Review: Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

June 12th 2012, Razorbill
418 pages, Hardback
Borrowed from the Library
Second in Bloodlines series
Young Adult Fiction
Amazon

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series.

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.

Favorite Quote:

“You need me? You yell. You want to leave? We go. I'll get you out of here, no matter what.”- Adrian

Cover Review:

The covers somewhat confuse me. Is the other girl Jill? If so she has such a small role in this book as to be non-existant. If it’s like showing two sides of Sydney than it’s an amazing cover because this book is all about duality.

Opinion:

I was so ultra excited to get my hands on this book! I could not wait to see more of Adrian and Sydney.  I have extremely mixed feelings about this book. There were definitely things that annoyed me, and there were things I adored. Like so much.

The plot was incredible and the morale of what has been indoctrinated into you from birth versus what you believe and see around you was so poignantly done.  The constant foreshadowing to the point that I was utterly annoyed with Sydney for not getting it and completely knew what was going to happen made it not only predictable, but boring. Foreshadowing should be done in a way that there are hints here and there, but it’s not screaming at you “Look over there!”

The duality of it was something that I found incredibly intriguing as a writer. Not only the duality of belief systems, but of plot points. From beginning to end it seemed like there was a mirror there reflecting life into Sydney’s view so that she could not get it wrong.

Characterization although weaker than other books by Mead was still impeccable. Sydney is always so well defined. Those around her seemed to endorse and enable her eating disorder, which made me a bit insane. I love that Mead includes real issues in her books from cutting to eating disorders, but there was so little to tell Sydney that what she is doing to herself is unhealthy. If food dictates your life it has become a disorder.

Overall, I left with an impression of adoration with a slight mixture of disappointment. I can’t wait to see more of Sydney’s world, which is still one of my favorites.

Rating:

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

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Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

May 25th 2010, Pocket Books
434 pages, Paperback
Borrowed from the Library
Second in Elemental Assassin series
Adult Fiction
Amazon | Book Depository | Indie Bound

Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.


I'm Gin Blanco.

You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man . . . dead or alive.

Favorite Quote:

“Too bad the smile was on the face of the wrong man.”

Cover Review:  

The cover isn’t as good as the first, but it is still outstanding. The rune on her hand, although it should be silver is there, the mine, the knife it’s all great. I would have liked to see it perhaps be in another setting though because she was most certainly not wearing that when she was in the mine.

Opinion:

Squee! I just finished this one and I’m dying for the next one! Like right FREAKING now!Halfway through the first book I added the next two on my request list from the library and two days later I drove out of my way to go pick it up. For a person that mostly reads whatever she may have at hand this is devotion. And I was NOT disappointed. I’m IN LOVE!!!

Gin is still a bit judgmental for my tastes. She has A LOT of issues herself and she seems to look down on others at times. She is incredibly strong, but most people are and it can seem at times that she’s a bit immature in her way of thinking she is the only strong one. She is incredibly hard on herself as well. She is devoted and loyal to her foster family and that endears her to me, but I would love for her to mature a bit in her opinions about others. Don’t get me wrong I love Gin, flaws and all. She is smart, independent, and doesn’t whine, but most importantly she is so loving even if she doesn’t think she is.

Her foster family is one of the best supporting character cast in books that I’ve read. One of the reason I love werewolf books is the pack mentality and she may not be a wolf, but she MOST CERTAINLY has a pack surrounding her.

Can I say I am ABSOLUTELY not Team Donavan? OMFG!!! This boy drives me up the wall. I so want to scream at him “Get over yourself already. Your morals are just as effed up as Gin’s and you DO NOT hold the authority on what is wrong and what is right! There is a whole sea of grey in the middle that you clearly are too dimwitted to see!”

Now Grayson is a completely different story. Even when he thinks she’s in a certain profession he doesn’t judge, doesn’t try to take advantage, but simply is still his gentlemanly self. He seems ultra-sophisticated, but not in that money hungry way that Finn is.

The plot was slower that Spider’s Bite, but it had a huge build up culminating in one of the best climaxes of all times. I mean it was almost orgasmic! As a result, I hope Gin becomes more confident in herself and perhaps she’ll stop reflecting bad attributes onto people she doesn’t know. If that’s the case there is going to be some astounding character growth in the next book.

Did I say that I’m in love? Yeah, well I am. It’s edging it’s way in for top love of the year award in the book department! I CANNOT wait until Venom is available.

Rating:

Rie (@missiontoread)

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

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Jane Jameson Series Review (1-3) by Molly Harper

March 31st 2009, Pocket Star
355 pages, Paperback
Received from Publisher
First in Jane Jameson series
Adult Fiction

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.
Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

August 25th 2009, Pocket Star
376 pages, Paperback
Received from Publisher
Second in Jane Jameson series
Adult Fiction

Following Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, the second in a hilarious, smart, sexy romantic series about an out-of-work librarian who is turned into a vampire.

With her best friend Zeb’s Titanic-themed wedding looming ahead, new vampire Jane Jameson struggles to develop her budding relationship with her enigmatic sire, Gabriel. It seems unfair that she’s expected to master undead dating while dealing with a groom heading for a nuptial nervous breakdown, his hostile werewolf in-laws, and the ugliest bridesmaid dress in the history of marriage. Meanwhile, the passing of Jane’s future step-grandpa puts Grandma Ruthie back on the market. Her new fiancÉ, Wilbur, has his own history of suspiciously dead spouses, and he may or may not have died ten years ago. Half-Moon Hollow’s own Black Widow has finally met her match. Should Jane warn her grandmother of Wilbur’s marital habits or let things run their course? Will Jane always be an undead bridesmaid, never the undead bride? Combining Mary Janice Davidson’s sass and the charm of Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse novels, this is an incredibly satisfying read for fans of paranormal romantic comedy.

December 29th 2009, Pocket Star
324 pages, Paperback
Received from Publisher
Third in Jane Jameson series
Adult Fiction

Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson’s sexy sire, Gabriel, has always been unpredictable. But the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow — alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.
Now the children’s-librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly-renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby . . . or litter. Step Three: Figure out who’s been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is becoming a matter of life and undeath...

Cover Review:
I love all the covers! They fit the book so amazing well. But my favorite cover has to be Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever. I love giant book.

Opinion:

Entire Series- I adore Molly Harper’s humor. She is simply hilarious and always has a great line coming from Jane. I love all of the characters and they are so true to small town America. I love how every chapter starts with a quote from a fictional book that applies to overall theme of the chapter. The main drawback with the first two books is the lack of a cohesive plot, but as the series goes on this is fixed and culminates in an EPIC third book. This series is like taking a backseat in an ordinary life, oh yeah she’s a vampire that is consistently hilarious! This is chick-lit with paranormal twist!

Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs (4 stars)- Hilarious! Absolutely hilarious from the very first page! Most of the beginning is just watching her adjust to her new life as newly unemployed vampire. The plot was slow but the hilarity made it seem to fly by!

Jane is constantly saying off the cuff hilarious things. She’s completely snarky and real.

Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men (3 stars)- The humor is still in full force, but the overemphasis on Zeb and Jolene’s wedding made me incredibly annoyed. I am not huge on weddings in the first place so that may be the issue, but I simply did not need to know every drama filled moment of a wedding that wasn’t the main characters.

Jane put up with Gabriel’s evasiveness WAY longer than I would have and he didn’t have a good reason for keeping the truth from Jane in the first place and this put her in serious danger again and again. When he finally told her what was going on they as a team were able to handle it.

Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever (5 stars) – Finally the great characterization is combined with an actual truly cohesive plot! Every single complaint I had with this series vanished in this book.

Overall Rating:

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

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Review: Torn by Amanda Hocking

February 28th 2012, St. Martin's Press
291 pages, Advanced Finished Copy
Received from Publisher
Second in Trylle trilogy
First: Switched
Young Adult Fiction

Torn - the second book in the Trylle Trilogy...

Wendy thought she finally understood who she was and what she wanted, but everything changes when the rival Vittra come after her.

She's caught between two worlds, torn between love and duty, and she must decide what life she is going to lead.

Cover Review:

Quite honestly, I think the best thing St. Martin’s did for the Trylle series is giving it a cover that people will actually want to look at. I know covers in e-books aren’t as important as they don’t go on the shelves but it still matters for most readers. You know we are all cover whores at heart! Ugh, the original cover is just so freaking DREADFUL!

Opinion:

So FREAKING EPIC!! OMG! Seriously I was waiting for this book for weeks. Checking the mailbox compulsively and when the UPS brought another book I was like sigh, fine. After reading Switched I need the next immediately! I totally get how this got to be a sensation with Indie readers.

Wendy is growing into a person I would not fear running a civilization (unlike every single one of the politicians campaigning for the White House) she is loyal, sees the “little” people as equal, and truly cares about others without trying to force her views of life on everyone else.  She gets thrown into situations that most adults wouldn’t be able to handle with poise and yet always keeps her head. She is growing more of a spine and I think will be a great ruler to the Trylle people.

She’s still head over heels in love with Finn, and starts feeling for another male. She has a duty to her people and when that duty is presented she accepts it in grace. Someone spoiled the part of the series for me on twitter. Le sigh. But now I know I’m not going to have any ill feelings toward it. She will be a do her duty, but that should not mean that she has to be miserable.

There are so many surprises within this second book. I never saw most of them coming. I seriously CANNOT wait to see what will happen in the next book. Like at all. So it’s gonna be another few weeks of compulsivly checking the mail.

If you haven’t read this series yet! Please do, so I can talk about it with you!

Rating:

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

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Review: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

April 10th 2012, HarperCollins
326 pages, ARC
Received from Publisher
Second in Darkness Rising series
In Series: The Gathering
Young Adult Fiction

Maya and her friends--all of whom have supernatural powers--have been kidnapped after fleeing from a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set, and after a terrifying helicopter crash they find themselves pursued by evildoers in the Vancouver Island wilderness.

Cover Review:


While this cover is beautiful it has absolutely nothing to do with the story and I prefer my covers to have something to do with the contents. A paw print would be awesome!

Opinion:

This is almost a post-apoplyptic sequel to The Gathering. Although, I wish I could have connected with the characters more the plot moved at almost a lightening pace and culminated it yet another great ending.

I haven’t read The Gathering for almost a year, so I was a bit lost at first. I usually HATE the author putting the entire previous books into like 500 words in the first chapter, but some explanation of who the characters are would have been nice. Or you know you could not be lazy and read the first one again.

Maya is the narrator and as such I can’t decide if the lack of differentiating between characters was simply because she is judgmental or if the character development was simply poorly done. Either way, I would have liked to see more personality from the characters instead of just 2d stereotypes.

It was hard for me to connect with most of the characters, but each character I enjoyed at some point during the storyline. I did get incredibly annoyed with them as well. When the dog has more personality than the main character you have an issue. Daniel, who is sorta the co-lead, is projected as this stereotypical leader. He seems to always have the right answer at all times and is kinda a boy version of a Mary-Sue. Not that Maya isn’t as well. Does she have any flaws other than “Oh, I expect too much from people sometimes” The only character that didn’t annoy me was Corey. He’s funny, flawed, and simply adorable.

The plot is 5 teens tramping through the forest while dealing becoming supernatural entities and not being able to trust anyone. If the plot is more important to you than characterization than this is the book for you! The plot is never-ending twists and turns with tons of surprises along the way. Having absolutely no one you can trust and having the government (or secret organization) after you with all their gadgets and all you have is your feet and supernatural talents is kinda always gonna be a good plot. At least for me.

I enjoyed the book and finished within a day, but I simply wanted more personality.

Rating:

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

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Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

February 28th 2012, HarperCollins
375 pages, ARC
Received from Publisher
Second in Delirium series
Young Adult Fiction

Others in Series: Delirium

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Opinion:

This is an impossible book for me to review. I should’ve liked it and at times I did, but generally it was more like pulling teeth to get through than enjoyment. I think my issues with Pandemonium are the same I have with Lost. We have this storyline that jumps back and forth asking a ton of questions within the viewer/reader and then not resolving them. And, oi, the ending. What was that? That made no sense and seemed to have no point within this storyline.  So you are going to throw in something that has like no validity and makes you question everything just to get us to read the next one? Seriously? Why?

And really are you going to cheapen this with that? I mean seriously. Seriously, seriously!

Take out the ending and the switching from present to past and I would have been able to enjoy this book so much more!

I enjoyed exchanges between Lena and Julian. The connection there makes Lena become stronger and more independent, which was seriously lacking in “Then” sequences. The action was tense throughout so it should’ve been a quick read. It had tons of poignant scenes and was very emotional.

There is this quote within that kinda sums up the way I feel about this book, “Some of them are ballons bobbing up through the sky: totally self-contained, and unreachable, but beautiful to watch.” It’s unreachable, when you finally feel comfortable in the world Oliver has developed she throws you this really odd way and it’s like what do we believe?

It pains me that I did not enjoy this book more. I really wanted to, but I simply didn’t. There are plenty of people that loved it, but I was not one of them.

Rating:

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

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In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

I'm being featured over at Greads!

October 22nd 2011, Clarion Books
288 pages, Paperback
Received as Teen Scene Book Tour
Second in Goblin Wars series
Young Adult Fiction



More in Series: Tyger, Tyger

The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.

Opinion:

Everything is going good for Teagan after repeated heartbreak in the last book. She’s back at home with some new friends surrounding her. Cat-sidhe and other Fir Bog haunt her, but overall everything is going great. The large part of the beginning of this book is about life calming back down after the first book.

The thing about this series is that regardless if the action is constant or a bit slow it’s an eccentric ride. One that leaves a smile on my face throughout. Finn is adorable and Teagan’s dedication to her goals is refreshing. Aidan is still my favorite character in the book though. His little resident fairy just adds to the cuteness of little Aidan.When they are in danger you can’t help but care. By care I mean sit up and start reading at supersonic speed.

Everyone has come away with injuries in Tyger, Tyger, but they have bonded in a odd little family. The family is made up of people that are so diverse and should be enemies and yet when one is threatened they bond together to fight the outside force.

The mythology is one of the most intriguing and fleshed out in such amazing detail that the world seems completely plausible at the same time it seems completely magical. I get that Mag Mell is a terrifying place, but it’s also so charming I’m not sure I’d be able to stay away.

I adore this series and can’t wait to read more! This was a great sequel to the amazing debut Tyger, Tyger!

Rating:

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

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The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Happy 4th of July! I hope you have a spectacular day!

April 1st 2006, Miramax
279 pages, Hardcover
Library Copy
2nd in the Percy Jackson series
Middle Grade Fiction

After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson is finding his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson, a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any normal friends. But things don't stay quiet for long.

Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders that protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia. Only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name: The Bermuda Triangle.

Together with his friends, Percy must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family, one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.

 
Opinion:

I’m not as crazy about this one as I was the first, but it was still good. It had a ton of action, great character building, and a storyline that would hold even Percy's attention.

Tyson was one of the best things about this book. He is such a lovable big baby. He is courageous when it’s needed and will sacrifice everything for Percy.

Annabeth seems to be falling for Percy and Percy is at that age where it’s not obvious to him that girls exist in that way, so this is endearing to both characters.

Percy is growing up and he dislikes killing things even when they are attempting to kill him, which can get annoying. It is also part of why we love him, but him not wanting to kill makes him vulnerable again and again.

I like that Hermes isn't going to give up on his son regardless of how many times he does things against the gods.

The major flaw with this book is the action can feel forced at times. This book is aimed at 10-14 year olds with short attention spans so I understand the need for constant action, but at times it felt like he was throwing in a monster just to add action and not really add anything to the story.

The copy editor didn't do a great job on this one either. There are typos that really shouldn't be there in a book produced at this level.

Rating:

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Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

March 1st 2011, Hyperion-Disney
359 pages, Hardcover
Won from Tynga’s Reviews
2nd in the Hex Hall Series
Young Adult Fiction

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Opinion:

OMG! How annoying is it when a book ends on a cliff-hanger? This entire series so far has ended on a huge cliff-hanger; basically in the middle of a sentence type cliff-hanger. I didn’t mind it in the first because I had it waiting on my bookshelf ready for me to read.

Team Cal here! I’m not sure how anyone is team Archer. I just don’t get the appeal.  I get it on a writing level for reasons I can’t discuss as it’s spoilery, but not on a reader level. He has repeatedly deceived everyone including Sophie. I don’t understand trusting him now.

Not to mention the steaminess of Cal. He rescues her again and again even when she has betrayed him. His magical talents would come in so handy as a husband as well. He could calm her down with a wave of his hand.

Jenna isn’t as present in this book and the new friends are generally creepy and not really there, so on a secondary character front this isn’t the strongest book. She spends more time with her uptight father than anyone that’s interesting.

Do you remember Maxwell from “The Nanny”, well that’s her father. The best scene with her father thus far is the one with the mirrors. I do expect him to much more dynamic in the next book.

While it ended in a cliff-hanger it also gave us so much foreshadowing that we get the gist of what the next book is going to be about. And it’s gonna be beyond amazing. So much betrayal from all sides, and hopefully some killing for some evil “witches”.

The plot didn’t slow down from page one. There was plenty of action balanced with great character development within Sophie.

This is one of those OMFG how good can one book be! The only drawback on this book is the cliffhanger.  Okay, I’ll shut-up now, but I could keep talking for ever about this one.

Rating:

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Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill

 

October 6th 2009, Penguin NAL Trade
357 pages, Paperback
Won from Lori @ Romancing the Darkside
Second in Chicagoland Vampires Series
Adult Fiction

From Goodreads:

Ten months after vampires revealed their existence to the mortals of Chicago, they're enjoying a celebrity status usually reserved for the Hollywood elite. But should people learn about the Raves-mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle-the citizens will start sharpening their stakes.

So now it's up to the new vampire Merit to reconnect with her upper class family and act as liaison between humans and bloodsuckers, and keep the more unsavory aspects of the vampire lifestyle out of the media. But someone doesn't want peace between them-someone with an ancient grudge...

Opinion:

Firstly, I do like this book and this series. It is a fun read and the adventures Merit goes on are almost always enjoyable.

But…she seems immature. I’m 5 years younger than she is supposed to be and I’m like “Hey, teenager, wake up!” At times Merit is selfish, childish and self-centered. She holds grudges long after they are done with.

One great example of Merit being selfish is the fact that the entire book she is still stringing along, Morgan, the guy that she started leading on in the previous book. And this isn’t a boy that’s all infatuated. It’s a master vamp that is willing stand up for her even when she has seemingly betrayed him.

She’s like a grown up version of Bella. She’s narcissistic and thinks she’s hilarious when in actuality it comes off as her being a spoiled child that is throwing a fit about not getting her way.

I get that she wants Ethan and doesn’t think it’s an acceptable match, and that she’s lacking oneness with her new identity, but her new self and old self don’t align.

Everyone’s about the change. The glamorous change, but it didn’t change her for the better. In the first book she was strong going against what her patriarchal father said, going to university against his wishes, not moving in to the House right away. It seems as though she lost all her strength with that one vow.

So in summation:

Merit acts like a more annoying Bella, but her job is awesome and she can be fierce and funny, so I do recommend this series to those that aren’t annoyed by Bella. I will be reading the entire series.

Rating:

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Huntress by Malinda Lo

Japan Hop Giveaway: Winner! Jennifer A.

 

  April 5th 2011, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
384 pgs., Trade Cover
From Publisher for Honest Review
Young Adult Fiction

From Goodreads:

Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people's survival hangs in the balance.

To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.

The exciting adventure prequel to Malinda Lo's highly acclaimed novel Ash is overflowing with lush Chinese influences and details inspired by the I Ching, and is filled with action and romance.

Opinion:

This book had an intensive plot that kept me intrigued. One issue I found throughout was POV issues, within the same paragraph there would be POV switches. About halfway through it seems as though a third POV became the norm.

The plot is superb. Kaede and Taisin emotional struggle to stay apart even though they love each other is touching. When we start out Kaede resents her father for promising her hand in marriage as a political alliance with a male even though it is known that she favors females. She does not believe he loves her and only feels duty towards the country as the King’s second. Soon she encounters things that make her more experienced in the arena of life and this helps to age her and make her more of an interesting character.

I liked Taisin better from the start, but soon I loved them both and wanted them together regardless of Taisin’s premonitions or her duty as a Sage. The world in which this is set is one where one is free to love regardless of gender, but there reserved personalities keep the romance at bay well into the story and then it is more emotional than physical.

The side characters were just as interesting as the main characters particularly Shae.

The paranormal aspects of this book are immediately fascinating. One of the early scenes had my heart beating faster as the action kicked in.

In all, the plot was superb! The characters were dynamic and felt like friends by the end of the book. I would definitely recommend this book.

Rating: 4/5

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Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh

 

February 2010, Berkley

352 pgs., Paperback

Library Copy

Second in Guild Hunter series

Adult Fiction

From Goodreads:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control—even when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority…

They’ve barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…

Opinion:

I loved this book as I did the first in the series. The love story is one for the ages, with lines such as “We die, we die together. That’s the deal.” Raphael loves Elena so much it’s palatable. Elana struggles with the control that love comes with.

Elana is haunted by old memories and she struggles with the feeling that it is all her fault. She has a depth of character that I often miss when reading.

The darkness that surrounds this book is alleviated only by the beauty of the Refuge and the friendship with Illium. He is beautiful, kind, and a great friend for Elana in a place that is not her own.

I hope Elana and Raphael have children. Elana needs a family of her own and Raphael would be a great father.

It’s a great book, with passion, action, heartbreaking pain, and hope.

Rating:4.5/5

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Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

July 2010, Avon

384 pgs., E-book

Library Copy

Second in Night Huntress World Series

Adult Fiction

From Goodreads:

An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness . . . And now one woman has stumbled into the shadows.Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she's only imagined in her worst nightmares.At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master vampire who thought he'd seen it all. Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful . . . human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life. Yet sending her away is unthinkable.But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose either the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.


Opinion:

When I began this book I honestly did not believe I would enjoy it as much as I did the rest of what she’s written. What I found was the best book in the both series.

Menechares always seemed so cold, old, and unwilling to confirm to today’s society. What I found was a book that had more depth than anything else I’ve read of hers to date. Menechares is powerful enough to kill hundreds with mere thoughts, but strong enough to hold his power in check most of the time.

Kira, I’m more in love with than Cat. She is relatable, but strong enough to survive in a world that is so different than our own. Her heart is what is going to heal Menechares of years of grief and torment.

There is enough action to keep this book from being boring, but balanced enough to lend to great characters.

Again I recommend this book and anything she’s written.

Rating:5+/5

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One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

April 2008, Avon

384 pgs., Paperback

Personal Copy

Second in Night Huntress Series

Adult Fiction

From Goodreads:

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield is now Special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the government to rid the world of the rogue undead. She's still using everything Bones, her sexy and dangerous ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can help her is the vampire she left behind.

Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying vamps side by side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head—wanted: dead or half-alive—means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter how hard she tries to keep things professional between them, she'll find that desire lasts forever . . . and that Bones won't let her get away again

Opinion:

If you’ve read my review over the first in the series, Halfway to the Grave,you’ll know I adore this series. This book starts off without a major component of how great this series is. Cat has set up her life with the help of the government and is in charge of a special agent force specializing in killing vampires that have transgressed against humans. Her soldiers are great backup but they have reservations about the undead, but those are removed when agents are lost and Cat needs their help.

I love this book almost as much as the first. A definite must read.

Rating:5/5

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Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

May 2008, HarperTeen

336 pgs., Paperbook
Library Copy
Second in Wicked Lovely series

From Goodreads:
 

To 17-year-old Leslie, the tattoo is a thing of indescribable beauty, a captivating mark that she must make her own. But this subtle web of eyes and wings brings with it a transformation that no sweet young girl would ever imagine or welcome. Like its predecessor, this stand-alone sequel to Wicked Lovely plunges its youthful heroine into a faery world of almost constant peril. A tantalizing urban fantasy that won't let go.

Opinion:

 

Much darker than Wicked Lovely, but in the end the right decisions were made.


Leslie is depressed. So deeply depressed that she seems to be struggling to breathe.


Niall is struggling to be good, fighting what he finds to be evil within himself.

Irial has been king for so long, that now he seems weak with the responsibility.

I wish we would have seen more of the Summer court as it seems lighter and would help to balance the book.
This is not a easy breezy read, it’s not even a happy read, it’s a dark sad read that will leave you feeling depressed but hopeful. It certainly can play with your emotions, and it’s beautifully written. But I warn you to not read this when you are looking for something cheerful. I do suggest you read it though it’s a beautiful second in the series.

Melissa Marr certainly understood the world of depression.

Rating: 4/5

 

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