Review: Last Sacrifice

Title: Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6)
Author: Michelle Read
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 594
Challenge: YA Series
Source: Library
Retailer: B&N / Amazon


My Rating:

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come. Now the law has finally caught up with Rose--for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir. But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back . . . and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you? -summary from goodreads.com 

I had very high hopes for Last Sacrifice, and although I did enjoy it immensely, there were a couple of things that I wasn't to happy with. I guess you can say I had a love hate relationship with the book.

Ms. Mead managed to keep the mystery going all the way until the last chapter. Just when you thought you figured things out, she threw another wrench in the story. All the characters throughout the book weave and flow perfectly! Rose Hathaway is one of my favorite characters. Her sarcasm, naivety, humor and warrior attitude makes for an entertaining read in itself. I bawled my eyes out at the end when she confronts Adrian. Poor guy!

Now, although I absolutely loved the story and thought the ending was pretty much glorious, I was still left with a handful of unanswered questions. More than that, I feel like the story isn’t over, lots of plot holes were left open! I did not get that happy, fuzzy feeling after reaching the conclusion. This is the last book to one of my favorite series; I wanted all loose ends to tie up. I know there is going to be a spin-off series and all, but it's unfair for questions about this series to be answered in the spin-off series.

Some of my questions: *SPOILERS*

What’s going to happen to Tasha? Will she get executed, locked up, sent away? Call me evil, but after everything she did to Rose, I would have loved for her character to actually have been killed off during the final battle. Also, how does Christian feels about Rose turning in his aunt? It’s obvious he still cares because it is mentioned that he still visits her.

In the end, Rose asks Dimitri (after the bullet scene with Lissa) if he had been going in to save her or Lissa, and he answers that he doesn't know. WTF???? That's just so depressing! And Dimitri’s infamous “they come first” phrase. Ugh.

Speaking of whom; Rose and Dimitri did NOT even discuss the past matters in their relationship like when she went to Siberia, met his family, everything she did for him, his rejection of her after he was healed, etc. There were hints and small talk but nothing really clear.

Going back to Rose being shot by Tasha, NOBODY heals her! So we are led to believe that after everything, nobody tries to heal Rose and break into where she is being held (because of the lockdown)? They would have just let her die? Thankfully, she recovers by herself, but to top it all of, Rose is never even thanked by Lissa for saving her life.

Last Sacrifice was an exciting concluding book to the series, but I’ll be honest in saying that I was left wanting more! Everyone I talked to about this on twitter told me to be patient, that surely some of these questions would be answered in the spin-off books, but having read and reviewed BLOODLINES I am here to tell you that not many questions are answered….. But still, if you’re a die hard VA fan, you need to read this book ASAP! I don’t know why I waited so long.

My Book Boyfriend (2)

My Book Boyfriend is hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. Thanks to this meme we now get to gush over some of our favorite "Book Boyfriends", on a weekly basis :) Want to participate? Well head on over to Missie's blog and link up your post! Don't forget to include some stats, a picture of what you imagine your book boyfriend looks like and some swoon worthy quotes!

My pick this week:

Diren 

aka Ren 

From:
Tiger's Curse
(Tiger's Saga #1) by Colleen Houck

Ohhh Ren!.... Guys, I have a confession. I have a new crush. I've fallen in love with Diren!

I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again; if you haven't read Tiger's Curse yet, STOP what you are doing and grab it NOW! I've chosen Ren as my book boyfriend this week, mainly because I can't get him out of my head and secondly because I imagine him as Eduardo Verastegi (the younger version) who is totally swoon-worthy.

Just a small FYI: Ren was born in India to a Japanese mother, but was brought up speaking English. So without further a due, here's a little sample on the greatness that is Ren <3

Discription:

"He looked young, in his early twenties. He was taller than me by a head and had a strong, well-developed trim body that was clothed in loose white cotton garments. His long-sleeved shirt was untucked and carelessly buttoned, revealing a smooth, well-built golden-bronze chest. His lightweight pants were rolled at the ankles, emphasizing his bare feet. Glossy black hair swept away from his face and curled slightly at the nape of his neck. His eyes were what riveted me the most. They were my tiger’s eyes, the same deep cobalt blue." -Tiger's Curse

"The white shirt he wore was unbuttoned at the neck. It set off his golden-bronze skin and his brilliant white smile, making him positively lethal to any woman who might cross his path. He’s like…like James Bond, Antonio Banderas, and Brad Pitt all rolled into one." -Tiger's Curse

Gosh, doesn't this just SCREAM Ren?

Quotes:

"What were you saying to her about me?"

"I told her that we would be having our dessert…later.”

I laughed facetiously.

“You mean you will be having dessert later by yourself this evening because I am done eating with you.”

He leaned across the candle lit table and said, “Who said anything about eating , Kelsey?”

"He leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "I know what you're thinking, and I'm not going to let you escape again. You can either take a seat and have dinner with me like a normal date," he grinned at his word choice, "or," he paused thoughtfully then threatened, "you can sit on my lap while I force-feed you.”

“His eyes drifted leisurely back up to my face and he smiled at me appreciatively, 'Kelsey, when a man spends time with a beautiful woman, he needs to pace himself.' I quirked my eyebrow at him and laughed. 'Yeah, I’m a regular marathon alright.' He kissed my fingers. 'Exactly. A wise man never sprints…in a marathon.'"

Sooooo? What do you think.... yay or ney? :) Have you read Tiger's Curse? Who do you imagine as Ren!? Let me know!

Thanks again to Missie for hosting such a fun and smexy meme <3

Review: The Ghost and the Goth (The Ghost and the Goth #1)

Title: The Ghost and the Goth (The Ghost and the Goth #1)
Author: Stacey Kade
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Pages: 281
Challenge: None
Source: Own


My Rating:
 

Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead. I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker. I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation? -Summary from goodreads.com

Whatever you do, DO NOT let the cover or title of this book fool you. When I first saw this one I thought, “I’m not to sure.... It sounds SO cliché!”…. Trust me when I say that it might look like it’s going to be silly or just fluff, but The Ghost and the Goth has a good, complex plot with well-developed characters. It will pull you in instantly and won’t let go until you turn that last page.

The story is told in alternating perspectives. On one side we have Alona (typical blonde, gorgeous cheerleader) whom recently died and is now one of the newly dead. On the other side we get Will, (Goth boy extraordinaire) who can “see” the dead. I enjoyed reading the story from both perspectives; they were both very clear and distinct. Alona isn't a very sympathetic character in the beginning until you find out who she really (aka- what turned her into the bitch she is). Will is a sympathetic character from the beginning and I wanted him to find a way to deal with his situation.

While the book did have all the HS clichés, the author managed to make it a light, fun read with likable characters. I had thee biggest grin on my face while reading. The interaction between the protagonists is fun and yet touching. I was secretly rooting for their friendship to turn into something more. I just loved it when they were together! Their comradeship was entertaining and clever. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so funny and I definitely wasn’t expecting the supernatural plot twists to give it a darker feel at times. Can’t believe this was a debut for Ms. Stacey Kade, she did a phenomenal job. I'd love to read more about Alona and Will. Luckily for me, book 2 is sitting on my bookshelf, waiting to be devoured!

Falling Into Books blog hop giveaway

Hey guys, *waves*

I'm bacckkk! With a giveaway :) haha! The awesome Michelle over at Oh! For the love of books! has put together this great FALL blog hop. There are lots of other bloggers participating, so make sure and visit all the stops to see what everyone is giving away and enter to win!

As for meeee.....

I am giving away; DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth 

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances. -summary from goodreads.com

Giveaway Details:

-Must be a follower
-Leave a comment w/email

-Open to US & Canada 

Extra Entries: 
+1 Follow Michelle over
@Oh! For the love of books!
+1 Tweet about the giveaway
+1 Befriend me on Goodreads
+1 Befriend me on Facebook

(Max entries=5)

That's it! Thanks so much for stopping by! & don't forget to check out all the other participating blogs!

Melissa at My World...in Words and Pages
Lindy at Lindy Legends and Other Such Nonsense
Tia at Depression Cookies
Becky at Becky's Barmy Book Blog
Lulu at The Bookworm is here!
Kamol at In Which I Write Nonsensically
Jackie at My Ever Expanding Library
Molli at Once Upon A Prologue
Bastard at Bastard Books and other crap
Nellie at The Scribbling Pen
Amanda at Amanda's Writing
Saba at Of Thoughts and Words
Melissa at The Guardian Blogger

Review: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)

Title: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 386
Challenge: YA Series
Source: Netgalley


My Rating:

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl… -goodreads.com

The Iron Fey series is easily one of my favorite series of ALL-TIME! I love everything about it; the characters, the action, the romance…. LOVE IT <3 So you can imagine how excited I was when I heard that Ms. Kagawa would be publishing a 4^th novel; The Iron Knight…. I was SUPER stoked! Even more so when I heard it was going to be written from Ash’s point-of-view. Don’t get me wrong,  I was definitely a bit hesitant because I was so attached to Meghan, but I couldn't wait to get a look inside Ash's head. After having finished it a couple hours ago, I can safely say that TIK did not disappoint!

I'll start with an honest confession; while reading TIK, I fell in love with Ash even more. Even though he was raised to be a ruthless warrior and trained to keep his emotions in check, he truly does have a heart of gold. It was nice to see Ash's and Puck's so called "hatred" towards one another turn back into the friendship/comradeship they once had. I'll admit that the story did start off a bit slow, but it quickly picked up the pace. Plus, Puck's sense of humor was just wonderful, it made the story fun to read.

Overall, TIK is pretty much the perfect ending to the series. There was so much action and adventure... and not to mention that unexpected character re-introduction.... I seriously think my jaw dropped! At first I was a bit frightened, I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out. But all in all, everything that happens to Ash in this novel helps him grow overall as a person (So hang in there! Ash endures a lot, but its all for the better good.). Although I am so sad this series is over, I a very much contempt with the way things ended.

Review: Tiger's Curse (The Tiger Saga #1)

Title: Tiger's Curse (Tiger Saga #1)
Author: Colleen Houck
Publisher: Splinter
Pages: 416
Source: Own
Challenge: None


My Rating:

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.
Would you risk it all to change your destiny?
The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world.
But that's exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever. -Summary from goodreads.com

Hey guys,
As I mention in the video, this is my first attempt at a video review, so be kind :) This vlog will also count as my entry to Ms. Houck's ARC contest, wish me luck! This book ROCKED! Wanna know why? Watch the video and find out.

PS. If you have any suggestions on what I should and shouldn't do or mention in a video review, please let me know. Constructive criticism is appreciated :)

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. This meme spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection this week is:

CINDER

(Lunar Chronicles #1) 

Marissa Meyer

Feiwel & Friends

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.-summary from goodreads.com

Look at that cover! I love it :) and the book summary is just perfect. Not too much info, but enough to make me want it, now! I cannot wait. :)

A classic fairy tale, cyborgs and a dystopian setting?.... Yes, please! It needs to be January 2012, NOW! Want to read some early praise for CINDER? Check our Kry's fab review over at her blog, Bibliopunkk.

Review : Burned (House of Night #7)

Title: Burned (House of Night #7)
Author: PC & Kristen Cast
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
Pages: 364
Challenge: YA Series
Source: Personal Copy


My Rating:

Zoey Redbird is the youngest High Priestess in House of Night history and is the only person – vamp or fledgling – that can stop the evil Neferet from raising all kinds of immortal trouble. And she might just have a chance if she wasn’t so busy being dead. Well, dead is too strong a word. Stevie Rae knows she can bring her BFF back from her unscheduled va-cay in the Otherworld. But it’s going to take a lot more than hoping to bring Zoey back. Stevie Rae will have to give up a few secrets of her own . . .summary from goodreads.com

After reading this latest installment, I can safely say I am done with the House of Night series for good. The only reason I finished BURNED was out of loyalty. This was one of the series that got me back into reading. I loved the whole idea of boarding school for vampires with special powers (it was as if Twilight met Harry Potter). I loved Zoey and the nerd heard and loved reading about all the adventures they had, but lately, these past couple of books have not been living up to their predecessors.

One of the things that really bugged me in this book was the switching POV. I don't understand how a chapter in Zoey's POV would be in first person, but then the next chapter (or any chapter that wasn’t Zoey’s POV) would be in the third person. Does that make sense? It confused the heck out of me. If you’re going to use multiple POV’s at least make them work.

Another pet peeve of mine; what’s up with all the F-bombs? Aside from being totally inappropriate, it was such a distraction. I may not be a teen anymore, but I don’t remember saying fuck in every other sentence. It seemed to be like the Cast’s were trying too hard to get the “teenage voice” down. Also, the storyline was just too slow. I literally had to skip parts in hopes that the story would pick up the pace later on.

The only good thing I can say about BURNED is Stark. I love his character and I very much enjoyed his journey in this book. I respected the fact that he felt forced to go on this “mission” to save his queen (Zoey)…. And that little twist about having to defeat the evil within himself?! Totally surprised me, very clever. Was not expecting that.

Overall, I think it’s safe to say that I will not be continuing with the series. If by any chance I start to hear the series improves, (I mean, they are planning on having 12 books in the series, this is barely book 7), I might pick it back up. But I’ll most likely get it from the library. I’m done spending money on the House of Night novels.

In My Mailbox #8

For more info on IMM or to sign up/post your link, 

visit Kristi @The Story Siren.
(Button made by Missie @The Unread Reader) 

It's a bit longer than my usual IMM posts (I had a lot of books!) hopefully I don't bore you all too bad :) Thanks for watching. Make sure and share your IMM links below.

Books:
1. Divergent
2. The Eternal Ones
3. Gone
4. Clockwork Angel
5. Lola and the Boy Next Door
6. Glow
7. The Ghost and the Goth
8. Original Sin
9. Don't Stop Now

Blog's Mentioned:
Michelle @ Oh! For the Love of Books!

A big thank you to: 
Tara @ Hobbitsies
Camille @ Teen Book Fanatics
Crystal @ My Reading Room