Til The World Ends - Book Review (repost)

'Til The World Ends
by Julie Kagawa, Aguirre, Karen Duvall
Anthology

What is it about:
Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa:
Before The Immortal Rules, there was the Red Lung, a relentless virus determined to take out all in its path. For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden-as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What's worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she's beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems....

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre:
After a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside-in the Red Zone-is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they'll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside...for good.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall:
Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms-in the cosmos and beyond. And she's not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She'll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.

What did I think of it:
Because this books contains three stories, I'll give my thoughts about each separate story.

Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa:
I liked this story.
The world building was done very well and the story was pretty intense. Especially the start of the story was very disturbing and creepy. I liked Kagawa's writing and I was hooked from the start. Near the ending the story lost its momentum and appeal to me, but the action scenes made up for that. Overall this was an enjoyable story and I'm tempted to pick up The Immortal Rules, the first book in the Blood of Eden series for which this story is the prequel.

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre:
I totally bought this book because it had a story by Ann Aguirre and I'm happy to say that Thistle & Thorne it just as cool as I had hoped it would be. Mari Thistle is a character I could relate to and I really liked how she doesn't immediately swoon all over Thorne, who's a definite 'bad boy'. Instead she is on her guard and knows just how dangerous Thorne can be. Thorne was a really cool character as well and I loved reading about how the two of them have to rely on each other and learn to trust each other to get things done. I fell in love with this story and hope Aguirre will write more stories about Thistle and Thorne.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall:
This was a nice enough story, but it wasn't for me.
Duvall went for the Doomsday scenario where all of humankind will perish if the lead characters of the story don't succeed. I'm not a big fan of total doom stories and that's why this story fell short for me. The writing was pleasant though, so I might try another book by Duvall sometime.

In conclusion: This is a really enjoyable book that I can recommend to anyone who loves post-apocalyptic settings.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool collection of post-apocalyptic stories

The Forever Song - Ranty Book Review

The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3)
by Julie Kagawa

What is it about:
Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

What did I think of it:
I will warn you I might get spoilery.

Anyway...

I had really looked forward to reading this book, because I very much enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy. And this book started out cool. Allie is tracking Sarren, helped by her creator Kanin and her blood brother Jackal. Things were progressing slowly, but were cool enough for me to be totally engrossed in the story.

I really enjoyed reading more about Kanin and Jackal. They are very intriguing characters, and even outshone Allie in this book in my opinion.

Sarren is playing devious mind games with everyone, and I was eager to discover if and how the heroes would stop him.

Then somewhere near the end something happened that ruined the whole book for me...

Yes, I will now become ranty and spoilery!






Pointless character death!

I won't tell which character to not be completely spoilery, but I was so angry!

It started out ok. A character sacrifices him/herself to stop something really catastrophic from happening. So far so good. It was emotional and I was devastated. If that had been it, I could have lived with it, and this book would have ended up a great read.

But no!

After this character is dead, the remaining characters do stuff that also results in the catastrophe being averted. So... the character who died, sacrificed him/herself for nothing! Total pointless sacrifice!

What annoyed me most, was that so easily it could have been written differently, making the sacrifice worthwhile. Ok, there would have been a higher death-toll than there was now, but the sacrifice would have meant something, instead of it being there just for the emotional effect it has on the reader.

I felt cheated. I was angry. I didn't enjoy the remainder of the book, because this event left a bad taste in my mouth.

Now I will confess it might be personal. Maybe others wouldn't even notice how totally unnecessary the sacrifice was. Maybe I just over-think things. Still, I ended up angry and disappointed, and I certainly won't reread this book. I might reread the first two books, because those were really cool.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Post-Apocalyptic YA read (mostly).

Top Pearls 2013 - part 2

Today the second and last part of my and Voodoo Bride's Top Pearls 2013 list.
Here are another 12 books that we really enjoyed reading this year, and that I can advice to anyone looking for an awesome read.


Shards & Ashes - Anthology
This anthology with Dystopian YA stories is a must read for anyone who loves Dystopian YA.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
A really cool, grim and realistic Post Apocalyptic YA read.

Five Golden Rings by Jeffe Kennedy
This BDSM romance isn't just a perfect read for the Holidays. It's a hot and delightful story any time of the year.

Between by Kerry Schafer
A beautiful Paranormal story about dreams, penguins and dragons.


Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson
The best book yet in a very enjoyable and entertaining Urban Fantasy series.

Omens by Kelley Armstrong
A Paranormal thriller that keeps you reading. Armstrong proves she can do a lot more than write about werewolves.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
An amazing, gritty, and grim YA about vampires. A must read for anyone who loves YA and vampires.

Runemarks by Joanne Harris
This YA Fantasy is cool and full of suspense and magic.


(Deadly) Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
A really suspenseful Paranormal YA about werewolves and the human nature.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
A hauntingly beautiful YA read.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
An awesome Post Apocalyptic YA with vampires

Rising Darkness by Thea Harrison
A dark and intense Paranormal Romance.



And that's my list of Top Pearls for 2013!

I hope you will have a wonderful New Year's Eve, and I wish you lots of happiness and awesome reads for 2014!

The Eternity Cure - Book Review

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2)
by Julie Kagawa

What is it about:
Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

What did I think of it:
The first book in this series was a really cool read, so I picked up this book as soon as I could.

And it's even better than the first book!

Allie has matured a bit and is forced to let go of some of her rules to survive. Her struggle to hold on to her humanity was very interesting to see. I already liked her in the first book, but my respect for her grew over the course of this one.

One of the antagonists from the first book returns as well and has a bigger role this time: Jackal, Allie's vampiric brother so to speak. He was my favorite character in The Eternity Cure I have to confess. He has his own set of morals that don't match with Allies's and the differences between the two of them added tension to the already very suspenseful story.

The story is full of action, difficult choices, danger, betrayal and hope. I was hooked from the start and just as with the first book I almost couldn't put it down. The world building is again very well done and I liked learning a bit more about the inner workings of Vampire cities.

I will reread these book often and I will impatiently wait for the next book in this really cool series. I also might try other books by Kagawa as well.

Why should you read it:
It's a really cool Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian YA with vampires

The Immortal Rules - Book Review

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
by Julie Kagawa

What is it about:
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for… again.

What did I think of it:
After I read Kagawa's Novella (which is a prequel to this series) in Til The World Ends I was intrigued enough to want to give the Blood of Eden series a try, so I picked up The Immortal Rules.

And it doesn't disappoint.

This is a very cool read. I loved the world building. The vampire city where Allie grew up is a dark and dangerous place, but the world outside of the cities is even more dangerous.

I loved getting to know Allie and her world and I could really understand why Allie hates the vampires. Then the unthinkable happens: Allie becomes a vampire herself!

I really liked to see Allie adapt to her new life and to see her struggle with her conscience. And when she meets up with the pilgrims things gets even more tense.

The story is really cool and full of action. Once I started reading I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. There's intrigue, feuds and secrets that people are killing for and Allie gets caught up in it all.

All in all this is a really cool read that I finished in almost one sitting and you can be sure I will get my trotters on the next book soon.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Dystopian read with vampires.

Til The World Ends - Book Review

'Til The World Ends
by Julie Kagawa, Aguirre, Karen Duvall
Anthology

What is it about:
Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa:
Before The Immortal Rules, there was the Red Lung, a relentless virus determined to take out all in its path. For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden-as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What's worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she's beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems....

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre:
After a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside-in the Red Zone-is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they'll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside...for good.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall:
Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms-in the cosmos and beyond. And she's not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She'll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.

What did I think of it:
Because this books contains three stories, I'll give my thoughts about each separate story.

Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa:
I liked this story.
The world building was done very well and the story was pretty intense. Especially the start of the story was very disturbing and creepy. I liked Kagawa's writing and I was hooked from the start. Near the ending the story lost its momentum and appeal to me, but the action scenes made up for that. Overall this was an enjoyable story and I'm tempted to pick up The Immortal Rules, the first book in the Blood of Eden series for which this story is the prequel.

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre:
I totally bought this book because it had a story by Ann Aguirre and I'm happy to say that Thistle & Thorne it just as cool as I had hoped it would be. Mari Thistle is a character I could relate to and I really liked how she doesn't immediately swoon all over Thorne, who's a definite 'bad boy'. Instead she is on her guard and knows just how dangerous Thorne can be. Thorne was a really cool character as well and I loved reading about how the two of them have to rely on each other and learn to trust each other to get things done. I fell in love with this story and hope Aguirre will write more stories about Thistle and Thorne.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall:
This was a nice enough story, but it wasn't for me.
Duvall went for the Doomsday scenario where all of humankind will perish if the lead characters of the story don't succeed. I'm not a big fan of total doom stories and that's why this story fell short for me. The writing was pleasant though, so I might try another book by Duvall sometime.

In conclusion: This is a really enjoyable book that I can recommend to anyone who loves post-apocalyptic settings.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool collection of post-apocalyptic stories