Review + Giveaway: Blood Warrior by H.D. Gordon

Publication Date: September 5th, 2011
Finished Date: January 9th, 2014
Publisher: Self-published
Format: eBook
Series: The Alexa Montgomery series #1
My Rating: 5/5!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
When her home is attacked by murderous vampires, 17-year-old Alexa is forced to leave her mother for dead in order to save her sister. She soon learns that she is the last known member of an elite race of supernatural Warriors, and is thrust into a world full of vampires and werewolves who all seem to regard her as some sort of savior. Meanwhile, Alexa battles a monster within herself that seeks to gain control; a monster that seeks blood.

The hidden city she finds herself in appears perfect, but Alexa's instincts tell her that all is not right within its walls. When she is asked to attend a school of fighters, whose exams consist of gladiator-style competitions, she must decide who she can trust among the smiling faces. And, when she meets Kayden, a vampire she feels undeniably drawn to, she must decide if she can trust herself.

 

My Review

My Summary **May contain minor spoilers**

Alexa Montgomery suffers under the strict tutelage of her Mother outside of normal schooling - in the arts of battle and combat. It's exhaustive, it's scary and it's painful. Her Mother turns into this unfeeling predator when it's time for one of her lessons. Alexa is also made to run to school with her younger sister, Nelly, every morning even though the bus passes by their house. It's annoying, but who'd dare bring it up against her Mother?

Unbeknownst to her, Alexa's being trained to come into her powers as a Sun Warrior, strongest of all the races but also hunted to extinction years ago. During an attack by Lamias - a breed of vampires that are ruled by instinct, who look beautiful though they have shark teeth, and are aggressive things that crave blood - Alexa makes the heart-shredding decision to save her sister by leaving her Mother and taking her sister into the woods and to a safe place her Mother pointed out to her just a day before.

With some help from a friend and a contact, they manage to arrive at Two Rivers - a lush and beautiful city behind tall walls surrounded by two rivers that curves around the walls. At Two Rivers, Alexa, Nelly and a friend meet Wolf-sons, Searchers and Brocken vampires. They are assigned to dorms with their respective species but since Alexa is the one of a kind, she is sent to live and train with the Brockens who serve as the city's warriors. Alexa's a sort of celebrity there, being part of a legendary race, but is she the only one that senses something is amiss in the city? Why is their form of entertainment gladiator-style blood sports? Why are there only healthy, young, good-looking people in the city? Many people she has come to meet seem to believe that she'll be some sort of savior - but what do they need rescuing from?

My Thoughts

I. Love. Alexa. I wouldn't go so far as to say she is completely unique in her badass-teenager-who-can-kick-asses-three-times-her-size way, but she's cool. She had this way about her that was very relatable; Her anger and despair when shit hits her fan makes her more human and I come to empathize and connect with her.

Gordon's style of writing helps too. It's reminiscent of Jennifer L. Armentrout's style, that colloquial, witty, off-hand kind of feel, but with a little something more that makes it unique. Every chapter is jam-packed with tension and action, and it always ends in a way that compels your fingers to flip the page. It's addictive and you can never get enough of it. Right now I'm itching to pick up the next instalment, HALF BLACK SOUL, but I shall resist because it is midnight.

At the beginning, we are introduced to Alexa's borderline-tyrannical Mother - not to say that she doesn't care for her daughters, but she's just a little on the harsh and crazy side for a mother - and her sweet younger sister, Nelly. Nelly isn't trained to fight like Alexa, but she isn't oblivious to the things around her. She knows how hard Alexa's trainings are, and she's always there for her. She's like this little angel with a contagious smile and innocent way about her. The sisterly bond between them gives another dimension to this story and it was really heartwarming to see the kind of loyalty they inspire in each other.

The secondary cast that we are introduced to later on includes Wolf-son, Jackson, a classmate from her human high school, the handsome and charming boy that befriends and sticks up for her even when she was shunned by her other schoolmates (and who is funny and has this mid-western drawl); Kayden, the intense, stoic, protective Brocken vampire warrior that, believe it or not, is more kickass than our little Sun Warrior heroine; Tommy, rich, resourceful and laidback Brocken classmate; Camillia, mysterious Queen of Two Rivers; Daniel and some other Two Rivers citizens. Other than Alexa and Nelly, the other characters weren't developed quite as much as I'd liked, but I believe that we'll be given more insight into each of them throughout the series. But from what I've read so far, they're all growing a little on me.

There were certain loopholes and issues that weren't addressed in the novel, however. The biggest question that bothered me the most was, if there was a walled city (complete with two rivers as moats), why isn't it on the map, and is that even allowed in the US?? Wouldn't the government probe, and wouldn't the media be all over it like white on rice? There were also quite a fair bit of grammatical errors, but since BLOOD WARRIOR was self-published (salute to you, H.D!) and really the story was just so fast-paced and awesome that they didn't bother me as much as it would have it they appeared as frequently in most other novels. Testament to the brilliance of BW.

It's been ages since I've last read a YA UF novel that's hooked me so completely, and I don't remember ever shelving another self-published book as a favorite, but BLOOD WARRIOR definitely is. I've gotten very wary and cynical when it comes to love interests because I've been reading too many jerkfaces and insta-attractions recently, and too many typical aloof beautyfaces that they all just blend together, but I actually gave a damn about Kayden and Jack.

I wouldn't say that the introduction to BW was the best I've ever read, but the story itself is amazing. I was looking for a kickass heroine much like Alexa Hollen in Defy by Sara B. Larson cause I was suffering from AlexaHollenWithdrawalSyndrome, and BW had the closest blurb I could find at the time and it did not disappoint. (Though I still prefer Defy over BW, BW is good in its own UF ways.)

P.S. Y'know how the council that runs Two Rivers is made up of two men and three women? I mean, Go, Girl Power! It's usually a one female or all male party up on the foodchain, so hi-five, H.D!

My Rating

I was so excited after I read BLOOD WARRIOR that I immediately wrote down my review for it (cause I didn't want the fresh feels to fade) and emailed H.D. to request for her to do a guest post and giveaway on the blog. I wanted to share this book with all of you cause even though it's been released for some time already, some of you might not know such a superbly crazy good book is out there (like me till now, sighzzz) so yeah, share the love and all.

H.D. is VERY generously giving away three (3) paperback copies of BLOOD WARRIOR to three US ABS readers. Giveaway is open to readers with a US address and ends Feb 26th, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quickie Reviews: Once Burned and Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost

Publication Date: June 26th, 2012
Finished Date: September 28th, 2013
Publisher: Avon
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 346
Series: Night Prince #1
My Rating: 4.5/5

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
She's a mortal with dark powers...

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

He's the Prince of Night...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all—but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

My Review

I didn't expect to like this so much right after devouring Unchained by J. Lynn (another UF) just a week ago, but I loved ONCE BURNED!

The plot was simple yet superbly enjoyable, and there were the action, the gore, the romance, so ONCE BURNED is far from a mindless good read, it's an amazing read. I loved the entire cast of characters - Leila, Vlad (though he does take high-handed to a whole new level), Maximus, Marty, everyone. Each character had their own distinct voice and (very endearing) personality.

Frost's version of vampires (and Vlad, the Dracula of old, the source of inspiration Bram Stoker drew from) was the classic, fly-superhuman-speed-and-strength, kind. If my memory doesn't fail me and Dracula could fly. Well, at least they don't sparkle in daylight (thank you, Jeaniene!). But in addition to the original vamp model, Vlad had an affinity for fire, able to summon and wield it. Others have other powers they inherit from their sires but it will only manifest after some time. Also, this is perhaps the first time the cover model matches the image of Vlad in my head! Hehe. The only thing that didn't really sit well with me was Leila's abilities to sense a person's essence - to see said person's defining moment in life, be it their darkest sin or life-changing tragedy, trace the essence to the person's present location and glimpse his/her possible future - and being a walking electricity generator after touching (and almost dying) a downed power line during a storm. I mean, come on, this might be an urban fantasy, but still. And the lack of world-building.

However, even with the minimal world building, ONCE BURNED had all the thrills and fuzzies that reminded me why I fell in love with this genre a long time ago, and it kept me glued to it's pages so much so that I didn't bother to update my reading status on Goodreads and grab the second installment, TWICE TEMPTED, right off my shelf once I was done with it. I don't know why I haven't ventured into Frost's Night Huntress world earlier, but I'd definitely check out Cat and Bones' story. I'd say ONCE BURNED is a pretty classic UF read, but there's just this something I can't put my finger on that makes it so addictive; Strongly recommend this to any UF/PNR readers and vampire lovers out there!

My Rating

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Publication Date: March 26th, 2013
Finished Date: September 29th, 2013
Publisher: Avon
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 360
Series: Night Prince #2
My Rating: 4.5/5

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges...

Leila's psychic abilities have been failing her, and now she isn't sure what the future holds. If that weren't enough, her lover, Vlad, has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she's also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever–especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won't admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity...

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust– the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity.

My Review

 

LOVED, loved, luuurved Leila. Loved Vlad. Loved the simple yet oddly satisfying, addictive and fast paced plot! Admittedly, there was more focus on the development in the romance department between the commanding, enigmatic Vlad and Leila in TWICE TEMPTED, but that didn't take away from the overall story or pace.

I'm not sure how to describe Leila, other than that she's loyal to the people she loves to a fault, she's stubborn, but oddly vulnerable to her feelings for Vlad and her family. She's such a beautifully flawed yet amazing woman, y'know wha' I mean? After acclimatizing to the harsher, more brutal (and oddly medieval) world of vampires, she's starting to stand on her own again, and she's gotten more badass! I liked that she faces her problems, that she tries to help Vlad any way she can while also thinking for her family, she doesn't make the same mistake of doubting Vlad again when people whisper poison in her ears, and have I mentioned she's definitely become more badass?

A determined new love interest, a vengeful ex-lover, and a stubbornly sexy man unwilling to open his heart. What is an electricity-wielding woman to do when life keeps throwing excretion in her fan? (Ok I tried to be less crude about it, but wasn't very successful I can tell. And sorry I butcher the English language. Whoops.)

Anyway, I couldn't ask for a better sequel, and I am dying to get my hands on book three. (Which still doesn't have any information released yet other than it's the last in the series. *sobs hysterically*) If you enjoyed ONCE BURNED, you'll definitely like TWICE TEMPTED. Maybe even more so! RECOMMENDED. :)

P.S. Spoiler --> (view spoiler)I have some questions about the book as I was reading ONCE BURNED and TWICE TEMPTED... Like when Vlad and Leila were hunting for the mastermind behind Leila's kidnap in OB, why couldn't Vlad just see Szilagyi's face in Leila's mind after she did her essence-tracing thing? Couldn't she just think of Szilagyi so Vlad can pick it out of her mind? And in TT, why Vlad couldn't read Leila's mind after she turned into a vampire? Vlad could read Maximus' mind before, so being a vampire shouldn't have given her extra neuro-protection... I'll email Jeaniene to see what she says. ;) 

My Rating

Re-Review: Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: May 31st, 2011
Reread's Finished Date: May 30th, 2013
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 415
Series: Psy-Changeling #10
My Rating: 5/5!!!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:

The hardcover debut of New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh and her highly acclaimed Psy/Changeling novels.

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would've been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules-and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other's secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight...

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna's darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home-and the alpha who is its heartbeat.

 

So, a few weeks ago before the release of number 13th in this amazing series, I decided to reread Kiss of Snow cause, well, Hawke is my favorite, favorite, FAVORITE in this entire series (yay, Hawke~ ;P), but I remembered not liking his book as much as I thought I should have. I went back to reread it, and OMG, was it one of the best book decisions I've ever made cause I enjoyed it so much more than the first time! I think that now that I have a handle of who's who (the names and all) and of the entire plot, I could really enjoy the story and Hawke and Sienna's romance that much better.

 

My first review I gave this book an appalling 4-4.5 rating, but I'm going to up this book to a solid, resounding 5. :)

 

Here's my re-review of the book if you're not bored of my little revelation up there (hehe):

 

 

Edit (5/30/13): Just reread KISS OF SNOW and I am wondering how in the world did I not fall in love with Hawke and Sienna in my first read. I mean, THEY'RE AWESOME and Hawke is, let me tell you, one perfect male specimen, right there. With the tortured past, alpha persona, protective nature and silver-gold(even though I imagine him as white)-pelt-hair-ice-blue-eyes (yeah, just had to add that) he has going on for him, and Sienna. She's such an amazing, courageous and beautiful young woman, smart too! I think, like Sascha, she'll make for a really good mate for an alpha, one that gained my respect quite early on in KoS.

The other couple that found their happy ever after (for now, at least) was Lara and Walker. Quite contrasting to the intense, steamy and fast-paced love story that was Hawke and Sienna's, theirs was a more subtle, sweet and tender romance that was as toe-curlingly heartwarming.

The plot and writing were just the right amount of complex and amazing; All that military strategizing and deducing and guessing-games...it really differentiates Singh's novels to other Urban Fantasies-PNRs out there that makes reading her books such a unique and refreshing experience, with equal amounts of the dark-gritty components as with the humor, camaraderie, sense of family and of course, there's her signature writing style of romance. Though there were times when the story scaled just a little too much to the romance than the thriller and the pace got just a teensy bit dull, but hey, who am I to complain? Anyhoo, I'm actually more of a Guild Hunter (if you don't know it yet, this is Singh's amazing other UF/PNR series) fan and not much of a Psy-Changeling fan that I've only read a few installments in this series, but I think KISS OF SNOW has officially amped up the hype for me with regards to the release of HEARTS OF OBSIDIAN this June 4th, just 6 more days away!! I wasn't planning to read it at first, but omg, KoS is just that good.

To sum up this re-review, KoS is as heartwarmingly tender as it is heartbreaking, as complex as it is fast-paced. I loved every heart-pounding moment of it and I'd recommend this series to any Were/UF-PNR/romance fan that doesn't mind a little supernatural and action thrown into the mix.

P.S. Please ignore my very horribly written review way back in one of my earliest posts, written 2 years ago. (That was close to when I first started writing reviews and when I haven't started capitalizing my "I"s yet.) I'm only not erasing it for memory's sake, so don't read it! It's as spoilery as spoilers get. :)

 

 

 

 



Review: The Iron Prophecy by Julie Kagawa

Publication Date: September 1st, 2012
Finished Date: December 19th, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Format: eBook
Pages: 67
Series: The Iron Fey #4.5
My Rating: 4.5/5!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
Meghan Chase is finally getting used to being the Iron Queen, ruler of the Iron Fey. Her life may be strange, but with former Winter prince Ash by her side at last, she wouldn’t have it any other way. But when they travel to the Summer and Winter courts’ gathering for Elysium, the oracle from Meghan’s past returns with a dire prophecy: “What you carry will either unite the courts, or it will destroy them.” Now Meghan faces a devastating choice that may determine the future of all fey—and her and Ash’s unborn child… A novella from the bestselling Iron Fey series.

My Review

This glimpse back into Ash's, Meghan's, Puck's, Grimalkin's, heck even Glitch's life...WAS AWESOME. Satisfying yet it fed my unending hunger for more of this magical and enchanting world of faery. Oh man, I sound like a drug junkie fresh from rehab. And can I just say that the covers in this entire series is stunning?

Being able to see the revamped Mag Tureidh, court of the Iron Fey and Meghan and Ash's home was so heartwarming, seeing Beau and Razor and the other gremlins play together and making all that ruckus. We got to see Ash in all his former Ice Prince glory (don't worry, Ash still has his swag, his powers and that icy aloofness that we all love) but with a little more emotions when he's alone with Meghan, Puck came back after very funny adventures in the human world (wait till you hear them!), Grim with his "I am a cat" and all, and Meghan. Meghan! She showed those boys some girl, Summer-Iron, power! The only grievance I had was that the pace was not quite as fast as its predecessors and the book was much too short!

Even in such a short novella, Kagawa has the skill to completely suck me into her vivid and imaginative world full of hauntingly beautiful places and a simple yet eventful plot filled with action, humor and an easy friendship between 4 very memorable characters. If you're a Kagawa fan, you don't want to miss this final novella to the Iron Fey series! I swear, every page, just like any of her other books, is worth 5 golden stars.

P.S. I'm not sure I'm going to pick The Lost Prince up (though I am a HUGE fan of the Iron Fey series), cause... I'm just disgruntled that it's not in Meghan's POV anymore. :( And the synopsis and reviews just doesn't seem that interesting anymore.

My Rating

  

Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Publication Date: May 21st, 2011
Finished Date: March 3rd, 2013
Publisher: Feral Dream
Format: Paperback
Pages: 254
Series: Penryn and the End of Days #1
My Rating: 5/5!!
 
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

My Review 

It's just some bird flying by, that's all. That's all.
But I'm already panting with panic.
I force myself to look up. All I see is endless dark sky.
But then, I do see something. Another, larger feather floats down lazily toward my head.
Sweat prickes my brow. I break out into an all-out sprint.

ANGELFALL is nothing less than YA Dystopian at its best. It has everything this genre has to offer, and it gives back ten-fold. The action, the tension, uncertainties, the start of a budding rebellion, and the unlikely romance between mortal enemies when circumstances thrust them onto an adventure that'll blow all yer little asses off yer seats!

*Many spoilers ahead!*

A Summary
The apocalypse came, harolded by beautifully terrifying angels of destruction. Buildings collapsed or decayed, connection lines are a thing of the past, the streets are ruled by gangs that loot and kill in the day and by nightmare creatures in the night, and your home is not your haven anymore.

Penryn, her little, crippled sister, Paige, and their slightly unstable mother have been delaying migrating to a safer place for quite some time, but they have to get out now. When they set off at sunset, they're risking a lot by being out that late, and as they made their way hastily down El Camino, through Silicon Valley to Page Mill, things were still looking hopeful. They were doing fine, until a white feather, soft as down, floated down from the sky. That's when they knew that they were going to get screwed ten times over.

An epic - albeit gruesome - angelic battle was going on, and though the angel who had wings of such magnificent white was heavily outnumbered 4 to 1, the others are still wary of him. When Snowy Wings (as Penryn calls him in her little funny inner commentary) looked like he was about finished, Penryn and her family were spotted and Penryn did something to distract the other angels, unwittinly helping Snowy Wings turn the tides and angering one of the other angels enough to kidnap Paige as he flew away.

Penryn managed to get Snowy Wings - which turned out to be Raffe (Rah-fie) - to tell her that Paige was most probably taken to the angel's aerie. Raffe's wings had been brutally amputated in the battle previously, needs Penryn's help to travel on the ground, and Penryn needs Raffe's help getting to the aerie and getting into the aerie. So for now, they're on an uneasy truce, and set off for an amazing and heartpounding adventure.

My Thoughts
I had to put off writing this review because of my Term exams, but a week later and everything is still fresh in my mind! All that emotion and mindblowing awesomeness. If you'd known me before, you'd know that I was a huge hater of Dystopian novels because the first Dystopian I read (coughReaperscoughArecoughThecoughcoughcough) was SO BAD. But just recently, Julie Kagawa made me a believer, and now Susan Ee has made me a FAN. They're really amazing writers.

There's so much development and depth in ANGELFALL. All the characters, Penryn and Raffe especially, had their own personality, their own history, and their own distinct way of thinking. A few pages of Raffe talking and you know he's just not like us. He's proud and strong even when he's down on the ground or lying face down on a couch with his hands and feet tied and taped together. However as the book progresses, you see how he gains a little humanity while retaining his mysterious, very-sexy immortal persona. AND OMG, Raffe is...*hyperventilates* Raffe is...His true identity is OMG-ly cool. Penryn is a girl who had to toughen up due to very shitty circumstances, but when things got too much, she let her body handle it the way it knows, puked in some bushes and gathered up her Big Girl Panties. She's smart and resourceful in a very funny, sarcastic way that I liked her immediately.

Along the way, we meet characters like Obi and Boden. Obi's the rebellion leader while Boden's the rebellion thug. They're cool. Obi's the typical inspiring, good-looking military leader who has to make unpopular choices for the good of the rebellion, and Boden's the typical thug with the snarl and always picking a fight with the new kid on the block - in this case, Penryn. I liked that scene where Penryn was expecting help from Raffe when Boden picked a fight with her and Raffe not only didn't rush to her aid, he started betting with the other guys on who'd win! Haha, oh how Penryn pounded Boden to the ground in her anger!

I loved seeing how the arc unfold and how all the characters changed.

THIS is so true for Angelfall. Ee's descriptions are so vivid it's literally a movie in my head!

Ironically, since the attacks, the sunsets have been glorious. Outside our condo window, the sky flames like a bruised mango in vivid orange, reds, and purples. The clouds catch on fire with sunset colors, and I'm almost scared those of us below will catch on fire too.

~Para 1 of Chapter 1

When you see a starting like that, you know that you can expect some badass writing.

I loved the final battle. I loved how the humans made their stand, how they showed a united front in the face of such adversities unlike how most fiction novels protray humans as weak and expendable and ugly. Ugh. The ending was so, so, terribly bittersweet. What happened to Paige and all the other kidnapped kids was...disusting, inhumane and... Ee is one author who doesn't mind killing off some of her characters and roughing up most of the others. That's all I have to say about this. And poor Raffe! However, I did like how the story started and ended with Penryn, her sister and mother being together on the road, only with all the wounds and scars - both mental and physical - at the end.

Anyhoo, this review is getting long and all I have to say now is, if you're a fan of YA Dytopian novels, or not a fan at all, just as long as you can stand a little Dystopian, you'll 99.99999999% fall IN LOVE with ANGELFALL.

P.S. THERE IS NO DATE OF RELEASE FOR BOOK 2. OMG I CAN GO KILL ME AN ANGEL NOW.

P.P.S. Y'know that part where Penryn was at the rebellion camp and was talking to this woman called Dolores about training domestic dogs into a tracking/police/army one?

"This is the reason the guards are dog-free. It's hard to patrol when your K9 partner keeps running off to chase after rodents and barks all night long."
 

K(ca)-9(nine)? Hahaha.

P.P.P.S. Thank you Donna (@ The Happy Booker) for recommending this book to me!

My Rating

Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Published Date: Febuary 14th, 2012
Finished Date: March 7th, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens Books
Format: eBook
Series: (I hope there will be one!!)
My Rating: 5/5!
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire.

Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

My Review

I'd like to clear just one thing before I start on this review: There'd better be a sequel or heads will roll!!!!!! I went to the author's site and browsed through the F&Q section, and she only mentioned a "maybe", but damn, I really don't wish to leave Scarlet and Robin's world just yet..:(( That's how good this book was. That's how much I loved this book and wished it didn't need to end.

*There will be spoilers!*

I don't think there's a need for me to write a review for SCARLET, cause honestly, I can't find any flaws or negative things to talk about. But if you'd like to hear me gush about how utterly awesome this book is, then read on!

SCARLET was a pretty simple, enoyable read - the usual Robin Hood stealing from the rich with his gang of rebels, Much, John Little and Will Scarlet to give to the poor so as to pay off their heavy taxes lest be hanged at the gallows by their evil, greedy sheriff - but with a twist. A rather interesting and exciting twist - Scarlet is a girl. Only the gang and a select few know about this, and it made for a more exciting read.

I went to read the author's note at the back of the book, and Gaughen was speculating about Scar's identity. It was passed on in history that Will Scarlet was a mysterious persona who could wield and throw his knives as good and lethal as Robin with his bow and arrows. Since Scarlet is such a mystery indeed, then what if the stories told from generation to generation was altered by mothers or friends who didn't believe a girl could accomplish such great feats? What if Will Scarlet was actually a girl? And thus began her three month journey on writing SCARLET.

I LOVED the way the boys banded and worked together, fought together, had fun together, and how they stuck up for each other. Especially when John and Robin started to express greater interest in Scar being a girl. John's a playboy, so he had no qualms over displaying his affections for her openly, while Robin...That selfless, mysterious, dashing, tortured boy! He tried to hide his feelings, but that actually made him all the more endearing. He and Scar made a great pair - both trying not to show their affections for each other, both not knowing that they're actually in love with each other, both having suffered tragic fates in the past, and both so devoted to the people of Nottinghamshire. I loved their romance even though it only blossomed in the end, but it was very sweet, and very heartwrenching. But what I loved most about them is their skill. They were AWESOME in fights! Which are aplenty in SCARLET. They are deadly accurate, but they're not boastful about it.

I loved every character in this book, including Much, their one-handed friend who is also in Robin's inner circle, Tuck, the old tavern keeper, even the people of Nottinghamshire. Much was a good friend, always being left out because of his amputated arm but is still a kindred spirit. The people of Nottinghamshire really loved the Hood. They protected him even though it could very well bring them trouble with the sheriff and latest thief-taker come to town, Gisbourne.

Gisbourne is freaky. He is incredibly smart and cunning, and heartless and...He is here for Scarlet. Big spoiler, but you'll find out more when you read the book. He has a history with her, one that Scarlet is afraid to tell Robin and the others, and one that makes her quake in her boots just thinking of him. But what can it be?

The political conflict in here is pretty simplistic, and it wasn't a major part of the plot, so, moving on. The plot was thrilling and intense! I found myself literally glued to its pages as Robin and the gang plot, plan, execute said plan, fight, and as deception and secrets are revealed! Especially at the end! Everything was moving so quick and I loved every single moment of it.

I loved Gaughen's writing style. It suited the era and everything was so vivid. I could imagine the trees that concealed Scar as she climbed them and the dingy dungeons that they constantly had to break into, and the crowds in town as they navigate and find their way around.

I've always been a fan of 1) Robin Hood, 2) YA Historical Fictions ever since Lisa Tawn Bergren's The River of Time series, and SCARLET's it! A wonderful and exciting retelling of Robin Hood and his band of rebel heroes with the long-awaited (at least for me) romantic twist. Another favourite for me, and I'd recommend it to any YA lovers out there.

My Rating

Review: Vampire's Kiss by Veronica Wolff

Published Date: March 6th, 2012
Finished Date: March 14th, 2012
Publisher: NAL/Penguin USA
Format: eBook
Series: The Watchers #2
My Rating: 5/5!!!
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Author's Website

Blurb from Goodreads:
If you're going to be partnered with a vampire, you have to work the night shift.

By her wits, blood, and sacrifice, so far Drew has survived the intensive training on the Isle of Night. As a second-year Acari, her ultimate goal is to become a Watcher, and now she has a shot at her first mission. Except nothing is as it seems. The vampire Alcántara is as sinister as he is sexy, Ronan is more distant than ever, and it turns out there are other vampires out there. Bad ones.

Ancient, bloodthirsty, and powerful, these undead are really old school. They’ve captured one of the Watcher vamps and are torturing him for information. The only chance to save him is to infiltrate a major summit the baddies are holding on their own island. There will be mortals there, serving as butlers, maids, and various hired help. Drew had better brush up on her skills as a serving girl, because she’s about to go undercover…

But, when their vampire prisoner turns out to be a gorgeous bad boy, Drew’s first mission quickly turns into more than she bargained for…

My Review

VAMPIRE'S KISS just about blew my mind away. I am utterly and irrevocably in love with this series. All over again. This is the romance that Hunger Games sorely lacked - any proper ones, anyway. And I loved it. Loved it, loved it, loved it!! Seriously, there's no other girl out there right now as happy or as depressed as me right now. Happy to have read such a miraculously, insanely intense and awesome book, and depressed because the next book in the series, BLOOD FEVER, will only be released in August.

My Brief Summary

VAMPIRE'S KISS begins where ISLE OF NIGHT ended, at the beach where our heroine, Annelise "Ann" Drew, and her other Acari classmates are undergoing physical training when Master Alcantara shows up. Sexy, dangerous and mysterious, he singles out Drew and pulls her out of the class and into another - dancing. And after those mortifying lessons? German etiquette and protocols. And after that? Dining etiquette.

Seriously? Not only that, Alcantara's been seeing her more often lately, and his manners has become more...direct and, could it be? Flirtatious. Drew doesn't know what to think. She knows she's playing with fire, but she can't help it when Ronan seems to be distancing himself, and having private, meaningful gestures with another Proctor. And on top of all the emotional conplications she has to sort out, she has to keep her wits about her, cause the moment she lets her guards down, her peers are coming in and playing for keeps. Fighting to win. Fighting to survive. And she'd best not forget that.

Also with the upcoming off-island mission with Alcantara looming ahead, she'll have to double up her efforts in training. Cause she's going to learn that not all vampires in this world are good. Or at least more inhumane, if you count kidnapping girls to fight to the death, and eviscerating someone to instill fear in the rest good.

My Thoughts

I don't know how, but Wolff has managed to contain everything that I've ever wanted in a book in VAMPIRE'S KISS - that stunning love-triangle or love-square which wasn't overly done, that blood-pounding action, suspense, and thrill in all those fatal encounters and plotting and scheming, and just trying to survive on that island, the emotions that roiled within me was constantly on the all-high, and I loved every single, minuscule moment of being captivated by her words.

*Prepare yourself for some epic fangirl gushing*

One thing that strikes as the most outstanding feature of this book was the added romance. There were just subtle hints in ISLE OF NIGHT between Tracer Ronan, Master Alcantara and Drew, keeping you wondering if Ronan and Alcantara were actually hinting at something more. But in VP, there were many times when Alcantara is clearly flirting with our pretty, smart, sassy, and strong Drew, but then as you hear Drew doubt, speculate and try to give reasons to Alcantara's more-than-friendly behavior, you start to doubt too. But the way he carresses her cheek, almost-kisses her, and became furious when she appears in front of him with a new bruise or cut, or that time when Drew almost fell trying to keep pace with him in a rocky terrain and he stops and cares for her feet, could it mean more? You have to take into account that he is a very old vampire who has no qualms whatsoever of eviscerating a human being, so no, still not sure on the whole romance front.

Then there is Ronan. Drew is starting to realise that Ronan and this other Proctor are sharing secret glances and letters, and that doesn't sit well with her. I mean, she thought that Ronan and her had a "thing-thing" (direct quote), but after all these private gestures and such, she's sure it's all just in her head. But Ronan still cares for her, and he stiffens and tenses whenever Alcantara approaches/meets up with Drew. That has to count for something. And it's terribly cute when they're teasing each other and not cold and indifferent.

And then there is that special someone at the end of the book!!!!!! If you think Alcantara or Ronan is sexy, wait till you meet that guy - or more accurately, man - at the end!!!!!! Omg, I think I've just found another fiction hottie to root for!!:D:D Trust me, this guy is so worth your money and time and effort to buy and read the book.

But even with so many love interests, the romance wasn't overly done, even though it was significantly more...I wouldn't say emphasized, just more talked-about. But no worries, it's the type that gives you butterflies in your stomach, not the type that will make you roll your eyes. *ahemtwilightahem* It's the type that makes you feel all warm and smile whenever the guys make a teasing, friendly pass at Drew. I mean, except for Ronan. He's too brooding and proper to do that kind of stuff.

Ok, I've got to stop harping on the romance and move onto other stellar aspects of this book. Stellar cause seriously, there were no flaws that I could spot. That's what you get when you find the perfect book for you. This book is perfect, with a pop at the P.

Don't get me wrong, this book is not all about the chummy and daisies, it's also about the ruthlessness and heartlessness of vampires and humans alike. Because on the Isle of Night, no one is your ally, and everyone is for themselves. You let down your guard for a minute and you're a goner for sure. That's what Drew still has to do - she's got to keep her wits up from being eaten up by the other she-wolves that she's got to compete with. Cause you've got to use whatever means you can to survive, and they fully embrace the Darwinian way of doing things: Survival of the fittest.

As always, it is wonderful to listen to Drew be the narrator of VP. She's strong, she's smart, she's beautiful, she's modest, she's sassy, she's funny, she's loyal, and even with that more-than-tough exterior, it's her innate good heart that's the nicest to listen to. She, Emma and Yasuo becomes closer in VP, and it's heartwarming to see Emma start to stand up for Drew when Drew stood up for Emma and both of them were facing something equivalent to a not-so-pretty death sentence. Ok, it was just a face-off with approximately more than 10 Initiates, Guidons, whatever mean girls there were plus Masha and Trinity heading them. And if you'd remember, Masha's the one with the signature whip as her weapon of choice, able to flay and stuff. But still, it was a rather fatal face-off, and they were there, standing together.

The plot. Was. AMAZING. There was so many things going on in VP, but mainly it was on Drew training for her upcoming mission off the Isle of Night with Master Alcantara. Oh, and of course dodging all the (fatal) run-ins with the two Guidons who hate Drew and Emma, who is Drew's best friend, to their bone marrows, Masha and Trinity. And after that the mission that we've all been waiting for. The mission that led Drew to that hubba-hubba guy I was talking about. The one worth our money. B) Haha, but aside from that, I thought that the mission was a little short, considering how much was put into preparing for it. But it was still very suspenseful, and I was so utterly engrossed within its pages. Everything was so vivid I could feel the walls of the dungeon (yes, there will be a dungeon), see what Drew was seeing, and best of all, feel what she was feeling at that point in time - the nerves, the cold-sweat, the anticipation, and then the, ahem, desire. (Again, it is that aforementioned worth-our-money man that will incite such an emotion within our dear, courageous, strong-willed Drew) I was so focused on the book I didn't realise the time passing until it was dark outside the house!

I loved Wolff's writing style! As I've said, the descriptions were vivid, but that didn't mean it was draggy. On the contrary, it was anything but. I don't know how she does it, but there was humor too, and lots and lots and lots and lots of suspense. Especially when Drew engages in a fight. EPIC.

All in all, VAMPIRE'S KISS is undoubtedly one of the best books I've read so far, better yet than THE HUNGER GAMES and all. I wouldn't go on much further, cause I think I've said my fill, and if up till now you're still not convinced to read VP, then it's probably not for you. But seriously, this book is all kinds of goodness you don't want to miss out on. I'd recommend this to fans of the Hunger Games (cause inherently, they are very similar), and those that like a little romance to go along with their action. Actually, I'd just about recommend this to every-freaking-person who reads fiction novels.

P.S. I just finished the book, and I'm such an emotional wreck now...So much emotions churning in me!! Lol. Ok, calm down, CYP. Calm down.

P.P.S. And just in case you've forgotten, I am practically dying to get my hands on BLOOD FEVER. Dying....dying.... I'd probably be thinking about this one for quite some time..:/

My Rating

ARC Review: Katana by Cole Gibsen

Published Date: March 8th, 2012
Finished Date: January 15th, 2012
Publisher: Flux
Format: eARC via Netgalley 
Series: #1 in series
My Rating: 4.5/5!!

Blurb from Goodreads:
Kill Bill meets Buffy in this supernatural samurai tale.

Rileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline gave her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn’t explain her dreams of fifteenth century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she suddenly possesses, or the strange voice giving her battle tips and danger warnings. While worrying that she’s going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she’s harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that’s also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she’s always been and embracing the warrior inside her.

My Review

It was amazing! I think I have finally found the perfect novel with a Japanese martial arts theme. This book is phenomenal! I loved the flashbacks to 15th century Japan, I loved the undying love of the two samurais from the past, and I loved how that loved stayed true and un-cliche even till modern age. Wow.

My Summary

Rileigh Martin is a skater chick with a gay best friend, Quentin. They were shopping for a gift for the party they were about to attend when they were assaulted by three thugs. They thought they were dead for sure, until Rileigh hears this voice in her head, and her body seems to know how to defend itself - martial arts style. After fending those thugs off, she faints and is carted off to the hospital. Upon waking up, she meets a strange - and very handsome - Asian martial arts teacher who seems to know about the voice in her head. And if her life's not weird enough, she's having flashbacks of a female samurai back in 15th century Japan.

She finds out that those flashbacks are actually memories of her past life, and it's high time Rileigh embrace her identity and accept the help of Kim - said handsome Asian martial arts teacher, and who has a soul-deep connection to her past samurai life - and 3 other familiar faces from the past, or be killed by an old enemy who was reincarnated to the present.

My Thoughts

Again, WOWOW! You have no idea how long I've been searching for for a perfect samurai-martial arts novel. KATANA, though not perfect (that's where the 0.5 stars went), is amazing. I love the plot, I love the cast, I love, LOVE the heroine and hero, I love the romance between them, and all the fast-paced action and suspense!

Let me get the imperfect 0.5 stars out of the way first before I start gushing about the other 4.5. There were many stereotypes in KATANA. For one, there was the gay best friend with lots of hugs and pedis and manis even when "Ri Ri" was in mortal danger. And what's up with the incessant "Ri Ri" calling? The first time I saw Q call Rileigh "Ri Ri", I literally cringed! A little over-the-top. Why not Ri or something less....gay? Haha. Anyway, for stereotype number two, there was the fact that our lead guy is Asian. Not that I have something against that (Heck, I'm an Asian myself), but must the male protagonist in a samurai novel be Asian when all his other samurai friends were reincarnated as Whites? Gibsen already said that soul-mates will never be reborn far from each other, so why the big cultural difference? Another stereotype I read from a Goodreads review which said that biker chicks aren't all badass wannabes. We don't have biker chicks here in Singapore, so I'm not sure what they're like, but the ones in KATANA were mean-ass bitches who tried to beat the shit out of Rileigh.

Now on to the 4.5! I have always found the soul-mates reincarnating together and finding their love for each other again very cliche, but in KATANA, it is just so damn sweet. And romantic. Kim Gimhae (this is a Korean name, by the way, not Japanese) didn't force Rileigh to accept him when she went out on a date with some other guy from school, just watch over her as a silent protector. They felt the connection, but Rileigh's afraid of embracing her past cause she thinks that she will lose her modern self, so she constantly pushes Kim away.

I was a little turned off when I realise that the lead male in KATANA was named Kim (even if it's only his first name/surname/family name) - not to mention shocked out of my wits. But I started overlooking the fact as I got to know him. He's a tough warrior, through and through, he's a natural born leader, he's playful and witty when he wants to be, he's kind, and he's very sincere and tender towards Rileigh. But he resumes the tough warrior-natural leader persona during their warrior's training, even towards Rileigh. Rileigh feels pain in her chest one time but Kim signals everyone to continue combating and Rileigh shoots him a dirty look. All in a day's work. Haha. But yes, Kim is an enigmatic warrior who I am very much in *ahem* love *ahem* with. Not only is he hot and a warrior, he's the brooding type of male. Rileigh even made a hilarious comment about it:

"After studying him for a moment, I realized it was a good thing Debbie wasn’t here. She would have signed him to be a model in a second. The brooding types always sold the most underwear."

Rileigh's awesome. She's strong, she's brave, she's funny and sarcastic, but she can be feminine when she wants to be. She's so sarcastic that no-nonsense Kim picked up on it and cracked a few sarcastic jokes himself! When she first met Kim and the other warriors, she was very rude to them. That part was a little extreme, but I can understand cause they lied to her and tried to kill her. But still, it doesn't mean she has to be so rude.. But she's still awesome with all her cool moves.

I really liked that Kim and Rileigh had a deep connection in the past, and their story back then was heartwrenchingly sweet. And heartbreaking. They didn't die natural deaths (being samurai and all), but they died together with honor.

Another thing that I really liked about KATANA was Gibsen's phrasings. There were a lot of descriptions and metaphors that were unique and well, vivid. An example:

"It was too much. I was on sensory overload. My body felt like it held a Ferris wheel with anger, confusion, and fear spinning round and round, each taking their turn at the top. I couldn’t focus enough to organize my thoughts, so I did the first thing that came to mind.

I ran."

It did get a little immature at times, and there were a few errors, but overall I thought that Gibsen has a special way of writing, and one that I really appreciate. I will only list one of the errors I've spotted cause I know that since this is an ARC, the final copy will be edited. But this one error is a common misconception that people have:

"At the rate of speed I fell, everything should have been a blur. Instead, I saw it all with crystal clarity."

Spot the error? Rate of speed? Speed is a rate. You can't say the rate of rate of motion. But apart from this, the rest are more inconsequential. But there were some that were cheesy (which I think is inevitable for a novel which has romance):

I gave an exaggerated sigh. “It’s not that easy. Whitley is so nice and drama-free. But Kim, the way I feel around him … it scares me. It’s like gravity ceases to exist and he’s the only thing I can hold on to.”

Gravity ceases? Uh huh, ok.

But anyway, I really, really loved KATANA, and I'd recommend this to any fan of action and romance. The action, well the title is self-explanatory, and there's a beautiful romance in here. Even though there were errors and things like stereotyping that I am quite averse to, I think that the awesomeness of it all trumps the bad, so yes, I still like it. Very much. I look forward to its sequel, and there's no doubt that I will grab onto it the moment it - or its ARC :D - is out, and that I'll reread this several more times before that. I urge and beseech you to read KATANA when it releases in March. You will not regret the money, time, and brain space. :)

*eARC courtesy of Flux via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

PS. This is a looong review.:P

My Rating

Review: Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

Published Date: March 7th, 2006
Finished Date: December 17th, 2011
Publisher: Signet
Format: Paperback
Pages: 441
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #2
My Rating: 5/5!

Blurb from Goodreads:
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war raging between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret bound of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beast Rhage is the most dangerous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Owned by this dark side, Rhage fears the time when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant to Rhage's protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. She lost her faith in miracles years ago. But when Rhage's intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves...

My Review

It couldn't have been more perfect than this. This...this is utter perfection personified! There wasn't much lesser-Brotherhood action in this one, but the romance between Rhage and Mary...That's just what romance is all about! That's how you write and develop a love story, not like those tragic crap that is Romeo and Juliet. I cried for them, worried for them, but the HEA (happy ever after) was totally worth that temporary cesspit of misery. I'm telling you, that was the perfect ending to a brilliant story.

**Spoiler minefield**

Rhage has been cursed to become a beast, which he has no control over, everytime he's hurt, angry, or too wound-up with energy. The beast doesn't know who's friend and who's foe, it'll just gobble up whoever's in it's path. He's a handsome guy, but he'd do without it to feel normal. He's got to visit those whores at the nearby club to constantly release some tension and energy, and he hates it.

Mary Luce is a psychiatrist for autistic kids, but is now volunteering at the Suicide Prevention Centre to pick up calls and counsel through the phone. She's been diagnosed with cancer - again - and she's working hard to keep herself busy herself from thinking about her detoriating health. But when she meets John, a pre-transition warrior, she and John will be brought to the Brotherhood to explain things to John (Mary to be a translator since John is mute and needs to use ASL). And when she's there, she meets Rhage and sparks fly.

Rhage is temporarily blinded after changing back from being the beast and is still recuperating, but when he stumbles upon Mary and hears her soothing voice, a reaction is triggered within him, and he must find out more about her. But humans are forbidden to be brought into the Brotherhood, and even if she were allowed into the mansion, everytime Rhage is near Mary, the beast also wants to come out to play...

**End of spoiler region**

If you've read my summary, then you'd know that LOVER ETERNAL focuses primarily on the relationship development between Rhage and Mary, the Hollywood potential and average brunnette. Mary's self-esteem is beyond low, so when Rhage takes notice of her, she keeps pushing him away, not wanting to be a charity case. I like how Ward did that, I mean, how she slowly lets Rhage into Mary's heart, and how Mary resists at the start.

Rhage is beyond AWESOME! He is such a heartbreaker, and he's very self-sacrificial. He absolutely charmed me, much more than Wrath or Zsadist or any one of the brothers. And it's not his looks either. The way he treated Mary, the way he fought for her right to remain in the Brotherhood's mansion, the way he protected her... Oh man.. I loved him so much! Oh, and you should see Rhage with a cherry. Hahaha, he totally charmed Mary with it. A cherry! And whenever he's with Mary, I swear, they are the cutest, most romantic, most compatible couple I have ever seen.

Even though I am an action-romance-junky, this book will always be my favourite in the BDB series. I think the romance was so good that it trumped the lack of action. I'd gladly not have the action to read more on Rhage and Mary. I wish there was a novella for him and Mary, not Bella and Zsadist..:( There were still fight scenes, and they didn't have sex until way past the middle of the book, but you wouldn't even take notice of it. I loved how Rhage courted Mary and earned her trust. Mary's so smitten she went a little cuckoo when she heard that Rhage has been with another woman (whore) that night that she actually took initiative to, y'know.. And she's really the sweet and soft woman.

Needless to say, I love Ward's writing style and the way she plans a book. To be able to handle so many POVs is not an easy feat to organise, even though I don't like multiple POVs cause they slow down the pace. It serves a purpose, yes I know, but it doesn't mean I have to like it, and I'm only interested in the protagonists. I'm sure I'm not the minority in this.

I loved the humor and sarcasm when the brothers and Butch banter. They. Are. HILARIOUS! And in this book, you can add in Mary's innocence. Rhage teases her for it! But she's very lovable when she's not in her element. You should see this part, they are absolutely so endearing when they're together:

Keeping his back to her, he stood up and stripped. With some finessing, he managed to get himself under the covers without flashing her a glimpse of what the front of him was up to. That monstrous arousal was nothing she needed to know about.

He faced away from her, lying on his side.

"Can I touch it?" she asked.

His erection jerked, as if volunteering to be the "it". "Touch what?"

"The tattoo. I'd like to… touch it."

God, she was so close to him, and that voice of hers—that sweet, beautiful voice—was magic. But the hum in his body made him feel like he had a paint mixer in his belly.

When he stayed quiet, she murmured, "Never mind. I don't—"

"No. It's just…" Shit. He hated the distance in her tone. "Mary, it's okay. Do whatever you like."

If you haven't read DARK LOVER or you've skipped LOVER ETERNAL, I recommend that whatever you do, read Book 2. You may miss out certain events if you've skipped Book 1 (DARK LOVER), but I assure you, you'd want to miss the facts to read this wonderful piece of literature. It's... You won't regret it. 'Nuff said.

Random Musings:

You know how we get small glimpses of Bella? I've read the synopsis for LOVER AWAKENED, and I know that Bella's gonna be The One for Zsadist. But she's a little too bold for my liking. She's practically throwing herself at the guy. Aaaand I hate it when a girl keeps staring at a guy. I don't know why, but I think it's, well, not right. A little immoral, rude, and not right. I know that it's the only way to get close to Z, but it's just...a little too bold for my liking.

My Rating

 

Ok, guess I'm off to reread the book.B)

Review: Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

Published Date: September 15th, 2011
Finished Date: December 11th, 2011
Publisher: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
Format: Paperback
Pages: 373
Series: Fifty Shades #2
My Rating: 5/5!

Blurb from Goodreads:
Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house.

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades.

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life.

My Review

Once again, I love the FIFTY SHADES series. DARKER is as stunning as its predecessor, if not more. It was more intense, more emotional, more heartaches and drama, and of course, there were more beautiful, heartwarming Ana-Christian moments.

**Spoiler minefield alert**

Ana's miserable after leaving Christian - er, who wouldn't be? But not the point - and when Christian offers to take her to Jose's Photo Show, she accepts it immediately. Well, even if she can't have him, one more look's good too, true?

But when they meet again, Christian's determined to keep Ana this time, no matter what he has to change, in their agreement, or the way he treats her. Or not treat her...y'know, in their playroom?

Ana moves back into Escala, but she is still not safe. One of Christian's ex-subs, the one who also wanted more, Leila, is back with a vengeance. She's demented (like really gone batshit crazy), and she's stalking Ana and Christian. She even got the certificate to legalize carrying a weapon with her. That was when Christian had bodyguards patrolling around Ana, her workplace, and such. Ana's not happy, but who can go against Fifty when he's in his you-listen-to-me-or-suffer-the-consequence mode?

But their problems don't stop at an ex-sub gone mad, Ana's also got to deal with Mrs. Robinson, the woman whom Ana thinks is a child molester who screwed Christian up when he was fifteen, being a close confidant and business associate to her Fifty. And when she sees Christian going all tender towards his ex-subs, she can't help dam all her insecurities from rushing in and think that she will never be enough to satisfy all of Christian's needs. So, how will this end? Will Ana up and leave Christian again? How far will Christian go to keep Ana by his side?

**End of spoiler region**

Ok, I'm not doing the synopsis any justice. There was a lot happening, and I can't spill all the goodies in one shot, right? So the above minefield is only a simplified times 10 gist of the story. Anyway, AHHH! I loved DARKER so much! I thought I wouldn't like it as much as Book 1 initially, but as I continued reading, it became so emotionally intense I actually cried, not teared, cried...thrice! First time was because it was very saddening, then it became tears of joy. I tell you, James is one hell of a writer.

I said that I didn't like the front that much (well, not really "didn't like", more of a 4 stars than 5 stars didn't like) because Ana was getting bolder. I liked her meek yet quietly-strong character in Book 1, so her being bold was a little unnerving, and frankly, I'm not used to it. But then it was because of her newfound inner-strength that saved her relationship with Christian at the end of the book, so I'm lovin' her boldness now.

Another part that I liked a little less - I still like it even tho it's less likable cause I cannot not like any part of this series (Am I making sense? As my friends say, if you don't make sense, make dollars! Ok lame, moving on) - was Ana being overly obstinate when Christian does something extreme to protect her. There's a freaking killer after her, of course he's going ballistic, and rightfully so. And at the same time, there was this minor crisis going on in his company, so Ana, trying too hard to be independent, going against Christian didn't help the situation or Christian at all. But that's the only part where she was annoying, so I do still really like her. Especially when she's with Christian.:D

About Christian.... Have I ever told you how hot Christian becomes when he's jealous? Being rich has its perks, but there's something about him that makes him so......panties-combusting. Even in such a dark mood.

I like the secondary characters too, especially Taylor. He's cute. In a bodyguardy-fatherly sort of way.

DARKER focused less on BDSM this time and more of the changing scenery, though there was this one scene that was pretty intense. (See, this book is all about intensity.) Christian's willing to accomodate Ana and have more vanillas than BDSM sex, if you get what I mean, but Ana still has that naughty bone in her, and she does want a little BDSM to make things interesting. But that one scene...WOW, real hot. As for the changing scenery... Christian was telling Ana how he wanted to take her on all surfaces of his house so they went at it in the yacht that Christian owned, on the piano, billiard table, lobby table, elevator WITH people inside, you name it.

James' writing style is, once again, a stunner. She writes so beautifully! And very emotionally; Everything very vivid, very intense (again with the word), and her diction is fantastic (very unlike mine. I keep using the word "intense", and I can't seem to find a suitable word to replace it..>:|).

I like how the covers of the FIFTY SHADES series are simple yet sophisticated. It brings out the sleek, elegance but dark world of Christian Grey.

I cannot stress how much I love this book, and how much I recommend this series to any romace lovers out there. I was a little reluctant to start reading Book 1 before because I don't read Contemporary-Romance or anything Contemporary for that matter, other than Urban-Fantasy, but I did, and hell if I regretted it. The characters were amazing, the plot was intense, the writing was fantastic, especially her diction and the way James' could make you cry with the characters...This is really my favourite series of the year. Stunning. Brilliant. GAH! It was so good, so much so that I felt so emotionally bereft when the The End popped out on me..:(

Random Musings:

I find it funny how Ana has this thing for gays. Everytime she sees one, she's like,"I like him already." Lol!

FIFTY SHADES FREED is only going to be out one month from now...NOOOOO!!:((

P.S. This review is considerably shorter cause my sentiments for DARKER is the same as Book 1's, and I don't want to repeat myself overly much.

P.P.S. This review is long overdue already, I know. But it's just so hard to write a five-star review cause I feel like I'm not doing it enough justice.:/

My Rating

       

Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Published Date: May 26th, 2011
Finished Date: December 9th, 2011
Publisher: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
Format: eBook
Series: Fifty Shades #1
My Rating: >5/5

Blurb from Goodreads:
When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

My Review

I am in awe; In pure and undiluted awe and shock over FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. This is seriously some heady stuff; I'm addicted! FSoG is the very first novel where I would be more than willing to give a rating higher than 5/5. It really is beyond perfection, and I was utterly ensnared by its characters, plot, and James' writing throughout the reading process that I felt so sorry when it ended. In a freaking cliffhanger, no less!!! But we will come to that later.

**Spoiler minefield alert**

Anastasia "Ana" Steele is in her last year doing her degree in WSU, Vancouver. Her best friend, Katherine "Kate" Kavanagh - or the Kathering Kavanagh Inquisition, as Ana calls her when she gets into her interviewer-reporter mode - managed to snag a time slot to interview Christian Grey, CEO of Grey Enterprises Holdings, one of the richest, most eligible bachelor in the country, but she fell prey to the flu bug, and so Ana has to take Kate's place as interviewer.

Ana is a jeans and T-shirt person, so when she dresses in a casual-formal skirt and shirt to the gleaming glass fortress that was Grey's office, she feels a little intimidated. What's worse is that the moment she steps into his office, she falls flat on her face. She feels arms around her, and when Grey helps her up and she takes her first real look at him, oh you know she's a definite goner. He was absolutely gorgeous, but with a cold and distant demeanor. She's intimidated, and as the interview went on, she embarrasses herself multiple times, and so she flees as soon as she's done with Kate's list of interview questions, trying her best to put him out of her mind. Well, she's probably not going to be seeing such a high profile person again, right?

Wrong. Grey turns up at the hardware store where she works, and he expresses his wish to see her again. Who is she to refuse? Anyway, Grey tells her explicitly what he wants in a relationship in her - a BDSM one no less. Ana is intrigued with him and his lifestyle, being a complete innocent when it comes to anything sexual. But as they got to know each other better, she finds out that Grey is actually a man with many dark secrets, is haunted by a terrible, abusive past, and is fifty shades of fucked-up. She falls for him, but can she pull him back into the light? Will she be enough for him as she is?

**End of minefield**

Once again I feel obliged to reiterate: I LOVED this book. This series, actually, since I couldn't concentrate enough to do up this review and gone ahead to devour Book 2 immediately after Book 1. (That cliffhanger is to be blamed!!) I wanted to do a quickie review, combining both FIFTY SHADES OF GREY and FIFTY SHADES DARKER (book 2, and also one of my absolute favourites) initially, but thought better of it cause I am probably going to be gushing about my love for both books. So, the gushing commences.

The plot. There was actually a plot! I shall endeavor to explain why I am in shock. Usually, Eroticas exist as standalones because they consist of insubstantial plots and storylines, harping on about panties-melting, sadistic males, timid as hell pushover heroines, mindless sex and orgasms repeated throughout the whole book, probably on every alternate page, and pseudo-loves. But when I saw that FIFTY SHADES OF GREY belonged to a series, trilogy in fact, I was intrigued. And now that I've read it, my whole view on Erotica-Romances has changed. I wasn't that into Eroticas before, nor Contemporary-Romances (this is the first contemp romance I've read so far, honest), but this story really just makes me want to delve further into this two sub-genres while I wait for their sequel-brother, FIFTY SHADES FREED, to be released. Christian was a little domineering, but he doesn't overstep boundaries. Ok, maybe in a few occasions, but they're done so as to protect Ana, and they're really, heartwrenchingly sweet. So I did like his overbearingness, surprisingly. And Ana stands up for herself. But I will be gushing about the characters in a later paragraph(s).

The writing. I LOVED E.L. James' writing style! She's funny, witty, and her diction is fantastic. I loved how the words are complex, but not overly so, but it actually became a little educational. Haha, I had to unearth my dictionary a few times to check up on a few difficult words, and I did like it. Other than the parts where it gets so exciting and I stop checking the dic. She could express very subtle details in the story, and even in one-sided conversations like when Christian is on the phone and only uses a few words to respond to the caller, I could actually understand who he was talking to, how he felt about the conversation, and most importantly, what he was talking about. I know it may sound like simple matters, but I'm telling you, it's not. James' is really a talented author. She even employed a very special way of communication between the protagonists - via emails! Haha, you must be thinking, "Whaaat?" right? But which other books have you read where the people communicates through emails? It has always been dialogues, isn't it so? Admit it! Haha, and those emails between Ana and Christian are HEE-larious! Wonderfully entertaining and unique and special and...sigh, they are so childish and endearing when they're being cute together.

Example:

 From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: Verbose? 
Date: May 31 2011 19:08 EST
To: Christian Grey

Sir, you are quite the loquacious writer. I have to go to dinner at Bob’s golf club, and just so you know, I am rolling my eyes at the thought. But you and your twitchy palm are a long way from me so my behind is safe, for now. I loved your email. Will respond when I can. I miss you already.
Enjoy your afternoon.

Your Ana

----

From: Christian Grey
Subject: Your behind
Date: May 31 2011 16:10
To: Anastasia Steele

Dear Miss Steele

I am distracted by the title of this email. Needless to say it is safe – for now.

Enjoy your dinner, and I miss you too, especially your behind and your smart mouth.

My afternoon will be dull, brightened only by thoughts of you and your eye rolling. I think it was you who so judiciously pointed out to me that I too suffer from that nasty habit.

Christian Grey
CEO & Eye Roller, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc. 

You should see the continuation, it's gets funnier. But I can't quote the back without the front cause then it wouldn't have made much sense, and I can't quote the entire thing because then it'll be too long, so oh well. But he's very different in real life compared to when he's emailing Ana. Haha, and it really is heartwarming when you see him relax and let the depraved little boy come out.

And then there's the other funny parts:

" How could he mean so much to me in such a short time?  He’s got right under my skin… literally. "

Hahaha, yeah, literally.

The characters. Oh my hell, they were so hot together. I really cannot stress it enough. I am intoxicated by both of them, Ana and Christian/Fifty/Grey. I loved how Ana was a meek yet brave yet obstinate yet compassionate yet intelligent yet witty girl. She is the perfect heroine. I've kind of grown tired of reading the typical snarky and badass heroines nowadays, or the overtly timid pushovers that seem to dominate most of the Erotica genre. I said Ana was witty, not snarky. There's a fine line between those two, but I prefer witty instead of snarky. Snarky just sounds immature and childish. And then there's our dear, aloof, tortured, brilliant male protagonist, Christian who is actually a sweet closet romantic. I adored him. He was showing Ana all these impossibly beautiful sceneries, whispering impossibly tender, sweet nothings to Ana yet it doesn't come off as cheesy. And when they're together, they practically just made my book combust into ashes. Spontaneous combustion, that's how they affected me. Loved, loved, loved them.

 Oh, and incidentally, Ana has already described her Fifty Shades quite perfectly in the book:

"I know he’s moody, difficult, funny, cold, warm… jeez, the man is a walking mass of contradictions."

Yep, that pretty much sums him up. He is such an enigma that I love. But not the love love kind of thing, cause I'm not Ana, and I think Ana really is like his other halve, the only other person who can compliment him. They're perfect together, in every sense of that word.

Only one eetsy beetsy thing that I noticed. Christian has well-manicured hands! Or was it nails..? But "well-manicured" sounded so gay to me. Oh well, but after some time I was thinking would you rather go for well-manicured or chipped and caked with black dirt, and I chose well-manicured. And why does he have condoms everywhere he goes?!?! They're at a boathouse, he sinks his hand into his pocket, and OUT comes a condom; They're in a lift, and OUT comes a condom; They're god-knows where, he sinks his hand into a pocket and OUT comes a condom! I mean, really? You might say he's just being an always-ready kind of person..but really?

I loved FIFTY SHADES OF GREY with all my heart; So much so that even before I finished the book, I already wanted to rate this book a rating higher than 5/5, and that's saying something. It has all I ever wanted in a romance book, even though I thought that I was a hopeless Paranormal-Romance-Urban-Fantasy geekfan, FSoG helped changed my perception. Even though one of the things I hate the most is a cliffhanger to sour my mood, I thought that this cliffhanger was the best cliffhanger I've ever encountered (and the fact that the second book was already out lightened my mood considerably!:D). No doubt my favourite book - and maybe series - of 2011. I'd really, strongly encourage ALL romanceaholics out there to give this a try if you haven't done so already.

Random Musings (which you will not understand if you haven't read the book):

If you're reading the ebook like me, can you search the words,"Heart failure" into the search box? I LOVED that scene! Haha, it made me laugh so hard, especially at the heart failure in italics part. That was one epic moment. My heart literally stopped together with Ana's. Ohh, Fifty is really such an unpredictable male.

Oh, and the other part where I couldn't stop laughing was:

“Good. Until tomorrow perhaps.” He turns to leave, then pauses. “Oh – and Anastasia, I’m glad Miss Kavanagh couldn’t do the interview.” He smiles, then strides with renewed purpose out of the store, slinging the plastic bag over his shoulder, leaving me a quivering mass of raging female hormones. I spend several minutes staring at the closed door through which he’s just left before I return to planet Earth.

Somehow, I found the phrase "quivering mass" very funny and suggestive.XD

And I love the pun "Fifty Shades of Grey". Haha, think about it. It's really mindfuckingly cool. (Sorry for the language, but this book incites very strong emotions in me.)

My Rating