Will darkness prevail?

Shadow and Bone

Those two words sound so tantalizing together. Maybe that’s the real reason I decided to pick this book up. Or maybe, it was all the dazzling reviews that have been circling the web and whispered in bookstores. Whatever the reason, I was glad that I did.

Alina Starkov: Orphan, best friend, Grisha?

When Alina’s army regiment enters the Shadow Fold, (a slash of darkness so scary merchant name it the “Unsea” to encourage travel through it) she is sure they will all be torn apart by the vicious monsters inhabiting it, which isn’t far from true. When their sandskiff is attacked, her crush and best friend, Mal, is brutally injured, and in her panic for him, she unleashes a power buried deep within her.

That’s when everything changes. Darklings, Grisha, Royal palaces. Alina is whisked away to become a member of the “magical” elite that train and  serve the mysterious, yet handsome, Darkling. With his sexy ways, he convinces Alina that she is the key to destroying the Fold and restoring peace to Ravka. Between training and trying to fit in, Alina struggles to find who she is and become who she is really meant to be in a world filled with magic and beauty. Not to mention her growing attraction to the Darkling.

 But what about Mal?

And what does Alina do, when she learns a dangerous secret that threatens to destroy their world?

Alina

It isn’t easy to develop a three dimensional character, so when you read about one, it sorta takes your breath away. She seemed very realistic, especially when she showed a full range of emotion. Jealousy, fear, feelings of not being good enough, trying to belong. It got even better when those emotions conflicted and added to each other throughout the book. I also enjoyed her character growth. She seems somewhat cowardly in the beginning, like a Mary Sue, but as her journey throughout the book goes on, she transforms herself, into something else, not quite the perfect hero, but something new. I’m excited to see her growth in Siege and Storm.   

The Darkling

I’m still not entirely sure what to think about him. He’s strong, he’s power and he’s handsome. It’s like the trifecta of drool worthy book guys. But at the same time, he seems to be the book’s possible antagonist – with a soul. He alone makes this book worth the read.

Mal

Mal is the guy we all know. The guy we fall in love with when we’re little and hope that he will notice us. He’s also Alina’s best friend and only real family. The guy who will always come through for Alina. Always. He really strung my heart chords through the last half of this book. I’m interested to see where he his role in this book will take him.

So will it be the Darkling or Mal?

I have to keep reading. For those of you who hate love triangles, this book DOESN’T read like one. Believe me, I’m usually the first to put one of those books down. They drive me crazy. You’ll experience very little wishy washy behavior from Alina.

I also really liked Botkin, and his use of talking about himself in third person. Gets me every time.

The Beauty: I found myself swept into an entirely different land, one of fantastical sciences, greedy men, magical animals, and a culture so real and lifelike, I had a hard time believing there was no Ravka.  This was also mostly due to the fact that Bardugo chose to immerse the reader into her wildly imaginative world headfirst, giving us a chance to really see things through Alina’s eyes.

I really also liked the use of foreshadowing throughout Shadow and Bone. It was very subtle and at times, I found myself actually surprised.

Bardugo’s prose read like poetry. Her metaphors slid across my brain like butter.

“The world was this step, this circle of lamplight, the two of us suspended in the dark.”

The Tragedy: There really wasn’t much I disliked about this book. There are a few portions of the book, I felt could have been set up better.

There’s also the use of Russian throughout the book. Now, let me just say, I am semi-fluent in the language, which I think is important to mention with what I am about to say next. It only bothered me in some places. The Russian phrases, words, and culture added into the book were added into the culture of the book. There were a few times when I cocked my head and said, “huh?” when I read a particular part. That being said, it mostly doesn’t matter. Bardugo never said that Ravka is Russia. So if she uses Russian culture or language slightly different for her world, then it’s just what those things mean in her world.  

In my opinion, this book provided a great read.

Now I’m off to pick up Seige and Storm!

Paka (bye),

Humans, and Dhampirs, and Strigoi, OH MY!

 The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

            I decided to review the entire series instead of individual books since I read them consecutively. I feel like I got the most out of the story this way. I have to say, this was a GREAT series. I’m not seriously into vampire romance novels but this one definitely basks in the limelight. To say that this series is the heir to the Twilight throne doesn't do it justice, especially since the books are nothing alike.

It was sexy. It was fun. It was about redemption, love, and honor.  

The heroine of the book, Rose Hathaway is a dhampir (half vampire, half human) training to be a guardian for her vampire (Moroi) best friend, Lissa, all the while defending the vampire world from the evil undead (Strigoi) and keeping her own life in order. Rose proves to be a strong willed and slightly hard headed warrior, who breaks and bends laws more than she follows them. She’s impulsive with a heart of gold. In short, she’s addicting. I could barely put any of these books down, constantly trying to work out Rose’s problems. 

The other characters were also equally as interesting. The main love interest, Dimitri Belikov, proves to be a great match both mentally and physically for Rose, which makes why she fell for him easy to see. He is also easy to fall in love with for readers. He’s hot, strong, patient, has a Russian Accent, calls Rose “Roza”. He’s impossible not to love.

I especially appreciate that the other characters had their own wants and needs and the books aren't entirely about Rose.

I only really had one issue: I found that some of the sections where we see into Lissa’s life happened too often and occurred too long.

Favorite book: Spirit Bound

 Because this book seemed to flow better than the others, and showed the best development for Dimitri.

Least favorite book: Blood Promise

Because the first 300 pages are necessary but are slow filled and anti-climactic.

If you like vampire books, and strong heroines, pick this book up! 

There and Back Again: A Hobbit's Holiday

The Hobbit

It really was quite a pleasant tale. I have always loved the magnificent world that J.R.R. Tolkien created through The Lord of the Rings, so I decided to check out one of his other novels.The Hobbit was just as, if not more, exciting. 

The Hobbit is all about adventure and stepping out your door. It follows Mr. Bilbo Baggins, as he joins Thorin and Company to reclaim the dwarven treasure from Smaug the Dreadful, a dragon. Time and time again, Bilbo proves his worth, though he is but one small hobbit, throughout their journey. At some points, I dare say, he was more important than all the other companions. 

For those of you who have watched the recent film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, I suggest you must read the book! There are many similarities and the movie somewhat keeps the same storyline as the book, but they are both executed differently. The movie sings of Peter Jackson, and it is told like a legend. The book sings through J.R.R. Tolkien and is told like a fairytale. Even in the darkest times of trouble, Tolkien writes lightheartedly. The villains even spoke with a sense of politeness and manners. When troubles are amuck, you just know that something good will happen and the hero will come out of this. 

I really loved how Tolkien weaved in little wisdoms throughout the book. He uses the most unlikely, seemingly insignificant character, a hobbit, to turn the world around. It shows that having the courage to do something greater than yourself no matter who you are is worth it. And that the first step is the hardest but once you take it, your adventure will begin! Even at the end, you learn that there are much more important things than gold. 

May your beards never grow thin,

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I wasn't initially interested on reading this book at first, but I decided to because of well, Emma Watson and the funky 70's green that engulfs the book's cover. I am definitely glad I made this decision.

It's so hard to explain how I feel after reading this book. Upon finishing it, I decided to then watch the movie medium of it immediately, and that is the ambiance for which I am writing this. I don't know if the feelings of being infinite can be replicated just from reading a book, but that is the one thought that runs through my head whenever I hear Charlie's voice. Infinite.

For those of you who haven't skimmed the back flap summary, it's about an anonymous boy named Charlie (Or simply one who calls himself Charlie because he wishes to keep his true identity a secret) writes letters to someone important to himself, which are make up the bread and butter of this book. It's really about so much more than that. It's about depression, and the Smiths, and falling in love, and finding yourself, and feeling infinite. It also covers a wide variety of sensitive subjects that one comes in contact with throughout life, such as suicide and abortion. I really like how even though these things were mentioned and surrounded Charlie's life, it was something you could deal with. It was manageable. And it makes you feel like life goes on, even if you don't want it to, and things in your life no matter how awful can be dealt with.

I think this book really opened my eyes to life, in it's own strange way. It showed me how to be myself and to do what I want to because this is my life and no one else's. And that's okay. So maybe, just maybe, if you pick up this book, you'll think so too. And maybe, just maybe, you'll feel infinite.

Love always,

Do you believe?

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

 

I have to admit that I was a little hesitant about reading this book because I wasn't too fond of the plot and because of the image I had on the writer. I remembered reading twilight and how excruciating most of the book was. However, with much encouragement from my friends, I finally gave it a try.

This book was defiantly not what I had expected. I give my praise to Stephanie Meyer as she has delivered an heartwarming and loving story about a world were humans were on the verge of extinction. To be honest, the whole idea of aliens taking over our minds kinda freaked me out and I went into this book expecting to be disturbed by what I read. I, however, was pleasantly surprised to find that the book did not center on the war between alien vs. humans, but more about survival, love, and finding your home in the world.

One thing that I loved about the book was that it caught me by surprise. At first it seemed that the protagonist of The Host was Melanie, but as I read on, it is realized that the main character is actually Wonderer, the alien. It was a breath of fresh air to read a story told in the POV of someone not from this planet. To see the world how aliens would see it if they should one day invade this planet. (I desperately hope not!)

The ending was also something that caught me off guard. Usually when I'm reading I story, I have a general idea of where the story is heading and how it could possibly end however, with this story I was stumped. No matter how I twisted the story in my head, I simply could not find an ending that would suffice. I kept thinking to myself "how can there possibly be a happy ending for both Melanie, the host, and Wonderer, the alien parasite. As it reached the end, I was ecstatic on how Meyer ended the story. Sure she didn't tell us how this dwindling puny group of humans could survive against billions of parasite infested ones and only hinted at the possibility of coexistence, but who cares about that when there's love, right?

Meyer did an excellent job on breathing life into her characters. (She did have about 700 pages to do so though). Each one of the characters had a different persona and way of speaking that it seemed like they could have been someone you knew. You could see the friendships being made and the relationships that were created and strengthened. Every character in the book had their own voice and presence.

Being such a long book, the story did move a little slow. There were some sections of the story that bored me. I found myself sometimes wishing that the story would progress faster which caused me to skim over some sections but if you can overlook this pace, than it is defiantly worth the read.   

The host truly is a must read for those who love stories about a brave, courageous protagonist on her journey to find the one place that she belongs. A story about love, hope, and the strangest possibilities in the world. A heartwarming reminder that if you believe and strive for what you want, you CAN make it happen.

I hope everyone will strive to make their own dreams come true!

Till next time dreamers~

 

ARC Apollyon

Apollyon- Jennifer Armentrout

First, let me say, if you haven't read Elixir, you should read that first.

I was one of the lucky few to receive an ARC! Thank you so much Spencer Hill! And as an avid reader of the covenant series, I was sure I would be impressed with this next book and Jenn didn't disappoint!

It was jaw- droppingly, heart- stoppingly, book- grippingly amazing. Like woah! My mind is still blown. Imagine the awesomeness of Half-Blood, Pure, Deity, and Elixir COMBINED.

Yea. It's that good.

There were time where I'd be reading and think, "Man, this so can't get any crazier." And then... BAM!! It'd get crazier. Apollyon is officially the best book of the series. Hands down. So much background information is uncovered, that my eyes practically popped out of my head.

Not only was it beautifully written with practically poetic descriptions like, "his eyes were pools of silver," and "The enormity of what lay ahead was a cold draft on my skin and deeper, on my soul," but it had even more of Jenn's marvelous humor with, "Yeppers Peppers", "creeptastic" and my personal favorite, "that little punk-ass bitch". Not to mention all the wonderful, totally agreeable, Supernatural references.

Alex shows the most character growth. I felt like in Apollyon, I could connect with her more. I fell with her weaknesses and rose with her strengths. Marcus also makes a change. And as always, Apollo needs a freaking bell! Aiden was absolutely my favorite character in this book. He was heart skippingly magnificent.

"Lowering his head, his lips brushed over mine. I was sure I tasted of dirt and sour apple, courtesy of the Blow Pop I'd been nursing earlier,but he

made this sound against my mouth, part growl and part something deeper. As the kiss deepened, like he could just devour the taste and feel, I melted against him."

Think its hot now? Yea, it gets steamier. :)

Through this book, I found myself on a journey, laughing and crying, ooo-ing and awe-ing with the characters. If you don't read this, you've clearly got no soul.

Now, excuse me, while I wither away waiting for Sentinel.

Peace and Love,
Lyssa, aka Fire

P.S. I'm totally naming my next dog, "Toto". :)

Laced in Drama

Laced in Malice- Riley Gray

There is definitely a ton of drama in this book. So if you wanna go on a small roller coaster then I suggest reading it! It ended with a cliff hanger so, I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I liked it but I didn't like where it left off. There were time when. Wanted to punch Oliver and Zara. They were morons at times. But they were super cute and steamy as well :)

 My favorites parts of this book were definitely the banter between Zara (Rose) and Oliver. I usually read ebooks so that when I read them, I can highlight without damaging the book as well as portability. I find myself highlighting a lot in this book. 

 “I’m saying that I’m drawn to you like objects are to gravity.”

 “So be a bird or a plane or something and defy it.”

 “Ergh, go away, Oliver.” I snatched my bag back from him. “Just once I’d like to have a conversation with you that you didn’t turn into some kind of sexual reference.” 

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to happen.” 

“Pig.” 

“Keep calling me names, Rose, it’s only turning me on.” 

“Goodbye, Oliver!” I said, marching away.

 “Did my heart love till now?” Oliver called behind me. 

“Forswear it, sight! For I never saw true beauty till this night. See! I can be romantic.”

 “Quoting something from a book isn’t romantic,” I shouted back to him without turning. 

“Up your game, Oliver.” 

“For you, baby, anything!” I laughed and shook my head. 

Idiot 

 My least favorite parts were the Voice and the main antagonist who I won't mention by name :/ That bitch. I also didn't like how emotionally unstable I felt waiting for something to mess up a happy ending. However, by the end, I very much liked Oliver and Zara. I need to read the next book though, because it feels like an awful unsatisfying ending.

 All in all, it was good! I read it in a day, first because I couldn't put it down and then half way through because I HAD to know what happened. 

 If you get a chance, I'd say go for it. I've read else where that its like Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl wrapped together in a steamy embrace. I'd say I agree. There aren't many books I hate, and this one isn't one of them. I just dislike all the drama. But if you like drama, then you will LOVE this book. 

 TTFN,