Persistence of Vision by LK Hill

Persistence of Vision (Interchron #1) by Liesel K. Hill
Publisher:  Tate Publishing
Publication date: January 29th, 2013
Number of pages: 386
Format: E-book.
Buy: Amazon

In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away...

Meet Maggie Harper. She and her brother are having a night out on the town in Vegas, that is until she then wakes up with the last 12 hours of her memory missing. Disappeared.
After unable to find out what happened during those hours missing. The police couldn't do anything either, so Maggie has no choice but attempt to move on with her life.  One thing she does remember is a flash of a guy.

Flash forward a year and Maggie doesn't like to form attachments especially when it comes to relationships. She can't explain why though.
She soon meets a guy, Marcus who saves her from an attacker. She somehow recognizes him from somewhere, but can't recall why or where from.
Maggie then finds herself in a world and a place she could never be able to explain. Something so out of this world that even she isn't sure she can believe it.. that is until everything starts to fall into place and she feels this is the truth.

I was gifted to be able to receive a copy of this book before release date from the author. I love dystopian stories, but this classifies as New Adult and that is not something I have experienced..  or at least when this genre formed.

I was pleasantly surprised how good this book was. It was definitely and unique from other Dystopian stuff out there, and I really adored Maggie and her journey to discover what happened to her.

If you have ever been to a place and thought your drink could have been tampered with, where you wake up and not know what happened the night before. This story takes on a whole new level in that field.

All in all, a great installment to a fresh story. Looking forward to see what is next for Maggie and her new group of friends.

Verdict: 3/5

Review: Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Boundless (Unearthly #3) by Cynthia Hand
Publication Date: January 22, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Number of Pages: 448
Format: Hardback
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The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

The final book in Hand's Unearthly series picks up right before Clara heads back to California to attend Stafford.  I wasn't too sure what to expect from this book since I knew it would heavily focus on Clara, Christian, and Angela. Jeffery is still missing and nobody seems to know where he has gone.

I noticed off hand that there's a lot of pop culture references in this book including Vampire Academy, That 70s Show, Star Trek, and one concerning dystopian books. Not too sure how I feel about a lot of references like that. Sometimes too much details isn't necessary. I'm a little disappointed that Clara and Angela aren't roommates, I would figure they would be. Also disappointed that we didn't see a lot of their friendship. Angela finally realizes her purpose, but it doesn't turn out like she thinks. We see a different Angela in this book as she takes a different road. Her Italian boyfriend even shows up again, and his true nature is exposed.

Jeffery shows up and would visit Clara. And we even see him meeting his "soul mate". From the beginning I knew something wasn't right about her. Clara's purpose is finally revealed. And it seems that everyone around her, Angela, Christian, and even Jeffery, their purposes are all tied together. I'm so glad that it turned out that Clara's purpose wasn't to be with Christian.

Speaking of Christian, let's get to the love triangle. Even though Clara has broken up with Tucker to protect him she hasn't stopped loving him. I had fell in love with Tucker and Clara from book one. But I won't deny there's a connection between her and Christian. But I never bought for one moment that Clara is in love with Christian. She's attracted to him, but her heart belongs to Tucker. This series is a good example of how a love triangle should go. There were no clear "winner" until the end. In the beginning I was kind of digging her and Christian, even though it's such a cliche. But then Tucker won me over, and even though in book two it seems like Clara and Tucker were growing apart, I've discovered that I really didn't like Christian. The end of the second book made me think she would end with Christian. And with this book kept you on your toes. At one point it seemed like Tucker and then the next Christian. One of the abilities Clara learned in this book was how to use glory to transport from place to place. Majority of the time she found herself in Tucker's barn. Even after her date with Christian when she left, she ended up at Tucker's. No matter what she did, she couldn't get him out of her system. I learned to like Christian better in this one. He really does love Clara, and that made me sad. Even told her that he would wait around 100 years for her. Which doesn't really make sense because of the 120 year rule. It would be the end of the time for them.

A few awesome quotes:

And now, almost two years later, I realized why. Tucker, never put any rum in my rum and Coke. That little stink. That overly protective, impossible, infuriating, and utterly sweet little stink.

"It's you, Clara. You're the only one, from the first day he saw you. He looks at you exactly the same way my daddy looks at my mom."

"I saw your face," he says. He means earlier. I stare at him. "I was surprised, that's all." He shakes his head. "No. You still love me."

I meet Tucker's eyes and swallow. This is the lie I'm not going to get away with. Because he's my home.

Even though Angela and even her brother thinks Christian is her soul mate, Clara has to make the final decision for herself. I think one of my favorite parts is that facing the evil chasing her they all wonder who is Christian, knowing she's in love with Tucker.

This book was almost perfect. It had some sweet moments. My only downside is that we never fully learned why Jeff's purpose was to set a fire to Tucker's land. And the lack of Clara and Angela's friendship. Or how little Wendy is mentioned. She after all Clara's original best friend. The epilogue was a little sketchy too. Wished it went into more detail. But overall the book was one wild ride. An awesome angel series.

Rating: 4/5

 

Review: Radiant by Cynthia Hand

Radiant (Unearthly #2.5) by Cynthia Hand
Publication Date: December 4, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Number of Pages: 94
Format: Ebook
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Clara is desperate to get away—from the memories that haunt her in Wyoming and the visions of a future she isn't ready to face—and spending the summer in Italy with her best friend, Angela, should be the perfect escape. . . .

For as long as she can remember, Angela has been told that love is dangerous, that she must always guard her heart. But when she met a mysterious guy in Italy two years ago she was determined to be with him, no matter the costs. Now she must decide whether she can trust Clara with her secret, or if telling her the truth will risk everything she cares about.

Alternating between Angela and Clara's perspectives, Radiant chronicles the unforgettable summer that will test the bounds of their friendship and change their lives forever.

This short story takes place between Hallowed and Boundless, to get away from everything Clara has joined Angela on her summer trip to Italy. It was very short and sweet, alternating between Clara and Angela POV. The book wasn't what I was expecting.

We finally get to meet Angela's mysterious Italian boyfriend. I always had a feeling he was some kind of an angel, neither a good or bad angel having no allegiance to either side. Clara can see inside him and tell that he's isn't good enough for Angela. But Angela isn't hearing any of it. She's already madly in love with Phen.

The book doesn't have any new information, and isn't really necessary to read before Boundless. But it's nice to know this backstory, and Phen's character shows back up again. I do wish we got to see more of Clara and Angela friendship and finding out more angel stuff.

Rating: 3/5

  

Spoiler Alert 01: Chloe Neill

Even though the following will not spoil the book, this post will contain teasers for the book. If you like to stay spoiler/teaser free please don't read any farther. 

House Rules, the 7th book in Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series hits the selves next week. Even that seems a little too far away right? To save the day, here are two teasers that she has released.

This one was released back in November. I figured since I was doing this, I may as well include it.

What the hell is going on?”
“We needed to clear the air,” Ethan said, silver eyes blazing as he stared at Jonah.
Jonah, his expression surprisingly serene, nodded in agreement.
“About what?”
“You,” they simultaneously said.
I was completely flabbergasted that two grown men—more than grown, chronologically—would waste their time throwing punches at each other.
“And this was the best way you could do it?”
“Yes,” they simultaneously answered.

Source

Now this one, I literally just got in my e mail a few hours ago, with the subject "If Ethan asked you to dance would you say yes?" Within it was a small teaser, and a link to the complete teaser. So unfair right? My will power stripped, I couldn't help but read. This teaser was released a few days ago on her site. 

He stopped behind my chair and held out a hand. The entire table went silent.
“Dance with me,” he said.
My cheeks warmed. “There’s no music.”
Before he had time to respond, the quartet in the corner—a group of Cadogan and Rogue vampires with musical talents—began to play a jazzy tune.
I gave him a sardonic look. “Did you just telepathically direct them to start playing that?”
“What’s the point of being telepathic if you can’t use the connection for a wee bit of wickedness, Sentinel?”
I heard the yearning sigh of a female vampire to my right, and caught the dreamy-eyed gaze of a male vampire to my left. Ethan was an equal-opportunity crush.
He wiggled his fingers. “Merit?”
With the audience’s eyes on me, it would have been difficult to say no to Ethan even if I hadn’t had feelings for him. That I did made it virtually impossible.
“Of course,” I said, putting my hand in his and letting him lead me to the makeshift dance floor.
Oh, my God, could he move.
Ethan whipped a hand around my waist like he’d trained with the cast of a televised dance competition. With moves that were a mix of swing and tango, he led me around the floor like a dance master, all the while keeping those ridiculously green eyes focused on me. Fortunately, I’d been a ballerina in my former (human) life, so I managed to keep up with him. I even tried to put on a good show—or at least as good a show as pants and a fitted leather jacket would allow—to the surprise of Rogue and Cadogan vampires.
The song ended, and Ethan dropped me into a dip, his smile mischievous and his eyes twinkling. The rest of the world came rushing back in a roar of sound as the vampires on the margins of the dance floor burst into applause.
Ethan brought me back to my feet, my ponytail bobbing over a shoulder. “And that, Sentinel, is how you impress a crowd.”

Source

Enough to tie you over? If not, she has also released the first chapter. You can read it here.

What did you think? House Rules will be released on February 5th. And look for more Chicagoland Vampire goodies on February 6th, where Chloe will be making a stop for her blog tour.

Review: Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4) by C.C. Hunter
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Number of Pages: 383
Format: Paperback
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Even at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity, she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf.  With his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible.



As if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday, her closest confidante.  Trouble is, Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway.  Now Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too late—all while trying to stop her relationship with Lucas from slipping away forever.   In a world of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure.  Change is inevitable and all things must come to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls.

The breathtaking fourth installment of the New York Times bestselling Shadow Falls series from author C. C. Hunter...Whispers at Moonrise.

Hunter's fourth book in her Shadow Falls series like the last one, picks up right where the previous left off. And with a new book, Kylie has a new ghost problem. Only this time it's the ghost of Holiday who definitely isn't dead. Not wanting to scare Holiday she lets everyone pretend the face the ghost is using is from someone from back home.

Trying to figure out who the ghost really is, isn't easy. But with the help of Derek they realized that Holiday has or well had a twin sister, Hannah.  Not to mention they are sure that Holiday doesn't know her sister is dead. Plus Hannah keeps on insisting that Holiday is endangered and Kylie can save her. The person wanting to kill Holiday ends up being kind of a surprise. Wasn't my first guess, even though at one point I did figure it out. But what I didn't like was why it was never explained why he wanted to murder her. And we even learn and get to meet Holiday's ex fiancee, and learn why Holiday has trust issues. And even though the book started off with Holiday and Burnett having a heated makeout secession, neither one is brave enough to admit their feelings. But the ending shows them both making a huge step forward and finally getting together.

Even though Kylie finally finds out what type of supernatural she is, her identity crisis doesn't stop there. It doesn't help that nobody has heard of a supernatural chameleon before. And here is one of my issues, nobody believes her but she repeats over and over throughout the book that's what her father told her and she believes him. One time is enough. It doesn't need to be repeated over and over. It doesn't stop when her brain pattern changes several time over the book. First it takes form of a witch, then vampire and finally a werewolf. Plus she gets the main powers of whatever species she "is" at the time. She meets up with her grandfather and great aunt. And they confirm that they are chameleons, and they can take form of any supernatural pattern, having a bit of every species in their DNA. Her grandfather insists that she isn't safe at the camp, and her only chance at survival is coming to live with them, to be with her own kind. Kylie refuses to leave the camp. She knows she belongs there. But after a betrayal, she realizes that she needs to go live with them for a little bit.

And then as always is her boys trouble. A fair warning, if you are a huge fan of Lucas and easily offended, you may want to stop reading. Lucas is a douche. And he has proved this big time in this book. Now along with last book, there were moments when Lucas did make me swoon, and damn it Lucas I don't like me. Not nice to make me swoon. Lucas won't be around Kylie in public, because of his pack. He claims that by the end of the month, he'll be on the council and they can be together in public. That he can start making changes. Yet he doesn't share what he needs to do with Kylie. But he doesn't even try to understand Kylie and what she needs to do. Even though the book seems that Kylie isn't in love with Derek, her heart belongs solely to Lucas, I beg to differ. I think Kylie is scared to admit her true feelings for Derek. Not to mention that the ghost tells Kylie she should choose Derek, for most of the book Miranda and Della are anti Lucas, and when she tells Sara that she has chosen one of them she immediately thinks it's Derek. Plus Miranda tells Kylie that she hardly ever talks about Lucas, but she used to talk about Derek all the time. I won't go in details to what happens, but Lucas does the ultimate betrayal. Kylie has to find out from Fredericka, whom is under the impression that Kylie knows and understands. I knew from the beginning Lucas would break her heart. He's an ass. And Kylie deserves so much better. I've mentioned in previous reviews that I don't buy the whole he fell instantly in love with her and has been waiting for 11 years. They were 6 and 7 years old. And it was revealed in this book that he had climbed in her window one night and kissed her. WTF?! These are kids we are talking about. This is beyond creepy. Lucas just needs to GTFO like NOW. It's shown in this book that he will always put the pack above her. Derek has been there for her time and time again. And he's more understanding than Lucas is about her.

Overall, the book is pretty amazing. And the next one can't come out fast enough. I need to know who Kylie finally chooses, which I'm pretty sure it will be Derek.

Rating: 4/5

 

Teaser Tuesday 16

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Want to play along?

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers
• Share the title and author

I had a hard time trying to decide what book I wanted to use for the teaser. I finally settle for one I finished a few days ago, This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost.

 “Before we go, I gotta know: If mind-reading abilities are real, there's something else I wondered if fiction got right about vampires-"

"Ask me if I sparkle and I'll kill you where you stand," Bones cut him off with utmost seriousness.”

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Puffin
Publication date: January 5th, 2012
Number of pages: 387
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

I had put buying this book off for the longest time. I was very hesitant that it would be something that I'd like. But after some friends telling me how great it is and seeing some wonderful reviews, I decided to bite the bullet and take the chance.
I think what put me off was by the word "cyborg", for some reason I thought that meant some kind of... err monster. I think I was thinking more on the lines of Percy Jackson for some reason, hah. After giving it a shot, I now could smack myself for not getting this sooner. This seems to happen to me a lot of the time lately, where I think something of a book and it turns out to be so completely different from my expectations.

This is a re-telling of a beautiful fairytale, and it's one which you'll never forget. I think it's also one that will expand the entire series, bit by bit before a happy ending can occur.
We are introduced to Cinder, who is half machine and half human. She doesn't remember anything from before her father adopted her from overseas and brought her into his family.  After being the best mechanic in New Beijing, Cinder soon meets the royal Prince Kai. And that is only the beginning of their story.
As these two young people soon discover they have more in common than they may realize, Prince Kai will have to decide which he can live with --- happiness, or doing what is right for his people when the time comes when everyone has to rely on him for guidance.

Cinder is everything I love about a female lead. Strong, honest who loves her family. She is willing to do whatever it takes to saves the ones she loves, and her loyalty knows no bars. I really adored the relationship she has with her younger step-sister, who is certainly not as bad as her other step-sister, who takes the word 'evil' to a new level.
Don't even get me started on her step mother. If you didn't know this was a re-telling, then this family situation should clear up any misunderstandings.
Cinder goes through so much in this story to understand who she really is, and just what she does discover may shock her system to the core. She won't see the reveals coming.
I saw clues throughout the book, and I was glad when they were confirmed. It's gonna be interesting to see how things progress from here on out, given the kind of cliffhanger we were left with. Marissa gave you enough to keep wanting and needing more.

This story has a mixture of mystery, greed, jealously and death.  If you are looking for a full-on romance between Cinderella and her Prince, this isn't it. I have a feeling a happily ever after for these two won't come easy, but who said love stories were anything but?

Thankfully, Scarlet just came out here, and I hope to start it soon. I know it focuses on a new couple, but I look forward to reading about new developments in this story.

Verdict: 5/5

Review: The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

The Secret of Ella and Micha (The Secret #1) by Jessica Sorensen
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Borrowed Hearts Publishing
Number of Pages: 191
Format: Nook Book
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
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Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

 **Recommended for readers 17+ due to sexual situations and language.**


 Two contemporary books in one month? I know big surprise right? I made reading more non fantasy/sci -fi books one of my reading goals this year. A few months ago I was surfing through the Nook store and found this for less than $2. It sounded really good, and I finally got around to reading it. Needless to say I'm more on the disappointed side.

Ella lives in a rough town and like majority of the town is a little on the rough side.Which who could really blame her with an alcoholic father and a mother that had suffered from a mental illness and ended up committing suicide. Hiding one of her deepest fears, that she's just like her mom, one night a few weeks after her death, Ella snaps. After a close brush with death she decides to get far away as possible, running away to Vegas to go to school.

Unable to afford an apartment for the summer, Ella has no choice but to return home and to her past. There's no avoiding Micha who she runs into within five minutes of getting home. And Micha isn't backing down.

What did I like about the book? Glad you asked. I love how it's a turning of age book. I really liked the friendship between her and Lila. And wished we saw more of that. And that she would tell Lila the whole truth about her past. And I'm a sucker for sibling relationships in books. While it seemed that Ella and her brother's relationship is very tense and on the rocks, there's a slip that he does care about her and keeps tabs on her. Usually I hate reading about alcoholic parents, but Ella's dad worked a soft spot in my heart. He doesn't abuse her like you read about other alcoholic fathers do. His only crime is drinking way too much and not taking care of himself or the house. At the core, the love that Micha and Ella shares is amazing. They have gone through hell.

Not sounding too bad right? Now it's time to look at the ugly. This was a fast and easy read, and I couldn't put it down. Yet I still have so many issues with the book. It alternates between Ella and Micha POV. Which normally I don't mind, but in this book it will do it in the same chapter. And the result is many scenes are repeated. The big issue I have with the book is that it seemed I was reading a bad fanfic. Especially the Micha POVs. From what we knew of Micha; hot, sexy, bad boy, his voice didn't fit his reputation. The other issues is probably not a good editing job. A lot of the details, it was like there were no thought until it. It's mentioned that if Ella doesn't get this internship she wants, she will have to get a job to pay for college. Let's back up for a moment. How did she even get into college in the first place? It's mentioned that she never thought of herself going to college. One night she decided to run away. It keeps on saying eight months, but when you think about it that timeline doesn't add up. College starts in the middle of August and gets out early May. That's a little bit more than eight months. I doubt Ella just chose a school at random and showed up for classes. It doesn't work that way, plus how did she pay for it? The whole time Ella has been gone, Micha has been searching for her. And he happens to find her the day she leaves to come back home? *eyerolls* Let's talk about that phone call Micha makes to her the day she leaves to come back home. How did he get her new cell phone number? He called information and go the listing. In what world are cell phone numbers listed like that?

The next question that is never really answered. What state is Ella from? They tell us outright that the school is in Vegas and Lila is from California. It's mentioned that it's a twelve hour drive from school to Ella's house. The only real clue is when her brother shows up his car has Ohio plates. Since he lives in Chicago and the car was their mom's, my bet is Ohio. Problem. It's more than double twelve hour drive from Vegas to Ohio. I don't care how good of a friend Lila is, I don't see someone driving from Vegas to Ohio to drop her off, stay for the night and then drive by herself to California? Not to mention about a week after Lila leaves for home, she shows back up saying she can't deal with her home life. So she drive back to Ohio from California? Not to mention I'm sure she had good friends at home she could probably stay with? Speaking of driving, on the way to Ella's they were on the edge of town and Lila had to pee. Ella found a restroom through the gps, which turned out to be an outhouse. How the town is describe, I can go with an outhouse, but it wouldn't of shown up on a gps. There's a few other details that doesn't make sense. Like 18 year olds ordering kegs, or how it was mentioned that Micha got up in the late afternoon and then it mention how his mom was dressed to go to her day job as a secretary at a car dealership. Late afternoon would be the time she would be getting off a day job and not going in.

I don't like some of the language. How Micha had commented that he hasn't fulfilled his lifelong dream of sleeping with Ella. Umm what? Or how he comments about Ella's short shorts and how good her ass always looks. Micha is pretty much describe as a playboy yet only wants to be with Ella. I've never been on board with the guy who hooks up with other girls because he can't be with the one he wants. I hated how it was so easy for Ella to let Micha back in. I wanted to see him work for it, more of a resistance from Ella. And don't let me forget Lila. In the beginning the scenes with Lila, Ella, and Micha there were times where it seemed like Lila was completely forgotten. Or how the author felt like it was necessary to let us know the name of every song.

I believe this is one of the first books where I've had so many issues with it, yet I couldn't put it down. I haven't decided if I want to continue with the series. But I'm really interested in the third book planned for the series, which will focus around Lila and Ethan. Now those two characters caught my attention. I've been conflicted with how I should rate this book. But in the end the details just irritated me too much.

Rating: 2.5

 

Review: Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi
Publisher: ATOM
Publication date: January 8th, 2013
Number of pages: 341
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
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Aria has struggled to build a life for herself outside Reverie. It hasn't be easy adjusting to life in the wilderness but that struggle has been worth it with Perry by her side.

But Perry has other challenges. His people are looking to him for answers. Answers about what happened to his nephew and what's happening to their world. And they don't trust the priviledged Aria, one of the enemy, in their midst.

Soon he'll be forced to chose between the tribe that looks to him for leadership and the girl that looks to him for love.

Under the Never Sky was one of my favourite books of 2011, which was Veronica Rossi's debut novel. It definitely was worth the hype it had attracted at the time. Veronica seemed to give off a certain style and vibe in her writing, and especially during this story where it's impossible not to fall in love with this world and these characters.

Through the Ever Night is no exception to the rule. One of the most anticipated books for the first half of 2013, it was everything I could have wanted in a sequel. This book did not suffer the second book syndrome, but opposite to the fact actually.
The last we left Perry and Aria, Perry had just become the Blood Lord and Aria had her own things to deal with, so they went their separate ways with promises to come back together.
As months roll by, we see what these two have been up to and when they do reunite, it's not as they had imagined as there is so much still going on.
Perry is trying to deal with those under his command and that he has to lead, and Aria finds herself amongst his camp, which his people none to happy about the fact she is there.
They too hate what she is and stands for, pretty much Perry's reaction when they had first met.

Roar has his own story going on as he and Aria head to find Liv, the love of his life, but sometimes things don't go as planned. Heartbreak ensues and there is no guarantee anyone will survive what lays in wait for them there.

I really love the relationship between Perry and Aria. It's something that keeps growing every moment they spend together. One of the few books that does not have a love triangle, thank goodness. You can really get sick of them and not all books in YA genre that they are needed, and this is a story where a love story between two characters is strong and entertaining enough without any outside obstacles.
The friendships between Aria and Roar and Perry and Roar are two of my favourite friendships in this series, and where two friends can get along without any girls getting in between them.

This was a great installment to this series and I look forward to seeing how this story ends in the conclusion.

If you have yet to start this series, i'd recommend getting on that ASAP.

Verdict:5/5

Review: Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz

Gates of Paradise (Blue Bloods #7) by Melissa de la Cruz
Publication Date: January 15, 2013
Publisher: Hyperion
Number of Pages: 355
Format: Hardback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince of Hell is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent on winning the heavenly throne for good. This time he has his greatest angels by his side, Abbadon and Azrael—Jack and Mimi Force, as they are known in the Coven.

Or so he thinks. Even as Lucifer assigns Jack and Mimi the tasks of killing their true loves, the Force twins secretly vow to defeat the Dark Prince once and for all. But how far will Mimi and Jack go to conceal their real loyalties?

Meanwhile, former vampire Bliss Llewellyn has joined forces with Lawson, the greatest wolf of the underworld, to free his people from their imprisonment in Hell. As they struggle against impossible odds, an ancient message, woven into the very fabric of time, reveals just how much depends on the success of their mission.

Lucifer seeks the key to the Gate of Promise, and when Schuyler is taken captive and delivered straight to Hell, she must make an unthinkable choice—the same one the archangel Michael was forced to make during the Crisis in Rome. Will Schuyler find the strength to do what he could not?

The epic, heartbreaking Blue Bloods series comes to a close with this final novel about staggering courage, unbearable sacrifice, and the immortality of true love.

 The final book of Cruz's Blue Bloods series picks up a few months after Lost in Time left off. And while I'm sad that it's the last one, I couldn't help but devour the book in one sitting. Like all of her books, it's a very quick and easy read.

The book is divided into four different parts with each chapter rotating through Sky, Mimi, Bliss, and Allegra. Most of the book, the Allegra chapters are headed with the name Tomasia and tells us what really happened in Florence.  Which I had figured out during my re read. But who two of the characters turned out to be surprised me at first. Even though I had it figured out at the last minute before the big reveal. After that we get to see what actually happened during the Rome crisis. Which completely took me back surprise.

I just wished we got to see more of Allegra and Charles in the present day. We really didn't get to such much of any couple together. Except for Bliss and Lawson. And we did get a bit of Mimi and Kingsley, even though they were trying to kill each other half the time.

There were a few things that bugged me. During the chapters with Bliss they kept referring to the one night that took place in Wolf Pact. It was phrased the same way and was like it kept getting repeated. One mention is enough, we get it. I didn't understand why there was one chapter towards that end instead of having Bliss name, they put her angel name. I just thought it was odd. Then there was the big battle. I felt like it happened way too quickly, and was rushed. In fact I feel like a lot of the end was rushed.

I do have to say my favorite character in this book was Mimi. For once I had almost doubted Jack's intention. It seemed that Jack and Mimi had switched personalities. And we finally learn Sky's parentage. And big surprised, she has a secret sibling. Which I was right about. I knew Ben's ex fiancee was really pregnant referring back to Bloody Valentine. Honestly, I didn't want Sky to have another sister.

And we can't forget the deaths. Which thankfully wasn't any main characters, just a few minor ones. Even though they were minor characters, their deaths still tore at my heart. Everyone gets their happy endings, some of them surprised me, but the end of the book made me cry my eyes out.

This would of been an almost perfect book. I did feel that not every loose end was tied up. Allegra and Charles ending was left opened a little too much. I took it as they ended up together, but thinking about it, anything could of happened. Not to mention it wasn't explained how Sky has two fathers. Overall a perfect ending for everyone.

Rating: 4/5

 

Persistence of Vision Blog Tour: LK Hill Guest Post

Hi Everyone,

We're excited to be a part of LK Hill's Blog Tour for her book "Persistence of Vision".  This is the first book in her Interchron series. I recently read the book and it was great. Different from what I have read before, but highly exciting.

Need to know what this awesome book is about? Check out the following Synopsis below..

In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away...

Let me introduce LK Hill with this great Guest Post on how she came up with the idea for the book.

 
How I Came Up With the Idea for Persistence of Vision

Persistence of Vision was really a compilation of ideas that all came together. The first chapter, where Maggie and her brother have a scary time-loss experience in Vegas is based on a true story. It happened to my sister’s ex-co-worker. She and her husband were in Vegas and stopped at a bar for a drink before dinner. They didn’t watch their drinks be mixed and woke up the next day in a stranger’s hotel room, with no memory of the interim. All kinds of scary, right?

Of course, my mind goes, “Huh. What if…” And a story is born!

I had most of the Maggie and team story line worked out after a while, but I wasn’t entirely sure where I was going with it, and I felt like it was incomplete. Like it needed something more.

Meanwhile, my final semester of college, I took a fascinating course called Literary Science Fiction, where we read mostly short stories. While I didn’t always agree with the politics of the stories, it did remind how much I love true sci-fi and why. It got me thinking about collectives and their attributes. I became obsessed with the idea of a person who is part of a collective and has been for a long time suddenly making the decision to break away. Why would he or she do that, and what would the repercussions be?

Voila! David’s character was born. I connected him to the other characters in visceral, family-tie sort of way, and everything just clicked into place. It rounded out the story nicely.

After that, it was just a matter of details and fleshing out.

If you’re struggling with your story, don’t stress about it. Think about it a lot, keep an open mind, and believe that you’ll find the right details. They’ll come to you one day like a clap of thunder, and you’ll feel like a true, creative writer.

Happy Musing, Everyone, and may we each put our most unique feet forward! Uh, you know, not literally. ;D

 

 You may find her in one of many locations;

Facebook: facebook.com/interchronseries

Twitter: twitter.com/lkhillbooks

Pinterest: pinterest.com/lkhillbooks

Goodreads Author Page: goodreads.com/lieselkhill

Goodreads Book Page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15982000-persistence-of-vision

Stacking the Shelves [04]

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews where you can share books obtained via the bookstore, the library, online, through trade, borrowed from friends, gifted and/or received for review that you're adding to your shelf.




Books I bought this week.

 

Vampire Academy Graphic Novel . I was lucky to get this for $5.00.
Drink Slay Love by Sarah Best Durst. This one I got for $2.95, it could be the worst book in the world, but that to me is a bargain.

Storm by Brigit Kemmerer

Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer 

Rise by Andrea Cremer

Review: This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress #5) by Jeaniene Frost
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Publisher: Avon
Number of Pages: 357
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Danger waits on both sides of the grave.
Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they've triumphed over the latest battle, Cat's new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance . . .
With the mysterious disappearance of vampires, rumors abound that a species war is brewing. A zealot is inciting tensions between the vampires and ghouls, and if these two powerful groups clash, innocent mortals could become collateral damage. Now Cat and Bones are forced to seek help from a dangerous "ally"; the ghoul queen of New Orleans herself. But the price of her assistance may prove more treacherous than even the threat of a supernatural war . . . to say nothing of the repercussions Cat never imagined.

Cat just can't seem to catch a break. You would think turning into a full vampire would stop those rumors about her becoming some kind of a vampire/ghoul hybrid. Not a chance. Apollyon has been rallying ghouls to his side to start a species war. The ghouls are convinced that the vampires wants complete control over them. And he has them all convinced that Cat is the reason for the war. The only problem is Cat and Bones can't outright attack the ghouls or they will jump start the war.

They seek out Marie, the ghoul queen of New Orleans. With her vampire sire dead, she has no ties to the vampires anymore. She confirms that she will stand with her people, but she doesn't back Apollyon. Sneaking a way to help them, she forces Cat to drink her blood. Even with her new abilities, Cat isn't sure if she can or knows how to control them. Losing the war means losing her life.

I would recommend reading the two spin off books first before reading this. I didn't read them and there were a few details I was confused about. It's not a necessary but it would make more sense. I think this is the only book that made me cry. Cat loses somebody very close to her, and at the time I just wanted to bitch sleep Ms. Frost for it. *sigh* But I trust her in what she is doing and the ending gave me a little bit of hope. We see a character from the first book that I had almost forgotten about, and honestly vaguely remember him.

Mencheres has really grown on me. I couldn't get enough of him in this book. I especially love his and Cat's interactions. And then we have Vlad. Don't get me wrong, I love Bones BUT Vlad has stolen my heart. And just like Mencheres he wasn't in the book enough. I need more of Vlad, especially his interactions with Mencheres, Bones, and Cat. The scenes where it was just Vlad, Cat, and Mencheres were some of my favorites. They could be the new three musketeers.

A few of my favorite quotes:

"Before we go, I gotta know; If mind-reading abilities are real, there's something else I wondered if fiction got right about vampires-"
"Ask me if I sparkle and I'll kill you where you stand," Bones cut him off with utmost seriousness.

“You’re not going to let her do this, are you?” Bones snorted. “Let her? Mate, if you think you can control a woman, you must be single—-and a thousand pounds says she beats your arse.”

 “See?” I’d whispered to Bones, nudging him with a grin. “He never argues with her. Isn’t that sweet?”
A snort preceded his response. “Keep dreaming, pet.”

 Much slower, I turned around to see Vlad examining his fingernails, as if his hands weren't still ablaze in the flames that had blasted the ghoul's head off moments before."What the hell was that?" I gasped."Premature inflammation," He replied. "Happens sometimes. Very embarrassing, I don't like to talk about it."

 “Are you having performance issues?” I asked in surprise. “Bite your tongue,” Vlad said, with a snort. “I was seeing if Dermot understood sign language, but from the look on his face, it seems not.”

"No Matter which side of the grave we're on. I'll hunt you, chase you all around eternity, whatever it takes, but it's you and me until the stars burn out." 

This series is becoming one of my favorites. You can't help but fall in love with Cat and Bones. It has a little bit of everything in it.

Rating: 4/5

Follow Friday #12

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee.

Q:  What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

 

 

 Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

' I read this recently, and loved it to the point that I could not put it down. The more I got into the book, especially as things got revealed, I knew I needed to finish it. And especially with the ending it gave us, I need to get Scarlett ASAP. I did see it in the stores, I just need to get it in a few days.

Review: Shadowhunters and Downworlders by Cassandra Clare (+ others)

Shadowhunters and Downworlders by Cassandra Clare (and others)
Publisher: Smartpop
Publication date: January 29th, 2013
Number of pages: 256
Format: E-Arc Galley via Netgalley
Buy: Amazon

Add to Goodreads

Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series, epic urban fantasy set in a richly imagined world of shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, fairies, and more, has captured the imaginations and loyalty of hundreds of thousands of YA readers. Originally a trilogy (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass), the series has extended to six titles, plus a prequel trilogy, the Infernal Devices, and a planned sequel series, the Dark Artifices. A feature film is planned for 2013.

Shadowhunters and Downworlders, edited by Clare (who provides an introduction to the book and to each piece), is a collection of YA authors writing about the series and its world.


Authors Who Contributed:
Holly Black / Kendare Blake / Gwenda Bond / Sarah Rees Brennan / Rachel Caine / Sarah Cross / Kami Garcia / Michelle Hodkin / Kelly Link / Kate Milford / Diana Peterfreund / Sara Ryan / Scott Tracey / Robin Wasserman

First, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this chance to review this title in exchange for a honest review.

This wasn't what I had expected when I heard about this. It might be something a fanatic would love, but even I who loves Cassandra's works wasn't sure what the point of this was.
This was basically a bunch of authors going and repeating what the books were about, and commenting on the characters, plots and relationships.
Sure, there was some funny parts, and essays on certain relationships and characters, but as a whole.. it was kind of boring, and I wasn't sure what the point was, as it didn't reveal any new information.

I am sure some others would love this book just to read what other authors comments on the characters are, but for me.. I guess I was a tad disappointed it wasn't more than it was.

Verdict: 2/5

Review: Bitter Blood (Morganville Vampires #13) by Rachel Caine

Bitter Blood (Morganville Vampires #13) by Rachel Caine
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: October 24th, 2012
Number of pages: 544
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add to Goodreads

Thanks to the eradication of the parasitic creatures known as the draug, the vampires of Morganville have been freed of their usual constraints. With the vampires indulging their every whim, the town’s human population is determined to hold on to their lives by taking up arms. But college student Claire Danvers isn’t about to take sides, considering she has ties to both the humans and the vampires.

To make matters worse, a television show comes to Morganville looking for ghosts, just as vampire and human politics collide. Now, Claire and her friends have to figure out how to keep the peace without ending up on the nightly news… or worse

In the thirteenth book of Rachel's series, you can feel it's slowly winding down. That doesn't make it less exciting or interesting though, as she somehow manages to keep each book fresh within the story scope.

This book, like some of the previous ones have a couple of different POVS.  This book is unlike the others we have read. Things have changed between Claire and Amelie. Even Amelie and Oliver.. and many other relationships.
The stakes are raised, and things are even more intense now that Michael and Eve have gotten married, which was against all the laws there are. 

Along with the action, as there is plenty of that, this book is more focused on the relationships of our core characters. We have Michael and Eve, as they go through the typical things of a married couple, less alone a marriage between a vampire and a human. Claire and Shane seem to have their own share of problems, and issues they have to deal with... and then we have Oliver and Amelie. That relationship is always something  I wanted to see, even though they were always in competition of one another, and in this book... we get a glimpse of how they feel about one another.

I really felt bad for Oliver at a point in this book. It seems almost everyone was being used in one way or another. Oliver, Amelie and then our beloved characters as well. Manipulation by someone they can't control or stop. I think both Amelie and Oliver are very similar, and maybe that was what have bonded them together over the centuries they have known one another.

The ending of this book... opens up a new beginning, and I can see the light of the end, I think. It was a ending which I probably thought wouldn't happen until the end. I look forward to see what happens now. It kind of brings a whole new range of options for the characters.

Verdict: 4.5/5