Unchained (Nephilim Rising #1) by J. Lynn (Jennifer Armentrout) - More Like Fangirl Rising.
Synopsis: Between the pissed off creatures that want demon-hunter Lily Marks dead and the fallen angel who just…wants her, Lily is about ready to trade in forever for a comfy job in a cubicle farm. The fact that she and Julian are civil to one another is enough to have her thrown out of the Sanctuary, but she can’t shake her not-so-angelic stalker or how he brings her dangerously close to ecstasy.
Her forbidden relationship with Julian provides the perfect fuel for suspicion when a traitor is discovered to be working within the Sanctuary. Lily quickly finds herself hunted by well, everyone.
Her only hope is to discover the real traitor before she loses everything-and she’ll need Julian’s help. That is, if Julian is really there to help her…and not destroy her. Yeah, being a Nephilim isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.
Review: After reading Jennifer Armentrout flex her YA skills with Obsidian (Lux #1), I was ever so curious to check out her adult skills with Unchained. I will be honest and say that any series set in Washington, DC like this one is will automatically make me a little biased. But I probably would have loved this book if it took place in Timbuktu (well, not really, but any urban setting would have worked). I have grown to enjoy the fallen angel subgenre almost as much as a vampire one and books like this are probably why.
After reading the novel I learned that this was actually an earlier novel by Armentrout and while I enjoyed it, finding the plot and characters satisfying enough, I wasn’t surprised. If there was one area I could criticize it would definitely be the world building aspect. We definitely hear about Washington, DC, but she does very little to actually show us the setting with good details. It’s only because I live here that the setting makes sense to me. She has since improved in that area with her Lux novels.
The characterizations are very good, especially when it comes to Julian, the fallen angel. I don’t doubt he’ll make the book boyfriend list for many readers. While I personally liked Lily, I think she would have to grow on other readers. She’s brash, overconfident and loves to dive head first into danger. But she’s Nephilim (a fallen angel/human hybrid), what do you expect? She’s also a bit of a rebel but for me that made her all the more fun. She’s good at what she does so she can back it up…for now.
While I would call this an urban fantasy, it definitely comes on strong with the romance too. The chemistry between Julian and Lily is totally scorching, but you’re never allowed to feel comfortable with their relationship because they are inherently on opposing sides. There’s just enough tension to keep things interesting the whole way through. I was honestly fearing a potential love triangle, so if you’re concerned about that, don’t be. There are definitely bigger fish to fry as to what can drive a wedge between the two.
There’s a lot of action and brutality and I honestly wasn’t always sure of the characters’ motivations which kept things from being too predictable. All in all there was never a dull moment for me, so even though this is an earlier work of Armentrout, it’s still plenty enjoyable and re-readable. I will absolutely be reading Book 2 and I’m crossing my fingers that it can release on time in 2014.
Bound by Night (MoonBound Clan Vampires, #1) by Larissa Ione
Synopsis: Nicole Martin was only eight years old when the vampire slaves rose up in rebellion and killed her family. Now she devotes her life to finding a vaccine against vampirism, hoping to wipe out her memories—along with every bloodsucker on the planet. But there’s one thing she cannot destroy: her searing, undeniable attraction for the one man she should hate and fear the most . . .
A member of the renegade vampire MoonBound Clan, Riker is haunted by demons of his own. When he recognizes Nicole and remembers how her family enslaved his loved ones, his heart burns for vengeance. But when he kidnaps Nicole and holds her in a secret lair, his mortal enemy becomes his soul obsession, his greatest temptation, and, perhaps, his only salvation—a hot-blooded lover who could heal him with her touch . . . or bury him forever.
Review: This was my first time reading a full length Larissa Ione novel. I believe I read a short story once upon a time but I can’t remember which one. I figured I’d rather start fresh with a new series to see if I enjoy her style, and after reading this novel I’d say I do! Though primarily a PNR, I thought it offered a satisfying dose of snark, comedy, and action. I liked the premise of vampires actually being the slaves this time around. At first glance it seems a bit ridiculous considering their place on the food chain, but humans have strength in numbers, resources and smarts and all of that plays a big part in this novel.
The love story between Riker and Nicole was satisfying enough. It felt like your standard fanfare in terms of progression for a standalone. Though I wasn’t blown away by the book, I did appreciate the solid world building and the characters. It has potential to get better and better. I would consider reading the second book and I’d also considering giving her Lords of Deliverance series a try sometime down the line. It definitely won’t be this year, but perhaps sometime in 2014. If you’re in the mood for a lighter PNR, I’d recommend this one. It has dark themes at times, but it didn’t really play on my angst strings very much.
*ARC provided by the publisher
The Hollows Read-Along - Coming Right Along
I’m not sure how many of you have been able to participate, but I am darn happy I’ve been able to carve out time to do so. It has actually helped my motivation to read lately and I have been gaining on my Goodreads goal. I should definitely surpass it now which is a relief. I’d been really falling behind before this.
While I love the Hollows I admit that I’ve not read most of the books in their entirety more than once. Now that I get ARCs for the later books I will read the ARC, but I also read the finished version to compare significant changes, if any. Before that I used to go back and read passages, sure, but I’m finding this read along to be extremely enriching, especially considering where the series is now. What makes it even better has been Kim’s insights. Did you guys see when she said Trent was almost a Dragon? A DRAGON! After all this time I honestly couldn’t fathom it. Not that I have anything against dragons, but I think she made the better decision in making him an elf. I feel like it fits the world a bit better.
I have definitely been quoting up a storm for the first two. You can check it out here:
Dead Witch Walking
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead
And next up to the plate is an early favorite of mine, Every Which Way But Dead! It held that spot until Pale Demon (though For a Few Demons More (Book 5) and The Outlaw Demon Wails (Book 6) were very close). You can purchase it for $1.99 for the next couple of weeks while we’re reading it in the US for most major ebook outlets. Did you guys see Kim’s photo for it? I spy with my little eye The Undead Pool ARC on Kim’s shelf! . That actually looks very similar to my shelf though I have mostly hardcovers ~_^. Is anyone else participating? Share your favorite moments so far.
GIVEAWAY! Autographed copy of Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire
Though I have yet to read Chimes at Midnight, the latest in the Toby Daye series, that doesn’t mean I can’t hook you guys up with a copy of book 6 in this series, Ashes of Honor! I met Seanan McGuire at San Diego Comic Con this summer where she signed a copy for me.I you’d like a chance to win a SIGNED copy, I am collecting entries through Sunday, November 10th . I will announce the winner the next day.
How to Enter (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY): My giveaways are only open to followers of Your Urban Fantasy who are 18 years of age or older. In order to enter YOU MUST COMMENT ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT POST! If you’re a new member, sign up on the right panel to follow my blog via email and/or Twitter. (Make sure you check your email to confirm your subscription. You should receive a notification immediately, so check your spam folder if you don’t see it right away). Current followers can just say so in their post and your entry will be added. Overall, there are up to 3 chances to win:
- Follow this blog via email (THIS IS REQUIRED)
- Follow me on Twitter (bonus entry)
- “Like” Your Urban Fantasy on Facebook (bonus entry)
While I do appreciate RSS subscribers, I cannot confirm your status as a follower so your entry will not count (sorry!); however, you are welcome to sign up by email and Twitter or Facebook. Good luck!
Obsidian (Lux, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I’m actually close to finishing the third book in this series, but I’m playing catch up on reviews so I won’t get to them for a while yet. But I figure I should start from the top.
Synopsis: When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don’t kill him first, that is.
Review: After seeing these books pop up in my Goodreads friends notifications for a while, I decided to finally take the Lux series for a spin. I was forewarned that this series was very similar to Twilight, so I was a little apprehensive since I didn’t really think much of that one (no offense to Twihards), but I enjoyed this quite a bit more. Sure, you’ve got a teen moving to a small town who just so happens to run into a group of students in her new school who possess an otherworldly beauty and mystique, and then she’s in grave danger and the hottest one of all happens to save her with superhuman abilities, but that’s where the similarities ended for me.
I actually enjoy Daemon and Katy as our hero and heroine though I honestly didn’t feel like too much happened in this book. I think we were settling into the world and the characters. I find it very amusing that Katy’s a book reviewer and blogger. The jokes surrounding her hobby are very funny, probably because it makes her completely relatable as a book reviewer/blogger myself. It makes me wonder if the author dabbles in it. Since she writes so much I’d wonder where she finds the time!
Daemon is arrogant and often irritating, but he can be pretty funny too. Though he and his sister have suffered loss, a loss of personality isn’t one of them and I genuinely enjoy his development with Katy. They have great chemistry and this series seems like it’s got potential to be somewhat racy for a YA novel.
I enjoyed the read, but it wasn’t perfect. It didn’t feel slow per se, but it had a bit more of a contemporary feel at times and I occasionally found myself wanting the book to amp up the paranormal. As someone who typically prefer adult novels to YA, this has proved to be a happy middle ground for me and I look forward to reading the rest.
Circle of Fire (Damask Circle #1) by Keri Arthur
Synopsis: Sixteen teenagers taken from their homes. Eleven bodies recovered, each completely drained of blood. Some believe vampires are responsible. Jon Barnett knows that what’s happening is far worse. Sent by a group of paranormal investigators known as the Damask Circle, Jon quickly becomes enmeshed in a web of black magic and realizes he needs help. But fate gives him only one choice.
Madeline Smith has retreated to an isolated farmhouse, afraid of the abilities she cannot control—abilities that have killed. But when a “ghost” brings a warning of danger and her nephew goes missing, Maddie not only has to leave her haven, she has to place her trust in a man who is neither ghost nor human. As the noose of sorcery tightens, the search for the teenagers becomes a race against time. But the greatest danger to Maddie and Jon could be the intense feelings they refuse to acknowledge but cannot ignore.
Review: I started this series thinking Keri Arthur was publishing a new one alongside the Dark Angels novels. I didn’t know that they were republishing her older works. It’s very interesting to become familiar with an author’s style and ability and compare it to something else. I noticed after a while that this had more of a pedestrian quality to it as opposed to the Dark Angels series. I’ve only read the first Riley Jenson novel but it did not feel quite on that level either. This is not to say that the story wasn’t straightforward and enjoyable in some parts. I thought the mystery was good and it worked fine as a standalone story. But it’s not my favorite effort by Arthur.
I didn’t really become invested in the development of the protagonists or their relationship to one another over the course of the book. The most interesting aspects were the villains and the world building, but as I said, Arthur’s definitely done better. This is the first of a trilogy, though to me if felt perfect as a standalone. I honestly doubt I will continue with this as I’m more likely to read her other books instead because I’m not yet caught up on either one.
*ARC provided by the publisher.
World After (Penryn & the End of Days #2) by Susan Ee (Releases Nov. 19, 2013)
Synopsis: When a group of people capture Penryn’s sister Paige, thinking she’s a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken. Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels’ secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.
Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can’t rejoin the angels, can’t take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?
Review: Overall I enjoyed the novel and found it engaging almost the entire time, though it wasn’t until the third act that it reached unputdownable territory. Though it’s clearly not the only dystopian novel out there, I enjoy the balance with supernatural elements and creatures. I like that I can become completely immersed in this gritty world suddenly turned upside down where we see beings (human or otherwise) at their best and their worst. Though it’s considered a young-adult novel, I think it’s just as gritty as an adult novel which adds to its appeal.
I found it thought-provoking often, wondering many times what I’d do in Penryn’s shoes. For a seventeen-year-old, she’s had to grow up so fast and while she makes a few dumb decisions, she also makes a lot of good ones and I was really rooting her for and her sister, Paige. I even found myself liking Penryn’s nutty mom. I feel like she’s just crazy enough to survive this thing. But Paige. Ugh, I spent most of the book just wanting to hug her. Her ordeal is completely heart-wrenching and I had a very tough time reading about it. We learn how she becomes what she is now, a twisted, patched up, razor-toothed experiment gone totally wrong…or maybe totally right? All I know is she’s seven and it’s just not fair. But I do appreciate that there may be a sense of destiny about the character which would make her even more multidimensional than being a sympathy magnet.
You’re probably wondering why I haven’t really said much about Raffe. You know, Raphael, the Great Archangel, the Wrath of God, and more importantly for the fans, Penryn’s unexpected but very yummy main squeeze. He’s definitely our favorite archangel. Well, unfortunately there’s not much to tell this time. About half his significance in the book is through flashbacks of what we already knew. When they finally do meet up their chemistry and banter are a lot of fun, but I would have liked more of it and sooner.
Aside from that I had a couple more gripes with the entry. For one, the end didn’t feel complete enough. I wouldn’t quite call it a cliffhanger but it honestly just stops. I prefer when books wind down in the last chapter or at least provide an epilogue. My next issue would be the length. This novel is not very long at all. While I don’t have page numbers to reference, I can’t imagine it being over 300 pages. So why does this book have 75 chapters? Unless you’re busting out 1,500+ pages novels like George R. R. Martin or something, it’s completely superfluous. And since most of the scenes flow into the next one if anything it affected the pace a little. I honestly don’t see why this would need more than 30. I just finished it and yet I couldn’t tell you a standout chapter if my life depended on it.
But yes, my issues aside, I thought it was a very entertaining read and I’m looking forward to the next one. I also recently learned that this series will be adapted into a movie. I definitely think it’s a good call because that’s all I could think about while reading it, how cool it’d be on the big screen. But how often do movies live up to expectations?
If you’re a fan, you won’t want to miss it, but you might want to re-read Angelfall to give yourself a bit of a refresher.
*ARC provided by the publisher.
Driving Mr. Dead (Half Moon Hollow, #1.5) by Molly Harper - Destination: A new fan!
Synopsis: Miranda Puckett has failed at every job she’s ever had. Her mother just wants her to come home, join the family law firm, and settle down with Jason, the perfect lawyer boyfriend. But when Jason turns out to be a lying cheater, Miranda seizes on a job that gets her out of town: long-distance vampire transportation. Her first assignment is to drive vampire Collin Sutherland from Washington to sleepy Half Moon Hollow without incident—no small feat for a woman whom trouble seems to follow like a faithful hound dog! And she has to do it without letting her passenger—the most persnickety, stuffy, devastatingly handsome vamp she’s ever met—drive her crazy. As she and Collin find disaster on the roads, they also find an undeniable spark between them. Could Miranda have found the perfect job and the perfect guy for her?
Review: This is a great short novella if you’re in-between reads. Though the page count isn’t particularly large, there’s a lot of character development and story there that didn’t feel any more rushed than a 350-400 page PNR novel. It wasn’t overly angsty either which was a relief and I found myself laughing quite a bit. I enjoyed the charm and the wit and was ultimately impressed with Molly Harper’s writing. This was my first time reading anything by this author and it won’t be the last. The Half Moon Hollow novels seem to be standalones in typical PNR fashion, but I’m definitely a fan of her alternating between novellas and full novels. I like having the option of a fun, quick and satisfying read without investing a lot of time.
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare
Synopsis: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.
Review: I held off on reading this series for a long time. I actually started it some time ago then stopped and then decided to resume it closer to the movie’s release. Ultimately I ended up watching the movie before finishing the book. There were times that the book read like fanfiction to me (and then I learned that’s because it actually was), but I’ve certainly read worse. While I thought the movie was pretty rushed, the book had the opposite effect for me and felt overly long, but that could be because I didn’t find the melodrama particularly interesting between the main three, especially Simon’s assured-to-be-unrequited feelings for Clary.
Jace. Jace. Jace. Well at least he has a personality? He comes off as pretty juvenile for me at times and I didn’t always find it funny, so for me he wasn’t as swoon-worthy as I’m sure he is for millions of others. The chemistry with Clary is pretty good until the twist that made my eyes roll. After that I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be interested in seeing it play out for multiple books throughout the series.
I enjoyed the magic, mythology and lore here, but it honestly wasn’t something that I can’t get anywhere else and better, so while I don’t think I’ll completely drop the series, I’m also in no rush to continue it anytime soon. I’m much more likely to read the The Infernal Devices Trilogy instead because there are only 3 of those and they’re complete.
The Undead Pool Chapter 2 is available with the latest copy of The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (Hollows #2) for $1.99
If any of you have been participating in The Hollows re-read-along with Kim Harrison, they are offering revolving sales for the ebooks as we approach them. A few weeks ago Dead With Walking was $1.99. Now that we’re reading The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (GBU), it is priced at $1.99 until it’s time to start my early favorite once upon a time, Every Which Way but Dead, at the very end of the month. But as an added bonus, at the end of the GBU they include Chapter 2 of The Undead Pool! The whole book isn’t due out until February 25, 2014, but if you want to tease yourself, have at and read it! And if you already have, that last line probably blew your mind!
Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) by Ilona Andrews - This series rises!
Synopsis: Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.
Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…
Review: Oh boy, what a ride! While this book wasn’t as quotable with the usual hilarious quips that make me love this series so much, it is definitely one of my favorite books of the series, if not my favorite. I usually love books when the characters go on road trips or end up out of their usual element. It usually gives a series a fresh perspective, revealing new aspects about my favorite characters and ultimately showing what they are made of when the going gets tough. Ilona Andrews really brought their A-game from start to finish. Kate and Curran, how can you not love them? As solid as they are, or at least as solid as we assume they are, their relationship and feelings for one another are put to the ultimate test.
I must say that bringing just about every essential character along for the quest set off my alarm bells early that nothing was going to be the same from here on out. I feared that not everybody would make it back or make it back in one piece. And they do take a hell of a beating in that department I’m sad to say. But I believe everything that happened happened for the sake of pushing the story forward to the best conclusion possible.
There were definitely frustrating moments making me feel for both characters as individuals as well. I will always be a Kate and Curran girl, but I thought they handled the chemistry between Kate and Hugh D’Ambry (her father’s right hand) surprisingly well. I was genuinely looking forward to their scenes together and the outcomes weren’t always predictable. I was really engrossed in the back story involving Kate’s heritage and felt satisfied with what was revealed. It felt integral to the story and to what we can expect of the series here on out. So often I run into series where the overarching plot is merely peppered throughout the book instead of being the meat of it, making it very obvious that the author plans to drag the story out as much as possible. I am so happy that wasn’t the case here, though I honestly haven’t read a disappointing Kate Daniels book.
If we thought things were complicated before, this book proved to me that we haven’t seen anything yet. I heard the series was going to end at 7, but then they decided to extend it to 10. At this point I think 10 books is definitely the sweet spot.
If you want a true page turner, this is one of the best you are going to find this year, guaranteed.
The Chance (The Originals) by Kathie Ritchie
Synopsis: Supernatural Fantasy Story of a human who has lost everything gets the chance to become what she was meant to be and save an ancient race from an old evil.
Mica Howard’s simple middle-class life as a human widow of ten years would change forever one fateful night and she would become a part of a completely new existence and with a destiny that she could have never imagined. This is the tale of how she became a Queen of creatures she never knew existed and has to fight to the death to hold on to it and save all the new family she has come to know and love. Is she up to the task? She has to be lives depend upon her becoming what she was meant to be.
Review: I picked this up to read at the request of Goodreads friend and Your Urban Fantasy member Kathie Ritchie who published this as her first work. All in all I thought the story was original and unique enough to stick out in my mind which is definitely a good thing considering the tons of books I read throughout the year. I see a lot of potential with the story, the world, and character development, especially in future novels. The beginning draws you in quite effectively. I do think the novel could use an additional round of editing to cut down on repetition and improve the flow of the story. It distracted me from the experience at times, but with tighter writing in the sequels (or even a revised version of this story) I could see it being a true standout. I also think a catchier titles could help draw more attention. The story is free for Amazon Prime members:
The Chance at Amazon.com
Congrats on the publication, Kathie, and good luck with your future works!
*ARC provided by the author.
The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo (Love at Stake #14) by Kerrelyn Sparks
Synopsis: Dougal Kincaid has something to prove. After being injured in a battle with the Malcontents, he’s ready for active duty protecting unsuspecting mortals from these villainous vampires who want to rule the world. But first he has to get control of himself . . . because just the sight of a certain lovely doctor has his injured hand doing some peculiar things, not to mention the sizzling sensation that burns along his dragon tattoo.
Vampires? Vampires?! As a scientist, Leah is having trouble believing that these immortal creatures exist. But there they are, standing in front of her, asking for help in solving a genetic puzzle that can save mankind. There’s even one in a sexy kilt! Just one look into Dougal’s gorgeous green eyes sets her pulse racing. But can she trust him—and the overwhelming desire that refuses to be ignored?
Review: This was my first time delving into the Love at Stake novels, or at least I think so. What drew me to this book was mainly the title. I thought it’d be a parody of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo novel. There was humor here and there, but this is first and foremost a paranormal romance, so the romance and drama take precedence. I may have read a short story from this series before because one aspect sounded familiar to me; it was the VANNA angle in particular though I can’t recall where I could have read it. VANNA is a life-size synthetic device designed to look like a human woman. There’s blood stored inside it to help curb a vampire’s desire to attack real living people. That provided a healthy dose of comic relief in this book. Though the story appears to be a standalone, there is an overarching plot that I feel has been developing since the earlier books. But even still I never felt lost.
The relationship between Dougal and Leah was decent but I didn’t connect to it very much. Both were a little too down on themselves most of the time. I also think the timing was wrong for me because I read this on the heels of another book where reincarnation was at the heart of the relationship. I wasn’t disappointed with the book, so I imagine fans of the series who have read it from the beginning should enjoy it. Though I doubt I will read all the earlier 13 novels, I might look into reading one of its stronger prequels to get a better feel for Kerrelyn Sparks’s writing at its best.
*ARC Provided by Publisher
Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) by Laini Taylor
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 beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery 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: I was sitting on this book for quite a while but I was glad to finally read it. All in all the writing and characterization were top-notch. It’s not very often when I can connect with a heroine but I really enjoyed reading this from Karou’s point of view. Though I enjoyed her interactions with Akiva as well, I think I the first half of the book was more entertaining for me than the latter half. The latter half takes on a darker and more serious tone and the series will never be the same from that point on.
My biggest gripe is the cliffhanger. While it doesn’t totally ruin a series for me I found this one particularly frustrating. I want to read the next one, but I am considering waiting until the series finishes or at least until a few more books are available. The twists and turns, while not completely surprising, were still shocking. When it comes cliffhangers, I was very happy to have read the Fever books by Karen Marie Moning after they were all released (before she decided to continue them anyway). I don’t know how fans who read those novels in real-time stayed sane. And I feel like the Daughter of Smoke & Bone series could be of that variety. The writing and intrigue are just that good, especially for a young adult novel. Who knows, when book 3 is out I might give book 2 a go. But for now I’m debating if it’s worth it to continue right away.
Hollows Digest! The Undead Pool ARC, Kim Harrison Hollows re-read-along, giveaways and sales
Hi everyone! I apologize for my late post, but Breaking Bad consumed my free time for the past few weeks and I wanted to finish watching it before I was spoiled on the ending. I am happy to announce that I remained spoiler free! What an amazing series. It gets my high recommend, especially in the later seasons.
But now that that’s out of the way, I have even better news. If you’re a fellow reviewer, blogger or librarian you can now request the advanced reading copy of The Undead Pool on Edelweiss! Approval is not guaranteed and there is a waiting period, but you can surely try. I’ve read it and it was absolutely phenomenal. While I won’t post my full review until closer to the release date next year, if you’d like to see a few of my favorite non-spoilery quotes you can check it out on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/644894675
Are they a tease? Yup :P. But I don’t think it’s much more than something you’d get out of Kim for instance. I have my share of quotes that are outright spoilers too (because so much of this book is damned re-readable), but of course I’ll keep those to myself until the book’s out. *sigh*
Hollow’s Re-read-along with Kim Harrison
I was initially planning to do my own personal series re-read, knocking out a book a month starting in January as a final countdown to the final Hollows book. But I guess Harper and Kim had other plans so I’ve decided to jump on board with it. Dead Witch Walking has come and gone, but The Good, The Bad, and The Undead is coming up next week. I recommend you participate if you can carve out some time. Kim has started a Goodreads group dedicate to it and is interacting with us there as well as on her blog:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/115190-hollows-read-along-with-kim
Giveaways and Sales
Harper and Kim are also offering giveaways in conjunction with the read-along. Currently up for grabs is a chance to win the first 5 books signed by Kim. Sign up with you’re interested! Kim also holds her own separate giveaways:
http://harpervoyagerbooks.com/sweepstakes-us/
The ebooks are also on a revolving sale. Dead Witch Walking is currently $1.99 until October 14th. Then the next book will be on sale for its read-along time frame and so on and so forth.
As for me, I’ve been reading quite frequently lately, but not reviewing, so I’ve got a stack to catch up on. I’ll try to get them up as soon as possible in the coming weeks as well as post my own giveaway very soon!
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