Book Review: Conquering Fate (The Order of the Krigers #3)

Release Date: February 1, 2018
Author: Jennifer Anne Davis
Publisher: Reign Publishing
Length: 340 pages
Source: Review Copy from Author

With no choice but to face her destiny straight on, Kaia is determined to end the curse—no matter the personal cost. Sacrificing her own wants and desires, she turns herself over to the evil king, Morlet. Together, they seek to discover the catalyst for the events that started it all over a hundred years ago.

The path she embarks on tests her skills, her willpower, and her heart. Facing the darkest truth inside of her, she makes a choice that not only has unspeakable consequences, but also changes her life and the future of the kingdom forever.

    

Review:

Protagonist: The time is drawing near for Kaia to face off with Mortlet and decide the fate of her kingdom. I was genuinely surprised by how much character development Kaia has in this book, not that by the end of the previous installment she was a fully developed, self-actualized character, but when it comes to the final book in a series, I rarely find that much character development with our protagonist. In this installment, Kaia still has much to learn about herself and the world around her. There's definitely a focus on Kaia and her relationship with Mortlet in this book, though I'll talk about that in more detail in a little bit, it's how the two find themselves together that sets off Kaia's major development for this story. Kaia's whole characterization revolves around the theme of choice and those choices will be revealed as Kaia faces some of her toughest trials and tribulations yet.

Romance: So, as I said, there's a lot of this story that focuses on the romance between Kaia and Mortlet, and honestly I couldn't believe how much of the story focused on that. Now, don't get me wrong, Mortlet is a terrible person who deserves a slow and painful death for the misery he thrust onto his kingdom, but the part of him that's Espen, the part of him that's fighting the compulsion of the Skog Heks magic, I like. I felt that the author did a fantastic job in illustrating Kaia's conflict with Mortlet and how torn she is between falling for the part of him that is Espen, and detesting the person he is when the dark magic inside of him takes over. I was surprised that there wasn't a whole lot of focus on the romance between Anders and Kaia, though there still is a good amount of focus, considering this is the final installment, I expected a bit more evenly divided attention on the two main suitors in Kaia's life.

World Building: There's a bit more focus on the Heks in this story as the prologue of this book takes place long before the start of our story and introduces a rather large magical MacGuffin that becomes imperative to the main story and the curse that has plagued this kingdom for so long. While we learn more about the world outside Nelebek, we don't actually see it, which makes sense since the barrier around Nelebek is still in place, but I just wish we got to see a bit more of this world or at least what we learned about the world outside Nelebek wasn't so focused on one kingdom. Don't get me wrong, I love the world building in this book and I loved learning more about the Heks and how their race works, and I loved following this story to its conclusion, I just want more. Is that such a bad thing?

Predictability: Davis is the Queen of plot twists in my book. Not that I haven't been able to guess at a lot of her plot twists in the past, but when it comes to the Krigers series especially, I have next to no idea where the story will go and that was absolutely true for this installment. Going back over the story, there isn't much, if anything, that I was able to predict, in fact when it came to how this story would end, I had a lot of ideas as for how it might end and still I wasn't able to figure out how everything was going to go down. That's just the end, there are plenty more twists and turns in this book, twists that I didn't see coming, not even just before they were about to be revealed.

Ending: As I said, the ending of this tale is fairly unpredictable. The final confrontation with Mortlet was really interesting and it's in this final battle that even more is revealed and some very hard truths come to light. I really enjoyed the final climax with Mortlet, though after the dust has settled, for good or for bad, there is still a bit of book left that just helps to wrap everything up and shows off what happens after the final battle and how the world will continue after everything is said and done.

Rating:

I did have to debate on this a little bit, as this isn't as good as the other books in this series, but at the end of the day I still loved it and felt that this is a perfect ending to this series, though probably my biggest problem with this installment was that it's been so long since I read either of the other books that it felt a little removed from the other ones for me. I'm hoping to do a reread of the entire trilogy by the end of the year.

Graphic Novel Review: Wires and Nerve (Volume 1)

Release Date: January 31, 2017
Author: Marissa Meyer
Illustrator: Douglas Holgate
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Length: 240 pages
Source: Library Book

In her first graphic novel, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestseller Marissa Meyer follows Iko, the beloved android from the Lunar Chronicles, on a dangerous and romantic new adventure -- with a little help from Cinder and the Lunar team.

In her first graphic novel, bestselling author Marissa Meyer extends the world of the Lunar Chronicles with a brand-new, action-packed story about Iko, the android with a heart of (mechanized) gold. When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers' leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the bestselling series.

    

Review:

Protagonist: IKO! Okay, so I would have picked this graphic novel up with the premise of it being a continuation of the Lunar Chronicles alone, but the fact that Iko, a fan favorite and utterly amazing character, is the main protagonist of this story really drove home the selling point, and it does not disappoint. As we know from the main Lunar Chronicles titles, Iko is the adorkable, overly excitable, and fashion forward sidekick of Cinder, but in this story, we get to see a more serious side of her. Seeing the prejudices that Iko, and all androids for that matter, go through is heartbreaking. Iko isn't taken seriously and is treated as a second class citizen simply because she's an android, but at the same time it's not hard to see how these prejudices came into existence. Iko is one of a kind, or at least seems to be, and while we know she has true and real feelings, most people that come across her wouldn't. That still doesn't help the sting I felt whenever someone treated her like a simple machine or overlooked her as one of the "Heroes that Saved Earth." While this story doesn't go too in depth with Iko's struggles it's something that's sort of always there in the background and even bleeds into the romance of this story.

Romance: Since this graphic novel goes by so fast there isn't all that much of a romance to explore, but there are definitely some seeds planted for a romance between Iko and the ever annoying royal guard Kinney. This is a romance that evolves from a place of annoyance on both sides. Kinney believes that Iko has no real feelings due to the fact that she's an android, and because of those outspoken prejudices Iko doesn't like him that much either. Like I said there isn't all that much interaction between Iko and Kinney, but there is a very poignant scene between the two towards the end, and a promise of more interactions in the next (and final?) installment.

World Building: While this is Iko's story as she takes down the rogue lunar wolf soldiers on Earth, there are elements of this graphic novel that act as an extended epilogue of Winter. There were actually quite a few things in Winter, especially toward the end of the book, that I felt didn't get the closure they needed. This story definitely begins that closure for most, if not all, of those things. Like I've said ad nauesam, this story seems very short due to the fact that it's a graphic novel, however, we do get to see the entire crew of the Rampion on this journey, some more than others, and learn about what they've been up to since the end of the main series. There are some great moments that highlight some of these characters' struggles after the takedown of Levana, such as Kai struggling with the public believing that his feelings for Cinder are real, and Thorne's issues with his parents. These struggles aren't fleshed out all that much but it's a nice touch to each of the characters. As for the story of wolf hunting Iko, it's one that's but fun and yet still retains a serious edge to it. While some of the wolves Iko hunts down are doing so mainly on instinct there are some that are far smarter, though still make you want to punch them in the face on how dense they can be, and pose a larger threat to everyone's favorite android.

Predictability: I've been trying to figure out if I should even do a predictability segment given how short this story is, but at the same time there were definitely moments that I was able to predict and others that caught me completely off guard. I would say that in terms of twists, this doesn't have nearly as much as a traditional novel, but there were things that made me gasp and nearly led me into a tirade. There were also key moments in this story that were easy to predict, yet I never felt like they weren't intentionally done that way. Overall, while the lack of content in this story made for a story with far fewer twists than standard size novels, it does have a few surprises in store.

Ending: As is the theme with this review it seems, the story is so short, at least in terms of content and story, that I feel talking too much about the ending would do more harm than good. I will say though that I need more of this story. I'm kind of sad that Meyer has stated that it will only be a duology. Honestly, even if the main story is complete after the next installment, I could almost read these characters forever. If Meyer were to decide to expand this series and come up with new adventures for Iko as well as featuring cameo appearances from the Rampion crew I would devour every single volume.

Illustrations: So, this is my first formal graphic novel review so I figured I should talk about the art in the book, and perhaps how it impacts the story, however, I'm not sure how effective it will be since I'm not sure I can properly articulate my feelings but I'll give it a try anyway. So right off the bat, it's obvious that the illustrations in here aren't super detailed full-color illustrations, but they are very visually appealing. In fact, while I was hoping for something more detailed when this project was first revealed, as I made my way further and further into the story I really enjoyed the cartoony look to the panels. The action in the story was very well represented with fantastic panels featuring our characters kicking ass, or sometimes attempting to. The illustrations add a different level of depth to the story that you wouldn't be able to find in a traditional novel and it lends itself very well to the story that Meyer is telling. Overall, I really did like the whimsical cartoon-esque illustrations, they went very well to the story, the world, and these characters.

Rating:

I loved this book so much that it hurt when it was over and I realized I'll have to wait at least an entire year for the next installment. Iko is a fantastic main character and I can't wait to see what's in store for the conclusion of this duology. P.S. I'm so happy Meyer decided to take the route of continuing the series in a graphic novel format instead of putting out graphic novel adaptations.

Book Review: Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas #1)

Release Date: September 6, 2016
Author: Zoraida Córdova
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Length: 336 pages
Source: eGalley from NetGalley

Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

I fall to my knees. Shattered glass, melted candles and the outline of scorched feathers are all that surround me. Every single person who was in my house – my entire family — is gone.

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange markings on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…

Beautiful Creatures meets Daughter of Smoke and Bone with an infusion of Latin American tradition in this highly original fantasy adventure.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Alex fears her magic. She fears what her magic might mold her into becoming. When her Deathday party arrives, the day she receives a special blessing from her ancestors, she decides to eliminate her magic instead, but instead of losing her magic, her entire family is pulled into Los Lagos, a mysterious land in between, and it's up to Alex and a dark and possibly dangerous brujo named Nova to rescue them. Alex is a very strong character, but she's ruled by her fear. She fears her magic and what it might lead to, but as she journey's through Los Lagos and it's many terrifying and wondrous attractions she needs to learn to accept herself and flip her perspective on her powers and start looking at them as a gift instead of a curse. I felt that Alex's character development and progression was executed very realistically, and combining that with such a dynamic and passionate character it makes for one heck of a journey.

Romance: This is probably going to be the hardest portion of this review to write. I honestly wasn't a huge fan of the romance in this book. The good news is that romance doesn't play a particularly large role in the story, the bad news is that even though it doesn't represent a large portion of the story, I just wish it was developed better. There is a love triangle in this book, now I'm not opposed to love triangles in general, it's all about how they play out, but this one just felt all over the place. At first, it's made pretty clear who one of the love interests is, that would be Nova, but the second love interest isn't even hinted at being a romantic candidate, let alone confirmed as one until nearly three-quarters of the way through the book and without any prior romantic tension or chemistry I just couldn't really care, and then the love triangle just sort of sorts itself out without any real deliberation which just doesn't really work for me. I wish I could have cared more for this romance but for something that's not even a large part of the story it really started to bug me.

World Building: My absolute favorite part about this story is the world building. After the story is done there's an Author's Notes section that goes into detail about some of the things that are actually part of latinx culture and folklore and what is of the author's own creation, and I have to say I'm in awe of just how much of the lore in this tale was created by the author because it just seems to fit in so well with everything else. One of the things I enjoyed the most were the parallels to other famous mythologies such as Greek, Egyptian, and Norse. There were many parts that seemed nearly plucked out of, specifically Greek, mythology and adapted to fit in with the story and this culture. The adventure that Alex and Nova embark on in this story is so richly described, it has all the classic hallmarks of an otherworldly adventure without coming off cliche.  The world of Los Lagos comes alive and it's not hard at all to nearly see what's around these characters at any given point. I'd best equate it to wonderland or the Grecian underworld, there are many sections to it that form a whole and rarely any section is safe for outsiders.

Predictability: Another small problem with this story is how things are foreshadowed. Sometimes the author does a slam dunk job foreshadowing a big event or twist in this story, it either shocks me like it should or I called it yet was still extremely pumped about it. Then there were times that things were so constantly brought up and foreshadowed that it lost all enjoyment when the time finally came for things to happen. Worst of all though there were times when there was very little or no foreshadowing for events and twists that desperately need the reader to feel a build up for or be clued into before they're blindsided and can't recover to truly enjoy what happened. Now I'm happy to say that most of the time the story went off without a hitch and the author definitely caught me off guard in a good way a few times in this story, but some of the subpar foreshadowed moments really took me out of the story, sometimes literally, after one twist I stopped reading for a while until I could get my head on straight.

Ending: I'm trying to articulate my pure wonder and awe at how this story ended, specifically the final climax of the story and the epilogue but I can't quite figure out how to explain how epic everything was. The final climax was not only action packed but really brought the themes of this story and Alex's journey both internally and externally to the forefront as she faced down the thing that stole her family. Then there was the epilogue. Now going into this I had assumed that this series would be more a series of standalone companion novels and while I may be partially right that didn't stop the author from writing in one hell of a cliffhanger. I honestly wasn't expecting what happens to happen and if I wasn't already excited about the next book in this series I would be now!

Rating:

There is so much I love about this story, from the main character to the wondrously strange world she traverses to the mythos and tales told in this novel, there's so much to enjoy. I can't wait for the next book in this series and I'm excited to see where these characters go next.

Book Review: Gilded (Gilded #1)

Release Date: March 1, 2014
Author: Christina Farley
Publisher: Skyscape
Length: 352 pages
Source: eGalley via NetGalley

Sixteen-year-old Jae Hwa Lee is a Korean-American girl with a black belt, a deadly proclivity with steel-tipped arrows, and a chip on her shoulder the size of Korea itself. When her widowed dad uproots her to Seoul from her home in L.A., Jae thinks her biggest challenges will be fitting in to a new school and dealing with her dismissive Korean grandfather. Then she discovers that a Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she's next.

But that’s not Jae’s only problem.

There's also Marc. Irresistible and charming, Marc threatens to break the barriers around Jae's heart. As the two grow closer, Jae must decide if she can trust him. But Marc has a secret of his own—one that could help Jae overturn the curse on her family for good. It turns out that Jae's been wrong about a lot of things: her grandfather is her greatest ally, even the tough girl can fall in love, and Korea might just be the home she's always been looking for.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Jae is a fierce, spirited, girl who wants nothing more than to move back to the US. She doesn't feel as though she fits in in Korea, even though it's where her family is from and her heritage is. Soon though, just as she is maybe starting to like some of the things Korea has to offer, she get entangled in an ancient curse, and now she needs to find a way to break it, or she will be captured by the terrifying demigod Haemosu. Overall, I really liked Jae, she didn't put up with people's crap and she could probably drop kick out if you got in her face. She has a fiery temper that she probably needs to get a better handle on, but as the story continues she begins to find balance within herself.

Romance: I really wanted to care about this romance. I mean, Marc's a good guy, he's a perfectly fine love interest, I just couldn't find myself caring. First off, the romance is a fairly small sub-plot of the books, and more often than not it just felt like it was getting in the way of the larger plot. And, granted while it took some time for things to start with Jae and Marc, once their feelings were revealed, it doesn't take long for things to move really fast. I just don't understand certain authors and their need to rush romances. It feels like as soon as you get them to kiss and acknowledge their feelings for each other, as long as they're not secondary love interests, they can't wait until the next book to have them declaring their love for each other, just please draw it out some.

World-Building: So, I'm not well versed on Korean Mythology and Folk Lore, but after a cursory search of the internet, other than tweaking a few things here and there to serve her story, Farley did a very faithful job in introducing these myths to a new reader. There's a really strong tie in with the spirit world and various mythological creatures that roam around and make Jae's life even more complicated. I really enjoyed the fantasy aspect of this book and how it's weaved into modern day Seoul. The author really does a fantastic job at describing the world and it's inhabitants in rich detail making this story a real immersive experience. With this first story down, I'm interested to see what other myths and legends this author will tackle next.

Predictability: In all honesty, I'm not quite sure how predictable this was. I mean, there were the bigger grand story telling elements that I could see how they would turn out, and here and there I'd call something before it happened, but I don't know. Maybe I just wasn't invested enough to really get into what's coming next and how the story would twist here and there. Also, if I'm being honest there wasn't a lot in this story that I would consider a twist. I mean, nothing really surprised me or even really felt like something that was supposed to.

Ending: Since I knew going into this book that it was the first in a series I was expecting a much more open ended finale. I mean, there's still plenty of story left to tell, but there was far more closure than what I was expecting. That being said though, given how this book was going, the fact that there were many elements that were tied up wasn't too surprising, I just wasn't expecting it going in. Anyway, I really enjoyed the final climax of the book, there was a lot of tension and there were some amazing scenes. The cooldown was rather extended, again I'm assuming adding in everything could to tease the fact that this is indeed the first book of a series. We get a vague idea of where the book is heading before ending on a rather plateaued ending that doesn't really have me chomping at the bit for the next book.

Rating:

Wow, I really thought I was going to give this book 4+ stars, but in all honesty, while there were many elements of this book I found enjoyable, the world building, the mythology, the protagonist, between the half-assed romance, my lack of desire in picking up the next book ASAP, and the fact that I couldn't get super into this book, dragged the rating down.

Book Review: The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3)

Release Date: April 15, 2014
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Length: 393 pages
Source: eGalley via NetGalley

Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Allie believes she's just lost the love of her life to a crazy sadistic vampire hell bent on unleashing an incurable virus upon the world. In her grief she struggles with the monster inside her, the demon that wants to feed and see the world burn. While I love Allie and was really interested to see how she would handle Zeke's death and to see her struggle with her darker side. The thing is, while there was some struggle it doesn't last all that long. While the struggle will always be there, I felt like things were resolved rather quickly and without too much of a struggle. That being said though Allie still has some great character development in this book. There are still a lot of things both internally and externally that Allie needs to sort through before taking on Sarren and hopefully saving the world.

Romance: So... it's not a spoiler that Zeke's alive right? It's been a while since I read the Eternity cure but I don't remember believing for a second that he was dead, especially with how the book ended, and the recap I read seemed to coincide with what I remember, but the synopsis is playing it off like he's dead, so if I did spoil you I'm sorry. Anyway, Zeke and Allie encounter a few problems in their romance over the course of this book. Things have changed, Zeke's been tortured and he's come out the other side a bit different than he used to be. He's guarded and quiet, not sure what to make of his new reality and that puts a strain on his relationship with Allie. Even though it's been quite a while since I read the previous installments in this series, I still root for Zeke and Allie. While a lot of their struggles aren't realistic, vampires being fictional and all, there are still a lot of themes that are relateable to those like myself who have been in long term relationships.

World-Building: Surprisingly while our heroes have been through a lot, there is still so much more to go through before their journey can come to a close. What I love about this world is that while it does contain vampires and that sort of lore is explored, it comes second to the post-apocalyptic and dystopian theme to this story. There's a big vampiric storyline that I don't want to get into because of spoilers but it really sets the tone for the story as our heroes work towards getting to Eden to stop Sarren. The biggest thing though is that finally after nearly three books we finally get to see Eden, and well, don't get your hopes up. I won't say much more than that, but we do learn a bit more about how it works and about what the scientists inside have been working on in terms of a cure to Rabidism. There's so much that I want to say here so many great things we see that expand this world even more, but it's hard because there's a lot that goes on that's tied up in spoilers and I want to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Predictability: As I've said before it's been a while since I last perused this world, but a few things stuck with me a few things that I'd predicted way back then during The Eternity Cure, and I have to say I was not disappointed. There's a rather huge twist that I'd rather not spoil but I'm just going to say that I called it. Other than that rather large twist there were a few other things that I was able to predict before they happened. I couldn't always predict the exact circumstances, and under what conditions things happened, but it wasn't too hard to figure some of the big stuff out. However, there was a twist or two that really stumped me, certain things with just enough foreshadowing not to tip me off beforehand, but that upon reflection really make sense.

Ending: Recently I've been doing a lot of reflection on endings, specifically those that are meant to tie up a story whether it's in a standalone or the last chapter of a series, what I've found I hate most of all is an ending that it's completely idealistic. To come to the end of a series or story with no consequences and everyone getting off scot-free is just boring and unrealistic. Thankfully that's not the case here. That's not to say that these characters defintiely didn't get a HEA, but more to say that it wasn't without a shred of pain on the side of the good guys. I'm sad to see this series go, but I love how the author ended things, and I truly feel that there really isn't anything more that needs to be tied up in this world.

Rating:

So sure, there were a few things I would have liked to see happen differently with a bit more struggle between the light and dark sides of Allie being chief among them. However I really loved how this book went, how it finished off this series, and how this series in general has touched my heart. *queue sappy violin music*

Book Review: Chasing Impossible (Pushing the Limits #5)

Release Date: July 1, 2016
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Length: 298 pages
Source: Nowhere But Here Pre-Order Bonus

Tough and independent, 17-year-old Abby lets very few people into her inner circle. It’s common knowledge in her Kentucky town that she deals drugs, but not even her closest friends know why. But when a deal goes south and Abby’s suddenly in danger, she finds herself reluctantly forced to lean on daredevil Logan—a boy whose restless spirit matches her own.

Logan has his own reasons for wanting to keep Abby at arms’ length. But he never expected to find in her the one person who might help him face the demons he’s tried so hard to run from.

Together, Abby and Logan will have to make a decision: let their current circumstances weigh them down forever…or fight for the future they both thought was impossible.

    

Review:

Protagonists: Abby sells drugs, it's the way things have to be and she can see no way out. There are reasons she does what she does, and until recently she's been very closed off, only allowing one friend, and even then the relationship has been strained. Now her attempt at a normal life has interfered with her darker side and those she's come to care about are in danger by being near her. Logan is a daredevil who won't back down from a challenge, but he has something to hide, something he's kept secret from even his best friends, something that may just kill him. Together they navigate their lives as well as Abby's difficult situation. I love these characters. I've loved these characters since we first met them. They're the type of broken that make you want to hug and hold them tight and to tell them that everything's going to be okay. I love that they had great development, both separately as well as together. Every character that McGarry writes has so many layers, secrets they keep from the world, from themselves, and they are characters that you just grow to love if you don't already love them right away.

Romance: This is something that hasn't been done in a McGarry book yet. We have two characters that we already know, normally at most we know one character from previous books, not this time though. The chemistry between Abby and Logan is electric, it begins with flirtation, nothing they take seriously because neither of them "do feelings," however when you play with fire you're going to get burned, and this romance was smoking hot. Besides the crazy chemistry physically they also have a deep emotional connection. I've said this before, but Katie McGarry can write some of the best romances I've ever read. Everything just fits so perfectly, even if it doesn't look like it will from the start. I loved this romance and loved these characters together. At first I thought Abby and Ethan might be a thing but after reading this I can't see Abby with anyone else but Logan.

World-Building: The hook for this book is learning about Abby's past and present. There's a lot in the third and fourth PTL books that have remained mysterious surrounding Abby and in this book the walls come down and the mystery is revealed. We learn why Abby sells drugs, and why she can't easily stop. We learn why she keeps her walls up, and where she comes from. Going into this book I knew that while future PTL books aren't ruled out, that this would be the last one for a while and it really felt like a finale. There are so many characters we see again, and really see how large this group has grown since the beginning. These books are extremely character driven and since it's a contemporary there's not too much world building in the sense of being introduced to a new world. This world is ever expanding however, and seeing all these stories, these friendships and romances that have survived for so long is just spectacular.

Predictability: On the whole this book wasn't all that predictable. As always McGarry plays the foreshadowing game well. She gives enough of a hint at what's to come so that nothing will blindside you or feel forced, but still keep quite a few surprises up her sleeves. There are some great twists in this book, things I didn't see coming and things that I had only toyed with being true. Even the stuff I could predict was fine by me because it felt orchestrated that way, as if you were supposed to know all along.

Ending: One of my favorite things McGarry does is make sure the ending is realistic and not too idealistic. An ending with happy joy and rainbows and no consequences can really kill a good story. Don't get me wrong I love a happy ending, I just don't like when it comes too easily or without a cost. I won't say if this book ends happily, but if you've read a Katie McGarry book before you won't be disappointed. As I said, this felt like a final book to this companion novel series, everything wraps up nice and neatly, and while I could live in this world for years on end just watching these characters interact, I'm satisfied with how everything ended and don't feel a deep ache for more.

Rating:

Oh My God! I loved this book so much, I can't even properly put into words how much. This is most definitely both my favorite Katie McGarry book (Sorry Dare You To) and so far my favorite book I read this year. Seriously I'm so bummed that I can't get a physical hardcover of this book to put with the rest of the series because to me this book is an essential read for any Katie McGarry fan. P.S. if Katie does write more PTL books seriously all I need is for Ethan to find his HEA, and as long as she doesn't introduce any more super compelling characters I'd be good with her putting this world to bed on the full length novel front at least.

Book Review: Captive (The Blackcoat Rebellion #2)

Release Date: November 25, 2014
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Length: 299 pages
Source: eGalley from NetGalley

For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?

    

Review:

Protagonist: Kitty Doe has taken it upon herself to keep posing as Lila Hart and to support the Blackcoat Rebellion against a tyrannical meritocracy and it's corrupt leader. Things are beginning to change though, Knox won't let her in on his plans and she discovers that there's more to who she is than she thinks. However it's not long before she's accused of treason and shipped off to Elsewhere, where there is no escape. Kitty's characterization in this book and her development come from a place of pain and depression, for a variety of reasons, she's lost all hope and it takes a while and a few new faces to get her back on her feet and give her a reason to survive and thrive again. I really loved Kitty in this book again, she's such a strong character, she has a vulnerable side which she's not afraid to show, and at the end of the day she'll do whatever she feels is right, for better or worse.

Romance: Before I delved into this new adventure I read my review of the first installment to get a good idea at where my head was at after reading the first book. Now, in my review it said that I liked the romance between Kitty and Benjey, I'm sure I wasn't lying, but after waiting so long, when I came back I just didn't care. I couldn't root for them and I never felt any real chemistry between them. Luckily the romance is only a small part of the story and while it is in some ways a driving force, especially in this installment, it's dwarfed in comparison to the political intrigue and the world building. I wanted to like these two together, partly because I know I had at one point and also because it would make the reading experience easier, I really tried, but in the end I just couldn't care less.

World-Building: The big hook of this book is discovering what Elsewhere truly is, and even in the part we saw of it in the first book was just a small part of the whole. Elsewhere is just this whole other place and added cancerous tumor of corruption to this world. It functions in a lot of ways like a jail mixed with a summer camp, except the inmates... I mean citizens of Elsewhere are treated even less like human beings than those in prison. I'm not going to say too much more since I don't want to spoil it, but Elsewhere wasn't quite what I expected. Then there's all the interpersonal and just plain personal stuff. We learn so much more about this world, about these characters in this book that I just couldn't believe it half the time. There are deeper mysteries to be discovered on Kitty's journey as a Captive.

Predictability:Let's talk secrets and twists and the like. There actually aren't all that many in this book. Well, not that many huge and impactful ones. There were a few twists that I easily saw coming, some of the larger ones, and there were twists that I should have seen coming, there was plenty of foreshadowing for it, but didn't. I never really felt like I was being hit over the head with anything though, I never had that feeling of, "Yes, I get it *insert spoiler here* get on with the story already"

Ending: Dear God there's a lot that goes down in this ending. There aren't too many huge twists in this book, there are things that I didn't expect to happen and things that had me jumping for joy, but pretty much all the huge twists are out of the way before the final climax. As the story winds down there's one other trump card up the author's sleeve, something there's no foreshadowing for, and something that confused me to all hell ending in a pretty large cliffhanger.

Rating:

I want to give this book 5 stars, I really do, me not caring about the Kitty/Benjey romance isn't really even a huge problem, but I don't feel like it's fair to give this book 5 stars when there was a plot element that pretty much bores me to death.

Book Review: Bloodmoon (Bloodmark Saga #3)

Release Date: March 21, 2016
Author: Aurora Whittet
Publisher: Wise Ink
Length: 400 pages
Source: Review Copy from Author

Just months shy of her claiming at Carrowmore and fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy, werewolf Ashling Boru has stepped into her role as the Crimson Queen. She finally has the support of her pack and her love for Grey is stronger than ever.

But it's not easy being queen. Ashling's guardian, Baran, has been captured by the Dvergars, a family of evil wolves who will stop at nothing to possess Ashling's power and destroy everything--and everyone--she loves. Ashling must unite the clans and build an army to stand against the Dvergars before it's too late. Unfortunately, the Dvergars also have armies of the darkest creatures the world has ever known.

Shadows loom, growing ever larger as generations of pack secrets begin to unfold. Ashling's people, the humans they protect, and Old Mother Earth herself all hang in the balance of Ashling's choices. Will Ashling have to forsake her true love to save the world? And will she have the strength to do it?

Bloodmoon is the thrilling conclusion to the Bloodmark Saga.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Ashling Boru has come a long way since the beginning of the Bloodmark Saga. She's encountered many perilous journeys, suffered grave hardships, and found true love. In this book she isn't taking anything from anybody. She's not afraid to speak her mind and let people know when they're being stupid. Most of the time I really loved Ashling, the only times she ever got on my nerves I'll get to in a bit, but she's a strong character not afraid to do what needs to be done to protect her pack and those she loves, and if she can find a way to save everyone, she will.

Romance: So, the romance in this book annoyed me to no end. It's not like I don't root for Ashling and Grey to end up together, I really do, but they could be really exhausting in this book. First off there's the constant reassurances that they love each other and how they'll be there for each other. There were actually quite a few things in this book that felt constantly repeated, but their constant grandiose declarations of love were by far the worst. Then there's how sexual their relationship has become since consummating their relationship. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a heat in a YA romance, however when that heat sort of plays jump-rope with the boundaries between YA and Adult books that's when I get a bit uncomfortable. Not only that but it felt like Ashling and Grey couldn't control themselves around each other making their love seem more like lust most of the time.

World-Building: After I finished Bloodrealms I assumed there was at least two more books in this series left to go. However when it came out that this book would be the last in the series, I din't quite know how the author would finish the series in a way that didn't feel like she stitched two book plots together, but that's what she did. This book is all about the preparation for Ashling's eighteenth birthday, where she'll be claimed at Carrowmore and truly become the Crimson Queen. In this book we learn even more about the prophecy that foretells Ashling uniting the packs of the world and the events that will transpire at Carrowmore. There was so much to this book that I loved, new characters, old characters that haven't gotten the time to shine coming back to play a larger role, and of course seeing how Ashling's pack continues to grow!

Predictability: So, part of me feels like I really should have reread the first two books before starting this final installment. Honestly I forgot so many things between books that I don't know what was truly unexpected and unpredictable and what I would have known had I had a bit of a refresher or recap of the series before going into this book. That being said I do know that there are quite a few shocking moments, things I never saw coming and things that while I felt they were pointless, surprisingly made sense. There's also some stuff that I read into too much and I was expecting some things to happen that just didn't. Overall, I never felt like I knew what was going to happen but making your way through that unknown darkness is half the fun.

Ending: So when I talk about this I'm not only talking about the end of this book but the end of the series in whole and I say the author did a great job wrapping everything up, however I would have liked an epilogue, something to sort of catch up with some of the stuff that went down in other parts of the book. The final climax was amazing, it wasn't filled with a big battle, but there was an amazing confrontation that just matched perfectly with the tone and message of this series. As I said everything wraps up really well, I was just hoping for something more in the end.

Rating:

For the most part I loved this book, aside from a few things here and there, some of which were entirely based on my own opinion, It is a great conclusion to this series and I'm excited to see what this author comes up with next!

Book Review: Ruined (Ruined #1)

Release Date: May 3, 2016
Author: Amy Tintera
Publisher: HarperTeen
Length: 368 pages
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

    

Review:

Protagonists: When Em's parents are killed and her sister is taken all she wants is revenge and to get her sister back. She's puts into action a plan that involves killing and taking the identity of a princess set to marry the son of the man who orchestrated her parents' deaths, finding out where her sister is being held, and then burning everything to the ground. Cas doesn't want to marry a princess he doesn't know, but his parents arranged it and to keep the peace between the two kingdoms and to cement Lera's hold on the Vallos throne, he has to. Honestly I wasn't quite sure what to expect of these characters going in except that Em's a bit of a bad ass who kills a princess in the first five pages, but then, she does have a softer side that comes out eventually. Cas however isn't exactly like other fantasy princes. Most fantasy princes I've read about have harsh and abusive fathers, so when it comes to opposing their father's laws and policies it's not that hard, but Cas's father, while having certain prejudices against the Ruined, isn't an obviously cruel person, so Cas has a harder time thinking for himself. I really enjoyed both these characters both together and on their own as they figure out the world they live in.

Romance: Let me ease your minds. First there is no love triangle. So far there is only a romance between Em and Cas and I hope it stays that way. Second, there is no insta-love. While the romance may or may not move faster than I had anticipated, I was actually delighted to see that it wasn't smooth sailing for very long. I really loved the romance between Cas and Em, even while Em is masquerading as Princess Mary, she doesn't pretend to know Mary's life so when she talks with Cas about her life, she doesn't lie, at least not when she doesn't have to. The romance is a bit slow burning moving from apathy, to friendship, and then finally to romance.

World-Building: So I have to say that while the political intrigue in this series is amazing, each country having some sort of stake in the power struggle, learning a lot about each of these countries, there isn't all that much we learn about the Ruined magic. Of course, I understand why that is, Em doesn't have any magic, and since the only other semi-important character that does have it is incognito there isn't all that much time to learn about it. However I would have liked a bit more about what the powers can do at the very least, we some a bit, but does everyone have the same powers, do some people have wildly different powers, are they all some form of telekinesis? I know we'll undoubtedly learn more about the Ruined power in upcoming books, it's just that it would have been nice to have a bit more of a grasp on it during this installment.

Predictability: So.... This book didn't quite go the way I was expecting. While I did catch on to rather a few little twists here and there, for the most part I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen next and I believe most of that is due to the fact that this book isn't paced quite the way I had expected. Going into this book I knew that it was a planned trilogy, and while I can definitely see how there's enough for three whole books now, there were times when I thought that this story more felt like the first half of a duology rather than the first installment in a trilogy. However, as the more or less second half of this book started there were a lot of things I didn't see coming and while it did take a little while I could easily see how the author could stretch this story out for two more books.

Ending: As the ending got closer and closer I was waiting for a final climax that just didn't seem to come. Sure there were quite a few intense moments as we got towards the end of the book, but things were still building. Then the final chapter came and all hell broke loose. I have to say the final chapter of this book has so much in it, so much that is revealed, so much that happens, that it's hard to put into words my feelings about it. Let's just say that after I finished the book the only words that came to mind were "Holy mother of God!"

Rating:

The ONLY thing keeping me from giving this book five stars is that I really wanted to know more about the Ruined powers and while I still totally understand why we didn't, not knowing some key facts about them just made this book the tiniest bit harder to fully comprehend.