Saven Denial by Siobhan Davis - 4 stars

A novella of the Saven Series

Previous Saven Series Review:

Saven Deception (#1) | Saven Disclosure (#2)

Saven Denial by Siobhan Davis
4 stars

Once again you just don't know what you're going to get with the Saven series. Saven Disclosure ended on a cliffhanger and Saven Denial picks up right where it left off. We are finally learning who Sadie is and where she comes from. She's always been different from her family this novella expands on that. New characters are introduced and Sadie is thrown into another whirlwind of emotions.

I think the new characters add an interesting spin but I'm not sure how I feel about Axton as a love interest. I'm not really into the whole love triangle thing. I do like how Davis handled the whole situation. Sadie has had her memories wiped and now the Tor, especially Axton, are filling her in. But, being Sadie, she didn't simply accept what she was being told and she fought everything. The Tor, especially Griselda, may have plans for Sadie but she refuses to go along with it. She's willing to sacrifice herself to save the Logan's life.

There time travel but it's an odd type. The reader has to keep an open mind and not think too hard about the workings of the universe and just go with it. I had no problem with this but anyone who is a stickler for such things won't find it easy to read.

We've seen a lot of growth in Sadie's character in the first two books and she continues to grow through Saven Denial. This may be a novella but it's definitely action packed. Unfortunately it ended on another cliffhanger.  Next is Saven Defiance and I can't wait.

*Note from the author: This continues the story from where it left off in Saven Disclosure. This is not an optional novella but an essential read if you don't want to miss out on important plot developments.

Saven Deception by Siobhan Davis - 4.5 stars

Book 1 in the Savan series

Saven Deception by Siobhan Davis
4.5 stars

I wasn't sure what I was going in to when I requested this book but I'm certainly glad I did. I've recently been having a hard time with the dystopian genre. This book is a mix of dystopia and sci-fi all in one. It's brilliant. This is one of those "don't judge a book by it's cover" deals. I really don't like it but I do like the book.

Sadie is part of the lower class living in the Outer Circle, also known as stars. Everyone has a small tattoo on their wrists classifying them. The lowest class have bronze stars, the middle class have silver coins, and the upper class have gold bullions. Being a star means Sadie is forced to work at the age of 14, she's not allowed to marry or fall in love, she's not allowed to have children, and much more. They're basically considered slaves to the rest of the civilization. I liked how Davis separated the classes using the tattoos and the restrictions placed on the lower class. Her world building is great.

The government decides to try a new way to lessen the strain of overpopulation. They are sending volunteers to an underground city, Thalassic City, for six months to see if it is possible to live there. Sadie volunteered to get out of her dull life and away from the family that hates her. Luckily, Sadie is chosen and she's whisked away to a new world. One thing that made me role my eyes was the name for their little test drive: "The Experimento." I wish there was a better name or just drop the "o".

We knew there were going to be aliens based on the description. Since we know this, it's obvious who the aliens are when Sadie enters her new life. I like how Davis showed the slight differences between the humans and the aliens aka the Saven. It was subtle but the reader can tell...a bit of dramatic irony added a little twist to the story.

Sadie was a great main character. She's strong, brave, and has a good sense of who she is. She knows what she wants in her life. She's inquisitive and cares about her new friends. She acknowledges her failings and her behavior towards Logan (the love interest). The action really picks up in the last third of the book and we see Sadie shine.

This was a great book. I enjoyed it and I am definitely looking forward to the next one. I definitely recommend this book. I might be checking out her True Calling series.

Devil's Daughter by Hope Schenk-de Michele and Paul Marquez - 3.5 stars

Book 1 in Lucinda's Pawnshop

Devil's Daughter by Hope Schenk-de Michele and Paul Marquez with Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
3.5 stars

This book was difficult to rate. I liked it but it took me a little longer to get through than most books. I was able to put it down and move on to other books in my to-read pile. I'm pretty good at focusing on one book but I kept getting bored while reading. It's also a difficult book to review. I've rewritten this thing 10 times already.

The plot of the book is interesting. We have the daughter of Eve and Lucifer. We have demons and fallen angels. Shape shifting and magic and people who are at the brink of choosing right and wrong. Lucinda runs a pawn shop full of dark objects that hold dark souls of the past. When a mortal purchases an object they are drawn to, it wreaks havoc in their lives. Lucifer has Lucinda sell these objects so he can further his plot to end the world.

Lucinda is interesting. She has the inner turmoil of being the daughter of Eve and Lucifer. She has a human side that she can't show to anyone because it is her weakness. Of course, this comes crashing down when she meets a mortal man who wandered into the pawnshop accidently. She actually starts to feel things she's never felt before. She has to be careful with this part of her life as well. Basically she had to tread a fine line and keep everything hidden from those around her.

While Lucinda is the main character,we have several points of view. Some of them were interesting. Others were boring. There were a little too many jumps between characters. Most of these characters aren't really fleshed out. It's definitely a plot driven book.

I wanted there to be more world building. There are aspects that aren't explained. What is the Between? Why was Lucinda taken from Eve at such a young age? There are many unanswered questions. Some of them are legitimate and are there to be explored in the upcoming novel(s). But some of them should have been more fleshed out.

I might read the sequel just to see what's coming next. I can only hope that there will be character and plot growth along with it.

Must Remember by Colleen S. Myers - 4 stars

Book 1 in the Solum Series

Must Remember by Colleen S. Myers
4 stars

I got this book through NetGalley and after reading it, I will definitely be buying it.

This book falls under the New Adult genre. I was pleasantly surprised as I was reading this. It's a bit of Sci-Fi and a bit of Fantasy mixed together. There's humor that you wouldn't expect either. I was laughing out loud which is extremely difficult. There is sarcasm, romance, magic, action, aliens, and more.

Elizabeth/Beta is our heroine and the narrator in this book. I love the nickname Myers chose for Elizabeth. I've seen Beta used as a nickname. I found it clever. Beta is a college girl and her entire world ends one day when everyone around her stars going crazy. That was how the book opened. That whole first chapter had me going "What the hell am I reading?!" Then she wakes up on another planet with two suns in a uniform she doesn't recognize with no memories of how she got there.

Some books that have amnesia dive me crazy because they tend to drag it out. Beta gets flashbacks and dreams that slowly clue us in without ruining the plot. In fact, I found that Myers paced the plot and action quite well. She didn't info dump us on too much and allowed the characters to describe the world.

One thing I did have a problem with was the love triangle. I'm just not a fan of them. We do know who she prefers pretty early on but she kept going back and forth which is annoying. Thankfully she chose by the end of the book so it wasn't too drawn out. Of course, the rejected guy won't be giving up that easily. I'm on team Marin.

The character development for Beta was great. Things weren't dragged out and when she started getting bored, she decided she wanted to do something about it. But she was very real. The memories that began to return scared her and at points she was very human in not wanting to remember the pain.

I enjoy fantasy more than sci-fi and the fact that this was both made it great and unique. I love the elemental magic that was included and I love the jatua. They are tattoo-like markings that appear on a person's skin. They are basically the person's story. I just found it cool.

I'm excited for the next book, Can't Forget. Must Remember didn't end on a cliff-hanger exactly, but it's enough to make you want more. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys magic, aliens, or romance.

Hidden Gates by D.T. Dyllin - 1 star

Hidden Gates by D.T. Dyllin
1 star

I don't like giving 1 star but the more I write this review, the more I don't like this book. This is not a YA book like I thought it would be when I read the summary but a NA. The New Adult genre is a difficult one. You have a character that's between a teenager and an adult and the author has to find the right balance. I don't believe that balance was found in this book. I had a hard time not rolling my eyes while reading this.

Forbidden love? Check! Love triangle (quadrangle)? Check! Annoying (slutty) best friend? Check! Soul maters? Check! I'm sure there are more cliches I can add in there. I don't have a problem with a lot of cliches but throw them all together and it's just painful. Things were so predictable when it came to the relationships in this book. Almost everything was predictable.

PJ is our protagonist. She's a Seer and her best friend, Bryn, is a Guardian. PJ isn't allowed to be with anyone but a Gate Keeper or a Seer descendant. No lowly Guardian for PJ. But who is PJ in love with? You guessed it, Bryn, the lowly Guardian. But we can't forget about the slutty best friend, Jenna. She's a Speaker, she can speak/read any language. She's also second-class to the beloved Gate Keepers and Seers. Don't get me wrong, I like that there are levels of power and the fact that the Gate Keepers and Seers are snooty. That makes for a interesting complication. This wasn't. We were never given a reason why Speakers and Guardians are so lowly. Hell, we aren't even told why these special humans exist! On top of that you have dragons. Yes, dragons. Oh, and "aliens" who come through the gates take over people's bodies. What's a Gate? I don't know.

Every character is flat. There isn't any depth to them. The entire plot focuses on PJ and the three love interests. Romance is basically the only plot point. There isn't any real character development. There's no real movement throughout the story. There's very little action. Everything focuses on PJ and how she loves Bryn but he's forbidden. I wanted more than that. I wanted some reason to be emotionally invested in these characters or this world but there wasn't anything for me to care about.

The plot Dyllin was trying to write just didn't come through. It needs to focus less on PJ and her love struggles and more on the end of the world plot point that was introduced at the end. Overall this book just wasn't for me.

Master of Crows by Grace Draven - 4.5 stars

Master of Crows by Grace Draven
4.5 stars

I loved this book. I absolutely loved it. Draven writes wonderfully and she is able to immerse you in her world without confusing you. There were no info dumps and the characters were well developed. I like the type of magic that occupied this world and I like how the class systems worked because it gave the story some life.

The main two characters are Martise of Asher and Silhara of Neith. Martise is a slave and is sent to Neith as an apprentice. Her true purpose was to spy on Silhara so her master, Bishop Cumbria, could find an excuse to execute him. There is extreme hatred between the two and neither bother hiding it. Martise is a well and is able to translate old texts. Silhara is in need of her abilities so he can find a way to kill the false god, Corruption. Silhara also has to try to make Martise's Gift appear. It's obvious she had it but it doesn't want to show itself.

Silhara is an ass but there are good reasons for this. He is a powerful mage who lives in squalor. Neith is a ruin for someone of noble blood. The title "Master of Crows" is an insult because they associate crows with evil and death. In truth, Silhara only uses some dark magic and not for dark purposes. At the moment Corruption wants to use Silhara as his avatar to rule the human world. Silhara is doing his best to resist the evil god but he can't resist much longer. He needs to find a way to kill him.

Martise is an average woman but with a beautiful voice. She isn't beautiful; she is plain and unassuming. She is very smart and clever however and her role as a slave serves her well. She picks up information because who pays attention to a slave? She finds that she fits in at Neith. Gurn, the servant but truly Silhara's friend, is mute but uses sign language. He cares for Silhara and soon comes to care for Martise. I like Gurn. He's a giant with a big heart despite a dark past.

We do end up finding out about Martise's Gift but it is not the Gift anyone expected. It's actually a curse. It's quite sad actually but there is an excellent reason behind Draven's choice of Gift for Martise. I like that Silhara is extremely powerful and that he is a tortured soul that Martise comes to love.

This is a fantasy-romance so obviously the two fall in love. Their love isn't instant and it's obvious that it is a difficult thing to embrace. I like how their relationship grew through the book and the discovery's they find in each other and in themselves.

There is plenty of action and suspense. The ending is a HEA for which I am grateful.  I couldn't see it ending any other way. The entire book is just written brilliantly. Her words paint the picture in your mind and you find yourself completely immersed and up way late into the night when you should be sleeping.

I highly recommend this  book. I read it in the anthology "Darkly Dreaming." I just discovered that there will be a sequel coming out. Draven hadn't planned for one but she changed her mind and decided that it sounded like a good idea. I'm excited. There is no official date yet but Draven did provide a small snippet from the next book, "The Brush of Black Wings." You can read it here. But don't read it before you read Master of Crows. Seriously, there are spoilers and this is one book you don't want to spoil for yourself.

Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews - 5 stars

First off.....AWESOME. Not really what I was expecting. Actually I didn't really have expectations. I knew this would be different and a game changer. Yes, it was definitely a game changer. I know some people won't like the ending. It wasn't what I was expecting. It came out of no where but I like it. Oh boy. The next book should be interesting. When is the next book coming out? Can it be out now? Can I just know what happens?

Anyways, now for my review.

Previous Kate Daniels Reviews

Magic Bites | Magic Burns | Magic Strikes | Magic Bleeds

 Magic Slays | Magic Rises

Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews
5 stars (more like 10 stars)

In the previous book, Kate's lineage basically came out to the world. Really, only the important people know but it's only a matter of time before the rest of the world finds out and Kate can no longer hide. Also, Curran proposed at the end of the book and gave Kate part of the Wolf Diamond. According to the authors, Curran is showing Kate that he trusts her completely because the Wolf Diamond can basically kill him. That's pretty powerful and I'm glad they explained that in the interview. (The interview is great. It's about 50 minutes long and you can watch it here).

Now that they're back in Atlanta, they're preparing for war. It's going to come. Hugh d'Ambray knows who Kate is and now he desperately wants her. He also wants to sleep with her and fight with her and stuff. It's pretty gross actually. He is extremely powerful and has an amazing gift for healing. He can basically pull people back from the brink of death (spoilers)*.

Curran goes out of town to deal with a shapeshifter who wants to talk about the panacea that the Pack now holds a monopoly on. This leaves Kate to attend the Conclave by herself. It's a complete trap. We know this from the summary. Hugh enters and everything goes crazy. "You have until noon to turn over the murder!" It's basically a Catch 22 and it seems like war is unavoidable.

The Pack is at a disadvantage as at least half are out hunting, something the shapeshifters do in the winter months, and Curran has taken some of his good people with him. Jim, who's already paranoid is just going crazy. They know that war is not going to be a good thing but figuring out a way around it is difficult.

In the end they do find the murderer. She's an odd shapeshifter. When Hugh shows up with his army of vampires, Kate works around him. He's not too happy and he teleports her away along with Ghastek into a prison (spoilers)**. It's the prison cell from hell because they're in water and it's cold and they're starving. We do learn some interesting things about Ghastek and his back story. I liked it.

Kate gets rescued by Curran of course. Curran would tear apart the world looking for her. True love in all it's glory. Curran isn't alone. He brought along Jim, Andrea, Christopher (the man they rescued from Hugh in Magic Rises), Thomas, Robert, and a medmage, Nasrin. Thomas and Robert are the alphas of Clan Rat. The escape from the prison tower is difficult and full of surprises (spoilers).*** My heart broke at one point. I wanted to scream at the authors because how could they do that?! (spoilers)****

We meet Roland in the end. I so badly wanted to know his real name but everyone calls him Lord Roland or Sharrum (king). I was surprised by this confrontation. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting. But I think they wrote it perfectly. Roland is such a powerful character and how could they possibly end it all in one book? They couldn't and what they did was ten times better.

You'd think Kate coming face to face with Roland would be the craziest thing ever. But really, there is so much more. So much happens at the end of the book that you feel drained. A lot of things are explained in this book that we were wondering about: Nick, Naeemah, the words on Kate when she took the power word in Magic Bleeds, Kate's true power, and more. If I had been reading in the hardcover format versus the ebook, I would have paper cuts from how fast I was turning those pages. I enjoyed the ending however. I felt that it did so much for Kate and Curran's relationship and that this book has brought them even closer together. Roland is not completely dealt with but man, it's going to be great.

My absolute favorite part is Desandra using pork sword. This has been a thing for almost a year and a half going on between Ilona and Jeaniene Frost. I had to stop reading for a moment so I could stop laughing. Oh my goodness.

This review is pretty long so I'm wrapping it up. Basically, read the book. Enjoy it. Love it. It's amazing. I can't wait for the next Kate and Curran adventure.

Here are the tweets that started the whole "pork sword" thing.

The Curse Breakers by Denise Grover Swank - 4.5 stars

Book 2 in The Curse Keepers

Previous Curse Keeper Review

The Curse Keepers (#1)

The Curse Breakers (#2) by Denise Grover Swank

4.5 stars

Oy vey. This book was just as good as the first one. But it's also very different than the first one. However, the difference is not a bad thing. The writing is just as good and the plot is great. In Curse Keepers we are first introduced into the world and in Curse Breakers, we know about the world and we are seeing the consequences of the opening of the gate.

Claire and Collin are not in this book as much as the first one. I found myself missing Collin even though he's still an asshole who keeps trying to manipulate Ellie. What I love about Ellie is she has a backbone and will stand up for herself. She's doesn't let anyone push her around. She's a strong female character and I really like that.

We have a new threat in this book. Ukinim is angry at Okeus for taking his humanity. He is forced to live as a giant badger and can only appear above ground once a year. Since Okeus wants Ellie so badly, Ukinim now wants to kill Ellie and take her Manitou as revenge. About 2/3 of the way through the book, we learn why Okeus wants Ellie so badly (spoiler)*. It's such a plot twist and so freaking good. I was so shocked.

One of the main plot points is finding Ahone's mark so Ellie can claim herself. Ahone told her at the end of the last book that she could bear his mark but kindly didn't tell her what it was. The jerk. So now she has to go on a little quest to discover it. That's where we meet the new character, Dr. David Preston. David is an expert in Native Americans. He's also British. I love the English accent and you can tell he is British because of the words he uses. David and a team of other archaeologists are exploring the reappearance of the Lost Colony. I like David. He's a great guy who really cares about Ellie. He's a new love interest. I'm not sure how I feel about Ellie's relationship with him. I like David but I also like Collin. And it doesn't help that Collin's and Ellie's souls are bound together.

We also have the other threat from Marino. The creep is still after her and it's a sticky situation. It's about the Ricardo Estate and Collin refuses to tell Ellie anything. It's supposedly for her own safety. Well her safety is in jeopardy anyways so just tell her!

Tom, a cop and an old friend is really freaking annoying in this book. He has linked Ellie to all the weird things happening and she has to lie her way out of a lot of things. She ends up telling Tom about Marino and his guys that are after her but I got really annoyed with his constant appearances. Basically I want him to go away. I find his repeated inclusion a little too much. It's partly why I gave this 4.5 stars.

This book was great. I like the continuation of the plot but I also love the character development. We shall see what we have in store for the next book, The Curse Defiers.

I REALLY WANT THE NOOK BOOK. But it was published by Amazon and apparently they can't give it to Barnes and Noble. I guess I'll end up with the paperback. This is not a bad thing.

Recent Reviews

• The Curse Keepers (#1) by Denise Grover Swank - 4.5 stars
• The Girl and the Raven (#1) by Pauline Gruber - 4 stars
• Beautiful Darkness (#2) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 3.5 stars

The Curse Keepers by Denise Grover Swank - 4.5 stars

Book 1 in The Curse Keepers 

The Curse Keepers by Denise Grover Swank
4.5 stars

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

This is one of those books that gave me a physical reaction around the end. The only reason I gave it 4.5 stars instead of 5 is because of how slowly it started off. I was annoyed with Ellie and Collin at first. Ellie's blatant refusal to believe in the curse was annoying at first but I grew to accept it.

Okay, I love this book. It's definitely gone on my favorites shelf. What I love about it is the absolute uniqueness of it. I've never read anything like it. It's urban fantasy, one of my favorite genres, but it's a completely different take on the urban fantasy/paranormal world. This story focuses on the Lost Colony of Roanoke. As many people know, the colony literally disappeared off the face of the earth. I've only read one other series, Blue Bloods, that worked with the mystery. This was ten times better.

In this version, the colony and the evil spirits were locked away behind a gate. It's basically what we would consider Hell. The Croatoan Native American, Manteo, locked the spirits and gods away with the help of Ananias Dare. The colony also gets sent behind the gates. It was a huge sacrifice and it is the reason that the colony disappeared. It's said that when the two Curse Keepers meet, the gates will open and they will have seven days to close it again.

Ellie is the current Dare Curse Keeper. She used to believe but when her mother died, she forgot everything and refused to relearn the everything she needed to know about being a Curse Keeper. Her mother didn't believe and she basically locked away her memories. It broke her father's heart because he was the Curse Keeper before her and she needed to know everything he knew. When all hell literally breaks loose, she can no longer go to him for answers because he has Alzheimer's. In the end, she does get her memories back and in a fantastic way. I love her character and her power.

Then we have Collin. He is the Manteo Curse Keeper. He's the typical smokin'
hot guy who is also a womanizer. He doesn't really care about anyone except himself. He's really an asshole in the beginning of the book and I seriously just wanted to punch him most of the time. But he is the Curse Keeper who knows the ceremony to close the gates and they need each other to close them. He's super secretive and he untrustworthy. Stupid gorgeous asshole. I love him and I hate him.

What's also great about this book is the multiple mysteries and plot lines. They aren't confusing and they add to the story. It's like Swank throws in real life with the fantasy. We get normal characters and real world problems. Ellie is broke and the family is is almost in foreclosure. Ellie also has a great best friend, Claire, and she adds to the story as well. I think it's a great little departure from the usual urban fantasies. I'll say it again, it's unique.

The ending. Oh my goodness the ending. I saw it coming but still. It was so intense and so heartbreaking and just, ah. I won't spoil it but it's just so hard to read. I seriously wanted to scream at Ellie and Collin. It was a really good ending and it set up a great story arc for the next book.

So far this seems to be a trilogy with three short stories. I'm definitely going to read the short story and I'm jumping into the The Curse Breakers as soon as I can. This is a definite recommend. Read it!!

If you want to read more about the series visit Denise Grover Swank's website and the Curse Keepers website.

Recent Reviews

• The Girl and the Raven (#1) by Pauline Gruber - 4 stars
• Beautiful Darkness (#2) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 3.5 stars
• Beautiful Creatures (#1) by Kami Garcia and Margarent Stohl - 5 stars

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews Cover Reveal!

Ah! They've finally showed us the cover for Burn for Me. Ilona mentioned weeks ago that she saw the cover and she said she couldn't reveal it until the manuscript had been revealed. It's a fantastic cover and it looks like it's going to be a great series. Here is the post from her blog.

Burn For Me by Ilona Andrews

Hidden Legacy, Book 1
Release date: October 28, 2014
ISBN: 978-0062289230

#1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews launches a brand new Hidden Legacy series, in which one woman must place her trust in a seductive, dangerous man who sets off an even more dangerous desire...

Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career - a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn't sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she's kidnapped by Connor "Mad" Rogan - a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan's after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she's getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be a perilous as death, especially in the magic world.

______________________________________

Ilona explained how they have had this story building slowly in the back of their minds every since they wrote a short story called Of Swine and Roses. It also built from their world of Kinsmen. Those two worlds helped them write this new novel.

I'm so excited. I can't wait to read it. Ilona Andrews is one of my favorite authors and the concept is just so unique and great. She's talked about it on her blog and over twitter. I can't wait to plunge back into duo's writing. Ilona and Gordon are very talented.

This Hidden Legacy series is going to be a trilogy and it's going to focus on the couple. It will be more like Kate Daniels in that fashion and not like The Edge. All of her fans exploded on twitter and on her blog. It's so exciting. And it's going to be a Happily Ever After series. Thank God! I'm just soooooooo excited!

What's also amazing is the price!
$5.99 for Paperback
$4.99 for e-book

Yes, I will own both.

Available from Indiebound | Powell's | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

______________________________________

This is what Ilona said about the cover:

"It's such a gorgeous, distinctive cover, melding together unique paranormal aspect of the world and the sizzle of the relationship between Mad Rogan and Nevada. It's rare when the cover captures a scene from the book exactly the way the author had imagined it. You learn to resign yourself to it. Covers aren't meant to be a literal representation of the narrative, but Burn for Me is. It actually shows a pivotal scene, especially when combined with the aerial view splashback. If you read the book, you'll know exactly what I mean. When I got the cover file, I sent it to a friend. She emailed back in minutes. The email said, "Who did you sacrifice to Cover Gods to get this?""

Erika Tsang, Ilona Andrews' Editor said:

"Burn for me is a slight departure from Ilona Andrews' other bestselling urban fantasy series. There's still the trademark snappy dialogue/narrative and action-packed scenes, but there's a stronger romance thread here that we wanted to get across right away with this cover. Our hero Rogan is not just hot and sexy, but he's powerful. Like kill-you-with-a-stare powerful. And Nevada is just as strong, only she doesn't realize her full potential yet. So I wanted to show off our couple, have that intimacy between them and not lose any kickass-ness (I know, not a real word, sorry). The background with the exploding buildings around them, the idea was Ilona's and the execution is just exquisite."

Tweets from Ilona:

And a short snippet about Mad Rogan via Twitter









Recent Reviews:

• The Girl and The Raven by Pauline Gruber - 4 stars
• Beautiful Darkness (#2) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 3.5 stars
• Beautiful Creatures (#1) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 5 stars

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 3.5 stars

Book 2 in the Caster Chronicles

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
3.5 stars

Previous Caster Chronicles Series Reviews

Beautiful Creatures (#1)

When I first read this book, I found myself getting really annoyed. Mostly because of the actions of Lena. She just frustrated me. I understand the reasons why she acted the way she did but still, I just wanted to shake her and say "Get over it!" This has to be my least favorite book. As I mentioned in my review of Beautiful Creature, the next two books in the series are full of extreme angst. Don't get me wrong, the writing is good. Garcia and Stohl know how to write. I just found some of the plot hard to swallow. 

This book continues not long after Beautiful Creatures. Macon is dead and there is a funeral. His coffin is empty seeing as he in an Incubus and when they die there are no bodies. Obviously Lena is devastated over her uncle's death; especially since she's basically the one who killed him. Now every time she sees Ethan, she sees her uncle and how she killed him. Like I said, understandable. 

Ethan has no idea what is up with Lena. He desperately tries to get her to talk but she just runs away from him. She blocks him out, not allowing him to Kelt with her. Eventually Ethan learns why she is pulling away. Amma tells him what happened the night of Lena's Sixteenth Moon. But he doesn't want to give up on her seeing as he loves her. 

We get a few new characters in this book. Ethan is working in the library for the summer with Marion and he meets Liz. Liz is this crazy smart girl from England. She and Ethan become best friends and it's obvious that Liz really likes him. I really like Liz. She's just cool and she's a great friend to Ethan. Ethan runs across her in the tunnels with Marion. Turns out Liz is training to be a Keeper and she is studying with Marion. Ethan's mother had helped Ethan find his way through the tunnels to get to Liz and Marion. When Ethan told Liz and Marion that, they discovered that he was a Wayward. Wayward's a special mortals who guide Casters through their life. These Casters are important. They just aren't sure which Caster Ethan is supposed to be guiding.

When Ethan was at the graveyard for All Souls Day, Marion gives him a box with a small black sphere inside of it. Ethan's mother gave it to Marion and she decided to give it to Ethan. The stone is called an Arclight. It's the only weapon that can be used against an Incubus. It's basically a prison. Ethan begins
to have visions involving Macon and Abraham, the first Blood Incubus in the family. We learn a lot through the visions and that was one of my favorite parts.

The ending is huge and definitely has major effects. I like that Ridley and Link were included in their little adventures. Despite everything Ridley says, she loves Link just as much as he loves her. Poor Ridley and poor Link. Since the events of Lena's sixteenth moon, Link is now involved in the world of the Casters. He provide much needed comic relief. We also see how much of Gatlin actually is involved in the Caster world. It's shocking but also welcome. My favorite has to be Aunt Prue. I love that old lady.

This book does need to be read and it is still good. I just have a hard time when characters dwell on the same thing the entire time. It's understandable I guess but still, move on with the story already! Anyways, it's a good read but it drags on a bit. Things could have moved forward are little more quickly. Other than that, it was a good addition to the series and the consequences of the actions from the climax are seen in Beautiful Chaos. Exciting stuff right there.

Previous Reviews:

• Beautiful Creatures (#1) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 5 stars
• Onyx (#2) by Jennifer Armentrout - 4.5 stars
• Obsidian (#1) by Jennifer Armentrout - 4.5 stars

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 5 stars

Book 1 in the Caster Chronicles

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

5 stars

Beautiful Creatures is a fantastic book. I read it a long time ago and I've kept up with the series. I didn't have the chance to read Beautiful Redemption when it came out and then I completely forgot about it. Finally, Beautiful Redemption was released in paperback and I decided it was time to reread the series so I can read Beautiful Redemption.

I think this is my favorite book in the series. Usually that doesn't happen with the first book in a series. There is less emotional turmoil in this book and less angst. Don't get me wrong, I love emotions and how they're betrayed but at some points in the next two books I was getting tired of it.

Our protagonist is Ethan Wate. The story is told in first person which I like. It fits the story. Ethan lives in the small town of Gatlin in South Carolina with his dad and his second mom, Amma. Amma helped raise Ethan's dad and Ethan. A year ago, Ethan's mother died in a car accident. There are no secrets in this town. There is only one traffic light. There are no commercial stores like Wal-Mart or Target. All Ethan wants is to escape. Everyone is judgmental and a lot of them are bullies. If you don't conform then you are an outcast. Honestly, I wanted to punch most of them.

Ethan's been having extremely realistic dreams about a girl. When he wakes up he has scratches and dirt in his bed. He wakes up to a song playing on his iPod called Sixteen Moons. We find out the significance of that later. Sixteen Moons pops up throughout the book, sending out warnings.

On the first day of school, Ethan sees the girl from his dreams driving up in a hearse. Her name is Lena and she turns out to be the niece of Macon Ravenwood. Macon is the town shut in. He's the Boo Radley of Gatlin (his dog is named Boo Radley oddly enough). Already Lena is on the outside because of her relation. She does not get a warm welcome and everyone does their best to make it known that she is not welcome.

Eventually it is revealed that Lena and her family are Casters. Basically Casters are witches but they don't use that term. There are two types of Caster; Dark Casters and Light Casters. Easy enough to understand. On a Caster's sixteenth birthday they choose if they will be Dark or Light. Lena's family doesn't have this luxury. There is a curse on the family. This means the Casters can't choose, they get Chosen. This is a big deal. Lena does not want to go Dark and she's scared. Hell, I would be too. Through visions that Lena and Ethan share from an old locket, they learn the origin of the curse.

Link, Ethan's best friend, and Amma are probably my favorite characters. Amma is a superstitious seer. She talks to the Greats, her dead family members, and reads tarot cards. She uses charms to ward off evil. I like how she address Ethan. It's never "Ethan." It's always "Ethan Wate." Link is just a hilarious character. He provides some comic relief and he's just a good guy. He doesn't judge Lena and doesn't push Ethan away when everyone else in the school does. I like him.

This is a five star book. I highly recommend it. There is a lot of mystery and I like the world Stohl and Garcia created. It's not the usual paranormal world so I find it interesting. There are many twists and turns and some action that make this book fantastic.

They made this book into the movie but I'm so over watching the movies that have come from books so I refuse to watch it. I just can't see another book butchered.

Sixteen Moons

Previous Reviews:
Onyx (#2) by Jennifer Armentrout - 4.5 stars
Obsidian (#1) by Jennifer Armentrout - 4.5 stars
Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews - 5 stars

Onyx by Jennifer Armentrout - 4.5 stars

Onyx (#2) by Jennifer Armentrout
4.5 stars

Previous Lux Series Review

Obsidian (#1)

This book basically was a bit of a shock for me. It was not what I was expecting. In Obsidian we are first introduced into the world. We learn who the Lux are, their origins, their enemies, and basically what they can do. After the big fight with the Arum at the end of the book Daemon heals Katy and this changes everything. They noticed that their heartbeats are in sync and they are connected. Daemon really likes Katy but he'd been pushing her away and being an ass through the whole first book to protect his family.

Well now that Katy is so deeply involved in their world, Daemon gives up on being the ass and pushing Katy away. He wants to be in a relationship and Katy only believes it's because of their connection. This persists through almost the entire book. It's one of the most annoying things about Onyx which kept me from giving it the five stars.

Katy starts to develop super powers that are similar to those of the Luxen. It's pretty crazy and not something I was expecting. She can freeze things and move things. Her powers are out of control and
Daemon has never heard of anything like it. Katy and Daemon decide to keep these sudden abilities a secret from everyone so they could figure it out.

We have new character, Blake. Instantly Daemon and Dee don't like him. I don't like him. It's obvious that something bad is going to happen. He witnesses Katy freezing something and later reveals that he too has powers. It's something that happens when a Luxen heals a human. They become hybrids. Blake wants to train Katy so she doesn't bring the DOD down on the town because she is a danger. They
can't risk the world finding out about the aliens of course.

This book. My goodness it has so many twists and turns. I had a hard time putting it down. There is an incredibly sad scene (spoiler)* and it breaks my heart because I knew the consequences of those actions. Sure enough it rears it's ugly head in Opal. But then there is an extremely surprising ending that leaves you in shock. Insanity.

Onyx is a perfect name for the book and I like how Armentrout decided on what to title the books. I enjoyed it and I was happy to learn more about this world they are in. Nothing is as it seems and I think anyone who reads it will thoroughly enjoy it. I'm not sure if I like Onyx more than Obsidian. Obsidian is the introduction. Onyx is a darker novel and delves deeper into the world. Ah. So good.

Circle of Fire by Keri Arthur - 3.5 stars

Circle of Fire by Keri Arthur
3.5 stars

I was a little hesitant to pick this book up at first even though it sounded interesting. I'm glad I did. It was a good book and I enjoyed it. Despite my enjoyment, I had a hard time rating this. I went back and forth between 3.5 and 4 stars. The concept is great but some of the things in the story bothered me enough to knock it down to 3.5. I would still recommend it though. Overall it's a good story with a good plot line despite some of the things I did not particularly like.

It's quite obvious from the first time Jon and Maddie meet that there is going to be a love story between them. Jon appears in an astral form in Maddie's bedroom. Maddie has been living alone ever since her husband died in a fire. She is afraid of hurting anyone with her power because she has no control. Jon is dying and something is forcing him to appear before her. Maddie thinks she's going crazy until Jon warns her about missing teenagers from the area her sister and her nephew, Ethan, visited two weeks prior. Jon begs her to find him and save him. When Ethan disappears like the other teenagers who visited AREA, Maddie decides to set out to save Jon and then find Ethan.


Along with Maddie's pyrokinesis, she is also clairvoyant. Ethan has inherited that power as well. Maddie's power helps her with trying to locate Ethan but since she doesn't have much control, the visions are confusing and unclear. Jon can't help her focus her powers because he is a shapeshifter, a hawk to be exact, and he doesn't know the finer arts of the craft. He does help her calm down when she sets the inn on fire by accident.

Maddie stays at an inn where there is a creepy owner named Hank. This guy is so well written that when you are reading it, you get that creepy vibe. He's nasty and you know that he is evil. He has a fascination with Maddie and it scares her. I would be scared too. We find out pretty early who is behind the kidnappings and murders. It was quite obvious from the beginning so I was a little annoyed by that. There really wasn't a sense of mystery. I'm not sure is this is what Arthur was aiming for but it was extremely predictable.

I was also a little annoyed by the hot and cold vibes Jon sent towards Maddie. I understand the reasoning behind it but it was a constant thing so I found it tiring.

I was a little surprised by the ending. I wasn't expecting the time difference, something you will understand when you read the last chapter. It did have a HEA which I am grateful for. Overall it was a good book. The next book in the Damask Circle series focuses on two different characters. It's one of those series that have different main characters for each book. I will be reading the next book in the series.

Othersphere by Nina Berry - 4.5 stars

Othersphere (#3) by Nina Berry

4.5 stars

Previous Otherkin Series Reviews
Otherkin (#1) | Othermoon (#2)

Othersphere is the final book in the Otherkin trilogy and I really enjoyed it. It wrapped up the loose ends from Othermoon and filled in any missing information. We finally learn everything about Dez and her connection to the Othersphere, who her biological parents are, and who she ends up with. 

At the end of Othermoon, Caleb left because he couldn't trust Dez after she met up with Lazar twice without telling anyone. She was doing it for the right reasons because everyone wanted to kill Lazar but in the end, Caleb broke up with her and then left. In Othersphere, Dez and Lazar are together despite Dez still having feelings for Caleb. I found it a bit weird honestly. I still don't know who I was rooting for in the end (spoiler)*. 

At the beginning of the book, Amaris sneaks off to meet up with Caleb. Dez follows her, knowing that she is going to meet her brother and Dez just wants to see Caleb. Things go to hell from there. Suddenly they are surrounded by the Tribunal and Ximon throws Amaris into the Othersphere, using Dez to open the veil. Caleb and Dez escape and return to the school. Everyone agrees that they have to go rescue Amaris from the Othersphere (spoiler)**. When they get a call from Ximon claiming that he has been possessed by a "demon", the group decides to check out if what he claims is true. Caleb believes Ximon is telling the truth but Dez doesn't. As she is the unofficial leader, the group backs her up. They find Ximon's location and break into his house. It turns out he was telling the truth. Ximon is being possessed by the same creature that possessed Caleb in Otherkin. At first Ximon is himself but then Orgoli, the creature from the Othersphere, takes control of Ximon again and basically destroys the house. November almost dies and Dez freezes up for the first time. We also find out some pretty interesting information (spoiler)***.

This book has more action and more tension between the friends. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that a group of teenagers are the ones who go into these extremely dangerous situations with the approval of their teacher Morfael. It just seems a little too unbelievable at times. I did like finding out about Dez and her origins. It's an interesting world. The Othersphere is dangerous but also really cool. I liked learning more about it and the Amba. Berry created a very interesting world and I enjoyed the series. It ended well and I felt no need for the story to go on. She managed to wrap everything up without leaving any plot holes. 

This is another 4.5 star book. I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this title prior to it's release. 

Othermoon by Nina Berry - 4.5 stars

Othermoon (#2)  by Nina Berry
4.5 stars

Previous Otherkin Series Review

Otherkin (#1)

Othermoon begins not long after the events of Otherkin. Dez is listening to music in the middle of the night when she hears something. It turns out Lazar has broken into her house but nothing seems to be disturbed. She chases him out into the rain and to the lightning tree. Lazar manages to escape and Dez's mom and Richard catch up with her at the tree. Something strange begins to happen to her mother and she suddenly becomes possessed by another being from the Othersphere. She tells Dez that she is her daughter but is unable to last very long in her mother's body. She calls Dez an Amba, the same name Ximon called her when he saw her. 

It turns out Lazar stole a hairbrush from Dez. She gets in touch with all of her friends except Arnaldo and discover that things with their DNA have been stolen as well. Lazar left a note apologizing and asking for forgiveness. This is odd but Dez has to worry about other things, not Lazar's peculiar behavior. 

The gang meets up in Las Vegas where they are eventually found by the Tribunal. While they are escaping, Dez runs into Lazar again. He gets attacked by Caleb who hates him for killing his mother. Lazar tells Dez that he hasn't told anyone about where they are and warns them about the exits. Dez's compassion at the end of Otherkin planted a seed and Lazar wants out from under his father's abuse. 

The group heads to Arnaldo's to bring him to the school. They find out that his house wasn't attacked because his father gave the Tribunal some of his DNA. When Arnaldo leaves to go to school, his father disowns him. He is a drunk and hits his children which makes Dez eventually call child services. 

Once they make it to the school, Caleb and Dez stay behind and things start to get hot and heavy before they are interrupted by Amaris and Lazar climbing into the van. Lazar has information. The Tribunal is building a particle accelerator and for some reason they needed the DNA from each of the remaining tribes of shifters. Lazar agrees to get the plans and layout of the Tribunal's compound in exchange for help to escape the Tribunal. 

No one trusts Lazar except Dez and Amaris. Dez sneaks around Caleb and the others to get information from Lazar, eventually leading to the break up of Caleb and Dez. Caleb says he can't trust her and he sees the way Lazar looks at her and holds her. 

The group eventually attacks the Tribunal compound using Lazar's information but it's a trap. They escape and Dez does some awesome things with her power. Their escape comes with a cost. One of their number dies at the hands of Ximon (spoiler)*. Lots of things go down during that attack and escape and most of it is pretty interesting and helps develop the world of the shifters.

In the end, Caleb leaves while everyone else, including Lazar returns to the school. There is a budding relationship between Lazar and Dez, one that Caleb can't ignore.

I liked this book more than Otherkin. We learn more about the world of the otherkin and the shifters. We learn about the power of the othersphere and a little bit more about Dez's origins. It's very interesting. It deserves a solid 4.5 stars. 

Otherkin by Nina Berry - 4.5 stars

Otherkin by Nina Berry

4 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The only reason I didn't give it five is because I have some issues with certain scenes. It took me a couple tries to get into this book but once I did I found myself enjoying it and finished it quickly. 

Dez

In this book we have Desdemona, aka Dez, who is an otherkin. She's a shifter and can shift into a tiger. This is quite obvious once you look at the cover. We get thrown into the world almost immediately. At the end of chapter 1 Dez transforms into her tiger. In chapter 2 she wakes up in a cage somewhere in the desert. In a cage next to her we meet Caleb. Caleb is otherkin also but he is not a shifter. He is a caller of shadow. Basically there is another world called the Othersphere and it "casts its shadow into our world. Not a shadow of darkness, but a power shadow, a vibration" (33). Callers can actually call forth the shadow of the shifters or send them away, forcing them into or out of their animal form. This makes the shifters hate the callers because they can control their transformations. 

November

The enemy of the otherkin is the Tribunal. They think all otherkin are demons and are extremely religious. They can use shadow too but they use it to get rid of shadow. The callers that are part of the Tribunal are titled objurers. Basically they're a bunch of hypocrites. The Tribunal has killed thousands of shifters and callers. Now there are only five shifter tribes left. Bears, cats, birds, wolves, and rats. Before there were shifters of all different animals but they were killed off by the Tribunal. Of course, all the shifters hate each other and are neophobic. They formed a council with a representative for each tribe but that only does so much. There is little they can do when all they want to fight.

London

After Dez returns home and is attacked again by the Tribunal, she shifts back to her tiger-self and that's when her adoptive mother and Richard, her mother's husband, find out about Dez being a shifter. Her parents go into hiding while Dez heads off with Caleb to a super secret school somewhere hidden. Once there, they have to go through a test to prove that they are worthy to be taught at the school.

The school is for shifters, not callers, so Caleb is a little on the outside. The teacher, Morfael, is also a caller and teaches the shifters the everything the shifters need to know. Dez is an outsider at first and Caleb is unwelcome. The prejudice between the callers and the other shifters is extremely obvious. It's sad really.

Arnaldo

There is something special about Dez and even at the end of the book we don't really know what's going on with her or what she truly is. But because she was never raised around other shifters, she does not have the prejudice that they all have. She is able to bring everyone together and become friends. This is something that never happens.

Siku

What I liked about this book is the completely different take on shapeshifters and the idea of another world that casts its shadows into ours. The idea is clever and one that I haven't heard of before. I enjoyed Dez's character and her strength in trying to get everyone to work together and not hate each other. She doesn't give up and she has a fierce need to protect the people she loves.

What I didn't like was some of the writing and reactions. Dez finds out about this other world and she's not as freaked out as I think she should be. If I had changed into a tiger and then kidnapped and shoved into a cage, I think I'd be freaking out more than she actually was. Sometimes the writing seemed rushed. Despite these issues I really enjoyed this book.

I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys shapeshifter books and want a different take on a fantasy world. The topic of shapeshifters has been used many times and I like that this book used it and changed it into something completely different than anything I was expecting.