Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Goodreads Blurb

Every other day, Kali D’Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She argues with her father. She’s human.
And then every day in between . . . she’s something else entirely.
Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.
When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her, and unfortunately she’ll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive . . . and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

I got this for my birthday a while back and I was a bit wary! Let's say, I haven't had the best of luck with Barnes's other books. But Every Other Day pleasantly surprised me and I definitely enjoyed it!

So what I wasn't expecting when I started this--the fact that the entire world knew about the existence of paranormal creatures. I'm not sure how I managed to not see that after rereading the synopsis so many times! But the idea of this world was seriously fascinating. Anyone who's read more than one of my reviews knows that worldbuildingispretty much the #1 thing I look for and Every Other Day did not disappoint in that category! Jennifer Barnes pulled creatures from pretty much every folklore and I have to admit--it was definitely fun!

I absolutely loved the writing and plot. Every Other Day keeps you reading until the last page, making you nervously bite your nails and hang onto every word. The plot just keeps you wanting for more and I desperately wished there was a sequel! Seriously. There were so many unexpected twists (and betrayals!) KICK BUTT PLOT HERE. 

And since we're on the topic of kick butt, let's talk characters. Because Kali? KICK. BUTT. She was such a fierce fighter and loyal friend! She was down to earth and reasonable (unlike some...) and was an all around great character! 

Oneof the things I love is how unique each character was. Skylar, self proclaimed "school slut" was actually a pretty innocent and (psychic) sweet girl! She was a bit quirky at times but it just made her all the more lovable! Bethany, resident popular and mean girl, was definitely more than that. She was snarky, mean, but she cared a lot. She was also pretty helpful and definitely did sassy well!

So, there was a tad of romance that I found absolutely adorable! But, umm, that's all for romance. 

Definitely unexpected, Every Other Day blew me away! (You guys, I'm totally a poet) It has an eye catching cover, an interesting synopsis, and an edge of your seat story! And? The ending was perfect! Absolutely. Perfect. 

Pages: 336

Genre: Paranormal/Sci-fi

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: Egmont USA

Release Date: Dec 27, 2011

Rating: 4 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

Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

Goodreads Blurb

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed.
The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

First, I must squeal for one paragraph. I am sorry.

OMG. THIS WAS SO....ACK!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT AN ARC OF THIS. AND HOW GOOD THIS IS. WOW. THE WAY THIS WAS...ACK. BE STILL, MY HEART. THIS IS SO AMAZING.

That was like 1% of it, but I thought I'd better get on with the review, yeah?

Okay, I absolutely have to acknowledge the romance in this. The action and the rebellion were amazing of course, but the romance! Ash and Natalie and Elijah...and Giselle, but she appears and disappears quickly. (Thank God!) My heart broke so many times for Ash and Natalie. There's a giant twist that just changes everything between all of them, and I swear my heart dropped all the way through the Earth and made a beeline for China. I just...can't imagine. Natalie and Ash are so devoted to each other, every few pages I had to stop and smack a friend on the arm (whoever was closest to me. They can prove it.) and squeal! It was just so amazing, the way you could clearly see how in love they were. It's like a less messed up Romeo and Juliet! And Elijah. Elijah. How could you?!

Like I said, the action was definitely amazing itself. What Black City lacked, Phoenix definitely made up for it! There was definitely a lot more moving around than in Black City and there was definitely a lot more danger--and that's saying something! With President Rose a looming threat and both Sentry, Lupines, and citizens looking for them, Ash and Natalie were definitely in a fix. And yet, they somehow managed to survive it...until a giant betrayal I could never have expected!

Bringing me to another thing. There were a lot of betrayals I couldn't imagine, but with their lives' on the line, I guess some people forget to be selfless! But the first betrayal was a bit predictable. The second? Well. I think I may have died on the spot!
Phoenix was a book that while, at first was a bit slow, but quickly went uphill after the first few chapters or so! It's pacing was brilliant and I absolutely adored it!

Definitely not experiencing Sequel Syndrome or anything like that, Phoenix definitely surpassed my expectations and definitely beat Black City in the long run! Anyone who loved Black City will definitely adore this! Just like it's first book though, it's definitely one of those dystopias that the word dystopia perfectly describes!

Pages: 368
Genre: Dystopia/Romance
Series: Black City #2
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Rating: 5 stars

Orleans by Sherri. L. Smith

Goodreads Blurb

First came the storms.
Then came the Fever.
And the Wall.
After a string of devastating hurricanes and a severe outbreak of Delta Fever, the Gulf Coast has been quarantined. Years later, residents of the Outer States are under the assumption that life in the Delta is all but extinct… but in reality, a new primitive society has been born.
Fen de la Guerre is living with the O-Positive blood tribe in the Delta when they are ambushed. Left with her tribe leader’s newborn, Fen is determined to get the baby to a better life over the wall before her blood becomes tainted. Fen meets Daniel, a scientist from the Outer States who has snuck into the Delta illegally. Brought together by chance, kept together by danger, Fen and Daniel navigate the wasteland of Orleans. In the end, they are each other’s last hope for survival.
Sherri L. Smith delivers an expertly crafted story about a fierce heroine whose powerful voice and firm determination will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Orleans was definitely different from the normal things I read and definitely different from…everything.

In the best way of course!

I really did like Orleans, though I wasn’t as into the story as I wanted to be. I think it was the odd-yet-common dual points of view in both first and third person and the…diction, I guess (YAY for Eileen…even if it wasn’t the word I was looking for…) of our main main character (yes, that does make sense). I’ve always had a problem with that kind of thing, though I guess it does make sense for someone living in the conditions she was raised in, but I always hated the “He ain’t” or “He got” instead of “He has”. Yes, I am a Grammar Nazi. If you know me I DNF’d Blood Red Road because of that too.

But ignoring that (or getting used to it), Orleans was definitely a great read, though I can’t exactly say I loved it.

I did like the characters though! Fen was independent and strong and ingenious in her own way! She knew how to survive in the ruins of Orleans and she took her promises seriously, I’ll say that. She wasn’t a character I could connect with, but I found myself cheering for her (silently, of course…maybe) throughout most of the book! She’s an easy character to like and not frustrating at all, which is more than I can say for some!

Daniel…the way it was written and by what happened; I honestly feel as if Daniel wasn’t really a main character or needed in the story. Sure, he made things a bit edgier, but the main plot really could’ve done a bit without him.

And no, you guys, they do not fall in love, I’ll say that now! I dearly wish they would, but maybe in book two! (There is a sequel, right. There has to be! Goodreads HAS to be lying!)

This was definitely one of those adventure-type books I don’t usually read, but absolutely love! The plot honestly was a bit all over the place, but it was still enjoyable and I loved it.

The best thing about Orleans was, without a doubt, the worldbuilding! It was thorough (well, except for the one question of HOW DID THE FEVER START?!) and I loved learning about what had changed, the events that led up to the Wall and to Orleans and all about the fever and how life in Orleans was. There were tribes and hunting and lepers and so much more! It was an absolutely fascinating fantastically created world that definitely shows you what the words national epidemic mean. ;)

Pages: 336

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic

Series: Standalone (?)

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Release Date: March 7, 2013

Rating: 3.5--->4 stars

Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Goodreads Blurb

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

One wall, two races, and a war that could destroy everyone.

First, take a look at the cover. Isn’t it just GORGEUOS?! I love it! It’s a new change from the usual girl-on-cover ones and it definitely caught my eye!

Let’s start this review with the world of Black City. It was dark and it was feral and it’s what I’d call a true dystopian. The setting was incredibly morbid and I mean that in the best way possible! It fit the story well and added a certain…danger to it. But I guess that’s why it’s been dubbed “Breathless Danger” then, huh? The world Liz Richards created made me shudder, especially with the *torture*experiments. Everywhere Natalie and Ash looked, lies and danger lurked in shadows and I found myself *coughs* skipping to the end to find out what happens. Just a peek! I couldn’t resist. It was too tempting! The anxiety just builds up and I couldn’t help it.

CHARACTERS! Wow, they had to be the best part of Black City! Each of them, supporting or main, had their own complexities, their own personality, and they all were needed to make the storyline even more twisted and dangerous. Natalie was so…headstrong? In the way that she would always do something reckless without knowing the full story. But that’s what made her so fun and made the plot all the more exciting! She was loyal to the end when she decided to trust someone, and she was definitely smart. Smart enough to figure out what exactly happened in the laboratory and why the tyrant Purian Rose wanted her to go to a (what was basically) Workboot school. Which was, to say the least, incredibly shocking. She was incredibly determined to do anything she believes in.

Ash…there are no words that can fully describe Ash. (P.S. Why is it that two of my YA crushes are named Ash? …Weird) Anyways, Ash was just so…tormented I guess is the right word. All his life he’s been bullied because of his bloodline and not only that, but he has to keep his mother in chains and a secret because of the disease she has called the Wrath that basically makes a Darkling go mad and decays the skin. He’s never trusted a human, let alone one of the upper-class citizens, a Sentry! And the Emissary’s daughter at that! But they were both so much alike, stubborn, loyal, willing to do the right thing no matter the cost…but also opposites in so many ways. Ash is…let’s just say the bad boy: dark, brooding, hiding so, so many secrets! He’s one character you just have to love!

Time to plot! The plot was so. Full, Of danger! But I guess that’s why it was dubbed “Breathless Danger” right? Well Black City definitely deserves that title! I went along with the story and I nearly screamed at some parts! Things could spin out of control and then the pages would just stare at you like nothing was wrong. And of course, I had to read till the end to find out what happens! Black City is definitely a page-turner that will keep you at the edge of your seat!

The romance was…not as great as I hoped. Sure it was incredibly sweet/dangerous, but it seemed to go along fine…then it sped up. Think of it this way: They were in love 10% to 20% to 30% then skipped to 100% at one of the major plot twists. But the romance was incredibly endearing and tender and the emotions were just spilling all over the place!

This definitely reminded me of Darkness Before Dawn. A lot. But the thing is…no offense, but Black City seemed to capture the emotion better and was just way more dark and had likeable characters. That’s my opinion, of course!

Pages: 373

Series: Black City Chronicles #1

Genre: Vampires/Dystopian/Romance

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR

Release: November 13

Rating: 5/5

"His eyes burn with dark fire, his lips parting slightly as he leans closer, his breath cool against my cheeks. It's like I'm on the top of a roller coaster, ready to tip over at any second, the anticipation building. Almost...almost..."

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.'"