Chosen at Nightfall

Spoilers! Read the first four books in C.C. Hunter’s Shadow Falls series (Born at Midnight, Awake at Dawn, Taken at Dusk, and Whispers at Moonrise) before proceeding with this post. I will be writing a bit about Chosen at Nightfall, the fifth and final book in this series, and I don’t want to ruin things for you…but I will. (You may also want to take a look at two Shadow Falls novellas, Turned at Dark and Saved at Sunrise. They shed some light on one of the most interesting characters in this series.)

If it’s not readily apparent, I finished reading Chosen at Nightfall earlier today. I’ve been enamored of this series since I first got my hands on an ARC of Born at Midnight about two and a half years ago. Today, I concluded my journey with these characters (or at least some of them). This finale was chock-full of action, conflict, and danger, but it also contained it’s fair share of levity, friendship, and, yes, romance. Many of the questions that plagued me throughout the first four books were answered in this one, and several problems were resolved. Some of my predictions from previous books came true. Others…not so much. All in all, Chosen at Nightfall was a great conclusion to a series that I’ve truly enjoyed. I hope you’ll feel the same.

Kylie Galen finally knows what she is. As a chameleon, she possesses gifts from all supernatural species…along with a few others that are unique to her kind. And even more that are unique to her. While staying with her grandfather and great-aunt, Kylie’s learning a great deal about her species, but she’s finding life with the other chameleons rather difficult. She doesn’t fit in here like she did at Shadow Falls, and she’s viewed with a certain amount of distrust. What’s a girl to do?

Well, if you’re Kylie Galen, fate has a way of stepping in and making your decisions for you. When Mario, a powerful and evil chameleon, returns with the intent to wreak havoc in Kylie’s life, it becomes clear that she must return to Shadow Falls for her own protection. Her grandfather disagrees with Kylie’s decision to return to the camp/school that is her true home, but it’s really not up to him. Kylie makes a getaway from the chameleon compound and, even though she encounters her share of danger in the process, returns to Shadow Falls…and to the two young men who are fighting to win her heart.

Derek, the half-fae who can feel Kylie’s emotions, and Lucas, the werewolf who broke her heart. How can Kylie choose between these two guys when she’s got so much other stuff to worry about? It’s not like she’s super busy with anything like finding a way to help the teen chameleons who want more freedom, or dealing with a sword-wielding ghost who shows up at inconvenient times and wants her to kill someone, or trying to figure out why her mom’s boyfriend gives her the creeps, or helping her friends with their love lives, or, you know, learning to fight so that she’ll be ready to face Mario again. No, she’s got plenty of time to worry about deciding between Derek and Lucas, both of whom have given her reason to distrust them. (Where’s a sarcasm font when you need one?) Does she want either of them after everything that’s happened? (Yes, she does, in case you were wondering.) Who truly holds her heart, and can she get past her own issues–and his–to make things really work?

Boy problems aside, Kylie has a life or death battle on her hands. She knows that she must be the one to face Mario, but she doesn’t know if she has the strength or will to destroy a being so powerful…without losing her own life in the process. Kylie will have to use everything she’s learned and all the connections she’s made–to both the living and the dead–to get out of this one with her life and her sanity intact. Will it be enough? Will she finally be able to rid herself of this enemy that has tormented her for so long? The time of reckoning is fast approaching, and it seems that fate is not done with throwing some surprises Kylie’s way…

I hope that the few paragraphs above have intrigued you or whetted your appetite for this book and the others in C.C. Hunter’s Shadow Falls series. If you decide to give the series a try, I honestly don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It’s a great ride for anyone who likes some supernatural teen angst with a bit of action, mystery, and romance thrown in. And even though the characters in these books are paranormal beings, they relate to each other (most of the time) like typical teenagers. They have problems with their parents, they think about sex, they break the rules, and they’re trying to figure out who they are.

I’m happy to report that this is not the last we’ve seen of at least some of the Shadow Falls characters. According to a small teaser at the back of my copy of Chosen at Nightfall, a series is in the works that revolves around your favorite vampire and mine, Della Tsang. (If you’re already a fan of this series, you know that the two Shadow Falls novellas deal with some of her backstory.) I’m hoping we’ll see more information about this on C.C. Hunter’s website soon!

That’s all for now folks! I’ll leave you with this absolutely fantastic book trailer for Chosen at Nightfall. Truthfully, it’s so good that it made me want to read the book all over again!

*I hesitate to recommend this book to middle grade readers, simply because I know some parents frown on cursing and frank talk of sex…both of which are present in this series. (Truthfully, I think a lot of people are a bit too prudish about such things. If you think middle school students don’t curse or talk about sex, well…you’ve never worked in a middle school. That’s all I’m saying.) As with any other book or series, know your readers, and recommend books accordingly. Knight Reader out.*

Darkness Before Dawn

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope that all of you have had a wonderful day (regardless of whether or not you celebrate this holiday). I spent the majority of the day with my wonderful family, ate WAY too much, took a nap, watched some Doctor Who, and, finally, I finished a book. Not a bad way to spend the day!

The book I’ve been reading the past couple of days is Darkness Before Dawn by the mother-son writing team known as J.A. London. I freely admit that I picked up this book because of the cover–something that has been known to get me into trouble from time to time. The cover reminded me a great deal of the covers for Lauren Kate’s Fallen series (fabulous books, by the way). Well, this book wasn’t quite like Fallen, and I didn’t think the cover really fit the story, but Darkness Before Dawn was a decent book, and the action did keep me turning the page. (I can’t say that about other books I’ve read.) It is a vampire book, and it has some Twilight-esque elements, but it’s much darker than some of the vampire romance fluff that’s out there right now. The tone of Darkness Before Dawn reminded me a little of Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death (which I wasn’t a huge fan of). Things are very bleak, there’s very little hope, but one girl is doing what she can–even consorting with the enemy–to bring peace to her world.

Following the horrifying death of her parents, seventeen-year-old Dawn Montgomery has been appointed as the new Agency delegate to negotiate with Lord Valentine, the feared vampire who controls what has become of the city of Denver. It is Dawn’s responsibility to keep the peace between vampires and humans. Basically, this means that she kowtows to the whims and wishes of Valentine, including doing everything possible to increase the city’s blood donations to the vampires they at once fear and loathe. Dawn wishes there were a way to end humanity’s subservience to the vampires, but she doesn’t see a way to get out from under Valentine’s thumb long enough to broker any semblance of a peace deal. All that may be about to change, though…

One night, after a party on the outskirts of town, a mysterious boy comes to Dawn’s rescue. His name is Victor, and he saves Dawn and her best friend, Tegan, from being killed by a pack of vampires. Dawn doesn’t know much about Victor, but she’s grateful to him and oddly drawn to him, even though she has a boyfriend. Soon, though, Dawn discovers the truth of Victor’s real identity. He’s a vampire, and his full name is Victor Valentine. That’s right. He’s the horrible Lord Valentine’s son. But Victor is not the monster that his father is. He, like Dawn, wants a world where vampires and humans can live in peace, and he’s doing all that he can to make that a reality. Victor implores Dawn to see him as more than an evil bloodsucker, and, eventually, she realizes that there is more to him than she ever thought possible. There’s more to her feelings for him, too. As you can imagine, things are about to get really complicated…

As Dawn and Victor fight their feelings for each other while doing their parts to fight for peace, new and unexpected monsters are invading the city. It seems a new breed of vampire is on the loose, one that no one really knows how to fight. One that seems to have Dawn in his sights. What does he want with her? Is she a target because she’s the delegate, or is there some other reason that Dawn is always being watched? And what will happen when it’s revealed that someone close to Dawn may not be who he claims to be? Could there be an even more sinister foe waiting to destroy Dawn’s entire world? Sometimes there are reasons to be afraid of the dark. Find out how Dawn deals with those fears when you read Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London.

When I first started reading this book, I was prepared not to like it. Honestly, I though, “Not another cheesy vampire book!” In a sense, I was right. It was fairly predictable, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. Yes, it was dark and a bit depressing at times. Yes, the story didn’t offer too many answers to questions. (It’s the first book in a series, so that shouldn’t shock me too much.) Everything about this book was easy to anticipate, but that didn’t stop me from turning the next page. I needed to see if my predictions were correct. (They nearly always were.) This is not the loftiest of literature, but it does keep the reader interested, and that’s really all anyone can ask.

Fans of YA vampire fiction will enjoy this book. Be cautious when recommending this book to middle grade readers. There’s some cursing, alcohol use, and a couple of steamy scenes (especially if you have a decent imagination). I’m not naive enough to think that some middle schoolers aren’t familiar with this things, but know your readers and which ones can handle mature situations in the books they read.

For more information about Darkness Before Dawn, visit http://www.jalondon.com/. The second book in the series, Blood-Kissed Sky, is already out. (I’ve already read the first chapter. It was at the end of the first book, which ended on such a cliffhanger that I couldn’t pass up the chance to see what happened next.) The third book, After Daybreak, will be out on June 25th.

Clockwork Princess

By the Angel, I don’t even know where to begin. Unless you really haven’t been paying attention, you already know that I am absolutely nuts about anything written by Cassandra Clare. Seriously, the woman could rewrite the dictionary, and I would not only buy it, but I’d also want a first edition autographed copy. It should surprise no one, then, that I rushed to the nearest bookstore after school on Tuesday, purchased Clockwork Princess, the final(?) book in Cassie Clare’s Infernal Devices trilogy, and commenced with the reading. It may, however, surprise some that I didn’t finish the book until last night. Honestly, I’m surprised myself, but my need for sleep and, you know, having to go to work prevented me from reading until I dropped. (I’m not as young as I used to be.) Also, I kind of wanted to prolong the exquisite agony…because that’s exactly what this book was.

Based on everything (and I do mean everything) I read on Twitter, Tumblr, and any other source I could find, I had an idea that Cassie would break my heart in Clockwork Princess, and I was absolutely correct. I’m not going to tell you what happened in the book, but suffice it to say that I just about went through an entire box of Kleenex. (I’m beginning to think that Cassie Clare is in league with Stephen Moffat. Clearly, these two individuals are trying to do me in with all the feels.) I did some serious crying during this book. We’re talking wracking, Reichenbach-Fall, weeping-angels-take-the-Ponds-away-from-the-Doctor, intense sobbing. My eyes are still kind of red. It was awesome.

If you’ve been following the Infernal Devices series at all, you know that things are coming to a head with Tessa, Jem, and Will. On top of all their love triangle stuff, the evil Mortmain is waging war against all Shadowhunters. In Clockwork Princess, questions are answered about Mortmain’s motives, Tessa’s origins, the bond between Jem and Will, and so many other things. I can’t begin to go into everything that happened in this book, partially because I’m afraid I’ll start weeping again but also because I don’t want to take any of this reading experience away from anyone. (Someone accidentally posted a spoiler on my Twitter page, and let’s just say that I am less than happy with that person. I can’t do that to someone else.)

It’s enough to say that this perfect book is perfect. Even though my heart felt like it was being split in two, I felt that everything happened as it should have, and I’m looking forward to City of Heavenly Fire, the final book in the Mortal Instruments series, even more now. (Sadly, we have to wait another year for what I’m sure will be yet another amazing book. Curses! Luckily, we have the City of Bones movie and some novellas all about Magnus Bane to get us through!) I can only hope that we’ll see more of some beloved Infernal Devices characters (and I won’t say who!) in Cassie’s upcoming books.

For those who haven’t yet experienced any of the Mortal Instruments or Infernal Devices books, I don’t know what else I can do to convince you. Get thee to a bookstore or library, or download these fantastic books on whatever ereader you prefer. I don’t care how you read these books. Just read them! You can thank me later.

Halflings

In less than two weeks, I’ll be attending the annual conference of the South Carolina Association of School Librarians.  At this gathering of librarians, I’ll be leading a couple of sessions.  One is on blogging in the elementary school library, and the other is a question and answer session with a few YA authors:  Sophie Jordan (Firelight, Vanish, and Hidden), Julie Halpern (Into the Wild Nerd Yonder), and Heather Burch, author of the Halflings series.

I’ll be perfectly honest with you.  Heather Burch wasn’t even on my radar until I heard that she would be attending this year’s SCASL Conference.  When I was asked to facilitate this author panel, I knew, however, that I would need to read at least one of her books to be really effective.  I finally did that this week.  In fact, I finished the first book in her Halflings series about an hour ago.  It was good, but, in a lot of ways, it left more questions unanswered than not.  I guess this is a sure way to get readers to check out the next book.

Nikki Youngblood is in danger, but even she is unsure of just what is after her.  When she’s nearly killed by what can only be described as hellhounds–and she’s rescued by beings she believes to be angels–she comes to realize that the dangers she’s facing are more horrible–and unearthly–than she could have ever imagined.

Nikki wasn’t exactly rescued by angels, however.  The three “boys” she came into contact with are known as Halflings.  They are half-human, half-angel and are considered outcasts in Heaven and on Earth.  These Lost Boys do have a purpose, though.  Mace, Raven, and Vine are on a heavenly journey to protect Nikki–or someone close to her.  But why?  What is so special about this teenage girl?  Why is she now a target of the enemy?  And how can these supernatural beings protect someone who clouds their feelings and has the power to impact their futures?  Mace and Raven, especially, are drawn to Nikki (and Nikki to them), but divine mandate prevents any of them from being together…without truly hellacious results.

As Nikki, Mace, and Raven battle their desires, an unknown evil is penetrating everything around them.  No one is really sure who is behind the terror that is brewing, but Nikki, her Lost Boys, and several other heavenly beings will do everything they can to uncover the truth and fight in the war that’s coming.  What will be lost in the battles ahead?  What will be sacrificed?  And will Nikki and company be able to handle the choices that must be made…and their inevitable consequences?  Begin to unravel the mystery when you read Halflings, the first book in an exciting series by Heather Burch.

If I had to classify this book, it would be young adult Christian fantasy with a bit of mystery and romance thrown in for good measure.  It’s a decent read for those in middle school and beyond who like “angelic” fiction.  As for me, the book was a little frustrating because it left me with so many questions.  I didn’t really have a sense of closure at the end of the book, so I’m hoping that the question and answer session at the SCASL Conference will tie things up a little better for me.

The second book in the Halflings series, Guardian, is already out, and I hope to get around to it soon.  (This probably won’t happen before my conference, though.  I’m being realistic here.)  The third book, Avenger, is due out this April.  For more information about the author and this series, click here.

That’s all for now.  I may edit this post a bit after my conference in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned.  Until then, do you have any burning questions you’d like to ask the YA authors attending this conference?  Let me know in the comments, and I’ll try to get a few answers for you!

Die for Me

Amy Plum’s Die for Me had been on my to-read list for a while, but, when I heard that it had been selected as a nominee for the 2013-14 South Carolina Young Adult Book Award, I moved it to the top of the list. (Even though I’m now in an elementary school, I still like to read as many of the SCYABA nominees as I possibly can.) It took me a little longer to read this book than I would have liked, but I finally finished it this morning. (By the way, it wasn’t the book’s fault that it took me a while to read. It was totally gripping…but so was all the other stuff going on in my life. I won’t bore you with the details.)

Anyhoo, Die for Me is the first book in a series about beings called Revenants. Revenants are a little like zombies, but, since they aren’t nearly as creepy or gross, I was okay with it. (My aversion to zombies is fairly well-known.) The main character in this book, sixteen-year-old Katie, is about to be introduced to Revenants and the terrifying truth of their existence. Will it be enough to keep her away from Vincent, the most fascinating guy she’s ever encountered? Let’s find out…

After a horrible accident that claims the lives of their parents, Katie and her older sister Georgia move to Paris to live with their grandparents. Georgia is jumping back into life with both feet, but Katie cannot let go of the grief that colors every part of her world. She retreats into her beloved books so that she doesn’t have to deal with her own pain, and it works…for a while. One day, though, she encounters a boy who changes everything. At first, she thinks he doesn’t notice her, but Katie soon learns that this boy, Vincent, not only notices her but he has become sort of obsessed with her. Why? There’s nothing special about her…is there?

For some reason, Katie runs into Vincent nearly everywhere she turns, and, after Katie’s life is saved by one of Vincent’s friends, Katie and Vincent are drawn even more closely together. Katie fights Vincent’s pull, but she just can’t seem to stay away from him, and it’s clear that he feels the same way. Even when Katie learns the truth about what Vincent really is, she is incapable of really letting him go. She tries. Oh, how she tries, but she just can’t give him up.

When it becomes apparent that Vincent–and his friends–aren’t exactly human, Katie resolves to know the truth about this boy she’s coming to truly care for…and Vincent tells her as much as he can. He and his companions are Revenants, people that died while trying to save another’s life. When they died the first time, they awoke three days later, seemingly human again. Revenants have a kind of immortality, and they keep their youth by saving lives. There is a trade-off, though. Each time they save a life, they experience death yet again. And even when they don’t save a life, each Revenant essentially dies for three days once a month. It’s a lot for Katie to take in, and, at least at first, Katie doesn’t think she can handle it, but she realizes fairly quickly that living without Vincent is not living at all, so the two of them do their best to really be together.

As Katie becomes more and more involved in Vincent’s world, she learns that Vincent and company are not the only undead traversing around Paris. Their enemies, the numa (evil Revenants), are also out and about, and, while Revenants are reborn when they save a life, the numa prolong their existence by taking lives. They kill, convince people to commit suicide, and wreak havoc on both Revenants and the people around them. And they’ll stop at nothing–nothing–to destroy Vincent and those trying to do a little good in the world.

Life is getting very complicated for Katie. She is sure that her feelings for Vincent are real, but dealing with his unique “life” may be more than even a strong girl like her can handle. She’s already dealt with so much death in her life. Can she really be with someone who basically dies at least once per month? And if she does decide that being with Vincent is worth it, can Katie handle being put in danger’s way herself? What does being the girlfriend of a Revenant really mean? What is Katie willing to sacrifice to be with Vincent–her sanity, her family, her own life? Read Die for Me, the first book in Amy Plum’s Revenants series, to learn what someone is willing to risk for love.

Like I mentioned before, Die for Me is a gripping read, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book, Until I Die, which is already out. (The third book, If I Should Die, is due out this May. There’s also an ebook novella, Die for Her, that will be released in early April.) After reading the first installment in this series, I’m definitely hooked, so I’m sure I’ll be reading all things Revenant.

I think this book is fine for readers in both middle school and high school. (I can’t say that about the second book…yet.) There is some violence appropriate to the storyline. There is also, obviously, some romance, but the characters never go “all the way” or even close to it. They take their relationship slowly (which I think more tweens and teens need to learn how to do).

I’m sure some readers will make connections with this book and others like it–the Twilight saga, in particular. In my opinion, Die for Me is much better than Twilight, but I’m all for using that hook to get readers to try something new. Do with that what you will.

For more information about Amy Plum, Die for Me, or the entire Revenants series, visit the author’s website, her Twitter feed,  her Goodreads page, her Facebook page, and Revenants Central on YouTube.

Whispers at Moonrise

Spoilers! If you haven’t already, read the first three books in C.C. Hunter’s Shadow Falls series (Born at Midnight, Awake at Dawn, and Taken at Dusk) before reading further. The fourth book, Whispers at Moonrise, picks up immediately after book three, and it is not a stand-alone book. Even those of you who have read the previous books might want to skim over the last chapter or so of the third book before reading book four. (I wish I had.)

I finally finished reading Whispers at Moonrise last night. It took me over a week to get through this one, and most of that time was spent simply trying to remember what happened in the previous book. This fourth installment picks up where Taken at Dusk leaves off, and jumping right back into the world of Shadow Falls was a bit jarring. I really should have skimmed through the third book before starting this one, but I didn’t have that kind of time (or so I thought). I really should have made time to refamiliarize myself with the events that closed Taken at Dusk. Maybe I would have read Whispers at Moonrise much faster if I had. That being said, once I really got into this book, things progressed rather quickly. I actually read most of the book yesterday thanks to an early dismissal from school due to icy conditions.

In Whispers at Moonrise, we continue the story of Kylie Galen and her place at Shadow Falls. Kyle is still trying to figure out where she fits in the supernatural world, but her journey is about to get more confusing than ever before…

Kylie is something of an oddity…even among her fellow supernatural beings. No one seems to know what she really is. She exhibits traits of all species (vampire, fae, were, witch, etc.), and she exhibits some unique gifts that tend to freak out those around her. She is a ghost whisperer, a protector, and a healer. All of this combined makes Kylie’s life extremely difficult, and she doesn’t know where she truly belongs. Things are coming to light, though, that may change all that. Through some weird communications with her dad (who is a ghost) and her grandfather (who isn’t), Kylie begins to learn a little about what she is. It seems that she is a chameleon. At first, Kylie equates this with being a supernatural lizard, but she comes to discover that this “gift” makes her a target…a target who may have to leave the one place she feels safe–Shadow Falls–if she’s to have any hope of discovering, controlling, and even hiding her abilities.

On top of learning what she really is, Kylie is facing some relationship troubles. (Isn’t this always the case?) She has strong feelings for both Lucas (werewolf) and Derek (fae). While Kylie thinks she loves Lucas, she’s disturbed and frustrated by his pack and the limitations they’re putting on him and his relationship with her. Can she honestly be with someone when that person’s entire “family” is against the match? And then there’s Derek. Derek, who’s always there for her when she needs someone to lean on, never makes her doubt his loyalty, and understands that she’s just trying to find some answers…and a small measure of peace. While Derek may now be in the “friend-zone,” he makes no secret that he wants more, and Kylie knows that a relationship with him would be much less complicated that the one she’s currently in with Lucas. It’s a pickle, and Kylie doesn’t know what to do…especially when Lucas’ secrets come to light and threaten everything Kylie thought she knew about him.

As if all of that weren’t enough, a new ghost is visiting Kylie, but this ghost isn’t like the others who’ve sought her out for help. This ghost has the face of Holiday, someone Kylie loves, someone she’ll do anything to protect. How is this possible? What danger is the ghost trying to warn her of? And how can Kylie figure things out before something happens to Holiday, her confidante and fiercest protector?

Changes are coming to Shadow Falls and Kylie Galen. Some of these changes will bring Kylie the answers she’s always needed, but others will force her to take a hard look at the world around her and her place in it. Will Kylie stay at Shadow Falls, the place that has quickly become her home? Or will she leave everything–even her best friends and the love of her life–behind to discover more about her true nature? Read Whispers at Moonrise, the fourth book in C.C. Hunter’s Shadow Falls series, to learn how one girl deals with the constant confusion in her life and what she’ll do to finally begin to learn the truth about herself and her legacy.

Even though it took me a while to get into Whispers at Moonrise, once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was action-packed and angsty, everything I expect from a good YA paranormal novel. I’m still not sure if I’m Team Lucas or Team Derek, and I expect that I won’t make up my mind until I’m well into the fifth (and final) book, Chosen at Nightfall, which is due for an April 30th release. I was happy that at least one of this series’ love stories was sort of resolved in this book.  I’m hoping that it won’t falter in the last book. (It better not! I don’t think I could take something happening to this couple. It would be too much!)

*Quick note:  There are some adult situations and salty language in this book, so I probably wouldn’t put it in the hands of a middle grade reader. This entire series is best suited for teen and adult readers.*

To learn more about the Shadow Falls saga, you may want to visit the author’s website, Twitter feed, or the Shadow Falls series Facebook page. You may also want to take a quick look at the book trailer below (shared from the C.C. Hunter’s website). It doesn’t give away much, but it’s a pretty good teaser for this book. Enjoy!

Finale

Spoilers! If you haven’t read the first three books in Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush series (Hush, Hush, Crescendo, and Silence), stop whatever you’re doing, and get on with it! These books are super-duper, and the fourth and final book, Finale, is equally wonderful. If you have read the first three books, proceed with caution. This post might be a little spoilery. If you haven’t experienced this fabulous saga, stop reading this RIGHT NOW! This post will be extremely spoilery.

Before I get into talking about the awesomeness that is Becca Fitzpatrick’s Finale, let me vent a little bit. I had every intention of finishing this book days ago (instead of yesterday evening). Sadly, though, I had to return to school on January 2nd (which kind of stunk), so that ate into my reading time. (I really need a job that allows me to read all day…and stay in my pajamas. If you know of a job like this, please let me know.) Anyway, I was too exhausted when I came home from work to do anything more strenuous than vegging in front of the TV. Thursday night, I got violently ill, so I had to deal with that. I read a little Friday evening and Saturday morning, but I spent Saturday evening and Sunday morning with family, so not much reading was done. I finally caught a break on Sunday afternoon. I was able to become absorbed in a book with no interruptions. I tell you all of this to explain why I’m not doing so well with my resolution to read 400 books this year. The year has barely begun, and I’m already way behind. *dramatic sigh*

But I’m guessing most of you don’t give a flying fart in space why I’m not reading as much as I should, so let’s move on to the reason we’re all here. Yesterday, I finished reading Finale, the fourth and final book in Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush saga. This book was released on October 23rd, 2012, and I’m pretty sure I bought it the day it came out, so it had been sitting on my shelf for a couple of months before I decided to dive in. (I don’t have to remind you that I’m a busy girl, so it’s no secret why I didn’t get to it right away.) I had to reread my posts on the first three books in the series to remind me what happened previously, but, after that, I entered into the world of Nora and Patch rather seamlessly.

For those that don’t remember what happened at the end of Silence, here’s a short reminder:  Hank (Nora’s biological father and leader of the Nephilim) is dead, and Nora swore on the lives of her and her mother that she would lead his army. Nora became a member of the Nephilim (so she’s no longer totally human). It’s up to her to lead her new army against the fallen angels, but she doesn’t want to do that because the love of her life, Patch, just happens to be one of them. It’s quite the sticky wicket.

In Finale, Nora Grey is the new leader of the Nephilim. She doesn’t want to be the leader of this army, and the Nephilim don’t really want her as their leader, but a blood oath ensures that nobody gets what they want. Nora is now the Black Hand, and she is faced with a decision that will force her to choose between continued slavery for the Nephilim or the complete annihilation of the fallen angels…including Patch, her beloved.

At first, Nora thinks her job is fairly simple.  She’ll just lead the Nephilim into a peaceful alliance with the fallen angels. Alas, this is not to be. Neither the Nephilim or the fallen angels will go for it, and, once the archangels of Heaven get involved, it becomes even more of a no-go. Even Nora, after seeing what it really means to be Nephil, has doubts about peace even being a consideration.

And that’s not all that’s giving Nora reason to doubt her situation. Her best friend, Vee, is keeping secrets. Her boyfriend, Patch, can’t be seen with her. (When there’s a war brewing between Nephilim and fallen angels, it’s not the best idea to be seen cavorting with the “enemy.”) Also, his heinous ex-girlfriend has been sniffing around. Nora’s nemesis (and half-sister) has decided that living with Nora would be a good idea. To top it all off, it seems that someone–someone who Nora thinks can be trusted–is working to undo everything Nora is trying to achieve…and he or she is using devilcraft (think witchcraft…but way, way, way worse) to do it.

Will Nora be able to lead the Nephilim? Will she lead them to war or peace? And what will either situation mean for Nephilim, fallen angels, and, most importantly to this story, Nora and Patch? Is the future of their relationship doomed to fall before it really has a chance to fly? If Nora can find a way to bring a peaceful end to the war that is brewing, what–or who–will she have to sacrifice? What is the cost of freedom, and is Nora willing to pay it? Find these answers and more when you read Finale, the thrilling conclusion to Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush saga.

I don’t know if you can tell from this post, but I kind of adore this entire series. Until yesterday, I would have told you that Silence was my favorite book in the series, but I think Finale may have, at the very least, forced a tie. There was just so much drama! Yes, there were times when I had to close the book because I wanted to punch Nora in the face, but that’s how I know this story really gripped me. Also, even though there were tons of clues pointing to the true bad guy(s), I honestly didn’t see it coming. Maybe that makes me as gullible as Nora was, but that’s okay. If being gullible comes with having a fallen angel like Patch think you’re awesome-sauce, I’ll take it.

One complaint: I did feel like the epilogue was a little too neat. I would have liked to know more about what happened between the last chapter and the events in the epilogue. Some things, in my opinion, were just glossed over too much.

All in all, I think Finale was a great conclusion to what was an amazing series. I look forward to reading even more from Becca Fitzpatrick!

To learn more about Becca Fitzpatrick, you can visit her website or follow her on Twitter. You may also want to visit the official Hush, Hush fansite, Fallen Archangel, for the latest on this series, including movie news!

Still not enough? Well then…check out this super-cool book trailer for Finale from Simon & Schuster Videos. Knight Reader out!

The Pledge

Well, Christmas is over, and it’s getting close to the time for me to return to the real world. I’m trying to read as much as possible before that happens because I know my free time will be limited soon. (I must go back to school on January 2nd. I’m nowhere near ready.)

Anyway, tonight I finished reading a book that was on my to-read list pretty much all year:  The Pledge by Kimberly Derting. Like me, you may have read Kimberly Derting’s The Body Finder series (The Body Finder, Desires of the Dead, The Last Echo, and Dead Silence–which comes out in April). Well, this new series–which begins with The Pledge–has some things in common with The Body Finder (a strong female main character, a love interest, special abilities, and battling evil), but in other ways, it’s completely different. Where The Body Finder, at least in my mind, is a paranormal mystery series, The Pledge is more dystopian with a supernatural twist. It’s kind of cool.

In the distant future, powerful queens with magical abilities rule each nation. Some queens are merciful and loved by the people. Others rule with an iron fist and tolerate absolutely no sign of rebellion. One queen in particular insists that each class be divided by language. In the country of Ludania, Queen Sabara is a ruler to be feared. Her power is formidable…but it is fading. If she doesn’t find another to take her Essence (the life-force that has been passed from queen to queen for centuries), both she and her Essence will die. That cannot be allowed to happen.

Charlaina–Charlie to her friends and family–has always known she was different. Unlike those around her, she can understand all of the languages spoken around her. Even when she’s not supposed to. Even if she’d never heard the language spoken before. If Charlie’s secret were discovered it could mean certain death. Her parents have helped her to keep this gift hidden, but someone–someone powerful–may have inadvertently discovered Charlie’s secret.  What will he do with his suspicions? Will he turn her over to the queen, or will he pledge to be Charlie’s fiercest protector?

As revolution against the queen draws ever closer, Charlie finds herself embroiled in something that she never expected or wanted. According to those around her, she’s more important that she realizes, and it may be up to her to usurp the queen that she–and every other citizen of Ludania–has pledged their lives to obey and protect. Charlie is unsure of who she can trust, but she is sure of one thing. Her secret is about to be revealed…but even she isn’t prepared for what that might mean. Can Charlie do what must be done? Can she sacrifice all she’s ever known or believed for the possibility of a better future for Ludania? Is she strong enough to face the battle ahead? Read Kimberly Derting’s The Pledge to learn how one young girl has the power to topple a despot…if she’ll only believe in herself.

Before anyone points it out, yes, I know I haven’t told you a whole lot, and I know this isn’t the greatest recap I’ve ever written.  To be perfectly honest, I didn’t really know what to say about this book.  It’s a dystopian novel with some supernatural stuff thrown in, but it’s also a story about love, friendship, loyalty, and rebellion. The main character–and many others in this book–are battling an evil that none of them truly understand.  I’m not even sure I understand it fully.  (I do know, however, that a queen that can essentially Force-choke those who cross her would be an enemy I wouldn’t want to have.)  I’m hoping things will be cleared up in the next book, The Essence, which is set to be released on New Year’s Day (if it’s not already out in some places).

If you’d like more information about The Pledge or other books by Kimberly Derting, I encourage you to visit the author’s website. You may also want to follow the author on Twitter @kimberlyderting.

To hear the author herself talk about the creating of The Pledge, check out this vlog from Novel Novice.

Just for Fins

Caution! Read Tera Lynn Childs’ Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever before continuing with this post. Just for Fins is the third book in the series and is definitely not a stand-alone title. (You could read it without reading the previous two, but you’d miss a lot of very important plot points and details. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?)

Before I dive (pun intended) into Just for Fins, I’d like to wish everyone who follows this blog a very happy holiday season! Whatever you celebrate this time of year (and even if you don’t celebrate anything), I wish you all the best, and I hope you have a season filled with warmth, laughter, friends, family, and, yes, books! I probably won’t post anything else until after Christmas, so I wanted to take this opportunity to say, “Happy Holidays!” and thank you for following Knight Reader this year. (I’m hoping to post a couple more times before the year’s end, so stick with me. 2012 isn’t over yet!)

On to the real reason you’re here…

If you’ve read Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs (or even if you’re marginally good at picking up clues from titles and book covers), you know that the Fins series revolves around merpeople, specifically one mermaid princess named Lily. In the previous two books, Lily had to deal with relationship issues (like bonding–and unbonding–with the wrong guy who actually turns out to be the totally right guy) and deciding if she wanted to give up her claim to the throne of Thalassinia so that she could stay on land with her true love. In Just for Fins, Lily’s problems are about to get a lot more complicated. Yes, she finally decided to claim her birthright (with the help of an in-name-only bond with Tellin, the heir to another kingdom), and she’s mostly worked out her relationship issues, but she must now learn about the politics that come with ruling a mer kingdom.

Lily’s first order of business is to gather the leaders of the nearby mer kingdoms together to provide aid to Tellin’s dying kingdom of Acropora. The changes in the ocean environment, most of them caused by humans, have wreaked havoc on the fragile ecosystem of this once thriving kingdom, and it will not survive if help is not sent soon. Lily’s intentions are good, but she doesn’t realize that all of the mer kingdoms (except her own) are suffering from the same types of issues. The other leaders are reluctant to provide assistance when their own situations are becoming dire. Lily must find some way to make everyone see that they are interdependent on each other, and they can provide help to each other–and possibly repair and reverse what humans have wrought on the oceans–without resorting to drastic–and even deadly–measures.

And that’s not all Lily’s dealing with, boys and girls. It seems that ancient mer law has yet another obstacle to throw at Lily’s relationship with her human boyfriend, Quince. If the two want to remain together, Quince must pass a series of tests to prove he is worthy of being the companion of a princess. These tasks will test his physical, mental, and emotional commitment to Lily. Should he fail–or should he be helped along by Lily–the two will be separated…forever. As if a mer princess didn’t have enough to deal with…

Will Lily be able to wrap her head around all that is happening around her? Can she convince the other rulers to work together to combat climate change in their beloved oceans (without doing harm to themselves or the humans they blame for the situation)? Can she step back and trust Quince to pass the tests that could decide their future together? Dive into Just for Fins to find out!

Just for Fins is a fast, fun read, but it does address a pretty serious subject:  the environmental impact of humans and climate change on the world’s oceans. It’s a serious subject, and it’s treated as such in this book without being too terribly preachy. This book does bring up an interesting point. Would humans treat the oceans with more respect if we knew that merpeople were living–and dying–there? (I’m not so sure, but I’m a cynic.) The author does let readers know–through a fun, young adult fiction book–that something must be done quickly to save the world’s oceans–the entire planet, really–or the damage could be catastrophic. (There’s nothing fictional about that.)

So, if you’re interested in stories about mermaids, want a light, fast read, or simply want to see how ocean environments might be dealing with climate change, pollution, and other man-made environmental problems, give Just for Fins (and the first two Fins books) a try. As far as I know, this third installment is the last book in the series, but I’ll keep you posted if there will be any further adventures of Princess Lily. You can learn more about this series and others by Tera Lynn Childs at the author’s website or through Twitter.

Merry Christmas! Knight Reader out!

Bitter Blood

If you’re a frequent visitor to this blog, you’ve seen this warning before, but PLEASE stop right now if you haven’t read the entire Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine.  Bitter Blood is the thirteenth book in the series (yes, you read that right), and I’m not even going to try to keep this post spoiler free.

If you’re still reading at this point and would like to start at the beginning of the Morganville Vampires series, here are all thirteen books (so far) in order:

• Glass Houses
• The Dead Girls’ Dance
• Midnight Alley
• Feast of Fools
• Lord of Misrule
• Carpe Corpus
• Fade Out
• Kiss of Death
• Ghost Town
• Bite Club
• Last Breath
• Black Dawn
• Bitter Blood

So, I’m now officially on my winter break, and I can finally devote some time to Knight Reader (which has been sadly neglected since school started in August).  After the past few months, I really need this escape.  This afternoon, in celebration of my two-week vacation, I finally finished reading Bitter Blood, book #13 in Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampires series.  It should go without saying that, after thirteen books, I’ve grown rather attached to the characters in this book.  So attached, in fact, that it took me over two weeks to finish this book because I didn’t want to face the bad stuff–even by Morganville standards–that was happening to Claire, Shane, Michael, Eve, and Myrnin (my personal favorite character).  Bitter Blood is a tense, action-packed book, much like its predecessors, but even I was unprepared for exactly how things would play out in this installment.

After defeating the terrifying draug–creatures even vampires feared–Morganville should be returning to normal, right?  (“Normal” here means an uneasy peace between vampires and the town’s human residents.)  Well, as is often the case, nothing is going according to plan in this strange town.  It seems that once vampires no longer have anything to fear, there’s not much to hold them back…especially when their very nature demands they prey on humans.  The Founder of Morganville, Amelie, seems to have made a complete about-face and now, along with her closest advisor and consort Oliver, views her town’s human residents as nothing more than a food source…even those like Claire and friends who helped to defeat vampires’ greatest enemy.

Claire, her boyfriend Shane, and newly married Michael (vampire) and Eve (human) know they have to do something to stop the massacre that is sure to come, but it soon becomes clear that they are targets on both sides.  Vampires are less than thrilled (to put it mildly) that one of their own has married a human.  Humans are equally disgusted by the relationship.  They’re not too fond of Claire either, since they see her as a loyal friend and ally to the blood-suckers.  How can these four friends–and their new ghostly housemate Miranda–battle two sides in a war that may not be winnable?  And what will Claire do when her boss and closest vampire friend, Myrnin, decides that it’s all too much and seems to disappear into thin air?

As if Morganville’s current troubles weren’t enough, a crew from a ghost-hunting reality show has arrived in town, and they’re stirring up more trouble than they ever prepared for.  Also, the mysterious Captain Obvious is back and is apparently more determined than ever to drive the vamps out of Morganville for good…by whatever means necessary.  While all of this is happening, it seems that Amelie is turning a blind eye to all of the trouble.  But what if Amelie isn’t the one calling the shots anymore?  What if she’s being manipulated along with everyone else?  Who would have so much power that they could control Morganville’s Founder?  And what could a few humans, a young vampire, a semi-sane (yet totally awesome) older vampire, and a ghost possibly do to turn the situation around?  What sacrifices–unintended or not–will be made to save their town?  Answers will be revealed in Bitter Blood, but they may not be the ones you ever expected…or wanted.

It would be an understatement to say that I enjoy this series.  I was hooked from the first book, and my obsession has only grown with each book.  With Bitter Blood, despite the ominous title and past experience, I kind of hoped for good things to happen to my favorite characters, and, in the end, not everything was bad.  But this book sent me on an emotional roller-coaster, and I’m still trying to recover.  There were moments of absolute anguish that nearly had me curled up in the fetal position.  And I don’t anticipate things getting much better with the next two books…

Book #14, Fall of Night, is due for a May 7th, 2013, release, and it follows Claire immediately after the events of Bitter Blood.  (You’ll realize the importance of this when you finish book #13).  Book #15, Daylighters, which is rumored to be the last book in the series, will be out next November.  I’m hoping for a bit of closure by this time next year, but, if Rachel Caine is true to form where Morganville is concerned, she’ll totally break my heart in the process.  I better start preparing myself now…