Empower - Jessica Shirvington

Empower (Violet Eden Chapters #5)

- Jessica Shirvington

Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

It has been two years since Violet Eden walked away from the city, her friends, her future and – most painfully – her soulmate, Lincoln. Part angel, part human, Violet is determined to stand by the promises she made to save the one she loves.

Living in the perpetual coldness of a broken soul she survives day to day as a Rogue Grigori in London. It has been more than a year since she felt Lincoln searching for her and Violet has learnt to focus on nothing more than the war against exiled angels. But when an unexpected visitor shows up at her door, the news he bears about someone she swore to protect leaves Violet with no choice. Even worse, she fears that this might all lead back to the night she tries hardest to forget. And what was taken without her permission.

Violet is going back to New York ... and she knows exactly who is going to be there. With Phoenix in her dreams and Lincoln in heart she knows it is only a matter of time before the final choice must be made.(Description from Date a Book.)

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I usually don’t review books when I haven’t reviewed the rest in the series – it makes me feel like I’m not giving viewers the chance to see my entire thoughts; but there is absolutely no way I can’t put down how much I loved this book!

If you’re a fan of the series, you would know that the fourth book – Endless – had an incredibly emotional and shocking ending. I spent half the book in tears and desperate to find out more. Well, Empower brings that and more. Lines were crossed in the past, and in this book, we’re learning to deal with the fall out.

I’ve always loved Violet, she had her moments – it’s hard not to get frustrated at characters sometimes as they make mistakes and grow – but I’ve always loved how determined she is to be her own person. She’s had to deal with a lot of responsibilities, and a destiny she’s been thrown into, but has had an incredible support crew she has behind her. I loved seeing that return in Empower, but also loved watching her accept that she was not alone in her fight to save the world.

For me, one of the most important parts of the book is choice – not only because of the tagline; it’s more than just that. Fans are going to think it’s the ‘final’ choice between Lincoln and Phoenix, but Violet picked Lincoln ages ago: mind, body and spirit – it’s always been about Lincoln. Just like the final choice will always be about Violet’s Grigori role: who she wants to be and where she fits into this world. She’ll never be able to just slide into the world, she has to have a purpose, so Empower is all about finally finding her ultimate place. And I loved watching Violet get there. She doesn’t let others determine her position. She’s a very strong character in that regard.

With how Endless left off, there was always going to be questions regarding Violet’s friends. I think I was more shocked by their acceptance of it all. With the exception of one character, who I’m not sure we can classify as just a ‘friend’; not one of them showed any frustrations at Violet’s choices. I was honestly expecting just one to go: “Hey, Vi. Glad you’re okay, but I haven’t quite forgiven you for running off yet.” – Or maybe that’s just my own feelings taking over. Violet is incredibly lucky with her relationships!

One of the things I was dying to see unfold was the romance. As a very vocal Team Lincoln fan, I was extremely close to willing myself into the book so I could lock Violet and Linc in the same room and wait for them to work out their differences. There were some lines, scenes and situations that just made me melt. These two are one of my top YA It-Couples. I was a very happy Kim!

There is so much I’d love to gush about this book: the rogue involvement, seeing favourite characters, exploring new locations – but I think I’ll skip to the danger: a new exile evil who is fighting for the end of the world. It’s strange, with Lilith they had a plan and a definite way of destroying her, but in Empower I honestly had no idea if they’d make it out alive. It was darker, more dangerous and involved more Grigori and exiles than you could possibly image. The book was very action-packed – I loved it! A lot happened towards the end with so few pages to go, but I think what I loved most was that the questions fan would be most vocal about were wrapped up – but all without being too fairytale-like. I felt that we were left wondering what the future will be like, but only because I didn’t want to let the characters go. There was enough of an ending to be satisfied. For Violet, Lincoln and the rest, life is never going to be simple and there’s no way to predict what could come next; but we get enough to feel complete.

I have enjoyed this series so much. The ups and downs, the emotion, friendship and growth for all characters. It will forever be a favourite!

5/5 stars

Kim
(Also posted on Goodreads)

Hidden - Marianne Curley

Hidden (Avena #1) - Marianne Curley
Grade: YA
Rating: 4/5 stars

Ebony has always known that she is different. Her violet eyes mark her out, and her protective parents have kept her in a gorgeous valley, home-schooled, safe from everything - almost as if she's being hidden. But she's changing: glowing, getting more and more beautiful, and stronger than anyone knows. Ebony can't stay hidden for ever, and when she meets complicated, intense Jordan, something explodes inside her - something that can be seen from the heavens; something that changes everything. Ebony is a stolen angel, concealed on Earth. Now the heavens have found her, they want her back. (Description from Goodreads)

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I really enjoyed reading Hidden. I’m a fan of angel books, but have a hard time finding new ones to actually pick up, even though I know they’re out there. So when I was given a copy of Hidden I hoped it would be an angel book I’d fall in love with. And it definitely gets double thumbs up in my books.

The moment I opened the pages of Hidden I was intrigued. Main character, Ebony Hawkins, is going through a strange time. She feels like she’s way too different from the people around her, and her parents won’t seem to answer the questions she has about herself. Enhanced hearing, sight and smell, amazing strength and an ability to run a lot faster than anyone else at school makes Ebony determined to not be the focus of attention in any way possible. But after a stumble literally pushes Jordan Blake, a guy from Ebony’s school, into a wall, Ebony finds her life changed in unbelievable ways. I didn’t know what to think about this beginning. Ebony and Jordan are so different both in personality and presence. Ebony is tough and determined. She defies her parents to claim some sort of independence and keeps this need to be in control of her actions throughout the entire book. Where as Jordan came off as the weaker of the two characters. He just never seemed to get it together. Their differences made everything stand out more.

I found the beginning of the book was a bit slow. Ebony and Jordan, despite going to the same school, don’t know each other when they first meet, which makes things a little tricky because a fair bit of the novel involves both characters searching for information about each other. From a reader’s point of view, we pick up on the clues a lot quicker than the characters do – Ebony and Jordan, unfortunately, suffer from cluelessness for a lot of the book, but I sort of enjoyed being in the know before them. It made all the revelations that much more exciting.

I liked the split POV because it meant we got to see more than just Ebony’s story – even though she was the most important character in the book. If we hadn’t been focusing on Jordan too, we wouldn’t have been introduced to most of the angel side of the story. I really liked the mystery that surrounded Ebony and her angel connections. Stolen at birth and hidden on earth, Ebony’s history is unknown. I was desperate to find out why she’d been taken and who from her previous life would save her. The angel and demon storyline (even though it wasn’t completely “demon” like) gave the book an extra danger. Though some aspects of the angel history seemed brushed over, it still made the story very interesting.

The romance in the story was a neat little twist. I went into it thinking the focus would be entirely on Ebony and Jordan, as main characters with shared POV and narration...then Thane entered the scene and I was all: Jordan, who? Thane is amazing. His feelings for Ebony were obvious from the start and I waited impatiently to see what would come of them. Despite Ebony’s apparent connection to Jordan at the start, I couldn’t ignore the attraction that came from Thane, or the way he stood out as a presence in the story. His role was so important. Thane really made me smile.

I loved that the ending was a mix of action, mystery and closure. I’m dying to see Ebony learn to fight a bit more – I want her to join in the action. And I definitely won’t say no to more Thane! Can’t wait for book 2.

4/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) - Laini Taylor
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars


Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living – one without massacres and torn throats and bonfires of the fallen, without revenants or bastard armies or children ripped from their mothers’ arms to take their turn in the killing and dying.

Once, the lovers lay entwined in the moon’s secret temple and dreamed of a world that was a like a jewel-box without a jewel – a paradise waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness.

This was not that world. 

(Description from Goodreads)

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What would you do if the person you loved was killed by their own family? Would you fall, losing all hope of living again; or would you fight back?

I feel like we may have just entered the age of incredible sequels. I hate to admit it, but lately the second books in popular trilogies have a way of disappointing me - the characters flip their personalities or the story feels like a filler for the final battle. But we're coming out of that trend. 'Days of Blood and Starlight' conveys the same powerful, emotional and addictive story and characters that we're first introduced to in 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' and takes it to a whole new level. There is not a moment of this book I would have traded for something else, and I wish it had gone on forever. I have no doubt Laini Taylor could have an endless story if she wanted to.

We start the book in the middle of war. We saw signs of this war between the chimaera and the seraphim in the previous book, not only through the angels' active destruction of the portals between Eretz and the Human World, but through Karou's memories as Madrigal. War is all these races knew for so long. But this time, we get to see more of that fighting in the present. Karou is distraught over the death of her family and the collapse of her home, and puts all her energy into continuing the work of her father-like figure, Brimstone. While Akiva, determined to find out how to make up for all his wrongs, plans ways to stop the seraphim from annihilating the last of the chimaera. This book is very action based - what else would expect from a scenes that take place in a time of war? I love action books. The heart racing, blood pumping through the veins - not knowing what might be coming next. It makes it hard to put the book down to do normal things, like eat and sleep!

It's no secret that Laini Taylor has a way with words. She sweeps you up in her powerful tale and spits you out as a new person in the end; completely lost for words and shaking from the journey you've just been on. There were countless times when I had to pause after reading a sentence, just because the raw emotion and images that it produced were too much for me to function. You're attached to every character, every situation; from the Damas running to escape from seraphim slavery, to the guards posted outside the Angel strongholds, to the chimaera experiencing the endless pain tithe for resurrection. Nothing is hidden from the power of Laini's words.

We definitely see a different Akiva and a different Karou, in this book. There's no way for them to be the people they were before, not with so many issues pressing down upon them. Their pasts are always in the front of their - and everyone else's - minds; with no chance of escaping past choices and emotions. But, oh did I want them to forget about what everyone else might think, forget about the past, forget about their troubles. I just wanted to see them together and fighting for the same cause. When you've already seen the passion between two characters (or in two relationships, both Akiva and Karou, and Akiva and Madrigal), it's hard not to want to see those relationships again. But this is not a romance story, despite the longing, the hints, the hope. And, oh is there so much Hope!

This series is not a series that is about one character alone. It's not even about two characters (ie. those we would consider the main characters - Karou and Akiva, even if references to an angel and devil falling in love, is focusing on them). No. This series is much more than that. There are so many different characters that make it amazing. Of course, I want to mention Karou and Akiva, who have both suffered so much heartache over being together and being pulled apart. I can't get enough of these two. But there are characters I loved just as much as them. Zuzana and Mik. Never have the 'human' friends been so entertaining, so passionate and so persistent, Zuzana is incredible. She never gives up on the chance of being with Karou and, because of all the crazy she has already seen, accepting that there is more crazy to come doesn't seem to faze her. I'm so glad she has Mik though, because she needs a little normality in her life. The dialogue that runs between Zuzana and Mik brought smiles to my face almost every time they were on the page, and when there were no smiles it wasn't because of them, but the situation they were in. Then there's Ziri. A chimaera soldier, the last Kirin, who still wears his original skin. I adore Ziri. He's seen the worst of the world and still manages to hold onto this air of innocence. He comes out of his shell throughout the novel and you can't help loving him. And finally, the seraphim Misbegotten, the Emperor's bastards, Liraz and Hazael. Akiva's siblings and closest friends. The ones he can rely on to always have his back, even if he's not too sure they'll approve of his choices. It's amazing too see all these different characters interacting and fighting for survival and freedom. Laini Taylor finds a way to bring a voice to ever single character she creates, without making any of them seem 2D. Every one of them feels real and every one is important to the story.

One of the sub-plots that interested me the most involved Akiva's past, his history. Known as the Beast's Bane for his part in destroying the chimaera stronghold, you would think Akiva was important. But like all bastard offspring of the angel's Emperor, Akiva has no position, no family, no role in the world other than being a soldier. But we do find out more of his ancestry and it really makes you think; discovering just what makes him so different from the other Misbegotten. I'm a little obsessed with Akiva, so finding out more about him really sparked my interest. I can't wait to see how it all ties into the next book.

The end of the book leaves you breathless. Twists and turns that I definitely couldn't see coming, but are game changers. The war can't hope to be stopped in one book, and the angels have made the biggest move yet. I can't even begin to imagine how anyone will prevent more destruction from following in book #3, but one can only hope that there'll be action like no-one's ever known. And I'm looking forward to every last moment of it!

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally Posted on Goodreads)

Angel's Flight - Nalini Singh

Angel's Flight (Guild Hunter Anthology) 
                                                      - Nalini Singh

Grade: Adult - PNR

Rating: 5/5 stars

In Angel’s Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court.

In Angels’ Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all...

Plus FIRST TIME IN PRINT

In Angels' Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless...

And NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

In Angels’ Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court (Description from Goodreads)

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Sometimes you read a book and all you want to do at the end of it is tell EVERYONE to read it. This is how I feel about every book in the Guild Hunter series, including this one. Angel's Flight holds 4 short stories set in the Guild Hunter world, focusing on those side characters that we all wanted to know a bit better.

The first was Ashwini and Janvier's story. To me, it felt more like a snippet into their lives than an actual short story. This is the beginning of their "flirting relationship" that gets described in other Guild Hunter books. I did like it but I just would have liked more. I would have liked to have seen their relationship develop even further. Perhaps there is still more to come.

The second story is one I have already read. Deacon and Sara's story. I loved this story. I love seeing these big alpha males falling head over heels in love. Theres lots of action but at the heart of it all is a beautiful love story.

Story three surprised me. It's about Noel, the vampire that was brutally attacked in book 2 of the series. Last we heard about him was from Raphael in book 3, who said he was transferred to Nirma's territory. This story takes place straight after the transfer. Noel is so broken and doesn't believe he could ever be "fixed" but as soon as he sees Nirma he starts to feel something.

I love that all of Nalini's characters (both male and female) have something that they are trying to overcome. They are all emotionally flawed. And always it's through love that they all begin to heal.

If I had to choose a favourite story in this novel, I'd have to say story 4- Jess and Galen's story, since we also see lots of Raphael and Bluebell in it. Set just after Raphael has become an archangel, this story shows us how the bonds of friendship were made between the seven. It was wonderful to see them so "young" and playful at times. Also, the love story in this was just beautiful. Galen so big and strong, and blunt but never felt the warmth of love, and Jess so small and fragile looking, with her own anxieties, but a fighter at heart. I feel like I know theses characters so much better now.

I was completely engaged in all the stories. Nalini Singh knows how to write hot paranormal romance. Now is the anxious wait for the next Guild Hunter book.


Kerrie
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

A Touch Mortal - Leah Clifford

A Touch Mortal  (A Touch Trilogy #1) 

- Leah Clifford

Grade: YA

Rating: 4/5 stars

Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long, happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end. (Description from Goodreads)
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I started 'A Touch Mortal' knowing almost nothing about it except that bloggers I follower adored the book. I seem to be developing a habit of this. I feel that sometimes it's good to have no prior knowledge of a book, it means you're super surprised when events are thrown your way, like I was in 'A Touch Mortal'.

Eden is a mysterious main character. A pathless human, made immortal by death. You're probably thinking 'vampire' or 'zombie' if she's 'made' immortal; but no, nothing so known. Eden is a Sider (suicide victim), made that way because of her pathless life; having no future in the human world. But being a Sider isn't all about immortality. Siders are full of Touch, a strange power that's described as being like a virus that must be passed onto humans and can affect their emotions. Add to this the fact that angels, some of which travel to Earth frequently, seem clueless about the Siders' existence and you have yourself an amazing plot.

The mystery of the Siders still has me stumped, and I'm dying to work out what their purpose is, especially with the way Eden's special gifts seem even more unknown than normal; it puts an extra spanner in the words. I'm also still not completely sure what Touch is made of, or at least why the Siders accumulate so much of it. Is it because of their lack of path as humans, that they're compelled to leave a part of themselves on someone else? Maybe I missed something while reading, but I hope to get more answers in the future because I'm really interested to know more about Touch.

'A Touch Mortal' really focuses on the Siders and introducing us to the possibility that there's more to them than in known. But what I was really curious about were the Angels. Three types: the Bound, angels who cannot lie, the type you'd expect to find wearing glowing halos; the Fallen, those who have sinned and given into darkness; and then you have the winged angels, ones that have been kicked out of Heaven and are stuck between world, forced to make a choice, to use their wings to fly home and admit their sins or to fall. There wasn't nearly enough angel action for my liking. I wanted to know more about each world and the people who are a part of them. I hope we see more in the next book.

The book has a confusing beginning. So many terms are being introduced at once and little is being explained. You have to learn about the Angels, Siders and Touch as you read and even then you're still left with questions. There is a lot of learning to be done. I think Leah took a risk with the confusing plot, because there's a chance for readers to be frustrated by only getting bits and pieces of the puzzle. I found that the lack of explanation made it impossible not to want to know more. I know being left in the dark can sometimes be unsettling, like you're lost without a guide; but trust me, the confusing aspects start to become the norm and it's easy to be caught up in the moment when you get past this lost feeling. I was so curious to see how everything fell into place that I had to keep reading.

I was a little sad about all the time we seem to miss. We're thrown into the relationship of the story almost on the first page. Az and Eden meet and then we skip two weeks into the future, not really getting the chance to see their feelings and connection develop. One minute they're meeting and the next they're in love. I wanted to see more of their time together. It's not the only time jump we come across. We miss a lot of Eden learning to be a Sider and discovering what makes her so special. It's a bit rushed. The book covers a really large time period in terms of what would normally happen in books. Instead of being a few major events over the course of a week, 'A Touch Mortal' occurs over a few months, so I understand that not every day can be included in the mix, because that'd make the story a bit boring, but I would have liked to see a bit more of what happened in between, including more scenes with Az, Gabe and Kristen. But despite this I still found the story super exciting.

Dying to find out what happens next, especially with the way it ended.

4/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Dark Angel - Eden Maguire

Dark Angel - Eden Maguire
Grade: YA
Rating: 3/5 stars



Tania's heart belongs to Orlando. Nothing can rip them apart. Until the seduction begins in a flurry of glamour and magic, music and parties all orchestrated by the mysterious and mesmerising Zoran, an iconic rock star who has retired to a remote ranch in the nearby mountains. And there Tania meets the dark side. Can she resist temptation? 

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I’m a fan of the Angel genre. It’s something that is growing in popularity these days and with the title ‘Dark Angel’ I was expecting something very angel focused. I will tell you now, if you’re looking for a book that has a strong angel storyline, this isn’t the book for you. While angel imagery and the “dark” side come through loud and clear; the actual appearance of angels is sort of lacking.

I had a few issues with the plot of this book. While it had an extremely interesting concept, it just didn’t seem to go far enough for me. A retired, mysterious rock star (Zoran) moves into a mountain district and attract the attention of the entire teen population to the point where the main character (Tania) considers he is a cult leader, drawing all her friends to the dark side. It is obvious from the start that there is going to be a supernatural element to the story too; so you start asking yourself if this is actually a supernatural cult or is there more Tania must try to uncover?

Sounds really dark and uncertain; But Tania takes almost the entire book to grab onto this need to find out the real meaning behind Zoran’s appearance in her town. Despite having concerns and voicing them every second page; she spends too much time pushing them aside and ignoring her instincts – to avoid Zoran – to run away. While part of this avoiding issue gets explained throughout the end of the book, it made Tania come off as weak; to have all these thoughts and want to do something about them, but to do nothing (eg. She’s aware for most of the novel that something is not quite right with Zoran and his residence, and yet knowing she has to stay away, knowing her parents and boyfriend are telling her it’d be better to not go near Zoran, Tania decides on multiple occasions to visit his home alone.

I was drawn in by the mysterious Zoran. You don’t quite know who or what he is for so long and you wait impatiently for Tania to stumble across the answer. While I’m not desperate for the next book, I will be looking out for It to see what happens with Zoran; the ending left me wondering.

3/5 stars

Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)