Sunday 20 May 2012

A Really Quick Update

I'm really sorry I haven't been around for a while now. School has been really busy and I've had to study for quite a few exams and essays. I'd been lazy for some time and my workload had piled up so I had to get all of that out of the way as well before I thought about anything else. Now though, school tests are pretty much over and I'll be able to get back on track and start posting some more reviews!

On a slightly more random note, have any of you guys watched/read Game of Thrones? It's fast becoming a new obsession of mine and I really want to know what you guys think of it.

New Books I've Got Recently:

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5)Insurgent (Divergent, #2)Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, #6)Social Suicide (Deadly Cool, #2)

Reviews Coming Soon:

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Frostbite by Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday

Sorry again for my absence but I'll be posting more often from now on!

Saturday 28 April 2012

My Weekly Book Haul

My Weekly Book Haul is a post where I share the books I've borrowed, bought or received in the last week.



So, yesterday was my birthday and my mum and dad got me a couple of books that I've been wanting for ages

Frostbite- Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss- Richelle Mead
Blood Promise- Richelle Mead
The Immortal Rules- Julie Kagawa

What books did you get?


Friday 27 April 2012

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title and Author: The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
Format: Paperback
Pages: 318
Release Date: January 10th, 2012
Publisher: Dutton Books

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.


Have you ever read a novel that, from the very first page, captivates you and just holds you there long after you've read the last page? Have you ever read a novel that was so heart-warming and heart-breaking and everything in between? One that made you feel a million emotions all at once? The Fault in Our Stars is one of those novels. I don't think I can describe just how amazing this book was. I laughed with the characters and cried for them when times got tough. I was still sobbing after I'd read it. When my eyes had stopped watering enough for me to be able to decipher the words on the pages,  read it all again. I honestly didn't want hazel and Augustus' story to end ever. 

{Characters}

The characters in this novel are like none I've ever encountered before. They are so full of life it's sort of hard to believe they're only fiction. I found myself getting lost in their stories and forgetting that this was all just John Green's imagination. I think it's safe to say I loved every single character. Hazel Grace, our narrator, is one of the strongest, most amazing females in the YA literary world. Having lived with cancer for four years, a quarter of her life, I would never have expected her to be as pleasant and lovely as she was. Her humour and witty comments had me smiling like an idiot and her many interactions with Augustus left me feeling giddy. Augustus was also just as spectacular with his contagiously radiant nature. he was one of those people that could make you laugh when you felt like all you wanted to do was cry. The two of them were perfect for each other and their story broke my heart. I wished with all my being that they would have more time but sadly, there wasn't much left for these two.

There were other characters besides Augustus and Hazel, of course. Isaac, Augustus' blind friend was a joy to read about. He had me on the brink of tears at some points and at others, laughing out loud. I loved their parents and how realistically they dealt with their tragic situations. 

This book is very much character-based and I'm not sure what else to say except that every single moment will touch your heart and some will leave you in tears. Be warned, it will probably leave a lasting impression in your memories and maybe smash your heart to pieces but it really is worth it. It isn't often you will stumble upon a book as brilliant as The Fault in Our Stars so if you haven't already, please do yourself a favour and read it. 


Tuesday 24 April 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It as a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead (June 12th, 2012)

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.


Black City by Elizabeth Richards (November 13th, 2012)

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

What are you waiting for? Leave me a link to your WoW! :)


Monday 23 April 2012

Review: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Title and Author: Hereafter, Tara Hudson
Format: Paperback
Pages: 404
Release Date: June 7th, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins

Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life--or her actual death--she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but "will" him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.


Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, "Hereafter" is a sensation you won't want to miss.


Hereafter is the first novel by début author Tara Hudson, and I must say, she did quite an alright job with it. The cover and summary got me interested right away. I had to read it. But I found myself a little bit let down by the end of it all. My high expectations were too high but that didn't necessarily mean Hereafter wasn't enjoyable. It was. It just wasn't as remarkable as I hoped. 

{Characters}

The characters, honestly, weren't anything special. I couldn't really connect with any of them including Amelia, the main protagonist of our story. Amelia's situation was probably the best, most interesting thing about her. She was essentially a ghost who doesn't remember anything of her past and is seemingly doomed to haunt the site of her death, a river, for the rest of eternity. But beyond that, I found she was annoying and a bit selfish in some parts of the novel and no matter how much I tried to like her, the irrational and irritating decisions she made really got on my nerves. 

The love interest here is a somewhat normal boy named Joshua. Joshua is not the best love interest I've read about and he was kind of boring, really. He's popular and good-looking and even though he can have any girl he wants, he finds himself instantly attracted to this ghost of a dead girl. Creepy? I think so. Hudson didn't really  bother to go below the surface with Joshua and he ended up seeming really superficial. 

My favourite character out of the whole lot was probably the villain. Eli was what I call an interesting character.   He had some depth and history that made me sympathise him and feel more emotion than the book as a whole could make me feel. I don't think he was really evil at all. His intentions weren't exactly 'I'll murder you and your whole family and kidnap your children.' He was just an unfortunate guy who died and was thrown off the right path.

{Plot}

There was nothing original with the plot. But I suppose, at least there was a plot. Most of it was really kind of predictable but nevertheless I did enjoy it. I'm not really sure what to say that won't give anything away, mainly because all the plot devices were so simplistic, you'd probably be able to guess what happens in the book right now without having to read it if I gave you a clue.

{Romance}

This was, to be frank, a definite case of insta-love. This was one of the cases where it annoyed me. I mean, Joshua over here is in love with the ghost of a dead girl he saw in a lake when he was about to die. That sounds a bit more like horror-movie stuff than fluffy romance. If I was Joshua, I wouldn't come back to see the ghost again. I'd probably run away as fast as I possibly could. What was it about each other that they liked so much? To me, their romance felt a bit shallow and under-developed. Hudson could have pulled it off better in my opinion.

Honestly, this book wasn't horrible. It just wasn't great either. If you don't mind insta-love and enjoy paranormal romances with under-developed characters, by all means give Hereafter a go. It just really wasn't for me. I'll probably read the sequel but I won't be losing sleep waiting for it to come out. 





Sunday 22 April 2012

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Title and Author: Legend, Marie Lu
Format: Paperback
Pages: 305
Release Date: November 29th, 2011
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.




Legend was a surprise for me. I didn't really expect much from this novel when I first saw it. I'd already had my share of dystopian YA and they'd all been somewhat the same to me. Legend, in fact, did have the same sort of idea as most other dystopian novels: a crumbling society, a corrupt government and a plague thrown somewhere in the mix. But Marie just did something with it that made Legend one of my favourite novels this year. 

Her writing style was easy to read and perfectly suited for the fast pace of the novel. I loved every minute of it and I'm so glad Marie didn't spend forever dragging on and on about details but rather, gave us this action-filled story that had just enough emotion for me to sympathise the characters yet not enough to take away from the kick-ass awesomeness of it all. 

{Characters}

Day is the Republic's most wanted criminal and June is their treasured prodigy. They are both fifteen years old and know how to kick some serious butt. Sounds pretty awesome, right? I really loved June and how she wasn't your average, defenceless female protagonist. She was able to protect herself and had an attitude that I loved. Day was an excellent character as well. The way he so obviously loved his family was just too sweet and his caring nature was lovely for a male character.

Other characters like Metias, June's brother who is murdered, and John, Day's brother,  were really brilliantly characterized. Even though neither really got much view-time, you could still tell what their personalities would be like. Marie did a great job with her characters.

{Setting}

The vivid descriptions of the Republic were such a good help and allowed me to feel as though I was there alongside June and Day. Marie has this way of being able to be good with words that allows her to show us all the details without being over the top with her writing. The world, though it wasn't completely unique, was one of the things that made Legend so amazing.

{Plot}

I've got to say, the secrets June unlocked near the end made my jaw drop to the floor. I honestly didn't see any of it coming. Throughout everything, there are a lot of twists and turns so there's not a single moment spare for you to feel bored. Every second, there's something happening and I absolutely loved that. It was a lot of fun to get in to.

This was definitely one of the best dystopian YA novels I've read and if you haven't already, do check it out. I can't wait for the next instalment, Prodigy, which will be out in September later this year.


Saturday 21 April 2012

In My Mailbox (1)


In My Mailbox #1
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren. Let us know what books you've bought, borrowed or received for review!


Deadly Cool- Gemma Halliday (Review here!)
Saving June- Hannah Harrington
Eon- Alison Goodman
Froi of the Exiles- Melina Marchetta
Magic Study- Maria V. Snyder
The Industry- Rose Foster
Saving Francesca- Melina Marchetta

What did you get in your mailbox?


Review: On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Title and Author: On the Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta
Format: Paperback
Pages: 300
Release Date: August 28th, 2006
Publisher: Penguin Australia

I'm dreaming of the boy in the tree. I tell him stories. About the Jellicoe School and the Townies and the Cadets from a school in Sydney. I tell him about the war between us for territory. And I tell him about Hannah, who lives in the unfinished house by the river. Hannah, who is too young to be hiding away from the world. Hannah, who found me on the Jellicoe Road six years ago.

Taylor is the leader of the boarders at the Jellicoe School. She has to keep the upper hand in the territory wars and deal with Jonah Griggs - the enigmatic leader of the cadets, and someone she thought she would never see again.

And now Hannah, the person Taylor had come to rely on, has disappeared. Taylor's only clue is a manuscript about five kids who lived in Jellicoe eighteen years ago. She needs to find out more, but this means confronting her own story, making sense of her strange, recurring dream, and finding her mother - who abandoned her on the Jellicoe Road.

The moving, joyous and brilliantly compelling new novel from the best-selling, multi-award-winning author of Looking for Alibrandi and Saving Francesca.




Melina Marchetta is one of my favourite authors of all time. I trust her whole-heartedly to create beautiful, captivating stories that anyone can cherish and enjoy. But even with this trust in my heart, I was surprised by the pure brilliantness of Jellicoe Road. This is probably my favourite book of hers. In fact, it is one of the books I hold dearest to my heart. 

I'm not even sure if I can structure this in to a review because my mind is just all over the place after re-reading it for the third time. The novel starts off slow and confusing. Everything felt disjointed and I couldn't connect with Taylor at all. But this passed after a few chapters and then suddenly everything came together and the two story lines became more evidently related than I had originally thought. Jellicoe Road introduces us to a lot of characters and it does feel overwhelming to begin with but after some time, after you get to know them as though they were real, they became important and interesting in their own ways. Every character was complex and had a history. I'm not going to even bother describing each and every one of them for you because that would take a whole novel to do. All I can say is you'll learn to love every single one of them, including Taylor and Jonah and Narnie and Webb and all the others.

The territory wars were a brilliant idea. It was essentially a war for territory between the Cadets, the Townies and the school. The Cadets' leader this year is Jonah Griggs who happens to be a part of Taylor Markham's past. As for the Townies, their leader is Santangelo who has a bit of his own history with one of Taylor's friends, Raffaela. I loved how they formed such tight bonds by the end and everything was just beautifully written. 

In the other story-line that takes place some time ago, there are five kids: Webb, Narnie, Tate, Fitz and Jules. Their story was just as heart-wrenching. I was really attached to all of them and the way their stories were carried out made me sob. Yes, actual sobbing. In fact, Jellicoe Road made me sob a lot. 

I can't stress how much I loved this book and how I think everybody should read it at least once in their lifetime. Melina Marchetta, I bow down to you. Thank you for writing such a heart-breaking, enchanting novel. 




Friday 20 April 2012

Review: Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Title and Author: Deadly Cool, Gemma Halliday
Format: Paperback
Pages: 303
Release Date: October 11th, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren’t enough, now he’s depending on Hartley to clear his name.

But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim.




I've got to say, this book was a lot of fun to read! From the start to the end, there wasn't a single moment that left me bored. Halliday manages to create an intriguing mystery and tie in some realistic yet fantastic characters who made me smile and sometimes laugh out loud. Deadly Cool was quite a light read that I finished in two sittings. 

{Characters}

Hartley was such a real teenager, she could have been any one of the girls I go to school with. Her sense of humour and moments of embarrassment and awkwardness was such a nice change from all the I've-got-to-save-the-world-or-die-trying martyr sort of female protagonists in the YA books I've been reading. Her thoughts and state-of-mind were really believable and I'm pleased to say Hartley is not a whiny, annoying character. She's just kick-ass awesome. 

The other characters like Sam and Chase were nice and pretty much as humorous as Hartley herself. Sam, as the best friend, constantly supported Hartley and was a good friend all the way through. Chase was a pretty cool dude. He was hot too. Just saying. There was also Josh, the cheating boyfr- ex-boyfriend- who I kind of thought was a total idiot for doing the chastity queen behind the back of someone as brilliant as Hartley. I'm also really glad that Hartley didn't go crawling back to that lying scum-bag and instead held her ground (Yay! Go Hartley!)

{Plot}

The mystery throughout the whole novel was both exciting and interesting. I didn't see the ending coming, to be truthful. Personally, I thought the person and their motives was a bit far-fetched but nevertheless, it kept me on my toes throughout the whole book. I remember the moment that it all clicked and I was like aha! But then stuff happened and everything was pretty intense.

I just really have to mention that scene when she's under Chase's bed and he's taking off his clothes. I could feel her embarrassment and anxiety and could understand why she kind of didn't want to stop him. I was laughing for a solid five minutes. 

{Romance (Kind-of)}

I loved how there was no insta-love or geometrical shapes to be found here and the slow-building attraction between Chase and Hartley was sweet and at times, extremely hilarious. I can't wait to read Social Suicide and any of the books after that to see where Halliday takes these two.

All in all, a fantastic read for those of you who want a non-angsty fix of light-hearted YA. The sequel, which comes out later this month, is definitely at the top of my to-buy list.




Thursday 19 April 2012

Follow Friday (1)


This weekly meme is hosted by Alison Can Read and Rachel @Parajunkee.

Q: Fight! Fight! If you could have two fictional characters battle it out (preferably from books), who would they be and who do you think would win?

I'd have to say Rose from Vampire Academy and Isabelle Lightwood from The Mortal Instruments, just because they are both kick-ass females. I actually don't know who would win but I do know it would make a pretty awesome fight.

Who do you think would win? 

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Title and Author: Bloodlines, Richelle Mead
Format: Paperback
Pages: 421
Release Date: August 23rd, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill

Sydney belongs to a secret group who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the world of humans and vampires.

But when Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, she fears she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. What unfolds is far worse. The sister of Moroi queen Lissa Dragomir is in mortal danger, and goes into hiding. Now Sydney must act as her protector.

The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one...


Bloodlines is a spin-off series of the of the popular Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. Truth be told, I think I loved Bloodlines more than the first book of VA (the only book of that series I've read). It was all kinds of amazing, really. Mead is an exceptional author with amazing talent and it definitely showed in this first instalment of what looks to be an amazing series.

{Characters}

Because I have yet to read the other books of the VA series, I hadn't come by characters like Jill and Sydney and Adrian before. They were all kind of new to me. I've got to say, Sydney was pretty fantastic. She was so easy to relate and so normal. Her reactions were realistic because, I mean, if I had been brought up my entire life being told vampires were evil, evil, evil, I probably wouldn't want to be in close contact with them either.

Adrian is awesome. I fell in love with him right from the moment he was introduced. The banter between Sydney and Adrian was really cute and I have high hopes that it will lead to something more in future books. Jill, Micah, Eddie and Trey were all lovely additions to the cast. Some not-so-lovely people like Keith were still super-interesting to read about. I could go on and on for pages and pages about Richelle Mead's wonderful characters but that would take far too long. 

{Plot}

The pacing of the story was perfect in my opinion. I've heard from some other that it was a bit annoying to have to wait for Sydney to play catch-up but I guess since I hadn't read the VA books before, that didn't apply to me. I was always on the same page as Sydney and the big twist at the end left me stunned. I can honestly say I didn't see that coming. 

This is definitely a favourite for me. There will be six books in the Bloodlines series and the next one, The Golden Lily, will be released June 12th. I honestly can't wait to see what happens to Sydney and Adrian and the rest of the gang. This is a must-read, even for those who haven't yet picked up a VA book.


Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It as a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Defiance by C.J. Redwine (August 28th, 2012)

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.


Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (June 5th, 2012)

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.


Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Title and Author: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor
Format: Paperback
Pages: 418
Release Date: September 1st, 2011
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

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

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

(Four and a Half Stars)

To describe this word in three words, I'd say: creative, refreshing and enthralling. Oh Laini Taylor, you are an absolute genius. This book was everything I hoped Fallen and all those other angel books would have been. From the very first page, Daughter of Smoke and Bone had captured my interest and I immediately realised there was something special about it.

{Characters}

I'll begin with our leading lady. Karou is probably one of the best heroines I've ever come across in my recent escapades with YA. She's got attitude, awesome blue hair and this mystery that you can't help but be drawn to like a moth to flame. Despite being so not normal, Karou was so easy to relate to. Her thoughts and wishes were exactly what a teenage girl's would be in the same situation. Living two very different lives, the reader gets an insight in to both worlds. Karou can't help but feel like she doesn't really belong in either but she doesn't know why. Truth be told, she doesn't really no much about herself. I'm telling you now, she's not like any other character you've seen before.  

Akiva, the love interest is what a love interest should be. This is definitely a fine specimen that everyone can't help but fall in love with. The other characters including Zuzana and Mik and Brimstone and Issa were all just as interesting. Laini Taylor should be congratulated on creating such a diverse and imaginative range of characters.

{Setting}

Daughter of Smoke and Bone had quite possibly one of the best settings I've read about for a while. The way Taylor described everything and showed rather than told was absolutely amazing. The vivid imagery helped me see everything as it happened and all the worlds were so different and well thought-out. I loved it. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

{Plot}

I don't know what I can say here because I absolutely refuse to spoil anything for you. I'll just say that I loved the mystery in the storyline. He pace was brilliant, not too slow or too fast. I felt like the reader is always on the same page as the characters and we didn't have to wait for them to play catch-up. And ohmigod, the ending. I remember wanting to scream something along the lines of 'No, it can't end there!' and if I remember correctly, proceeded to slam my head against the wall for an unknown amount of time. In short, there's a cliffhanger. I detest and love cliffhangers at the same time and this one left me so conflicted. 

{Romance}

I don't have an issue with insta-love usually. I mean, it's bearable and even if some development would have been nice, I wouldn't let it ruin the whole book for me. The relationship between Karou and Akiva though, even if it could be described as insta-love, felt so right, their really speedy attraction was perfectly fine. Their characters had brilliant chemistry and how Taylor gave us a peek from both parties was wonderful. The mystery of who or what Karou really is plays a huge part in the romance in the book and honestly, it was a twist I didn't expect. I love these two together and will be cheering them on until the very end.  

If you haven't yet, pick this book up right now. You won't be disappointed.