ARC Review: Unthinkable (Impossible #2) by Nancy Werlin

Major Spoilers for Impossible below

This much anticipated sequel to the New York Times Bestseller Impossiblea fantasy full of suspense, mystery, and romance will appeal to fans ofBeautiful Creatures, Raven Boys, and Wicked Lovely.

Fenella was the first Scarborough girl to be cursed, hundreds of years ago, and she has been trapped in the faerie realm ever since, forced to watch generations of daughters try to break this same faerie curse that has enslaved them all. But now Fenella’s descendant, Lucy, has accomplished the impossible and broken the curse, so why is Fenella still trapped in Faerie?
 
In her desperation, Fenella makes a deal with the faerie queen: If she can accomplish three acts of destruction, she will be free, at last, to die.  What she doesn't realize is that these acts must be aimed at her own family and if she fails, the consequences will be dire, for all of the Scarborough girls.
 
How can she possibly choose to hurt her own cherished family not to mention the new man whom she’s surprised to find herself falling in love with? But if she doesn’t go through with the tasks, how will she manage to save her dear ones?

From Goodreads

Fenella Scarborough, the originator of the Scarborough curse broken by Lucy in Impossible, has wanted to die for quite a long time. Four hundred years to be exact. Ever since she was swept into faerie and the curse laid upon her family lineage she has cursed her captor. Now that the family curse is broken, she had hoped that she would be allowed, at long last, to greet death with open arms. Naturally things are not that simple.

Fenella begs the faerie queen to allow her to die. She is given a task: if she completes three acts of destruction, against her own family, she will be able to live out the rest of her days. If she fails, her familial curse is regenerated to be laid upon all new generations of Scarborough girls. Unsure of her abilities, and with the assistance of the faerie queen's brother in animal disguise, Fenella makes her way into the human realm to earn her freedom at long last. More challenges than she could have possibly anticipated arise and force her to question her resolve. Can she really inflict such cruelty on her own family?

I must say that this was a different turn than I was expecting for this sequel. Much darker than its predecessor, Unthinkable strikes a final balance between the determined optimism of the first book and the cruel negativity in this one. When taken into account all that she has suffered and the extent of her situation, it's not hard to understand and even sympathize with Fenella. She really never meant for anything bad to happen when the curse was originally laid, but 400 years of captivity and untold hardships had made her a brutally determined woman.

I can see where some might find themselves annoyed or even furious with her choices, but when taken into account with the reality she was facing, it's not nearly as awful as it could be. Having spent so long with the faeries I believe that Fenella is a master at double speak & slight of tongue when it comes to her own actions. This gives the reader a lot more leeway into understanding her choices.

Stepping back into Lucy's life after we left her so well-off was a bit saddening, but laid the perfect groundwork for this tale. Since this family already knew Fenella's background & about the faerie world in general, the story could simply pick up practically where it left off. The new interactions between the characters, as they have now settled into a mundane life, are different and allow for new scenarios to play out with Fenella mixed in. Even better, there is a new man in the picture who causes Fenella untold amounts of strain as she wrestles with herself.

This was a long book and it took a bit to get going. Once things started happening though, I really just flew through the pages. The pacing is just right so that things calm down when they need to, sped up at the right parts, & even allow for little side jaunts into romance or humor. I hope some of y'all like it as much as I did!

ARC graciously provided by Around the World ARC Tours

June Genreflecting: Giveaway of Mistwood by Leah Cypress & Review of Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I'm sorry this didn't go up on Friday like it was supposed to. Unfortunately instead of finishing up the post on Thursday night I was rushing to the vet and we had to make the extremely painful decision to put our kitten Hugo down. We were in shock & are grieving, but I managed to pull this together for you for today. Enjoy.

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
From Goodreads
Bitterblue wasn't nearly as spellbinding for me as the first two books in the Graceling Realms "series". I enjoyed the characters & some of the action, but felt that things dragged on a bit as the story progressed. While following Bitterblue as she traveled her kingdom & adventured with Katsa & Po was quite entertaining, the second half of the book was more depressing than I was prepared for. Suffice it to say that this was not one of my favorite works by Kristin Cashore.
As far as a fantasy book goes, it hits the mark right on. Between the magical realm, the unique "Graces," and the adventuring, we've got a prime example of an epic fantasy. The battle between Bitterblue's graceful reign & her tyrannical father's oppression is about as truthful a good vs. evil situation as you can get in this world. While they aren't on a specific quest together per se, there is a large group of characters that all kind of lend themselves to being grouped into smaller clusters. While I may not have been the biggest fan of this book, I do have to respect it for what it is in the genre.
Now for what I'm sure y'all are really interested in: the giveaway! In keeping with the fantasy theme I'm giving away Leah Cypress's Mistwood. You know the rules: you must be over 13 & live in the US (or at least have a US mailing address). a Rafflecopter giveaway

June Genreflecting: Fantasy: The Basics

I wanted to do a reading challenge for the subject of Genreflecting, but I didn't get much feedback (maybe because it asked you to read 2 books for each genre and discuss them or because it's not really a "reading challenge" per se, but more an educational experiment), so I've turned it into a monthly feature! For each month of 2013, there will be a specific genre that will be analyzed. I'm planning to have author input and at least 2 reviews of books in the genre as well.

June's genre is Fantasy! Fantasy books lead readers on trips into magical realms or worlds where our rules don't necessarily apply. There are dragons, faeries, wizards, and more. It is a genre based upon reality suspension. You don't have to puzzle through the mechanics of the inner workings, you just have to go with the flow. Magic, whether embodied in wands or nature, is a binding agent for most books in this genre as well as magical creatures. The biggest conflict of definition stems from crossover books that mix fantasy with science fiction or paranormal books. There are lots of subgenres in this category ranging from fairy tale retellings to epic adventures, so be sure to check back next week for the details post. (paraphrased from Teen Genreflecting, 2003)

A few of my favorite authors you may recognize in this genre are:

• Michelle Harrison; 13 Treasures
• Maggie Stiefvater; Lament
• Karen Marie Moning; Darkfever (adult)
• Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia; Beautiful Creatures
• Kristin Cashore; Graceling
• Jackson Pearce; Sisters Red

I'm excited to say that I've chosen my two books, one older and one newer, to read for this challenge. The older book is Briar Rose by Jane Yolen (originally published in 1992) and I'll have a review and analysis up on Friday, June 21st. The newer book is Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (originally published in 2012) and I'll have a review and analysis up on Friday, June 28th. I'll also be hosting a giveaway, so stay tuned!

Old Magic by Marianne Curley review

Jarrod Thornton is mesmerizing, but Kate Warren doesn't know why.

The moment the new guy walks into the room, Kate senses something strange and intense about him. Something supernatural. Her instincts are proven correct a few minutes later when, bullied by his classmates, Jarrod unknowingly conjures up a freak thunderstorm "inside" their classroom.

Jarrod doesn't believe in the paranormal. When Kate tries to convince him that he has extraordinary powers that need to be harnessed, he only puts up with her "hocus pocus" notions because he finds her captivating. However, the dangerous, uncontrolled strengthening of his gift finally convinces Jarrod that he must take Kate's theories seriously. Together, they embark on a remarkable journey -- one which will unravel the mystery that has haunted Jarrod's family for generations and pit the teens against immense forces in a battle to undo the past and reshape the future.

From Goodreads

I'm not going to bother with my own breakdown of the story because the summary does a fine enough job. That being said, this was not at all what I thought it was going to be when I first picked it up. I thought that Jarrod might be reluctant to believe his powers at first and eventually cave to Kate's help, although I wasn't really certain about an conflict to be resolved. 

Well only part of that thought process turned out to be true. Jarrod was extremely reluctant to deal with anything supernatural at all. He went so far as to hang out with the cool kids, while visiting Kate on the down-low. It was ridiculous. Not to mention the fact that he vehemently denies what is obvious and right in his face. The author doesn't let the reader get away with that either. Throughout the whole novel you can practically hear people saying "look at this, isn't this important?!"

Jarrod is completely unsympathetic and unrealistic. As previously stated, he denies what is obvious, until it's almost too late to do anything about it. He is spineless & two-faced. He claims he just wants to be accepted, but what he really wants to be is normal & popular. Not necessarily a bad thing, but when someone is offering to accept you for who you are, it's best not to ignore them and allow others to belittle them in front of you.

Kate is less infuriating, but still a bit on the predictable side. Having grown up with magic her whole life, she has absolutely no patience with Jarrod at all. Kate seems to possess almost no empathy for Jarrod at all when she is one of the best people to help him relate to being "different."

I think the worst part about this whole book are the dropped storylines. Kate's best friend disappears completely from the story, we never get any resolve or explanation about Kate's parentage, & the story ends so neatly that it's far from believable.

I understand that this is a fantasy book, but since it is based in the real world, some rules should still apply. I can't say too much without giving away the only amazing part of the book (hint, that journey that they mention is awesome!) but the reality of how that journey is resolved just didn't sit right with me.

Maybe I'm just being to picky and I think others really enjoyed it, but for me it was a dud. Have you read it? What did you think?

Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BOOKS!

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

From Goodreads 

I fell in love with Sophie Mercer the minute Hex Hall fell into my lap. It was so awesome that I even took it on 7th grade book talks with me. And then came Demonglass. This one kicked up the story a notch & left be pining for the "sure to be amazing" conclusion. Now it has arrived. 

Picking up with the agonizing ending of Demonglass, we follow Sophie as the is plunked into a whole new reality. It's almost impossible to believe that just barely a year ago this incredibly talented & smart-witted young woman believed herself to be an ordinary witch. Come to find out that she is actually a demon & that her school is under attack from those who would create more demons as a "defense" against the murderous and dangerous Brannick clan & L'occhio de Dio. The truth is harder to comprehend when Sophie discovers that her magic has been locked down and learns that she is a Brannick herself. 

Not all is as it has been presented in the magical world, which leaves a lot of questions to be answered. Despite personal losses, she trudges on with the unwavering support system she has come to call a family. Her last fight will not just be for herself, but for all those who have suffered unnecessarily. 

I have to say that while I completely understand why the book ended the way it did, I still found myself kind of disappointed. I know, I know... I seem to want it to end my way or not at all, but I get it. Rachel did what she thought best & most fitting for her characters and their respective stories. She stayed true to their personalities and beliefs, ultimately making sacrifices that prevent me from ever wanting to bean author.

This book was also quite quickly paced with so much going on, at times it is hard to get a handle on it all. Once you think things are beginning to get sorted out, something else comes hurtling at your head. Despite all the plot twists & turns, I was supremely impressed by how Rachel tied up all the loose ends possible while still leaving the ending open-ended enough to possibly one day revisit this world.

As it stands, Spell Bound is a fabulous book end in a fun series. I will truly miss Sophie & her world, but that's the beauty of books. You can always revisit the ones you love.

Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer review

As this is the 3rd & final installment in the Nightshade trilogy, there are spoilers for the first two books in this summary & review

Calla has always welcomed war.

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnameable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

From Goodreads


We find Calla in what would have been her marital bedroom with Ren, who was supposed to be her mate/husband. After convincing him to join the resistance against the Keepers (by working with their longtime "enemies" the Searchers) the two former love-birds much face the fallout from his treachery. Naturally the person who has the hardest time dealing with Ren's involvement is Calla's other lover Shay. The Scion (as Shay is known) is the only one who can stop the Keepers & destroy their ability to control the Earth.

You would think with these two guys working on the same side they'd be able to put away their differences & back-burner their fight for Calla's heart. Not so much. The two alphas square off more than once & continue their altercations while they (and the rest of the pack) traipse all over the world collecting the pieces of the Elemental Cross.

Torn between her two lovers & her loyalty to defend her own alpha role, Calla must win this war at any cost. Unfortunately no one told her just how steep a price she was paying.

Well then. That was an interesting way to end the series. I had really high hopes for this book. With Nightshade and Wolfsbane having been such incredible books with a lush plot & heart-wrenching romance, I have to admit that I expected more from Bloodrose. Basically this book can be boiled down into a few sentences. Girl chases boy(s). Boy(s) chase girl. Appropriate humor inserted. Major conflict with no clear climax. Easy decision made for main characters.


Seriously. That's how it felt. We follow the pack all over the world collecting the pieces to the Elemental Cross so that Shay can defeat the Keepers. During their downtime Calla is sneaking around watching love bloom in several couples around her (all of them seem to be the same type of "I kind of always knew he was right for me & just didn't want to admit it" love) & getting her own nookie in. The cast of characters doesn't disappoint though. You still have the plethora of personalities that have to intermingle & manage to draw you in even when you feel like you're falling out of love. What was more surprising though was the depth that some of these characters contained. I was pleasantly surprised to see several drastic changes in certain characters' persona. I think I might have preferred just to read about them to avoid the triangle of annoyance that became Shay, Ren & Calla.


Instead of forcing these characters to work together & come to a painful, but ultimately necessary epiphany, the author decides to kill any chance of that happening. She lets her main trio take the easy way out of a very emotionally turbulent choice. Even worse though was the timing & manner of that choice. I just didn't see the flow. It was so jarring & discombobulated that I was thrown for several minutes expecting some magic to make things better again.


While I devoured the book hoping that the final battle would make up for a rather predictable build-up, I was ultimately disappointed. I still enjoyed the world the author built & the supporting characters she created, but the main love triangle & what should have been the climax of the story just fell flat for me. I'm still very glad I read it & still enjoy the first two books, this is not even remotely how I felt it should have ended.

Infamous (Chronicles of Nick #3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon review

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He’s learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn’t the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.

Or he’ll be the one who ends the world. With enemies new and old gathering forces, he will have to call on every part of himself to fight or he’ll lose everyone he cares about.

Even himself.

From Goodreads

Nick is back in trouble...again. This time he has no clue who really to trust. For the most part everyone seems to be on his side, but everyone has their secrets. It begins innocuously enough, someone disseminates crude photos of an innocent classmate all over the school. Not thinking much of the obviously human cruelty, Nick continues his after-school studies with Grim (aka Death himself), Caleb (a man of questionable loyalties) & his not-known-to-his-mother girlfriend Kody (a very pretty girl hiding some very nasty secrets). With their help he tends to stay out of trouble.

But the cruelty at his school is escalating. Now there is an entire blog outing people for all sorts of things & naming sources of the information. Half of it is true to a point, but most of the sources as bogus. Soon enough though Nick finds himself on the wrong end of a beat down causing him all sorts of issues. Worst of all, he ends up in Azmodea (home of the Malachai's master) fighting to regain consciousness in the real world. As if that's not bad enough something more sinister is at work in the school & if it's not stopped soon, there may be only one Malachai in this realm & it won't be Nick.


Oh how I've missed the snarkiness & teenage angst of Nick & his companions! I genuinely enjoy watching Nick grow into his powers and take on all sorts of big bads. He reminds me a lot of Buffy & the Scooby gang in that while he may be fighting big, nasty monsters, a) he's never alone (maybe physically, but not spiritually or emotionally) & b) he makes mistakes just like any other person trying to find their place in a paranormally-filled world. Infinity & Invincible set us up quite well for all the madness that occurs in Infamous.


All your favorite characters make their return, but tend to keep to the shadows. This book was a chance for us to really get to know Nick, his relationship with his mother & his past/future very well. There is quite a bit of plot development that takes place & I can only see things getting more heated from here on out. A big battle is brewing in which Nick will play a starring role. In order to fulfill that duty he must be able to stand on his own. This book was all about him learning what that means & what he's going to have to do to accomplish his goal.


I really can't say much more because I'm afraid I'll give some of the good stuff away. This book is more demon-based than supernatural based & I really enjoyed that. Sherrilyn Kenyon does a fabulous job giving us glimpses into her Dark-Hunter & Were-Hunter worlds without bring the adult content. It's just teasing enough to convince you to check them out. I recommend them for older readers because they are written for an adult crowd if you get my drift. My favorite part of her Chronicles of Nick series though are the life lessons she instills in her characters. Many of them are wise beyond their current form's years, but the lessons they teach are still accessible & pertinent for the target audience.


Enjoy!

Waiting on Wednesday: Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

As always on Wednesday, I'm featuring a lovely book that I am simply drooling over the ability to read...soon. This one is the third (and most likely final) installment in the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins, so be aware of the spoilers in the summary below. Check out my thoughts on the first two books Hex Hall & Demonglass. That's right ladies & gents I'm talking about Spell Bound due on a bookshelf near you March 13th. I hate to see a good thing end, but Rachel has said that she'd love to continue writing in the universe, so maybe it won't be goodbye after all. Anywhoodle, on to the goodness!

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

From Goodreads

How amazing does that sound for a finale? I really have enjoyed the characters & universe that Rachel Hawkins has created. Sophie is a fun gal & her sidekicks are pretty awesome too. Here's hoping she can bring it to a thrilling close.

What are you waiting on this week?

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay review

"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume."
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

From Goodreads

After spending years suspended in the mist Juliet finds herself in another new body, but only long enough to discover the soulmates she must protect. As an agent for the Ambassadors of Light she fights against the Mercenaries in a light/dark-good/evil kind of showdown over love. Unfortunately the reason she is in this predicament (and the person she must fight during each of her incarnations) is none other than her sworn beloved Romeo.

This time though things are different. The Ambassadors & Mercenaries aren't guiding their agents & their magic seems to be failing them. Also, there is this guy who Juliet can't seem to stay away from, despite his obvious role as the soulmate she is sworn to protect. Can love truly conquer all?

This was a phenomenal paranormal read. Stacey Jay did an incredible job breathing life into a well-known cautionary love tale. A very unique twist gives us a new perspective on a story that everyone thought they knew. Now we get to find a new meaning to the phrase "til death do us part."

The magic surrounding Romeo & Juliet isn't all that special as their personal powers are limited to reanimation of a corpse (Romeo) & superhuman strength & healing (both), but it lends enough magic to the story to make it seem ethereal. The humans in the story are typical teenagers that one might encounter in any high school. There was limited alcohol use as one of the characters is the heiress to a winery fortune, so there is some minor imbibing, but nothing over the top.

My favorite part was watching the interactions/altercations between Romeo & Juliet. He is so nefarious & unrelenting in his quest to win her over, but at the same time he is still bound by his drive for power & greed. Juliet is just as sweet as pie, but she's got a formidable backbone when needed. Unfortunately I found her a little more dim-witted that I like in my female characters, but I think that is mostly due to her good nature & belief in the good in others.

All in all this was a joyride from beginning to end. While things had the tendency to feel like they were getting too complicated, I never lost sight of the storyline or characterization. I really felt like I was in the story living alongside the characters. While this book is not necessarily meant for fans of Shakespeare's tragic tale, I think they might appreciate the spin Stacey put on the story.

Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe review

Cameron is a young stud. On track for an ivy league education, this basketball star has got everything going for him. He even already has the leading lady, Charisma. Nothing seems to hold him back from doing whatever he wants; that is until a testy waitress's prank backfires.

After falsely claiming it to be his birthday, at the same restaurant, to the same waitress, within a short amount of time, Cameron discovers an unsettling truth. He is no longer a comfortable 17 year old, he is now aging a whole year of his life with each passing day. At first it's nothing too serious to worry about & he even enjoys some of the perks of looking a bit older. But when he continues to age, things that have always been true are changing with him. Cameron is dropped from the basketball team, right as they are preparing for the State Championships & Charisma decides that dating an older guy isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Cameron begins to accept the way things really are and discovers the value in his friends & family. Unfortunately he may not get to live long enough to celebrate that fact due to his condition. Can it be halted in time & if so, by what magic can it's effects be reversed?

Brian Rowe has captured my attention. While the story starts out picture perfect, like so many others, it quickly turns into a nightmarish fable. Cameron is a spoiled, ungrateful character that I wanted to punch from the get-go. The thing is, he doesn't really know he's spoiled because his way of life is the only one he's ever known. He's always had money, been popular & good looking, with very little self-esteem issues. Cameron doesn't really know what it's like to be anything but perfect, so the birthday curse was a magnificent way to take all that away from him, not quickly, but slowly so that he can learn from it.

The supporting characters (ranging from the drama queen Charisma to a vengeful, yet well-meaning waitress named Liesel & a nerdy little sister) keep the story moving & give us perspective on Cameron's changes. They kind of act like a marker of his progress during his transformation. Each one marks a different chapter in Cameron's life that allows one to see the full effect the aging condition has on him.

The writing was light & humorous, but still filled with all the want-to-know information. I found that while we were introduced to many characters, we only got to know a few well enough. I think there could have been a little more development of Cameron's family & maybe a little more information about Liesel. While I also think that the main character needed to take a cold shower (the boy was obsessed with trying to have sex with his girlfriend), I think the inclusion of a gay teammate gives the book an up-to-date feel. The good thing is that this is just the first in a trilogy of books to come.

If you're looking for something quirky, unique & fast, Happy Birthday to Me is a go-to book. What did y'all think?

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer review

WARNING: Spoilers for Nightshade follow. You might want to look away if you haven't read it. Or you could read my review. :)

After the nightmare that was supposed to be her union, Calla Tor is not at all surprised when she finds herself waking up somewhere she has never been before. What follows her reawakening is what frightens her. She is trapped in the hands of her sworn enemies, the Searchers & they've got Shay. Only... no one is trying to kill her & Shay seems quite content as well.

It turns out the Searchers not the purely evil folks that the Keepers made the Guardians believe they were all this time. It turns out that the Searchers are the other half of the Keepers in a centuries-old struggle for harmony & balance. Over the course of the next few days Calla learns the true history of her people, what it means for Shay to be the "Scion" & helps plan the rescue of her packmates.

Unfortunately a lot happened in Vail during her nightmare & things aren't how they were anymore. Wolves are being stripped from their human halves, wraiths are being repeatedly used as torture devices & some Guardians are being outright murdered, all to prove a point. The Keepers believe that as long as they continue to lie & convince the more powerful wolves (including the alphas), then the rest will simply follow orders. What they didn't plan for was a new alpha & what happens when you lie about even the most basic facts.

Andrea Cremer continues to take us on a wild ride with the second installment in the Nightshade trilogy. While I have to admit that it did include some of the more banal qualities of a 2nd book in a trilogy, I think this was a key plot-building time for this story. So little time passed in this book (like I'm talking 2 weeks at most) but SO MUCH happened that alters where your allegiance lies & how the story will move forward from here.

Calla continues to intrigue me as she has now become the uncertain character that I tend to tire of in books, but her uncertainty is pivotal to her character development. She has had everything she has ever known stripped from her & everyone she loves is in grave danger because of her actions, so her response is natural & expected. I must say that I was rather impressed with Cremer's ability to make Calla a tortured character without over-stating her reality. Sometimes readers are beaten over the head with the sadness that the characters are experiencing, but Cremer held a fine balance on giving us a glimpse at Calla's emotions & then moving straight back into the action.

We meet a whole new cast of characters that you'll instantly like because they resemble the wolves so much while establishing their own unique identities. The Searchers are a fun-filled, dedicated group of watchers who will stop at nothing to ensure the safety of the world. Even better is the description of their world & the Old Magic that they practice. We don't see the Keepers' magic at all really, but with the Searchers it is such an integral part of their existence that it permeates their world.

I really enjoyed this book in the series as so MAJOR developments occur that will alter how the story can move forward. I will warn those worried about content that there is some sexuality involved & some hinting at violence used for domination, but nothing scandalizing. I look forward to seeing what Cremer brings us in the final installment Bloodrose due out in January 2012!

ARC graciously provided by Around the World Tours

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer review

Calla Tor doesn’t know how to be anything other than the female alpha she was born to be in the Nightshade pack. Things have always been understood: she would compose herself with finesse, marry Renier Laroche (the Bane pack alpha), & serve the Keepers in their quest to fight off the Searchers. And everything was going swimmingly… until Shay showed up.

Just a simple human, Shay is caught in the midst of a centuries-long struggle that he’s not really supposed to know about. Despite her senses telling her to stay away, Calla finds herself drawn to this boy & all that his existence promises. She finds him even more interesting when she is charged with his safety & has an excuse to spend inordinate amounts of time alone with Shay. For the most part, Calla manages to balance her duties to her pack (like getting both packs to hang out without shedding blood), Ren’s ever-encroaching presence, & Shay’s need for understanding; until she & Shay stumble upon more information than they are supposed to know.

It’s now a life or death race as the clock ticks down to, not only Calla & Ren’s union, but to a hidden prophecy that changes everything for everyone. Is there any way for Calla to protect herself & those she cares about, while following her own heart? Or is she simply doomed to follow orders?

What a dexterous read! Andrea Cremer takes some of the best parts of several different mythologies & combines them all into one seamless story. There are so many different facets to the Keeper/Searcher/Guardian dynamic that it is almost impossible to explain it all without becoming tedious & technical. Suffice it to say that they have some unique interactions throughout their histories.

It was refreshing to have such a strong female lead in this book. While I do enjoy the protagonists who are still developing their sense of self & finding their place in the world, it was rather enjoyable to be able to slip into the skin of someone who already knew who they were & what they’re meant to do & be in this life. It was just as equally enjoyable to watch her squirm when her whole world is threatened. The “fight or flight” instinct is strong & it was refreshing to see her fight so hard for what she hadn’t even thought she could have.

Even better than the protagonist was the rest of the cast. There is a wide variety of personalities represented by not only the 2 opposing packs, but within the packs themselves. I felt like I could pick out who was going to be what kind of person & why, but I must admit that the “why” of their demeanors was rather unique. I can’t give any of that away because I think it is an integral part of the overall storyline, but I will tell you that each person is wholly themselves & nothing less.

The plot development took a little bit at the beginning just because you have to settle into a newer understanding, but once I got my bearings it was a fast-paced read. Truly magnificent, Nightshade promises to be the beginning of one heck of a trilogy.

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Nick Gautier is one of the cockiest, most smart mouthed 14 year old in all of New Orleans. Or at least he thinks he is. The son of a teen mother & death-row inmate, Nick hasn't hasn't had the easiest of lives, but that doesn't change this Cajun's fiery attitude. He would lay his life down to defend his mother & wants nothing more than to become the man worthy of her praises.

Unfortunately there are things lurking in New Orleans that have always been on the periphery, that are now attracted to Nick like bees to honey. Every crazy creature from every horror movie ever created, and some new ones to boot, are coming after him & his friends. Some of them have been sent for nefarious reasons & others are renegade agents accidentally created by a nerd trying to avoid being bullied.

As Nick sinks deeper into the new New Orleans, he's learning more about himself & his friends than he ever expected. Those closest to you are your most dangerous enemies & strangers' kindness always comes with strings attached. Can Nick hold his ground or will he have to give an inch to gain a mile?

While I must admit that overall I did like this story, there is absolutely no denying that this book was written by someone accustomed to writing adult, romance novels. Nick Gautier is one of the more intriguing "human" characters in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters series. As such, he was created in an adult world. Despite the fact that she is now going back & writing his back story for teens, she can't very well change his lineage as it already exists. Therefore, Nick's mom is a Bourbon Street stripper & his father is a homicidal death row inmate. There are also some phrasing choices & references that some more reserved readers may cringe at, but nothing overly imposing.

All that being said, I really loved the feeling of New Orleans in this book. Sherrilyn really captures the city's majesty & essence while also managing to capture the more struggling side of life. There is something about a "Cinderella" story, rising to greatness from the lowest depths, that I find truly compelling & masterful. Sherrilyn manages to combine all of these elements together in a truly astounding way that is still so very relative.

My absolute favorite character in this story is Bubba. A backwater, zombie-hunting, Oprah-watching redneck who owns a computer repair/gun shop, he is a main source of information on the preternatural & Nick's unofficial guide while he's learning to navigate in this new dark world.

A fun read, with creative flair, Infinity is the beginning of a series I intend to keep an eye on.

One last thing, if you've never checked out Sherrilyn's website, you really should. She has so much information on all her series & characters. Be forewarned though, since there is some crossover between the adult & teen series, there are spoilers in the adult profiles. The niftiest part I found on Nicky's profile was his 10 Things to Know About Me:

1. I was born standing standing up and talking back
2. Cajun born and bred
3. My fave haunts are Mulates and Cafe Du Monde where my mom takes me after work.
4. I live for Zydeco and good gumbo.
5. I really want a gaming system, but we can't afford it.
6. I don't like authority and it doesn't like me.
7. Bubba is one of my best friends.
8. Rich man's gumbo is when the meat is actually bought in a store.
9. Schools and prisons. Both are institutions with people who want to abuse you where you're confined to little rooms.
10. Manga. The new drug.

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

This is book 6 in the Mercy Thompson series. Therefore there are MAJOR SPOILERS in this review for the series. You have been warned.

Mercy is no stranger to trouble. It seems to follow her everywhere she goes. Even, on her honeymoon. After barely surviving some serious fae magic, Mercy & Adam, the Alpha of the Columbia Basin Werewolf Pack, decide that it is time to take the next step in their long-awaited romance & get engaged. Mercy is in the midst of wedding planning, with everything really starting to get to her when Jesse, Adam's underestimated teenage daughter, innocently suggests that they get hitched early. After this "elopement," the happy couple decide to camp in a newly established, but not yet open to the public, campground to test it out for the fae owner.

Of course nothing could be that simple in a world where vampires love Scooby Doo motifs & fae can be mechanics. On the very first day they notice that something is different. Mercy sees her father's ghost dancing on their campground & they save a terrified man from the "monster" he has been injured by & is currently hiding from. It turns out that this man is not the only to fall victim to the river. Something is stalking & killing people with no real pattern. The police are stumped & the Native Americans aren't really talking. Striking a cord with the newlyweds, they embark on a turbulent journey filled with revelations about local Native American powers, what one will really do for life& love, & how much of who you are is determined by your family.

I love this series so much! Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman has to be one of my all-time favorite characters. Between her demeanor, her sass, her humor, & her complete dedication (to a number of things) she just rocks my world!

All that being said, I must admit that this is definitely not one of my favorite books in this series. This being the sixth book, I honestly felt like it was a filler story. There was very little personal action taking place to move the story forward, but at the same time the action wasn't directly related to the characters' actions. This time the trouble came looking for them & they did something about it. It was engineered action that felt kind of forced, although it allowed the reader to gain a deeper appreciation & understanding of Mercy's family history & why she is what she is.

The writing was definitely on par for what you expect in a Mercy novel (witty, pointed, & metered). There was a bit of disappointment, this being a honeymoon and all, that the romance was almost non-existent. It practically pulled a Breaking Dawn on the reader. Granted, there has been a lot of romance between these two characters in some novels (enough to make even a married woman blush) & that I did appreciate it being toned down. I guess it's just a balancing act.

Overall, as always, a fun, light read. P.S. The best part about these books are that they are stand alone novels. You don't necessary have to have read the others to understand what is going on in this one. All the background is provided. I highly recommend Bone Crossed. It remains my favorite of the series.

Nostalgic Friday: Charlotte's Web

Welcome back to Nostalgic Friday! Since I love all things historical (culturally, physically, and personally) I do a post on Fridays honoring some awesome book that is a bit older. Many of them are books I enjoyed in my teens and others are books that I discovered as an adult that I think are relevant to YA readers.

And we're back! It's becoming harder & harder to find books for me to talk about on this feature because they are becoming harder to locate. I don't remember everything I have ever read, so I'm starting to run out. If you would like to contribute a "Nostalgic Friday" post, just email me at tattooedbooks AT gmail DOT com. I would be more than happy to feature a guest post. On to this week's book.

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White has got to be one of the most iconic chapter books from my childhood. This 1952 story is rich with humor, positive character traits, & a unique story. I remember reading this book out loud to my grandmother when it was her nap time. You read that right, my grandmother would take afternoon naps & I'd read her a nap time story like she read me a bed time story. I never made it more than a few pages before I fell asleep too, so I'm not sure how much she ever really heard of the story. :)

Fern is a born & raised farm girl. She holds no false pretenses about where her meat or eggs come from, but when she finds out that her father intends to kill the runt of the new pig litter, she feels compelled to act. After promising to take care of the little piglet, she names him Wilbur & places him in the barn with some of the other farm animals.

This is where to story diverges from the normal human path & the animals take over. Wilbur isn't the brightest piglet in the world, getting into some trouble with some of the other barnyard animals, but he does find a friend in a verbose spider. Charlotte manages to capture everyone's attention with her message of "Some Pig" adding a mysterious quality to Wilbur. The little pig grows up & is eventually featured at the local state fair, but he learns a hard lesson as Charlotte informs him that she will one day leave him.

As a child I read this story & just thought that it was a really cute talking animal story. I didn't really put it together that I was learning things about friendships, humanity, & the ability of everyone to overcome obstacles. No matter what was put in this little pig's way, he managed to overcome it all & come out on top. It may not have been easy & he may have needed some help, but he never gave up & that's all that mattered.

I love watching children discover this story for the first time because they really get into it. The language, the action & the relationships draw the kids in & they seem to get lost in this magical world. I especially love hearing parents explain Charlotte's language. Not many people use some of her words anymore & I think it makes it all the more special to see them in a children's book.

Mercy Thompson Series Mini-Reviews Part II

So I'm back with next next two installments in the Mercy Thompson Series Mini-Reviews. If you missed the first part from Tuesday, just click here to catch up.

In this post you will find a very brief synopsis with my thoughts on the fourth & fifth books in this series. Naturally as we moved from one book to the next, there are spoilers, so be aware if you don't want to ruin the series for yourself, steer clear now.

Bone Crossed
You would think after barely surviving the attacks of a demon-possessed vampire that Mercy would decide to take it easy for a while. Although she plans to do just that, by spending more quality time with the ever-tempting werewolf Alpha Adam, some people have other plans for her. Marsilia, the Vampire Queen of the local coven, wants a nice coyote hide to replace her coven member. Since Mercy seems inaccessible to her, she'll go for the next best thing & poke at Mercy's weak points: those closest to Mercy. Can Mercy protect everyone? Who will make the ultimate sacrifice to save another?

This book was intense from the get-go. There is almost no room to breath because there is so much going on with the vampires hunting Mercy, her strained relationship with her new roommate/old boyfriend Samuel, & the tenuous relationship with Adam. Magic is flying all over the place & it was difficult to just enjoy the story. Reading it twice allowed me to get just the facts & then go back & re-read for more of the minutia. A wonderful book, despite my reading hardships. Side note: of all of them, this one is my favorite cover.

Silver Borne
Vampires, fae & demons are nothing compared the an uncontrolled wolf. Mercy was raised by Bran the Marrok (the Alpha to end all Alphas of the werewolves) & grew up in a pack. This affords her a deeper understanding of not only the people, but of their wolves too. When it becomes painfully obvious that Samuel, Mercy's old flame & the son of Bran, is losing the battle with his wolf, she knows she has to do something to protect him from being declared a danger & forfeiting his life. Unfortunately since she still seems to be holding an extremely powerful fae relic, they aren't making her duty as Samuel's friend any easier. Things have been worse, but they'll also been a lot better & time is a wolf's worst enemy.

Silver Borne really delves deeper into the history & magic of the werewolves. We learn a lot about their livelihood, their culture & what dangers they bring versus those they subdue. Our knowledge of Mercy is also greatly expanded because we meet her father-figure & hear tales of her wild teenage years. While I think the Fae's involvement in this book was extraneous & really should have been trimmed down, I think it was a great read. Not to mention the romance has steadily increased to the point of explosion! Such a fun book!

Check back for my thoughts on the latest Mercy Thompson novel River Marked on Monday at 10 AM!

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

I have discovered a lovely new paranormal/urban fantasy book series to devour! The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning has a lot in common with some of my other favorite leading ladies, Mercy Thompson & Faythe Sanders, because she herself is not technically human & she fights things (completely against her will) that definitely aren't human. Yet she is totally rocking! And while, just like the Shifters series, it is technically considered a "romance" book, so far there is more action & adventure than sheet-romping. Without further adieu, I give you Darkfever.

MacKayla Lane has a very easy going life. Pool lounging & occasional classes by day & bar tending at night have afforded her that luxury. While living at home still, she does have greater aspirations for her life. They may not be as high as those of her currently-studying-in-Ireland sister Alina, but Mac can hold her own. Her sun kissed world is shattered though when the Irish police call to inform Mac & her currently-on-an-extended-vacation parents that Alina has been murdered.

At first Mac, like any caring soul, is blinded by grief, though that doesn't last long. When she finally receives a perplexing & mysterious voicemail from her sister the day she died. This settles Mac's mind to travel to Ireland & help the police hunt down Alina's killer. Fortunately while living at home she has been able to save up quite a little nest egg & will make it on her own. Despite the police labeling this a "no leads" case (meaning they have no evidence, witness, or even a suspect), Mac is determined to see justice brought forth on Alina's behalf. At first Mac spends a lot of time orienting herself, analyzing just how far her money will get her & what she needs to do to accomplish her goal; but weird things keep happening to her. She seems to suffer from double-visions as well as having a knack for getting in trouble with little old Irish ladies. They keep telling her not to give herself away & to have some survival instincts.

It's not until she meets Jericho Barrons that she realizes just what she is supposed to be surviving. Barrons reluctantly ushers her into a world of fae, magic, & danger. A long-standing member of this society, Barrons really just wants to use Mac to further his own pursuits & thwart those who in competition with him. When Mac finally relinquishes her death grip on everything she has held to be true. There really are things that go bump in the night... and she has to fight with them to get the justice that Alina deserves.

This was a captivating read! I was sold from the very beginning, not just for the characters, but for the writing as well. Karen Moning has a way with words that really allows the reader to develop their own sense of place & purpose. She does not spell every little thing out for you, but she'll give you just enough to allow you to formulate your own understanding. That being said, Mac & Barrons are such demanding characters! Their interactions are much along the same lines of some other great "partnerships" I could list (Booth & Bones, Mulder & Scully, etc) & really display their personalities in an amusing light.

The story itself was equal parts fascinating & frightening. There was enough gaiety to help counterbalance the fae doom & gloom. Rest assured that these are NOT your average fae. They are meaner than many that I have encountered in books recently & that probably has to do with the fact that the cute, helpful fae are few & far between. The "worst" part is that there is a sexual element to these fae that I haven't really seen addressed even in the adult realm. Think about what happens when you ask a fae for a favor & the consequences that brings & you're along the same lines. Maybe I just haven't read enough. Also, the descriptions of these creatures sent shivers down my spine & really made me feel the same things as the main character. If that's not a resounding endorsement for quality writing, then I don't know what to tell you.

If this is your thing, then add the Fever series to your TBR pile. Happy reading!