Illuminate (Gilded Wings #1)

Illuminate (Gilded Wings #1) – Aimee Agresti

Synopsis:

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything changes when she is awarded a prestigious internship at a posh Chicago hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous strangers: the powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

Review:

This book has gotten VERY mixed reviews but here is my take…
I loved it and found it to be a very “tame” relative of The Devil’s Advocate with a little early Buffy thrown in.

This first book is very description heavy and can be a little slow and repetitive but it was worth it. I thought it was worth the patience and besides that I love story rich books.
The author is very good at descriptions and making you feel like you know EXACTLY what something or someone looks like.  It is a dark, mysterious and dangerous story.

I felt like the story was very wall thought out and paced relatively well.

I think “Haven” showed great growth throughout the book as well as her friends.
I absolutely fell for “Lance” and the description that he is a Clark Kent type. I am still not sure how I feel about “Lucian”.

The skill in imagery she used added a lot of depth which was fantastic.

I would love to see this brought to screen. If they could do it in imagery heavy Devil’s Advocate they could certainly do it with this book and in this day and age they could make it beautifully dark and somewhat whimsical.

I would recommend for teens and up…I don’t remember any language and there was no sex.

List of Books in Order:

Illuminate

Infatuate

Untitled (Release Date: March 2014)

Hereafter (Hereafter #1) & Arise (Hereafter #2) & Elegy (Hereafter #3)

(4 stars as a complete series)

Hereafter (Hereafter #1) & Arise (Hereafter #2) & Elegy (Hereafter #3)- Tara Hudson

Hereafter Synopsis:

Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she’s dead. With no recollection of her past life, or her actual death, she’s trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won’t want to miss.

Arise Synopsis:

Every second he spent with me, every instant he touched me was like a slow-working poison… I had to end this, now.

When dark spirits threaten to hurt the people Amelia cares for most, she will do whatever it takes to protect the.

Joshua has his own reasons for meeting Amelia at the New Orleans St Louis Number One cemetery at midnight.

Together they will join in a powerful ritual – both knowing that once Amelia steps inside the Voodoo Circle, everything will change, forever.

Elegy Synopsis:

A stalker ghost, misguided Seers, and spellbinding wraiths—Amelia Ashley has faced them all. Now her greatest hope is to spend the rest of her afterlife with her living boyfriend, Joshua. But the demonic forces return to give her an ultimatum: turn herself over to the darkness or watch them murder one living person per week until she does.

Amelia fears she might really be doomed, until the forces of light give her another option. She can join them in their quest to gather souls, with a catch: Once she joins them, she can never see Joshua again.

Faced with impossible choices, Amelia decides to take her afterlife into her own hands—and fight back

Hereafter Review:

I would give this 3 1/2 stars. It was a little depressing but the storyline was original albeit a little guess-able.
I could not identify with the main character, she rarely showed enough emotion for me which left me without a sense of her personality. It was a little cold.
I still don’t understand “why” there was such a connection to “Joshua”, why could she touch him for the first time when they were in the water. I guess I need to keep reading to find out 🙂

This book left me with more questions than it answered.  Thank goodness the other books have been released LOL

The pace was a little slow and the conflict felt forced. I never felt a true sense of danger until the end.

Arise Review:

I thought this was a much better planned book than the first one (which was a little slowly paced).
I enjoyed the New Orleans setting very much and the infusion of Voodoo traditions and religion.

The new characters introduced were easy to accept and identify with.

Each situation that changed throughout the story were needed and propelled the story forward.

I am enjoying this series and it seems original to me. I haven’t read anything like it anyway.

I would give this series a shot you may just enjoy yourself!

Elegy Review:

I absolutely loved this book although it is bitter sweet. I don’t want to give anything away and I may be alone in this but I did not see the end coming.

This book had a much faster pace and about 1/4 of the way through I could not put it down. I had to know what was going to happen.

I loved that you were able to see the growth of the characters throughout this series. “Amelia” went from sleepy to tiger, “Joshua” went from easy going to passionate (in more ways than one) and “Jillian” went from egotistical to compassionate and fierce.

I am sad that this journey is over especially the way it’s over but still it is a fantastic love story.

List of Books in Order:

Hereafter

Arise

Elegy

Accidentally in Love With…A God? (Accidentally Yours #1)

Accidentally in Love With…A God? – Mimi Jean Pamiloff

Synopsis:

Twenty-two-year-old Emma Keane has a secret friend. He’s powerful, mysterious, and devastatingly handsome. In her dreams, anyway.

In real life, he’s an enigma. Maybe just a teensie jealous. Definitely overbearing. He’s also a voice only she can hear.

So who or what is he? He won’t say. But if she wants to be free, to be normal, Emma will have to trek to the jungles once ruled by the Mayans and find the forgotten ruin holding the answers.

However, the ruthless deity she’s about to unknowingly unleash on the modern world might not be so easily extracted from her life. Bottom line, he’s got enemies, and now, so does she.

Review:

I loved this book!  It is hilarious and it made me LOL several times.  This book is full of passion whether it be from angry flirting or all out fighting or just plain sexual tension.  The main character “Emma” is super stubborn and sarcastic and she is great with the one-line comebacks and name calling.  She is a strong female character which I enjoy.  “Guy” is overbearing and egotistical but it works for him and gives him an un-attainable aire about him.

The pace of the book is fast and kept me reading, I couldn’t put it down.  There is backstory thrown in to help you understand why things ended up the way they did in the present and I found that very helpful and imformative.  I personally like flashbacks because it has always made me feel like I was being “shown” the past instead of someone just telling me it happened (if that makes sense).

I would recommend this for young adults and up…there is language and lots of sexual situations.

List of Books in Order:

Accidentally in Love With…A God?

Accidentally Married to…A Vampire?

Sun God Seeks…Surrogate?

Accidentally…Evil? (#3.5 Novella)

Vampires Need Not…Apply?

Accidentally…Cimil? (#4.5 Novella)

Accidentally…Over?

Awakening (Darkest Powers #2) & Reckoning (Darkest Powers #3)

   

                         

Awakening (Darkest Powers #2) & Reckoning (Darkest Powers #3) – Kelley Armstrong

Awakening

Synopsis:

Chloe Saunders is not your average supernatural teenager. Genetically altered at birth by a sinister team of scientists, she can barely control her terrifying powers. Now the team that created her has decided it’s time to end the experiment. Permanently.

Now Chloe is running for her life along with a charming sorcerer, a troubled werewolf and a temperamental young witch. Together they have a chance for freedom – but can Chloe trust her new friends?

Review (Awakening):

Contains Spoilers

This was a fantastic continuation of “Chloe’s” storyline.  The pace of the book was fast and even which made it a fantastic page turner.

I wish the love triangle resolved itself a little faster than it did, it got a little old real quick.  “Chloe” can be a little irritating at times and she never really gets comfortable with her powers.

I liked this book more than the first.  It seemed to me that the writing was a little more cohesive and intriguing.

Review (Reckoning):

Ok, let me say that I was very happy with the series up until the last 100 pages of this book.  After finishing this book I had about a scrillion questions that didn’t get answered and I went to bed pissed off.

I realize that there is another series continuing on after this one but it does not include the main characters from this series.  I know the author said that some of the questions get answered in that series but really, ONLY SOME?

I didn’t understand how you could call it a finale and leave it hanging with major questions concerning the main characters.  The author introduces new components to the plot like: other organizations, Mr. St. Cloud (the head bad guy), Chloe’s necklace changing color, ect. and none of those get answered.

It ends with “Chloe” and the boys finding their dad and holeing up in a motel hiding from the bad guys…THAT’S IT!  After all that and then it ends like it does and the author says “Chloe’s” story is over, it’s very infuriating!

I don’t know if I could recommend this to anyone because of how the story ends…it was way less than satisfying.

These books are good for teens: no sex, very little language (if any)

List of Books in Order:

The Summoning

Divided (#1.5  42 page Novella…the story filled in exactly the portion from where Derek left Chloe to when he found her again)

The Awakening

Disenchanted (#2.5  33 page Novella…The Story of Tori & Simon after Chloe gets off the bus)

The Reckoning

Belonging (#3.5  78 page Novella..takes place after Reckoning in Derek’s POV)

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Captivate (Need #2)

Captivate (Need #2) – Carrie Jones

Synopsis:

He smiles. It’s a wicked smile. Kind but not kind. Handsome but dangerous. Feral almost. I can see why Nick nearly killed him, Nick…
I ask again, “Why were you in the road?”
“I was waiting for you.”

Zara and her friends thought they’d solved the pixie problem. And they did – sort of. The pixie’s are all locked away, deep in the woods. But the king’s needs grow stronger each day that he is in captivity, while his control over his people weakens. And it’s enough to draw a new king into town. Astley claims he is different. He claims there are pixies who can live peacefully with humans, that it doesn’t have to be all violence and nastiness all the time. Zara wants to believe him…until Astley also claims that she is fated to be his queen.

There is no way Zara would ever turn pixie. And she’s got good friends who will make sure of that. Besides, she and Nick are so in love they’re practically inseparable. But when they very thing Zara wants to protect most is exactly what’s at risk, she is forced to make choices she never imagined…

Review:

This book has thoroughly pissed me off…not because it was horrible, it’s a fantastic story, but the things that transpire go against what I thought should happen and it has made me very sad, uncomfortable and scared for “Zara”.  I guess that is what a book is supposed to do, drag you in and make you apart of the story.  This series has done a terrific job of that and I feel like I am going to be stuck in this world for awhile after this series LOL.  I just think that some of the MAJOR decisions that were made were wrong and it’s going to be catastrophic.  Listen to me I sound like this world is real and I am directly affected.

The pace of this book is fantastic and the storyline is unique, at least I haven’t read anything like it before.  This one didn’t have nearly as creepy of a vibe as the first one did but it was still there underneath. There are some holes in the plot which I am hoping will be taken care of in the last two books.  The author has introduced new mythology and still hasn’t explained some of the original mythology themes.

Recommended for teens/young adults: little language, no sex (just LOTS of kissing)

List of Books in Order:

Need

Captivate

Entice

Endure

The Summoning (Darkest Powers #1)

The Summoning (Darkest Powers #1) – Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis:

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don’t even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost – and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won’t leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a “special home” for troubled teens. Yet the home isn’t what it seems. Don’t tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? it’s up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House…before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

Review:

Okay, let me start off saying that once I finished this book I REALLY want to continue the series.  The only reason I have given it 3 stars is because it took more than 3/4 of the book to get me there.  It has ALOT of set-up to the story.

This book is kind of a cross between The Ghost Whisperer and Charmed.  It’s a great idea it just takes a little bit to get it going.  It almost felt like the author got trapped in an idea and didn’t know how to write her way out.

The main character “Chloe” can be a bit whiny and acts like a giant scaredy-cat and it can get a bit annoying but I still like her.  I know she is only 15 and I could only imagine being faced with the whole “talk to ghosts” thing that young (If it were a real thing LOL).

I only wish I had gone ahead and gotten the 2nd book in the series because HOLY CLIFFHANGER Jacob Marley!

It took me a day and half to read, which, for me was a long time.  Once the story took off, the pace was fantastic and the story really sucked me in.  Now I have to get the next!

I think that it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend if you are looking for something entertaining.

I would recommend for teens: very little language and no sex.  “Chloe” does get freaked out by reanimated dead and it is described but not often (I am easily scared and I didn’t get a major creep factor).

List of Books in Order:

The Summoning

Divided (#1.5  42 page Novella…the story filled in exactly the portion from where Derek left Chloe to when he found her again)

The Awakening

Disenchanted (#2.5  33 page Novella…The Story of Tori & Simon after Chloe gets off the bus)

The Reckoning

Belonging (#3.5  78 page Novella..takes place after Reckoning in Derek’s POV)

Need (Need #1)

Need (Need #1) – Carrie Jones

Synopsis:

Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The white world goes dark and I know what’s about to happen.

Zara White suspects there’s a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She’s also obsessed with phobias. And it’s true, she hasn’t exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane…but Zara’s pretty sure her mom just can’t deal with her right now.

She couldn’t be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara’s overactive imagination. In fact, he’s still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There’s something not right – not human – in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the rest of the series.  It is super creep with the hole “something in the woods whispers “Zara’s” name”, kind of way.  I think I was creeped out 75% of the time reading this book.  It was awesome…it’s been along time since a book has illicited that kind of reaction from me.

The pace was good for me, it was not fast paced but it was steady and building.  The characters are very like-able and relate-able.  I loved the fact that the heroine of the story is not typical…she is very involved with Amnesty International, she is very witty, she is also the type that is very afraid she will not be able to do what needs to be done and then rises to the occasion much to her own surprise.

The story itself is very original and well planned.

I would recommend this book for young adults.  There is explicit language but it’s not overly done.  No sex is depicted.

If I Should Die (Revenants #3)

If I Should Die (Revenants #3) – Amy Plum

Synopsis:

Kate is devastated. Her boyfriend Vincent is a revenant who waited lifetimes to find her. But once he did their future together was shattered almost immediately. They were betrayed by their trusted ally, Violette. She killed Vincent and destroyed his body so that he could not be reanimated.
 
Now Vincent is doomed to roam the earth as a spirit. But Kate isn’t willing to accept life without her true love. She’ll risk anything to save him, even as Violette, their friend-turned-enemy, begins to wage a war to rule over France’s Immortals.

Review:

This was by far the best of the series, it made me love it just a little bit more.  The pace was fast in this book and the twists and turns within the story made it impossible for me to put down.  “Kate” really steps up in this book and becomes a strong character and the love story between her and “Vincent” is heartbreaking and relate-able.

I prefer series to have one long story line that flows throughout the entire series and this series does that beautifully.

I am very glad that I finished this series although I truly hope that there will be a 4th book because there were some questions left at the end even though it felt like an ending so here’s hoping!

I suggest these books for teens and young adults.  There is really very little language and very little in the way of gore.  There is killing but it is not described in great detail.

List of Books in Order:

Die For Me (Revenants #1)

Until I Die (Revenants #2)

Die For Her (Revenants #2.5)…Just an e-book novella from Jules point of view (It retells the story of the first two books from his point of view)

If I Should Die (Revenants #3)

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Mortal (Soul Guardians #6)

Mortal (Soul Guardians #6)- Kim Richarson

May Contain Spoilers

Synopsis:

As Kara settles back into the world of the living, she gets an unexpected surprise and finds herself back in Horizon—the Legion has given her a second chance. Kara and her friends face a new enemy: a Dark warlock, an ancient and evil adversary of the Legion.

What’s worse, the Legion orders Kara to carry out her new mission undercover, as someone she never expected…

Review:

I enjoyed this book and the series as a whole.  There were a few things that I wish could have been different (the fact that “Kara” and “David” NEVER admit their feelings is very irritating) and the spelling/grammar still needs work but overall this book was fast paced and kept my attention the entire time.  They did not spend a whole lot of time in Horizon in this book, most of it was spent on Earth which was a nice change of pace.  I did miss the interactions with the elevator operators though 🙂

I liked the fact that the author kept “Kara” mortal for the entire story.  It gave a completely different feeling since “Kara” could show her emotions as a mortal (which she should have expressed more freely).  Seeing as how when she was a Guardian she could not blush and there was no pounding heartbeats to relay what she was feeling when she was with “David”.  It is a hard thing to get across when you take physical reactions out of the equation.

Overall this is a great series but the personal interactions could have been better and more developed.

Be aware that it is left open for continuation but if it does not continue then it still ends well.

I would recommend this for any teenager/young adult…there is only minor language and some of the scenes killing demons are a little graphic but not overly so or so much as to cause nightmares.

List of Books in Order:

Marked

Elemental

Horizon

Netherworld

Seirs

Mortal

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Die For Me (Revenants #1)

Die For Me (Revenants #1) – Amy Plum

**MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS**

I have to say that I am enjoying this series.  It is a very easy read at a steady pace. I finished book #1 in one night.  It is not overly exciting but it is a great story line.

I only have a couple of complaints but they are not deal breakers.

First…the main character “Kate” is not your typical strong heroine.  She is a human who has fallen for a “Revenant” named “Vincent”.  She is a little more demure than I like my main characters to be.

A “Revenant” is kind of like the undead/zombie/ghost but not really.  It’s kind of difficult to explain.  They are immortal beings that have a compulsion to die in place of humans.  They save their lives.  In return, they live forever.  If their original death occurs at the age of 17 then everytime they die afterward, they revert to that age.

Second…there is SOME conflict in the story with an opposite faction. “Revenants” save lives, “Numa” takes lives.  The “Numa” leader is named “Lucien” and he has apparently been “Vincent’s” nemesis for a VERY long time.  It just seemed to me that if this hatred between them has been going on for a LONG time and if it was as bad as “Vincent” made it out to be then it would be an extremely hard battle.  It just seemed to be way to easy and it made me wonder why it had taken decades to overcome the threat.  I think the author could have fleshed out the conflicts better and made them more epic.

The story is far more about the romantic relationship problems and how “Kate” and “Vincent” can overcome the issues of immortal and mortal.  It is very well thought out and you can identify with them easily.  It’s easy to put yourself in “Kate’s” shoes because I think everyone has, at some point, been interested in someone who might not be good for them.

It does remind me a little of Twilight (I never read the books and I probably never will, I just saw the movies)

If you are looking for an easy read or are looking for something for your teens then give this a try.  I don’t remember any bad words (at least in this first book) and there is only light kissing.

Books In Order:

Die For Me

Until I Die

If I Should Die

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