Review: INK by Amanda Sun

Ink 
(Paper Gods 1)
Author: Amanda Sun
Publisher: Harlequin Teen, 2013
Genre: YA Asian Myth
Buy: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ TBD

Overview

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive. 

Review: The Collector by Victoria Scott

The Collector
(Dante Walker 1)
Author: Victoria Scott
Publisher: Entangled Teen, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
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Overview 

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.

Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

The Indigo Spell
(Bloodlines 3)
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal
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Overview

 In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess
(The Infernal Devices 3)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2013
Genre: YA Steampunk
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Overview 

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.

A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

Review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight

(Daughter of Smoke and Bone 2)

Author: Laini Taylor

Publisher: Little Brown Books, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal

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Overview

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

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

This was not that world.

Review: Before I Die by Rachel Vincent

Before I Wake

(Soul Screamers 6)

Author: Rachel Vincent

Publisher: Harlequin Teen, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal

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Overview

I died on a Thursday-killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school...  Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend. But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life...

Daemons in the Mist Blog Tour: Character Interview + Giveaway!

          Today it's a very special day because not only am I hosting my first ever blog tour, but it's the Daemons in the Mist Blog Tour! When I read Daemons in the Mist I instantly fell in love with the characters, especially the heroes Patrick and Nualla. And guess what? Today I get to interview them! *does happy dance* If you've read it, you know how funny, brave, and adorable Patrick and Nualla can be. For those of you who don't know about Daemons in the Mist, here's an overview.

Daemons in the Mist

(The Marked Ones Trilogy 1)

Author: Alicia Kat Dillman

Publisher: Korat Publishing, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Overview

Seventeen year old Patrick Connolly has been hopelessly infatuated with Nualla for years but he is all but invisible to her. Until, that is, he rescues her from a confrontation with her ex. Little does Patrick know he’s just set off a dangerous chain reaction that will thrust him into a world of life altering secrets and things that shouldn’t exist, because the fog and mist of San Francisco is concealing more than just buildings.

Oh! Our guests have arrived! Hello Patrick, and Nualla. Thank you so much for coming by Amy’s Book Den!

Review: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls

(The Mortal Instruments 5)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: McElderry Books, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal

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Overview

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Early Review: Rapture by Lauren Kate

Rapture

(Fallen 4)

Author: Lauren Kate

Publisher: Random House, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

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Overview

The sky is dark with wings . . . .

Like sand in an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past they must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again.

Yet together they will face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen.

For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now will be the only one that truly matters.

In the fight for Luce, who will win?

Review: Forgiven by Jana Oliver

Forgiven

(The Demon Trappers 3)

Author: Jana Oliver

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

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Overview

The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list. 

But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control:  something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…

Review: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound

(Hex Hall 3)

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publisher: Hyperion Books, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal

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Overview

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

The Demon Trapper Series - Trailer

Review: Never to Sleep by Rachel Vincent

Never to Sleep

(Soul Screamers 5.5)

Author: Rachel Vincent

Publisher: Harlequin, 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Buy: Amazon ♥ B&N

Overview

Don't Close Your Eyes.

Sophie Cavanaugh is not going to let her freak of a cousin's strange psychiatric condition ruin high school for them both. Not after all the work she's put into cultivating the right look, and friends, and reputation. But then, Sophie sees something so frightening she lets out a blood-curdling scream—and finds herself stuck in a bizarre parallel world where nothing is safe and deadly creatures lurk just out of sight, waiting for her to close her eyes and sleep...forever.

Could this world be real? Or does insanity run in the family...?

My Review:

     Everyone—and by that I mean I—was concerned about this novella. Let's face it, with silly, conceited, and irritating Sophie as the main character in a first person POV the odds were that we (I) would end up throwing our e-readers against the nearest wall. But after reading all the Soul Screamer books, especially If I Die, I trust Rachel implicitly to take me on thrilling story rides and rock my world. So, I gave Sophie a chance… *Bows to Rachel*

     I love Sophie. From a character I barely cared about in the other books and often wanted to slap, I now want more Sophie time! She is super stubborn like Kaylee, incredibly brave, and does it all with fashion flair and a sharp tongue. Seriously! This girl cannot keep her mouth shut to save her life. Mouthing off to the big bad hellion, check! That scene was hilarious. 
 

     The novella focuses on Sophie, her encounter with a mysterious young man, and how they accidentally cross over to the Netherworld. Their meeting starts with a bang, in the very literal sense of the word, as Luca opens a door banging it into Sophie's head. I immediately liked him for his charming way of talking.

"Good. I think you're okay, Sophie, but just to be sure—and this is for purely medical purposes—what's your phone number?"

I laughed out loud. "Does it usually take blunt-force trauma for you to score a phone number?"

"This is a first, but a potential concussion does seem to be an icebreaker."

     They make a great team. As in, Luca won't take silly crap from Sophie and she will actually listen to him! That’s a first for Sophie. I was very impressed to see her grow through this short novella. Her hate of Kaylee is understandable when one realizes that Sophie really has no idea what the crap is going on. Even when her world is turned over, she will fight this preferring to stay blissfully ignorant. In the end Sophie says that there are things she must find out about her family even if they're not to her liking. And she ultimately realizes that she'll have to deal with it, so that was great. 
  

     This novella left me supper excited. I want more of Sophie's snark, more of Luca's wit, and more Sophie and Luca time! I so can't wait for when Sophie finally realizes that Kaylee has been battling the Netherworld for a while now and that  none of it was theatrics or attention seeking gimmicks. My brain has been working overtime trying to figure out what role Luca will play in the upcoming Before I Wake. That book scares the crap out of me because I honestly don't know where this is going to go! *excitement overload*

Favorite Quotes:

"Okay, time out. That's all the crazy I can take for now. I want to go home. What do I have to do? Click my heels together?" My shoes weren't ruby, nor were they slippers, but for what my dad paid for the designer label, they damn well ought to take me wherever I wanted to go.

~

"You want me to walk into a dark hole in the wall, where some horrible Netherworld creature is probably waiting to eat me alive. Obviously you've mistaken me for Lara Croft."

Luca's brows rose, and I couldn't tell whether he was irritated or amused. "Apologies, Your Highness, I meant to mistake you for someone who wants to survive."

~

Luca lifted my chin and kissed me again, and this time instead of pulling away, I pulled him closer. His hand slid around my neck, his fingers curling my hair.

"What was that one for?" I asked, when he finally let me go.

"Just for fun. Because I'm not sure I'll get another chance."

~

I was truly awake, for the first time in my life, and if asleep was what I'd been before, I never wanted to sleep again.

Review: Roderick Blackwood and The Demon Stone by Ralph Rathbone

Roderick Blackwood 

and The Demon Stone

Author: Ralph Rathbone

Publisher: Bubbling Philtre Books, 2011

Genre: Urban Fantasy/ Demons

Buy: Amazon

Overview

When magician Roderick Blackwood puts on a show of his magical abilities for his friend, he attracts the attention of a demon named Belzial. Belzial forces him to go on a quest for a magical stone which was stolen by a rogue sorcerer. Roderick must face-off against many magical creatures and dangerous supernatural situations on his journey, and as his quest progresses, he comes to learn a shocking truth about himself and his place in the world.

My Review:

          Roderick Blackwood gets in a whole lot of trouble when, during a demon summoning performance for a friend, he catches a higher demon's attention. He is forced to do a favor for the demon, and in return he'll get to keep the powerful demon stone. Roderick's adventure is fun and witty. This arrogant mage will have to face demons, defend friends, and learn the shocking truth of his existence. 

          Roderick Blackwood and The Demon Stone is very fast paced, and yet I never felt at a loss for descriptions or other things. The dialogue is fun and clever, and it makes the characters become alive in the pages. There is never a dull moment with Roderick, lots of action involved in his quest. Some scary scenes too since we're dealing with bloodthirsty demons. 

          Overall a rather quick but enjoyable read. Well written, with plenty of interesting characters, you'll want to read this short fantasy novella.

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review*

Favorite Quotes:

"My dear Edward, the job of scaring a half-wit witless requires only fifty percent of the normal effort," said Roderick.

Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince

(Infernal Devices 2)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011

Genre: YA Paranormal Steampunk

Buy: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ TBD

Overview

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them. 

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do? 

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel

(Infernal Devices 1)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010

Genre: YA Paranormal Steampunk

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Overview

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Review: Bad Blood by Kristen Painter

Bad Blood

(House of Comarré 3)

Author: Kristen Painter

Publisher: Orbit, 2011

Genre: Paranormal/ Urban Fantasy

Buy: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ TBD

Overview

Samhain approaches, bringing with it the final melding of the mortal and othernatural worlds. No one knows just how much power the night holds...

Violent murders occur in Paradise City as counterfeit comarré are systematically hunted. The police and the Kubai Mata have more than enough trouble to keep themselves occupied. As war erupts at home, Malkolm and Chrysabelle head to New Orleans to recover the Ring of Sorrows. Chrysabelle is forced to make a life and death decision and will realize that her relationship to Malkolm may have fatal consequences.

The clock is ticking . . .

Review: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

If I Die 
(Soul Screamers 5) 
Author: Rachel Vincent 
Publisher: Harlequin Teen, 2011 
Genre: YA Paranormal
Buy: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ TBD

Overview

The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee—she screams when someone dies.

But the next scream might be for Kaylee.

Yeah—it's a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee's going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend's needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren't quite human, either.

But Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life.

Anything.

Early Review: The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark & Carol Goodman

The Demon Lover

(Fairwick Chronicles 1)

Author: Juliet Dark, Carol Goodman

Publisher: Ballantine Books, 2011

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Buy: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ TBD

Goodreads

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of her having written the bestselling book The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she’s found herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: Her incubus is not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the demon, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this supernatural lover from her heart.

Review: Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

Blood Rights

(House of Comarré)

Author: Kristen Painter

Publisher: Orbit, 2011

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Buy: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ TBD

Goodreads

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle's body bears the telltale marks of a comarré -- a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world...and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign