A Book Obsession..

Independent Book Blogger Awards

, by KT

The Voting for the Independent Book Blogger Awards has opened. I'd love it if you voted for me!! I've always wanted to go to BEA!!! Thanks so much!

Re-Read Review: My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

, by KT

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

Soul Screamers #3

(Re-Read Review)

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.Until something does.Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.And so is someone else…

Just like my first two re-read reviews for this series, I feel the need to start off with a warning that this post is NOT a traditional review, and will be quite spoilery. Also there will be a whole lot of ranting and bashing. I'm participating in the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun. You can either read the books for the first time, or re-read them, and I am doing the latter. I thought it would be fun to do a post of my thoughts about things the second time around with all of the knowledge of the following books. So again, I really would not recommend reading this review if you are not caught up in reading books one through five. You have been warned. ;)

Since I knew the betrayal was coming this time around, I noticed so much more. Nash was absolutely despicable throughout My Soul to Keep. I was literally disgusted with him to the point where it became hard to read. It just turned my stomach. He completely demoralized her by being so pushy sexually. I mean he continually used his Influence powers on her to try and push her further than she was comfortable with. What is that really but a somewhat lessor form of rape? To make matters worse he was incredibly cruel in telling her she was a tease and basically that she was lucky that he was still waiting. That anyone else would have left a long time ago. Excuse me? After three months of waiting? When she's only sixteen and still a virgin? Well listen here Nash, screw you and your high horse, you don't deserve a girl like Kaylee. No one deserves to be pressured into something they aren't ready for. No one.

The worst thing is that his behavior towards Kaylee was really only the tip off the ice berg. There was his lost of his past memories, as well as the constant lies. Then you add in him allowing Avari to use Kaylee's body including the inappropriate behavior that really stole from her, and he doesn't deserve another look, let alone a second chance. So I'm officially team Tod, or Team Kaylee, or really Team anything that isn't Nash.

Before I started to write this re-read review, I read the review I had written of the following book (My Soul to Steal) as I just wanted to see where my state of mind was for the fallout. After reading it, I'm just in shock that I was still a Nash supporter and wanted them to get back together. Granted, things hadn't really started too much with Tod, or at least it wasn't obvious. Also, I hadn't noticed all the nasty details of Nash's behavior the first time around since we were in the dark for most of the book. Now however, I am more than ready to wash my hands clean of him completely. Actually, it is to the point where I'm dreading reading the next installment for the monthly re-read. I'll still read it of course, but I have a feeling this time around I will be rooting for Sabine, and clinging to all interactions with Tod. I'll just use some mental white out on Nash.

It's Monday What Are You Reading (90)

, by KT

It's Monday! What Are You Reading, hosted by Book Journey, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Here's my posts from the last week:

Legend by Marie Lu (Review)
Heart of Darkness by Lauren Dane (Review)
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (Early Review)

Legend was a good start to a new dystopian series. I can't wait to read the next installment!

I just couldn't get into Heart of Darkness, it really wasn't my favorite read.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED The Immortal Rules. I mean it has ZOMPIRES!! Enough said!

My Upcoming List:

Under Wraps by Hannah Jayne
Under Attack by Hannah Jayne
Under Suspicion by Hannah Jayne (Early Review)

Early Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

, by KT

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Blood of Eden #1

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Alison lives on the fringes of society as she refuses to be cattle for the vampires that rule the city. To survive, most humans allow themselves to be branded and their blood taken in exchange for rations of food and safety. However, Alison knows better. That promise of safety is just empty words as registered people still go missing daily. Life is hard for her as she starves a little more each day scavenging for food, but at least her life belongs to her. That all changes when she is brutally attacked and given the choice of becoming the very thing she hates, or to die with her soul intact. In her moment of weakness she chooses immortality. With nothing more than a crash course in survival with her new status, she is forced out beyond the walls that protect them from the rabids, mindless beasts who kill vampires and humans alike. Her only hope at survival is to join a rag tag team of humans with their own mission. It will take everything she has to ensure her true nature isn't discovered, for that would mean an instant death, and this time there's no coming back.

Now that I've gotten the description out of the way, let me just start off by saying that I absolutely loved the mythology behind this world. The Immortal Rules has two of my favorite paranormal elements, vampires and zombies. In fact it takes things a step further by having zombie vampires. Yep, that's right ZOMPIRES! The funny thing is that I didn't put that together in my head at first. I just saw the rabids as nasty, killer creatures to be feared. Then all of a sudden it clicked in my head that they were Zompires and I was instantly in love. Seriously, when you picture Vamps, you typically expect them to be the top of the food chain, so it was really great to see them at risk too. Granted, they still lorded over the humans, who were treated no better than glorified cattle, but that didn't make them any less trapped behind the city walls.

I really loved watching Allie's character progression in The Immortal Rules. I found it a little ironic that she seemed more human by the end of the book than she did at the start, especially since she was still mortal at that point. Granted, she did want to do anything she could to help humanity overcome their oppression, but that really was only a pipe dream, as she was really only focused on her own survival. Although we do get a glimpse of her sacrificial nature early on, it isn't until the end that it really shows. Well, perhaps that isn't true either as that protective nature is pretty consistent throughout, it's just that it gets a little overshadowed by her battle with controlling the monster inside her. Her guilt at becoming what she hated the most won't let her see past the bad, to all the good she can and will do with her new found strength. In fact, I think she may now be in a position to actually make the changes for humanity that she desired early on, but only time will tell.

I'm not really sure why, but I somehow expected The Immortal Rules to be similar to Julie's other series, The Iron Fey, when the actuality is that they couldn't possibly be more different. The Immortal Rules is so much darker, and has a gritty, raw, bare bones aspect that will literally grab a hold of you with an iron fist. I was utterly captivated from the very start, and couldn't recommend it any higher! With a killer mythology (literally), awesome characters, a little romance, and heart pounding action, what isn't there to love about The Immortal Rules? This series will definitely be going on my auto-buy list!

(Received a copy from Netgalley)

Rating:

Pre-order a copy from Amazon:
The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden)

Other Reviews:

I'm Team Amnity!!

, by KT

I've joined team Amity for #DivegentNation and you should too!! Check out All Things Urban Fantasy to find out how!!

Heart of Darkness

, by KT

Heart of Darkness by Lauren Dane

Bound by Magick #1

From national bestselling author Lauren Dane comes a white-hot new series of a dangerous family legacy, and sensual paranormal passions played to the death on the knife-edge of darkness…

Meriel Owen, next in line to control the largest organization of witches in the country, is asked to investigate the owner of a notorious club reportedly siphoning magic from the font of the Clan. It’s a direct violation of the Clan Code of Conduct, but one look at Dominic Bright and Meriel’s willing to make a deal. One taste of the sexually feral outlaw witch, and she’s eager to go further: he’s her bond mate, a legal conduit into the world of Clan witches and their magic.

Playing by the rules isn’t Dominic’s style, but bonding with Meriel—night after explosive night—is. However, Meriel has unwittingly invited someone else into her world: Dominic’s mother, a dangerous and poisonously influential magic addict whose lust for death and power corrupts all she touches. Now her shadow is closing in on Meriel, her Clan, and the man Meriel loves, and it’s casting them all into the inescapable heart of darkness.

Meriel has always known her path in life. Raised to be the next leader of a very powerful clan of witches, she has gone through extensive training for the power she will share with her bond mate. As part of her duties, she is sent to investigate a new club that is siphoning magick from her clan's font. Her life takes a turn for the interesting when she finds the club owner, Dominic, and realizes that he is her bond mate. Only he had a very different upbringing than her and shuns all things clan and authority. As the pair try to work out their differences, magical attacks are happening right and left. And the latest threat will hit closer to home than either of them could have ever realized.

I was really into Heart of Darkness for about the first third to half of the book, but then things just became really redundant, and the book really started to drag. In fact the first part of the book was rather repetitive as well, but still entertaining enough to make me able to over look it. The characters just seemed to keep rehashing the same issues over and over. Meriel is strong and independent, yet will give Dominic the space he needs to come to his own decision. He is anti-clan, but is super sex-charged towards her, so maybe he will overlook his issues. That would have been fine and good if those ideas hadn't of been stated over and over again. It even bled into their sexual relations as we got to hear over and over how he was so hard and rough, but never with hurtful intent. I mean really? Did we really need that distinction made?

Now onto the "big bad" of the story. I had a really hard time seeing the threat in this woman, considering she seemed like a wasted junkie to me. However, I was especially annoyed at Dominic's behavior over the situation. He changed from a strong alpha male, into a little boy whining for his mommy (that he never knew), to the point where he pushes Meriel away. To be honest that conflict was thrown in as an afterthought to add some sexual tension. Also, why would the mother have waited so long to go after Dominic. If she really didn't know he was still alive, then how on earth did she figure it out that many years later? Seemed a little fishy to me.

Perhaps I'm being a little hard on the Heart of Darkness, especially when I look at all of the other positive reviews, but I was just so disappointed after the intriguing start. The world behind it all was quite intriguing, and I loved learning more about the witches and the rules behind it all. That all being said, and despite my issues with Heart of Darkness, I have a feeling I will still give the next installment a chance. It looks like it features Simon, and since he was one of the more intriguing and mysterious characters of this book, I'd love to get to know him a little better. Hopefully things will be a little better the second time around.

Rating:

Order a copy from Amazon:
Heart of Darkness (A Bound By Magick Novel)

Other Reviews:

Waiting on Wednesday (89)

, by KT

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights an upcoming release we are greatly anticipating.

My pick this week:

Unraveling

by Elizabeth Norris

Publication Date: April 24th, 2012

Amazon Pre-Order: Unraveling

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

, by KT

Legend by Marie Lu

Legend #1

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

The United States is no more, and the western territories belong to the Republic. Constantly at war with other nations, the Republic trains the elite member's children to be high ranking soldiers in the fight. while the lower classes suffer another fate especially if they fail the trials. June is a prodigy, the only one to achieve a perfect score. Day on the other hand failed his trials and is now the nation's most wanted criminal. The two would have never crossed paths if not for the murder of June's brother that puts Day front and center as the prime suspect. However, in June's quest to bring Day to justice she will learn that not everything is as black and white as she once thought.

The best thing about Legend was the dual first person perspectives. By seeing into both June and Day's head, I felt like I had insider information. I was literally on the edge of my seat as I watched everything unfurl. The anticipation of either one learning the other's secrets was quite intense. They come from so very different worlds, and yet they are so similar at the same time. They both have the same analytical way of thinking, and even if their upbringings had of been reversed, I don't see either one of them changing very much. Don't get me wrong, they definitely each had their own unique personality, I just saw them a kindred spirits of sorts.

Even though I knew it was coming based on the description I was utterly heartbroken when Metias was murdered. I'm not sure why, but I feel instantly in love with his character. Coming back to the dual perspectives aspect, we know that everything isn't black and white. So, I stayed in denial throughout the entire book that it was just some cruel joke/form of control the Republic was using against June. Luckily, I was able to put my disappointment aside somewhat as I fell for Day as well due to his very admirable character. It would have been very easy for him to have turned his rebellions into violent ones, but he always went out of his way to avoid injuries even if it meant a higher risk to him. He is like the poster child for what to do in a rebellion, hurt the core of the problem, but not the innocent parties. If more people were like him there would be a whole lot less senseless violence out there.

As much as I enjoyed Legend, I also found it to be incredibly frustrating. Even though there wasn't really a slow or dull moment, there didn't seem to be a whole lot of plot progression. The amount of questions remaining at the end greatly outweighed the answers. Also, I would have preferred a little more development or explanation as to why/how things got to be they way they were. I realize that the characters themselves were kept in the dark in this area in order to keep control, but the lack of information just made me feel like a fish out of water. I'm really hoping the next installment will have more revelations as to how the Republic came to be. In the end I guess some of this frustration is to be expected in a trilogy. So, I would have to recommend Legend to anyone who is obsessed with dystopian books and loves an action packed story.

Rating:

Order a copy from Amazon:
Legend

Other Reviews:

It's Monday What Are You Reading (89)

, by KT

The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn (Early Review)
Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper (Review)
The Thirteenth Sacrifice by Debbie Viguie (Early Review)

The Shape of Desire had very slow pacing, but surprisingly this didn't hinder my enjoyment of the series. I look forward to the next installment.

I am really bummed that Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors was the last installment in the Jane Jameson series. The books are so great, and hilarious, a perfect pick me up whenever I need one. Although there will be a spin off series, so I guess that is a small consolation. Hopefully it will be just as funny.

The Thirteenth sacrifice was an enjoyable read, with an interesting take on Witches. I'm eager to see where things lead next.

My Upcoming List:

Legend by Marie Lu
Heart of Darkness by Lauren Dane
Siren by Tricia Rayburn