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.

Fave Books of 2011 - Day 1

In anticipation of the new year and all the new releases to follow, I will be doing a countdown of my favorite books in 2011; a different one everyday until the ball drops! Each new fave will be a different category such as favorite book, character, cover, series, bad-guy-you-love-to-hate and ebook.

Today is my favorite book of 2011 which has to be Illusions by Aprilynne Pike. I can always count on this series to lift me up, take me to a faraway place and fill me with romantic hope! It also frustrates the hell out of me - which only adds to its genius! Pike created a completely realistic faerie world, that I totally want to live in, and characters you immediately fall in love with. Especially Tam! Not only was this book anxiously waited for but also a can't-put-down read! Read my review here.

Illusions is the third book in the Wings series and the fourth, Destined, is due out May 1st!

What Are You Gonna Be?

October has proven to be the most hectic month, so far. I haven't even decorated my house for Halloween yet. *shame on me* No pumpkins, no witches, no ghosts. I don't do spiders and cobwebs because I hate spiders. That's not right. What's the strongest word for hate? Whatever it is, that is how I feel towards spiders. Enough, I hate even tying the word!

I decided I will not be dressing up this year. Last year we had a theme, fairytale characters and I was Little Red Riding Hood, my daughter was Princess Belle and the grumpy little Princess Jasmine is our cousin. And yes, she bites. The other girl is Sleeping Beauty and the boy is Ratatouille.

This year my daughter decided that wants to be a Barbie Super Girl; and it got me thinking about what I would have chosen to be had I decided to dress up. I thought we were going to be fairies this year so I had planned to be Iridessa from Tinkerbell. I was cool with that. But there's an upside to not dressing up this year, it's gonna be COOOLD! I get to be bundled up as I go door to door soliciting candy from strangers (which is the exact opposite of what we're taught); avoiding the scary houses, of course.

The point of all my rambling is that I've been thinking about costumes and how many people still dress up.

What's your favorite costume you've ever worn or seen?

What are you dressing up as this year? 

My favorite was ten years ago, my boyfriend and I were Medusa and her statue - he was covered in silver paint and wrapped in a sheet! It was great. I wish I had a picture to share but it was so long ago.

So feel free share your story, picture or funniest Halloween moment below!

(I did see a memorable costume but I don't know if it's appropriate to share here! I'll give you a hint though; it was phallic and inflatable! Is that too obvious?)