A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton

Myth and mayhem inhabit a richly reimagined New Orleans in this sequel to Darkness Becomes Her.After the epic graveyard battle at the end of Darkness Becomes Her, Ari and her friends know what they’re up against: Ari is facing the Medusa curse and is haunted by the image of what she will become. To make matters worse, the heinous goddess Athena has kidnapped young Violet and is threatening to destroy Ari.

Ari, along with the superhot Sebastian, is doing everything she can to learn more about Athena and to get Violet back. But the battle of good and evil is bigger than she realizes, and she’s about to be pulled into a world more horrific than she could ever imagine....



A Beautiful Evil by Kelley Keaton 
Series: Gods & Monsters #2
Published February 21st 2012 by Simon and Schuster Australia *review copy*
 

I wanted to stay... me.

A sequel to DARKNESS BECOMES HER,  Kelley Keaton did an amazing job once again in writing a book as good as the first. Utterly engaging and definitely a must-read series. And damn! I want more of Sebastian. And also, reading this book added new dreams of me going to New Orleans!

What kind of paranormals can you find here in this book I hear you ask.. well we've got shape-shifters, warlocks, revenants  and vampires etc. oh and lets not forget Ari who-is a God-Killer- can be a full grown gorgon at 21 and turn everyone in to a cold stone just like her ancestor Medusa. And Bastian *dreamy eyes* he's a vampire's blood and warlock's, interesting right?

Characterization were stronger and deeper. The author is so good with creating a wonderful characters that are so easy to love. I love Ari so much although she's kind of frustrating when her power wasnt working that well when she needs it-can't blame her though she's just a baby gorgon after all-still I love her character, I think she's great. The plot flows well, fast-paced and is certainly darker than the first one. So expect a lot of actions, dangers and some kick ass scenes! Oh and also a dose of Greek myths and ofcourse Mardi Gras!!! Kelley Keaton's writing and descriptions were just impressive and lavishing.
This book is totally one of my favorite series.

Funny, dark, sexy and gothic,  that paranormal romance readers will surely enjoy. Ending was just awesome,  it made my heart swell. Dying to read the third book! Happy reading guys. x

Sebastian's eyes were the color of smoke and silver. His pale skin, raven hair, and naturally dark red lips, paired with a rebel attitude and a poet's soul, pulled me in like a dark, magnetic force.

Read my review of :

Book 1

Darkness Becomes her

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THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan

"My life will never be my own." 

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?


The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Series: The Forest of Hands and Teeth #1
Published February 9th 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

"My life will never be my own."

I know this book/series is old, so I'm guessing most of you have already read this book. So I wont take too much of your time in reading my review, it wont be that long :). OK here goes nothing..

Totally enjoyed this book, so glad I finally read it. The writing style was sensational. I felt like like I was watching a movie, a zombie movie! :) First of all, I was so intrigued with the plot, the depth of mystery pulled me in quickly.  Second, the lurid settings blended perfectly with the dark shadowy mood of the story. The story was also written in first person, Mary, I like reading her thoughts and her feelings, shes flawed which I really like about a character, she's driven but erratic, which raised my interest and curiosity about her. And to be honest, I've already read the second installment and I really like the character of Mary better than Gabry(2nd book's protag), just saying. Characters around her were also effective.
Intense survival, dangers faced were great, too many losses and full of mystery, I was gripping the book so tight. There were scenes that was kind of slow, like when they went to gate XIV, where they were stuck in a house and waited to get out again. But other than that this was such a great experience. I was surprise with the ending though it wasn't a cliffhanger, it was her sudden action that I was kind of speechless for a minute there, but its also an ending that starts a new story. :)

Loved this quote:

“It's not about surviving. It should be about love.
When you know love … that's what makes this life worth it. When you live with it every
day. Wake up with it, hold on to it during the thunder and after a nightmare. When love is
your refuge from the death that surrounds us all and when it fills you so tight that you
can't express it.” He rocks forward and backward as tears stream down his face. Around
us the Unconsecrated continue their moaning.

BLOOD RED ROAD by Moira Young

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives bearing four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on a quest to get him back.
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Series: Dust Lands #1
Published January 3rd 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry
Buy this book: Amazon | Book Depository

I'll find you. Wherever they take you, I swear I'll find you.

Enticing, thrilling book and a kick-ass heroine! One of the best book ever. And the good news is it will be a movie in 2014!

WOW, this book completely BLEW ME AWAY! And now I want to own a crow for a pet! :)

The world that the author has created was gritty, crazy and terrifying. The solid and vivid characters, the romantic tension, the brutal breathless scenes, the intensity of the plot has captivated me like the Hunger Games did :)  that I found this book very very very hard to put down. *note: The last thing I wanna do is compare the two books, just the same hyped I had when I read them if you know what I mean.*

So Lugh was abducted by the Tontons, as a sacrifice for their King Lewis Ex Eye Vi(Vicar Pinch) long life. Saba(his twin) promised to find him but has no idea what's outside Silverlake where they grew up. Hidden by their father in a dying place Saba set off after her twin Lugh  bringing along her little sister Emmie, but it wasn't that easy, dangers and unfortunate events, unexpected things will happen that will change their lives forever.

OK while the plot/premise was something not new to us, it was revived to utmost. The cage fighting was once again a kick-ass, you don't get to read a girl cage fighting in a book everyday, Saba became the Angel of Death. The descriptive elements used were just rich that I could picture it in my head. The writing style of Moira Young was different here, so this book was written from the point of view of Saba who is uneducated so the spelling and grammar might put you off, some claims it was abysmal some liked it as it fits the situation and the character but everyone is different. Honestly, I thought it was going to ruin the story but as I went on it just gets better and better that I didn't mind reading Saba's narration at all. And as for Saba yes she was stubborn and selfish but I watched her grow up and mature through-out her journey. And Jack, oh Jack, why is this name so irresistible? Jack is as stubborn and as driven like Saba and the love and hate relationship between these two  was just amusing. The characters around Saba has also contributed so much in her story. Nero the crow was also an amazing character, like I've said I want to get a crow for a pet because of this book!

The ending wasn't a cliffhanger which is good I reckon but still on high that will leave you wanting for more. I RECOMMEND this to those who loves post-apocalypse and wouldn't mind reading a different writing.

Move fast, travel light an never tell 'em yer real name, Jack says.

 this is the second book eeeh Its JACK!!!!! How sexy is he? I cant wait for this to comeout!

 Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2) Expected publication: October 30th 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry

THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present

Published: November 21st 2011 by Razorbill
Buy this book: Amazon | Book Depository

"It was love because it was worth it."

Fun, engaging and unique.

Woaw, this book totally had me reminiscing and wishing I was back at 90's. I'm guessing some of you are teenagers so you never really witnessed the 90's era.  For me it was the best decade ever. And reading this book was like going back in time when I was in highschool and also the music*squeals*, I could totally relate. These two authors pulled a two different characters together neatly.  So yes, I'd say I  loved this book and I loved Josh ;).

The plot was simple yet unique and very intriguing, I'm sure you'd be intrigued too once you see a site that shows your future you, right?  I was drawn to the story of these two teenagers who used to be bestfriends until Josh wanted more than that, but Emma didn't want to lose Josh so she wanted to stay the way they were before. But who is she kidding? Nothing will ever be the same. again But a very weird incident happened and Emma will do anything just to get rid of her unfortunate self in that awful future of her.  Unlike Emma, Josh's future was just great, beautiful wife and children plus a successful career. So basically Josh should be okay with everything, but after a while he learned he isn't happy at all, and as for Emma, will she ever learn to love? In the end, they will find out, that the only thing that could make them happy is just right in front of their eyes.. or will they?

I've felt so many emotions while reading this book, I felt jealous, angry, happy, I was frustrated that why cant they see, its them that was meant for each other? The story was also predictable, but fun and entertaining, its a kind of story that you'd continue reading because you still want to witness and experience every moment of it. Loved the ending too, I thought it was just perfect. Would totally read these two authors books/work again.

History's a bitch when you're in the middle of it.

You need to figure out what you want, Josh. If that means you need to swim against the tide to get it, at least youre aiming for something that could make you very happy.

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THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER by Avery Williams

Seraphina has been alive since the Middle Ages, when her boyfriend, Cyrus, managed to perfect a method of alchemy that lets them swap bodies with any human being. Sera ran away from Cyrus years ago, when she realized that what they were doing--taking the lives of innocent people--was wrong. She doesn't want to die, so she finds young people who are on the brink of death, and inhabits their bodies.

Published: January 3rd 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Buy this book: Amazon | Book Depository

                            ..........

Everything- even me, and one day even Charlotte- must come to end.

 Amazingly well-done story of reincarnation.

I enjoyed this book so much! I was so absorbed reading it that I didn't want it to end, but oh well, it has to because there's a second book *dances like crazy*. It started quite odd in the beginning but once it sinks in, it was delightful and a quick read.

The things I liked about this book was the plot twists, story progression, the cliff-hanger ending(atleast it was for me) and a good leading character youd want to see succeed. so Seraphina's soul is really old, like Middle-Ages-old, but an accident happened and Cyrus was there to "save" her by making her soul enter someone's body healthy enough to live. So for so many years they have been doing this, killing people once their old bodies are giving up and is needing a new one. But Seraphina has done a mistake by helping someone from a near death when all she wanted to do was to die and end their madness. Seraphina will be a girl with a great family and a great soon to be boyfriend, but Cyrus will never stop until he finds her. There was a part of Seraphina that wanted to stay in Kailey's and pretend to be her away from murderer Cyrus, other part of her wants to leave everything behind. Will he know it was Seraphina living in Kailey's body?

I'm dying to see what's going to happen in the next book, there are still more loose ends that I'd like to see wrapped up, questions I'd like to be answered. An amazing story of reincarnation and a great protagonist. I really like her alot! Seraphina adventures were always exciting, dangers faced made me all jittery. I want the second book NOW!

"That's fine. You decide to live one moment at a time. When it's time to die, really time, you will know." -Seraphina/ Kailey

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Smoulder by Brenna Y0vanoff

Smoulder by Brenna Yovanoff
Published 2011 by Simon & SchusterAus

First published in the USA as "The Space Between" in 2011 by Razorbill, an imprint of the Penguin Group(USA)Inc.

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time - until her brother Obie is kidnapped, and Daphne realises she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying.

With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigete the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be..

*Thank you Simon and Schuster for the review copy*

A fascinating story of good and evil, of life and death.. and undying love.

Love is when you care more about something else than you do about yourself.

Man, this book was amazing. I know, I know, I've heard mixed reviews about SMOULDER/THE SPACE IN BETWEEN, but so glad I did read this. Being a catholic, I can say that I know enough story of Adam, Eve and Lucifer from the bible, but please excuse my ignorance, I've only heard of Lilith in books before so I had no idea who she was, and reading this book made me search about  her for real, so I found out that she was the first one God had created but rebelled and abandoned Adam that's when God created Eve. So this book is nothing I've ever read before the plot was unusual and very dark, melancholy. And also, I've never thought of demons and angels the way they were told here, it provoked my interest and thoughts. And I loved it. The gloomy settings was compromised with the somber tone of the story, with a tinge of humor(that was Daphne and she did crack me up with her comments sometimes).

Brenna's writing was evocative and expressive which gave me various afflictions for every characters(which is very rare). I tortured my heart with such a sad story of a teenage boy Truman, and Daphne. So Daphne is a demon, and Truman is just a mortal, a rare event will happen and their paths will cross.. but is love enough to save someone's life? Does redemption truly exist?

I love Truman, his character is so deep that it felt so real. Daphne was such a likeable character too, she portray such a strong female lead character, which is a big YES YES for me. Ending was neat and just what I would want for a good story to end..

I try not to think about how bad I am. All my life, I've understood the nature of where I come from, but I never thought I might be wicked until now.

"The strong prevail. This is just the way of the world."

He touched her cheek. "Why did you do that?"
Because this is us-right now-you and me. Because I can."

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Milestone: 1 Year Blog Anniversary Celebration!

Hi everyone! I am celebrating my 1 year anniversary in book blogging this month of FEBRUARY! I cant believe I've been doing this for a year already, and to be honest, I actually loved and enjoyed doing this, it's actually a part of my life now, our life and I am sure most of you my book blogger friends will agree with me. And mind you, writing reviews/blogging isn't as easy as reading books, yes? so I really appreciate you guys for taking the time in reading my work! I've also met such a fun and friendly people here in blogging world too, even though I haven't seen you guys in person you guys are awesome! A shout out to my blogger friends, Shirley of Shiirleyy's Bookshelf, Giselle of XpressoReads, Rebecca of KindleFever, Mimi Valentine of diminutivemimi, Ron @ Stories of my life, Erin W. of TalesofInnerBookFanatic, Celine @ Forget-me-not, kara-karina @Nocturnal BookJ, ordan of JordanDibb.com, Johanna of Novel_love and everyone who has been visiting my blogs for the past year you guys are awesome! And last but not the least, to all of these lovely publishers, Penguin Aus, Simon and SchusterAus, Allen and Unwin, Murdoch Books, Walker Books Aus, Bloomsbury Aus, HarperCollins, Entangled Publishing. A big THANK YOU! *flying kisses* <3

So Happy Birthday to my beloved blog! 

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
Published: January 31st 2012 by Tor Teen

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Gritty and riveting.

"I'm not fine," he said. "Not without you."

Wow, this book brought back memories, when I was still a little girl(3 to 4 years old) old enough to remember Coup d'état or in our language Kudeta that happened in our country. Some of you might heard of it, that our country(Philippines) had a Martial law- is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis- this book has a little resemblance to that. But our former President Marcos(Martial Law) was believed to abused the human rights and authority so eventually, there was a mass revolution to ousted the ex-president and he fled and died in exile. But some people think it was not that bad since there was not much of a crime but some does think it was a very difficult era. But Im pretty suremost people don't want to go back to that old days ever again.

So yeah, the author pretty much nailed it. I mean, it felt so real, I was so scared, like I said it brought back some flashes of memories when me, my sister and my mom had to hide underneath the table while my dad was doing the Rambo thing outside the door(my dad's a military), and someone's shooting who knows who everywhere. I was terrified that time. The story could potentially occur ten years from now, or 5 years, or maybe next year..(Hell no!Hope not!)

Characters were great, believable and I easily connected to them, I think Ember sometimes could be a little annoying but she has her reasons to.  And Chase! I loved him! I swear he makes my heart beats a little bit faster than normal. And I totally dig Chase being a little scared and freaked-out at times, I know, living with my dad, trust me I know. One time my mom had to wake up my dad who fell asleep in the living room and she was poking my dads foot with her fingers when my dad suddenly jerked awake and was so alert eyes wild, like what the hell?! Like Ive said, Kristen pretty much nailed this book.

Plot twists was moving, and suspenseful,  dangers faced were intense. A cruel world that the author has created will make you fear for their lives. Dying to read the second book, I hope it will be as good as the first.

Losing your family... it puts fear in a different perspective, Chase had once told me.

"You hit me for kissing you. It seemed my best interest to marry you while you were passed out." -Chase

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EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Published January 24th 2012 by Harper Collins / Simon and Schuster Australia

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

*Thank you Simon and Schuster and Harper Collins for giving me the ARC and the finished copy*

Before I start with my review, I'd like to say that I really missed you guys, hope everyone is alright! <3 I had an internet connection problem for like 2 freaking weeks, but now its all fixed and so happy to be back! Im sorry if this review wont be long( bit in a hurry), but would love to share what I felt about this book.

EVERNEATH is going to be a great series. A fabulous treat of romance and a clever and modernized Greek mythology twist of the famous tragic love story of Eurydice and Orpheus. I love this myth amongst all. For me it never gets old.

"If there is an afterlife, I want my soul intact. And then maybe I'll see you there."I smiled, somehow calm now that I was facing something inevitable. I was getting the good-bye I'd always wanted.

The writing is stunning, I really like how Nikki's story was told piece by piece, curiosity had me going to see how Nikki had ended up in Everneath, why did she choose to return to her old life-to Jack, and how will she get away from the Tunnels from claiming her, the reason why she left everything behind. But her time in the mortal world is limited and she needed to do things right and say good bye this time...

The characterization was done really good, Nikki started  flawed, broken and lost, but her character had some developments through out the story. I was just kind of confused and irritated towards her when she came back for Jack but then she doesn't even want to talk to him at all, *rolls eyes*. But I am more intrigued and fond of Jack <3. How can you not be? He's total devotion for Nikki was just overwhelming... Cole was mysterious, I do like him at times, I think there's more to him than our author is letting on, I cant wait for the second book ek! The ending was just BEAUTIFUL, It could be devastating yes, but somehow hopeful.   

"Sometimes...." He paused and squeezed his eyes shut. " Sometimes our hearts.... crack a little." -Jack

 "I didnt tell him I'd thought of him every day. That even when every other memory had faded, he never left. - Nikki