REVIEW: BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS BY MARGARET STOHL AND KAMI GARCIA.

Title: Beautiful Darkness
Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Series: Caster Chronicles #2
Edition: Paperback
Publication: October 12th 2010 by Little, Brown and Company
Source: Bought from FullyBooked
Pages: 503 pages
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together Ethan and Lena can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

*MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS*

I am so happy that I am posting my review this early for the reading challenge. Good thing as well that it is on my reading schedule for the week. And honestly, this sequel took me by surprise.

After Lena's sixteenth birthday, Ethan could no longer deny that something has changed. Something is terribly off not only with Gatlin or the Ravenwood Manor but Lena as a whole. Lena seems to be too far from his reach and he thinks he's losing her. She's been acting like a Dark Caster. Ethan has been seeing visions again and he has to find out why Lena is acting weird and who is the guys he's with.. Who is John Breed in Lena's life and is Ethan really ready to let her go.

Beautiful Darkness is the sequel to Beautiful Creatures I reviewed last month. I was kind of disappointed with the first book but this one swayed my feet off the ground. I almost hated it then eventually fully loved it. The first two hundred pages, it just keeps dragging on and on and nothing really happens. I was starting to be afraid for it might bore me to the extend of not finishing it altogether. But thankfully, the last three hundred pages redeemed itself from a DNF.

I almost hated it because of Lena. Her character here didn't not progress at all but in fact, she's at her worse here. She still couldn't decide whether to be Dark of Light and for goodness' sake, she let go of Ethan to be with someone she barely even know. If it wasn't for Ethan's eagerness to save her, she's done. I almost hated it because of Ethan. Well, just a little. There are some moments when he doesn't know when to stop which surprisingly, his stubbornness lead them to unveiling deep secrets and it saved lives. And then I pitied Ethan. A lot. The revelations and challenges he faced in the novel are all mind-blowing and painful that I even experienced a little shortness of breath. I loved how Liv and Link have a major part in finding the answers to Ethan's misery and again, at some point, it reminded me of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Beautiful Darkness is a sequel that is full of answers. All of the questions Beautiful Creatures left me were explained pretty well. Though new characters were added, the initial approach for the old characters developed in a way that made the second novel better than the first. My original rating for this book was just three or four stars but it erratically changed after I read it! The twists and surprises were so heart warming and heart breaking at the same time that I almost couldn't put the book down.

It is a riveting novel that requires a lot of patience. It rewarded me with so much happiness that I couldn't wait to read Beautiful Chaos and I am really looking forward to another fantastic, hair raising and heart breaking read!

"We don't get to chose what is true. We only get to choose what we do about it."

REVIEW: EVERY DAY BY DAVID LEVITHAN.

Title: Every Day
Author: David Levithan
Series: Every Day #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: September 18, 2012 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought from Bookworm's Place
Pages: 304
Genre: Romance, Contemporary

Synopsis:

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

Every Day is amazingly beautiful.

This is my first David Levithan book and I was so lucky to have stumbled upon an online book shop selling pre-loved ones. As soon as I saw it (in such a perfect condition), I know in my heart its the one for me. The effort of traveling and staying under the scorching sun just to get it was worth it.

A is a sixteen-year-old entity/soul/person that wakes up everyday on a different body. A could be a male or a female. In the novel, A is more of a guy. With all of the rules he's set to avoid damaging someone's life, he is used to being just someone for a day. But a fateful morning changed everything for him. He wakes up on Justin's body, a regular teenager, and when A sees Justin's girlfriend Rhiannon, he knows she's the one. The problem is, how to tell her about his secret and how to make her love him back.

Every Day is a little similar to the movie 50 First Dates. Adam Sandler needs to court and make Drew Barrymore fall in love every morning when she wakes up. And with this novel, A needs not to only prove his intentions but make love work. I don't know how to put my feelings for A in words but sadness is the major feeling I have. He doesn't have his own life, family, body even which is very depressing. He has to be very careful not to ruin anyone of his host's lives and that makes his existence limited and pointless. But despite of his current standing, he manages to convey benevolence and respect to others. With all the hardships he's facing, he doesn't lose bearing of his values. And those are some of his traits that definitely struck my heart hard.

The premise is definitely fresh and my first David Levithan novel didn't disappoint at all. I could say it lived up to the hype. It is engrossing to a point that you wouldn't put it down anymore and just keep on flipping the pages. The beauty of story will embrace your heart with so much compassion and appreciation and the fact that it also depicted so many teen issues with care is truly movable.

Every Day is a book I recommend not only to young adults but to adults as well. There are plenty of good things enclosed in the novel that anyone will love. This will strike home. Its gentleness, warmth and longings will surely melt your hearts that you would ask for more. Because I want more.

"If there's one thing I've learned, it's this: We all want everything to be okay. We don't even wish so much for fantastic or marvelous or outstanding. We will happily settle for okay, because most of the time, okay is enough."

"I wake up thinking of yesterday. The joy is in remembering; the pain is in knowing it was yesterday."

"This is what love does: It makes you want to rewrite the world. It makes you want to choose the characters, build the scenery, guide the plot. The person you love sits across from you, and you want to do everything in your power to make it possible, endlessly possible. And when it’s just the two of you, alone in a room, you can pretend that this is how it is, this is how it will be."

REVIEW: THE DIVINERS BY LIBBA BRAY.

Title: The Diviners
Author: Libba Bray
Series: The Diviners #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: September 18, 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought from Fullybooked
Pages: 592
Genre: Romance, Horror, Paranormal

Synopsis:

Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

The Diviners made scream and hide under my blanket!

At first glance, I was really hesitant to buy The Diviners. It's just so thick that I know there's a huge chance that I will get bored. But since I am hearing nothing but great reviews about it, I gave in and bagged a copy. I am happy I did and my first Libba Bray book did not disappoint at all.

The novel takes off when Evie O'Niel, a seventeen-year-old forthright lass, was sent to New York as a punishment for being tacky. Her parents couldn't take the incident she's involved in, that her loudness and tactlessness always get her into trouble. Deep inside, she likes to go to New York for the endless possibilities it could bring her but little did she know, her "gift" will be used to solve a heinous crime and stop the armageddon from happening.

The Diviners is set in 1900s about teenagers with special gifts or powers. Their lives intertwine with each other in ways they haven't expected. Heroes series for some reason came to mind. I could say that Libba Bray have done an awesome job in research and writing. This novel isn't for the faint hearted because aside from the gruesome murders and ghosts, it showcases a very sensitive premise that touches religion and politics. Another lovely point is Bray takes the readers to old school New York which for me, is really fascinating. It is another world building that I fell in love with.

The characters in the novel are very special and they each carry powers different from each other. Most of the time, Evie annoys me. I know she's very straight forward and she knows what she wants, but she just doesn't know where or when to stop. She's stubborn and conceited. Its just a good thing that sometimes she's cute and funny that I forget how annoying she really is. And the same goes to clever Sam. At some point I feel like he could tame Evie. I like his witty antics and his ability to use his charms particularly in good ways. He's the total opposite of Jericho though. Jericho is serious and very focused man. I couldn't blame him for that because his past is so dark and painful. Both Jericho and Isaiah gave me the chills.

The Diviners is very creepy, gruesome and horrifying novel. The demonic level it has on its pages is very strong that there are moments I pause to take a deep breath. And I loved it. I loved the pinch of romance in it. It is so good that I didn't get bored. I feel like am a detective trying to figure out things with Evie. I just thought it is way too long and it took a while for the story to really begin. I also couldn't see why there were plenty of characters that doesn't really have anything to do with the novel. Human robots in 1900s doesn't convince me as well.

I've so many questions about Sam and Will that I couldn't wait for Diviners #2 to come out. So dark and evil yet romantic and funny! I really am eager to know what happens to the sequel of this riveting and intriguing novel that scared me, annoyed me and made me love it to bits!

"Some mornings, she’d wake and vow, Today, I will get it right. I won’t be such an awful mess of a girl. I won’t lose my temper or make unkind remarks. I won’t go too far with a joke and feel the room go quiet with disapproval. I’ll be good and kind and sensible and patient. The sort everyone loves. But by evening, her good intentions would have unraveled. She’d say the wrong thing or talk a little too loudly. She’d take a dare she shouldn’t, just to be noticed. Perhaps Mabel was right, and she was selfish. But what was the point of living so quietly you made no noise at all? “Oh, Evie, you’re too much,” people said, and it wasn’t complimentary. Yes, she was too much. She felt like too much inside all the time. So why wasn’t she ever enough?"

REVIEW: SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY BY SUSAN DENNARD.

Title: Something Strange and Deadly
Author: Susan Dennard
Series: Something Strange and Deadly #1
Edition: Hardback
Publication: July 24, 2012 by HarperTeen
Source: Gifted
Pages: 388
Category: Romance, Horror, Paranormal, Steampunk

Synopsis:

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

Something Strange and Deadly left me in pain.

I initially fell in love with the cover. It conveys dark and mysterious plot by merely looking at it. Then the synopsis just hit the jackpot! I've never read a "zombie" plotted novel and it definitely made it to Top Ten titles on my wishlist. Glad I got it as a birthday gift last September!

Eleonor Fitt is a sixteen-year-old member of high-society of Philadelphia with issues all over. Her mother wants her to soon marry the handsome and wealthy Clarence Wilcox to save them from poverty and his brother Elijah didn't show up at the train station when she was supposed to pick him up. Instead, a walking dead gave her a letter from her brother. Though she's so terrified and worried, she knows she has to find out what really happened to Elijah and how to stop the walking dead.

The setting was in 1876 and Dennard basically wrote a novel that depicted the era perfectly. The parasols, corsets, gowns, horses and operas were some of the things I find alluring. Not only am I reading a novel, I also get to picture how its like during those times. I loved how typical yet captivating the world building Dennard had created. I enjoyed following each character in such era I thought I would never appreciate in literary aspect.

As I go deeper into the story, there were major parts and characters I thought were predictable. There were also some parts I have doubts as to what really is the main plot and where the story is really going. I feel that the "walking dead" part and the "revenge" part where totally different points in the novel and it didn't work well for me. I adore the zombie-related plot and I find it fantastic (though gore) and I adore the Gas-trustees-bullying-and-using-the-Fitt part as well but I adore both in separate ways. I just couldn't adore them when put together.

I was really impressed how the characters progressed in the novel. Eleanor for example. From a princess type, she develops into such an admirable protagonist that isn't afraid to kill the dead or to find her missing brother. Living in a society where your reputation matters most, she did well. I also love how fast she thinks and analyzes some clues and how she doesn't hold grudge to others especially Clarance. I was actually betting for him to be Eleanor's husband. I thought he's perfect and just a little bit mysterious at first and I was totally broken by the end of the novel. I was expecting a love triangle that never happened. That part I wasn't sure if I would like thinking how I hate love triangles but still I ache for him. Daniel is strong and loving but I cannot see myself liking him just yet. I love Elijah, Jie and Joseph but the hate I feel for Eleanor's mother and Peger is just unexplainable.

The action-filled, dark, gore novel sprinkled with a little romance that one could not get over with ended painfully. Dennard chose to end book one in a way that completely torn my heart apart. Now I just couldn't wait to continue reading A Darkness Strange and Lovely to mend it! Overall, I enjoyed and liked it so much!

"Even the greatest feats of man lose their luster when one's head is filled with storm clouds."

REVIEW: BURN FOR BURN BY JENNY HAN AND SIOBHAN VIVIAN.

Title: Burn for Burn
Authors: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Series: Burn for Burn #1
Edition: Paperback
Published: September 18, 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought from Powerbooks
Pages: 368
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal

Synopsis:

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

Burn for Burn is absolutely nostalgic.

When I first heard some of my favorite bloggers satisfied about this novel, I knew I have to get it. I wasn't really into contemporary by that time so imagine how thrilled I was for a new YA genre. This is also my first Han/Vivian book and that basically added so much to the excitement.

At first, I was a little lost on how the novel transitioned from one point of view to another. I was beginning to feel that this might not be the one I was looking for. But when I passed sixty-eighty pages, I was surprised how deep I really was to the story! I can't even put it down! I am just so relieved that it redeemed me from getting disappointed.

The three main characters, Mary, Lilia and Kat, are different but the same. Did that make any sense? They are different when it comes to values yet they have experienced almost the same painful things from the same circle of friends. I loved how Han and Vivian conceptualized high school life in a way bullying, friendship, family and romance rolled into one shocking novel. Mary is a very shy girl and I think is the nicest. I thought she's just always keeping to herself but after knowing how horrible her past was, I felt proud of how much of a strong person she has become. She's determined that no one will ever hurt her again just like what Kat is doing. Kat on the other hand, is someone who just wouldn't care whatever people think and say about her. She fights for herself and easily gets back to whoever wrongs her and in the story, her ex-best friend Rennie is the one spreading terrible lies about her. Of course, there's so much only a girl can do and this time, Kat reaches the end of the rope and fights Rennie. Lillia is a wealthy Asian who happens to be Rennie's best friend. Rennie's definitely using her and she just doesn't defend herself at all. I hated how she easily forgives Rennie especially when something major happened to her over the summer. She's my least favorite character yet I have hopes that on the sequel, she would be tough enough.

The three of them when combined is almost like a destructive force waiting to happen. The revenge plotting, midnight meetings and other horrible things you could do to your so-called friends are just hilarious. Especially what they did to poor Alex. I cannot wait to know what happens next!

Burn for Burn is a novel everyone could easily relate to. So realistic, so surreal, so addictive!

"You can chalk up things to coincide so many times before you have to face the truth."

REVIEW: DEMONGLASS BY RACHEL HAWKINS.

Title: Demonglass
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Series: Hex Hall #2
Edition: Paperback
Publication: March 22nd 2011 by Disney
Source: Bought from Powerbooks
Pages: 384 pages
Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Synopsis:

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

*THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS, I THINK*

Another heartbreaking cliffhanger.

I've had the book since October and last week was its reading schedule. I was honestly amazed by how Rachel Hawkins was able to write such an action-filled sequel to Hex Hall. I wouldn't miss this book for anything else because I surely missed those juicy and funny sarcasm. And Cal.

Months after defeating Alice, Sophia meets her Dad and agrees to spend time with him in England. She knows she would go through the Removal. She claims she doesn't want to be a "monster" like Alice but when Archer saves her life from The Eye, she changes her mind and even trains with her dad. She only needs know how to control her powers and figure out how to stop the foreseen war between them and The Eye.

I was really looking forward to meeting Sophia again. Her wit, combined with her sarcasm, is just hilarious! I honestly think that her character is very strong and she always has funny rebuttals to everything. I missed her. And am glad that in this novel, she seemed to have matured a little bit because of the way she have handled her ironic love life, her demon life and her dad. I loved how the father-daughter relationship progressed little by little. Knowing that Sophia's mom raised her, the relationship wasn't forced at all.

There was just so little of Archer that my heart aches. Even Cal. I know he's so dreamy but I really haven't seen much of them. The romance's build-up is probably one of the best parts of this novel. It wasn't too fast. Though there's a love triangle somewhere, I'm sure that Cal would be broken hearted in the end. Unless there's a miracle in the third book.

And I would have never imagined that old characters would transform in such annoying way. As in annoying, irritating and nonsense way. That's mostly what I didn't like with the story. Whenever I think of it, its as if nothing major really happened. Something is missing that I cannot point my finger to it. I was expecting more from Demonglass because I loved Hex Hall but I was disappointed with the outcome of this one. There could have been more to it aside from the agonizing ending.

Demonglass is a nice follow up novel with such a strong cliffhanger punch right in the stomach. It lived up to its wit and even became much powerful than I have ever anticipated. I hope Spell Bound's paper back would be released soon so I could stop dying wondering what happens next! It better be good!

"It sucks that we miss people like that. You think you've accepted that someone is out of your life, that you've grieved and it's over, and then bam. One little thing, and you feel like you've lost that person all over again."

REVIEW: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES BY MARGARET STOHL AND KAMI GARCIA.

Title: Beautiful Creatures
Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Series: Caster Chronicles #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: December 1st 2009 by Little, Brown and Company
Source: Bought from National BookStore
Pages: 563
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.

There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

*SOME SPOILERS, I GUESS*

I decided to join Lost at Midnight's Beautiful Creatures Series Challenge because it is one of the books I really look forward to reading and it will be adapted on to a movie next year. Reading it along with beautiful book bloggers is just the perfect way to start this series.

Ethan Wate is a sixteen-year-old high school student who lives in old and stuck-up Gaitlin Country. He wants to soon go some place else and see the world his books took him to because his live has been the same. Just before the school year starts, he's been plagued with dreams about a girl that he's trying to save. He thinks its only a dream until she sees her at school. The girl is the county's most terrifying shutin's niece and everyone thinks she doesn't belong there at all. Everyone hates Lena Duchannes, except Ethan. After all, they've been dreaming the same weird dream and they're determined to find out what it is all about.

Garcia and Stohl sure did a great job with this heart-stopping debut novel. Gaitlyn County, though just within South Carolina, seemed to be a very remote place in a different dimension. The people are too traditional and technology is low. People are afraid of things unusual for their taste. If there are places existing like that, I'm just not sure if I'd even visit one. It is place where you would literally feel you don't belong.

I like the plot. It involves magic yet the originality of the Casters are striking. Garcia and Stohl gave a refreshing touch to something I've always known since I was a child. I never could have imagined that such creativity would work with a genre as sensitive as magic. One wrong magical move and it could ruin a potential novel. But this one, I admit, is brilliant. The romance part did take time to develop which I truly loved and it is another book that has been narrated by the male protagonist. I loved how Gaitlyn County stayed intact as a community and how each and everyone treats one another a family. Though of course, there are some points I just couldn't agree on. Like how the phrase "around here" pops up every other page. It was tolerable at first but when you read a book as thick as this (five hundred pages), it becomes annoying. Then those unnecessary parts like the Reenactment of the War for instance. The narrator is a male and too many words from a guy just isn't convincing. Lastly, when I reached the last two hundred pages, I felt like dropping it. It just keeps on dragging and dragging as if the story would no longer finish. At some point, I got bored but finished it anyway.

Lena Duchannes isn't my favorite character. Her lack of enthusiam, her pessimism and childish attitude didn't really get my approval. I wish she would be better in Beautiful Darkness. Her boyfriend Ethan Wate, though only sixteen, showed sincerity, determination and compassion all through out the novel. He handled everything pretty well and I am impressed because he felt scared not only for the powers the Casters has been showing him but also Macon. Macon Ravenwood isn't someone I have expected him to be. True enough, first impressions never last. He took me by surprise. His character was a little mysterious at first but he gave so much to the extent of leaving a reader in pain. I would really love to see him more and I hope there would be a miracle in the sequel. I am still a little perplexed about his story and Sarafina, Larkin and Hunting made me wonder what happened to them. They just showed up from nowhere and eventually were gone again in an instant. I've really been confused about their motives. Am thankful to Amma and Marian Ashcrof. They've added glimmer to the novel! I loved Amma's sarcasm and Marian's perkiness and kindness! I am definitely stoked to read more of them!

The novel is five hundred sixty three pages long. The plot is fresh yet somehow complex. A lot of words had been used yet nothing really happened. I mean, I've been waiting for Lena to be claimed after all the things they've been through only to be disappointed. What occurred mostly were back-tracking, too much details, too slow, too many unnecessary sub-stories and just few actions. But I loved the plot and its rawness. It is very dark, magical and perfectly romantic.

My review may have been a mayhem, but am basing my rating on the plot itself and not the part where I got bored. A novel with a strong plot and heart-stopping twists deserves love and praises! Am really really looking forward to reading Beautiful Darkness!

"The right thing and the easy thing are never the same."

REVIEW: ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD BY KENDARE BLAKE.

Title: Anna Dressed in Blood
Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Anna #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: August 30, 2011 by Tor Teen
Source: Bought from FullyBooked
Pages: 316 pages
Genre: Paranormal, Horror, Romance

Synopsis:

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

Anna Dressed in Blood gave me FEELINGS.

I bought this last August and since I have procrastinated so much that affected my reading schedule, it took months before I got my hands on this novel. And I tell you, I suppress any feelings of regret for not reading it sooner.

Cas is a skilled ghost killer. He kills all ghosts who bring harm to people using his athame knife. After killing a hitchhiker, he gets off to Canada with his witch mother to kill his next job: Anna Dressed in Blood. She was murdered sixty years ago and dismembers everybody who stays at her house. But she spares Cas' life and Cas can't bring himself to kill Anna.

I was supposed to read this last November, in time for Halloween. I cancelled it because I get easily scared. At first I thought it is something so scary that I wouldn't be able to turn off the lights at night but it is actually more gore than spooky. The cover and the title might be a giveaway but there's more to it. And I really really loved how it took me by surprise.

First thing, I would really like to commend the red font. Whoever thought of it is simply brilliant. It just soothes the eye and makes a huge statement for the novel! Also, I really loved that there's another genius novel out there with a male protagonist as a narrator. Cas is just the perfect character to tell the story because it is easier to get the whole picture. The description of whatever he sees or feel is very crisp and you would be able to imagine everything in an instant. He's so brave that at some point I start to get scared for him. He usually doesn't make plans which is mostly disturbing, but it made the story much interesting. His ability to trust his instinct is one thing I adore about him but Thomas is my favorite. His side-kick role helped Cas' in more ways than I have expected. He is simple yet very intelligent and I can't help but look forward to seeing his relationship with Carmel progressed in to the romance department. Anna on the other hand is a little bit confusing. Her past is horrible and whenever I remember it, I get goosebumps. She knows she's dead but I just don't understand her ways. I haven't been able to truly grasp the part where she falls in love with someone alive.

I've been eluding horror lit for the longest time but Anna Dressed in Blood totally converted me. I liked how simple Kendare Blake have written the novel and managed to preserve a very intense plot. It is dark and intense yet very romantic that would make you crazy over Girl of Nightmares!

"You make me want things I can't have."

"She's my purpose and we're going to save each other. We're going to save everyone. And then I'm going to convince her that she's supposed to stay here. With me."

REVIEW: THE IRON KING BY JULIE KAGAWA.

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: February 1, 2010 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Bought from FullyBooked
Pages: 363
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

I haven't had this book that long and I've heard nothing but good things about Julie Kagawa's debut novel, The Iron King, and I badly wanted to get my hands on it the moment I've purchased it. I'm glad its reading schedule is done.

Meghan Chase is a normal teenager living a normal life. She lives with her mom, step-dad and four-year-old brother, Ethan. When she's ready to face her eighteenth birthday and even excited to get her driving license after school, a lot of abnormal things started happening around her: Ethan attacked her and their mom then her best friend Robbie confessed he's inhuman.

Without a doubt, this novel has one of the most beautiful world building I've ever encountered. I loved how magical the Seelie and UnSeelie Courts, Winter and Summer Courts and Nevernever in general. It is very mythical and full of magic that I would love to see it in person.

I've read faery novels in the past and I have not gotten tired of it. Kagawa's writing is brilliant that I wanted to read the series non-stop. However, The Iron King didn't live up to the hype in my opinion. Kagawa incorporated In Midsummer Night's Dream in the novel and you could actually see few similar titles like The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Wizard of Oz, The Lord of the Rings among others. I loved how she was able to come up with breath-taking spin offs but I hoped for more. The first one hundred pages were too slow for me that I almost gave up on it but still, I held on and thankfully, the last one hundred pages didn't disappoint.

Meghan and Marchina are the only characters I hated. Their characters and their past might have been better. I just thought that someone as naive Meghan couldn't possibly defeat someone as powerful as Marchina that easily. It only took one page for their encounter and Meghan wasn't even beat up or something. That part actually made me skeptical, should the verdict be three or four stars. I hated that part. But good thing there's Puck, Ash and Grimalkin. Without these characters, I might have hated the novel altogether. They are endearing and powerful and I wanted to really follow their next adventure.

I may have disapproved on some parts of The Iron King but that wouldn't stop me from loving the world building and the outstanding characters one would only find in this novel. It is truly a heart-stopping adventure in a jaw-dropping world that would leave you asking for more..

... Ash and Puck!

"Combat doesn't have to be with swords... Emotions can be deadly weapons, and knowing your enemy's breaking point can be key to winning a battle."

BLOG TOUR (02): TEMPEST BY JULIE CROSS.

I am so happy to be participating again in a blog tour! This would be my second time and the excitement just never goes away! I would like to thank the author Julie Cross for giving us the chance to showcase her brilliant debut novel in the Philippines and Dianne from Oops, I Read a Book Again! for hosting the tour! Oh, and if you wanna HEAR the first chapter, you could click HERE!

Title: Tempest
Author: Julie Cross
Series: Tempest #1
Edition: Hardcover
Publication: January 17, 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Copy provided by PBT
Pages: 334
Genre: Paranormal, Time-Travel, Romance

Summary:

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE:

Amazon 🔼 Barnes and Noble 🔼 Book Depository

Julie Cross' debut novel, Tempest, brings fresh twist to time traveling plot. I like how the synopsis makes me excited to read it and though I haven't really heard of this title, I am just so glad that I was given the chance to tour and review it.

Jackson Meyer is a nineteen-year-old time traveler. He only discovered his ability a year ago and tries to experiment it with his geek best pal, Adam. He have no idea that the day he spends with his clueless girlfriend Holly would be his last day with her. They have been attacked and she has been shot. He is terrified and have no idea what to do, he accidentally jumps to 2007 and unable to jump back to the present.

I loved how the story was narrated by Jackson who happens to be a male. I've been longing for a book like this for the longest time because most of the young adult novels lately are all narrated by a female protagonist. This book only focuses on one POV and I am totally psyched about it. It isn't everyday that we get to see a glimpse of a male protagonist's mind and the way his thoughts flow is just incredible. The way Jackson sees his sister Courtney and Holly is something incredible. One could realize that there's longing, true love and regret that made me all teary-eyed. Jackson's character handled his miseries well that he learns to choose what is best in spite of the painful repercussions and I adore Holly's kind heart, she's the perfect match for Jackson.

The story of time traveling isn't new to the novel world yet this one seems new to me. The fast-phased development of the characters as well as the story just leaves me catching my breath. I love how it made me anxious to know how will the events turn out! It would have been a perfect five-star review if not for the confusion I sometimes encounter on the latter part of the novel when the action and revelation happened. There's just so many things happening at the same time that I started doubting Jackson and I lose track of who jumped when.

Tempest isn't the typical time-travel novel that one would get tired from reading. It is exciting, romantic and a sexy read! I just couldn't wait to read Vortex and see if Jackson really did not have any regrets!

Thank you Pinoy Book Tours for the copy!

Here are the other blog tour stops:

Nicole
-My stop-
Janice
Lyra
Dani
Dianne

Again, I would like to thank Julie Cross for this chance and Diane for letting us sign up for the tour! I had so much fun with the whole process!