The Rules

The Rules

by Stacey Kade

Ariane Tucker knows she's not normal. Her first six years of life were spent in a lab, learning how to use her powers. She's always known that she is a mix of human and alien.

When she was six, things changed and she was rescued by Mark Tucker, a man who took her in and raised her. He hid her by giving her the name of his recently dead daughter and becoming her father to all who met her. Some special contacts, a bandage for her lab tattoo, and her hair always in a bun, Ariane must spend every day hiding the physical traits that would give her away. She also has to create a routine to appear fully human.

But most importantly, Ariane must follow five basic rules in order to stay under the radar.

1. Never trust anyone.
2. Remember they are always searching.
3. Don’t get involved.
4. Keep your head down.
5. Don’t fall in love.

Ten years after being freed, Ariane is close to her goal of leaving forever. As long as she can keep her head down for a little bit longer, she'll be completely free.

What Ariane never expected was love. She definitely never expected Zane to care for her, too.

If she can just get her powers back under control, she may be able to survive; but getting her powers back means breaking every rule and putting her back into the spotlight where she may be found again.

Final thoughts: Interesting idea with some good moments though I'm not really rushing to get the sequel. I liked Zane and Ariane was interesting, but their naivete was annoying. Ok, but not great.

Rating: 3/5

Feudlings

Feudlings

by Wendy Knight

All her life, Ari has known that she is destined to end the war between rival sorcery clans. Since she was just a child, she has gone out on missions with the rest of the Edrens to take out members of the Carules clan. She is the best of her kind. She is the Prodigy.

Ari's main target, however, is the Prodigy of the Carules clan. It is destined that she will find and kill that Prodigy in order to end the war.

Shane has always known that he is the Prodigy for his clan. But while his rival is out fighting and killing, he's been kept a secret, sent to boarding schools to maintain his anonymity until he's ready to take on the Prodigy of the Edren clan.

Neither knows who the other one is. So when Shane meets Ari for the first time, he doesn't realize that they are supposed to hate each other. When Ari meets Shane, she doesn't realize that her constant fighting and killing could end with his death.

When they fall in love, nothing is clear anymore.

Final thoughts: Roller coaster ride and lots of fun. It goes a little quickly at times and the fight scenes can be hard to follow, but it's an exciting story. I really liked the characters and the development of relationship between the two.

Rating: 4/5

Confessions of a Queen B*

Confessions of a Queen B*

by Crista McHugh

When they see her, they look down and away, hoping she won't notice them.

She is the Queen B of the school. 

Actually, she's the second Queen B, the first being her former best friend and current nemesis. 

Alexis Wyndham isn't the most popular girl in school; she's actually a pariah and she's the one everyone avoids for fear of being posted on her weekly blog. 

No one is safe from this Queen B. The jocks can't avoid her wrath. The cheerleaders fear her poisoned pen. The administration gets nervous about what she'll reveal. And while she'll defend the weak and victims of bullying, she's also quick to point out their mistakes, too.

Alexis knows that she's avoided like the plague, which makes her new friendship with the king of the jocks, quarterback Brett Pederson all the more confusing.

But figuring out her relationship with Brett will have to wait since someone is posting video of the cheerleaders in the locker room and Alexis has to figure out who it is before her sister becomes the next star of YouTube.

Final thoughts: Great cotton candy book! I really liked Alexis, though her constant need to be separate and apart from everyone was a little confusing. It feels like there's a little backstory missing on that issue. Brett was pretty awesome and probably too good to be true. The plot was pretty slim as it centered more on Alexis and Brett and less on what is discussed on the book jacket. My only real issue is the ending since it's not really a cliffhanger, but it definitely doesn't end. It's more like hitting pause during a movie and waiting for a chance to finish it later. Guess I'll have to wait for the sequel.

Rating: 4/5

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!