Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2)

                Hello happy readers!  I’m beyond ready for this weekend.  I attended The Last Star (The 5^th Wave #3) launch party at Little Shop of Stories on Tuesday with the author Rick Yancey and I have a signed copy and some other swag in a giveaway here.  I was super excited to be caught up and I’m ready to dive into that book myself but I have some others in the que first.  One I finished via audiobook on the round trip drive to the event, which I’ll be discussing today and that is Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor, the sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone which I reviewed here.  You know the drill as with any sequel there will be spoilers for the first book in the series.

Rating:  5 Stars

                Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.  This is not that world.

                That is pretty much an accurate summary.  When we left off Karou had just regained her memories of her past time and realized that the man, or angel really, she loved Akiva had done some unspeakable things having thought he had lost her forever.  Karou is determined to go to her once home of Eretz to find out what is left of her people, the chimaera.  Finding her people all but whipped out and feeling a burning hatred for the angels she volunteers her services, taking her mentor and father-figures place as the resurrectionist to build more monster like chimaera to fight the angels and take back what was taken, even if it means working with the one who killed her in her first life.  Akiva is in a horrid place himself having realized the mistake he had made and knowing he had once again lost the love of his life, but this time because of his own actions.  Still all he can do at this point is to try and make amends for her and himself as he once more swears off killing the chimaera and instead vows to help as many as he can even as he puts himself at risk of discovery.

                All the things I loved in the first book, the beautiful writing and the world and all the interesting and fantastical creatures are back and even better.  We spend a good portion of the time surrounded by chimaera and large chunks in Eretz.  I just adored the world that was built and how intricate everything was but yet simple enough to understand.  The first book had a lot to do with wishes which I loved the idea of, who doesn’t, but this one left those out as we have moved past it.  Still magic has a price.  This is something else I enjoy.  I love all types of magic in stories but for some reason the magic that comes with a price, something for something rather than someone having unlimited power always seems more substantial.  You can see the price the magic takes on Karou, the pain tithe.  First let me just say I’d never do magic I have ZERO tolerance for pain, seriously my vehicle accident at the start of the year broke my pinky finger and I thought it would hurt less to chop it off than to keep bumping it or moving it.  I’m a big baby there I know. 

                 Karou is still a strong character for me if not a bit pigheaded at times.  She goes through each and every resurrection and no matter how hurt she is she keeps going.  Karou is fighting her fight in rage and heartbroken but she also has a strong sense of helping her people.  She is working with a monster, because it is the best hope for her people.  I really enjoyed from both the chimaera camp and the angel side.  While I already loved Akiva and the little bit I saw of Hazael and Liraz I loved Hazael he was so funny and charming and easy going I think anyone could love him but Liraz was kind of on my dislike list.  However seeing more in depth their life and what they go through as Joram’s bastards the misbegotten and things with Jael she kind of grew on me.  I also grew to enjoy Kirin and how he was the last of Karou’s kind to his crush on her as a young boy, awe.  Him and Issa are some of my favorite of the chimaera.  Two who did not grow on me were Thiago and Ten.  I didn’t like Thiago from book one the white wolf and his pomp, entitlement, and rage and Ten is him in female form basically his lapdog.  Though to even out the field it was great to see Zuzana and Mik again!  I just adored them in the first book Zuzana may be one of my favorite characters with her small stature but fierce none the less.  Also in the audiobook version the accents done for the different characters Zuz’s was my favorite.  The sweetness between Zuzana and Mik in the middle of the epic war going on played nicely to balance it out. 

                 Days of Blood and Starlight is still a very character driven story but there is lots of action happening.  There is a war after all.  The brutality of war is there as well.  There were certain times while listening that I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that I thought I might break it hoping something wouldn’t or would happen.  It was intense.  I also was glad to be in my vehicle where I could yell at the characters and not have anyone hear my craziness because oh I was in a full range of emotions for sure!  I’m excited to dive into book three but now having read one and listened to one I’m stuck on which format I enjoyed better.  I’d love to hear your thoughts and feels below in the comments. 

                Until next time…

                

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

                Another Monday has come again.  I think a bit too quickly!  That being said I am stoked to finally have checked this book off my TBR list where it has sat for a long while waiting for me to read.  I'm reading the whole series with a buddy on weekends I work .  Yes reading at work is my favorite job perk.  The book/series I'm talking about is Daughterof Smoke & Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor and the novella I hope to finish after reading book two.  So having finished the book last week I have my notes and thoughts and wanted to share with you so here goes.

Rating:  5 Scuppies

                I have heard praise for this book for so long from so many different people but now that I've finally read it I understand.  The writing is beautiful.  The world is so colorful and diverse and I was drawn in so quickly to the worlds and the wishes and doorways and everything else.  Karou, our MC and artist who has tons of 'errands' to do and speaks several languages and natural blue hair and something mysterious about her.  She lives in the human world but works in Elsewhere.  She portals all over the globe and deals daily with the only family her orphan self has ever known, the Chimaera, a mixture of different human and animal parts/aspects.  Each is different and unique.  On an 'errand' one day Karou finds herself face to face with an angel, Akiva, one set on destroying Brimstone, the wishmonger and only father she has ever know, and blood is spilled.  Still there is something about Karou that confuses and intrigues Akiva and he is determined to figure it out as Karou struggles to figure out her place in either world.

                I instantly knew why everyone loved this book.  The characters are all unique and diverse.  The Chimaera for sure had me thinking. I was adding in parts of them as she described them, with an artists eye of course, and just found myself both a bit freaked out by them and also totally loving how normal and natural Karou felt around them.  They would be monsters to us, which she admits, but to her they are family.  Karou, her name means home, and she has such amazing views.  She's rather well rounded and grounded for her life to be what it is.  She has found a place, in Prague, finally where she fits in.  She has friends, OMG I love Zuzana.  She is also always in the back of her mind wondering about the 'what if' of being an orphan.  What her life could have been and who she could have been if things were different. She has blue hair, she used a wish on hair that comes out naturally that color.  How awesome, it seems silly but it's a part of who she is.  I love it. 

                Now wishes.  Here I need to take a moment to say how jealous I am.  The languages.  To be able to wish a language and have perfect understanding of it, who hasn't wished for that before.  I know I have.  I've tried learning a few but it feels next to impossible to learn alone it always seems like school work and not natural.  Everything I've tried always tries to teach grammar first which kills my desire quickly.  Anywho this book and the wishes, the different levels you can gain (Scuppy, Shing, Lucknow, Gavriel, and Bruxis) the most powerful of which I would never have (hence my rating).  Each one has a cost and a level of which you can wish.  The idea of a string of scuppies around my wrist, oh yeah I'd use those bad boys.  I even know what I would do with some of the others and yes languages would be on the top of my list.  Learning about each of them and the different things wished for is just fascinating.  That doesn't even add that you don't have to use them to travel because you have special portals to go all over the world!  How cool?  I mean I could save so much time and money that way. 

                The whole book has action in it for sure but there is a lot of unraveling to be done.  The world is built up throughout the story but we keep peeling back layer after layer of the story diving into more and more of what is happening.  Brimstone has kept Karou from most of the happenings of Elsewhere, he has lots of secrets.  The whole story is a paranormal mystery with some romance and hilarity and action all rolled beautifully into one. I could not put this book down I was so captivated by it and the ending had me gasping and wishing I had the sequel there with me.  Thankfully I don't have to wait long to read it, benefit of marathoning series when they are complete! 

A peak at what has taunted me...

                Those are my thoughts on the story.  I feel like I didn't do it justice but I think talking any more about certain aspects would ruin some of the best parts.  I really enjoyed discovering everything for myself and while I did see several things coming I was always intrigued because of the way things came about.  Plus again I can't say it enough the world was just beautiful!    Oh and one side note I have is that after I read this I went online and saw a ton of images and people mentioning a graphic novel!  How devastated was I to learn that there was a graphic novel sampler sent out to very few years ago but since then there has been no full novel put out L I know I'm new to this party but whoever is in charge of this please get on this ASAP!  This is the perfect book to do in graphic novel form with all the creatures, art, worlds, and eye catching things (I mean our MC has blue hair how beautiful).  Pretty please make it happen.  That's all for now I hope you all have a fantabulous Monday.  I have a feeling my coffee chocolate chip cookies I made last night will be a much needed item for myself!

                Until next time…

End of Days: A Fitting and Fulfilling End

                I did a giveaway for the release of End ofDays by Susan Ee a few weeks back if you remember as I talked about the premise of the book and how excited I was for the conclusion of this trilogy.  My previous book talk can be found here.  I have now read it and I am dying to share my thoughts with you all.  I’m going to do a brief talk about the book without any spoilers for End of Days, but as it’s the final book in the series it will have spoilers for the first two books for obvious reasons.  Then I’ll move to a spoilery section.  But don’t worry I will warn you before I get there so if you haven’t read it yet you can skip to the comments.  If you haven’t read any books in the series yet, GO DO THAT ASAP they are amazing.  If you read further the first two books will be spoiled for you so if you don’t want that skip on down to the comments and share why you haven’t started them yet.

                For the first non-spoilery side of things End of Days picks up where we left off in World After with Penryn and Raffe sailing through the air away from their latest fight w/ her sister and a few of those locust things with them.  No time loss at all we are right back to it.  They are on the run and are desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes that were put on both Raffe and Paige.  New things come to light about Raffe’s past, things that could threaten them all.  Add that to the angels releasing their apocalyptic nightmare on the humans and both sides are headed to a full out war.  Sides are chosen.  Strategies formed.  The fate of Earth hangs in the balance and a choice made.  When the time comes Raffe and Penryn are forced to choose between their own kind, or each other. 

Pooky Bear!

                There is so much going on and tensions are rising both on a personal level and between the ragging war there is never a dull moment.  I know all through the first two books I could feel the tension between Raffe and Penryn.  I wanted something to happen but at the same time it’s clear he is an Archangel and she is a Daughter of Man, that would cause him to fall just like his Watchers did.  So huge conflict there.  Plus the whole human vs. angel war going on, it was star crossed in that way.  It was all from Penryn's POV so we knew her conflicted emotions on the whole mess and I liked being in her head and seeing how equally rational and emotional she was.  She tried to keep things in check and focus on the big picture but the heart is a different beast and doesn't always listen to the head. 

                From the previous two books we know there is a war coming and both humans and angels have some things up their sleeves.  The human resistance is fighting tooth and nail to stay alive and find some way to rid the world of angels, while the angels are superior beings and are from Uriel we know he has been creating monsters to bring about his own apocalypse.  We have been along with Penryn the whole time and Raffe has been with her through the vast majority of their story and even as they are on opposite sides in End of Days we see from Penryn more understanding of the angel perspective which really balances it out.

                That's about all I can say without giving away any spoilers to End of Days.  So if you haven't finished the series yet then you should leave now and skip to the bottom to the comments to tell me what you think of the series thus far and what your hope for a satisfying conclusion of the trilogy is?

*****SPOILERS BELOW*****

How I imagine his Angel wings just a
tad bit shorter ;)

                You've been warned.  Okay so can we just take a moment to appreciate the way everything came together.  I was worried towards the end at first thinking how much was still left unresolved and how much I had left in the book.  I was concerned things would be rushed or skipped over.  That was thankfully not the case in my opinion.  It didn't drag at all but just kept moving hit after hit.  I know Penryn was ready for a long nap at the end of this. 

                The way everything was resolved…I was satisfied.  I enjoyed the way things turned out.  I felt that everything was well thought out and explained just enough to give us closure but also didn't bog us down with specific details so we as the readers could see use our own imaginations.  I admitted I hadn't figured out how the story would work out/resolve at the beginning but I had it pieced together about 50%-75% through.  I could see the pieces falling into place. 

                Still though some parts I didn't see coming.  I really enjoyed the overall turn of things. I figured we would learn more about Raffe's Watchers, since their past with Daughters of Man would play a part in the forbidden romance between himself and Penryn but I wasn't expecting what happened.  I liked getting to meet them and have more of a back story for Raffe and his Watchers.  The way they interacted around one another, the camaraderie between them.  It was great to see that side of Raffe to, since he has been on his own among the angels since we meet him.

Beautiful Matching Covers!

                We get to know many of the characters better in this final installment.  I even almost felt bad for Beliel.  Almost and I never thought that could be possible.  Paige grows more and she grows into who she is now and is able to help instead of being the helpless one in need of saving, which I really liked seeing.  We also get more from their mother who has been a bit of a mystery since the first book, unsure if she's certifiable or the smartest of them all.  I still think the answer is 50/50 depending on the moment.  Dee and Dum, oh I love them.  They remind me a bit of the Weasley twins able to find the comedy and the revenue in any situation.  Given the seriousness of the plot there was a surprising amount of comedic relief that is sprinkled subtly throughout to help lighten the mood.

                I also LOVED the final battle scene.  It was on point and I could envision it in my head.  The teaming up and fighting together.  Filling in the blind spots for one another.  That the humans stood up and came together for a final battle gave me hope for humanity in the book, which is the whole point worth fighting for.  After seeing the Pit and what could become…yep it was worth risking everything to prevent that. 

                My one negative which isn't even a negative but just my curious mind wishing I had a solid answer to one question I had been mulling over since book one.  The Watchers fell because they married Daughters of Man and had babies.  Well what if they just lived among them and loved them but didn't marry and they never had kids?  Would that had been okay?  It says they are leery of crossing the line and sleeping with humans, hence Uriel tempting them, but as things went on it became unclear if it was doing the deed or mixing the bloodlines that was forbidden.  I was just curious because that had been my loophole theory while waiting for End of Days.  Live in sin and don't make babies lol.  I also had been tossing around the idea that Penryn had some type of special thing about her, like angel blood in her or something which would explain why her mom was a bit crazy on point sometimes but also maybe a loophole.  Hey I reaching for anything really. 

*****END OF SPOILERS*****

                End of Days was a spectacular ending to the Penryn and the End of Days series.  Susan Ee managed to give us everything so beautifully and bring us a different take on things.  I enjoyed each book but I admit that End of Days was my favorite.  It left me satisfied and happy in a way only a well written ending can.  I doubt there is any question on my rating but just in case I give it 5 Angel Swords!

Rating:  5 Angel Swords

End of Days is Almost Here! Giveaway!

                Hello everyone!  So today I have some exciting news and a giveaway, more on that at the bottom.  So a few months ago I reviewed the first two books in the Penryn & the End of Days trilogy, Angelfall and World After by Susan Ee.  I adored these books.  My review can be found here.  If you're unfamiliar the series follows Penryn as she makes her way through the new world order where angels roam the Earth and are not the friendly and benevolent creatures some think of.  They are more like nightmares than dreams but she finds she must work with one, Rafee, to find her sister.  How Penryn and Raefe work together as the books progress make an interesting story that leaves you wanting more.

                If you haven't checked them out I highly suggest you give them a try they are beautiful and dark all at the same time.  I completely enjoyed them and have been eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the story.  Well it's almost here.  End of Days the final book in the trilogy is set to come out next Tuesday, May 12th.  That’s right only 7 days!  One week and I can read it!  Here's the description of what we can expect, which contains some spoilers if you are not caught up. 

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee's bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run.  They're both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn's sister.  As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe's past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war.  As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious?  Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose:  Their own kind, or each other?

                From someone who is caught up this sounds amazing.  I have so many questions and things I'm hoping to see in this book.  I have some theories and have been tossing about speculations of my own that I can't wait to see if they pan out or not.  I honestly have differing ideas and haven't pinpointed what I think will happen yet which is a great surprise for me.  I feel it could go one of several routes.  You can go ahead and pre-order your copy using the widget on the side>>

                Now onto the good stuff.  I mentioned a giveaway.  Here it is.  End of Days comes out on the 12^th and I’m leaving this giveaway open until end of the day Friday May 15^th and I’ll post the winner Monday May 18^th.  You will get a paperback copy of said End of Days and some swanky Angelfall and World After temporary tattoos that Susan's people were kind enough to send me for such a giveaway.  Use the do-dad thing below to enter.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
                Thanks for stopping by and entering.  That's all I have to share with you today.  Check back for more of these fun times.  As usual share your thoughts and feels below.  Do you like the giveaways?  More interviews?  Tell me what you like best.  What do you think about angels?  Have you caught up with the books thus far, if so what is one thing you hope/think will happen? Until next time, peace out!

Angelfall and a new breed of angels

                Normally I’d say my being behind in reviews is a horrible thing, but in this instance it worked out pretty well.  I read the first two books, Angelfall and World After, in the Penry & the End of Days series by Susan Ee back in November 2014.  LOVED THEM.  But as I’ve mentioned the end of 2014 was gone in a blink and I have no idea what happened.  So I was working on my review and I find that the cover for the next book End of Days is coming out tomorrow (today since I won’t post till then) and I can share that with you too!  Exciting new for me. 

                So jumping right into it the series is about angels who have come to Earth to demolish the modern world.  It’s been about 6 weeks, so everything is in a weird kinda place, people are still in shock and adapting but the world has also already turned cruel as the world falls around them.  We focus on Penryn, a 17 year old girl just trying to keep her helpless little sister, Paige, and her crazy mother safe and alive.  Then when her sister is taken by a warrior angel.  Penryn will do anything to get her sister back.  Even work with another angel, Raffe, one she can make a deal with.  He is broken and wingless on the street in bad shape.  He’s never needed someone before but now he is being rescued by this teenage girl.  Can these two enemies learn to trust one another enough to survive together long enough to reach the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco for Penryn to rescue her sister and Raffe the chance to be made whole again?

                I heard several BookTubers talking about these books and had seen them always on the Amazon pages.  I decided to check them out, wanting to know what they were about for myself.  Then as luck would have it as I ordered the books, I found out my little brother, okay he’s been taller than me for 4-5 years now even though I’m 5’7 still I’m older, thus he is my ‘little’ brother, has read Angelfall.  He read it free on Prime and then was asking me to borrow World After.  I advised I had only placed the order the previous day so I didn’t have it yet and he’d have to wait till I read it.  I’m picky about lending out my precious bebes to people but no one borrows it until I’ve read it.  Clearly.  So to get my brother super excited about a book I knew it had to be really good and I counted the days for it to arrive.  I was not disappointed. 

                I’ve read several series involving angels in the past.  I have nothing against them but they aren’t usually my favorites.  Mostly because they all seem similar and focused on the same aspects.  I can enjoy them sure but not like these.  This series is completely different from any angel book I’ve found.  Angels are creatures of good, everything is turned on its head.  The journey the characters make is the central focus.  A quest type of story with the ultimate goal for our heroine and she is forced to form an alliance with an unlikely source and a surprising semi-friendship if not mutual respect blooms. 

                Penryn is a tough girl who had to grow up fast.  Not strictly because of the angels but her family.  She is purpose driven and struggles with everything happening around her but she refuses to fall apart.  I like her and from the start I was rooting for her.  On the flip side we have out wounded angel, Raffe, who you’re unsure of.  Angels after all are painted out as evil heartless.  He is rough around the edges for sure but he grows on you.  I felt bad for him just as much for Penryn, to go from soaring through the sky to being wingless would majorly suck.  The way they interact with each other is beyond great.  So different and yet very similar.  Very dynamic. Each having to step out of their own prejudices to learn about the other enough to make it through.

                Now aside from a unique and original take on angels, for me there was so much more.  An added dystopian and even sci-fi element.  There is tons of action and misadventure along the route with tons of things to straight freak you out.  Really.  There is some creepy stuff described in the book and normally that doesn’t catch me but I was so caught up in the story I wasn’t prepared.  Also as a random side note the wonderful Susan Ee added random moments/items that just completely made me stop and think.  Might just be me but yeah I stopped reading for a few minutes to Google a couple things, not spoilers, you know how I hate those, but things mentioned, survival aspects, that I wondered about the validity and yeah they were legit.  I give her high props for making me Google and also for having clearly depicted it realistically.  It’s the simple things that make it so good to me.

                I mentioned I read both books that are out.  Now I have to talk about things that I feel would slightly spoil Angelfall if you knew before reading.  You’ll be safe if you haven’t read or finished World After though.  So with that said, skip until you see the second set of ***** and you’ll be safe from spoilers. 

*****Now we move into some slight SPOILERS*****

                You’ve been warned. Okay now if you are still with me and you have read Angelfall, or you’re one of those strange creatures I don’t understand who likes to be spoiled.  Either way thanks for sticking around.  Now I mentioned before about Penryn and Raffe and their getting to know one another.  Well you can’t really explain more without ruining it, the best part is really them getting to know one another and having to rely on the other without knowing if they fully trust them.  The different agendas and confusion over motives and past beliefs and such.  It’s such an amazing tangled mess.  But through it all we see that connection, they clearly have come to care for one another.  For me there was the slightest touch of forbidden romance, but just a touch.  It is hard earned and it feels natural.  The way they grow together through the course of the book.  But still just a smidgen because let's face it there is so much stacked against them.  Just love it, and it only improves in book 2. 

                And did I mention Paige.  Oh my goodness I was not expecting that.  I was prepared for so many different outcomes but that?  No way, was I in the least bit prepared for the end of Angelfall.  If you haven’t read World After yet get ready it is kicked into a whole new league with the sci-fi creep factor the end of  Angelfall left you in.  Oh and mom is a tad bit over the fence in crazy town and I spent half the books trying to figure out if it was good or bad for Penryn.  If I trusted her enough to stay with her or if I wanted her to find her own path.  What?  She’s seriously coco for cocoa puffs.  I love it.  Such a great dynamic and the girl it has turned Penryn into, those classes and such turned out to be okay.  Maybe there is something to be said for crazy.

*****End of SPOILERS*****

Susan Ee was at YALLfest 2014
and it was so much fun to chat
with an author about her books,
her characters. Even wished my
brother an early Happy Birthday!

                Spoilers are over.  Back to safe topics like, I am so ready for the next book, the last book.  I gave both Angelfall and World After 5 Stars and hope to give the next one the same rating.  Yep the next book in the Penryn & the End of Days book, aptly titled End of Days will be the final installment in the trilogy.  I have very high expectations for this last book and hoping to wrap up several open stories that have kept me on the edge of my seat thus far.  End of Days is set to release May 12th.  Also at the start I mentioned today was the release of the final cover.  It was released at EW and you can click here to see it and if you're caught up read a one page exert. 

                While I wait to find out what happens with Penryn, Raffe, Paige, and everyone else I'd love to chat about the books.  Please share your thoughts below as usual I love hearing what everyone has to say about books. I hope to have more up for you soon.  Enjoy!