Hey everyone! I just thought I'd let you know that I have decided to take a little break from blogging. I am on placement for college at the moment for three weeks, and I just won't have time with all the lesson planning and resource making to write and post reviews and read. I will be back on my regular schedule of posting on Tuesdays on the 11th of April! Until then you can always follow my reading (if I have time to read anything!) on my goodreads (link in the side bar) or my twitter (@AsBookObsession)!
Thanks for understanding,
A :)

Through The Dark by Alexandra Bracken

*This post may contain spoilers for all three books in The Darkest Minds Trilogy by Alexandra Bracken' The Darkest Minds, Neverfade, In The After Light*

Series: The Darkest Minds, #1.5, #2.5, #3.5

Publication:October 6th 2015 by Disney Hyperion

Goodreads Description:
Don't miss this breathtaking collection of stories set in the world of the New York Times best-selling Darkest Minds trilogy. Featuring ebook original novellas In Time and Sparks Rise, and a gripping, brand-new novella, Through the Dark is a must-have for fans of the Darkest Minds. This collection contains three novellas: In Time, Sparks Rise, and Beyond the Night, as well as a sneak peek at the first novel in Alexandra Bracken's new series, Passenger. 

IN TIME 
Gabe's life has been devastated in the wake of the economic crash. The only option left for someone like him to escape his tragic past is to leave his small town behind and to attempt to become a skiptracer. This already almost-impossible task is made all the more difficult by his first "score,"a young girl who won't speak, but who changes his life in ways he could never imagine. 

SPARKS RISE 
Sam didn't think things could get worse at Thurmand rehabilitation camp. Then the Reds arrive. Everyone assumed the kids with firepower had been killed years ago. Instead they were taken away, brainwashed, and returned as terrifyingly effective guards. To her horror, Sam recognizes one of them: Lucas, the one spark of light in Sam's dark childhood. Lucas has a deadly secret--he beat the brutal training that turned his fellow Reds into mindless drones. When Sam defends herself against an attack by a vile PSF guard and faces a harrowing punishment, Lucas must risk everything to save her. 

BEYOND THE NIGHT 
The government-run "rehabilitation camps" have been shut down, but kids with Psi powers are anything but free. Sam would rather be on her own than put in the care of a foster family and given the "cure"--a dangerous procedure that unclaimed kids across the country are being forced to undergo. But there's more at stake than just her own safety. Sam once made someone a promise, and the time has come to fulfill it. Now that she's out of her camp, Mia only has one thought in her head: finding Lucas, her beloved older brother.

My Thoughts:
Through The Dark is an amazing addition to The Darkest Minds Trilogy. I would highly recommend reading the three novellas in between each novel; so: The Darkest Minds, In Time, Neverfade Sparks Rise, In The Afterlight and then Beyond The Night.
Alexandra Bracken is so freaking good at wrting novellas. even though the stories are short they have all the charm and emotional punch her full length novels have. 

In Time
The character development in this novella is enough of a reason to read it. It was my least favourite of the three but it was still really good.

Sparks Rise
I really enjoyed this novella. I gave readers a really good insight into what the camps were like. I was really surprised at how much of an emotional read Spars Rise was. The new characters,Sam and Lucas, introduced were just so likable. The more I read the more invested I got in them. I really grew to love both Sam and Lucas in the 80 or so pages we got with them. I really felt for them, I was cheering for them at points and I was genuinely worried for them at other parts.

Beyond the Night
This novella was definitely my favourite novella. The story takes place a few weeks after the events of In The Afterlight so if you weren't satisfied with the ending you should read this novella. It answered a lot of questions I had when I finished In The Afterlight. And I loved this novella because the old gang makes an appearance!! I'm not going to say who but I was so excited to see them.I missed them so much so it was wonderful to see all my favoruites again.

Overall, Through The Dark is a great addition to the series and a must read if you love The Darkest Minds Trilogy.

My Rating: 4.5

Thanks for reading,
A :)
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Crystal Storm by Morgan Rhodes

*This post contains spoilers for the first four books in the Falling Kingdoms series*

Series: Falling Kingdoms, #5

Publication:December 13th 2016 by Razorbill

Goodreads Description:
The ruthless Empress Amara of Kraeshia has taken the Mytican throne, and now uncertainty looms over the three kingdoms. Since Lucia unleashed the fire Kindred, wreaking havoc throughout the land, Myticans have been looking for someone—anyone—they can trust. They believe in Amara, not knowing her grand promises are built on lies.

In Paelsia, Magnus and Cleo reluctantly follow King Gaius to the home of his exiled mother, Selia. Selia is a powerful witch and claims she can help unlock the magic of the Kindred—if the visitors agree to her terms. When Jonas arrives from Kraeshia, he is shocked to find that his rebel army now includes his sworn enemies. Along with Nic, Felix, and the mysteriously resurrected Ashur, the contentious group agrees to cast aside old grudges—for now—and united against their common enemy: Amara.

Meanwhile, bearing the child of a Watcher and feared by all, Princess Lucia travels across Mytica to find her family. But time is running out. The impending storm signals the dark prophecy Timotheus warned her about. Her fate is written, and it includes none other than the rebel Jonas. When their paths collied, Jonas and Lucia must decide between blindly following their destiny or fighting for their own free will.

The battle for power culminates at the Paelsian palace, where Amara resides. Rain pours. Blood spills. And soon all will discover that the darkest magic comes at an even darker price.

My thoughts:
Crystal Storm is just as good if not better than the previous books in the series. The story starts right were Frozen Tides ended; so I would recommend either reread the last few chapters of Frozen Tides right before Crystal Storm or read a really good summary because you literally get thrown straight in.

I really liked how we get some background information on the king. He has been an antagonist for the whole series and before Crystal Storm all we know about him is that he is an awful person so it's great that we get to know him a bit better in this instalment. 

There is so much characters and switching POVs that the overall story only moves forward a tiny bit compared to everyone's individual stories.

Jonas has a very interesting storyline in this one. There is some very cool developments with his character which I really liked and can't wait to read more about but I can't talk about because of spoilers!

I actually liked Lucia in Crystal Storm. I found her to be not as much of a bitch as she was in the last books in the series. She has an air about her that she really wants to fix her past mistakes and I just felt like she has really matured into a character I can like.

Cleo and Magnus' relationship definitely has a main storyline in Crystal Storm so be prepared for drama. They are trying to figure out their new relationship. They are both very cautious with each other for different reasons and there is definitely some tension between the two. At points I felt like it was a bit much and they were acting very immature and a bit out of character but it wasn't anything major. 

There is a good bit of death in Crystal Storm which made it stressful to read. There were people being killed, coming back from the dead, in the process of dying. It was crazy and it didn't help with all the switching POVs. I'd be so invested in a chapter and something intense would be happening and then it would switch POV. It made me read the book so quickly.

Be warned that there is a massive cliff hanger at the end of Crystal Storm so if you hate waiting for the next book in the series I would recommend you wait until closer the release date of the last book to pick up Crystal Storm because the cliff hanger is driving me crazy; I am so anxious to get the next book!

My rating:4.5 stars out of 5

Thanks for reading,
A :)
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