Review: Furious by Jill Wolfson

Furious

Author: Jill Wolfson

Publication Date: April 16th 2013

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. BYR

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Mythology

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Synopsis:

Three high school girls become the avenging Furies of Greek legend.

We were only three angry girls, to begin with. Alix, the hot-tempered surfer chick; Stephanie, the tree-hugging activist; and me, Meg, the quiet foster kid, the one who never quite fit in. We hardly knew each other, but each of us nurtured a burning anger: at the jerks in our class, at our disappointing parents, at the whole flawed, unjust world.

We were only three angry girls, simmering uselessly in our ocean-side California town, until one day a mysterious, beautiful classmate named Ambrosia taught us what else we could be: Powerful. Deadly. Furious.

My Thoughts: Like many others, I'm in love with mythology and anything that has to do with it. I try to read as many books with mythological roots as possible. So when I was glancing through the upcoming releases for spring and spotted this one, I knew it would have to be read. I'm glad I read it because it's a pretty great read.

Meg is the protagonist. She has a pretty bad life. She a foster kid who's been in the system her whole life. Her mom just abandoned her as a baby. The foster care she is in currently is terrible, the lady treats her like dirt. The cat is treated much better than her. I felt so bad for her and found it really easy to connect with her because for years I was that quiet foster kid, I had next to no friends and just tried to blend in. My mom however didn't give me up, she was just having a rough time so we were shipped away while she got help. So in that way I can't connect. Having a daughter myself now though, I can't even imagine not wanting her. So I feel bad that Meg's mom didn't want her. So she harbours a lot of anger toward her mom for that. She hates her foster parent and the mean kids at school.

Fast-forward a bit and Meg meets Ambrosia, a beautiful girl in her class who takes a strange interest in her and the other two outcasts, Alix and Stephanie. Suddenly they become the Furies, with amazing powers to bring justice to those who deserve it. But with power there is responsibility and teen-aged girls might not be the best choice for this kind of responsibility. Hormonal and irrational when it comes to certain things, the girls quickly become power hungry as they're nudged to do more by Ambrosia. Can they keep control of their burning desire for revenge and justice. Sometimes and eye for an eye isn't the best route.

I haven't read too much on the Furies, so I learned quite a bit of their story from Furious. All of the information, the important highlights anyways, are in there. So you don't really need to know a whole lot about them to be able to follow along easily. You probably don't even need to know anything.

I really enjoyed Jill Wolfson's writing style. It was fairly fast paced and informative at the same time. I was never really bored. There were moments when my jaw almost hit the ground (halloween party) and others where I just wanted to yell at the girls not to trust Ambrosia. So I got completely caught up in the story you could say. Definitely one you should check out, especially if you like mythology!

Double Review: Croak & Scorch by Gina Damico

Croak
(Croak #1)

Author: Gina Damico

Publication Date: March 1st 2012

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Genre: Paranormal / Urban Fantasy

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Synopsis:

Fed up with her wild behavior, sixteen-year-old Lex's parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape.

But Uncle Mort's true occupation is much dirtier than shoveling manure. He's a Grim Reaper. And he's going to teach Lex the family business.

She quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. But Lex can't stop her desire for justice - or is it vengeance? - whenever she encounters a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again.

Will she ditch Croak and go rogue with her reaper skills?

My Thoughts: Ahhh, why didn't I read this sooner? <3 <3 <3!! It was so awesome! I couldn't put it down.  I'm so glad I had a copy of Scorch on hand because I almost started it immediately after finishing this. I don't even know what to say about this one, it was just too good! Definitely one of my favourite books of the year! Thank you so much Gina! You are amazing and made it so I was completely unable to put this down! It was just so different from any other book I've read, very unique and funny! so many times I was laughing out loud.

So we have Lex, a 16 year old who has a problem with everyone and everything. She uses her fists to slove her problems and it really doesn't really know why she is so violent, she hasn't always been this way. She just knows she can't help it. So she is shipped off to her uncles and becomes a teenaged Grim. She actually really enjoys it and it does wonders for her temper. Finally she has friends and seems to fit in.

Next there is Driggs, the sexy boy living with her uncle, the boy whom she immediately hates and punches in the eye the first night. He hits back of course, and they start down their rocky slope towards love. Driggs is quite the guy, he has two differently coloured eyes and is apparently extremely hot. He is hard not to like and I was just waiting for them to get together the whole time.

Needless to say, I thouroughly enjoyed Croak. It's my first book about Grim Reapers and I couldn't be any happier with it. I did guess the "bad" gut pretty early on though. I'm not at all disappointed by that though. I'm hoping for great things in Scorch, I've enjoyed what I've read so far. If you are at all interested in a laugh out loud, original, unique coming of age story, read this one! Please don't wait forever like me, you are missing out big time! Just make sure you have the next book on hand, you're going to need it. Also, the ending is very sad, I was in tears for much of it. Clearly an amazing and emotional, can't be put down book that you HAVE to read!

Scorch
(Croak #2)

Author: Gina Damico

Publication Date: September 25th 2012

Publisher: Graphia

Genre: Paranormal / Urban Fantasy

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Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby is a teenage grim reaper with the bizarre ability to damn souls. That makes her pretty scary, even to fellow Grims. But after inadvertently transferring her ability to Zara, a murderous outlaw, Lex is a pariah in Croak, the little town she calls home.

To escape the townspeople’s wrath, she and her friends embark on a wild road trip to DeMyse. Though this sparkling desert oasis is full of luxuries and amusements, it feels like a prison to Lex. Her best chance at escape would be to stop Zara once and for all—but how can she do that from DeMyse, where the Grims seem mysteriously oblivious to Zara’s killing spree?

My Thoughts: Another awesome book by Gina Damico. I have to say that I'm still very surprised at how much I enjoyed these because at first, from the synopsis I was a little wary, BUT I'd heard so many great things about them. So when I was sent this one by the publisher, I knew I had to at least try it. I don't regret it at all! Actually, I regret not reading them sooner because they are so awesome! I once again had the hardest time putting this one down! You guys should really read them if you haven't.

So Scorch basically picks up where Croak leaves off (which was a very sad ending!) and we are dropped back into Lex's life as a teenage grim reaper. She and all of the other junior grims, for that matter, are being shunned by the senior grim community (well, most of them). The seniors want to ban them and blame them for helping Zara, even saying that they still are helping her. Basically there is a huge uprising and the juniors are forced to flee Croak, with the exception of Sophie, and head to DeMyse, another grim city that is a lot like Vegas. All the while, they are still trying to figure out a way to stop Zara and get a hold of the The Wrong Book before her.

 I loved Lex and the juniors even more in this book, they are pretty amusing characters. There are a lot of laughs in these books, which is weird since they are about people who Kill and Cull for a living. But, it's really good because I love a book that makes me laugh out loud, as this one did, multiple times! At the same time, the ending once again was super sad! I was in tears for parts of it. Books that pull at my emotions are always good for me because I have a horrible tendency to hold things in. This way I get a bit of an emotional release (sometimes I even seek out books that are supposed to be sad just for that reason).

So once again, this is just as well written, funny, emotional, page turning and awesome as Croak. I will definitely not be waiting as long to read the next book, Rogue. Especially after the ending of this one where there were a lot of things that happened that left me with my mouth gaping. These were thoroughly enjoyed by me and you should really read them!

St. Vladimir's Summer School: Remedial Classes

Jen at Jen Ryland/YA Romantics and Steph at The Fake Steph Dot Com  started the St. Vladimir's Summer School. So I figured I would tag along and read some Vampire Academy since I still hadn't read it!! Lauren at The Headless Owl has also joined us!

So last week I didn't finish Last Sacrifice for the Summer School. So I spent the last few days reading every spare moment I got and finally finished it, only a week late..

Last Sacrifice
(Vampire Academy #6)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publication Date: December 7th 2010

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal

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Synopsis:

They come first. My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.

The dead could finally have me.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back...and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?

My Thoughts: I honestly can't believe that it took me so long to read this book. It wasn't because I didn't like it, I LOVED it! But I've just been so busy lately, so I never got a chance to finish it. So I'm slightly sad because the series is done, but there it always the Bloodlines series for me to read! Luckily, there are six books planned for that series as well.

Ok, so Last Sacrifice takes up where Spirit Bound left off, with Rose in jail. So much happens in this book. Rose's friends stage a jail break because they are running out of time to find Tatiana's killer (OMG, I couldn't believe who it was!!!) So they send Rose off to hide with Dimitri and Sydney, in a small town in the middle of no where. Of course, Rose isn't content to sit around waiting, she has her own agenda. So off she goes to find Lissa's illegitimate sibling to give Lissa a chance to vote in the council. Of course to give themselves more time, they have Lissa run for the throne, she can't win anyways. There are some very unlikely allies, heartbreak (<3 Adrian), sex and constant motion. Things are happening fast in this book, they can't go slowly because they are running out of time.

Rose changed so much in this book, at least I thought she did. She had a lot of realizations and made so many sacrifices. She does do something that made me sad, cheating on Adrian, but I guess that leaves him open for the Bloodlines series, so we'll get to read more about him  <3. Although his hurt made me very sad. Lissa is another character that grew a lot, growing into her royal role. I will admit that I teared up a few times while reading, I got so emotionally involved with the character's lives.  The character's are just so easy to fall in love with and want more from them. It's one of the reasons I'm sadabout this series ending, since there are some characters that likely won't continue on.

 Once again, Richelle Mead had me wanting to read non stop, even if I couldn't. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about it, even dreaming about it. Oh how I wish I'd had an Adrian induced spirit dream!! I read all of these in e-format, but I'm definitely going to be purchasing these for my collection, it's become a favorite for me. This is a series you don't want to miss out on. I can't wait to dive into Bloodlines! So if you haven't read Vampire Academy yet, do it, you won't be sorry!

Review: Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Girl of Nightmares
(Anna #2)

Author: Kendare Blake

Publication Date: August 7th, 2012

Publisher: Tor Teen

Genre: Paranormal / Urban Fantasy

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Synopsis:

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on. His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with. Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears. Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

My Thoughts: Another amazing novel by Kendare Blake! This is the end of Anna's story, with an ending that I LOVED!! Just so you all know! I really enjoyed Anna Dressed in Blood and was expecting to like Girl of Nightmares just as much. Nope, I loved it so much more.

Cas suffers so much in Girl of Nightmares. Anna sacrificed herself for him and is in Hell being tortured by the Obeahman. Cas keeps seeing her, she is being tortured in so many different ways and he can see it. All he wants to do is help Anna, but everyone is telling him to leave it alone, she's where she's supposed to be. How can she be though? She has suffered enough and he knows it. So Cas searches for a way into Anna's Hell to rescue her. Everyone says it's impossible, but he knows there has to be a way.

Cas clearly loves Anna so much that he is willing to literally go to Hell for her. It makes me like him so much as a character. He would do anything it seems for her. Thomas and Caramel are there helping him along, although Caramel seems to be wavering and ready to leave their crazy lives. A new character is introduced in this one, Jestine, the girl who has been trained to take over Cas' job within the Order. They don't like how Cas goes about killing the ghosts, and selecting who he kills. They think he should just kill them all, even the harmless ones. Regardless, I liked Jestine's character and she definitely helped out more than once!

I feel that Girl of Nightmares had the perfect ending for the series. The pacing was good and the writing was just amazing! A lot of the questions I had while reading were answered, so I wasn't left feeling too sad, only sad in the fact that it was over and there was no more. It was a bit gruesome, but I at least was expecting it this time, unlike when I started Anna. The closure was great, it really was the perfect ending. I know, I'm gushing a bit. I will for sure be watching out for more by Kendare Blake. I hope she comes up with more amazing stories to share with us. This series is definitely one that I will be recommending to whoever will listen. If you haven't read this one yet, you need to.

 Thank you Macmillan and Raincoast Books for the review copy!

Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight
(The Iron Fey #4)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publication Date: October 26th, 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Urban Fantasy

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Synopsis:

"My name--my True Name--is Ashallayn' darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl..."

To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase--a half human, half fey slip of a girl--smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end--a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan's side.

To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

My Thoughts: Love, love, love, LOVE!!!!!!! Hey, did I say yet how much I freaking LOVED The Iron Knight. Excuse me while I gush some more.. I love Julie Kagawa and her amazing imagination. I love Ash! I love Grimalkin! I even love Puck, just not as much as Ash! *squeeee* Ok. I'll stop now.

I seriously cannot believe that I waited so long to read this book after finishing The Iron Queen. I'm just going to blame my total inability to actually read synopsis' before the book. Seriously, had I known this was in Ash's point of view?! I probably would have read it long ago!

So as I said, The Iron Knight is from Ash's point of view and I seriously love him as a protagonist! He made a vow to Meghan that he was going to find a way to be with her. Who better to ask for help finding a way than every one's favorite cat, Grimalkin, of course tracking him down isn't easy, even with Puck's "help". Ash has to give up his immortality and gain a soul to become mortal so that he can enter the Iron Kingdom. For that, he has to travel to the End of the World. With some unexpected allies (and one annoying friend) Ash heads out to make the ultimate sacrifice.

I can't help but love Ash. I'm 200% Team Ash and this book only made me love him more. How can I not love him? He is going to make the ultimate sacrifice to be with Meghan! He's going to travel to the End of the World to give up his immortality for love! He'll age while Meghan is immortal. That is a huge sacrifice for a faery. I have so much respect for him as a character! Plus he is totally swoon worthy. He should just come be with me as he is!

Once again, Julie Kagawa had me completely immersed in the world of Faery. Her imagination knows no bounds! I absolutely love her writing style. The saddest thing about this book? That it ended. I need more! I can't wait to get my hands on Iron's Prophecy and The Lost Prince. I'm so happy that these books are a part of my collection and that I've been able to share them with others. They are absolutely amazing and Julie is definitely in my top 10 authors! If you've yet to check her writing out, you have to! If Faeries are not your thing, then try The Immortal Rules, it's equally amazing! I strongly recommend The Iron Fey series though! You won't regret it! (I'm so going to get a grey cat to name Grimalkin).

St. Vladimir's Summer School: Spirit Bound

Ashelynn at Gypsy Book Reviews, Jen at Jen Ryland/YA Romantics and Steph at The Fake Steph Dot Com  started the St. Vladimir's Summer School. So I figured I would tag along and read some Vampire Academy since I still hadn't read it!! Lauren at The Headless Owl has also joined us!

 So i'm a little late getting my post up today, I know it's not really an excuse, but I have been working nights (which is when I normally do the majority of my reading and post writing!) and getting up at 7am after about 5 hours of sleepwith my daughter, who won't let me on the computer at all anymore when she's awake. So now that she's napping, I can get my post written up since I DID actually finish Spirit Bound! Amazingly, since I only started it Monday night.

Spirit Bound
(Vampire Academy #5)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publication Date: May 18th 2010

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal

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Synopsis:

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

My Thoughts: Alright, I can't wait to see how this series ends. I can't believe there is only one more book! It's somewhat saddening! I absolutely loved Spirit Bound! (Of course) and can't believe some of the things that happened in it! There was just  so much going on!

So Rose had returned to school and finally graduates, with the best marks in her class. Then it's off to the Royal Court where the new graduates will learn who they will be guarding in the future. Not that we ever get to the point of knowing who Rose will be guarding because once again, she takes off. This time she takes Lissa and Eddie with her and they break into a prison, the one that Victor is being held in, to bust him out. Then they head to Los Vegas to meet Victor's brother, another spirit user, to find out if there really is a way to return a Strigoi's soul to them. Of course there is, but it will require Lissa to charm a silver stake and then staking the Strigoi herself. No way Rose is going  to be letting that happen! Of course, true to his threats, Dimitri shows up in Vegas, during the day no less, and tries to kill Rose. They get away and head back to the Royal Court and safety, although Rose is put on probation for running off again. Lissa goes to check out her new university and she and Christian and the rest of their group are ambushed by Dimitri and his Strigoi. Dimitri keeps Lissa and Christian alive to use as bait for Rose. It works and the Royal Court is sending a rescue team. Rose knows she has to kill Dimitri now, there is no choice. She is either going to lose Lissa or Dimitri, and she would rather it be him.

Rose is such a complex character sometimes, it can be overwhelming. I can only imagine how she feels about it sometimes. If something can go wrong for her, it generally does.It doesn't help that she's being hunted down by one of the deadliest Strigoi out there. Things have at least been slightly patched up with Lissa and they are back to being friends, even if Rose is no longer going to be her guardian. There is something that happens with Dimitri, that was totally expected, but I'm still rooting for Team Adrian, although,  if Rose doesn't want him, I will be happy to fight Steph for him.

There was so much that went on during this book.  Always some kind of adventure of life changing event going on at court. Moroi history has been changed, new laws are being passed, and important people are being assassinated with others being accused of murder, when we know it wasn't them as the reader. Apparently  there is never a dull moment in Rose's life and I'm completely anxious to find out how this story is  going to wrap up. This is a series that keeps you  hanging on and the cliffhanger in this one was just... ugh! I  have to read Last Sacrifice. This series is just amazing and everyone has to read it. I keep asking people if they've read it and gotten someone else from work to start it.. I definitely recommend!!

St. Vladimir's Summer School: Blood Promise

Ashelynn at Gypsy Book Reviews, Jen at Jen Ryland/YA Romantics and Steph at The Fake Steph Dot Com  started the St. Vladimir's Summer School. So I figured I would tag along and read some Vampire Academy since I still hadn't read it!! Lauren at The Headless Owl has also joined us this week!

Blood Promise
(Vampire Academy #4)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publication Date: August 25th 2009

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal

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Synopsis:

Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?

My Thoughts: Ok, I'm not really sure where to start with this one. This series is just so amazing, I still can't believe I've never read it before. I loved Blood Promise almost as much as Shadow Kiss, but not quite! There was a lot that happened and it was fairly fast paced, always a good thing. I can say that once again it was extremely hard not to pick up the next book immediately after finishing it. Richelle Mead is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors, I just love her writing style and characters so much!

It pretty much started off where Shadow Kiss leaves off.  Rose leaves school to go in search of Strigoi Dimitri. She hears that he went back to Russia and so she goes there and starts looking. She leaves lots of other dead Strigoi behind her, but there is no sign of Dimitri.  Eventually she meets Sydney, an Alchemists, who isn't very happy about Rose's trail of bodies since she's the one who's been cleaning them all up. Sydney takes Rose to Dimitri's hometown and Rose meets Dimitri's family and feels right at home with them. She delivers the bad news and they have a funeral for Dimitri. Eventually, Rose continues on looking for Dimitri, and finds him! But can she really kill him?

Rose grows even more in this book. She realizes more about her relationship with Lissa and Dimitri. She realizes that her mom  isn't so different from her after all and that sometimes duty does have to come first. She loses the man she loves, nearly loses her best friend, she almost even loses her life. I like her character a lot more than I did when I started out the series, she just matures so much with each new book. I'm still holding out for her and Adrian, but after the ending of Blood Promise I'm not to sure what's going to happen with them anymore. Dimitri is absolutely psychotic in this one, of course, he is a Strigoi so it  is expected.

Blood Promise is an amazing read. You really should read the series if you haven't. As I said, Richelle Mead is a wonderful author and she has created this cast of characters that I can't get enough of. Luckily, there is another series based in the same universe, so I'm looking forward to reading that one as well. Seriously, read. It. Now! You won't be sorry you did! I'm off to read the next book now!

St. Vladimir's Summer School

Ashelynn at Gypsy Book Reviews, Jen at Jen Ryland/YA Romantics and Steph at The Fake Steph Dot Com  started the St. Vladimir's Summer School. So I figured I would tag along and read some Vampire Academy since I still hadn't read it!!

Shadow Kiss
(Vampire Academy #3)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publication Date: November 13th 2008

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal

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Synopsis:

Is Rose’s fate to kill the person she loves most? It’s springtime at St. Vladimir’s Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason’s death, Rose hasn’t been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can’t concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret . . . .She’s in love with Dimitri. And this time, it’s way more than a crush. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever…

My Thoughts: This week we read Shadow Kiss the third book in the series and oh my gosh!! It was so good! I could barely put it down! I wanted to pick up the next book immediately after finishing it but I have a couple more books I need to read in the meantime, so it will have to wait until the weekend probably. I don't even know where to really start with this book because it surpassed the awesomeness of the last two books. There was so much that happened, so many feelings I went through while reading it. I have no idea why I didn't read these books sooner, Richelle Mead just has a way of making her books impossible to put down. I completely immersed myself in the world she created and lost track of time whenever I was reading.

So if you're like me, and are a super slacker when it comes to reading series that everyone recommends to you, you might be wondering what was so great about this book. What makes it stand out so much more than the previous two. Well, for one, Rose has changed... a lot. She is no longer as irresponsible as she was in the previous books. She finally realizes that she needs to take her training seriously and that she's not invincible. She also feels a lot of guilt for what happened over the holidays. She did all she could, but it wasn't enough to save her friend. And to top it all off, she's now seeing ghosts and thinks she's going crazy. Basically, Rose grew a lot as a character and fell into the role of a guardian. Of course, she still wants Dimitri, even if it could get in the way of her job. She is completely in love with him. There is quite a bit of action in this book, and some romance. The plot moves quickly and there is never a boring part, at least for me.

I think I'm team Adrian. I  guess the idea of Rose and Dimitri being together kind of creeps me out. He is her mentor after all.. So he should really know better. You can't really help who you love I guess (even if sometimes you which you could). But I'm holding out hope for Adrian! He's crazy about Rose, he just hides it behind sarcasm and wit.

I don't know if you've figured it out yet or not, but YES! I definitely recommend this book! I recommend the whole series so far! It's just too good to not read. If you even like paranormal books in the slightest. Read this now!

St. Vladimir's Summer School

Last week, Jen at Jen Ryland/YA Romantics, Steph at The Fake Steph Dot Com and Ashelynn at Gypsy Book Reviews started the St. Vladimir's Summer School. So I figured I would tag along and read some Vampire Academy since I still hadn't read it!! So in playing catch up, I read both Vampire Academy and Frosbite this week (I should really say in the last two days, but yeah). But the important thing is that I finished them! Not only did I finish them, but now I'm sitting here wondering why I didn't read them sooner (Although, I'm not entirely sure that this was my first time reading Vampire Academy because I was experiencing some major deja vu while reading it). Anyhow, this week I'm going to give you two mini reviews (maybe mini), one for each book. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the books now!

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Vampire Academy
(Vampire Academy #1)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publication Date: August 16th 2007

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal

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Synopsis:

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

My Thoughts: Ok, so like I mentioned above, I had some MAJOR deja vu going on while reading this book and I have no idea why. I'm pretty sure that I haven't read it before (darn mommy brain) but I'm not 100% sure. Regardless, I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm not sure why I didn't read it earlier. It might possibly have been because it had vampires in it. After the huge vampire craze a few years ago, I'm still hesitant to try a vampire book in the fear that it might not be on par with the ones I've read. That someone might have taken advantage of the craze and pushed out some sub par  book. But now that I've started this series, I can see why everyone is obsessed. 

So basically, we have pretty much what I like in a book like this. There is a strong, kick butt female lead, even if she makes a few bad choices once in awhile, she's not perfect. She's got so much of a snarky attitude, and I love it! There is a steamy guy, Dimitri, who also happens to be "forbidden" in a way. He IS Rose's instructor after all. I like Lissa, she is a gentle and caring best friend. Then of course there's the bad guy who causes tons of trouble for the girls. 

The plot moves fairly quickly, although it did  take a little while to get the Moroi, Dhampir and Strigoi straight. Basically, the Moroi are "good" vampires who are still alive and need blood and food to survive, they can also use magic and are sensitive to the sun but can still go out. The Dhampir are their bodyguards, raised to protect the Moroi. And the Strigoi are "bad" vampires. They are the walking dead from our horror stories. The kill to survive and can't handle the sunlight, they are essentially evil. 

Once I caught on to the terms, it was easy to follow along and I got sucked into the story. It was extremely hard to put down and I needed to know what happened next. I love the relationship between Rose and Lissa, and hated it when they fought. I think I might be a sucker for boarding school books and the drama that comes with them. Regardless, this is an addictive series that you should read if you haven't. I'm only sad that I waited so long! 

Frostbite
(Vampire Academy #2)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publication Date: April 10th 2008

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal

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Synopsis:

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

My Thoughts: Alright, so I ended up liking this one even MORE than the first book. Seriously, why didn't I read these sooner?? I can't believe I have seen them around for so long and never read them. This one moved even faster than the first for me and I could barely put it down. I started it immediately after finishing Vampire Academy. Just opened it right up and started it.

There is a lot more bad stuff going on in Frostbite. The Strigoi have joined forces with humans, so while the daytime used to be safe, it's not any longer. The humans can break through the safety wards that are placed around buildings, so Dhampir and Moroi are being caught off guard and slaughtered. So to keep everyone safe, the school takes everyone on the annual trip to keep them all together. Safety in numbers right? So everyone is shipped off and all is happy. The biggest stress in Rose's life is her love life. She wants Dimitri so badly, yet can't have him. So she tries to distact herself with Mason, a fellow dhampir novice who is crazy about her. It works, sort of. The in walks Adrian, he's always there at the worst moment and has a way of making Rose and even Lissa look bad. There is just something about him that they can't stay away from. 

So there are a couple of new characters, and all of the old ones. Some bad descisions are made by all. There is a bit of tragedy and lots of drama. All in all, it makes for an addicting and fast paced read that was nearly impossible to put down. Another one that you have to read! Richelle Mead just has a way with words that catches the readers attention and refuses to let go!

I just want to thank Jen, Steph and Ashelynn for allowing me to read along with them. I'm glad I'm finally getting around to reading this amazing series!

Review: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Daughter
(The Iron Fey #3)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publication Date: January 25th, 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Urban Fantasy

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Synopsis:

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

My Thoughts: I have to say that out of all The Iron Fey series so far, this is by far my favorite. I also decided while reading this that I'm going to get a grey cat with a bottle brush tail and name him Grimalkin. Why? Because I freaking love that cat! But yes, so far, this is my favorite in the series. The story just seemed so much more involved. It was faster paced and there was more action. I don't know if I can really say that Julie Kagawa's writing got better in this one, since I think her writing  is amazing, but I guess that makes it super amazing in this book because I literally could not put this book down.

So what happens in this one? Well, it starts off right where The Iron Daughter left off. So with Meghan and Ash being exiled. So they decide to go visit Meghan's family, only to find some iron fey waiting for them. So Meghan decides that they can't take that kind of danger to her family, so they decide to go see if good old Lea will help them (the Queen of the Exiles). She does, of course and them who comes begging for help but BOTH the Summer and Winter courts. And they come offering an end to their banishments from the Nevernever. All Meghan has to do is defeat the false king. Should be easy peasy for her considering she already took care of one Iron King. Easier said than done right? So off goes Meghan, Ash, Puck and Grimalkin (of course) into the Iron Kingdom on a task that is suicidal. Can they do it? Gaining the freedom to go back into the Nevernever, we shall see.

I felt as though Meghan stepped up a lot in The Iron Queen. She seems to have grown up a lot and isn't a whiney teenager so much anymore. She still not perfect, but she tries to do the right thing. Things are going pretty awesomely with Ash for her. She has her real dad back (even if he's slightly deranged), and much to her displeasure, Puck managed to get himself banished with her and she still hasn't forgiven him (that might be a bit childish but hey, he lied to her for 11 years!) And of course, she has her favorite, sarcastic cat following her around for entertainment (oh how I love him!).

So as I said, The Iron Queen is thus far my favorite book it the series and I can see why it is so hyped. I'm definitely looking forward to reading The Iron Knight and the series is quickly becoming a favorite for me. So yes, if you like fantasy and have not read this series. DO IT NOW!! It is seriously amazing. The writing is wonderful and it's easy to get lost in the pages. The story is fun and original. And Ash is a freaking hottie and I'm still going to be routing for him! Seriously, go read it! I wish I had sooner!