Tuesday Review Day!

Hello my wonderful lovelies! I had to take a short hiatus to finish up school and take care of some personal matters but now that school is over and there are a few things in the works, I thought I'd try to get back in the blog-swing of things.

Hope you enjoy this Tuesday Review!

The Immortal Rules (The Blood of Eden, #1)

Written by: Julie Kagawa

Publication date: April 24, 2012

Hardcover, 480 pgs

4 STARS

Synopsis: In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.  

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

My Review: So here's how I feel about this book. When I first heard about it I was all, "OMG Julie Kagawa wrote about vampires! It has to be the most awesome story ever!!" See how excited I was? -------->

I love the Iron Fey, I mean I ate that series right up; so when I read The Immortal Rules, I was very disappointed when I almost fell asleep! You might be wondering why I still gave it four stars, let me explain. Allie's story begins before she was made into a vampire; her scavenger-type life; fighting to survive, living by rules and in fear no human should ever have to. The characters in this part were a little superficial and I feel too much time was wasted in telling this part of the story. The middle of the story is after she is turned, the time she spends with her maker learning how to live as the thing she has feared her entire life and the thing she hates the most. Finally, the last part of the story is the time she spends with this group of traveling humans that are looking for Eden - a vampire free place that no one is sure even exists.

Here's what put me to sleep: throughout the story, Allie is fighting the vampire she has become and is trying to be as human as possible. Understandable, I guess for a time any one of us might try to maintain normalcy for as long as possible; however, in my opinion, there comes a time where acceptance is the only path left. I like my vampires to embrace their inner monster from time to time. I mean, if you're going to be supernatural, act like it!!

I think this story could have been told just as well in less pages. There was not enough important things happening to fill up these 480 pages, but a lot more story than I think was necessary. The reason I still gave it four stars is because I can see the potential for this story. I think Allie might have an interesting background if I just stick it out until the end. The rest of the story and characters seem to serve only as ties to Allie and her humanity and maybe only one of them is essential to the actual plot.

Overall: I look forward to the sequel, I just hope that if it's going to be just as long that it isn't full of fluff but actual plot points and meaning.

Tuesday Review Day!

Tempestuous (Wondrous Strange, #3)

Written by: Lesley Livingston

Publication date: December 21, 2010 by HarperTeen

Released in Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, ebook

368pgs

5 Stars

Synopsis: "I don't love Sonny Flannery." 

That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats—to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.

But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.

The intrigue and romance that began with Wondrous Strange and Darklight come to a stormy head in Tempestuous, the breathtaking conclusion to Lesley Livingston's ravishing urban Faerie trilogy.

My Review: Once again, Sonny and Kelley are not with each other; Kelley lied and said she didn't love Sonny at the end of Darklight in order to get Sonny to leave. This was supposed to protect him from his inner Green Magick to which Kelley seems to trigger. So now Sonny's in one place and Kelley in another. She won't tell anyone what's going on in fear that his secret will get out and someone will try to kill him. It was kind of annoying that I had to wait for the recap in the next book to fully understand what happened in the previous one. I found that sometimes in this series when things would come to light, mostly at the end of the book, it wasn't really laid out or explained well enough that I was absolutely sure what happened. Maybe it's just me, but Kelley seems to be overreacting about Sonny's...uh...outburst in the Avalon Theater. I mean, he killed that bad guys. It's what he does for a living. Where's the problem?

There's a lot of temptation going on in this book directed at both Sonny and Kelley. Their physical separation and Sonny believing Kelley really never loved him; is creating room for others to slip in between them. With little struggle, they have to often remind themselves of their love for each other. You know I love a good love-triangle, but this guy, The Fennrys Wolf, is just WRONG! He's so sneaky! Here's what I'm wondering: Why did Sonny Flannery get such a weak name and Fennrys got such a bad boy name like the Wolf? Yeah, yeah, I know, the whole Irish background and all. Speaking of which, I really need to work on my Irish brogue because I think it was coming out (in my head, of course) kind of Scottish.

This was a tricky, twisty plot and everywhere you turn, you don't know who to trust! Or you know who you can't trust and you're screaming at the pages wishing you could warn the characters. There was a surprise at the end that I REALLY didn't see coming. I don't think I liked it. But I loved the book as a whole; the people, the places, all of it.

Overall: Tons of romance, lots of faerie magick wielding and twists and turns. If you like faeries mixed in with humans, as they so often are, this is a must read!

 

Tuesday Review Day!

Darklight (Wondrous Strange, #2)

Written by: Lesley Livingston

Publication date: December 2, 2009 by HarperTeen

Released in Hardcover, paperback, Kindle and ebook

310pgs

4 Stars

Synopsis: Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was a Faerie princess, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved the mortal realm from the ravages of the Wild Hunt.

Now Kelley is stuck in New York City, rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and missing Sonny more with every stage kiss, while Sonny has been forced back to the Otherworld and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the remaining Hunters and Queen Mabh herself.

When a terrifying encounter sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful but destined to be cut short. An ancient, hidden magick is stirring, and a dangerous new enemy is willing to risk everything to claim that power.

Caught in a web of Faerie deception and shifting allegiances, Kelley and Sonny must tread carefully, for each next step could topple a kingdom . . . or tear them apart.

With breathtakingly high stakes, the talented Lesley Livingston delivers soaring romance and vividly magical characters in Darklight, the second novel in the trilogy that began with Wondrous Strange.

My Review: Within the connection Sonny and Kelley have, a ton of lies are woven; those told to them and by them. Her parents have been keeping secrets and secrets have even been kept from them. When a stranger attacks Kelley in Central Park all hell breaks loose when Kelley opens a rift that drops her and the Fennrys Wolf in the Otherworld.

Sonny and Kelley are a really cute couple but because of the danger that surrounds them both, they spend a lot of time apart. This leaves Kelley spending plenty of one on one time with the Wolf. No bueno.

Some of the other characters come into play in this book but the Puck here is SO not the Puck I knew in the Iron Fey! THAT Puck would never run from a fight! Queen Mabh is another character we get to see more of in this sequel. I've always known Mabh to be the frigid Ice Queen of Winter but in this faery tale, she is the Queen of Autumn...and not so very frigid. I'm not quite sure what to make of her yet, but I'm keeping a close eye on her! I do not trust Auberon as far as I could throw him - and as a mortal I'm sure that wouldn't be far at all. I don't trust the Summer Queen, Titiana, either. I've learned enough not to trust a faery who appears to be trustworthy. Especially the royal ones. I'm pretty sure Titiana is the one who started this whole thing in the first place, from blowing Mabh's war horn to everything else.

This sequel was equally exciting as the first. So many twists and turns and reveals it makes your head spin! plus, while truths are coming to light, the fact that we still don't know half of what's going on is also revealed. I wish there was more I could tell you but I'm afraid I might spoil something. So just know that it was AWESOME and a MUST-READ!

Overall: I was very disappointed with the ending and I'm counting on Tempestuous to rectify the wrongs made in Darklight.

Tuesday Review Day!

Hey guys; this review was accidentally erased when I tried to publish it from my iPad - which I will never attempt to do again, grrr - so it's a little short since I had to rewrite it unexpectedly. Sorry about that. Still, don't let that take away from the book, because it was awesome!

WONDROUS STRANGE (Wondrous Strange #1)

Written by: Lesley Livingston

Publication date: September 20, 2008

Released in Paperback, hardcover, Kindle, ebook by HarperTrophyCanada

336pgs

5 Stars

Synopsis: 17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks... 

In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye

My Review: I love that Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is incorporated into this story because that includes Puck - which reminds me of the Iron Fey! That makes me happy =] Then I find out that the main character Kelley, moved to New York City from the Catskills - which is where I live! So even though I hate that her name is Kelley and think she should've been named Emma instead of her Aunt; I forgive that because of her hometown. Lol. I hate Sonny's name even more though.

I really like Kelley. No, I mean really like her. She is completely believable; so much so that she reminds me a lot of myself - outspoken and sarcastic. What I liked most about her is that it didn't take long for her to accept the whole faerie thing. We didn't have to waste a lot of time trying to convince her of their existence and her being one of them.

Sonny is a very likeable character as well. He struggles to fulfill his duty as a Janus Guard and stay away from the puzzle of a read head he just happened to come across in Central Park.

I'm not really sure I know the storyline exactly. I get what's going on but the intricacies are confusing. The whos, the whats and the whys. I kept getting mixed up.

Overall: The climax was so suspenseful, nail-biting! The book is full of great characters who's whole story you can't wait to find out!

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created by Breaking The Spine to highlight upcoming books that readers are dying to get their hands on. This week I chose the third installment of the Lorien Legacies...

The Rise of Nine doesn't have a cover yet...or a synopsis, but that doesn't make me what it any less! I love this series, John Smith and the way Power of Six ended, I can't wait to find out what happens next! What are the others like? Will Sam ever get the girl? This series is the perfect summer read with a release date of AUGUST 21ST.

What are you waiting on this week?

Tuesday Review Day!

Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovey #5)

Written by: Melissa Marr

Publication date: February 22, 2011

Released in Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, ebook, Audio CD

327pgs

5 stars

Synopsis: The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose "everything." 

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's "New York Times" bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

My Review: I was so anxious to get to this book because I knew all the stories would be told at once and we would get to hear from everyone; like Donia, whom we haven't seen since Fragile Eternity. At this point in the story, everything is a mess! War is threatening all the courts, Keenan is missing, things are looking pretty bad - to say the least. And Niall? All I can say about Niall is, "Niall, Niall, Niall." SMH. If I said more than that I'd spoil it for you.

Okay, maaybe I shouldn't have jumped on the "Team Seth" band wagon so quickly because I am completely on Keenan's side. The last couple of books I began to feel the pull toward the other side but this one really did me in! Maybe I connect with Keenan or feel for him more because I a Summer baby and I love everything Summer - or perhaps that's me just trying to justify me switching teams. And it's not that I like Seth any less but I do agree he gets in the way of the court.

Even though I give this book a high rating, it did not have the ending I would have preferred. I knew by book 2 or 3 that it wasn't going to but I guess for many others it ended perfectly.

the mortals that get involved with these faeries  become so inducted into that world that it's as if they were never mortals. For example, Donia and Aislinn. They didn't just become faeries and then sent on their merry way to go frolic in the fields or have snowball fights. No, they were made into faeries that held important positions - Winter Girl and Summer Queen. There are more examples but I won't ruin the surprise!

Overall: I laughed, I cringed, I was shocked and I cried. Literally. I absolutely adore this series! Plus, I cannot wait to read Melissa Marr's Faery Tales & Nightmares!

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments dark and light by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from beneath the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly.

From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with...or to fear.

Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.

Waiting On Wednesday!

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created by Breaking The Spine to highlight upcoming books that readers are dying to get their hands on!

Ok guys, I'm really excited about this one....

The Presidential Campaign Trail, 2012: A political operative and a volunteer are brutally murdered while caught in a compromising position. Written in their blood on the wall of the crime scene: IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.And with that, a centuries-old horror known only as the Boogeyman returns to taunt Nathaniel Cade, the President's Vampire. Against the backdrop of the 2012 presidential race, with the threat of constant exposure by the media, Cade and Zach must stop the one monster Cade has never been able to defeat completely. And they must do it before the Boogeyman adds another victim to his long and bloody list: the President of the United States himself.

For more, click the link to read an EXCLUSIVE SNEAK-PEEK from the author's blog!

I really wasn't sure if there was going to be another installment of one of my favorite bad-ass vamps, Nathaniel Cade. The last time we saw him he was battling some serious lizard-like creatures and damn near got his head ripped off more than once. I love the whole blood oath thing and sincerely wonder if by the end of his story, if Cade will find a way to break the oath and be free.

The only thing I do not care for is the cover. What is that a gate he's walking towards? But the reason I don't like it is because it's in color when the previous two covers were all black and white...and blood red. I wish it had stuck to the theme. Still, I'm not worried about the story itself, I know it will be awesome!

On shelves April 26th!

Do No Miss It!

Tuesday Review Day!

Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely, #4) 

Written by: Melissa Marr

Publication date:

Released in Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle & ebook

336 pages

4 Stars - slow beginning 

Synopsis: 

"Hunger for nourishment.

Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong." 

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.

Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.

Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans--and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear "for" one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other? 

Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr's "New York Times" bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

My Review: When I read the jacket and saw that this book was going to be about Ani and Devlin, I wasn't happy. I did want to know more about them - just not in their own book; especially after the way Fragile Eternity ended! We haven't seen Ani since Ink Exchange and I've always wondered what important role she was going to play. Devlin was a mysterious character as well from his first appearance in the story.

Ani is reckless but loyal as all hell. She's young and confused, she doesn't know how to control her need to feed off of both touch and emotions, from both humans and faeries - and how to keep it all a secret. It's because of her abilities that she has drawn the attention of Sorcha and Bananach. There's something very special about her that has everyone going to great lengths to either use, protect, or destroy her. Among those trying to protect her is Devlin. His motives for doing so are very suspicious and possibly unbeknownst to even him! Another mysterious character comes into play; her name is Rae and she is neither faerie or mortal. She is friends with Devlin - weird - and she knows more about what's going on with Ani than she can tell him.

There are a million little cliffhangers in this book. Everything is just a tease - giving you only enough to make you keep turning the pages. Halfway through the book I was liking Ani more and more. She's definitely a magnet for trouble! Devlin is the kind of character that immediately evokes pity. He has no real control over his life, nothing to call his own, nowhere to retire for peace. He needs a friggin' hug! You know he needs love in his life and you just want him to have it.

Melissa Marr has a great way of conveying need. Need is not to be confused with lust or want or desire. In all the books of this series, each faery has a sincere need for someone. My favorite is Keenan and Aislinn. The way they need to be near each other, the way it feels when they're apart and when they strengthen their court together - it's beautiful. The loss Keenan feels at every one of Ailinn's rejections is so painful, and knowing Aislinn feels it too, the way she needs Keenan the same way he needs her  but refuses to give in, hurts all the more.

Overall: More twists and turns and a very satisfying ending. I ended up really loving Ani and Devlin - they are just absolutely adorable!

Tuesday Review Day!

FRAGILE ETERNITY (WONDROUS STRANGE #3)

Written by: Melissa Marr

Publication date: April 21, 2009 by HarperCollins

Released in Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, ebook

389pgs

5 Stars

Synopsis: Aislinn never expected to rule in Faerie--but that was before Keenan stole her mortality to make her a monarch. Now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever dreamed of.

Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone--but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he's ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on a new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

My Review: I wasn't sure if I was going to like the rotating of the stories; each book focusing on different members of the same tale. However, everything is so intricately connected, as well as the characters, that each book is more like a different side, a different perspective and point of view from the story. Had it been written any other way, I would have felt cheated.

This time around we get to see things through the eyes of the only one to remain 100% mortal and who willingly stays with the faeries - Seth Morgan. If you haven't read my review of Wicked Lovely, let me inform you that I love Seth. Always with the right words at the right time. The only mortal to not only freely move throughout a few of the Faerie Courts, Summer, Winter and Dark; but to also have close relationships with all of the Courts' kings and queens! Seth sometimes has a hard time being around faeries all the time, even Aislinn now that she's immortal. She's his forever girl, but, he's the only one that won't last that long. Spending time with her reminds him of how different she's become and how fragile he is as a human.

The problem in this book is that Seth has become a little too popular among the fey for his own good. So popular, that Bananach in particular has become quite interested in him. We all know that in the wake of Bananach is nothing but death and destruction. One thing I've learned about the raven-haried faery is how she likes to get what she wants and to do so, she whispers into the ears of others, recruiting them to unwittingly do her bidding.

The High Court is another one of the Faery Courts, whose Queen is Sorcha. She is mentioned in the earlier books but never discussed in depth or introduced in the actual story (unless you read Old Habits). Sorcha's role is to maintain order; not like faery police but her mere existence keeps all of Faerie balanced. Yet, Sorcha begins to have feelings and emotions that are irrational and therefore are disrupting the balance and there is only one unexpected person that can fix everything. As if all that wasn't enough - the problems between Aislinn and Seth, Seth and Bananach, Seth and the other courts - things between Keenan and Donia get even more complex. Loving each other and it being impossible to be together makes it hard to cope. There is tension between the courts and Seth is right in the middle of it all. The tension comes directly from Nial, Keenan, Aislinn and Bananach; each of them trying to remind the other of their own strength.

Okay, even though I've already sworn my fealty to Seth, there's a large part of me that really wants Keenan and Aislinn to be together, I would hate for Seth to be dumped but I'm sure there a nice Summer Girl out there that could serve as a pleasant distraction.

Overall: There are unbelievable twists, turns and surprises. You can't stop reading this series, you have to know what's going to happen next. Right now everything is a mess and I need to know how we're going to fix it so that everyone gets what they want, everyone is where they want to be and with the one they want to be with? I need my happily ever after here! If I didn't have the whole series and was unable to read them back to back, I would go mad!

 

March 2012 Releases!

Hey Guys! Just a heads up on some new releases coming out next month! There's even a new one from Michelle Zink, author of the Prophecy of the Sisters series.

It's gonna be a great month!

Perception (Clarity #2)

by Kim Harrington - March 1

When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

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Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters, #1)

By Jessica Shirvington - March 6

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Look for the sequels ENTICED in September 2012 and EMBLAZE in March 2013!!

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Balthazar

by Claudia Gray March 6

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart

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Infamous (Chronicles of Nick, #3)

By Sherrilyn Kenyon

The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters. Now Nick’s saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume...

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He’s learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn’t the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.

Or he’ll be the one who ends the world. With enemies new and old gathering forces, he will have to call on every part of himself to fight or he’ll lose everyone he cares about.

Even himself.

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 A Temptation of Angels 

By Michelle Zink March 20

Even angels make mistakes in this page-turning epic romance...

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.

Michelle Zink masterfully weaves historical fantasy with paranormal romance to create a gripping tale of love and betrayal.

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Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2)

By Aimee Carter - March 27

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

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What'd I miss?

Cover Reveal!!

FINALLY!

It’s all-out war (and no-holds-barred romance) in the climactic conclusion to Carrie Jones’s bestselling series.

Zara is at the center of an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Evil pixies are ravaging Bedford, and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends; she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king . . .

Unexpected turns, surprising revelations, and one utterly satisfying romantic finale make Endure a thrilling end to this series of bestsellers.

I feel like this cover reveal took forever! Was it worth the wait? Maybe. I think it might have been. I'll be honest, I wasn't a fan of Captivate so I still haven't read Entice, but the promise of "one utterly satisfying romantic finale" sounds like something I would enjoy!

 Help me out here:

Worth putting back on my TBR list; or 

something that can wait or not add on at all??

Tuesday Review Day!

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope all of you had fun ringing it in. What did you do? I spent it with my favorite people, my family. Watching the girls get confetti everywhere and spraying the birthday girl with silly string (another one of our weird family traditions) while she ran around screaming was a great time. the best part is that when it's all over, I get to walk home and not have to worry about crazy traffic and drunk drivers.

For Christmas, I received The Iron Knight and started reading it immediately. No really, like while everyone was still milling about and celebrating, I was teasing myself with the prologue. I was very anxious and excited for this one, if you were having a hard time figuring that out. So here's my [SPOILER FREE] review...

Iron Knight (The Iron Fey, #4)
Written by: Julie Kagawa
Publication date: October 25, 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Released in Paperback, Kindle & ebook
361 pages

5 Stars

Synopsis: Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

My Review: If that synopsis alone has started your heart racing then you will require some serious preparation before reading this book.


The first thing I love about this book is the dedication: Team Ash, this one is for you - *heart beats a little faster*. As you can see, Ash and Puck are side by side in Ash's quest to earn a soul. Now, you know from the previous three books that these two like to go at it; argue, threaten each other with ice shards to the face or a wild pig on your ass, and insults to each others egos. Well without Meghan around, there's no one to referee their  banter so it just goes on and on. It's great. Grimalkin sure isn't going to take that job, it isn't nearly entertaining enough, therefore not worth his while. Grim is almost my favorite character with all his cat knowledge and dry humor. At the very beginning of their journey Grim offers Ash an ominous warning, 

"You have no idea what you asking, what lies ahead, for all of us"

 Right away you're excited because the kind of situations Puck and Ash find themselves in are always nail biting experiences. The tension between them due to their ancient feud, thickens in this book. Ash's vow to Ariella to kill Puck to avenge her death has been haunting him ever since he spoke the words and now they are coming to a head.

There was, in my opinion, a very unpleasant surprise in this story. It made me wish Kagawa had thought of another way, a different route to the end of the story. Speaking of surprises, a double love triangle?! What? Yeah. The fact that this is even happening is just wrong on so many levels. I did not like that.

Anyhow, it is quite an adventure Ash, Puck and Grimalkin go on; encountering never before seen fey, battling their way through the deepest darkest parts of the Nevernever. The trials Ash has to go through to obtain his soul and a mortal body are seriously intense. He finds out what it truly means to be human; and what I think it all boils down to is feelings. Humans are capable of such deep, passionate emotions that they change our lives and as a Winter Prince, Ash has no idea what to expect!

Overall: I was satisfied with the ending, although it still raised a few questions. It definitely leaves your head spinning having just been on a never ending roller-coaster. And it seriously took me until the end of the book to realize that the guy on the back of the book is Puck!! I think it took me a while because that's not really how I pictured him.

2012 Reading Challenge

Hey Everyone!

Did any of you make resolutions this year? I didn't really make a specific resolution, just a general one and that is, put simply, is to get sh- uh, stuff done. There are things I want to do and things that need to be done and I'd like to do some of both. Along with that, I've decided to enter the 2012 Reading Challenge.

I don't usually commit to reading a certain list of books because I like to feel my way to my next read, see what I'm in the mood for. But I figured, it's a new year with a ton of great releases I know I'm gonna read, so why not make it a challenge? I chose 20 books and here's my list for the challenge:

By Melissa Marr

Love Struck

Stopping Time (Wicked Lovely 2.5)

Old Habits (Wicked Lovely 2.6)

Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely 3)

Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely 4)

Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely 5)

By Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia

Dream Dark (Caster Chronicles 2.5)

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles 3)

By Lesley Livingston

Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange 1)

Darklight (Wondrous Strange 2)

Tempestuous (Wondrous Strange 3)

By Nina Bangs

Color Me Wicked (Castle of Dark Dreams Novella)

Wicked Edge (Castle of Dark Dreams 5)

Endlessly (Paranormalcy 3) by Kiersten White

Destined (Wings 4) by Aprilynne Pike

Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse 12) by Charlaine Harris

Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica 2) by Beth Fantasky

City of Lost Souls (Mortal Instruments 5) by Cassandra Clare

The Rise of Nine (Lorien Legacies 3) by Pittacus Lore

Balthazar by Claudia Gray

Wow. It looks like a lot when you lay it all out there like that. All I know is that I am looking forward to reading each and every one of them!

Tuesday Review Day!

Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely, #2)

Written by: Melissa Marr

Publication date: May 1, 2008

Released in Hardcover, paperback, Kindle & ebook

325 pages

3.8 stars

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

My Review: Leslie is a poor, unfortunate soul; left to fend for herself in a dysfunctional household that isn't even a place she can call home. She's ready to make a change and the perfect tattoo seems like the right place to start. I've got a couple tattoos myself so I get the liberating feel you get when you get one, but I think Leslie takes that meaning of being free to design your body however you want to be a little more profound than it actually is.

We get to see Aislinn although it isn't her story. If you've read Alyxandra Harvey's Drake Chronicles, it's just like that; several books but each one is about a different character from the first one, which is why I do not advise you to read either series out of order. In this sequel we get to know Leslie better and meed the Dark Fey that were mentioned in Wicked Lovely. Irial is the Dark King and has recently become quite interested in Leslie, and I think we all know how things turn out when a faery, light or dark, sets his sights on a human. If a faery decides it wants you, it will have you.

What is with Melissa Marr and her conflicting characters?! Right from the beginning I knew I was going to feel torn about Irial. I was all ready to hate him through out the story, my lip curling with hate every time he came into the story, but I often found that sneer had turned into a very different expression. One more like empathy. I didn't know what to do with myself. On the other hand, I knew I liked Niall from the first book; he seemed a rare find among the fey - he was genuinely kind. At least, he knew how to be and chose to be often. Niall plays a big part in this sequel, the second male lead role, if you will. He is devout in his loyalty to the Summer court but when Leslie comes into his life - everything changes. Leslie is obliviously naive. If she only knew what she was dealing with, she'd be just as brave facing her threat - it took waaay too long for her to finally learn the truth - less than 100pgs left. Smh. The love triangle in this book is very frustrating. Both Irial and Niall are pursuing Leslie in their own, very different ways but by the end, I wanted both of them to have her!

Overall: Although this probably won't be my favorite book in the series, it does have a very strong message. It was profound, a lot of talk about belonging to yourself, reclaiming yourself after someone has tried to hurt you. Leslie went through a tragic ordeal hence her quest to find the perfect tattoo to begin the reclaiming process.