Alice's Review: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Released: 8th November 2012
Paperback: 528 pages
Price: AU$19.99
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Source: Bought
Genre: YA, paranormal romance/urban fantasy
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy
Series Order:
1. Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Tori's review; Amanda's review)
2. Days of Blood & Starlight
Summary

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living – one without massacres and torn throats and bonfires of the fallen, without revenants or bastard armies or children ripped from their mothers’ arms to take their turn in the killing and dying.

Once, the lovers lay entwined in the moon’s secret temple and dreamed of a world that was a like a jewel-box without a jewel – a paradise waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness.

This was not that world.

My Rating:

My Opinion: I personally loved Daughter of Smoke & Bone so I was very eager to read the sequel, especially since the UK cover is so gorgeous! This novel starts off hilariously with Zuzanna asking her adorable boyfriend Mik to pee on Kaz, Karou's ex who is milking his new-found fame for all it's worth. Will Mik do it or not...? Read the book to find out! ;)

We find Karou in Morocco, having taken over Brimstone's job as the resurrectionist. The chimaera are rebuilding their army since the seraphim brutally attacked the caged city where the chimaera live and killed off a lot of them. The seraphim are now scouting the forests of Eretz, their home world, for any more chimaera that they can kill or enslave, with Akiva leading one of those parties. Flashing back to Karou, she is working to create new bodies for the chimaera army, who are being led by... Thiago. Oh yes, guys, the tension is high!

This book took me almost a week to finish, which says something because once I'm stuck in a book, I find it very hard to put down. I didn't feel that draw I felt when I read Daughter of Smoke & Bone, probably because I thought there needed to be more Akive & Karou moments! This book wasn't about them getting together - because Akiva was responsible for Karou's family's death - which made me both sad and happy, considering that I love that Karou had a backbone. But I still miss their cute romance from the first book. I also felt that this book dragged on a bit during the scenes in Eretz where Akiva & the angels are trying to flush out the chimaera. The best bits of the book come in the last third, I reckon, leaving off with quite a big cliffhanger at the end.

So, speaking more about my love of Karou: Karou is definitely one of those strong heroines who can kick butt and doesn't rely on anyone for protection. Karou finds solutions to her problems and carries on despite some pretty terrible losses and traumatic events that occur in the book. She's interesting in the way she handles things and I liked reading her inner monologue as she's funny and smart; a real pleasure to read, honestly.

Another dynamic that I loved was Zuze and Mik's adventures in Morocco. This couple definitely picked up the slack in the romance department and they make one cool team. These two are smart and resourceful and charmed the pants off every chimaera they met. Though maybe not Thiago...

I can't say much more about the plot without spoiling it all, but I'll say this: it's a great continuation of the first book and I loved the writing. There's something about it that made me love it, a kind of flow to it. Laini's writing is something that I don't come by often and I found it very refreshing because it was so... different and rich and good. Much better than some of the recent YA books that I've read.

My verdict: This book is a must-read due to several factors: the characters, the strong heroine, the plot and the writing that will sweep you off your feet. I loved it and hate that I have to wait so long for the final book in the trilogy!

Alice's Review: The Violet Eden Chapters

Released: 2010 
Genre: Paranormal romance, young adult
Series: Violet Eden Chapters
Series Order:
1. Embrace
2. Enticed
3. Emblaze
4. Endless

My Rating:

My Opinion: The Violet Eden Chapters (by Aussie author Jessica Shirvington) are about angels and kicking butt. Featuring Violet, who didn't know she was half-angel, or grigori as they're called in the book, until her 17th birthday. Her workout partner/mentor/best guy friend/crush Lincoln (I personally picture Lincoln Lewis, which is totally fine by me) is her grigori partner - they're a kickass team - and that means that they can never be together romantically. Violet & Lincoln's job is to control all the exiled angels (those who were kicked out of heaven or wanted to be human and feel, since angels have no form). The books have been recently published in America but have been out in Australia for two years.

I'm totally proud of Jessica because these books are proving to be a hit in America (the US covers are so much nicer than ours!) and I found out that the rights have been bought by CW & Amblin TV to make a TV show adaptation! I'm not sure where it will be set but I'm really hoping they have some Aussie actors in it because whilst the books are set in a not-named-city-in-a-not-named-place, I like to think Violet lives somewhere in Sydney. :) That's actually something that annoys me - does everything have to be set in America or if not in the US, then a not-specified place? Australia can have some pretty cool angel heroes, too! I really wish Jessica had named where the Chapters are set because it would have made it more real for me and I reckon Australia needs to have more books set in it because we're always being left out of everything and forgotten. Must be the 14 hour-long flight it takes to get in or out of this place...

Anyways, the series (I finished the 3rd book and need to get the 4th book ASAP) is about Violet and Lincoln working together with the city's very own angel kickass squad to get rid of the bad guys - there are always bad guys - and it turns into Violet meeting a guy called Phoenix who turns out to be very-evil-and-not-trustworthy (aka an exiled angel) and basically turns Vi's world upside down by introducing a whole big mess for Violet & co to solve. This mess may or may not include there being a list of all the future grigori to ever be born that the bad guys may or may not have gotten to before the good guys have. Uh oh... There is also a love triangle between Violet, Lincoln & Phoenix, which I really dislike! I think some of the things Violet did were stupid and silly and she ends up regretting them, as she should.

The plot is thick and I got sucked right it. It will take too much time to explain all the intricacies so I will just say that the plot and angel concept are my favourite parts of this series. It's full of action, intrigue, mystery and the characters all have great depth and actually feel real and not like cardboard cut-outs of clichés. Despite me disliking some of Violet's actions & the love triangle, Jessica has done an excellent job with this series. I especially like Lincoln. I think he's one of the greatest heroes I've read about and he's very down to earth, loyal, protective and beyond brave. He also cares about Violet so, so much and she hurts him very deeply. Out of the YA I've read, Lincoln has to be my favourite hero.

My verdict: Of course I don't have enough room to tell you guys about all the great things in this series but I will say that it is a must-read and I am sure all of you will get obsessed! With such a great plot, a unique angel concept and some amazing characters, these books are something I will keep recommending to everyone I know!

Okay, I have a question for you: do you guys like these series reviews? I just don't want to spend heaps of time reviewing separate books out of a series that I've finished or read almost entirely (it takes time to re-read!) and doing an overview of the entire series allows me to point out all the good & bad points. Please leave a comment with your opinion so I have a better idea of what you guys want in the future! :)

Alice's Review: Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt

Released: 10th April 2012
Paperback: 260 pages
Price: $9.99
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Source: Publisher/author for honest review
Genre: Dystopia
Series: The Lost Souls
1. Chosen Ones
Summary:

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

My Rating:

My Opinion:
I liked this book because it's got references to Frankenstein in it, a book which I'm studying for school, so I actually get all the different quotes from Frankenstein! I'm also studying Blade Runner (it's a horrible movie, I hate it!) and this book has elements that remind me of the Replicants in BR. So I was really able to get the depth this book has, which was quite awesome.

Tess is working in this training facility for the chosen ones and she meets James - she's drawn to him because of the scar on his chin and they're not supposed to have scars since they're physically perfect. I found her attraction to him because of this scar really interesting since it seems so different to the normal qualities many heroines in YA novels are attracted to.

This dystopian society is really stupid. They all think women are the bane of existence and force them to cover their bodies and spout how females are evil - basically back to the whole 'Eve ate the apple so all females are evil and have black souls' crap that we see in the pages of history. Pretty crap. But it does fit with the whole theme of the novel, which is how society has kind of fallen apart after a big war and created these super beings - so why do they need females anymore?

I read this a few weeks ago so I'm not sure I really remember Tess's personality, but I did like her. She's a bit cynical and she's really innocent, too, because she grew up in such a different environment and so she doesn't really know how to act around boys - or the chosen ones. The chosen ones are actually really arrogant guys and practically abuse the girls working at the training facility. They think they're superior (which they are...) and so they treat the girls horribly and no one will give a crap. So I wanted to shoot most of the COs.

So the plot isn't very fast moving, but I like that since I don't have to struggle to keep up. It does speed up at the end though, but the ending kind of let me down. I don't think I'll read the sequel to this.

My verdict: I enjoyed this book since it ties really closely with my English studies so I understood its depth better. I liked the heroine and whilst I don't think I'll continue on with this series, it was a good read that took me into a world that seemed completely realistic.

Alice's Review: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Released: January 2012 (Aus)
Paperback: 390 pages
Price: $19.99 (Aus)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Bought
Genre: YA, adventure, action
Series: Healer 
Series Order:
1. Touch of Power
2. Scent of Magic (2013)
Summary: Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honoured for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos. 

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince - leader of a campaign against her people. 

As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

My Rating:

My Opinion: Since March of last year, Maria has become one of my favourite authors. Her books include action, adventure, great heroines, romance and handsome heroes. What could I not love about them?  I was super excited to finally spot Touch of Power in my local Kmart and bought the book for a discounted price (a bonus!).

It starts off with Avry getting caught by the police for being a healer, which is very, very bad. There was a huge plague and someone spread rumours that the healers (people who are able to heal any injury by  absorbing it onto themselves. Eg someone has a cut on their arm, so Avry can use her magic to absorb it to herself, so she will assume that cut and it will heal quicker on her because of her powers) were the cause of the plague, so any healer was put to death. She is saved from death by a band of rogues and quickly makes good friends with them.

This band of rogues would become her little family, which is really awesome since she'll need all the help she can get to escape from the various mercenaries out to hunt her down for the huge bounty on her head. I really liked Belen because he is like the older brother I don't have but want!

Reading this book was awesome because the lead, Avry (pronounced as Avery), is strong-willed, stubborn, opinionated and sassy. She doesn't give in to anyone's demands, is smart and very likeable. I loved that she was witty and quick with comebacks and she made me laugh. She also irritated the hell out of Kerrick and it was so obvious that they would fall in love. Kerrick is smart, brave, a good fighter and a forest mage, which makes him very stealthy in the forest. He's also quick to anger when Avry speaks out against Ryne, the sick prince he needs her to save.

My verdict: I couldn't put this book down! Combine a great plot with a set of great characters and that equals Touch of Power. Maria's talent for writing such great books needs to be admired.