Soulbound by Heather Brewer

This is the first novel in the Legacy of Tril series by Heather Brewer.

Kaya has grown up living with the Unskilled - humans who known nothing about the Barrons and Healers who are in a 100 year war. But Kaya knows enough about them since her parents are both Barrons.

The only problem is that Kaya has not been introduced to that world. She has been told that she is a Healer by her parents, but because her mother and father are both Barrons, they broke the rule where they could not marry one of their own. It needs to be Barrons married to Healers.

Because her parents did that, they have been hiding with the Unskilled and have made sure that Kaya has stayed out of trouble.

But when a Graplar comes into her town, a creature that's soul purpose is to kill humans, and kills Avery, Kaya's best friend, the location of Kaya and her parents was revealed. Now, Kaya got an "invitation" to go to the Shadow Academy to be trained as a Healer. Only in the invite, it basically said that if Kaya doesn't go, her parents will pay the punishment.

Now Kaya is stuck in a place where Healers are snobs and Barrons are cocky. She has a guard, since Healers are not allowed to fight and are "weak" unless they have a Soulbound or a Bound where they can protect their Healer.

Kaya is not having it. She wants to learn how to take care of herself instead of waiting for someone to save her in a fight. But that is against Protocol. No one is willing to teach her how to protect herself, except for maybe one person.

Darius.

But for some reason, Darius, who is the only Unskilled at the Academy who trains all of the Barrons to fight, seems to hate Kaya on sight. And Trayton, Kaya's Bound who she is to be with at all times in case he gets hurt and needs Kaya to heal him, won't help her because it is his responsibility to protect Kaya if she is in trouble.

Somehow, though, the Graplars are able to come inside of the walls protecting Shadow Academy. And Kaya keeps getting caught by them. She will find a way to defend herself, even if it is against the law at Shadow Academy.

But can Kaya find a way to protect all of the ones she's come to care about at the Academy before it is too late? Read Soulbound by Heather Brewer to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I have not yet had a chance to read any of Heather Brewer's novels, but I really loved this first novel of her new series! I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but after reading the synopsis about a girl wanting to find someone to train her to fight, I knew I would like it!

And I just have to say, once I met all of the characters I knew exactly where this was going to go. Especially because of the tension and the intensity with both male characters in Kaya's life, I knew exactly what was going to happen and I was waiting at the edge of my seat for it to occur.

But to have it happen on the last page?!? Gah, it just about killed me. I cannot wait until August to find out more of Kaya's adventure! Should have waited until closer to August before grabbing this and falling in love with this storyline.

So, as you can see, I really did like this novel. Actually, I liked it more than I thought I will.

Kaya is a great character. She knows she is a Healer and is anxious to learn more about Healing, but she also wants to learn how to protect the ones she loves. After seeing her best friend get attacked in her village  she never wants to be defenseless again.

And the love interest in this book! I definitely have a favorite and hope it goes in that path because I think they were made for one another.

Now I will have to look into Brewer's other series to see if they are as good as this novel. Maybe I will get a new favorite author!

I would definitely recommend this novel to young readers and try to explain the amazingness of this book to them! Can't wait for the sequel to come out!

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the fourth, and final, novel in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My review of #1: Beautiful Creatures
My review of #2: Beautiful Darkness
My review of #2.5: Dream Dark
My review of #3: Beautiful Chaos

WARNING - This will contain spoilers from the previous novels! Continue reading with caution!

Ethan remembers jumping off of the water tower to even out the balance in his world, knowing that he is sacrificing himself and leaving everyone he loves behind. But when he wakes up in the Otherworld and is reunited with his mother, he realizes that he hasn't "moved on" and still has some unfinished business.

Mainly, getting back to Lena. Because Ethan finds out that he wasn't supposed to be sacrificed, but it was written into the Caster Chronicles recently.

And Ethan found out that there is a way to go back to Lena, Link, Amma, everyone he cares about.

But first Ethan has to fight the inner battle inside of himself: does he want to leave his mother again after just being reunited with her? He's missed her this past year and wants to have everyone he loves alive and with him. But he must make a choice, and soon.

After deciding to go back to being alive, Ethan has a very hard task ahead of him. It's not easy becoming undead - otherwise everyone would be coming back to life.

There are certain things Ethan needs. Some are in the Otherworld. Some are back in the plane where everyone is alive. Ethan has to figure out how to get all of the items needed, find the path to the Far Keep, and tear his page out of the Caster Chronicle book. Sounds easy, right?...

When Lena gets a sense that Ethan is around and is communicating with her through the crosswords, Lena is on a mission to get Ethan back with her, no matter the price. Because even though the balance is in order, Lena needs to have Ethan with her in order for everything to be right again.

So when she is faced with the impossible mission to get the Book of the Moon, she starts planning and goes to no lengths to figure out how to give Ethan that book, even though he's in a different universe than she is.

And even though everyone is doubting that it is really Ethan communicating with her, Lena has no doubt and doesn't care what the others say. She will find a way to give Ethan what he needs and will hope that everything will work in their favor to bring Ethan back.

Because without one another, Ethan and Lena will not be whole again, no matter what universe they live in.

But there are a lot of obstacles ahead, for both Lena and Ethan. Can they both overcome the issues to come, or will it be too much to bring Ethan back to Lena? Read the epic final conclusion of the Caster Chronicles series, Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Such a great conclusion to this series! I'm so glad that I re-read them again after they were all published! Now I can say that I experienced this amazing world that Garcia and Stohl created about overcoming impossible obstacles to be with the one you love.

As I've said before in the previous book reviews, I just love the way that the authors made this though Ethan's point of view. It's refreshing from the other novels I've been reading and it's nice that even though Ethan isn't just a normal Mortal, he's still not the most supernatural being in the book.

I did like in this book that we got to read Lena's viewpoint a little bit. Let's the reader get inside of her head and see what she thinks for a change, instead of just Ethan's.

I thought everything was wrapped up very nicely with no loose strings by the end of the series, which is always a plus in my book.

One thing that I'm curious about in regards to the movie that they previously released is how things will go from book to movie for the upcoming novels. There were some things that were different in the first movie that wasn't in the book, which could cause for complications for the next movies if they decide to continue to make them.

I thought that this book was the most serious one, yet I found myself laughing out loud the most out of all 5 novels. I saw a bit more humor than the previous books, so that was a nice touch.

Overall, great novel and great series! So glad I decides to re-read them and was even shocked by some events that came to be in this last novel.

I would definitely recommend this whole series to teen readers and it will be at the top of my verbal recommendation list if any of my teen patrons at the library ask me for my opinion!

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the third novel in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My review of #1: Beautiful Creatures
My review of #2: Beautiful Darkness
My review of #2.5: Dream Dark

WARNING - This will contain spoilers from the previous novels! Continue reading with caution!

Ever since Lena made her decision on her 17th moon, things have gotten a bit hectic for the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina.

For one, the water in the lake is all dried up. Another, they haven't gotten rain in forever and now they are having a drought where it's over 100 degrees outside.

But it's not just Gatlin that is getting hit with the strange weather. All over the world, locations are going into an "end of the world" feeling where things that aren't supposed to happen are.

And it's all because Lena chose which Caster she wanted to be: both. She chose to be herself and is now both Dark and Light Caster, making her have one green eye and one gold eye.

Ethan has been feeling weird ever since the night she chose. He has a feeling that someone is following him, but he can't see anything. And he's been having dreams. Not the normal visions he usually has with Lena, but more of someone trying to get him.

Also, Ethan has been forgetting little things. Like his birthday, his home phone number, etc. His favorite meals and drinks no longer taste appealing and he's eating things he used to hate.

Something is wrong with Ethan, and he needs to figure out what it is soon. Because with Abraham and Sarafine trying to keep the Balance out of order, he needs his wits together.

Along with Macon looking for John Breed, Abraham is too, and he thinks Ethan knows where John is. But when Ethan doesn't know, Abraham destroys the town of Gatlin to find him.

Which means that the people Ethan loves is in danger from creatures they can't even see. Now Ethan has to figure out where John Breed is, who the "One that is Two" is so they can sacrifice themselves to balance the order again, and find out what is wrong with himself and why he is forgetting things everyday.

But when everyone finds out who the "One That Is Two" is, convincing them to sacrifice themselves is going to be a lot harder than they originally thought. Because it is going to affect everyone in town, and everyone Ethan loves.

To find out what happens, read Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Garcia and Stohl just get better and better with these novels!

Yeah, I still have to read them slower than I would with other YA novels, but that's because there is a lot of information in these 500 page books. However, I really like them because they are so different than the other YA novels I've read, so I'm okay with going slow.

The way the authors tied everything together was amazing. I did figure out who the "One That Is Two" was before it was revealed, but only barely.

And the ending! Let's just say, I'm extremely glad that I have the fourth, and last, book available to read right away, otherwise I would have been majorly mad!!

I do have to say, though, that Lena and Ethan just can't get a break. They haven't really been together in forever and even when they are, the whole mortals and Casters can't touch thing is going against them. I hope in the end that the authors find a way for them to be happy, otherwise this whole series will be for nothing!

But yeah, I really liked this novel. It was slower than the other novels in the series so far, but every series needs a slower book to get everything in line for the ending.

I would definitely recommend these novels to other readers, and I can even recommend them to guy readers since Ethan is the narrator of the book! No sappy feelings about liking a guy - this time it's Ethan trying to find a way to be with Lena!

However, I would say that everyone needs to read these novels from beginning to end in order because otherwise ya might be a little confused and won't be able to see little hints throughout the series.

Dream Dark by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is a novella, #2.5, in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My review of #1: Beautiful Creatures
My review of #2: Beautiful Darkness

WARNING - This will contain spoilers from the first two novels of the series! Proceed with caution!

With all of the confusion and chaos that happened during Lena's 17th moon, everyone was oblivious to what
happened to Link, Ethan's best friend. Even Link himself didn't know what happened until it was too late.

Link got bit by John Breed, who is part Incubus and part Caster. And when Link got bit, he turned into a weaker, but still potent, version of John Breed, making Link Quarter Incubus.

Now Link is going through major changes. All of the girls are going to start drooling over him, he has grown into his skin and has definite muscles he never had before, is most definitely strong and fast, can see long distances and hear like a dog, and can smell subtle smells he never thought existed.

And now Link he can stand a chance with the one girl who was out of his league: Ridley, Lena's cousin who is a Dark Caster and stole Link's heart a long time ago.

But with these changes means a lot of things are going to change. Sure, there are some benefits, but Incubus's have a hunger. Not for food, but for something stronger. The Ravenwood Incubus feed off of human blood. But some can feed off of emotions or dreams.

What will happen to Link? How can he keep this big secret away from his protective and crazy mother? Read Dream Dark by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to find out what will happen to Link in this Caster Chronicle novella!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was a very short novel, just 41 pages long, where the reader got to see what happened to Link in a little bit more detail, which I appreciated because he had the biggest change of all from the 2nd novel.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was nice to see Link's home life and how hard it must be to live with Mrs. Lincoln and her crazy theories. And I think Link needed a change in his life with all of the Caster business going on around him - he was bound to get caught up eventually.

Not much to say about this because it was so short. I'm glad I got it, though I think $1.99 is a little much to pay for a 41 page novella... That's just my opinion anyway.

It isn't needed to be read in order to appreciate the series, but I do think readers will like reading Link's side of things for a change of pace of Ethan's.

So overall, good, but not as good as the Beautiful novels in the series!

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the second book in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My review of #1: Beautiful Creatures.

WARNING - This book will contain spoilers from the first novel. Proceed with caution!

Now that Lena's 16th birthday has passed and she wasn't forced to choose between being a Light or Dark Caster, Ethan thinks that everything is going to go back to the way things were.

Except it isn't. Not by a long shot. In fact, the more Ethan tries to hangout with Lena, the more distant she becomes. She won't even Kelt with him - talk to him with her mind. She is completely cutting herself off from Ethan and won't tell him what is going on.

So Ethan decides to give her the space she seems to want and gets a job at the library to work with Marian and learn more about Casters and Mortals.

While at the library, he meets Marian's new "intern", Liv. And she is an intern, only she's interning to be the next keeper of the Caster Library, not the Gatlin library.

Things look bleak for Ethan, though, when he sees that Lena is hanging out more and more with Ridley and a new boy in town, John Breed. And John's not just a summer thing - he appears to be an Incubus, but can walk into the sun without getting burned like a Caster. All Ethan knows is that he doesn't like Lena being around two obviously Dark Casters when she is fighting inside herself if she is light or dark.

But the more Ethan tries to talk to her, the worse things get.

Then other strange things are happening. Ethan is having visions of the past again, only it's not through his ancestor, but through the Ravenwood Incubus's. First it was Abraham, the first Ravenwood Incubus and later he was seeing visions about Macon, Lena's dead uncle.

And somehow Ethan's mother is also in his visions, giving Ethan a different side of his mother that he had never seen before.

Even though Ethan and Lena aren't on speaking terms, that doesn't stop Ethan from trying to help Lena make her decision about choosing the Light or the Dark way. Ethan is definitely a part of her decision, if only he can find a way to get through Lena's defenses and really talk to her.

With Sarafine trying to get Lena on her Dark side and Ethan trying to convince Lena toward the Light, Lena has some tough decisions to make. And Ethan just hopes that he will be able to survive and stay alive long enough to talk to her.

What will Lena decide to do? Will Ethan's feelings about Lena change after everything she put him through? And will other supernatural forces and beings get in the way between Lena and Ethan before he can talk to her? Read Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Even though I find myself drifting throughout some parts in these novels, I'm still blown away by the imagination and creativeness in the books Garcia and Stohl have created!

One thing that I am really enjoying about this series is that it is through Ethan's point of view. Not many YA books are told through a guy's point of view and I'm actually really liking this different narration.

And the second thing I really like and think is unique is that Ethan is the lowly human, the Mortal, in this story, yet we get to read through his point of view. Many times it's through the supernatural character that we read through, so this is another thing I found enjoyable.

I have to give Ethan props. Even when Lena was pushing him away and saying she doesn't want to be with him anymore, Ethan didn't give up on helping Lena. He wanted to show her what she could do with her choice and was very persistent on trying to help her and find her when she was in trouble.

I did enjoy the moments between Liv and Ethan, even though many readers are probably a "team Ethan+Lena" fan. There was just something about the way they acted that had me smiling when Liv and Ethan were hanging out.

I was very curious about John Breed. He seemed possessive of Lena, but it was obvious they weren't together, together. Just protecting each other.

So, yeah, I did like this novel and thought the ending was again vague like the first one, but I have two more books to go through so I won't have to wait long to read what happens next!

I would definitely recommend readers to read this series, but would suggest they read them in order to fully understand the storyline. And guys can definitely read this book since it is 100% through Ethan's point of view.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the first book in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

Nothing changes in the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina. Ethan can attest to that. He can't wait to get out of this traditional town that is more focused on what happened in the past than what will occur in the future.

But the minute a new girl comes to town, everything changes. Gatlin doesn't get new comers. In fact, the last new person was when Ethan was in 3rd grade.

And it's not just a nobody that comes to town, but Old Man Ravenwood's niece  Macon Ravenwood hasn't been seen by anyone in town - he stays locked up in his house. So when Lena Duchannes comes into town and is in Ethan's class, things are about to get interesting.

The Ravenwood family has a unique story, or at least the story that the locals tell. It's said that her whole family are witches and cast curses left and right.

All Ethan knows is that he is fascinated by Lena. She is not like any girl he has ever met before. She dresses differently than the girls at school, she knows all of the answers in their English class because she reads all of the time. And she doesn't try to gain attention from all of the guys, even though everyone can't take their eyes off of her or stop gossiping about her.

But Ethan finds out that Lena really isn't like other girls. In fact, she's extremely unique from everyone who lives in Gatlin.

Lena's family are casters, people who have unique abilities and can cast spells or curses. And on their 16th birthday, they are either casted to the Light or the Dark. But for Lena's family, they don't get a choice of going good or evil, but will be forced to be whatever the moon decides for them.

Lena's birthday is coming up soon. And she is getting more and more nervous about being forced to be Dark. Ethan won't allow that. He will make sure that she will go to the Light. Only Ethan is a mortal, just a mere human who has no say over the caster business.

So the two play a waiting game and try to find a way to not get casted by the Dark.

However, other players are coming into the game. One of the darkest Casters wants Lena on their side, and will stop at nothing to get Lena. Because once she becomes Dark, there will be nothing stopping the two of them.

What side will Lena end up on? Will Ethan be able to keep her safe, even though he's only human? Or will the choice be inevitable for Lena? Read Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I've read and done a review about this book two years ago, but just recently re-read it and decided to do a different review for it. The one I did previously was when I first started this blog and didn't really have a system, so there were spoilers and I wanted a non-spoiler one for readers to read.

Again, I really enjoyed this novel. I did go watch the movie they made, which was another reason I read this again and found the differences from the movie and the book, but both were really good.

One thing that I had forgotten since the last time I read this was that the whole book was in Ethan's point of view. I really enjoyed reading about what the main guy was thinking and how a human would perceive information about a supernatural issue.

I really enjoyed reading about this small, southern town ways. I live in the Midwest and there aren't any traditions that have been kept, so reading about Gatlin and their strange ways of reenacting the battle from over 100 years was interesting and something I'm not familiar with.

I'm also glad that I read this novel again because there are things that are different from the novel that will be more helpful when I read the next 3 novels in the series.

For anyone who is interested in supernatural topics such as magic, along with reading about an old style town that can't get out of the past, this would be a perfect book for you. There are times where it is a lot of description and not a whole lot of action, but overall I really enjoyed it and can't wait to find out what happens next in this series!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This is the first book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.

After being in the salt mines of Endovier for a year, Celaena was given an opportunity to get out. Endovier almost broke the 18 year old assassin, so she was game for pretty much anything.

But when the Crown Prince Dorian was the man she was presented with a deal, she wasn't sure if she should take it. Dorian's father has created a competition for someone to be the King's Champion for 6 years and will do the kings biddings and "dirty work".

Celaena, before getting caught and sent to Endovier, was Adarlan's Assassin. She was the most feared assassin in Adarlan and she was such a good assassin that no one knew who she was. They especially didn't know she was younger than 17 or a girl.

So the thought of working for the king made her ill. But after 6 years, she would have her freedom - no more running from the authorities and she wouldn't have to be an assassin anymore because she would get a reward from the king.

After debating with the Crown Prince, they made a deal that she would be Dorian's candidate if she could take leave after 4 years, not 6, when she won. Because she knew she would win against any other candidate - that wasn't the issue.

Now Celaena is living in the castle under watch of numerous guards. But the one guard that is always around and trains with Celaena to get back into shape is the Captain of the Royal Guards, Captain Chaol Westfall.

Chaol does not trust Celaena - not one tiny bit. She is the feared and trained assassin that has no emotions and will do anything to survive, so he keeps both eyes on her and makes sure she can't harm the royal family.

But the more he gets to know Celaena, the more he might have misjudged her. That doesn't stop him from not trusting her, though. And the same is happening with the Crown Prince. Both men are surprised by how much they enjoy Celaena's company. Some times they even forget she's a trained assassin that will kill in a second.

Strange things are happening at the palace, though. The candidates are being murdered by a monster that tears through their skin and pieces are missing. With so many thieves  killers, assassins or hunters in the palace for the competition, anyone is a suspect, even Celaena.

And even though magic has been banned from the world, it seems that there might be someone who found a way to use the forbidden magic.

Can Celaena figure out who is doing the killings? Can she win against the other candidates, especially Cain who keeps getting stronger and bigger after each trial and test? And what will Celaena do if she does become the King's Champion, because she definitely doesn't want to work for the horrible king? Read Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I've been wanting to read this book for awhile and I'm glad I finally did! If there are any die-hard fans of The Hunger Games this might be a great novel for you to pick up! It has the same idea: a group of people fighting to the end to a prized title.

Even though this is more science fiction than dystopian, I didn't have any trouble keeping up with the different world that Maas created. It was nice and I loved how Celaena was the complete opposite of the other "proper" women in the novel.

Celaena was by far my favorite character! She has spunk, she talked back, and she is a survivor; she will do anything that needs to be done in order to live another day, even if it means becoming a killer and getting paid to do it.

And the interactions with the Crown Prince Dorian and Captain Westfall are amazing. The reader can tell that she has feelings for both men, but she doesn't know what to do with them or how to act on them. Plus, she knows nothing can come from it since they are located in the palace and she is just trying to get out of it.

Out of the two men, I like Captain Westfall the most. He doesn't say much, a man of little words, but he is always watching Celaena and, because we get multiple narrations in this novel, we know a little of what he is thinking when it comes to Celaena.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I think other readers will as well. Maybe if the cover was changed to make it gender neutral  more readers would pick it up and realize it's a different version of The Hunger Games, because the cover probably sends guy readers away.

I would definitely recommend this to other readers and I cannot wait to read the second novel later this year! Now I just have to play the waiting game!

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

This is the first novel in The Lynburn Legacy series by Sarah Rees Brennan.

Kami is never alone. She communicates with another person. A guy named Jared. Ever since she can remember, she will have full-on conversations with Jared. He is the guy that knows her the most, who knows what she is feeling and what she is thinking.

But that's because Kami and Jared can read and talk to each other through their minds. They've never met.

Until the day the Lynburn's move back to her town, Sorry-of-the-Vale.

The she meets Jared. And things become very weird. Yes, they still have their link and can read each other's mind. Yes, they still latch on to the other, mentally, when they need someone to steady them.

But in person, they are awkward. Jared has this feeling to protect Kami, but he does not want to touch Kami. It's too much, and it's a very complicated relationship.

They can count on each other, though, through thick and thin. Or so Kami thought...

Someone is killing animals and people in their town. Kami isn't sure who would do something like that. Many of the townspeople are blaming the Lynburn's - bad things happened when they were in the town years ago and now it's starting up again.

As much as Kami doesn't want to think Jared could have anything to do with it, he is a Lynburn. And she really doesn't know exactly what Jared is capable, because they have the ability to hide what they are thinking from one another as well.

Come to find out, they have even more of a connection than they thought. And now others are trying to sever that link - in the "dead" kind of way.

Can Kami and Jared get used to knowing each other in person, or will the link make it too hard for them? Who is after Jared and Kami - trying to kill them? Read Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
There was some love and hate toward this book. But it was evenly spaced out to the point where I didn't put the book away and quit, but I didn't race through it either.

I love Kami. She was a great character, a reporter, and dug all the dirt on the subject that she was interested in at the time. She didn't take no for an answer and she always pursued until she felt she had all of the information.

I didn't like the way Jared acted. I was all for Jared and Kami getting together after all of these years and to start dating. I mean, what more do you want if you can read the other's mind? NO SECRETS!! Plus they have a connection - it just makes sense to me.

But alas, that isn't the way it worked out.

Now, there is other stuff in this book that I didn't talk about in my review. I did it for a reason, so if you've read the book and say this is a horrible review since I missed a lot of the main plot, I completely understand.

I was going to read this book and then be done with this series. However, when I finished it, the ending!!!

Gah, the ending!

It hooked me in, it shocked me, and made me want more. So now I will be reading the second novel of the series when it comes out because I HAVE to know what happens now. I'm hooked and gutted, waiting on a string until Untold comes out in August 2013.

For anyone who is looking for a bit of magic, mystery, unrequited love, and supernatural, I would recommend this to you. It takes a while to get into the novel, but I think it was worth finishing because he got me over the fence of hating/loving!

A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton

This is the second novel in the Gods & Monsters series by Kelly Keaton.

My review of #1: Darkness Becomes Her.

WARNING - This review will contain spoilers from the first book! Be forewarned before reading any further!

Everything changed for Ari when she went into New 2 (New Orleans after a massive hurricane blew through 13 years ago). Sure, Ari was a freak outside of New 2 with her white/silver hair and teal eyes, but in New 2 she is normal - it's were all of the weirdo's are.

But that's not the weirdest thing. Ari found out that she is a direct relative of Medusa, the gorgon, whom Athena cursed centuries ago for her beauty.

And every female in Ari's family will have a daughter and die on their 21st birthday, when the curse comes into full effect. Except Ari is even more unique than her ancestors because she is starting to be able to control her curse at the age of 17.

Now Ari is learning how to fight and to control her curse to prepare to fight Athena. Because Athena took her father and Violet, the 8 year old who is fascinated with Ari, not frightened.

With the help of the Novem, the original 9 families who bought New 2 and have fought Athena 13 years ago, and her adopted family, Ari is trying to find information on how to defeat Athena while also trying to find a way to get rid of this curse.

Ari is also having to figure out how she feels about Sebastian, a warlock vampire who seems more distant toward Ari after finding out she will become Medusa in 3 1/2 years.

But when Ari meets Athena again, she's not nearly ready to defeat her. She just started training and learning about the Olympian history, so figuring out the way to defeat the Goddess of War is low on her learned list.

Can Ari figure out a way to kill Athena? Can she save her father and Violet from Athena's realm, or is that an impossible feat for Ari since she cannot get a handle on her curse yet? Read A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I really enjoyed the first novel in this series, finding that I loved the different characters and what "species" they were, creating a very entertaining and information load novel. It was no different for this sequel!

Now that Ari knows what she is, she is determine to fight not only Athena but also herself and what she will become. But the first thing on her to do list is to get her father and Violet back, because both of them have never judged Ari, nor treated her like a monster when they found out what she was.

This novel did not disappoint in bringing randomness like the firs novel. Ari had to go to school to learn more about Athena, plus she went to another realm to Athena's turf and confront her.

I will admit, there were some parts I had to re-read just to make sure I understood exactly what was going on and other times I had to re-read because I could believe Keaton did that to her characters, but overall it was a great sequel that answered questions from the previous novel. But only to add more questions at the end of this novel.

I'm not sure if this is the last book in the series? I have a feeling that it's not because of the way this novel ended and the unresolved issues still to come. And I rarely say this, but I want more of this world and more of Ari learning about her curse! So far on Goodreads it just has these two novels listed as the series, but I'll keep my eyes out for installments!

I would definitely recommend this to other readers. I would state that I think everyone should read the first novel first, though, because this novel starts right where the first one ends. But it's a mix of topics that I think any reader could grab on to and and enjoy this novel.

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

This is the first novel in the Gods & Monsters series by Kelly Keaton.

Ari has always been different than everyone else. She grew up through foster homes since her mother left her at the age of 4, and some foster homes were worse than others. The current home is pretty fantastic because Bruce and Casey are bail bondsmen, so they go after the perps who don't make it to their court hearings. So now Ari can defend herself, whereas she wasn't able to when she was younger.

But the one thing that is the most unique about Ari is her appearance. She has white/silver hair to her waist and teal colored eyes. Those two features get her attention that she does not want.

However, when she goes to New 2, (what we know as New Orleans, but after a stage 2 hurricane demolished it and was slowly rebuilding), to search for answers about her parents, Ari is not the only weirdo around. In fact, she blends right in with other people who have abilities that humans do not have.

And now Ari is having to fight for her life. She gets attacked by a man that, after she wins the fight and stabs him with is own knife, he turns into dust when he dies. Ari knows that is not normal, but she doesn't trust too many people to figure out what exactly that means.

When Ari gets into New 2, she is fortunate enough to find a ride by a 12 year old named Crank. And she is staying with Crank and her friends, Violet, Henri, and Dub, along with her brother Sebastian. And each one is different from the average kid Ari grew up with.

New 2 is run by Novem, a group of nine people who are not quite human. And now they want to meet Ari. She's a little hesitant to meet more strangers, considering she was attacked not too long before she got into New 2.

But when Ari is told that Athena, Goddess of War, wants her, things just start to get crazy. Who knew supernatural beings actually existed? And for some reason, all of them want Ari on their side. They know something about her that she is ignorant of, and she is determined to figure it out.

Why does everyone want Ari to be on their side? What is so special about Ari? Will Ari choose the right side, or will her decision costs thousands of lives? Read Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Wow! This book has a ton of subjects in here (look at the labels to see all of the crazy supernatural topics)! I knew that there had to be mythology roaming around because of the series name, but this novel surpassed my expectations for how much I would like it!

One thing that I was really intrigued about in this book was Ari's current foster parents profession: bail bondsmen. I think that would be an interesting subject to write about in regards to a teen's viewpoint, and even though the author didn't get too much into that, I still find it very interesting and it also helped Ari become a stronger and more resilient person.

While this has mythology in it, it is also a dystopian novel because New Orleans got destroyed by a massive hurricane. Also, Ari was born in 2009 and is now 17, so it a few years in the future.

I think Keaton did a great job with this novel. There were so many characters to keep track of and so many different plot lines that were barely discussed that I'm surprised it wasn't a massive amount of information jammed into this book. But somehow it worked enough that I kept up while reading and didn't get confused...well not to much!

I'm really glad that there is another novel following this, because it is about to get extremely interesting now that Ari knows what she is and why everyone wants her on their side. I'll more than likely have to spill it for the next novel's review, but for now you will have to read the book to find out what she is!

My favorite character, aside from Ari, is Violet. She's quite, has a likiness to reptilian animals, and loves wearing masks. She's a hoot and a half and, come to find out, she was a key character to the major ending scene! So I'm even more eager to find out what happens.

I think this book could be liked by multiple readers, because there is so much subjects in here. So I'm going to say that anyone who likes supernatural or mythology stories will really enjoy this novel, and so far there are two novels in the series - both published - so no waiting? Unless there is another following it? I'm not sure, but I'll try to find out as soon as possible!

Covet by Melissa Darnell

This is the second novel in The Clann series by Melissa Darnell.

My review of #1: Crave.

Note - There will be spoilers of the first novel. Just to forewarn you before you continue reading!

Savannah's life sucks. She's half vampire, half witch and is in love with a boy that she cannot be with - according to both The Clann council and the vampire council.

So when Tristan was taken by the vampires to perform a test with Savannah, she promised to break it off with him so it wouldn't cause an outright war between the witches and vampires.

But Tristan didn't like that idea and wanted to still see Savannah. She made it clear, though, that she wasn't going to continue seeing him and they separated on bad terms.

Right after that, Savannah's vampire side kicked in and now she can't eat human food and has a lot more abilities than she did before. And she has no one to talk to about it because her friends are human and she's not talking to Tristan anymore.

Because Savannah's grandmother died, all of the magic that had been helping Savannah with her vampire side faded away. Then Savannah had to go live with her father because the bloodlust that comes with being a vampire would be too strong to stay with her witch mother, whose blood is very tempting for vampires.

One bright side in Savannah's life, which there aren't many, was that when her grandmother died, Savannah got possession of her magic books/journals. Now Savannah is teaching herself how to control magic, but keeping it quite from The Clann because they don't want her to know anything about using magic against them.

Meanwhile, there are supposidly vampire attacks happening over the world, and one hits close to Tristan's family, causing a rift between The Clann members and Savannah and her father - the only vampires near them in Jacksonville, Texas.

Will both Tristan's clann and Savannah and her father figure out what is really happening with the attack on Clann members before an outright war come between the two species? And will Tristan and Savannah ever be able to figure a way to be together, or will they forever love each other but have to stay separate to save the other's life? Read Covet by Melissa Darnell to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Wow. This was a great novel!

Now, I thoroughly hate it when the characters are not together and keep insisting that they are better apart to save the other's life. I always think that there can be another way around that and they should fight to be with each other.

But Savannah and Tristan? They really do have to be apart from each other, looking at a distance at the one person they truely love. And I actually didn't mind that, so good job Darnell for giving me an actual reason to like the characters being separated!

Also, I think I didn't mind because both Tristan and Savannah had a lot of things they needed to work through and that kept them busy, even though they were missing the other like crazy.

I was really happy that Savannah got to learn how to do magic. I think it's appropriate that if she is half witch she should do magic, no matter what The Clann thinks about it.

This is told through both Savannah and Tristan's point of view, which I really liked, especially when they were separated from each other.

And, also, I really didn't notice the length of this book! It's 470 pages and when I came to find final paragraph, I wanted more!

The only bad part about this novel is the ending! Why?! Why a cliffhanger?!? I hate them and now I have to wait until 2013 to find out what happens. Because, let me tell you, it was one heck of a cliffhanger and left me wanting a lot more!

Guess I'll have to be patient and wait for it...

I loved this book and think everyone should read it! I would start with the first novel, though, because it will help explain a lot in this novel. So, what are you waiting for? Go get 'em!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

This is the first novel in The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater.

Living with a family of psychics is interesting. For Blue, it's normal when random strangers come to her house to get their reading done, and hearing phrases that would normally make other people raise an eyebrow.

Also, ever since Blue was 6, her mother and her two friends Calla and Persephone have stated that she will kill her true love with a kiss. And it's not just Blue's friends and family who have said that - other psychics around the country have stated that same phrase.

So, it's safe to say that Blue has never had a boyfriend, nor really any guy friends for 10 years.

One night during their yearly visit to the graveyard where Blue's aunt hears the names of all the souls that will die within the year, Blue sees a boy.

Blue never sees a boy, or any other spirit on this night.

See, Blue isn't psychic like her mother. But she can make any psychics ability 10x stronger just by being in the same room.

So when Blue saw the boy, it meant one of two things. One, he was her true love. Or two, she was going to kill him.

After finding out his name, Gansey, Blue meets up with him in real life along with his 3 friends Noah, Adam, and Ronan.

Now Blue seems to be friends with not only one, but three guys when she has obviously sworn off boys for life.

But Gansey and his friends are looking for the ley line - the magical area where magic can be used if only the person knows what to sacrifice in order to possess the magic.

Gansey has been looking for this for over a year, and he's getting close now that he's met Blue and her eccentric family.

Will the secret of possessing the ley line magic get uncovered? And why did Blue see Gansey that night when she's having some feelings for Adam, his friend? Does this mean Gansey isn't her one true love? Read The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I have been a devote fan of Maggie Stiefvater since she first wrote Shiver of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series (which I haven't wrote about!!! I will fix that!!) and her recent novel The Scorpio Races.

So of course I would love this new book by her!

It was a little different though. The narration switched between multiple characters so we got a lot of different viewpoints.

And honestly, if I wasn't a devoted Stiefvater fan, I'm not sure if I would have been as interested in this book as I was. I'm hoping that someone who hasn't read her novels before would still pick this up and like it, but it was very deep and delved really far into the story line before coming back out crystal clear (well, kinda).

Blue is a unique girl but she kind of has to be when growing up she never got any commands - just simple remarks that her mother made letting her decide what she wants to do.

And the Raven Boys - boy are there some deep, troubled things going on which each of these boys. I love all of them for different reasons, but I think Gansey was my favorite. Being a nerd who likes to do research is not always found in lead boy characters, so of course I fell for him!

There is a lot of content in this book and once the reader gets to the end, everything makes sense. Just stick it out!

I would recommend this anyone who wants to read about magic, friendship, society, and second chances. I am looking forward to the sequel, which won't come out until September 2013 so I have a while to wait, but I'll be picking it up when it gets released!

Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

The Carnival of Souls - The City where daimons exist and the place that was created by witches, only to ban them from the grounds when daimons became more powerful.

Mallory lives with her father (adoptive, not biological) who is a witch. Mallory is not a witch herself, but she knows about witches and daimons. She has been taught her whole life to hate daimons and kill them when she sees them.

In 17 years, she's never dated a boy before. It was all about learning to fight, staying in shape, perfecting her shooting range.

Then Kaleb comes into the picture. This is the first time a boy has caught her attention.

So, naturally, it would mean that he's a daimon, the species she learned to hate.

Kaleb lives in the Carnival of Souls. He's in the Marchosias's Competition, a fight to the death. This competition will allow the winner to go up in status, in class, and allow the winners to rule with Marchosias - the ruler of The City.

Aya is another competitor - the only female in history to go into the Marchosias's Competition and now she's one of the top contenders. But she went into this competition with an agenda in mind: win and not have to breed. She has a secret that she can't allow anyone in The City to find out.

When Marchosias changes the rules about the winner of the competition, it changes everything. The ruler, if male, will marry his living daughter when she turns 18 and be a part of the elite blood family - Marchosias's family. If female, she will marry Marchosias himself and produce another heir to his blood line.

And his daughter? None other than Mallory, who doesn't know she is a daimon.

Now Aya is trying to find another solution since she forbids to ever have children. And Kaleb, who is already falling for Mallory, needs to get out of a job he took to kill Mallory.

Things are about to get interesting for everyone in The City and in Mallory's world. Read Carnival of Souls to find out how it will end!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I love Melissa Marr. I loved her Wicked Lovely series, which I've reviewed on this blog, and she has created another amazing world full of daimon's and witches.

There are so many characters in this book that at first it was a little overwhelming - but now I couldn't imagine this novel without every single one of them.

Of course, I didn't mention all of them in my overview above. Adam is Mallory's "father" (the witch) and Evelyn is Adam's older sister, who is also one of the most powerful witches in the world and can be a little bit...intimidating.

Kaleb is probably my favorite character. He is extremely devoted to his family, which is just him and Zevi, another daimon is who also a cur like Kaleb. A cur is a person who can shift into a stray dog - they get razor sharp teeth and talons and their humanity disappears when they are in this form.

There was so much information in this novel that I'm not sure my review and overview does it justice, but I do want to say that I think everyone should read this!

The narrators of this novel alternate, through MANY characters. Here are the ones I remember: Kaleb, Mallory, Adam, Aya, Zevi, Evelyn, and more that I've probably missed.

So this novel should be read by everyone, no matter what gender or age. The cover is even gender friendly as there is no romantic scene to chase the guys away from picking this book up.

I can't wait for the next book in this series, though I don't know the name of the novel or even when it comes out (this is a very new novel that was just release, so I'm just being impatient).

I do know that I will be putting the next novel on my "To-read" list and sit on the edge of my seat until I get it!

A Necklace of Water by Cate Tiernan

This is the fourth, and final, novel in the Balefire series by Cate Tiernan.

My review of #1: A Chalice of Wind.
My review of #2: A Circle of Ashes.
My review of #3: A Feather of Stone.

After the spell the coven performed in the third novel, everyone is now changed, based on what they were aiming for during the ritual.

The two younger "immortals" Richard and Manon started to age, to look like adults instead of children.

Axelle wanted more power - but she didn't specify how to get those powers...

Thais wanted to know who killed her father, and she got her answer.

And Clio wants to be immortal. She saw a premonition of her dead, drowned, and she has decided that she wants to stay 18 forever, to not die like her vision foresaw.

So now everyone has their hidden agenda. Thais wants to get revenge for her father's death; Clio is learning how to become immortal.

Both are dabbling in things they have no experience in, and could destroy themselves. And they are keeping it hidden from one another, knowing the disapproving looks they will receive.

But than an unexpected member of the original 13 from the coven 250 years ago shows up. And finally reveals the secret to their survival all of these years, and why she is back again after all of these years in hiding.

What will happen to each twin? Will they go over to the dark side? Can they save each other from what lies ahead? Read A Necklace of Water by Cate Tiernan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was an intriguing quartet. I loved the first two novels, wasn't impressed by the third, and the fourth felt lacking to me.

I think I expected a better ending to this story, but it just seemed to barely fit together and I felt like there were unexplained questions that weren't answered by the time I got to the last page.

The couples throughout this story fell through like I thought they would, leaving me happy in that context.

One thing that I really enjoyed through this last novel was the inner struggle each twin went through. There were some tough decisions to make and they were not very open about what they wanted to do - because it involved magick that they thought no one would approve of.

There was great character development throughout this series and I was happy to see a happy-ever-after happen, even if it wasn't how I thought it would end originally.

Even with the disappointing last two novels, I would still recommend this series to anyone who likes stories about witchcraft and magic, along with an unexpected twist to the storyline.

A Feather of Stone by Cate Tiernan

This is the third novel in the Balefire series by Cate Tiernan.

My review of #1: A Chalice of Wind.
My review of #2: A Circle of Ashes.

After Daedalus, the leader of the new coven, forcefully summoned the last two members of the group, things started to get a little tense.

Daedalus wants to rejoin the group and do the ritual that made everyone immortal 250 years ago.

Someone is still out there trying to kill Thais and Clio - for what reason is anyone's guess, but the girls are on the lookout and doing multiple spells to find out who the wanna-be-killer is.

The love interest between Kevin-Thais-Luc-Clio-Richard is becoming more and more intense, and confusing, for the two girls. They can't figure out what they are feeling or if they are feeling things that are completely wrong.

The other members of the coven (Petra, Sophi, Manon, Ouida, Marcel, Jules, Axelle, Claire, Daedalus, Luc, Richard) all have their own agenda for this reunion ritual - and all are keeping their secrets closely guarded against everyone else in the circle.

But last time they did this ritual, someone was killed. Is this ritual too risky? Will another person have to die in order to complete the ritual? And if so, who will be the unlucky person that will die this time? Read A Feather of Stone by Cate Tiernan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This might be the "dud" book in the series. I found myself wanting more action - there was less than the previous two.

However, back stories were answered about the other 11 original members of the coven throughout this novel, giving the reader more insight on what happened 250 years ago when they first got together.

The reader also finds out who was trying to kill the twins, even though there is more to the answer than one culprit.

It felt like there wasn't much to this novel in the series, not enough to talk about in a review anyway. I did enjoy it, but I think I'll like the next, and last novel a lot more as it is the end and will give me all of the answers (or so I hope!).

I am intrigued to see how this love pentagon works out. I have my favorites with who should be with the other, but we'll see if I'm getting the right vibes that Tiernan is sending out through her writing and matchmaking!

A Circle of Ashes by Cate Tiernan

This is the second novel in the Balefire series by Cate Tiernan.

My review of #1: A Chalice of Wind.

Now that Thais knows the family secret of being a long-lost twin and a witch, adjusting to life in New Orleans was starting to become easier.

That is until Thais and Clio try to do magic together and find themselves thrown from the middle of the circle they created. It’s assumed that there is something wrong with Thais magic, because this has never happened to Clio before when she does spells.

Along with worrying about the magic, Thais and Clio have been threatened and almost killed multiple times. It seems that someone doesn’t want the girls to be there, but they can’t figure out who is sending threatening spells toward them.

Daedalus, the “leader” of the coven, is desperate to get all 13 members of the coven together. So far, two members have resisted his calling, so he is going to do whatever is necessary to get them to New Orleans.

Not only do the girls have magic problems, there is a romantic problem brewing for both of them. They are both avoiding Luc – the boy that was dating both of them at the same time – or at least trying their hardest to avoid him.

Thais has found a nice, good looking, normal boy who she is starting to see. Kevin is no Luc, but he’s a sweet guy all the same.

And Clio has a bit of trouble brewing. Richard, another witch from the new coven, is somehow on her radar. She’s not sure how it happened, but after an abrupt kiss, Clio is having a hard time getting Richard out of her head.

Will things start to calm down for the twin witches? Can Thais figure out her magic problem, or will it spell trouble for her in the near future? Read A Circle of Ashes by Cate Tiernan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections

Again, a great installment by Tiernan! In this second novel we got more backstory with the other 11 members of the coven, the “immortal” members and what they have been doing the past 200 years waiting for the 12^th and 13^th member to arrive.

I also really enjoy learning more about Thais and Clio and their thoughts on each other and the problems the coven is having.

The two girls have definitely grown since the first novel. Thais is not so shy and is starting to stick up for what she thinks, and Clio is taking Thais under her wing when explaining magic and spells.

Daedalus is bad news, and I wish he would stop with his ultimate plan and just let the twins get used to each other and sharing things, but I know that won’t happen!

Also, the romantic twist with Clio and Richard has me very intrigued! I can’t wait to see where this is going to go during the last two novels of the series! And as much as I like the romantic tension between the girls and Luc, I’m not sure I’m going to like where Luc is about to go in the next novels…

Again, for anyone who is interested in witchcraft and a very weird romantic triangle…square? This is a great novel for you to read! The writing is amazing and the story will leave you wanting more information!

Off to the third book in this series!

A Chalice of Wind by Cate Tiernan

This is the first novel in the Balefire series by Cate Tiernan.

After traveling across Europe for 4 weeks, Thais Allard returns home to find out her father was killed in a car accident. Since she has no other family, she was going to stay with her neighbor for her senior year and then figure out where to go to college.

But a stranger comes in and says that her father wanted Thais to stay with her if anything had happened to him. Thais has no idea who this woman (Axelle) is, but she is forced to leave Connecticut and move to New Orleans.

Once Thais goes to school, everyone is looking at her as if they've seen a ghost. Some act as if they already know her, others are bewildered by the sight of Thais.

It just so happens that there is another girl who looks exactly like Thais. Down to the birthmark on their cheeks.

Clio Martin is stunned when she sees her reflection looking back at her at school, just with a different hairstyle.

The girls find out that they are twins separated at birth. Clio grew up with her heritage - they are wiccans and practice magick. Thais is thrown into the wiccan world, not knowing if she believes in magick or not.

Things become clearer when other witches explain their history - the girls are part of the original 15 families of witchcraft and, because they are twins, their circle is now 13 - the number they need to complete their circle. Without 13, their circle is nothing and they cannot perform circle magic.

But things are not always as they seem. Both girls have fallen in love with an older, mysterious boy - but later find out that not only is their love the same person, but he is also part of their new circle.

And events are happening that make it seem like someone is trying to kill one or both of the twins. Can Clio and Thais trust these complete strangers? Will joining the circle be the best thing, or the worst mistake of their lives? Read A Chalice of Wind by Cate Tiernan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I adore Cate Tiernan. I read her series Sweep when I was in high school and loved every novel, so it goes without saying that I enjoyed the first book in this other series she wrote.

This book reminded me of Sweep but also the series T*Witches by H.B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld with the twins separated at birth that are witches.

There was a part in the story where I was completely lost. Names were being thrown out of the pages left and right and I wasn't sure who they were or how they related to the two girls, but after getting through the book I see the connection. It was just frustrating to not know who was who when I first started the book.

I like both Clio and Thais in their different ways.

Clio is brave, outgoing, sexy, and smart when it comes to magick.

Thais is shy, polite, reserved but also smart and brassy when she has to be. She knows nothing about magick but is willing to learn and learns fast.

Their reaction when first meeting one another was to be expected and I'm glad that Tiernan didn't make them over excited to find out they have a long-lost sister. That wouldn't have been realistic and she made my wishes come true.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about magic or witches. There are other side stories in this novel, but you have to like magic and witches to appreciate this series.

The good thing about this book is I bought the Ominous novel, so I have all 4 volumes of this series in one book! And I'm going to jump into the next one right...now! :D

The Sixth Wife by Laura Lond

**I won this eBook novella from the author through the LibraryThing Member Giveaway free in exchange for my honest review.**

Adelia knew when the faerie knight, Sir Ametar, asked for her hand in marriage, it would not be the same as a human marriage.

Ametar is hundreds of years old. He has been through tens of battles and has had 5 other marriages.

Adelia is an 18 year old human girl who fell in love with Ametar the moment her eyes saw him. So knowing they were completely different didn't matter, as long as she could spend her life with him.

And that's exactly what she did.

Now, however, she's 75 and she is starting to show her age. Adelia doesn't want Ametar to see her get any older than she is - she already looks like his grandmother. So Adelia decided she's going to live the rest of her life in a cottage alone to keep Ametar from her decaying and death.

But Ametar doesn't want her to leave. He has fallen completely in love with Adelia - as much in love as he was with his first human wife. However, he understands why she wants to leave, but it is heartbreaking for him.

If only there was a way to keep her with him forever, without the thought of dying hanging over their heads. Could there ever be a way for them to be together? Read The Sixth Wife by Laura Lond to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was a great short read! Even though it was just 16 pages long, I felt like I got enough content and story that a normal length book would have, except none of the extensive description.

I was able to see the setting of the story, and get the feeling that while Adelia and Ametar were glad to be married, the tension around anyone else (fey or human) was unnerving for both characters.

Adelia was really brave throughout this novella. How many human girls would jump into a marriage after meeting a handsome faerie knight who they know nothing about, and know that they will be in this marriage until death? Well... apparently 5 others, but that's still really brave and unknown!

Also, because I've edited a few eBooks or self-published books, I always look for grammatical or punctuation errors, and was really pleased to see that there weren't any noticeable through my first reading!

I thought this was a great read and a different storyline played with faeries - instead of focusing on wars or who gets to rule the kingdom, this was about trying to keep their loved one with them for all time. Refreshing and unique compared to other fey stories.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants another twist on faeries, anyone who wants a short read with enough storyline to keep them content, and a story that could be ventured off into another book if the author wishes to do so (I have no idea if she will or not, she just left it open at the end to continue if that's in the future).

Overall, great story and now I'm interested to read more from this author!

Eona by Alison Goodman

This is the second book in this series. I have reviewed the first novel here: Eon. 

Now that Eona's secret has been leaked that she's a female Dragoneye, she's finding herself on the run. Her and her group are trying to find Kygo, the true heir to the throne.

Kygo is building an army to go against his uncle, Sethon, who has declared himself Emporer instead of Kygo.

Along with the Emperor and political problems, Eona has found herself one of the last two Dragoneyes, including Lord Ido. As much as Eona hates to admit it, she needs Ido's help to controlling her Mirror Dragon, so she has to sneak in and out of Sethon's castle to get Ido.

Eona finds herself falling for two guys. Kygo is drawing her attention as the sparks start to ignite between the two of them, but she's unsure if Kygo likes her as a person or the power that she holds as a Dragoneye.

And the more she uses her Dragoneye power with Ido, the more she is sucked into an attraction of darkness with Ido. But he's a murder - killing the other 10 Dragoneye's to gain unlimited power.

The closer Eona's group gets to Sethon's army, the more things start to become confusing. Eona has no idea who to trust, she can't trust her feelings for either men, and she's also getting odd feelings with her ancestor's belongings, feelings of betrayal, power, and rage.

Will Eona be able to do the right thing for their country, or will the power of her Mirror Dragon be too much for her to resist? Read the sequel, and final, book in this series, Eona, to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This is a great ending to this two novel series! Goodman put the reader back into the story where the first left off, not wasting any time jumping back into the adventure and chaotic world of the Empire of the Celestial Dragons.

In this novel, Eona stopped with the pretense of going under the name of Lord Eon since most have found out that she's a 16 year old girl instead of a 12 year old boy. She's also undercover a few times in this novel to sneak into places, and has to portray a girl, which she finds hard since she's been a boy for the last 4 years.

Again, I really enjoyed Alison Goodman's writing. She created a whole new world with unique traditions and rules - something which I would find hard to do as a writer.

She also really made the reader crush on both male characters (well at least me anyway!) I truly disliked Ido in the first novel, but the more Eona and Ido were together, I could see the connection and almost root for them to be together.

And there was always a connection between Eona and Kygo, even if she was acting as a boy in the first novel. In this book, we got to see their connection increase more now that Kygo knew she was female.

I really loved these two novels and where Goodman went with it. I would definitely recommend these books and try to convince readers that, even though they are large novels, they are definitely worth reading to experience the world of the Empire of the Celestial Dragons!

Eon by Alison Goodman

Every year, a new apprentice is chosen for the year of the Dragoneye. This year, it is the Rat Dragon who is looking for a new apprentice to one day become the new Dragoneye.

Eon is one of the candidates trying to become the apprentice. No one thinks he is going to stand a chance because he's crippled - he was run over by a wagon and shattered his hip.

But Eon does have one thing to his advantage: he can see all 12 of the Dragons - not something that just anyone can do.

There is a deep secret about Eon though... he's actually a 16-year-old girl named Eona. Only females aren't allowed to be Dragoneye, so she's hiding her true self hoping that the Rat Dragon will choose her to become the new Dragoneye.

When Eon doesn't get chosen by the Rat Dragon, everything is lost.

Until Eon sees the Mirror Dragon - the dragon that has been missing for 500 years. The Mirror Dragon picks Eon as it's human Dragoneye, but Eon would not confess her true name in front of the Dragon council.

Because of that, Eon cannot call her dragon. But she is the new "hero" to save the emperor, the new Mirror Dragoneye after 500 years, and everyone is looking to her to save their council.

Things get even worse when Lord Ion, Lord of the Rat Dragon, tries to take over the whole Dragon council to become the one Dragoneye Lord.

Will Eon be able to connect with her dragon? Can she save everyone from war and destruction without being killed for lying about who she really is? Read Eon by Alison Goodman to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
It's been a long while since I've read a fantasy novel, so I immensely enjoyed getting back into this genre - and I picked a great novel to start again!

Alison Goodman did a fantastic job with this dragon based world! The writing was easy to follow and she was very detailed in this new world for the readers to understand.

I loved Eon! This character was very brave, very courageous, but also able to act older than what she is and face a whole council of Dragon Lords who have been studying this for the last 12 or more years. She had about a week tops.

If I were in Eon's shoes, I'm not sure I would have done as well at 1) hiding who I really was 2) follow along with the Dragoneye politics or 3) prepare to do ceremonies that only very well trained Dragoneyes could do.

She's like the new Katniss, only I think better as she not only had to fight other adults but had to rule her part of the Dragoneye council.

And she has to work with dragons, which can be very temperamental.

I really enjoyed this novel. Sure, it's 530 pages and there might be a few times where I glanced over paragraphs that were too descriptive and not enough action. But overall, I loved this novel and can't wait to delve right into the second (and last book) of this series.

For anyone who wants another version of the Hunger Games or likes fantasy with dragons, this is definitely the book for you. Also, anyone who loves a strong female leader, you need to pick this up right away.

I'll be reading and reviewing the next book, Eona, right away, so stay tuned!