Review and Interview: Shinobi by Cole Gibsen

Publication Date: March 8th, 2014
Finished Date: May 3rd, 2014
Publisher: Flux
Format: Paperback
Pages: 312
Series: Katana #3
My Rating: 3.5/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:

Rileigh is ready to celebrate.

Things have been quiet (as quiet as life can be for a reincarnated samurai), she's graduating high school, and her boyfriend, Kim, has finally regained his lost memories. But the urge to celebrate is short-lived when she realizes that if Kim can remember, chances are her (im)mortal enemy, Sumi, can remember as well. Sure enough, it's not long before the reincarnated ninja attacks Rileigh and her friends. But in the aftermath of the fight, Rileigh discovers that Sumi has performed an ancient ritual that allows her to switch bodies with Rileigh . . . and it's draining her ki. Hunted by the Network (who believe Rileigh is Sumi), Rileigh must track the vengeful ninja down before her own powers completely vanish.

My Review

*Received a retail copy from NOQ Store*

As far as the history of conclusions goes, SHIONOBI isn’t the best of conclusions for a series, but I think it’s still pretty darn awesome.

With Sumi’s and Kim’s memories gone, Rileigh plunges herself neck-deep into Order missions. Drown out the pain, get her mind over the fact that Kim doesn’t remember her anymore. As Rileigh celebrated graduation day with her motley crew of ex-samurai and best friend, Quentin, Kim makes an appearance and they find out that he has regained his memories – and so did Sumi.

I can’t even begin to describe how much trouble Rileigh and Q gets into because of Sumi’s new evil scheme, but I definitely didn’t expect it at all! Three-quarters of me loved the new twist, but the other quarter… It’s like how a protagonist gets out of a situation with a then-and-there newfound power. Sort of like Ms Cole is taking the easy route for an exciting new plot? It’s similar to how I feel about Sumi’s electric magic. I understand if a villain has magic in X-Men, but not in the world Ms Cole has created. It’s a stretch for me to understand Rileigh’s Ki powers because there are texts and stories about chi flow and whatnot in Chinese (or was is Buddhist?) history, but not electricity, zapping powers. Just…no. Then came this soul-switching thing? Even though this is an urban fantasy? I don’t think so.

I love the increase in screen-time for Rileigh and Kim! Even through unprecedentedly difficult circumstances (and I’m not even kidding/exaggerating), Kim shone like a true samurai in shining armor (I know it’s lame, but hey, I got my point across). His name still chafes at me – I mean, why can’t they just call him Gimhae which is his real name, instead of calling him by his family name – but my respect for him just tenfold-ed. One bad point for more Ri-Kim time was that we didn’t get to see much of Braden, Drew and Michelle, and they sort of faded into the background. Their characters and personalities pretty much hollowed out and they became very 2D and generic as secondary characters.

Whitley’s role in SHINOBI took on greater significance, and kudos to Sumi for new levels of creativity and desperation! Though with the continued flashbacks to Japan in the 1490s, I’m starting to understand the hatred and desperation in Sumi…and to empathize with her. There did come a point where I resented Gimhae more than Sumi, and that’s a plus point to Ms Cole’s great writing. Sumi, or rather Chiyo, did whatever she could to survive even after months of torture (yes, it was gruesome), but Yoshido judged her for it. Dude, you didn’t even make an effort to search for her body after news of her supposed death reached you, and you judged her for becoming the head of the bandits? Not cool.

The flashbacks were haunting and beautiful, and shed so much light on the complex relationship between our protagonists. I’m not usually a fan of dual-time writing styles, but I thought it really enhanced the story in the case of SHINOBI. One final adventure for Rileigh & crew, with lots of twists and plot curves that is as unpredictable as it is exciting. This is a short novel and KATANA is still my favorite, but I’d recommend SHINOBI to fans of the series or to otakus (anime-lovers) like myself!

P.S. I’m still bitter about Gimhae being called Kim. Every time I think Kim, a girly man pops into my head.

NO.

 

My Rating

 

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I actually did an interview with Cole after I read SENSHI, which was way back last year when it was just released in March. I wanted to post it to celebrate the release of the book, but alas, school work was crazy cause it was my A Level year last year. So I wanted to post it together with my SHINOBI review when it was released, but...yeah enough excuses. (Cole, if you're reading this, I'M SORRY!!)

Anyway, Cole was so kind to agree to an interview, and she was SO PATIENT with my many questions. So, without further adieu.

Author Bio

I love writing, day-old chinese food, and my nail polish is always chipped. My YA novel, KATANA, will be released, spring 2012 by Flux. You can check out my website at www.colegibsen.com Word to your mother. (But seriously, you should call her. She worries.)   

Connect with Cole:
Author Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

An Interview with Cole Gibsen

CYP: Hi Cole! Thanks for coming over to the blog today!

1) First things first, tell us a little about yourself. Something that cannot be found on the Net or maybe something that even your family doesn't know about?

Cole: I’ve taken up the blues harp. I started taken lessons over a year ago. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about the harmonica and the blues that has always called to me. At first, I felt a little silly, but now I’m so glad I decided to learn. It’s so much fun!

2) What are some of your interests/hobby? Do they have any connections to how you came up with the KATANA series?

Cole: I’ve taken martial arts for years, everything from akido to kick boxing. And if there’s one thing I learned while taking martial arts, it’s that I’m really bad at martial arts. It’s much safer (and less painful) to write about it instead.

3)What is the story behind the series? The inspiration behind it? Was it like a BAM kind of thing, or did the storyline slowly flow to you as you did or looked at something?

Cole: The idea for the KATANA series came to me one night after having my butt kicked in taekwondo. I remember nursing my black eye with an ice pack and looking up at a poster of Bruce Lee on the wall just wishing his spirit would possess me long enough so I could finally win a fight. Needless to say, that never happened.

(LOL, awesome start to an awesome series! XD)

4) How about the characters? Was Rileigh an imitation of a friend? Was Kim Gimhae (SQUEE) based on your own fantasies?

Cole: Rileigh was based on the girl I wanted to be in high school; funny, snarky, and for the most part, confident. And Kim, well, you could definitely say he was based on a fantasy of mine. *grin* I’ve had a long-standing crush on Bruce Lee and it definitely leaked through to the pages of my book.

5) Did the magic element of Senshi come with the original plot? Or was it something you thought of along the way to spice things up a little? (Mainly about the electric thing going on for Whitley in Katana and now his reincarnated employer)

Cole: I was inspired by the many books I read on historical Japan. Magic and mysticism were a big part of their belief system. Even today, you can search for videos on Youtube and find men lighting fires with ki energy alone. It’s amazing!

6) How many books are you planning for the KATANA series? (Please say you don't see an end in sight yet.. :D)

Cole: Ha! So far there are three planned…but I would never say never. *grin*

(PLEEEZZZZZZ let there be more!!)

7) Which character do you like to write the most? Which character did you like the most? Which one turned out the best, in your opinion? Did the plot and characters turned out the way you wanted them too?

Cole: Like any author, I think all my characters are fun to write. But my favorite scenes are the ones with Rileigh and Whitley. There’s something about that “I hate you but I need your help” relationship that is so much fun to put down on page. For the most part my characters behaved, but when I wrote book three, someone betrays someone else and even I had no idea that was coming.

(Ri and Whitley kinda reminds me of Allison and Jackal in The Blood of Eden series by Julie Kagawa...kinda...)

8) Just a random thought, but why make Kim the only Asian? Why not all be Americans or more Asians or more nationalities?

Cole: It was important to me to show that that spirits were genderless and raceless. That’s why Michelle, who was male in the first book was female in the second. In my world, gender and skin color doesn’t matter when you reincarnated. Bodies are just shells and the only thing that remains constant was a person’s spirit. I actually had more nationalities in the first draft, but my agent at the time was concerned that was far-fetched and too convenient. Looking back on it now, I wish I would have kept it.

9) Are there any tidbits about future installments that you can share?? ;D Or any deleted scenes that you want to share?

Cole: Book three was my absolute favorite to write. In it, I answered a lot of hanging questions and revealed the origins of one of my most hated characters. It was important for me to show my villains didn’t wake up one day and decide to become evil. It happened gradually and with good reason.

10) I'm suffering from withdrawal now that I've finished reading Senshi... Do you have any good book recommendations that are similar to your series? What are some of your favorite books/series/authors?

Cole: Oh my goodness, yes! There are so many great Asian-themed books recently out and coming out. A few to check out are INK by Amanda Sun, THE TOKYO HEIST by Diana Renn, STORMDANCER by Jay Kristoff, and JET BLACK AND THE NINJA WIND by Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani.

(Definitely check out Stormdancer. It's one of the best YA Fantasy/Steampunk I've ever read.)

11) What made you start penning down all these crazy stories?

Cole: I always wanted to be a writer, but I lacked the self confidence to try. It wasn’t until the economy ate my small business in 2007 and I was faced with unemployment. Suddenly I had to figure out what to do with my life. I figured, if ever there was a time to write, this was it!

12) Another random question, do you watch anime or read any manga series??

Cole: I haven’t in awhile. I’m so ashamed. I think the last manga I read was the Vampire Hunter series. But I do have a running subscription to The All New X-Men. I get a lot of my inspiration from comics.

(Personally, there's this manga series called Shinobi Life I stumbled upon accidentally when searching up SHINOBI on GR. It's GREAT!! I gobled up all lordknows how many volumes in 2 days.)

Rapid fire questions!

1) Pen and paper or Microsoft?
Cole: Definitely pen and paper for outlining and a keyboard for actual writing.

2) Asian folklore or Middle Eastern myths (think Greek, Roman and Egypt)?
Cole: ASIAN ALL THE WAY!

3) Hot chocolate or whiskey?
Cole: I’ll take a beer. *grin*

4) Favorite movie?
Cole: This changes daily. But as of now, The Avengers.

Thankyousomuch, Cole! :)

 

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And thanks, everybahdy for visiting the blog! Do y'all like ninja stories? Any favorites/recs? :))

Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publication Date: Febuary 25th, 2014
Finished Date: March 2nd, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eARC  
Series: The Dark Elements #1
My Rating: 4.5/5!

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Blurb from Goodreads:
One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

My Review

I'll be frank - WHITE HOT KISS reads more like a fan fiction, with a more colloquial, YA style of writing. In fact, most of JLA's works have the same tone of voice - snarky, witty, and ultimately enjoyable, but with a healthy dash of YA colloquialism thrown in. For me, sometimes it works out, other times it can really turn me off big time. I wasn't a big fan of the later part of her COVENANT series, I discontinued the LUX series after ONYX...but I loved UNCHAINED (JLA's adult PNR series). Fortunately for me though, WHK read more like UNCHAINED, and I inhaled the book in two sittings.

There is a lot to gush about WHK, and the first thing, of course, is the GARGOYLES! They're wicked cool and they're almost like dragons...but darker. Edgier. And cuter. Haha! They sleep in stone-form for defense reasons cause their stone covering is literally impenetrable. By force or by fire. Wicked cool reimagining of gargoyles.

Then there is Roth. Zayne...not that much. Other than his awesome name, he ain't got nothing on Roth. Not only does Roth possess the standard requirements for a sexy YA/NA hero - y'know, the whole sometimes-brooding-sometimes-hilarious, mischievous but protective thing they've all got going on - but the sacrifices he makes and the things he does for our protagonist, Layla, places him on a whole new level. My respect for him grew like tenfold after the end, and is making me CRAY^2 waiting for STONE COLD TOUCH to see what happens to him. (He reminds of Robin "Puck" Goodfellow from THE IRON FEY series by Julie Kagawa.) And Layla and Zayne, of course. Heh.

There was a lot of teenage angst in WHK, both in high school and in the relationship department, but there were the other complexities of the Wardens and Demons that made WHK a more engaging read. It's not all black and white with the races. The Wardens might seem like the good guys, siding with the angel and ridding the world of pesky, trouble-making demons. But as Layla hang out with Roth more often, there are certain things that the Wardens ingrain into the younger Wardens and Layla aren't true.

Being half-demon, half-Warden, Layla has always longed to fit in. To be one of the good guys. To be able to shift and take to the skies. Too bad all she got from her mixed blood is to be able to distinguish demon from human/Warden, tag them, lighting them up for patrolling Wardens to kill, and that pesky soul-sucking kiss from to hell. At least this skill allows her to feel more useful in the battle against the demons and ridding the world of evil. But Roth is determined to open her eyes to reality, that not all demons are as bad as they seem.

Are the Wardens brainwashing their young to hate the demons? What if there are demons that aren't, well, evil and she's been helping the Wardens kill them? And where does that place her in the entire scheme of things?

Another reason why I like JLA's writing style is her way of revealing things, and building her worlds bit by bit, letting the plot progress while giving us nuggets of information along the way. It's a smooth world-building process, and the pace never gets compromised. There's no huge info-dumping when it comes to the history of the Wardens and demons. But I can feel the tension between the two factions and shown just a nugget of the why and their history.

Altogether a very enjoyable, pretty steamy (and angsty), fast-paced read with a minor cliffhanger ending. I'd recommend this to fans of THE IRON FEY series, UNCHAINED by J. Lynn (JLA), and THE GUARDIAN LEGACY series by Ednah Walters.

*Review copy courtesy of Harlequin Teen via Netgalley*

My Rating

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!

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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.

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Review: Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Publication Date: December 2nd 2013
Finished Date: January 3rd, 2014
Publisher: Self-published
Format: eBook
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles #1
My Rating: 4/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:
On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.

And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.

My Review

My first Ilona Andrews book and it's pretty not bad! I have never read anything like this before, and that made CLEAN SWEEP a refreshing and exciting read. Judging from the cover I was expecting Fantasy, but it turned out to be URBAN fantasy. I was in the mood for some fantasy, but this turned out to be an unexpectedly-fortunate mistake.

My Summary

Dina is an innkeeper, and that means she has magical abilities and she's strongest when she's within the boundaries of her inn. Innkeepers have a sort of connection to their inns that allows the inn to respond to commands and comments from their keepers. They're sort of like a really loveable pet dog - the inns, I mean. Inns thrive with the flow of customers and guests, so with good business, the inn becomes stronger; Too little or no guests will cause an inn to go into hibernation.

Dina's parents were innkeepers that run a thriving inn, with a booming business and top ratings, a whopping five-stars. A highly-rated inn will be reflected in the directory and that tells customers that it is safe and guarantees quality. Dina's learnt the ropes and is pretty familiar with the codes and etiquettes that comes with being an innkeeper. However, about three years ago, her parents and their inn vanished without a trace and her brother and her had spent a few years attempting to find clues to their disappearance but to no avail. She decided to settle down and The Innkeeper Assembly allocated to her Gertrude Hunt, an inn that went into hibernation years ago.

With time, patience and lots of TLC, she slowly coaxes Gertrude Hunt out of its slumber and even have a permanent guest, the eccentric but elegant Her Grace Caldenia who has a thing for Funyuns and Mello Yello...and who's cannibal too. Anyway, it's all peaceful until her neighbor's dogs start to turn up at public places grotesquely mauled that Dina starts to investigate. Innkeepers are neutral ground, and that means staying out of anything that does not directly threaten their inns and their customers. But Dina can't just stand by and let this...whoever it is start killing and threatening the lives of the people in her town.

In walks Sean Evans, ex-military and resident werewolf who just moved into town a few months back. When their town is threatened, werewolves usually feel the need to protect it and establish their claim on the town. Then the Marshal of vampire house Krar, Arland, from some other planet drops by too claiming that the one responsible was a wanted criminal from their planet. And so Dina will have to work with two very big, bad, infinitely stubborn and protective dudes to save their little town.

My Thoughts

I want to be an innkeeper too, dammit! This writing-duo made Clean Sweep such an adorable and fun read that I just want to be a part of their imaginary world for just awhile.

Dina is a very relatable character. She might not be kickass, but she has a broom that can change shape when she sends her magic into it, a Shih Tzu that isn't really a Shih Tzu but is still plenty cute and an inn that can send out roots to hold down attackers and wield guns to help defend itself and Dina. Then there's the cool, calm and gorgeous werewolf, Sean, and reserved, mysterious and muscular vampire, Arland. I wouldn't say that they were terribly unique love interests in the UF genre, buuuut they do provide comic relief that's for sure. (Watch out for Arland with coffee, hahaha. Vamps have this funny reaction when they ingest caffeine)

CLEAN SWEEP is a short, light and fun novella with just the right amount of humor, action and good ol' UF mystery. The ending provided enough closure, but I sense so much more adventure coming our way. CLEAN SWEEP was originally published free at this website, chapter by chapter each week, and it's been announced that they're doing it again for the sequel starting early 2014. I'll probably wait for the final copy of the book cause I prefer to read my books in one shot. I'll definitely be checking out the Andrews' other works in the mean time though!

My Rating

        

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

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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

 

 

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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

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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

Review: Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Publication Date: Febuary 2nd, 2011
Finished Date: November 30th, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: Paperback
Pages: 273
Series: Gods & Monsters #1
My Rating: 3.5/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:
Ari can't help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can't be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it's impossible to protect herself when she doesn't know what she's running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won't stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

My Review

“The house took my breath away. Yes, it was enormous and graceful, but it seemed to bleed emotions. Sadness. Loneliness. Like a beautiful lady left alone in a sea of gray, green, and black, protected only by oak matrons in their skeleton shawls.”

Kelly Keaton has a way with words that is very visual and poetic. I've always had a love for Greek myths and legends, and Keaton has put quite a modern twist to the entire Medusa legend that's atypical from most YA novels nowadays.

My Summary
Aristanae "Ari" Selkirk has always been the oddball in society - freakish, white hair and teal eyes. She's been an orphan since the tender age of four and been moved from foster home to foster home, finally finding a loving family in the Sandersons. To be part of Bruce and Casey Sandersons' Bonds & Bail company, she has to learn to be able to defend herself and that means being comfortable with headlocks, knives, and guns. Now that she's seventeen, she's determined to find out more about her past - why did her mom request to be admitted into an asylum? Why did she abandon her?

At the asylum, Ari's told that her mom exhibited occasional unusual behaviors and ultimately slit her own throat just before her twenty-first birthday (twenty-one yo?? I shall address this in a minute), and left a box of belongings to her. In the box, there's a letter addressed to her, telling her that there's danger for her in New 2 and to run.

Thirteen years ago, New Orleans was ravaged by a freak hurricane that blew through and wiped out the entire town. A group of nine families, who called themselves the Novem, came together, bought the town and rebuilt it. People do not travel into New 2; The ones that do come out with tales of the supernatural and paranormal. Ari was born there, surely they'd keep records that can lead to some answers about her biological family. Just a day to travel there and another to travel back. What's the worse that could happen?

My Take on DBH
First things first, that cover is a stunner! I love the moonlight quality of Ari's hair, and that purple flower-on-grail pattern is BEAUTIFUL. So mysterious and just perfect for the story! I've never been that interested in the gorgon legend, especially since it's the such a commonly used story that I sometimes find it overrated. But Keaton's take on it pulled on my heartstrings and was so haunting I'll probably remember this version of Medusa's tale every time I hear Medusa's name.

When we were first introduced to Ari, she's a relatable character and she's got character. However, something that did not sit well with me is her dislike of her beauty. I'm not going to your pity party just because you're sad that you're beautiful. Granted, it makes you outstanding (well now, it can't be that bad to have moonlight hair and teal eyes), but it's nothing to be so upset about. I don't think your friends will hate, ostracize or abuse you if you have strange but really nice physical traits now, would they? So stop kicking up such a fuss over it.

But yes, she can kick ass and it's such a joy to read about her confrontations with those who'd want to hurt (or kill) her! It gets even more interesting as we get to meet the rest of the cast in New 2 - twelve-yo quirky and independent Crank, Henri with his own brand of humor, little Violet with her quiet, disturbing yet endearing ways, and the (wait for it) tall, dark and handsome Sebastian. I love the interactions that Ari has with her new little family in their rundown mansion in New 2, and their camaraderie and loyalty. Violet's so adorable in her own ways, even though she may exhibit really strange behavior at times! She wears different Mardi Gras masks, goth dresses and has a baby albino alligator called Pascal for a pet. See, adorable.

Sebastian is...quite the typical hero you'd see in YA novels nowadays. I'd say he's a mix of Aiden from the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout and maybe Nash from M. Leighton's Down to You (first instalment of the The Bad Boys series). He's a fighter too, he's brooding, he's a little mysterious, but he's diplomatic (most of the time) and he tries his best to help Ari uncover all her family's dark history. What I would have liked to see more of is development between Ari and Bastian. Their romance was almost of the insta-attraction variety, and that just does not inspire any warm and fuzzies in me.

The pacing of the story was very steady, with some ups and some downs. There were times when the story became a tad monotonous, and I was tempted to put it down several times. But I have been in a reading funk of late, so I was determined to get through this, and what do you know, the last one-third of the book was pretty exciting. The halfway mark has come and gone and we're still dangling with Ari on the lineage front. We've met the Novem and they seem to know all about Ari's cursed lineage (they are literally cursed. I'm not swearing just because I'm frustrated), so why doesn't one of them possess the initiative to TELL US WHAT IT IS? It got so frustrating because everyone just kept, "I knew your mother", "You look just like your mother", and gave her the sad, knowing eyes. The thing is, I knew that it was going to be about the gorgon curse so just get on with it.

Another part of the plot that did not sit well with me was the teen pregnancy. Ari's mom died before she turned twenty-one, when Ari was about four years of age. That means that Ari was conceived when her mom was sixteen/seventeen-ish. In the modern world, that's just wrong, and the wrong message to send out in the YA world. The plot is also a little simple and the world not very in-depth. The entire story mainly revolved around Ari, her friends, the Novem and the Big Bad Wolf. Other than that, we don't get to see much of the world or people outside of New 2 or their little group.

It wasn't until the entire instigator of the curse and fiasco was revealed that the story started to amp up its pace. I was shocked actually, cause I was expecting some other god(dess) to be the Big Bad. Spoiler --> Hera seemed the more plausible bitch than Athena. Cause I mean like, Athena, really? She's the goddess of wisdom and justice, I don't think she will be that petty and power-hungry. There were some things that happened in the story that were rather questionable and even in fiction and legends, there are some rules already set in place that are not meant to be broken. Spoiler --> For one, I don't think the Greek gods and goddesses are that easy to kill.And why do we only get to see one of the few existing gods? That's stingy... Haha, Kidding. One thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the god(dess) swearing. There are too many F-words in this story, but that's fine, I guess. But when a god or goddess start to color the air blue, it just doesn't seem legitimate. They're gajillion years old with age-old knowledge and wisdom. Profanity should be below them. And where's the elegance?

However, I mentioned that I liked Keaton's take on Medusa's story, that what if Medusa was the victim and not the irreverent beauty that myths often portray her to be? What if she was the wronged victim forced to take the blame and suffer for the misdeeds of another god? The way that Keaton told her story was very vivid and heartwrenching.

There were many things I did like about DARKNESS BECOMES HER, but there were others that debilitated my enjoyment of it. I would still like to see where Keaton takes Ari and her misfit little family in New 2, out of curiosity or amusement or maybe they've grown on me. Just a little. ;)

Staunch (or anal) fans of Greek myths might not take very well to DBH due to some parts of the legend in here that strays from what y'all know of it.

My Rating

Review: Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: June 4th, 20113
Finished Date: June 8th, 2013
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Format: eBook
Pages: 368
Series: Psy-Changeling #12
My Rating: 5/5!

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Blurb from Goodreads:

Step into New York Times bestseller Nalini Singh’s explosive and shockingly passionate Psy-Changeling world…

A dangerous, volatile rebel, hands stained bloodred.
A woman whose very existence has been erased.
A love story so dark, it may shatter the world itself.
A deadly price that must be paid.
The day of reckoning is here.

From “the alpha author of paranormal romance” (Booklist) comes the most highly anticipated novel of her career—one that blurs the line between madness and genius, between subjugation and liberation, between the living and the dead.

I basically devoured this book the moment I got out of camp. Everything about this book was so awesome - the romance, the plot (the arc of the series really moved quite a bit in HoO), the interconnection between Psy, the changelings and the humans. This book did not disappoint the waves of anticipation and hype prior to it's release.

“And when she looked up, it was to see Kaleb's eyes looking down into her own. There were no stars, but the obsidian was sheened with midnight colors, beautiful and mysterious.

Her fingers clenched on the muscled heat of his back, the fine cotton of his shirt crumpling under his touch. "You came back." ”

I won't go on very much about the plot cause there's a lot of mystery enshrouding the two protagonists in HoO, and learning them along the way with them is vital in this amazing series.

This story literally revolves around the lives of two people - ex-Councilor Kaleb Krychek, known to be the most powerful Psy in the world, rumored to be a dual cardinal with enough power to level cities and cause earthquakes, and his childhood friend, (view spoiler)Sahara. I hope that's not too big of a spoiler (I didn't reveal her last name, so you can't blame me for not trying!).

Even though I haven't read all the installment in this series yet (but I am a hardcore Nalini Singh fan, I really am! I've read each book in her Guild Hunter series multiple, and I mean multiple times), I think this will probably take the top second spot right below KISS OF SNOW. (Hawke~!!)


My Brief Summary (Spoilers alert!)
(view spoiler)Kaleb has been searching for a certain someone for seven years, three weeks and two days, and by now, everyone knows it's this mysterious Sahara ahem-ahem-ahem. His abilities honed to a lethal edge, financially, politically, economically one of the world's powerhouses, he also has the infamous Arrow Squad behind his back. Now that he's finally found the only person in the world whom he cares about, he's going to make her abductors pay for what they've done to her for the past seven years.

Sahara's had a relatively stable and caring family, up until the day she was taken and held captive in sterile and brutal conditions. To keep the secrets in her mind safe and her unique powers from being controlled by the wrong hands, she did things to her mind that makes her now a shell of who she used to be.
(END of spoilers!)

Kaleb isn't the gentlest of caretakers, he can seem heartless and uncaring, but deep down, he's just a man who hadn't received much love or kindness in his life, and so doesn't know how to express his feelings very well. But he does a mighty fine job in his own way, and it's so heartwarming to see him protecting (view spoiler)Sahara any way he can, even if it means letting her stay away from him. It broke my heart just a little at the end when everything came full circle for them. ;)

I loved the interactions between the side characters too! How Aden, Vasic of the Arrow Squad, leopards from DarkRiver and even Nikita Duncan and Anthony Kryiakus came into the picture; It gave the story a depth and life to it. The plot moved so much more than the prequels that seemed more like backdrops for the romances between each couples, but HoO showed us where Singh is trying to lead the arc to, and I have a rough idea of what the plot for Psy-Changeling #13 will be. However, there were major parts of the book that was just about Sahara's healing/recovery and Kaleb's part in it, so the plot had to take a backseat and the pace dulled down quite a bit, only really picking up again around four-fifths through, that's why HoO comes in as a close second to KoS.

But all in all a mighty fine read with tons of slow, compelling, tender and sweet romance, redemption (really, I'm not trying to be melodramatic or anything...ok, maybe a little, but this book is quite dramatic!) danger, and political intrigue. I don't know how Singh does it, but her style is just as addictive as ever! Recommended to every Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance fan out there; Maybe throw in a little thriller and action!

5-amazeball-stars!

 

 
P.S. Miiiiight be doin' an interview and giveaway soon. ;)

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!

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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

  

Quickie Review: Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: September 6th, 2011
Finished Date: October 26th, 2012
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 310
Series: Guild Hunter #4
My Rating: 4/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:
The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting...and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more...

My Review

“So he held this hunter whose midnight green eyes said she saw him, shadows and all, who touched him as (view spoiler)Ingrede used to do, who made him imagine an impossible truth, held her so close that she was a part of his very soul.”

Usually I give every Guild Hunter novel an immediate and resounding 5 stars. I wasn't the biggest fan of Dmitri...and I still ain't one, but I'm starting to understand him more now. And respect. Wow, he gave his heart to this amazing village woman centuries ago, and even after her very tragic demise, his heart and soul still remained with her. Until now.

Enter Honor, a Guild Hunter who was very recently saved from some crazy vampire. Honor's sanity was on verge of cracking, and only after months of therapy and stuff, she just managed to walk out on her own. But she prefers locking herself up in the Guild library. That is, until a job at the Angel Tower required her expertise and Honor forced herself to meet up with Dmitri. From there, you can probably deduce the rest for yourself. As they spent more time together solving a series of murder cases in which Honor finds out how deadly--and sexy--Dmitri is and Dmitri finding out the side of Honor that made her a hunter in the first place, the courage and innate strength before her unfortunate abduction.

As always, Singh's delivery was AMAZING, and she knew just how to feed us little tidbits about Dmitri's past here and there, which was hard to piece together a complete picture until right at the very end when she gave a final piece and bam, everything just falls into place. And the gradual change in Honor and Dmitri in the end was really heartwarming. Quiiiiiite a typical wounded hero/heroine finding love and healing (that's why I docked off one star), but well, it's Nalini Singh, so naturally it is still in a league of its own.

A dark novel about an inspiring love that heals. A sort of spinoff to the main plot, so it is technically fine to skip this go directly to book 6 which is confirmed to be in Elena's and Raphael's POV where, I'm assuming, the main arc will continue but I have to admit it, now that I have read it, I do feel this bond to Dmitri (and Honor) now that wasn't there. I'll be noticing him more now. ;)

My Rating

      

 

Quickie Review: Blood Fever by Veronica Wolff

Publication Date: August 7th, 2012
Finished Date: August 19th, 2012
Publisher: NAL Trade
Format: Paperback
Pages: 290
Series: The Watchers #3
My Rating: 4/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME—EVEN IF HOME IS WHERE THE DEAD LIVE...

It’s the start of the fall semester, and a new crop of Acari and Trainees have descended on the Isle of Night. Watcher training has intensified, and Drew has a new roommate named Mei-Ling. But Mei-Ling harbors a dangerous secret that drove the vampires to abduct her against her will. Drew knows she shouldn’t get involved, but she can’t seem to leave her roommate to fend for herself.

Luckily, Drew has other things on her mind—like vampire Carden. A blood bond to a brawny, eighteenth-century Scottish bad boy tends to preoccupy a girl. And though she’s still figuring out what this bond means, one thing has become clear: She craves him in a major way.

But then bodies start turning up on the island. All the evidence points to the existence of a rogue vampire, and the sinister vampire Alcántara is gunning for Carden, even though Drew has proof that Carden had nothing to do with the murders. Now she has to find the true killer—without endangering Carden, Mei-Ling, or herself…

My Review

Wolff is one talented and imaginatively sadistic author; BLOOD FEVER had so much more bloodshed, action and, not surprisingly, romance! (Carden!! GAH!) Everything was back more intense, and the storyline was a little more complex with a confuddling riddle at the end!

Drew is back at the Isle of Night after her hard-won mission with Alcantara, at which one mysteriously attractive Carden McCloud was rescued. Drew's having a tough time dealing with the bond that she unknowingly forged with McCloud, craving for him and his blood and all, plus the newest assignment that the vampires dumped onto her - to ensure the safety of her new roommate, Mei-Ling. There's something a little off with Mei, not in the psychopathic-pyromaniac way that her previous roommate Lilac was, but Mei didn't come to the Isle of Night willingly. Not like Drew or the rest of the Acaris that were outcasts in society. Thing is, Mei isn't even an outcast in society with a family that wouldn't miss her even if she were gone. She had a loving family and a loyal boyfriend. Mei was abducted. But why? The only thing that Mei have in common with the she-wolves at the Isle of Night is that she has a gift, a very peculiar and dangerous gift that the vampires are interested about. Mei's good at playing musical instruments, and Drew's going to find that out what's so special about it.

Also going on at the Isle of Night are strange killings that are happening around the island. Random people are turning up exsanguinated and nobody knows the how and why. And the Directorate seems to think that Carden's the culprit.

So, on top of finding out why the vampires are so interested in Mei, Drew's got to protect her from Masha, the other Guidons and Acaris AND protect her own hide from her hate club at the island (which surprisingly has a huge fan base) AND figure out the nitty gritty of her bond with Carden AND clear his name to save him from a possible public staking.

I love all those private moments between her and Carden. They're reaaaally sweet together. But what makes this book different from its predecessors is the amount of bloodshed! I'm still reeling from all the fights that Drew had been pitted through in BLOOD FEVER! Especially at the end. It was one fight after another after another traumatic accident. More, much, much more people are going to die and when they do, a new mystery pops up and Drew's in deep enough that she's going to figure it all out.

This series gets more and more interesting and intense that once you pick ISLE OF NIGHT up, you know you're a goner till the series ends. This Watchers series is similar to The Hunger Games series, but in my opinion, better and much more intriguing. Gripping till the end! Can't wait till next June for the next and fourth instalment in the series, THE KEEP (which, very aptly, is the new mystery that Drew has to solve. Is it where all the dead girls are brought?? OH MAN, I can't wait to read it!!!)

My Rating

       

Quickie Reviews: Vampire Academy and Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Publication Date: August 16th, 2007
Finished Date: May 19th, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Paperback
Pages: 332
Series: Vampire Academy #1
My Rating: 3/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

My Review

Not bad! There was plenty of obstacles and trials for our two heroines, both in the form of mortal peril and high-school drama. However, one thing that derailed me from giving VA a higher rating is the heroine's, Rose's, for lack of a better word, bitchy attitude! She flirts and makes out with guys just for the fun of it, and she's too into revenges for her own good. But she did mature as the story progressed, and what she did for her friends, Lissa and Christian, at the end was really respectable.

Strangely addictive and exciting, though a little cliched! It has a certain similarity to Half-blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout, or rather, Half-blood has a certain similarity to Vampire Academy. The same running away and after that being hunted down and brought back to a school by a hot love interest, then being forced to be trained by said love interest because of how much schooling and training having missed and then having a final epic showdown.

My Rating

Publication Date: April 10th 2008
Finished Date: May 20th, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Paperback
Pages: 327
Series: Vampire Academy #2
My Rating: 3.5/5

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Blurb from Goodreads: Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

My Review

Frostbite didn't fail to deliver! Vampire Academy was quite a good start to a series, and Frostbite had the same amount of danger and action that VA had, more intense emotions, heartbreaks and heartaches, more secondary characters and love rivals and interests come into play! I won't peg this as one of my favourite series, but there's just this something that makes it so addictive. I'm literally gobbling this series up one book per day! Which is seriously jeopardizing my exams tomorrow, but that's just it! It's too, goddamned addictive. (Sorry for the language.)

Might be Dmitri, might be the new hot guy in town, Adrian, might be how Rose knows how to kick some serious ass, might be how Rose's mom is THE coolest female dhamphir guardian in this era and she's now in the picture, might be...... As you can see, this book is packed with SO MANY awesome factors, so yes, it was a thrilling and gripping novel. In this cliched, vampire-novel kind of way. You might think this is a good thing, or bad, depends on how you see it. But now, there's no time to lose; I'm off to reading the next book, Shadow Kiss! ;)

P.S. For those who read my reviews regularly, I'm not going to be writing any full length reviews for quite some time cause Junior College life in Singapore is hardcore to the max. No time to do anything but MUG. Means studying and cramming over here, by the way.

My Rating