Review: Girl of Nightmares-Kendare Blake

3/5 Stars

Girl of Nightmares (Anna, #2)- Kendare Blake

He’s saying that the other side of the athame is Anna’s Hell? No. The knife is the knife. It fits in my hand. On the other side of the knife is…the other side of the knife. But this hunch is all we have to go on, and every time I question him about feasibility, he smiles at me like he’s Yoda and I’m just a dumbass without the Force.

To say that I was merely disappointed with Girl of Nightmares would be an understatement. I was enraptured by the first book in the series, Anna Dressed in Blood. I loved it so much that I recommended it more than any other book I’ve ever read, it also inspired me to start writing my own horror YA. ADIB was a wonderful mix of blood, gore, ghosts, voodoo, and felt a lot like Supernatural. I was obsessed. The fact that the first in the series was also a love story…I was amazed by the creative plot, and the connection between Anna and Cas. It was funny, haunting, and just a joy to read. Girl of Nightmares was average; it lacked the witty, carefree humor (when it happened) of the first book, the occasional gore, and while it was more complex was nowhere near as terrifying.

If you’d like to read my review on Anna Dressed in Blood click here —> Anna Review

If you haven’t read the first book the following plot section will be a little spoilery. 

Plot: After the devastating conclusion of Anna Dressed in Blood Cas is heartbroken. Fueled by guilt and desperate determination to save Anna from the pits of Hell, and the wrath of the voodoo practicing, flesh-eating monster of  the first book, Cas feels like he is getting nowhere fast and he becomes consumed with saving Anna but only increases his efforts after she starts appearing because before that he truly didn’t believe there was anything he could do. Anna pops up in visions of lifelike clarity, where she is suffering, forced to kill herself, she is bloody, brutalized, and a picture of gory torment. After Cas establishes that he isn’t going crazy, he realizes that Anna is making a cry for help. Before this point, Cas had hoped that Anna’s soul would land a prime spot in heaven after the horrible circumstances of her previous life but after seeing her burned alive he knows the truth. Anna is most definitely in Hell or purgatory and the beast that murdered his father has her held as a prisoner.  Meanwhile, Carmel and Thomas continue their somewhat normal lives and have no trouble getting back into their monotonous high school life even though they can see Cas is struggling. They both fear for Cas’s sanity but don’t really know how to help him. After contacting Gideon and talking to Thomas’ guardian about Anna he is warned time and again that he is sticking his nose into places he doesn’t belong and that there are others watching his movements, that this path of action is dangerous and likely life threatening. Cas, of course, doesn’t care, Anna is the love of his life, and to leave her at the mercy of that twisted killer is not something he could live with. Several mysteries and plot twists later, Cas, Thomas, Carmel, Gideon, and some new characters wind up in first England, then Scotland, on a foolhardy quest into a very secret, ancient druidic order. Cas is told that he must pay a price to save Anna but what price is too high for the woman he loves? As his world starts to dim around him, his only thoughts are of Anna, and if he will have enough time to save her from eternal damnation.

PROS:

• Anna and Cas’s love is epic. It’s weird, yes, definitely unorthodox, but so perfect. Who better for a ghost hunter to fall in love with than a ghost he’s been sent to kill? Anna is unbelievably powerful, headstrong, and enduring. She pulls through the tragedy of her past, and finds it within herself to love Cas with all of her soul. Cas is jaded. He never really believed that love was in the cards for him with his profession. Anna changes everything for him, he learns to trust in love, to make the ultimate sacrifices, and what it means to let go in order to fully move on. For years, his father’s murder has haunted him, and it’s ironic that it is a haunting that helps him recover.
• The inclusion druidic magic, beliefs, and ritual was wonderfully done. The use of folklore, and doctrines of faith was beautifully merged with concepts of physics, science, and warring philosophies, especially when it comes to the classification of good, and evil, and what that entails for the afterlife.
• Carmel and Thomas. Carmel’s conflicting emotions with her previous life of popularity, with set goals and plans for the future, and her supernatural life with Thomas, is multilayered, and full of confusion. She is pulled both ways and doesn’t know what to choose, her heart or her head. It’s classic but perfect.
• Jestine (Jess) is the infuriating little know-it-all sibling that irks you no matter how much you love her. She is a great balance to the Thomas, Cas, Carmel trio. She’s stubborn, aggressive, deadly, crafty, witty, and everything you could want in a female character. She was a highlight during some of the slow parts.

CONS:

• Several times I found myself struggling to continue the story. If I hadn’t loved the first book so much I don’t know that I would have. There were many slow, boring parts that seemed to drag on forever, where nothing really happened, and there was nothing to hold interest.
• The comedy was not as pointed, nor as witty, it fell flat like it sometimes did in the first book but much more often.
• There was less ghost hunting, less gore, blood, and terror in general. This by far was my biggest disappointment. It felt like part of Cas’s identity was missing. He was depressed much like in the way Bella Swan was in New Moon, where several pages just showed the month, and then nothing. This was infuriating because part of Cas’s bad boy, badass charm was that he slays murderous ghosts, and is great at it. Because there weren’t many ghosts there were hardly any ghost stories. UGH. This took away from the overall creepy, haunted, feeling of the book.
• High school drama. What I really enjoyed about ADIB was that it was not centered around high school drama. It was there, definitely, but that was not the main thing. In Girl of Nightmares there is greater focus placed on high school, high school activities, drama, rumors, and all that bs. Just pages, and pages of this stagnant, boring, overdone, high school blah.

If you liked the following books or TV series, you’d probably enjoy this:

Happy reading,

-BB

Review: A Touch Morbid- Leah Clifford

4/5 Stars

A Touch Morbid (A Touch Trilogy, #2)- Leah Clifford

“Every minute hurt worse and this voice in my ear, the whole time it kept whispering how easy it would be to Fall, how the pain would go away. Hour after hour,” he said, stroking her shoulder softly with each word. “But I wouldn’t listen. Because I knew no matter how much it hurt, it would hurt you more if I gave in.”

She sniffled.

“Gabe had nothing to do with me making it through that day, Eden. It was you. It’s still you. It’s always going to be you.” Her hand rested against his chest, his heart beating strong under her fingers. “If I made it through that day on the roof, I can make it through anything else. They can pressure me, they can try to sway me, but I’d never choose to leave you. Gabe knew that. He’s counting on it.”

“Is that Lucky Charms?” Kristen didn’t hide her amusement.

He rolled his eyes. “My one weakness, aside from you.”

“Laying it on a bit thick, no?” She grabbed one bowl and poured in milk while shaking her head. “Big, bad Lucifer eating marshmallow cereal. That just makes my morning.”

“So you have a thing for dead boys or what?”

“Are you kidding me? Half the movies out there these days are about girls getting with vampire guys or werewolf guys or some other supernatural hotness. I’m living the dream.” She sighed, a fake dreamy sound. “Lucky me. The envy of thirteen-year-olds coast-to-coast.”

It’s twisted, it’s gritty, it’s raw, and just a little grungy. It’s the perfect combination of light comedy, sizzling passion, and soul searing darkness that eats away at your understanding of the dichotomy between good and evil. A Touch Morbid is even better than A Touch Mortal and achieves exactly the anticipation for the finale that a sequel should.

Plot: Picking up right where A Touch Mortal left off, Gabe has Fallen, Luke is still evil, Eden is back with Az but still the temptation of giving in to the Fall haunts his every thought. Kristen has hit rock bottom. Her OCD and schizophrenia have teamed up to wreak havoc on nearly every aspect of her life. She needs her best friend Gabe to mend her tattered mind but he’s busy fending off demons sent by Luke to pressure him into turning to the dark side. Meanwhile, a new threat is in town. Word on the street is that some Siders are passing off Touch to humans as a new drug. Now humans are becoming addicted and Eden doesn’t know what to do about it besides teaming up with Madeline. Just when things can’t seem to get any worse, Eden starts getting severe pain and her skin is flecking off dark soot. Turns out there’s more than one way for a Sider to die. The rulers Upstairs and Downstairs both know about the Sider problem and are working to end their existence. With certain death looming from both angels and demons chances for survival are slim.

PROS:

Kristen and Luke are magnetic. The electricity between them pops off the page, hot, charged, and dangerous. Kristen is so tragically broken it’s heartbreaking. As her mind slowly unravels she calls out for Gabe and is left lonely and distraught.

Luke finally has some redeeming qualities. For a character that is the incarnation of Lucifer that he has any compassion at all is startling. Luke is caring, playful, and mind numbingly sexy. Luke is so wonderful that Az looks like a complete sloppy, mess. He lies, he goes behind Eden’s back, he is a complete jerk. This was a total reversal of character perception. Evil suddenly doesn’t look so bad.

Jared. I was so surprised by his character. This book really delves into who Jared is and what a genuinely great person he is. He has an enormous heart, he helps those in need even if it is a struggle against his inner demons. It’s easy to fall in love with him.

Gabe’s temptation to give in to the fall is well done. His internal struggles with the need for violence and slaughter are brutal. The demons that taunt him and whisper evil suggestions in his ear are horrifyingly vivacious. There’s a particular scene at the train station that sent chills down my spine.

CONS:

Vince is a cliched train wreck. He’s one of those greasy Italian looking gangsters that is more brawn than brains. His threats are more laughable than scary because of just how cheesey a character he is. As a big bad threatening drug dealer he really is pathetic.

Az and Eden’s relationship is headed for a downhill spiral. Just reading through their interactions was painful. They lie to each other, their chemistry is off, it feels like everything is falling apart. Az also makes Eden look weak in a bad way.

If you enjoyed any of the following books, you’d probably like this:

Happy reading all,

-BB

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 4

Hello everyone and welcome back to the 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge. I, once again, am slacking on getting posts out and I’m so disappointed in myself, which believe it or not is a good thing. I’ve found that the more upset I get with myself the harder I try to fix whatever is bothering me, hopefully from this point on posts will be more regular. Honestly, there’s been so much going on over here that in order to catch up on my TBReviewed posts I would have had to forfeit sleep for days. But back to the point… for day four of April’s 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge over at her blog Good Books and Good Wine, the prompt has to do with book flinging.

There are often times when I’m reading that, for whatever reason, I get so emotionally involved that any little thing can set me off, and I have a book bashing temper tantrum much like a toddler. Books will be thrown into walls, stomped on, and flung across the room with abandon. Yes, this is book abuse, and yeah, I do feel the teensiest bit guilty.

My hand is feeling a little twitchy at this moment just thinking about those unlucky paperbacks.  AND NO NOT IN THE 50 SHADES WAY. I’m currently reading The Eternity Cure, this is my second attempt. Don’t get me wrong, I love Julie Kagawa-when she does faeries. But this vampire, zombie, angsty whine fest gets to me. Right now it’s borderline book flinging time only 50 pages in. However, this post is about the last book I flung across the room, I can’t remember the order but I have 2 very distinct memories of severe book tossing times.

First: Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall. 

Never, in my 23 years of life have I ever wanted to torch a book and gleefully toast marshmallows over it like I wanted to with this book. Ever since Fahrenheit 451 book burning has quite literally been the subject of too many nightmares. Given the chance, I would stab, slash, tear out every single page of this book, then rip it into tiny little pieces, cover it in lighter fluid and torch this sucker, after flinging it around like confetti of course. When I think of the number one book on my YA hate list this is it. Usually, I shy away from book hatred, strong dislike, sure, disappointment, hell yes, hate, probably one in 1000. It’s been a while since I read Before I Fall but the ghost of my hatred still haunts me, even thinking about it brings on the rage. Why? Yes, I am aware that many a YA reader loves this book, yes, it may be the favorite book of many YA readers but the incessant whiny, my life sucks why did I have to make such stupid choices, poor me thing was just too much for me. I loathed every character and if I would have met them in real life…I have no words. I know this seems harsh, and yes, uncalled for maybe but something about the story, the writing style, everything just irks me to the point of violence.

Second: Addison Moore’s Celestra series*

If you’re a fan of being teased, taunted, and tormented by sizzling romance, fiery sexual chemistry, and/or just steamy writing in general definitely check this out. I cannot count how many times I’ve complained about the endings in this series. EVERY SINGLE BOOK I’d get so mad at the constant cliff hangers. THANK THE WRITING GODS that Addison is a speedy writer because I probably would have had a total melt down. For those of you who haven’t made if far in the series or finished it SPOILER!!! The scene where Logan and Skyla got impaled by the spirit sword or whatever, with Gage watching on, and Skyla feeling so betrayed…I nearly died. I thought no, this can’t be how it ends, and even though Gage is my favorite character I wanted to murder him…slowly. I’ve been on hours long rants about these books and why Addison always leaves her readers hanging in the most infuriating ways. There was even a point when I thought I hated her for the sheer torture of waiting. Alas, that makes great writing. I endeavour to be just as crazy awesome one day. After the aforementioned scene I did throw my book. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this series these are only e-books (although they will be printed sometime soon or so I’ve heard). Yes, indeed, I did throw my Kindle and thankfully it landed on the bed because hell would freeze over before I hurt my Kindle.

Both good and bad books sometimes warrant a toss in the air once in a while. These were my most recently flung books, what are yours?

Happy reading,

-BB

*Actually anything Addison Moore writes.

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 3

Hey, sorry my post is a day behind schedule, yesterday was very eventful. My little sister had to be rushed to the ER for an allergic reaction and most of my day was spent in triage. On the plus side, my sister’s doctor was Russian and I got to brush up in my Russian speaking skills.

For day 3 of Good Books and Good Wine‘s 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge the prompt deals with blogger BFFs.Well, here’s the thing, I’ve just recently become more dedicated to my blog. Every down time moment in grad school is spent on catching up on my YA reading that I’ve so desperately missed. I know, it sounds crazy that after all the reading I’m constantly doing for my graduate classes that I’d want to read more but hey, once a reading addict, there’s no coming back from it, not that any of us would want to right?

So, I haven’t really made any blogging friends and it makes me have all sorts of feels. Racking my brain over the past couple hours I can only think of one person so far that I’ve made a connection with, someone who often comments on my posts and chats with me about whatever. That person is Maryana over at Reading and Living. We talk about Russian and reviews and it’s been really cool learning a bit about her. Check out her blog. You won’t be disappointed.

Well, now that I’ve discussed my lack of blogger friends 😦 if you’d like to become blogger BFFs please don’t be shy. I love talking books and pretty much anything else.

Day 4 tomorrow. Don’t forget if you want to join in pingback April’s blog at Good Books and Good Wine. Doesn’t matter if you start today or next month.

Happy blogging,

-BB

Review: Rise- Anna Carey

3/5 Stars

Rise (Eve, #3)- Anna Carey

The first quote is spoilery so skip it if you’d like.

I knew this was my doing-he was hurting because of me. Now, in the midst of it, I felt like I was shrinking into nothingness. I’d gone into his suite and poisoned his medication while he waited outside the door, thinking I was sick. Here, like this, he was just the man who loved my mother. Who’d found me, after all this time, to tell me that.

 

 

I didn’t want to lose her. I didn’t want to lose the possibility of what she would be, of what I could be for her. I couldn’t now. Every time I pushed the idea out of my head it returned, until I found myself sitting on the windowsill, the T-shirt in my hands. I pressed the thin fabric to my face, trying to control my breath, but each one caught somewhere inside me. I stayed there like that, in the quiet of the room, for hours, barely able to force his name past my lips: “Caleb.”

 

Plot:
After the death of her first and only love, Caleb, Eve spirals downwards into a whirlwind of melancholy, revenge, and hatred for her father. More than ever, Eve wants to escape her new life as a princess where she is married to Charles, whom although is a kind man, she is repulsed by the thought of physically being with someone other than Caleb, and where he father can control her every action. Eve knows her father is an evil man and as the rebellion in the Outlands heats up, her patience runs out. She knows she’ll have to do something dramatic and potentially deadly to help the rebels. Working with Moss and the colonies, Eve comes up with a plan to take back government control from her father. After a series of plans that come to fruitation, Eve flees the palace with Clara but still she is not safe as long as her father is alive. Hunted by soldiers, in a war zone of rebellion, Eve must make a decision, to risk everything, her life, and those of her friends for a better future or to turn herself in as a traitor.

PROS:

• After waiting for something exciting to happen for the entire book, the last page simultaneously shocked and filled me with regret. Do yourself a favor and don’t skip to the end. This was also the best part of the story. Unless you want to ruin the rest of the book for yourself RESIST THE URGE!
• Eve is so tragically broken by her loss but she rises above her grief and makes impossible decisions for the good of the country no matter how they break her heart. She risks not only her life but any one she’s associated with in the palace as she is marked as a traitor and rebel. She’s incredibly brave, daring, and takes initiative in dire situations.

CONS:

• The secondary characters are so mediocre that it’s nearly impossible to form any attachment to them whatsoever, whether it be good or bad.
• A few minor typos.
• The plot was fairly predictable and stunted. After each new ‘climax’ or ‘plot twist’ I was a little more disappointed. The whole book lacked the wow factor that takes a good book from average to unforgettable. As the last book in the series I was so underwhelmed.

If you liked any of the following books you’d probably enjoy this:

Happy reading! Check back tomorrow for Book Blogger Challenge Day 3 and A Touch Morbid review.

-BB

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 2

Status update: Just finished reading Rise by Anna Carey, the final installment in the Eve Trilogy. Review will be out later today. Currently reading A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford and LOVING it.

The prompt for today’s challenge is What’s your bedtime reading ritual?

If I’m really into a book, I will read until my eyes threaten to pop out, until they severely burn from starring at the little black (sometimes red) letters for so long that they blur into a hazy mess of ink. Yeah, I’m that dedicated. Sleep deprivation, insomnia by choice, pots of coffee, and/or a bowl of popcorn; nothing will stop me from finishing. But to be honest, most nights aren’t life or death, I must finish this book or I will spontaneously combust, sleep be damned. No, most nights are much less dramatic and a lot more casual.

On the average night, I grab my iced coffee, cradle it to my chest for perfect sipping range and lean against the wall, Indian style, book in hand, every couple seconds shifting my coffee to the crook of my arm so that I can flip the pages. Usually I will switch positions several times to get comfortable, on my stomach, on my side, legs up against the wall. I don’t ever really plan on sleeping anytime soon once I get situated with my book. There’s just something so comforting, so cozy about lounging in bed with a good book, strong coffee, and a warm blanket. For me, a book without coffee is like a cupcake without icing. My bedtime, daytime, whenever time book reading ritual will always include a cup of joe, hot, iced, doesn’t matter. A couple hours later, coffee gone, book at least half finished, I tuck the book under my pillow, and finally get to sleep.

What are your rituals?

-BB

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 1

As many of you have probably noticed I’ve been in a book blogging slum. Not that I’ve stopped reading, I wish I could use that as an excuse but if you could just see my blog drafts list you would cringe at how many reviews are unfinished just because I didn’t feel like putting in the energy. Needless to say, it was blogging doldrums up in here. So when I came across April’s post on her Good Books and Good Wine Blog with a 15 Day Book BloggerChallenge, I felt invigorated and the need to blog just about overwhelmed me. Plus, this girl loves a good challenge. If you guys are bloggers and you would also like to participate in this challenge, don’t forget to pingback to April’s blog and feel free to check out what the other bloggers who have endeavored to complete the challenge have contributed. 

Here’s the complete challenge list:

Confession One:

I own five copies of City of Lost Souls.

When Cassandra Clare’s City of Lost Souls first came out people were buying these books like crazy. The coolest thing about this book was that there were four different versions. Yes, yes, I know, 95% of the book was the same in each version but I’m the type of OCD person that needs the exclusive material in each book. Costco, Target, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, and the Kindle store all receieved my monetary contribution just the get an additional snippet. AND you know what the greatest thing is I don’t regret spendinging the money for them, they’re beautiful, I mean seriously look at that cover! And the Garden scene from Jace’s point of view-I died a thousand times gushing over the way Jace fell for Clary. ❤ ❤ ❤ TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Confession Two:

Crime and Punishment changed my life. When I read Dostoevsky for the first time in middle school, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I wanted to be a writer, to explore the darkest desires of the human mind and their deepest disappointments. This also influenced my whole college experience. It’s why I have a degree in Russian and East European studies, why I wanted to go to Moscow for study abroad, and why I worked so hard to master the Russian language.

Confession Three:

I’m that person who will stand in front of a bookshelf at Barnes and Noble scrutinizing every available copy of the book I wish to buy, examining the spine, any discolorations, making sure that there’s been no page bending or scratches on the cover. I will hunt for the copy in pristine condition and will not stop until I find it. It may be a little sad and a lot pathetic but you can’t blame a girl for wanting the best of what’s offered.

Confession Four:

Some of the best memories of my teen years revolved around Harry Potter midnight book release parties at Borders. My friends and I got really into it, we made t-shirts, butter beer, pretzel wands, and raced to finish the book before everyone else. They use to have costume contests, trivia, and film screenings while you waited. It was an all night event and everyone loved it. I miss midnight HP release parties and get really nostalgic when I look at some of my old tees. I have a big family so we dressed up as characters. My best friend at the time and I were Fred and George, my twin sisters were Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang. We had a blast getting creative and living in our own recreated Potter world.

Confession Five:

The day my local Borders closed, I cried. And then I cried some more. AND then I cried for all the lost potential new reads, for the smell of new books, and for the Peppermint Mocha Trio latte.

Confession Six:

When I was younger(ish), I use to tell people that I was named after Jordan Baker from The Great Gatsby. This was secretly how I made new friends. If someone’s answer was Ew, that required school reading that I looked up on Sparknotes, that’s a deal breaker.

Confession Seven:

When Sirius, Dobby, and Dumbledore died in the Harry Potter books, I didn’t cry. But when Hedwig did, sobbing mess.

Confession Eight:

Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen. I own three different film versions and sometimes watch them back to back.

(This one is my fav)

Confession Nine:

My mom loves telling this story: When I was in Kindergarten we went around the room telling the class our middle names. I told the teacher mine was Snow(Jordan Snow White) lol. I was so adamant that that was really my middle name that the teacher pulled my mom aside one day after school to ask her. If you’re sensing a pattern here, from the time I was associating with others I loved living in a world of fantasy and one of my favorite things was pretending to be a fictional character. Plus, what little girl doesn’t envision herself as a princess?

Confession Ten:

I adore Russian literature but I think Nabokov is an overrated, pretentious writer and after reading all of his work, Lolita is still the best, not because it is taboo but because it’s real, it’s heartbreaking, and unreliable narrators make me obscenely happy. AND an obsession with butterflies, I know they’re pretty but honestly.

Confession Eleven:

Sometimes, this is a really dark secret guys so keep it on the DL, I really like the movie better than the book. I know, this is pretty much sacrilegious but hey, confession time. I definitely liked The Fellowship of the Ring much more on screen than in 300 or so pages.

Confession Twelve:

Pretty Little Liars is my guilty pleasure. The books, the TV show, yes, most of the time it is to mock how dramatic it is and then I go on  Betches Love This for their recap and laugh for hours.

For the most recent recap click this –>The One With Hannah’s Food Shirt

Confession Thirteen:

I am insanely jealous of Skyla Messenger. If you guys have not read Addison Moore’s Celestra series and you like drama galore with a hint of angels and lots of sexual tension, you should check it out, trust me it’s addictive. Skyla has everything. Well almost. She’s hot, has not one, not two, but THREE gorgeous men/boys all in love with her. Yeah, she does have some crazy people trying to kill her, and sure her family is eh but she barely bats her perfectly mascara’d eyelashes when all hell breaks loose. I wish I had that kind of take charge attitude, the attention of 3 awesome guys, and oh wait, did I mention she’ll basically live forever?!

Confession Fourteen:

I use to be a diehard Twilight fan. I still like the story but mocking some of the ridiculous parts is oh so much fun.

Confession Fifteen:

I spend more time adding books to my TBR pile and searching for new books than I do actually reading them. For someone who has read over 150 books this year, that’s really saying something.

I hope you had fun reading this, I really enjoyed putting this list together.

Happy reading and don’t forget if you want to participate to ping back!

-BB

Review: Sanctify- Colee Firman NEW COVER RELEASE!

Colee Firman asked me to release the reworking of the Sanctify cover book 2 in the Unbinding Fate series. So, here it is and here is my old review. Hope you guys enjoy!

4/5 Stars

Sanctify (Unbinding Fate, #2)- Colee Firman

For my review on the first book in the series click here –> Dissever

(NEW COVER)

“What are you thinking?” “That when we get back to Tremain, even if you pick him…” He touched her cheeks with his fingertips and kissed her softly. “I’m always gonna feel like you’re mine.”

Plot: Picking up where the story left off, Addison, Tanner, Jax, and Juliet have been transported from Earth(Tremain) to the layer beneath which is known as Greystone. Addison wakes up in a strange palace with no idea where she is or what happened to Tanner and her companions. She is greeted by an adorable little girl who tells her she is at the Shepherd’s palace and that she is her Keeper. Addy notices the Akori symbols on her arms and is puzzled. After the destruction of the Overseer’s stone and the death of Eva and Andrew, Addy and Tanner inherited their power. Since waking, Addy has developed a strong urge to constantly touch and be near Tanner that is borderline stalker and unbelievably creepy. Unfortunately Tanner is in a sleep coma as he waits for Andrew’s powers to possess him because of his earlier torture and abuse. Juliet arrives at the door and tells Addy that Jax was forced to go to Ravensbog, which is basically a large, decrepit city full of unclaimed Akori where the only way to advance in society is through dangerous fight to the death matches in the pit. Addy and Juliet race to the rescue, when they find Jax he is near death, beaten and bleeding. Addy makes a deal and climbs in the pit. They work together to win the battle and for the first time Addy understands just how strong she’s become. No longer is she a simple, weak human but she can manipulate her surroundings to do what she wants with the wave of her hand, and use telekinesis to throw boulders at her enemies. In order to claim Jax, because he is not actually blood related to Addy, she would have to claim him as her lover. This of course, is not an option because she loves Gage. As the Shepherdess, she is the ultimate authority in Greystone, the Assemble (the seven seat governing system) is really just for show while the Shepherds are not in Greystone. Addy tosses around her supremacy and makes threats so that Jax is allowed to stay in the palace. Nearly every night Addy wakes up to gushing blood from her nose and a destroyed room. This is her power manifesting while she sleeps. Jax slips into her room every night and takes care of her. When Tanner finally wakes, the urge is even stronger and Addy doesn’t know where her feelings lie. Her whole aim has been to return to Tremain to be with Gage but she is starting to love the people of Greystone and Ravensbog, she love’s her ability to make change and lead. Nevertheless, Tanner and Addy wish to reunite the Akori at Tremain with their loved ones in Greystone and in order to do so, must build a gate between worlds. As Eva’s power becomes part of her Addy doesn’t know who she is or what she wants anymore. She struggles to find a way to balance her feelings and do what’s best for everyone. The Mensen are still out there and the dangers in Tremain are something Addy must destroy before returning to Greystone.

PROS:

• The depiction of child abuse and the rage at the injustice is heartbreaking.
• The love triangle, sexual tension, make out scenes, and expressions of love were raw, honest, and bittersweet at times.
• Funny. The comic relief and playful banter between Tanner and Addy is adorable, creative, and just all around happy.
• Jax. He’s broody, he’s angry, he’s sexy, but also a caring, passionate person beneath his hard exterior. What’s not to love?
• Addy is inspiring. She always fights for what she believes in literally with brute force, and through words. Her development throughout this book is wonderful to follow as she matures into a determined, powerful young woman.
• There are several big reveals, secrets, and all around shocking twists.
• The evil is sickening. The torture and abuse of Akori simply to gain power with no regard for life or pain is equal parts devastating and infuriating.
• Addy’s change is not seen as a loss of self but as an embrace of her new beliefs.
• Even though these are supernatural beings they feel like the average person and are very easy to identify with.
• The descriptions of Greystone and Ravensbog are dazzling and very detailed.

CONS:

• The ending. Oh my god, the ending.

If you like love stories, mysteries, magic, or anything like that definitely check this book out, it’s fabulous.

-BB

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer- Michelle Hodkins

3.5/5 Stars

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1)- Michelle Hodkins

 

 

 

 

“So,” he said, his eyes meeting mine again. “You’re a smuthound with daddy issues?” the corner of his mouth turned up in a slow, condescending smile.

I wanted to smack it off his face. “We’ll, you’re quoting it. And incorrectly, by the way. So what does that make you?”

His half-smile morphed into a whole grin. “Oh, I’m definitely a smuthound with daddy issues.”

“I guess you nailed me, then.”

“Not yet.”

“My god, you’re like the plague.”

“A masterfully crafted, powerfully understated, and epic parable of timeless moral resonance? Why, thank you. That’s one of the nicest things anyone’s ever said to me,” he said.

“The disease, Noah. Not the book.”

When I started reading this book I thought it was going somewhere entirely different but as the plot evolved I was really disappointed. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer would be a fantastic horror film. Seriously. The mounting tension, the suspense, the mystery, and just the right amount or gore and creepy make it perfect for a truly great horror film. I’m not talking B-movie or blockbuster trash but something terrifying in a completely real, non-paranormal sense. Then I got almost all the way through and thought why??!! . Read as a girl who may have murdered her friends because she may or may not be psychotic and hallucinating…golden. Could have easily gotten at least 4.5 stars. Like many of the reviews on Goodreads the added paranormal-ish elements took away from Mara’s unique story.

Plot:
Mara Dyer is broken. Or at least she thinks so. After the tragic death of her friends in a building collapse, Mara is the only survivor and her amnesia only furthers her anguish. Wishing she knew what happened that night in the condemned insane asylum, Mara is far from comforted when the hallucinations start. Visions of her dead friends haunt her every waking moment. She thinks she hears them calling her name, she sees them on the streets, and even when she looks in the mirror their bloody eyes stare back at her. Knowing that she might be certifiably insane, Mara thinks that maybe a change of scenery will help and she persuades her parents to move. The Dyer family ends up in sunny south Florida just in time for a huge murder trial. Forced to attend a snobby private school, Mara is convinced she won’t fit in. On the first day when the hallucinations escalate, she questions her sanity once again. Her brother Daniel is a pre-Ivy senior who instantly finds a place with the nerdy overachievers and it seems Mara is destined to be an outcast. Already the popular kids stare at her with disdain but their harassment doesn’t really increase until Mara catches the attention of the school’s notorious heart throb and playboy, Noah. Noah is charming, gorgeous, and nothing like the reputation that proceeds him, too bad no one else knows it. As Noah and Mara get closer, the stress of the bullying from her classmates, the hallucinations of her dead friends, and the pressure from the trial and a string of strange deaths seem to suffocate her. As everything gets more complicated bits and pieces of what happened in the insane asylum come back to her. As the answers to her past slowly fall into place Mara doesn’t know who she is anymore or what she is capable of. When the truth comes out will she be able to live with it? Or will it only confirm the sickening suspicions of her crumbling sanity?

PROS:

• Noah and Mara have instantaneous, infectious chemistry that will warm your heart and bring a smile to your face. Their playful banter is fueled by witty sarcasm and sexual innuendo. Every touch, every glance sizzles with electrified attraction.
• There are moments of sinister, horrific uncertainty that cause the reader to question what is really going on. The fact that you can never be quite sure of what is reality, what bloody,violent images are real or imagined keeps you on your toes. You will start to wonder if the narrators tot is unreliable, if Mara is really as unhinged and unstable as she believes, or if your sympathy for the character is clouding proper judgement.
• The opening scene is brilliant. It combines the perfect blend of mystery, terror, and foreboding that draws you in and keeps you turning pages for more.

CONS:

• The bullies are overly clichéd and the high school is your typical stereotype filled palace of angst and jealousy.
• The supernatural inclusions were unnecessary and seemed a bit like something stuffed into the plot as an afterthought.
• Descriptions are severely lacking. More detail into what Mara, and her family members look like would have been useful instead of focusing on the features of Noah, and the popular kids.
• The plot is somewhat random and forced. The inclusion of the murdered teen and Mara’s father’s involvement in the trial detracted from Mara’s story and was more of an annoyance than a functioning subplot.

If you liked any of the following books you’d probably enjoy this:

Happy reading all, sorry I’ve been a bit behind with the holidays and such,

-BB

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood- Kendare Blake

4/5 Stars

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1)- Kendare Blake

“I’m not a superhero,” I say. It’s an awful tag. It’s egotistical, and it doesn’t fit. I don’t parade around in spandex. I don’t do what I do and receive accolades and keys to cities. I work in the dark, killing what should have stayed dead. If people knew what I was up to, they’d probably try to stop me. The idiots would take Casper’s side, and then I’d have to kill Casper and them after Casper bit their throats out. I’m no superhero. If anything I’m Rorschach from Watchmen. I’m Grendel. I’m the survivor in Silent Hill.

I’m not afraid of the dark; I’ve always slept like a rock, and I’ve been in more than my share of dim and dangerous places. I’ve seen most of what there is to be afraid of in this world, and to tell you the truth, the worst of them are the ones that make you afraid in the light. The things that your eyes see plainly and can’t forget are worse than huddled black figures left to the imagination. Imagination has a poor memory; it slinks away and goes blurry. Eyes remember for much longer.

I adore ghost stories. I’m the girl who is genuinely thrilled to curl up on the average Saturday and watch reruns of Paranormal Witness, Ghost Hunters International, Supernaturaland/or American Horror Story. I love horror films and even know a few ghost hunters myself. So when I stumbled upon the creepy black and white cover for Anna Dressed in Blood that seemed to be oozing blood from the pops of color on the cover to the rusty red print of the text itself, I was more excited than I’ve been in a long time. While YA is chuck full of supernatural beings there’s a serious shortage in the ghosts/poltergeists department. So if you’ve been searching for something a little different and very scary look no further and check this out.

Plot:
Cas Lowood is not your average teenage boy. While some guys focus their efforts on getting the hottest girl in school to go out with them or making the football team, Cas never stays in one place for too long because he can’t afford to become attached to anything and especially not anyone. Cas is a ghost hunter spurred into action not only by his blood but by an all consuming hungering for vengeance. Cas’ father was a legendary ghost hunter who lost the battle to a cannibalistic entity of unimaginable power. Since he found out his father was gnawed on, he researched and made it his mission to hunt down the creature that robbed him of his father much too young. When Cas gets a letter in the mail written in human blood informing him about a volatile spirit named Anna who slaughters everyone who enters her old Victorian house, he knows without a doubt that this threat is real and just the sort of warm up he needs to move on to the creature that killed his father. Cas and his mother pack up and head to Canada with their cat and his mother’s portable magic supply. Cas’ mother is a white witch who has a steady business of infused candles and homeopathy. Cas immerses himself into the local high school eager for tales of mysterious hauntings. Late one night at a drunken high school party, after cozying up to Carmel, the most popular girl in school, a group of jocks who pretend to be friendly hit him over the head with a board and drag him into Anna’s house. His head bleeding profusely, he is startled by dripping, he lifts his head and faces Anna, her white gown soaked through with blood, steadily dripping across the floor. The girl before him is something of nightmares, black veins twisting up her body, black eyes locked with his. For some reason Anna spares him and moves on to the jock that knocked him unconscious, reaching into his body and tearing him to pieces. Cas knows he must destroy Anna but something about her makes him hesitate. With his unlikely band of friends, the prom queen(Caramel), the goth(Thomas), and a black witch (Thomas’grandfather), Cas struggles through his conflicted feelings about Anna, and faces a danger unlike any he’s encountered before.

PROS:

• The author very obviously did her research on the magical and medicinal purposes of herbs and the purification rituals of Wiccan culture as well as voodoo practitioners. This was fascinating and I found myself researching their uses for fun.
• Often in YA recently, the popular crowd is depicted as a group of evil bullies who enjoy tormenting those who are different. The protagonist is usually the outsider, a unique somewhat insecure person who has a hard time fitting in. Carmel is a leggy, tan bombshell of a blonde who is also the most popular girl in school. It is so refreshing to see the it girl as a genuine sweetheart who is nice to everyone.
• Cas is a wonderful mixture of Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural. He’s sexy, witty, exudes confidence, but is also unsure when it comes to matters of the heart.
• Anna’s story is a tragic bloody mess of loss and longing that will win your heart a thousand times over.
• CONS:
• Several sections felt convoluted. Especially during the action scenes, there were so many things thrown in at once that it was a bit of a confusing mess.
• Some of the humor fell flat and was a little awkward.
• Near the end of the book, some of the voodoo elements could have been explained more in depth. The black cross wasn’t clarified in regards to its purpose and the voodoo practitioner that wasn’t really voodoo because they take energy into themselves rather than create it…this section was a bunch of names without any real explanation into what exactly they are and how much they differ from regular voodoo. It was stuffed into two or three small paragraphs.
• The gore wasn’t as descriptive as it could have been. I would have liked more detail. Just a teeny bit more of this would have made the story a lot more terrifying. The lack of detail detracted from the sheer magnitude of the horror, it was as if it was glanced over but not brought into focus.
• If you liked any of the following, you’d enjoy this:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Happy reading,

  -BB