolf! Oh noes, I love them both!” like we’ve seen in other novels that I won’t name. You know the ones.

I also like that the love story stays a sub-plot. They have a big mission to save the world from the Others and that storyline stays central throughout the book. I loved learning more about the characters of Greer and Griffin. There are a lot of good reveals in this book, such as what happens to the Broken – something I was really glad to see addressed. And the twist concerning Deshi was something that I didn’t see coming. I love it when I am surprised by a book (because honestly, I read so much that it’s hard to surprise me) and I am even more anxious for the final book of the series because of it.

Trisha Leigh is a good writer. I love finishing a book and thinking “THAT was well written.” Her dialogue is good, her character development is good, her research is on point and the story she tells is captivating. I’ll be a bit sad when this series ends, because I really love these characters.

*Amazon Affiliate Link included. Please see my disclosure page for more info. Thanks!
** I’m reading 52 books in 52 weeks. Want to see all the books I’ve reviewed so far? Click here.

INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

INSURGENT is the much-anticipated sequel to Veronica Roth’s bestselling book DIVERGENT. If you haven’t read Divergent yet, stop reading because this review will totally spoil the first book for you. And also, why haven’t you read Divergent yet? I would like you to rectify that immediately.

I tried to check this out at my local library because enjoy it that they will give me books for free but the wait list was three months long. What?! So I used my swagbucks to buy it on Amazon. And y’all. It is so good.

I was nervous because a lot of the time the second in a series just can’t live up the first. Like, the first book of The Hunger Games was fantastic and the second book never quite made it to that level. And let’s not even talk about the third book or I’ll throw this cream soda at the screen. But Insurgent? It is worthy of it’s #1 New York Times status.

Like it’s predecessor, Insurgent is a dystopian YA fiction novel. Here is an excerpt from the book description:

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions… And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

There is a bit more exposition in this book but it doesn’t feel like filler. I worried that the plot might feel recycled but it is surprisingly fresh and moving in a different direction than I expected. There were a few twists that literally made me gasp; one that I’m still not quite over and unsure how they will resolve in the next book if they return to it. And the ending? Total cliffhanger. I expected there to be a cliffhanger but I did not expect what happened.

Do you know what I love most about this book? I love Tris. I love that she is the anti-Bella Swan here. That she is a sixteen year old girl who does not hold herself captive to her love story. There is so much at stake for her and she doesn’t risk everything to be with a boy. She risks everything for so much more than that. It’s a better love story because of this, because she is haunted by all of her choices. She is equal parts both strong and suffering. For a portion of the book I thought to myself “Self, why is Tris being such a witch with a capital B? I dislike this.” But the unfolding of her story redeemed those moments for me.

Also, I have a total book-crush on Four. You too, right? Right?

*Amazon Affiliate Link included. Please see my disclosure page for more info. Thanks!
** I’m reading 52 books in 52 weeks. Want to see all the books I’ve reviewed so far? Click here.

The No Brainer Wardrobe
by Hayley Morgan of The Tiny Twig

When I was pregnant I only owned about ten articles of clothing that fit me. And it was awesome. I knew I had a limited maternity wardrobe budget so I only bought things I could mix and match and that I felt good in. Since then, I’ve been determined to create a capsule wardrobe that would work for my everyday life.

Then I read 7, got a bit obsessive about it, and donated practically every single thing in my closet. You people who are reading THAT now know what I’m talking about, right? So I’m in this place of trying to build a small, functional and working wardrobe.

Enter The No Brainer Wardrobe. Hello, excellent timing.

Here is an excerpt from the book description:

The No Brainer Wardrobe is a book to help women learn to love the clothes they have, lose the clothes they hate, and shop for items to fill the gaps.  The book contains over 80 pages of content, including images outlining outfit selections, how to shop, and how to build a lookbook.

I loved this book. It has really good, do-able suggestions for building a wardrobe that feels extensive without being overwhelming or excessive. I put together a pinterest board at her recommendation to use as a visual reference when I am shopping and I’m working on cataloging what I currently own. She has a lot of great tips for uncovering your style, working with your body type and creating outfits that look + feel great. The visuals in the book are a big help and I especially liked the section on how to effectively shop thrift stores. Overall it is a great reference.

The hardest part of going through this process is the parting. You know, saying goodbye to the stuff I never wear for one reason or another but looks really good hanging in my closet. I’ll post more about my closet evolution another day but between the two books, I am really pleased that I decided to do this. Plus, I have so much less laundry, hallelujah.

Want to read it too?  After I mentioned to Hayley how much I enjoyed her book, she offered to set up a discount code for my readers. So the first 10 people who use the code KALOVES to purchase it will get 50% off!

* I’m reading 52 books in 52 weeks. Want to see all the books I’ve reviewed so far? Click her e.