Review: Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone Book 2) by Laini Taylor


Publishers: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published Date:  November 6th 2012
From: Bought
My rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis:

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

This is not that world.

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

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

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

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

Review:

It took me a while to get back to this series. the first book 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' was stunning. The world building extraordinary from the start. The concept of the story, a girl who is somehow connected to demonic creatures and an angel, was crafted together so beautifully I was gripped. I loved the romance, I loved Karou and I wanted to read more. 

But then we have that dreaded interlude where we have to wait for book 2. You've been there, I'm sure. I didn't want to read book 2 until I could read book 3. So this was my dilemma. I waited.

But then my reading hiatus kicked in so here we are finally. 

Book 2 - Days of Blood and Starlight has a different feel to it than book one. so we know Karou has the soul of Madrigal. But Karou is still her own person. Still loves Zuzana and Mik but she's broken after hearing Akiva tell her he killed her family.

Instead of staying and moping, and let's face it, who wouldn't. she disappears from the world. It's only after a few chapters we find out she's actually in Morocco and she's encouraged the demons (good and bad) to settle there while they regroup. she's also taken up the task of creating more creatures but what I love about this part is her character. She decides she isn't going to just recreate all of Thiago's close colleagues. She's ruthless and sneaky enough to pick and chose who gets remade.

One of the characters I loved most was Madrigal's other Kirin friend - Ziri. He's a nice demon, young and bit in love with Madrigal/Karou. His story really becomes the main character arc of the book. What Ziri does has a lasting effect on the rest of the demons to come, and on Karou. 

Back to Akiva and what he's up to. With his two angel friends, they decide they're not going to openly kill the enemy anymore. To do so goes against everything Akiva was striving for when he dreamed the dream with Madrigal. He hasn't forgotten Karou, in fact, he mourns her, even if she isn't dead. 

The book finishes nicely, ready for book 3.

What I liked the most? The writing doesn't fail in the slightest. The story is still ongoing and you can feel the world's expand as you're reading it. Such an epic fantasy, I'm maybe a little sorry I waited too long read it.

-CB x

You can reach Laini Taylor here:
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Review: Hidden Wings (Hidden Wings #1) by Cameo Renae

Hidden Wings (Hidden Wings #1) by Cameo Renae

Publishers: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing

Published Date: January 18th 2013

From: Bought

My rating: 3 out of 5

Synopsis:

Seventeen is a life changing age for Emma Wise.

As her family's sole survivor in a car crash, she is left with a broken arm and a few scrapes and bruises. But these are only outward marks; inside, her heart is broken and the pieces scattered.

Whisked away to Alaska, to an aunt she’s never met, Emma starts over. Secrets unveil themselves and now…she doesn't even know who or what she is.

A centuries old prophecy places Emma in the heart of danger. Creatures of horrifying and evil proportions are after her, and it will take Emma, her aunt, and six, gorgeously captivating Guardians to keep her safe. But, if she can survive until her eighteenth birthday... things will change.

Review:

Hidden Wings is a nice easy read if you're a fan of angel stories. What I liked most is that I didn't get too bogged down with centuries of history between warring factors which sometimes happens in books. The story is actually quite simple and nicely written.

Emma is whisked away to Alaska after a terrible car accident that killed her parents. Her Aunt is now her legal guardian and sends an escort to take Emma to her new home. Enter Kade, the dashingly handsome who turns Emma's insides gooey at a single touch.

Soon after Emma arrives at her new home she meets Courtney and Caleb, two other kids also staying with her Aunt Alaine. Trouble begins and soon Emma is caught up in an age old battle between the Fallen and the Angels, and the prize is Emma.

Lots of twists and turns, plots and surprises make Emma's new life more adventurous than she's used to and the shock ending means I'll be hanging and waiting for book 2!

A great start to a new angel series but one question I have to ask the author - why oh why couldn't we have had more Emma and Kade time??!! Hopefully we'll be more rewarded in the next installment!!

You can reach Cameo Renae here: 

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Review: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor 

 
Publishers: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Published Date: September 27th 2011

My rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis: 
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

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

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

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

Review:
Wow! Wow, wow, wow!!

It isn't often I'm awed by such rich writing or such a weird, bizarre, outrageous, spell-binding but truly fantastical story.

Right from the beginning you fall into Karou's world. Crazy, young thing with blue hair and a penchant for drawing fantasy creatures that all have names, histories and Karou's enthusiasm. She goes to an art school in Prague and has a brilliant friend in Zuzana, who is equally as eccentric. Karou's ex-boyfriend has been an ass on an epic scale and gradually you get drawn into the mystical world that Karou lives in. She 'wishes', using magical beads, devastating crudeness to the ex which is incredibly funny.

Taylor then takes us on the journey of Karou's world. Not knowing if she is human or not but she sure looks like one even with the blue hair. We get invited into her past with indeed does include the before-mentioned fantasy creatures, and we visit magical places around the world like Paris and Morocco.

When we reach Morocco the story lifts onto a new level as we meet Akiva. Karou's world shifts slightly as each is drawn to each other for undefined reasons which get explained later on. Because there isn't just the human world involved here. We learn about other worlds accessible by portals. And....shhh, Akiva is an Angel, or a soldier whichever you want. But there is a war going on between the chimaera (the fantasies) and the Angels (the soldiers).

The romance between Karou and Akiva is exquisite. It's slow building and then overwhelming and then...disaster happens.

The writing held me in my chair for hours just reading through the beautiful prose that gets painted like a perfect picture enabling the reader to visualise such drama and scenery.

I've never read Laini Taylor before but I was enchanted. If you haven't had a chance to pick this one up then please do. It'll be well worth your time.

-CB x

You can reach Laini Taylor here:

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Arc Review: Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L Reid

Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L Reid  

Publishers: Month9Books
Published Date: Apr 23 2013
From: Net Galley
My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Synopsis:
It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent.

When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

Review:
Firstly, I liked this book, the story drew me in immediately. Quinn isn't a strong person in the story and to be honest that was a little refreshing as I've been reading many books with great inner strength. But Quinn was totally different. Full of insecurities, doubts, worries and most of all that feeling of being unloved by her parents.

So, Quinn has a demon problem. They reach into her dreams or nightmares and torment her to death. They whisper in her ears and mock her when she's alone. And she daren't go to sleep, at all.

Aaron sees everything but hangs back away from the crowd. Everyone in school knows that Quinn is still hung up on her ex-boyfriend. The one who started dating another popular girl straight after. The school seem to worship Jeff, and Aaron can't stand him. Especially the way Jeff treats Quinn. But Aaron knows Quinn is vulnerable and after a few happenings where Aaron happened to be at the right place at the right time, he really believes at last that he'll have a chance with Quinn.

Told from 2 POV's this story weaves around high-school and brings forward all the fears and doubts that everyone goes through at that age. Most of the time (not knowing where the story was heading) I actually began to read the demons as metaphors, hoping right at the end something miraculous would happen and Aaron would save the day. After the school homecoming scene I actually thought the story dipped and I confess that I was a little disappointed that the big reveal happened right at the end. A very surprising ending I might add. Not what I expected AT ALL!!

This is a story that definitely fits into the good v evil category. What really held it together was the grief and turmoil that Quinn goes through throughout the book. I really hope there aren't any students who actually go through this in real life (and yes, I'm using demons as actual metaphors this time). The way her school friends and colleagues treated her was so awful, I felt so sorry for her.

Anyway, the writing style is excellent so full marks to Reid. I'm hoping there will be a second book because I really liked Aaron and I'm now curious as to what happens next!!
-CB x

You can reach Heather L Reid here: 

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Review: Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1) by Wendy Higgins

Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1) by Wendy Higgins  

Publishers: HarperTeen
Published Date: May 1st 2012
From: Bought
My rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis:
Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Review:
Okay, so after looking at Goodreads I think that everyone and her dog has read this book. But I'm a little slow on the uptake and I'm a little behind on my reading.

This isn't going to be a long review, as so many others have written everything I wanted to say.

Firstly, I like it when you're so hooked in a book that you look down at your kindle and realise you're only 45% into it. Yay, still 55% to go and Loving It!!

That's what happened when I read Sweet Evil. A story of a girl, unaware of her status in the world but sure that something's off because of her ability to judge aura's and emotions. What I loved most about Anna was that she really was a good girl. Right down to the praying and thinking well of everyone. Even when they weren't that good back to her.

The bad boy who desperately doesn't want to be so is Kaiden, and he really does give me goosebumps in a really good way. Yes, he's got his 'job' to do, and I felt Anna's heartbreak when he left the room on the trip to complete his 'work' (heartbreak city ahoy). But his reluctance the last night was a sweet gesture and my opinions really changed for the better at that point. Kaiden drove me nuts though, quite a few times actually, especially the Halloween party. But he stuck with her until the end. Got to love an anti-hero!

There are so many emotional tugs in this book, if you like tears, laughter, jealousy, envy, lust and all the rest then this book is for you because it's full of it. And I don't just mean the Dukes! (Read the book, you'll understand!)

A great read, I wished I'd picked it up earlier. And once you do, look out for the extras - links are below this post.

Sweet Peril (Book 2) will be out on April 30th. It's going to be a sizzler, I'm sure!!

-CB x

 

Sweet Evil Extra #1 (The Sweet Trilogy #1.1)

 Sweet Evil Extra #2 (The Sweet Trilogy #1.2)

You can reach Wendy Higgins here:

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Review: Radiant (Unearthly #2.5) by Cynthia Hand

Radiant (Unearthly #2.5) by Cynthia Hand

Publishers: Harper Teen
Published Date: December 4th 2012
From: Bought
My rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn't ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .

For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara's perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever

Review:
Another series I love (and I'm eagerly anticipating Boundless) is the Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand. Many of you were unhappy with how things ended with Tucker, Clara's very popular love interest, and this book briefly glides over some of the hurt and heartache she's feeling.

I think this story deserved to be told. In Unearthly and Hallowed we have lots of brief snippets about Angela's boyfriend from Italy but never a clear indication of whether it's something that we should be concerned about or even if it plays any part in the overall story. What we read in Radiant is that it IS serious and I can only think that in the end Phen will arrive into the main story to help or hinder (not quite sure which!)

So the story basically tells of a few weeks that Angela and Clara are in Italy for summer vacation before they both head off to Stanford. Angela sneaks out one night after a chance meeting on a train. Clara noticed the cute man Angela was trying to run from and guessed, using her empathic skills, that this is THE man from Angela's cryptic past.

One thing leads to another, Clara is finally introduced to him but she's not sure about Phen. He's a full on 100% angel and while he neither is a white or black wing, Clara senses that in the end its only going to end up one way. Angela's heart will be broken.

Radiant is a short story, very sweet. As I said earlier we get to hear how Clara is doing now that Tucker is no longer in her life, but what I was most upset about is the lack of thought about Christian Prescott. She doesn't think of him at all. In fact he's really only mentioned in a narrative by Angela at the beginning. This confused me because I thought with Clara and Christians new found 'connection' he would have appeared as at least a small blot on the radar.

Anyway, if you're a fan of the series then you definitely must read!

-CB x

You can reach Cynthia Hand here:

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Review: Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Publishers: Harlequin Teen
Published Date: May 22nd 2012
From: NetGalley
My rating: 2.5 out of 5

Synopsis:

I don't do dangerous.  

Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back.

Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me....

Review:
The First 20%
The first 30% were somewhat interesting - minus Sam constantly drooling over Bishop. We learn most of the story in this section.

The Main Characters
Samantha and Carly have been best friends since Kindergarten. A fact that is told to us no less than 3 times. I got it the first time! Once Sam meets Bishop they have this instant 'got to touch/want to touch/shouldn't touch' thing going on. It got a little sickening after a while that she couldn't think straight or coherently in his presence. For someone who claims later in the book to not really want a romance she certainly acts against her character. I thought her 'quirky' comments were a little forced sometimes and didn't get the impression of a 'natural' person underneath. When the Source suddenly declares that she is in fact Sam's Aunt I was surprised (when I shouldn't have been) that out of the blue Sam has all these fears and doubts about Bishop's quest, and decides to believe this 'so called' Aunt. There is a small back up story about her parents but it all seemed a little vague and flaky.

Bishop is supposed to be the swoony-worthy romantic interest. Honestly he just came over as a little annoying. His dialogue with Kraven was a little weak. Nothing original in their brotherly hatred of each other. One line near the end opens up the reason why they dislike one another but again it was vague. Bishop suffers through most of the book with the 'crazy's' thanks to an angel on the opening end that made him 'Fallen' and gave him a soul. And I swear the amount of  'shadows' that pass before or behind his eyes - he should be wearing sunshades permanently.

The Story
If I'm honest I think the story could have been crammed into three chapters max. The story hinges on Samantha and her quest to get her soul back. Bishop searches for the Source. But the Source was a little lame. One woman who was always in the same place, easy to be found, if Bishop had looked more closely. And the Source is also Samantha's Aunt.
I got bored of the same conversations that went round and around the characters in big circles. I also got tired of Sam narrating the same things again and again, and then again in later chapters. Editing maybe?
If you check my 'Angel' category, you'll see that I've read quite a few of the leading Angel books. This didn't really come close.

The End?
The ending is satisfactorily plot-finishing. However it does lead into a neat storyline for the next book.

Overall
I downloaded this book about a year ago on NetGalley but didn't get round to reading it. When the next book Wicked Kiss was available I figured I'd better read the first one. I was a little disappointed with the storyline, I thought it weak in places. Too much emphasis on the 'chemistry' between the two main characters which dragged on. I wanted to like this one but it just didn't gel with me. I hate writing bad reviews, it makes me feel guilty, but I must be honest...

Despite all the negative I will be reading the next book for story continuation...

-CBx

 

You can reach Michelle Rowen here:
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Review: Rapture by Lauren Kate

Rapture by Lauren Kate

Publishers: Doubleday Childrens
Published Date: June 21st 2012
From: Bought
My rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

The sky is dark with wings . . .

And time is running out for Luce and Daniel.

In order to stop Lucifer from erasing the past, they must find the place where the Fall began. Only Luce can break the curse, and it is her choice alone that will decide all of their fates.

But as Dark Forces gather, great sacrifices will have to be made in this final, epic struggle . . .

In the fight for Luce, and for Love, who will win?

The astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series. Heaven can't wait any longer.

Review:

Rapture concludes the Fallen Series by Lauren Kate, and I have mixed feelings about it.

Lets start at the beginning. Fallen #1 was a great book. The story was original but with a few minor quirks. The two boy love twist, the good-come-evil librarian, and the inevitable big reveal (though nothing significant regarding Lucinda), and the great getaway. Torment (Fallen #2) was a little too Harry Potter's Hogwarts for me - a school for Nephilim and Angels alike? Other characters where introduced as was the meaning of the Announcers. The romance was touching but Daniel began to feel a little flat for me. Passion (Fallen #3) felt like an excuse just to time-travel back on previous stories of Luce and Daniel, although the introduction of Bill was the highlight of the book. An evil plot to erase the world was revealed right at the end to leave us hanging. Personally I felt that this book should probably have been an extra like Fallen in Love and not part of the main Series.

Rapture, in a way, was a relief. Yes, I had read all the books but I began to feel that the story was letting go some of the vital parts that the first Fallen book promised. After all, that is why we all wanted to read more after Fallen was released.

In my opinion, the quirky side-kick characters held none of their original charisma. The banter didn't feel real. Even Arriane, who is one of my favourite characters, only had a few lines of laugh-out-loud moments. And Roland and Cam were almost non-existent as far as characters, merely part of the background. Shelby and Miles, who were introduced and played a big part in Torment plus had their own section in Fallen in Love didn't really enter the story at all.

The good points have to go to the main historical elements of the story. Clearly Lauren Kate did her research regarding Bible and Angel lore, the depth of which is evident during the 'tellings' within the story. However, there were alot of moments where 'tellings' could have been more 'showings'.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad I read it. I will always read Lauren Kate books, and I loved the finale (do you think the character of Nora was a nod to Becca Fitzpatrick?).I actually thought, with all the fig leaves and olive trees that Adam and Eve were going to be part of the story!!

-CBx

Want to read “Daniel’s Gift,” an exclusive Fallen short story?
Click on the above link to get it!

  You can reach Lauren Kate here:

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Review: Guardians: The Girl by Lola St.Vil

Guardians: The Girl by Lola St.Vil


Publishers: Self-Published
Published Date: Feb 10th 2012
From: Author's Request
My rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:
Emmy - a bookish, witty student - is rescued by six teenaged angels with powers, called Guardians. They've been sent to elicit the secret from her before the demons can. Emmy later learns that her name is the only clue to locating a sought-after bridge that for centuries, Evil has plotted to destroy; this would in turn bring about the end of humanity.

Things get worse when Emmy falls madly in love with Marcus, the well-intentioned but obstinate leader of the Guardians. He eventually confesses that he is in love with her as well. Unfortunately, Marcus has been warned by his clairvoyant and omniscient guide that should he and Emmy get together, the mission will fail and humanity will perish.

Review:

This is the first of two self-published books that completely blew me away. I recommend bloggers to read and review them. The authors deserve full credit for their awesome stories.

~~~

So I've been having an Angel detox for 3 months. I've read so many in the last year that I couldn't stomach much more God vs. Satan, Fallen Angels, White Angels, Good versus Evil Etc. I started one more, a traditionally published popular one at that, and I couldn't take it. Same old, same old. I had to put it away and start another paranormal genre.

So when Lola sent me a copy of her book I had middling expectations. However, what I read, even in the first few pages was the biggest shocking wow I've experienced in a long while. Guardians is an amazing read!

The story is complete in the following ways. There are great fun characters. There's a hormonally emotional teen girl at the centre. The gimmicks of snaps, ports, samson string, holders, and runners are well planned. The lore and dictionary of angel terms is so different and new to anything I've ever read. The dialogue is quick-witted and unique and the romance isn't anything I expected at all. This is a book that has been thoroughly planned, right down to the tiny intricate details and my hat goes off to Lola for it, she's written something exceptional.

At the end of Part 1, I absolutely felt my heart go out to Emmy. She's 15 and so obsessively in love. We all remember what that was like, right? I remember being completely nuts about a guy and I cycled for 2 miles to go past his house every night just to see if he was in! Hmm! Anyway!

Emmy can never have what she wants. And there's the twist. She doesn't get it entirely and her life becomes unbearable. The pure emotions that pour out of this girl are heart breaking and nothing can change what has happened. In addition, she's not only responsible for saving the world but a possible conduit to ending it also. Pressure!

At the end of Part 2, I wanted to wring the Guardian leader Marcus' neck for being such a dolt! Get your Rah back, I was shouting! Then you realise that his life isn't easy either. The others in his group are turning against him and the dangers and enemies are doubling, tripling around him, Emmy, and the Guardians to such intensity that...

Part Three just didn't stop. I literally turned page after page barely breathing. The action was electric and so fast paced it changed into a thriller at break-neck speed.

Lola, I really hope you can write the second book quickly because I feel like I'm standing in mid-air wondering what's going to happen next. Will the Guardians prevail? Will the evil turn on her Mum? Will they ...? Won't they...? Argh!!! See what I mean!

Guardians: The Girl astounded me. There's no comparison to anything I've read about angels before and if you like angel books such as Hush, Hush, Fallen or Halo then ... two words. READ IT!

-CBx

You can reach Lola St.Vil  here:

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Here's the book trailer! Enjoy!

Dusty Reads #5. Meridian (Fenestra, #1) by Amber Kizer

Meridian (Fenestra #1) by Amber Kizer

Publishers: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Published Date: August 11th 2009
From: Bought
My rating: 4 out of 5

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My twist is that I actually, finally, read them!

Synopsis:
Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

Review:
After 18 months I scooped Meridian off my shelf to finally read. The top was coated in dust but the pages inside were perfect, still untouched. I should have read it sooner. The sequel is now out and the third one is available as an ARC. The time was right to give it a go. Finally!

For starters the story is simple. We don't get bogged down with lots of characters. The tension is throughout and the main character Meridian is extremely likable. The enemy is known from about the middle of the book and there are many surprises that come at Meridian from the start.

Auntie and Tens are an unusual combination. Tens is Auntie's man-Friday. As Auntie is 106 years old it surprised me how capable she still is, but as she shares Meridians angelness she becomes an excellent teacher of all things worldly, and not just with the otherworldly stuff. Tens comes over as stubborn and intense. Meridian is unsure if he likes her, even as a friend. But soon they share adventures that draw them together as much more.

And there's nothing better than an evil Church cult coming to town. The cult convince the townsfolk that Auntie is to blame for the bad things that have happened in their lives. Pretty soon Auntie is being shunned from her normal society and things turn really hairy when the leader starts intimidating Meridian. Only a few people come to the rescue but they are worthy.

While all this evil is happening Meridian is learning about her gift, her craft. She's a window that allows souls to pass through to the other side. Its tricky, and she doesn't get it right in the beginning. But Tens is there to help her through it.

I loved the freshness of this story. It's not like anything I've read before and I really enjoyed it. Even Tens, who I couldn't like in the beginning, changed my mind. Auntie is wonderful too.
The ending leads us on a path to the next book and I'm excited for the start of this series!
-CBx

You can reach Amber Kizer here:

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Review: Emerald City by Alicia K. Leppert

My Rating: 4 out of 5

THANK YOU TO NET GALLEY AND CEDAR FORT FOR ALLOWING ME TO REVIEW THIS BOOK AND GIVE MY HONEST OPINION

Synopsis:
Olivia Tate is a broken shell of a girl haunted by the tragic events that fill her past. She has closed herself off from the world, each day grasping at something—anything—to live for. Convinced there will never be a way out, she seeks solace in the depths of her medicine cabinet. When she wakes up days later in the hospital she is introduced to Jude, the quiet stranger responsible for saving her life. She never could have guessed then that her mysterious rescuer would end up saving her life a second time, while simultaneously turning her world upside down.

Review:
This is one of those books where you really don't know what to expect. The synopsis doesn't give much away. Presuming this was possibly a contemporary romance I entered into Olivia's world at the worst possible moment. For her there is nothing left. Her father left her, her mother left her. Now she's alone and trying to cope having pushed her best friend away in the process. In her darkest hour she's saved by the mysterious Jude. Handsome, patient but quiet, Olivia is drawn to her saviour but it isn't all good. How did he get into her apartment that night to save her? How did he know her name as he screamed it in her last moments? The truth is more complicated than Olivia could have imagined and now she's falling for him in a big way.


Let me first say that the cover does this book no justice. This is a Paranormal romance that doesn't shout about it. There's no magical element to the cover at all so in its unassuming sense the story took me by surprise.


The story is great, however you do get dropped in right at the bad part and while the first part of the book takes you through Olivia's healing process it is a very dark subject that some readers might not take to. The big reveal is one I expected. The clues had given it away so I was happy I was right! The romance is wonderful. I wish everyone could have a 'Jude' to stand by their side. His character was the reason I kept reading.


The only issue I had was with the story and the premise of it. Olivia is 20 years old. She suffers a loss that you can't compare until you've been through it. I have so I could relate. But Olivia dragged herself through a year of hell. In reality after two or three months you begin to heal and after a year you can start making new decisions based on rationality and not hurt or anger. In this respect I just felt that Olivia's pain was a little far fetched. 

However for Alicia to write about such despair and make it seem so real shows the true quality of her writing and I for one will gladly read anything else she publishes.
-CB

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Review: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

My rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:
We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...
Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.
But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.
Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

My Review:
What I loved about this book mostly was that it went against the grain of most YA books. Firstly she is in a very healthy and loving relationship with Harlin. She's happy with her adoptive mother, Mercy, who loves her. Her brother, Alex, is great and openly gay. And she had a father figure in her life who looks out for her, Monroe. Everyone in her life, including her best friend Sarah, are great, lovely, fantastic.
Except Charlotte's been hiding a secret from them for years claiming that its asthma attacks that cause her pain.
When her Need (her word for the strange sensation she gets when she needs to help people she's never met) starts getting worse, and more frequent Charlotte starts to panic. And when her skin starts revealing gold patches underneath she turns to Monroe for help.
But Monroe is also keeping his own secrets and eventually Charlotte learns the truth. A truth that is more horrible than she could ever imagine. She is one of the Forgotten and will soon meet her own demise.
The writing of this book is amazing, I loved the authors flow and quick storyline. I was so engrossed before I realised that I'd read 70% of the book!
This is an Angel book but one that's very different. That is, we don't actually know whether she's an angel yet but I'm assuming she is. All of the characters were fantastic, really fleshed out and believeable to the point that I wished Charlotte and Harlin had had more of a chance to say goodbye. The ending is really sad but is left open for the next installment which will be released on June 26th. I can't wait!

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Review: Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.

Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.

Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Review:
The second in the Angelfire series, Wings of the Wicked is a non-stop action-packed adventure following on from Angelfire.

Ellie has worked through her mothers grounding (at the end of Book 1) and is now back into killing reapers with Will. The relationship is strained. They both love each other but Will is still haunted by Michael's warning that they must not be together. Ellie being Archangel Gabriel but in a human body, of course. This time they're joined by Marcus and Ava and join forces on the side of good to rid the earth of evil.

Cadan (Bastians minion) pops by with unusual sincerity and a penchant to do some kind of good, although Ellie is still unsure whether he is truly evil or not. She heeds his warnings. She's still attracted to him but mindful of his past.

Nathaniel proves to be a true guardian angel for Will, and with a small amount of help from Lauren, begins to help Ellie and Will heal their pain.

But nothing works out as planned.

Will discovers more about his family history and it isn't all good. Marcus starts a relationship with Ellie's BF Kate, Cadan has a difficult heart to heart with Ellie, and evil creeps up on Ellie frequently when she least expects it.

Now her enemy is two Vir, human-like reapers that want to take her alive. They have the Enshi and its time for the Awakening of whatever lies in the sarcophagus. All in all, nothing can give Ellie a break in this book. Deeper she goes into her memories of other lives as Gabriel and heartache is sure to follow her around.

Will is both her curse and her salvation in this book. He's never stopped loving Ellie but she discovers some truths about his past that are particularly painful. As for Cadan, I liked him in the other book but this one I thought he was brilliant. He stepped up when it was needed and proved his point.

And Ellie? She tries to retain her normal human self by immersing in school and friend activities, to remain normal as much as possible but it isn't always easy.

I loved how all the characters have grown in this book. The thin threads that combine their lives remain (somewhat loosely) tied. No matter what happens they are always, in most ways, there for one another.
This book is a lot less about reapers this time, and much more about the Angels--Fallen or otherwise. The intricate back history is more relevant now that ever before and if Ellie fails in her quests, the earth will become everyday Hell. No pressure!

But none of it is important when tragedy strikes. The ending is such a cliffhanger that you want to scream Nooooo!

The sequel to Angelfire should not be missed!

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Here's the book trailer! Enjoy!

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