Review: Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

Title: Vengeance Road

Author: Erin Bowman

Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Released: 2015

Summary: When Kate's Pa is murdered, she vows vengeance. Her father was murdered for a journal, revealing the location to a secret gold mine. Revenge is burning in Kate's blood and she tracks the gang to Arizona. Along the way, she is joined by the Colton brothers and an Apache girl. Kate won't stop until the men who killed her Pa are dead. The gold doesn't even matter, all that does is ending the mens' lives who ruined hers. Kate is no fainting flower, the Rose gang is going to be sorry they messed with her.

My Thoughts: I feel like running through the hills in happiness a la Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music. I'd look ridiculous, but it would fully capture how I feel after reading this book. I loved this. I loved how Western it really was. I was kind of expecting a watered-down, YA Western, but figured out it was the real deal a few pages in. I loved the twists and turns, how tough Kate was, and how you could really feel Kate's thirst for revenge. I'm a fan.

My thoughts on the romance are that I liked it, but did feel that it kind of popped up a little unexpectedly, intensity wise in the end. I liked Jesse from the first scene he showed up in, I liked Kate and Jesse together riding the trails, and I wanted them together. I mean, I knew they would eventually, it just kind of felt rushed in the end after the slow sort of build up.

I loved how brutal this was. Kate wasn't playing games about getting her revenge. She was tough. There were a lot of shocking scenes in here and gunfights galore that entertained me.

The twists and turns in this one were also great. Some things happened that I definitely didn't expect.

So, this book was awesome! Loved it from the first page until the last. An exciting, Western tale with gunfights, gold, and revenge. This is a definite favorite for the year and I'm gonna have to check out some more stuff by Erin Bowman. Just a lot of brutal fun.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 5/5

Yee-Haw!

Reading Right Now! (#54)

New week, new reads. This week's Reading Right Now! is...

  

- The Assassin's Curse (The Assassin's Curse #1) by Cassandra Rose Clarke: I'm at the halfway point in this book and am really enjoying it. It's about a Pirate Princess named Ananna, who runs away from an arranged marriage. The groom's family sends an assassin after her. When the assassin catches up to her, the tables turn. Suddenly the assassin, Naji, is tethered to Ananna through an Impossible Curse. They are now unwilling partners in travel and must find a way to break the curse. I love pirates, so I was sold once I read that. This book so far is fun. It reminds me a little bit of reading a Tamora Pierce book. There is magic, a tough pirate girl, and a mysterious assassin. Really liking this so far and I think I'll finish it quickly.

- Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf (Netgalley): This is my Netgalley read for the week. Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for approving me! As I've said before, I want to do better on my Netgalley reads and get my review percentage up to an acceptable, non-embarrassing level. This book, I believe, is a thriller. I'm only 11% of the way through, so I'm not very far in, but it seems to be about a wife who finds out some dark secrets about her husband's family. I'm liking it so far. I'm interested to see what's going to happen. I already have suspicions about some people.

- Razorhurst by Justine Larbalestier: I just started this one too. I'm probably only 5% in, but I'm thinking there's a high chance I'll really like this one. It's a historical novel with a paranormal twist, talking about the Razor Gangs that prowled the streets of Surry, Australia in the 1920's. From what little I've learned, guns were outlawed so crooks took to carrying razor blades and carving each other up with them. Being in these kinds of gangs carried with it the risk of marring up their faces. Some men would walk the streets with L and X shaped razor scars on their faces, and they were the lucky ones that survived. It sounds terrifying. There have already been some pretty scary visuals in the book. I think our main character is named Kelpie and she can see ghosts, so ghosts play a part in this novel too. I'm really excited for it. I think I'm going to like it. There are only 197 goodreads reviews on this, which I find sort of surprising. Can't wait to read more of this!

Still Reading

- Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer: Still slowly going through this one. I only read a story here and there. Still haven't fallen head over heels with any of the stories yet, but they are kind of interesting.

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! Tell me what you are reading in the comments below. If you've read any of the books I've mentioned, tell me what you thought of them.

Review: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

Title: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone

Author: Kat Rosenfield

Published by: Dutton Books

Released: 2012

Summary: Becca is tired of small town life and can't wait to graduate and go to college, leaving the town and its gossip behind. The summer after graduation and before college, the town is gripped by a real life murder mystery. A girl is found dead on the side of the road, with no name and no idea of how she got there. The town explodes with gossip, and Becca's life starts to fall apart. She questions her choices, her future, and the story of who this dead girl really is and what happened to her. Just what is Amelia Anne's story?

My Thoughts: I was very excited to see this book at my library and couldn't wait to read it. The story sounded very creepy and mysterious, plus the cover was just so pretty, but alas, I didn't really end up loving this book. It was a kind of disappointing read that I had to trudge my way through. My main problem was the writing style, which made it difficult to appreciate the story underneath.

The writing style was just very vivid and descriptive. It was filled with metaphors, smilies, and paragraphs upon paragraphs of description. I first thought the writing style was very pretty and lyrical, but the farther I read in the book, the more difficult and annoying it became. The writing style really hindered my enjoyment of the overall story, which was an interesting story, and I ended up having to force myself through it so I could find out how it ended. It really just felt that the author put too much emphasis on style and tangents over details that took away from the story.

I did enjoy the chapters from Amelia Anne's point of view, because I was really interested in finding out how she ended up dead on the side of the road.

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone did not turn out to be my kind of read. Other people might love it, but unfortunately, I wasn't one of those people. I highly suggest that if you want to read it, then do. My review is just my own opinion, so don't let me stop you from reading something you might love.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3/5

Style over Story.

Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Worst Love Interests

Ooh this topic is going to be a fun one. Thanks to the overused love triangle aspect, there are so many characters that I think make awful love interests. I actually have a little more than 5, but I'll include them as my honorable mentions. So, here's my Top 5 Worst Love interests.

HONORABLE (OR DIS-HONORABLE) MENTIONS

 

--Carmen from The Living by Matt de la Pena- Our main character Shy was pretty into Carmen in this book. Too into her in my opinion. She makes a bad love interest because she is ENGAGED TO SOMEBODY ELSE!! Shy should stay far, far away from another man's girl. Also, if a girl cheats on her fiance, what's to say she won't cheat on Shy? Yes, Carmen was a bad idea. Shy needs to get over her and go for someone else.

-- Tom Forelli from Sweet by Emmy Laybourne- Tom just puts a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't really like him that much in the book. I felt like he was too into himself. And when he first gets with our main girl character, it just felt so awkward and icky. To me, Tom seemed like he was more into himself than he would be to any significant other.

 

  

5. Seb from Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly- The only reason Seb makes his way onto this list is because he was an unneeded addition to an already established couple. It felt like he was added just to make a love triangle possible. I couldn't root for Seb, because I was already Team Alex. Seb would have been so much better off as a friend character.

4. Nance O'Neil from Maplecroft by Cherie Priest- From a historical standpoint, I have a problem with Nance O'Neil as a love interest because that was never proven. She was a documented friend of Lizzie Borden, but I think it's kind of a stretch to make her her lover. Now maybe I'm wrong on this one, because every fictionalized version of Lizzie Borden I've seen has turned her into a lesbian. Show me the proof, and maybe I'll believe you.

Now as for fiction Nance O'Neil in this book, she was awful. Reading her sections was just very annoying. Plus she was nosy as heck. If Lizzie says there's nothing interesting in the basement, then just forget about the basement already! She was also weirdly jealous of Emma, Lizzie's sister. Nance was just an idiot in this book, which is why I couldn't like her, root for her, or feel sorry for her.

3. Lavender Brown from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling- This has got to be the oddest relationship in all of Harry Potter. Lavender Brown was so clingy. She'd be one of those people who would post all kinds of mushy, gag-worthy things on Facebook, proclaiming to the world her love for Ronald Weasley. The movie did a really good job of playing up the funny on this relationship. Lavender Brown was just a bad idea.

2. The Darkling from Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo- I've only read the first book in this series, but I didn't like The Darkling as a possible love interest. He's a very manipulative, evil character. His intentions were bad. I know there are a lot of people who ship The Darkling, but I am not one of them. I mean that could change if I read the other books in the series, but as of now, he falls in the bad category.

1. Morpheus from Splintered by A.G. Howard- Ughh Morpheus. I'm pretty sure I hated him as a love interest from page one. To me, he's just so icky. So untrustworthy. Now, I've only read the first book and first novella from this series, so my opinions could change, but I hated Morpheus in the first book. I know a lot of people like Morpheus, I've just yet to see why.

So those are my Top 5 Worst Love Interests for this Top 5 Wednesday. What are yours? Let me know in the comments below. And if you want to join in on the Top 5 Wednesday fun, you totally should. Each Wednesday is a new, fun topic to think about and come up with answers for. Check out all the other Top 5 Wednesday-ers Here!

What Did I Think Of: The 100: Season 3, Episode 5 -Hakeldama- (SPOILERS!)

Oh The 100: Season 3, the more episodes I watch of you, the more frustrated I get. Episode 5: Hakeldama, was full of headaches, heartaches, and disbelief. Unless things start to really turn around, I think Season 3 might turn out to be my least favorite season. Now before you get your torches and pitchforks out, I still love the show. I mean, I wouldn't watch it every week if I wasn't so invested with the storyline and characters. This Season is just hurting my heart so far. It's promoting some storyline and characters that I really don't care about, while at the same time turning characters I love into pretty miserable human beings. I don't like the direction it's taking some of my favorite characters. And I won't lie, I'm getting pretty fed up with the Clarke and Lexa show. Polis has got to be my least favorite part of every episode it is in. And again, before you get your pitchforks and torches, I'm entitled to my own opinions. I'm allowed to like what I like and not like what I don't. If you want a review that's full of praise for Lexa, the fair and gentle leader (heavy on the sarcasm there), this isn't it. If you want a review that gushes about all the romantic Clexa moments, you won't get them here. Anyway, onto the highlights and what I thought of them from Episode 5: Hakeldama.

So, I guess there was a battle?

My first point of annoyance came right here, right here! Since Pike has been elected Chancellor, he carries out his plan to annihilate the Grounder army outside the Ark walls. Because all Grounders are evil, blah blah blah. We must kill them before they kill us, blah blah blah. This plan will definitely work because somehow someway we can get unlimited numbers of bullets and guns and the Grounders won't fight back. Pike is an idiot. Not just because his idea of killing a whole race of people is so wrong, but it's also not plausible. Once again, Pike and the Arkers are the invader species, it's not surprising that the Grounders tried to kill them when they first came down. Pike needs to get it into his head that the land doesn't belong to him, he's just being granted a chance to stay there.

So our episode starts with our 10 warrior Arkers coming park inside after just massacring the 300 Grounders outside.

You honestly expect me to believe that? After everything I've seen of the Grounders, I'm supposed to believe that 10, not especially skilled warriors, killed 300 Grounders and suffered no causalities of their own. Balderdash. No matter how many guns and bullets they had, I know that Grounders know how to fight. Grounders have lived in this dangerous world for years, they aren't all going to be taken out by 10 Grounders. I don't care if they were asleep, they would have woken up and speared all 10 of the Arkers to death. I'm not buying it. They also didn't show the battle at all. They just showed Bellamy and the others trudging back into camp. Why wouldn't they show the battle? If it's supposed to be this pivotal, gasp inducing direction to the plot, why wouldn't they show it? They've shown battles before. Think Season 1 where it was Arkers against Grounders. In that battle, Arkers had guns too, but the Grounders were able to pretty easily take them out with swords, spears, and arrows. It was only Raven's rocket fuel bomb that killed them. Then think Season 2, where we saw a whole army of Grounders and a little bit of the battle between the Mountain Men. Also think Season 2 where Finn went crazy and killed a whole bunch of villagers while searching for Clarke. They've shown battles and killings before, why not show it this time? So when they show the aftermath of Clarke, Lexa, and Octavia walking around in a whole field of dead corpses, it doesn't even register with me because I don't believe it. And this scene is supposed to further my bad feelings for Bellamy, it's just not happening. Just such a bad idea to not show any visual of the battle. Makes no sense to me. And not one of the 10 Arkers die? Show writers, do you think that makes any sort of sense? 

Yes, I skipped over the whole Clarke and Lexa scene riding on horses because I don't care. And why are the Arkers going to care if the Ice Queen is dead? Why would they just take Lexa's word that she's solved the problem of the Mount Weather Massacre for them? I wouldn't. You know why, because I don't trust Lexa.

Meanwhile over in the forest...

We get a little bit of John and Emori living in the forest and stealing from people. Do I like their relationship? Kind of. Do I think it will last? I'm not exactly sure. If there's one thing I know about Murphy, he doesn't have very good luck and he can make some pretty bad choices. It's still weird for me to think of how I kind of like him. I'm mean in the first season, he was a straight up murderer, but he's just so sassy that I can't help it.

But at the end of this episode, Murphy ends up being captured. So, bad luck again I guess.

Bring on Mr. Crazypants

Jaha has made his way back to Arkadia with the mission to convert people into believing in the City of Light. It amused me how everyone thought he was just plain crazy. Been living out in the woods too long. He reminded me of one of those preachers you sometimes see outside college campuses, talking doomsday and the only way to salvation is through him. And it only added to the crazy once you find out that only Jaha can see ALIE. She was like his imaginary friend, that sure didn't help in convincing anyone to join the City of Light. Jaha is soooo off his rocker. And out of the two people he's managed to convert to the City of Light, well they are both dead. That doesn't seem to bother Jaha, but with those odds, who'd want to be a member?

The Bellarke Confrontation! Dun DuN DUN!!!

This was probably the most interesting scene for me in the whole episode. Not because it was a potential Bellarke scene though. Again, this was supposed to be a scene that further convinced me of how bad Bellamy is, but it didn't. A lot of people were going to twitter and the internet after, claiming how much they hate Bellamy now. But I actually agreed with Bellamy more than I disagreed with him. I mean the war thing, not on board with that, it's a bad idea teaming up with Pike.

So the backstory for this is that Clarke convinced Lexa to let her talk to Bellamy in order to fix this mess and hopefully not bring war to the Arkers. I felt like Clarke was very manipulative in this scene. She kind of knows the power that she has over Bellamy. She thinks that if she tells him she needs him, he'll just drop everything to help her. So when Bellamy gave her what for, I was cheering for him. He's right. She abandoned her people and most importantly she abandoned Bellamy. She left him to deal with all the guilt over Mount Weather. He was the one having to see Jasper drink himself into a stupor everyday. He was the one who actually remembered the faces of the people that helped him in Mount Weather that he then had to kill. And then when Bellamy went to Polis and asked Clarke to come back to her people, she denied him again. It's not fair for Bellamy to have to shoulder everything alone. Clarke was the one that he could always talk to, and she left him.

This scene also brought back the feels of Bellamy from Season 1, the Bellamy who thought he was a monster. He still thinks he's a monster, which makes me so sad.

People have also been arguing that this season further cements the idea that Bellamy is not a leader, but just a follower. I have to disagree with that. I feel like everything Bellamy's accomplished while on the ground was taken away once the adults landed. Once again, he's just a lowly guard following orders. Same goes with Raven, who is such an important problem solver, she's been regulated to sorting scrap metal. I think the politics of the camp have failed to recognize who the real important people are. It's just been sad seeing Bellamy, Raven, Jasper, Monty, Miller, Harper, Monroe; being relegated to kids who aren't important anymore.

Also, I just want to say that Bob Morley's acting was spot on in this scene. Ahh the feels.

And then I guess I have to mention the Clarke and Lexa scene, where Clarke somehow convinces Lexa that Blood Must Not Have Blood. Umm I call Baloney on that one. I'm supposed to believe that Lexa has magically turned softer and will not seek vengeance for the Traikru just because Clarke batted her puppy dog eyes. You must think I'm stupid in order to believe that.

Leave Raven out of this storyline please.

The last headache from this episode concerns the direction they've decided to take Raven. She goes and swallows Jaha's dumb City of Light pill. Suddenly her leg starts to feel better(?) and she can see ALIE. Now, I've seen the promo for Season 3, and I know it's not all rainbows and butterflies for Raven. Abby also mentions in the promo for Episode 6 how this pill has some unintended side effects. My best guess is that this pill, this City of Light, somehow dulls your nerves and messes with the senses in your brain. Raven's not cured, but this pill gives her a false sense of hope. I kind of don't want Raven in the City of Light storyline though, just because I haven't been liking this City of Light stuff. Raven is one of my favorites and I want her to be happy. I also don't want her getting any type of way involved with Jaha and his crazy train. Especially since the majority of people that join up with Jaha usually die.

My only other gripe is not from this episode, but from Jason Rothenberg. For those that don't know, he's the executive producer of this show. I love him for creating the show, but sometimes I get tired of what he has to tweet.

In one tweet he's condemning the ship wars for being too mean and hateful. And then in the next tweet he's just milking the #Clexa ship as much as he can. Now I think people being mean to people over ships is just stupid. I've been on the receiving end of some #Bellarke hate myself and it didn't feel too good having 7 people gang up on me and say that #Bellarke is a non-ship. Me personally, I think some of the Clexa shippers are mean. Notice I didn't say all, but some. Just as I'm sure that there are some mean Bellarke shippers out there. 

But here's what irks me, I feel like Jason is team #Clexa just because the whole Clexa issue is getting more media attention and publicity for the show. And it's not getting more attention because it's the best relationship ever, but just because it's a gay relationship. I'll just say that I won't take Rothenberg seriously on his ship comments until he himself stops stirring the pot.  

I can't even grade this episode because of all the frustration it caused me. Still Team Bellamy. Lexa annoys me. Clarke annoys me. I call baloney on that battle.

The 100, you're hurting me here. I'll keep watching, but you're hurting me.

majority of images from http://screencapped.net/tv/the100/

Review: Tattooed As Trouble (Vegas Vixens #3) by J.L. Hammer

Title: Tattooed As Trouble (Vegas Vixens #3)

Author: J.L. Hammer

Published by: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Select Suspense)

Released: February 8, 2016

Summary: While committing a breaking and entering with her brother True, Raegan Storm witnesses a murder. She sees a prominent (and now dirty judge) shoot and kill two members of the Boczar crime family. Like any good citizen, she reports the crime to the police. Suddenly she's the star witness in the trial and she's on the Boczar's hit list for relaying information to the police regarding one of their drug house locations. Rae is placed in the witness protection program under the care of some marshals. One marshal in particular catches her eye, Bronson. He's attractive, protective, and just guarded enough to make her want to know more about him. How can a romance work when a crime family wants you dead and the Federal Marshal Service has strict rules about Marshal/Witness romance? Rae is about to find out, assuming she can live long enough too.

My Thoughts: I would just like to thank Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an e-arc to review. I thought the synopsis for this book sounded like a lot of fun. There are times where one just needs a good romance to read through. This book, to me, was an okay read. I liked it well enough and enjoyed reading it. None of the characters really leaped off the page and grabbed my heart, but I was interested in learning how things turned out for them.

One plus in this book is just the idea of the Witness Protection Program in general. It's an interesting idea to consider. Having to leave everything you've ever known and change your identity because people want you dead. I think it would be a very scary thing to go through. I felt bad for Rae having to leave her brother behind forever and having to give up all the other stuff she'd worked for.

I felt the romance in this book came about a little quick, not that that's the worst thing ever, but maybe not the most believable. Bronson kept telling himself no and to fight the temptation, but he obviously wasn't as strong as he thought he was. That first kiss just really came out of nowhere. Bronson could also be a little mean. I think he led on Rae a lot and then would break her heart a lot too. Bronson was just more wishy-washy to me because he was having to decide whether to choose love or his career.

The action scene near the end felt a little anti-climatic. The bad guys met their ends rather quickly.

All in all, I thought this was something fun to read. It was an enjoyable little ride. If you are in the mood for something quick and fun, I would recommend giving this one a shot.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3/5

Not a bad little book.

Reading Right Now! (#53)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is another chunk of books. Some repeats and some new ones have been added to the mix. Not sure if I'm succeeding at this whole reading multiple books at once thing, or failing. Without further ado, what I'm Reading Right Now! is...

First the repeats

 

1. Tattooed As Trouble (Vegas Vixens #3) by J.L. Hammer: This is my Netgalley/review copy read. I'm happy to say that I am making pretty good progress. I'm about 80% finished with it. It's a contemporary romance book about a girl who witnesses a murder, gets put in the witness protection program, and falls in love with the marshall guarding her. 

I think this is an okay read so far. I'm enjoying it. It will probably end up getting a 3 star rating from me. Hopefully my review for it will be up sometime next week. I've got to be on top of this Netgalley thing! I say that when the reality is that this title has already been archived, so I'm already technically late in reviewing it.

2. Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded Edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer: This one I'm just slowly going through. It's a collection of steampunk stories that I thought would be fun to read. I've only read about 3 of the stories so far, and I haven't fallen in love with any of them yet. I like fun steampunk stories, and so far these have been a little boring and dull. I don't hate it though, but it's not like Soulless by Gail Carriger or Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. 

Now for the newer additons

 

3. Y: The Last Man, Volume 4 : Safeword by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, Goran Parlov, and Jose Marzan Jr.: Finally getting back around to continuing with this series. I've only read the first little part of it so far, but it just reminded me of the reasons I like this series. I love the humor in it. Looks like Yorick is involved in another situation that comes from being the last man on Earth. Flipping through this one, it's more sexual than the others. Looks like some Fifty Shades of Grey stuff going on to an unwilling Yorick. So, this one won't be for the younger readers. Not like this series is meant for younger readers anyway. Sometimes it's just nice to chill with a comic and fly right through it.

4. The Assassin's Curse (Assassin's Curse #1) by Cassandra Rose Clarke: Just started reading this one today actually, and I'm thinking that it could be good. The main character is a pirate princess, and if that doesn't peak your interest, I don't know what well. It has already been covered that I love pirates and want more books about them. Umm I don't know how to pronounce the main characters name because of all the n's. Anannu or Ananna, something like that, once I see all those n's, my tongue just gets tied and my brain gets confused. Anyway she's been arranged in marriage for a political alliance to the Pirate Confederation, she decides to run away. They end up sending an assassin after her and adventure ensues. I've only read about 25 pages, but this seems like it is going to be fun.

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! Tell me what you are reading in the comments below. Have you read any of the books that I'm currently reading? What did you think of them?

Review: Blackhearted Betrayal (Shades of Fury #3) by Kasey Mackenzie

Title: Blackhearted Betrayal (Shades of Fury #3)

Author: Kasey Mackenzie

Published by: Ace Books by The Berkley Publishing Group

Released: 2012

Summary: After catching a serial killer, Marissa Holloway thought she'd have a little rest and relaxation, instead she's pulled in to a major situation. With Fury politics in turmoil and a lesser god causing unnecessary mayhem in the Underworld, Riss is pulled in to a battle she can't turn down. Riss accepts a task from the gods to hunt down the problem using all her kick butt Fury skills. The fate of the world rests on Riss's shoulders, so no pressure or anything.

My Thoughts: As a big fan of Red Hot Fury, the first book in the Shades of Fury Series, I was excited to get my hands on and read Blackhearted Betrayal. Marissa Holloway is just a really fun, kick butt character, who just happens to be a Fury. I was a tad disappointed by the second book and I hoped Blackhearted Betrayal would give me the same thrills that the first book had. In the end, I just found Blackhearted Betrayal to be an okay read.

The Shades of Fury series is a fun, fast-paced urban fantasy read that is super enjoyable. I love the cover designs and the cool world created by Mackenzie, with its mix of mortals, gods, and various creatures.

Blackhearted Betrayal was just sort of a blah book for me. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood to read it, but I just didn't feel that same magic that the first book provided. Blackhearted Betrayal is full of action from first page to last. It was very fast-paced and almost reminded me of a one hour television show, in the sense that everything got wrapped up neatly just in time for the next episode. Maybe my problem was that all that action took away from being able to spend time and appreciate the characters. I think I like Riss and her gang more when they're on the mortal realm dealing with more mortal problems. I really don't know how to put into words what's lacking or missing in this story. All I can say is that no book in the series has managed to capture the magic of the first one.

Now, I'm not hating on this book. I really enjoy the series and I highly recommend it to people who love a good urban fantasy adventure. When the next one comes out, I'll read it.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3/5

Just an okay read. Didn't love it, Didn't hate it.

Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Books Suggested/Recommended To You

This week's Top 5 Wednesday is the Top 5 Books That Have Been Suggested/Recommeded to You. I'm having a little bit of a struggle with this topic just because I don't get personally recommended a lot of books. I mean, I'll do a lot of book recommending, but I don't have enough real life reading friends to recommend books to me. Most of my recommendations that I get are from booktube. Some are direct recommendations left in the comments, and others are recommended in the booktube videos that I watch. So I'm going to go with with Top 5 (or maybe 6)  Recommend Books from Booktube.

  

  

6. The Devouring (The Devouring #1) by Simon Holt: This one I saw on Sue Moro's/Sue'sBookNook's chanel on Booktube. She marketed it as being really scary, so scary that it gave her nightmares. I love a good, scary book, so I was sold. It turned out to be soooo good. It lived up to being very creepy and scary. It was also a really quick read. It's part of a series, and I'm very excited to continue on with it.

5. Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1) by Kendare Blake: This one was a result of the hype on booktube. So many people were talking about this book and how good it was. The cover really cemented in my mind that I had to have it. This was just fun to read. It had a little bit of that Supernatural feel, a haunted house, and some real gore. Haven't read the sequel yet, but it is on my list of things to do.

4. Altered (Altered #1) by Jennifer Rush: I'm 98% sure I heard about this on booktube, but I just can't remember who exactly from. This book was so fun to read. It was like an action movie with hot guys. This one is also massively underhyped. It deserves more people talking about it. Such a good series. I'm gonna need this author to write more books too, I will read anything she writes next. I've heard tell she has a new book coming out in 2017, and I'm excited!

3. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman: I think I heard about this one from the channel Thoughts on Tomes who's name is Sam, I believe. She just held up the book, I saw the beautiful cover, and wanted the book right then and there. And this book was so good! YA Westerns need to become a thing now, because I would definitely read them. I've heard tell that there is going to be a sequel or related novel in this world and I'm very excited for it.

2. Night Film by Marisha Pessl: I think this was a general booktube recommendation too. Saw a bunch of people hauling this and talking about it, so I wanted it. This book just took me on such a ride. It immersed me in the world of Stanilas Cordova and all the weirdness that he made real. Such a good story with some cool, added extras inside. This is a must read!

1. Vicious by V.E. Schwab: Again this was booktube. I think a lot of people were talking about this one when it came out. One that I can remember is Jesse from JesseThereader. Everyone was saying how awesome it was and how everyone should read it. And it was awesome. So awesome. I really loved everything about this book. I really need to buy my own copy and re-read it sometime. I'm recommending it to you, if you haven't read it yet.

So that's my Top 5 Books That Have Been Suggested/Recommended to Me, mostly from booktube. Ooh and I guess goodreads and friends that I've made on booktube. Anyway, every book on my list is great and you should check them out. If you want to join in on the Top 5 Wednesday fun, you totally should. Each Wednesday is a new topic to consider and enjoy. Check out all the other Top 5 Wednesday-ers here!

What Did I Think Of: The 100: Season 3, Episode 4- Watch The Thrones- (SPOILERS!)

I feel like I'm not going to have as much to say in this post as I have in previous The 100 posts. I'm just going to try to stick to the most important bits (at least to me) and discuss my thoughts and feelings about those. First and foremost, Episode 4 -Watch The Thrones- wasn't my favorite episode of the season so far. Thinking back, it's probably my least favorite episode of Season 4. Don't get me wrong, I still love The 100, but this episode just did some things to my characters that I didn't appreciate or enjoy.

The Roan and Lexa Fight

This was probably my favorite part of the episode just because it was a good fight. It was also the most exciting part of the episode. The fight came about because of the Ice Queen's planned takeover (coup) of the coalition. Somehow, she had gotten all the other clans to pledge allegiance to her to take down Lexa. This plan doesn't work with the addition of the 13th clan, the Skaikru. For the takeover to work, the Ice Queen had to have all the other clans on board. Then the Ice Queen goes to Plan B, she puts Lexa's leadership into question and challenges her to a one-on-one fight. The Ice Queen chooses Prince Roan (her son) as her champion. So, he's forced to fight for his mother. Lexa doesn't choose a champion. She decides to prove herself in the fight.

Watching the relationship between Prince Roan and the Ice Queen was interesting. His mother uses him as a pawn and really shows no love for him. Prince Roan just seems used to the fact of his uncaring mother, but kind of sad about it at the same time.

The fight was awesome. The choreography of it was really cool. It didn't seem like a cheesy, tv fight. There was some danger in there and just really kind of cool swordplay.

I won't lie, I was rooting for Roan to win. I like him better. He's more interesting to me than Lexa is. Maybe it's because Lexa doesn't show a lot of emotion. Roan is a man more of mystery, and I kind of like the relationship that he and Clarke share. Also Roan is left-handed, or at least the actor that plays him is, and as a fellow left-hander, I have to support my people. #FightTheRightPower #LeftiesUnite

TWIST: The Ice Queen is Dead... Long Live King Roan?

 

Umm I wasn't expecting this. The way she went was pretty cool and shocking. Lexa throwing that spear right through her chest made for a very dramatic scene. I am a little upset that this villain that has been built up since Season 2 is gone, just like that. I wanted more of the Ice Queen's diabolicalness. I thought she was going to be a major player in this season. It's just weird that she went so quickly. I mean, yeah Clarke's people will probably do better with King Roan, because he seems a little less crazy than the Ice Queen. I don't know, it just seemed like too quick an exit for the notorious Ice Queen.

The introduction of the Nightblood thing was interesting. I think maybe I've read too many YA books, so I saw it as kind of tropey. A way to make a character destined for special things just on the basis of something they can't control. I want to know why certain people have Black Blood. Is it some kind of mutation? Are Nightblood's healthy or does that trait bring certain illnesses? I'm just curious.

So that's pretty much all I wanted to talk about in relation to the scenes in Polis. The rest of it was pretty much just excuses for Lexa and Clarke to be in each other's presence a lot. As a fan of Bellarke, these scenes I could care less about

On to Arkadia!

Things in Arkadia aren't really going that well. Pike is still a massive problem. Don't like him. He's just going to mess so much stuff up for the Skaikru. I don't know if he really thinks things through. There are a bunch of grounders, 12 clans of them, how does Pike think he's going to realistically take them all out? He only has so many guns and bullets. These people have been surviving on the ground for years. I think if Pike goes through with his ideas, it will just result in the death of all Skaikru.

I'm also agreeing with the theory that Pike and the Farm Sector aren't telling the truth about what really happened when they first landed on the ground. Something is going to come out to reveal what's really going on.

And how disappointing that Pike was elected Chancellor. How did he get so many people to believe in his purpose and vote for him? Kane just misses out on being Chancellor, for real, again.

Leave Lincoln Alone Stupid Farm Sector!!!

So, during the Memorial Ceremony for the people lost during the Mount Weather explosion, some stupid Farm Sector guy throws a rock at Lincoln's head. Not okay. You do not hurt Lincoln. His scene where he's stumbling out with a bloody head and says, get knocked down, get back up again, I felt so many feels for him. My poor Lincoln baby.

I'm actually a little scared for Lincoln this season. If we lose a main character, I think it could be him. I base this on the fact that the actor, Ricky Whittle, has landed a role in a new show called American Gods, that I think is on Starz? So I'm bracing myself for the possibility that we could lose him. I will be sad because I really like Lincoln.

I also think Lincoln is interesting, especially in relation to Octavia, because they are both outsiders to their people. Octavia doesn't fit in with the Sky People, because the Sky People punished her for the mere fact that she exists. Lincoln doesn't really fit in with his people either. There's kind of no place for either of them to belong right now. And I just love their whole star-crossed lovers thing.

Jasper and Monty not making up

I liked seeing Jasper and Monty together again, but it was bittersweet, because they are not the same friends that came down to Earth together. Jasper is a mess, an emotional mess. Monty still wants to be there for Jasper, but can't really do anything until Jasper gets himself together. It's just sad to see a friendship that so many people love from the show, being so broken. And then comes the scene where Jasper trips and spills Finn's ashes, that he had brought with him back to the site of the original dropship and 100 settlement. Just very sad. I hope Jasper can finally get his life back together.

Most Frustrating Parts of the Episode: Bellamy Blake

Bellamy Blake is bae. He's my favorite character on the show. I look forward to seeing him in every episode, which just makes what happened that more frustrating. I don't know what's going on here. Why the writers think it's a good idea, or even think it's believable to have Bellamy revert back to Season 1 Bellamy. In this episode, Bellamy is grieving for Gina and blames himself for getting the residents in Mount Weather killed because he trusted Echo. Pike kind of uses that grief to turn Bellamy to his side. Have Bellamy join in on his anti-Grounder spiel, and have Bellamy get him the guns that he wants to kill all the Grounders.

I have many problems with this. First, while I think Bellamy cared for Gina, I don't think he loved her. So I don't see Gina's death as the impetus for Bellamy's complete turnaround regarding what he thinks of the Grounders. Bellamy's character has had a lot of growth over the past 3 seasons. All you have to do is watch the show from the beginning to see how much Bellamy's character has grown and changed. His feelings for the Grounders in Season 1 are not the same feelings he has in Season 3. It doesn't make sense to me for Bellamy to forget everything he has learned about the Earth and it's people, to go on the warpath with Pike. He has friends that are Grounders. People that he respects. I don't buy it. I don't believe it. I also think that if Clarke hadn't abandoned him, again, he wouldn't have jumped onto Pike's crazy train. Clarke and him were good leaders together, and now, he really has no one to talk to.

In my cynical head, I almost see this as an attempt to try and kill Bellarke. Like the writers put all these scenes with Clarke and Lexa, really push on the fact that Clarke is bisexual, just really try to push this Lexa ship down the viewers throats. But then the Bellarke love and fandom remains strong. Now it feels like, well we gotta change Bellamy, make him into a character that nobody likes. If they don't like Bellamy anymore, then the Bellarke ship is dead. The ship will never be dead to me. In all honesty, I'm not really into Clarke at the moment. If the writer's give Bellamy a believably built relationship with someone else, I won't be mad. I just want Bellamy to be happy. I'm Team Bellamy

So, we'll see what happens with this. I also kind of like Kane and Bellamy's relationship. They almost seem like a father and son. Kane just looks so disappointed in Bellamy in this episode and he just wants Bellamy to pick the right path. I do wonder why Kane never had any children. I think, if I remember right, he had some type of wife or girlfriend in Season 1. Just curious.

Left out of the episode

No Raven again, which is not acceptable.

Also no Jaha or Murphy, which really makes me wonder about this storyline. ALIE is supposed to play a really big part in Season 3, so I have to think that more focus will be put on it soon.

Episode Grade B-

Probably my least favorite episode of the season so far. Not liking the direction they are going with Bellamy. Getting a little tired of Polis. Awesome fight scene though! So glad Roan is still alive.

Review: Saga: Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Title: Saga: Volume 2

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Artist: Fiona Staples

Published by: Image Comics, Inc.

Released: 2013

Summary: Two star crossed lovers on the run for their lives have the most terrifying visit of all, in-laws! Marko's parents come to visit and Alanna must make nice. They are also still being chased by what feels like the entire universe. Another exciting edition to the Saga.

My Thoughts: An enjoyable addition to the Saga storyline. In comparison to the first volume, this one wasn't super exciting, but I still enjoyed it.

This series gets such hype on booktube and the internet, and while I'm enjoying reading it, I don't know if I think it's the best thing ever that I've read. It's definitely a fun reading experience though.

I really enjoy the story, how Hazel narrates the struggles of her early life. There's a lot of heart there, and I'm very interested to see how her story continues.

I also really enjoy the artwork. It's so colorful and pretty, but then it can turn really weird and shocking. I still don't recommend for younger readers because of the sometimes shocking, rated R illustrations.

Some of this second volume felt like filler. Like not a lot really happened in it. I was also not a fan of that cliffhanger ending, most times those just feel so mean.

I did like going back in time and seeing how Hazel's parents met. I liked how Hazel got to spend some time with her grandpa.

So far, I think Saga is a lot of fun and I'm definitely going to continue with it. Really pretty artwork and an interesting storyline make for a fun reading experience. I'm glad I picked this series up.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

And the Saga Continues...

Reading Right Now! (#52)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is something different, FINALLY! I finished Maplecroft by Cherie Priest, which I thought was never going to end. I felt a real sense of success when I was able to turn the last page. I've kind of given up on Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry at the moment, but I'll definitely get back to it sometime. Now onto the books that I'm currently reading!

Title: Tattooed As Trouble (Apparently this is the third book in a series, but I don't think it's one of those series that depends on you having read the previous books.)

Author: J.L. Hammer

I'm about 34% through this one.

This is my Netgalley read for the week. Thank you Netgalley and Entangled LLC, for not denying me right off the bat. I really do want to try and get my review rating up to a decent number. Hopefully, maybe. This is about a girl named Reagan, who while helping her brother commit a crime, witnesses a murder. The murder involves a prominent (now outed as dirty) judge and a pretty vicious street gang. Reagan is put into the witness protection program while she waits to testify for trial. Of course one of the U.S. Marshals guarding her is ridiculously good looking and romance ensues.

So far, it's an alright read. The romance aspect comes about pretty quick, which isn't necessarily the most believeable. It's told in dual perspectives from Reagan's voice and the Marshal's. Hopefully I finish it pretty soon so I can get the review up.

Title: The Devouring (The Devouring #1)

Author: Simon Holt

I'm about 43% of the way through this one and it is great!

I'd heard about The Devouring series on youtube/booktube quite a while back. One of the booktubers I enjoy watching, Sue from SueMoro or now Sue'sBookNook, read it and really enjoyed it. She commented on how creepy and scary it was. I can definitely agree.

This book is about a girl named Regina who finds this old, handwritten diary detailing the horrors of the Vours. These creatures come out on the winter solistice, the longest night of the year, and invade peoples' bodies when they are most afraid. Once the Vours take you over, your body is the same, but your soul is gone. One day, Regina notices that her little brother Henry has been changed. It seems that the Vours have got him!

This kind of reminds me a little of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We've got main girl Regina, who has to save her little brother. Her trusty sidekick/friend Aaron. And an older mentor who knows a lot about the arcane and magic, Eben. And this is legitmately scary, which is so hard to find done really well in YA. I'm definitely flying through this and can't wait to continue with the series.

Title: Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded

Edited by: Ann and Jeff Vandermeer

This is an anthology, so I'm slowly going through this story by story.

I really enjoy Steampunk and happened to find this at my local library. It's an anthology of steampunk tales told by a variety of authors. I've only read 1 and 1/2 of the stories so far and I'm kind of meh about it right now. The book is really kind of pretty though. There are all these illustrations in the pages. It does kind of read like a college literature textbook though. It's a little dull, I won't lie. I haven't come across a really fun, steampunk story yet.

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! Tell me what you are reading in the comments below.

Review: Angel Fire (Angel #2) by L.A. Weatherly

Title: Angel Fire (Angel #2)

Author: L.A. Weatherly

Published by: Candlewick Press

Released: 2011

Summary: After their failed attempt to stop the Second Wave of parasitic angels, Willow and Alex are on the run. With all the followers of the Church looking for them, Alex and Willow have to disguise themselves. When Willow gets a vision of Mexico City and 12 shining and powerful Angels, they decide to head there. This could be the last opportunity to get rid of the Angels once and for all. In Mexico City, they meet up with some old friends. Alex becomes leader of some new A.K.s. Also, there's another boy searching for Willow, a boy who's been searching for her his whole life. His name is Seb and he's a half-angel too. When Willow and Seb meet, there's an instant connection. Now there's a new boy vying for Willow's heart. As the epic battle between the Angels and the group draws closer, Willow must also decide who she should truly be with.

My Thoughts: I was very excited to read this book. I remember reading and loving the first one and being very interested in seeing what happens next. The lovely cover and huge length of the novel just added to my urgency to read it. Upon reading, this book was such a disappointment. I don't know if it suffered from Second Book Syndrome or if the author didn't really have enough of a story for it. I was just very disappointed in this story for various reasons.

First and foremost, this book was entirely too long. I don't mind long books, most times I feel the longer the better, but there has to be some kind of a story to fill the pages and in Angel Fire, there really wasn't. The beginning and ending were fun to read, but the middle was long, drawn out, and at many times boring. The story just wasn't gripping enough to capture all of my attention, so there were many times I would get bored and put the book down.

My second problem was the love triangle. I didn't like it. I didn't like the insta-love between Seb and Willow. I didn't like the jealousy of Alex. Alex turned into a real jerk in Chapter 19, and I don't even know what sparked that epic argument. It seemed to come out of nowhere. Now I had no problem with the actual characters of Seb, Willow, and Alex, but the introduction of this love triangle just messed everything up. It wasn't needed. I would have loved for Seb and Willow to just be fast friends than lovers destined to be together.

The third thing I didn't really like was the absence of action. The middle part really dragged because there was nothing really interesting happening in the story. The reader was stuck with Willow and Seb talking and talking, when they could of been with Alex and the other AK's on hunts.

The last thing I felt was lacking was character development of the secondary characters. Instead of being stuck with Willow and Seb 24/7, I would have liked to get to know the other characters more.

I really wanted to love this book because of my love for the first one, but I just couldn't. Angel Fire was a very disappointing read. I liked the beginning and the ending, so I will be checking out the third and final book when it comes out. If you're a fan of the first book, then I would recommend reading Angel Fire just so you're ready for the third. I feel bad about hating on this book, but I want my reviews to be what I honestly thought of the book. Sorry for the length and the ranting.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 2.5/5

Such A Disappointment

Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Books You Were Spoiled For

This week's Top 5 Wednesday is the Top 5 Books You Were SPOILED For. There have been a couple. The internet has only made the book SPOILING that much worse. There have been times where I've kept myself away from any reviews or people that would SPOIL the book for me, and then when I least expect it, I'm SPOILED on twitter or instagram. It's an awful feeling. Who wants to be SPOILED for a book? Part of the fun is being surprised by all the twists and turns. Anyway, here's the Top 5 Books That I Was SPOILED For. WARNING!! There will probably be SPOILERS ahead, which is funny considering this is a post about books you were SPOILED for.

  

5. 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad - This one I think I might have been SPOILED for, just because I've heard (SPOILERS) that it ends badly. Haven't read it yet, but I'm excited to. I know that this one is about space and some kids are sent up there because they won some type of lottery. The trip turns terrifying somehow. I love space books. So, even if I have been inadvertently SPOILED for this one, I still gonna read it.

4. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - This one I managed to stay away from all the SPOILERS, until I watched a lone episode of 20/20. 20/20 SPOILED this book for me. Just plain mean really. Still gonna read it anyway, but now I might know at least one of the twists.

3. Shadowlands (Shadowlands #1) by Kate Brian - Okay, this one I SPOILED for myself, because I read the last page. Warning to others, don't read the last page before you finish the book, because it gives a pretty big thing away. I have this bad habit of turning to the last page of a book and reading the last couple sentences. Sometimes I do it when there's a possible relationship involved and I want to see if it worked out for the couple. Sometimes I'm just not able to contain my curiosity and need to read ahead. I end up regretting it, but I just can't help myself. This book was really good though. As long as you don't read the last page prematurely, you'll definitely be shocked by the twist.

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (HP #6) by J.K. Rowling - My Dad SPOILED this one for me and he didn't even read the series. I think he was browsing the internet, before the book had come out, and came across the SPOILER that someone of vast importance dies. I didn't believe him, because I live in a state of denial, so when he turned out to be right, my mouth fell open in shock. I forgive him though, even though it's hard haha.

1. Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth - Who wasn't SPOILED for this one? It's got to be everybody. I mean, it's a little annoying, but I guess I can understand. I mean the death of a character can cause enough shock and urge to grieve and talk about it. Haven't read this series yet. I still plan on it, even though some of the excitement is gone because I know how it ends.

So those were the Top 5 Books I Was SPOILED For. What books were SPOILED for you? Let me know in the comments below. If you want to join in on the Top 5 Wednesday fun, you totally should. Each Wednesday is a fun topic to think about, talk about, and share. Fun times. Check out all the other Top 5 Wednesday-ers here!

What Did I Think of: The 100: Season 3, Episode 3-Ye Who Enter Here- (SPOILERS!!)

I have mixed feelings about Season 3, Episode 3 of The 100 (Ye Who Enter Here). It's definitely not my favorite episode of the Season so far. There was just too many Clarke and Lexa scenes for me to love it. I know some people probably thought it was the best episode ever because of all the Clarke and Lexa scenes, but I don't really like Clarke when she's spending vast amounts of time with Lexa. I think Lexa tries really hard to change her and mold her into what she thinks Clarke should be, instead of accepting Clarke for who she is. So the first half of the episode, I wasn't really a fan of. In the second half of the episode, things got cray, and that's the part I really enjoyed. Let my rambling begin!

We start off the episode with Clarke still stuck in Lexa's Ivory Tower. A week has passed in which Clarke has rebuffed Lexa's advances to talk. Lexa comes into Clarke's room and tells Clarke she wants the Sky People to become her people. That she wants the Skykru to become the 13th clan. That would involve Lexa becoming their leader and Clarke having to bow to her. Clarke is not having that.  She then even tells Lexa to Go Float Yourself, which is funny because Lexa probably has no idea what that even means. Then comes what I think as a weak explanation on Lexa's part, why she betrayed Clarke and her people at the end of Season 2. Sure, maybe Lexa did what a good leader would do to save her people, but she gave the Sky people up to the wolves. She betrayed them and she really betrayed Clarke. I just thought Lexa's explanation was weak and she didn't even show that much passion in trying to convince Clarke that what she did was right. Lexa is so unemotional about things that she's almost boring. And I think the reason she's coming to Clarke for help is because Clarke sort of one-upped her by destroying the Mountain Men. Clarke has become Wanheda, the Commander of Death. She's like a mythic figure. If Lexa had honored their deal in Season 2, she might have shared that title with Clarke. I mean, Lexa's options are either get Clarke on her side or kill her. How strong can Commander Lexa really be when it was Wanheda that got rid of her enemy for good.

Then we fast forward to Commander Lexa's I AM SPARTA moment

which I just felt meh about. That Ice Nation guy was pretty stupid to follow her to an open balcony after he had just questioned her leadership skills. I guess it could have been a cool moment if it hadn't been such a copy from the 300 movie. Like if she had slit his throat and pushed him over the edge, that would have been more shocking.

We then are sent to Mount Weather, where Bellamy, Raven, Octavia, and Gina are there to deliver supplies. Pike and his Farm Station have pretty much moved in and are throwing a party. That just felt a little jarring and wrong, because the last time we had seen it like that was when the people of Mount Weather were still alive. 

I loved the moment we got between Bellamy and Octavia. Octavia is going through such a struggle of where she belongs and it is kind of obvious that it's not with the Skykru anymore. Bellamy sees that and tells her that whatever she decides to do, she'll always have a place with him. Awww. Best sibling moment ever and more reason of why Bellamy is the best!

Then we get the surprise appearance of Echo, a Grounder who was being held at Mount Weather the same time Bellamy was. She helped Bellamy to escape from the guard and cages when he first got there, so Bellamy trusts her. She tells Bellamy that there is an assassin in Polis at the peace summit, and that at sundown, all the Sky People will die. Bellamy knows that Clarke is at Polis (along with other people who don't mean as much to him as Clarke does ;] ) so Bellamy decides pretty quickly that he's gotta go save Clarke.

Then we jump back to Polis where they are having their peace summit ceremony. For reasons that I still have yet to understand, Clarke decides to go along with Lexa's wishes. There's this weird singing going on. Clarke comes out in full grounder garb and bows down to Lexa. Yuck. I didn't get why Clarke changed her mind so quickly on that front. Lexa is still massively untrustworthy to me and seems to only look out for herself. So that's what I consider the not as exciting part of the episode. Lots of scenes with Clarke and Lexa at Polis doing really nothing. The second half is where everything starts to hit the fan and go really, really crazy. 

Bellamy is determined to get to Polis and rescue them all from the assassin and Pike has the bright idea to try to arm the missiles in Mount Weather. That was a head scratcher. The first thing he thinks of is to use the most destructive weapon he has around to take out the Grounders. Pike and I are gonna have problems. So Raven, Sinclair, and Gina head to the control room to figure out how to arm the missiles. Turns out you need a code that they don't have.

We then get a really heartbreaking scene where Raven asks if she's broken, that maybe she can't be fixed. I love Raven and seeing her hurting has me hurting. Sinclair does a pretty good job of convincing her to let Abby and the medical team try and fix her hip. I think she even might take him up on that offer. Gina offers to go to the President's office to see if the codes are written down somewhere.

Then the massive twist happens!!!

Echo has betrayed them. The Assassin is not at Polis, HE'S IN MOUNT WEATHER *screaming*

Echo is part of Ice Nation, which is no friend to Commander Lexa or anyone that Lexa wants to bring in as an ally. Echo has been sent so the Sky People's guard will be down. So disappointing. I wonder if we'll get more story with Echo. Like will she try to redeem herself. She didn't seem that gleeful when she made her report.

Anway, Gina is making a report from the President's Office and the Assassin is RIGHT BEHIND HER!! AAaaahhh. He stabs Gina a bunch of times and opens up a panel on the President's Desk. He rolls up his sleeve to reveal a code on his arm and triggers a self-destruct sequence for Mount Weather. Why would Mount Weather have a self-destruct option? I don't know. Doesn't seem very smart to me. After he punches in the code, the assassin leaves. Gina musters just enough strength to get to the walkie talkie and warn Raven and Sinclair of the imminent doom that is about to happen and the assassin. Sinclair and Raven chase the Assassin out of the compound and Raven shoots him dead. She tries to get Gina back on the walkie to give her the code and turn the self-destruct off, but it's too late, Gina is dead.

Again, I have mixed feelings about this turn of events. I didn't necessarily love Gina's character, because she was an impediment to the whole Bellarke relationship, but maybe I would have liked her if I'd been given a chance too. If Gina's character would have had the chance to grow. From what I've heard Jason Rothenberg say (the show creator and cause of vast frustration regarding Bellarke) losing Gina will make Bellamy make some bad decisions as the season goes on. Many viewers were criticizing this as a cheap, overused plot device and I have to agree. Even when Bellamy learns of Gina's death, he doesn't act that heartbroken. I think that's because Gina was always just a filler for him. A way to carry on while Clarke was gone. Their relationship never really felt believable and it does seem kind of dirty only to include her and her death to make Bellamy go on some dark, questionable journey. Rothenberg could have done better with that one, because I really don't think The 100 fandom buys it that much. Anyway RIP Gina, I wish I could have had the chance to know you better.

Raven, after not being able to get Gina on the walkie is about to run into Mount Weather when it explodes!!!

30+ Sky People are included in the causalities. The majority of them being from that unlucky Farm Sector who just can't seem to catch a break. Things are going good. They've found more of their people. A place to bunker down. And then BOOM dead. So this will result in more hard feelings from Pike and more ammo for his whole death to the Grounders spiel.

Bellamy, Octavia, and Pike meanwhile have made it into the peace summit with swords drawn only to find nothing there. Raven then calls in on her walkie to tell of the tragedy. Lexa then declares them at war with Ice Nation and has all Ice Nation affiliates at the summit arrested. Prince Roan goes back to jail. He's not really all that surprised.

Then comes the moment where my Bellarke heart breaks once again. Lexa sends the Arker's back to their territory in order to get ready for war. But surprise surprise, she wants to keep Clarke with her as a Skykru Ambassador. My eyes just rolled. Could Lexa be anymore transparent. She just doesn't want Clarke going off with Bellamy, who she's already jealous of. Bellamy comes to Clarke and tells her to come back to her people, that they need her and Lexa can't be trusted for anything. Bellamy reminds Clarke of how Lexa left their people to die and how she'll do it again, given the chance. Clarke again breaks Bellamy's heart by stating that she would stay with Lexa. ARRGGGHH. His face in that scene.

Here's what I'm afraid of, that this Season will be just like Season 2, where Bellamy and Clarke are separated the majority of the time, while Lexa is there to try and manipulate and change Clarke. I'm tired of this. Bellamy and Clarke work better when they are together than when they are apart. Lexa is a thorn that needs to be removed. Also Lexa's motives are always so fishy. I'm hoping that Clarke still has her defenses up around Lexa. That she realizes that it is only a matter of time before Lexa decides to betray her again. I hope she can fix the damage that she continues to do to Bellamy's heart and trust. This scene just hurt me.

Then we get a weird scene where Lexa bows down to Clarke and recites some weird vows of loyalty, almost like she's trying to marry Clarke. *Gag* Lexa is a liar and a cheat and will continue to be one in my mind.

The last real important scene in this episode is that the Ice Queen is finally revealed along with our slippery Mount Weather foe Emerson, the only survivor of the Mount Weather annihilation.

He's the one that supplied the codes and started this next conflict. Emerson, Go Float Yourself. In regards to the Ice Queen, she looks pretty scary. A formidable enemy. I'm scared, nervous, and excited to see what she does next.

Oh and I almsot forgot, no City of Light, Jaha, or Murphy in this episode. Also no Jasper or Monty. I guess that's a good thing about this show, how there are so many storylines and characters that you care about, that you notice when they are not in an episode. I bet we'll get some City of Nonsense stuff, Oh I mean City of Light stuff, in the next episode.

So those are my thoughts on Episode 3 - Ye Who Enter Here. It's not my favorite episode of Season 3. The beginning was a little slow and boring, but the second half was pretty awesome. This episode also caused much pain for my Bellarke heart. I blame the vocal Lexa/Clexa fandom for this and the show writers and creators continuing to push a weak romance instead of the strong one with more chemistry. As always, these are my own thoughts and opinions. If you don't like what I have to say, I don't care.

Episode Grade: B

Slow first half, but great second half. Twist I didn't see coming. RIP Gina, you deserved more. Lexa Go Float Yourself. My Bellarke heart hurts.

screenshots from http://screencapped.net/tv/the100/