Tag: Favorite Authors

Dark, Fantasy, Favorites, Reviews

REVIEW: Empire of the Vampire (Empire of the Vampire #1) by Jay Kristoff

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Synopsis:

From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hands sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

It has been twenty-seven long years since the last sunrise. For nearly three decades, vampires have waged war against humanity; building their eternal empire even as they tear down our own. Now, only a few tiny sparks of light endure in a sea of darkness.

Gabriel de León is a silversaint: a member of a holy brotherhood dedicated to defending realm and church from the creatures of the night. But even the Silver Order couldn’t stem the tide once daylight failed us, and now, only Gabriel remains.

Imprisoned by the very monsters he vowed to destroy, the last silversaint is forced to tell his story. A story of legendary battles and forbidden love, of faith lost and friendships won, of the Wars of the Blood and the Forever King and the quest for humanity’s last remaining hope:

The Holy Grail.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Nevernight Chronicle, Jay Kristoff, comes the first book of an astonishing illustrated dark fantasy saga.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Where do I even begin? I truly have so much to say and so many emotions that it’s hard to pick where to start this review…

Well, I suppose I should start with the fact that I have been a Jay Kristoff fan for a while. I read Illuminae first and later read Nevernight by him. Both of which, I really enjoyed. They were very different but spoke to me in their own ways. I heard about this book years ago when Jay first started promoting it. I was so stoked for it to come out in 2020, but it was pushed back to 2021 for understandable reasons. Anyways, I knew the general premise of Gabe telling the story and that it was about a world with evil vampires. I was a little leery because male main characters can be a real miss for me and vampires aren’t a genre I gravitate towards. But after seeing what Jay did with Illuminae and Nevernight, I was willing to give this book a go.

After watching Jay promote this book and the hype train get bigger and bigger, I let myself fall deep into the train. I somehow own 21 editions of this book. No, that is not an exaggeration. A small part of me worried that I was wasting my money if I disliked this, but a louder part of me had confidence that Jay would make me fall in love with this world. So I dove full on in and on release day, I was up at the book store buying yet another copy of this book as soon as they opened.

After quite literally consuming this book these past few days, I can say that every single penny that I spent was worth it. This book is without a doubt in my top three favorite books of all time. And I absolutely love that because it has become so hard to find books now that can become top favorites like that. It hasn’t happened for me in years at this point. I don’t think there is an accurate way for me to put my feelings towards this book down on paper. There are so many wordless emotions I have and deep feelings that I could never portray by speaking them. All I can say is that this book spoke to me. It gripped my heart and made me never want to leave. The characters felt so raw and real to me and the world felt the same. The broken parts of this world hurt so bad and the small glimpses of hope that these characters had warmed my heart.

“If he wanted a war, I would be it. If he wanted a fear, let it be me.”


Gabriel- Despite struggling with some male characters in the past, I am happy to say that I bonded with Gabe pretty much instantly. From the beginning prologue-like chapters, I felt a pull to him. I wanted to see what made this broken, jaded, smart ass man the way he is. And after reading this story and the small amount he told us (in the grand scheme of this being 1 of 3 books), I can say that I love him with my heart and soul. A part of me connected in an indescribable way to the part of him that has lost something. As someone who has gone through loss, I can say that the way Gabe deals with it and how it was portrayed felt so realistic to me, that I found myself tearing up at the smallest glimpses of Gabe’s pain. I felt a bond with him that only people who have lost those closest to them can feel and there are no words that I can give you to describe what that means to me. To have a character speak to those dark and broken parts of myself is something that I don’t know if I’ve ever truly had. And I can’t think Jay Kristoff enough for that, truly.

“May I present Dior Lachance, Prince of Thieves, Lord of Liars, and incorrigible little bastard.”


Dior- I might be starting to sound like a broken record at this point, but it’s hard to describe how I feel about Dior. When I think about her, I just get this light and giddy feeling. She was one of my favorite parts of this book and the whole plot twist surrounding her gender completely blew my mind. Like I just sat there for 10 minutes after that chapter staring in to space, thinking about how mind blowing it was. I 100% did not see it coming at all, not even a little bit. The rest of the book, I was almost always smiling when she was around. Her banter with Gabriel was fantastic and seeing their relationship grow both broke and mended my heart. I am scared to death for Dior’s safety in the future books and I am not ready for the inevitable separation of her and Gabe.

“Because I miss them, like a piece of me is missing. And I love them, like love is all I was. And there is nothing I’d not do, no depth to which I’d not sink, no price I wouldn’t pay to have them back and here with me. Because they were my all and my everything.”


Astrid- I loved Astrid. I adored all the parts with her in it and I couldn’t get enough scenes with her. She knew what she wanted and went after it with her whole self. I definitely got strong Mia Corvere vibes and I’m honestly down for that! The only complaint I would have is that I wish we got just a little more of her and more development of her and Gabe’s relationship.

“You play a game you cannot win.”


Liathe- Did I know she was going to be important in some way? Yes, because she kept appearing and Jay put a lot of emphasis on her character. Did I have any idea she was going to be who she was until like the page before we found out? No. Once again, this was a plot twist I did not see coming at all. And to be honest she is one of the characters I am the most excited for in the future books. I have a feeling the relationship and the dynamics between her and Gabe in the future books will be rocky and heartbreaking. I’m also dying to know what she wants with Dior and what her true motivations are.

“It matters not what you hold faith in. But you must hold faith in something.”


Aaron & Chloe- These are the two that I probably had the biggest emotional changes about over the course of the book. Aaron, I hated and could not stand at the beginning, but I adored him by the end. Chloe, I really liked and was rooting for in the beginning, to only hate by the end.

“Hearts only bruise. They never break.”


Justice and Jezebel- Yes, these two characters deserve their own section because they were the MVPs of this book. My heart was ripped out of my chest when they both died and I am truly not okay with it.

“I didn’t give this sword a name, girl. She came with one.”


Ashdrinker- A talking sword that has been broken and has a mysterious past you say?? There is literally nothing else you could say to have me more intrigued.

”Thou shalt suffer for this, Silversaint. And it shall be legendary.”


The Forever King & the Vampires- It has been a while since the villains of a story truly scared me, but the ones in this book for sure did. They were evil incarnate, and Jay did the vampire thing so well! I truly see how this entity that puts no value in time is scary and feels like such a big obstacle to overcome.

I could sit here and try to go over all my feelings about the rest of the characters but there are truly so many that it would take hours. The rest of the characters I had probably the appropriate feelings you’re supposed to have. Some I changed how I felt over the course of the book and others I felt lukewarm about.

“We believe in life after death because oblivion is too dark an abyss to stare into. We tell ourselves our creator cares, because the thought of a maker who doesn’t is too terrifying to consider.”


There is one more thing I wanted to talk about before we get to the end of this review. And that would religion and the role it plays in this story. I am personally religious, so seeing what Jay did with it in this book was interesting. Seeing Gabe go through this roller coaster of believing in it, losing his faith, and then finally putting it back into Dior broke my heart and sealed it back together again. Whenever religion and God were brought up in this book, I could tell that Jay Kristoff had thought about these things before and it made Gabe’s journey feel easier to connect to. I’ve never seen something like that and there were times where it brought me to tears.

To end this review, all there is left to say is that this book left its mark. Almost instantly after finishing it, I felt one of the worst book hangovers of my life come over and it hurt to know there was nothing left to read. I went to bed thinking about this book, I dreamed about it multiple times during the night, and it was the first thing I thought about when I woke up. If that doesn’t speak to how much I love this book, I don’t know what does. I went through one of the biggest emotional roller coasters I’ve gone on in a long time while reading this. There were literally points where there were tears streaming down my face for thirty minutes straight and parts where I was so angry at what was happening to these characters that I was shaking. But all of that just speaks to how beautifully written this book was… And I wouldn’t trade it for the world! There aren’t enough words in the dictionary to describe how much this story means to me or how much I need the next book!

Contemporary, Dark, Favorites, Romance, TBR, Teaser Blast

TEASER BLAST: Saint (Saints and Sinners #1) by Ruby Vincent

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💋#TeaserTuesday Saint Is COMING… 💋
…AND NO ONE IS SAFE.
I am jumping out of my skin excited for this series. Book one, Saint, drops in only a few weeks and tempts with:
💙 A tough, resilient heroine
💙 Dangerously delicious heroes
💙 A crime-ruled city
💙 Sexy times galore
Blurb:

BLURB:

IT’S A COMMON STORY. I’M SURE YOU CAN GUESS HOW IT GOES.

Girl winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time.She witnesses four gods of beauty and brutality put a bullet in some poor sap’s head, and she’s stupid enough to get caught.
Come on. You know what happens next.

You know they tracked her… me… down.I don’t need to tell you that they claimed me. Ripped me from my safe, perfect world and bound me in chains to their throne.All of that is obvious.

It’s the part where they corrupted me, dragged me into their world of death and destruction, made me theirs in every way I didn’t know was possible, and I became a soldier in a war that will bring all of Cinco City to its knees…

…that’s when it gets interesting.

💙
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PRE-ORDER NOW!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3rJk4Zw

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2LbFePf

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3b83xJ0

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3oaUc6B

Universal Link: http://mybook.to/SaintOne

COVER REVEAL: January 11th 

Fantasy, Favorites, Reviews, Romance

REVIEW: House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas

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Synopsis:

Bound by blood.
Tempted by desire.
Unleashed by destiny.

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

“Through love, all is possible.”

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
Where to begin? I had been waiting for this book since it was announced two years ago. I knew very little about it besides the fact that there would be shifters, Fae, and angels. I truly felt like Sarah had a direct line to my heart when I heard this because those are literally my top three favorite supernatural creatures in existence! And I didn’t need to hear any more after that!

To start, I will say that the first 200 pages or so of this book was overwhelming. There was a TON of information and, even though there is a map in the front of the book, it did not help me at all. I swear I need a thirty-page glossary to understand all of the places, creatures, people, government terms, and historical meanings of this book. For me, this book didn’t really pick up until after the first 400 pages. As mentioned above, the first half seemed extremely info-dumpy and there was a bunch of plot set up stuff happening. While Bryce and Hunt were going through with their investigation and making progress, I still felt like the overall plot wasn’t getting anywhere. I was really concerned that I wasn’t going to like this book because of this.

Luckily, the second half the book was phenomenally better. The plot was moving at a much faster pace, the character connections and relationships that Sarah is known for started to shine, and the plot twists started to unfold left and right. Tears were streaming down my face and I didn’t even turn over to grab a tissue to wipe them because I didn’t want to put the book down! I fell absolutely in love with this story and I saw everything that makes Sarah my favorite author come out. It was an emotional roller coaster but I am so happy that I picked this book up.

Bryce- Bryce is my girl!!! Her character is so relatable at the beginning of the story and watching her develop over the course of this one book was simply magical. Her dedication and never ending loyalty to her friends and family constantly brought tears to my eyes and I am so excited to see where her character will go from here.

Hunt- I’m not gonna lie, it took me a bit to warm up to Hunt. He just wasn’t grabbing me quite as much as some of the other characters in this book. I have heard people say he is a mixture of Rhys and Rowan from Sarah’s other series and I would completely agree with that. He has Rowan’s demeanor with Rhysand’s back story which made him an interesting character to follow. By the end of this book, I was completely in love with his character and I adored the arc that he went through. It was so beautiful!

Dannika & Her Pack- How is it that these characters were only physically involved in the story for five chapters, yet I love them so much and it hurt so bad when they died? I think this is a true testament to Sarah’s power as an author because Dannika and her pack just felt like any other character to me. I love them just as much as I love Bryce or Hunt and I cried at many different points in the book when they were mentioned.

Ruhn- God, I love Ruhn. He was everything I wanted his character to be and I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface for him. He did play a major role in this book, but I feel like his character is only going to blossom more over the course of the next installments. I am DYING to see where his story is going and to see this power struggle with his father come to a head.

Syrinx- This little chimera has my whole heart and is undoubtably my favorite character in this book. You have no idea how close I came to hyperventilating when Syrinx fell in that cage. I had tears rolling down my face and I swore that if he died, I wouldn’t read another SJM book.

Lehabah- This sweet little fire sprite had my whole heart it isn’t even funny. I just sobbed when she sacrificed herself and a part of me still can’t believe that she is gone. She became one of my favorite characters in such a short time and her loss will definitely be felt in the future installments.

Fury & Juniper- Juniper was sweet, and I liked her, but I am definitely more intrigued by Fury. She reminds me a lot of Amren and I need to know more about her! While I really liked these two, I felt like they didn’t play as big of a role as they could have. I think their character development and their storyline is going come into play in the future books more than they did in this one.

Hypaxia- I guessed the Hypaxia plot twist almost immediately. As soon as she met Ruhn and didn’t say her name, I knew. I loved what she did for Hunt and I know she will be one of Bryce’s biggest allies in the future installments. Is it wrong that I already ship her and Ruhn lol?

Micah- I did not see the Micah twist coming AT ALL. To be honest, I thought that he was more slated to be a love interest than a villain. I couldn’t have been more wrong lol. Well I’m happy he’s dead now.

Sandriel- I swear I’m never felt so much satisfaction as the moment that Hunt killed her. God, I couldn’t stand her. She gave me severe Amarantha vibes and I am SOOO happy that she is out of the picture now.

Jesiba- I’m not sure how I feel about Jesiba yet. Her treatment of Bryce throughout this book rubbed me the wrong way, but I am also really intrigued by her character. I want to learn more about her and her back story so bad!

Aidas- Is it wrong that he is a Prince of Hel, but I like him already? Like I don’t know if he is evil yet, but he is certainly morally grey. I loved that brief interaction between him, Bryce, and Hunt and I’m dying for more. That epilogue between him and Jesiba has me so hyped to find out what will happen next, it’s not even funny.

Overall, I highly enjoyed this book. There are so many characters and plot points that I could just go on and on forever about them so unfortunately I only hit on the major ones for this review. I am sure that all of the others will come up in my future reviews when they all become more critical to the story. And have no doubt, I will definitely be reading the next book! Is it 2021 yet???

Other Books in the Series:

Book Two ~ To Be Released

Book Three ~ To Be Released

ARCs, Fantasy, Favorites, Reviews, Romance

REVIEW: Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1) by Cassandra Clare

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Summary:

Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

“We do not get to choose when in our lives we feel pain,” said Matthew. “It comes when it comes, and we try to remember, even though we cannot imagine a day when it will release its hold on us, that all pain fades. All misery passes. Humanity is drawn to light, not darkness.”

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:

To start, I just want to say how blessed I was to receive this ARC before publication and I am eternally grateful for it. I have been a fan of Cassie for a large portion of my life and I have been dying to get my hands on this book since I found out about it three years ago. With that said, I had a thousand expectations going in and, as usual, Cassie completely rocked any that I had.

This book wasn’t anything like I had expected it to be. This book breaks the mold on how you view Shadowhunters and you get to see them at a completely different point in their life than us fans are used to. In every one of Cassie’s series to date, the Shadowhunters being in the thick of fighting demons has been a staple. But in this book, there has been an almost peace for years with barely any demons to fight and the Shadowhunters have almost grown… complacent. This was a breath of fresh air for me, but it was also very disorienting. It took some time to get used to this almost calm-like atmosphere and I spent a large portion of the book just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The Characters- This book has a LARGE cast of characters. Probably the most that we have ever seen. All of our favorite characters from TID makes appearances, but each of them have two-three kids now and almost all of their kids are involved in the story in one way or another. I had to keep a list written down to remember who everyone is and who their parents were. While it was slightly overwhelming in the beginning, I quickly came to realize that each of these characters provides something different to this story and I love them all dearly.

Cordelia- Cordelia is honestly the MVP of this book. She is so underestimated and you’d think the other characters would outshine her with their in-your-face personalities, but they didn’t. Cordelia has this soft grace to her that is so compelling to me. She isn’t the central focus in the room, but your attention is somehow always drawn to her. She is just so supportive of everyone around her and one of the bravest, kindest, most loyal people out there.

James- While I love James, I thought he would be… more? For someone who is a Herondale man and has Will as a father, I thought James would be this sarcastic, witty, arrogant, bright star. Instead, he was sweet, honorable, brave, and wholesome and not at all what I was expecting. I was disappointed, but also pleasantly surprised by him. There was a portion of the book where I was rolling my eyes at him constantly because of his stupid obsession with Grace Blackthorn, but more on that below.

Lucie- Lucie, yet again, was completely different from what I was expecting. There’s no other way to describe her except for a dreamer. She has so many aspirations and dreams and she’s not letting anyone or anything get in the way of them. She also has this naïve, yet childlike quality to her character that makes her unique to follow. She gives everything her all and doesn’t hold anything back. She’s completely dedicated to her friends and her family and she’s one of the most relatable characters in this whole series.

Matthew- Unfortunately, I made the mistake of going to the Shadowhunter wiki page before reading this book, so I knew more about Matthew than I probably was supposed to. I know why he acts the way he does and why he is always drinking. We never do completely find out in this book so I’m not going to spoil it for anyone, but I’ll say that I empathize with Matthew on a level that is hard to put into words. The amount of self-hatred and guilt he must feel is overwhelming to contemplate and I hope he owns up to it and eventually finds happiness.

Alastair- Alastair was a bit of a shock for me. I went into this book knowing nothing about him except for his family name and that made him all the more mysterious. I wanted to know more about this mean and beautiful boy that kept everyone at arms length. Honestly, he filled the role that I expected James to play and I fell for him instantly. After more of his character came to life, I realized that Alastair reminds me a lot of Alec from TMI. He has some hurt in his past and he selects a few people to see the real him. I loved his progression in this story and I ship him and Thomas so hard it’s not even funny.

Thomas- I love Thomas. He is this calm and gentle giant that is a rock for the group. He reminds me a lot of his father in that way. I’m eager to see more of him and his relationship development with Alastair in the future books.

Christopher- I just adore Christopher. He is so inquisitive and gentle and I would hate for him to be hurt in any way. I feel for him much like I felt for Henry in TID. I’m just hoping he survives everything because his chances aren’t the best when it comes to making it to the end.

Anna- Gosh I love Anna. I love how she is a spin on the character mold of “the rake” and her popping in occasionally to set everyone straight is hilarious. I ship her and Ariadne so much and I’m eager to see Ariadne win over Anna’s closed heart. The only minor complaint I may have here is that I felt like, especially in the beginning of the book, there was an overemphasis on Anna’s clothes. I know it is supposed to be a big part of her character, but in the beginning I felt like Cassie spent too much on that aspect on Anna instead of other parts of her. Her personality and words are much more important than her clothes and I wanted more of those.

Jesse- Jesse has my whole heart like not even playing. He is so sweet and carrying, and what he did for Lucie and James just completely melted and broke my heart at the same time. I need him back in the next book so bad and I am shipping him and Lucie HARD.

Grace- I don’t know what it was, but from the very first moment that Grace walked on the page, I knew something wasn’t right. I didn’t like her at all and every piece of her actions throughout this book just cemented that further for me. I am so over James worshiping at her feet and I hope she’s revealed for the person she really is.

The Old Characters- Y’all, I literally cried so many times in this book from seeing the old characters from TID. It was so surreal to see them be themselves again, yet be so grown up and different. Uhhh I feel like a mom whose kid is all grown up and had their own kids.

After finishing the last line of this book, I can’t even describe the feeling I had. I immediately felt like I had lost something really important to me because this was over and I was going to wait at least a year for the next one. This book might have had a slow start, but about halfway through, it had my whole heart and I am so sad to see it end. I am dying to get my hands on the next book and see where Cassie takes this story, which I truly feel is just beginning, next!

Other Books in the Series:

  • Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2) – To Be Released
  • Chain of Thorns (The Last Hours #3) – To Be Released
Favorites, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

REVIEW: The Burning Shadow (Origin #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Synopsis:

When Evelyn Dasher crossed paths with Luc, she was thrown headfirst into the world of the Lux—only to discover that she was already far more involved in their world than she ever suspected.

Because the Luxen aren’t the only ones with a hidden past. There’s a gap in Evie’s memory, lost months of her life and a lingering sense that something happened, something she can’t remember and nobody is willing to tell her. She needs to find out the truth about who she is—and who she was. But every answer she finds only brings up more questions.

Her search for the truth brings her ever closer to Luc, the Origin at the center of it all. He’s powerful, arrogant, inhumanly beautiful, extremely dangerous…and possibly in love with her. But even as Evie falls for him, she can’t help but wonder if his attraction is to her, or to the memory of a girl who no longer exists.

And all the while, a new threat looms: reports of a flu-like, fatal virus that the government insists is being spread by Luxen. A horrifying illness that changes whoever it touches, spreading panic across a country already at its breaking point.

#1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout returns to the world of the Lux with this steamy, shocking second installment of the Origin series that will leave readers reeling.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I loved this book! It was everything I hoped it would be and so much more! It picked up right where the last book left off and the events that followed were just twist after twist after twist. This might just be one of Jennifer’s best books yet! It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I know I’m going to get a major book hangover now that it is over! I NEED THE NEXT BOOK!!!

“You don’t need to worry about me, Peaches. I’m always going to come back to you. That’s a promise.”

Evie- Evie surprised me in this book. I thought I had her character figured out, but NOPE. I should have known that Jennifer was going to throw a giant twist into the mix and change everything that I thought I knew. I always wanted to know what would happen if the Luxen and the Arum were cross bred and… now I know and it is nothing like I expected it to be! I feel like we only scratched the surface with what Evie is capable of in this book and I am so excited to dive in more in future installments.

“You,” he spoke. “It’s only ever been you. Before. Now. Later. There’s been no one else. There…just can’t be.”

Luc- Could I love Luc more? No…. I really don’t think so! He is sweet and protective and caring and fierce and strong and brave and just…. everything. He is so precious and I am probably attached to him in an unhealthy way but that is not the point and I fell even deeper in love with him during this book. The way he cares about Evie and the lengths he will go to to keep her safe is awe-inspiring. I think if I had to pick one emoji I could use to describe this book, it would have to be the heart eyes an 90% of that would be directed at Luc! I need more of him! I would really love a chapter in his POV Jennifer if you’re listening…

“I am not walking away again. If I kiss you, if I touch you again, I will not be able to go back to the way things are now.” The next breath he took trembled as much as I was. “I won’t be able to pretend that you aren’t my everything”.

Katy/Daemon/The Old Crew- It was so great to see everyone again! I cried more than once at seeing them all so happy and grown up! And we got to see Katy pregnant?! My babies are having babies and I can’t even wrap my head around that! And Dee is a spokes person for the Luxen now?! I feel like everything has just come full circle and I couldn’t be more proud of her! Plus, we got to see Dawson and Bethany’s daughter Ash! Our first natural Origin baby and she was just so precious! I am DYING to know more about her and any special abilities she may have! (And I would so totally be down for another spin-off about her!!)

“There is only you and me. Boyfriend. Girlfriend. Mates. Lovers,” he said, and muscles low in my stomach curled tight. “I don’t care what you call me as long as you call me yours.”

The Cliffhanger- I wasn’t exactly surprised that Jason Dasher is still alive. Like I always say: If you don’t see a body, see it burned to ashes, and scattered to the farthest corners of the Earth, they aren’t dead! I pretty much guessed it as soon as Evie started hearing a male voice in her head. I have been reading Jennifer’s books for a while now and I’d like to think I’m starting to get an idea of where her mind goes. (I say that, but look how shocked I was with Storm and Fury) I was also starting to catch on with the whole Evie being a trap for Luc thing too. Given, I was thinking she was made to kill him instead of being his ultimate weakness, but I was on the right track. Plus, that is something I’m happy I was wrong about.

“You lost me,” I whispered. “I lost you.”
“Did we lose each other?” he asked, and then I felt his fingers on my cheeks, chasing a tear that had sneaked free. “You and I are here right now, aren’t we? Somehow, you found me, and I’m not someone who believes in happenstance. I don’t think it was a fluke … I think it was something that was bound to happen and I…”
I opened my eyes, finding his. “What?”
“I was just waiting.”

SIDE NOTE: After reading the quote, “You’re the Burning Shadow and he’s the Darkest Star, and together, you will bring about the brightest night.” , I have a really high suspicion that the final book is going to be called The Brightest Night. I could be really wrong, but if I’m right, I called it here!!!

“By the way, just going to remind you that you told me last night you missed me.”
I had. “I must’ve been high.”
“On my presence.” 

Overall, I highly enjoyed this book (as if you couldn’t tell that already) and I will definitely be continuing the series!!! How could I not?? Jennifer is one of my favorite authors and she sucks me into her books like no one else! I can’t imagine not reading the next installment!

***P.S. I know all of the quotes I used are Luc quotes, but after reading this review, do you honestly think I could use any others?!***

EXTRA:

I had the pleasure to meet Jennifer L. Armentrout for the second time when she went on tour for The Burning Shadow and I got the book signed. Here are some pictures from the event:

Other Books in the Series:

5 🍁s ~ The Darkest Star (Origin #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

BOOK 3: TBA/Not Released Yet

 

Dark, Fantasy, Reviews

Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicle #3) by Jay Kristoff

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Goodreads | Amazon US

Synopsis:

A ruthless young assassin’s journey for revenge comes to a stunning end in the conclusion of this acclaimed epic fantasy trilogy.

The Republic of Itreya is in chaos. Mia Corvere has assassinated Cardinal Duomo and rumors of Consul Scaeva’s death ripple through the street of Godsgrave like wildfire. But buried beneath those same streets, deep in the ancient city’s bones, lies a secret that will change the Republic forever.

Mia and her brother Jonnen must journey through the depths of the ancient metropolis. Their quest will take them through the Godsgrave underdark, across the Sea of Swords, back to the library of the Quiet Mountain and the poisoned blades of Mia’s old mentors, and at last the fabled Crown of the Moon. There, Mia will at last discover the origins of the darkin, and learn the destiny that lies in store for her and her world. But with the three suns now in descent, and Truedark on the horizon, will she survive?

🍁🍁🍁🍁

Fear was poison. Fear was a prison. Fear was the bridesmaid of regret, the butcher of ambition, the bleak forever between forward and backward.

Fear was Can’t. Fear was Won’t. But fear wasn’t ever a choice.

To never fear was to never hope. Never love. Never live. To never fear was to never smile as the dawn kissed your face. To never fear solitude was to never know the joy of a beauty in your arms.

Part of having is the fear of losing. Part of creating is the fear of its breaking. Part of beginning is the fear of your ending. Fear is never a choice. Never a choice.

But letting it rule you is.”

Okay… To be completely honest with you, I have no idea how to write this review. My thoughts and feelings are just too complicated and all over the place to put into words. And, to be honest, you can probably find a much more conclusive review out there that will be able to articulate their feelings better that mine. All I can really say that might get my point across is that this series means a lot to me, for many reasons.

One of which is that my mother passed away while I was reading it… And the ironic part about that is that my mother was the one that warned me away from this series. I let her read the Caveat Emptor and, I kid you not, she looked up at me and said, “Why the hell are you reading this?”. You see anyone that knows me knows, that I am soft-hearted, a hopeless romantic, and I hate when a book ends in anything less than happy. So, my mother thought she was protecting me when she tried to warn me away from it. Little did I know, me pushing past her warning would save a part of me when my mother had a heart attack 6 days later.

After what happened to my mom, I understood Mia’s character on a level that many people just can’t understand. I understood her fury, her need for vengeance, and her hate. I knew firsthand what it was like to lose a parent and to want to hurt anything or anyone that took them away from you. To want to scream at the world that it’s not fair. Not right. But, through Mia, I also learned acceptance of the fact that it’s never “fair”. That no matter what world you live in or what god(s) you have, life just isn’t fair. It takes from anything and anyone. But you’ve got to live through it anyways. Because what else can you do? You either let the unfairness carry you away in a sea of despair, or you say, “F that” and you fight. You fight every day to live and try to be happy. Because no one else is going to do it for you.

So, to some up those long paragraphs, Mia Corvere and her story mean a lot to me. Not only because of who she is, but the experiences that we have had that tie us together. I will always love Mia and she will forever hold a place in my heart that no other character can. So, the purpose of this review is that I want to thank Jay Kristoff, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me a chance to know her. It’s been a wild ride, and I don’t regret a minute of it.

I can’t wait to see where Jay will take me next.

Other Books in the Series:

5 🍁s ~ Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle #1) by Jay Kristoff

5 🍁s ~ Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff

Favorites, Reviews, Romance, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Storm and Fury (The Harbinger #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Goodreads | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Synopsis:

Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers.

When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed…

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

“A slow, heart-wrenching smile pulled at his lips. A real one, and it was the kind of smile that could break hearts and rebuild them.”

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
After reading The Darkest Star last year, I didn’t think that I could love a JLA book more or love a spin-off of hers as much as that one… BUT. HOLY. CRAP. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! It has got to be Jennifer’s best so far! I just couldn’t put it down for the life of me and I was hooked from the very first chapter! I was practically fan-girling the whole time because I just love this universe and I have been hoping to get more books in it for years! It was just everything I was hoping it would be and much more!

Trinity- How can anyone not love Trinity? She is just such a badass while also having that emotional side that makes her so easy to connect to. Learning about her (and Jennifer’s) retinitis pigmentosa absolutely broke my heart to read about and it only made me admire her character more!

Zayne- OHHHHH…. Zayne… *sighs dreamily* I loved him in The Dark Elements series and this book made me (impossibly) love him more! He is just so kind and caring and sweet and loving and perfect and… you get the point. Where can I find a guy like him? Because I swear they just aren’t made like that anymore.

Misha- I have to say, I never saw the Misha twist coming… so bravo Jennifer! I really liked Misha right until the end and his betrayal was just that much more shocking because of it.

Peanut- I’m not gonna lie, Peanut kind of annoyed me at different points in the book BUT I did enjoy his banter with Trinity most of the time and I value his character. I’m really curious to see what role he will play in the future books.

Roth & Layla- I have to say, we got a lot more of Roth and Layla than I thought we were going to. I assumed we would just see them pop their heads in here and there throughout the series, but I was so wrong. They played a big role in this book and I am just so thankful for that. I loved seeing how they were and that scene where Roth saw Bambi again just gave me so many feels! I am looking forward to seeing more of them in the coming books.

The End/The Protector Switch Twist: About two pages before it happened, I realized where this book was going. I realized that this whole book was just a set up for the real story to come and that Jennifer’s signature forbidden romance was about to kick in to full gear… and that was when my heart was officially broke. I just ship Zayne and Trinity SOOOO much and I thought they had enough obstacles already, but NOOOO Jennifer just had to slap a Protector bond on top of everything else… Uhhhh… I’m in for a lot of angst, heart ache, and frustration in the future aren’t I?

SIDE NOTE: For those that don’t know, I had the wonderful privilege of meeting Jennifer last year and, at the time, I had no idea about her having RP. And let me tell you, I never would have known if she hadn’t said anything/released this book. She didn’t give any hint of it and, knowing what I know now, I could not admire her more. Jennifer doesn’t let her disease define her or make her less of a person, and I will always look up to her as a role model for that. I couldn’t love her or her writing more!

Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and I need the next one in my hands like yesterday!!! At least I have The Burning Shadow coming out in October to at least try to tide me over! *cries*

Dark, Fantasy, Favorites, Reviews

Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle #1) by Jay Kristoff

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Goodreads | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Synopsis:

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

“You’ll be a rumor. A whisper. The thought that wakes the bastards of this world sweating in the nevernight. The last thing you will ever be, girl, is someone’s hero… But you will be a girl heroes fear.”

MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
There are no words that I can use to describe the masterpiece that is this book. It enthralled me from the very first page and would not let me go. I would sit it down and I would find myself unable to concentrate on anything because all I could think about was this book! This is truly one of those books that haunts your every thought and you are never the same after reading. It is that remarkable and beautifully written.

Mia- I just love Mia so much. Every time I thought that she was doing something stupid or I thought she was falling for a clear trap, Mia would completely turn things around when I least expected it. There were many times when her plans were revealed and I was shocked to my core!

Mr. Kindly- I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND I WANT A CAT LIKE HIM. WHERE CAN I GET ONE!!??

Tric- I really enjoyed Tric’s character and his relationship with Mia. I loved how he was always looking out for her and the banter between them was one of my favorite parts of the book. I will miss him very much.

Ashlinn- The plot twist with Ash and her brother was one of the most shocking reveals I have ever read. I just sat the book down and stared off into space for ten minutes trying to compute it in my brain because I was that thrown. I just don’t even know what to think anymore… Is Ash good or bad? She clearly didn’t want to kill Mia at the end until Mia forced her hand. And what about the obvious regret Ash feels at the start of that chapter in her POV? Does she have feelings for Mia?

The Red Church- I loved anything and everything about The Red Church. Their inner workings and the power structure just fascinated me and I’m really sad that it looks like that part of Mia’s life is going to end.

Overall, I obviously highly enjoyed this book and I will be continuing the series! I need to know what happens next like I need air!!!

**P.S. I just want to take a moment to thank the person that really convinced me to read this series: Piera Forde. Without her channel and her continuous praise of this book, I honestly don’t believe I would have read it and I wouldn’t have fallen in love with it like I did.**

Other Books in the Series:

5 🍁s ~ Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff

Dark, Fantasy, Favorites, Reviews

Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff

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Goodreads | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Synopsis:

A ruthless young assassin continues her journey for revenge in this new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

Set in the world of Nevernight, which Publishers Weekly called “absorbing in its complexity and bold in its bloodiness,” Godsgrave will continue to thrill and satisfy fantasy fans everywhere.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

“She’d grown up inside books. No matter how dark life became, shutting out the hurt was as easy as opening a cover. A child of murdered parents and a failed rebellion, she’d still walked in the boots of scholars and warriors, queens and conquerors.

The heavens grant us only one life, but through books, we live a thousand.”

WHAT JUST HAPPENED???? Can you tell me? Because I sure as hell don’t know! One minute, I was happy and I thought I had a tentative idea of what this story was about, and then Jay Kristoff just goes and writes this book… which rocked my entire world. I just can’t wrap my head around this book or any of the events that happened in the last 50 pages. My brain is just fried from that many plot twists back to back and my heart is in pieces…. Help me! I need the next book like yesterday and I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!?!

Other Books in the Series:

5 🍁s ~ Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle #1) by Jay Kristoff

Favorites, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction

Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

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Goodreads | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Synopsis:

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they’ll find seven months after the invasion?

Meanwhile, Kady’s cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza’s ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha’s past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

“Every story needs its hero.

And its villain.

And its monster.”

This book… I don’t even have words. It is definitely one of the best finales I have EVER read and my favorite book in the series by far. It just combined all of my favorite elements from the previous books and made one hell of an explosive conclusion! I was constantly on the edge of my seat, my heart always felt like it was going to beat out of my chest, and I was all in emotionally. For the last hundred pages or so, I was crying ever five seconds because I was just that invested in the story and the characters in it.

I’m really sad that this was the final book because I have grown to really love these characters (even AIDAN) and I hate having to say good-bye. It seems like the Illuminae Group just found each other and I could read a thousand more pages about their upcoming journeys together. I’m going to miss them dearly and I really hope that Amy and Jay continue this story in some way, no matter how small!

Other Books in the Series:

3.5 🍁s ~ Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

4.25 🍁s ~ Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff