Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Goodreads Blurb

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.
Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 
Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

There are no words for how much I loved this sequel. In fact, I honestly hadn't planned on writing a review at all...and then I finished it. All. The. Feels.

First of all, Celaena has become my favorite heroine ever. She's complex in a way I've never seen and I love her so absolutely much. Cold, arrogant, and completely badass, she's the kind of heroine we don't run into often. But then there's her softer side, the one that loves books and clothes, and is always in desperate need for a sweet.
And yet, she's always on the edge, waiting for something to tip her over. And, well, when it did, my heart hurt for her. This was the Celaena everyone else had heard about, the ruthless one that crept in the shadows. Was it wrong that I sort of loved this version of her too though?

Much to my chagrin, there's...there's no love triangle in this. Which, I guess, is a good thing, except I was on the wrong side of it. Dorian didn't really pop up as much as I wanted, and I will always be on his side.
Chaol and Celaena's relationship was sweet and it was deeply explored in Crown of Midnight (a little too much perhaps?) and I loved how they were both independent but had a small weakness when it came to each other.
We learn a lot more about Chaol than before and it turns out it's not only Celaena who's deciding where her loyalties lie. Chaol's been loyal to his kingdom for years, but Celaena makes him ask questions he doesn't really know the answers to.

As for the plot, there are no words for how much I loved it. While the main focus seemed to be the romance, there were still so many creepy happenings, more riddles, more clues, and, well, more blood. There were some twists that shocked me to the core, and others that made me giggle hysterically. The giant twist was predictable to me though, but I still sort of loved it. And it explained so much about Celaena. Although, you know, it's making me practically dying for book three.

There are honestly no words for how much I loved Crown of Midnight and it absolutely killed me every time I had to close the book for classes. (School, getting in the way of bookish needs since 1234) It's a brilliant sequel, enthralling from the first page. Maas is practically magical in the way she tells Celaena's story and you can't help but fall in love with all our characters and the world all over again.
I'll just be here, rocking in my corner, waiting for book three.

Pages: 432

Genre: High Fantasy

Series: Throne of Glass #2

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

Release Date: Aug 27, 2013

Rating: 10/5 stars

Copperhead by Tina Connolly

Goodreads Blurb

Helen Huntingdon is beautiful—so beautiful she has to wear an iron mask.

Six months ago her sister Jane uncovered a fey plot to take over the city. Too late for Helen, who opted for fey beauty in her face—and now has to cover her face with iron so she won’t be taken over, her personality erased by the bodiless fey.

Not that Helen would mind that some days. Stuck in a marriage with the wealthy and controlling Alistair, she lives at the edges of her life, secretly helping Jane remove the dangerous fey beauty from the wealthy society women who paid for it. But when the chancy procedure turns deadly, Jane goes missing—and is implicated in a murder.

Meanwhile, Alistair’s influential clique Copperhead—whose emblem is the poisonous copperhead hydra—is out to restore humans to their “rightful” place, even to the point of destroying the dwarvven who have always been allies.

Helen is determined to find her missing sister, as well as continue the good fight against the fey. But when that pits her against her own husband—and when she meets an enigmatic young revolutionary—she’s pushed to discover how far she’ll bend society’s rules to do what’s right. It may be more than her beauty at stake. It may be her honor...and her heart.

I loved reading Ironskin last year, so I was pretty excited to start in on Copperhead. But, while it was a pretty good read, I just didn't feel it and it fell flat.
The concept of Copperhead, while fascinating, was disappointing, although I can't pinpoint the exact reason why. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of steampunk and, with more tech than Ironskin, it's possible that that's the reason. But it could also be that there were so many little things that just made me feel...awkward.

While Helen was a fierce character (and I loved that she knew where her loyalties lay) it just irritated me that there didn't seem to be much difference otherwise between Jane's POV and Helen's, as far as I could remember. Jane was also written out as a bit of a boor compared to her own novel, and that was another little thing that went up against the book.
Then again, Helen was a pretty badass character, so I'm trying to figure out if it balanced out or not.

The romance in the story was...hmm. There was honestly no need for it whatsoever and it was completely rushed. They only met each other a handful of times and yet, nearing the end, they were young and in love. Very very rushed, especially considering the fact that they don't really talk/meet until halfway through the book.
Besides driving the plot on, but I really really felt like the story would've gone on a lot smoother without the romance (So honestly, it didn't even drive the plot on that much, so I'm not quite sure...why it was there? Except perhaps, to make the story more YA.)

I really do love the worldbuilding and all the secrets behind Copperhead was absolutely fascinating. The plot was completely unpredictable and I was shocked more than a few times. I have to hand it to Connolly for writing a thrilling plot that had me at the edge of my seat in the second half. It was a bit hard to get into at first, but after a while, I started to love it more! (Although some of the stuff I highlighted before did still irritate me.)
My last complaint is that the ending seemed too rushed, but it was creative nonetheless!


Pages: 304

Genre: Steampunk/Fantasy

Series: Ironskin #2

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: Oct 1, 2013
Rating: 2 Stars

Chosen at Nightfall by C.C. Hunter

Goodreads Blurb

Kylie Galen's life hasn't been the same since her world was turned upside-down in Born at Midnight, Shadow Falls #1, and now an epic conclusion to her journey—not to mention a tough choice between two guys!—is brewing in Chosen at Nightfall:
When Kylie Galen left Shadow Falls, she thought it was the hardest decision of her life. Heartbroken and separated from everyone she loves, she has to embrace her abilities and what it means to be a chameleon. But as Kylie's journey comes to a close, she must return to the camp that started it all...and she must finally chose between the two boys who love her. The werewolf who broke her heart when he chose his pack over her, and the half-fae who ran from their intense attraction before they ever really had a chance. For Kylie, everything will finally be revealed and nothing will ever be the same.

For one of my well-liked series, this was a rather disappointing conclusion. 

We still have all of our gloriously hilarious and fun characters who I absolutely love to read about (Perry? My favorite character, ever.) and we meet a few (not many) new characters who I loved meeting! C.C. Hunter is wonderful with her characters and they're usually my favorite part of the books! Especially Kylie's fellow campmates and supernaturals!

Our love triangle was definitely done well in my opinion! I was so worried that Kylie would immediately forgive him once he showed his face, and I am unbelievably relieved that she didn't! If you've read my other reviews, I'm pretty sure you know how hard it was for me to choose a team on this, and I'll just say I was definitely happy with the outcome! (But seriously. Boy next door personality wise or bad boy turned sweet?)

Kylie's still talking to the ghosts and this time, we meet one who plays a rather...significant role in our final conclusion. I really love how C.C. Hunter always focused most of the plot on the new ghost, but this time, it was a bit of a bad point. 

As a final ending book, I expected most of our story to focus on stopping Mario and discovering more about Kylie's chameleon heritage, but we never really see him until maybe the last 50-100 pages or so. There wasn't as much tension as I'd expect considering, and I was definitely disappointed by that. 

Another thing was how *SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER* the entire thing ended in a HEA (Happily Ever After) where literally everyone ended up happy and didn't lose. It was basically a win/win/win/win/win/win situation. Everyone ended paired up and I was beyond frustrated by that. Not to mention the cheesy sayings which definitely had me groaning a bit. 

While Chosen at Nightfall wasn't completely horrible, it wasn't as amazing as I'd hoped and expected! I definitely recommend the series as a whole though! 

Pages:400

Genre: Paranormal

Series: Shadow Falls #5

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Release Date: April 23, 2013

Rating: 3.5--->3 stars

Ironskin by Tina Conolly

Goodreads Blurb

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask. 
It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin. 
When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help. 
Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey. 
Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

This was definitely a twist on the classic story of Jane Eyre mixed with just a bit of Beauty and the Beast, and I did love that, but Ironskin seemed very...alternative, I guess you could say. At one moment, the dialogue would sound old-fashioned as it should, and other times it seemed to have a bit of modern slang and that got old real fast. And while it is classified as steampunk (and it is, it's just that there aren't any cool machines or anything 100% steampunk-y), it seemed to be more...well, a bit more paranormal-ish because of the fey.

I actually really liked the world building, despite its non-steampunkness since I'm not a very big fan, honestly. And a VERY big fan of the fey. So the world was definitely perfect for me. The fey are, obviously, evil, but in Ironskin, the Great War (from what I gather, a war between the fey and humans) has ended and the fey haven't been seen in 5 years. But that doesn't me that they aren't still there, waiting and lurking. And they've got a few more tricks up their sleeve...

As for plot, I seriously loved the plot. For me, it wasn't really too fast or too slow and I LOVED Dorie. Even if she was a brat. But I admit, there was a "big twist" that I could predict at least 10 chapters earlier, but the  biggest twist? I was sooo not expecting that. And the twist after that? I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT EITHER. And the rest was...definitely surprising to me.Once in a while there's a twist that I knew I should've expected, but just didn't because...well, it's a twist. There's no way to expect it, and there was definitely one of those in Ironskin

The romance was...iffy, mainly good for me. While it was sweet and a bit Frankenstein (which is good!) it did seem...sudden. When Jane realized she liked loved Mr. Rochart, he was suddenly all the more interested like he knew what she felt, which he couldn't...wait...no. Wait...well, you'll have to read it. I'm not sure if he could or couldn't! But I did mostly like the romance, I guess. The ending was definitely satisfying, both plot-wise and romance-wise, so I can't wait to see what happens in book 2 and whether their feelings will develop more!

The one thing that stood out to me was its originality! A curse that makes others feel an emotion? Where socialites are shrinking back from fey-tainted people, but scrambling to get fey-tech at the same time? A love interest who's a father in YA? I doubt anyone's really done that successfully (in YA at least!)but it all seemed to flow naturally, still being Young Adult. I especially loved the parts that mentioned the curses. They were all different and I wanted to learn more about them immediately and I still want to learn more! The more you dive deeper, the more you want to learn. And I doubt there's a book that deals with these elements and is as engaging as Ironskin was!

If you're looking for a steampunk, this isn't the book for you. If you're reading this because it's a retelling of Jane Eyre, don't pick this up! Now, if it sounds interesting then DEFINITELY PICK THIS UP! It was definitely an enchanting story and the world is as stunning as the plot. Original and outstanding, this is definitely a debut that'll make a bang in the YA world!

Pages: 304

Series: Ironskin #1

Genre: Steampunk/Romance/Retelling

Publisher: Tor 

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Rating: 3.5--->4

Rua by Miranda Kavi

Goodreads Blurb

A girl with an unknown destiny. 
A boy from a hidden world. 
When Celeste starts at a new school in a small, Kansas town, she hears whispering voices, has vivid nightmares, and swarms of blackbirds follow her every move. She is oddly drawn to aloof Rylan, the other new student who has his own secrets. 
The exact moment she turns seventeen, she wakes to a bedroom full of strange creatures, purple light emanating from her hands, and Rylan breaking in through her bedroom window.
He knows what she is . . .

So here's another one of those indie books that was recommended to me! (By Lisseth at Read-a-holicz this time) And then, of course, majoy cover love! I love the purple and the designs and how wonderfully it portrays the book! 

Something I've noticed in indie books is that...well, I'll write a Random Musings post for that! Expect it sometime in Nov!

Anyways, what I did like: Plot and creep factor!

What I didn't like: The romance.

What was iffy: Characters and world building.

The characters were definitely amusing and I loved each their personalities! Especially Tink's. He was just hilarious and I loved how supportive he was, but it irritated me how quickly he became friends with Celeste. Within a day he was already doing all this stuff for her, protecting her and it was just...oh so very unrealistic. And then there was also that stereotypical vibe each character gave off. I mean, they each had different awesome personalities...but they acted like stereotypes. Tink was gay and he was so extremely girly and was literally acting like a girl in a guy's body. And then Rylan had that whole mysterious/know-it-all love interest who was instantly attracted to Celeste...and it...wasn't...good.

The world-building, while it dived more in depth in world-building than most indie books I've read, it still didn't explain WHERE it came from. Why are there only five Tuatha? Why did they have a nature connection? Why only one? But there were a few explanations; just not enough to completely satisfy my curiosity. But the world was definitely interesting and had a lot of potential! I just wish we could've dived deeper into it rather than grazing the surface.

The romance was very insta-lovey and that annoyed me to no end. Rylan wanted to kiss her "ever since he laid eyes on her" and Celeste was attracted (VERY attracted) to Rylan within the first day. And it was just...really really annoying for a girl who likes slow and steady. So...romance...not for me. 

Now the PLOT was amazing! At least,  near the end it was. There were a few plot twists, but nothing very major or anything that completely shocked me. In the beginning there were so many creepy things that happened and I absolutely loved that! The Sidhe in Rua aren't exactly...fae/fey...more...Otherwordly. You'll see what I mean! But the plot was really the only thing I actually liked, I'm sad to say. 

Pages: 265

Series: Stand alone

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Publisher: Indie published

Release Date: August 28, 2012

Rating: 2.5--->2 stars

Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long

Goodreads Blurb

The trees swallowed her brother whole, and Jenny was there to see it. Now seventeen, she revisits the woods where Tom was taken, resolving to say good-bye at last. Instead, she's lured into the trees, where she finds strange and dangerous creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with secrets of his own. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own.

So when you read the synopsis, what's the first thing that pops into your mind? If you're an Iron Fey fan like me, the THE IRON FEY.  And it does sound like it, doesn't it? A lost brother, manipulative fey, fey who consider her a threat, a fey love interest who may or may not be helping her...yeah,. the Iron Fey definitely popped into my head. I was worried that I would be comparing this to my absolute favorite series, and while I did, Treachery is completely different, I'm glad to say! It had it's own story that had no relation, so no worries to any giant fans like me!

The world-building. Was. Amazing. Ruth Frances Long wrote Treachery beautifully and the descriptions were...surreal. The title, I can safely say, fits this book to the core. There were so many stunning creatures and fey, but all of them dangerous in their own way. It was wonderful to discover all these fey lurking in the book, waiting to be discovered and waiting for their secrets to be revealed. I mean, all fey readers, we know how dangerous it can be, and just how beautiful it can be. And Treachery is no exception. But the difference is that, instead of simply Oberon, Titania, and Mab ruling over courts, we're introduced to the May Queen, Jacks, and so much more faery lore then I know, which was wonderful since I was starting to predict a lot of happenings in faery books.

Character wise, I was a little iffy with Jenny. She was so...naive to the world and honestly, you can't blame her. She was thrust into this world, but like I said, I'm a giant faery fan so I always think that everyone should know the dangers of the world, but obviously they don't. So while giant faery fans may find Jenny irritating a bit, she'll get better later as she slowly learns the cautions. To any non-giant fan, you'll love Jenny from page 1! She's stubborn in that good way, she's passionate, kind, smart, all those things you love in a good character! Jenny was a lovable heroine who would rarely give up, unless she was completely crushed (I'm thinking of a certain time here...)

JACK. JACK. JACK. I LOVE JACK. but then, I love most love interests, hee hee. But Jack was just so sweet! He never realized how in love he was with Jenny and when he did...the things he said...it almost made me cry, it was so sweet! He was always thinking how he didn't deserve anything, to be recognized, to be known, and I just wanted to SQUASH HIM IN A HUG. He was so sacrificial and he was willing to give up more than everything just for Jenny. Thank God she didn't take that lightly!

The romance was as sweet as Jack! Jenny and Jack sitting in a tree...or rather, Jenny and Jack running from the trees. Somehow, along this quest, Jack got his queen (metaphorically...) and Jenny fell in love and...well, did she get her HEA? Maybe. But the romance wasn't insta-love, which was the one thing I wanted to say about it!

The plot was as amazing as the rest of the book! While it started out a little slow in the beginning (besides that prologue. Wow!) it quickly sped up so that eventually you'd be flipping through the pages, frantically wondering what would happen next. As the plot unfolded, you could feel the tension thickening until the ending where it basically...exploded, for lack of a better word! The ending was just wow. Let's just say nothing was thrown in just for the sake of it.

The Treachery of Beautiful Things will capture your interest from page 1 and string you along throughout the book. It's as devious and manipulative as the fey themselves and it may sound familiar, but Treachery  is original and fresh, a definite twist on fey lore. This is definitely one to buy if you're a fan of faeries or fantasy! 

Pages: 384

Series: Stand alone

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Publisher: Dial

Release Date: August 16, 2012

Rating: 4.5--->5

Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

Goodreads Blurb

At a camp filled with vampires, werewolves, and fairies, Kylie Galen has always struggled to figure out what she is. Now she finally knows the truth—but she's left with more questions than answers. She doesn’t have a clue what her heritage means or how to harness her newfound powers. All she knows is that she needs to sort out her feelings for Derek, the sexy half-Fae who just confessed his love, and Lucas, her werewolf boyfriend who seems more committed to his pack than to their relationship. All the while, Kylie's dealing with a group of underground rogues who want her dead and a mysterious grandfather who makes it clear he doesn’t trust the FRU . . . or Shadow Falls. Soon Kylie will have to choose: Will she stay with the new family she’s formed at Shadow Falls, or will she leave with her grandfather and embrace her destiny?

Kylie knows what she is now, but not what it means. She’s a chameleon? She’s a lizard? She has no idea what’s going on now and has more questions than answers. And to add to that, why did that ghost have Holly’s face? Holly isn’t dead yet…but does that just mean that she will? (ok, so there’s a spoiler in my review which means if you don’t want to know this tiny spoiler, avoid all paragraphs with a *) Not to mention that even though Kylie’s finally chosen Lucas, she can’t deny her feelings for Derek or that Lucas is hot one second, cold the next. What’s a not-so-human girl to do?

*I think this was definitely my favorite book out of all of them. It was different in the way that it wasn’t action-y and was more a mystery. This was basically the book where most of our questions were answered while at the same time, Kylie and the rest of the gang were trying to figure out who killed Holiday’s twin sister. And jeez! They went one some awesome traces/leads and I loved guessing who killed her, why, and everything else. As morbid as it sounds, this was definitely my kind of book!

What I didn’t like? I didn’t get why Kylie didn’t tell Holiday about the ghost with her face. It just seemed weird. I mean, sure it would’ve scared her but Holiday had the right to know plus it would’ve been easier and faster to figure out why the ghost had her face if Holiday had known. It just really annoyed me to hell and back. But hey, that only lasted 1/3 of the book!

While Kylie was a little annoying when it came to romance in the beginning you’ll eventually forgive her when it’s clear she’s literally torn apart between her feelings for Derek and the ones she has for Lucas. I mean, they’re both awesome guys and honestly? While I’m Team Lucas, I did fall for Derek. He’s the complete opposite of Lucas and I was just as torn as Kylie was. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW SWOON WORTHY THESE TWO GUYS ARE?

Characters? This is going to be long…

You guys, my favorite character absolutely has to be Della! She’s so snarky and fun that you just have to love her! If possible, she’s more snarky in this book than in any other! And she was an amazing friend besides, no matter WHAT she says/acts like. Miranda was too! And I loved how she kept squealing about Perry after they (finally) got together! It was too cute!

I’m not even going to mention the boys. That would take too much squealing. Sigh. I’m totally crushing on too many book boyfriends.

Kylie is definitely a great MC. She wasn’t as stupid as some other characters; she figured (most of) the things out and I loved that she would give the benefit of a doubt and that she always, always, understood. Err…well, most of the time!

OMG. You guys! The ending. The ending! AGH! Can I choke someone? You could hear my jaw drop half way around the world. I was not expecting that at all and loved that this book could surprise me right when I had things figured out! I can honestly say that I’ve never been more surprised! And I’ve never read a more cliffhang-y cliffhanger.

As stunning as the first three, C.C. Hunter writes an amazing fourth installment that will answer some questions, but raise even more. A thrillingly satisfying read, Whispers at Moonrise will keep you guessing until the last page, leaving you shocked and aching for Chosen at Nightfall!

Pages: 400

Series: Shadow Falls #4

Genre: Paranormal/Romance

Publisher: St. Martin's

Release Date: October 2

Rating: 5 stars

Blog Tour: Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

Goodreads Blurb

Wish. Love. Desire. Live.
Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.

Innocent Darkness takes place in an alternate 20^th century LA where there are flying airships and where air pirates roam the skies. Almost nothing is the same, but there were still “society girls” who were expected to be, well…boring! Our main character is, of course, incredibly rebellious and has completely no interest in becoming a brainless zombie, preferring to be mechanic and fix up old cars/hoverboards. But something goes wrong when she test-drives a pixy she’s been fixing up and crashes with her best friend, V, who went along for the ride.

This is the first in a chain of events that somehow lands her in a boarding school where things are dreary to say the least. Water rooms, cruel punishments, little food, and no contact with the outside world, Noli is desperate to get out and finally snaps when her only friend, Charlotte, is taken away. On Midsummer’s Eve, she makes a wish that changed her life. This is where Noli is fully introduced to Kenign, the notorious hunter who has been searching for a girl with the “spark” for years to sacrifice to the Otherworld so that he and his people can live, if only for 7 more years.

But the magic won’t take hold of her for some reason and meanwhile V is searching for her high and low for his best friend because he knows something is wrong. After all, V isn’t who he seems either.

Innocent Darkness was more innocent than dark for sure, which I definitely enjoyed. I love my share of dark books, but something a less heavier was a relief. Not that it’s completely light. But I loved the steampunk elements that were thrown in along with the faery aspects! It’s incredibly contradicting actually, but I loved the way Suzanne Lazear wrote it!

Pacing. I actually loved the pacing in Innocent Darkness a lot! It was steady and never actually went up and down. Well, not unless you talk about the romance of course. I didn’t like the romance, I’ll admit. I think that Innocent Darkness would’ve been better if the feelings weren’t so…expressed. Nothing ever told me why Kevign was in love with our MC. Sure she was independent and different, but so is every other girl with the spark, right? So why Noli? It just seemed to false and sudden. V, I sort of understood. They knew each other since they were kids so of course, Noli would trust him! Mainly, it was the love triangle that annoyed me, though not much admittedly.

Noli was definitely one of those stubborn, but smart, characters. Unlike a lot of characters, Noli didn’t think or say anything stupid. She knew when enough was enough and was smart enough to keep her mouth shut when she needed to. And she didn’t continue to believe stupid lies even when evidence was there, thank goodness! And even though Noli was an amazing character, I found that my favorite character was defunuteky Charlotte! She was just so sweet, kind, and caring and I don’t think there could’ve been a better best friend that her! She was always supportive and always made sure that Noli was alright no matter what.

There were a lot of key surprises that were entirely predictable though and I was a bit disappointed, but I think that all the other amazing points definitely made up for it! There have been a number of mixed reviews and I definitely have mixed feelings about it, mostly good though! This is my first steampunk, honestly, but even I know it had more to do with faeries than steampunk. So anyone with a love of faeries? Definitely pick this up. Steampunkers may be a tad disappointed, but Innocent Darkness was amazing!

Pages: 408

Series: The Aether Chronicles #1

Genre: Steampunk/Fantasy

Publisher: Flux

Release Date: August 8

Rating: 3.5>>>4

Short Author Bio:

Suzanne Lazear’s young adult steampunk dark fairytale, INNOCENT DARKNESS, book 1 of The Aether Chronicles, will be released from Flux in August of 2012. Suzanne lives in Southern California with her daughter, the hubby, and a hermit crab, where she’s currently attempting to make a raygun to match her ballgown. She’s also part of the Steampunk group blog Steamed

Contact Info:

Suzanne Lazear's Blog

Suzanne Lazear's Twitter

Suzanne Lazear's Facebook

Why I Love Ash From the Iron Fey Series

(Fan Made Banner! Made by moi of course :D)

ASH

I've always been a fan of Ash. He's my #1 Book Boyfriend. The ULTIMATE crush. Which is why all of y'all who voted for Aiden are crazy. No offense. I mean, from what I've heard, he's insanely hot. But Ash is wwwaaaayyyy better. And that means he's defnitely better than Puck. No offense to you too, Puck. You know I love ya.

Let's do this in bullet points. And examples. We love those examples, right?

• Ash? He's insanely protective/sweet/possessive at the same time. And very, very threatening. 
• Ex #2: "His forehead bumped softly against mine, his brilliant silver gaze searing into me. “I plan to keep you, from everyone, for as long as I’m alive. That includes Puck, the false king, and anyone else who would take you away.” One corner of his mouth quirked, as I struggled to catch my breath under his powerful scrutiny. “I guess I should’ve warned you that I have a slight possessive streak.” "

• Then he's just plain sweet and I want to snuggle him. But then, he is Meghan's. Sigh. 
• Ex: “You are my heart, my life, my entire existence."

• Ex #2: “Ash brushed the hair from my neck and leaned close to my ear, his voice so soft not even Grimalkin could’ve heard it. “I love you,” he murmured, and my heart nearly burst out of my chest. “Whatever happens, we’re together now.
  Always.”

• Ex #3: “If I'd thought I would regret it," he said calmly, "I never would have made that oath. I knew what becoming a knight would mean. And if you asked me again, the answer would still be the same." He sighed, framing my face with his hands. "My life... everything I am... belongs to you.”

• He's so INFURIATING. But in a good, cocky, comforting way. SQUEE.
• Ex: “But ... but what if I hit you?”
  A snort. “You’re not going to hit me.”
  “How do you know?” I bristled at his amused tone. “I could hit you. Even master swordsmen make mistakes. I could get a lucky shot, or you might not see me coming. I don’t want to hurt you.”
  He favored me with another patient look. “And how much experience do you have with swords and weapons in general?”
  “Um.” I glanced down at the saber in my hand. “Thirty seconds?”
  He smiled, that calm, irritatingly confident smirk. “You’re not going to hit me.”

• He would give anything for Meghan. And he would gain anything for Meghan. AKA, he's loyal and..and...and...*sobs happily*
• Ex: “Forgive me," Ash murmured, and I heard the faintest of tremors beneath his voice. "But I can't...I won't...give her up. Not now, when I've just found her."

• Ex #2: “You're here,' I murmured, reaching out to touch him, hardly believing this was real. 'You came back.' Ash's breath hitched, and he put his hand over mine.
  'I came home.”

• Ex: “Just answer me this. Is she worth it?" Ash's face went blank and cold, like a door slamming shut.
  "Would this be considered payment for finding sweetfinger?" he replied in a voice dead of emotion.
  The dwarf snorted. "Yeah, sure, whatever. But I want a serious answer, Prince."
  Ash was still for a moment. "Yes," he murmured, his voice so low I barely caught it. "She's worth it."
  "You know Mab will tear you apart for this."
  "I know."

• I'm pretty sure I've said this. But I'm mixing two of my points. He's there to comfort her in a possessive way.
• Ex: “Hey, princess.”
  “Hey,” I whispered, as Ash slipped his arms around my waist from behind, drawing me close. I could feel his glare aimed at Puck over my head, a silent, protective gesture that spoke louder than any words. Mine. Back off.”

• He's protective. As in, he'll make sure nothing bad happens to her. Nothing.
• Ex: “Ash pulled me back against him, brushing my hair from my neck. His mouth skimmed my shoulder, up my neck, sending butterflies swarming through my insides. "If you want to rest, then do so," he murmured against my skin. "The rain will not touch you, I promise.”

• Ex #2: “Touch her, and I'll freeze your testicles off and put them in a jar. Understand?”

• Ex #3: “Ash!" I called. "What are you doing? Come on!"
  "Meghan." Ash's voice despite the pain below the surface, was calm. "I hope you find your brother. If you see Puck again tell him I regret having to step out of our duel."
  "Ash, no! Don't do this!"
  I felt him smile. "You made me feel alive again," he murmured.
  Screeching, the greemlins attacked.”

• He does what's right. Even when it pains him.
• Ex: “He hesitated, but then stepped beneath the tree and knelt, depositing me gently on the ground between two giant roots. And he stayed there, kneeling beside me, holding my hand in his. Something splashed the back of my hand, cold as spring water, crystalling to my skin. A faery's tears.”

• And ah, he's a good kisser. ;D
• Ex:“I kissed him. His arms slid around me and drew me close, and we stayed like that for a while, my hands tangled in his hair, his cool lips on mine. My earlier thoughts in the crypt came back to haunt me, and I shoved them into the darkest corner of my mind. I would not give him up. I would find a way to have a happy ending, for both of us.”
• Ex #2: "My fingers yanked him close, digging into his back, and his arms crushed me to him as if wanting to meld us together. I knotted my fingers in his hair and bit down on his bottom lip, making him groan. His lips parted, and my tongue swept in to dance with his."

All in all? Ash is this cold and cruel faery. In the beginning. He's been hurt, betrayed, and has done some terrible things. But when he meets Meghan, he starts to thaw and he becomes this...this...I love him! (And while Soul Faery Ash is good, I think I prefer No-Soul Ash...). He's fiercely protective, loyal, and will risk anything and everything for Meghan. He'd never let anything happen to the people he loves and he understands what's right and what's wrong.

He’ll fight for what he believes in and he’ll go to the end of the world (pun intended) for Meghan. He’d give up so much for just a day and he’s sweet. So unconditionally sweet. Even when it pains him, he’d let Meghan go if that’s what she wanted. *Sobs* You have no idea how many times I’ve cried reading this. It’s just totally, epically, heartbreaking. Also, when I read this creepy book at night, I make myself remember the entire story line of the Iron Fey series. Yeah, I’m a maniac. Deal! XD

And when I'm rereading the Iron Fey series (I seriously need to get new copies. Mine are fallinga apart. And the pages are yellow.) I always listen to this song which is so not a good idea since it makes me sob. Like, full out sob. For some reason the video won't sho, but the name of the song is Fall for You by Secondhand Serenade. It's seriously my favorite song ever now!

And, also. Randomly, here's a poem. I know it's bad. XP

Ice and Frost
Magic Lost
Summer thaws
The frozen heart

Traveling through the world once more
Defeating others evermore
The first girl fell
The second gone
Alone once more
Forever Lasts

To the end,
The edge of all
There to gain
One lost soul

Ice and Frost
Magic lost
Iron melts the frozen heart

Become the knight
He alway was
So ends the tale
Of The Iron Knight

Random Musings: Seeing a Book

Today while I was walking down the halls of my school, I saw someone reading Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa! If you dind't know already, the Iron Fey series is my absolute favorite series! So that one sight kept me smiling the entire day. It was wonderful seeing someone else enjoying the books I loved, especially my all-time favorites! Since I was at school, I couldn't take a picture, but if I could, I would've. I love seeing a book I've read in someone else's hands, just so I can know htat others around me are enjoying the same books as me.

Taken at Dusk by C. C. hunter

Goodreads Blurb

Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

I received Taken at Dusk from St. Martin's Press/Griffin, including Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn, book one and two in the Shadow Falls Series, since I hadn't read the series then. But I can promise you, that I devoured this series in two days (three books in two days!) and absolutely loved it.

This is a popular series among paranormal junkies out there, but when I first heard of it, I decided not to read it. Why? Because at the time, I had been reading Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, and the blurb sounded suspiciously like that of Hex Hall. Once all the starred reviews started pouring in though, I regretted it, so I'm glad to have a chance to read the entire series!

Taken at Dusk starts immediately where Awake at Dawn left off, Kylie about to meet her adoptive parents, the ones who just might have the clue to finding out exactly what she is. But when she gets there, her "adoptive parents" and her barely get ten minutes before they're ushered out and it looks as if the couple weren't her adoptive parents, but were, instead, imposters. Shocking! And then animals are suddenly protecting her. An eagle that suddenly catches a snake mere inches from her feet, a deer jumping in front of her just before lightning strikes the spot she would've been in if not for the deer. But why? Taken at Dusk raises more questions than it answers, leaving readers shocked and mystified.

I fell in love with our characters in book one, wanting to hug the life out of them in book two, and started crying for them  in book three. Kylie had that strong personality we love in heroines, Holiday had that older-sister feel, helping Kylie along the way, Burnett was like Kylie's protector, and he was absolutely adorable when it came to Holiday! Lucas was edgy and dangerous, while Derek was sweet and caring. And I loved the ghosts! I don't know why, but I've always loved ghost-paranormal stories. No matter how much they creeped me out. And we finally meet the dreaded Ellie whom I loved!
This third installment of the Shadow Falls series was absolutely breathtaking, and I enjoyed every page! Kylie has fully accepted her paranormal blood and she's learning, slowly, to trust her father again. The ending scenes had me flipping to the end and leaving me shell-shocked. And to those who have read Taken At Dusk, what do you think a chameleon is? I have a theory. But I'm not sharing it!


Summary: The writing is beautiful, the characters are even more wonderful, and I don't think I can wait until Whispers at Moonrise comes out! This is definitely a paranormal romance that Fiction Freaks should read, whether or not its your thing.

Pages:380
Series: Shadow Falls #3
Genre: Paranormal/Romance
Rating: 5 stars

"Jane swerved toward Catherine and held both her fists up in front of her face, her body tight with fury. 'How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not Berta! I did not kill my own child. I would never kill my baby. I loved my baby.'"