Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

 3.5 Feathers
Bloodfever

by Karen Marie Moning

(Fever # 2)

Ohhhhhh I just know I'll probably get some hate mail from this review but please, please, please... understand this is just my opinion. I know A LOT of people LOOOOOOOOVE this book and this series but I just didn't see it and didn't get there yet.

OK so this book picks up kind of where the last one left off and Mac is still trying to get at her brothers killer and is now working for Barrons. She's changed from the first book in the sense that she changed her appearance and a bit of her attitude. But she is nowhere near badass yet.  But it was an improvement.

Then there's the fact that Barrons is still just using her for his own purposes but won't tell tell her anything (about anything) and well... He's a total antisocial, bitter and grumpy.....JERK! Sorry.... there.... I said it. Let the hate mail flow in.

I was really annoyed at Barrons for most of this book and just because out of NOWHERE he decides that all of a sudden he wants to kiss Mac at the end of this book (and yes that was a toecurling, hot as hell kiss, that promises Barrons is a sexual God)...Well that wasn't enough for me to forget that I wanted to throttle him for far more than I wanted to jump his bones. Sometimes when a character is standoffish it's kind of hot, when Barrons makes his comments and remarks he just sounds like a jerk. Sorry to all Barrons lovers, I know I'll probably feel different when I see his sexual prowess.

Then there's Mac. Is it possible that I just don't like her that much? Well, no that's not true. I like her ok I just don't care about her one way or the other. And if I hear petunia one more time I'm going to scream!

The story was good but the pace was very slow for me. I found this book to be put-down-able because it didn't really catch my attention until almost the very end, where the world turns upside down, there's a ton of action and shit hits the fan and we are left with a brand new world to explore in the next book. Open to a whole lot of new possibilities. THIS IS EXCITING!

I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy the next book a lot more since a lot of things have changed but I feel like maybe this book was more of a getting from point A to point B in the series, and those are usually not my favorite.

NOW....PLEASE DON'T YELL AT ME!

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: The Taker by Alma Katsu

The Taker

by Alma Katsu

(The Taker Trilogy # 1)

Call me a masochist if need be, but I loved this heartbreaking story. Alma Katsu is a wonderful storyteller. I have to admit that this story is dark and depressing to the point where I wanted to stop reading the book but the Ms. Katsu’s left and right twists of the story kept me flipping the pages non-stop.

Lanny finds herself in the ER in shock of what she had just done. She confides in the local doctor and convinces him to help her with her troubles. In their journey, she talks about decades of misfortune and misery. Her love for Jonathan (her first and only love) has no bounds. She would do anything and everything for him. And same goes for Adair (her lover & the one who gave her immortality), but not to a point of love and obsession just means to an end.

Unfortunately, these men brought her nothing but heartache after heartache. How she moved on with this immortal life, I have no idea. But then again, how did I keep on reading each heart-wrenching tale she tells? Let me tell you, it is the hope of finding any scrap of happiness for Lenore.

This book captured my feelings of lost, regret and made me appreciate my simple mortal life. It goes back and forth from past to future which made the feelings of regrets more intense. I have to warn you, it is a story full of hardships and it is hell on earth. You will either love it or hate it.

I don't consider this anything like the Fifty Shades trilogy at all but a class on its own. 

*Review copy provided by author

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ARC Review: A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

 

A Rogue by Any Other Name

(The First Rule of Scoundrels # 1)

by Sarah Maclean

A ROGUE BY ANY OTHER NAME is the first book in a new series called The First Rule of Scoundrels. In this book, the Marquess of Bourne lost everything but his title in a gaming hell. His land, servants, clothes, everything was taken away from him. So Michael vows revenge; his aim to one day retrieve everything that was taken away from him.

Ten years later, Michael is now one of the owners of London’s most exclusive gaming hell. His life holds excitement and success, but there is still one thing that Michael wants desperately. He wants his land back. And he will do anything to gain it.

However, when he learns that his land is now owned by The Marquess of Needham and Dolby and will be added to Lady Penelope Marbury’s dowry, Michael makes it his personal goal to marry Penelope, just so he can gain back his land.

For most of the book, Michael aka Bourne was a jerk. There were moments when I could appreciate his determination and ruthless perusal of something that was rightfully his, however, I did not see the reason why he was so mean to Penelope sometimes. They have a history. They were childhood friends who wrote letters to each other until their youth. These letters scattered throughout the book were sweet and highly entertaining, sometimes bringing a smile to my lips as I read them. But it was because of these letters that I felt that Penelope was often mistreated by Bourne. How could he totally disregard her after all they have been through?

I am having a difficult time rating this book because there were scenes in this book that were brilliant, just absolutely thrilling and engaging. However, I did feel that towards the middle of the book, it lost some of its allure. The pacing wasn’t always consistent, sometimes brilliant and sometimes a little lacklustre.

But it was Penelope that really made this book for me. I loved her attitude towards life. She was quite sheltered, had a broken engagement and several disappointing courtships, but she was always open to anything. And that’s a quality that I have to admire in a heroine.

And, as she stood there, staring into the darkness, thinking on her future, she realized just how little she wanted a quiet life of pastel colors and quadrilles and tepid lemonade.
She wanted more.
The word whispered through her thoughts on a wave of sadness.
More.

Penelope was such a selfless woman, putting her own happiness on hold so that Bourne and her sisters could live the life they wanted. She would really wager it all for them. But the question is, would Bourne wager his heart for her?

Sarah MacLean continues to enchant readers with her writing. As the first book in a new series, the First Rule of Scoundrels looks promising. Who can deny a scoundrel of what he wants? It’s as they say, “What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets...”

*ARC provided by publisher

 

  

 

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Review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

2.5 Feathers

Shadow Heir

by Richelle Mead

(Dark Swan # 4)

It is with great sadness that I write this review.  Richelle Mead has beeen and, the events in this book aside, still is one of my favorite authors.  I have seen her end two wonderful series now and she has done so masterfully.  When I picked up Shadow Heir I was under the impression that this was the last Dark Swan novel, so I was expecting nothing less from her.

I was already going in with bitterness about certain things.  #1 Kiyo - Throughout the series Ms. Mead has managed to get me to actually hate the Kitsune with a passion *pulls out her Kiyo voodoo doll and stabs his head repeatedly* and I was prepared to only hate him more in this book, there was no going back for me on that.  Well, I wasn't disappointed on that!  He's still a slimy piece of crap, a rat bastard, and it's infuriating to see Eugenie having to work with him when all I want is for her to stand up to him and get some retribution for all he's done to her.  That didn't happen.  Until the end, he still sticks it to her and she just stands there with her mouth open in shock.  Oh by the way, I am writing this as a spoiler free review so maybe some of the things I say may sound a bit weird, you'll understand when you read the book.

Bitterness# 2 - Eugenie.  Yes I went in already feeling sort of hate for the heroine.  This has been slowly developing throughout the series and well, she didn't get any better in this book.  She sits around moping and doing the whole woe-is-me routine.  Get a grip, stop being so selfish and so stupid!  Stop listening to the dumb Kitsune and start appreciating the REAL man you have by your side!!  If not, I'll help Volusian kill you myself! *which I felt like doing repeatedly throughout this book*.

Now onto a better review of this book.

I wish the whole first 50% of this book would've been written in two chapters!  Seriously I considered putting this as one of my few ever DNF books.  Why? It is tediously boring, nothing happens, there's hardly any supernatural activity, nothing!  Eugenie goes on fishing dates and I felt like I was reading a depressing women's fiction book instead of an urban fantasy.

Once there's something that starts happening, it is not to follow the storyline that we were dealing with from the beginning but a completely randomly thrown in storyline that takes over the rest of the book and really doesn't do anything to close the series, this was more like another adventure of Eugenie, the moron Queen!  So I thought, perhaps, this could've been resolved faster so we would've seen something more in respect to an ending to the series.

Volusian - this storyline does deal in a small way with Volusian.  I have to say I love the little guy!  He is my favorite character in this series, apart from the all-perfect Dorian.  We learn about his past, Eugenie has to go to his homeland and she couldn't accomplish what she needs without his help.  So he gets closure and I really liked that part!

Dorian - I can't tell you enough how much Eugenie doesn't deserve this man.  First of all, with Dorian what you see is what you get.  You know he's sneaky and that he wants also what's in his best interest, but in this book he put Eugenie above anything and everything.  My heart breaks thinking of the fact that for the most part, she only uses him when it's convenient and this didn't change.

What wouldn't I do for you? *tear*

And I think this pretty much brings me to the ending.  OK, let me back up for the last 15%.  Everything you thought, was wrong, everything that we believed should've been one way was another.  In the last 15% of this book seems like all the loose ends that should've been tied throughout the series started rapidly weaving together.  That's all I can say about that without giving stuff away.  Just shock after shock.

Now for the actual ending.  What.The.Hell.Was.That?????  How can Ms. Mead end a series like that?  Actually, it doesn't surprise me just because I've known all along that Eugenie is a selfish bitch!  So we couldn't really expect more from her right?  But I don't see how that can be an ending.  No I cannot.  Sorry.  Very disappointing.

So why the 2.5 feathers if this is still very well written?  50% of the book was too slow, then from 60% on it was just ok.  Too many issues where left unanswered.  And you cannot end a series with those last few pages without expecting the reader to want to ring Eugenie's stupid neck! It is with great sadness I write this.











Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

  

City of Bones

The Mortal Instruments #1

by Cassandra Clare

This book has been collecting dust on my bookcase for a while now but for a couple of reasons I haven't been that excited about reading this, one because it's YA and those books generally drive me crazy and two because it has an endorsment by Stephenie "I-inflicted-Bella-Swann-upon-the-world" Meyer . However, pick it up I did and while I don't regret it I wouldn't say I was over enthused by it either.

Clary Fray is a normal 15 year old girl until she witnesses the killing of a seemingly innocent boy by a group of youths. However, normal boys don't have claws and don't fold up on themselves when they die and normal youths don't have runes inscribed on their skin. As Clary is pulled into the world of the Shadowhunters she realizes she has always been closer to it then she realized.

Before I have my little rant about what I didn't like about this book, I think I should start this review on a more positive note. I did like it and I will continue reading this series so it definitely has certain aspects that kept me reading. What I thought was great in this was the world. Cassandra Clare has crafted a fascinating world, where demons, vampires, werewolves, faeries, angels and any other species you can think of are all interconnected and live amongst us unknown, and where Shadowhunters are almost like a paranormal police force trained to make sure the Downworlders (all non human species) don't snack on the Mundanes (normal people). But I also like how she complicates the current world with politics from the past in which the adult characters all played a major part of. It is like characters from a past series are now showing up in a new series about the next generation of Shadowhunters.

So what annoyed me...I may have liked the world, but damn Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon and Alec made me realize why teenagers annoy the hell out of me. I love sarcasm as much as the next person, but really, does it have to be everything they said? Especially Jace, I know he is meant to be the romantic hero in this but damn I wanted to smack him and if I did he would make a smart arse comment back and then I would just have to murder him! I know he was supposed to have the whole tortured hero thing going on *yawn* but couldn't he brood silently? I would definitely prefer that!

Spoiler Ahead! Don't read if you don't want to know about The Twist

The Twist. I am in two minds about it. I liked the twist in itself, that Jace and Clary turned out to be brother and sister, I thought that was a great idea, but did she have to make them seem like love interests before hand? They even had a full tongued kiss!? *shudder* I don't really want a side of incest with my romance! But I like the idea, and I hope she doesn't retract it in some way and they turn out NOT to be just so they can get back to the kissing. But if they start kissing again and they are siblings I am afraid I will have to stop reading immediatley!

Spoiler Over
It was an enjoyable read and I will continue on with the series, annoying teenagers a side, as I did really enjoy the world and the history Ms Clare has created.