Wings of the Wicked Review

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Release date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 516
How I got it: Library
Other titles in series: Angelfire 

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined. 

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night. 

She’s been warned. 

Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself. 

She’ll be betrayed. 

Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Wings of the Wicked is very much about Ellie coming to terms with being Gabriel and Ellie in one body, and her and Will's complicated relationship. There is lots of build-up and dramatics, but I didn't mind this. Actually I kind of liked it.

It had been a while since I'd read Angelfire when I read Wings of the Wicked, and in that time I had forgotten how much I love Moulten's voice. It's snappy, compelling, and incredibly hilarious. I found myself chuckling several times. But her style has the remarkable ability to change in an instant and suddenly BAM I am reading some of the best fight scenes I have ever read. It is AWESOME.

Also, WOW can she write some awesome romantic tension. That is my favorite part of romances in books, and Wings of the Wicked totally delivered in this area.

The one downside to WotW is that it can get a little drawn out and slow. Perhaps the whole thing could've been shortened 50 pages or so? I didn't mind it much overall, but that is something I noticed.

Dark, demented, and a little bit fabulously twisted, Wings of the Wicked proves to be a seriously solid follow-up to Angelfire. I cannot wait for book 3 so I can get some more of these epic characters.

Plot: Fun and exciting, despite the occasionally slow pace.

Characters: Love!

Writing: Really good.

Ending: GAH I HAZ THE NEEDZ FOR BOOK 3.

Mature content: There's violence, some swearing, and brief mentions of sex.

Overall:

Please, world, leave me for a while so I may read this in peace.

Wings of the Wicked was totally engrossing. I doubt anyone can resist its charms.

Personal Demons Review

Author: Lisa Desrochers
Release Date: September 14, 2010
Pages: 365 (PB)
Publisher: Tor Teen
Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review from publicist

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance—-even her closest friends—-and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy—-all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

For some reason, I wasn't expecting like Personal Demons as much as I did.

This past year, I've discovered that I have a huge soft spot for the bad-boy-wants-redemption storyline. Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities, Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc. Don't ask me why I have this soft spot, cause I have no idea. I just do. So I LOVED Luc more than I should've...and of course it helped that he was sarcastic and sexy. He was by far my favorite character in Personal Demons, and I absolutely loved that part of the story was told from his point of view.

As for the protagonist, Frannie, I didn't love her. There were times that I wanted to like her, but there were also times where I wanted to smack her, as well as times where I was just kinda "Wtf are you even talking about, lady?" Especially when she'd switch between Luc and Gabe so often.

Oh, and yeah, this guy Gabe was there, but more importantly there was LUC, so, y'know.

I counted a couple of cliched lines ("I know it's wrong, but it feels so right..."), Frannie fell for each of the guys pretty quickly, and there were some other things that usually make me give a dirty look to the page. But, oddly enough, I didn't this time. Instead, I was smiling at the page. In fact, I was smiling throughout the entire book. It was just...fun, I guess. I can't even really explain it. I guess I just got lost in the exciting plot and lovable Luc even despite it's flaws and...I don't know. I just really enjoyed myself while reading Personal Demons, and I can't wait to enjoy myself while reading Original Sin.

Plot: Fun, original, and fast-paced.

Characters: LOVED LUC. Frannie was okay, and Gabe...we didn't get to know him too well, did we?

Writing: Good. Though Frannie's thoughts seemed to be a bit...scattered.

Ending: I needz the sequel.

Kind Friendly? There was swearing, mentions of sex, and heavy making out.
Should I read it? If you're looking for a fast, fun read, then sure. If you're sick of paranormal...then I guess it depends on your mood and why you're sick of it.

Overall:

Did I mention that this is one of the books you can win in my blogoversary giveaway? No? Well, it is. Go enter to win it.

Tour: Angelfire Review

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Release Date: Feb 15, 2011
Pages: 454 (ARC)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review from Teen Book Scene

First there are nightmares.

Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.

When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.

Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

This was such an awesome, action-packed novel. And now they expect me to wait for the next one?! Grrrrr.

This was gory. There was beheading, and slicing and dicing and I LOVED IT. ...Not to say that I'm some creepy blood-lover. I just loved that Courtney Allison Moulten didn't hold back on the fighting and blood,  because I felt it gave the story a really nice edge that will help it stand out in my mind.

Speaking of bloody stuff, Ellie could kill me in her sleep. That girl can kick some butt like nobody's business, man. I love to see that! While she still relied on Will a decent amount, since this whole thing is completely new to her, she's still a great heroine and protagonist. And Will? Will was awesome. I haven't been loving guy love interests in paranormals as much lately, but I found Will to be a unique, layered love-interest and really liked his character. Although, Ellie's best friend did annoy me a little.

OK, I do have one complaint: It was painfully obvious to me that someone was an enemy, but nobody realized this at any point in the book. It made my beloved characters seem very dense. I imagine it will be explored further in the next book, but it still irked me a little bit.

I'm not sure what more there is to say. I really enjoyed this one! Full of fascinating mythology, edge-of-your-seat tension, awesome characters, and fast-paced action, paranormal fans do NOT wanna miss Angelfire.

Book Report:

Plot: Fast and original. (Makes me think even reluctant readers would like it.)

Characters: Very likable.

Writing: Impressive.

Ending: I AM THE PRELIATOR!...Sorry. Couldn't resist. Very good ending.

Kid friendly? There's gore, teen drinking, and some mild swearing too, I believe.

Should I read it? Definitely.

Overall:

Crescendo Review

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Release Date: Oct. 19, 2010
Pages: 432 (ARC)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's

Most Appropriate For Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review from Around the World Tours
Other titles in series: Hush, Hush

Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Forget everything from Hush, Hush. Nora is no longer our level headed good girl, but instead stupid and reckless. Patch is no longer the lovable bad boy, but just a jerk.

But, like with everything else about Crescendo, you have to think ..."Or maybe I'm wrong." You never know if what people say or do is true, or if the plot's going where you want it to go or not. You really just don't know til the very climactic ending.

Crescendo will tear your heart to shreds, then put it back together...only to tear it up again. This cycle repeats itself throughout the entire novel until you're torn between throwing it at the wall and abandoning the book and not wanting to stop reading. It's like a roller coaster for your emotions.

I think this is how you know a book is good: you get so invested that you just wanna go inside the book and kick some butt. It's annoying, but true. So, even with the below paragraph, I feel like I should point out that I did really like the book. Really, really loved it.

When I mentioned above that Nora acted stupid, I mean SO stupid. She let her jealousy blind her and control every single thing she did. I wanted to STRANGLE her through more than half of the book! And when she's not being stupid, she's being way too clingy.

I have to point out just how much more I loved Vee in this book. In Hush, Hush she was funny but then would do the stupidest things. But in Crescendo, Vee looks out for Nora (her safety, need to feed, and just always being there for her) instead of the other way around. It's like she took friend lessons or something! But not without dropping the humor I love, of course.

Crescendo was just as suspenseful, hot, and full of twists, so I do not see how fans of Hush, Hush could be disappointed. Becca Fitzpatrick proves that it wasn't just huge beginner's luck with a sequel that was just as good as her debut novel (if not better).

Book Report:

Plot: Awesome. Full of unexpected twists

Characters: It's a love/hate deal...but mostly love.

Writing: Very good. I am now referring to Fitzpatrick as "Da Mystery Master!"

Ending: BECCA HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME?

Kid friendly? Not very. There's quite a few mentions of sex, drinking, and pot-growing as well as a little swearing.

Should I read it? OH YEAH. If you've read Hush, Hush first, because if not you'd be SO LOST.

Overall:

Angel Star Review

Author: Jennifer Murgia

Release Date: May 18 , 2010

Pages: 256

Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing LLC

Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: From Around The World Tours

Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand-the mark of an angel.

But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.

Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower.
---------------------------------------------------
One word for Angel Star? Addicting.

I wasn't expecting to like Angel Star as much as I did, but the plot captivated me from page one! The story was refreshingly original and full of action. The mythology was amazing. It's fast pace makes it a quick, easy read but still manages to grab you.

Teagan was a strong willed protagonist who was easy to relate to. I think my swooning over Garreth was pretty much immediate. At first their romance seems rushed and sudden, but just keep reading because it gets explained, and after it was explained to me I found it to be a romance I easily got caught up in.

Jennifer Murgia's writing was beautiful. Certain descriptions would have almost a poetic feel to them, and I was very impressed.

The ending was a nice wrap up but I cannot wait for the sequel! I don't really have a big complaint about this one. Overall, definitely one to give a try, even if Fallen or Hush, Hush didn't impress you.

Hush, Hush Review

Release Date: October 13, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Age Group: 14+
Pages: 391 (Paperback)

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I LOVED this book. (Yes, I smell a rave review.)

The plot was highly original, creative, and very well though out. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, it changes on me completely and I'm still left guessing. It's paranormal, but it's also a mystery, which was a pleasant surprise to me.I could not put this book down. The ending was not what I expected at all (but still, pretty much, perfect).

I know that this probably isn't a good thing (and it will probably worry my mom), but I instantly fell in love with Patch. I think most people will be drawn to his mysterious, sexy, dark nature. Nora was very easy to relate to, and made an awesome protagonist. And her sex/boy-obsessed friend Vee was essential to the story, funny, and lovable. Hush, Hush has great characters that I think most people will love just as much as I did.

Patch's and Nora's romance is original and very easy to become engrossed in and believable. You can feel their connection as if you were in the room. It's got an extremely great romance.

The writing was just what the story deserved: nothing less than amazing. Becca Fitzpatrick writes as if she's been doing it for her entire life. Her descriptive, emotional writing will have you flipping pages religiously-as I did. We're sure to expect great things from her (and I'm not just saying that because she's following me).

Overall, if you don't get an ARC, it is definitely worth the wait. I cannot wait for the sequel, Crescendo. I highly recommend it to romance, mystery, and paranormal fans. And anybody else.

Once Dead, Twice Shy Review

Release Date: May 26, 2009
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: 12+
Pages: 240

My name is Madison Avery, and I'm here to tell you that there's more out there than you can see, hear, or touch. Because I'm there. Seeing it. Touching it. Living it.

Madison's prom was killer—literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper—yeah, that kind of reaper—intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away.

Now she's stuck on Earth—dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe . . . ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.

Well, if she believed in that stuff.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lucky for me, I own Prom Night From Hell, which is a collection of YA paranormal short stories, one is written by Kim Harrison about Madison Avery. You don't have to read the short story to reads the novel, but I do recommend it. Without it, I think it would seem like you skipped a book, even though it explains everything.

This isn't Kim Harrison's first book, just her first young adult, and it shows. Her writing was beautiful, painting a great picture in my head. The plot serves up twists and turns, but doesn't get overly confusing. And there's plenty of humor, especially in Madison's thoughts.

I love Madison. She's so cool, and someone that I instantly wanted to befriend. All of the characters are great, each one unique and shining in their own way. I would've like a little more of a back-story to Barnabas, but he's only in half of the book-or at least that's what it seems like.

This is a book that was hard for me to put down, which I was forced to for Independence day here in USA. Once Dead, Twice Shy was a quick, funny, and altogether awesome read! Shall there be a sequel? I certainly hope so....



Oh, and happy 4th of July to everyone in the USA! Hope you enjoyed yours as much as I enjoyed mine.