Review: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

 

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Author: Laini Taylor

Pages: 513 pages

Release Date: November 6th, 2012

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Recieved From: my public library

Status: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (#2)

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

 

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

 

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Review

 

This awesome Doctor Who gif can describe my emotions for me before, during and after I finished this book:

 

 

Days of Blood & Starlight brought out a lot of my fangirl feels, something I haven't experienced since reading The Prophecy by Erin Alberts. This book was freaking amazing guys, my emotions were a wreck after this book and left me with such a big book hangover the next day!

 

The plot of this book again was beautifully written, and unlike the first book, I didn't feel bored at ANY point in the novel. I just had to keep reading to see what would happen next! I think the reason why is because we didn't go between past and present too much in this book, but we were switching POV a lot. We learned a lot of backstory and a lot about both the seraphim and chimera worlds, which was nice. And I like how Zuzanna and Mik fit into this story well without seeming too awkward.

 

Karou in this novel...ugh. She was not on point in this one. She was very angsty, very afraid, very confused- I felt like she took being betrayed and breaking up with Akiva to a whole new level with helping Thiago, even though throughout the WHOLE book, she knew something was up! Ugh.

 

 

She was just not my favourite in this book. I get that Akiva destroyed her whole race and the creature that raised her for 17 human years like a father. I get that's something nobody can forgive, but teaming up with your ex-fiance that murdered you is not the answer, especially when he has someone watching you 24/7 for the majority of the time. Karou was lost throughout the whole entire book, and even when her friends were there with her, I felt like she still didn't know who she was. She is not the person you remember in the first book, but she does come back to life when Issa comes back and she's around Ziri, so that made me feel better. But her whole overall character did not make me like her in this book- she was so focused trying to become someone she isn't anymore.

 

While Karou was brooding and trying to piece together her life, Akiva was out saving what was left of her kind. I found that very redeeming about his character, and that made me love him even more. I also loved that we got to see more of his position as the Beast's Bane and his interaction with his world- especially with his siblings. Hazael is probably my favourite out of the three siblings, and was really upset with what happened to him near the end. In Daughter of Smoke & Bone, I wasn't a fan of Liraz because I felt she was too cold hearted and such, but in this book, you see a lot more character development from her.

 

What really won me over with her character was her love for her brothers, especially when she learns that Karou is alive. She, along with Hazael, have their heads on straight. There was a part in the book where she talks about how Akiva pretty much gives everything to Karou- his love, his devotion- but all she does is return him back broken. When I read that I was seriously like:

 

 

Like because someone finally got it!

 

I really liked Zuzanna and Mik in this book- they were pretty awesome, and as cute as ever! Ziri's introduction was really nice, and I think he was a good character to add. I was so enthralled when I read about his past and connection to Madrigal. His whole crush and new position at the end of the novel is going to be soooo interesting in the next book, I am seriously pumped for it!

 

This book was an amazing book, but Karou was not on point. However, I seriously cannot WAIT for Dreams of Gods & Monsters. Did you guys see the synopsis yet?! It is so good, like I'm already getting feels! I really hope I can get an ARC!

 

 

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

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ARC Review: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

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Author: Robin Constantine

Pages: 371 pages

Release Date: December 31st, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Recieved From: HarperCollins Canada

Status: Standalone

 

Synopsis (from the back cover):

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet good girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

 

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a term paper pimp. Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

 

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

 

 

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Review

 

First and foremost, thank you HarperCollins Canada for the ARC! I really appreciate it! This book was a total whirlwind! I had such a fun time reading it!

 

I love Wren and her friends, Maddie and Jazz, and her family dynamic. She has a good relationship with all of them, and she is everything a teenager is: she is quiet, she is average, she watches corny movies, she has drama, she has school stress, she has older siblings that treat her like a baby, and of course, is underestimated throughout the book. What I love the most about her was just that relatable/familiarity with her character- I'm sixteen, and although I haven't had as much experience with life like she has in the book, she is still me (I so totally related to her when she was talking about kilt problems). She is as awkward like every teenager, and she brings the down-to-earth feel to the book.

 

While I love Wren, I love Grayson too. But there were times when I was just irked by him. Grayson is a bad boy trying to convert his ways, and although there is a three month gap between him getting kicked out of St. Gabe's and transfering to a public school, he doesn't start changing till he meets Wren. He brings out most of the teen angst in the story. One thing I totally loved about him was his determination as a character: to become a better son, a better person, and a better guy for Wren. He has this alter-ego as well that was very annoying for me to read about, but I was very happy when he was able to put him away for good. But don't worry, his alter-ego spices up the novel ;)

 

The plot on the other hand was very interesting to read. For me, it was a contemporary, but then halfway I felt like it switched genres and went into an adventure/crime novel when Grayson's past starts to catch up with him. Luke, one of Grayson's friends, felt too evil for me, and I felt like his role in the story and his character in the end were not consistent and developed properly. The whole "Operation Amsterdam" thing felt too dark and heavy for a book about falling in love (and such a cute cover), but it did fill in the holes for me with some of Grayson's character development. I felt like the love story (on Grayson's part) was totally rushed- like who goes froma playboy to a devoted boyfriend in a span of a month? That and the whole "Operation Amsterdam" thing just didn't feel realistic and genuine like what Wren brought to the story. But then again, Wren is a genuine character.

 

Although I felt like at times things were too rushed/uneeded, it ALL worked together. I'm not kidding. I had some problems with the plot and characters, but it seriously worked! I finished the whole book within a day, guys. THAT'S how awesome and totally unique it is- you seriously won't see stuff like Operation Amsterdam, alter-egos, falling in love, (good) tv/movie references, actual high school experiences, and swearing together in a book and working beautiully.

 

I loved so many things about this book: it's down-to-earth feel, it's relatable characters, it's unique story line, and it's ability to keep you focused throughout the story. It's a contemporary book about self discovery and love with a definite edge!

 

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Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

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I seriously recommend this book! It'll be released on December 31st, 2013! Preorder it now here on Amazon.ca!

Review: The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

 

Author: Page Morgan
Pages: 352 pages
Release Date: May 14th, 2013
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Recieved From: My public library
Edition: Hardcover (AND I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO READ IT TOO! :D)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson has gone missing.

No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

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The Beautiful and the Cursed was a mix of everything that I loved: kick-ass characters, an amazing plot, an awesome mystery, an impossible quest, and of course, the division of worlds.

 

This book jumps right into the story: immediately, you learn about Grayson's disappearence, meet the characters, and then the plot starts to unfold. I seriously couldn't put this book down after the first couple chapters- it was that good!

 

What I liked the most about the story was the characters- they're all special in their own way. I especially loved the bromance between Nolan and Vander. That was beautiful- I loved there banter.

Ingrid Waverly is calm, cool and collected- which is why her younger sister Gabby, nicknames her the "Iron Shield". She's in control and in command...and is trying to forget her former best friend's disasterous engagement party which involved her and a fire. Her younger sister Gabby? The complete opposite- she's a total spit-fire.

 

I loved the sense of family in this book between Ingrid and her siblings, and make it easier to connect with. I found it hard getting used to the gargoyle characters because I've never read anything like it before! But it does get easier to read :)

 

The Beautiful and the Cursed is a truly unique story that is a perfect book for the Christmas season!

 

4 out of 5 stars!



Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

 

 

 

Author: Ally Carter
Pages: 287 pages
Release Date: February 9th, 2010
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Recieved From: Chapters
Edition: Paperback

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

 

I loved this book. I love this book. This was such a fun book to read! I loved the characters, the plot, the world...it was amazing. I could spend my whole review writing about how amazing it was just using the word amazing over and over and over again. But I won't.

 

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Katarina Bishop is an interesting character: she grew up in a man's world and has never really acknowledged her 'feminism', unlike her cousin Gabrielle. I enjoy Ally Carter's writing style, and just like with the Gallagher Girl series, she was able to pull me in within just a couple of pages. Kat lives an interesting lifestyle: she is a thief. Or better yet, was. It was interesting to see her get back into the dynamics of her family life after her former best friend and partner-in-crime, W.W Hale the V, frames her for a crime to bring her back home.

Katarina is a smart and witty character, who, despite her lifestyle is style a normal teenage girl. She can face criminals with dirty histories, she can con people from their stuff, and she can steal from the most secure places in the world...yet she still can't talk to guys or feel 100% comfortable in a dress.

With her very down-to-earth personality and unconventional lifestyle, Kat, her friends and family made Heist Society an amazing novel!

3 out of 5 stars!



Review: Endless by Amanda Grey

 

Author: Amanda Gray
Pages: 384 pages
Release Date: October 8th, 2013
Publisher: Month9Books
Recieved From: NetGalley
Edition: Ebook

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Jenny Kramer knows she isn't normal. After all, not everybody can see the past lives of people around them.

When she befriends Ben Daulton, resident new boy, the pair stumble on an old music box with instructions for “mesmerization” and discover they may have more in common than they thought. Like a past life.

Using the instructions in the music box, Ben and Jenny share a dream that transports them to Romanov Russia and leads them to believe they have been there together before. But they weren't alone. Nikolai, the mysterious young man Jenny has been seeing in her own dreams was there, too. When Nikolai appears next door, Jenny is forced to acknowledge that he has travelled through time and space to find her. Doing so means he has defied the laws of time, and the Order, an ominous organization tasked with keeping people in the correct time, is determined to send him back.

While Ben, Jenny and Nikolai race against the clock - and the Order - Jenny and Nikolai discover a link that joins them in life - and beyond death.

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There are only three ways to describe this book: fast-paced, action packed, and beautifully written.

 

Endless is about a girl named Jenny who leads a normal life- except for the fact she can see a person's memories. She hides it from the world, until she and her friend, Tiffany, take part in a seance and she learns that knowning other people's memories are the least of her worries. She starts to have dreams about a man, and slowly, he isn't a dream any longer... Thankfully, Jenny has her friend Tiffany, and Ben, the son of her father's newest client to help her figure everything out.

 

I chose to read Endless because I am a HUGE history freak, and Time-Travel and the whole notion of reincarnation have always been intersting for me (it's why I love Doctor Who so much, and why Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn is one of my all-time favourite books).

 

I loved how Amanda wove the story of Jenny, Nikolai and Ben together from both the present and the past- it worked beautifully, and kept the plot interesting. I loved how there was so much going on with the characters, but I just didn't like how we didn't get much world-building.

 

We got to see a lot of pre-revolutionary Russia (since the three main characters ARE from that time), but we didn't get a chance to really know the Order, Jenny's mom (I'm pretty sure we never learn her name), and Time-travelling. Yes, we got a lot of information about all of that from Nikolai, Jenny's mom's friend and such, but I felt like half the time, it was just there. Yes, it made the story good; yes, it made the characters have a connection. But the majority of the time, I felt like it wasn't brought up enough times nor was it developed the way I wanted it to be. I felt like it was just overshadowed by the romance half the time (not that it's a bad thing or anything).

 

Regardless, the book was amazing! I enjoyed it alot! The BIG problem I had? THE LOOSE ENDS! The story ends with a good resolution, but there is SO MUCH MORE story to be told! After I finished I was really happy, but then got really sad since I couldn't find a sequel anywhere!

 

I want to know more! I want to read more!

 

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars!

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The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr: Review

Author: Sara Zarr

Pages: 309

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Publisher: Little Brown

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.

That was all before she turned fourteen.

Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. It's about finding joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.

This was a good book about a child prodigy who (unintentionally) gives up her life after the death of her grandmother which strains her family's relationship, and leaves her wondering who she really is. Lucy knows that the piano was once her safe haven, but realizes that at some point, the magic disappeared. With the help of Will, she reconnects with that passion for playing, but is his help really any different from her grandfather's strict ways?

It was sweet and held all the things that a YA contemporary has: relationships, friendships, and self-discovery, and to me it stands out. I think it probably has to do with the fact that Lucy is a piano player and her grandfather is so passionate about music, because I play the piano (although no where near her level or skill) and my dad is very passionate about music as well. If I had the same easy-going, obedient kid thing going for me when I was younger, my dad would've probably pushed me like Lucy's grandfather pushed her- but my dad's too nice for that  (thankfully :D).

I found it interesting that Lucy hung out with a very older crowd for the majority of ther book. Like I get that she grew up half her life socializing adults, but I found it weird that her and Will were texting- oh yeah, and despite what the synopsis says/will lead you to think, Will is 30! (or somewhere around that age).

I liked Lucy as a narrator, but I just didn't find the other supporting characters interesting, with the exception of her French father calling her "Poulette" and Martin. Normally, this would bother me more, but this story IS called the Lucy Variations, and does a good job telling Lucy's story to self discovery. I especially love the Love Playlist at the end of the novel. Whoever thought that Usher would make it alongside of great composers/musicians of classical music?

3 out of 4 stars! :D

The Prophecy by Erin Alberts: Review

Author: Erin Albert

Pages: 250

Release Date: November 15th 2013

Publisher: MuseitUp Publishing

Synopsis:

Growing up on a small farm in the kingdom of Vanguard, seventeen-year-old Layla Givens lives a deceptively tranquil existence. But her carefully constructed life quickly falls apart when she’s abducted by a religious zealot who proclaims her The Fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy and whisks her away to marry her greatest enemy.

Wilhelm, Prince of the Ethereals, is reluctant to meet his new bride. He's grown up believing Vanguards are evil, an enemy to fight and fear...not love. Can he set aside his prejudices and work alongside Layla to bring lasting peace after centuries of war?

Nash, a loner who has never fit in, carries a huge secret, one big enough to destroy both kingdoms. When he accidently meets Layla, he’s no longer content to live in the shadows, but he must resist his growing attraction—for her safety and for the longevity of the two kingdoms.

When Nash's secret is revealed, a firestorm sweeps through both realms, with Layla at the center. Now she must choose between duty and desire while the fate of two nations hangs in the balance.

Traditions, mystical powers, and an ancient feud between two warring kingdoms and their 'neutral' counterparts, everything about The Prophecy by Erin Albert is AMAZING! This is honestly one of the best debuts that I've been fortunate to read this year!

The story starts off with Layla Givens, a seemingly normal 17 year old Vanguard girl- except she has black hair and purple eyes, the description of the Fulfilment, the chosen one from the First Ones. Her life seems completely normal...until she is taken away by an Ecclesiastic. Soon, Layla finds herself swept into an age old feud between her people, the Vanguards, and the enemy the Ethereals. People will die, Kingdoms will fall, allegiances and hearts will be broken, and secrets will be revealed all in the name of 'peace'. But what is peace if lives will be ruined?

I totally loved this book, and I am not given out any spoilers! Nope, none from me!

This book had brought out many emotions from me. From Layla to Nash to Wil and to Vespa- all of the characters were wonderful. While I didn't get much 'descriptive fillers' as I call it in the book, you got that sense of magic and mystery from the characters. The plot and the whole overall story right to it's very Moffat-like ending was perfectly planned and executed- you will not put this story down. Seriously. I was reading this on my phone right in front of my French teacher. The beginning just excites you and pulls you in, and the ending...OH THE ENDING!...yes, it will leave you with a whirlwind of emotions- and eagerly waiting for the next book.

This book is going to have to be on my 'Best of 2013' post in December. Seriously guys, go get it! This book is like Reign, just 100 times more action filled and swoony-er!

4 out of 5 stars to The Prophecy!

Thank you so much Erin for giving me an ARC of the e-book! You blew me away!

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Expert:

“Everything must be taken down.”  A rotund man, with beady black eyes, surveyed the town, disdain in his expression.  While he did not appear distinguishable from the other black and purple clad men, he spoke with authority. “The First Ones and their great Prophecy must be honored properly.” He sniffed, his actions indicating the very existence of Medlin and its occupants offended him.

 

Layla wondered what this man considered a “proper honoring” of the First Ones.  The First Ones…they’d been dead for centuries, and, as far as Layla could tell, hadn’t done much in life except start a never-ending war.  She knew nothing more about them except that she was to thank them for good things, curse them for bad, and celebrate them on this day.

 

“That’s Elder Werrick, head of the Ecclesiastics,” whispered Samson, glancing back at Grant.  Layla noticed the look that passed between them.

 

Grant nodded his assent. “Get her out of here, brother.”

 

Samson tried to steer Layla away, but she held her position to get a closer look at the man whom her family so feared. She knew they had good reason to worry—her black hair and purple eyes marked her as a Fulfillment candidate, one with the potential to bring about the long awaited peace. But she couldn’t quite bring herself to believe Elder Werrick would notice her on the crowded streets, especially with her eye drops and hood. Could he really be responsible for dragging candidates from their homes, forcing them to undergo strenuous, sometimes gruesome, testing for the sake of the Prophecy?  To Layla, he looked like nothing more than a short, fat, unhappy man.  The very notion that he could strike such fear into the hearts of her people seemed almost laughable…almost. As his gaze swept over the crowd, she glimpsed a sinister undertone that made her shiver.

 

Waving his pudgy arms at the awaiting townspeople, Werrick commanded, “Take it down.”  

Suddenly, his body stilled and his tiny eyes grew wide.  They briefly connected with Layla’s, narrowing with calculation.  The Elder turned to his nearest black clad companion.  

 

“Do you feel that?” Layla heard Werrick ask.  

 

The other man looked skeptical.  “Feel what, Elder?”

 

Werrick leaned in as the two whispered, stealing furtive glances in her direction.  When the Elder’s companion pointed at Layla, Samson grabbed her arm. She heard his breathing change from rhythmic to jagged as he pulled her away from the men.

 

“We have to go now.” His urgency spurred her into action.

 

Grant moved to block them from the Elder’s view.  “Get her away from here, Samson.”

 

The Elder looked up to see everyone staring at him as if frozen. He repeated his demand, “I said take everything down.”

 

The townspeople, joined by the Elder’s minion, scampered to remove their decorations, anxious to “properly” celebrate the First Ones.  Their flurry of activity concealed Layla as Samson and Grant escorted her away.  Layla scanned the streets, horrified, as the people of Medlin stripped the town’s center barren.  In no time, everything appeared as it always had, devoid of any celebratory adornments.  She looked up at the sky with its gray clouds lingering overhead.  A bad omen…

 

On the hill, a safe distance away, Layla watched a group of Ecclesiastics erect a monstrous stage where the donkey races should have occurred.  She heard the braying of the angry animals, harnessed and corralled on the orders of the Elder to avoid interfering with the “true” Day of Dawning celebration. Her ire rose.  Who did they think they were coming in and changing everything?  

 

An icy, phantom finger traced a frigid line down her spine.  After hearing warning after warning from the Mantars her whole life, Layla knew exactly what the Ecclesiastics could do, what they had done to others in the past.  Maybe Samson and Grant had been right.  Maybe she should never have come, especially today.  Layla turned her back on the town, resolved to go home, to safety.  

 

“Layla!” Samson’s alarmed tone sliced into her, and she swung around toward him.  

 

To her horror, two Vanguard soldiers forced Samson to the ground.  She knew just how much strength he possessed, yet he couldn’t free himself. Her hands balled up into fists, shaking with their desire to unleash the full force of their fury.

 

“Run!” Samson screamed before a soldier’s fist smashed into his face.  

 

His body stilled.  Panic, coupled with indecision, crippled her.  She should run like Samson commanded, but she couldn’t leave him lying there.  To her relief, Grant ambled toward them, his eyes full of rage.  

 

“Run!” Grant echoed Samson’s warning.

 

With a final glance at the two boys who’d been as close to her as brothers, Layla fled.  She flew down the hill, swinging her head from side to side in alarm.  Ecclesiastics swarmed throughout the city, making a clear escape route difficult to discern.  

 

Terror rose within Layla.  Why hadn’t she listened to her family?  She’d been foolish to believe she could sneak around under the ever-watchful eyes of the Ecclesiastics, and that hubris put Samson and Grant in danger as well.  She choked back a sob.  

 

“Run,” she whispered.  

 

Willing her feet to move forward, Layla darted toward the back of the baker’s shop, hoping to take a shortcut through the back alleyway.  She swerved to miss a wooden box and stumbled, arms flailing to right herself. Unfamiliar hands reached out to break her fall.  Once stable, Layla looked up to find Elder Werrick staring down at her.  She screamed but no sound came out of her open mouth.  

 

​“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, a wicked smile on his face.  

Fall in love with the world of the Ethernals and the Vanguards. Buy The Prophecy, which is out now!

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Erin Albert is an author and fitness trainer.  Since she picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated with the written word.  She went on to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by herfamily and friends for being a member of the "Grammar Police."  In her free time, Erin enjoys acting, running, kickboxing, and, of course, reading and writing.  

Find me online:

 

Preorder Link:https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/our-authors/50-our-authors/authors-a/381-erin-albert

 

Twitter:  @ErinAlbertBooks

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erin-Albert-Books/182769448541270

 

Website:  www.erinalbertbooks.com

 

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18160774-the-prophecy

 

Yesterday by CK Kelly Martin: Review

Author: C.K Kelly Martin
Pages: 368 pages
Release Date: September 25th, 2012
Status: book 1 in the Yesterday's Series.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from. Yesterday will appeal to fans of James Dashner's The Maze Runner, Veronica Roth's Divergent, Amy Ryan's Glow, Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Ally Condie's Matched.

I had so many feels before and after reading book, you don't even know. The book is written by a Candian author and grew up in the GTA (like me!), and this whole book centred around the GTA which I love! I actually knew all the places where the main characters, Freya and Garren, went to so that was amazing!

This book is set both in the future (2063) and in the past (1985). Freya is living in 2063 where her parents had just betrayed her- they are the reason why her brother Latham is dead. Before she realizes it, she and her mother are being taken away by these robot cops that look like humans (sorry, I borrowed the book from the library and I don't have it with me right now). She then wakes up in Brampton, Ontario (that's a suburban city just outside of Toronto) in 1985. She has just moved from New Zealand after her father's death and is recovering from a sickness which she caught while moving back home to Canada.

Her mother, her younger sister Olivia, and her are all very much alive, and Freya tries to shake the uneasiness that she's feeling to focus on the fact that she is going to a Canadian highschool for the first time. There, at John A. McDonald High, she makes friends and tries to live a normal life of a teenager. But when she goes to the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) with her school, she sees a very gorgeous looking guys whom she later learns is Garren Lowe. Other than his mysterious good looks, she can't help but feel like she knows him from somewhere...from someplace she can't remember.

I really love this book. I REALLY, REALLY DO and I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone! Seriously, the plot is amazing, the characters are really out of this world, and the plot-twists will seriously leave you wanting more. The book ends on a good note plot wise, but the C.K Kelly Martin's writing style is so compelling that you will be in a mourning period till you get to the second book.

With that said, that concludes the non-spoilery part of my review (for those who have not read the book). You are now free to have fun on my blog, or buy Yeterday's sequel, Tomorrow. Why? Because this next part involves:

 

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OKAY, CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE AWESOMENESS OF THIS BOOK?

 

When I first read the first chapters of Yesterday, I was a little bored with Freya trying to intergrate herself in a normal Canadian-teen life (since I knew by reading the synopsis, that part would really be insignificant later on), but I was still really intrigued and into the book.

 

In the beginning, I was all for Seth and Freya, till I realized the guy mentioned in the flap of the book was named Garren, so I was really happy that she didn't go for him. Like I said, I wasn't really interested in Freya settling herself in a normal life, but I was interested as to what was going on in her head.

 

While she was still living in Brampton, she had Winston Churchill quotes in her head, I was like WTF? Why? But later on, it made more sense.

 

I was sooooo confused as to what she really was. I knew she WASN'T an alien, but I knew she wasn't from 1985 either, since in the beginning of the novel, she has like that little burst of random facts of the 80's in her head. I seriously thought that Martin wrote Freya as an incarnation, because I thought she was euthanized in the prologue (but don't worry, she wasn't). But then, I realized that on the book's back, it said What if your only future was in the past? so then I got to thinking: maybe she's a time traveller like Doctor Who!

 

I was totally NOT expecting what the author had written: Freya, Garren, one of Garren's mom's, her mom and Olivia (who really isn't her sister) were sent back to 1985 from the year 2063 at another shot of life and to prevent global warming from destroying all of humanity. LIKE WHAT KIND OF MIND BLOWING PLOT IS THAT?!

 

When Freya and Garren went to their 'grandpa's' place, it made sense: they were sent back to the past for a second shot at life. When she goes to the hypnotist and she is able to tap into her memories from 2063, it all made sense to the point where I just felt stupid for thinking they were incarnations. You don't even know.

 

I really liked Martin's writting style, I really and honestly do! It doesn't go back and forth between past and present like Tomorrow (which I head does), but when Freya switches from the 80's to the 21st century, it's effortless. That part where Freya goes back to 2063 reminded me of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone. I enjoyed that book as well, but for me, it seemed to be written better in Yesterday- it was written nicely in DoSaB, but it felt like it dragged on for a bit whereas in this book, it still kept the plot at a good pace. A PLUS PLUS FOR YOU KELLY!

 

What I liked overall was the fact that I could connect to 80's Canada. It is similar to our time now (just no crazy fashion sense (if you don't count half of Hollywood), better music and less technology), that sometimes I forgot that they were even IN the 80s. Seriously. There was a part in the book where Garren goes to call VIA Railways to check what time the train comes and how much their tickets would cost. I was seriously sitting on my bed just like, "What are guys doing? Just Google it- oh." and honestly, that happened a bit throughout the book. It's weird knowing that we rely on so much technology, but it's freaking scary to know the excessive amount of dependency that we have on it while reading this book.

 

And the characters! Oh, how I love the characters! Garren was just really annoying for me for the most part of the book because I was upset that he couldn't remember ANYTHING! Like, you think he would start believing Freya when they got ran out of Harry's place. But I can tell you I liked him a whole lot better when he DID remember.

 

I really disliked Freya's mom both in the future and in the past; her mom cheated on her dad and she was just so...I can't describe her. I just didn't like her, which was really good, since the narrator IS a teenage girl. I was really mind-blown when I learned Olivia wasn't really her sister, but at the same time, it made sense because she only mention Latham in the prologue. It's weird to think of her as the president's daughter though. And as for her father, we don't get to see him much- both in 2063 and the 80's. I don't like him either, since he got rid of their housekeeper from Mexico and he let Latham die (I guess I don't like authority figures much).

 

I was really sad when I learned what happened to Latham and Kinnari (btw, was she Asian? Because that sounds/looks like a very Asian name), but was really most interested in the fact that Freya had the second sight even in 2063.

 

The ending was very mind-blowing for me. Freya saving Freya...that's so trippy. And when she realizes that her visions of Garren dying AREN'T visions but other versions of what happened already is just so trippy. That's what this book was trippy. In a good way.

 

But what I want to know is if Freya's second sight is the end result of her just repeating the same situations over again, but having different end results each time she goes back to the past (confusing, huh? Well, go read the book!). I really can't wait till I get my hands on Tomorrow (I really hope my library has it!). I really love this series and I even got my librarian at school to go out and find the series so he could add it to our school's library! Anyways, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars! This is a very highly recommended book!

 

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield: Review

Author: Amy Butler Greenfield

Pages: 324 pages

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Status: book 1 of the Chantress series

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Lucy, shipwrecked on an island at 7, is forbidden to sing by guardian Norrie. On All Hallows Eve 1667, at 15, she sings, and is swept into darkness. She wakes to hear powerful men hunt Chantresses who sing magic into the world. At the Invisible College she finds sanctuary, plots to overthrow the evil Lord Protector, and distrustful scientist-apprentice Nat. Only a Chantress can overcome the Protector, and Lucy is the last in England.

I put this book on hold back in September and got it early October from the library. It sat on my shelf for a little while (I really hate homework), but when I read this book, I literally finished it in a few hours!

Chantress is about 15 year old Lucy Marlowe, a girl who has been stranded on an island for years with her guardian Norrie. She ended up on the island after a shipwrek, her mother is dead and she is forbidden to sing.

On All Hallow's Eve (FYI, that's what they called Halloween back in the ye olden days), Lucy hears music. Unable to find answers from Norrie, she searches her house and discovers a letter that her mother wrote to her long ago. It tells her her mother 'sang' her away, and that she will find her way home if she takes off the stone she gave her.


I'm pretty sure you guys can guess what happens next: Lucy takes off the stone and ends up back in England. What I didn't expect was for her to end up in the library of the evil Lord Protector himself (did I mention he was also in the room?).


Lucy finds refuge with the Invisible College, a group of men who plot to destroy the Lord Protector and his evil Shadowgrims (birds that were enchanted to take your memory away and burn you into ashes). However, even with the Invisible College on her side, the mysterious Nat is hostile towards him. And when her godmother comes back to train her, things get more complicated as she is an Elizabethan (not even sure it this book is set in that era, but you know...) feminist.


I really liked this book! When I first read the synopsis, I already knew I was going to enjoy it! Unlike most historical fantasy books, Chantress really charms you within the first couple pages! It's mysterious, it's dark, it's edgy, and of course, it's addictive!


I didn't reallly get much romance in this book which I would normally be upset about, but Amy is able to make the relationship between Nat and Lucy alive and real, and not overly dramatic and focused on like in some books. It was a good romance, and it fit well with the story- it was important, but not the point. It was there, but it didn't take away from Lucy's character and the overall story.


This book was very plot-based and focused on Lucy discovering her Chantress abilities and defeating the Lord Protector and his Shadowgrims. Lucy has character development in the story as well, but other than her, everything was just background noise to me. Nat comes a long way from the beginning as well, but from the second last chapter and the last chapter there is a three month time jump, so we don't really see much of his development in that time frame.


Other characters like Penebrygg and Sir Barnaby were nicely written, but the book didn't focus on them. And Scargrave (aka Lord Protector) was the villian, but he wasn't really in the book much- t really did focus on Lucy's training. Through the Shadowgrims, Amy was able to keep the fear of both them and Scargrave alive, and I really like that.


What I loved the most about the book is the interaction between the characters. Lucy's godmother was not my favourite, but whenever she said something to the guys of the Invisible College, I couldn't help but cheer a little- she's a feminist in the 1600's, so how can you not? One of my parts of the book was when Penebrygg was explaning the Invisble College to Lucy:

"For all intents and purposes, Sir Barnaby joked, we were members of the Invisible College. " He added, "I think he took pleasure in the abbreviation, too."

I did not quite follow him.

"IC," Penebrygg said, pointing to his eyes. "I see."

"Sir Barnaby loves puns," Nat said drily.

-Chantress, page 90

 

I don't know why, but that part made me laugh. It was one of my favourite parts (other than Nat training Lucy). This book was REALLY good, I seriously CAN NOT wait for the sequel, Chantress Alchemy!

 

 

I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars! Happy Monday guys!

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting: Review

The Pledge

Author: Kimberly Derting

Pages: 323 pages 

Release Date: November 15, 2011

Status: 1st book in the Pledge trilogy

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

I will be honest with you, I never really expected to read this book. Ever. I saw it on a Goodreads newsletter before it's release date and always wanted to read it, but eventually, I forgot about it. 

However, while I was at the library dropping off some books, I just happened to find the Pledge and, well, fall in love with it!

I seriously can't believe it took me two years to read the book when it took me four hours to read it!

The story starts off 81 years in the past where a young Princess Sabara walks into her mother's room- where she is about to die. The dying Queen reminds her daughter that she was born of importance and with power, and that she must say 'the words'. The little princess takes her mother's hand and as she takes her last breathe, says the magic words...then, she becomes her mother. She has taken her Essence, and is now the Queen.

The book then jumps 81 years later where 17 year old Charlie, a girl living in Ludania, a Queendom that divides its social classes by language. Understanding a language outside of one's station results in death. The problem? Our narrator knows all three class type languages: Termani (for the rich), Parshon (for the Vendor/working class), and Englaise (the language of the Serving class and the universal tongue).

After nearly getting sentenced to death when she accidentally slips and looks up from her station when a Termani girl speaks at her parent's restaurant, Charlie joins her best friend Brook to go out for a night. They end up going to a club where she meets his mysterious boy named Max, who speaks a mysterious tongue she magically understands.

Unbeknownst to her, the language is a special one, known by an elite few. She tries her best to stay away from Max and his special tongue- if anyone finds out she can understand him, she'll be dead. Charlie can't keep away though, and she ends up searching for him. While looking for Max, she ends up meeting a man named Xander, who's equally dangerous and charming as Max. 

Back at home, Charlie has to deal with her party best friend, and the tension in her family because of her magic ability to understand languages.

But with a war looming closer to her city's walls, and threatening to force her family apart, Charlie will have to trust someone, but the question is who?

This book is really good! It has a nice plot, and despite my own (little) confusing summary of the story, it actually does a good job explaining the terms and the ins-and-outs of Ludania's backwards society.

In Charlie's world, all the different nations are ruled by 'Queens' which I find interesting, since most times, it's an evil male tyrant who's in power and it's a lost son being hunted and searched. In this book, females are the valuable ones amongst the Royals, and the Queens rule the Queendom with an iron fist. 

I really enjoyed that it was all about the girls and my the guys in this book. I mean, yeah, you still get the handsome guy saves the beautiful girl element in the story, but it ends up with the girl saving the day at the end. Like, how many stories do we have Queens and Princesses at war with each other, with the guys a little bit lower on the food chain? 

What I didn't enjoy was the fact this book was WAAY too small! It has so many nice plot elements and characters that I wish we got to see developed more...but the pages. There were a little over 300 pages. 

I didn't really have much of a connection with the characters like I wanted to. I wanted them to make me feel sad, irritable, jealous, annoyed and happy! But I didn't really get that. I think the reason why is because this book had alternating chapters: there would be Charlie's first person POV, the Queen's third person POV, a bit of Max and a bit of Xander POV as well. We did stay with Charlie the majority of the book, but I didn't really see much of her emotions with the other characters.

I saw that it was evident that she loved her sister, Angelina, and was really concerned about her best friend, Brook, but I didn't really get that passion with her and Max. That was sort of a flop for me. It does get a little better in the end, but not by much.

What this book did was trap me with it's nicely paced plot and just...all the story building and the concept around the 'Essence' thing. I really didn't understand what the whole Essence thing was when I first read the beginning if the book, but as we got closer to the end, I got it and I was utterly amazed and creeped out at the same time. Like, does that mean the person that get's the Essence loses heir personality too? 

Ooh, and the PLOT TWISTS! OMG, Kimberly Derting seriously put some plot twists here!

When I learned that Angelina had the ability to heal was like 'What? Since when?!' That was a good plot twist. Another one was revealing who Max really was. I WAS SO NOT EXPECTING THAT ONE! Another one was Max and Xander's relationship, and how Xander was the favourite. I never thought that they'd be, you know...

Overall, this book was pretty satisfying. The overall concept and plot is really good, so 3 out of 5 stars to this book! I seriously can't wait to get The Essence!

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare: Review

Clockwork Prince

Author: Cassandra Clare

Pages: 502 pages

Release Date: December 6th, 2011

Status: Sequel to Clockwork Angel; collector's edition with Will's love letters to Tessa.
 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

 

In magical Victorian London, orphan Tessa found safety with the Shadowhunters, until traitors betray her to the Magister. He wants to marry her, but so do self-destructive Will and fiercely devoted Jem. Mage Magnus Bane returns to help them. Secrets to her parentage lie with the mist-shrouded Yorkshire Institute's aged manager Alyosius Starkweather.

I'll be honest with you, it took me about 2 1/2 weeks to finish Clockwork Prince, but I did it! And when I finished the book, I just don't understand why I took me so long, regardless of all the stuff I had. I finished it on Friday, and that was the day when my family came from Alberta- it was the start of a very hectic stay, and I got more reading done than I did when they weren't here (ironic huh, considering the fact that I had more work assigned during this Thanksgiving weekend than I did the week before). 

So Clockwork Prince starts a couple of months after the events of Clockwork Angel. Tessa, Will, Jem and the other members of the Institute are up against the Consul and Inquisitor after the escape of Axel Mortiman from the first book.

During their meeting with the Consul, Charlotte's position as the head of the London Institute is challenged by Benedict Lightwood. Unfortunately for Charlotte, Benedict's challenge is recognized and she is given an impossible task to prove that she is fit for a job in a man's world: find Mortiman in two weeks or she'll lose the Institute to Benedict. In addition to her impossible task, she has to have Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood (Benedict's sons) to train those who live in the Institute that are not up to par with Shadowhunters- in other words, Tessa, Sophie and Jessamine.

Along with having to train with the Lightworms (as Will calls them), Tessa has to deal with the fact that Mortiman is still out there with her 'beloved' brother, Nate. But her troubles don't seem to end there when she realizes that her Jem and Will may also be part of her worries...

I really liked this book: the tone was good, the dialogue was good, the plot is good, and overall most of the characters where very likeable. My favourite parts were in the beginning where the whole group was looking for news on Mortiman's possible whereabouts.

"Reparations," said Jem very suddenly, settling down the pen he was holding.

Will looked at him in puzzlement. "Is this a game? We just blurt out whatever word comes next to mind? In that case mine is 'genuphobia'. It means unreasonable fear of knees."

"What's the word for a perfectly reasonable fear of annoying idiots?" inquired Jessamine.

-Clockwork Prince, page 31

It were little times like this that made me laugh, although the overall tone of this tone was very dark and focused on solving the mystery of Mortiman.

What I liked the most is that we get to see all the characters in action in the book-yes, even Jessamine. I feel like this book was dedicated in developing their characters.

My favourite character in this book was Sophie, because she came into her own and became her own person. Not only that, but thanks to Benedict Lightwood (I think that's the only time I'll say thank you to that Lightworm) and his sons, she was able to learn how to be defensive and much more of a warrior. I seriously was jumping up and down with happiness when I read that part where she knocked Jessamine out with a mirror (or was it a hair brush?). That was golden.

The only character that I didn't like was our narrator, Miss. Tessa Grey. OMG, I HAD A TWILIGHT MOMENT WHEN SHE COULDN'T DECIDE WHO SHE LIKED AT THE END. GAHHH. But no, Tessa and TID are a MILLION times better than Twilight. 

What annoyed me was her inability to not make up her mind with Will and Jem. If she wasn't making out with one, she was making out with the other. I get that her decision is a double edged sword (one will get hurt regardless), but I think she's looking for someone who's secure and someone that's not what she actually needs. I seriously didn't know what to do half the time. I was either made or swoon over the boys, it was a toss up.

I really pitied Will and Jessamine the most in this book. I pitied Jessamine because she's just a little girl who refuses to grow up and be a Shadowhunter- a desperate girl that finally got what she deserved. But regardless, I still feel sorry for her. In my head, Jessamine is smaller and much more childlike in my head. However, out of the two, I pitied Will the most. When he told Magnus the whole story as to why he was trying to find the demon that 'cursed' him, I was crying. And by the end of the book when Tessa makes her final decision, I was balling like a baby.

You don't even understand how I felt when he told her to forget everything that he said to her and when Jem announced everything to the group, I was dead when Will just toasted the happy couple. 

I think that's why I didn't like Tessa near the end though, to be honest with you! I just didn't like how she was basing them on how she felt at the moment and not honking of who she really needs at the moment. And to be honest with you, as much as I love both Will and Jem, I feel as if she shouldn't have chosen either of them; it was too early and she needed both of them.

Overall, this book was amazing, and I was okay with how some little things were left for the next book and how some things just ended. My favourite parts were when Will learned the truth, Charlotte wasn't disowned of the Institute and she announced that she and Henry were going to have a baby.

Oh, and when Cecily Herondale showed up as well!

3.5 out of 5 stars!