Morrighan's Book Reviews: Book Reviews

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Monday, December 1, 2014

Legend by Marie Lu - The Legend Trilogy #1

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Since I read The Young Elites by Marie Lu, a lot of folks recommended this series to me. Another dystopian novel, with a lot of the same plot line that I've come to associate with a dystopian book. Plagues run rampant, government is worse than a police state, executions are not a rarity. I'm not sure the exact reason why, but this police state-world pissed me off a little more than similar dystopians. It could have been due to the fact that the lower class was victimized, almost to the point of a complete removal from society. The government and soldiers controlled every aspect of the characters' lives, and to me, that is a truly terrifying scenario. Being the history nerd that I am, (:D) I have read a lot about the New World Order. Legend had an eerie semblance to this new government: with population control, brainwashing of citizens, and if you have money, you belong to one of the Elite circles. Ugh. It was disgusting, honestly. Disgustingly realistic and terrifying as hell. The privileged class were able to afford a better education, which led to better jobs and immunizations from the "plagues." The world building itself is superb. Not to mention that the capital city of this new Republic is Denver. Conspiracy theorists realize the connection here!

The characters are wonderfully written. I fell in love with Day from the moment Miss Lu introduced him. His wildness combined with an aura of confidence, almost cockiness- is sexy as hell. The sarcastic personality and overall loyalty and love that he has for his family fully won me over, though. It took me a lot longer to like June. Her character at the beginning is awful, the true picture of a spoiled little girl. Honestly, I think that first picture the reader has of her, ends up making us all like her a lot more later on in the story. Her bravery and conviction is powerful, to the point where she doesn't even question doing something, only because it is the right thing to do. June and Day's relationship is ridiculously ill-fated. They meet while she is under cover, looking for her brother's murderer. Day is the prime suspect, but June doesn't realize that it is him when they meet. Day rescues her from danger, and she ends up spending a couple of days with him during her mission before realizing who he is. In that time, June feels happier and more at ease than she ever has. Her life has been nothing but a heavy dose of brainwashing; a military life from birth. But Day is the most wanted criminal in the Republic, and she is a soldier for that Republic. It is her job to arrest him, and she does exactly that. In the process, she is indirectly responsible for the death of his mother. Sigh. There's really no going back from that for June. She ends up redeeming herself to a point, but it's never a healthy relationship from the beginning..

Surprise, the Republic ends up being a bunch of evil, power hungry bastards! They basically lie to the population while preventing them from seeing the truth. It is an uneasy view of what a power-hungry government looks like. A New World Order. Ahem! The plot line is paced well. It feels like something new and exciting is always happening, and I'm racing to keep up with the developments. Every page felt like it could have been the end for either June or Day, and I found myself getting nervous with every page-turn! This story catches your attention and keeps a firm grasp on it the entire way through. A story of survival, truth, and betrayal. Definitely recommend this one to all dystopian fans! It is one of my favorite dystopian series, and I've been reading a lot of them lately!

"“You should have taken me with you," I whisper to him. Then I lean my head against his and begin to cry. In my mind, I make a silent promise to my brother's killer. I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine.”
"“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time... You try to walk in the light.”
"“You threw everything away." I bring a hand up to touch her face, to wipe the rain from her eyelashes. "Your entire life-your beliefs...Why would you do that for me?" June has never looked more beautiful than she does now, unadorned and honest, vulnerable yet invincible. When lightning streaks over the sky, her dark eyes shine like gold. "Because you were right," she whispers. "About all of it.”
“Day leans in toward me. He reaches up to touch my face. I can tell it still hurts him to use his fingers, and his nails are dark with dried blood. "You're brilliant," he says. "But you're a fool to stay with someone like me." I close my eyes at the touch of his hand. "Then we're both fools.”"

Related Reviews
| Prodigy | Champion | The Young Elites |

Connect with Marie Lu
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater - Raven Cycle #3

* Warning: Spoilers for The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves.

There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.

I had so many expectations for this book, that I practically set it up for failure in my mind. And then I read it. Failure? Are you kidding?! It was truly perfect in every way that I wanted it to be. This series has such an Otherness to it that is impossible to explain. Is it YA? Meh. The relationships between the characters are so real, so beautiful and perfect, which is rare in YA books. I didn't think that I could love these characters any more than I did.. but I was definitely wrong. I'm going to say it now, because after reading the third book, I know without a doubt: This is my favorite series EVER. Ever. The characters are so complex and layered, so real and flawed, and I am in love with every single one of them. Even Ronan, the asshole, has my heart. Stiefvater's ability to completely immerse the reader into her worlds is wonderful and disappointing at the same time. Disappointing, only because when you awake from the world, you know that you cannot physically visit it. It's an overwhelming sadness that I haven't felt before from a story. I want to visit her mythical Cabeswater, trek through the forest where the trees speak Latin, search for the mystical King sleeping on the ley line of Virginia. Sigh. I have always held a special place in my heart for history, and more so for archaeology. From the age of 7, I wanted to be an archaeologist; to quest for ancient treasure hidden throughout our vast world. The only thing holding me back from that dream was the fact that the field itself is beyond competitive. You can only be a true archaeologist if your love for doing it is greater than your need for companionship. Sadly, I cannot see myself alone in a desert/jungle/forest, wherever, truly alone for months on end. Your life spent in a tent, in the middle of nowhere.. archaeologists are basically glorified hobos! Enough rambling.. let's get back to the review, shall we..?

In this third book, we get to see the relationship between Blue and Gansey develop a bit more. They are little things, hands touch for a moment, late night phone calls, but they are so important. The heartbreak and sadness between the two of them is overwhelming.

"She had thought it was such a simple thing to avoid kissing someone when she'd been with Adam. Her body had never known what to do. Now it knew. Her mouth didn't care that it was cursed. She turned to Gansey. "Blue," he warned, but his voice was chaotic. This close, his throat was scented with mint and wool sweater and vinyl car seat, and Gansey. Just Gansey. She said, "I just want to pretend. I want to pretend that I could." He breathed out. What was a kiss without a kiss?"

The fact that Gansey is going to die is crushing. I tried to stop myself from falling in love with him, but it was a failed mission. I knew from the moment I started reading The Raven Boys that this broken boy was going to die eventually, dammit! As the case is with Blue, I couldn't protect my heart from loving his doomed ass! Either Blue will kill him with a kiss, Adam will kill him with his anger, or he will get stung by bees. Either way, his life will likely be over by the end of the fourth book, and I hate it! And of course, we still have this...

All of these tweets saying "Maggie, don't kill Gansey!" Oh, please. That kid is going DOWN.
— Maggie Stiefvater (@mstiefvater) September 30, 2014

Noah's character is heartbreaking as well. I feel so much for him, and I have no idea how Stiefvater can possibly fix him. Noah was the first sacrifice to wake Cabeswater, and now his spirit is trapped on the ley line. He was able to befriend the Raven boys and Blue, but the fact that he doesn't have a body hinders his chances at true companionship. I thought, maybe, that would be the favor that they asked of the King, but with Gansey's looming death.. I just don't know! And it's driving me insane! Adam's character is able to grow exponentially in this book. He begins to realize that, just because he is friends with Gansey, it doesn't make him beholden to him. As the economic gaps between Gansey and Adam begin to diminish, the ones between Blue and her Raven Boys grows. Her Ivy League bound boys will be heading to posh schools in their futures, while Blue will be destined to a school that she can afford. I focus on this aspect because, as a college student in a low income bracket, I fully understand the difficulties between a great education, and the ability to afford that great education. Sadly, the privileged will almost always be able to afford that education that the less privileged cannot. This point struck home to me, and I appreciate Stiefvater's analysis of this problem. Just another reason why the realism in this novel, the entire series is perfection!

Through her characters, they all lead back to Gansey. At the heart of this series, the heart of this quest, lies Gansey. But what struck me as insane is the fact that the reader really doesn't know much about him. Which leads me to my theory that Gansey is Glendower. Through this third book, I am still convinced that it will play out that way in the end. The psychics' visions speak of Gansey disappearing into Cabeswater, and they cannot see his actual death. Ronan is the greywaren, the one that can pull things from his dreams. Adam is Cabeswater's eyes and ears, the true sacrifice. Noah is already dead. What is Blue? Where does she fit into the whole quest? I was hoping for a few more hints from Stiefvater about her character. I can't really say much without giving away huge spoilers, but we did get a little. I just don't know how the information we get about Blue fits into the rest of the quest! Sigh.

And now, we have a basic picture of the quest itself.

"Now she saw what Maura had seen: three sleepers- light, dark, and in between."

Don't wake the third sleeper. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Who is the third sleeper and where does he fit into the quest itself?! This book left me with more questions that I had at the beginning. I'm confident that I've overlooked a dozen hints that Stiefvater added, which makes me want to reread this book immediately. I am so lost as to how she will wrap everything up in a neat little package with one book left. Ugh!

To wrap up this extensive, insane review: please read this series! It is truly incredible, heartbreaking, funny, mysterious.. all of the feels imaginable combined into a delicious series! You will not be disappointed at all. My ~~fangirling~~ review is over. The end. (:

"Around them, Cabeswater hummed and muttered with life. Birds that didn't exist outside the forest flapped overhead. Somewhere close by, water ran over rocks. The trees were grand and old, furred with moss and lichen. Perhaps it was because she knew the forest was sentient, but Blue thought it looked wise. If she let her mind wander far enough, she could almost feel the sensation of the forest listening to her. It was hard to explain; it was sort of like the feeling of someone hovering a hand just over your skin, not quite touching."
""I want you to whistle or hum or sing, Ronan, and keep track of time," Gansey said. "You have got to be shitting me," Ronan replied. "Me." Gansey peered down the tunnel. "I know you know a lot of songs all the way through, and can do them the same speed and length every time. Because you had to memorize all of those tunes for the Irish music competitions." Blue and Adam exchanged a delighted look. The only thing more pleasing than seeing Ronan singled out was seeing him singled out and forced to repeatedly sing an Irish jig. "Piss up a rope," Ronan said."
"She nearly fell into the hole. No wonder Gansey hadn't seen it. There was a rock ledge and then, just- nothing. "Gansey?" "I'm here." Gansey's voice was closer than she expected. Quieter than she expected too. "I just- I believe I'm having a panic attack." "You're having a panic attack? New rule: Everyone should give four tugs before suddenly disappearing. Have you broken anything?" A long pause. "No." Something about the tone of the single syllable conveyed, all at once, that he had not been kidding about his fear. Blue wasn't sure that reassurance was her strong point, especially when she was the one who wanted it, but she tried. "It'll be okay. We're anchored up here. All you need to do is climb out. You're not going to fall." "It's not that." His voice was a sliver. "There is something on my skin and it is reminding me of..." He trailed off. "Water," Blue suggested. "Or mud. It's everywhere. Say something again so I can point the flashlight at you." There was nothing but the sound of his breathing, jagged and afraid. She swept the flashlight beam again. "Or mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are everywhere," she said, voice bright. Gansey whispered, "Hornets." Her heart contracted. In the wash of adrenaline, she talked herself down: Yes, hornets could kill Gansey with just a sting, but no, there were not hornets in this cave. And today was not the day that Gansey was going to die, because she had seen his spirit on the day he died, and that spirit had been wearing an Aglionby sweater splattered with rain. Her flashlight beam finally found him. He hung limply in his harness, head tilted down, hands over his ears. Her flashlight beam traced his heaving shoulders. They were splattered with mud and grime, but there were no insects on them. She could breathe again. "Look at me," she ordered. "There are no hornets." "I know," he muttered. "That's why I said I think I'm having a panic attack. I know there are no hornets." What he wasn't saying, but what they both knew, was that Cabeswater was a careful listener. Which meant he needed to stop thinking about hornets."

Related Reviews
| The Raven Boys | The Dream Thieves |

Connect with Maggie Stiefvater
| Official Site | Twitter | Tumblr |

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater - Raven Cycle #2

*Warning: contains spoilers for The Raven Boys, Book 1 in The Raven Cycle Series*

Synopsis

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same.

Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life.

Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

This installment of The Raven Cycle focuses more on Ronan's character. The last line in The Raven Boys states that Ronan pulled his pet Raven from his dreams. The reader also gets to see the relationship between Gansey and Blue develop. I am beyond respectful of Miss Maggie for throwing the concept of insta-love out the door. She basically knows that he is her true love, yet she doesn't let that rule her feelings. The whole concept of love at first sight is disheartening and ridiculously unrealistic. It sets young women up for disappointment in their own lives, and I just despise the whole idea. So thank you Miss Maggie Stiefvater for the realistic relationship. Blue is able to witness Gansey's growth as a character and as a young man. His obsession and desperation to find Glendower is changing him; from the confident, privileged boy into an almost broken man. His guilt for escaping his own death is beginning to wear on him, and the reader gets to learn the full back story of what his life was like before he came back to Virginia. The voice that he heard while he was dying told him that on the ley line, another boy is dying so that Gansey can live, for Glendower. The longer that Gansey remains in Henrietta, the stronger his obsession becomes, and the more he detests his old life. Congress, old Virginia money, and shmoozing powerful government men seems pointless to him now. I just love Gansey's character, honestly. He is complex, sexy, broken, and intelligent as hell. The perfect combination!

We get to learn a lot more about all of the boys, as well as Blue's character. I found myself falling in love with all of them again. I wasn't a huge fan of Miss Stiefvater's previous novels; The Shiver Series always felt like it was lacking something. But she nailed this one perfectly! I love the world that she creates; I'm a huge history nerd and the research done about the Welsh King, the ley lines, and Virginia in general was superb. I am so caught up in this story, and I have no idea how she is going to pull it all off in the end. I know that the author claimed,

Did I not PROMISE to kill Gansey in book one? You're asking me to break my promises? To be ignoble? To perjure myself? To synonym for lie?
— Maggie Stiefvater (@mstiefvater) September 30, 2014

Sigh. Why Maggie, why? He really doesn't have to die; in fact, I have this theory that he's going to end up being Glendower. So, I mean, he can't really die, right?! Ronan is the Greywaren, Adam is the sacrifice, Noah is the reason Gansey is alive, Gansey is probably Glendower; where the hell does Blue fit into this? I've been paying close attention to all of the small hints that the author drops, but I still can't figure out who Blue is. I keep thinking it has something to do with the name that Gansey calls her: Jane, but I haven't put it all together yet, dammit! The only other book that made me question everything like this is The Da Vinci Code, and I didn't have to wait for the sequel to find out the answers. It's driving me insane! If any of you wonderful readers out there have any insight, I would love to ~~fangirl~~ speak about this with anyone who loves these books as much as I do! To wrap up this fangirl review, read these books.. seriously! They are phenomenal.

"And then there is the third kind of secret, the most hidden kind. A secret no one knows about. Perhaps it was known once, but was taken to the grave. Or maybe it is a useless mystery, arcane and lonely, unfound because no one ever looked for it. Sometimes, some rare times, a secret stays undiscovered because it is something too big for the mind to hold. It is too strange, too vast, too terrifying to contemplate." -Ronan
"In that moment, Blue was a little in love with all of them. Their magic. Their quest. Their awfulness and strangeness. Her raven boys.”
"“I am being perfectly fucking civil.”" -Ronan
"The Gray Man stood in the doorway behind Maura, his gray suitcase in one hand and a gray jacket slung over the other. He set them both down and straightened. There was that heavy silence that sometimes happens when a hit man enters the room."

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Related Reviews
| The Raven Boys | Blue Lily, Lily Blue |

Connect with Maggie Stiefvater
| Official Site | Twitter | Tumblr |

Saturday, November 22, 2014

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

I have come to expect certain things from dystopian novels. Among these, an over aggressive government, an outcast group among the population, and some sort of war waged between these two groups. The Young Elites does not fail to provide each of these three scenerios. The story is told from a dual point of view. On one hand, there is Adelina. On the other is Enzo. One thing that I would never expect, though, is a story told from the villain's point of view. And that is exactly what Adelina is. She is the x-factor, the creature that everyone wants on their side, yet is fearful of, for good reason. Her powers are untapped and unpredictable, wild and powerful. The feelings that she has for Enzo caused them to rage more out of control than ever before. Yet she does not want to be without him. These feelings are new and different. Is she in love with him? Possibly. I appreciated that Miss Lu did not jump into the whole, insta-love thing. It took time for feelings to develop between Enzo and Adelina. She is a broken girl. Abuse is an every day occurrence in her young life, with a father that hated her, a sister that pushed her away, and an entire town that was terrified of the markings of her curse. And she acted like a broken girl. Her wariness never fully went away, even when it seemed that the Young Elites had accepted her as one of their own. She still knew in her heart that she could trust no one fully.

Adelina is a calculating character. I never fully liked her, but I respected her power and intelligence. I was not able to connect with her in a way that made me like her though, sadly. It is tough to read an entire book with a character that the reader doesn't like, but somehow, it made the story more interesting. I never knew what to expect from her. It seemed one minute, she was able to trust the Young Elites, the next moment, she was ready to reveal their identity and location. Her mind changed at the drop of a hat, and her decisions were not thought out well. She reacted on feelings and instinct alone, which portrayed her character as very rash. I wasn't a huge fan, Miss Lu! Enzo's character is also cold and calculating. The only bit of feelings that he expresses, he regrets. Although his princely position as leader of the Young Elites, as well as The crown prince puts him in a vulnerable situation, his character is strong and powerful. He controls his power over fire extremely well, and he knows exactly what he is doing when it comes to a fight. His character is sexy and dangerous, my favorite kind! And then there is Taren. He is a total jackass, seriously. His character is focused on power, power, and did I mention, power? It is the only thing that concerns him. That, and his ability to gain more of it, which is his reasoning for doing everything.

The world building is done very well. Descriptions are detailed to the point where I can picture the world in my head. The setting is sometime in the late 16th, early 17th century, as far as I can tell. A plague swept through the lands while Adelina was a child, leaving behind either dead children or malfettos in its wake. Malfettos are children that are marked by the fever, either by oddly colored hair, eyes, or even scars on their bodies. Some of these children have strange powers. Powers that can control wind, fire, animals, and even minds. These ones with power are called The Young Elites, and they often use their abilities to stand up to government control. If the Queen had her way, all malfettos would be executed in the town square. If the Young Elites had their way, the King and Queen would be executed in the town square. It is a violent world, full of unnecessary death and war. Yet I found myself ultimately hoping for the death of the monarchs, and a cleansing of this world of the power and control they have over the less fortunate.

I truly did enjoy this story of violence and struggle, and I am looking forward to the next in the series! The ending was awful, with a cliff-hanger that makes me want to scream at Miss Lu! I am pretty sure I know exactly what will happen with Enzo, but not being completely positive drives me crazy. I can't believe it was ended the way that it was, dammit! I am growing more and more fond of the entire dystopian genre, although it is rather predictable. I feel that the reason behind it is basically: our world right now seems to be falling apart. A dystopian-like situation in the next fifty years is not a far fetched idea anymore. Especially the ones stemmed from ultimate government control. Hey, I'm not a conspiracy theorist at all, but is the idea really that impossible? I feel that is why this genre was so unsettling for me to read at first. Just something to think about (:

"“Be true to yourself. But that's something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.”" -Adelina
"What if I do become one of them? What more do I have to lose? I'm no safer on my own than if I remain with them. But if I want to survive, I need to stay and prove myself. And in order to do that, I not only need to learn how to control my energy- I also need to make some allies. Some friends. Setting out alone hasn't exactly worked well for me. I shiver when I remember the reaction I had to the nightstone, how whatever Raffaele did had forced a darkness from within me and brought it to the surface. What if that's who I am?" -Adelina
"The only way to clamp down on my energy is to erase my emotions, and so I fold them each away, one by one. My sorrow turns to anger, then to ice-cold fury. My soul curls in one itself in defense. I am gone. I am truly gone. I am not sorry.” -Adelina
"“Don't forget one weapon just because of another," he says. A flicker of approval flashes in his eyes. "Or you'll find yourself skewered in no time." "Then maybe you should know which weapons are real.”" -Adelina & Enzo

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Related Reviews
| Legend | Prodigy | Champion |

Connect with Marie Lu
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Friday, November 21, 2014

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

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“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.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

This series has been on my TBR pile for quite a while now, and I can't be happier that I finally got around to reading it! I loved it, everything about it! I am always a huge fan of treasure hunts, and The Raven Boys is full of wonderful treasure hunting. The boys are searching for a long dead king by the name of Glendower that they believe is still alive. Hidden on a powerful ley line, they feel that he is still alive somewhere underground, waiting for one worthy to wake him from his eternal sleep. If the king is is found, the one that wakes him is able to ask a favor of him. All of the characters have a different favor to ask. I feel that as the books continue, the favor will begin to merge into one that they all agree on.

Blue has seen Gansey, the leader of this misfit group of treasure hunters, on the Corpse Road. Which means that he will be dead within a year's time. Gansey is the first spirit that Blue has ever seen. Her family is full of powerful psychic women, but Blue has never had many powers. The only thing she feels that she is able to do is increase other's powers around her. She is a battery, meant to recharge and amplify others psychic powers. But when she able to see Gansey's spirit on the Corpse Road, there are only two possibilities behind the vision. Either she is the one who kills him, or he is her true love. But Gansey is just another Aglionby boy, rich and privileged, spoiled and stuck up. Or is he? Not to mention the fact that for all of her life, every psychic that meets Blue has told her that she will kill her true love by kissing him. There is no possible way that she could ever fall in love with Gansey, this rich, broken boy on a quest. But sometimes, even knowing the outcome, there is nothing one can do to stop the inevitable.

I love the story line, the characters, the world, the supernatural aspect.. all of it! I connected with each and every one of the characters in this story. Blue is my favorite, and I see a lot of myself in her. Eccentric tendencies and all! The way that she dresses, the fact that she doesn't give a shit what other people think.. I instantly connected with her character. Gansey is another of my favorite characters.. yes, he is rich, privileged, maybe a little spoiled; but he is also a broken man. From his almost death, to his vision of the ley line and Glendower, he is on a never ending quest to find his King and free him from his sleep. Adam's character is a little less likable. He is not like the other boys, rich and spoiled. He is a scholarship student living in a trailer park. His self loathing and embarrassment of himself got a little old after a while. He constantly thought that he wasn't good enough to be around the Aglionby boys, and that he had nothing to offer them. I found myself hoping that Blue and him would not get together, regardless of how perfect for each other that they were. I wanted to throat punch him most of the time! Ronan's character is complex, and I can't really describe him all that well. He is angry and dark, and the reader eventually finds out exactly why he is this way. I found myself drawn to him and his sarcasm, regardless of the powerful anger that he expressed. He is also a tortured, broken man; trying to understand himself and his world that never seems to make sense. And Noah. Well, he is a bit more interesting than we first thought. I can't give any spoilers, but just know that his character is revealed in a really crazy way that leaves the reading thinking, 'what the hell?' I have to give the characters 5 out of 5 stars, because I fell in love with each of them in their own way.

The world building is wonderful. I absolutely adore the story of supernatural, psychic abilities in this misfit group of teenagers. The treasure hunting aspect added a whole new dimension that I instantly was drawn to. Cabeswater, an enchanted forest that the group discovers on the ley line, is magical and exciting. A place of great power and mystery. Their sleepy Virginia town is not so boring anymore! I cannot express enough how much I loved this book, just read it! I am officially recommending it to everyone, everywhere, read it! I am more than looking forward to reviewing The Dream Thieves for all of you, as I have already finished reading it! As soon as I get some time this weekend, look out for that review, as well as for Blue Lily, Lily Blue!

"“I guess I make things that need energy stronger. I'm like a walking battery." "You're the table everyone wants at Starbucks," Gansey mused as he began to walk again. Blue blinked. "What?" Over his shoulder, Gansey said, "Next to the wall plug.”" -Gansey & Blue
"“How do you feel about helicopters?" There was a long pause. "How do you mean? Ethically?" "As a mode of transportation." "Faster than camels, but less sustainable.”" -Blue & Adam
"“When she opened her eyes, she was both in her body and watching it, nowhere near the cavity of the tree. The Blue that was before her stood inches from a boy in an Aglionby sweater. There was a slight stoop to his posture, and his shoulders were spattered darkly with rain. It was his fingers that Blue felt on her face. He touched her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Tears coursed down the other Blue's face. Though some strange magic, Blue could feel them on her face as well. She could feel, too, sick, rising misery she'd felt in the churchyard, the grief that felt bigger than her. The other Blue's tears seemed endless. One drop slid after another, each following an identical path down her cheeks. The boy in the Aglionby sweater leaned his forehead against Blue's. She felt the pressure of his skin against hers, and suddenly she could smell mint. It'll be okay. Gansey told the other Blue. She could tell that he was afraid. It'll be okay. Impossibly, Blue realized that this other Blue was crying because she loved Gansey. And that the reason Gansey touched her like that, his fingers so careful with her, was because he knew that her kiss could kill him. She could feel how badly the other Blue wanted to kiss him, even as she dreaded it. Though she couldn't understand why, her real, present day memories in the tree cavity were clouded with other false memories of their lips nearly touching, a life this other Blue had already lived. Okay, I'm ready- Gansey's voice caught, just a little. Blue, kiss me.”" -Blue's vision
"“Fate," Blue replied, glowering at her mother, "is a very weighty word to throw around before breakfast.”" -Blue & her mother

Related Reviews
| The Dream Thieves | Blue Lily, Lily Blue |

Connect with Maggie Stiefvater
| Official Site | Twitter | Tumblr |

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Into the Fae by Quinn Loftis - Gypsy Healers #1

*Before the review, I want to apologize for my lack of posts this week! Balancing work and school is getting a bit ridiculous. I have an insane Lit professor that assigned us three papers, one due each week for the next few weeks. We are expected to read Dante's The Divine Comedy, one part each week; write a 8-9 page paper and prepare a 5-7 minute speech on each installment. The first week, obviously is on Inferno, week two is Purgatorio, and finally Paradisio. Please be patient with me while I read these books and write these ridiculous papers! Muah!*

Into the Fae
By Quinn Loftis
The Gypsy Healers #1
Ebook: 295 pages
Publication Date: June 6, 2014
Publisher: Smashwords (Self-published)
Rated:

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With peace finally descending on the Romanian Grey Wolves, longtime fae ambassador to the wolves, Perizada, has been given a new mission by the Great Luna. But Peri’s desire for revenge against her sister, Lorelle, burns in her heart. Further complicating matters, the great white wolf, Lucian Lupei, has been returned to the pack after centuries trapped in the Dark Forest, and it appears he is destined to be with Peri. Can she put aside her thoughts of vengeance long enough to accept Lucian’s love and complete her mission?

So, apparently this book is the beginning of a spin-off series. The first series is called The Grey Wolves and it includes six books. I didn't realize that before I read this one, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I followed the story perfectly without having read the previous ones; although six new books just found their way onto my TBR shelf! Into the Fae was wonderful, I fell in love with each and every one of the characters. Perizada, a high Fae and member of the council is the protagonist. She is sarcastic, impatient, and says exactly what she is thinking; my favorite attributes in a female character! I connected with her almost instantly, and her smart mouth made me laugh several times throughout this book. She was chosen by the deity, The Great Luna, to be the go-between for the werewolves and the fae, as the fae are the most powerful of the supernatural beings. The fae are basically the police of the supernatural world. Over time, the werewolves vulnerabilities as a species, their tendencies toward violence began to weaken the packs. Thus, they were given a gift from this deity- Gypsy Healers. These are humans with an affinity for healing magic- one is given to each of the large packs in the world. They help to heal the wolves in their pack, as well as each healer is the true mate to one wolf. All wolves need to find their true mates; if they fail to do so, the darkness that is the wolf inside of the man takes over, causing insanity and madness.

Lucian is a wonderfully written male character! A sexy alpha Canis Lupis that is Peri's true mate. Although Peri does not want to accept that she is destined to be with this wolf, he never gives up on her. When the Dark Forest was sealed years ago because of dark magic, he was trapped there as well. For years, he wandered this forest alone, with no way out. Due to Lorelle, Peri's sister trying to kill her, the forest was unsealed and Lucian was freed. This is a wonderful story, filled with mysticism, magic, and sexy supernatural creatures! The world building is phenomenal, hands down! It begins in Romania, at the werewolf castle, and continues through the U.S. and finally into the Faerie world itself. I loved the way that Miss Loftis described the worlds that she took the story to; I could picture it in my mind and that is so imperative to a great book. The characters were well written, and I fully connected with all of them! The plot line is perfectly paced and it felt like each page was more exciting than the last. There were no crazy plot twists though, sadly. I love a good story that gives the reader a few 'wtf moments,' but I still loved everything about this one! If there were some weird, twisted craziness at the end, it would have been a 5 star rating for sure!

I can see Quinn Loftis becoming one of my new favorite authors. Her writing is perfect, from the way that she describes the characters to her fast paced plot lines and the humor that she injects into a suspenseful scene! I honestly cannot wait to read The Grey Wolves Series as well as the next book in this series, Wolf of Stone. This self-published author has a long, hopeful career writing and I hope that more people check out her work! Great story Miss Loftis!

"As my good friend Jen would say, let's do this. Okay, she would say him, but we're going to go with this in an effort to keep things rated PG." -Perizada
""Sally isn't going to like this." Peri cocked her hip out to the side as she crossed her arms in front of her. "Why? Do you have to sacrifice a puppy?" Rachel's furrowed brow deepened. "Well, no," she said quickly. "Castrate an elephant?" "No." "Hold Jen's baby on a cliff overlooking the animal kingdom and sing Circle of Life?" Rachel let out an exasperated breath. "Are you done?" Peri shrugged. "After the things I just said, I'm betting it doesn't seem so bad now." "We both have to give up one of our ovaries," Rachel blurted out. "I stand corrected. Sally is going to hate that and all my ideas were way better," Peri conceded. Suddenly, Rachel started laughing. "I was joking, Perizada; we don't have to give up any ovaries." -Perizada & Rachel
""Mother of Pearl, she's making up her own words to the tunes of pop songs," Sally groaned. "Is that a bad thing?" Anna asked. "Let's just say when Peri starts trying to be creative with today's popular culture, it's a 'she's gotta plan that's probably going to get us killed' thing." Stella scrunched up her face. "Good to know." "I'm pretty sure there is nothing good about that piece of information," Anna pointed out. "True. However, it might make things a little less tense if we go to our deaths with a catchy jingle stuck in our heads courtesy of our completely 'not' psycho fairy." -Sally, Anna, & Stella (The Gypsy Healers)

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Related Reviews
| Forever Fae | War of the Fae Series |

Connect with Quinn Loftis
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Sunday, November 9, 2014

The Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson

The Kiss of Deception
By Mary Pearson
The Remnant Chronicles #1
Ebook: 492 pages
Publication Date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Rated:

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A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.
She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.
She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.
She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.
The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

It took me a while to gather my thoughts after I finished this one, and I still haven't fully sorted everything out in my head yet. So, Lia is a princess, the First Daughter of a fantasy world/country/town type-place called Morrighan. (Which was honestly what made me want to read this book. A sweet little magical world named after me, yes please!) In this world, all of the eldest born daughters have the gift. The gift never fully is described, but from what I can piece together, it is basically a form of esp. They know without knowing, hear without hearing, understand without explanation. Lia's mother, the Queen, had visions of the future; but Lia's gift has never been all that strong, or has it?

I'm going to be honest here, this book confused the hell out of me. It is written in three separate points of view; Lia's, Kaden's and Rafe's. Lia has been promised to the Prince of a neighboring country, Dalbreck. For years, Dalbreck and Morrighan have had a tenuous relationship at best, but this marriage will seal their alliance formally. Until Lia runs off, on the day of her wedding. Her best friend, Pauline leaves with her, and they set off on a journey to Pauline's hometown of Terravin. Terravin is a sleepy, sea-side town full of locals who don't ask questions. A young princess and her best friend won't raise many red flags, especially working as maids at a tavern-hotel type place. Which is exactly what the girls do upon arrival. Pauline knows the owner of the tavern, Berdi from her childhood there, and the girls are immediately taken in and put to work. Everything is going exactly as Lia planned, until two young strangers appear at the inn. Lia is instantly attracted to both of them, these handsome, mysterious travelers. Little does she know that one is the Prince that she rejected, and one is an assassin sent to slit her throat. As the days go by, Lia finds her thoughts on these two men, especially Rafe. The author did an amazing job at confusing me with Rafe and Kaden; I was not expecting the twist in the plot line at all. I don't want to give away spoilers so I'll leave it at that!

The world building was done well, I'll give it a 4 out of 5. It seems that the story is set in the late 1600's; everyone travels by horseback, material possessions are mostly traded for, people actually work, psychically for what they have. It is a much simpler world than our modern insanity! I fell in love with it completely; the simplicity of a time when people didn't march like ants to work a 9-5 job. There was no rushing to get somewhere that is hated in the first place, no traffic; people were happier, and their lives had more meaning in my opinion!

The characters, as I mentioned are all very confusing to me. I did manage to connect with Lia after her escape from her own wedding. Her sheer determination and strength of mind was enough for me to feel for her. I did truly like her character all the way through; her strength was shocking- having been raised in a palace as a princess, I thought she would act as if the world owed her something. Her demeanor was the complete opposite, and I was pleasantly surprised. She didn't whine when things didn't go her way, and she was physically stronger than I could ever be in her situation. Both Rafe and Kaden's characters baffled me. I know that relationships in this time period were different than today, but they both were obviously in love with her, yet never let on like that was the case. I know that duty held them back, but come on. They traveled all that way, just to see her, yet basically ignored her most of the time. It confused me, and I hate being confused!

The plot line was at times, very slow and drawn out. The author spent a lot of time establishing Lia's everyday life; working at the bar and her day to day routine. I understand that she wanted to nail down Lia's life after her escape, but it did get boring at times. I found myself putting this book down, only to force myself to pick it back up again. Other than being confused and bored at times, I did enjoy this book, and I will definitely be looking forward to the second one! The Heart of Betrayal, book 2 in the Remnant Chronicles is set to release July 7, 2015 in the U.S.!

""But I don't have the gift of the First Daughter. I'm not a Siarrah. Dalbreck will soon discover I'm not the asset they suppose me to be. This wedding is a sham." "The gift may come in time," she answered weakly. I didn't argue this point. It was known that most First Daughters came into their gift of womanhood, and I had been a woman for four years now. I'd shown no signs of any gift. My mother clung to false hopes. I turned away, looking out the window again. "Even if it doesn't come," my mother continued, "the wedding is no sham. This union is about far more than just one asset. The honor and privilege of a First Daughter in a royal bloodline is a gift in itself. It carries history and tradition with it. That's all that matters." -Lia & the Queen
"My only consolation as I looked up at the blinking stars was that the prince of Dalbreck was probably still awake too, furiously jostling home on a rutted road, his old bones aching with pain in a cold, uncomfortable carriage- with no young bride to warm him." -Lia thinking of the Prince she left behind
""You're still angry. It's only been a few days. Give it a few more." "I'm not angry. Amused maybe. Curious." Sven snatched the reins of my horse from me, causing him to skitter. "You're angry because she thought of it before you did." Sometimes I hated Sven. For a battle-scarred curd, he was too perceptive. I grabbed the reins back. "Only amused. And curious," I promised him. "You already said that." "So I did."" -The Prince & Sven
"Princess Arabella, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan, working in a tavern. And she seemed to be enjoying it. Immensely. Maybe that's what bothered me most of all. While I was on the road, wondering if she was the quarry of bandits or bears, she was playing barmaid. She was trouble, that was clear, and the day she fled our wedding, I had dodged a poisonous arrow. She did me a favor. I could almost laugh at father's suggestion of taking a mistress after the wedding. This girl could make the whole royal court and half the king's army regret such a decision." -The Prince after meeting Lia for the first time
"When the arrows were drawn and aimed, for a moment, I had prayed a soldier would shoot. It wasn't pain I feared, but no longer feeling it- no longer feeling anything." -Lia

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Reviews related to The Kiss of Deception
Snow Like Ashes

Connect with Mary Pearson
| Official Site | Twitter | Blog |

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

In the After Light by Alexandra Bracken - The Darkest Minds #3

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Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds.

They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

I have one word to describe this book; meh. It was just meh for me, and I was more than a bit disappointed. I'm not sure why exactly I never reconnected to the characters. They just felt shallow and.. I suppose obnoxious is a good word to describe them. I found Ruby, especially, really irritating in this book. She internally over analyzed every freaking thing, and had the whole 'I hate myself' mentality going the entire way through the story, and it got old really fast. I have a hard time enjoying that kind of character, and Ruby was no exception. It seemed she wouldn't accept Liam's love, and then she would, and then she wouldn't; over and over again. She changed her mind at the drop of a hat, and her actions and thoughts were so inconsistent, I didn't know how she really felt from chapter to chapter. It was so frustrating at times. Liam's character was different as well; he had a more jaded personality, like an edge to him that wasn't portrayed before. Don't get me wrong, I did like his character. It just seemed like years had passed and they had all changed, instead of a few weeks since Never Fade. We also find out some crazy things about Cole that I was not expecting at all. All in all, I was pretty disappointed with the overall characters in this last book.

The plot line was about the same as the last two books; run from people trying to kill them, release kids from camps. It was just a continuation of Never Fade. It was full of action and dramatic scenes, and we get to meet a lot more Psi kids throughout. The world building has mostly become established in the first two books in the series, and not much changes from the apocalyptic scenes described in them. Children are still either dead, or locked up in the camps to control their abilities. The only ones that aren't have to run for their lives, stay hidden from adults, and scavenge for everything that they have on a consistent basis. President Gray is still running the country, forcing citizens to believe that their children are safe and being treated for their 'illnesses.' It is a really sad world, yet something that I could envision happening. It is not so far fetched that the impossibility of something like this happening is scarce. We finally find out where IAAN comes from and who is responsible for it. There is talk of a cure, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.

I was so disappointed with the ending to this series. I can't say enough how much I love puzzles, and unsolved ones drive me insane! It seems that we will have to live with this unsolved puzzle, because this was the last in the series. There are so many unanswered questions that I am baffled why Miss Bracken left off this way. What happened to the Reds? What will happen to the children? Ugh! If you have read it, you know exactly what questions I mean. The ending left a lot to be desired, and I hope that one day, Miss Bracken will answer the questions that I'm sure a lot of us are asking right now.

As for the romance, it was iffy at best. Liam and Ruby are constantly fighting, lying to each other, or feeling guilty about something they did. It's actually quite tiresome, and I was bored within the first hundred pages. Ruby couldn't make up her mind, and her moods and thoughts changed instantly. One minute, she was completely in love with Liam; the next, she would agree with Cole that Liam should leave the compound. I really just wanted to throw my Nook against the wall more than once. I can't stand a whiny ass protagonist, and Ruby filled that role completely. I don't remember the first two books being like this, and I wish I knew what changed that made me despise this book so much.

I hope I don't disappoint anyone, especially the fans of The Darkest Minds series, but this book was awful. The only reason that I finished it was my love of puzzles and my natural inane curiosity. I was hoping that the book titles together meant something- The Darkest Minds Never Fade in the After Light, but if it did, the meaning was never explained. All in all, I think I just expected so much more than Miss Bracken provided. I am disappointed, and just.. meh!

"It rained the day they brought us to Thurmond. And it rained the day I walked out.” -Ruby
"“Black is the color that is no color at all. Black is the color of a child's still, empty bedroom. The heaviest hour of night-the one that traps you in your bunk, suffocating in another nightmare. It is a uniform stretched over the broad shoulders of an angry young man. Black is the mud, the lidless eye watching your every breath, the low vibrations of the fence that stretches up to tear at the sky. It is a road. A forgotten night sky broken up by faded stars. It is the barrel of a new gun, leveled at your heart. The color of Chubs's hair, Liam's bruises, Zu's eyes. Black is a promise of tomorrow, bled dry from lies and hate. Betrayal. I see it in the face of a broken compass, feel it in the numbing grip of grief. I run, but it is my shadow. Chasing, devouring, polluting. It is the button that should never have been pushed, the door that shouldn't have opened, the dried blood that couldn't be washed away. It is the charred remains of buildings. The car hidden in the forest, waiting. It is the smoke. It is the fire. The spark. Black is the color of memory. It is our color. The only one they'll use to tell our story.”
"“Are you sure this isn't a nightmare?" he asked quietly. "And that we won't just wake up?" I stared ahead at the road, the way the dust blowing in from the desert covered it with a faint golden sheen even as gray clouds began to gather over us. "yes," i said after some time. Because dreamers always wake up and leave their monsters behind.” - Ruby & Liam

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Related Reviews
The Darkest Minds; Never Fade

Connect with Alexandra Bracken
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Friday, October 31, 2014

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole - Arcana Chronicles 1

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She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side.

Holy hell! I really have no explanation why this book sat on my TBR shelf for so long, almost two years in fact. Sigh. I have no excuses, and I am more than thankful that I finally read it. I loved every. single. thing. about this book. The plot line was beyond original; it was creative and masterful, each card of the major Arcana in the Tarot is a person somewhere in the world. How phenomenal is that..?! Miss Cole didn't make it as weird as it sounds, in fact, the plot line flowed so well that I didn't even question it. Tarot cards are people; check. Totally acceptable! I fell in love with each of the characters, and connected with every single one of them. Evie is an exceptionally strong, wonderfully written protagonist. She doesn't whine very much, even though her entire world, literally, is falling apart around her. She had visions of the coming apocalypse, yet did nothing about it, believing herself insane. She does blame herself for her friends' deaths, but she doesn't let it control her. I tend to get really irritated at the self loathing, guilt ridden characters, and thankfully, Evie is not that girl at all! Jackson's character is my favorite, though. He is the male character that I tend to find myself falling in love with. The irritating, cocky asshole male- with a well hidden soft side. He is strong, powerful, and totally sexy, of course! The Moon Card- the bringer of doubt, is the only character I really didn't like, and that's only because she's trying to sleep with Jackson, even though she knows that Evie cares about him. Selena also lied to Evie about a lot of things, and I don't think she is a card to be trusted; although she did help them out and saved their lives a few times. Matthew is crazy like a fox, literally! I think his character is intricate and mysterious, and the way that he talks in riddles drives Evie crazy, as well as me. It adds an extra layer to his personality that I find intriguing. Like Jackson, I love solving puzzles, and I cannot wait to find out more about his character in the next book.

The world building is incredible - a post apocalyptic setting that sounds terrifying, yet intriguing all the same. After the Flash, basically a solar storm that killed most of the humans on the planet, the world has changed completely. No one can be trusted. There is little food or water, let alone transportation. Everything acquired must be fought for, and a typical day is spent searching for nourishment, fighting off slavers and bagmen- humans transformed by a virus that turns them rabid, and fighting through the constant wind storms that sweep across the desert-like landscapes. Plants do not grow anymore, and most of the water was flash evaporated during the solar storm that hit earth. It is a desolate life, but Evie is happy to just be alive. I love that her character tries to find the good in everything; everything except her gifts that she has as the Empress Card. She can communicate with all plant life, as well as grow thorns from her fingernails to use as weapons. These so-called gifts terrify her, and she has no idea how to use them. I am looking forward to her learning more of her powers throughout the rest of the series, as well as solving the puzzle of Jackson and his brooding personality!

To wrap up this review, I loved everything about this book. It was phenomenal; the characters, the world-building, the plot line- everything flowed so perfectly! Thank you, Miss Cole, for this refreshingly original story! I recommend this to everyone, EVERYONE! Read it now, right now!

""This year, I'm taking our flirtationship to a new level," Mel informed me. "He just needs a nudge in the right direction." Unfortunately, Mel didn't know how to nudge. She play-punched hard, titty-twisted with impunity, and wasn't about the occasional headlock. And that was if she liked you."
""Come. Touch," she'd murmered to him. When he'd tripped over his feet to reach her, she'd opened up her palm and a flower had grown- from her skin. With a sensual wink, she'd blown him a kiss across the bloom, releasing deadly spores. He'd started choking, dropping to her feet. His skin had swelled until it split open in places. Putrid boils welled and spurted. She'd gazed on, cheerfully telling him, "How artfully we plants beckon; how perfect we punish.....""
"And his comment about crawling to the hospital Sunday mornings after being kicked in the ribs? I'd just assumed he was referring to injuries from his wild Saturday night bar brawls. Or had he been talking about an earlier time in his life, when he'd been a scared little boy, beaten by his mother's drunken... dates? Maybe that was why he traced his scars. They might be records of near misses or hard-earned victories. No wonder he could be so brutal. I felt a spike of shame that I'd judged him for thrashing that man in his home. No more. "Evie, bed down." Scanning the dark, he murmured, "You doan have to be scared. I've got you." You do, don't you? Here we were in the Bagmen's lair, and I wasn't terrified for my life. Jackson would kill any that strayed too close. In fact, they should fear him. I was with the boy that monsters should fear."
"Soon, I was gasping and he was groaning. His hands cupped my waist, descending to my wriggling hips. He squeezed them, then reached for my ass, gripping me with splayed fingers, wrenching my body even closer to him. Was he shuddering against me? No more control for either of us. I loved his abandoned groans, loved that I could feel them because we were pressed so tight together. Just as he'd promised, we were breathing for each other- and I still couldn't get enough. For me, this was the game changer, a line in the sand. Life before our kiss; life after."

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Related Reviews
Endless Knight - Arcana Chronicles 2

Connect with Kresley Cole
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Black Ice
By Becca Fitzpatrick
Hardcover: 392 pages
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rated:

2.5 out of 5 Stars

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Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late.

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

BLACK ICE is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…

This was NOT what I was expecting, at all.. Especially from Becca Fitzpatrick, author of the Hush, Hush series. I can imagine it is tough switching from the paranormal genre to thriller, but I can't make any excuses for this book. My natural inane curiosity is the only reason that I even finished it. I was not impressed, at all. I really did try and like this book, but there are numerous reasons why I couldn't. First of all, if I ever have a daughter, and she acts like either of these two girls do, I will lock her in her bedroom until she grows some damn common sense! Seriously. Britt and her best friend, Korbie are the kind of girls that I avoid attempting to have a conversation with, at all costs. Basically because a conversation is impossible for someone with little to no common sense. I found myself cringing at some of the things that they said and did, and wanting to throat punch someone, mainly myself, before the end of the second chapter. Honestly Miss Fitzpatrick, I need a level headed, semi-intelligent protagonist, and this book did NOT provide that. Second, I am all for best friend relationships in a book. In fact, I truly enjoy reading about these friendships almost as much as a good romantic relationship. But Korbie and Britt were so far from best friends, it honestly made me sad. Best friends do not make lists to compare themselves, and think they are so much better than the other one. Ridiculous! Some of the things Korbie said to Britt were downright assinine, and I would have thrown her ass out of the Jeep and left her in the snow! Third, the obsession that Britt had with Calvin was unhealthy, to say the least. He was obviously as psychotic as his sister, and I don't understand her fascination with him. He never even told anyone that they were together, for months. They dated in secret, him not even allowing her to tell her 'best friend,' his sister. Can we all say 'creeper?' And last but not least, this book was so predictable. About a quarter of the way through the book, I basically knew how the plot line would play out, and who exactly was behind everything. Maybe it was my previous obsession with crime novels, or maybe Miss Fitzpatrick needs to spend a few weeks watching Law & Order or CSI to brush up on her 'how to twist a plot line with a serial killer involved' skills. Sigh. So yea, to wrap up this ugly review.. the characters were shallow as hell, and the relationships between characters were even worse. The only silver lining was Ace/Mason/Jude.. haha, whatever his name is. He was a well written character, and I really did connect with him. He was twisted and jaded- my favorite kind of man! His character was difficult to figure out, with an air of mystery wrapped around him that I totally appreciated! I wish the other characters were as well written as him. Sorry Miss Fitzpatrick, but your first attempt at a romantic suspense novel was a total letdown for me, and I don't recommend this book to anyone with half a brain!

"They say that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. They never tell you that when you watch someone you once loved dying, hovering between this life and the next, it's twice as painful, because you're reliving two lives that traveled one road together.” -Britt
"“When was the last time you were kissed?" he went on easily. "And I'm not talking about the dry, noncommittal, meaningless kiss you forget about as soon as it's over." I scrambled out of my stupor long enough to quip, "Like last night's kiss?" He cocked an eyebrow. "That so? I wonder, then, why you moaned my name after you drifted to sleep." "I did not!" "If only I'd had a video recorder. When was the last time you were really kissed?" he repeated."You seriously think I'm going to tell you?" "Your ex?" he guessed. "And if he was?" "Was it your ex who taught you to be ashamed and uncomfortable with intimacy? He took from you what he wanted, but never seemed to be around when you wanted something back, isn't that right? What do you want, Britt?" he asked me point-blank. "Do you really want to pretend like last night never happened?" "Whatever happened between me and Calvin isn't your business,” I fired back. "For your information, he was a really great boyfriend. I-I wish I was with him right now!" I exclaimed untruthfully. My careless comment made him flinch, but he recovered quickly. "Does he love you?" "What?" I said, flustered. "If you know him so well, it shouldn't be a hard question. Is he in love with you? Was he ever in love with you?" I tossed my head back haughtily. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to cut him down because you're-you're jealous of him!" "You're damn right I'm jealous,” he growled. "When I kiss a girl, I like to know she's thinking about me, not the fool who gave her up.”" -Britt & Jude

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