Kresley Cole's 'Poison Princess'

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1)
★★★★★
Published: October 2, 2012
Recommend it for: Non-traditional YA fans, Tarot readers, Survivors, & Girls who swoon at boys from the bayou!

BLURB:
She could save the world- or destroy it.
Sixteen year old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future- and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone.
With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?
As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side...

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"Come touch, but you'll pay a price"

This book was unlike any I've read in a long time. Now, I'm not normally a fan of post-apocalyptic stories- I find the fall of society & its rules (however crazy they may seem today) frustrating.

My main issues with these types of stories is brought up by Evie:

"I have a difficult time believing that everything good has fallen by the wayside so quickly." Decency, morality. "It's only been seven months. People wouldn't have resorted to cannibalism already."

Of course, Jackson makes a valid point:

"The better part of a year is plenty of time for a new food chain to come into play."

It's not just cannibalism, but the utter collapse of human rights. The strong- the militias and cannibals- are top & what they say, goes. They do what they want, and in a world where nearly every female has been destroyed in the Flash (the apocalypse), you can just imagine what they would do to a young girl if captured.

There were times when I couldn't decide if I was insanely frustrated with the story or if I absolutely loved it! (I ended up loving it!) Mainly because Evie is not your average, simpering, weak heroine just waiting for her rescue. No! She is the embodiment of one of the most powerful cards in Tarot. The Empress. And with that, comes powers- strengths- that she has to learn how to manage & keep secret all while surviving this new world, dealing with the death of loved ones, feeling at a loss when it comes to Jackson (the cutie from the bayou!), and running into others like her- others representing the Major Acrana Tarot cards- and not knowing friend or foe.

Oh, and did I mention she's only 16?

Evie was a refreshing heroine. She, the Queen of Plants & Princess of Poison, was in no way weak, but neither was she offensive- attacking first/ asking questions later. She beckoned and waited- only retaliating when others seek to do her harm- and she retaliated in a BIG way.

"The Empress doesn't get collared, or caged, or tortured. How artfully she beckons, how perfectly she punishes..."

Now Jackson. So many thoughts, not enough time! He's the hottie from the wrong-side-of-the-bayou who is sweet on Evie and vows to protect her in her journey North to find her grandmother- who may know more about Tarot and Evie's own destiny. He often made me swoon throughout the book- his determination to keep Evie safe (or just to keep her!), his feeling of failure in the face of Evie's tears & his attempt to distract her, his intelligence, the way he made Evie promise to never give up hope- to know that he would always come after her. There were a couple moments in the book where I wanted to bash his head in give him a good shake- but since those moments were rare, I chalked it up to him being an 18 year old boy.

I was giddy when the two finally talked openly about how they were feeling about each other, wanted to shake Evie when Jack asked her to just trust him (though I could understand her hesitation, not wanting him to think worse of her), and I could feel everything crumbling under the weight of stress, responsibility, survival, and destiny.

And I felt Evie's Pain, her heart break, when Jack finally sees her. The Empress. The Red Witch. And crosses himself against her- the first rain since the Flash falling between them.

Final Thoughts:
Amazing. Creative. Original. Addictive. A book I will be re-reading. Often!
How am I supposed to wait for the next book to find out what happens next?!

Happy Release Day : Poison Princess

Poison Princess

By Kresley Cole

You may have heard of (know & love!) Kresley from her Immortals After Dark adult paranormal romance series. Well, today she releases her first YA supernatural book! Let's all welcome Poison Princess: Book 1 of the Arcana Chronicles!!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces The Arcana Chronicles, post-apocalyptic tales filled with riveting action, the dark mysticism of Tarot cards, and breathtaking romance.

She could save the world- or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future- and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrongside-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side...

AVAILABLE NOW: Immortals After Dark #12

Or start from the beginning with:

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Next up from Kresley Cole:

Shadow's Claim

Immortals After Dark: The Dacians #1

Release date: November 27, 2012

Maya Banks 'Never Seduce a Scot'

Never Seduce a Scot (The Montgomerys & Armstrongs #1)
★★★★★
Published: September 25, 2012
Recommend it for: Romantics. Historical-Romance addicts. Lovers of Scotland & anyone who wants a Highlander for their own!

BLURB:
Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her "touched." Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn't speak. Content with her life of seclustion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside worlds to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage to a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty- unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice to deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.

Graeme is intrigued by the mysterious Eveline, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation and whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.

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This book was phenomenal! I started reading and just couldn't put it down... it was like crack umm.. really really (really!) good chocolate. And brownies. With ice cream. And sprinkles... all kinds of indulgence.

Eveline Armstrong is a heroine to be inspired by. Deaf from a riding accident, she has allowed her entire family - and other clans by reputation - to believe the fall caused her to become daft (brain damaged) in order to escape a marriage to an abusive man. This, however, doesn't prevent the King from ordering her marriage to the rival clan's laird to ensure a peace that neither side is happy about.

Despite Eveline's loss of hearing, an unwanted marriage, and a hostile new clan- nothing breaks her spirit. She is determined to find the bright side, the positive, and she keeps trying to make a place for herself in her new environment- slowly winning over her new family. Banks made the reader fell what Eveline felt, her determination, her intellect, her courage... and her devastation when she thought her new clan would never accept her. The humiliation, Eveline being so close to resignation, was heartbreaking. Her words "I want to go home" so sorrow-filled, so final, that it made me tear-up. It was the first and only time Eveline, herself, expressed any doubt and negativity towards her situation. I couldn't help but imagine being in her position... and realizing that I might have given up far sooner than she.

Now Graeme. Oh, so wonderful! It is refreshing to have a hero in a story (any story, any genre!) admit his love, at least to himself, freely. Willingly. *Firstly* ... Without needing the heroine to beat him over the head and drag the words from him! Graeme's care for Eveline was apparent from the beginning, and continued even after he learned his wife was not daft (and it definitely didn't take him three years to figure it out! It makes me wonder about life at the Armstrong keep...) He championed his wife even when his clan, his family, would've seen Eveline pushed aside and forgotten- an unwanted intruder to the Montgomery lifestyle.

His response to her sorrow- "Give me a chance to make you happy" made me giddy - not only because he fully admitted how much she meant to him, but also because, in spite of it all, he put her, her feelings, about all else. I loved him and could easily see why Eveline fell for him too.

My favorite moment:
Graeme riding out to meet his father-in-law and the entire Armstrong army:
"My love for her [Eveline] is stronger than my hatred of you."

Final thoughts:
I need the next book!

Happy Release Day : Archangel's Storm

Archangel's Storm

By Nalini Singh

Gorgeous black wings: made for night flying!

The 5th book in her Guild Hunter series is now out! This book focuses on the angel spymaster _Jason_ as the hero.

With wings of midnight and an affinity for shadows, Jason courts darkness. But now, with the Archangel Neha's consort lying murdered in the jewel-studded palace that was his prison and her rage threatening cataclysmic devastation, Jason steps into the light, knowing he must unearth the murderer before it is too late.

Earning Neha's trust comes at a price-Jason must tie himself to her bloodline through the Princess Mahiya, a woman with secrets so dangerous, she trusts no one. Least of all an enemy spymaster.

With only their relentless hunt for a violent, intelligent killer to unite them, Jason and Mahiya embark on a quest that leads to a centuries-old nightmare...and to the dark storm of an unexpected passion that threatens to drench them both in blood.

Book 1 :Elena & Raphael:

Book 3 :Elena & Raphael:

Want to know more? Start from the beginning!

Book 2 :Elena & Raphael:

Book 4 :Dmitri & Honor:

Kelly Creagh's 'Enshadowed'

Enshadowed (Nevermore #2)

✭✭✭✭✭

Published: August 28, 2012

Recommend it for: Everyone. Anyone. Lover's of Poe, YA, lost-love, & kick-butt cheerleaders!

BLURB:

True love takes a twisted turn in the second book of this modern gothic romance trilogy channeling the dark brilliance of Edgar Allan Poe.

While Varen remains a prisoner in a perilous dream world where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life, Isobel travels to Baltimore to confront the dark figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster. This man, the same man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams and abandoned her in Varen's nightmare world, holds the key to saving Varen.

     But when Isobel discovers a way to return to this dream world, she finds herself swept up in a realm that not only holds remnants of Egar Allan Poe's presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen's innermost self. It is a world of fear, terror, and anger.

     When Isobel once more encounters Varen, she finds him changed. And now Isobel must face a new adversary-one who also happens to be her greatest love.

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Wow. Just wow.

I thought Enshadowed was extremely well written. Creagh seamlessly wove her two worlds, reality & Poe/Varen's dreamland, so that the reader was questioning what was a dream right along with Isobel. She continues to incorporate Poe_his writing, his mystery_ so well there were moments when I found myself wondering if she [Creagh] knows something the rest of us don't!

It was amazing to read about Isobel in her hunt to find Varen and realize just how much she, herself, has grown and matured as a person. A character. She is no longer that girl from Nevermore (book 1) who initially let status/social quo dictate her actions or what she should care about. She honestly thought about the consequences of her actions. It was refreshing to read about a YA heroine who acknowledged how her actions effected her family without shrugging it off because she had found "the one". The pain she felt as she watched her family life split, the guilt at her role in her family's rift, and her helplessness to stop it was ever-present. Her need to save Varen was too strong, her feelings undeniable.

Though Varen himself wasn't as present in this book_& I definitely missed his sarcastic wit!_ Isobel's feelings and dreams kept his presence very much alive. Her absolute resolve to find him just as enjoyable addicting to read, her dedication just as heartfelt and touching. I couldn't put this book down!

The ending, as heartbreaking as it was a cliff-hanger to rival cliff-hangers, made me gasp, cry, and ultimately want *need* the final book!

I leave you with one of my absolute favorite moments:

[from the heart-wrenching ending, Varen's Pov, finally acknowledging his mistake. What he had done to his love, to Isobel]

"He clutched the watch hard in his fist, determined to destroy it, to prove that it couldn't be real. That she hadn't come here because of him, for him.

That he hadn't done what he knew he had."