Review: Days of Blood & Starlight

Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #2) by Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★★

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.


Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

Days of Blood & Starlight is the perfect sequel to Daughter of Smoke & Bone! Not only is it epic as sh!t (excuse my language) but it is also heartbreakingly beautiful. I simply cannot express my love for this amazing series...

Aptly named, Days of Blood & Starlight is far more dark and serious in tone than its predecessor. Not only does Karou have the fate of the Chimera resting on her shoulders as the sole ressurectionist but she also hosts an internal struggle surrounding her feelings for Akiva. There was a much larger focus on Akiva and his history in this book. I loved getting a better idea of who Akiva was and what led him to be that way. Much respect and sympathy was gained for him in this book. Finally, in Days of Blood & Starlight, Akiva became a fully fleshed out character and one of my favorites! In addition to Akiva, I absolutely fell in love with Ziri, a Kirin from Madrigal's past. He plays a HUGE role in the story and plot twist toward the end of the book. His courage, sacrifice, and integrity really shine in Days of Blood & Starlight and I cannot wait to see more of him in the next book!

I loved the addition of  new characters and storylines! The puzzle pieces start to fall together in this book as histories are revealed. It's amazing how Laini Taylor has made things interconnect. How does she think of this stuff!? Really.. it's crazy! It is no surprise that Days of Blood & Starlight far exceeded my expectations! The well placed action, intense emotion, and surprise filled plot left me dying to find out what happens next. Laini Taylor, you have done it once again!

Review: The Raven Boys

The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. 
Format: ARC
Source: BEA 
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★☆☆

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Unfortunately, having enjoyed Maggie's Wolves of Mercy Falls series, I found The Raven Boys to be quite a disappointment. The difference may lie in listening to The Wolves of Mercy Falls series on audiobook verses reading The Raven Boys. Maggie has very gorgeous, beautiful writing, but at times it can be hard to follow. I found myself rereading sections several times just to understand what the heck was going on. Like the Scorpio Races, I almost stopped for this reason. When a book becomes work, I generally don't want to continue. I think I would have enjoyed this much better had I listened via audiobook.

The Raven Boys certainly gets points for originality. I can honestly say it has a story unlike any other. The mystery of it all drove me to push through what was ultimately a good story. I would recommend this book to most people, however, I would strongly recommend listening to it on audio! If you are up for the challenge, give reading it a shot, but it may leave you frustrated and disappointed like me.

Review: Remembrance

Remembrance (Transcend Time, #1) by Michelle Madow
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased at Author Signing 
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy

Remembrance is a beautiful tale of a love that transcends time. Not only is this story addicting, but it features an extremely relatable main character: Lizzie.

We’ve all been there: Caught between our own happiness and that of another. How do you choose? Lizzie has to face this dilemma several times in Remembrance. Does she hurt her best and most loyal friend? Does she break her boyfriends heart? This dilemma made Lizzie one of the most relatable characters I’ve encountered in awhile. Even though Lizzie was an extremely well-written and well developed character, I found other characters to be flat and one dimensional: Jeremy, for example.

What frustrated me about Jeremy is that we only saw one side of him: the jerk side. It would have been much easier to understand why everyone loved him had we seen a glimpse of his old self. I just couldn’t understand why everyone defended his actions when he was clearly no good for Lizzie! Seriously guys, he treated her like crap! I like my antagonists to have more than one facet to their personalities, so I found Jeremy lacking.

On a more positive note, there is one thing that could easily have gone wrong, but didn’t: The flashbacks. Too often I read books featuring flashbacks that are confusing, misplaced, and serve little to no purpose to the plot. Michelle did a fantastic job inserting a few well placed flashbacks that were actually functional. 

Remembrance was a quick, satisfying read that left me wanting to know more about Drew and Lizzie’s history together. Luckily, there is a short story, Vengeance, to hold me over until I can get my hands on Timeless. Don’t miss out on this romantic, feel-good, story!

Review: The Lost Prince

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #1) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley  
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★★

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Julie is an author that, no matter the topic, I will always love her books. Yes, you may even call me a fangirl. I can always count on her rich, beautiful settings and unforgettable characters. The Lost Prince is no exception.

The Lost Prince is a book that, despite being a spinoff of The Iron Fey series, can be read without reading through the original books. I do, however, strongly recommend reading The Iron Fey series first. Not only are they fantastic books, but they will definitely help fill in some plot gaps for unfamiliar readers.

For those who have read The Iron Fey series, do you remember Meghan’s tiny, little brother, Ethan from the first book? Yeah, he’s all grown up now and shirtless on the cover! Seeing him at a young age and seeing him grown are two opposite sides of the spectrum! I loved the contrast between the two. The fey have tortured him his entire life, so I can completely understand his broodiness and complex personality. You can tell Julie really took the time and effort to develop his character!

The Lost Prince features some fantastic action scenes and quirky characters! I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Ethan and Kerrian. It was vaguely reminiscent of Ash and Puck. So if you’ve liked the banter between those two in the past, you will definitely find some entertainment here. I’ll be honest and say I really wanted a glimpse at the present day life of Ash and Meghan. Luckily The Lost Prince delivered. While the story doesn’t revolve around them, there are still some beautiful scenes between the two. I didn’t know it was possible to miss two fictional characters so much… Special thanks to Julie for not leaving them in the dust.

The Lost Prince is nothing short of a showstopper! It has proven itself to be just as engaging and exciting as the The Iron Fey series. I have no doubts that it will continue to meet or even surpass my expectations of the original books. *Impatiently waits for next book*

Audiobook Review: Hidden (Firelight, #3)

Hidden (Firelight, #3) by Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperTEEN
Narrator: Therese Plummer
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased from Audible
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★★

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory.

The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning....

Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

Hidden was an easy 5 stars for me! It was action-packed, character driven, and epic. I’m a sucker for epic-our-world-could-end-right-now stories and this one certainly did not disappoint.

Hidden picked up where the last book, Vanish, left off. Holding nothing back, Hidden delved right back into the intense action and fantastic plot. I was excited to meet several new characters, one of which I found very intriguing! If you’ve read the book, you probably know who I’m talking about. While most of the ends were tied up in this book, I would love to see another book or novella specifically featuring my new character of interest. I feel like there could be another great story surrounding him.

As I said, Sophie Jordan did a great job resolving this book! She wasn’t afraid to kill off characters, so be emotionally prepared for that. There were some very heart-wrenching and emotional points that had me sniffling along with the characters… but even with that, Hidden never slowed. This book will demand your attention and keep it easily with the unbelievable plot twists and revelations. We finally get answers to the biggest questions in the series. Thank goodness because not knowing was killing me!

Hidden is a must read for fans of the series. This is the book where it all comes together! If you haven’t started the series yet (you really shouldn’t have read this review *wink*) you really need to start, because this book made for a phenomenal conclusion to the Firelight series!

Review: Hallowed (Unearthly, #2)

Hallowed (Unearthly, #2) by Cynthia Hand
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Kindle Ebook
Source: NetGalley
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★★

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Perfectly titled, Hallowed is darker in tone than Unearthly. Faced with knowing someone very near to her will die: Clara's relationships are stressed, her inner strength is tested, and her true purpose is revealed. On top of that new characters bring with them unexpected twists and back stories. Cynthia Hand has done it again! My love for the characters drove me to quickly and gladly devour Hallowed.

I was surprised that I found myself disliking Tucker quite a bit in this book. After Unearthly, I didn't think that could ever be a possibility! Though Clara obviously felt strongly for Tucker, being an angel-blood stressed their relationship to the max in Hallowed. I'm sad to say that I slowly converted to Team Christian over the course of this book. Crazy, right!? Reasons being: He was always there for Clara, but never pushy or selfish; She could confide in him about angel related things, something she couldn't really do with Tucker; and they clearly had feelings for each other outside of their purposes.

While this book is sad, it is also filled with hope. Strong characters and an emotion filled plot will engage and inspire readers. I highly recommend this book if you read and enjoyed Unearthly!

Audiobook Review: The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, #1) by Rick Riordan 
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Narrators: Kevin R. Free and Katherine Kellgren
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

The Red Pyramid is a fantastic story on its own, but the narration pushes it over the top! The story was easy to follow and the characters were easy to identify thanks to the extremely talented narrators. I was particularly impressed with Katherine Kellgren's take on Sadie's character! She reflected Sadie's spunk and sarcasm perfectly. It was so perfect that it actually had me laughing driving down the highway. I'm pretty sure people thought I was nuts, but oh well!

My only issue with this book would be that the children acted much older than they actually were. Their intelligence kept me interested, but did seem a bit unrealistic. The story itself was quite serious, but the humor and the characters kept it lighthearted and humorous! For these reasons,  The Red Pyramid, will most certainly thrill fans of The Mummy film.

I highly recommend listening to this one. You won't regret it. The top of the line narration and action-packed story will have you hooked for hours at a time. Don't miss out on The Red Pyramid!

Review: Wake (Watersong, #1)

Wake (Watersong, #1) by Amanda Hocking
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher/BEA
Release Date: August 7th, 2012
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs.  She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door.  He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back.  Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever.  She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove.  They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price.  And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Not having read any of Amanda Hocking's books, I was hesitant to pick up Wake. Luckily, I was not disappointed. Wake proved itself to be a fast, engaging read! While I didn't find myself particularly impressed with the characters, I fell in love with the story. Hocking's true skill for storytelling will make Wake hard to put down this summer!

I was surprised to find that Wake has a darker side. I was expecting the usual fluffy summer romance. Not that there's anything particularly wrong with that, but it can get predictable. Wake was something completely different: an intelligent mix of mythology, horror, and a pinch of romance. After moving a bit slow in the beginning, Wake quickly picked up after Gemma's encounter with Penn, Lexi, and Thea on the cove.
 
The three antagonists, specifically Penn, made wicked awesome villains: beautiful yet deadly and easy to hate. Gemma was the perfect counter to the threesome mentioned above! She was passionate, likable, and relatively easy to relate to. Gemma was great, but the character that really stole my heart was Daniel! Daniel was a bit of a bum, living on a boat and all, but he had a fantastic personality. He was such an interesting character that he quickly became my favorite! Honestly, I wish he would have been Gemma's love interest instead of Alex!

While I do wish that the characters were a bit more developed, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment of the Watersong series. Definitely throw this one in your beach bag this August when it releases!

Review: Vanish (Firelight, #2)

Vanish (Firelight, #2) by Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperTeen 
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

An impossible romance.
Bitter rivalries.
Deadly choices.

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

The Firelight series continues to be refreshing and original with it’s second installment, Vanish. In Vanish, I became much more familiar with Tamra’s character! I liked the change of pace and focus from Firelight. While there seems to be less action in this book, there is much progress in character development!

I’ll be honest and admit that tables have turned in this book! I found myself liking Cassian and Tamra’s characters much more than I did originally! That is a feat in itself as I had developed a deep hatred for them both in the first book. I suppose this change can be attributed to seeing the other dimensions of their personalities. I came to realize that they really aren’t all that bad. On top of that, I actually developed some dislike for Will. I know, crazy right!? I thought so too, but he appeared snobby, possessive, and controlling, even more so than Cassian, in this book! As for the other characters in the novel, I only have one thing to say: F*#% Miram. When you read Vanish you will understand.

While I enjoyed Vanish, I do feel that there was a lot of filler in the story. There were times where I felt things could have progressed a bit faster or been more involved and action-packed. That being said, the conclusion left me craving for more of Jacinda’s story. I have a feeling that the third book, Hidden, will provide the action and epic-ness that I found lacking in Vanish. I’m definitely looking forward to it! I can’t wait to see what lurks behind enemy lines!

Review: Touch of Frost

Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy, #1) by Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp
Format: E-Galley
Source: Author
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died…

Touch of Frost is an excellent start to the Mythos Academy series! Estep uses elements of suspense, mythology, and romance to enhance an enjoyable, yet somewhat predictable plot. Though the book had a slow start, it quickly picked up halfway through. This book may have been used to set the stage for the rest of the series but I certainly didn't mind thanks to Estep's fantastic world building.

Estep does an amazing job creating a grand image of Mythos Academy. Her writing had me rereading paragraphs so I could imagine the intricacies of the academy over and over. We've all read books where the descriptions are beautiful, but too wordy or too simple or too boring. Estep does it right by providing readers with all the necessary information, in a pretty little word package.

While we are on the topic of beautiful things, lets talk about.... Spartans. Namely Logan. While he doesn't play a huge part in Touch of Frost, he's definitely memorable. Described as the "man-whore" of Mythos Academy, I couldn't help but feel that that there was more to him than that label and that he may know more than he lets on. I'm hoping he will be a mystery that gets unraveled (...or undressed *wink wink*) in Kiss of Frost!
 
If you are looking for a quick, fun, and entertaining read with mythological influences then Touch of Frost is for you! It shows some great potential for this series and I can't wait to read the next one. I'm thinking a Mythos Academy marathon might be in order!

l{B}ook-A-Likes

You'll definitely like Touch of Frost, if you've enjoyed the following in the past:

 

Review: Hemlock

Hemlock (Hemlock, #1) by Kathleen Peacock
Publisher: HarperCollins 
Format: ARC
Source: Blog Tour 
Release Date: May 8th, 2012
Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★★

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

Typically I'm not a fan of murder mystery novels, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to read one with a werewolf spin! Not only did Hemlock keep me on my toes, but it also played out completely different from how I envisioned it! The unpredictability of this novel is what kept me hooked throughout it's entirety. 

In Hemlock, Kathleen provides a much needed breath of fresh air to the the werewolf genre. I found it interesting that Kathleen made the existence of werewolves common knowledge in this book. The lupine syndrome is treated as an epidemic. It's such a simple premise, but I can't recall a werewolf story I've read where the same is true! Hemlock seemed to carry a Salem Witch Trial likeness with it that only added to the tension of the murder storyline.

The characters in Hemlock were fantastic! They were real and relate-able; especially Mac, the protagonist. She was strong and very likeable. On top of the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the romance aspect of this book! Kathleen did a wonderful job providing tension within the love triangle without making it annoying and overbearing. Let's face it: it's pretty easy to get frustrated with love triangles! Two-thumbs up for a successfully written romance!

Hemlock will appeal to readers of many genres! Yes, even those who haven't liked werewolf books in the past! There's much, much more to this book than werewolves. Whether you are looking for a good YA romance, an intriguing mystery, or an action-packed read Hemlock will deliver!

This book was reviewed as part of the Hemlock ARC Tour, hosted by PARAFANTASY!

Ezmirelda - Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this awesomeness!

Review: The Immortal Rules

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen 
Format: eGalley
Source: Provided by Publisher For Review 
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

In market flooded with vampire books, The Immortal Rules stands out as a refreshingly original and brutal dystopian tale.

Allison was given a choice: die or become the very thing she despises. She chooses life… well kind of. Allison chooses to become a vampire. Throughout the book she struggles with this fact. There is a never-ending battle waged between her heart and her body. Her hunger doesn't discriminate: She fights it around everyone, even those she cares about. Despite her new vampire nature, she sacrifices herself many times for those she loves. I found her to be an extremely honorable and strong main character.

Not only did Allison struggle with her new vampire state, but as the story progressed she began to unravel a much larger mystery. Julie created the perfect balance between personal and large scale issues: neither overshadowed the other. I really felt for Allison’s situation. Being a vampire, people looked at her different, as if she was a monster. Even she, herself,  pondered that thought at times. Did she have a soul? When Zeke and his group came into the picture she was given some purpose and direction in her new life. She grew to love, appreciate, and trust them, Zeke in particular.

The tension and love between Zeke and Allison grew to impressive levels, but in the end left me a bit disappointed. I was looking for something more from them... But maybe that's the beauty in it: They found a plain love in a complicated world. Both had duties that came before their personal desires; creating a love that was believable and realistic. If you are looking for insta-love, I'm happy to say you will not find it here!

I’m a huge fan of Julie’s Iron Fey series! Unfortunately, so far, The Blood of Eden series doesn’t seem to be surpassing it…. yet. I see so much potential, but I feel that parts of this book were rushed and the ending was somewhat anticlimactic. I imagine I will like the upcoming Blood of Eden novel more so than this one. Saying that, I still believe that The Immortal Rules is one of the best YA vampire books out there. The combination of dystopian and paranormal elements is sure to please readers across genres!

Review: Grave Mercy

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1) by Robin LaFevers 
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: eGalley
Source: Provided by Publisher For Review 
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Though Grave Mercy is a historical novel, it certainly didn't read like one! Ismae's story is as engrossing and action-packed as it is intelligent and emotionally driven.

What I loved most about Grave Mercy was Ismae's growth from a broken, hopeless girl, to a confident and strong woman. Once taken in by the convent, young Ismae learns skills she could never have dreamed of learning in her old life. She learns thousands of ways to kill and finally finds a home in the convent. Ismae's personal growth was certainly not limited to her confidence and strength: She grew emotionally the most of all. She learned of real love, due to the kindess and trust of Duval.

Robin did a fantastic job developing the relationship between Duval and Ismae! It was such a natural and believable progression. Both Duval and Ismae were constantly on guard with one another, worried the other might betray them. Yet, somehow, over time they were able to gain each other's trust. Their love carried a realness with it that is rare in YA books these days. I also enjoyed the fact that their relationship didn't overshadow their duty. Both Ismae and Duval maintained noble and loyal intentions throughout the book.

Because I couldn’t dedicate solid reading time to Grave Mercy, the pace seemed to slow a bit in the middle. Even during that time, my desire to learn what would happen to the characters never feigned.  Grave Mercy is a strong start to a hopefully fantastic series!

If you liked Graceling by Kristin Cashore then you will like Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers!

Review: Unearthly

Unearthly (Unearthly , #1) by Cynthia Hand 
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 435
Source: Purchased
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★★

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Unearthly is the first angel book to completely blow me away! It was well paced, well characterized, and extremely addicting. It was hard to pull myself away from the pages. Surprisingly though, I'm at a loss of words to describe the exact elements that made me love this book as much as I do!

While it is difficult to describe the allure of this book, I think what pulled me in were the characters. Clara was easy to relate to, a normal girl. She didn't let her being an angel-blood get in the way of her having a life outside of her "purpose." I liked that there was that paranormal to normal life balance. And Tucker! AH <3 (fangirl moment)! Watching his relationship grow with Clara added depth to an already amazing story. At the beginning I hated him, but he won me over effortlessly as he did with Clara. Who would have known that he had a soft side!?

In addition to the great characters, I think the conclusion really sets Unearthly apart from the rest. This book could not have had a more perfect ending: no cliffhanger, a good resolution, and me dying for the next book! I recommend this to ANY paranormal fan. I can almost guarantee you will be as captivated as I was by the characters in Unearthly.

Review: Tiger’s Curse

Tiger’s Curse (The Tiger Saga, #1) by Colleen Houck
Publisher: Audible, Inc. 
Narrator(s): Annika Boras & Sanjiv Jahveri
Format: Audiobook
Length: 15 hrs and 45 mins
Source: Purchased from Audible
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★☆

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

Tiger's Curse flaunts some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever read! It was easy to imagine the gorgeous, lush, and exotic places found in this story. Colleen's descriptions were detailed without being the least bit overbearing. Because the story covers a wide range of geographic locations, if you love books with travel, this one is for you!

With travel usually comes adventure, and I found the story to be extremely adventurous! Think Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider! There were more than enough riddles, puzzles, and death traps to keep any action fan satisfied. So of course, I was beaming! The action scenes were never repetitive and always entertaining!

Unfortunately the great scenery and awesome plot were unable to distract me from my inability to relate to Kelsey. I found her quite frustrating! Yes, she had a traumatic childhood, but there's something wrong with a girl who can resist Ren's charms. A sweet and handsome Indian prince... How can you say no to that!?! Her constant denial of her obvious feelings for Ren drove me up a wall. I wanted to reach through my speakers and smack some sense into her. By the end of the book, I could understand her reasons a bit more clearly, though I'm hoping she is not as emotionally closed off in the next book!

I don't know what I would have done had I not listened to Tiger's Curse. I wouldn't have a clue as to how to pronounce half of the Indian words and names! Annika Boras did a truly phenomenal job with the accents and pronunciations - not that I would have known any different, but they sounded authentic to me! She was also wonderful at portraying emotion with her voice: never overdone and never lacking.

The ending of Tiger's Curse was predictable, yet satisfying. Regardless, I'm definitely looking forward to the continuation of The Tiger Saga! I highly recommend this audiobook to paranormal and adventure fans alike!

Review: Awakened

Awakened (House of Night, #8) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 
Format: Ebook
Pages: 290
Source: Purchased
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★★

Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey.  Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z.  But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there.  Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it?  Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…

And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim?  The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship?  Does he betray his father or his heart?

In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?

Awakened is, by far, the most emotionally charged book in the House of Night series. I found myself tearing up during numerous parts, both happy and sad. Until this book, I never realized just how much of a hold the characters have on me.

Like the other books, the story is read from the different point of views of select characters. The Casts do a great job with this! I never found myself getting bored of reading the different point of views. I especially enjoyed getting in Rephaim's head. So much inner turmoil! He has an entire battle of light vs dark raging inside his head. He's one of the most interesting and original characters in the series and my personal favorite. The turn in the relationship between Stevie Rae and Rephaim was the highlight of this book for me. I cannot express how happy I was with the outcome of this relationship in Awakened. The Casts did a wonderful job working the plot to make that outcome possible. I really love Rephaim... I'm just a sucker for bad guys gone good! I  hope to see more of him in the next book.

Though there was plenty of drama in this book, it was not the stupid teen drama from the previous books. It's good to see the kids have finally grown up a bit! While there were not too many advances in the plot of the series, I still found the story to be engaging and interesting. Awakened paves the way for some true action in the next book, Destined.

Awakened has rekindled my love for the House of Night series. I think it is safe to say it is my favorite of the series so far! For those wondering if this series is worth pursuing, it is! There were rough patches in the beginning, but I think those have finally been smoothed over.

Review: Within

Within by Clare C. Marshall
Publisher: Faery Ink Press 
Format: Ebook
Pages: 192
Source: Author (provided for tour)
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★☆☆

Trinity Hartell’s life changed after the accident. Left with irreversible brain damage, she becomes a burden to her mother, a cause for heartbreak for her boyfriend Zack, and a flattened obstacle for her best friend, Ellie.

But then she starts writing. Perhaps it’s a coincidence that the psychotic, murdering protagonist of her novel bears a striking similarity to the charming Wiley Dalton, a mayoral candidate in the upcoming election.

Or, perhaps not...

First thing I need to say is… CREEPY! The whole dang story is creepy. The villain is so twisted and merciless that at times I found it hard to stomach. On top of that, there are some very dark and somber undertones as you observe the family and friends of Trinity deal with the accident. I could feel the tension building as I progressed through the story. Though I may not read thrillers often, this story has made me want more of them!

The plot starts off a bit on the slow side, but really gains momentum as Trinity begins her writing! I found some parts to be predictable, but overall the story was original and, at times, heart-wrenching. The plot certainly didn’t play out as I had originally thought it would, but I love it when stories keep me on my toes!

I had a few qualms with the characters in this story.  Many of the the characters were dull, underdeveloped, and lacking spark and originality. They didn’t grab me and make me care what happened to them. The mystery of the plot is what pushed me through. Because I appreciate well developed characters as much as I do, I found Within hard to get through at times.

Despite my issues with the characters, I really enjoyed Marshall’s writing style! There is a wonderful flow and pacing about it. It is clear and concise without being wordy or too simplistic. Overall, Within pours out suspense and developing talent!  I’m very curious to see where Clare’s work goes in the future. She is definitely one to watch!

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This review has been posted as part of the Official Within Blog Tour. I’d like to give a special thanks to Clare Marshall for allowing me to participate!

Official Blog Tour | Faery Ink Press

Review: Burned

Burned (House of Night, #7) by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: Ebook
Pages: 336
Source: Purchased
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★★

When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames….

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampire High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.

As with all House of Night books, I was nervous starting this one. Surprisingly, there is little I can complain about… I think I might even say that Burned is the best of the series! While the female characters still speak like valley girls,  this book features little guy related drama (my biggest pet peeve with the other books). Zoey isn’t going back and forth from guy to guy through the whole book! She actually sticks with one! Thank god.

Burned offers a great opportunity for character growth and exploration; namely Stark, Zoey, Stevie-Rae, and Rephaim. The best part about this series is that we get to read from all the main character’s point-of-views! The alternate POVs add an entirely new dimension to the story. I really enjoyed watching Rephaim and Stevie-Rae explore their imprint through their POVs.I’m developing quite the soft spot for the evil birdman <3! He is very intriguing and a more complex character than I originally thought. Each character’s perspective was interesting enough that I wasn’t skimming through one to find out what happens to the other. I think that shows some skill on the authors’ parts.

There is something that keeps me coming back to this series every time! Burned was worth suffering through the previous books! I’m hoping that Awakened continues this move in the right direction.

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1) by Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 418
Source: Purchased 
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★★★

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

I started reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone not knowing anything about the storyline. I had, however, heard many people say that it was one of the best books of the year. That it is a statement I can wholeheartedly agree with now having read it. I found it to be a completely original, compelling, and exciting read.

The premise of this book is a hard one to describe without actually giving away any spoilers. And trust me, you want to go into this plot-blind! Originally, I pictured Daughter of Smoke and Bone as being a very close range, personal book, but I could never have imagined the vastness and epic-ness (yes I just made that up) of it all. Contained within the 418 pages there is a beautiful, transcendent romance, some very unforgettable characters, and lush, thought-provoking mythology! I was very impressed by Taylor's ability to provide a full back story without having it feel long-winded, or it being too short, which can make readers feel cheated. Despite the books length, I was never bored! In fact, I was amazed because, what I thought was a good story in the beginning, grew to be even better - something I didn't think was possible! I devoured the last quarter of the book, and the ending (ahhh the ending!!!) was so perfect! I absolutely cannot wait to see where this series goes!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a story of fates intertwined, transcendent romance, and adventure. I believe that this is a book that should grace everyone's shelves! Not only does it have a gorgeous cover (one of my favorites of the year) but it is filled with an action-packed, epic story that promises to please readers across genres. As many have said before me: Daughter of Smoke and Bone is easily one of the best books of the year, so don't pass it up!

Review: City of Ashes

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2) by Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: Paperback
Pages: 464
Source: Purchased 
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★★★

A murderer is loose in New York City ...

... and the victims are Downworlder children. Clary Fray and her fellow Shadowhunters have a strong suspicion that Valentine, Clary's father, may be behind the killings. But if he is the murderer, then what's his true motive? To make matters worse, the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, has been stolen, and the mysterious Inquisitor has arrived to investigate, with his eyes vigilantly targeted on Clary's brother, Jace.

Clary will need to face some terrifying demons and even more terrifying family decisions. No one said that the life of a Shadowhunter would be easy.

There is something about this series that keeps me coming back. It could be the mystery, the tension, the great world building or any of the other wonderful elements present in this story. The more I read this series, the more intrigued I become. City of Bones was a bit slow for me, but City of Ashes was an unexpectedly fast, gripping read: an extremely hard book to put down.

I really loved the mystery aspect of this book. There were so many unknowns, so many truths to uncover, and so many plot twists; Many of which still remained unsolved at the conclusion of this book. The pacing was great! Never once was I bored with a scene or felt the need to skip pages. There was more than enough action to keep me interested!

City of Ashes allowed me to feel a much needed connection with the characters. It provided what City of Bones, was missing for me. In this book, I could see that Clare's characters are flawed. Flaws are what make characters real for me. They allow me to feel a connection and relate to the characters. I was happy that they all weren't perfect. I also liked the fact that Clary was not some helpless girl. There are so many young adult books with helpless damsels in distress. What happened to the badass chicks? While Clary was definitely unsure of herself at times, it was refreshing to see a girl who isn't afraid to try to do things herself.

I'm beginning to see why so much hype surrounds this series... I'll admit that I was disappointed in the first book, but City of Ashes was a definite page turner.