Fantastic Five {MAY}

Welcome to my Fantastic Five post for May 2013, in which I tell you the top five best books I read in May!

Read on May 29, 2013

5. Goddess (Starcrossed, #3) - Josephine Angelini

Talk about an epic conclusion! The Starcrossed trilogy is one of my favorite series of all time, and is the best Greek mythology trilogy I've ever read. And Goddess did not disappoint! It was definitely the best of the whole series, and that ending was INSANE! Page 344. I can't even. So good!

Read on May 7 to 8, 2013

4. The End Games - T. Michael Martin

The best zombie novel I've ever read - there, I said it. What I love the absolute most about The End Games was that it wasn't entirely focused on zombies. Don't get me wrong, they are a HUGE part to the story. But I believe that the main storyline is the connection between these two brothers during the world's end. And since I have a brother, this really connected with me. Loved this book!

Read on May 15, 2013

3. The Whatnot (Peculiar, #2) - Stefan Bachmann

The Peculiar was my favorite middle-grade read of 2012 (it made my top five of all the books I read in 2012, actually!), and I was so delighted to hear that there was a sequel to it. And oh man, The Whatnot was FANTASTIC! Even better than the first book. The world expanded so brilliantly and wonderfully, and this was just an amazing, amazing book. So fantastic!

Read from May 9 to 10, 2013

2. Icons (Icons, #1) - Margaret Stohl

To be honest, I almost didn't read Icons this month. At the time I picked it up, I had my finals that week, and since it's 428 pages, I didn't think I'd finish it quickly. I read Icons in 12 hours. It was un-put-down-able! I loved every single bit of this book, and now, I'm dying for the sequel! *grabby hands*

AND MY #1 BOOK OF MAY...

Read on May 31, 2013

1. The 5th Wave (5th Wave, #1) - Rick Yancey

I had heard so much hype about The 5th Wave. Please believe me when I say that this book lives up to and deserves every ounce of hype it is receiving. It's honestly and truly fantastic. I loved this book so, so, so much - oh my gosh, I cannot wait for the sequel. And I want to re-read The 5th Wave so badly. I may have to do just that soon!

What were your favorite reads in May?

Brad About Books: The End Games by T. Michael Martin

Read from May 7 to 8, 2013

THE END GAMES
Published: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper)
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 369 pages
Source: Amazon.com

It happened on Halloween. The world ended. And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.

Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.

In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.

But The Game is changing. The Bellows are evolving.

The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules. And the brothers will never be the same.

T. Michael Martin’s debut novel is a transcendent thriller filled with electrifying action, searing emotional insight, and unexpected romance.

The End Games is mind-blowing. Fast-paced, electric, and amazing in every way possible, this debut novel is powerful.

You guys don't even understand how much I was anticipating The End Games. A) Fantastic cover. B) The plot sounded awesome. And let me say that everything about The End Games worked for me. I want to start with the world-building - oh my gosh, is it terrifying. It took me a bit to figure out what was going on and what happened to our world, but once I did, I got a perfect picture in my head. The Bellows are these eerie and creepy freaks that roam around, and the first chapter of the book starts off with an attack from the Bellows. I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time. In fact, I don't think there was a moment when I wasn't on the edge of my seat. T. Michael Martin did a brilliant job at crafting his world together. 

A thing I love the most about The End Games is that it doesn't focus just on the world and the Bellows, it also focuses on the characters and how this world changes them. Michael and Patrick's brotherly relationship was awesome. Sometimes you read books about two sisters, but I don't think that I, myself, have ever read a book where two brothers are together the entire book. And seeing as that I have a brother, it was a really nice change. Michael was the strong, I'll-always-protect-you kind of big brother, which was great. I connected to his character instantly, and he never let me down. Patrick is the naïve, silly little brother, and he knows that his brother would always keep him safe. I just really appreciated the change that The End Games brings to the table - not only is it a male POV, the main characters are two brothers. 

Talk about twists and turns. At the end of every chapter, my mouth had fallen open. Seriously. Michael did a phenomenal job at plotting out the story so perfectly so he could put in plot twists. And man, there are loads! Lots of things I didn't even expect or see coming happened, and once they did, it always boggled my mind. It's so amazing. It's only May, but I can definitely see The End Games on my Top 13 of 2013 list. The End Games is definitely the best debut novel I've read all year!

Overall, The End Games is truly, truly a must-read. If you haven't started it, what are you waiting for? This novel is marvelous, and I can't wait to see what T. Michael Martin writes next!

M Y   R A T I N G