REVIEW: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

*Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Dunne Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Expected publication: August 9, 2016

The story: Imagine a land where three suns almost never set.  A young girl joins a school of assassins, determined to seek vengeance against those who decimated her family.

Mia Corvere is the daughter of an executed traitor.  Now orphaned, she is barely able to escape her father's failed rebellion with her own life. Utterly alone, she struggles to survive in an ancient city build upon the bones of a dead god. Hunted, her affinity to call shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer.

Never flinch. Never fear. Never, ever forget.

Years later, Mia is ready to seek out her vengeance.  Apprenticed to the Red Church, deadly assassins and enemies to the Republic, she must best the other acolytes in contests of steel, poisons, thievery and the subtle arts if she is to be named a Blade to the Lady of Blessed Murder. Nothing is as it seems when a killer is on the loose within the Church's walls and Mia's past continues to haunt her future.

This is one of those reviews that I find so difficult to write. No amount of thoughts and words will ever do Nevernight justice.  I loved each and every word from start to finish.  Fans of Kristoff are in for a treat.  You'll discover plenty of:

• Bad-assery - Mia is a force to be reckoned with - she's beautiful, smart and deadly.  Not only can she wield weapons but she's adept at poisons and can manipulate shadows to her advantage. DO NOT MAKE HER ANGRY.
• Humor - Notable for Kristoff's writing, characters throughout demonstrate biting wit and acid tongues.  Reader's will love the dialogue and how it sets the tone for the narrative.
• Ill fated romance and sexy time - No happy romances here so beware. Sexy time and attachment leads to heartache.
• Action, Violence & Gore - These sequences are breathtaking in their violence. So much so that any cinematographer would be squealing in glee to recreate these images for the screen.  I won't add spoilers but seriously these are awesome!!!!
• Mr. Kindly - Mia's shadow not-cat. Oh, the attitude! Love him!!!  If you were a fan of Stormdancer and enjoyed the dynamic between Yukiko and Buruu then you'll love Mia and Mr. Kindly's relationship and banter. 
• Shock & Awe - So many great plot twists and turns!  Rule #1 of the Red Church: Trust no one!
• Tears - Kristoff doesn't believe in happy endings; he'll tell you so himself. So, prepare for it - the prologue/epilogue reminds you but don't let yourself be lulled into a false sense of security. It probably won't end well.

A friend asked me to describe the book and the best I could come up with is that Nevernight is like Hogwarts for Assassins meets V for Vendetta meets Assassin's Creed thrown together with a little Buffy and a whole bunch of other cool stuff. It's highly unique and entertaining :)

So, what's my rating for Nevernight?  Pretty much all the stars EVER!  For me, it was pretty much perfect from the beautifully orchestrated symphony of the first chapter to the final note of the last page.  Let me tell you from a writing standpoint what Kristoff does at the beginning with the perspective and language is genius! 

I can't wait for an audiobook release while I pine for the next book.

Final rating: All the Stars!

Follow the author on Twitter: @misterkristoff

#Nevernight #assassins #vengeance #fantasy #stabstabstab

REVIEW: The Rose & the Dagger by Renne Ahdieh

Following the dramatic events at the end of The Wrath and the Dawn, the land is on the verge of war and Shahrzad finds herself separated from Khalid, the man she's grown to love. She's determined to save him from his curse. Now, although she's reunited with her family in a desert refuge, she discovers there is an deadly force planning and assault against Khalid--determined to set his empire ablaze and led by Shahrzad's childhood sweetheart.

Shahrzad feels trapped between her loyalties but is driven into action. Using her newfound magic, she plans to tackle her challenges together, lifting the hated curse and ceasing the brewing war. To do so, Shahrzad will have to evade enemies at every turn, learn who to trust, and make some hard choices.

The story comes to a stellar conclusion in The Rose & the Dagger. Fans of the first book won't be disappointed in this adventurous, well written sequel.  It is certainly high on magic, romance, adventure and intrigue.  Readers will laugh and cry during this action packed narrative.  There are bittersweet moments, great tragedies and a great message.

My favorite part was perhaps the realization to the Big Bad that all his callous plans were toppled by three beautiful, intelligent and strong women.  Loved that part!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Follow the author on Twitter: @rahdieh



#TheRoseandtheDagger #TheWrathandtheDawn #fantasy #romance #YAlit #magic

REVIEW: The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Imagine a far off kingdom ruled by a murderous king. Eighteen year old Caliph of Khorasan is known as a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have her murdered, strangled by a silk cord each morning. After her best friend is killed in this horrific manner, sixteen year old Shahrzad vows vengeance at any cost. She not only volunteers to marry the Caliph but to also discover the truth and enact revenge.

The Wrath & the Dawn begins to weave the tale of One Thousand and One Nights. Shahrzad tells enchanting stories, ensuring her survival night after night. However, what she doesn't count on is growing to care for her new husband, especially after learning the truth behind his tragic curse.  In a nod to Beauty and the Beast, Shahrzad must then struggle with the fate of her best friend while also helping to break the curse and weather the storm of rebellion and unrest swirling around the kingdom.

I really enjoyed this book and its unique retelling of some classic tales.  Shahrzad is spunky and an admirable heroine. I liked the juxtoposition of Ahdieh's characterization of women in the story as opposed to how women we considered (and still are) amongst middle eastern society (both fiction and IRL).

Overall, this is well written with strong characters and good world building.  There is certainly more appeal to a female reader, especially with the emphasis on romance.  While not graphic, Shahrzad and Caliph's relationship includes sexual intimacy, so when recommending the book make note.

As I continue on to book 2, I'm interested to see how the magical element plays out, especially Shahrzad's abuse of power and a possible fallout and how that might translate to our heroine herself.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Follow the author on Twitter:  @rahdieh


#TheWrathandtheDawn #reneeahdieh #shahrzad #romance YAlit #beautyandthebeast #1001nights

REVIEW: Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Nearly 22 year old Ivy Morgan is far from the typical New Orleans college student. She works for the Order, a group of humans who tasks themselves with ridding the world of dangerous Fae, known for feeding off humans. Despite school and her job, Ivy's closed herself off from most people following the devastating losses of her family and boyfriend and the guild she feels over their deaths.

Something wicked is brewing in New Orleans and Ivy finds herself in the thick of it. Shot by a Fae who wasn't even maimed by iron, she meets devastatingly handsome and charming Ren Owens, 6'3'' of swoon-worthy hotness. Ivy quickly learns that his role within the Order is full of surprises and the war she thought she was fighting holds far more secrets. Now they must work together before time runs out but even on an apocalyptic deadline sometimes passion, lust and a new chance at love can't be denied.

This was my second read of Wicked in anticipation of the release of Torn.  I really enjoyed this book for a multitude of reasons.  I love a good Fae driven urban fantasy. The world building is good, blending just enough of the real NOLA with fantasy elements. NOLA is a character in and of itself.

I love the character dynamics too.  Ivy is a relatable female protagonist.  She certainly isn't perfect but she's kick butt, sassy, smart and vulnerable. Ren is one of those book boyfriends that you'll want to add to the seriously dateable list. The secondary characters are equally well developed. Overall, the plot is engaging and leaves readers wanting more of the action, the witty banter and the super sexy build up between Ivy and Ren.

Final rating: 4.5 out of 5

Follow the author on Twitter: @JLArmentrout





#Wicked #Torn #urbanfantasy #romance #Fae #audiobook # mystery

REVIEW: Jurassic Park & The Lost World by Michael Crichton

Some 23 years ago and change, Jurassic Park was one of the first adult oriented summer blockbusters I saw in my town's then fancy, new theater. I think we all know the story by now:

A multi-millionaire w/ a fantastical dream and investors with deep pockets sets out to use science to clone dinosaurs and create an exclusive themed amusement park that will fascinate visitors of all ages.  In order to get final approval to open, Hammond needs several experts in the field to sign off on the park.  They arrive and are flabbergasted and filled with awe; however, it all goes to hell in a handbasket when the park's computer guru sabotages the system to steal dino embryos and the park's main attractions get loose and start eating people.

Jurassic Park is an exciting narrative with a mix of science and adventure.  It reminds me a lot of Frankenstein and its theme: just because you can doesn't mean that you should. Sure dinosaurs are fascinating and we'll always have questions about their extinction. But......there's a reason why they died out in favor of other animals.

What surprised me the most was the novel's continued relevance. It doesn't read a overly dated and I really enjoyed the alternating POV. The ending is pretty open ended so I immediately decided to follow up with The Lost World.

It has been six years since the catastrophic events at Jurassic Park. Ian Malcolm is still haunted by that fateful trip to the island; however, he doesn't speak of what he saw and experienced.  But when rumor surface that something might have survived and a colleague seems driven to investigate the true at any cost, Malcolm once again undertakes an adventure to discover a lost world.

The Lost World is another treatise of even though you can, should you.  There is also a greater commentary into the man's manipulation of science and how that leads to destruction and sorrow. I find Crichton's characterization of the species themselves rather interesting and want to further my own research to learn more about the T-Rex and its supposed parenting instincts.

Velociraptors are a thing of nightmares.  They scared the crap out of me in 1993 and still do in 2016. It would be a terrible idea to clone those and let them out in the world! Yikes!

I really enjoyed the open endings of each novel since they are so thought provoking for readers.  At a point, I still root for the dinosaurs since they didn't ask for the situation and where just following instinct :)

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars


#dinosaurs #lostworld #jurassicpark #michaelcrichton #adventure #science #thriller

NEW RELEASE: Torn by Jennifer L. Armentrout

   

The highly anticipated second book in New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wicked Trilogy is available today! Be sure to grab your copy of TORN!

   

Torn between duty and survival, nothing can be the same.

Everything Ivy Morgan thought she knew has been turned on its head. After being betrayed and then nearly killed by the Prince of the Fae, she’s left bruised and devastated—and with an earth-shattering secret that she must keep at all costs. And if the Order finds out her secret, they’ll kill her.

Then there’s Ren Owens, the sexy, tattooed Elite member of the Order who has been sharing Ivy’s bed and claiming her heart. Their chemistry is smoking hot, but Ivy knows that Ren has always valued his duty to the Order above all else—he could never touch her if he knew the truth. That is, if he let her live at all. Yet how can she live with herself if she lies to him?

But as the Fae Prince begins to close in on Ivy, intent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld, Ivy is running out of options. If she doesn’t figure out who she can trust—and fast—it’s not only her heart that will be torn apart, but civilization itself.

iBooks ** Amazon ** Kobo

"You need this book. You need this series. It's paranormal at its best. It's New Adult at its best...Can I give this book more than 5 stars? I would if I could." ~Valerie, Stuck in Books

   

  EXCERPT: I lifted my right hand, reaching for my iron stake out of instinct, even though I knew it would do no good against the prince. “You shouldn’t do that.” His voice was deep with what reminded me of an English accent. “I know you want to, but it would be very, very unwise of you, Ivy.” My hand twitched. Creepy Prince smiled slightly. “Your friend has been very helpful.” That got my hackles up. I slid my sunglasses onto my forehead and forced my tone to stay calm and level. “I’m sure she has. Speaking of Val, happen to know where I can find her?” His lips curled in a semblance of a smile as he stepped closer. The prince was tall, taller than Ren, who was pushing six foot two. My entire back stiffened as I forced myself to hold my ground, even though every instinct demanded that I run and run super fast, because he had almost killed me once before. Correction. He would have definitely killed me if he hadn’t realized what I was and had, I guessed, healed me. “I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, instead of answering my question, his pale blue eyes fixed on mine. My hand curled into a useless fist. “That is extremely creepy to hear.” That cold smile returned. “Why don’t we talk? There are seats across the way.” “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” The slow smile increased but never reached his eyes. “Oh, I know it is.” Fine hairs rose on my arms. “What exactly can you do right now?” he said in the same coldly polite voice. “Refuse me?” Creepy Prince laughed, and it wasn’t a bad sound. Again, it was something that was just cold, as if he were mimicking what a human would do. “You can’t.” “I can.” My palm itched to grab the thorn stake secured under my pant leg, but I held still. I might be reckless, but I wasn’t stupid. “Really? I will have to beg to differ on that. You see, humans surround us. So many of them, and I have an extraordinary appetite.” His eyes appeared to glimmer as his gaze slithered from the top of my curly head down to my toes. “A rather impressive appetite for many, many things.” “Okay. First off, ew.” My lip curled. “Secondly, I don’t want to hear about any of your appetites.” One dark eyebrow rose. “Oh, but you should know that I could kill twenty of these humans in less than five seconds and feed on the rest, leaving them to believe that it was this little red-headed girl who murdered these innocent people.” His voice dropped even lower as he leaned in and icy air brushed my cheek. “You deny me this, those lives will be on your hands, little bird.” Anger flushed hotly as my eyes met his. There wasn’t a single part of me that doubted anything he said. He had me. God, I hated to admit it, but he had me.  

"Drama! Action! Romance! Twists! Torn had it all...Torn was a perfect continuation of the Wicked Saga." ~Kim, Kimberlyfaye Reads

       

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans…

Don’t miss the first title in the series, WICKED!

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo

 

About Jennifer L. Armentrout: #1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.  

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REVIEW: Chasing Impossible by Katie McGarry

Fans of McGarry's Pushing the Limits series have waited for Abby's own story. We've grown to love this tough, sassy and independent 17 year old.  Few crack her inner circle but those who do realize that there is much more to her than her status as a drug dealer.

Daughter of the infamous Mozart, Abby retains a certain status and must weather other expectations; however, she'd like nothing more than to have a normal life, yet circumstances and money constantly pull her back in. When a deal goes south and Abby finds herself in real danger, she must learn to rely on daredevil, Logan, whose own restless spirit just might match her own.

Readers first met Logan in Dare You To, as Ryan's best friend. Always looking for a new thrill, he has issues of his own, namely hiding his diabetic status from even his closest friends. He never expected that his mutual attraction to Abby would mean finding the one person that might help him come to terms with his own demons.

Together they have to decide if what they might have together is worth fighting for.

McGarry's true strength is writing characters with diverse backgrounds who have to go through strife as they mature and ultimately find their way.  These characters and their stories hypnotize readers from start to finish.  Abby's story is no different and I am please that she finally found the love and acceptance she deserves.  Likewise, I love that McGarry explores diabetes through the eyes of a handsome and athletic teenage boy.  It is a disease which affects so many and it is important that readers who might be dealing with a similar situation see that a normal life is possible and that having diabetes is not a dirty little secret.

If I had one suggestion, I wish there was a bit more build up to Abby and Logan's friendship and attraction. I know they'd met in another book but I'd like to see the progression a bit more.

I feel that there is a sense of closure to the series; however, I'd be happy if we got even more from Abby, Logan and the rest of the gang!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Follow the author on Twitter: @KatieMcGarry


#chasingimpossible #pushingthelimits #YAlit #teen #romance #realisticfiction