Tangled Thoughts by Cara Bertrand

Title: Tangled Thoughts
Author: Cara Bertrand
Publisher: Luminis Books
Publication date: July 15, 2016
Pages: 320
Source/format: Paperback from Cara Bertrand

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

High school graduation is a time for goodbyes, new beginnings, and if you're Lainey Young, narrowly escaping with your life. Forced to leave behind both Northbrook Academy and Carter Penrose, Lainey believes she's earned her freedom from the eyes of the Perceptum and Daniel Astor's schemes. When tragedy brings Lainey and Carter face to face for the first time since summer, their lives have never felt more separate. Lies drove them apart. Will the truth bring them together?

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Lainey Young has graduated from Northbrook Academy and is currently attending college in Boston, MA. She is still trying to find herself and is trying to live life far away from the Sentenia, the gifted people with cognitive abilities. Carter Penrose's sort of uncle, Daniel Astor, made a deal with Lainey that if she left Carter, she could have a normal life. And for once she didn't really think about the Perceptum or Carter. Lainey has grown smitten with one of her TAs, Jack Kensington.

Carter moves to DC and he starts his life with a clean slate with college and a new girlfriend under his belt. Heartbroken over Lainey, he sees Lainey's decision to leave him as the ultimate betrayal. However, Carter and Lainey are still linked together and it's because of Astor.

Tangled Thoughts is written in a dual POV perspective. I was super excited Cara Bertrand bestowed her readers the chance to read Carter's POV since in the the previous books, we saw events through Lainey's eyes. This novel is much slower than the previous two but it crucial to the plot line of the series. As Carter peels the layers of Astor, he uncovers Astor's true motive and hidden secrets.

I am not that fond of Lainey's and Carter's new love interests but then again I am biased. I see Lainey and Carter as the One True Pairing (OTP). I am hoping they reconcile in the last installment of the series. It is interesting to see how Lainey and Carter interact outside of the Northbrook Academy setting. No longer are they enclosed in a world of Sententia. They are free to explore a bit and to find themselves. After all, that's what college is all about.

A little bit of suspense, a dash of paranormal and sprinkle of romance make Tangled Thoughts a solid novel in the Sententia series. Of course readers know Lainey can never escape her past forever. Her past creeps up in the most unusual way. The twist and cliffhanger at the end makes me want more and I cannot wait for the fourth installment to this series.

Second Thoughts by Cara Bertrand

Title: Second Thoughts
Author: Cara Bertrand
Publisher: Luminis Books
Publication date:  October 1, 2014
Pages: 295
Source/format: ARC from Goodreads First Reads

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Secrets, lies, and looming deaths—all things Lainey Young deals with in a typical day of high school. In her senior year at Northbrook Academy—a New England boarding school where the majority of the students and nearly all the staff are members of the Sententia, a hidden society of the psychically gifted—Lainey has even more to worry about. Things like classes, college, her boyfriend, and, of course, the vision she glimpsed of her impending death. But to her surprise, Lainey finds one worry she can cross off her list, namely Senator Daniel Astor, the leader of the Sententia. After a shocking discovery when they finally meet, Lainey realizes maybe she was wrong to distrust the Senator. She relaxes even further when he seems to accept her refusal to work for him after graduation. But with her secrets mounting and the time to solve them running out, there’s a final enigma Lainey hasn’t yet encountered: Daniel Astor doesn’t take no for an answer. Ever. 

My Thoughts:

Lainey is starting her senior year at Northbrook Academy. Amy has redecorated the dorm room and so far the year is going smoothly. Lainey finally meets Senator Dan Astor and is surprised he is a split image of her dad. She feels bad about Jill and Astor claims that they won't be seeing Jill anytime soon due to Jill losing her Sententia gift.

Lainey has already found out that she is a Grim Diviner and a Hangman but when she finds out more about her heritage, she is shocked. Dan wants Lainey to be the assassin-in-residence after she graduates from the academy. He wants her to join the Perceptum and to carry out the Marwood burden. She is not so sure about joining the Perceptum and carrying out the task that literally kills. Speaking about killing, Lainey actually foresees herself dying in visions. When and where it happens isn't clear but Lainey is trying to figure out how to avoid her death. And somehow Dan is responsible for this vision.

Dan has secrets that no one knows about until Lainey stumbles upon things that should be left in the closet. She needs to save herself before graduation or end up dead. Dan doesn't like "No" for an answer. He has clearly been lying to Lainey about him not using his gift. He uses other people like pawns to carry out his dirty work while he stands on the sidelines watching. However, Lainey has another Sententia gift that sparked this year. Dan does not know about it and the gift saves her life.

The novel kept me on the edge of my seat. There was so much going on in this installment of The Sententia series. I love it even more than Lost in Thought. Lainey is a strong woman. There are a lot of obstacles that she needs to face and she handles them quite nicely. I love how she is proactive and is very protective of those she loves.

Of course, Alexis is still butting heads with Lainey during their senior year but what makes it worse is that Alexis' cousin Mandi just started at the Academy and is stirring up trouble. And this time, Alexis is not behind the boyfriend snatching. Mandi has an agenda of her own and Lainey is the target but through other means. Mandi does not attack Carter.

I love how Cara Bertrand starts the novel with Carter and Lainey at the shooting range and how the second to last scene in the book also happens to be at the shooting range. There is lovely foreshadowing happening in this book. Second Thoughts is part mystery, part romance and part coming-of-age story. I highly recommend this book.

I seriously had some tears for the ending of Second Thoughts. It was a tough choice Lainey had to make but she had to do what was best. Let's see where Bertrand takes us in Sententia book #3.

Lost in Thought by Cara Bertrand

Title: Lost in Thought
Author: Cara Bertrand
Publisher: Luminis Books
Publication date:  April 25, 2014
Pages: 288
Source/format: Purchased, hardcover

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Perfect for readers who love books and series such as Vampire Academy, Spellbound, and Sweet Peril, Lost in Thought is a sure winner for young adult readers interested in the paranormal, romance, and action-packed twists



Lainey Young has a secret: she’s going crazy. Everyone else thinks she has severe migraines from stress and exhaustion. What she really has are visions of how people died—or are going to die. Not that she tells anyone that. At age 16, she prefers keeping her crazy to herself. When doctors insist she needs a new and stable environment to recover, Lainey’s game to spend two years at a private New England boarding school. She doesn’t really think it will cure her problem, and she’s half right. There is no cure, but as she discovers, she’s not actually crazy. Almost everyone at Northbrook Academy has a secret too. Half the students and nearly all the staff are members of the Sententia, a hidden society of the psychically gifted. A vision of another student’s impending death confirms Lainey is one of them. She’d like to return the crappy gift of divining deaths with only a touch, but enjoys spending time with Carter Penrose—recent Academy graduate and resident school crush—while learning to control it. Lainey’s finally getting comfortable with her ability, and with Carter, when they uncover her true Sententia heritage. Now she has a real secret. Once it’s spilled, she’ll be forced to forget protecting secrets and start protecting herself. 

My Thoughts:

Lost in Thought was a fun read. Cara Bertrand does an amazing  job with this paranormal fantasy. Lainey Young has never had the typical life. Her parents died when she was young and she ended up being brought up by her aunt. Lainey transferred from school to school due to her aunt's artist lifestyle. During her junior year, Lainey transferred to a prestigious boarding school in Northwestern Massachusetts called Northbrook Academy. Little did she know is that the academy also has a group of the gifted called the Sententia. Lainey meets a guy named Carter who helps her control her gift as well as helping her discover her true heritage. 

I loved reading about how Lainey adapted to Northbrook. Although half the students are Sententia, her everyday life was pretty much of a typical teenage girl. She finds romance with Carter, has an awesome roomie and friend Amy and has some archenemies. During certain parts of the book, I was caught off guard about certain actions. However, most of the plot is pretty predictable. I love how the book has a lot of well developed characters and how there was no instalove between Lainey and Carter. Sure, they were smitten with each other when they first met, but they took the time to know each other.

I am a huge fan of paranormal fantasy, boarding schools and books that have a lot of fun twists. Lost in Thought did not disappoint. 

I am looking forward to reading Second Thoughts.