Review: Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

Illusions (Wings, book3) by Aprilynne Pike

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (May 3, 2011)

Goodreads Description:

Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice.

But just as life is returning to normal, Laurel discovers that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.

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By far Illusions is my favorite book in the Wings series. The story felt more rounded out and developed...more complicated and a little less straightforward and obvious. I felt really pulled in with the possible subterfuge going on and even though there probably wasn't technically any more action in this book than the previous ones it seemed like it because it felt like there was a constant threat. I seriously could not put the book down. Aprilynne Pike knows how to leave readers desperate for more. Her books end on cliffhangers that leave me yelling "NOOOOOO! I NEED to know what happens NOW!" and then I have to calm down and realize it is not the end of the world. On the bright side, it means there will be another awesome book to read eventually.

A big thing with YA is the love triangles. Off the top of my head I can't even think of one that doesn't have one and the Wings series is no exception. So the question is Team Tamani or Team David? It is a difficult choice for readers and obviously Laurel. Every time I think she is going to go one way she seems to either do the opposite or backtrack. It is interesting but sometimes it is frustrating because her indecision is often hurtful and seems selfish. She does know that she is being that way but she is torn about it. I don't envy her position in this situation.

I like that Chelsea is around more in this book because her presence in the previous books (especially Spells) seemed random and a little off. She feels more like part of the group now and her presence makes more sense. Shar was also in the story a little more and readers get to learn something interesting about him. I hope that the information comes into play more in the future because I found it to be fascinating.

This series absolutely has to be read in proper order to be enjoyed. If you have read the first 2 and liked it I would be absolutely shocked if you didn't enjoy this one. As I previously said this is my favorite so far and that is saying a lot because the first book always tends to be my favorite when it comes to series.

5/5

Review: Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Spells (Wings, book 2) by Aprilynne Pike

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen; 1 edition (May 4, 2010)

Goodreads Description:

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?
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The story starts off with Laurel going to Avalon to attend the school there to catch up on her learning. It is one of my favorite parts of the book because the descriptions of Avalon and life there is fascinating. I would love to just read an entire book about Avalon and the fairies living there, but this is Laurel's story and she lives most of her life in the human realm.

As for the action in Spells I would say that there is more action than in Wings, but not by much. It seems like just when things are getting started they end almost abruptly. If it was drawn out a little more I think it would be a tad more interesting and would build up suspense. Really, most of the suspense that is created is from who Laurel will end up with, David or Tamani. The ending of the book was awesome and has made me eager to find out what is going to happen in the next book.

Although I do feel that the story could be rounded out with more detail and explanations I still enjoyed it very much and I feel that it is a great follow up to the first book in the series. This series is prefect for teens and adults who like fantasy. This was a pretty quick read once I really got into it.

4/5

Review: Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

• Hardcover: 294 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen; 1st edition (May 5, 2009)

Goodreads Description:

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

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If you enjoy reading YA fantasy or faeries then you will most likely enjoy this book. It is the first in a series and once you finish Wings you will eagerly want to read the next. At 294 pages it was a pretty quick read for me. I usually prefer books with at least 350 pages because any less than that and the story usually seems rushed or like it is missing something. In the case of Wings the number of pages didn't matter. The story felt well rounded and I was satisfied with the plot.

It is easy to infer from the book description that Laurel is a faerie. Although there is some conflict in the story the bulk of it is about Laurel discovering what she is and befriending a boy named David. David is one of those guys every girl wishes for. He goes out of his way to help others, is thoughtful, and understanding. I do feel his niceness is just a bit much, especially with all the things he does for a girl he basically just met but then again this is a fantasy book.

There was very little action in the story until the end and even then it wasn't much. There were maybe 2 major conflicts. The "bad guys" were interesting but I felt that I didn't get to learn about them as much as I would have liked. Like I previously said though, the story is really about Laurel finding out who she is so really everything else pretty much takes a back seat to that and that is fine with me. I like getting to know the main character so well up front so that the rest of the books in the series can branch out more.

I am anxious to see if any of the more minor characters play a bigger part in the next book, Spells. I am also curious to see how Laurels love life will play out. It is definitely a confusing and difficult time for her. The decisions she makes in that area will no doubt be a major element of the story.

4.5/5

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth

• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (May 3, 2011)

Goodreads Description:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

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This dystopian simply blew me away. In the very beginning I thought maybe I wasn't going to care for it too much but that quickly changed and I was simply unable to put the book down. I was so engrossed in it that I managed to read it in a matter of hours (and it is definitely not a tiny book). I think that for anyone who loves dystopian this story is a must-read, and for those who have never read one before this is a great place to start.

In the story the city is fenced in and patrolled. All the residents of the city are divided up into factions based on what characteristic they value most and believe would have prevented war in the past. Here is a breakdown of the factions and their characteristic:

Abegnation: selfless
Candor: honest
Dauntless: brave
Amity: peaceful
Erudite: intelligent

There are also Factionless people who fail to make it into a faction. They are very poor and rely on much of the charity by Abegnation.

These traits are taken to the extreme in the factions. Abegnation always put others before them, Candor are always bluntly honest, etc. Because of this, government and other jobs are doled out to specific factions like the Dauntless are like police/guards, Abegnation head up the government because they are uncorrectable due to their selflessness.

Up to the age of 16 student of all factions attend the same school. In their 16th year they are tested privately to see what faction they have an aptitude for. After that occurs there is a ceremony in which they choose what faction they will belong to the rest of their life. They do not have to choose the faction for which they have the aptitude and also if they switch from the faction they were born into they often become shunned by their family as they often see it as a betrayal. It is almost like a competition between all the factions.

The main character is Beatrice who come from Abegnation. When it is time for her to pick factions she chooses Dauntless. The training begins. If she fails her training she will become Factionless. She has to learn to fight and be fearless despite her small size and upbringing which taught her to put others first. The transformation she goes through is an intense and inspiring thing to read. There is a little romance and a lot of corruption in the story, but I don't want to give anything away. I highly recommend this book and I hope that many of you will pick it up and enjoy it as much as I did.

5/5

Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (April 19, 2011)

Goodreads Description:

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

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Simply put this book is amazing and I was completely blown away by it. I have always enjoyed mythology and I love to read different takes on it so I was excited to read this book. I had pretty high expectations for it and I am so glad that I was not let down. This story is about a girl who has to pass seven tests in order to become a goddess and help Hades run the Underworld. That alone makes this story intriguing but it really goes deeper than that. It is about difficult choices, love, friendship, and understanding. There were quite a few surprises, some of which I had an inkling of suspicion about and others that completely caught me off guard. What I really loved the most about this book though was the slowly built relationship between Kate and Henry. It wasn't some instant love type of thing that makes you want to roll your eyes, but it was something that developed over the time they had together. It also was not easy for them with the possibility of Kate failing the tests or even dying and on top of that, Kate having to deal with the knowledge that Henry still loved Persephone and she could never replace her in his heart. I hope that in the future installments we get to learn more about all the gods and goddesses. I think they are a diverse and interesting bunch.

I am at a loss for words when it comes to The Goddess Test...it is just so phenomenal that nothing I can say about it can really express the awesomeness that is this story. It is one of the best books I have read since I started this blog. It appears this series will be a trilogy so there are two more books to look forward to. The title of the second book in the series will be Goddess Interrupted with a release date in early 2012.

5/5

I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley for review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson

Any Man of Mine (Chinooks Hockey Team, Book 6) by Rachel Gibson

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (April 26, 2011)

Goodreads Description:

What happens in Vegas . . . doesn't always stay there.

Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam LeClaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her to run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality, and before she could say "pass the coffee," Sam was gone.

Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn hasn't clapped eyes on the heartbreaking hockey superstar for over two years . . . until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a big play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?

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Rachel Gibson has written about another Chinook hockey player and I just can't get enough! Contemporary romance is not a genre I read much of and I really don't like sports and yet I am in love with Rachel's books about these sexy hockey players. Any Man of Mine is a light, romantic, and enjoyable read. I breezed through it in one evening and was left feeling happy with a smile on my face.

The history between Autumn and Sam is pretty interesting and leaves them at odds with each other for years. The change in Sam seems a little out of nowhere and sudden. There wasn't a real "Aha!" moment that I could pinpoint so the only explanation I can think of is that he matured in the five or six years since they were married. Autumn's heart had been broken and she was angry and bitter for years about it and only recently was able to let go of that...of course, that is when Sam started to become more involved in her life. I suppose that could also be the reason for Sam's change in behavior. He was maybe able to finally see past all that anger to the woman he had fallen in love with.

Autumn has trust issues with Sam for a good reason and I understand that. I do have to respect her ability to forgive though. It is a difficult thing to do, especially with all the hurt he put her through. Both Autumn and Sam became better people over the course of the story and as that unfolded it was heartwarming and gives a sense of hope that even though love is not always easy, it does exist and can overcome hardships and mistakes.

If you have read any of Rachel Gibson's books you will not be disappointed in this one. If you have not read the author's previous books I highly recommend them if you enjoy contemporary romance. I have found that it is not necessary to read the books in any particular order so if you just want to pick up Any Man of Mine you can do that and still enjoy the story.

4/5

I received an e-copy of this book for review from NetGalley. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 9) by J.R. Ward

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover (March 29, 2011)

Goodreads Description:

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either.

When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul.

As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.
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For those of you who haven't read this series let me stop you here and say RUN don't walk to your nearest bookstore and start with book one of this series (if you are 18+). It is amazing and reading out of order would just ruin the story for you.

This has become one of my very favorite series and i eagerly anticipate reading each book when it comes out. That being said after reading Lover Unleashed I can sort of feel the wind down of the series which is sad. Maybe I am wrong and there will be a ton more books but to me it seems like things are starting to wrap up. This is Payne's story but it is just as much Vishous' story as well, which only seems right since they are twins. In the last book Payne became injured, paralyzed from the waist down, and it was also the first time Vishous met his sister or even knew she existed. In Lover Unleashed, Dr. Manello is brought in to treat Payne and sparks fly between the two. Of course it is not easy for them though. Dr. Manello is human and not supposed to know of the Vamps existence and Vishous hates the man with a passion because of his history with Jane. It was an interesting relationship to see develop. I am most surprised by Payne's personality though because although she is strong and can fight she seems very gentle and shy which goes against what I thought I remembered of her in the last book. In my mind I thought in the last book she had a more "warrior" kind of attitude but I most have been getting her mixed up with Xhex somehow.

Things get really dire for Vishous. He always seems to be on the edge of a major break and things really came to a head in Lover Unleashed. Emotions really ran high and I think Vishous sort of eclipsed Payne in this book actually. Other than Butch and Qhuinn, none of the other males are featured. They are barely even mentioned in passing which was just a little disappointing because I always enjoy sort of catching up with what everyone is doing. The most disappointing was the lack Of Blaylock who is a character I really feel for. Although he is in it and is talked about some it is basically a tiny snippet. I am really keeping my fingers crossed that the next book is focused on him. Not a whole lot of action (of the fightin kind) but the parts that are there are good of course. The drive the Brothers have to fight enemies was lacking a bit so everything didn't feel as crucial which in turn had me feeling a little less invested in what was going on. The physical chemistry between the Doctor and Payne was smokin hot and I really love that through it all the Doctor was a gentleman about it which really made me feel the connection he had with her. Ultimately this was an excellent read that I could not put down and has me desperate to read the next in the series.

5/5