The Bursting Bookshelf

Have you ever read a book just for the hype? I'll admit, I was hardcore jumping on the bandwagon when I decided to read this book. Was the hype worth it? Absolutely.

In Ready Player One's version of the 2040's, people no longer interact in person: life happens in the OASIS. Enter Wade Watts: a teenager who has lived his entire life online. He lives in the stacks of trailers outside of Oklahoma City with his aunt and her sketchy boyfriend, attending school online and trying to explore the online world with his exceptionally limited funds. Wade is part of the hordes of users on the OASIS trying to solve a seemingly unsolvable puzzle with the highest of stakes: ownership of the OASIS. When Wade is the first player to make progress in solving the high stakes puzzle, we see him pushed into the spotlight and the danger that accompanies it.

Because everything is online, Wade doesn't know or understand the true value of real-life, in person interactions. Throughout this book we see him stumble through relationships with his friends, family, people of power, and the girl he's admired for years. I love how this book tackled the social anxiety of removing oneself from their 'safety blanket'. We got to see Wade in the real world: where he couldn't micromanage his appearance and environment and the vulnerability and discomfort that exposed him to. The author didn't sugar coat how challenging being in the real world was for Wade, he was clearly vastly more comfortable in the game where he was idolized and a celebrity.

I'm not an 80s kid, but I'll be damned if this book didn't make me feel nostalgic for that era/ make me want to track down the nearest arcade to me. Ernest Cline's world building was spectacular: it took a while for the OASIS to be fully fleshed out, but once it was, I couldn't put the book down. The amount of detail was astounding, everything from the hardware that runs the game to the layout of the game to the pseudo-politics and mannerisms of different classes of players was described. By the end, I felt like an expert on all things 1980s.

This is a perfect book to get someone into the sci-fi genre. Ready Player One also has the added bonus of not being some grandiose series starter- it's a genre defying stand alone novel. Having a perfectly delivered sci-fi tale in a single book is a rare find, one I would highly recommend to anyone looking for their next read.

Fan the flames: A teen goddess fires up her search for love and family in this sequel to Wildefire.Ashline Wilde may have needed school to learn that she is actually a reincarnated goddess, but she’s ready to move beyond books. She leaves her California boarding school behind and makes for Miami, where she meets a new group of deities and desperately seeks her sister Rose, the goddess of war. But she’s also looking for love—because even though her romance with Cole had to be snuffed, Ash is a volcano goddess—and she doesn’t get burned.

     This sequel to the edgy and action-packed Wildefire continues a fiery drama on an immortal scale.

Review:
I was lucky enough to receive Wildefire for review last year, and I absolutely loved it. Ever since then I've been dying to read the sequel and thanks to the amazing Simon and Schuster Canada, I got a copy for review a short while ago. As soon as I got it, I read it right away, loving every minute of it. After loving the first book so much, I knew there was a great chance that the book might not live up to the legacy of the first, but luckily, it very much surpassed it.

Ashline was just as kick butt as she was in the first book, but this time she had almost an entirely new cast of characters, away from her school and many of the original characters. I thought that with the loss of the old characters that it would take a long time to get into this book with all of the new introductions that would have to be done, but they were flown into the plot well, taking no more time than necessary. My favorite new character was Wes, he was entertaining and well developed, with an interesting history with Ash. The other new characters were just as great and well developed, enhancing the already fantastic cast of characters the series has. The story picks up right where the last book left off, giving relief after the killer cliffhanger of book one. Karsten truly has mastered storytelling, doing so in an intelligent and funny way.

I give Embers and Echoes a 5/5 for being a great sequel that's left me wanting the next book now. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book and that wants a great book with a strong female protagonist. I cannot wait for the next book in the series, it should be an amazing conclusion to the series.

Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.

From debut novelist Sangu Mandanna comes the dazzling story of a girl who was always told what she had to be—until she found the strength to decide for herself.

Review:
I first saw this book when I was browsing the Harper Collins Catalogs, looking for new books to add to my ever growing collection. The cover is simply gorgeous and the summary set it apart from anything else I had heard of in a long time. I went in with very high hopes for the book and they were met with an amazingly deep book, something I wasn't expecting.

The characters in this book were extremely well crafted, they were deep with tons of background stories and well thought through. Eva's character was amazing. She gave me a ton to think about throughout the course of the entire book. Her life wasn't her own, her existence was dependent on Amarra, she could end her or completely change her life with a simple decision. When her life does get altered in a matter of days, Eva takes it in stride, not throwing a massive tantrum but still remaining appropriately upset about her life being turned upside down. Ray was interesting and well developed, really great with Eva and was able to make decisions for himself and not just to appease others. The rest of the characters were just as well developed, which was a very impressive feat considering just how many characters there were in the book. The story was also well developed, it went by with speed but it didn't feel too hasty. The writing was some of the best I've read in ages, it was highly descriptive with a great narrative voice.

I give The Lost Girl a 5/5 for being a thought provoking book that I simply adored. I'd recommend this book to teens looking for a paranormal read with a resoundingly deep message behind it. I know I'll be reading whatever else Sangu writes next.

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is -a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

In THE CALLING, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of THE GATHERING clamoring for more.


Review:
First off, I'd like to give a massive, very grateful shout out to Kelley Armstrong who was kind enough to send me a ARC of the book! I've been lucky enough to have met her twice and both times it has reminded me why she is one of my favorite authors in YA. That being said, I had very high expectations for this book due to the fact that I have loved all of her past books and I live near where the book takes place. I'm very happy to say that the book blew away my expectations and was a sensational sequel.

The cover followed the theme of The Gathering's, with the same cover model, font, and an earring. The earring was slightly different than the one on the last book's cover, but it kept the theme nonetheless. Color-wise, it was a tad bit different, more of a purple color instead of the blue of the first book. I love the fact that the cover doesn't give anything about the book away, it just portrays some of the emotions Maya experienced during the duration of the book. Altogether, I really love these covers and I think they look great sitting side by side on a shelf together.

Maya was a hugely enjoyable character. She was strong and didn't back down or take the easy way out of situations. It was her determination that truly made me enjoy reading about her and from her perspective. All of Maya's friends were well developed and used to a good extent, and they were all important in the story in some way. Rafe was still my favorite guy in the series, but Daniel was a close second. I loved Kenjii and I'm glad he was brought into this book too, he added a nice touch to the story that kept the story down to earth.

The writing stayed up to the standards previously set by Kelley Armstrong, never wavering from the quality and descriptiveness. The plot was even better than in The Gathering because it didn't need to give out as much information, so the plot could move forward quicker. Within the plot there was a ton amazing action; it picked up with Maya and her friends being taken away from their homes in a helicopter away from any sense of normalcy. The story carried on with a crash and it simply accelerated from there, throwing many twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. It also ended in a cliffhanger, leaving me wanting the last book of the trilogy right away.

As I said before, the end was a cliffhanger, leaving room for an amazing final book to the trilogy. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a different type of paranormal book, or someone who enjoyed any of Kelley Armstrong's past books, including her adult books. I give The Calling a 5/5.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Review:
This was one of the books of this year that I was most looking forward to. After reading the Trylle series earlier this year, I knew I wanted to read this book right away. Lucky for me, I have an amazing blogger friend Lindsay who gave me her ARC of it a little while back. I was really looking forward to this book because there aren't that many good mermaid books in YA books. I'm glad to say that I truly did enjoy this book, and that it's one of my favorite siren books out there.

Blue; the perfect color for the cover of this book. It uses the ocean for the majority of the cover and a bit of a rocky outcrop in the distance with a lighthouse on it. The sky is a simply gorgeous sunset of colors ranging from red to orange with clouds throughout, indicating a storm brewing. The large, full moon in the sky also gives the cover an eerie look due to all the mythology tied to full moons. Then there's the gorgeous typeset for the title added a nice, elegant touch to the cover, bringing it together nicely.

Gemma was a good character in the fact that she was well developed and I agreed with most of her decisions except for one (you'll have to figure out which decision that was by reading the book!) but other than that, she was an enjoyable character. Harper was a good character, too, but she wasn't very well explored. I'm sure in the next book she will get used more other than for a bit of narrating. The book was told from both the points of view of Harper and Gemma. The relationship between Gemma and Harper had the distinct fighting that often goes hand in hand with sisterly relationships. Both characters had a love interest, but I liked Harper's a lot more than Gemma's. Gemma's love interest was Alex, the boy next door that lacked a lot of personality. Harper's guy was Daniel, a cocky older guy who lived on a boat in the local harbor who would do anything for Harper. On the other end of the spectrum you had the sirens, who also were not all that explored, but I am really looking forward to reading more about them in later books. There was a whole range of secondary characters in the book as well, but even for the amount of them, they were all fairly well developed and were able to make you feel for them as much as the main characters could.

The writing was what made me want to read this book; I had enjoyed Amanda Hocking's writing in the Trylle trilogy and I knew that I would love it just as much in this book. It was the finesse that the author's writing style has that drew me in, but it was the extremely fast style of story that kept me interested.The plot was paced nicely with the only slow part at the beginning when all of the introductions happened. After that, it was smooth sailing with events immediately following each other. It was this speed that really contributed to the cliffhanger ending by making the book seem so short, leaving me wanting more right away.

This book was a great set up for the next book in the series, which I cannot wait to read when it comes out. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a mermaid book with some mythology or someone looking for a different style of paranormal book. I give Wake a 5/5.

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.

Review:
I first heard about Kiersten White back in the early days of my blog. There was a lot of hype surrounding her debut book, Paranormalcy, and I bought it shortly after it was released. That was 2010, but now, in 2012, comes the end of the fantastic Paranormalcy series. With that said, I had quite high expectations for Endlessly and they were met and exceeded by this excellent book.

Purple: possibly the best color in the world. I love how the entire series looks altogether, side by side, with all the gorgeous dresses and backgrounds matching in theme. Though all the covers in the series are beautiful, this one might actually be my favorite of the series. The dress Evie is wearing is my favorite of the three dresses. The foreground also featured a few flowers in tones to match the shade of the dress. The clouds in the background and the way that Evie's hair is blowing to the side indicates a storm occurring which could be symbolic of the climax of the story of the trilogy.

Evie was as fantastic as always, she has this wit about her that made her one of the most entertaining protagonists in YA today. Her ability to bring humor to any situation, as well as being a fairly strong female protagonist is not something you come by everyday in YA books. She's also quite remarkable in the fact that I enjoyed reading in her point of view the entire time without ever getting frustrated with her decisions or attitude. Her relationships with the other characters, especially Lend and Reth, they all had a lot of dynamics with each other. Lend was the perfect guy for Evie, he valued their relationship and her opinions without being too judgmental. Reth was even more intriguing than he was in past books; a lot of the mystery that surrounded him was uncovered and he was a fairly complex character, amazingly so.

The story was chock full of happenings, the story never stopped moving and there was always things occurring. It was such a full plot, that one might even be able to complain that the book should have be longer to help accommodate all of the amazing events. The story was great and it ended in a perfectly crafted ending that gives the reader an opportunity to imagine what might happen next in Lend and Evie's future. The writing was just as phenomenal as it was in the previous two books: witty and action packed. Kiersten White  has a way with words that sets her apart from the crowd with amazing detail and precision. No matter what she writes next, I know I'll be reading it.

Altogether, this book was an amazing conclusion to the fantastic Paranormalcy trilogy. I'd recommend this series to anyone in need of a great paranormal read or wants to try out a great YA read. I give Endlessly a 5/5 for being a great conclusion to this series.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Review:
When Cinder came out, it was surrounded by all sorts of amazing hype that made me a little skeptical of the book. How could it be that great? Well, I finally took the dive and picked it up and read it and the only bad thing about it was the fact that I had not read it earlier.

The cover is an interesting one, while I read it I had many people ask about the book and tell me that the cover caught their eye. It features Cinder's foot in a very red glass slipper, paying homage to the original tale involving the glass slipper. Also, it is easy to see the mechanics beneath Cinder's skin, immediately telling the reader that the story is about a cyborg. I love the font they used for the title and the author name; both carry a fantasy, futuristic feel to them that matched the book well.

As you may have guessed, the main character's name was Cinder. Cinder was a cyborg living in New Beijing sometime in the far future. Even though her 'family' had treated her like dirt for the duration of her living with them, she still retained hope and a good personality when it would have been easy to just be bitter and down on herself. Cinder was a very strong character who was highly enjoyable to read about, just as many of the characters were in the book. Prince Kai was another favorite of mine because he didn't take no for an answer, but he didn't put a new love before his priorities with the kingdom. These qualities made him realistic as well as a great love interest. The relationship dynamic between these two was very interesting, as they didn't get far into it before the book ended, not doing the whole 'instant love' shebang that's very popular in books today.

The premise was amazing and unique, for a retelling, and it was truly delivered by the great writing and plot. The writing made me form instant bonds with the characters, holding me to them emotionally, making me feel for the characters from the beginning. It was these bonds that hooked me into every page, and kept me there until the very end. And by that I mean that I was wanting more at the end, but the cliffhanger left me wanting the next book instantly. The pacing of the plot was spot on, it couldn't have been done better. There were no slow parts and there was always something occurring or building. From beginning to end there was no shortage of twists and turns that made Cinder a book that you don't want to miss.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an awesome retelling of a classic fairytale with a twist, or simply to anyone. I give Cinder a 5/5 for making me die for the next book in the series.

X-Men meets The Breakfast Club in this darkly humorous adventure

The Vindico are a group of supervillains who have been fighting the League of Heroes for as long as anyone can remember. Realizing they're not as young as they used to be, they devise a plan to kidnap a group of teenagers to take over for them when they retire--after all, how hard can it be to teach a bunch of angsty teens to be evil?

Held captive in a remote mansion, five teens train with their mentors and receive superpowers beyond their wildest dreams. Struggling to uncover the motives of the Vindico, the teens have to trust each other to plot their escape. But they quickly learn that the differences between good and evil are not as black and white as they seem, and they are left wondering whose side they should be fighting on after all . . .

With fast-paced action, punchy dialogue, and sarcastic humor, this high-stakes adventure from a talented new YA voice pulls you in from the first page.


Review:
I initally read the summary for the book a short while before I read it; it had me at "X-Men" (in case you didn't know, I am a huge fan of Marvel superheroes!). With the interesting premise of telling a story from a multiple quasi-villain point of view, I read and adored this awesome tale of coming of age under the most unusual of circumstances.

The cover was one definitely designed to draw the eyes of both boys and girls, creating a greater demographic for the book. The color was one that I really liked; it was between fuchsia and red with lighter lightening streaks through it. It also transcended the gender boundaries; it had draw for both boys and girls, rather than just one or the other. The whole thing came together wonderfully, and it will no doubt draw readers to it with ease.

The story was told through five points of view; that of James, Lana, Sam, Hayden, and Emily. They were all very different people, but they were all thrown together when they were abducted by The Villains. Did I have a favorite character? No: I loved them all that much! All of them could be related to on some level and the were very much like-able. The ability to make a reader sympathize with the characters is a great skill and something that I look for in a book, which was achieved in this one. The Villains were also brilliantly written; they weren't just stereotypical bad guys, they had depth and back stories that were very intriguing.

The story was fantastic and quick to action, and the writing was just as good. There were plenty of action packed scenes, but there was also a good mix of emotional ones to bring balance to the plot. It featured nearly perfect pacing along with writing with an attention grabbing style. It was clear in the writing that every character was equally as important, none were favored by the plot or the writing. The author was also able to give every single character a different personality without making any of them too similar; a difficult task considering how many characters were in the book. I cannot wait for more of the history between the characters as well as more of the quick plot in the sequel!

I strongly recommend that fans of superheroes or anyone looking for a unique Young Adult title. I cannot wait for the next book in the series, but until then, I give The Vindico a 5/5.

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.


Review:
If you didn't read my review of Anna and the French Kiss, let me get you up to speed: I ABSOLUTELY ADORED IT. With that in mind, Lola had some very high expectations to live up to. Luckily it did; using the same wit and romantic formula that Anna did, but it didn't ever feel like a rerun. I loved how the book served both as a stand alone title as well as a bit of a catch up on the lives of Anna and St. Clair; giving the reader a taste of their lives after Anna, without making the book all about them. The new characters were Lola and Cricket, along with a whole new cast of secondary characters. I really loved Lola in particular because she pulled off her zany spirit without looking overdone or exaggerated; she was realistic and fun to read. Cricket was a great character as well due to his quirks and interesting features; he was the most original character I've read about in a while. He wasn't built to be the perfect, idealistic version of a boy that the media portrays, he was far more interesting and complex than the stock type love interest. The relationship between the two was entertaining and had a lot of background and history: not instant love.

The story began with the meat of the story and used flashbacks to catch the reader up on missing details that were crucial to the strength of character relationships. With the utilization of these flashbacks, the characters grew in leaps and bounds, allowing for a well rounded plot to occur; it felt as though you were truly there with them. This fact may also have to do with how well Stephanie is able to write; she just knows how to please her readers while still making them feel a large range of emotions. Altogether, I give Lola and the Boy Next Door a 5/5 for being an excellent read that I'd recommend to anyone even remotely interested in Young Adult books.

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Review:
I got this a long while back and wasn't sure when I would get the chance to read it. I had one major fear that was the main reason I didn't read it earlier; what if it didn't live up to the hype? I can gladly say that it did live up to it all; in fact, I may have found a new contender for my Top Ten Books. This book successfully matched humor with romance, but it never felt rushed. There was no instant love; there was a classic boy meets girl, and it played out in a truly enjoyable way. Anna was a quirky, amazing characters; realistic and fun to read about, she was a great main character. When a character is able to teach you about things about love, that makes for a remarkable reading experience. St. Clair was just as fun to read about, he had depth and humor rolled up into his characteristics. He dealt with his life in a realistic manner and was never annoying or over exaggerated. Even the secondary characters were deep, all with a sense of background and emotion.

Stephanie Perkins has a way of writing that entraps the reader's attention, she wrote with finesse it showed in the way she could turn an awkward situation into one with comedy and heart at the same time. The plot was one that kept moving no matter what, demonstrating the love aspect along with other themes that showed morals and more. At the end of the day, Anna and the French Kiss was just as good as the hype proclaimed; perhaps even better. It marked itself as one of my favorite contemporary books I've read ever, a high honor to me because of the fact that I often do not enjoy this genre. I give Anna and the French Kiss a 5/5 for being an awesome read that I'd recommend to any fan of YA.

Alora looked back and the corner of her lip turned up. “It’s always darkest before the dawn, Julia. Good luck.” 
Her words sent chills up my spine as she vanished. 

Unrest stirs deep in Scotts Valley. Filled with uncertainty, Julia anxiously awaits Nicholas’ return. Phil, hurt and unsure of his place as a sober vampire, holds the pieces of Julia’s fragile psyche together, secretly hoping Nicholas stays away forever. Scarlett bides her time, plotting for the perfect moment to prove herself and earn redemption. But somewhere in L.A., Alora conspires to reclaim her talisman and strip Julia of everything she holds dear. 

Little do they know, a war is coming and more than one vampire would like to see the Prince of Vampires overthrown. As more and more vampires show up from nowhere, addicted to her scent, Julia must pick her allies carefully before it’s too late. Can Julia bargain with fate? When the time comes, will she even have a choice? Find out how it all ends in this explosive grand finale of The Talisman Trilogy.

Review:
Wow. All I can say is wow, what an amazing end to an amazing trilogy. The action starts at the beginning and keeps rolling through to the end, as it did in the rest of the books in the Talisman series. If I could change one thing, it would be that I would have begun this series much earlier than I did.

The characters continued on their monumental growth that had been building throughout the series. By the end, Julia was a stronger young woman than ever before, having seen both the good and the bad to vampire-ism, and having a new goal to stride towards; riding the world of vampires. Phil grew on me even more in this book, he truly cared for everyone and was able to make peace between fighting characters and within himself. Nicholas was as amazing as ever, he is, and always was, the standout in the competition for Julia's heart in my opinion. The writing surpassed the bar set by The Sapphire Talisman, and then took it even higher. There were moments of heart pounding action, as well as many of heart aching emotion, giving the reader a lot to root and feel for in the book. The story seemed to whiz by, I was surprised to find myself at the end when I finished, it had seemed like a very quick book, but a lot of crucial events were done in incredible detail that I felt as if I had been in the room with the characters.

The ending was a great and unexpected way to finish the book off, it surprised and pleased me greatly, fulfilling one "Team"s hopes for the characters and their relationships. If you haven't read the Talisman Trilogy, I highly recommend doing so now, especially if you are in the market for a different take on vampire fiction. I give The Onyx Talisman a 5/5 with a very bittersweet farewell to this enjoyable series.

With the local vampire coven decimated, Julia and Nicholas try to begin a somewhat normal life together. Bound by secrecy from a shape shifter determined to see Julia’s world-saving prediction come to fruition, Julia isn’t allowed to tell Nicholas the leader survived, ransacking her happiness with guilt. When Alora returns, bent on revenge, the reunion forces Nicholas and Julia to choose what they are willing to live and die for.


Review:
After enjoying the first book of the series as much as I did, I began the second I could. All I can say is wow, that was even better than the first! Character-wise, I found myself enjoying this book even more than the first. Julia seemed more well rounded this time, focusing on herself as well as the well being of her friends and family. She also was able to shift her sights from Nicholas to others when things went darkly. I greatly enjoyed the secondary characters, they were all unique in their own rights and that made them very enjoyable.

The story moved even more rapidly than the first, utilizing characters in ways the reader couldn't foresee before they occurred. With the exceptional writing, the plot sped to a break neck speed with few slow spots in between. I enjoyed how there were no easy outs for the characters in harms way, they used wits and bravery to get through it all. Through and through, the quality of Brenda's writing was proved in this great second chapter to this series and for that I give it a 5/5.