Short Reviews: Novellas

Title: Night of Cake & Puppets (Daughter of Smoke & Bone 2.5) by Laini Taylor

Published: November 26^th, 2013 by Little, Brown Books

Source: Purchased

Format: eBook

Genre: Contemporary romance

Age group: Young adult

Grade rate: A

In Night of Cake & Puppets, Taylor brings to life a night only hinted at in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy—the magical first date of fan-favorites Zuzana and Mik. Told in alternating perspectives, it’s the perfect love story for fans of the series and new readers alike. Petite though she may be, Zuzana is not known for timidity. Her best friend, Karou, calls her “rabid fairy,” her “voodoo eyes” are said to freeze blood, and even her older brother fears her wrath. But when it comes to the simple matter of talking to Mik, or “Violin Boy,” her courage deserts her. Now, enough is enough. Zuzana is determined to meet him, and she has a fistful of magic and a plan. It’s a wonderfully elaborate treasure hunt of a plan that will take Mik all over Prague on a cold winter’s night before finally leading him to the treasure: herself! Violin Boy’s not going to know what hit him. 

My Review

As you know I LOVE this series.  I think Night of Cake & Puppets was just awesome!  It shows an unexpected side of Zuzana.  Only she would think of such a complicated plan to get Mik to notice her.  Who would have thought that Zuzana could be shy?  Mik is such a sweetheart, I think I would fall for him too :) This was a night to remember, that’s for sure. 

A must read for fans of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone series. 

Title: Shattered Mountain by Rae Carson (Fire and Thorns 0.6)

Published: March 26^th, 2013 by Greenwillow Books

Source: Purchased

Format: eBook

Genre: Fantasy

Age group: Young adult

Grade rate: A

On the outskirts of Joya d'Arena, small villages fight for survival against the onslaught of sorcerers and raiders. Mara's village has been safe--so far--but Mara decides to escape anyway. Escape from her harsh, abusive father. Escape with her first love. But when their plans fall on the same day that the animagi burn the village to the ground, Mara faces losses that could destroy her. She's a survivor, though. She is going to make it through the mountains, and she is going to protect the refugees following her. Because there's a rumored safe haven . . . and some say they have found the Chosen One. Told from Mara's point-of-view, The Shattered Mountain is an alternate perspective of the beginning of the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

My Review

The Girl of Fire and Thorns series is another of my absolute favorites. This little gem brings us Mara’s story and how she became part of the revolution and escaped an Inverno attack.  Mara had a very difficult upbringing under the thumb of a dominant and cruel father.  She also was part of a great love story, which unfortunately didn’t end well.  She is very strong and resilient and determined to do what’s right, regardless of the consequences.  I really good addition to the world of the Fire and Thorns series. 

Title: The King’s Guard by Rae Carson (Fire and Thorns 0.7)

Published: July 30^th, 2013 by Greenwillow Books

Source: Purchased

Format: eBook

Genre: Fantasy

Age group: Young adult

Grade rate: A

At fifteen years old, Hector is the youngest squire in the most elite military force in the country. And his first day is disastrous. Everyone assumes the only reason he was recruited is his close personal association with King Alejandro, not because he's really earned it. But Alejandro needs Hector for a secret mission, one that gives him the chance to prove to everyone—including himself—that he is worthy to be a Royal Guard. Hector must break into the ancient Fortress of Wind to retrieve something so important that the kingdom's future depends on it. What Hector finds in the fortress will stretch his bond of friendship with his king near to breaking. And it will prepare him to become the fearsome warrior and lord commander Elisa will never let go. 

My Review

Besides Elisa, Hector is my favorite character of the series.  In The King’s Guard we get to meet a young Hector, but also young Alejandro and his former wife. It was a great adventure that displayed Hector’s growth, strength of character, loyalty and leadership.  I really enjoyed this one, being in Hector’s mind is fascinating! 

The complicated politics of the Joya d’Arena take precedent here, as well as Alejandro’s lack of direction and decisiveness.  We also learn a big and surprising secret.  Another must read for fans of the series (like me!).

Title: Bittersweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout (The Dark Elements 0.5)

Published: December 1^st, 2013 by Harlequin Teen

Source: Purchased

Format: eBook

Genre: Paranormal | Romance

Age group: Young adult

Grade rate: A

Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining balance between good and evil. He was her everything...right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally. And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...

My Review

I’m starting to think that Jennifer Armentrout is incapable of writing a bad book!  I haven’t read everything she’s ever written, but everything that I have is amazing. Bittersweet Love is not the exception.  This novella is an introduction to the Dark Elements series and the word of gargoyles (great idea, right?)  As such, it is an informative story, full of explanations about their world and how unjust it is for the females. 

I adored Dez, he is so sweet and protective of Jasmine and truly loves her.  I’m very happy that she was able to see part Dez’s apparent betrayal (otherwise, I would keep him for myself!)  Great introduction to the series, I can’t wait to read White Hot Kiss.

Have you read any of these?  Are you a follower of these series?  Do you enjoy novellas?  What do you like about them?

Top 10 Books We've Looking Forward to in 2014

Top 10 of 2013 is hosted by a group of fabulous bloggers and you can find more information here

Liza’s List

From endings to amazing series to the beginning of new one and promising standalones, 2014 promises to be another incredible year for YA (and MG/NA!).  These are the ones that I’m most eagerly waiting for (of course, not including Arianne’s list too!):

10.  Take Me On by Katie McGarry (no cover)

Crash Into You, the last book in the Pushing the Limits series was absolutely amazing, I can’t wait to see what else is in store for us.

Expected publication: May 20^th, 2014

9.   Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

I adore Stiefvater’s Wolves of Mercy Falls series, and even though I never came to love Isabelle, I’m willing to give her a change (besides I do like Cole!)

Expected publication: July 1^st, 2014

8.   Be with Me by J. Lynn

If you read Wait for You, you don’t need further explanation, do you?

Expected publication: February 4^th, 2014

7.   The Warrior by Victoria Scott

Dante *sigh*

Expected publication: May 6^th, 2014

Best Couples in YA / Best YA Contemporaries of 2013

Top 10 of 2013 is hosted by a group of fabulous bloggers and you can find more information here

Liza’s List

Couples

1.  Perry and Aria from the Under the NeverSky series by Veronica Rossi

2.  Josh and Nastya From The Sea ofTranquility by Katja Milay

3.  Cameron and Avery from Wait for You / Trust in Me by J. Lynn

4.  Willem and Allyson from Just One Day / Just One Year by Gayle Forman

Stacking the Shelves #64

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we feature all the book goodness that we received, borrowed or purchased during the previous week. All links are to Goodreads.

I didn't do a STS post last week because I was super busy and I didn't have too many new books either. I hope all of you in the States had a wonderful Thanksgiving and an even better Black Friday ;)

Purchased (or Free) for Kindle

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White - In love P&P, enough said.

World After by Susan Ee - Angelfall was absolutely amazing and I cannot wait to read its sequel.

Boyfriend from Hell by E. Van Lowe - Not sure how I found this one, but it sounds really good and the cover gorgeous.

Trouble by Samantha Towle - This NA book sounds really good too.

The Waking Moon by T.J. McGuinn - Recommended to me in Goodreads.

Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor - This is Daughter of Smoke & Bones 2.5, I need book three ASAP!  I love this series :)

Purchased Books

After Dead by Charlaine Harris - I still haven't read the last book in the series, but I got this kind of epilogue for when I do.

For Review

Defy by Sara B. Larson - I had this book as a my WOW a little while back and I got this one from Netgalley. Thanks!

What's stacking your shelves this week?

Review: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke & Bones #2)

Title: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Published: November 6^th, 2012 by Little, Brown Books

Source: Purchased

Format: Audio book narrated by Khirstine Hvam

Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal | Romance

Age group: Young adult

Challenge(s): 2013 TBR Pile | Finish the Series

Grade rate: A+

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war. This is not that world. 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 Review

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was my favorite read of 2011 (see my review here).  I was very nervous to pick up Days of Blood & Starlight, I was sure that Taylor would not be able to replicate the awesome perfection of the first book.  I didn’t need it to worry because she didn’t let me down.

As with the first book, I will start with a quote:

“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living—one without massacres and torn throats and bonfires of the fallen, without revenants or bastard armies or children ripped from their mothers’ arms to take their turn in the killing and dying.

Once, the lovers lay entwined in the moon’s secret temple and dreamed of a world that was a like a jewel-box without a jewel—a paradise waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness.

This was not that world.”

Some people are born with the special ability to string words together in a way that transforms their meaning.  That, my dear readers, is the difference between writing and being a gifted author.  Needless to say Laini Taylor is a master of her craft.  The writing is nothing short of sublime, evocative, lyrical, and wonderful in its inventiveness.  The plot is a masterpiece as well; it’s a mix of fantasy, from the chimera and the angels in the world of Eretz; and the real world with its technology and ease of living.  There so many twists and turns and many voices telling the story at once.  I did not expected what happened towards the end, but I’m very happy that it did. Certain people (and chimera for that matter) had it coming.  I’m just saying.

My heart breaks for both Akiva and Karou.  For the torture that their feelings brought to them that causes misguided regret, shame and remorse.  At times I felt like Karou needed a good throttling and I’m glad that she came to her senses and is acting more like herself by the end.  I think this has a lot to do with one of her friends being back at her side.  I adore Akiva; he has the ability to dream big and love deeply, to do what it takes to do what’s right.  He is so in love and I completely understand what loosing that love would mean to him and to his world. 

There is a host of characters that are centric to the story, but it would take a review twice as long as this one to name them all and do them justice.  That is to say, that characterization is also very good and we get to meet many new characters in this installment.

Kudos to Khirstine Hvam, the narrator of the audio book because this was one of the most wonderful narrations ever.  She was able to make Taylor’s incredible writing come alive with feeling.  The voices and the accents were pretty cool to listen to.

The only question now is what to do until Dreams of Gods & Monsters comes out in April of next year? Luckily we get a short novella in November, Night of Cake & Puppets (Zuzanna and Mik’s story), just in time to tie me over the long wait for the conclusion of this outstanding series.

 More quotes for you:

“A dream dirty and bruised is better than no dream at all.”

“You have only to begin, Lir. Mercy breeds mercy as slaughter breeds slaughter. We can’t expect the world to be better than we make it.”

“Mercy, she had discovered, made mad alchemy: a drop of it could dilute a lake of hate.”

“Let's just get this out of the way so I can relax. Karou, your friends aren't going to eat us, are they?

"No, Karou thought. They are not. She whispered back, "I don't think so. But try not to look delicious, okay?”

“She thought of Akiva, the night he had come to her at the river, the crushing pain and shame in his face, and love, still love - sorrow and love and hope - and she remembered the night of the Warlord's ball, how Akiva had always been the right to Thiago's wrong, the heat to the Wolf's chill, the safety to this monster's menace.”

“It wasn't disgust she felt for Karou, not anymore; it was indignation. Incredulity. A man like Akiva crosses worlds to find you, infiltrates the enemy capital just to dance with you, bends heaven and hell to avenge your death, saves your comrade and kin from torture and death, and you send him off looking gut-punched, diminished, carved hollow?

About the cover: I like this cover much more than the one for the first book.  There is something beautiful about the red painted mask that I just love.

Top Ten Character Names I Love or Top Ten Unusual Character Names

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish 

Hi there gorgeous people!  This Top Ten wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be when I first started; I guess there are a lot of unusual names in books ;)

1.  Akiva and Karou from the Daughter of Smoke & Bone series by Laini Taylor - These name are very pretty.  Karou means 'hope' in the chimera language.  This series is nothing short of amazing. 

2.  Peregrine and Aria from the Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi - Perry is named after a bird and Aria due to her musical nature, unusual and beautiful names.

3.  Gansey from The Raven Boys series by Maggie Stiefvater - This isn't his true name, but I can't think of Gansey on any other way now.  Love him!

4.  Tana from The Coldest Girl in Goldtown by Holly Black - This is a really cool character from a pretty awesome book.

5.  Amaryllis and Phin from Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore - Phin is short for something, but I can't remember the whole name now. I think these sisters are both named after flowers.  The family is very unusual and unique to say the least, so the names have to be the same way :)

6.  Caymen and Xander from The Distance Between Us by Kasie West - Caymen is a strange name for sure; Xander is short for Alexander.

7.  Celeana and Chaol from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - Another beautiful series for sure!  It's full of unusual names, although I imagine Celeana sounds like Selena. What do you think?

8.  Sybella from Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers - Pretty name for an assassin, right?

9.  Saba, DeMalo, and Lugh from the Dust Lands series by Moira Young - Another dystopian full of strange names (not necessarily pretty either)

10. Pellinore Warthorpe from the Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancey - Pellinore is very weird (just like the man!)

Technically, there are more than ten here, but most of these turned out to be characters from the same book, so it's the same difference, right?

What's in your Top Ten this week?  Have you read any of these?

Top Ten Books I Resolve to Read in 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

These are books that I have sitting in my bookshelves patiently waiting to be read.  I'm so far behind that's not even funny!  I am determined, whoever to get caught up (see here if you doubt me).

I have a signed ARC of this book!

I need to know the ending!

Love Daughter of Smoke and I'm sure this one is just as good.

I love Julie's writing, I need to read this one :)

With the conclusion coming soon, I need to get caught up!

No explanation needed, right?

I've heard wonderful things about this one.

Ditto

Ditto again. Really!  In so many best of 2012 lists!

Just the cover makes me want to read it :)

What is in your Top Ten this week?

Stacking the Shelves #30

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we feature all the book goodness that we received, borrowed or purchased during the previous week. All links are to Goodreads.

Hi gorgeous people!  I skipped Stacking the Shelves last week, well....because life happens and I was too busy cleaning and cooking (I'll have a post about that soon!)  Here's two weeks worth of books; and let me tell you that I must have been a pretty good girl this year because Santa outdid himself! Thank you Santa! (*wink*)

Purchased for Kindle

Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin - I saw this book in Goodreads and couldn't help but get it.  It sounds so good!

For Review

Just for Now by Rosalind James - I got this one for a blog tour (coming next week), looks good, right? 

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - I received this ARC for review this week, it sounds really interesting.  Thank you to Egmont for the opportunity.

Gifts

As I said, Santa (AKA hubby) outdid himself, he actually read the blog to come up with these!  Let me explain what you're looking at:

Iron Fey gift set (books 1-4) by Julie Kagawa - I already read the series and I have them all for Kindle, but now I have lovely paper copies.  

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore - I adored Graceling and Fire and I've been dying to get my hands on this one.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick - I've heard amazing things about this one, it looks so sweet :)

Matched by Ally Condie - I want to know what the fuss is all about!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor  - This was my favorite read last year, but I didn't have my own copy. Now I do!

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein - I've also seen wonderful reviews of this one.

Defiance by C.J. Redwine  - Such a lovely cover, can't wait!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer - Another book that everyone seems to love.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - A co-worker recommended this one and although the cover is a bit off-putting to me, I'm giving it a try. 

I also got these from hubby, my sister, and my mom:

Movies: The Help, Julie & Julia, Becoming Jane and Jane Eyre

CDs: Kelly Clarkson greatest hits, Maroon 5, Two Thalia (Mexican artist) CDs, Habitame Siempre and Primera Fila

A whole year of Paulo Coehlo quotes

And from my lovely son 'C': 

Isn't it sweet?

That's it for me, what's stacking your shelves this week?  Let me know if you've read any of these!

Enter my Favorites of 2012 Giveaway here!