SILVER SHADOWS by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines Book #5

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

MY REVIEW

2.5 OUT OF 5 *Stars*

This is one of those reviews that I’m sitting here, staring at the screen, wondering how to formulate helpful words around what I thought of the book.  Maybe my anti-excitement over this review stems from the utter lack of excitement in the book.  It took me five days to finish this book, and that is saying a lot.  If I’m reading a good book, it will take me a day because I will read while cooking dinner, doing dishes, going to the bathroom, or I’ll sneak off when no ones looking to get five more minutes in.  I had no problem putting this book down to get things done, and once it was all finished, I shrugged my shoulder with an, “Ehh.” 

After reading and finishing The Fiery Heart, I was ecstatic when I got this one.  It started with Sydney and Adrian apart, just like The Fiery Heart ended.  The book was about them doing everything they could to get back to each other and the pitfalls in between.  The first 60% of the book was okay, nothing to write home about, but still okay.  A monumental event happened and I figured the book could have ended there.  Unfortunately, it didn’t.  I understand what Mead wanted to happen by the end of the book, but it felt too much like filler nonsense, stuff with no purpose to tack on and make the book longer.

Will I read the next on?  That’s the question.  Of course I will, are you nuts? I’ve invested my precious time into five books from this series, and seven books from the previous one.  It would be like stopping a movie ¾ of the way through because you weren’t a fan of a small chunk.  I just hope the next one will be able to hold my interest.  Till next time…

HAPPY READING, EVERYONE!!

THE DIVINE WHISPER by Rebekah Daniels (ME)

Thank you for being so patient in my absence!!  Second book is out and available on Amazon.  Take a look!

THE DIVINE WHISPER <~~ press to buy... only $2.99
2nd Full Length Novel in the hit Nephilim Series

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Women, fighting demons, good food, and more women! That’s all Nephilim enforcer, Gemariah Slater cares about. That is until he meets a feisty little blonde that turns his world upside down. Like him, she has an unsavory past. Like him, she fights for those that can’t defend themselves. But when the similarities end, the claws come out. 

Social worker, Nicole Summers, is trying to help the world one child at a time, NOT be swept off her feet by a tall, gorgeous yet overbearing, and conceited jerk. Conflicted with what her heart and her head tell her, she tries to keep her distance, but Gemariah won’t let her. 

Drawn to each other by a bond neither can explain and kept together by circumstance, they are not prepared for how their bodies or their hearts react to one another. As the two battle their desire, little do they know that unforeseen forces are resigned to see them suffer and fail. Will the two be able to protect what is theirs, or will they eventually succumb to the vengeful voice inside them? 

Warning: Contains adult language and mature situations.

SOME OF THE MANY 5 *STAR* REVIEWS...

"Daniels is a talented author and a rising star and I look forward to the day when the series is much longer, in hardback, and she's on the best seller list. Her characters have touched my heart, and I love them."

"Celestial Beginnings was a fantastic read, and this book was just as good, if not better. The Divine Whisper is the second book in the series and proved to be a fast paced and very entertaining read that will have you turning pages until the end."

"All in all this is one tremendously excellent paranormal romance that will wring alot of emotions but worth every one. This author will leave you more than satisfied with the end result hunting a bit of chocolate."

"This was a beautifully written and captivating book"

"Her books just keep getting better and better! Nicci and G's story was full of twists and turns and surprisingly unpredictable! I pride myself in being able to call a story before hand but not this time and I loved that!"

HAPPY READING, EVERYONE!!

Don't Hate Me!!

Don't hate me!

I am so sorry, but I have been working so hard at getting my next book completed and out there that I haven't had a lot of time to write on here.

I promise that once everything gets settled down, I will be back to posting reviews and being my opinionated self once again!

I hope you understand.  Thanks!

Rebekah Daniels

The Divine Whisper... Cover Reveal!!

The Divine Whisper

Cover Reveal!!

Second full length novel in the hit Nephilim Series

Coming

08/12/14

 

Women, fighting demons, good food, and more women!  That’s all Nephilim enforcer, Gemariah Slater cares about.  That is until he meets a feisty little blonde that turns his world upside down.  Like him, she has an unsavory past.  Like him, she fights for those that can’t defend themselves.  But when the similarities end, the claws come out. 

Social worker, Nicole Summers, is trying to help the world one child at a time, NOT be swept off her feet by a tall, gorgeous yet overbearing, and conceited jerk.  Conflicted with what her heart and her head tell her, she tries to keep her distance, but Gemariah won’t let her.

Drawn to each other by a bond neither can explain and kept together by circumstance, they are not prepared for how their bodies or their hearts react to one another.  As the two battle their desire, little do they know that unforeseen forces are resigned to see them suffer and fail.  Will the two be able to protect what is theirs, or will they eventually succumb to the vengeful voice inside of them?

Be sure not to miss out!!

 

 

MAKING FACES by Amy Harmon

 

 

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 

 

Ambrose Young was beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.

Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.

 

MY REVIEW

 

5 out of 5 *Stars*

 

 

This has got to be one of the best books that I’ve ever read.  If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.  It is a deeply moving story that takes a closer look at inner beauty, a person’s inner struggle, loss, heartache, love, and everything in between. 

 

“If God makes all of our faces, did he laugh when he made me?”

You best get your tissues ready because I have never cried so much from one book… ever!  Okay, you read this and think, “Why would I want to read a book that makes me cry?”  Because it is the type of book and message that will stay with you forever, that’s why.

“Victory is in the battle.”

The story was written beautifully and every character was described in a way that made them come to life.  It is written in the synopsis… “the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back.”  You know it’s coming, but it doesn’t hurt your heart any less.  I wanted to enter the book and stop what I knew was inevitably supposed to happen.  The loss was devastating.

“Joshua looked at his only daughter and his hand shook as he reached for her, wanting to touch her, wanting to console her, wanting to fall to his knees and pray for the parents who had lost their sons.”

With a girl that grew up far from perfect looking, a boy that was perfect looking then scarred from the war, and an angel in the form of a boy confined to a wheelchair, the reader gets to see lessons learned involving the message of outer beauty influenced by what a person is like on the inside. 

“True beauty, the kind that doesn’t fade or wash off, takes time.  It takes pressure.  It takes incredible endurance.  It is the slow drip that makes the stalactite, the shaking of the Earth that creates mountains, the constant pounding of the waves that breaks up the rocks and smooths the rough edges.  And from the violence, the furor, the raging of the winds, the roaring of the waters, something better emerges, something better emerges, something that would otherwise never exist.”    

This book looks inside the deployment of soldiers, but is not a military book.  It also involves true love of the deepest kind, but is not a romance.  It even involves a suspenseful underlining story that impacts everyone.  It is a definite must read.  One person even referred to it as “the book of 2013”.  To me, it is timeless, and something that I will recommend to anyone and everyone whenever I can.  Happy reading…

 

VICTORY IS IN THE BATTLE

(Those 5 simple words now have so much meaning.)

CITY OF BONES by Cassandra Clare

Book 1 in the Mortal Instruments Series

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

 

MY REVIEW

3.5 out of 5 *Stars*

 

I really don’t know where to start.  I looked at other reviews for this book and it shows that people either loved it or hated it.  There were many reviews that said it had bad writing, a bad plot, bad dialog, and so on.  Some even mentioned possible plagiarism from the Draco Trilogy, but since I haven’t read those books, that will not be part of my review here.  Plus, it's my understanding that she also wrote the DT... Is it still plagiarism if it's from your our work?  Anyways...

Overall, I liked the book.  I didn’t become sucked into the story like I do with many other books, but I wouldn’t consider it boring either.  It had an interesting story, and the Clave / Shadowhunter world was so intriguing that I found myself looking forward to what other new things Clare came up with.  Everything was described in such detail that it was simple to picture what was going on.  Okay, so once in a while it got a little too informational, almost as if it was giving the reader a lesson in demonology.  I didn’t fall in love with any character, and I more than likely wouldn’t be heartbroken if I stopped reading the series.  That being said, I do plan on reading City of Ashes (Book 2) out of curiosity for what is to come. 

Okay, so my review is really all over the place!  Trust me, I’m not meaning it to sound that way, but in all honesty, I don’t come across too many books that I’m indifferent about.  It usually leans one way or another, unlike this one. 

I need to tell you a secret…  I watched the movie before reading the book.  I know, I know… Shame on me, but in my defense, I didn’t know that it was a book.  Now, I have to say, the movie is NOTHING like the book.  It has a different storyline, the characters look different than they’re described, etc.  Now that I’ve finished the book, I plan on watching the movie again so I can give a proper review to accompany this book review.  Till next time…  Happy reading!

To the FORMER Pain in my Ass...

As some of you might know, I was born 31 years, 8 months, and 12 days ago, but this post isn’t about me.  That’s not what’s special about today.  Today, my big brother turned 33. 

I don’t even know where to begin when talking about my older brother.  I try to explain him to people, but I never feel as though I get it right.  Truth be told, there’s a lot that I don’t know about him.  We hardly ever see each other, we don’t hang around the same crowd, and we are just about polar opposites.  I say “just about” because there’s one thing that will always be equal between us… love.  I know, it sounds cheesy, but it’s true.  No matter where our lives take us, we always have a strong love for our family and each other.

Growing up with an older brother was difficult… to say the least.  If you ask him though, growing up with me was no picnic either.  I swear that there was a point in our lives when we were mortal enemies.  We fought constantly, and over the most stupid things (who got the remote, who got to play with what toy, even what position a light switch needed to be in).  To tell you the truth, I don’t remember half of them.  I do remember that our fights got physical at times.  Usually it was me that started those.  I would get so frustrated that I would hit him, but he would never hit me back because he was raised to never hit a girl.  Of course that didn’t stop him from shoving me, throwing me in bushes, or dragging me around in the snow.  I would like to say, “If I could go back in time, knowing what I know now, things would be different.”  Truth be told, it probably wouldn’t have change a thing.  I’m just as stubborn now as I was back then.  Even through all the fighting though, we never believed we didn’t love each other.  We knew we loved each other; we just didn’t like each other too much.  Our parents told us that one day we would be best friends, and of course we knew that there was no way in hell that was ever going to happen.

Much to our surprise, there came a time when we started spending more time together and not fighting as much.  I believe it started when all my friends had crushes on him.  They would want to be around him as much as possible, so inadvertently we started hanging out more.  We then became friends, maybe not best friends, but not enemies.  Then all his friends became like big brothers to me.  Whenever they brought people over, I felt so important.  I was the “Lil-Sis,” or the “Lil-Shit,” as they would lovingly say.  It was great.  At least it was until this band of brothers scared away any boy that was interested in me, checked up on me when I went on dates, tormented boyfriends that they didn’t like, or would wait up for me on our driveway in lawn chairs.  Needless to say, my parents didn’t have to worry much when my brother was around.  I can’t explain in words how much I hated it, but that same group of guys was there for me whenever I needed them to be.  My life would have turned out so much differently if it hadn’t been for my brother.  At my wedding, I wanted to dedicate “The Wind Beneath My Wings” to him, but I didn’t know what my new husband would have thought of that.  lol  

Now, for what he doesn’t know…  Even though we hardly see each other, I will always think of him as one of my best friends.  I feel my chest swell with pride whenever I think of him, which is every day, and I have spent my whole life looking up to him.  No, not because he’s so tall.  LOL He could do the smallest thing, and I brag to whoever will listen, and always start with, “My brother is so cool.”  Okay, so maybe I have a little bit of hero worship, but I can’t help it. 

I remember a story he told me, about a girl in high school.  She called him a “grease monkey” in a derogatory way.  To this day, I still see red and want to smack her around.  I remember thinking how proud I was of him for knowing what he knew about cars and doing what he loved.  The same still applies.  He is living his life by doing what makes him happy.  He’s the president of a motorcycle club (yes, had to throw that in… bragging), working, fixing bikes, and having fun.  I’m a stay-at-home mom/writer, sports mom chauffer, and look forward to our animated movie nights.  Like I said before, our lives couldn’t be more different.  Still, I would never change a thing about him, and I want him to know that he is one of the most important people in my life. 
Happy Birthday Brober! 

THE FIERY HEART by Richelle Mead (YA)

Book 4 of The Bloodlines Series
** Do NOT read if you haven't read books 1-3, and plan on doing so. **

(Mini reviews for the first 3 books in the series at the end of the main review.)

 

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure — and re-education — looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this smoldering fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

 

 

 

MY REVIEW

 

5 out of 5 *Stars*

 

I have had this book sitting on my shelf for almost 3 months, and finally picked it up because it was due back at the library soon.  I don’t normally read YA novels, but I had started the series and it’s hard for me to let things go.  I am kicking myself for waiting that long.  Now, I am writing this review with blurry eyes, because I stayed up till 4am reading.  I couldn’t put it down.  It’s going to be hard to express how much I loved this book, but I’m still going to try.

First of all, the novel is written from both Sydney and Adrian’s point of view.  Leaving book 3, The Indigo Spell, we knew that they were going to be a couple (Sydrain), so this just enhanced the feel of the book even more.  I am a sucker for a good romance, and even though this was not technically a romance, it had more heart and love than some of the romance novels that I have read.  I wanted to reach inside and hug both of them because they were so perfect for each other.  I wanted to laugh, cry, scream, and smile with them.

‘Yet their hands shall not tremble, their feet shall not falter.’

“Everything’s going to be okay.  The center will hold.”

“How do you know?”

“Because we are the center.”

**Heart Melting**

The Fiery Heart had all the same characters that we have come to know and love, Eddie, Trey, Jill, Angeline, and of course Adrian and Sydney.  Plus, we also got a special treat, and got to read scenes that included a little bit of Rose, Dimitri, Lissa, and Christian.  New romances blossomed, and the same characteristics of them that we have found endearing are still there.  There was drama, suspense, looove, and action.  When I stopped reading at 4 am, it had gotten so good and my heart felt like it would burst from my chest, but I knew my husband would give me a hard time if he came out in the morning and I was still reading.  Therefore, I went to bed thinking that I had about two chapters left.  To my dismay, the next morning I found that I only had one VERY SHORT chapter left.  I was crushed.  I wanted it to go on and on, possibly forever. lol  Now I’m waiting for the next book.  Ugh!  I HATE waiting.  Oh well, I guess that’s how it goes. 

Centrum Permanebit…

__________________________

Bloodlines (Book 1)

4 out of 5 *Stars*

It was no VA book, but it was a good start to a new series.  Vampire Academy is a hard series to follow behind, but I think this has potential to hold its own.  I love how Sydney is thrown into a world that is WAY out of her comfort zone.  It has so much conflict that you don’t know if everything will work out in the end.  The backstory with Keith and a glimpse into the world of an Alchemist gave a deeper look into what made Sydney the way she is.  Looking forward to the next book and hoping for a new and intriguing series.

The Golden Lily (Book 2) 

4 out of 5 *Stars*

This was a good book that left me wanting more.  You got a more in-depth look into the Alchemist world and learned a lot about re-education; something that would terrify anyone that was starting to waver in their stronghold beliefs.  Everyone and their personalities are starting to grow on me, except Jill.  She drove me a little crazy.  I found myself wanting her to act more grown up and responsible, but then I kept reminding myself that she was supposed to be a younger teenager.  It is a YA series after all.  Overall, it was still entertaining and I’m once again looking forward to the next book.

 

The Indigo Spell (Book 3)

3 out of 5 *Stars*

Honestly, I don’t remember much from this book.  It was pretty forgettable.  With a good set-up plot, I thought it would have had more action, but I was disappointed.  Luckily, the chemistry between Adrian and Sydney increased, but without a more in-depth story, it got a little dull. 

Great line that was, oh so typical, Adrian:  

"Do you want me to call you Celery Stick instead of Cupcake or Honey-Pie? It just doesn’t inspire the same warm and fuzzy feelings.”

Plus, I LOVED Hopper.  Who wouldn’t want a mini dragon of their own?