Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (Cruel Beauty Universe)

Title: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Published: January 28^th, 2014 by Balzer and Bray

Source: ARC from ALA

Format: Paperback

Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal | Romance

Age group: Young adult

Grade rate: C+

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny. Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him. With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people. But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Liza’s Review

Well, that was not what I expected.  Cruel Beauty was pitched at a Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast and that it was not. Instead, the book is a mix of a Greek mythology fantasy, romance, and magic. 

I love Beauty and the Beast and retellings based on the story and thus I was eager to read this book.  Cruel Beauty was confusing, which is not something I like to feel when reading.  At first, the world that was introduced to is very strange.  It is based on Hermetic principles – four elements that create or destroy everything – that are studied by the people of the island of Arcadia.  It is believed that the island has been isolated from the rest of the world by magic created by the Gentle Lord.  Nyx, our protagonist, was raised to destroy the Gentle Lord upon marriage (more about that later), and trained on Hermetic principles and other useful things, since birth.  Are you with me so far? 

Let me try to explain something really quickly: the book can be divided in two parts that I will call Before and After. When Nyx marries the Gentle Lord, which is called Ignifex, is when my confusion starts.  What ensues next is a series of encounters with the very handsome demon and his shadow.  Nyx spends a lot of time searching the castle for clues and trying to steal keys to said rooms from Ignifex.  At the end the ‘Before’ part Nyx does the unthinkable, bound by a promise that she made to her sister.  I didn’t like this ending at all.  I think it was precipitous and disjointed. 

Also, I didn’t particularly liked Nyx.  Before she was cruel, hateful, and insecure.  She did have some redeeming qualities though, she was smart, fearless, and learned to love.  On the other hand, Ignifex was more straightforward.  He didn’t remember how he ended up the way he did, but he was unapologetically good and bad at the same time and more importantly, he was happy that way.  I like them both better when they were together. 

After the ‘first ending’ (confused yet?), we get to meet the same characters, but they are different.  Not only is the world itself altered, but the story takes a different turn.  This second part (the After) is much shorter, the last three chapters, and that might be why I was taken aback.  This Nyx is easier to like and much braver.  Ignifex is weaker and we don’t get to spend any time with him to even get to know him. 

Astraia is Nyx’s twin sister and it seems like the only purpose for her being in the story is for Nyx to have someone to hate.  Nyx’s father and aunt were horrible as well (at least Before) and expected Nyx to figure out how to defeat the Gentle Lord and fix everything, even though it was an impossible task. These are very minor characters because

The setting is weird.  Most of the story takes place while Nyx is inside the castle.  True to the B&B story, it is enchanted and changes all the time.  Another similarity is the mirror that Nyx uses to look to the outside. The world building is good and heavily based on Green mythology. The writing is straightforward and easy to read.

Overall, I enjoyed Cruel Beauty, but unfortunately I didn’t love it.  I’ll still read the next book settled in this universe and hope that they improve with time. 

Some quotes for you:

“If you start wondering how this house works, you'll likely go mad. That could be amusing, I suppose. Especially if it's the kind of madness that causes you to run naked through the hallways. Do feel free to indulge in that anytime.”

“You deserve all that and more. It made me happy to see you suffer. I would do it all over again if I could." I realized I was shaking as the words tumbled out of me. "I would do it again and again. Every night I would torment you and laugh. Do you understand? You are never safe with me." I drew a shuddering breath, trying to will away the sting of tears.

He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. "That's what makes you my favorite." He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. "Every wicked bit of you.”

“Why is he scared of the dark?"

I meant the words for a joke, but Shade nodded seriously. "Like all monsters. Because it reminds him of what he truly is".”

About the cover:  It’s gorgeous, and one of the things that had me reading the book in the first place. The roses have a very deep meaning in the Beauty and the Beast story, but not so here.  Also, the spiral stairs emphasize the confusion of the ever-changing castle. 

Review: World After by Susan Ee (Penryn & the End of Days #2)

Title: World After by Susan Ee

Published: November 21^st, 2013 by Skyscape

Format: eBook

Source: Purchased for Kindle

Genre: Paranormal | Dystopian

Age group: Young adult

Grade rate: A-

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken. Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go. Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

My Review

Like the rest of the world I LOVED Angelfall.  It took forever to get book two, and unlike it usually happens to me with sequels, I couldn’t wait to read World After.  It was not as good as its predecessor, but good nonetheless.

Penryn is still our kick-ass hero.  Sorry, but there is no better way to describe her.  She is loyal, stubborn, strong, fearless, smart, caring; in short, she’s awesome.  After she comes back from the dead (almost literary), she is trying to reconcile her past with the crude reality of the world after the angel invasion and with Paige has become.  Nothing is getting easier for anyone, but we learned a lot about angel politics, crazy scientists, Paige, and future plans. 

Raffe (insert *sigh* here) is one hot angel.  He’s loyal to Penryn (the only one on his side) and trying to find out what the heck happen with the rest of the angels, while still wearing demon wings.  I think my disappointment with World After strives from the fact that Raffe and Penryn were NOT together for most of the book.  It seems like once they were (maybe after 2/3^rd?) the story became so much better.  

The chemistry between Penryn and Raffe is absolutely amazing!  Even if it is forbidden for an angel and a human to be together, and they are fully conscious of the fact, they can’t help what they feel.  I hope that the next books have more time of them together.

The characterization is great.  I love Dee and Dum, and their reliability to Penryn.  Penryn’s mom is still crazy (there’s no cure for her kind of crazy!), but she’s still smart and her survival skills are uncanny; also she tries to keep her daughters safe the only way she knows how. 

The plot and world building of this book is outstanding.  You don’t know what to expect or when, it’s in constant horrific motion.  This book is not for the faint of heart as the angels are even more ruthless and the mad science experiments are getting crazier by the minute. The writing is impeccable and easy to read (even when it’s not easy to digest what’s actually happening!).   

It seems like Penryn & the End of Days will be a five book series, and of course it will take years for us to know the ending, but I wish the best for Penryn, Raffe and the rest of the World After.  I can just hope that the next book won’t take two years to be published.

Some quotes for you:

“I look up to say something but he puts his finger to my lips and whispers, “Don’t talk. You’ll just spoil my fantasy of rescuing an innocent damsel in distress as soon as you open your mouth.”

“It is painful to see that people prefer a bad guy who looks like an angel to a good guy who looks like a

demon.”

“I kick him in the face point blank with my high heel.

He wasn't expecting that.

The Angel flies back off the stage.

"It really is you,"says Raffe.”

“My only thought is that I am not going to end up truly dead this time in Raffe’s arms. I am not going to be one more wound on his soul.”

“He glares at me. "I've had to watch you die once, isn't that enough?"

"All you have to do is make sure it doesn't happen again." I give him a sunny smile. "Simple."

"The only thing simple is you. Stubborn little..." His grumbles fades to a point where I can't hear them, but I suspect they're not compliments.”

About the cover: This one is not as pretty as Angelfall, but then again, these are Raffe’s new wings.  Nothing is pretty in the World After.

Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: The Liberator by Victoria Scott (Dante Walker #2)

Hi gorgeous people! I'm so excited for participating in the Blog Tour for The Liberator! I really love Dante and I was missing mi a lot :)   Welcome to my stop on The Liberator blog tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours. Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

Title: The Liberator by Victoria Scott 
Release date: August 27th, 2013 by Entangled Teen
Source: Provided by the author for review
Format: eBook
Age group: Young adult
Genre: Paranormal \ Romance
Grade rate: A

Bad boy, meet bad girl.
Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.
When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.


With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.

Where to find The Liberator:

   

My Review

I feel like a groupie right now and I’m going to start this review by shouting: I LOVE YOU DANTE! With that off my chest let me get on with the review.

The Liberator starts a few weeks after the ending of The Collector (see my review here) and finds Dante trying to revel against his new status. Dante being, well.. Dante, tries to weasel out of doing his duty and wants to stay close to Charlie to protect her.  Dante is head over heels in love with Charlie he’s not afraid to show it, for which I’m grateful.  Sometimes the ‘bad boy’ in books comes off as the quiet, stoic, suffering type, and that is just not like Date.  He continues to be his bad, but better self and I just adore him. Charlie has changed a little due to the events in the previous book, even if for a moment there at the beginning I wasn’t quite sure what was going on.  I’m glad it wasn’t anything major.  At the end Charlie and Dante make such a cute couple and I can’t help but to be in their team. Their romance is kicked up a notch in this book and I wanted to swoon more than once. 

We visit with old friends from the previous book; Kraven, Valerie, Annable, Grams, and Max are all there.  The notable new character is Aspen.  I like Aspen a lot, she seems like a female version of Dante, and I’m so happy that they developed a really deep friendship (thank goodness there was no love triangle here!). 

The plot is complicated by all the secrets kept by angels and demons alike.  People, talk to each other pleeeaase! Keeping Dante in the dark was really dumb!  The politics of heaven and hell are complicated, but understandable.  Hell is not a nice place at all!  Even so, Ms. Scott has a wicked imagination; needless to say I’ll pray really hard that I don’t EVER have to see it. The writing is awesomeness personified!  Being in Dante’s thoughts is just magical, hilarious, sarcastic and more. 

The ending was such a cliffhanger! I cannot wait for the next book in the series and more Dante :) Overall, The Liberator is a solid hit and a great addition to the series that I’m glad to report does not suffer from the second book syndrome.

About the cover: Gorgeous right?

About the Author

I’m a teen fiction writer with a die-hard affection for dark and humorous books. My work is represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger literary agency. I have a master’s degree in marketing, and currently live in Dallas with my husband, Ryan.

My first series started with THE COLLECTOR, and was published by Entangled Teen in April 2013. The second book in the trilogy, THE LIBERATOR, will release August 2013. My next series kicks off with FIRE & FLOOD and is being published by Scholastic, February 2014.

*Author Links*

     

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of YA Bound Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by YA Bound, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Review: Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods #7)

Title: Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz

Published: January 15^th, 2013 by Disney Hyperion

Source: Purchased

Format: Hard cover

Group age: Young adult

Genre: Paranormal – Angels, vampires and demons

Challenge(s): Finish the series

Grade Rate: B

  

Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince of Hell is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent on winning the heavenly throne for good. This time he has his greatest angels by his side, Abbadon and Azrael—Jack and Mimi Force, as they are known in the Coven.Or so he thinks. Even as Lucifer assigns Jack and Mimi the tasks of killing their true loves, the Force twins secretly vow to defeat the Dark Prince once and for all. But how far will Mimi and Jack go to conceal their real loyalties?Meanwhile, former vampire Bliss Llewellyn has joined forces with Lawson, the greatest wolf of the underworld, to free his people from their imprisonment in Hell. As they struggle against impossible odds, an ancient message, woven into the very fabric of time, reveals just how much depends on the success of their mission.Lucifer seeks the key to the Gate of Promise, and when Schuyler is taken captive and delivered straight to Hell, she must make an unthinkable choice—the same one the archangel Michael was forced to make during the Crisis in Rome. Will Schuyler find the strength to do what he could not?The epic, heartbreaking Blue Bloods series comes to a close with this final novel about staggering courage, unbearable sacrifice, and the immortality of true love.

Review

After investing a lot of time on the Blue Blood series (this is book 7!) I’m happy for the ending that Ms. de la Cruz gifted us.  Gate of Paradise answers all your questions and then some.

The story starts a few months after the ending of Lost in Time (my review here).  Schuyler, Oliver and Kingsley are in London and they are guarding the gate and getting ready for the battle to come.  Schuyler and Jack, which have been some of my favorite characters in the series, are not together for most of the book, but I still enjoyed their story, especially Schuyler’s which is full of discoveries. 

I never warmed up to Mimi, even though she is one of the most interesting, conflicting and strongest characters.  On the other hand I love Kingsley, he is adorable, honorable, and loyal to the end.  Oliver got what he deserved and so did a lot of other characters. 

I have to say that I did like the ending, but the execution was a bit rough.  For starters, the story of the wolves and Bliss, which is told in the companion book Wolf Pact (and that I haven’t read) confused me a lot.  Not enough background information was given and in my opinion, it should have stayed in the companion book, even if they made an appearance at the end, instead of making Bliss the narrator of some chapters. Also, the story is told from numerous points of view (in the third person), and from different times and settings.  I’m sorry to say that this turned out to be very confusing to me as well. 

Don’t get me wrong, the ending was good and it made me cry. BUT it was kind of abrupt and all ends were tied very neatly… Maybe too neatly?  Overall, I’m happy with the series and also with the ending.   I’m eager to start Ms. de la Cruz’s new series, which starts with Frozen, and the new Blue Blood spin off (Vampires of Manhattan?)

A few quotes for you:

“Because love was not the answer to every question. Because real love meant sacrifice. Sometimes love means letting go.”

“I know you. I know this isn't you. And even if it is, I still love you. As much as I always have. You will always be mine. I will always love you, I promised you that when you left, and it's true now.”

“Evil was seductive and easy, and virtue was difficult and unappreciated.”

About the cover:  Gorgeous, right?  I have to say that the covers for the whole series are beautiful.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Liberator by Victoria Scott (Dante Walker #2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which we have the opportunity to let others know about books that we are eagerly waiting for.

Title: The Liberator by Victoria Scott

Published by: Entangled Teen

Release date: August 27th, 2013

Bad boy, meet bad girl.
Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.
When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.

With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.

Why I want to read it:  I LOVED The Collector and Dante, of course!  I can't wait to read about him again, although I'm not too crazy about a love triangle.

What are you waiting for this week?

Celebrate my 2nd Blogiversary here

Review: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins (The Sweet Trilogy #2)

Title: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Published: April 30^th, 2013 by HarperTeen

Source: Puchased in Audible

Format: Audio book narrated by Erin Mallon

Group age: Young adult

Genre: Paranormal romance

Challenge(s): 2013 Books in a Series

Grade rate: A+

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.
 Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind. When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

My Review

Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!  I’ll try to get over my incoherent babble and get on with the review, but seriously, Sweet Peril is incredibly good!

Last year, I was lucky enough to win an ARC of Sweet Evil from Goodreads and I devoured it in no time (see my review here), thus I have been impatiently waiting for book two, and boy was it worth it!  I don’t know about you, but I sometimes get an unfounded fear of sequels when I love a book to much; I’m afraid that the next book won’t live up to my expectations and let me down.  I should have known better and never doubted you Ms. Higgins :)

Sweet Peril starts a couple of months after the end of book one and finds Anna starting her senior year of high school.  She is missing Kaidan (who wouldn’t!), and pretending to work on her dad’s trade as a result of increased surveillance by the whisperers; she has gained a rep as a party girl.  Due to an unexpected and old prophesy, Anna and her dad start looking for other Neph that will be willing to ally with them in a fight to banish the demons from Earth.  So our story stars with a quest to find others; Anna and Kopano travel to different places to talk to these Neph.  We get to meet new characters, like Zania and Flynn and visit with old ones like Ginger, Marna and Drake.   I also enjoy to read about Anna’s relationship with Patti (her adoptive mother), and her dad.

I love Anna’s character!  Even though she is a sweet southern girl, she is smart, loyal and has a big helping of common sense.  She knows to look at the final goal and how important that is even if they have to break a few eggs to get there.  Since I was listening to the audio book I can’t tell you for sure, but it seemed to me that Kai is not in the first third of the book.  This is a true testament to Ms. Higgins writing:  first, I didn’t get bored because all the information was relevant and interesting and, second, Kai was present all the time in Anna’s thoughts and conversations with the other Neph. 

Kaidan is, as I stated in my review of Sweet Evil, one of my favorite characters ever!  I can’t get enough of him, and of course neither can’t Anna.  Kai tries to be so tough and do the “right” thing, but it is so plain to see that he is crazy about Anna.  The scenes between Kai and Anna are extremely HOT; like in ‘handle with care’ hot.  That’s all I’m saying about that!

As you can tell, the characterization on this book is amazing.  I adore these characters and even the Dukes are so bad, but distinct from one another. The plot is so good, it varies from slow and steady, to hot, to action. The writing is outstanding, Ms. Higgins as an incredible talent.  Ms. Mallon did a terrific job with the narration and with the English accents! 

Overall, Sweet Peril was a worthy sequel to one of my favorite reads from last year. I cannot wait for Sweet Reckoning due to be published in May of next year (and the wait starts NOW).

Some quotes for you:

“I was more myself with you during those three days than I’ve ever been with anyone in my life. It’d be easier if I could be fake with you, but you bring out everything in me, little Ann. All of it.” – Kaidan

“God, you smell nice," he whispered. "I've missed that smell. I've missed everything about you, little Ann.” - Kaidan

“We had a secret knowledge that demons couldn't fathom. They saw love as a weakness, but they were wrong. Love would keep us going, love was our strength.” - Anne

About the cover: A beautiful and fit companion for the cover of Sweet Evil! I love the contrast in colors and how both Anna and Kai are dressed in black now.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Collector by Victoria Scott (Dante Walker #1)

Welcome to my stop on the ‘2013 Belongs to Dante’ blog event hosted by YA Bound.  Click HERE to see the rest of the blog tour schedule!

Title: The Collector by Victoria Scott

Published: April 2nd, 2013 by Entangled Teen

Source: Provided for review

Format: eBook

Group age: Young Adult

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Grade rate: A

He makes good girls...bad.

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.
Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

Find it here: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

My Review

Dante stole my heart from the very first page!  The Collector is an amazing debut by author Victoria Scott.

For reasons that are too spoilery (yes, I know it's not a word!), Dante lands downstairs when he dies, and in order to be able to walk on Earth, he chooses to become a Collector.  There are some intricacies and politics tied to exactly how it works, but it works fine for Dante.  I mean, he is handsome, confident, and loves the perks that come with the job.  The problem is that he is sent to collect a special soul, namely Charlie.

At the beginning of the story Dante is all those things I said above, plus selfish, angry and cocky.  You might think that these adjectives are negative, but somehow Ms. Scott created a character that is full of depth and is so ‘bad’ that it becomes endearing.  In contrast, Charlie is Dante’s complete opposite.  She is not outwardly beautiful, but her soul is pure and bright and so is her personality.  Dante feels an inexplicable pull and attraction towards her, but he has a work to do and he is use to look out for himself.  The transformation and the conflict that overtakes Dante is as fun to read as the rest of this story, and it’s gradual as well.

Other characters in the book are well fleshed out and add to the story.  Annabelle and Blue are Charlie’s best friends and they form a tight circle of support and protection around her.  Max is Dante’s best friend and also a fellow collector, he is also cocky and self-assured, but a loyal friend.  Valery (Red) is a bit confusing to me, but can’t add anything else, least I spoil the book for you ;)

The plot is well thought out and it has a few twists and turns.  Not everything is explained in this installment and, to be honest, there are a lot of unanswered question at the conclusion of the book.  The writing is a gem.  The story is told in first person, from Dante’s point of view and his thoughts are a thing of beauty.  I also appreciate that, although the story lasted about two weeks, the romance piece didn’t feel like insta-love.

If you like ‘bad boys’, paranormal stories, demons and angels and a great romance, The Collector is the book for you.

Add book two, The Liberator, to your Goodreads 

About the Author 

I'm a YA writer represented by Laurie McLean. Author of THE COLLECTOR (Entangled Teen, April 2013) and THE BRIMSTONE BLEED (Scholastic, 2014). I have a master's degree in marketing, and live in Dallas with my husband. When not writing, I can be found munching cotton candy and snuggling obese cats. 

Website | Blog | Twitter  | Goodreads | Dante's Website

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of YA Bound Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by YA Bound, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: Rapture by Phillip W. Simpson

Welcome to Reading with ABC's stop for the Rapture Tour! You can find other stops here.

Title: Rapture by Phillip W. Simpson

Published: October 21^st, 2011 by Pear Jam Books

Format: eBook

Source:  Provided for free for review

Group age: Young adult

Genre: Paranormal / Dystopia

Challenge(s): 2013 Dystopian

Grade rate: B

 The Rapture has occurred, just as the Bible predicted. The faithful have risen up to Heaven. Those left behind are in a living hell.
 
Earth burns, hell-like in its oppressive heat. Every volcano in the world has erupted, and tsunamis and earthquakes continue to devastate the planet. Clouds continually rain ash onto the scorched landscape, sparking fires all around. Plants and animals are dying. Food is scarce. The night sky is devoid of stars, and the moon - when it can be seen - is the colour of blood.
 The remnants of humanity fight for survival. Most have fled the cities and now hide in caves deep in the mountains. By night, demons stalk the Earth, capturing the remaining humans and killing them - if they're lucky. The less fortunate are converted to worship of the Devil, and ushered into endless hell.
 Eighteen year old Sam is unable to rise up because he is half demon. Hikari, a Japanese sword master and demon expert and his beautiful daughter, Aimi, have been all the family Sam has ever known. Now they're gone, and Sam must set out on the mission Hikari charged him with long ago: to help all the humans left behind. Armed only with his beloved Japanese swords and his wits, Sam wanders the post-apocalyptic world alone, separated forever from everyone he loves. Cursed by his demonic heritage, he must now embark on a quest that will take him across the US to the City of Angels.
 There he will confront his destiny. There he must fight to save a friend ... and the souls of the living. 

My Review

I’ve seen reviews of Rapture in other blogs and I was intrigued by the cover and the synopsis, thus I jumped at the opportunity to review it for this tour. It wasn’t quite what I expected, that is to say, that I was pleasantly surprised.

Rapture is a post-apocalyptic tale with heavy religious undertones.  The story begins when Sam is ready to start his quest, a few weeks after the rapture.  From there, the story is comprised of mostly alternating chapters from the present to Sam’s past.  The flashbacks give the reader an insight on Sam’s life, training, family and his responsibility.  I rather like Sam’s voice; he is not perfect and doesn’t pretend to be.  He had a sheltered life, but full of truths and a burden that’s not easy to carry. It’s refreshing  that the main character knows exactly what he is and what his purpose is.   I felt sorry for him at times; all in all he fought really hard to do the right thing.

Review: The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by Jana Oliver (The Demon Trappers #1)

Title: The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by Jana Oliver

Published: February 1^st, 2011 by St. Martin’s Griffin

Source: Purchased

Format: Paperback

Challenge(s):2012 TBR Pile Challenge

Grade rate: B

Demon Trapper Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself—and that’s exactly what Lucifer is counting on…

It’s the year 2018, and with human society seriously disrupted by the economic upheavals of the previous decade, Lucifer has increased the number of demons in all major cities. Atlanta is no exception. Fortunately, humans are protected by Demon Trappers, who work to keep homes and streets safe from the things that go bump in the night. Seventeen-year-old Riley, only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing attraction to fellow Trapper apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving citizens from Grade One Hellspawn. Business as usual, really, for a demon-trapping teen. When a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood, she realizes that she’s caught in the middle of a battle between Heaven and Hell.

My Review

I had The Demon Trapper’s Daughter in my TBR list for a while and I actually own copies of this book and book #2 in the series.  This book was an enjoyable and a little surprising to me.

Our kick-ass heroine is Riley, daughter of renowned demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne.  Riley is tries to be a good person and wants to be a good trapper.  She has gone through a lot and it seems like trouble follows her around, or maybe she is a little impulsive and doesn’t think things through.  Riley is relatively new and inexperienced trapper, but she is willing to learn. 

Simon is Riley’s love interest, but for some reason I cannot like him.  He is the type of person that sees the world as black or white, good or bad.  He is handsome, good, and responsible and he really cares about Riley, but it seems to be like the relationship develops way to fast.  Now, I love Beck!  He is much less likable, but with more layers and more depth than Simon.  He has his own set of rules and it works for him.  I would love to see more of Beck in the next book (if only Riley will see that and stop being so tough on him!) There are many other characters in the book, both good (Peter, Ari) and bad (Harper) that makes this "alternate world” believable.

The plot and the story are very original.  It takes place in Atlanta (love the setting) in a world were demons exist and are very common.  The demons are very different and range from three inches to over seven feet in height and have diverse powers and classifications.  The writing is straight forward and easy to read.  I will definitely read the second book in the series.

About the cover – I really like the US cover better than the UK (on the left). I like the red color (and its significance), the wings, the city at the background and Riley looking over it with a sphere in hand.

Review: Daimon: A Prequel to Half-Blood (Covenant #0.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Daimon: A Prequel to Half-Blood (Covenant) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: May 10, 2011 (eBook) by Spencer Hill Press
Source: Bought for Kindle (.99 cents) 
Grade rate: B+

For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals—pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return—the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.

The daimons have found her.

My Review

This is a short novella that is a prequel to Half-Blood.  It gives an introduction to Alex's world and her past, but more than anything it wets the appetite and make me crave for more.  This is a short and fast paced story, thus it felt a little rushed to me.  I instantly liked Alex, her nonsense personality and her drive.

I will definitely read Half-Bloods when it come out in October.  Isn't the cover pretty?

For a free download go here 

Review: Falling Under

Tittle: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
Published: March 1st 2011 by New American Library
Source: Bought

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.
As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.
And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

Review
This is the first novel by Ms. Hayes that I've read and I think I will become a devoted fan.  This novel reminds me a little of the the Soul Screamers series and of bad boy Patch from Hush, Hush.  Theia is a strong female character, even if she doesn't think she is.  She had a very restrictive upbringing that makes her feel unprepared for the world and for the high school scene.  But although she is insecure, she is willing to fight for the things that matter to her, like Haden, her friends and her family.
I always enjoy a love story and nothing makes me like it more than love at first sight.  The type of love that makes the rest of the world fade and your knees feel weak.  Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of action, creepiness, and other strange things going on. 
I also loved Theia's friends, Donny and Amelia, and the male characters Gabe, Varnie and of course Haden.  Their closeness and acceptance of each other is refreshing.
This cover is gorgeous.  I like the font, the background of black roses, the importance of the red dress and I can't help but get hair envy (look at those curls!)
Check out Ms. Hayes website, it's gorgeous too!