REVIEW: SWEET PERIL (THE SWEET TRILOGY #2) BY WENDY HIGGINS.

Title: Sweet Peril (The Sweet Trilogy #2)
Author: Wendy Higgins
Edition: Paperback
Published: April 30, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 371
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Category: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
Trailer: not available.

Synopsis:

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Sweet Peril made me cry not just a river but tsunami.

Sweet Evil seriously tormented my entire respiratory system after that ending. I've never wanted a sequel as bad as Sweet Peril because I wanted to mend my broken parts. I also wanted to know HOW would Kaidan heal from all of these and I was so fortunate to be given an ARC! Honestly, I finished it after not being able to put it down for 5 straight hours.

Anna goes to "pretend" working and goes partying and drinking all the time. Somehow, her broken heart pushes her to be someone else. When she learns that she has to play a huge part in making peace between Dukes and other Nephs, she and her dad start to gather allies and she eventually has to face Kaidan.

I was taken aback by how Higgins widen the scope of world building on her sequel. At first, I could sense some similarities to Mark of Athena but not entirely a major thing. The travel, though short, made the story much exciting. At least it didn't get stuck on one location. I liked the countries she incorporated because the cultures perfectly matched the the description of each of the characters she represented. The plot is broaden and more questions has been answered. Plus, broken hearts found hope.

My love for Anna didn't change. She may have been astray a little but I think it her behavior was justified. I particularly adored how she fought and clung so hard to the only thing that her shattered heart longed for even though the pain was extremely antagonizing. Her love for her parents and respect to herself are traits I also loved about her that is why I think Kaidan should never hurt her in anyway for any reason. I was pissed at first that Kaidan was too distant and cold but his feelings for her truly proved that he would do anything to keep her safe, even if it would cost him so much. Belial is still the best Duke dad there is!

Sweet Peril is a dangerous, sweet, funky and romantic sequel perfect for Sweet Evil! I may have cried tsunami in some heart-crushing parts but I loved how masochistic I've become! It is unputdownable, riveting and exciting! Can't wait for the final book to come out!

Thank you so much Sarah of HarperCollins for the ARC!

VERDICT:

"Love was the essence of being alive."

REVIEW: BEAUTIFUL CHAOS BY STOHL AND GARCIA.

Title: Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)
Authors: Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
Edition: Paperback
Published: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Pages: 516
Source: Bought from Powerbooks
Category: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Trailer: not applicable

Synopsis:

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What — or who — will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself — forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

*CONTAINS SPOILERS.*

Beautiful Chaos is really chaotic.

After swooning over Beautiful Darkness, the itch in my hands wouldn't go away no matter how much I scratch them. My hands wanted to get Beautiful Chaos out from the shelf so I could start reading it, but I just have to wait for its reading schedule to arrive. So while waiting, I just kept washing my hands.

Beautiful Chaos took off after Lena's seventeenth moon. Gaitlin has been plagued with drought and pestilence that most people think of it as the sign of End Days. Little did they know, the Order of Things has been ripped after Lena Claimed herself. Even the Casters are having problems controlling their powers and in order to restore the Order, a Crubicle or The One Who is Two must sacrifice a life. The only problem is, no one knows who is it or where to find it and they are running out of time.

I was so happy that I loved Beautiful Darkness. Its ending seriously gave me enough answers I once was trying to find after reading Beautiful Creatures. The first half of it completely bored me but the second half killed it altogether. I was surprised how much I loved it and it gave me a new sense of hope for Beautiful Chaos, only to be disappointed once more.

As I always say, this series has its potential. But once again, coming from a guy's point of view, there were just way too many unnecessary things that have been explained. I believe the novel might have been a little shorter if not for those unimportant sub-plots. I have never met a guy who talks so much like Ethan. I love Ethan, don't get me wrong. But I feel like there's a thin line between being observant and talkative, or probably sensible.

I didn't get much from Beautiful Chaos' plot. Up until the very last page, I was wondering what was the gist of it. It says there that Ethan's soul has been torn into two after Lena's claiming but why wasn't it mentioned in Beautiful Darkness? Why did he become forgetful? Why does he feel drained and hurt when he's touching Lena? Who is John Breed, really? How many moons do we have to wait for just for something to actually happen? Those are some of the questions never answered in this novel and mind you, it is five hundred and sixteen pages! I also couldn't actually fathom how one can still attend a high school party when the world you live in is at the brink of rapture. The entirety of the novel seemed to showcase only the character's progress or current standing. It made me feel that it was mainly for the characters and the plotting came in second.

I am giving it two stars because I still appreciate the originality of the novel and the potential in it. I just wish that Ethan would be more mature and stop explaining how a cabinet looks like or what is the design of a curtain when those aren't connected to the story at all.

VERDICT:

"Maybe it needed to be broken. Sometimes things have to break before you can fix them."

Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.

Title: The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Edition: Hardcover
Published: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 409
Source: Bought from Fully Booked
Category: Urban fantasy, Paranormal
Trailer: Here.

Synopsis:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

The Raven Boys is astonishing.

When this was released last year, I thought I would just go ahead and wait up for the paper back to be released even though it will take up an entire year. But it didn't work at all because I wanted to have and read it so bad.

Gansey, Ronan and Adam are the Raven Boys. They have different stories and different personalities but are very good friends. They go to an exclusive and only-for-rich-people academy which is Aglionby. Gansey is so obsessed in finding Glendowel and the Ley Line and his friends are helping him. While on search of the ley line, Gansey heard his own voice on his recorder as if talking to someone so they agree to see a psychic which all then leads them to Blue, the one who talked to Gansey in the recording.

I just simply cannot put to words how I loved The Raven Boys. It is my first Stiefvater novel and it completely blew my mind away. I've seen mixed reviews about it and I even got scared by the emphasis of how slow its pace is that loving it after is unexpected. I was honestly unsure of pursuing the novel and again, I was proven completely wrong.

The premise of it is new to me. I loved how the historical influence of it is strong enough to pull me in. The way it was written isn't slow at all. Stiefvater wrote it in a way that a reader would be able to absorb each and every important revelation or moment in the novel. Her intentions can be felt by how vivid her descriptions are. Following the search of Glendowel is so much full of mysteries and secrets that unveiling them give me shivers all the time. It is the first novel I've read that made me nervous flipping each page the whole time. It just gets better and better as one go deeper.

The characters are even more brilliant. Gansey's influence to his friends is conventionally innocent. His intentions are noble yet its always misunderstood as bribing. I loved how he handles rude remarks and how he values friendship. He's an achiever and makes sure that he gets what his heart really wants. Ronan on the other hand, though blunt and arrogant at times, shows in his own little ways how he treasures his friends by sticking with them and defending them. His striking aloofness could make one uncomfortable yet will keep you interested. His history may be too painful and mysterious, I can see that deep inside him, he is hurting and just couldn't express it well. Adam is the opposite of Ronan. He's calmer, gentler and rational. Though his pride can be sometimes irrelevant and pointless, it makes him the character that balances the trio. Being the poorest of the three, it makes him pursue his dreams and even work harder. And lastly, Blue, the female protagonist in the novel, seemed to be like an accessory to the story which made me love it even more. She provided just the necessary help she's supposed to give and she's not irritating at all.

Another point that made me totally dive into The Raver Boys is the romance. It isn't overly done nor the opposite. The story basically focused on the mystery of Glendowel and left the romance department slightly untouched leaving me asking for more. Stiefvater might probably prepared more of it in book two.

The Raven Boys is the novel everyone should read right now. It is enthralling, hair-raising and phenomenal paranormal plotted story perfectly crafted to entice every hearts brave enough to be swept away with it! A must read!

VERDICT:

"She recognized the strange happiness that came from loving something without knowing why you did, that strange happiness that was sometimes so big that it felt like sadness."

REVIEW: UNTIL I DIE BY AMY PLUM.

Title: Until I Die
Author: Amy Plum
Series: Revenants #2
Edition: Hardcover
Publication: May 8, 2012 by HarperCollins Publishers
Source: Bought from FullyBooked
Pages: 357
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:
Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.
As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.

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After my agonizing search for Die For Me, I hoped that I wouldn't experience it again with its sequel, Until I Die. The love I have for it is way beyond words that I kept wishing it would land in my hands sooner. When it did, the joy I felt was too much that made me wish hard again for its reading schedule to finally come.

Until I Die starts with Kate and Vincent getting back together and finding a way to make their relationship to work without Vincent dying over and over again. While Vincent is secretly trying to find an alternative solution for his thirst to save, Kate goes on her own to find her own solution. When she finally gets some information, the Numa attacks.

In the beginning of the novel, I was tempted to drop it for the mean time. I feel like it was building up too slow and I was honestly afraid to get bored. But I love Die for Me so much and it pulled me throughout the novel. As soon as I passed two hundred pages, I could no longer put it down and finished it till two in the morning.

However, aside from the slow build-up, I find the antagonist a little redundant. In Die For Me, nobody from the Revenants sensed that it was Lucien and it happened again in Until I Die. The Revenants existed hundreds of years and I was expecting that their extensive experience should somehow help them. But it didn't and for me, that was a little off.

Until I Die redeemed itself from three stars and that is with Kate's help. Her persistence in helping Vincent lead them to uncover ancient secrets and find the reason behind Numa's attacks. Yes, she's gullible but I can't blame her. The friendship offered to her was tempting and just the right thing she needs. The twists really caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting the betrayal and loss to affect me big time. The pain is so strong that I couldn't almost breathe after finishing it. It was so tragic and heart-breaking.

Amy Plum once more had given the beauty of Paris justice with her Revenants. Until I Die is a sequel just perfect for Die For Me. Its romance endures, its twist rejuvenates, its action captivates and its history enthralls. I couldn't ask for any kind of sequel at all. And at the moment, I need If I Should Die to mend my shattered heart!

"Kate, I've spent a lifetime waiting for you. Before I saw you, I hadn't cared for anyone for... well, for a good part of a century, and it felt like my heart had been permanently disconnected. I wasn't even looking anymore. And without expecting anything... without any hope at all, suddenly you were here."

REVIEW: HEMLOCK BY KATHLEEN PEACOCK.

Title: Hemlock
Author: Kathleen Peacock
Series: Hemlock #1
Edition: Hardcover
Publication: May 8, 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Bought from Fully Booked
Pages: 416
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:
Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.
Since then, Mac's life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac's hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy's killer:
A white werewolf.
Lupine syndrome--also known as the werewolf virus--is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.
Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy's murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy's boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.
Kathleen Peacock's thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

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*MIGHT BE SPOILERY*

Hemlock is devastatingly swoon-worthy.

When I went book shopping crazy a couple of months back, I didn't hesitate picking up Hemlock. It has been on my wish list for as long as I can remember that when I saw a copy, I grabbed it and didn't let go. I've heard nothing but great reviews about it and I wanted to know what people were really raving about. And here I am typing my gushing review seconds after finishing my copy.

Mackenzie couldn't really let go of her best friend. Amy was murdered by a werewolf in their small town, Hemlock. Jason can't stop blaming himself for letting Amy go out alone and Kyle, for not answering his phone when Amy was calling the night of the murder. Mackenzie is losing her friends and she has to do something about it. When the Trackers were called to investigate about Amy's murder, Mackenzie decides to investigate on her own only to be welcomed by angry wolves.

When I first saw the word "werewolf", I honestly had doubts. I began to feel afraid for it may turn out to be a disappointment. Paranormal premise such as vampire and werewolf tandems are known all over the Young Adult community and this might be just like what I've read in the past. But I was completely wrong and I should've not even felt that way. Hemlock is shocking. It was brewed using a very popular paranormal plot that only requires one small mistake to ruin a potential novel, yet Peacock perfected it. It is completely different from any other werewolf novels I've stumbled across with because Peacock knew how to mix old and new. The story is old but what actually transpired is so new that it wasn't just refreshing. She made it riveting.

While I was reading, I couldn't help but shriek, snort, flail or sigh. Hemlock definitely gave me a roller-coaster ride. I loved how Lupine Syndrome is made known to the public and that werewolves indeed exist. I loved how the characters surprised me. I also adored the romance department Hemlock presented. Love triangle isn't really my cup of tea but the romance here is different. It is really heart-warming and flattering.

Jason and Kyle are best friends since third grade but whatever major differences they now faced, nothing stops them from being there for each other. Kyle's decisiveness compliments Jason's stubbornness. And I was expecting that only three major characters would arise but you see, Amy is still a part of it which I find not only super creepy but brilliant. I had a little issue with Mac but the story is so good that I could no longer remember what that issue was.

Kathleen Peacock made a mark with her debut novel, Hemlock. It is such a wonderful read that I seriously cannot put down. The novel is paranormal slash mystery slash romance rolled into one. It is incredibly written and honestly, there are no dull moments in it! It is beautiful from inside-out that one would wish for book two right away. I would definitely read it again. Over and over and over again.

"You can't lose what you never had."

REVIEW: SUPERNATURALLY BY KIERSTEN WHITE.

Title: Supernaturally
Author: Kiersten White
Series: Paranormalcy #2
Edition: Paperback
Publication: July 26, 2011 by HarperTeen
Source: Bought from Fully Booked
Pages: 336
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:
Evie finally has the normal life she's always longed for, but she's shocked to discover that being ordinary can be.. kind of boring. So when she's given the opportunity to work for the International Paranormal Containment Agency again, she leaps at the chance.

But then Evie's faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears, and tells her that a battle is brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole paranormal world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

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*MIGHT HAVE SEMI-SPOILERS*

After I've finished reading Paranormalcy and fell in love with its undeniably funny antics (review HERE), I knew I need to get the sequel as soon as I can. When I did, I couldn't wait for its reading schedule to arrive because I miss Evie and I wanted to know more about Lend. Just today when I finished it, I just don't know how to feel.

Supernaturally took off after Vivian's defeat. Evie is actually enrolled in a normal high-school, working on a diner, room mates with her vampire best friend Arianna and still with her water elemental boyfriend, Lend. Evie is living a very normal life she's dreamed of but for some reason, it bores here. Just when she's day dreaming of her old IPCA life, Rachel shows up.. with Jack, an indistinguishable paranormal that could open up Paths.

I loved Paranormalcy. Given that fact, I was kind of expecting more of Evie's funny sarcasm in Supernaturally and found myself a little disappointed. The sequel focused more on Evie's stubbornness to find her place in both paranormal and normal worlds. There weren't much action in this one and there's something lacking, I just couldn't point my finger on it. I didn't quite understand why I feel awkward with how the transition happened: from being just its paranormal plot to jumping into a completely different Fey world. It made me think that I was reading more of a Kagawa novel rather than a White one. There were also some parts I find predictable, most especially about Jack. And I hate to say this but Paranormalcy I think is better than this.

What I loved with Supernaturally however, is the fact that there's more of Lend than I've expected. His intentions were shown in a way that made me swoon for him! I loved that he knows his place in the normal world and what he really wanted to happen with his life. I also loved how Reth showed a different side of him in the novel. He's more gentle and kinder that all the hate I have for him vanished in an instant! I want to see more of them!

Supernaturally is a very light read. Definitely there's heartache on every corner but the romance is totally worth the pain. It would make you finish it in one sitting because you wouldn't want to miss anything Lend-related and I simply enjoyed flipping the pages! Can't wait to grab Endlessly!

"Sometimes I wanted to take a memory - one perfect memory - curl up in it, and go to sleep."

REVIEW: UNSPOKEN BY SARAH REES BRENNAN.

Title: Unspoken
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Series: The Lynburn Legacy #1
Edition: Hardcover
Publication: September 11, 2012 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Source: Gifted
Pages: 370 pages
Category: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

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Unspoken is my first Brennan novel. As soon as I've seen that gorgeous cover, I know it is a must have novel. Its very captivating and the synopsis is intriguing. Good thing my friend gifted this to me for my birthday last September.

Kami is a high school student who wants to be a successful journalist so she started their school paper. She writes and investigates old families in their town that she knows would lead to the Lynburns, a family with a dark past and secrets she wants badly to uncover. With Jared's help, a voice she hears in her mind since she was little, they go ahead and unveil secrets that they don't have any idea would lead to murder.

Unfortunately, my first ever review for 2013 is also my first ever one-star rating. It makes me feel really embarassed for some reason. My expectations for Unspoken is not that really high but I really looked forward to reading it. I remember I even had it as my phone's wallpaper. The promising synopsis didn't live up to what its supposed to do. And that is very very disappointing.

The premise has potential but it was as slow as a turtle. I've reached two hundred pages but still, the gist of the novel hasn't happened yet. The scenes and sub-plot kept on jumping from one subject to another and then it'll lose the main subject then back again. I nearly gave up on it and thought of marking it as DNF but a lot of people declared their love for Unspoken on Twitter. So I gave myself another chance and finished it. I couldn't understand why it took almost three hundred pages before something happens. I even asked myself if Unspoken is a long prologue version. The last eighty pages explains some things about the Lynburns and Glass families and little about their secrets but that's it. It ended with a terrible cliffhanger. After an agonizing three hundred plus pages, all I got was a horrible cliffhanger. And that didn't make sense to me.

I wouldn't even want to elaborate how annoying Kami is. But I am really torn between Ash and Jared. And the most beautiful person in their school which is Angela hooking up with the second most beautiful which is Holly is one thing I didn't see coming. Which I find steamy hot.

Embarrassment and disappointment are mainly the feelings Unspoken gave me. I don't regret finishing it and I discourage anyone from NOT reading it. It maybe the novel you'll love and swoon about. Hope we could share thoughts about it. It is just really unfortunate that it didn't work for me.

“The Lynburns built this town on their blood and bones."
"That was their first mistake," Jared said. "They should've built a city on rock and roll.”

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.

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*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: 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.

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*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: 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.

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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."

REVIEW: CARRIER OF THE MARK BY LEIGH FALLON.

Title: Carrier of the Mark
Author: Leigh Fallon
Series: Carrier Trilogy #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: October 1st 2011 by HarperTeen
Source: Bought from FullyBooked
Pages: 342
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

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Seeing mixed reviews about a premise so promising made me grab a copy. This is Leigh Fallon's debut novel and first of HarperTeen to publish from Inkpop website. It took me few weeks to read this because of my reading schedule and am just so proud to say that this is the first book I finished in one sitting. I am usually a slow reader. Reading this after so many dystopian books helped me relax and it really did refresh my mind.

Megan Rosenberg and her dad Caleb, moved from US to Ireland because of a new job. They've been constantly moving after her mom died in a car accident and she feels that this move would be just like what they've done before. Little did she know, her high school life will never be the same and her whole life would unfold in front of her.

I always adore a story when its built outside the usual. Paris, Egypt and this time, its in Ireland. I loved how Fallon describes the setting that it transports me. Plus the Irish accent is also something new and its so funny how my brain tries so hard to read with the accent! You wouldn't get lost in this world yet Fallon made sure that one would enjoy the journey.

The story had its ups and downs though. I tried looking at the story without having to compare but I just couldn't help it. The down part for me would be the strong similarities with Twilight and actually at one point, I was waiting for the story to reveal that someone could read thoughts too. And am glad it didn't because Fallon saved the best for last. The rest are the up parts especially the characters. I didn't really like Megan as much as I liked Aine and Rian but I am swooning over Adam! But my favorites really are the adults, Caleb and Fionn. They really captured my heart. Really. They showed so much compassion for their children and made me love this story more.

Shadow of the Mark will not be released until July of next year and I just couldn't wait for it to sway me off my feet again! This book is such a swoon-worthy light read that would make you smile and cry at the same time!

"I no longer wanted to feel displaced."

"Love is never worth giving up on."

"We can’t bet our lives away on something that might be. We can cross that bridge if we come to it."

REVIEW: CITY OF LOST SOULS BY CASSANDRA CLARE.

Title: City of Lost Souls
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments #5
Edition: Paperback
Publication: May 8, 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry
Source: Bought from FullyBooked
Pages: 540
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal

Synopsis:
The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

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This was gifted to me by now an ex-boyfriend and we got it a few days after the release. I didn't read it right away because I forgot what transpired during City of Fallen Angels and it would be awesome if I reread at least the last book. Four months after, here I am, gushing while writing my review.

I honestly don't know how to write a review for this book. This has been saved on my drafts for almost a week now. The story if I may say focused more on Jace and Sebastian. Jace has been missing after Simon killed Lilith with his Mark of Cain rune in the last book. And this one tells what happened to Jace.

Cassandra Clare did another amazing job with City of Lost Souls. I loved everything about it specially how she manage to write the story with an intense back to back story telling. How she basically wrote one action-filled part of it and then just jumps over to another one and then leaves you reading faster so you could continue where you previously stopped. I remember even exclaiming so loud because Cassandra knows how to perfectly leave you with a cliffhanger chapter or cliffhanger book.

Simon still have his cute sense of humor and kindness but he's very much mature and even braver. So as Isabelle. But aside from Simon summoning a clever angel, my favorite part is where Magnus did the right thing with Alec because I hated how Alec is all jealous and selfish. So in your face Alec!

This wouldn't be a long review and if you haven't notices yet, I just wrote those striking moments of the book that I loved. I just want to guys to find for yourselves why I loved those or why I haven't written anything about Jace because he's not really himself in the story.

City of Heavenly Fire, why 2014? Why do you have to torment us this way Cassandra? Why?

"Blood isn’t love."