Review: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood & Starlight

Author: Laini Taylor

Publication Date: November 6th, 2012

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal/Romance

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Synopsis:

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it. In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life. While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope. But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

My Thoughts: Finally I'm here being able to talk about book #2 in this phenomenal series! When I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone a while ago, I was completely enraptured. I was head over heels in love with the story, with Karou, with Akiva, with Brimstone, with the worlds within the story, just all of it. Everything about these books is incredible and so beautifully written. Taylor paints for us in these books this dark but amazing world that exists all around us oblivious humans. And she has me wishing it was real because it's all so mesmerizing.

We get to pick up pretty much right where we were left off, and thank goodness for that because I am just not willing to miss out on a single detail of this story. Karou has found her way back to where she came from and is facing her past and all it's demons (literal and figurative). She wants to right the wrongs she's done to her people, but somehow what she's doing still feels wrong. How far is she willing to go to make amends. How much of herself is she willing to give or lose to pay for what she's done. Or at least what she feels she has done. Because Karou places all the blame on herself for the fate of her people when really she is not completely to blame. The worst she did was fall in love, and dream of a better world. But who ever said love was easy?

Love, for Karou and  Akiva is anything but. I guess you could make that assumption for yourself when  you factor in that she is a demon and he is an angel.  Try to imagine what kind of twisted love story could be thought up for them. Then times the heart break, the romance, the pain, the tears, the destruction, and love by 100. Laini Taylor has written an epic love story that will break your heart ruthlessly over and over. That doesn't really change any in this book. We get to learn even more about Karou's past, her first life. We get to see what where she came from was like, and what is has turned into since she left. And we also get to learn a lot more about Akiva and his background, his story, his reasons for his actions. And the fight he is willing to put out, because he also feels he has done grievous wrongs and needs to write them.

So essentially, this book is about Akiva and Karou attempting to fix all the wrongs they believe they've done. While they're two groups are at open war. Akiva is still trying to find a way back to Karou, which is obviously not the easiest task when their people are killing each other and they are both involved in it. I love Karou and Akiva so very much. They are amazingly well developed characters. They both have an endurance and ability to feel that just blows me away. They can be so strong and fierce when it's needed. But then they can be so soft and understanding as well. They both have massive hearts and big dreams. But they can't get past their own wrong deeds or even each other's wrong doings enough to see each other clearly.

I spent the majority of the book just willing them together. Turning pages and biting my nails and hoping and hoping. Hoping right along with both of them for a better world. For the war to end. For life to stop ending. This has to be one of my favorite love stories. It has unreal depth and story encapsulated within it. It's about so much more than their love for each other, but for their own people, for a different life, for a happier ending.  And all the while death and destruction surround them and they are just trying to find their places and I'm waiting for them to find each other...again.

I cursed when this book was done because I was just not ready for it to be done. When the book has me so caught in it's grasp like that I am never ready to let it go. I'm gripping it just as hard as it's gripping me, and we're both saying "Don't let go! Don't stop!". Waiting for 2014 for the next book in the series is going to be so hard. I need to see this story continue! This is another one you gotta put on your to read list. And don't wait, don't push it on the back burner, you'll be sorry you did! There is no excuse for missing out on a story like this one. The originality will knock you off your feet, I promise you. Read it! Now! :)

Teaser Tuesday (52)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by  MizB at Should Be Reading

To Participate you:

-Grab your current read

-Open to a random page

-Share two 'teaser' sentences from somewhere on that page

-BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS

This week's teaser comes from:

Days of Blood & Starlight

Author: Laini Taylor

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Teaser:

Liraz took the flower, looked at it, and then at Hazael, expressionless. And then she ate it. She chewed the flower and swallowed it. "Hmm," Said Hazael. "Not the usual response."

My Thoughts: I loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone immensely. So it's no surprise that only a short way into this book I am completely in love :D. I just love this series and Taylor's writing style, pure awesome!

Review: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke & Bone
Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1

Author: Laini Taylor

Publication Date: September 27, 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Genre: Fantasy

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Synopsis:

Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. 

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low. 

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. 

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. 

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts:  A LOT of people love this book, most people it seems (including Jenn and Meghan check theirs out!).  So, I am not sure what happened with me.  Maybe going into the book my expectations were too high or I was expecting something entirely different.  In different places in the book, my reading stalled and I just couldn't get into it.  Something just jarred me out of the world and it took me awhile to get me back.

I really enjoyed the characters, all of them.  They had a lot of back story and were really developed.  I could feel for pretty much all of them.  It made me sad when anything bad happened to any of the characters in this book which really speaks for the author.  Her characters were well fleshed-out and pretty awesome.

The plot was a little too up in the air for this to be a book that I couldn't put down.  Most of the time (not all) I could just put it aside at the end of a chapter with no immediate need to find out what would happen next.  That doesn't mean this isn't a great book, just one that didn't create a sense of urgency about the plot and where it was going.

Karou I liked especially.  She was flawed in ways that were obvious to the reader which was a welcomed reprieve from the goody-innocentness (a word?  I think not lol) of the MC that I have been reading a lot recently.

I loved when the main characters first met and the fight scene ensued.  I felt it had real chemistry and could go somewhere.  After that, I felt a little let down.  It was pretty much an instantaneous love and it confused me a lot.  So, I gave it the benefit of the doubt and continued on thinking that it had something to do with Karou's mysterious past.  When I found out the truth behind it, I have to admit I was just as disappointed.  These two seem to just fall in love out of the blue with each other and it kind of irked me a little.

I did enjoy reading about the past, but I think I would have liked it more if it were slowly leaked to me.  The dedicated chapters of past just tore me out of the present and I found it jarring.

I liked the world that Taylor created.  It was interesting to learn about and read about it.  The chimera in particular were wonderful and I loved creating their likenesses in my head. If I were any sort of artist I probably would have scratched a couple down - especially Brimstone.

In short, it took me a long time to make it to this book - it seemed like I just kept putting it off.  I am still glad I finally picked it up and will probably read the next one.

Owl Recommend (18)

Owl Recommend is a feature at Owl Read It where we try to help you find your next great read :)

I love both of these books in large amounts. While they might not be a whole lot alike, they do carry the same kind of light vs dark atmosphere with amazingly well developed characters and a plot line that will leave you reeling. If you are into paranormal, I'm pretty positive you will love both of these :).

Review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight

Author: Laini Taylor

Publication Date: November 6th, 2012

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

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Synopsis:

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she’ll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

My Thoughts: Once again, I am freaking loving this series. Days of Blood and Starlight was absolutely amazing. How can someone come up with such an awesome idea and write it down in a way that keeps the reader craving more? Laini Taylor is absolutely wonderful at accomplishing this. I finished this book with a huge smile on my face because I love it so much. There were some things that happened in it that made me so happy, I can't even say how happy. Why do I love her writing so much? Because it has a way of sucking me in. I can't help but keep reading. As busy as I've been this month, I read this book every chance that I got until it was done. I just had to know what would happen next. And now, here I am, wishing for more, having to wait. It's so bittersweet. And the cover, so pretty!

Karou, Karou, Karou. You poor naive girl. Someone cuts off your head and yet you trust them because you are too naive. Yes, you're strong, but you can be really dumb when it comes to guys. You can't seem to figure out why Akiva did what he did. Well, he watched your people cut off your head, what do you expect? I still like you though, in the end you came back to the Karou I love.

Akiva, don't be a dumb boy. You are a glorious angel, one of the only that I like.You're better than you think, stop thinking that just because you find something with Karou's name on it that she's dead. You're being silly. You can't be all brawn and no brains. You want change? You know what to do.

These two characters drive me insane. They so clearly love each other, but are stubborn. Karou can't love Akiva for destroying her people out of grief, and Akiva won't stop moping because she could never love him again. Plus he is constantly walking around crying about her being dead (when she's not, he just assumes.) Even though they drive me insane, I still love them.

There was more Zuzana and Mik in this book as well as a new face Kiri, oh how I love him. He is an awesome character. He doesn't hate Karou, even though she is an "Angel-lover". He was a boy when she dies, and is the last of her people. He makes the ultimate sacrifice for her and I love him for it. He loves Karou, but she doesn't feel the same way, yet any ways. Who knows it could change. But even knowing this, the things he does for her are awesome. As for Zuzana and Mik, who can't help but love them, heck even the chimera army love them.

So yes, you could say that I loved Days of Blood and Starlight. I loved it very much. The third book can;t come out soon enough. Unless you are someone who has to wait for all of the books in a series to read it, read this, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone first. You won't regret it. It's an awesome, magical tale of angels and "demons" that is craftily spun. A complete page turner. Just amazing. Read it! Laini Taylor is one of my new favourite authors for sure. A definite recommend, I've already been telling my friend who haven't read it to. I need more!

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Author: Laini Taylor

Publication Date: September 27th, 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

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Synopsis:

Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts: Oh my god. I think I have finally found a book with angels that I actually like! Seriously, I was starting to get worried that I never would. I guess all it takes is badass angels with fiery wings bent on killing or enslaving the entire chimera race. Wait. No. I actually only like one angel, Akiva. The rest of them are pretty much emotionless "windup soldiers", who kill because they are bred, raised and told to. But hey, it's a start. I've had Daughter of Smoke and Bone sitting on my bookshelf for quite awhile, it's one of those books that I look at in horror after I've finished because I've had it for so long and always passed by it and it's hidden gem of a world. I started reading and it took a short while, but once I was into the story I basically carried it around with me everywhere. Laini Taylor definitely knows how to write a story that will keep the reader engaged. She created a world that was easy to envision because it wasn't really that different from Earth, just the denizens. Also, the cover is just too awesome, I love it!

Alright, so characters, well our main character/protagonist is Karou. She's been raised by a group of four chimera and has no idea who she really is. She's an amazing artist who can kick major ass and speaks a lot of different languages. I really enjoyed her character, she wasn't afraid to kick ass first and ask questions later. I kind of figured out who she was at a certain point, when it was revealed what the tattoos were. But still, was very happy about it! The other protagonist is Akiva, who is an angel bent on the destruction of the chimera for killing his love. He runs into Karou and feels a strange attraction to her and can't stay away from her, even  though she is allied with the enemy.

There are a lot of surprises in this wonderfully written story. I'm really hoping that there are some things that haven't happened for real, things that have been said happened. I really am hoping, but who knows. Maybe I'll be disappointed that they did, but still blown away by what happens next. I'm definitely looking forward to reading Days of Blood and Starlight and seeing what Taylor can come up with next. This is a book that makes you really care for the "bad" guys and despise the "good" guys, at least for me it was.

So if you haven't figured it out, I really loved this book and can't wait for more. If you are still passing by this one, read it. It's too good not to! A must for any fantasy of paranormal lovers!

Waiting on Wednesday (24)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting.

Days of Blood & Starlight

by Laini Taylor

Expected Publication: November 6th, 2012

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

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I loved Daugher of Smoke & Bone to death so of course I cannot wait for the sequel to come out. I'm craving to know more about Karou and Akiva!!

***

What are you "Waiting On"?

Review: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Author: Laini Taylor

Publication Date: September 27th, 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Romance

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Synopsis:

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts: This book has sat on my shelf for a couple months before I finally picked it up. I am so glad that I did! It's so strange and wonderful how a story that you love could just be sitting there waiting for you to explore it. Then you finally do and you wish you had of done so a lot sooner. Which is how I feel now. Why did it take me so long to read this book?! I loved it. Inside and out. It was such a great read!


It is a story about Angels and Demons, which of course is not a new idea. But this story brings in new lore new ideas, and new images, that are fresh, unique, and beautiful. Laini really knows how to paint a beautiful picture with words. Her words are a paintbrush and her book is a masterpiece. We get awesome detailed descriptions of all the beings, good or evil, throughout the story, but the two characters who get the most attention are Karou and Akiva. I could picture them in my mind down to the very finest detail, and even still I don't think my image of them probably did them justice. I wish I could see them brought to life. I'm sure it would be amazing. Especially Akiva hehe.


Akiva is an angel, who are at constant war with the demons, or Chimera. He is a soldier, so fighting them is what he was made for, trained at age five. It's all he knows, until he experiences an extremely life changing event.  Karou is undetermined, for the better part of the book. She has no idea who she is where she came from, where she belongs, she has nothing. She was raised by a Chimera named Brimstone, a sorcerer and collector of teeth. His domain is not in their world, but due to some magic there are portals to and from all over Earth. She assumes she's human, but knows for sure? She has gone her 17 years of life feeling empty, like she has a missing piece, just waiting for it all to come together. Her chance to find out about her past, which Brimstone has kept hidden from her, comes with the attack of the Angels. The Angels enter earth to burn and destroy all the portals that lead to "elsewhere".  Everything changes dramatically when Karou and Akiva come head to head. They are both turned on their heads, figuratively speaking. They are by nature, enemies. But something  that neither of them understands is pulling them together. The attraction here is so deep. I could feel it within myself. It's magnetic, they are literally pulled to each other. But none of it makes any sense. With Karou cut off from the only family she has ever known, thanks to the angels, including Akiva. Karou has no way to put the pieces together.


I love Karou. She is so fierce, strong, determined all the while being gentle, caring, considerate and soft. This seems impossible, but Karou is all these things and more. And the same applies to Akiva. His character is hard, strong, overwhelming, and yet he can be so kind, sensitive, and raw. These opposing qualities really pull us towards the characters I think. Knowing they are these strong people, even still, they have hearts and feelings, that can be hurt and broken.


Together Karou and Akiva try to put the pieces together. To find out what they feel so intensely about each other, they must first find out who Karou is. The answer is shocking. This book pulled me in so hard. I really liked it from the start, and my need to read and know more just kept climbing until the end. The more I read, the more I loved the story. I sighed with longing for more when it was over. I cannot wait for Days of Blood and Starlight!! When it was done, I hugged it. This is always a sign that I'm in love haha. How I react when the book is over is always the tell tale sign of how it affected me. If I readily close it and put it down, we know I didn't feel to strongly about it. But sometimes, you close your book reluctantly. If you're like me you right rub it, and even  hug it haha. I think you can tell I loved this book. So I think you know how many owls you're about to see. Go read this book! It's awesome! Thanks Laini Taylor for sharing with us this awesome story! I cannot wait to see what comes next!!

Teaser Tuesday (15)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by  MizB at Should be Reading.

To Participate you:

-Grab your current read

-Open to a random page

-Share two 'teaser' sentences from somewhere on that page

-BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS

-Share the Title and Author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR if the like your  teaser :)

This week's teaser comes from:

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

"Until a few days ago, humans had been little more than legend to him, now here he was in their world. It was like stepping into the pages of a book - a book alive with color and fragrance, filth and chaos - and the blue haired girl moved through it all like a fairy through a story, the light treating her differently than it did the others, the air seeming to gather around her like held breath. As if this whole place were a story about her.

Who was she?"

So as usual, I shared more than 2 sentences haha. But I just loved this quote and I had to share it with you. I thought it was beautifully written and it makes for an awesome teaser :D Hope you enjoy! I am loving this book :)

What are you teasing this week?