The Fault in Our Stars is by the genius author John Green. The synopsis states:
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel s story is about to be completely rewritten.
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The above two lines of dots is an example of my mind after reading The Fault in Our Stars after roughly 5 hours last night. Honestly, I'm trying to come up with the right words that adequately describe my feelings towards this book, but it is quite freaking hard. Because those 5 hours have affected me so deeply that my well of words has nearly dried up. I will say that I feel this book is John's masterpiece. Well and truly, his magnus opus. If I thought he was a good author before, wow. This book is so beautiful, funny, painful, anger-inducing, etc. Like others have said, TFiOS makes you really feel the full spectrum of emotion, from laughing to crying, and everything in between. The story, while about kids with cancer, and death/dying/cancer are major themes, TFiOS is about so much more than that. It's about love, friendship, being let down by your heroes, finding yourself, familial bonds, and more. I loved this story, the surprises that I never saw coming, and at certain points I wanted to chuck my Nook at the wall because I was so angry (thankfully that didn't happen xD) I almost broke down in tears at some points, and I almost never cry, ever. So if a work is making me nearly break down in tears, I know that it is working my emotions in the best sense possible. And the ending was just gorgeous. That's all I'll say about it, gorgeous.
Hazel was an excellent narrator. For John's first foray into the female perspective, he did an excellent job with Hazel. Yes, she (and Augustus) were intelligent and spoke well beyond her years, but I believe that it's because she was forced to grow up fast due to her disease, and her experiences have shaped her personality/everything. She felt real, and once again, if she existed and were around my age, I feel like we'd be best friends. Her journey touched my heart, and I love the growth she went through. Now onto Augustus. Oh my god, I think I'm in love with Mr. Augustus Waters. The way he speaks, his sweetness, his intelligence, everything. His own journey nearly broke me, and I adore his character. Others like Isaac and Hazels parents popped through the page, all three dimensional and fully realized. One of the characters made me so angry, as I said earlier I almost chucked my Nook against my wall. But I'm glad that person was there, to highlight one of the book's themes.
Damn, John Green truly is a genius. If I thought so before, he really is now. As I said earlier, this was his first time writing from the perspective of a girl, and he did it well. He wrote these issues well, not tramping over anything. It helps that he worked in a children's hospital at one point, so he has knowledge of kids with cancer. Again, I truly think this is his magnus opus, his best novel ever. His writing style in this book was wonderful, and I can't wait to read his next book.
Was it worth the hype? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!!!!!!!!! It deserves ever single little bit of hype that it was given.
I'll next be reviewing A Million Suns by Beth Revis.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Currently Reading #13
Well folks, it's time for another Currently Reading list. I can't wait to get this one up and running, because I've decided to make its theme recurring. So let's get started!
This list's theme is Hypables! That's the name I've given this theme, which as I said, will recur every so often after a a bunch of hyped up books have come out. Without further ado, here are the books!
1. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
2. A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) - Beth Revis
3. Supernaturally (Paranormalcy #2) - Kiersten White
4. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith
5. Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) - Marissa Meyer
6. Under the Never Sky (UTNS #1) - Veronica Rossi
7. Hallowed (Unearthly #2) - Cynthia Hand
8. Article 5 (Article 5 #1) - Kristen Simmons
9. Everneath (Everneath #1) - Brodi Ashton
10. Incarnate (Incarnate #1) - Jodi Meadows
As with the fact that these books were all extremely hyped up, the same question will come up, were they worth the hype? I hope they all are :)
Until next time, viva la literature!
This list's theme is Hypables! That's the name I've given this theme, which as I said, will recur every so often after a a bunch of hyped up books have come out. Without further ado, here are the books!
1. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
2. A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) - Beth Revis
3. Supernaturally (Paranormalcy #2) - Kiersten White
4. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith
5. Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) - Marissa Meyer
6. Under the Never Sky (UTNS #1) - Veronica Rossi
7. Hallowed (Unearthly #2) - Cynthia Hand
8. Article 5 (Article 5 #1) - Kristen Simmons
9. Everneath (Everneath #1) - Brodi Ashton
10. Incarnate (Incarnate #1) - Jodi Meadows
As with the fact that these books were all extremely hyped up, the same question will come up, were they worth the hype? I hope they all are :)
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #131: Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine
Midnight Alley is the third book in the Morganville Vampires series. Goodreads says:
When Claire Danvers learned that her college town was run by vampires, she did what any intelligent, self-preserving freshman would do: She applied for a transfer and stocked up on garlic. The transfer is no longer an option, but that garlic may come in handy.
Now Claire has pledged herself to Amelie, the most powerful vampire in town. The protection her contract secures does little to reassure those closest to Claire. All of a sudden, people are turning up dead, a stalker resurfaces from her past, and an ancient bloodsucker extends a chilling invitation for private lessons in his secluded home. To what end, Claire will soon discover---and it will give a terrifying new meaning to night school.
For my review of book 2, The Dead Girls' Dance, click here.
After the disaster that was Heat Rises, this book came as a welcome relief. Honestly, this series is like tomato juice, I just lap it up. The story in Midnight Alley was wonderful, suspenseful, and full of character/relationship drama. Even though it's only the third book, I'm always happy to return to the world of Morganville. The story kept me invested, I had to know what was going on, and I was shocked by the twists. Plus that cliffhanger ending, dang Ms. Caine, you really know how to rope a girl in :) Case in point, this story, and the series, rock.
Not much to say about Claire and the members of the Glass House, except even more character growth and development happen, tension between them was palpable, and I just love reading their relationships. Shane and Claire are quickly becoming one of my favorite literary couples. You can really see how much they care for each other, how much they love one another. The same goes for Eve and Michael, who had some excellent growth most of all, and the tension between him and Shane was kind of fun to read. New characters enter the scene and fit in excellently, such as one important new character who I loved. All of my favorite characters came back, even the ones I hated were good.
I can't say much about the writing style, other than it's consistently great. I adore Ms. Caine's style, and how she keeps expanding this world, adding new and interesting pieces of information that are purely fascinating. I can't wait to dive into the fourth book.
That brings us to the end of this most current List. I shall post the new one up shortly.
Until next time, viva la literature!
When Claire Danvers learned that her college town was run by vampires, she did what any intelligent, self-preserving freshman would do: She applied for a transfer and stocked up on garlic. The transfer is no longer an option, but that garlic may come in handy.
Now Claire has pledged herself to Amelie, the most powerful vampire in town. The protection her contract secures does little to reassure those closest to Claire. All of a sudden, people are turning up dead, a stalker resurfaces from her past, and an ancient bloodsucker extends a chilling invitation for private lessons in his secluded home. To what end, Claire will soon discover---and it will give a terrifying new meaning to night school.
For my review of book 2, The Dead Girls' Dance, click here.
After the disaster that was Heat Rises, this book came as a welcome relief. Honestly, this series is like tomato juice, I just lap it up. The story in Midnight Alley was wonderful, suspenseful, and full of character/relationship drama. Even though it's only the third book, I'm always happy to return to the world of Morganville. The story kept me invested, I had to know what was going on, and I was shocked by the twists. Plus that cliffhanger ending, dang Ms. Caine, you really know how to rope a girl in :) Case in point, this story, and the series, rock.
Not much to say about Claire and the members of the Glass House, except even more character growth and development happen, tension between them was palpable, and I just love reading their relationships. Shane and Claire are quickly becoming one of my favorite literary couples. You can really see how much they care for each other, how much they love one another. The same goes for Eve and Michael, who had some excellent growth most of all, and the tension between him and Shane was kind of fun to read. New characters enter the scene and fit in excellently, such as one important new character who I loved. All of my favorite characters came back, even the ones I hated were good.
I can't say much about the writing style, other than it's consistently great. I adore Ms. Caine's style, and how she keeps expanding this world, adding new and interesting pieces of information that are purely fascinating. I can't wait to dive into the fourth book.
That brings us to the end of this most current List. I shall post the new one up shortly.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #130: Heat Rises by "Richard Castle"
Heat Rises is the third book in the Nikki Heat series, based from the books talked about in the (wonderful) television show Castle. The synopsis is:
The bizarre murder of a parish priest at a New York bondage club opens Nikki Heat's most thrilling and dangerous case so far, pitting her against New York's most vicious drug lord, an arrogant CIA contractor, and a shadowy death squad out to gun her down. And that is just the tip of an iceberg that leads to a dark conspiracy reaching all the way to the highest level of the NYPD.
But when she gets too close to the truth, Nikki finds herself disgraced, stripped of her badge, and out on her own as a target for killers, with nobody she can trust. Except maybe the one man in her life who's not a cop: reporter Jameson Rook.
In the midst of New York's coldest winter in a hundred years, there's one thing Nikki is determined to prove: Heat Rises.
I don't think I've reviewed the previous Nikki Heat books here, but essentially they're based off the books written by the character Richard Castle from the show Castle, written by a ghost writer, or writers. The first two were excellent and great, for books based from a tv show. This one however, stunk. I had to quit early on. The story was bland, as well as predictable. I just for the life of me could not get into this book at all.
The characters became pseudo-stereotypes. None of the characters had much life and felt plain, too plain.
I don't know who the ghost writer is, but I feel like they did not continue the fun and good writing that made the first two books great. It's a shame, although I still love the series and will always watch that.
I'll next be reviewing Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine.
Until next time, viva la literature!
The bizarre murder of a parish priest at a New York bondage club opens Nikki Heat's most thrilling and dangerous case so far, pitting her against New York's most vicious drug lord, an arrogant CIA contractor, and a shadowy death squad out to gun her down. And that is just the tip of an iceberg that leads to a dark conspiracy reaching all the way to the highest level of the NYPD.
But when she gets too close to the truth, Nikki finds herself disgraced, stripped of her badge, and out on her own as a target for killers, with nobody she can trust. Except maybe the one man in her life who's not a cop: reporter Jameson Rook.
In the midst of New York's coldest winter in a hundred years, there's one thing Nikki is determined to prove: Heat Rises.
I don't think I've reviewed the previous Nikki Heat books here, but essentially they're based off the books written by the character Richard Castle from the show Castle, written by a ghost writer, or writers. The first two were excellent and great, for books based from a tv show. This one however, stunk. I had to quit early on. The story was bland, as well as predictable. I just for the life of me could not get into this book at all.
The characters became pseudo-stereotypes. None of the characters had much life and felt plain, too plain.
I don't know who the ghost writer is, but I feel like they did not continue the fun and good writing that made the first two books great. It's a shame, although I still love the series and will always watch that.
I'll next be reviewing Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #129: Dream Dark and Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Guys!!!! It really feels like it's been ages and ages since we've last seen each other. I apologize for this latest lengthy absence, I started up school again, so the past week and a quarter have been hectic. I also got a new phone and admittedly I became extremely obsessed with it xD. But I digress. Thankfully everything is leveling out, so hopefully I'll be posting fairly regularly :) Anyway I've got some review for ya tonight :) Lets away!
Dream Dark is a short story segue-way between Beautiful Darkness and Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. It focuses on Link and his transformation, which took place in Beautiful Darkness.
I thought this was a great bridge story. I loved seeing Link's perspective, which was excellent. You get to see more of his relationship with his mom, and just in general get his thoughts on everything.
Beautiful Chaos is the third book in the Caster Chronicles series. Goodreads says:
Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?
For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.
Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.
For my review of the second book, Beautiful Darkness, click here.
Hot damn, this book has officially fully restored my faith in this series. I mean wow, this book was amazing with a capital A. I was so freaking addicted to turning the page, wanting to know what happened next. And the twists, my god they were literally gasp-inducing. I could not put this book down. I loved the storyline and the directions this book took. From Ethan's story to Ridley's story to Link, it was all fabulous.
Speaking of Ethan, oh man. I think my crush on him has increased tenfold. He is just so sweet, smart, loyal and determined. I was rooting for him all the way to that freaking ending. (By the way, holy f**k that ending broke my damn heart) His growth and development was perfect. I also loved Lena's growth. I kept rooting for her as well, and you can really see the struggle she is going through with herself and her family. I felt for her, and wanted her and Ethan to have a happy ending. And of course there's Link, who stepped up as a more prominent character in this novel. He was still his usual funny, awesome self, just a bit more sexy and had some excellent development. His relationship with Ridley (whose story/character arc I loved) was always fun to read, especially their banter.
Kami and Margaret did not disappoint with this book. I loved how they just kept building their world, while making me fall in love with this series again. I literally can not wait for the fourth book!
I'll next be reviewing Heat Rises by "Richard Castle"
Until next time, viva la literature!
Dream Dark is a short story segue-way between Beautiful Darkness and Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. It focuses on Link and his transformation, which took place in Beautiful Darkness.
I thought this was a great bridge story. I loved seeing Link's perspective, which was excellent. You get to see more of his relationship with his mom, and just in general get his thoughts on everything.
Beautiful Chaos is the third book in the Caster Chronicles series. Goodreads says:
Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?
For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.
Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.
For my review of the second book, Beautiful Darkness, click here.
Hot damn, this book has officially fully restored my faith in this series. I mean wow, this book was amazing with a capital A. I was so freaking addicted to turning the page, wanting to know what happened next. And the twists, my god they were literally gasp-inducing. I could not put this book down. I loved the storyline and the directions this book took. From Ethan's story to Ridley's story to Link, it was all fabulous.
Speaking of Ethan, oh man. I think my crush on him has increased tenfold. He is just so sweet, smart, loyal and determined. I was rooting for him all the way to that freaking ending. (By the way, holy f**k that ending broke my damn heart) His growth and development was perfect. I also loved Lena's growth. I kept rooting for her as well, and you can really see the struggle she is going through with herself and her family. I felt for her, and wanted her and Ethan to have a happy ending. And of course there's Link, who stepped up as a more prominent character in this novel. He was still his usual funny, awesome self, just a bit more sexy and had some excellent development. His relationship with Ridley (whose story/character arc I loved) was always fun to read, especially their banter.
Kami and Margaret did not disappoint with this book. I loved how they just kept building their world, while making me fall in love with this series again. I literally can not wait for the fourth book!
I'll next be reviewing Heat Rises by "Richard Castle"
Until next time, viva la literature!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Review #128: Great Hexpectations by H.P. Mallory
Here's the final review of the night y'all, enjoy it!
Great Hexpectations is the third novel in the Dulcie O'Neil series. Goodreads states:
Great Hexpectations is the third novel in the Dulcie O'Neil series. Goodreads states:
A misunderstanding turned deadly.
A fairy in law enforcement who won't stop until the truth is uncovered.
A vampire who seems to be her ally but appearances can be deceiving.
And a partner who would put his own life on the line to defend hers.
Dulcie O'Neil knows she's at fault for failing to arrest a wanted criminal but when her partner gets pinned for the crime, she'll stop at nothing to ensure his innocence.
What Dulcie isn't planning on is a trip to the infamous Netherworld where chaos rules.
Between battling the affections of a mysterious vampire, protecting herself from monsters and ensuring the innocence of the one man who would die for her, Dulcie's trip to the Netherworld isn't sunshine and strawberry daiquiris.
A fairy in law enforcement who won't stop until the truth is uncovered.
A vampire who seems to be her ally but appearances can be deceiving.
And a partner who would put his own life on the line to defend hers.
Dulcie O'Neil knows she's at fault for failing to arrest a wanted criminal but when her partner gets pinned for the crime, she'll stop at nothing to ensure his innocence.
What Dulcie isn't planning on is a trip to the infamous Netherworld where chaos rules.
Between battling the affections of a mysterious vampire, protecting herself from monsters and ensuring the innocence of the one man who would die for her, Dulcie's trip to the Netherworld isn't sunshine and strawberry daiquiris.
For my review of the second book, A Tale of Two Goblins, click here.
Honestly, this book was meh. It just was not as good as the other books. I don't know what it is, I just did not get into this book like I did the others. I feel like the middle was not up to par with the other Dulcie books. The characters were not as good, nothing was really the same. The only truly good part, at least to me, was the ending. The ending made this book, although I admit the cliffhanger at the end, come on! I mean it was good, and I was shocked, but really? That's how you end your book? With that sentence? XD.
Dulcie was not as good of a character in this book. I did like her personal growth, but that was it. Not much else about her in this book. I did not like Knight at all in this book, although I give credit to Ms. Mallory for moving his relationship with Dulcie forward (Although I felt a bit uncomfortable with a scene between them that I felt went a bit too long -_-) He was gone for a while right after said development, then had this really protective bit that was too much. Also Bram, really? I feel like he was a bit chopped up as a character. Just disappointing.
Ms. Mallory really disappointed me in this book. I feel like everything I discussed above says it all about how I feel about this book. I do think Ms. Mallory's writing was consistently good, I'll give her that much.
I'll next be reviewing Dream Dark and Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #127: So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev
Hello friends! Again, it feels like ages since we've last seen each other! Well, not actually seen each other, but you know what I mean xD. I have a couple of reviews for ya tonight, hope you enjoy them :) So let's go!
So Silver Bright is the third and final book in the Theatre Illuminata trilogy. The Goodreads synopsis is:
So Silver Bright is the third and final book in the Theatre Illuminata trilogy. The Goodreads synopsis is:
All Beatrice Shakespeare Smith has ever wanted is a true family of her own. And she’s close to reuniting her parents when her father disappears. Now Bertie must deal with a vengeful sea goddess and a mysterious queen as she tries to keep her family – and the Theatre Illuminata – from crumbling. To complicate it all, Bertie is torn between her two loves, Ariel and Nate.
For my review of the second book, Perchance to Dream, click here.
Dayum, this book was amazing! Admittedly, I felt like it dragged a bit in the middle, but everything else was completely fantastical! I loved reading about Bertie and her continuing adventures, fulfilling her promise to her mother/Ophelia, learning the final pieces about her past, and coming to terms with her two loves. The last quarter of the book, man I was just on the edge wanting to know what was going on, shocked at the twists Lisa Mantchev pulled out. I'm serious guys, the ole eyes were bugging for that last quarter. I think it's safe to say that the last quarter made this book for me. It just blew me away utterly. Ugh the plot was so good, and Mantchev tied everything up so well too. Yes the end was open ended in one way, but she tied all of the important plot points up and left the end to your interpretation. I will miss this series terribly.
Bertie seriously grew up in this book! She matures so much in the best way, and grows and becomes such a full and even richer character. She ends the novel older, wiser, and just all around better. She learns more about herself, and I love how that affected her maturation and her growth, and again she still maintained some of her trademark Bertie-ness. Ariel, wow. He really made me love him in this book. He was just, I can't even explain it. I swooned so much over him, and his arc just made my heart wrench in place. Nate was still his lovable self. I adored him, but Ariel stole the fricking show up in here. The other characters, like Waschbar (sp?), the Scrimshander, etc all got great development, Waschbar really taking some space in my heart.
Damn, Lisa gripped the hell out of me in this one. She takes you on such an epic journey, I loved it. She is just brilliant in my book, and I can't wait to read more from her.
I'll next be reviewing Great Hexpectations by H.P. Mallory.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Until next time, viva la literature!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Review #126: Violet Tendencies and Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells
Hey everyone! Happy midweek for all :) Hope all is well for everyone and that you're all enjoying this fine evening/day. Well, lets get to the reviews!
Violet Tendencies is the mid-story between The Mage in Black and Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells. Goodreads says:
The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. Her sister has been kidnapped by her grandmother, the Dark Races are on the brink of war, and a mysterious order is manipulating everyone behind the scenes.
Working on information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks--a sexy mage named Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, a Mischief demon--head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister. Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and--perhaps most frightening of all--humans.
But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won't be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about most, she must save herself from the ghosts of her past.
For my review of the second book, The Mage in Black, click here.
Holy shit (pardon), this book was amazing. I mean that. And for me to say that the third book in, that's something. This was an excellent book, and an excellent installment in what has become one of my all time favorite series. This book starts off with a bang, picking up right where Violet Tendencies left off. The action is ramped up, the romance is as well, character development out the yin yang. Oh my god, such a good book. This time, Sabina and the crew are in New Orleans, trying to find Sabina's sister Maisie. The story takes such great turns with excellent twists. And I mean holy bleep, that ending squeezed the hell out of my heart. I couldn't put this book down, so much so I stayed up until almost 5 in the morning to finish it. But that ending, oh. My. God. If that doesn't make me want to read Silver-Tongued Devil, I don't know what will (I'm definitely reading STD ^^).
Sabina still kicks some major butt. When she's in action mode, oh boy don't get in her way. She is a beautiful action heroine, and she also gets some major character development. Her confrontation of her past, her heritage, and her possible romance with Adam all boost her up, making Sabina vulnerable yet tough, and I loved being in her head. Man she can snark it up with the best of them. Adam, whew. He wasn't really in TMIB, so having him return in full force was wonderful. He also goes through some development, having some revelations while struggling alongside Sabina about their relationship. Speaking of their relationship, oh god it's fabulous. I adore reading the banter between Sabina and Adam, also how sweet their romance could be. You just want them to be happy and to be together. Then of course, one of my all time favorite characters, Giguhl. I'm laughing just thinking about him. He is comic relief incarnate, yet he's also loyal, protective, and all around brilliant. He had this one line that had me cracking up, at 4 in the morning mind you. I had to struggle to not laugh very loudly at that time so not as to wake up my parents. I just adore Gigul so much, and I love him not as a character, but as a person. (you know, if he were real) The banter between him and Sabina had me dying of laughter, but you could see how much they care for each other as friends. New characters were introduced as well, such as Brooks. Brooks quickly rose up as one of my favorite characters. He's so sassy and funny, but also well rounded with heartbreaking backstory. And when you read what happens to him, your heart aches. Brooks also had hilarious banter with all of the characters, and I love his relationship with Giguhl (oh god, such a great duo). Others such as Zen, Mac, etc. All of them had strong connections to the Kaniverse, were vibrant and fabulous, and had great development/backstory to book.
Jaye Wells, you are a hero to me. I mean that with all my heart. The woman can write so freaking well, guys. She just keeps on building up this world, keeping it full and rich, making you want to learn more and more. She can write a character like nobody's business, and is pure brilliance. I can not WAIT to read Silver-Tongued Devil.
It's safe to say this is one of my all time favorite series and I would recommend it highly.
I'll next be reviewing So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Violet Tendencies is the mid-story between The Mage in Black and Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells. Goodreads says:
Former assassin Sabina Kane heads to Los Angeles to find her kidnapped sister. Helping her on the mission are her hot mage partner, her Mischief demon minion, and a Vanity demon named Valva. The problem? She's got to figure out how to find her sister without letting her enemies know she's back in town. But when Sabina seeks out an old ally -- a vampire strip club owner named Fang -- for help, Sabina learns the hard way that Vanity demons don't know the meaning of the phrase "low profile.
This was a great in-between story. It still had all of the flavor of a Sabina Kane adventure, wrapped up in a short story. You actually learn a bit of information and it packs some great punch. It was really very excellent. All I can say is it leads up to GED very nicely :)
Green-Eyed Demon is the third Sabina Kane novel by Jaye Wells. Goodreads speaks:
Working on information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks--a sexy mage named Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, a Mischief demon--head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister. Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and--perhaps most frightening of all--humans.
But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won't be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about most, she must save herself from the ghosts of her past.
For my review of the second book, The Mage in Black, click here.
Holy shit (pardon), this book was amazing. I mean that. And for me to say that the third book in, that's something. This was an excellent book, and an excellent installment in what has become one of my all time favorite series. This book starts off with a bang, picking up right where Violet Tendencies left off. The action is ramped up, the romance is as well, character development out the yin yang. Oh my god, such a good book. This time, Sabina and the crew are in New Orleans, trying to find Sabina's sister Maisie. The story takes such great turns with excellent twists. And I mean holy bleep, that ending squeezed the hell out of my heart. I couldn't put this book down, so much so I stayed up until almost 5 in the morning to finish it. But that ending, oh. My. God. If that doesn't make me want to read Silver-Tongued Devil, I don't know what will (I'm definitely reading STD ^^).
Sabina still kicks some major butt. When she's in action mode, oh boy don't get in her way. She is a beautiful action heroine, and she also gets some major character development. Her confrontation of her past, her heritage, and her possible romance with Adam all boost her up, making Sabina vulnerable yet tough, and I loved being in her head. Man she can snark it up with the best of them. Adam, whew. He wasn't really in TMIB, so having him return in full force was wonderful. He also goes through some development, having some revelations while struggling alongside Sabina about their relationship. Speaking of their relationship, oh god it's fabulous. I adore reading the banter between Sabina and Adam, also how sweet their romance could be. You just want them to be happy and to be together. Then of course, one of my all time favorite characters, Giguhl. I'm laughing just thinking about him. He is comic relief incarnate, yet he's also loyal, protective, and all around brilliant. He had this one line that had me cracking up, at 4 in the morning mind you. I had to struggle to not laugh very loudly at that time so not as to wake up my parents. I just adore Gigul so much, and I love him not as a character, but as a person. (you know, if he were real) The banter between him and Sabina had me dying of laughter, but you could see how much they care for each other as friends. New characters were introduced as well, such as Brooks. Brooks quickly rose up as one of my favorite characters. He's so sassy and funny, but also well rounded with heartbreaking backstory. And when you read what happens to him, your heart aches. Brooks also had hilarious banter with all of the characters, and I love his relationship with Giguhl (oh god, such a great duo). Others such as Zen, Mac, etc. All of them had strong connections to the Kaniverse, were vibrant and fabulous, and had great development/backstory to book.
Jaye Wells, you are a hero to me. I mean that with all my heart. The woman can write so freaking well, guys. She just keeps on building up this world, keeping it full and rich, making you want to learn more and more. She can write a character like nobody's business, and is pure brilliance. I can not WAIT to read Silver-Tongued Devil.
It's safe to say this is one of my all time favorite series and I would recommend it highly.
I'll next be reviewing So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Currently Reading #12
Holy crap guys, this is the first List of the new year! O.O Wow. Well, good thing we're starting with a list I've wanted to do for ages. So lets get to it!
This List's theme is Lets Get Some Thirds! That's right, it's the third book in various series'! Like I said, I've wanted to do this list for a while, and I'm so excited I have enough third books to do so. I'm also including some in-between book that come before, but I don't count those on their own, so yeah. Without further ado, the books are:
1. Violet Tendencies (Sabina Kane 2.5) and Green Eyed Demon (Sabina Kane #3) - Jaye Wells
2. So Silver Bright (Theatre Illuminata #3) - Lisa Mantchev
3. Great Hexpectations (Dulcie O'Neil #3) - H.P. Mallory
4. Dream Dark (Caster Chronicles #2.5) and Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3) - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
5. Heat Rises (Nikki Heat #3) - Richard Castle
6. Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires #3) - Rachel Caine
There ya have it! Can't wait to see where these books go :)
Until next time, viva la literature!
This List's theme is Lets Get Some Thirds! That's right, it's the third book in various series'! Like I said, I've wanted to do this list for a while, and I'm so excited I have enough third books to do so. I'm also including some in-between book that come before, but I don't count those on their own, so yeah. Without further ado, the books are:
1. Violet Tendencies (Sabina Kane 2.5) and Green Eyed Demon (Sabina Kane #3) - Jaye Wells
2. So Silver Bright (Theatre Illuminata #3) - Lisa Mantchev
3. Great Hexpectations (Dulcie O'Neil #3) - H.P. Mallory
4. Dream Dark (Caster Chronicles #2.5) and Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3) - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
5. Heat Rises (Nikki Heat #3) - Richard Castle
6. Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires #3) - Rachel Caine
There ya have it! Can't wait to see where these books go :)
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #125: Heroes Til Curfew by Susan Bischoff
My friends! Man, it truly feels like forever since we've had any contact! I apologize if it's been a bit longer than it should have, I just got over a f*ckin horrible bout of sickness yesterday, and during the time of said sickness I could barely read. Luckily there was a moment where I was able to finish this book, but took until now to review it. So, after that whole diatribe, let's get onto the review!
Heroes Til Curfew is the second book in the Talent Chronicles series by Susan Bischoff. Goodreads says:
Heroes Til Curfew is the second book in the Talent Chronicles series by Susan Bischoff. Goodreads says:
All Joss wants is to be left alone—with Dylan. But as more Talents are imprisoned by the government, everyone’s looking for a leader. Some look to Joss, some to Marco whose new criminal plan threatens Joss’s family and friends. Joss wants to stand up to Marco, but Dylan’s protective instincts are putting him in harm’s way. Can Joss find a way to embrace both the boy and her hero within?
For my review of the prequel and sequel, Impulse Control and Hush Money, click here.
This book was flipping excellent. I loved the tension and the action, as well as the romance. It honestly got a bit creepier, and the ending was just, sweet and awesome and all I could think at times was holy sh()t!!!! Everything was stepped up in this book.
Joss had some great development. She opens up more to her friends and her boyfriend, even rebelling a bit against her Dad. She really grew as a character in this book, yet remained the kick-ass girl with great sarcasm. Dylan reminded me a lot of the typical "I Have to Protect my Girlfriend at All Costs" Boyfriend, even though he knew Joss could take care of herself, which is good. I'm glad he was still sweet and caring, yet a bit confused. Heather really took a front leading role in this book, and I love it. She is just pure awesomeness. She uses her mind reading to her advantage, to help her friends, etc. Plus she has awesome mental fights with Joss. She's also caring, kick-ass and smart. Marco, I swear, he just keeps getting more and more evil. He scares the living hell out of me. Same with some other characters..... *shivers* All of the other characters got great development as well, from Joss' Dad to Kat.
Wow Ms. Bischoff, you outdid yourself! You built your world even more, added some great characters, and really shocked me! I hope that wasn't the end of the series, and that you have another book in the works.
That seems to be the end of the latest list. The new list will be up soon.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Review #124: Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot
Dear friends! How are you guys? Hope your weekends were lovely :) I've got a review for y'all tonight, and I hope you enjoy it :). So sit back, relax, and away we go!
Size 14 Is Not Fat Either is the second novel in the Heather Wells Series by the wonderful Meg Cabot. Goodreads speaks:
Size 14 Is Not Fat Either is the second novel in the Heather Wells Series by the wonderful Meg Cabot. Goodreads speaks:
Former pop star Heather Wells has settled nicely into her new life as assistant dorm director at New York College--a career that does not require her to drape her size 12 body in embarrassingly skimpy outfits. She can even cope (sort of) with her rocker ex-boyfriend's upcoming nuptials, which the press has dubbed The Celebrity Wedding of the Decade. But she's definitely having a hard time dealing with the situation in the dormitory kitchen--where a cheerleader has lost her head on the first day of the semester. (Actually, her head is accounted for--it's her torso that's AWOL.)
Surrounded by hysterical students--with her ex-con father on her doorstep and her ex-love bombarding her with unwanted phone calls--Heather welcomes the opportunity to play detective . . . again. If it gets her mind off her personal problems--and teams her up again with the gorgeous P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives--it's all good. But the murder trail is leading the average-sized amateur investigator into a shadowy world. And if she doesn't watch her step, Heather will soon be singing her swan song!
For my review of the first book, Size 12 Is Not Fat, click here.
I LOVED this book! A great addition to this series. Heather grows a bit, while still being her kick-ass self. I loved the inventive way Meg set up the mystery, each revealed bit had my eyes bugging with me thinking "Holy Sh*t!" I mean it, each twist had me jumping like jump rope. And that ending, and that villain. I mean holy tightwad that villain scared the f&ck out of me, no joke. I got cold when the villain spoke. Well, he's one of the villains, but still O.O. I loved the tension and all the different aspects, like Heather's Dad entering the picture, the possibility of performing again, her relationships with the Cartwright brothers, all of it was just so good.
Heather still kicked ass. Being a bigger girl like her, I know how she felt with that aspect of her. Plus we're both New Yorkers, and I feel like I think how she thought sometimes. I loved her determination to solve the mystery, and how unafraid she was of the increasingly dire situations. She is such a great character, and I really think if one of us were younger or older, we'd be great friends. Or she could be my awesome older sister. Cooper, dayum, Cooper. Ugh, he's so freaking sexy, sweet, and plain amazing. I can see why Heather loves him, even though he is a bit overprotective. You can see he cares for Heather, and I so wish he'd act on it. Magda wasn't in the picture as much as I'd like, but she was still a great character. Characters like Reggie and a student whom I forget the name of (XD) entered the picture, and added such great flavor to this novel. I really liked Heather's Dad. You feel how much he loves his daughter, and just wants her to forgive him. I admit he was a bit naive, but all in all he was excellent. Like I said, the villain gave me shivers. I mean it, damn.
Ms. Cabot dazzled me again. She kept up the quality of this series, kept my interest, and like I said crafted an inventive mystery that yes, while a tad cliche, still creatively awesome. Cabot, in my opinion, is a genius and great author, who can move from genre to genre with ease. I also loved how she kept up with the song lyrics in front of each chapter, this time using lyrics from songs Heather wrote herself. I love that bit, especially it reflects Heather's emotions in that chapter. Seriously, I adore Ms. Cabot's works.
I'll next be reviewing Heroes Til Curfew by Susan Bischoff.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Review #123: The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine
Hey y'all! This shall be the last review of the night, and thankfully this deluge is ending with a glowing review :)
The Dead Girls' Dance is the second book in the Morganville Vampires Series by Rachel Caine. Goodreads doth speaketh:
The Dead Girls' Dance is the second book in the Morganville Vampires Series by Rachel Caine. Goodreads doth speaketh:
Claire Danvers has her share of challenges---like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains, dealing with the homicidal girls in her dorm, and above all, finding out that her college town is overrun with vampires. On the up side, she has a great roommate (who tends to disappear at sunup) and a new boyfriend named Shane, whose vampire-hunting dad has called in backup: cycle punks who like the idea of killing just about anything.
Now a fraternity is throwing its annual Dead Girls' Dance and---surprise!---Claire and her equally outcast best friend, Eve, have been invited. When they find out why, all hell is going to break loose. Because this time both the living and the dead are coming out---and everybody's hungry for blood.
For my review of the first book, Glass Houses, click here.
My god, this book was fucking wonderful (pardon ze language). I'm sorry for cursing, but I can't help but do so to describe just how much I loved this book, and in essence the series. This book literally picks up where Glass Houses left off, and gets better and better from there. There was a LOT more romance in this book, but it only added, didn't take away from this amazing novel. I loved the twists and turns, and that ending was a major (pardon once again) HOLY SHIT!!!! moment. I mean it, dayum, the ending was fantastic and shocking. The pace was well done, the characters still intact, it was all amazing.
Claire is still fabulous. She goes through struggles with her feelings for Shane, the lengths she goes to in order to save him. She goes through a lot, and comes out better. Plus her relationships with Eve and Michael became stronger. I just love the dynamic between the four. Like I said in my review for Glass Houses, they have such a great relationship, banter, plus you can tell the friends truly care for each other. Eve got some serious growth in this book. You find out more about her history, and the dark shadow that stained it. You sympathize more with her, and just want her to be happy. Onto Michael, dayum. He also got some great development. Like Eve, you learn more about him and his family history. You also sympathize with him since he can't leave the house, therefore unable to help Claire with her efforts. What happens to him in the end it literally shocking. I actually gasped and yelled out "NO! NO REALLY?!?!?". Then there's Shane. Oh boy, he got the most development of all, since he is central to the plot. I feel so sad for him and what happened to him and his family. I just wanted to run to him and give him a hug. I also love how his relationship with Claire develops. They struggle with their feelings since Claire is underage, and therefore it's weird for them to be together, despite the fact that they're in love. Plus their banter is excellent. :) Then there's Sam. Oh Sam, you have become one of my absolute favorites in this series. He is truly wonderful, and I also wanted to hug him. Plus he has this one part near the end of the book that I just loved, even fist pumped and yelled out "YES! EFFING YES!!" I so hope Ms. Caine has added more Sam in the next book. Characters like Amelie still creep me out, but continue to be well developed and awesome. PS Shane's Dad scares the hell out of me *shivers*
Holy Sheeeet Ms. Caine, you write an excellent vampire novel. I don't know if I said this in my review of GH, but I love the concept of vampires being a kind of mafia, running Morganville how they do, treating the humans how they do. I don't know if the metaphor was intentional, but it's definitely interesting and thought-provoking. Ms. Caine continues to build up this world well, adding characters like Sam (swoon) and bringing the epicausity. I can officially say this is an all time favorite series and I can not WAIT to read Midnight Alley.
I'll next be reviewing Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Now a fraternity is throwing its annual Dead Girls' Dance and---surprise!---Claire and her equally outcast best friend, Eve, have been invited. When they find out why, all hell is going to break loose. Because this time both the living and the dead are coming out---and everybody's hungry for blood.
For my review of the first book, Glass Houses, click here.
My god, this book was fucking wonderful (pardon ze language). I'm sorry for cursing, but I can't help but do so to describe just how much I loved this book, and in essence the series. This book literally picks up where Glass Houses left off, and gets better and better from there. There was a LOT more romance in this book, but it only added, didn't take away from this amazing novel. I loved the twists and turns, and that ending was a major (pardon once again) HOLY SHIT!!!! moment. I mean it, dayum, the ending was fantastic and shocking. The pace was well done, the characters still intact, it was all amazing.
Claire is still fabulous. She goes through struggles with her feelings for Shane, the lengths she goes to in order to save him. She goes through a lot, and comes out better. Plus her relationships with Eve and Michael became stronger. I just love the dynamic between the four. Like I said in my review for Glass Houses, they have such a great relationship, banter, plus you can tell the friends truly care for each other. Eve got some serious growth in this book. You find out more about her history, and the dark shadow that stained it. You sympathize more with her, and just want her to be happy. Onto Michael, dayum. He also got some great development. Like Eve, you learn more about him and his family history. You also sympathize with him since he can't leave the house, therefore unable to help Claire with her efforts. What happens to him in the end it literally shocking. I actually gasped and yelled out "NO! NO REALLY?!?!?". Then there's Shane. Oh boy, he got the most development of all, since he is central to the plot. I feel so sad for him and what happened to him and his family. I just wanted to run to him and give him a hug. I also love how his relationship with Claire develops. They struggle with their feelings since Claire is underage, and therefore it's weird for them to be together, despite the fact that they're in love. Plus their banter is excellent. :) Then there's Sam. Oh Sam, you have become one of my absolute favorites in this series. He is truly wonderful, and I also wanted to hug him. Plus he has this one part near the end of the book that I just loved, even fist pumped and yelled out "YES! EFFING YES!!" I so hope Ms. Caine has added more Sam in the next book. Characters like Amelie still creep me out, but continue to be well developed and awesome. PS Shane's Dad scares the hell out of me *shivers*
Holy Sheeeet Ms. Caine, you write an excellent vampire novel. I don't know if I said this in my review of GH, but I love the concept of vampires being a kind of mafia, running Morganville how they do, treating the humans how they do. I don't know if the metaphor was intentional, but it's definitely interesting and thought-provoking. Ms. Caine continues to build up this world well, adding characters like Sam (swoon) and bringing the epicausity. I can officially say this is an all time favorite series and I can not WAIT to read Midnight Alley.
I'll next be reviewing Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review 122: Inner Demons by Sarra Cannon
Inner Demons is the second book in the Peachville High Demons series by Sarra Cannon. Goodreads says:
Becoming a Demons cheerleader was the last thing Harper Madison expected when she moved to the small town of Peachville. Now that she's an official member of the squad, her training can begin. Only, this is no normal group of cheerleaders. Harper isn't there to learn dances and cheers. She became a cheerleader in order to finally learn how to control the magic inside.
The Peachville Demons cheer leading squad is really a training ground for a powerful coven of witches called the Order of Shadows. The training opens up a new world for Harper. It's a world of beauty and magic beyond her wildest dreams, but also a world of pressure and impossible expectations.
A world where every secret hides an even darker secret.
For my review of the first book, Beautiful Demons, click here.
Ugh, this book was such a disappointment after BD. The first book was so damn good, and this was well, not. I literally could not find a single reason to finish it and see what came next. Honestly, the plot became just so generic, uninteresting and just not good.
Frankly, Harper became a bland character in this one. She didn't do much til the end, had serious brain farts, and just wasn't likable. None of the other characters felt real, or likable themselves. And the third member of the triangle, Jackson, had his own personality squandered.
Damn, what happened Ms. Cannon? BD was a genius and brilliant novel, and then this? I'm sorry, but you have so much in you, and I just can't fathom why you wrote Inner Demons this way. I'm sorry, but I can't continue this series. *Hangs head in silence*
I'll next be reviewing The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Becoming a Demons cheerleader was the last thing Harper Madison expected when she moved to the small town of Peachville. Now that she's an official member of the squad, her training can begin. Only, this is no normal group of cheerleaders. Harper isn't there to learn dances and cheers. She became a cheerleader in order to finally learn how to control the magic inside.
The Peachville Demons cheer leading squad is really a training ground for a powerful coven of witches called the Order of Shadows. The training opens up a new world for Harper. It's a world of beauty and magic beyond her wildest dreams, but also a world of pressure and impossible expectations.
A world where every secret hides an even darker secret.
For my review of the first book, Beautiful Demons, click here.
Ugh, this book was such a disappointment after BD. The first book was so damn good, and this was well, not. I literally could not find a single reason to finish it and see what came next. Honestly, the plot became just so generic, uninteresting and just not good.
Frankly, Harper became a bland character in this one. She didn't do much til the end, had serious brain farts, and just wasn't likable. None of the other characters felt real, or likable themselves. And the third member of the triangle, Jackson, had his own personality squandered.
Damn, what happened Ms. Cannon? BD was a genius and brilliant novel, and then this? I'm sorry, but you have so much in you, and I just can't fathom why you wrote Inner Demons this way. I'm sorry, but I can't continue this series. *Hangs head in silence*
I'll next be reviewing The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #121: Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Kiss of Frost is the second book in the Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep. Goodreads says:
I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Academy, and I have no idea how I’m going to survive the rest of the semester. One day, I’m getting schooled in swordplay by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gorgeous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in the Library of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I find out that someone at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...
For my review of the Prequel and first book, First and Touch of Frost, click here.
This was such a kick-ass book! After those second book-slumps, it was a breath of air reading Kiss of Frost. The series continued naturally, mostly taking place in a fairly contained environment. But oh, Ms. Estep made it an action packed location, and an action packed book. Everything meshed well: The romance, the action, the friendships, everything. I loved reading the journey, and dayum the ending was so epic and amazing and twisty, I should have seen it coming but I didn't, and I so appreciate that.
Gwen was even more kick-butt in this book. I loved how she explored her powers in this book, going on her emotional and physical journey. I still found myself rooting for her. Her trademark wit and sarcasm was still there. I wanted her to take her enemies down. Logan gained my respect in this book, despite some douchy tendencies. His back-story and his own emotional journey made me completely fall for him. Daphne was back and better than ever! She is still my favorite character, remaining snarky but sweet, and loyal to Gwen. I still love the friendship between her and Gwen. It was just like the friendship I have with my best friends, we snark at each other and tease a lot, but when the chips are down we're always there for one another. Oliver got a lot of surprising development in this book, taking me by surprise for sure. I liked how Ms. Estep took his character, and I can't wait to see where he goes in the books to come. And of course, Vic was Vic. Nuff said.
Dang Ms. Estep, you kick some serious bum. She built her world well, kept me intrigued, sucking me in from page one once again. Despite all of the praise I've been showering upon her, I still have one issue. She still keeps referring to characters as "the Valkryie" and "the Spartan," even after repeating that numerous times and even after referring to the characters by name. Even Daphne, and she and Gwen are friends! Ugh, I really truly hope that lessens, because it is the only peeve I have with this series. Other than that, fantastic work Ms. Estep!
I'll next be reviewing Inner Demons by Sarra Cannon.
Until next time, viva la literature!
I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Academy, and I have no idea how I’m going to survive the rest of the semester. One day, I’m getting schooled in swordplay by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gorgeous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in the Library of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I find out that someone at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...
For my review of the Prequel and first book, First and Touch of Frost, click here.
This was such a kick-ass book! After those second book-slumps, it was a breath of air reading Kiss of Frost. The series continued naturally, mostly taking place in a fairly contained environment. But oh, Ms. Estep made it an action packed location, and an action packed book. Everything meshed well: The romance, the action, the friendships, everything. I loved reading the journey, and dayum the ending was so epic and amazing and twisty, I should have seen it coming but I didn't, and I so appreciate that.
Gwen was even more kick-butt in this book. I loved how she explored her powers in this book, going on her emotional and physical journey. I still found myself rooting for her. Her trademark wit and sarcasm was still there. I wanted her to take her enemies down. Logan gained my respect in this book, despite some douchy tendencies. His back-story and his own emotional journey made me completely fall for him. Daphne was back and better than ever! She is still my favorite character, remaining snarky but sweet, and loyal to Gwen. I still love the friendship between her and Gwen. It was just like the friendship I have with my best friends, we snark at each other and tease a lot, but when the chips are down we're always there for one another. Oliver got a lot of surprising development in this book, taking me by surprise for sure. I liked how Ms. Estep took his character, and I can't wait to see where he goes in the books to come. And of course, Vic was Vic. Nuff said.
Dang Ms. Estep, you kick some serious bum. She built her world well, kept me intrigued, sucking me in from page one once again. Despite all of the praise I've been showering upon her, I still have one issue. She still keeps referring to characters as "the Valkryie" and "the Spartan," even after repeating that numerous times and even after referring to the characters by name. Even Daphne, and she and Gwen are friends! Ugh, I really truly hope that lessens, because it is the only peeve I have with this series. Other than that, fantastic work Ms. Estep!
I'll next be reviewing Inner Demons by Sarra Cannon.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #120: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Beautiful Darkness is the second book in the Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Goodreads says:
Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.Sometimes life-ending.
Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems....
For my review of the first book, Beautiful Creatures, click here.
Have you seen a trend with my last two reviews? Yup, it's the Meh Sequel trend. Except, this book was fortunately not too meh, or that bad. While I was bored and not enjoying reading BD for some parts, I was mostly interested. Not too terrible, and decent when it hit it out of the park. The last half was straight up wicked. I loved every second of it, and that ending was wonderful, although a bit derivative of the end of Beautiful Creatures.
Ethan was still wonderful. I fell even more for his sweetness and devotion. I still just want to hug him. His journey continued well in this book, and you want him to succeed and help Lena. Speaking of Lena, she took a downward spiral in this book. I felt for her and how she dealt with Macon's death. I lost a loved one not too long ago, one I was incredibly close to. It's hard losing someone you love so much, and regret your last interactions with them. Although I wish she made better decisions and let Ethan comfort her when he offered.
Ms. Garcia and Ms. Stohl kept me interested for the most part. They built up their world well. Their writing is still excellent. Despite being bored during some parts, as I said I was for the most part intrigued and invested in this book. I can't wait for Beautiful Chaos.
I'll next be reviewing Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.Sometimes life-ending.
Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems....
For my review of the first book, Beautiful Creatures, click here.
Have you seen a trend with my last two reviews? Yup, it's the Meh Sequel trend. Except, this book was fortunately not too meh, or that bad. While I was bored and not enjoying reading BD for some parts, I was mostly interested. Not too terrible, and decent when it hit it out of the park. The last half was straight up wicked. I loved every second of it, and that ending was wonderful, although a bit derivative of the end of Beautiful Creatures.
Ethan was still wonderful. I fell even more for his sweetness and devotion. I still just want to hug him. His journey continued well in this book, and you want him to succeed and help Lena. Speaking of Lena, she took a downward spiral in this book. I felt for her and how she dealt with Macon's death. I lost a loved one not too long ago, one I was incredibly close to. It's hard losing someone you love so much, and regret your last interactions with them. Although I wish she made better decisions and let Ethan comfort her when he offered.
Ms. Garcia and Ms. Stohl kept me interested for the most part. They built up their world well. Their writing is still excellent. Despite being bored during some parts, as I said I was for the most part intrigued and invested in this book. I can't wait for Beautiful Chaos.
I'll next be reviewing Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #119: Fate by Amanda Hocking
Hello again guys! Here's another review for ya :)
Fate is the second in the My Blood Approves series by Amanda Hocking. Goodreads states:
Alice Bonham thinks she's found a balance in her life between the supernatural and real life Milo. Jack - her sorta vampire boyfriend - keeps her at arm's length to keep her safe. As for his brother Peter... she's not sure where he's at. When tragedy happens, Alice finds herself struggling with a terrible choice..
For my review of the first book, My Blood Approves, click here.
Look, I love Amanda Hocking. Truly I do. Her Tylle Trilogy is one of my favorite series. I even plan on buying a physical copy of Switched today. I also loved the first book in this series, My Blood Approves. Unfortunately, I really didn't like Fate. It was just so......boring. Nothing truly happened, apart from the beginning and the ending. Ok, there was a bit of an antagonist during the book, but that was resolved by the end. I feel like Alice just whined and complained a lot. It felt mostly like a series of random occurrences tied together by a flimsy string. I couldn't stand it.
Like I said, I feel like all Alice did was whine and complain. All she did was bitch about how isolated and left out of her vampire group she was. She dragged her feet, not having much life to her. I admired her struggle in the beginning, but after that, I did not like her at all. Jack turned into an Edward Cullen type, losing all of his awesome qualities that made him, well, awesome. He turned his relationship with Alice into a push-pull thing. Ugh, it's a shame of what he became. Milo, also one of my favorite characters from MBA became a bit of a mess. He turned into a jealous mess for the most part, although his love for Alice still shone through. None of the other characters, such as Mae, had the same spark to them, although I got some respect for Peter in this book.
Ms. Hocking, I don't know why you took this book in the direction you did, but I don't think I'll be continuing with this series. I still love you, and will read your other books, just not this series.
I'll next be reviewing Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Fate is the second in the My Blood Approves series by Amanda Hocking. Goodreads states:
Alice Bonham thinks she's found a balance in her life between the supernatural and real life Milo. Jack - her sorta vampire boyfriend - keeps her at arm's length to keep her safe. As for his brother Peter... she's not sure where he's at. When tragedy happens, Alice finds herself struggling with a terrible choice..
For my review of the first book, My Blood Approves, click here.
Look, I love Amanda Hocking. Truly I do. Her Tylle Trilogy is one of my favorite series. I even plan on buying a physical copy of Switched today. I also loved the first book in this series, My Blood Approves. Unfortunately, I really didn't like Fate. It was just so......boring. Nothing truly happened, apart from the beginning and the ending. Ok, there was a bit of an antagonist during the book, but that was resolved by the end. I feel like Alice just whined and complained a lot. It felt mostly like a series of random occurrences tied together by a flimsy string. I couldn't stand it.
Like I said, I feel like all Alice did was whine and complain. All she did was bitch about how isolated and left out of her vampire group she was. She dragged her feet, not having much life to her. I admired her struggle in the beginning, but after that, I did not like her at all. Jack turned into an Edward Cullen type, losing all of his awesome qualities that made him, well, awesome. He turned his relationship with Alice into a push-pull thing. Ugh, it's a shame of what he became. Milo, also one of my favorite characters from MBA became a bit of a mess. He turned into a jealous mess for the most part, although his love for Alice still shone through. None of the other characters, such as Mae, had the same spark to them, although I got some respect for Peter in this book.
Ms. Hocking, I don't know why you took this book in the direction you did, but I don't think I'll be continuing with this series. I still love you, and will read your other books, just not this series.
I'll next be reviewing Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
Until next time, viva la literature!
Review #118: Diamond in the Rough by India Lee
Hello my wonderful friends! It feels like ages since we've seen each other, even though it's only been a week xD. Regardless, I have some reviews for ya, lets go!
Diamond in the Rough is the second book in the Hidden Gem series by India Lee. Goodreads doth says:
Diamond in the Rough is the second book in the Hidden Gem series by India Lee. Goodreads doth says:
Summer maybe here, but sixteen-year-old Gemma Hunter won't have much time to relax. The world is hungry for more Queen Bee, her pop star alter ego who has recently become music's newest sensation.
Despite an official relationship at home with longtime crush, Lucas, Gemma can't resist exploring her life as a celebrity it girl. However, it isn't long before she finds herself becoming too friendly with the front pages of tabloids. And despite the media’s love for spinning Queen Bee’s social life into scandal, Gemma can't stop wreaking havoc with intoxicating TV star Zoe Mercury and indulging in a less than appropriate relationship with international superstar, Tyler Chase.
It was easy keeping things clean with two very separate lives, but now that the line between them is blurring, staying good isn’t going to be easy.
Despite an official relationship at home with longtime crush, Lucas, Gemma can't resist exploring her life as a celebrity it girl. However, it isn't long before she finds herself becoming too friendly with the front pages of tabloids. And despite the media’s love for spinning Queen Bee’s social life into scandal, Gemma can't stop wreaking havoc with intoxicating TV star Zoe Mercury and indulging in a less than appropriate relationship with international superstar, Tyler Chase.
It was easy keeping things clean with two very separate lives, but now that the line between them is blurring, staying good isn’t going to be easy.
For my review of the first book, Hidden Gem, click here.
After a great first book, well....................this book was so disappointing. It basically made Gemma into the typical Hollywood Bad Girl, used a love triangle, and just wasn't as good. Ok, so the first book was not Pride and Prejudice, but still. Hidden Gem had a sense of realism and fun to it, with realistic characters. Diamond in the Rough felt like a bad episode of Hannah Montana. The sense of fun and realism just wasn't there. Although I admit the ending was a bit predictable, part of it shocked me a bit. It was a nice twist, and I wonder what Ms. Lee will do with it in the third book. But overall, this book was just meh, not very good.
Gemma, like I said earlier, turned into a Hollywood Bad Girl in this one. Influenced by another Hollywood Bad Girl, plus she doesn't know what to do about Lucas and Tyler. My head hurt reading about the decisions her character made. Honestly. I just could not find anything to like about her in this book. Lucas was still alright, and I felt so bad for him after what Gemma put him through. Then there's Tyler. A Justin Bieber-esque pop star who is still pursuing and sort of dating Gemma. Honestly, I liked him a lot. He was one of the few redeeming qualities. No, he wasn't perfect, but I thought he was sweet. None of the characters in this book, save for Lucas and Tyler had much development in my opinion.
What happened Ms. Lee? You wrote such a good first book. This book was so freaking disappointing. I just hope the third book gets better, although I don't think I'll be buying it.
I'll next be reviewing Fate by Amanda Hocking.
Until next time, viva la literature!
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