Bloodlines Series Review

    

Bloodlines

By: Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines (Books 1-6)

"Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning..." (Book #1: Bloodlines)

My Rating:

(4 Bows)

My Thoughts:

     It should be noted first and foremost that this series is a companion series to The Vampire Academy.  I would HIGHLY recommend you read that series first because 1) there are some spoilers in this series that would give away the ending of the first series and 2) because I liked that series more than this one.  Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the Bloodlines series!  I cannot place my finger on exactly why I prefer the first series, but I do.  Now, on to the review of Bloodlines series...

     This series alternates between the POVs of Sydney, a rational alchemist whose duty it is to protect humans from the knowledge of vampires and supernatural beings, and we also have Adrian who is the wit and charm of this book.  Together, they balance out the story between seriousness and witty humor.

     One of the things I liked early on in the books is that it shows that both characters have addictive personalities.  While I think this could have been delved more into Sydney's side, we get plenty of Adrian's "insane" behavior until the end of the series.  I liked seeing his struggles with it, how Sydney dealt with it, and how everything came together.  There were times throughout the series that I felt that both Adrian and Sydney were not being fair to one another regarding Adrian's spirit use.

     I can't really place my finger on what was lacking in this series to bring it up to a five star series, because it had that potential.  Every time I try to think of why, I can always refute the claim.  At first I was thinking there was not enough action, but there definitely was.  Then I was thinking that maybe the series got bogged down by extensive plot development, but without that we nearly wouldn't have had a series to keep me intrigued.  Maybe I didn't buy the romance enough between Adrian and Sydney (spoiler alert, but not really cause it's obvious), but I thought that they balanced each other out well.  So, the only thing I can say is that this series was really good and entertaining, but it wasn't amazing.

     If you have the same feelings as me, let me know why you think the Bloodlines series, while really good and a series I would recommend, did not live up to the first series!

Sparks Rise

Sparks Rise
By: Alexandra Bracken
Series: The Darkest Minds (Book 2.5)

"Sam didn’t think things could get worse at Thurmond rehabilitation camp. Then the Reds arrive. Everyone assumed the kids with firepower had been killed years ago. Instead they were taken away, brainwashed, and returned as terrifyingly effective guards. To her horror, Sam recognizes one of them: Lucas, the one spark of light in Sam’s dark childhood. Lucas has a deadly secret–he beat the brutal training that turned his fellow Reds into mindless drones. When Sam defends herself against an attack by a vile PSF guard and faces a harrowing punishment, Lucas must risk his everything to save her. "

My Rating:

5 Bows

My Thoughts:

I LOVE Alex's novella's so much because they play with my feels in such a short space.  Within this 110 page novella, I became so attached to both Sam and Lucas.  We know of Sam from Ruby's time in Thurmond.  Sam was Ruby's best friend there until she accidentally erased herself from Sam's memories.  

Ruby is now away from Thurmond, and has been for a while, but Sam can't help but feel some sort of connection to her.  However, Sam is different from the person we used to know.  Instead of fighting the Psi officers, she has lost the fire that once drove her to protect others.  That's where Lucas comes in.  He's a Red, but has beat the system.  While the Psi officers think he is just a mindless drone they can order around, Lucas has found a way stay sane throughout his harsh treatment.

Lucas comes riding in like a white night when he sees his childhood friend, Sam of course, being punished and she isn't doing anything to stop them.  He remembers their time together as kids and remembers his love of her even from that early age.  But it's a thin line between protecting Sam and carrying on his act.

Their romance in this book is really cute and sweet.  I love reading about childhood friends who grow to love each other.  Lucas helps Sam remember the fiery girl she once was and that we all love, which is ironic since he's a red (get it...get it).

Eventually, crazy stuff happens (can't really give that away can I?!) and just when the reader starts hoping for a happy ending, Alex is quick to shut it all down and leave us in a puddle of feels.  Note to self: never get your hopes up again! Just kidding...maybe.

If you're looking for a short filler book before, or even after, reading In The Afterlight then I really recommend this or her other novella. Seriously, how can she pack so much emotion into 110 pages!

Daughter of Smoke & Bone (series)

Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Days of Blood & Starlight
By: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Books 1 & 2)

 "Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actuallygrows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Rating:

3 Bows

My Thoughts:

Let's start with honesty, shall we?  I REALLY wanted to love this book series, and have heard amazing things about it.  I mean, there are angels involved which usually means I'm intrigued.  However, I should have been more cautious because sometimes angel books can be done very well or I am left with disappointment (it's usually the latter option for me).  

The first half of the book was amazing.  I loved the mystery that surrounded not knowing what exactly was going on, the wishes, and the mysterious world Karou found herself in.  Zuzana was also my favorite character between the two books.  She's just so witty and fun, but so loyal even when I'm not sure she should have been.

However, as you can tell by my rating, that I ended up not liking the second half so much.  As soon as she meets Akiva, everything starts going down hill for me.  Maybe it was the fact that I understood where their romance was heading and saw the twist.  Now I didn't know the full dimension of the twist, but I had guessed the basic principal which makes reading it not so much fun because you're just like "get there already".  It could also be the inst-romance going on between Karou and Akiva.  I guess it makes sense, but I just didn't like it.  Where was the conflict, the angst?  Those are the things I like reading about in the romance department of books, and I found none there.

With the final twist I did not guess ahead of time I was left wondering what happened next, but not sure if I did want to continue the series. I was confused more than anything about what my feelings were after the first book, so I decided to pick up the second book to give the series another fair shot hoping for more action, world building, and angst.

I got some of what I was hoping for, but also more disappointment.  There was definitely more plot building and we got to see more into the world Karou belongs in, but the angst still was not there for me.  Under the circumstances there should have been more, but I think I personally could not relate to Karou in this manner because I thought she was being hypocritical of the situation (I'm trying to explain without giving too much away to those who have not read).

There was definitely more action and a bigger plot forming within the pages of the second book, but I was not feeling the romance.  I know I keep focusing on that point and that it might not be a big deal to others.  However, I feel like the book is supposed to emulate the Romeo/Juliet forbidden love and it just doesn't make me feel that way at all.  I could care less if they ended up together at all leaving me disappointed.

After reading the first two books, I do not think I am going to read the final book in the series.  However, let me know if you agree or disagree with my comments!  I love to hear what others think, even if it's the opposite of what I think.  Not everyone can love everything!

Outlander

Outlander
By: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book #1)

"The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives."

My Rating:

3 Bows

My Thoughts:

I was really excited to begin this book, and I am still glad that I read it and gave it  a chance despite the lower rating.

Let's start with the things that I did enjoy, and then head into what I ultimately had a problem with as the book went along.  First off, I love Jamie and Clair together as a couple.  I think they balance each other out well with Claire's stubbornness and Jamie's caring nature.  The description of Scotland is so lovely, and made me all that more excited to go and explore such an amazing country.  Currently residing in Edinburgh, it made the itch of seeing the Highlands all that more intense.  However, I'll wait to go in the spring/summer thank you very much (lol)! And, after much deliberation, I adore the television series and it's killing me to wait for the second half of season one!

There is one main reason why I ended up giving the book this rating, and will probably not continue on with the series.  Simply, it was slow.  I personally do not think it was needed to create a book this long, and I think it would have been so much better passed if the author "killed her darlings" so to speak. I found it to be repetitive at times with the information, and I think this may be why I adore the TV series so much more than the books.  The information needed is given, and then we move on with the story line which keeps everything fast paced and more interesting.

In the end, I ended up skimming and skipping through certain sections of the book just because I couldn't be bothered with it and read the sections I believed were important to the story line.  The series comes to a halt with me after this book as I do not find the urge in the slightest to pick up the second book.  I would rather wait for the TV series.

Let me know your thought and opinions on Outlander.  It seems to be a mix between loving the book and not really caring for it at all.

The Infinite Sea

The Infinite Sea
By: Rick Yancy
Series: The 5th Wave (Book #2)

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

My Rating:

4.5 Bows

My Thoughts:

I will start this review with my generic thoughts and feelings, but then I will continue and talk about a big spoiler.  Don't worry - I'll let y'all know when those are coming.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book even though it was pretty short compared to The 5th Wave.  In some aspects, I liked this book more than the first book.  Likewise, there are some things in The 5th Wave that I missed in The Infinite Sea.  I think the first book is more action packed while this book messes with your mind a little more.

I did appreciate the fact that this book was on the shorter side for one reason alone - there was no "fluff".  Sometimes writing the second book in a trilogy can be hard because you are trying to connect the events of the first book with the amazing finally of the third book.  This often creates a lull, and I think that authors write unnecessary stuff to amp up their book pages.  I liked how this book was to the point and so fast paced that it left me wanting the third book immediately.  Really, we have to wait for August 2015 for the last book!?!?

We also see other points of views that I liked which added more depth to the story.  Where this book was headed, we would not be able to make this final leap without the different pov's from these characters.  However, there wasn't as much Cassie time as I wanted.  I love Cassie's inner voice and wish I would have gotten to hear it a little more throughout the book.  

As this is the second book in the series, this review will now contain some spoilers.  So I highly recommend that you read The 5th Wave and The Infinite Sea before continuing on with this review.

So all I really want to talk about is the ending...OMFG!  My brain is officially confused, and I have no idea what is going on anymore!

Ringer comes to the conclusion at the end (through Vosch's help) that the aliens don't actually exist.  If the aliens had really wanted to wipe out the human race, all it would need was a meteor to kill us like the dinosaurs.  Why would aliens go through some sick and twisted game to eradicate the human race?  Humans are actually doing this to one another, and, if this is true, there really might not be any hope.

However, I'm not too sure if I believe this.  So, Evan is really a human but with the government technology believes that he is an alien, can speak another alien language, can transport his "existence" into another being, and has an idea of his past alien lives?  What about the mother-ship in The 5th Wave?  Where did that come from?

I mean...I guess it could be true and what a wonderful way to mindfuck the entire human race (and the readers).  It kind of does make sense, and now that Ringer was injected with the 12th sense serum I can see how it would happen.  But there are still a few questions left unanswered about this.  What makes Ringer so valuable to Vosch, and why does Vosch want to get Evan back?  What makes those two (especially Evan) so important?  If they are human, would the government ever tell them that they were not aliens and how would they react?  Who is Vosch really?  SO MANY QUESTIONS!

I keep switching back and forth between if I think it's all a hoax, or if they really are aliens.  Can we trust Ringer's point of view?  Vosch really got under her skin.  I wonder if her reasoning is what Vosch wants her to believe, or if it is the truth.  But why would he tell her the truth just to set her free to find Evan and the gang?

I could go on and on about this forever without coming to a real conclusion.  I love that we have NO IDEA where the next book is headed, what's going to happen, and if we are being told the truth. I LOVE IT SO MUCH because it is so different than anything I have read before.

Let me know your thoughts and theories in the comment section!

Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR

This one will be EASY!  I already have a list ;)  These are not in any particular order.  I don't think I can list a favorite!

This meme was created by The Broke and the Bookish

                                       

1. Clariel (Garth Nix) - I LOVED the Abhorsen series when I was younger, and when I found out there was another book in the series with new covers emerging I was ecstatic!  I cannot wait to marathon all the books in the series and read this (highly likely) amazing book!
2. In The Afterlight (Alexandra Bracken) - OMG...I cannot even deal with this book.  I want it now, or yesterday preferably!  Oh Liam... Again, Cannot wait to reread all of the books leading up to the final installment. (P.S....There's another novella to also read before this book comes out!)
3. Never Judge A Lady By Her Cover (Sarah MacLean) - So I do enjoy my cheesy romance books every once in a while, and I am IN LOVE with this series and Sarah MacLean.  She can do not wrong in this genre.
4. Talon (Julie Kagawa) - So, it's Julie Kagawa and dragons.  Need I say more?
5. The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Michelle Hodkin) - I have yet to read any of the books in this series.  However, I do have them ready for reading on my Kindle to (you guessed it) marathon the series!  I just know I am going to love this book series.  So intriguing!
6. Blue Lily, Lily Blue (Maggie Stiefvater) - Surprise, surprise.  Another book series that I have yet to read but heard amazing things about.  Let the marathons continue! 
7. Catch Me When I Fall (Vicky Leigh) - A really random one, but a book I am looking forward to coming out nonetheless.  I first heard about this book at BEA when a fellow blogger was handing out information about her book being published.  I put the card description in my bag for later and re-read the premise in July.  Really interesting stuff, and I cannot wait to see this book written by another book nerd like us. ;)
8. Stone Cold Touch (Jennifer L. Armentrout) - Sadly, I have never read any books by Ms. Armentrout.  I have Obsidian on my Kindle and so many other books in my TBR, but this sounds the most intriguing to me.  Who writes about gargoyles!?  It sounds amazing!
9. Mortal Heart (Robin LaFevers) - First saw this book and it's cover while at BEA.  I personally think that the covers are gorgeous, and this is originally what drew my attention.  Yet another book series to marathon!
10. Rooms (Lauren Oliver) - This book came out today!  I cannot wait to sink my teeth into this.  I love anything paranormal and think it is really interesting, so I hope this book lives up to the hype in my mind. 

Let me know the books you are looking forward to coming out this fall!  Also...I'm realizing that I have a LOT of books to read.  Typical...

Top Authors I've Only Read One Book From But NEED to Read More

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

          

         

         

1. Isaac Marion - So you might or might not know that I read Warm Bodies a couple of months ago and loved it!  I really need to see what other books he has written and read them.  I love the voice he gives his characters and is able to make a zombie relatable and human.  The dry and sarcastic humor is great too!
2. Scott Westerfeld - Recently just finishing Afterworlds which is not released until later this month, I seriously need to get my hands on his other works.  While maybe not my favourite author ever, his writing style seemed like a breath of fresh air.
3. Megan Abbott - I have no idea what other books Abbott might or might not have written, but this book opened me up to a whole new genre I would like to try - psychological thrillers!
4. Amy Tintera - I read Reboot at lightning fast speed.  It was such a great book with perfect pacing for a fast read.  However, I have not yet gotten my hands on the second book to the duology since SO many other wonderful books have been coming out.  When there is a bit of down time in my reading TBR, this will be the first book I pick up.
5. Rachel Hawkins - Rebel Belle was a great book that tied contemporary, fantasy, and humor wonderfully together.  I laughed out loud throughout this book, and it definitely makes me want to read other books by Hawkins.
6. John Green - Yes...I have only read TFIOS.  I know...I need to read more.  The end.
7. Dawn Metcalf - I enjoyed her debut book last year entitled Indelible, and cannot wait to re-read it and delve into the next book in this series.
8. Rick Yancy - Similar to Metcalf, I read this book last year and loved it.  Recently, I re-read The 5th Wave and downloaded The Infinite Sea onto my Kindle (It came out today!!!)
9. J.R.R. Tolkien - I have only read The Hobbit, and I honestly didn't care for it.  However, I LOVE LOTR movies and want to get into the books!
10. Adi Alsaid - Let's Get Lost is the first book by this author.  I found it so unique that I will definitely pick up the next book Alsaid writes.