EARLY REVIEW: Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Series: Nightwatchers, #1

Publication Date:May 29th 2012

Publisher:Harlequin Teen

Paperback, 348 pages

Book & Purchase Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

I don't do dangerous. Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back. Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me.... NIGHTWATCHERS When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...

I picked up Dark Kiss feeling quite certain that this book was right up my alley and that it would be a story I'd really enjoy. Unfortunately, although the story was something I would probably enjoy, the way it was presented and executed failed to grab my interest and entertain me.

My problems with Dark Kiss started really soon. From the very first chapters to be exact. I may knew and thus expected that in this story a kiss would play a major role, but still, the way the main heroine Sam, loses her soul through a kiss felt really cheesy. Cheesy and overused. But since I already knew and suspected that from the premise and title, I got past it easily. What I couldn't get past though throughout the whole book was the main heroine,Sam. I can easily say that she was the main reason I couldn't enjoy this book as much as I expected along with a couple more reasons, surely, but she, was unfortunately the main one...

From the first chapters I felt no connection with Sam, I couldn't fathom her reactions to things, I couldn't understand the way she acted or what exactly motivated her. More than enough times, I got the impression that she acted in a way, only because in that way, the story could move forward. It's something I have seen in other stories in the past, and not once did I appreciate it. There are always ways to proceed your story and make your heroes act in a consistent way. Always. And if not, then there's something wrong with the way the story proceeds.

Sam, acted in a bizarre way many times throughout the book. From the beginning when she meets Bishop, the hero, a boy she never have seen before in her life and treats him as a long lost friend up to the end when she goes and confronts a total stranger who she doesn't even trust with some rather crazy (even if true) accusations, Sam, acts like no sane or real person would. At least the way I see it.

My other problem with her, was the fact that she accepted things total strangers told her as facts way too easily... It was like:

Bishop:" I'm an angel"

Sam: " You must be joking right? Okay and what is your mission on earth?"

You get the picture. Bottom line, Samantha needed work for me. And I have to admit that I focused so much to her and her unrealistic reactions so much that all the rest went more or less unnoticed.

The story, was something that I would enjoy and the execution, though not perfect was good enough but unfortunately, I couldn't get into the story no matter how hard I tried. Add to that the fact that it was repeated again and again that Sam was Special by almost everyone in the story from page one and I hate to admit it, but I couldn't wait to finish the book. I mean, the word special was mentioned every other page and we got no hints whatsoever as to why she was so special. I understand that those answers weren't given so easily to maintain the mystery of the story but still, all those appearances of the word special tired me a bit.

Writing a bad review is never a task I enjoy. Never. And I'm certain that what I didn't like in Dark Kiss, others may really enjoy, or find other things to like that I failed to see. But personally, I just couldn't enjoy this story, no matter how hard I tried.

*This title was reviewed via NetGalley

REVIEW: Angelfall (Penryn & The End of Days, #1) by Susan Ee

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Publication Date: May 21st 2011

Publisher: Feral Dream

Kindle Edition, 255 pages

Buy via Amazon.com

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

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

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

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

WOW!!!I mean WOW...! I just finished reading Angelfall and I truly can't find the right words to describe my feelings right now. I didn't just enjoy reading this book, I'm not merely ecstatic about it. No, I loved it so much, that I just can't remember when exactly was the last time I fell so in love with a book.Surely, I have really liked other books, but Angelfall is just better. It's among those books that I will re-read again and again and never stop feeling amazed with it!

Susan Ee is an incredible author. The pacing of her story is exploding! As soon as I started reading this book, from the very first page, I just couldn't put it down. I caught myself reading in the middle of the night, thinking that that would be the last chapter I would read for the day, only to immediately start the next one and think again that I would just stop after that... Yeah right!As if that would be possible. The story just screams for your attention from the beginning and even when you reach the end, believe me, you'll just want more. Cause honestly, that ending just kills me.

Angelfall is a post apocalyptic story of a girl who allies with the very enemy to save her sister. And her very enemy is an angel. Cause you see in the world Susan Ee envisioned for her story, angels are the bad guys, who for reasons unclear have attacked all human kind, living behind them a world were people fight each other for supplies, starve to death and even go as far as reach cannibalism. The world of Angelfall is dark, gory but utterly fascinating in its cruelty. The characters are so well developed that the reader can't help but feel close to them and I found myself more than once anxious about what will happen to them.

Believe me, trying to put my thoughts into this review right now is really difficult. I just feel so overwhelmed.

And how could I not feel that way, when there's not a single thing that I didn't like about Angelfall. Honestly, nothing!

Susan Ee, knows exactly how she wants her story to progress, she isn't just going along with the story. She knows how to make her reader understand the way her heroes feel through their actions. The book may not be heavy on the romantic plot but believe me when I say that it's the most emotional read I had in a long time. Some of the scenes in the end of the book just broke my heart.

All in all, all the words in the world won't do justice to the brilliance of Angelfall! Just grab a copy and read it for yourself. You can't possibly regret it!

REVIEW: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2) by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Publication Date: December 6th 2011

Publisher: Walker Books

Paperback, Collector's Edition, 496 pages

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In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

What can I say about Cassandra Clare that hasn't been already said? What more to say that will do justice to her and her work? I think that everything has already been said. Cause Clare and her books are really totally worth of all the attention they are getting!

Clockwork Prince is AMAZING! I mean Clockwork Angel was really good, a book I trully enjoyed reading, but Prince is even better. The way the characters evolve in this book, the way their feelings and thoughts are unfolded before the readers' eyes is done in such a way that leaves your heart broken. Tessa, Will and Jem just left me in total awe in this book. Or rather Clare left me awed with the way she handled her characters and the relationship between them.

In Clockwork Prince we are not dealing with a usual love triangle. In no way. The love triangle here isn't just a trend as it is in most books I've read so far. The love triangle is essential and so well formed and delivered that just leaves your heart broken. By the end of the book I was sad about all three of them. Clare just focused on the emotions of her characters and that worked in advantage to the story. Believe me, there's been a few days since I finished reading this book and I'm still stunned over how amazing it is.

I won't actually say anything about the story itself of this book. No need to spoil things for you. If you have read even a single book by Cassandra Clare you already know how good a writer she is and how addictive her stories are, so you know what to expect already. Every element that makes all her other books so successful is present in Clockwork Prince. So, just pick this book and everything else that Clare has written and enjoy the ride!

 

REVIEW: Silence (Hush, Hush,#3) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Publication Date: October 4th 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Hardcover, 438 pages

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The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

Honestly, I don't really know where to start my review of Silence...Reading this book, was a small disaster for me...

First of all,let me just say, that as soon as I started reading Silence,I couldn't remember a single thing about the story apart from some major things.Nothing!And that doesn't happen to me often,usually,even after having read a book as good as a year ago,even if I don't remember everything about the storyline,after a certain point in the book I will catch up and have no problem whatsoever...I mean,from the prologue, I was utterly confused,and that's never a good sign,so before reading any further I consulted a friend about what happened in the previous books.I thought that would suffice...So,I continued on to the actual chapters...But despite the spoilers and having in mind the most crucial parts of the previous books in the series,I was still confused...And for that,there are only three explanations: 1. I'm plainly that stupid!, 2. I have a really short short and long term memory and 3. Silence was unecessarily complicated as my friend Giota from A Story Untold very well put it.

And from those three explanations I'm leaning into the third one...Because I don't fancy myself that stupid and both my long and short term memory are working just fine.Certainly, not remembering all the details didn't help,but since I haven't encountered that problem ever before,I don't see the reason why that would start being such a problem now.Maybe if I had read the other two books right before Silence I wouldn't have a problem whatsoever,but I don't either have the time to do so with all the series I read nor I find it necessary...

Anyway, enough with that!Now, from my review of Crescendo,I had made clear that I pretty much was annoyed with Nora, to put it mildly.In Hush, Hush she was okay I guess,in Crescendo she was annoying and in Silence she acted like a 5 year old kid who does whatever comes to its mind without thinking any consequences...

See, Nora, has just been released from capture, she doesn't remember a thing about the last 5 months of her life and finds it oh so logical to sneak outside of her house, at night, to go the very place she was left when released,a cemetery from all places!!!!!Who does that,huh???Apparently Nora!

A second example: She doesn't remember a thing, as I just said, and when a complete stranger approaches her, again at night, starting telling her all kind of unbelievable things about angels and Nephils and a Black Hand,she isn't screaming "Bloody Murder" and immediatelly start running,she isn't even questioning his sanity.Nothing!She just believes him and takes for granted everything...

Should I continue?I have more examples but I hardly find it necessary.You get my point.Noone acts like that,at least noone sane... But Nora does.And I hate to say it,she only does so because in that way Becca Fitzpatrick could take her story a step further...Because every single time Nora acted in such a way, she just happened to meet someone crucial or something major happened...

So, because of all the things I stated above,I was more occupied being pissed with what I was reading than enjoying the actual story.I also kind of missed the old Patch...He wasn't the bad boy of the previous books with the snarky comments and the attitude I was used to adore. But that wasn't my main problem.I could accept the overprotective and completely smitten Patch if the story progressed more smoothly and more logically if I can say that.

I know once more I'm in the minority of people who didn't enjoy Silence, but I just couldn't take my mind off some things...Should I continue with the next and let's hope final installment?I really don't know...Honestly!I was really disappointed with Silence.

REVIEW: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Publication Date: September 27th 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown&Company

Hardcover, 432 pages

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Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.


In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.


And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.


Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.


When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a totally unigue,wonderfully different and unlike any other book I've come across so far or having ever imagined I would read!

First of all,I have to admit that I didn't even knew the existence of this book until the day I met Giota from A Story Untold and asked her what did you just finished reading.That's when I first heard of this book,and since Giota liked it so much that she was in total loss of words to describe it,I just knew I had to read it!After all,all her book suggestions are wonderful (Thank you so much for that!).So,that's how I came across this book and believe me,I couldn't me more glad for picking it up!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is magical!It's a modern fairy tale,but not quite,a fantasy novel,but so much more than that,it's the kind of book everyone should read,just for the brilliance of Laini Taylor's writing if nothing more!This book,is everything a YA fantasy or paranormal novel should be,and yes!,even more!

Laini Taylor's writing style isn't just brilliant...It's amazingly brilliant!The way the story flows,the way things unravel,the mysteries that are hidden so well,and reveiled in such a magical way.This book is the story of how love can change everything,of how hope can be the buoy that saves many or just a single soul and of how a single act of kindness may even change and alter years of prejudice or hate.This story although fantastical through and through rings so true and to date that chilled me.After all,the fantastical element of the story was so well interwoven with our modern world that the transition from one world to the other wasn't just smooth,it was actually something you expected and didn't even realize it until the right moment.

I won't say anything about the actual story.Having not known anything about it made it all that better for me,even if in the first chapters I was totally lost.Believe me,everything isn't only explained,it just comes natural...!

If you seek for a trully well written and unique story,Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a book you shouldn't miss for the world!I loved every single page of this book!

READING: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Publication Date: February 22nd 2011

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Hardcover, 432 pages

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Eden didn't expect Az.


Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.


Yeah.


So long, happily-ever-after.


Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.


She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.


And that's only the beginning of the end.

A Touch Mortal was a major disappointment, at least for me...I was so eager to get this book in my hands,what with the interesting premise and the beautiful cover,only to feel majorly let down pretty soon with this book.

You know that feeling when you open a book and from the very first pages you know you'll end up loving it or hating it?Well,with A Touch Mortal I kind of knew that I would have a problem with this book as soon as the second chapter began.I mean,the first chapter introduces the reader to the 3 main characters of this story,Eden,Az and Gabriel.Az shows an immediate attraction to Eden and flirts her with some lines I really don't want to think about and I know that if someone hit me with those,I would start running like mad away from him...

Anyway,I tried to get past those lines.After all it was only the first chapter,way too early to make assumptions.But when the second chapter began and we had skipped pages in the story,and Az and Eden not only were together but already declaring their undying love to each other,well,to say the least I was tempted to put this book down immediately...

I really can't tell what twisted idea made me continue reading.After all,I'm not really famous with my patience and when I don't like something, I just skip it.But all the glowing reviews that promised that after a rough start this book was more or less fantastic,I decided to give it a try.

True,after a couple of chapters,things got better but only slightly.At least for me.After all,not everyone likes the same things...

I just couldn't get into this book at all.The characters were a bit flat,I couldn't like or relate to anyone and the story was chaotic.

Leah Clifford tried to do something really extraordinary,at least that was my opinion while trying to understand the world building,but somewhere lost it among the lines.Details where slowly given to the reader in order to understand certain things,but at most times I just felt lost,like I should have known something crucial,only I had skip certain classes when the lesson was given.

To be honest,somewhere after the middle of this book I felt so tired with it and so unwilling to read even a single page that I just left it aside.Reading is all about fun and recreation time,I never thought of it as a duty and never felt obliged to finish a book I just can't bring myself to like.So,I think that if up until the middle of this book I couldn't care about the story,things wouldn't improve later,even if the story did get better.A Touch Mortal is just a book whose story didn't appeal to me in any way...

I'm always sad when I write a bad review,both for the writer and the book itself.But on the other hand I can't lie and praise a book I struggled to read.A Touch Mortal wasn't the book for me but there are many readers out there that did enjoy this book despite the fact I couldn't see why.

READING: City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments,#4) by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Publication Date: April 5th 2011

Publisher: Walker

Paperback, 424 pages

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The Mortal War is over, and Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most important of all—Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend.


But nothing comes without a price.


Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other.


When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.


Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

Cassandra Clare just worked miracles again with City of Fallen Angels!To be completely honest with myself,when I first heard the announcement of a 4th book coming to The Mortal Instruments series and then the new one,stating that the series will be extended to six books in total,I was both excited and a lot apprehensive too.We all thought that the story had reached it's conclusion,and although it's not the first time a writer decides to resume his story after the end has come,in many cases,that decision wasn't all too successful.I myself,have come across such cases,and because TMI series is among my favorites ever,I was both excited and afraid...

But I shouldn't be...Cause Clare knows exactly what she's doing,and she's doing it really well.At least that's how I feel about her work!Her writing style is amazing,and I love all those descriptions of places and facts but what I love the most about her work,is that everything in her story is set in such a way that plays a crucial role for the future,or has its place in the past.Every detail and every event just has it's meaning,waiting to be unraveled sometime later in the story,if it's not immediately connected with the past.I mean the connection that many things have with The Infernal Devices series just awed me!I knew that the two series are connected but not interfering with each other,but still,reading this book just amazed me!

I loved how the characters evolved.Especially in Jace and Simon's case the evolvement was huge!Jace was by far my most beloved character in the series,what with his being sarcastic and all,but in CoFA,all the events of the past three books seem to have affected him and the way he behaves.He is still the adorable Jace we were all used to,but now he haves to come to terms with all the shocking truths he learned about himself and what he thought were real in his life.And all that,just made me love him even more...!We get to see more of Simon also!Truthfully,Simon was never among my favorite characters.I liked him surely,but I wasn't mad about him.In CoFA though,we get to know him a lot more and all that I learned about him made me like him and understand him,more than I could in all the previous three books combined.

In general,most characters although remain more or less the same,despite Jace,they just grow through the tragic events they went through.

I'm aware,that many people just found too much the romance in this book.I've read some reviews stating so,but I just couldn't mind such a thing.The romanctic plot between Jace and Clary is as good as ever,and the rest,well,I though that went along perfectly with the story.Any romantic element in CoFa,I thought that went along with the story and complemented it rather than be the main focus or abstract the reader.I just loved to see more about others as well,and just not Jace and Clary!

All in all,CoFa just managed to reignite my interest in a story I though had ended and I just can't wait for the next book.I can't wait for The Clockwork Prince either and believe me a reread of both those series is well needed and I will do it before the final installments get published.I just want to be aware even of the tiniest detail when the time comes!

READING: Angelfire (Angelfire,#1) by Courtney Allison Moulton

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Publication Date: February 15th 2011

Publisher:  HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Books

Hardcover, 464 pages

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This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Angelfire is a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading!From the first until the last page it was among those books that constantly surprised me in a good way and a book I couldn't stop reading till I reached the very last page.

I have said quite a number of times that I have a soft spot for angel stories.I've read books about angels that weren't something amazing and just because the story was about angels I just loved them.Angelfire isn't among those books.Moulton would succeed in writing an interesting story regardless the main theme.

The writing style is fresh and away from the typical cliches you usually find in books with such a popular theme.

For one,the romance was there from day one of the story but it bloomed slowly,something that gains much points of appreciation in my mind.Despite the fact that Ellie reincarnates every few years and knows Will for many centuries the romance is as fresh as the turns in their relationship and the changes in Ellie's personality.Moulton didn't use reincarnation as an easy way to make her heroes fall in love easily.Quite the opposite... As a result,the romance is more believable and one of my favorite aspects in this book.

Ellie is a well built character and the reader gets to know more about her and about the whole world building along with her.Will is yet another strong but with his own problems male protagonist,yet in many ways he manages to stand out and make you remember him.

But the thing I enjoyed the most was Moulton's ability to write the action scenes.Angelfire is full of action scenes almost from the very beggining of the book and Moulton's ability to describe those is brilliant.The battles are almost coming alive thus making this book appealing to any urban fantasy lover.I just loved those scenes!

I also loved the ending scene.Usually I just don't remember anything about the exact ending scene of a book except if it's a cliffhanger.But Angelfire ended in a really memorable way at least for me.It was almost like a movie scene.I got a Matrix feeling with the way Ellie gave the last battle of this book and I couldn't help myself but smirk with the lines.

All in all,Angelfire is an amazing debut novel and I can't wait to see how the story progresses and what more can Moulton do in the sequel!

READING: Crescendo (Hush, Hush,#2) by Becca Fitzpatrick

 I had promised you that as soon as possible,after our joint review with Christine from Reading on the Dark Side of Hush, Hush,we would have another one reviewing the sequel Crescendo!Well,that soon was way sooner than i expected!Christine is a really fast reader!So,enjoy our review of Crescendo!

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick


Publication Date: October 19th 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Hardcover, 427 pages


Buy it via Book Depository

Feisty teen Nora Grey somehow survived the crises of Hush, Hush!, but dangers just as frightening loom in this standalone sequel. Patch, her guardian angel and love interest, appears to have a dark side and a wandering eye. Worse yet, he seems intent on obstructing Nora as she hunts for the truth behind her father's mysterious death. Even better than the first.

Our thoughts on the characters

Christine:

There were a few scenes in Crescendo where I thought I didn´t recognize Nora anymore. To be honest, I expected their relationship to be all "crazy in love", so I was beyond stunned after their first fight only a few pages into the book. Nora´s behavior seem a little irrational at times, and beyond reckless at others. I wouldn´t have imagined that the same Nora from "Hush, Hush" would oull of things like she did this time. It is somewhat understandable, cnsidering how Patch acts, but still.

Speaking of Patch... I still love him. His bad boy attitude hasn´t changed a single bit and he´s just as sexy as in Hush, Hush. Unfortunetly, he is also just as mysterious and evasive. Combine that with Nora's behavior, and I felt like shouting "JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER ALREADY AND TELL THE F... TRUTH" at them. You could say this book affected me quite a bit.

The two most interesting "new" characters in the book were Scott and Marcie. Scott is close to Patch in the bad boy scale, but for me, he gave off more of a creepy vibe.
Marcie is just plain mean which would have annoyed me, had me not learned the reason for her behavior.
Vee and Rixon we already knew from the last book, but I have to say, both of them were a surprise for me in this book, one a positive, one a negative ( Don´t want to give away more to avoid spoilers!)

Anna:

Before saying anything else i must ask.... "What happened to Nora????"In Hush, Hush Nora was an ok character,strong,pretty much independent and definitely not anyone's tail or shadow.Nora of Crescendo is like being introduced to a completely new character...She's jealous,whinny,reckless and no matter what happens to her,her priority is where and what and with whom Patch is...Terrible things might happen,in fear she may live,Patch is whom her thoughts are totally consumed with!And ok,i can understand being so in love and acting like a total stranger,but in Nora's case she was acting more like possesed rather than in love...

Patch on the other hand is as good as in Hush, Hush...I only kind of missed him here cause his role is significantly smaller than in the first instalment but at least when he entered a scene in the book,the scene just got more... well better!

What i liked in Crescendo was that more characters got to be better explored and developed,like Vee,Rixon and Marcie.I really liked that,i thought that Fitzpatrick's world got more interesting and complete with the addiction of those characters.Scott,on the other hand (a new character introduced here) has completely confused me...I just can't make my mind about him or find a logical way to explain some of his actions,especially towards the end. 

Our thoughts on the plot

Christine:

After finishing "Crescendo", I had to take a few deep breaths. First, because the story left me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It was so fast paced action filled, mysterious and full of twists that I didn't feel one second like I was reading a YA book. Becca Fitzpatrick also succeeds in adding a subtly creepyness to the story by how she describes Nora being stalked and other supernatural incidents Nora comes across in this book.

The second thing that made me take a deep breath was the ending of Crenscendo. One moment I was like crazy happy, the next like WTH??? The Cliffhanger Becca Fitzpatrick leaves us with is really really cruel. Especially since I have a very strong love/hate relationship with cliffhangers. I like them, when I know I don´t have to wait too long before I know what happens next.
I always complain when the relationship between two characters goes too smooth and thus being unrealistic in my opinion. Well, the relationship between our dear guardian angel and Nora is far from smooth, which was not a bad thing.

The story of Crescendo dwells deeper into the mythology of Angels, Fallen Angels and Nephilim and we are introduced to a new force that is to be reckoned with. Also, Becca Fitzpatrick sheds light on Nora´s past and the death of her father and answers some questions only to make the whols story even more full of suspense.

Anna:

The plot was once more, engaging.The writing style remains simple and effective and the story turns to a complete new level.The atmosphere was creepy at times and claustrophobic and in general i think i liked the story even more than in Hush, Hush.The angelic world is more explored and we get to know more about how it functions,something that i've been expecting since the end of the first book.

Nora and Patch's relationship remains a bit static for me,something that doesn't really bother me but i'm not that glad either.Maybe if the reason those two kept fighting was something other than jealousness and stubborness from Nora's part i wouldn't mind it at all,but seeing Nora acting that way just made me wanna scream to her to open her eyes and she how she was behaving.She may had reasons to be jealous but still,she could had tried and listen to Patch,or totally erase him.The forth-back was never my favorite approach of things. 

Our favorite scene

Christine:

Okay, once again, I can´t decide. Instead, I choose several scenes from different categories. DANGER: includes spoilers!!! 

Favorite romantic/hot scene: either Patch´s first appearance in her dream r the scen at the end... Hmmm

Favorite creepy scene: when she hears/sees her dead father at the ausement park

Favorite action scene: Nora vs Marcy. ´nough said.

Favorite WTH scene: again, the end.

Anna:

The scene where Patch gives Nora a ride home and they're standing in the rain...I have a thing for romantic scenes in the rain,what can i say! 

Final Verdict:

Christine:

4 stars. I loved it, was quite obsessiv about reading it (just ask my roommates) and it was a really intense read, but Nora´s behavior was somewhat of a drawback for me. 

Anna:

4 starts again.As i said,in some aspects Crescendo was really better than Hush,Hush but Nora's behavior was a bit annoying.I couldn't enjoy enough this book when i spent half the time wondering why she would act that way.

READING: Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter,#1) by Nalini Singh

Today i'm once again really glad for posting another joint review with Christine from Reading on the Dark Side.Last time we had so much fun reviewing Jeaniene's Frost Eternal Kiss of Darkness so we decided to do it again!Here is the link of our previous joint review were we also have a small interview saying some things about ourselves,so don't miss the chance to get to know better Christine and her amazing blog!

This time,we decided to read and review Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh.

Here is the summary:

Angel's Blood by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: March 3rd 2009

Publisher: Berkley

Paperback, 339 pages

Buy it via Book Depository

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible.


Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.


The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…

And here are our thoughts about it:

Characters

Christine: 

Right at the moment, I like angels. I´ve already read four books with angels as main characters in a row. After finishing Angel´s Blood, I´m not really sure if Raphael really is an angel. Besides the fact that he has wings and is immortal, there is absolutely nothing angelic about his behaviour. He is rude to say the least, arrogant, cruel and has no idea how to treat a woman. While I still thought this bad boy behaviour had its appeal at the beginning of the book, I was more and more annoyed by it as the story unfolded. Another thing that I really didn´t like: forcing Elena into having sex with him by manipulating and controlling her mind. So not sexy.

Elena is a heroine with all the attributes you´re expecting in an Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance book. She´s indpendent, holds her own and kicks (vampire) ass. She is also very very pretty. At least that´s what it seems like since practically every male in the book that crosses her way wants her instantly. She seems to be quite rich (I want her appartment!)and she´s never bitchy or whiny. I have to agree with Anna though, I´d like to lear a bit more about her and her background.

One thing I´d like to mention about the cast of supporting characters: I love Illium! Blue and silver wings are much more pretty than white and gold. Why not write a book about him??

Anna:

My feelings towards the characters in Angels' Blood are quite mixed.On the one hand,i pretty much loved Elena.She was smart,independent and unwilling to bend in front of anybody no matter how powerful that one might be.She was a strong minded woman who no matter what happened in her life was strong enough to overcome it and continue with her life.Although i couldn't quite understand her relationship with her father (i thought that her father's reactions were a bit far streched,but ok,i've read worse things so far) and some things of her past were left unanswered (there might be a second book in the series,but i don't see why we couldn't get a more detailed glimpse in Elena's past since it was constantly reffered) but all in all,Elena was a loveable character,one you could somehow relate to.

Raphael on the other hand... not so thrilled about him.Granted he is a sexy character and a powerful one,but i just couldn't totally like him.What with his constant bluntness and arrogance i just couldn't imagine him as sexy as the writer wanted him to be.He may be a powerful being,living for centuries but i don't know,i just think i like my man somehow less confident over his sexual prowess,no,not less confident,just not mentioning all the time how good he is and how certain he feels that i'll sprawl my legs open for him sooner or later.

One more thing i have to say on the characters is that i was tired of how good looking and unbelievably sexy were almost every supernatural male character in this book...Whether it was a vampire,an angel or an archangel,every single male character here was mindblowing sexy!I just find it too good to be true!

Plot:

Christine:

If I´m totally honest, then I have to admt that the plot is not really something original. There´s an archangel gone bad. Elena has the social means and talents to find him and while the psychotic murderer kills women, the two main characters fall in love. That´s about it. The worldbuilding was good though. It´s a new concept that vampires are made by angels and the explanation why only certain people can become a vampire given at the end is reasonable enough. The other angels make for interesting additions to the world and the author weaves in another short subplot that wakes your interest for the next book.

The romance is well, difficult for me. Like I said, Raphael just didn´t work for me. Also, I´m not that big a fan of the "I saw him instantly fell in love with him and want to spend the rest of my live with him". And for a woman so proud of being independent it felt like a bit of a stretch that Elena wants to have sex to forget about something horrible.

Anna:

This book starts immediatelly promising the reader the hunt of a very dangerous archangel gone bad.As one might think,i expected for this hunt to start soon after the first chapters but unfortunatelly that didn't happen.I had to wait for almost the half book for the real fun to start.The first half has some excitement and the reader isn't bored in any way but the second half is definitely better.

The romance on the other hand was good.I failed to catch the chemistry between the two characters for the better part of the book.The sexual tention just wasn't believable and i spent most of my time wandering why they didn't have sex already and get over with it.Elena may not want to be the sex toy of a powerful man but she succumbs to him after a very stressfull series of events...???

Apart from those,i liked the world Singh created,where angels are most definitely not creatures of the God,all good and pure,but capable of such monstrosity one could not imagine and vampires are angels' creations,bound to them for servitude.I have to say,it was an original concept,one i haven't read somewhere else.

Favorite Scene:

Christine:

It´s not so much of a scene, more like a detail, but I really admired the rose made of diamonds. As a sucker for all things sparkly (not neccessarily expensive), that´s something I would want. And, like I already mentioned: an angel with blue and silver wings! :)

There is one thing that sometimes annoys me about myself: Angel´s Blood is not a horrible book I couldn´t finish, but just not so good that I can´t wait to read the next in the series. Still, I want to know where the storys and characters go. Plus I like the cover of book three. So I think, well, why not give book two a try? Maybe it´s better and then you can by the pretty book three without a bad concience. Is it just me or am I slightly weird?

Anna:

The one where Elena meets Michaela.That scene has such amazing lines i couldn't help but laugh all the time while reading it."Royal bitchiness" is officially one of my favorite lines!

Both Christine and myself rated this book with:

READING: Clockwork Angel(The Infernal Devices,#1) by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Publication Date: September 6th 2010

Publisher: Walker

Paperback, 478 pages

Buy via Book Depository

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.


When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.


Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.


Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa.


As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

OMG!!!Really i can not say much about Clockwork Angel!It is THAT good!I was a big fan of Mortal Instruments series also,so it would take for the first instalment of The Infernal Devices series to be a really bad book for me not to like it.And it was far from bad...

Clockwork Angel has everything all three books of The Mortal Instruments series had.It was action packed,with well developed characters and if i may say so,here,the characters were even better.At first i thought that Will was just another Jace,Jem,another Alec and Jessamine another Isabelle,but i was really mistaken...Will and Jace certainly share the same way to deliver witty answers and a wicked sense of humour but Will is a far more dark character than Jace was for me, with secrets of his own that thankfully and frustratingly aren't revealed yet and Jem and Jessamine prove really soon that they are quite different.I know,comparing characters from this new series to the previous one isn't really nice but having read Mortal Instruments i find it rather unavoidable.

The plot on the other hand was more than amazing.The writing style was exceptional, something all Cassandra Clare's fans are accustomed with.Twists and turns in the story made you anxious to know how things evolved and the romantic element was just perfect.Not too strong an element in this story,but apparent and wonderfully built.Some of the twists i must admit that i saw them coming,but not the full extent of the events,something that just added to the plot element.

Before anything else,i have to say that the setting of this book was by far,the best part for me.The Victorian era England presented here was plainly engrossing!I enjoyed the contrast between the Shadowhunter women and the rest "mundane" women who at that time were expected to do nothing else but marry and stay home.I liked that contrast and how could women of both races feel imprisoned in the role a certain society expects them to fulfill.

All in all,Clockwork Angel is an amazing first book in a series that promises to be as exciting as Mortal Instruments and maybe even more.Cassandra Clare's writing style is addictive and more mature and she manages to create heroes you tend not to forget.Too bad the next book in the series won't be released until next year.I can't wait to put my hands on it!

READING: Angel Star (Angel Star,#1) by Jennifer Murgia

Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia

Publication Date: May 18th 2010

Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing LLC

Paperback, 251 pages

Buy via Book Depository


 

Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand - the mark of an angel.
But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.
Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower.

I must admit it!I first noticed this book because of it's beautiful cover!Then i read the summary,saw that it was a story of angels and knew i had to read it immediately!Fortunately,the cover wasn't misleading and the book itself was better than its cover!

I have a thing for stories with angels so i have read a number of books that involve them but Angel Star is one of my favourite.I really enjoyed the writing style,it was so detailed that i actually could picture myself almost everything.And the romance... was just wonderful...Although the heroine falls for the cute guy immediately (something i'm not a big fan of in most books) here i didn't seem to mind it.The way Murgia described how Teagan felt about Garreth made me actually remember a bit the way i felt for my first teenage crush!

I loved Teagan,she was your typical teenager,with all the insecurities of that age,but when the time came she managed to rise above the occasion and do what she had to.I also loved the fact that by the end,Teagan was not the good girl that had no dark side or temptations and she actually akwnoledged that and had to fight with her inner desires.Somehow this fact made her a more believable character.

I also loved Hadrian... He was the kind of  bad guy you love to hate!But my favourite character in this book might as well be Claire!Although her part in this story wasn't that big she was a wonderful side character i really enjoyed reading about.

The plot was fast paced,always something happening and even when i thought that at last everything was settled,once more everything turned upside down.It was a book full of surprises,and a really promising debut novel!I can't wait for the sequel!