Every review will have spoilers!!!!!!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

5 Stars

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…



Jennifer Armentrout has done it again! I must say Onyx was a big hit! I might even say I loved it more than Obsidian! 
First off, I know some people don't care to read novellas and that's understandable, but I really suggest you read Shadows before going onto Onyx. Actually, I will say it's vital that you read Shadows before Onyx. If you don't some things just might not make sense to you. 
The character development in this book is awesome. Katy was strong and heroic in Obsidian, but she is that and so much more in Onyx. We get to see a different side of Daemon. Yes he's still a sarcastic jerk but we get to see a softer and deeper side to him. It made me fall even more in love with his character. 
In Onyx Katy starts realizing she has gained power, Luxen power. Her and Daemon don't really understand why until the "new kid", Blake, arrives into town. He finally lets out his secret, he's also a human that has been healed by a Luxen. And humans that are healed by Luxen are mutated. Some survive and some don't. But being a mutated human puts Katy, and all her friends, in big danger. 
But the biggest and most unthinkable happens! Katy sees Bethany with the DOD! Which means Dawson may be alive!! 
Katy and Daemon unlock many secrets in this book, and find some big surprises! 
The end had me crying with sadness and joy. 
Someone who they all loved and thought was gone forever, is back. And someone else they love dear, will be gone forever. 

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

3 Stars

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.




Just like the first two books of the serious Beautiful Chaos wasn't an easy read. I still wasn't sucked into the story, until the last couple of chapters. This whole series could be really great but the authors have the tendency to cram in so many details and secrets that after awhile you're confused. It has happened with every book! You don't fully understand everything until they finally start summarizing things in the last few chapters. 

In this book the apocalypse has hit Gatlin after Lena had destroyed The Order when she claimed herself both Light and Dark. There's drought, hundred degree weather, lubbers everywhere, Caster's not having control of their magic and worst of all Ethan is losing himself..literally! He starts forgetting things. He can't remember phone numbers, memories, he stops liking chocolate milk and Amma's cooking(heaven forbid!) and has crazy dreams of himself falling to his death. 
I do have to give them props for the ending, it actually makes me want to read the next book! Normally I will finish a series only because I'm stubborn and when I start something I will finish it, and these books have not left me excited and anxious to get the next one. I've been forcing myself to buy the next one. But SURPRISE, the end has me waiting for the next and final book Beautiful Redemption! 
I will warn you, the end is sad! Lots of emotions going on, and a BIG sacrifice! I do hope they conclude this series well. We'll see. 

Rachel Vincent's Autograph!

I should have posted this a long time ago! I totally didn't think about it. My friend was lucky enough to go to Rachel Vincent's book signing few months ago here in Texas. Unfortunately I couldn't go that day but she was sweet enough to get a copy signed for me! I was so excited and so grateful!! My first autographed book!!!! I'm so glad it was by one of my favorite authors! :) Thank you Jeannie for going through the trouble to get the book signed, and thank you Rachel Vincent for being kind enough to sign a book for me even though I couldn't make it!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

3 Stars


Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.





In this sequel to Beautiful Creatures Lena wasn't claimed on her 16th birthday. Everyone thought everything would be okay now. Except for the fact that Lena didn't go Dark, yet she didn't go Light either. 
She is still mourning the death of her Uncle Macon, which she also blames herself for his death. This makes her depressed, which ends up depressing Ethan. She starts pulling away from him more and more until she eventually leaves town with another guy, who isn't Mortal. I didn't like that Lena seemed to become such a complaining heroine in this book. Ethan starts hearing another song "Seventeen Moons" and realizes something big is going to happen. He gets a new friend, Liv, who is a Keeper-in-Training. Ethan, Liv and our brave Link go out to find Lena to bring her home. 
We find out a lot of surprises and twists in this book which was kind of exciting, yet exhausting. It was really hard to keep up with all the new secrets that were coming out.  
I do like this series and it is a good story, but for some reason it never sucks me in. I was hoping it was just the first book but the same happened with the second book. I normally read books within a day or two. I am a fast reader! But this book took me two weeks to finish! Holy cow! 
I don't know if the problem is there's just so much going on in the story or what. I know I'm not a huge fan of Ethan. Yes he's brave and mature, but the writing makes me feel like he's still a young kid. Also I really just don't like Lena. I wish Lena was more like Liv! They should make a book about Liv, Link, Ridley and Macon! They are the best parts of this whole book!