STACKING THE SHELVES (22)

Hi there! Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  I told ya I wanted to read 'em, and I went out and bought the two I didn't have today :-).  Ninja Aunt was kind enough to get me Endless Knight for Easter and I devoured that one like nobody's business.

 I'm really looking forward to reading these books; they all sound fantastic.  Hope you got some great books as well!

Ninja Girl

Teaser Tuesday: ENDLESS KNIGHT by Kresley Cole

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read
• Open it to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO REVEAL SPOILERS! (Be sure not to spoil the book for others!
• Make sure your sentences don't reveal something important!)
• Include the title and author to, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

"The Arcana.  Into every dark age, twenty-two kids are born with supernatural powers and destined to fight in a life-or-death game.  Our stories are depicted on the Major Arcana cards of a Tarot deck.  I'm the Empress; we play again now.  Death, the reigning victor, won't stop until my blood bathes his sword."--start of book (and the reason to read :-))

I loved book 1, Poison Princess.  This follow-up sounds amazing, and since I can't wait to see how Evie deals with Death and the other Arcana, I'm hoping for great things.  And also: Jackson and his Cajun-ness :).  Can't wait to check out all the other teasers!

Ninja Girl

LET THE SKY FALL by Shannon Messenger

I really enjoyed this book--more than I thought I would :).

Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger is a book about windtalkers (aka sylphs), who actually speak the language of the four winds: North, South, East and West.  It's also the story of a boy named Vane Weston--who doesn't know he's not human--and the girl of his dreams--who is actually Audra, his guardian tasked to keep him safe and to unlock his memories.

Great concept, and the way the story is written really makes you feel close to the characters while still maintaining the plot.

That is what I think this YA has over other books.  We get to see into both Vane and Audra's thoughts thanks to a really fantastic dual POV.  This is not one of those books where you'll confuse who is speaking.  Vane and Audra were both well-rounded, unique characters, and each had a distinct voice.  Loved that!

Also, the plot itself is revealed in an interesting way.

As Audra trains Vane to use the languages of the wind, we see the development of their relationship.  I think the setting was SO important here.  Instead of placing us in Audra's world where there's chaos and Stormers and a government ruled by sylphs who want to destroy the humans, we stay right in Vane's backyard.

It's almost like Audra and Vane are secluded from the rest of the world--which is where the romance comes in <3.  These two characters were so into each other it wasn't even funny.  Vane, who's been dreaming about Audra, can't believe it.  Now, she's real and right there and close enough to touch.  And Audra, who's supposed to be strictly hands off, can't help but want him just as much as he wants her.

Intense, believable, and utterly swoonworthy romance.

And then, of course, we get the reasons they can't be together: 1) If Vane kisses Audra, it will create a bond between them.  2) In Audra's world, the Westons are actually royalty, and there's no way she'd be a suitable match for Vane.  3) In that same world, Vane has already been promised to another girl.  I loved all of the obstacles in their way.

I especially loved how Vane didn't give a crap about any of that :).  Audra was the girl he wanted, and no one (not even Audra) could convince him otherwise.  He even had a sense of humor.  Vane was my favorite.  Period.

This book had so much going for it.  I loved Vane's foster parents, who were present and concerned and communicated with Vane.  His foster mom, in particular, was one of my very most favorite characters.  The writing was fast-paced and snappy.  The story covered all its bases, NO plot holes, always a reason/explanation for everything.  The romance was a big YES!

At the end, I couldn't wait for book 2.  I'd recommend to anyone who likes YA with interesting characters, cool powers, forbidden romance and dual POV.  Definitely a good read!

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab

 

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

 

I don't know where Victoria Schwab got the idea for The Archived, but it's a brilliant concept.  The tagline is visual and creepy enough to standout (…the dead rest on shelves like books) and makes you crave more.  I was curious about the Librarians that oversee this place called the Archive that houses Histories aka recordings of the dead.

 

And we learn about the world through the perfect MC.

 

At 16-years-old, Mackenzie Bishop has already been a Keeper for four years, inheriting the position from her Da when he passed away.  Her job is to return Histories who've woken up and escaped into the Narrows back to the Archive before they slip into violent insanity.  And all Histories who escape slip eventually.  It's an unwritten rule.  But when she and her family move to the Coronado, an old motel with dark secrets, Mackenzie discovers that not all rules are set in stone.

 

In my head, the Archive was this cross between a library and a morgue.  The "drawers" that were supposed to house the Histories made me think of a creepy human-sized, morgue-ish card catalog.  And the QUIET PLEASE sign at the front desk?  Which is there to keep Histories from "waking up"?  Because you wouldn't want to wake the dead?

 

Awesome :-).

 

The Narrows was like the worst back alley ever with locked doors upon doors and recordings of dead people (Histories), looking for a way into the living world--and going berserk when they can't find it.

 

Scary, creepy, made me glad our MC was there to protect us.

 

Mackenzie's been through a lot, losing her younger brother in a hit-and-run, keeping the Archive secret from everyone, including her grieving parents.  Those scenes where she went to visit her brother's History were endearing.  The journal entries from Mackenzie to her Da give us a glimpse into her thoughts, her fears.  MacKenzie was a strong character, dedicated to her job as a Keeper (and her Da's memory).

 

And through it all, she still takes care of business.

 

I think this is what I liked best about her.  There were no excuses.  Not only was she dealing with internal conflicts, but externally, she's this total kick-butt Keeper, who has to tangle with dangerous Histories.  I loved the romance with Wesley as well.  He and his "guyliner" were a great addition to the book, and I looked forward to every scene with him in it :).

 

The mystery was an added bonus and driving force in the book.  The Archived got progressively better as the story went along, and by the end, I was rushing through the pages to find out how everything would be resolved.  Great writing, even better world-building, really enjoyed this one!

 

Happy reading,

 

Ninja Girl



WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

Hey there, "Waiting on Wednesday" is a meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine, featuring those books that you wish were out. Right. This. Second.

My WOWs this week are: the 4th installment in the Darkest London series.  I'm such a fan!!  Can't wait to read Jack Talent and Mary Chase's story :).  And an amazing book I saw last week on another blog (thanks, Readdicts!).

Goodreads summary:

Once a heart is lost in shadow...

Life has been anything but kind to Mary Chase. But the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals has given her purpose. Now she's been tasked with catching a vicious murderer dubbed the Bishop of Charing Cross. But someone is already on the case—and the last thing he relishes is a partner.

Only someone who lives in darkness can find it.

Jack Talent has been alone with his demons for many years. He never expected to have the willful Mary Chase assist him on the Bishop case. Their age-old rivalry reaches new heights—even as their desire for one another reaches a fever pitch. Though he aches to bring her close, Jack's dark secrets are a chasm between them. With dangerous enemies closing in, Jack must find the strength to face the past...or risk losing Mary forever.

Goodreads summary:

I want someone who will talk to me honestly about things. You're the only person who ever has. Maybe you don't know this, but when you're disabled almost no one tells you the truth. They feel too awkward because the truth seems too sad, I guess. You were very brave to walk up to the crippled girl and say, essentially, wipe that sunny expression off your face and look at reality. That's what I want you to do next year. Tell me the truth. That's all.

Amy and Matthew didn't know each other, really. They weren't friends. Matthew remembered her, sure, but he remembered a lot of people from elementary school that he wasn't friends with now.

Matthew never planned to tell Amy what he thought of her cheerful facade, but after he does, Amy realizes she needs someone like him in her life.

As they begin to spend more time with each other, Amy learns that Matthew has his own secrets and she decides to try to help him in the same way he's helped her. And when what started out as a friendship turns into something neither of them expected, they realize that they tell each other everything—except the one thing that matters most.

So, these are the 2 books I'm waiting on--how about you? :-)

Hope you're having a great week,

Ninja Girl

STACKING THE SHELVES (16)

Hi there! Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  Just one book (again) this week, and since I loved Blake's other work (Anna Dressed in Blood), I'm really looking forward to reading!!

List of books: Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

Okay, so yes, there are a ton of books out there about the gods, but it's Kendare Blake!  I can't wait to read her take on them.  It's certain to be dark, a little creepy, and a whole lot of amazing :).  Off to check everyone else's stacks now.

Hope everyone has a great week,

Ninja Girl

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

 

Hey there, "Waiting on Wednesday" is a meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine, featuring those books that you wish were out. Right. This. Second.

This book has a lot going for it: down South feel, a unique paranormal twist, and (going by that awesome cover) daggers and pearls :-).  All things I love!

Goodreads summary:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

Yes, Rachel Hawkins, just yes!!  Can't wait to check out everyone else's WoW posts.  Need to add some new, fantastic upcoming books to my TBR :).

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

 

Hey there, "Waiting on Wednesday" is a meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine, featuring those books that you wish were out. Right. This. Second.

I kinda cheated this week.  *cue shifty eyes*  My WoW pick actually came out yesterday--but I'm so excited I had to share :D.

 

Ninja Aunt P and I LOVE this series!!  We stormed our local Books-A-Million yesterday and grabbed 3 copies (one for her, one for me, and one for Ninja Aunt C).  Seriously, Kate Daniels is the best heroine in UF.  Yeah, I said it.  If you haven't read these books, I'd definitely recommend them--but start with Book 1 b/c you don't want to miss any of the awesome ;).

 

Goodreads Summary:

 

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

 



Yes, this is one of those series I'm a little fanatical about.  Yes, Kate and Curran are one of my favorite couples eva.  Yes, I cheated and posted a book that just came out.  But it's Kate Daniels.  Can you blame me?

Hope you're all having a great week,

Ninja Girl

THE COLLECTOR by Victoria Scott

He makes good girls…bad.

I knew.  Immediately, I knew this was my kind of book.  Just a take a sec to admire the awesome cover/title/book design.  I'm just going to say it: Whoever thought up that "He makes good girls…bad" deserves a dozen cupcakes, a batch of double chocolate chip cookies and an I ROCK HARD button b/c it is snappy and fresh and heck yeah!!!

Phew.  The Collector by Victoria Scott was a fun, fast-pasted paranormal read with one very naughty lead male and a nerdy heroine you can't help but love.

Dante Walker (props on the name as well) isn't your average mix of hot and cocky bad boy.  He's from hell.  Literally.  Dante is a soul collector for the Big Bad, and if he catches you doing something naughty, he'll mark you with one of his seals.  As the summary says, "Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones.  Bag-and-tag."

Collect enough seals, and that's it.  Your soul is officially marked for hell.  No take backs.  It's about the choices you make--or at least it used to be.

For some reason, Dante's boss wants a specific soul.  A girl named Charlie Cooper who is Dante's opposite in every way.  She's good, as in really good.  Her soul is brighter than bright, hardly no seals at all--which means Dante has his work cut out for him.  But as he leads nice n' nerdy Charlie down the pathway to sin, Dante finds himself becoming her reluctant protector and discovering that maybe, just maybe, he's not all bad.

So okay, what really made this book stand out?

The Voice.

Yes, that's Voice with a capital "V."  The whole book is first person POV from Dante's perspective.  His head is a strange (and wonderful) place to be b/c seriously the guy has no shame.  None.  His thoughts were surprisingly hilarious and unapologetic and frequently a-hole-ish.  But even if I had the urge to smack him--like when he was mean to or tricked Charlie--Dante remained true to himself.  He was the guy you should hate.  He was also the guy you wish would get over himself already and just be nice.  In Dante, we find a character who needs to go from D-bag to good guy without losing his edge--which is hard to pull off.  But Scott did it quite nicely.  She didn't rush.  He didn't all of a sudden grow a heart of gold.  Dante was still Dante at the end of the book just slightly redeemed--and that's good since there is a book 2 :-).

Loved the idea of the seals.  The soul collectors have the power to use and see them with a flick of their wrist--which basically gives us the visual of a person's sins.  Very cool idea.  I also loved the pairing of bada** Dante with nerdy Charlie.  They had good chemistry.  One of my favorite scenes involved hide and seek, kissing, the mean kids playing a cruel joke on Charlie, and Dante who comes to the rescue.  Sigh.

The only things I didn't like were when Dante made Charlie feel bad about herself, particularly her looks.  And I didn't like that she let him make her feel that way.  These character flaws were believable, but I just wished that Charlie would've stood up and been like: I love myself the way I am!

 

 

(channeling Penelope here; btw if you haven't seen the movie I definitely recommend lol)

Anyway, loved the concept and Dante's voice.  The Collector would be good for anyone looking for a YA paranormal with humor, romance, and a voice that's undeniable J.

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY: Sequels by Sarahs!!

 

Hey there, "Waiting on Wednesday" is a meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine, featuring those books that you wish were out. Right. This. Second.

This week I'm featuring 2 fantastic sequels--both of which happen to be written by a different Sarah lol :-).

 

This book has AWESOME written all over it.  Sequels rock.  Yay Team Chaol!!!

 

Goodreads summary:

 

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.  But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

 

 

And this one sounds like it could potentially break my ninja heart.  Kami & Jared must end up together.  Period.  Or I will lose all faith in humanity.  Do the right thing, Ms. Brennan!  *resorts to groveling* Pretty please... o_o

 

Goodreads summary:

 

Free from bonds, but not each other

It’s time to choose sides… On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

 

Have a great week!!

 

Ninja Girl



Tunes & Teaser Tuesday: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read
• Open it to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO REVEAL SPOILERS! (Be sure not to spoil the book for others!
• Make sure your sentences don't reveal something important!)
• Include the title and author to, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

 

Full disclosure: I saw the movie first--which I really enjoyed btw :-).

Teaser:

"But all I could see was a beautiful girl in a long gray dress, under a white track jacket with the word Munich sewn on it, and beat-up black Converse peeking out underneath.  A girl who wore a long silver chain around her neck, with tons of stuff dangling from it--a plastic ring from a bubblegum machine, a safety pin, and a bunch of other junk I was too far away to see.  A girl who looked like she didn't belong in Gatlin.  I couldn't take my eyes off her."--pg. 32, Beautiful Creatures

Almost finished with the book, and I think it's a really great example of YA written from the male POV.  Also, I love how we get a clear picture of Lena--and how Ethan can't take his eyes off her.  And as my TUNE IN TUESDAY pick (hosted over at Kate's Tales of Books and Bands), I chose "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors b/c it's such a happy, feel good song :-).  Enjoy!

Have a great one!

Ninja Girl

THE NIGHTMARE AFFAIR by Mindee Arnett

Sixteen-year-old girl/Nightmare must feed on people's dreams to survive.

I believe that's what they call an elevator pitch.  Short, sweet, and more intriguing than all get out.  Paranormal is a very popular genre.  But YA paranormal?  You can go to the bookstore, pop into the teen section, and see how overwhelming it really is.  There are tons of kids with powers, Chosen Ones (Nerd Alert: for me, there's still only Harry J), vamps, witches, mermaids.  You name it; you can find it in YA.

But a Nightmare?  A teen who literally feeds on "fictus" aka the stuff dreams are made of?  Well, not only that, but how they have to feed, like the actual process of perching over someone chest while they sleep?  The plot stood out first and foremost, and when I got to know our heroine and hero I was hooked.

Dusty Everhart (love the nickname btw) is just a teen trying to get through her days at Arkwell Academy--a boarding school for all things magical--until one night when she dream feeds and sees a murder.

The boy whose dreams she's feeding on is none other than Eli Booker.  He's hot.  He's only wearing boxers.  His scorpion tattoo is visible in all its glory.  But what strikes Dusty is the vividness of his dream.  The colors are vibrant.  The smells are spot on.  The scene is chillingly real: A girl has been murdered on school grounds.  And Eli is an ordinary, so how could he have seen Coleville Cemetery to recall it in such detail?

When Eli throws Dusty out of his dream, she is immediately taken in by the magical police force.  They bring her to Coleville Cemetery where she finds out that not only has Eli's dream/nightmare come true.  But she and he are linked in a way neither one could have imagined.

I liked a lot of things about The Nightmare Affair.  Like I said, the sheer originality of a book about a Nightmare was fantastic.  Eli and Dusty find out that they are part of a dream-seer pair (a rare bond between two people where one can see the future by viewing the other's dreams).  Very cool.  Dusty's magic doesn't work on Eli b/c of this bond, and they have to do dream sessions during the week to try and discover the killer.  Awkwardness abounds :-).

"The Will" was interesting b/c it forced magickind not to hurt anyone, magic or otherwise.  Good b/c it keeps everyone in check.  Bad b/c like I said, it's a spell that steals magical folks free will.

I really liked the romance.  Eli and Dusty were a great couple.  Couldn't get enough of them.  Actually, to be honest, I wanted more.  What can I say?  I love me some romance J.  I mean, dream sessions?  Bring on the swoon!  I will say though this was not a case of insta-love, and I did enjoy that.

I thought the tie-in with the King Arthur legend was nicely done, but the ending could've been better.  That was my only real qualm with the book.  I already knew who the bad guy was.  The legend had already been explained, so I just wanted more.  Ninjas are greedy that way. 

Anyway, I really liked Eli's scorpion tattoo, and I enjoyed this book.  Thank you NetGalley!  Great debut, great premise, so many possibilities.  I'll be looking forward to book 2!

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

ETIQUETTE & ESPIONAGE by Gail Carriger

When I found out Gail Carriger was writing a YA series, I was like "HOO-HA!"  (Picture this said with great passion, Al Pacino style J).  When I found out the book was going to be about a finishing school for girls where they learn the fine art of espionage?  Gah!  I can't even tell you how excited I was.

Etiquette &Espionage delivered everything I look for in a Carriger book:

--Characters you care about

--Plotting that's out of this world

--A flair for Victorian fashion

--A good dose of the ridiculous

--Friendships and romance and dirigibles, oh my!

Sophronia Angelina Temminick, our heroine, was a girl after my own heart.  She was overly curious.  She loved to climb and contemplate the inner-workings of machinery, and wasn't all that interested in fashion (shocking!).  Shipped off by her mother, she goes to Madame Geraldine's Finishing School for Young Ladies of Quality in a carriage with three strangers: Dimity and her brother, Pillover, and Madame Geraldine--who may or may not be an imposter.

When the carriage is attacked by flywaymen (think hot air balloons operated by men of criminal intent), the real fun begins.  Sophronia shows her cunning and ingenuity in this first encounter, using only Pillover's "Depraved Lens of Crispy Magnification" and some fancy getaway driving to escape.

Sophronia was a spectacular main character.  Like I said, she was curious enough to land her in loads of trouble--but smart enough to get her and her friends out of it.

I really loved all the friendships.  Dimity and Sophronia quickly became besties.  With her love of accessories and bold yet tacky fashion sense, Dimity reminded me of Ivy Hisslepenny (a favorite from Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series).  Dimity had no interest in becoming an evil mastermind, like her parents, and she was a true friend.  She and Sophronia couldn't have been more different on the surface.  But throughout the book, they stand by each other.

Also loved the part where Sophronia goes down to the boiler room and meets the sooties.  Especially, Phineas B. Crow aka Soap, who develops an immediate sweet spot for Sophronia and even sends a bit of coal up to her room for her pet mechanimal Bumbersnoot!

Seriously, you guys, this is why I love Gail Carriger.

I definitely recommend this book.  When you read a Carriger novel, you can't help but be swept away.  There's no one out there, YA or otherwise, that writes quite like her.  Etiquette & Espionage was a great YA debut, and I can't wait for the second book of the series!

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

 

P.S. If you enjoyed the Parasol Protectorate, you might recognize a few characters in E&E  :-).  These were some of my absolute favorite parts, but I didn't want to give them away.

DESTROY ME by Tahereh Mafi

SHE WILL CHOOSE ME.

Gah.  I read and reviewed Shatter Me a while back (loved it btw).  And after reading this, I just have to say: Warner is one of the best, most complex baddies I've come across in some time.

Destroy Me--a novella completely from Warner's POV--was everything I'd hoped it would be--and more.  I knew the guy had issues.  I knew he had a horrible/tragic backstory.  But I also knew there was more to him then the tyrannical dictator-like presence we saw in Shatter Me.  Warner was simply too interesting.  The choices he made, the way he carried himself, the things he said to Juliette, I just knew there was more to him than that.

And Mafi apparently thought so, too J.

I love it when an author can deliver like this.  In Destroy Me, we get pure Warner, bared to the soul, his thoughts completely open--which he would absolutely hate b/c he's such a control freak.  Being inside his head was intriguing and scary, sad and exciting.

Mafi did a terrific job of highlighting the similarities between Juliette and Warner.  Warner's POV was the perfect device to do this.  I got that he thought he shared some connection to Juliette--that he and she were the same--in book 1.  But it's so clear here.  I felt his loneliness. Though they definitely handle it differently, it was very similar to Juliette's feelings.

I loved when Warner found Juliette's journal.  The sections where he reads the journal, and we see how affected he is, really show us his deepening obsession.  And again, there was that connection.  Even though Juliette is never present on the page, she definitely makes an appearance through the recording of her thoughts.  Having Warner read her journal/diary was so smart.  I couldn't get enough.

I sped through the pages.  At the end, I felt a deeper understanding of this character.  The son of an evil ruler, the boy who is still afraid of his abusive father, the man who will do anything to possess and protect the girl he loves.  The Bad Guy who, like all the best villains, has hidden depths.  This is why we love Warner as a character.

Will Warner's obsession lead him to do more horrible things?

Will he finally stand up to his father?

Will he win Juliette's heart?

Will he become the anti-hero and do something totally unexpected?

Let's face it.  Without him, Juliette's story wouldn't be nearly as unpredictable.  Unravel Me is sitting in my TBR right now, and I'm itching to get started.  Hopefully, there'll be plenty of Warner J.

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

DEITY by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I finished Deity on Sunday, and I'm still a little devastated. 0_0

Loved the book/story as usual.  Seriously, LOVED IT!  But the events that took place, the total change of character (one character in particular), and just the overall outcome…  My ninja mind just can't take it in.

*If I knew how to put in a gif, this would be where the person is crying, bashing their head against the wall, crying out "WHYYYYYYYYY" at the top of their lungs*

Anyone reading Deity--the third book in the Covenant series--most likely knows anything I'd reveal as a spoiler from previous books.  Plus, I don't know how to talk about the things I want to talk about without including at least some spoilers.  With that in mind, here are my thoughts.

First off, let's list the things I loved: Alex and Aiden's relationship, Alex's Uncle Marcus (I knew I liked you, sir!), the fast pace of the book, the writing, the Underworld scene, LEON!!!

And now, what made me so, so sad.

Team Seth took a major hit.  We're all still lying on the floor in our own tears, trying to recover from the Seth-bomb that exploded in our faces.  JLA completely flipped the script on us.  If you go into this expecting the same Seth from Pure, you're going to be disappointed (or, if you're like me, totally devastated).

I can't say I didn't see it coming.  Whenever there's a love triangle, especially in YA, the story usually takes one of two routes: 1) Make us hate one of the guys, or 2) Make one guy dull as dirt, so that no one in their right mind would choose him over the other guy.  As we know, Seth would never fit into category 2.  So, we're left with the hate option.  Why not just make the two guys different, each an equally viable love interest, and then have the girl choose?

Seth did some awful things in this book, but the one that really got me was how he mistreated Alex.  He was literally abusive to her (locking her in her room, not letting her leave, draining her life energy ON PURPOSE).  I couldn't believe it--until I remembered the Hate Rule.

In Pure, Seth was cocky and conceited (and already under the influence of Lucian and his evil ways).  But he was NOT a soiciopathic megalomaniac bent on getting power at the cost of the one girl he truly cared about.  Alex was his friend, if not the girl he was in love with.  I never got a clear answer on why he made that leap to the Dark Side.

Though I got plenty of reasons/answers for Aiden's actions.

*Sigh*  That's another thing that bugs me about love triangles.  Even when the narrator discovers that one guy did basically the same things as the other guy, the girl always sees one as the knight in shining armor and the other as doggy poo.

Or in Seth's case, a calculated, psychotic evil dude.

I'll just say this (***MAJOR SPOILER WARNING HERE***): If Aiden had had more time, he would've hunted Minister Telly down just like he did that daimon guy Eric--which, of course, we don't see on the page.  No doubt in my mind.  And Alex would've probably kissed him for it.

In short, LOVED the book.  HATED what was done to Seth's character.  Can't wait to read Apollyon in hopes that Seth will redeem himself.  Though at this point, he'll probably have to die in some incredibly brave way to do it L.

Happy Reading,

Ninja Girl