Shadows

Shadows (The Rephaim, 1)
by Paula Weston
Rating: 3 Bows!

It's almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn't help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who's been appearing in Gaby's dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And who is Gaby? The truth lies in the shadows of her nightmares.

So this book was completely different from any angel book I have read. After finishing the book, I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. I liked the book, but I felt it was lacking. 

Gaby Winters is grieving for the loss of her brother for over a year. She's trying to move on with her life when Rafa comes in and turns her world upside down. I liked Gaby, she was a strong female character yet she wasn't an emotionless zombie. What made me really like her though was that she didn't trust Rafa right away, you could really see her trust in him build as the story progressed. It was refreshing. 

Rafa was a sexy arrogant jerk. But he was loyal and trust-worthy. Again, it took some time for me to fall for Rafa and I think that's what made it better. Paula Weston let us know the character before giving us the swoon worthy moments.

The side characters were a mix of love and hate. Obviously the ones on team Rafa were awesome and I loved them and the ones on the other side..grrr I wanted to punch them for their stubborn way of thinking. Even then, both sides were equally bad ass and awesome fighters!

My only remark, and this could be because I'm just a sucker for romance, is that there was very little of it. Like extremely little. I absolutely love Rafa and Gaby and I'm hoping that in the next books their relationship will grow and we get to see a little more of it. 

The story of the nephlim and rephaim, is different in this story and although it took a bit to understand, it's a pretty cool concept. I may not have completely loved the story but I will continue to read the next books to see where the story goes. I have a feeling it will get better. 

Happy Thursday!

Happy Thursday everyone!

This week has been so hectic. It's finals week guys...and we 

all know how that is right?! Constant studying, panicking, and

I'm trying to get back into the rhythm oh blogging

again!

The hardest part though? Is trying to read books for leisure 
when I have to read textbooks instead...

JUST LET ME READ MY BOOKS!!! Waaah :(

Anyways, I seem to have a problem of buying books when I

already have 3 or more books that need to be read.

In my head though I'm like "you can never have

too many books" what happens 

when I've read all the books I have? I'm going 

to need to buy

more books, but in my case, I already bought more books so 

I won't have to wait! See? Pretty smart thinking

of me right? :D

If only others saw it that way haha

Well I just wanted to share a little of what's going on this week with you all. Hopefully everyone is having a 

good week...and if you're not...don't fret tomorrow is 

FRIDAY :)

*Be on the look out for a few more reviews this weekend!

Teardrop

Teardrop
by Lauren Kate
Rating: 4 Bows!

Never, ever cry...

Seventeen-year-old Eureka won't let anyone close enough to feel her pain. After her mother was killed in a freak accident, the things she used to love hold no meaning. She wants to escape, but one thing holds her back: Ander, the boy who is everywhere she goes, whose turquoise eyes are like the ocean.

And then Eureka uncovers an ancient tale of romance and heartbreak, about a girl who cried an entire continent into the sea. Suddenly her mother's death and Ander's appearance seem connected, and her life takes on dark undercurrents that don't make sense.

Can everything you love be washed away?

So I want to start off with saying that before I pick up a book, I usually look at reviews to see what everyone else is thinks about it. When I looked Teardrop up, there was so many negative reviews about it that I was scared...mostly because I had already purchased the book.

I have to say, all the reviews are so critical that it is absurd to me. You can't compare a completely different series with a previous series from the author. 

Now, there are some scenes of hard passion for example: "he grabs me and pulls me towards him with such force and kisses me" (this doesn't happen, I'm just using this as an example) some people are so over critical and complain that "Girls shouldn't be treated that way, I wouldn't like that" It is a story folks! It's not real...and some people like to have passion in their love life..jeez! 

Now for the actual review, Teardrop was a pretty cool concept. Atlantis? We haven't really had much books on this topic, so I thank Lauren Kate for that because we are slowly departing from the whole vampire/werewolf/angel topics. 

The story does take a little while to pick up but that's understandable considering she has to give us all the details and background information. Eureka, yes I will agree with everyone that that name is not a very nice one, was a strong female character, but she was very naive. I'm hoping to watch her grow through out the series. Ander, was a gentleman. I loved the way he dressed and how protective he was of Eureka. Im at the first stages of falling in love with him! Brooks...I'm still confused about what you are. But I didn't like his dramatic change that happened over night. He was sweet and caring and then BAM a total ass! Not quite sure what to make of him yet. 

I'm looking forward to see where Lauren Kate takes this new series, hopefully it's just as good as Fallen but with a better ending!!!! 

World After

World After (Penryn & the End of Days, 2)
by Susan Ee
Rating: 4 Bows!

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

I ABSO-LUTELY love this series!! I am in love with Raffe, I admire Penryn, and I love the concept! 

This book starts where Angelfall left off. Right from the start, there is action, death and angels. There was a moment where I was saying "Can't this girl catch a break?!" 

I have to admire Penryn's strength. She may be a human but she will protect her family from anything...and I mean anything. We learn more about what the angels are up to and let me just say that it's not anything good. 

Now I said that right from the start we have Angels...but we don't have Raffe. We catch small glimpses of him here and there but he doesn't make an appearance until the last 30 pages of the book. 

At first I was mad because Hey! we all want Raffe right? But as I kept reading I loved that we didn't get to see much of Raffe. Crazy huh? But it was a great tactic for Susan Ee because it built this tension for Penryn and Raffe when they finally saw each other. 

I almost cried when Raffe saw Penryn. It was so beautiful and heart-wrenching and I loved it. I'm so fan-girling at the moment. I love him to death but I want to kick him because he still holds back his feelings for Penryn when it's so obvious he cares deeply for her! Ugh!!

I'm hoping that Susan Ee will release the third installment very soon because I have to know what will happen with the world, with the angels, and of course Penryn and Raffe!!! If you liked the first one, you will definitely love the sequel!!! 

Collide

Collide (Collide, 1)
by Gail Mchugh
Rating: 3 Bows!

On the heels of college graduation and the unexpected death of her mother, Emily Cooper moves to New York City to join her boyfriend for a fresh start. Dillon Parker has been sweet, thoughtful, and generous through Emily’s loss, and she can’t imagine her life without him—even as her inner voice tells her to go slow.

Then she meets Gavin Blake. A rich and notorious playboy, Gavin is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Their first encounter is brief, but it’s enough to inflame Emily’s senses. When their paths cross again through an unexpected mutual acquaintance, she tries to deny the connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome won’t let go so easily.

As she discovers Gavin’s pain-filled past and Dillon’s true nature begins to surface, Emily knows she must take action or risk destroying everyone—including herself. But how can she choose when she can’t trust her own heart?

So I'm in a conflict with this book... It wasn't the story, because the story flowed great and was pretty intense to keep me interested. My conflict is with the characters. 

Gavin Blake, he was perfect. Handsome, polite, determined, and rich (not that that's why I love him, it just helps haha). He was always a gentleman and he was like Edward Cullen without the whole sparkly vampire thing. What's not to love. 

Emily. God I wanted to punch her in the face! I could not understand why she was so blind to what her boyfriend was doing and kept rejecting Blake even after he protects her over and over again. She was actually sort of a slut in this novel...It got to a point where everyone was apologizing to her and it was never her fault that I got so mad I stopped reading. 

That's never happened to me before! I usually just forget about it and keep reading but this was so bad that I couldn't content until the next day. I was sorta happy the way the book ended because it wasn't a pretty ending. I felt it was something Emily brought on herself and she deserved having Blake ignore her. That's what happens when your a dumb oblivious person! Ugh!! Sorry I get a little worked up when I think about everything she did.

Aside from that, the book was pretty interesting. I feel like the only reason I finished this book and the only reason I'll read the next one is to follow Gavin Blake. He is now a wounded man and I want him to be happy so I'll read to find out!

I would give this book a chance but be warned, if you're like me, you'll be screaming at this chick a lot! 

Mine

Mine (Real, #2)
by Katy Evans
Rating: 5 Bows!

Brooke never imagined she would end up with the man who is every woman's dream, but not all dreams end happily ever after, and just when they need each other the most, she is torn away from his side. Now with distance and darkness between them, the only thing left is to fight for the love of the man she calls MINE.

Totally worth the wait! Words can not express how much I love this book...Please forgive me for all the fan-girling I will be doing!!!

Remington "Riptide" Tate. My Blue eyed fighter. I am so in love with you that it hurts to think that your are fictional character! I had already fallen in love with you in Real ( Real, #1) but you blew me away in Mine. 

Remy was just as possessive, cocky, protective, and completely Alpha male in this novel. The lengths he goes to in order to protect whats his is heart warming. I loved every emotion he had for brooke...even the bad ones. We see a new side of Remy and it's emotional and heartbreaking, I would be lying if I said that I didn't cry. 

Brooke, I love her. She's strong, determined, and will do anything for Remy. I honestly do love her, which is why it pains me to say that I spent half the book wanting to slap her. Her emotions were all over the place, and I can understand to a point given your condition (I will not spoil that for you guys!), but yours were too much. 

Pete, Riley, Diane, and Coach Lupe add great character to this novel. I think Remy could not be as a great a person as he is without them. 

The best thing I love about this book is its concept. Katy Evans took a mental disorder, being Bipolar, and showed that it does not have to hinder your life. IT DOES NOT CONTROL YOU. Katy Evans gave us knowledge on this through a story about perseverance and never giving up and wrapped it up in a package called Remington Tate. 

My heart felt satisfied and extremely happy at then end of the novel and Remy and Brook's story will forever be in my heart. One of my favorite series of all times, hands down. 

Stranger!

Hi everyone! It's been a long time since I've posted something...again I blame school!!

I seriously miss blogging but I have no time to do it. Wahhh :(

My solution: I've gotten the blogger app so hopefully I can blog even if it's something small! 

I'm gonna try to post more often, I've read some books that deserve to be mentioned so finger crossed to this happening! 

Happy Wednesday guys!! 

- Sara <3

Origin

Origin (Lux, 4)
by Jennifer Armentrout
Rating: 5 Bows!

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on? 

And will they even be together?

Jennifer Armentrout left a big cliffhanger at the end of Opal (Lux, 3) so I was expecting Origin to be HUGE. And it didn't disappoint!

Origin is a roller coaster of a boo, filled with plenty of action, romance, deception and grief. It amazes me how beautiful Katy and Daemon's relationship is. They are put through trials over the course of the novel but they manage to succeed because they have each other. I won't lie, some scenes were hard to get through and others made me swoon. This is definitely the book where Daemon's character shines!

I won't go into to much detail about what goes on because you should definitely pick up a copy, but there are huge secrets revealed and an even more shocking deception that will leave you with a broken heart. 

You wil cri, laugh, kick and scream by the time you are done reading and let me just get this out there...it does not end how we expect. Putting that aside, the book was extraordinary  and will satisfy everyone that waited for its release. Now I'm anxiously waiting for the final novel and I honestly believe that it will be Jennifer Armentrout's best one yet!

Its Been a Long Time

Hi everyone!!

So its been ages since I've posted something and I feel terrible for neglecting my blog! Wah :(

Who do I have t blame for this? SCHOOL, that's who

I have so little time to read but I promise I'm making the best of that time

I've caught a brake this weekend so I plan on posting up reviews that I have been working on and 

other stuff as well!

I hope everyone is having a great day and be happy, tomorrows Friday!!

~Sara 

AngelFall

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, 1)
by Susan Ee
Rating: 5 Bows!

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

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

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

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

This book took everything I had read about angels in other books and threw it out the window. The concept about angels being the good guys and fallen angels trying to redeem them selves doesn't exist in this novel. But that's not a bad thing!

The book starts off with Penryn and her family trying to survive in a world were Angels have taken over. Hence...Angels are not the good guys in this story. Penryn is the strength of her family since her little sister is in a wheel chair and her mom is a schitzo. When she encounters a group of angels taking the wings of another she can't help but stare. Unfortunately this costs her and the group of angels kidnap Penryn's little sister while her mother flees. Determined to get her sister back, Penryn plans to nurse the wing-less angel back to health and strike a deal to get him to help her find her sister.

Penryn is just a normal girl trying to get her sister back. I had to admire her determination even when all the odds were against her. Her mentality was always "famlily first" and she stuck by it. She was strong, caring, and always did what was right, even if it meant going against your own kind to save an angel. 

Now Raffe...oh my. Carmel skin, black hair, deep blue eyes, and a toned athletic body...swoon! This was one case where I did not mind the attitude at all. Raffe is arrogant, bossy, and hard to read. Raffe agrees to help Penryn and I was pleasantly surprised that given Raffe's attitude, he was shocked and amazed whenever Penryn refused to leave Raffe behind. 

I loved this novel because of its originality. The mere fact that the two main characters are true fighters and will fight until the end for their cause. It was different to see Rafee and Penryn learn to truly care for each other through trust and of course through fighting together!

Angelfall is about a journey with an unexpected ally and discovering secrets that not even the high ranking angels new about. This novel does not have an obvious romance but it is there and we get to see a little bit of it towards the end which leaves me wanting the sequel so badly to see where it takes them. There is plenty of action and drama that will leave you cheering for Penryn and Raffe! 

Hidden Wings

Hidden Wings (Hidden Wings, 1)
by Cameo Renae
Rating: 3.5 Bows!

Seventeen is a life changing age for Emma Wise. As her family's sole survivor in a car crash, she is left with a broken arm and a few scrapes and bruises. But these are only outward marks; inside, her heart is broken and the pieces scattered.

Whisked away to Alaska, to an aunt she’s never met, Emma starts over. Secrets unveil themselves and now…she doesn't even know who or what she is.

A centuries old prophecy places Emma in the heart of danger. Creatures of horrifying and evil proportions are after her, and it will take Emma, her aunt, and six, gorgeously captivating Guardians to keep her safe. But, if she can survive until her eighteenth birthday... things will change.

The summary is very vague but as far as angel books go, this one was pretty good! We have Fallen Angels, prophecies, and hot guardians... what else do you need?

The story line was very good. There was a plot, which is a miracle because I feel like now a days stories just ramble with out there being a point, and the characters were phenomenal. 

My only issue, which made me know off .5 of a bow, is that Emma's personality was hard for me to believe. She either had no emotions or they seemed fake to me. I would have been devastated at the loss of my parents but instead she's swooning over Kade... I mean really? Give it a week at least before falling for the guy. Her feelings for Kade were developed way to quickly for my taste but that's not too big of a problem for me, what is a problem is that it seemed funny instead of swoon-worthy.

Putting that aside, the story had plenty of action and mystery. The side characters were a mix of funny and stoic and of course...HOT! I really ended up like this book to the point of getting the second one in the series right after! This book definitely deserves to be given a chance, ignore the vague summary and pick up a copy!!

Vade Retro Satana

Vade Retro Satana (VRS, 1)
by Michele Suzanne
Rating: 4 Bows!

It’s never easy living up to your father’s expectations, but when your father is Satan, and he sees you as his ticket to world domination, it’s especially tough.

Austan Paumgarten wrestles with normal fifteen-year-old issues like grades, girls and winning sports matches, along with some abnormal ones like what to do when his father possesses his roommate. Initially, Austan withdraws, believing himself to be a curse on others but is drawn out by three new friends; Imani Baptiste, a girl with a harrowing past who sees running fast as her only hope of going to college; Gabe Michaels, Austan’s roommate, a socially awkward guy who desperately hopes to find friendship and fit in at St. Ignatius, a competitive all-boys boarding school, and Fr. Bonaventure, a kindly old priest with a chilling connection to Austan’s family.

When his father forces him to collect souls, Austan struggles with his demonic destiny as the devil’s son and his innate desire to help those he cares about.

*I was given this book in exchange for my honest review*

I've yet to read a novel that dealt with Religion, more specifically with Satan, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. 

The background story is rather creepy but intriguing at the same time, like in movies where you don't want to watch but you just can't look away! The story is a perfect balance of intense, hilarious, and mystery. 

What really worked for this novel was the mixture of personalities from the characters: Austan was aloof and mysterious but conflicted about who he was and what that meant, Imani was a strong hearted girl who just wanted to get ahead in life, and Gabe was the kid that is always striving to please everyone. Their interactions were great to watch and it reminded me of my time in high school.

I liked how we get to see the characters struggle with developing who they will become because that is something we all go through...of course, Austan's case is a little different...
The choices and consequences of our actions are what makes us who we are and that is no different for Austan, Imani and Gabe. 

Told from different perspectives, Vade Retro Satana is the story of how parents influence ones life and how that affects those around you. Austan will need to find the strength to do the right thing even if it's not what he want or there will be consequences...bad ones.

Michele Suzanne, thank you for introducing me to this gang of witty and stunning characters, I look forward to see where you take them!

Black City

Black City (Black City, 1)
by Elizabeth Richards
Rating: 5 Bows!

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Wow. That's all I can say about this book because nothing I think of does it justice. I was not expecting this book to be this great and I was glad to be proven wrong. The story sorta reminded me of Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London but it held its own.

A quick explanation of the story: The city is divided by a wall that keeps Darklings separated from humans and Darkling half-bloods. There is a law trying to be passed, Rose Law, to completely eliminate any half-bloods living with the humans and send them out with the Darklings. Natalie, the emissary's daughter, meets Ash, a twin-blood darkling, who happens to attend Natalie's new school. Natalie and Ash have a connection but exploring that connection leads to a ripple of events that have a catastrophic ending. 

Natalie, to me was the perfect heroine, she wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed, she wasn't discriminating, and she wasn't a pushover. Ash was a class-A jerk but given his circumstances, I wasn't too hard on him. I love that Ash and Natalie don't have an instant love connection and that they don't like each other at the beginning, this made their relationship feel more real. The concept was new to me and it was a little confusing as to how the Darklings came to be but I was grateful that the explanations were made simple and not overcomplicated; The most interesting explanation or "legend" was the blood mate story, it was beautiful. 

This novel pulled so many emotions out of me: I cried for Natalie and Ash, I screamed in frustration at the injustice of discrimination, and got angry of the unfairness of it all. 

Reading Black City, I experienced betrayal, lies, and shocking revelations that left me speechless but with a hint of hope as well. Black City is not a series to be missed!!

Oath Of Servitude

Oath Of Servitude (The Punishment Sequence, 1)
by C.E Wilson
Rating: 4 Bows!

This is the story of Teague and Cailin, two teenagers who have been brought together by fate. Teague, a human, struggles to come to terms with the consequences of a recent accident that has destroyed the happy life that he had once enjoyed. Cailin, a pixi, is trying to stay true to herself while fighting against forces beyond her control that have exiled her from her home into this strange world of humans. She fears the darkness. He cannot escape it. But when the two of them are thrown together, they begin to discover the light inside of themselves.

*I was given this book in exchange for my honest review*

I haven't read a book before that dealt with Pixies so I was eager to see how someone would bring a story of Pixies to life. 

Cailin is sent to the human world for a year to help a friend of her fathers in exchange for avoiding the Darkness. This is where we meet Teague. Teague has suffered an accident and is now blind and angry. This book is the story of how Cailin a tiny pixie helps Teague, a human, feel normal again. 

I liked Cailin. She may be an inch tall or so but she is one feisty lady! She's got attitude and sass yet shows fear when thrown into the unknown. In a way, Teague and Cailin had much more in common than they realized, Teague felt out of place because of his condition and Cailin was in a foreign place and even when she was at home, she was the oddball. It wasn't hard to see that Cailin and Teague were good for each other and I was thoroughly entertained by their interactions.

I felt a sense of happiness watching Teague accept his condition while also accepting Cailin. I was so into the book that I kept wondering, "How is a their relationship going to work when they are different sizes?!" I guess I'm gonna have to wait until the next book to find out though..sigh!

I didn't really care for the conversation of Cailins sisters in her homeland, it was confusing to be honest. However, the book was great and I loved the concept of being able to make a difference no matter your size. This is an interesting series and one that I will continue to read!

Sanctum

Sanctum (Guards of the Shadowlands, 1)
by Sarah Fine
Rating: 4 Bows!

“My plan: Get into the city. Get Nadia. Find a way out. Simple.”

A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos’s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance—hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn’t just anyone—she’s determined to save her best friend’s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife.

As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she’s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city’s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn’t—the dark city isn’t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate.

This book was so different from everything I've read lately. The world was new for me and I really liked it. I'm not gonna go into details about the world building because I'm not a professional but from my point a view, the world was original and very interesting. 

Lela was such a strong character. She was really tough... borderline manly in her fighting skills. But she was also girly when she had to deal with her feelings for Malachi. At times I did think she was really stubborn and it frustrated me but what girl isn't stubborn... Lela does so much for everyone especially her friend Nadia that I can't help but love her, she is the perfect mix of strength, loyalty, independence and vulnerability. 

Malachi was just perfection for me! He was a major bad ass, I mean common...he's the leader of the Guards and the most feared person in the land! I liked that he had a vulnerability and wasn't a macho about it. He didn't know how to handle his feelings for Lela and that made him more endearing to me.

This was a new world being introduced so it needed a lot of explaining to get readers to understand and what I loved about this book was that there was no useless information, no useless scenarios where people just talk with out there being a point. This was fantastic for me because it kept me interested made me want to keep reading. 

This was an interesting story and I got to say that I am really looking forward to the next book because I can't wait to see where Malachi and Lela are headed next!! 

Look What I Found!!

So I walked in to Barnes and Noble to look around

and I was walking through an isle when I did

a double take. Guess what I found

sitting on the shelf?!

ORIGIN!!!!!

What the heck, right?! I had to double check

the release date and it is indeed

August 27...but it was already

on the shelf.

I didn't question it, I just grabbed it and ran

to the register praying they didn't say

"I'm sorry that book isn't supposed to be

for sale yet"!

So now I'm the proud owner of Origin (Lux, 4)

3 days before it's release date :D

After Daybreak

After Daybreak (Darkness Before Dawn Trilogy, 3)
by J.A. London
Rating: 5 Bows!

Our last hope lies with our oldest enemies.

When we lost the war with the vampires, our world changed. The Old Family overlords trapped us in a few scattered cities and demanded our blood. Then Victor- the first vampire I've ever trusted, ever loved- came to power, and I hoped for peace between our kinds. Only now a new type of monster, Day Walkers, has emerged, and their maniacal leader is threatening to destroy us all, human and vampire alike.

The Old Family Council is stubborn and proud, unwilling to acknowledge the danger. But once I claim my birthright as the last living member of the Montgomery line, they will have to listen to me.

Neither fully human nor vampire, I am the bridge between both. Even if I'm not sure where I belong anymore, I know that the only way any of us will survive is if we stand together.

It has all lead up to this..the final fight with Sin, the creator of the Day Walkers. 

After Daybreak did not disappoint. We were left with question in the previous novel and we finally get all our answers. There's plenty of action, suspense, and of course romance!!

What I loved about this book was that Dawn stood up for what she believed in and dealt with everything she was handed with dignity and grace. The way she matured was something we got to see from the very first book and it's what helped her succeed. 

We meet the 14 Old Families in New Vampiria, and we get to see how the Vampires truly live. It was great to see both the humans and vampires way of life because I feel it gives us  perspective, that not everything is as it seems.

I personally loved all the side characters in this book! Richard and Faith finally settle their differences and THANK GOD FOR THAT! I'm even glad to say that I've grown to like Tegan! We can't forget Victor though!! He was so sweet and protective and not to mention a complete bad ass! Even though it took some time, I was happy that Victor understood that humans are not part of the problem but part of the solution. 

The final installment of this trilogy was phenomenal and I couldn't have pictured a better ending. I'm sad to see it end but it always makes me happy when I can say that i'm completely satisfied with the way things ended in a story, especially with the characters. J.A. London, you outdid yourself with this series and I give you mad props! Thank you for introducing us to these wonderful characters!

Blood-Kissed Sky

Blood-Kissed Sky (Darkness Before Dawn Trilogy, 2)
by J.A. London
Rating: 4 Bows!

There's nowhere left to hide.

I thought vampires were our enemies - they controlled our lives, isolated our cities, and demanded our blood - until I met Victor. With Victor taking over as the new Lord Valentine, things were supposed to get better. Instead, they're worse than ever.

Day Walkers, a new breed of vampires who can walk in the sun, are terrorizing the city. Blood supplies are low, and if Victor's vampires don't get enough, they will become infected with the Thirst - a disease that will turn them into mindless killers.

To stop it, I must journey across the desolate wasteland to the very place where the sickness began. I can only hope that the answers that await me are enough to save us all... before it's too late.

It continues! The second installment of the Darkness Before Dawn series does not disappoint. There's plenty of action, plenty of vampires and a lot of drama!

Blood-Kissed Sky picks up right away and the pace never slows. We get the full history of how Day Walkers came to be and the true story of the 14 Old Families...or so we think...
This story takes place in a new city, Los Angeles, so we get to see how the people in that city have adapted and the shocking revelations that Los Angeles hides. 

All the characters were great but I had one minor problem: Tegan. Her character bothered me in the first book but towards the end I figured she was okay. In this book however, I can't say that I'm okay with her, I have to say that I do not like her. All of Dawn's problems would be less hectic if Tegan wasn't in the picture. In the first book, Tegan makes Dawn go to a party (clearly, Dawn doesn't want to go) and they almost die at the hands of Vampires. What happens in this book? THE SAME THING! Seriously Dawn is dealing with a lot of problems and all Tegan wants to do is party. And not to mention the whole boy situation...(but that's a spoiler that I will not give!!)

We don't get to see much of Victor in this novel but when he does make an appearance...I almost faint! He's so sexy and I wish he was real and could be my boyfriend! I'm totally fangirl-ing over him! :D

Blood-Kissed Sky was a great sequel and I can't wait to read the last installment of this trilogy! J.A. London, you did another amazing job with this one! 

Waiting on Wednesday: These Broken Stars

These Broken Stars (Starbound, 1)
by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

This cover is absolutely stunning! It's what caught my eye...and then I read the synopsis. I've really been liking a lot of science fiction/dystopian novels lately and this book is one I'm dying to read! It feels like it will be something along the lines of Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi and Gravity by Melissa West. 

I'm so excited for this novel that I already have such high expectations. PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE don't disappoint!!!  

Darkness Before Dawn

Darkness Before Dawn (Darkness Before Dawn Trilogy, 1)
by J.A London
Rating: 5 Bows!

Only sunlight can save us.

We built the wall to keep them out, to keep us safe. But it also makes us prisoners, trapped in what's left of our ravaged city, fearing nightfall.

After the death of my parents, it's up to me—as the newest delegate for humanity—to bargain with our vampire overlord. I thought I was ready. I thought I knew everything there was to know about the monsters. Then again, nothing could have prepared me for Lord Valentine . . . or his son. Maybe not all vampires are killers. Maybe it's safe to let one in.

Only one thing is certain: Even the wall is not enough. A war is coming and we cannot hide forever.

And they're back! Who? Vampires of course!! I haven't read a series about vampires since Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy and I'm glad I've waited. Darkness Before Dawn broke my resistance of Vampire novels.

Let me start off by saying that Darkness Before Dawn is nothing like Twilight..And thank God for that! This novel takes place in a world where the humans have lost a war with the vampires and now the Vampires are the ones that call the shots. Pretty neat right? We have Dawn, our heroine, who is appointed delegate for the city of Denver and is to meet with the strongest vampire of all 14 Old Families: Lord Valentine.

If Lord Valentine existed I would be hiding under a rock! He is truly what I imagine a vampire to be: scary, feral, and downright mean! At times I felt bad for Dawn because she had to deal with Lord Valentine while at the same time figure out what is going on with the vampires in the city. She had to much weight on her shoulders but she embraced it with strength and dignity. 

Now Victor...where can I get me one of those? He is prince charming in the night when he shows up at the right time to save Dawn and he only gets better from there. Victor is mysterious and secretive but that's what attracts me to him, it doesn't hurt that he's smokin' hot!!

There's plenty of action and romance and not to mention a twist I didn't see coming!! If you loved Vampire Academy you will definitely love Darkness Before Dawn! J.A London, I thank you for reminding me why I love vampire novels! Great start to a series!!