Azagoth by Larissa Ione

Azagoth has been Heaven's Starbuck for centuries and he has had enough. He won't 'fuck' anymore unwilling angels, he wants a mate of his own and he wants his potential kids to grow by his side. Quite reasonable right? But how do you go about meeting one's mate when you can't leave Sheoul-Gra? You blackmail Heaven of course! So that's how Lilianna found herself with a bad and a worst choice. She is being punished for a grave offense and was volunteered to be Azagoth's mate, or loose her time-travel abilities (which isn't an option). All of this happens in the first couple of pages and set the table for an amazing read!

I loved how Azagoth went to great extremes to make her welcome and comfortable, even though he has no idea how to go about it. He wants this relationship to work, and gives her time to assimilate everything. He is actually being quite sweet in his own grumpy, almost-evil ways. His struggles were really touching and I LOVED learning more about him. His troubled past, his mistakes, his secrets desires, all are revealed in good times and it was moving.

Lilianna is smart and desperate to make the best of this difficult situation, but she never imagined Azagoth would be that way. I admired her wits and her conscience. She wasn't damning Azagoth without seeing for herself, even though it would've been very easy, and she warms up to him in time.

The best part is the banter and teasing between the two. I loved how Lilianna wanted to annoy him, yet it would have the opposite effect on Azagoth. I loved how she made mistakes and is doing her best to make it up to him.

Really, my only complaint about this novella is exactly that, it's a novella! I really wished it was a full length novel! It's a great novella: there is enough character development and a good storyline, but I loved the characters so much that I wanted more. More details, more twists, just more! I couldn't get enough.

I definitely suggest you read this novella!

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Angel, Demon, Demonica, Evil Eye Concepts, Fantasy, Incorporated, Larissa Ione, Lords of Deliverance, novella, Paranormal, Purchased, Review, Romance  Leave your mark

The Beautiful Ashes by Jeaniene Frost

What if your destiny wasn't set in stone? What if you could change it? That's exactly what Ivy and Adrian are hoping for because if Destiny has it its way, Adrian is bound to betray her. And it might just crush them both.

The Beautiful Ashes is the first book in a new series by Jeaniene Frost, and I truly enjoyed it. The one thing that fells weird though, is that I am so used to reading Jeaniene's books in the Cat & Bones & Vlad world, that if I hadn't known she had written Beautiful Ashes, I probably wouldn't have guessed. Don't get me wrong, both series are equally awesome, but they are soooo different, Broken Destiny doesn't scream Jeaniene Frost, you know? I guess I'll get used to it lol

Ivy really impressed me with her inner strength. She starts the book as a loony girl (because she sees things everyone else can't see) and when her sister goes missing, and her parents die while looking for her, she choose to investigate and stumbles into the world of Archons (angels), Demons, and sexy-as-it-gets Adrian. Despite the whole thing being quite the shock (to say the least) she takes everything is stride and commits a 100% to rescuing her sister. Her determination is unwavering in front of less-than-stellar chances of success and her devotion is commendable.

Adrian is too damn good to be true, and it's the correct definition. Sexy as a god, with impossible abilities, the guy is also full of secrets and bound by his destiny to betray Ivy. I truly liked him. He was the perfect blend of bad boy aiming for redemption, yet not quite succeeding. He has a crushing past, revenge on his mind, and yet the best of intentions he can get, but it still isn't enough.

The two of them were magnetic together and I loved watching them collide, argue and fight will battles. In dire moments, their complicity was spot-on yet they couldn't stand to be in the same room most of the time. Both of them together really was like a weird tango, both parties trying to dominate. Adrian clearly has the advantage, but it won't stop Ivy to keep pushing.

Secondary characters were also great and I wonder how big of a part they will play in the next installment.

Frost blessed us with a plot filled with danger, cliff-hangers and twist-and-turns that would make a roller-coaster proud. She drops each bomb-like revelation at the right timing, destabilizing both the characters, and the readers.

I was highly satisfied with the conclusion and I can't wait for the second Broken Destiny installment. Ivy's  quest, and her relationship with Adrian will keep me riveted to the pages I'm quite sure! The Beautiful Ashes is a must-read for Jeaniene Frost fans and new readers, both.

 

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Posted by Tynga at 00:49

 Author, Broken Destiny, Demon, Harlequin, Jeaniene Frost, Review, Urban Fantasy  2 People left their mark

Storm Front: The Dresden Files #1 by Jim Butcher

It’s not bad enough that Chicago has gangsters and the winds from the Great Lakes to contend with.  They also have demons, vampires and many other super natural beasties to deal with.  Fortunately for the city, they have the only openly practicing wizard, Harry Dresden.  Wizard Dresden has managed to eke out an existence in spite of vast majority of the city not taking him the least bit seriously.

In this, the first installment, Jim Butcher introduces us, to Harry Dresden, professional wizard.   Through Harry, we are introduced to the magical side of the Windy City.  Readers get a small glimpse into Harry’s history with the magical and mundane world.  We’re also given and introductory course to the magic system of Dresden’s world to include an idea of the origins of his powers and how some devices work.

I like the strait forward approach of Harry Dresden being our host and guide of his story.  It’s not just because detective type stories work well in first person but, it also helps to have the main character there to explain the finer points of his craft.  Jim Butcher shows us that an easy to read style doesn’t have result in a simplistic story.   Pacing in this book was excellent.  Action scenes tended to ramp up as the story went along and were spaced out enough to give both the reader and poor Harry a bit of a break.

It’s easy to like Harry as the main character.  His quick wit and sometimes brutal honesty give him a certain rakish charisma.  As for the other characters in the story, there’s not as much time spent developing them with one exception, Lt. Karrin Murphy.  She’s the hard-as-nails detective that’s Harry’s main contact with the police departments section that handles unusual cases.  To be fair to the rest, we don’t really get to know any of them well enough because there is so much going on.  Besides, this book was probably meant to introduce Harry and a few key characters and that was definitely accomplished here.

Call me a late, late, late bloomer when it comes to The Dresden Files but, I like this series.  When I first became aware of the series my first reaction was “Another wizard named Harry?  Give me a Harry break!”  Honestly, the only reason I tried out the first book was because, one bored Saturday morning, I found the TV show on Amazon streaming and wound up binging on the only available season.   I looked at the reviews to get a clue why it was canceled.  As to be expected, the book fans were out with the long knives.   With that and knowing the book is always better, I decided to check the books out and I’m glad I did.  This is a very PG-13 book due to language and violence.  None of it is really what I would call gratuitous but, I wouldn’t want my child to do a book report on it.  I don’t know if I could convince the teacher that a naked wizard dropping S-bombs is a legitimate plot point for a seventh grader to discuss in class.

So, if you like magic, vampires, demons, talking skulls and sometimes clothing optional spell-casters, I suggest you try out Storm Front by Jim Butcher.   Besides, starting to read an established series like this, you won’t be waiting five years for the next book to come out.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:32

 Demon, Jim butcher, Magic, Purchased, Review, ROC, The Dresden Files, Urban Fantasy, Wizard  7 People left their mark

The Merciless by Danielle Vega

I'm always looking for a good YA horror novel because sadly there are so few of these types of novels out there. The majority of YA books that are classified as horror are far from being frightening and so, The Merciless had tough shoes to fill. Much to my delight,  The Merciless is one of the best horror novels I've ever read and it is easily one of my favorites books of the year so far. With a plot that screams Stephen King meets Mean Girls, what's not to love?

Sofia really got in with the wrong crowd, she never expected to get involved with an exorcism. At first she thought Riley and her friends wanted to help Brooklyn, but things quickly escalate when Riley traps Brooklyn in a house with the rest of the girls. If Sofia can't figure out how to save Brooklyn from Riley and herself, there will more than a few drops of blood shed.

The Merciless starts off like so many novels with the new girl trying to fit in with the popular kids, expect this time around there's a lot more blood, baptisms, and exorcisms. The girls spy on Brooklyn and everything is pretty innocent at first, giving The Merciless a Mean Girls. Vega even references the infamous burn book and she perfectly captures the atmosphere of high school in the opening chapters.

Readers who enjoy the opening chapters might not enjoy the rest of the novel because the rest of the novel is much darker in tone. Gone is the light atmosphere and Vega definitely means business in the rest of this novel because she never holds back. The rest of  The Merciless is gloriously twisted and messed up, providing readers with some of the creepiest imagery I've seen in a novel recently. You won't want to read this one in the dark because Vega's prose will get under your skin and give you chills.

The Merciless moves at an incredibly quick pace and getting through this novel was an easy feat. I was extremely engaged by the ominous, strange aura that this novel gave off and once I started The Merciless, this novel became the center of my attention. I'm a reader who lacks the ability to give a book my undivided attention because I easily get distracted, but The Merciless was able to capture from the start. This whole novel is bizarre and it's unlike anything I've ever read, which isn't something I throw IMF the law. around lightly.

Considering it's the 1st book in a series, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Vega ends this on a cliffhanger. This is the type of cliffhanger that will infuriate you and make you so curious about book 2. Vega did an excellent job at setting up this conclusion and for managing to surprise readers until the very end.

The Merciless isn't for everyone, but those who have twisted, dark minds will absolutely love it. If you're looking to read this book, Prepare yourself one of the most horrifying book you've read in ages!

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Posted by Tynga at 02:08

 BEA, Danielle Vega, Demon, horror, Paranormal, Penguin, Razorbill, Review, Social Issues, The Merciless, young adult  Leave your mark

White Heart of Justice by Jill Archer + giveaway

If you follow me on I Read Good, you'll know that I've really enjoyed  DARK LIGHT OF DAY and FIERY HEART OF STEEL,the first two books in Jill Archer's Noon Onyx series. And I had the privilege of interviewing Jill on this blog as part of her tour for FIERY HEART OF STEEL so hopefully her name is familiar one! It's going to be impossible to talk about WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE without discussing events from the previous novels, especially the ending of FIERY HEART OF STEEL so beware of spoilers for the first two books from here on out.

At the end of the last book, Noon had successfully completed her mission but at great cost: she learned that her boyfriend Ari was actually a demon, they broke up, and he disappeared, leaving most everyone to think he died. Noon also had to truly accept her waning magic and, along the way, she did things that Noon from Book 1 would never have thought possible. And if FIERY HEART OF STEEL was all about getting Noon to embrace her abilities and test her Maegister chops, WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE was all about her taking ownership of her future, both professionally and personally.

As the top student of her year of St. Luck's, Noon is able to enter the Laurel Crown Race. Although she has no interest in the glory, Noon is heartily invested in the race because the winner gets to choose where s/he will spend the fourth semester for their placement. Her two offers are unappealing but, unless she wins, she will be assigned to one of the two locations, whether she likes it or not. But because of an unfortunate incident with a statue of Justica at the Angels' school, Noon gets a nearly impossible task: finding the legendary sword called the White Heart of Justice. It was forged with perennial magic, a magic forbidden to most, hidden in a part of Halja called Tartarus, which is just as unpleasant as its namesake. It's a test designed for failure -- several bounty hunters had tried and failed to find the sword, never coming back. It's a really great adventure, fraught with dangers and competition, and there are definitely moments where Noon's future looks to be very much on the line. Archer has done a great job of creating suspense and tension in WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE, not just with Noon's mission but Noon's relationships with Rafe and her classmates.

Of course, Noon is still grappling with the aftermath of her relationship with Ari. Feeling don't just turn off, after all, but Noon is trying very hard to get over with Ari and move on. She has some time in WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE to reflect on her feelings for Ari and also for Rafe, since they're spending so much time together as part of this mission.  It's a nice counterpoint to the frantic action of Noon's quest. Plus, Noon wouldn't be Noon if she wasn't full of the feels. :) There are a lot of personal developments in this novel and Noon comes out of the novel a more mature person. And the ending of WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE has a great set-up for the next chapter in Noon's story and I can't wait to see what Archer throws at Noon next!

If you're looking for a new adult fantasy series with exceptional world building, exciting storylines, and strong characters, you need to try the Noon Onyx books. You definitely need to read them in order but now's the time to start. You won't be sorry!

Read an excerpt (scroll down)

 There's a tour-wide giveaway with all sorts of amazing prizes! Check out the Rafflecopter for more details.

$50 Amazon eGift Certificate (or bookseller of winner’s choice) (international)

5 copies of White Heart of Justice (or an earlier book in the series, winner’s choice) (international so long as Book Depository ships to your address)

Dark Light of Day themed SWAG pack (US only)

Fiery Edge of Steel themed SWAG pack (US only)

White Heart of Justice themed SWAG pack (US only)

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Ace, Demon, Fantasy, Jill Archer, Netgalley, New adult, Noon Onyx, Penguin, Review  12 People left their mark

Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole

Another passionate novel in an amazing series! Immortals After Dark is my favorite paranormal romance series out there, and I'm glad to say Kresley Cole delivered once again a page-turner.

This time around, we witness the growing relationship between Carrow, a rebel witch who's been kidnapped and pressured to recover a vemon, and said venom (demon turned vampire), Malkom. I think what I liked most were the numerous and virtually unbeatable challenges they had to face in their relationship. The biggest one being the language barrier. Carrow speaks English, and understand very little demonish. Malkom on the under hand used to know a little English, but due to dire circumstances, he forced this language out of his brain and speaks only demonish now. It's one hell of a barrier to overcome, especially when all the psychologists agree that communication is the key to a lasting relationship lol

There's is also a small detail like the fact that Carrow is suppose to seduce him so she can drag him back to the human facility holding her adopted daughter in hostage. How can you get involved in a relationship doomed from the start? Especially since Malkom seems to be such a careless brute, all seven feet of him. The Demon also bears numerous psychological traumas and Carrow can only glimpse the tip of the iceberg. The poor hero has been betrayed once and again and trust doesn't come easy. I thought it was smart of Cole to put Malkom in a position where he had to trust Carrow, when her intentions are to betray him from the start. Her moral debate was even better when she realized she was starting to have feelings for him but knew deep down it wouldn't change the outcome.

Cole's writing was as usual extremely engaging and I kept turning pages late into the night. I liked that plot events kind of split the timeline of our hero's relationship in three: The pre-betrayal romance, the actual betrayal and anger, and the possible reconciliation. The whole novel was a roller-coaster of emotions and I enjoyed myself very much! 

The conclusion promises much action in the novel to come because the situation in which Carrow and Malkom found themselves is far from settled, and I'm extremely curious to see what comes next.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Adult, Demon, Immortals After Dark, Kresley Cole, Paranormal Romance, Pocket, Purchased, Review, Simon amp; Schuster, Simon Schuster, Witch  4 People left their mark

Reaver by Larissa Ione

Reaver and Harvester have a long history together, more than either of them ever imagined. After falling purposefully from heaven to spy on Hell and protect the Horsemen, she was caught and have been tortured by Satan for months. Reaver is determined to save her, despite opposition from Heaven itself and his personal dislike of the fallen angel. She is the key to avoid the war between heaven and hell, but she might also know more about his forgotten past. But will he be able to save her, and live to tell the tale?

What an awesome story! I've been craving to know more about Reaver for a long time and I was not disappointed! I was also happily surprised by Harvester. I always appreciated her feisty spirit, but I was happy to discover more about the angel under the fallen shell and learn about the reasons behind her most dubious actions. Reaver delighted me with his determination and heroism, and even his now being a grand-father doesn't make him any less sexy or hot. The adult scenes between the two angels were intense and spicy, nothing angelic about the encounters at all!

The plot itself was addictive and highly entertaining. I was hooked to my kindle screen from the first chapter, all the way through the very end. Ione provided us with a text full of twist and turns, delivering suspense, actions and emotions, all wrapped in a pretty package. I'm telling you, I went through a crazy roller coaster of emotions, from being pissed to shedding a few tears, I've enjoyed it all.  I really loved learning about the five thousands years before their memory wipe and I appreciated the intricacy of the treachery both angels fell victim to.

The conclusion was surprising and emotional, and I NEVER would've guessed the specifics. Actually, I was so engrossed in the plot that I never actually stopped to try and guess how the book would end. I loved the details and how everything unfolded. I honestly couldn't have hoped for a better ending.

At the very end is the first chapter of the next novel and it will feature Revenant (the seoul watcher) and, I think, Blaspheme (a supposedly false angel). I don't know much about Blaspheme because I haven't read all of the Demonica series yet, but I am very curious about her. I really can't wait to get my hands on a copy, but I haven't found a tentative release date yet.

If you haven't read the Demonica or the Lords of Deliverance series I strongly suggest you do so! You don't have to read the Demonica series first, but the story takes place before the Lords, and share many secondary (who were mains in Demonica) characters, so it wouldn't be a bad move either. Have you read either series? Will you give them a shot?

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Posted by Tynga at 00:24

 Adult, Angel, Demon, Forever, Hachette, Larissa Ione, Lords of Deliverance, Paranormal Romance, Publisher, Review  2 People left their mark

Realm Walker by Kathleen Collins

We hosted Kathleen Collins as part of our "When I'm not writing" feature back in October and I've finally had a chance to dive into her debut novel, REALM WALKER. Boy, was it good!

REALM WALKER introduces us to Juliana Norris, a half-dark fae, half-mage Walker, an Altered employed by the Agency to police the Altered population. Juliana has a special gift -- the ability to see the powers of the Altered -- which makes her uniquely suited to hunting misbehaving folks down. The book opens with her hunting a troll and the stakes just rise higher and higher from there. Juliana's abilities are different from the ones we usually see in urban fantasy so it was refreshing to see what she could do. She's special because of her mixed heritage but she's also special because she's done great stuff with her abilities, and made a life for herself apart from the coven that raised her.

In addition to hiding parts of her heritage, Juliana is also hiding the fact that she is United to Thomas Kendrick, the vampire who took her in. (There are a lot of words with capital letters but bear with me.) She fell in love with him and they are joined but we don't really know what it means, other than the fact that it boosts their powers and it puts her in danger because she's now a tool that people can use against Thomas. It's one of those super old vampires with 20-something young thing relationships but it doesn't read like he's taking advantage of her, which is nice. There's a strong mutual attraction and Juliana and Thomas compliment each other well. She's tough and fiery and doesn't back down, which are qualities you seem to need when you're being romanced by someone who's ten times your age. ;) Few people know they're United, though, so she's relatively safe. At least from Thomas' enemies. With demons who know her name on the loose, Juliana's is definitely not all cake and flowers.

As you can see, there are a lot of layers to Juliana. It makes her a great character and I'm really curious to learn more about her. We do get some answers but I really want to know her better. Her determination really drives REALM WALKER forward and it's quite an interesting journey. There are nice action sequences, some standard but well-written mythology, and good characters. Juliana's friends are well developed and I look forward to seeing more of them. In fact, the whole cast is quite fun and I'm pleased that this is the first book in a series.

If you're looking for new urban fantasy authors to try, I'd definitely suggest Collins' debut novel. REALM WALKER is a lot of fun and the pages fly by. You'll be begging for the next one before you know it!

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Adult, Carina Press, Demon, Harlequin, Kathleen Collins, Netgalley, Realm Walker, Review, Urban Fantasy  Leave your mark

Novella November: Demon Bait by Moira Rogers

This is my first Moira Rogers story. I've seen the name on other blogs but I had never tried anything from this writing duo before. And maybe that's why I had such a hard time coming up with a two line description of the book/series. And then I realized the simplest thing to do would be to borrow the description from Moira Rogers' webpage about the series:

In a post-apocalyptic future, humanity’s survivors must fight both the demons who destroyed the world they knew and their own leaders, who only envision a bright future for a privileged few...The genre is a bit of a mash-up, combining paranormal romance with dystopian and post-apocalyptic themes and enough virtual reality to skate toward cyberpunk.

How's that for a summary?

What I liked the most about this novella is the world. It's not as fleshed out as I would like and I definitely have questions about a lot of the mythology but what I do know is that it's a very cool world. I wouldn't want to live in it but reading about it is pretty awesome. It's dark, it's post-apocalyptic, it's got a nice blend of tech and magic, and it's got endless possibilities. What's not to love? It's very much a throw-you-in-and-hope-you-can-swim introduction to the world, though, since there's not a lot of exposition.

The authors state that DEMON BAIT is more of a prequel novella that Samhain has published as Book #1 in the series and so I'm curious if I would have had a better experience if I had read HAMMER DOWN first. I think a lot of my worldbuilding questions would have been answered with a longer page count but I haven't bought HAMMER DOWN just yet so I'm not entirely certain.

In terms of character, I liked both Marci and Gabe. They're both good characters but I wasn't particularly attached to either of them. I was interested in the outcome --  I wanted them both to succeed -- but I wasn't as emotionally invested as I would have liked. The authors do a good job of giving Marci and Gabe layers and history but I found myself reading to learn more about the world that these two live in, not their HEA. It's not a big enough disconnect that I was put off the novella, and I'm still looking forward to trying HAMMER DOWN, but I wasn't sucked into their romance the way that I had hoped. Maybe it's a question of expectations? I've heard great things about their books so perhaps I was looking for too much in DEMON BAIT.

If Rogers is a new-to-you author, I'd definitely suggest reading the excerpt linked below to get your feet wet. I hope you'll enjoy what you see! I'll report back when I've had a chance to read HAMMER DOWN -- hopefully my expectations will be met in a full-length novel. And if you're a fan, please let me know if this is a typical story for them, or if there are other titles I should pick up to get a better feel for their writing style.

Read an excerpt

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Adult, Children of the Undying, Demon, Dystopian, Moira Rogers, Novella November, Purchased, Review, Samhain  Leave your mark

Ever After book blast + giveaway!

Hi, folks! We've got an awesome giveaway for you today: five paperback copies of Kim Harrison's EVER AFTER. (This has nothing to do with Novella November but how could we not sign up for this tour?) The giveaway is U.S. only, I'm afraid, and there's a lot of competition since it's tour-wide but I think it's worth entering because Harrison is a talented writer! I'm a bit behind but I hope to catch up soon since the series is coming to a close.

Without further ado, here's some context on EVER AFTER from the tour organizer:

Witch-turned-daywalking-demon Rachel Morgan needs to save the demonic realm of the Ever After in the eleventh entry in the New York Times bestselling Hollows series from supernatural adventure master Kim Harrison.

When Rachel sets off a chain of events that could lead to the end of the world—demonic and human—she must use her gifts to save those closest to her while preventing an apocalypse.

Satisfying and sexy, a visit to the Hollows will take readers on a wild journey that will capture their imagination. Fans of Charlaine Harris and Stephenie Meyer won't be able to resist Kim Harrison's alternative universe—urban fantasy Cincinnati complete with vampires, witches, and other enchanting creatures—where spine-tingling adventures and fast-paced action are the norm.

And here's the official blurb on the book:

The ever after, the demonic realm that parallels our own, is shrinking, and if it disappears, so does all magic in our own. It’s up to witch-turned-daywalking-demon Rachel Morgan to fix this, before life utterly changes for the worse.

Of course, there’s also the small fact that she caused the ley line to rip in the first place, and her life is forfeit unless she can fix it. And that the most powerful demon in the ever after--one who eats souls--has vowed to destroy Rachel, and kidnapped her friend and goddaughter as leverage. If Rachel doesn’t give herself up, they will die.

Rachel must team up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack--a prospect both thrilling and dismaying--to return to the ever after and rescue the hostages, then keep both worlds from being destroyed.

Read an excerpt

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

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New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison was born and raised in the upper Midwest. Her bestselling Hollows novels include Dead Witch Walking, The Good, The Bad, and The Undead, Every Which Way But Dead, A Fistful of Charms, For a Few Demons More, The Outlaw Demon Wails, White Witch, Black Curse, Black Magic Sanction, Pale Demon, A Perfect Blood, plus the short story collection Into the Woods and The Hollows Insider. She also writes the bestselling Madison Avery YA series.

 Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Posted by Tynga at 06:00

 Adult, Demon, giveaway, Harper Collins, kim harrison, Witch  Leave your mark

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard Blog Tour + giveaway!

Susan Dennard is a valued friend and an amazing author. I was beyond excited to find out that I would be able to participate in this blog tour on behalf of Tynga's Reviews. Thank you so much for the opportunity!

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A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

Book stats:
Reading Level: Young Adult
ARC: 406 pages
Genre: Steampunk, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 23, 2013

Series: Something Strange and Deadly #2

Source: From Publisher for Blog Tour

Reviewed by: Lili

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

And to think that I thought book one was amazing. Book two was absolutely marvelous! Set in beautiful Paris, Dennard found ways to make this novel dark and compelling and impossible to put down! Now, let me go get on my knees and grovel for book three.

What continuously impresses me is Dennard's writing style. She puts such great emphasis on detail that I felt as if I was actually transported to Paris. I've never been to Paris, but I can certainly say I am dying to go. She was also able to drill the importance of etiquette during this time period into the readers, as made evident by Daniel's struggle with speaking using words that were never before in his vocabulary. It was rather entertaining, watching him catch his words because he reverts back to his usual self around Eleanor since they always bring out the best in each other. Both the writing and the historical aspect of this novel were spot on.

And then there's Eleanor. I really enjoyed how she grew. Doubly stubborn and ten times more assertive, she's even more sassy and witty, though committed and loyal. I loved her downright rebellious nature that began with her refusal to wear corsets ever again. But see, she's battling a darkness inside her, one that's both strange and entirely lovely and it's turning her world upside down. This internal battle between right and wrong, what she wants and what other wants, expectation versus reality was rather enticing and I enjoyed it immensely.

The other characters were amazing as always and now wear some battle wounds. And, somehow in some unbelievable way, Daniel became even more perfect, but what I really enjoyed was the emergence of a new character: Oliver. He was odd and intriguing and I very much enjoyed watching his friendship with Eleanor progress. They certainly do have a unique bond, but his ulterior motives were rather annoying at times. Then again, they kept me on my toes and kept me focused. If a character is equal parts annoying and completely riveting, you know you're doing something right!

But, I do have one tiny complaint, and that's the fact that I figured out the nefarious demon that is raising Les Morts in the City of Light rather quickly. And, in truth, Eleanor figured it out rather quickly too, she just didn't realize it. There were so many plot twists, but this one was glaringly obvious to me and I so wish it was not because that is what made this book just short of absolute perfection in my eyes. I mean, this book has ten times more amazing zombie scenes, more blood, more rituals and sacrifices and magic. It has more plot twists and unseen problems. It is way darker because of the addition of demons to the tale, but the biggest twist of all was the only one that I could predict. A bummer in that sense.

Absolutely dark and delicious, I could not put this one down. Dennard possesses the talent to captivate us so much so that a 400+ page book seems to fly by. I am eagerly awaiting the final book in the trilogy that has the promises of some potential romance, new discoveries, and a final showdown that may beat all other final showdowns.

Susan Dennard, you own my newly emerged zombie-loving heart.

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There is a tour-wide giveaway. There will be 10 winners total and the prizes are…

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Posted by Lili at 06:30

 Demon, Fantasy, giveaway, Harper Collins, Review, steampunk, Susan Dennard, young adult, Zombies  18 People left their mark

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard Blog Tour

And to think that I thought book one was amazing. Book two was absolutely marvelous! Set in beautiful Paris, Dennard found ways to make this novel dark and compelling and impossible to put down! Now, let me go get on my knees and grovel for book three.

What continuously impresses me is Dennard's writing style. She puts such great emphasis on detail that I felt as if I was actually transported to Paris. I've never been to Paris, but I can certainly say I am dying to go. She was also able to drill the importance of etiquette during this time period into the readers, as made evident by Daniel's struggle with speaking using words that were never before in his vocabulary. It was rather entertaining, watching him catch his words because he reverts back to his usual self around Eleanor since they always bring out the best in each other. Both the writing and the historical aspect of this novel were spot on.

And then there's Eleanor. I really enjoyed how she grew. Doubly stubborn and ten times more assertive, she's even more sassy and witty, though committed and loyal. I loved her downright rebellious nature that began with her refusal to wear corsets ever again. But see, she's battling a darkness inside her, one that's both strange and entirely lovely and it's turning her world upside down. This internal battle between right and wrong, what she wants and what other wants, expectation versus reality was rather enticing and I enjoyed it immensely.

The other characters were amazing as always and now wear some battle wounds. And, somehow in some unbelievable way, Daniel became even more perfect, but what I really enjoyed was the emergence of a new character: Oliver. He was odd and intriguing and I very much enjoyed watching his friendship with Eleanor progress. They certainly do have a unique bond, but his ulterior motives were rather annoying at times. Then again, they kept me on my toes and kept me focused. If a character is equal parts annoying and completely riveting, you know you're doing something right!

But, I do have one tiny complaint, and that's the fact that I figured out the nefarious demon that is raising Les Morts in the City of Light rather quickly. And, in truth, Eleanor figured it out rather quickly too, she just didn't realize it. There were so many plot twists, but this one was glaringly obvious to me and I so wish it was not because that is what made this book just short of absolute perfection in my eyes. I mean, this book has ten times more amazing zombie scenes, more blood, more rituals and sacrifices and magic. It has more plot twists and unseen problems. It is way darker because of the addition of demons to the tale, but the biggest twist of all was the only one that I could predict. A bummer in that sense.

Absolutely dark and delicious, I could not put this one down. Dennard possesses the talent to captivate us so much so that a 400+ page book seems to fly by. I am eagerly awaiting the final book in the trilogy that has the promises of some potential romance, new discoveries, and a final showdown that may beat all other final showdowns.

Susan Dennard, you own my newly emerged zombie-loving heart.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:30

 Book Tour, Demon, Fantasy, giveaway, Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Historical, Pocket, Publisher, Random House, Review, Something Strange and Deadly, steampunk, Susan Dennard, young adult, Zombie, Zombies  20 People left their mark

A Cursed Embrace by Cecy Robson

Book stats:
Reading level: Adult
Trade paperback: 368 pages
Genre: Urban fantasy
Publisher: Signet
Release date: July 2, 2013

Series: Weird Girls #2

Source: eARC from publisher

Reviewed by: Jenn

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other twentysomething girls—with one tiny exception: They are the products of a curse that backfired and gave each of them unique powers that made them, well, a little weird.…

After Celia Wird and her sisters help master vampire Misha save his family, their powers are exposed to the supernatural community of the Lake Tahoe region. But fame comes at a price, and being “weird” isn’t always welcome.

To make matters worse, Celia desires the love of Alpha werewolf Aric, but his pack is bent on destroying their relationship to preserve his pureblood status. And once weres start turning up dead—with evidence pointing to the vampires—she must face the prospect of losing Aric forever. But the chaos only masks a new threat. An evil known as the Tribe has risen—and their sights are set on Celia and her sisters.

Cecy Robson won me over with her debut, SEALED WITH A CURSE, and so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read A CURSED EMBRACE early. This novel really put the Wird sisters through the wringer and is full of action, romance, and danger. The girls never seem to have much luck with staying out of trouble but they definitely come off as major trouble magnets this time around as they face off against demons, vampires, and prejudice.

As always, my favourite part of the book is the relationships between the sisters. They're all such great characters and I love their interactions with each other and with other people. Celia, Taran, Emme, and Shayna have such wonderful dynamics and they're just a lot of fun, even when facing grave peril. Of course, the romantic relationships are nothing to sneeze at either. Each of the sisters was paired off with a werewolf at the end of SEALED WITH A CURSE, though some are more successul than others. Emme and Shayna have pretty straightforward dealings with their wolves, especially when compared to Taran and Gemini. Celia has settled into a relationship with Aric but it also has hiccups since he's werewolf royalty and is expected to mate with another pureblood, not a cursed human. Plus, Celia is relatively inexperienced so she has a lot of new relationship jitters, which are complicated by the fact that she's also being pursued by Misha, a sexy and powerful vampire that she shares a magical connection with. But fear not, love triangle haters, Celia has chosen Aric, though Misha is still interested, so it's not one of those love triangles for the sake of love triangles.

If you read urban fantasy for the action and adventure, you'll find ample helpings of both in A CURSED EMBRACE. Robson does a great job of writing well-paced and exciting fight sequences and you never know what might pop up next to threaten the girls and Tahoe. There are some nice twists in the plot of A CURSED EMBRACE and I think you'll really enjoy it. There are moments of mortal peril and the end result is a truly gripping story.

There's also a lot of humour in A CURSED EMBRACE, which is something I really appreciate. I love it when authors inject a bit of levity into their stories, even if it's only a few great one-liners. It makes for a welcome change of pace and really keeps the emotions rolling. Books that are 100% heavy aren't always my thing, though I do love a good, dark story, so it's great to have some lighter moments in a novel filled with danger and death.

I devoured A CURSED EMBRACE in a single reading and suspect you will, too. Factor that into your reading plans since you won't want to stop once you open Robson's latest work!

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Posted by jenn at 06:47

 Cecy Robson, Demon, Penguin, Review  1 Person left their mark

A Cursed Embrace by Cecy Robson

Cecy Robson won me over with her debut, SEALED WITH A CURSE, and so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read A CURSED EMBRACE early. This novel really put the Wird sisters through the wringer and is full of action, romance, and danger. The girls never seem to have much luck with staying out of trouble but they definitely come off as major trouble magnets this time around as they face off against demons, vampires, and prejudice.

As always, my favourite part of the book is the relationships between the sisters. They're all such great characters and I love their interactions with each other and with other people. Celia, Taran, Emme, and Shayna have such wonderful dynamics and they're just a lot of fun, even when facing grave peril. Of course, the romantic relationships are nothing to sneeze at either. Each of the sisters was paired off with a werewolf at the end of SEALED WITH A CURSE, though some are more successul than others. Emme and Shayna have pretty straightforward dealings with their wolves, especially when compared to Taran and Gemini. Celia has settled into a relationship with Aric but it also has hiccups since he's werewolf royalty and is expected to mate with another pureblood, not a cursed human. Plus, Celia is relatively inexperienced so she has a lot of new relationship jitters, which are complicated by the fact that she's also being pursued by Misha, a sexy and powerful vampire that she shares a magical connection with. But fear not, love triangle haters, Celia has chosen Aric, though Misha is still interested, so it's not one of those love triangles for the sake of love triangles.

If you read urban fantasy for the action and adventure, you'll find ample helpings of both in A CURSED EMBRACE. Robson does a great job of writing well-paced and exciting fight sequences and you never know what might pop up next to threaten the girls and Tahoe. There are some nice twists in the plot of A CURSED EMBRACE and I think you'll really enjoy it. There are moments of mortal peril and the end result is a truly gripping story.

There's also a lot of humour in A CURSED EMBRACE, which is something I really appreciate. I love it when authors inject a bit of levity into their stories, even if it's only a few great one-liners. It makes for a welcome change of pace and really keeps the emotions rolling. Books that are 100% heavy aren't always my thing, though I do love a good, dark story, so it's great to have some lighter moments in a novel filled with danger and death.

I devoured A CURSED EMBRACE in a single reading and suspect you will, too. Factor that into your reading plans since you won't want to stop once you open Robson's latest work!

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Posted by Tynga at 02:47

 Cecy Robson, Demon, Penguin, Review, Signet, Urban Fantasy, Weird Girls  1 Person left their mark

Binding the Shadows by Jenn Bennett

Book stats:
Reading level: Adult
Trade paperback: 384 pages
Genre: Urban fantasy
Publisher: Pocket
Release date: May 28, 2013

Series: Arcadia Bell #3

Source: eARC from author

Reviewed by: Jenn

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Renegade mage and bartender Arcadia Bell has had a rough year, but now the door to her already unstable world is unhinging. When a citywide crime wave erupts, Cady’s demon-friendly tiki bar is robbed by Earthbounds wielding surreal demonic abilities that just flat-out shouldn’t exist. With the help of her devilishly delicious boyfriend, Lon Butler, Cady sets out to find the people who wronged her—but her targets aren’t the only ones experiencing unnatural metamorphoses. Can Cady track down the monsters responsible before the monster inside her destroys everything—and everyone—she loves? If she survives this adventure, one thing is certain: it’s last call for life as she knows it.

In BINDING THE SHADOWS, the third novel in the Arcadia Bell series, Jenn Bennett tackles some big ideas: Cady's Moonchild abilities develop, her relationships with Lon and Jupe are tested, and her friendship with Kar Yee faces new challenges. As a result, this is probably the most emotional book in the series thus far. Bennett's characteristic ribald humour is still present but there are some seriously heavy moments in BINDING THE SHADOWS. I wasn't expecting the book to be so emotional, or to be so very wrapped up in the emotion myself. Bennett excels at writing great characters and inspired plots but she's never gotten my heart so involved in one of her stories before. I think it's a testament to the strength of her writing and also a very bold move for the author since BINDING THE SHADOWS has a different and somewhat darker tone from previous stories in the series.

Relationships are a big part of BINDING THE SHADOWS and some of my favourite scenes in BINDING THE SHADOWS are the interactions between Kar Yee and Cady. I've been a Kar Yee fan for quite some time and it's great to see her get more page time, even if she and Cady are having difficult conversations. As much as I adore Cady, Kar Yee makes some excellent points in their harsh heart-to-heart and I'm very invested in seeing what happens between them on a personal and professional level in CROSSING THE ÆTHYR. BINDING THE SHADOWS also introduces some of Jupe's family on his mom's side. I've long wondered what kind of family Yvonne came from and it's nice to see that they're warm and wonderful people. Their presence really add to the story and gets Cady to reflect on her relationships with Lon and Jupe.

Bennett really dives into Cady's Moonchild abilities in BINDING THE SHADOWS and there are some revelations that I can only describing as startling and troubling. I don't want to spoil it for you since the book isn't out yet but Cady learns a lot more about what her powers can do and where they come from. It's going to make her life a lot more interesting and scary and I have no idea how she's going to get out of the trouble she's in with her growing powers. But the real OMFG part of BINDING THE SHADOWS is definitely the ending. I actually punched a pillow because I was so shocked and kept trying to flick through the pages on my e-reader to find the rest even though I knew i wasn't there because I couldn't believe how Bennett has ended BINDING THE SHADOWS. It's not a cliffhanger in the sense that the main storyline gets wrapped up but it is a cliffhanger in the sense that I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO CADY RIGHT NOW AND I DON'T THINK I CAN WAIT A WHOLE YEAR TO FIND OUT WHAT COMES NEXT. I love me some Jenn Bennett but right now I'm too busy feeling tortured by that edge-of-the-seat ending and the fact that we have to wait until next May to get some resolution. In fact, I'm getting agitated just writing this post and it's been a few days since I finished the novel. Damn you, Jenn Bennett, and your crazy brain!! (I say this with respect and adoration.)

Bennett's writing has hit an emotional peak with BINDING THE SHADOWS and the way she's ended this latest instalment will leave readers panting for more. This third novel in her Arcadia Bell series really raises the bar in terms of emotion, danger, and magical possibilities and I'm in awe of Jenn Bennett's talent and moxy. If you've been on the fence about this series, BINDING THE SHADOWS is sure to win you over!

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Posted by jenn at 07:00

 Demon, Jenn Bennett, Review, Simon Schuster  3 People left their mark

Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan

Book Stats:
Genre: Paranormal historical romance
Reading level: Adult
Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Forever
Release date: February 26, 2013

Series: Darkest London #3

Source: Personal shelf

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Once blissfully in love . . .
Poppy Lane is keeping secrets. Her powerful gift has earned her membership in the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals, but she must keep both her ability and her alliance with the Society from her husband, Winston. Yet when Winston is brutally attacked by a werewolf, Poppy's secrets are revealed, leaving Winston's trust in her as broken as his body. Now Poppy will do anything to win back his affections . . .

Their relationship is now put to the ultimate test.
Winston Lane soon regains his physical strength but his face and heart still bear the scars of the vicious attack. Drawn into the darkest depths of London, Winston must fight an evil demon that wants to take away the last hope of reconciliation with his wife. As a former police inspector, Winston has intelligence and logic on his side. But it will take the strength of Poppy's love for him to defeat the forces that threaten to tear them apart.

Poppy has been weighted down by responsibilities since a very early age, forced to lie to her family time and again. Winston always prided himself in his job as an inspector and ran off on Poppy when he realized she’s been lying to him the whole 14 years they’ve been married. Talk about a talented inspector… A demon is now after him and they must put their differences aside if they want to survive.

Have you ever read a paranormal romance where the two heroes have been married for over a decade? I thought so… neither did I! I thoroughly enjoyed that uniqueness and I hope more authors will dare featuring couples that haven’t just met and are taken over by an inexplicable passion.

The main plotline surrounds a quest to destroy a demon, but the romance aspect was my favourite part. I love how we follow both heroes as they try to deal with their recent break-up, both of them still in love with the other, but not sure they can overcome the lies and hurt feelings. Their strong desire is obvious to us, yet they are completely oblivious to each other, miss-interpreting every signal. Time and again I was torn between laughter, desire to comfort them and utter frustration at their foolishness. Their story was a real rollercoaster and I want a second ride!

We met Poppy and Winston in the previous two books, and Poppy had always been my least favourite of the three sisters, but I came to appreciate her strength in this novel. She’s not a typical beauty but her curvy figure and her mane of red hair is Win’s undoing. I loved how he had eyes only for her from the very start. Winston didn’t really catch my attention in the first two books either, and now I feel like re-reading them again now that I have a new appreciation for the man. He is strong and determined but what I loved best was his outmost trust in Poppy in every aspect of their lives.

Kristen Callihan alternated past present to whole novel, switching between Win and Poppy’s current issues and their early beginnings. We get to witness their meeting, first dates, his proposal, their wedding and all kind of amazing tidbits that built their relationship overtime. And let me tell you, I LOVED it. I particularly liked that she inserted those past moments at just the right time in the plot to have the biggest impact. It was sheer genius.

The conclusion utterly surprised me. I never saw the blow coming and I never imagined the heroes to wrap things up that way. I was really pleased with it all and I hope we’ll see more in the next novel, featuring Mr. Talent and Mary Chase, two secondary characters featured this time around. I came to like them and I have great hopes for them!

Winterblaze was powerful and different from other paranormal romance out there and I strongly suggest you give this series a try. You don’t have to read the previous books, but I would suggest you do if you want to grasp the depth of the main characters break-up.

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Posted by Tynga at 06:15

 Demon, Hachette, Kristen Callihan, Review  6 People left their mark

The Demon Catchers of Milan by Kat Beyer

The Demon Catchers of Milan by Kat Beyer

Book stats:
Reading Level: Young Adult
ARC: 272 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release date: August 28, 2012

Series: n/a

Source: ARCycling

Reviewed by: Lili

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Mia's ordinary life is disrupted in the most horrifying way possible when she is possessed by a hungry and powerful demon--and only saved by the arrival of relatives from Italy, the country her grandfather fled many decades ago. Now her cousins Emilio and Giuliano say the only way to keep her safe is for her to come back with them to Milan, to live, to learn Italian, to fall in and out of love, and to master the family trade: fighting all demons with the lore of bell, book, and candle. Milan is not what Mia expected, but it will change her forever, in this stunningly well-written novel about an American girl who, fleeing an ancient evil, finds her only salvation in her ancestral home.

Several things interested me in regards to this book. First of all, the title has the word “demon” in it. I think it’s really rare that we can come across a young adult book with demons in it and exorcisms and the entire shebang, so I was excited to see what this book had in store for me. And the other reason I was excited for this book is because the title has the word “Milan” in it. I love everything relating to Italian culture and absolutely adore Italy. And while I can happily say I’ve been to many Italian cities, Milan has yet to be one of them. Oh, how I’d love to visit Milan.

So, as you can tell, my excitement for this one was rather immense. I think that this book fell somewhat flat to me because I was so excited, but by no means did I not enjoy this book. I truly did enjoy it. I guess the word that comes to mind to describe this novel is “satisfactory.”

This book begins with the main character, Mia, getting possessed by a demon. In all honesty, it was done a little weirdly. I couldn’t tell exactly what was happening and it happened way too fast. I didn’t realize certain thoughts were that of the demon inside of her until it was exorcised out of her by her family members using the powers of bell, book, and candle. This aspect of the novel was somewhat disappointing. However, once Mia was in Milan and we began to learn more about the demons through her studies and she witnessed other demons inhabiting humans, I began to understand things a little more.

I have to say that the Milan aspect of this novel was really well done. I truly felt the proper and loving close-knit Italian family vibes oozing off of the page and I loved it. These serial chefs and coffee drinkers ranged in age, personality, and beliefs, thus making this book incredibly heartwarming and sweet in the familial aspect. This was a home run in the Italian culture department. You don’t see a huge part of Milan through description because Mia was confined into her family’s home until she learned how to handle demons, but it was certainly very well done in this aspect. Plus, who wants to escape a family home where elder deceased relatives disembodied voices sing you lullabies at night because they really care?

With that being said, I have to admit that some plot points bummed me out. While the overall plot was fascinating to me, there were a few small problems that I had with the book. Really, two. The first is that side characters were there to serve their purpose and once that purpose was fulfilled, they practically disappeared entirely from the novel and Mia’s thoughts. I wish that everything was properly taken care of. My other plot problem was the ending. We spent the entire length of this book trying to figure out who the demon that possessed Mia was. There were hints, a mystery to be unraveled, and the book completed before the epiphany ever hit. There were never true plot hints dropped regarding the demon’s identity until the end of the novel and right when you thought it would be revealed, the book ended and nobody else cared to bring it up ever again. With no companion novel or sequel planned that is known to readers, this is incredibly frustrating to me. Something I was eagerly awaiting that was one of the main focuses of the novel was just…never completed. Frustrating, right?

With that being said, the way that the book ended made me realize that this novel was a “coming of age” novel in some senses. Mia had to learn about herself, her estranged relatives and family history. She grew up. She learned how to dress, she learned how to be happy and to stop dreading her looks and her “mousy hair.” She learned to accept herself and to give herself self-worth. I never realized this until the very last page, so this was a cute moral to the story because we got to watch her journey to discovering her own strength.

All in all, I recommend this book to others who are interested in a unique paranormal story that would prefer a coming of age story rich with Italian cultural ways. This novel is a good, quick read, that’s worth picking up if it sounds like your kind of book.

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Posted by Lili at 05:30

 Demon, Egmont, kat beyer, Review, young adult  Leave your mark

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Book Stats:
Reading Level: 10 and up
Genre: Paranormal
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book
Release date: March 13, 2012

Series: Hex Hall #3

Source: Personal shelf

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

After a very traumatizing summer that isn't quite over Sophie wakes up alone in the dark, in a forest, with no recollections of what happened to her. Her memories don’t take long to hit her like a freight train though and meeting face to face with a knife yielding Brannick (Prodigium hunter) doesn’t leave much room for break-down. Was Cal right to send her there? He said her mom would be there? What is it all about anyway?

What an awesome ending to a fantastic series! Hex Hall & Demonglass were extremely fun and exciting books and thankfully, the conclusion of this trilogy delivered! We are thrown right in the action when Sophie meets with the first Brannick she’s even met, or so she thinks, and we discover some stunning information about her family history. After learning more about Sophie’s dad’s family, it’s now her mom’s turn to be in the spotlight and I enjoyed it just as much!

Jenna, Cal & Archer are still front and center along Sophie’s side, but Elodie also assumes a very important role in time of dire needs. As much as I hated her in Hex Hall, I learned to appreciate her in the last instalment and I kind of pitied her too. Her involvement was really surprising. Cal is just the sweetest boy and I really wish things turned out better for him, he got me shedding tears! Archer was as rocking as usual but displayed a vulnerability that was yet unseen and I truly enjoyed it.

Sophie’s growth curve followed its course and her maturity surprised me. She literally stepped in Hell to save the world and held her head high even though she was scared to death. A scene about her played when she was there, and Sophie didn’t get to see it (Cal did) and I still find myself wondering what it was. Hawkins shrouded it in mystery but never got back to it, which was a slight disappointment.

I couldn’t glue my eyes off the pages and read Spell Bound in just two days (which is fast for me). Its action-packed plot and engaging characters really engrossed me and the time flew by without my noticing.

Many of my favourite series came to an end in the past two years and more often than not, I found myself disappointed by the ending. It wasn’t the case with Spell Bound. Even though the epilogue is admittedly cheesy, it brought a much needed sense of closure after the epic battle that took place a month before. I felt all woozy inside, teary-eyed and all and I have to thank Rachel Hawkins for feeling content about the way everything wrapped up. High five girl! 

School Spirit is the first book in a spin-off sequel and it’s already on my kindle. I can’t wait to get to it! Its the story of Izzy Brannick, Sophie’s cousin! I strongly recommend the Hex Hall series to YA fans, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this outstanding series!

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Posted by Tynga at 01:51

 Demon, Hyperion, Rachel Hawkins, Review, Witch, young adult  3 People left their mark

Daring You To Read… Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

I dared you the read Eternal Rider in the past, but I never dared you to read the original series, Demonica. And so this week, I am daring you to read Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione. This novel was her debut, but it doesn’t read like a first novel at all!

In this world, humanity doesn’t know about demons, but they have a somewhat flourishing life on the edge of the human world and the Aegis are very happy to try and kill them all. Pleasure Unbound is an action-packed paranormal romance, but fear not, the steam is also on the menu! Passion emanates from the pages in waves and sensuality is a whole part of the story, mostly because of Eidolon’s nature. It naturally flows with the story, enhancing the relationship between our two heroes.

I haven’t read the following books yet, (so many books, so little time) but I urge you to get your hands on this series. I mean who doesn’t like a sexy demon striving to be good?

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In a place where ecstasy can cost you your life...

Tayla Mancuso is a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure-but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.

Two lovers will dare to risk all.

Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable-and let Tayla possess him, body and soul...

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Also in the series:

Daring You To Read is a weekly feature here on Tynga’s Reviews where we dare you to read some of our favorite older releases (at least 6 months old). All the books/series we choose to feature are titles we adored and think you should give them a shot! We think it’s a super awesome way to discover that special book who might have slipped off your radar!

You’ve already read the book? Let’s us know what you thought!
You are accepting the dare? We’d love to know!
Have a dare of your own? Leave a comment ^^

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Posted by Tynga at 02:30

 Daring You to Read, Demon, Hachette, Larissa Ione  3 People left their mark

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

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.

When I first received this book, I was a little hesitant because it contained angels, and they’re not usually my thing. I kept putting it off  but Lili kept insisting on how great it was. This last week, she urged me to read as soon as possible, to the point where I folded and removed the dust the cover had accumulated. She even dared all of us to read it in December, but I didn’t listen to her then. However, I should have listened because ANGELFALL ended up being my first 5 star read of 2013. I absolutely adored it and from now on, when Lili tells me to read a certain book or series, I’ll have to listen to her.

That being said, I think I see angels in a totally different way now. I don’t picture them as little cherubs or valentine’s-day-looking cupids anymore. No. These angels can be mean, warrior-like strong and sometimes, even mental. They look down on human beings and that’s proven multiples times as they keep calling humans “monkeys.” For one reason or another, the angels have recently appeared on earth and are slowly killing off the human race. Or at least that’s what it looks like at first. Susan Ee can definitely keep her readers on edge because she reveals just enough information to keep us entertained, yet doesn’t reveal enough to have you guessing the ending.

Seventeen year old Penryn is the type of YA character I love to read about. A strong and self-sufficient teenage girl that admittedly, can sometimes make mistakes and find herself in dangerous situations. The sort of situation that has her kidnap a warrior angel who has just gotten is majestic white wings cut off, and uses the wings as a bargaining chip. This angel ends up being Raffe, a good looking angel that seems to be on the run. Obviously, Penryn makes a lot of assumption about the angels because very little is known about them, especially why they’ve suddenly appeared on Earth. As she slowly befriends Raffe, they join forces to help each other get to their final goal: Penryn wants to find her sister who has been kidnaped by angels, and Raffe wants his wings sewn back on. Their journey eventually leads them to the aerie in San Francisco, but not before encountering “low demons” and a human resistance. Their journey is not only a mission to get from one place to another, but it’s also one of self-discovery and physical challenges.

Please note that the story is quite dark for a young adult book. Some scene aren’t for the faint of heart, especially the one where the angel wing dismemberment is described. Some scenes include gore-y details of wounds and other have awful children-like demons eating their way through human survivors.

It’s safe to say that you can’t always trust your first instincts about books. For a book that I decided to put on standby, I adored every bit of it. Take my word for it (and Lili’s of course) that this is a book you must read. The mix of dystopian elements and vengeful angels definitely works and results in a captivating YA read.  The only thing I regret, is not having read it sooner. Susan Ee has been granted a spot on my auto-buy list.

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Posted by Unknown at 05:00

 Amazon Children's Publishing, Angel, Demon, Review, Susan Ee, young adult  8 People left their mark