Trylle Series

Rated 3.2 out of 5 stars
By Amanda Hocking
Book 1: Switched - Book 2: Torn - Book 3: Ascend

When Wendy was six years old, her mother was convinced that she was a monster sent to replace her real child, and tried to kill her. Ever since that day, Wendy never let herself get close to another person- she got in more fights than she could remember and got kicked out of every school on the East Coast. Her brother and aunt always assumed that she was traumatized by the events that took place with her mother, but what if it was more than that? What if her mother was right? The day Wendy meets Finn, a new boy at her latest school- she feels herself being drawn to another person for the first time in her life. But Finn isn't any ordinary boy from school. He reveals to her who he really is- a Trylle. Trylle are mythical trolls that live in guarded compound structures throughout the world. And Wendy is a changeling- a Trylle that took the place of a human baby when it was born. Now Finn wants Wendy to come home and learn about her Trylle heritage. Is she willing to give up her family and her life to learn who she really is and why she has always felt different?

I did enjoy the concept of this series, as the idea of trolls is original and not much explored in the urban fantasy genre. But I never really felt a true connection to any of the characters. The world building wasn't as good as it could have been, and the idea of these troll like creatures being beautiful and human looking threw me off. Wendy was a brat- throwing temper tantrums and getting into fights constantly. Wendy is meant to be a princess and eventually queen in the Trylle world, and yet everyone treats her as if she doesn't matter. The entire concept ended up being frustrating to me. Keep reading for spoilers...

And to top it all off, she doesn't end up with Finn after everything that happened between them. Ugh. I never really connected with Loki's character- maybe because he was a cocky jackass? If not Finn, then I feel she should have ended up with Tove- he was a sweetheart and the only other character that I even remotely liked. The entire series was just frustrating to me and I hated the ending. So yea, good luck with this one folks! Read at your own discretion. :)

Fever Series

Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars
By Karen Moning
Book 1: Darkfever - Book 2: Bloodfever - Book 3: Faefever - Book 4: Dreamfever - Book 5: Shadowfever

Mac's life is perfect- great friends, fun job, and a hellavu fashion sense. Until the day she gets a call that her sister was murdered while studying abroad in Ireland. A cryptic message from her sister and a need for vengeance drives her to travel to the city of her sister's death, Dublin. While there, Mac begins to notice strange things. Large portions of the city are blocked out, and she is having hallucinations of nonexistent creatures. Or is she? Terrified with no other place to go, she finds herself in a beautiful book store where she meets the elusive Barrons. He is sexy, mysterious, and a complete asshole. With Barron's help, Mac finds out that she is a sidhe-seer- with the gift to see the Fae World that most humans cannot. But this is no child's faerie tale, the Fae are more dangerous than she could have ever known, and now they know that she can see them. Can she stay alive in Dublin long enough to unravel the mystery of her sister's death, or will the Fae destroy her and her gift of sight?

This is hands down, one of my favorite series. The world building is amazing, Dublin is not a tourist town but a dangerous war zone. The characters are beautifully written and have more depth than most novels. Barrons is sexy, mysterious, and so jaded- V'lane is dangerous in a completely different way as he is a Seelie Prince with the power to seduce mortals- and the Shades, they are truly terrifying and unstoppable. Mac is a great character, although a bit whiny in the first book- I suppose if I found out I could see the Fae and they were murdering people in cold blood, I would be whiny too. The plot lines are thick and well crafted, it seemed this entire series was already written in Moning's head and she planned from the beginning for it to end the way that it did. Haunting, beautiful, and twisted.. definitely not recommended for anyone under the age of 16 due to sexual content that is just.. HOT. A must read for any urban fantasy fan!

Premonition Series

Rated 3.6 out of 5 stars
By Amy Bartol
Book 1: Incendiary - Book 2: Inescapable - Book 3: Intuition - Book 4: Indebted

Evie got accepted to a great college with an academic scholarship. Go figure. She finds herself nervous and excited- the nightmare she has been having since she accepted has gotten stronger. There are other strange things she has been noticing about herself- her ability to heal instantly being an example. When Evie meets Reed on campus the first day at her new school, she feels drawn to him. But he isn't the only man to catch her attention. She also meets Russel, quarterback of the football team. Russel is safe, Reed is gorgeous, intelligent, sophisticated, and a complete asshole to her. How can he hate her so strongly without knowing her? She begins to suspect that Reed isn't human, and maybe she isn't so human either. But can she get answers out of him, or is he far too dangerous to take that chance?

So, you read that, right? Does this remind anyone of another book series, by chance? Total rewrite of Twilight but instead of vamps, these two are angels. Sigh. I really wanted to like this series. It was well researched historically, the world building was fairly good, the characters were even well rounded and had depth- but this voice in my head kept screaming that Reed should sparkle in the light. Evie is a passive character, new in town who encounters a dangerous non human that instantly acts like he hates her. The first book was a total let down for me. Although I cannot, under any circumstances, no matter how much I despise a book- give up on a series before finishing it, I did continue reading the remaining books and I have to say, Bartol did redeem herself.. eventually.
Keep reading and show me the spoilers...

Sadly, the second book starts off with Evie making the decision that she has to leave Reed to keep him safe. Sigh. I wanted to gouge my eyes out with my Nook, and trust me, that probably isn't easy. Evie leaves with Russel, her soul mate to start a new life and hide herself from other Angels. And this is where it changes from Twilight to something else. She gets kidnapped by a race of Faerie/Vampire creatures because the leader is in love with her. Love triangles are obviously too mainstream for Bartol, let's make it a four way. At least it's not Twilight anymore. Books three, four, and five in this series are actually pretty great, original, well written and researched. I enjoyed the array of mythical creatures that Bartol is able to capture and describe. I know a lot of readers gave up after book one, but I'm honestly glad I finished this series. It was almost worth it to reread Twilight! :)

Nightshade Series

Rated 4.2 out of 5 stars
By Andrea Cremer
Book 1: Nightshade - Book 2: Wolfsbane - Book 3: Bloodrose

Calla is destined to be an alpha in her wolf pack- she has her whole life planned out for her step by step, down to her marriage to another alpha- Ren. The Keepers, masters of the wolves and ancient magick wielders have given the order and nothing can change her fate. Except Shay. Calla meets Shay when he is fighting off an attack from a grizzly bear high in the mountains, and against all rules and everything she is taught, she saves this human boy from death- knowing she will never see him again. Until he shows up at her school the next day, remembering her and what she is. Terrified that Seth can ruin everything, terrified of her strange feelings for this human, baffled that Seth is living with his uncle- a powerful Keeper, Calla's life is unraveling at the seams. When Calla protects Seth from being taken by Searchers, a powerful group that oppose the Keepers- she is forced to confront her feelings head on. Her marriage to Ren looms ever closer, yet she is falling in love with a human.

This series claimed romance and teenage angst, two things that I do not enjoy together in any book. So I found myself shocked when I totally enjoyed this series. The romance is there, but it is not cheese worthy in any way. Calla's feelings for Shay, although "love at first sight", were thought out and responsible- unlike a lot of YA romance novels. Cremer wrote the characters well, and the further you get into the series, the more that you can feel the bonds between them. Nightshade's world building skills were awkward in my opinion, with the Keepers, Guardians and mortals all in the same school but separate. It just didn't flow well to me- but the next two books improve exponentially. Once the Searchers are introduced, I found myself reading until my eyes were too blurry to see. I grudgingly admit that I loved every bit of this series, and it is a must read for any paranormal fan out there.
Show Spoilers

My only true complaint was the end. Come on, they all turn into a pack of wolves and live happily ever after? Are you kidding me? Maybe I'm too human to enjoy the thought of being a wolf forever, but realistically, the ending was awful. Period.

Iron Fey Series

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
By Julie Kagawa
Book 1: Iron King - Book 2: Iron Daughter - Book 3: Iron Queen - Book 4: Iron Knight - Book 5: Lost Prince

I was shocked that I thoroughly enjoyed this series. I assumed the Harlequin/teen romance would throw me off and make the books cheese worthy. The opposite was true- it wasn't overly Twilight style cheesy and the plot was wonderful. The Fae Courts of Summer and Winter have always been at odds with each other, but when a new Court forms from the imaginings of humans' technology driven lives, the two must come together to have any chance at survival. The Iron Fey are terrifying and deadly to the Older Faeries and they are destroying the Nevernever world. When Meghan, the half Fae daughter of the Summer King falls in love with Ash, the Winter Prince, things become more complicated. Love between the two Courts is grounds for exile from the Faerie World if anyone finds out. Planning a war against the Iron Fey as well as the powerful Iron King- Machina, fighting for their lives from the typical trolls and ogres that reside in Nevernever, and hiding their love for each other from everyone is a lot to ask of these two Royal Fae. Throw in the craziness of Puck- Meghan's long time best friend, Ash's power hungry brother- Rowan, and a crazy Fae cat named Grimalkin and you have the make up of a wonderful series. Definitely worth a read!

City of Heavenly Fire

Mortal Instruments 6 - City of Heavenly Fire

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
Cassandra Clare

Sebastian is back and he wants revenge from the Clave. He also wants Clary and Jace all for himself. The war begins between Sebastian and the Endarkened Soldiers, and the Shadowhunters who make up the Clave. Who in Downworld will take the side that wants to wipe Nephilim from the planet? Are Clary and Jace strong enough to defeat the descending army, or will they lose more than they ever thought possible? Love inevitably destroys, and it will take all of their power to have a possible future in the Nephilim world.

FINALLY.. two years wait for the conclusion of this series. Was it worth the wait? You'll just have to read it and find out! Cassandra Clare creates an entire world where anything is possible- where vamps, faeries, warlocks and weres coexist. I find the embedded lessons against racism and the judgement of others well placed. After a long break between the fifth book, the reader is instantly plunged back into the Shadowhunter world. I instantly fell in love with the characters all over again. Jace is less of an ass, Clary isn't nearly as whiny, and Sebastian makes up for them in both aspects. The conclusion was more obvious than I would have liked and I wish Clare would have been more elusive throughout the book as to what would inevitably happen. But if you've read the first five books, this one is definitely worth reading!
Show Spoilers

Clary and Jace finally start dealing with their feelings for each other. Jace isn't so teenage angsty and tries finding a solution around not being able to touch Clary- which they eventually do get around. About time Clare! Magnus and Alec are still having problems, as are Isabelle and Simon- but both couples are working on their issues. I don't want to give everything away, but the ending was perfect. With little conflict at the conclusion- most characters ended up where we all hoped that they would, including Sebastian. The romance was a tad cheesy, but after five books of conflict between Clary and Jace, it was refreshing.
Best line from the book
"Everytime I think I'm missing a piece of myself, you give it back"

Wicked Lovely Series

Rated 3.9 out of 5 stars
By Melissa Marr
Book 1: Wicked Lovely - Book 2: Ink Exchange - Book 3: Fragile Eternity - Book 4: Radiant Shadows - Book 5: Darkest Mercy

Aislynn, a 17 year old who has always had the gift of "Sight" learns that playing by the rules isn't as easy as she always assumed it to be. Her Gran taught her all of her life to avoid the Fae, don't let them know that you can see them. She adhered to the rules until two powerful Fae began stalking her. Keenan, the Summer King and Donia, the Winter Girl are Court Faeries who are breaking all of the rules that Ash has lived by. Ash learns that their interest in her have nothing to do with her "Sight", but something far more sinister.

I ended up liking this series far more than I thought I would. The first two books are pretty slow, and I absolutely despise when different books in the same series switch POV. Other than that, the characters are well written. I found myself loving Keenan's character more with each installment in the series. Seth is the perfect man, far more perfect than he should be, but we have to remember he is being seen through Ash's POV and that is how she views him. I also enjoyed the fact that there are different Courts of Fae and that they, like humans, seem to be at war with each other for nothing but power and greed. If you find yourself reading the first two books and falling asleep, just remember that the last book kind of makes up for the slow start. :)

Books of Faerie

Rated 3.6 out of 5 stars
By Maggie Stiefvater
Book 1: Lament; Book 2: Ballad

Deirdre is a musical prodigy with more talent than even she realizes. When she begins to see Faeries, her Granna gifts her with an iron ring to wear so that they cannot harm her. But apparently, she has the ability to draw them to her with her gift of music. She begins to discover other gifts as well, such as telekinesis and reading minds. The Faerie Queen immediately perceives her as a threat to her reign and dispatches dangerous killers to deal with her. Meet Luke Dillon, mysteriously sexy new guy in town. He immediately draws her affections, but with her enemies piling up: Aodhan- a fairy hunter, Eleanor- a beautiful mystery, and the Faerie Queen herself, can she afford to trust this stranger?

This series is very well researched with a hauntingly accurate amount of Celtic lore. Lament boasts strong characters, (especially Luke who reminds me a bit of Edward with the creepy stalker thing, but in a cute way) thick plot lines that twist when you least expect, and adequate world building. The end was rather abrupt without explanations though, which I find awkward, and the sequel- Ballad does nothing to answer the lingering questions. I was very disappointed with the second book in this series. Dee's character is written as weak and mopey, completely different from the first book. The lead in this story ends up being her best friend, Jack which also irritated me. I just wasn't impressed, although there is rumor that the final installment of the series will answer the question everyone who read this series wants to know. Maggie Stiefvater herself claimed that the first words in the final book were "Luke Dillon". Fingers crossed folks. Book 3, Requiem will be released sometime in 2015. Ugh.

Everneath Series

Rated 3.2 out of 5 stars
By Brodi Ashton
Book 1: Everneath; Book 2: Everbound; Book 3: Evertrue

Nikki lost everything she cared about six months ago and chose to go to the Everneath with Cole, an everling. The Everneath is a form of the Underworld made only for everlings, immortals who need to feed off of human energy to exist. Nikki spent six months there with Cole, but chose to return to the Surface to reconnect with her ex boyfriend, Jack instead of becoming an immortal queen. Yet she only has six months to live until the Everneath comes to claim her for eternity. Will she choose to die in the Everneath or become immortal and feed off of humans for eternity?

I was really looking forward to reading this series. The idea of retelling the Hades and Persephone myth in a modern setting was intriguing for sure.. and then I actually read it. I can't begin to explain how disappointing the series turned out to be. The first book, Everneath was more original than I assumed it would be, but the second and especially third book let me down exponentially. The concept is wonderful, but the characters and plot lines were not well written. Nikki, IMO, is a spoiled brat and her obsession/romance with Jack is cheese worthy. Cole is the only character well written in the book and he is the one we are supposed to hate. The world building wasn't as good as it could have been, with an entire Underworld to describe- the details were lost on me. I couldn't picture it in my head and that is not acceptable. All in all- the story could have been great but it failed to impress me.

Lux Series

Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
By Jennifer Armentrout
Book 1: Obsidian; Book 2: Onyx; Book 3: Opal; Book 4: Origin; Book 5: Opposition

Hands down one of my favorite series EVER. When Katy moves from California to a boring town in West Virginia, she accepts the fact that her life will never be the same. There isn't a Starbucks to be seen and the town by her home has one stoplight, definitely not what she is used to. But then she meets her next door neighbor. Daemon is amazingly sexy and smart, until he opens his mouth. Everything about him is infuriating, from his cocky attitude to his unusual cruelness. Katy becomes good friends with his twin sister, Dee and begins spending more and more time with them, but spending time with Daemon seems to be a lose/lose situation. Their parents are never around, and something is strange about them that Katy can't put her finger on. Until the day that Katy walks in front of a semi truck. She could have died, should have died, but Daemon stops the truck with his bare hands. Twilight-ish you say? Not exactly.. Daemon and Dee are aliens from the planet Lux with crazy healing powers and super strength. Being brought into their world is dangerous, however, as there is another race of aliens- the Alum trying to kill the Luxen. Katy is caught in the middle of this ancient war between light and dark. But is there more to the story than meets the eye..?

This series is original, well written with thick plot lines, twists that you would never expect, and deep, well rounded characters. The further into the series you get, the more in love with the characters you will be. The fifth and final installment comes out in August and I am so nervous and excited to see how it all ends!

This is from Jennifer Armentrout's official page talking about Opposition, the final book. *Warning* Definite spoilers if you haven't read the whole series.

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came. She can’t believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all. Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal. They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind. War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing. Now you can see them all together.

Covenant Series

Covenant Series by Jennifer Armentrout - Rated 4.6/5.0

Book 1: Half-Blood Book 2: Pure Book 3: Deity Book 4: Apollyon Book 5: Sentinel Book 4.5: Elixir

When Alex, a half-blood descendant of the Gods of Olympus falls in love with a pure blood, she didn't believe her life could get any more complicated. In her world, half-bloods and pures are forbidden to be together and she only has two possible outcomes in life: Become a sentinel to fight daemons and protect the pures, or go into servitude. The more Alex learns about her world, the less either of these choices seem acceptable. When Alex meets the first Apollyon, Seth, she immediately feels a connection to him. The Apollyon is the only half-blood that has the ability to control the elements and is stronger than all others. Is she the second Apollyon, fated to become the God killer? If so, the two Apollyons will be forced to wage a war against the Gods of Olympus for their freedom. Will the old rules prevail or can Alex and her friends change their future for the better? This series is well written with strong plot lines and in depth world building. Highly recommended!

Starcrossed Series

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini - Rated 4.4/5.0

Book 1: Starcrossed
Book 2: Dreamless
Book 3: Goddess

Helen, the Scion star of this God based series is a wonderfully written character. The book starts out with a new family moving to her small Nantucket island home that she immediately despises. She begins to discover her Demigod powers with the help of the Delos family, from being able to fly to her ability to create lightning with a single thought. Lucas is a character that the reader falls in love with as much as Helen does. Will these star crossed lovers find happiness and free will, or do the Fates hold their lives in the balance of an age old war between the Gods and their children? This series boasts historical accuracy, (as much accuracy as mythology allows) well thought plot lines, and deep characters with strong ties to each other that you can feel throughout the series. Josephine Angelini knows her Greek mythology and uses her knowledge to retell the story of Troy through a modern setting. Beautiful and haunting!

Dark Swan Series

Dark Swan Series by Richelle Mead - Rated 4.4/5.0

Book 1: Storm Born
Book 2: Thorn Queen
Book 3: Iron Crowned
Book 4: Shadow Heir

In this wonderfully written Fae series, a young woman by the name of Eugeenie Markham discovers her Faerie ancestry while attempting to fulfill her duties as a Shaman in Arizona. This series is written more for the adult spectrum of Urban Fantasy, abundant with steamy sex scenes. The world building is great and as the series progresses, the characters become part of your family. A dominant female ass kicking protagonist, as well as a number of strong support characters. I found myself falling in love with Kiyo, a Japanese kitsune, as well as Dorian, the Oak King from the Otherworld. While uncovering her heritage and inheritance of power, Eugeenie stumbles across a prophecy that will change her life forever. Lots of twists and turns in the plot-line. Truly great writing!

Meet Morrighan

Welcome to my new blog! I have recently gotten into a few of the Urban Fantasy series out there, including the Fever series by Karen Moning and the Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead. I read everything that I can get my hands on, yet I can't help but feel let down when I spend time reading a book, only to find it disappointing. So here I am, reading these books and reviewing as many as I have time for so that you won't waste your time on junk reading! I am a full time college student, majoring in English and have always been a huge book nerd. I intend to add weekly reviews here, as well as my all-time favorite book lists and upcoming releases that we are all dying for. Please keep checking back as I will be adding new things all month. Morrighan