Book Review: Everlost

All she ever dreamt of was to be human.

With one kiss, Tatiana has discovered a love for a man she’d hated—the prince of Natatoria. Through the botched rescue attempt by her father against this union, an army of rebels has revealed their identity and intentions—treason. When the King is fatally injured, Azor takes things into his own hands and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants: to be king. Including killing Tatiana’s father.

Jacob had always been loyal to the crown, that was until his brother‘s banishment to die on Bone Island without an explanation. Invited to help on a mission with Jack, leader of the underground army, Jacob learns the truth about the kingdom and of Jack’s daughter, a girl with beautiful blue eyes and a heart of gold. Falling for her—a promised princess—wasn’t supposed to happen.

Caught between the bond and her family, Tatiana, the future Queen, must overcome the promise to fight for what’s right and uncover the truths of the past or all will become Everlost.

I've been finishing a lot of series lately, and most recently that was Everlost by Brenda Pandos. It's book three in her mermaid trilogy. The first was Everblue, followed by Evergreen.

Everlost continued on the story that the first two set up. However, it almost felt like a companion novel. The first two books switched between Fin and Ash, alternating points of view. This book followed Tatiana while she was stuck in the mermaid's homeland, Natatoria. Despite that, I had no trouble diving right back into this world.

I really enjoyed Tatiana's story. While some of what happened was predictable, the world, rules, and customs that Brenda created were interesting. And there were some twists and turns that surprised me. I love that Tatiana was a strong character, a feminist while still having a girly side. Her struggle to overcome a bond that was forced on her was inspiring, showing that had control of her life, not some guy. Even if he was a prince.

I thought she wrapped the story up nicely, but that's not going to stop me from wishing that another novel (or even a short story) set in this world will pop up. I don't want to leave these characters. If you haven't read this series, now is the perfect time to check it out. Everblue is free for your Kindle, so get it today!

Book Review: Loki's Wolves

In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarök, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters--wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.

The gods died a long time ago.

Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.

However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.

When I heard that Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr were co-writing a novel, I didn't even care what the novel was about. They've long been my favorite authors, so I knew whatever they came up with would be brilliant. And... I was right! Loki's Wolves is the first book in their middle grade series, The Blackwell Pages. It follows Matt (a descendant of Thor) and Fen and Laurie (descendants of Loki) as they try to save the world.

Matt finds out early on that Ragnarök is upon them. The end of the world. And it's up to Matt, a middle schooler, to save everyone. If he can't stop Ragnarök, most everyone on Earth will die and an ice age will be upon them. When he finds out that his family might not want to stop the end of the world, he takes off to find the other descendants of the Norse gods to help him.

I really enjoyed this book. One of the best things about reading a book by Melissa Marr based in folklore or mythology is that I know it was done right. Melissa knows her stuff when it comes to lore, and I appreciate that. I love folklore and mythology, and nothing bugs me more than when it's screwed up.

Both Melissa and Kelley are amazing storytellers, and together they've created a fun, fast-paced book. It might be shelved in Middle Grade, but it can definitely be enjoyed by all ages. Pick this one up. You won't regret it.

Book Review: The Twilight Kingdom

What if a high-tech computer game was a gateway to the dangerous Realm of Faerie?

THEIR LAST CHANCE…

Jennet Carter and Tam Linn are almost out of time. Feyland, the most immersive computer game ever designed, is about to be released into the world—along with the Realm of Faerie’s dangerous magic.

WIN THE GAME…

The faeries, desperate to break free from their realm, have set treacherous plans in motion. Despite magical allies of their own, Jennet and Tam have no idea what dire threats await, both in-game and out.

OR DIE TRYING…

Battling for their lives against the united powers of the Dark Queen and Bright King, Jennet and Tam’s quest to stop the fey takes them into the perilous Twilight Kingdom, where illusion reigns—and magic can break all the rules.

The Twilight Kingdom is book three in the Feyland trilogy by Anthea Sharp. I was lucky enough to receive an arc, though it is out now. And I loved it. In book one, Jennet and Tam went up against the Dark Queen. In book two, it was the Bright King. But now the two monarchs have teamed up to open a portal to the mortal world for good. They are sent into the Twilight Kingdom to wake the elder fey to restore balance.

I love Jennet and Tam, and I've enjoyed watching their relationship grow. The interactions with all of the characters is great. The story is unique. And to top it off, Anthea uses faery lore correctly. And that, to me, is the most important aspect of any faery book. While this book may have commonalities with other modern YA faery books (i.e. Seelie and Unseelie courts, humans drawn into their world), this series is also unique. Did you see the part about gaming?

The faeries have tapped into the Feyland game, and are going to use that to drain mortals and feed the faeries. It's an interesting, fun twist that makes this series very unique. I highly recommend it. And if you haven't seen, I'm giving away an ebook trilogy right here. Check out the post below this one! Enter and good luck!

Book Review: Rampant

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns...

Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.

Or not.

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student ... an attraction that could jeopardize everything.

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund has sat on my shelf since it came out. And, somehow, it didn't manage to be read until now. So I put it on my challenge list of "Books-I-need-to-read-this-year-because-they've-been-sitting-on-my-shelf-too-damn-long." I'm a bit horrified at myself that it sat for so long, especially since I loved it so much!

Astrid Llewellyn lives with her mother above the garage of her Uncle John's house. She grew up with her cousin, Phillipa, who is only a few years older. They're more like sisters than cousins. And after Astrid saves her boyfriend's life after a unicorn attack, her mother sends her to Rome to train with other unicorn hunters. They are all girls, all virgins, and all descendants of Alexander the Great.

I really liked Astrid. She was very realistic in her thoughts and actions. The incredulity of finding out unicorns are real, even though her mother has told her about these killer monsters all her life. The unfairness of being sent to Rome to live with strangers and train to put her life in danger so she can kill unicorns. The fear and sickness she feels at taking the life of another. If I were in her shoes, I would probably have the same reactions. Though, without the unicorn hunter blood, I'd be useless in battle.

I really enjoyed the characters and the story, but I also enjoyed the setting. I spent ten days in Italy - 3 days in Rome - several years ago. While I'm not familiar with everything that was mentioned, there were some places Astrid saw that I'd been to. It's always exciting to me to know the setting of the book (like with books set in DC or Baltimore). I loved every bit of reading this book, and I can't wait to read Ascendant, "Errant" and "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Unicorn" from Zombies vs. Unicorns. And for the record, I'm firmly Team Unicorn.

In this world, not all unicorns are dangerous. To hunters, that is. All five types of unicorns are said to be ruthless killers. But the smallest type, the zhi, love the unicorn hunter. In fact, their love is what proves a girl worthy of being a hunter. My favorite character in this book is one such creature, a zhi named Bonegrinder. One of my favorite animals is a goat. And I have a friend who has a pet goat that acts very dog-like. Even plays fetch. So I imagined him a lot, since Bonegrinder reminded me of him. And I searched online to find a picture of what Bonegrinder looked like in my head. This is how I imagined her. You can visit the artist's page here. How could anyone not want a pet one of these adorable, beautiful creatures?

Go read Rampant. You won't be disappointed!

Book Review: Thirteen

The #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong delivers the novel her fans have been clamoring for: The epic finale of the Otherworld series.

It’s been more than ten years, a dozen installments, and hundreds of thousands of copies since Kelley Armstrong introduced readers to the all-too-real denizens of the Otherworld: witches, werewolves, necromancers, vampires, and half-demons, among others. And it’s all been leading to Thirteen, the final installment, the novel that brings all of these stories to a stunning conclusion.

A war is brewing—the first battle has been waged and Savannah Levine is left standing, albeit battered and bruised. She has rescued her half brother from supernatural medical testing, but he’s fighting to stay alive. The Supernatural Liberation Movement took him hostage, and they have a maniacal plan to expose the supernatural world to the unknowing.

Savannah has called upon her inner energy to summon spells with frightening strength, a strength she never knew she had, as she fights to keep her world from shattering. But it’s more than a matter of supernaturals against one another—both heaven and hell have entered the war; hellhounds, genetically modified werewolves, and all forces of good and evil have joined the fray.

Uniting Savannah with Adam, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope, and other lost-but-notforgotten characters in one epic battle, Thirteen is a grand, crowd-pleasing closer for Armstrong’s legions of fans.

Oh... mai... goddess... I'm going to apologize upfront for my fangirly review of Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong. She is a writing goddess. I've loved everything I've read of hers, and this last book is no different. I stayed up until after midnight, waiting for it to download on my Kindle. And I read for two hours, before sleeping until 9 and waking up to finish it. It was read, more or less, in one sitting.

Thirteen picks up right where Spell Bound left off, with Savannah drenched, Jeremy and Adam looking like they'd been playing in gravel, and Jaime... all neat and put-together. Jaime and Savannah run off in search of clothing, so Jeremy, Adam, and Bryce can come out of hiding. You don't want to be seen walking around near an explosion, looking like you were involved. But Jaime and Savannah are the two characters in this series that are most likely to get into trouble. They found trouble alright. Savannah is arrested, and to keep the team together, Jaime mock attacks one of the officers, and is carted off with her.

Things are not looking up for these two heroines when they're thrown in jail, without being booked, and find they aren't the only supernaturals at this police station. Something is definitely up.

I'm beyond sad that this is the final book in the series. I'm able to go on only because Kelley has promised us anthologies, novellas, short stories, and more novels (possibly... at one point in the future). I cried when I closed the book. Not because the ending is sad. But because it's over!!!!!! *re-read that last part very dramatically* I've read many series that ended with a weak book. And I've read many series that went way past where it should have ended. But I think Kelley did an amazing job wrapping this series up while leaving enough loose ends.

Things I personally loved about this book... While it was told from Savannah's point of view, Jaime, Eve, Elena, Paige, and Hope all had a chapter written from their point of view in third person. There was a lot of Jaime. And Jaime is my favorite character from this series. It brought together almost everyone from the entire series. Things I would've liked to see... More Paige. More Cassandra and Aaron. But all-in-all... one of the best books of the series.

And I can honestly say, I can't wait for the next book. Kelley has a novella (which I've pre-ordered from Subterranean Press) coming out this December. There is a reason to go on!

The Women of the Otherworld has been a favorite series of mine since there were only two books... which has been for about a decade. It breaks my heart that the series is done, but it's not completely over. Kelley has said there will be more novellas (frex, the one coming out this December) and short stories. If you haven't read these books yet, you're missing out:
1. Bitten
2. Stolen
3. Dime Store Magic
4. Industrial Magic
5. Haunted
6. Broken
7. No Humans Involved
8. Personal Demon
9. Living with the Dead
10. Frostbitten
11. Waking the Witch
12. Spellbound
13. Thirteen

Currently, there are two anthology collections:
Men of the Otherworld
Tales of the Otherworld

And don't forget to check out these novellas from Subterranean Press:
Angelic (available only as an ebook at this time)
Counterfeit Magic
Hidden
Forbidden (coming this winter)
Becoming (graphic novel)

Book Review: The Calling

Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. Plentiful action and romance in this second installment in the Darkness Rising series will keep readers enthralled to the very last page!

I love everything I've ever read by Kelley Armstrong, and The Calling is no different. I will honestly be surprised if I ever read anything of hers that I don't love. This one picked up right where The Gathering left off. Maya, Daniel, Hayley, Nicole, Sam, and Corey are on a helicopter being taken away from their home town as flames engulf the area. We know some of them are supernaturals, and our main character knows there's a reason the six of them are on this chopper. And the reason isn't good. None of the adults can be trusted.

They fight to escape the bad guys and find the truth about who they are. But who are the bad guys? The St. Clouds? The Nasts? They can't even trust some of their parents. Like Kelley's other YA books, and The Women of the Otherworld series (adult books set in the same world), this story is a non-stop ride, full of action and adventure, mystery and suspense. We're reading through Maya's eyes, so like this skinwalker, we aren't sure who to trust or where to turn next. The twists and turns just keep coming. There are still many questions left unanswered and new problems have arisen.

I'm very excited to read The Rising, the conclusion to the Darkness Rising trilogy. And I'm even more excited to see Maya and Chloe's groups meet up. If you haven't read anything by Kelley Armstrong, you are seriously missing out. In addition to The Darkest Power and the Darkness Rising trilogies, she has short stories in The Eternal Kiss, Kisses From Hell, and Enthralled. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Book Review: Clockwork Prince

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

If you've been reading this blog for a while, then you know I'm a big fan of Cassandra Clare's books. And I think Clockwork Prince is my favorite. We return to Victorian London, well... the steampunk version of Victorian London where Tessa, Will, and Jem are helping the Institute find Mortmain. In Clockwork Angel this creepy villain came after Tessa with his clockwork creatures, but then he disappeared.

One thing I love about this series are the characters. Tessa is a great heroine, and I absolutely adore Jem. Another thing I love is this world. While I love the modern comforts of my home, I wouldn't mind visiting this world for a few days. The third thing I love is how this story keeps me guessing. There are so many twists and turns that just when you think you know what's going to happen, Cassie Clare pulls the rug out from under you. I like The Mortal Instruments series, but I love this one so much more.

I could gush some more, but you all probably don't want to read that. Be sure to check out the shorts that go along with this series. You can find them on Cassie's website. We only have seven more months to wait til Clockwork Princess, and be sure to stay tuned for the release of the three-book manga series. Book one hits this year!

Book Review: Hidden

Hiking through the snow, holiday baking and playing board games by the fire – what’s not to love about an old-fashioned family Christmas?

Werewolves Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers want to give their four-year-old twins, Kate and Logan, something their parents never had: a nice, normal holiday. No Pack responsibilities, no homicidal half-demons or power-hungry sorcerers to deal with – just the four of them, alone, at a chalet outside Ontario’s Algonquin Park.

Then a strange werewolf shows up at their door…while the town is buzzing about a young man, back from college, found half-eaten in the woods. And there’s the missing little girl …

With all the signs pointing to a rogue mutt with a taste for human flesh, Elena and Clay have no choice but to investigate. But are they the hunters – or the hunted?

I am a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong. I jump all over everything she writes, so forgive me if this review is a bit fangirly. Hiddenis a novella, the third that Kelley has written which was published through Subterranean Press. The picture above is the cover for the trade edition, but being the fan that I am, I have the limited edition, the cover to your right.

Despite me being a huge fan of Kelley's and the Otherworld, I am not a huge fan of Elena Michaels Danvers. And I say that because she was Kelley's first character and typically the most popular. Elena has narrated Bitten, Stolen, Broken, and Frostbitten in the past. And Hidden has been my favorite story revolving around the pack.

Elena and Clay have taken their kids on a Christmas vacation, and will spend Christmas, for the first time, as just the four of them. I love the twins. Kate and Logan are about four or five, but they act much older. They are much smarter than the average preschooler. Too smart for their own good. They're very inquisitive.

I think the twins may have been the biggest reason Hidden is my favorite Elena narrative. They make the entire story much more fun, and they bring out sides of the pack members we've not seen before. We've seen Clay, Elena, and Nick in action before, but now they're Dad, Mom, and Uncle Nick. Another thing I loved about this novel is Reese. He was introduced in Frostbitten and has a short story called "Chivalrous", and I absolutely adore him. So I was glad to see him included so much here.

If you haven't read the series, this novella may not be for you. It's definitely geared towards fans. And if you haven't read the book, you won't have near enough back story. But that's no problem, as this series is amazing. Thirteen, the thirteenth and final novel in the Women of the Otherworld series comes out this summer, so now is the perfect time to pick up Bitten and cruise right on through this amazing series.

Book Review: The Harp of the Grey Rose

He is the Songweaver, but before he was a master of song he was merely Cerin of Wran Cheaping—a seventeen-year-old orphan raised by a wildland witch. Then he encountered the Maid of the Grey Rose—the lone survivor of the war that devastated the Trembling Lands and the promised bride of Yarac Stone-Slayer, the feared and terrible Waster. The mysterious beauty captured Cerin’s heart, drawing him into a world both dark and deadly, until, armed with only a tinkerblade and the magic of song, he would take on a man’s challenge . . . and choose a treacherous path toward a magnificent destiny. The Harp of the Grey Rose is award-winning fantasist Charles de Lint’s first novel, long out of print—and it hints of the wonderful stories to come.

Book Review: The Riddle of the Wren

Minda Sealy is afraid of her own nightmares. Then, one night, while asleep, she meets Jan, the Lord of the Moors, who has been imprisoned by Ildran the Dream-master-the same being who traps Minda. In exchange for her promise to free him, Jan gives Minda three tokens. She sets out, leaving the safety of her old life to begin a journey from world to world, both to save Jan and to solve "the riddle of the Wren"-which is the riddle of her very self. The Riddle of the Wren was Charles de Lint's first novel, and has been unavailable for years. Fans and newcomers alike will relish it.

Review

Short Story Review: Dark Beauty

For fifteen-year-old Seeker, Isabelle Crowe, ridding the Houston streets of the undead is an inherited duty, passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. During her first night without her mentor, she encounters Abram, a more experienced Seeker from Chicago looking to avenge his cousin's death. Isabelle quickly learns she must work with Abram to protect her city. With one Seeker already dead, Isabelle's love of the hunt becomes a fight to survive.

"Dark Beauty" is a short story prequel to the novel Dark Seeker by Taryn Browning. Isabelle is a Seeker, trained to hunt vampires. On her first night out alone, she runs into another Seeker. He's in Houston tracking something. Not vampires. Something new. Something worse. Isabelle's not too keen on this new Seeker, but agrees to work with him to destroy this new vampiric race.

"Dark Beauty" was a bit too predictable for my taste. I often felt like I knew what was going to happen before it did. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. They felt more like stereotypes then actual characters. This could be due to the fact that it was a short story. I plan on reading Dark Seeker and hope I enjoy it more than this short story.

Book Review: Frostbitten

Meet the smart, sexy — supernatural — women of the otherworld.

For Elena Michaels, being the world’s only female werewolf has its advantages, such as having her pick of the Otherworld’s most desirable males. And she couldn’t have picked a more dangerously sexy and undyingly loyal mate than Clayton Danvers. But now their bond will be put to the ultimate test. A werewolf more wolf than human and more unnatural than supernatural—a creature whose origins spring from ancient legend—is hunting human prey, and Elena and Clayton must track the predator deep into Alaska’s frozen wilderness.

But the personal stakes are even higher. Either Clayton or Elena has been chosen to become the new Pack leader, and every wolf knows that there can be only one Alpha. The couple have always been equals in everything. Now, when their survival depends more than ever on perfect teamwork, will instinct allow one of them to lead and the other to follow?

Elena Michaels returns to narrate book ten of the Women of the Otherworld series, Frostbitten. It begins as she chases a mutt, Reese Williams, a werewolf from Australia. She and Clay follow him to Alaska. Naturally, he’s afraid they want to kill him. When in fact they want to protect him.

Also in Alaska… wolf killings. More specifically… werewolf killings. Nick, Antonio, and Jeremy all make their way to Alaska, so the pack can work together to put a stop to the killings. But what they find there aren’t just werewolves, but something similar. Is it a new type of supernatural? Or a supernatural that predates werewolves, who’ve been hiding all this time? The Otherworld continues to grow and expand, adding new characters and races.

While I enjoyed this installment more than Hope’s stories, it was far from my favorite. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Elena or Clay. Both are considered favorites to many of Kelley’s fans. But, regardless, the book was written by Kelley Armstrong, and that means wonderful writing, interesting, fast-paced storytelling, definitely not to be missed.

Book Review: City of Glass

To save her mother’s life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters—never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family’s past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he’s willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City—whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the third installment of bestselling series the Mortal Instruments.

City of Glass is the third installment in the Mortal Instruments trilogy by Cassandra Clare. Jocelyn Fray is still in a magically-induced coma, and Clary and Jace travel to the City of Glass in the hopes of saving her. Clary uncovers more and more about her family’s history and ends up coming face to face with her father. The evil Valentine.

I enjoyed this book much more than the previous two. It was less predictable and I didn't hate the main characters, Jace and Clary, as much as in the past. Jace was more caring and Clary less whiny. Simon continues to be my favorite character. I love his scenes with Maia. I’m definitely rooting for these two to get together.

As it turns out, this is yet another trilogy is continuing with three more books. Basically, there are two trilogies in a series of six books. City of Fallen Angels recently hit shelves. And don’t forget to check out book one in The Infernal Devices series, Clockwork Angel. It’s set in the same world, only many years prior to The Mortal Instruments.

Book Review: City of Ashes

As readers of series starter City of Bones already know, teenager Clary Fray is a Shadowhunter, a demon slayer who has the gift (?) of spotting Downworlder werewolves, vampires, and faeries. She is also an adolescent in an abnormally dysfunctional family: Her mom is in a magically induced coma and her father is probably insane and undoubtedly evil. All of which places Clary in situations that would challenge even the most talented average American girl.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare picks up right where City of Bones leaves off. Clary is a Shadowhunter whose job, along with Jace, Alec, and Isabel, is to hunt Downworlders. Downworlders include vampires, werewolves, faeries, and a number of different types of demon. As if that isn't enough her mother is in a magically induced coma and her father is likely the big baddie.

One thing I enjoyed more about this book was the faeries. They weren't really in City of Bones, but here we get to see the Seelie Court. Another is Simon the vampire. Even better than Simon the human. And he wasn't panting after Clary as much here. A big step up for him.

Much like the first, it was terribly predictable. The writing wasn't that great. I hate Jace and Clary even more. But Cassandra Clare still managed to write a novel that I can't put down. It's fast-paced and exciting and left me begging for City of Glass.

Book Review: City of Bones

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.

City of Bones is Cassandra Clare's debut and book one of The Mortal Instruments. Our main character, Clary Fray, finds herself a witness to murder by three teens covered in strange tattoos. These teens, Shadowhunters, are invisible to humans, so why can Clary see them?

Jace, Isabel, and Alec are Shadowhunters who protect the world by killing demons. Clary has questions, and the only person who can answer them has been kidnapped. She and her friend, Simon, are pulled into this new world that neither knew existed. And now it's up to her, and her new friends, to find her mother and find answers to her many questions.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The writing itself was only okay, but it was fun, if not too predictable. I was not a fan of Clary. She was much too whiny. And Jace, the main love interest and second main character, was a d-bag. So it says something for the story that I can enjoy a book while hating the two main characters. Simon was crush-worthy. And I enjoyed Isabel, Alec, and Max... three siblings of the family who has more or less adopted Jace. And Magnus, the warlock, was a lot of fun.

As soon as I finished this one, I grabbed book two, City of Ashes.

Book Review: Living with the Dead

Meet the smart, sexy — supernatural — women of the otherworld.

The men and women of the Otherworld live unseen among us. For the most part, mere mortals never suspect their existence—and that’s the way they want it. But now a reckless killer has torn down the wall between our worlds, trapping one very vulnerable, and very mortal, woman in the supernatural cross fire.

Robyn Peltier moved to Los Angeles shortly after her young husband’s sudden and unexpected death. Her hope was that her hectic new life as the PR consultant to a spoiled celebutante would provide a distraction from her grief. But when her client is murdered, Robyn finds herself on the run as the prime suspect. And as more bodies pile up around her, it seems only her friend, tabloid journalist Hope Adams, is on her side.

But Hope and her somewhat spooky boyfriend Karl know it’s just a matter of time before Robyn is caught. For she’s gotten herself in the middle of a turf war between two Otherworld races who’ll spill any amount of blood—human and inhuman—to protect what they consider theirs for eternity. And the only way Hope can save her friend is by letting her enter a world she’s safer knowing nothing about.

Hope is back in Living with the Dead, book nine in the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. Her first book (Personal Demon) was unusual, what with the fact that she co-narrated the novel. This book has five points of view. But not first person. This is the only novel to date that Kelley has written in third person. The five points of view include Hope, Finn, Robyn, and clairvoyants Adele and Colm.

Hope’s best friend Robyn, a human, is caught up in a supernatural life and death situation. She’s the target of a community of clairvoyants. Up until now, we’ve rarely seen clairvoyants. We know they exist, but like the werewolves in the beginning, they live in a world, separate from other supernaturals. They’re dying out, and they want to preserve their bloodlines and only mate with other clairvoyants. As they’ve reproduced with humans and other supernaturals, their powers have decreased as generations passed.

Honestly, my favorite part of this book was the clairvoyants. Most of the time, a clairvoyant’s power is to see the future. Not so in this world. If one of them has an article of your clothing, a necklace or ring, or any other personal item of yours, they can see through your eyes. They see what you see. Which makes it awfully hard to escape when one is coming after you. Which just happens to be Robyn’s dilemma.

But if she’s on the run from cops who think she killed her client, why are clairvoyants after her? She has only one person, her best friend Hope, on her side. Well… Hope and her good-for-nothing (my opinion) boyfriend, Karl Marsten. I enjoyed Hope and this book much more than the previous installment. Living with the Dead is so different from the rest of the series it really stands out from the others. It takes a really good writer to keep things just as exciting as we near the double digit mark in a series.

Book Review: Personal Demon

Meet the smart, sexy — supernatural — women of the otherworld.

Tabloid reporter Hope Adams appears to live the life of an ordinary working girl. But in addition to possessing the beauty of a Bolly-wood princess, Hope has other unique traits. For she is a half demon- a human fathered by a demon. And she's inherited not only a gift for seeing the past but a hunter for chaos- along with a talent for finding it wherever she can. Naturally, when she's chosen by a very dangerous group for a very dangerous mission, she jumps at the chance...

The head of the powerful Cortez Cabal- a family that makes the mob look like amateurs- has a little problem in Miami: a gang of wealthy, bored offspring of supernaturals is getting out of hand, and Hope is needed to infiltrate them. As spells, astral projections, and pheromones soar across South Beach, Hope weaves her way through its elite hot spots, posing as upscale eye candy and reading the auras of the clientele- and potential marks.

Hope, the narrator for Personal Demon by Kelley Armstrong, is our newest addition to the Otherworld. She was originally introduced in “Chaotic” a novella in Dates from Hell, and then reintroduced in No Humans Involved. She’s a twenty-something chaos demon. She has a talent for finding chaos, and once she does she is taken by visions. Visions of murder, rape, abuse… and she enjoys them. It comes with being Lucifer’s daughter.

She is recruited by the Cortez cabal, by Benicio himself, to infiltrate a group of supernaturals. Hope is not our only narrator. For the first time in this series, we get two narrators, and the second is male. Lucas Cortez! My favorite guy in the series. And through him we get to see a bit more into the world of cabals. Story wise, I have to say this wasn’t my favorite. Hope is my least favorite woman of the Otherworld, so this one probably ranks in last. That being said, it’s still a fun installment and should not be missed. 

Book Review: Broken

Meet the smart, sexy — supernatural — women of the otherworld.

In this thrilling new novel from Kelley Armstrong, a pregnant werewolf may have unwittingly unleashed Jack the Ripper on twenty-first-century—and become his next target.

Ever since she discovered she’s pregnant, Elena Michaels has been on edge. After all, she’s never heard of another living female werewolf, let alone one who’s given birth. But thankfully, her expertise is needed to retrieve a stolen letter allegedly written by Jack the Ripper. As a distraction, the job seems simple enough—only the letter contains a portal to Victorian London’s underworld, which Elena inadvertently triggers—unleashing a vicious killer and a pair of zombie thugs.

Now Elena must find a way to seal the portal before the unwelcome visitors get what they’re looking for—which, for some unknown reason, is Elena.

Kelley Armstrong's Broken is my favorite Elena novel out of the four. She and Clayton are expecting twins, and life is anything but normal. Elena accidentally opens a portal by activating a spell on a letter written by Jack the Ripper. "Kill a bug, launch the apocalypse."

Granddaddy-to-be, Jeremy Danvers and fellow pack members, Antonio and Nick Sorrentino join them on their Toronto adventure. Diseased rats, zombies, the plague... when the portal was opened, it brought along with it issues from Victorian London. The last time a portal was opened (in Industrial Magic) Paige and Lucas called Jaime. So the pack calls in our favorite necro, Jaime Vegas. She shows up, without a moment's hesitation to aide the pack. Mostly because of her seemingly hopeless crush on the smexy alpha.

With a vow to not be possessed or kidnapped this time, the pack accepts her help. Together they work to close the portal and restore Toronto to normal. Along the way we meet Zoe Takano, hot Asian vamp and her friend Tee... an insane necromancer, which forces Jaime to literally face her worst fear, the fate of most necros... madness.

Elena's pregnancy professes faster than normal, due to her being a werewolf, Clay is injured by a decomposing zombie, and Jeremy and Jaime grow closer. But can they stop an evil sorcerer and close the portal before Toronto is destroyed?

Another exciting installment of The Women of the Otherworld. Be sure to check out this amazing series!

Book Review: Haunted

Meet the smart, sexy — supernatural — women of the otherworld.

Eve Levine — half-demon, black witch and devoted mother — has been dead for three years. She has a great house, an interesting love life and can’t be killed again — which comes in handy when you’ve made as many enemies as Eve. Yes, the afterlife isn’t too bad — all she needs to do is find a way to communicate with her daughter, Savannah, and she’ll be happy.

But fate — or more exactly, the Fates — have other plans. Eve owes them a favor, and they’ve just called it in. An evil spirit called the Nix has escaped from hell. She feeds on chaos and death, and is very good at persuading people to kill for her. The Fates want Eve to hunt her down before she does any more damage, but the Nix is a dangerous enemy — previous hunters have been driven insane in the process. As if that’s not problem enough, the only way to stop her is with an angel’s sword. And Eve is no angel. . .

In Haunted by Kelley Armstrong we meet Eve Levine, dark witch and half demon. She's been mentioned in the previous three books as Savannah's deceased mother. She lost her life a bit before Stolen when she and her daughter were captured.

Considering the fact that our narrator is dead, this novel takes place in the supernatural afterlife. She is sent on a mission by the Fates to catch Nix. And she needs help from our side. Which sends her straight to our favorite necro, Jaime Vegas. "Eve Levine. On a mission from God. I really must be wearing my stupid face today." After Eve gets rid of a pesky, headless spook, Jaime agrees to help.

Eve is a fun character. Strong and kick-ass. She has some similar qualities to Elena. Even with her demon father and dark magic ways, she's a good mother and an awesome addition to our cast of Otherworld characters. In the afterlife, she has reconnected with Kristof Nast, her daughter’s father. One thing I really enjoyed was her friendship with Jaime. They couldn't be more different, but they work together fabulously. The other thing I really enjoyed was the creepiness in some of the scenes in the afterlife. Scariest book of this series.