Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy Review

Overall Book Series Rating

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy is right up there at the top of the BEST BOOK SERIES I HAVE EVER READ. I actually put off reading this series and I have no idea why. If I would have known beforehand what an impact it would have on me, I would have read this series a lot earlier. The book description was not super appealing to me, interesting, but didn't grab me at first. A lead character named Karou with blue hair that does weird crap. But let me tell you, this series is SO MUCH MORE.
The story had me from beginning to end and I have to say that I am astonished by the level of intricacy found in the storyline. The characters, the setting, each and every detail blew my mind away! This series has probably the highest level of creativity I have every encountered. There is a bit of everything: romance (not overdone and girly either, yay!), action, adventure, extreme conflict with heartbreak with a satisfying resolution. I found that I was actually feeling an emotional investment in these books to the characters and story which is rare for me. I cannot begin to tell you how incredible this series is so please do yourself a favor and take the time to read the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy! Seriously, stop whatever the hell you are doing and get that book read, you will not regret it!

I will even go as far as giving this book series my rare and much coveted ultimate stamp of approval:

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE MOVIE!

It was announced in late 2013 that Daughter of Smoke and Bone was picked up by Universal Pictures to be the next biggest YA book to movie adaptation. At first, I was overjoyed because the second I finished reading the series I thought "God that would be an incredible movie!" However, the more I thought about it, the more I begin to doubt it. The movie budget would have to literally be at least $500 million or more spent on mostly CGI and special effects to even begin to do justice to all the detail in the character and worlds depicted in the books. Realistically, movie studios will not shovel out that much on the first movie of a potential trilogy. It is my opinion that books are always so much better than the movie and I really hope that a crappy depiction of Daughter of Smoke and Bone on film does not have a negative impact on the book series. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones movie is a clear example of what damage a movie can have on a book series. That book series was phenomenal but the movie was not the greatest reflection of that and the marketing was garbage so the sequel just barely received the green light and who knows how that one will do. It's a total shame too because The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series are also on my top book series list and the movie potential is beyond high if done correctly. Currently, there is not much information on when the Daughter of Smoke and Bone movie is set to be released or the cast but I think we won't see it out until at least 2016. I wouldn't mind waiting longer because I hope that the movie does the series justice as it would be a true optical masterpiece!

The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass REVIEW

Overall Rating


I know that I was not the only person that was super anxious for the release of this book. Seriously, it seemed like forever! I had to go back and read the first book in the series, The Selection, again so that my memory would be refreshed for the second installment. This book was everything I thought it would be, fantastic! However, throw a pinch or forty of “WTF” and a handful of wanting to strangle the main character America, and you have a recipe for a great book. This book delivers you the next part of the competition where America is “competing” for the heart of Prince Maxon. If you have read the first book, you will understand why I just put competing in quotes. It was an extremely good yet frustrating read but I highly recommend that you read this book and for those of you that have not read it, definitely pick up the first book and give this series a try.
Originality/Creativity


This book has some originality to it even though it sounds like a medieval version of the Bachelor. The times actually takes place in more modern day, however the dystopian society has a monarchy that seems to take you back to medieval times. It is the classic love triangle story with a girl that cannot quite decide her fate. And with the competition going on, you also learn about rebels that are trying to overthrow the monarchy which adds a bit of suspense to the story.

Complexity of Characters/Storyline


This book has more complexity to it than the first book in my opinion. You are seeing that the love triangle between America, Maxon, and Aspen is becoming quite scandalous. America is becoming more bold in her indiscretions and it is completely frustrating. You also see Maxon starting to drift off and that makes the story give the reader some anxiety, let me tell ya! The rebel situation is also more extreme, I believe it is setting up to become a very interesting read for the third book.

Quality of writing


This series is intended to be young adult so expect the writing to be quite good but not advanced vocabulary. It is extremely well edited which makes it a smooth read. If you read my reviews, you know I freakin HATE poorly edited books. That will literally be a deal breaker for me. This series is extremely popular so you know Kiera Cass has a great editing team behind her.

Action/Suspense


There is a decent amount of action in this book. You will see the action mostly from the rebels that are trying to overthrow Prince Maxon and his family. The suspense in this book is off the charts if you are as frustrated with America and her choices between Prince Maxon and Aspen. Personally, I am team Maxon. Not because he is a Prince (but that don’t hurt one bit), but because Aspen had his head up his ass and deserted America when she had her heart 100% devoted to him. That will always sway my decision on a man! At this point, you really can’t tell which way she might go and all the little situations and interactions in this book will have you screaming “WTF!!!!!”

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK?

Hell yeah and then some. I usually like more action or even violent type books, but this book and the first are a great series. If you like a good love triangle, Prince & Princess themes, competitions, and a female lead character, you won’t go wrong with this series. The second book was an excellent read and set up for the third book. I literally cannot wait for the next book because of all the frustration this second book caused me! So pick it up and give it a try. Be forewarned, the third book is not set to be released until May 2014 so if you want to save yourself some frustration and anxiety from this cliff hanging book, you may want to wait to read this series. Or do what I do, just re-read the books close to the next release date. I can never wait to get my hands on book series that have long waits in between releases though, that’s just me.

In Darkness We Must Abide, Season 2, Dire Warning, by Rhiannon Frater REVIEW

Overall Rating


This review is for Season 2 of the “In Darkness We Must Abide” series. Even though it is titled as Episode 6, it is actually the first book in season 2 but the 6th book in the series. If you have not read my review for the first books in the series, scroll down and check that out first. You definitely need to read season 1 before hopping into the series. For those of you that are not familiar with serial series, they are book series that have basically a novella released weekly, monthly, or whatever just like tv series. This one has been my favorite serial series, although I admit it is torture waiting for the next part to be released because I want to know what happens next!
This book is a continuation of the first series. The main character, Vanora, is coping with her Vampire family drama. She is older in this book, and we get more insight into the death of her parents and the one that murdered him. You will learn more about the twisted “prophecy” and Vanora’s role in that as well as that psycho that obsesses over her.

Originality/Creativity


Nothing beats the creativity that Rhiannon uses in this series. Usually a book focuses on one genre. Well in this series, you get a little of everything. You get a hint of romance, personal conflict, supernatural (Vampires are HOT right now, as we all know), paranormal, action, suspense and mystery. You can’t go wrong with this series, it literally has it all! Although there are literally millions of vampire stories out there, this one is unique and Rhiannon is a very skilled author. You would be a fool not to like it, just check out the ratings on Goodreads if you don’t believe me.

Complexity of Characters/Storyline


The main character, Vanora, is extremely complex. She starts out very young in the beginning of the series and in Season 2, you get to have her POV as a young adult. It is refreshing to finally start to understand Vanora and there is still so much being unveiled about her even though one season is already out. Each book you see Vanora growing up and becoming a woman while struggling with herself over her Vampire family and the turmoil it causes to love and despise them all at once. You also have the other characters to consider, each with their own struggles and each playing a large role in Vanora’s life. There is Armando, Vanora’s tortured love interest and their tragic relationship. Roman, Vanora’s much older brother and leader of seemingly moral vampire clan he started and ruled according to “Roman’s Law.” Alisha, Vanora’s older sister, who supports Roman and viciously loves Vanora. And then there is the bad guy. The books do not reveal his name for quite some time and you actually don’t know too much about him until book 6. But what we know isn’t much so it will be interesting to learn more as the series progresses.

Quality of writing


This series is a young adult one, so don’t expect there to be a lot of fabulously large and intricate verbage. However, Rhiannon is an excellent writer so you will not think for a second that this book was written by a rookie. The characters and the story are extremely complex so it takes skill to keep it all organized and easy to follow. The author does that with ease. I can’t stand a poorly edited book and thank goodness this book is very well edited. That alone would mark the book down a few ratings for me. That is how much I loathe a crappy edited book.

Action/Suspense


There is a pretty decent amount of action in this book. Since it is a serial series, the books will vary with the level of action depending on where you are at in the storyline. But at all times, you have a sense of suspense and mystery which holds your interest throughout the book. I am an action junkie, so to keep me happy you need to keep me interested. Action and suspense is the way to do that. I do like other books like romance and what not, but suspense novels are my absolute favorite! Because the action varies in each book in this series, I rate this one as being 4 instead of 5 stars, I suspect it was setting up for some major action scenes for the rest of Season 2.

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK?

Of FREAKIN COURSE I WOULD! This series is what I recommend. You definitely cannot just hop into this book and understand what is going on so you would have to read the first season before attempting this book. It is worth it and if you have never read a serial series, this one is a great one to start with. I am not sure how many seasons there will be but I can tell you I will be buying each book on the exact day it is released. That is how much I love this series. I won’t do a review for each and every book, just at the end of the season. I just wanted to get a review out for my fans to remind them to start this series. Take a chance, you might just enjoy it! Season 1 is available as one book right now so pick it up!

I'm BACK!

Hey everybody! Sorry for the long absence, but I am back! I have read like 20 books since my last post, so I will get on here and put up reviews for everything I read. So stay tuned! I also got a ton of free Kindle book listings, so check out my Free Kindle Books page within the next day or two so you can get in on the free book action. Stay tuned!

Hunted, Book #1 King Solomon's Wives by Holly McDowell

Hunted, Book #1
King Solomon's Wives by Holly McDowell

*I DO NOT RECAP THE BOOKS IN MY REVIEWS, THAT IS WHAT THE BOOK DESCRIPTION IS FOR. NOR DO I HAVE SPOILERS*

This book was provided for me by the author free in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Holly McDowell for that privilege!



Overall Rating

This book was an incredible read. I was blown away by the storyline! It is so creative, I am impressed by the how the author created the ideas and wove it all together in this wonderful book. It takes place in modern day, however you get a few flashbacks into the past which makes the story so much more interesting. There are a few characters you will experience that you will definitely get attached to. Who doesn't like a group of seductive women? There is terrific action and I was not bored for one second of this book!

Originality/Creativity:

I definitely find there to be a strong element of creativity in this book and the series. I was very impressed by the story. I have never really been interested in King Solomon stories, although I am a very big history freak. This story was so unique. It has so many elements in it. The author creates a new legend of King Solomon’s wives, these incredible women that have the unique ability to seduce men. This is passed down through the bloodlines and they are dependant upon each other for their survival as they are being pursued by vicious hunters out to destroy them. I was fascinated by the story and you will be too!


Complexity of Characters/Storyline:

The characters were very complex. Each wife has their own struggles with themselves and the situation they are thrown in. To fall in love in their world is a death sentence. And each wife does not get to live that long so there are so many sacrifices each woman must make. It was heartbreaking to experience that with them. You get to see the point of view of many of the wives if you continue on to read book 2, which I of course did because I could not just stop with one book! Even though there was so much complexity in the series, the author did a beautiful job of having the story flow so that it was easy to follow.



Quality of writing:

I found this book to have a high quality of writing. Nothing pisses me off more then a book with a billion errors or an author that writes like a kindergartener. The author’s writing was easy to follow and use of vocabulary was fitting to the story.


Action/Suspense:

I am an action junkie so the best way to keep me extremely happy is to have non-stop action. This book definitely delivers that. I didn’t find myself bored or suffering through any part of this book. And it is hard to get me on the edge of my seat during suspenseful scenes, but I found myself doing exactly that during a couple of parts in this book. It was so good, I even purchased the second book immediately after I finished this one!


Would I recommend the series? Oh most definitely! If you love supernatural stories, ancient history, and seductive women, this book and the series will be an interesting read for you.


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In Darkness We Must Abide, Season 1, by Rhiannon Frater

In Darkness We Must Abide
Death Comes Home, Book #1-3
By Rhiannon Frater

*I DO NOT RECAP THE BOOKS IN MY REVIEWS, THAT IS WHAT THE BOOK DESCRIPTION IS FOR. NOR DO I HAVE SPOILERS*This review is for books #1-3 in the series, book 4 is set to be released tomorrow. I know for a fact that right now, you can get book #1 free on Amazon or Kobo right now so go get your free copy now!

Overall Rating

I have heard of serial series before and always wanted to try reading them, but have just put it off. Until I saw that Rhiannon Frater has released a serial series. I was like “Oh Hell Yeah Baby!!!!!” Rhiannon Frater is one of my all time top fav authors. She has style and imagination and this series shows it. For those of you that don’t know what serial series are, think of books released like your favorite tv show. It is a book series that contains typically a shorter book (like a novella) and each book or “episode” is released every 1-3 weeks depending on the series. This story is about a family that has had some serious tragedy befall them and they work together to persevere. Throw in some vampires, supernatural events, and some suspense and you have a winning series. I dove from one book to the next and as of 4-25-13, there are 3 books out and another release I believe tomorrow. And you know I am getting that one!!!

Originality/Creativity:

I definitely find there to be a strong element of creativity in this book and the series. My most favorite genre is supernatural/paranormal. And this author is one of my favorites, she is just bursting with creativity so I know that if I get a book by her, it will have the perfect amount of creativity and the most amazing storyline. This story isn’t just your typical vampire story, you can relate to the characters. Besides the existence of vampires, this story is about a family in peril and how they work together to overcome it and I think most of us can say that we have been through an event where we had to pull together with our family and try to get through it. That is why I loved this series so much.

Complexity of Characters/Storyline:

This story is definitely complex. It takes place in modern day, but you get to dip back every now and then and hear a bit of history. You also get to jump around and get the perspective of several characters, not just one. I always enjoy books like that so you can better have an understanding of how each character ticks. And there is a character in the story that has a sort of “coming of age” and it is spectacular to get to watch that character progress during the series. I believe that this series has great complexity but not so much that the reader is confused. You will have a fantastic time reading this series as the characters grow on you and you find your heart pulled in each direction during their hardships. The storyline is one of a kind!

Quality of writing:

Rhiannon Frater is one of my most favorite authors, as I have said over and over so far! Seriously, her style of writing is amazing. For a book to be great, not just good, I have to be able to see a clear picture in my mind of each character and their surroundings based on the descriptions the author gives. By the end of a great book, I should feel not that I just read a book, but that I watched a movie because I was able to so clearly see everything in my mind. That is what Rhiannon’s writing does for me. It is that amazing!

Action/Suspense:

I am an action junkie so the best way to keep me extremely happy is to have non-stop action. This series does that. There is barely a time where you are not reading some sort of crazy suspenseful scene. I freaking love that! I sped through thi series. Each book took me barely over an hour to read and so I jumped from one book to the next quickly and I was not bored for a second! Thank you Rhiannon, I loathe a boring read and I never get that from your books.

Would I recommend the series? Yes. Hell Yeah. F%#@ yeah I do! And if you have never read a serial series, this is the best one to start with! So go get it! I know for a fact that you can get the first book in the series free right now on Amazon and Kobo right now so there is no excuse not to get reading!


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The Elite by Kiera Cass is out!!!!

The Elite by Kiera Kass was released this Tuesday the 23rd! For those of you living on another planet that have not heard of The Selection series, it is one of the biggest YA book releases this year. I have my copy and am ready to cuddle up with the kindle and read it. I cannot wait to see what happens and I will give you guys a series review when I am done. The book better be bad ass because I have been dying to get it!