Tag «angels»

DNF Series Review: Fallen Series by Lauren Kate

DNF Series Review: Fallen Series by Lauren Kate

DNF December Review Blitz — Day 3: I’m sharing my thoughts on some book series that I have marked as incomplete as I have never finished the first novel in the series. Find out why these weren’t for me:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Fallen (from Goodreads):
What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?

17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross . . . only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart.

Get ready to fall . . .

breakdown

Series: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
# of Books: 5 (View Full Reading Order here)

There are short stories: View Full Reading Order here.

Book Order: Chronological (#1-#4) & Connected (#5)
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Angels, Supernatural
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: Third Person, Single
Publication Dates: December 2009 – November 2015
Source & Format: Own–Hardcover

thoughts

Note #2: I actually stopped reading Book 3, Passion at 4% and marked the series as DNF. Find out why…

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Back in the days before I discovered Goodreads and bought all the books I wanted to read, I stumbled upon Fallen by Lauren Kate. I was fresh off the Twilight Train and looking for the next fix. At the time, angel based books were all the rage in YA and so I bought Fallen and Hush, Hush around the same time and dove in.

The Concept / The World:

While the concept of ordinary human falling for a supernatural being isn’t anything new, I did enjoy the foundation for the world itself. It’s your classic story of good vs evil and you never know who you can trust. So I liked that that added some suspense to the story. I did enjoy that it was a story rich in its own history and that it did have that strong foundation for the story.

The Plot:

I enjoyed the slow reveal of Fallen. You really are kept in the dark about Daniel and the rest of the school so it really drove my need to keep reading. However, that means everything happens at the end so the book is pretty tame in comparison.

And given the ending of Fallen, I wanted Torment to keep the momentum strong. Instead, we get a stale, standing-still novel that suffers from that Book 2 of a Trilogy Slump even though it is a 4 book series. There are little inklings of storylines that I assume become important later on but it feels like nothing happens within this on. I even tried to reread Torment years ago when Passion came out but stopped just shy of 25% of the way through because it was so dry.

The Characters:

I never liked Luce as a lead. She’s very dull and uninspiring as a heroine. Daniel didn’t do much for me either.

However, I did like the rest of the cast. Particularly the other angels. They just had such solid personalities that it was easy to like (or love-to-hate) them.

The Romance:

Again, when you don’t like the heroine, it’s hard to support the romance. I constantly found myself asking why all these guys were falling (no pun intended) for such a blah heroine…

My Attempt to Finish the Series & Why I DNF’d:

Despite owning all the books, I wanted to try the audiobook of Passion (book 3) instead as I started commuting to my job. I think I subconsciously knew that I wouldn’t be invested in the physical copy of the novel if I tried that.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t even make it past the first chapter before I was dreadfully bored. I realized that I hadn’t thought about this series in nearly 6 years and I didn’t particularly care about what happens. I lived 6 years without knowing and I could leave it at that.

The Movie?:

Did you know that they made this into a movie? I knew it was something in the works but I never knew it got released. I haven’t watched it yet but you can be sure I will do a Movie Monday post as soon as I do.

Series Rating: DNF

Fallen 4/5 | Torment 3/5 | Passion DNF | Rapture N/A | Unforgiven N/A

overall

While I don’t think the time (6 years) between books helped my enjoyment of this series, I do remember not totally loving it either when I did read it. It’s a slow story with meh leads (though an awesome side cast) that feels like it was just on par with the YA trends at the time. I’ve read better fallen angel stories in the time since that really leave this one in the dust.

Read if You Like: fallen angels, slower stories
Avoid if You: dislike love triangles

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Have you read this? Should I return to this series? Leave a comment!

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Series Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Series Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Hush, Hush (from Goodreads):
A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romance was not part of Nora Grey’s plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen – and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

breakdown

Series: Hush, Hush
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
# of Books: 4 (Hush, Hush; Crescendo; Silence; Finale)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Angels
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Dates: October 2009 – October 2012
Source & Format: Own-Hardcover

thoughts

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I found this series before I even knew about Goodreads or blogging. Back when my only source of novels was whatever I purchased from Chapters, I stumbled upon this when they had an Indigo Teen Club (or something) blog/page. It was my first “fallen angels” series and the one I compare to all others too.

The Concept / The World:

Back in 2009, fallen angels and vampires were surging for YA dominance. So while most books seemed to have the same foundations (mysterious, handsome hero; unknowing heroine), they each had their own unique quirks.

What appealed to me about the Hush, Hush Saga was the darker edge it seemed to have. I liked that it toyed with the idea that not all angels are “good” angels. It also toys with the idea of why angels come to Earth and what that can mean for the human population.

The Plot:

Hush, Hush takes your typical paranormal YA approach and focuses mostly on the romance. It’s exciting and fun to watch these two navigate their relationship nonetheless. It also sets up the foundation for the rest of the series by introducing the world of fallen angels and their role.

Crescendo and Silence are by far the strongest of the series. While the romance is still heavily featured, you get more twists and turns when it comes to the angels. These had me on the edge of my seat anticipating what would happen next.

I had high, high hopes for Finale. I honestly think I was scared to read it because, despite the fact that I pre-ordered it, I didn’t read it for nearly 4 years. I made sure I included as a priority novel for my 2016 Rock My TBR AND added it to my 2016 Make Me Read It Challenge in the hopes it would “force” me to read it.

Finale was a huge disappointment for me. It seemed to contain everything I dislike about YA–whiny heroines, and a subpar plot–something I thought this series was above. Perhaps 4 years between novels is just too, too much. I think if I read this when I should have, I would have enjoyed it more.

The Characters:

I really liked Nora as a character. When I first started this series, she was in a league of her own compared to the Bella Swans of the world. She didn’t become a co-dependent mess and actually used her brain. She remains pretty consistent throughout the series though I felt like she lost that unique flare in Finale.

I often hear complaints that Patch is a bit of a stalker in the first novel and so they find the romance creepy. In a way, I can agree though I never really got that impression. (Maybe I was young and naive?) I feel like as the series progresses, you understand more about Patch’s character and his motives, putting everything in perspective.

The Romance:

Like I said, how Nora and Patch’s romance comes to be is often the biggest complaint about this series. At the time, I didn’t think anything of it and really enjoyed it. I thought they were a nice compliment for each other, especially as the series progresses. It’s your typical YA romance but I feel like it’s a bit more on the mature/older YA side of things.

Series Rating: 4.5/5

Hush, Hush 5/5 | Crescendo 5/5 | Silence 5/5  |  Finale 3/5

overall

This series will always have a special place in my heart, even though I was disappointed in the very last book. It’s definitely in my top favourite fallen angel themed novel of the YA genre.

Read if You Like: fallen angels, darker series
Avoid if You: more “alpha” male leads

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Series Review: Angel by L A Weatherly

Trilogy Termination: Angel by L A Weatherly

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Angel Burn(from Goodreads):

They’re out for your soul.
And they don’t have heaven in mind…

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from.
But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself does. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems; least of all good and evil.

breakdown

Series: Angel Trilogy
Author: L A Weatherly
# of Books: 3 (Full Series Order)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Angels, Paranormal, Action
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person + Third Person
Publication Dates: January 2010 – August 2013
Source & Format: Public Library–Hardcover; eBook

thoughts

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Like many series I started in university many years ago, I don’t really remember how I discovered it. I assume it had something to do with the Angel Trend that was huge around that time (2010). Either way, I really enjoyed the first novel in the series and that enjoyment is what kept this series on my TBR for over 5 years after the finale was published.

The Concept / The World:

I always think back fondly on this series because it was one of the more unique Angel concepts I had come across. Angel stories are always about good angels vs bad angels (or one faction vs another) but here, nearly all angels are evil and humans are fighting for themselves. It’s a fresh take on the world.

Unfortunately, that cool premise gets overshadowed by your typical YA paranormal cliches and the like but at its core, this is a cool story.

The Plot:

I remember being totally engrossed in the first novel. I loved watching Alex and Willow navigate this new world and their budding feelings. It was a fun adventure that kept me on my toes.

I’ll be honest and admit that I don’t remember much about the second novel (Angel Fire) other than the fact that it introduces a love triangle that seems to take over the entire novel. Ugh.

But despite a “meh” experience with the second book, I was eager to see this series completed and was determined to pick up the finale (Angel Fever) 5 years later. Only I was thrust back into a mundane plotline that seemed to be taking its sweet-ass time and a seemingly resolved love triangle that would resolve every chapter with new ire.

Which is why I DNF’d it at 25% and skipped to the last chapter to give myself some closure.

The Characters:

Willow is one of those “special snowflakes” combined with a “Mary Sue”. It wasn’t really apparent to me in the first novel but I definitely saw it in the third. She’s just becomes so wish-washy in her convictions and morphs into your stereotypical heroine of a paranormal YA series.

The rest of the cast fits into their typical roles with ease.

The Romance:

This started strong for me but the introduction of a useless love triangle really killed any positive feelings I had towards this.

Series Rating: 3/5

Angel Burn 4/5 | Angel Fire 3/5 | Angel Fever DNF

overall

Like many of the angel romances released around the same time, this series takes your typical cookie cutter pieces and assembles them for your average angel read.

Read if You Like: angels, YA paranormal reads
Avoid if You: dislike love triangles, want more action

similarreads

  • Newsoul by Jodi Meadows (Newsoul Trilogy #1)
  • Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush Saga #1)
  • A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford (A Touch Trilogy #1)
  • Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire Trilogy #1)

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Trilogy Termination: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

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Spring 2017

Trilogy Termination Blitz: I finally finish some trilogies I started years ago by reading the final book! But don’t let my delay in finishing them deter you from picking them up…or should it?

Miss the Introduction Post? Read it here!

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Angelfire (from Goodreads):

First there are nightmares.
Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.
When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie’s power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie’s memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.
Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

breakdown

Series: Angelfire Trilogy
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
# of Books: 3 (Angelfire, Wings of the Wicked, Shadows in the Silence)

There is a prequel novella: #0.5 A Dance With Darkness

Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Angels, Paranormal, Action
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Dates: February 2011 – January 2013
Source & Format: Public Library–Hardcover; eBook

thoughts

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Angels were all the rage when I was a teen and I grabbed this book during the trend. This series is praised for its action scenes and I love books with a little physical confrontations along the way.

The Concept / The World:

This story is very rich in terms of its history and lexicon. There is a solid background and substance to create this world and is very unique compared to other angel YA reads. I wish I read the third one closer together because I did forget some of the history despite having notes on the first two novels.

The Plot:

Throughout this series, I struggled with its pacing. You have these pockets of mundane, everyday teenage problems pocketed with scenes of action and plot development. The problems with the everyday teenage stuff I’ll address below but the actions scenes are great. They are written in a way that is like watching a movie so it was super easy to visualize.

I also really enjoyed the overarching plot of this trilogy as a whole. While each book has its own main plot line, everything bridges together nicely. It just gives this series a consistency that keeps you invested in the story and characters.

The Characters:

I admit, I was hesitant to start Shadows in the Silence because I remember really not liking Ellie’s character. She started the series as a selfish and somewhat petty teenaged girl. But when I read Shadows in the Silence, I found she wasn’t as annoying as I remembered. She really does grow and I can appreciate that.

There are a lot of characters in this story and I think it provides a richer experience. Again, I probably should have read the finale closer to the previous installments just to keep everyone straight but it was easier to dive back in than I expected.

The Romance:

Once again, I picked the “wrong team” but I knew it was never going to work with my pick. I really wasn’t a fan of the romance here, it was a little cliche and I find Will is a little dull as a hero. Then again, I wasn’t reading this for the romance!

Series Rating: 4/5

Angelfire 4/5 | Wings of the Wicked 4/5 | Shadows in the Silence 3/5

overall

This series is pretty on par with the other paranormal YA reads of its time. However, this one excels in action and a rich world that will keep readers interested.

Read if You Like: angels, YA paranormal reads
Avoid if You: want more romance based

similarreads

  • Newsoul by Jodi Meadows (Newsoul Trilogy #1)
  • Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush Saga #1)
  • A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford (A Touch Trilogy #1)
  • Angel by L A Weatherly (Angel Trilogy #1)

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DNF Series Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy
Author: Laini Taylor
# of Books: 3 (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Days of Blood and Starlight, Dreams of Gods and Monsters)

There is a novella listed as Book 2.5 called Night of Cake and Puppets

Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Angels, Urban Fantasy, Demons
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: Third Person, Alternating

Thoughts:

PLEASE NOTE: That as of the publication of this review, I have only read the first book in the series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Find out why I haven’t read the next two below…

I’ve wanted to read this series ever since I saw the cover for Daughter of Smoke and Bone when it was first published. It has been at the top of my to-read list ever since and I’ve been anxiously waiting for the eBooks to become available at my library.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone starts off slow but intriguing. It really starts to build up as you continue reading and you get a little hooked into the story’s mystery. It isn’t overly exciting in the sense that there is a lot of action or fighting but it is exciting in the sense that as you learn more about Karou, the faster the plot seems to go.

While the writing is well done, I find because it is told in third person I sometimes have a hard time following what is going on. This isn’t a book you read when you are a little sleepy because you will probably miss something important. One thing I didn’t like about the writing was the flow of the story. One chapter would be in the present but the next would be in the past and sometimes I would get a little lost trying to piece together the timeline. By the end of the book, I was into the story but nothing really wowed me about the book. It wasn’t really what I thought it was going to be as I found it to be slower than expected.

The end of Daughter of Smoke and Bone promises that the sequel will be a bit faster plot-wise but the mere size of the book is daunting. Most books are approximately 250 pages as an epub file for my Kobo and I can read that in 5 hours. Daughter of Smoke and Bone was in the 300s which is only an hour or so more. But Days of Blood and Starlight was over 400 pages and Gods and Monsters was even longer. Not that I have an issue with longer books–sometimes I prefer them–but the problem was I had multiple books out from the library (never fails that all your holds become available at the same time) and not a whole lot of time that I had to make the executive decision to return the last 2 books in the series and try again later.

That was 5 months ago and I haven’t thought about this series since. I would like to finish the series because I do find it interesting but with the hectic life I lead, I probably won’t be able to even contemplate finishing this series until Christmas break.

Conclusion:

A unique series for sure but one that moves slower than most. If you don’t like really long books, avoid! But if you like books that focus on demons and the paranormal/supernatural elements associated with them, this is a good one for you to pick up.

Rating: 4/5

Similar Reads: The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

Synopsis for Daughter of Smoke and Bone (from Goodreads):
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”, she speaks many languages – not all of them human – and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

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Series Review: Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Tantalize (from Goodreads):

Are you predator or prey?
CLASSIFIED ADS: RESTAURANTS
SANGUINI’S: A VERY RARE RESTAURANT IS HIRING A CHEF DE CUISINE. DINNERS ONLY.
APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.
Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything?

breakdownSeries: Tantalize
Author: Cynthia Leitich Smith
# of Books: 4 (Tantalize, Eternal, Blessed, Diabolical)
Book Order: Connected but Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Werewolves, Angels, Dark
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person

thoughts

PLEASE NOTE: I have not read the fourth and final book in the series, Diabolical, and I don’t plan to.

I was really excited to read Tantalize and when I saw my library had it, I dashed to go get it. It sounded unlike anything I had ever read before and I was interested to see where it was going to go.

And it was unlike anything I read before. It was darker but also slightly disturbing in terms of a certain relationship Quincie develops with an older man. It just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be and not in a good way. It was cliché and not at the same time–which is hard to describe but it you ever read it you would understand. It was like a mash of teen stereotypes in one book topped with some teenage angst. It wasn’t as much fun as I hoped it would be.

I probably wouldn’t have read the next book, Eternal, if it wasn’t for the sample we got at the end of the book. Somehow it sucked me in and I wanted to read it. I enjoyed it more than Tantalize but I also didn’t love it. It was dark and if I recall correctly I didn’t love the direction it ended up going. But, it was different from other books out there so I enjoyed it in that respect.

I honestly don’t remember what happened in Blessed but I know that it left me with no desire to see what happens in the fourth book, Diabolical.

Series Rating: 3/5

Tantalize 3/5 | Eternal 3/5 | Blessed 3/5 | Diabolic N/A

overall

I think some people will like the unconventional aspects of this series. In theory, it’s a cool mashup of paranormal trends but poorly executed. Although it’s a different spin on the young adult paranormal genre, it still has a lot of what people expect of the genre and what they probably don’t like about young adult series (aka teenage angst). But it definitely isn’t for everyone and I think most people will not enjoy it as a series.

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Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (Paranormalcy Trilogy #1)

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Series Review: Sweet by Wendy Higgins

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for Sweet Evil (from Goodreads):

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Book Series: Best Reads of 2013, Sad to See Go Series 2014
Series: Sweet Trilogy
Author: Wendy Higgins
# of Books: 3 (Sweet Evil, Sweet Peril, Sweet Reckoning)

There is a Book #4: Sweet Temptation. It is an Alternate POV Novel to the series

Book Order: Chronological (Alternate POV: Sweet Temptation)
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Angels, Romance, Paranormal
Heat Rating: really warm *spicy YA*
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Dates: May 2012 – September 2015
Source & Format: Public Library–eBook

thoughts

My Expectations:

When my library finally got these books in, I jumped for joy! Being a student, I can’t afford to buy every book that I desperately want to read (which is a lot if you could see the list I have) so I wait and wait until the library gets it. Thankfully, with eBook collections, the libraries my way seem to be getting more and more books at a faster rate and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Despite being really excited to read Sweet Evil, I was also really hesitant. Normally, I enjoy angel-themed young adult books but lately, I have read a few “duds” that seem to be rehashes of other books I have already read. However, after reading the summary for Sweet Evil, I was intrigued by the plot but I wasn’t sure what else to expect.

The Concept:

I have to say, Sweet Evil kind of blew me away! I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did and I literally devoured it in a day. Overall, the book was refreshing when it could have been very stale. The concept of Nephilim who have to do bad things was really neat and it kept me interested in what was happening. The world of guardian angels, demons and Nephilim was straightforward so it was easy to understand but had enough to it that kept me reading.

The Plot:

Each book starts a little slow but it isn’t long before you find yourself enraptured with the characters, plot and world. New twists and secrets are revealed as you go and help add to the story. By the time I was halfway through, I couldn’t put these books down!

I will say that the finale wasn’t as action packed as I had anticipated but it does a great job of bringing the series to a close so I can’t complain all that much!

The Characters:

I also genuinely liked Anna. It could have been really iffy because totally “virtuous” characters can get very annoying, very fast but I liked seeing her struggle with her true nature and feelings. I really admired and respected her when all was said and done which was great.  I went into Sweet Peril (#2) with the worry that I would end up hating Anna by the end of it due to her “good-girl” character but I find she has enough relateable flaws that I only ended up loving her character more

The Romance:

And I really liked the relationship between Anna and Kaiden and how it develops throughout the story. To be truthful, I really love that relationship and it is a major reason why I loved these books so much.

updates

–March 3, 2018– Book #4: Sweet Temptation **DNF’d at 35%**

Unfortunately, due to time constraints I had to DNF this book. I was enjoying getting Kaidan’s POV a lot. He’s one of my favourite male characters in YA ever. So it was cool to reminisce with him and see his perspective on the events of the previous novels.

That being said, I would have enjoyed this novel a lot more if I read it right after reading the original trilogy. It doesn’t get overly descriptive in terms of events and therefore it relies on the readers ability to remember what happened in the original novels. It’s been so long for me that I’m a little foggy on all the details (though I could have read this recap before) so I probably didn’t enjoy it (or appreciate it) as much as I could have. So I highly recommend reading Sweet Temptation right after finishing Sweet Reckoning.

Series Rating: 4/5

Sweet Evil 5/5 | Sweet Peril 4/5| Sweet Reckoning 4/5 | Sweet Temptation DNF

overall

One of the best Young Adult series I have read in a long time. It isn’t a fluffy, teen soap-opera read. It’s a touch darker, a touch steamier and much more mature than most Young Adult reads out there. While it isn’t a fighting action-packed story, it has enough action and events at a great pace that entice you to keep reading. Filled with a great romance, awesome characters and a unique plotline, this is a must-read series for fans of paranormal YA reads! Be prepared to spend all day reading these!

Read if You Like: older YA stories, angels, romance
Avoid if You: dislike YA paranormal

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Series Review: Unearthly Trilogy by Cynthia Hand

Series: Unearthly Trilogy
Author: Cynthia Hand
# of Books: 3 (Unearthly, Hallowed, Boundless)

There is a also a novella that takes place between books 2 & 3 called Radiant

Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Angels, Romance
Heat Rating: cold

Thoughts:

When I started reading Unearthly, it seemed that the trend for Young Adult books was now angels instead of vampires and it was a trend I had been enjoying immensely. But what drew me to this book was that the lead was the angel herself, not a human girl falling for a fallen angel. I also won’t lie and I will admit the cover also drew me in 😉

I really did enjoy Unearthly. It was different from other books of the genre and there were a few things I didn’t see coming so that was great. The little surprises along the way throughout the series made me really enjoy reading the books because it wasn’t predictable and I was interested to see what would happen next. Overall, Unearthly was a great start to a series and hit all the right marks (romance, suspense, little cliff-hangers, etc) so I was excited to read Hallowed when it was released.

Hallowed disappointed me. I think the best way to describe it is “depressing”–and by this I mean the storyline that Clara is put through is a really sad one. She deals with some pretty tough stuff and I do remember shedding a tear or two while I read it. I also started to get a little annoyed with Clara, Christian, Tucker, and pretty much every other character I think, in how they act in this book. I don’t think I ever really connected to the characters which made reading the third one extremely hard.

It took me a long time to get into Boundless. I think I took it out from the library 3 times before I actually managed to read past chapter 1. As I said before, I don’t think I really liked the characters all that much (plus, 1 year is a long time to wait for another book in a series so I think I lost a bit of my like for this series in that time). I was also expecting there to be more action in the book; especially with how the plot develops in Hallowed and what Clara keeps predicting is going to happen. But for the most part the book was slow and it often dragged. I think I read most of it by skimming through it though some parts captured my attention and made me want to continue reading.

I should note that I never read Radiant, book 2.5, in the series. I don’t feel like I missed out on anything that affected my reading by doing so. I will probably read it if my library gets a copy, but otherwise I think I am going to pass.

Conclusion:

I think if I had read all 3 books within a one week span, I would have enjoyed the series more. I didn’t hate the characters unlike some stories, I think I was just indifferent to them so that made it hard to get into the series. But, this series is unlike any of the other angel books I have read and there are always a few plot surprises hidden within that makes the books interesting to read. If you are looking for a slower paced, angel story, this is for you!

Rating: 3.5/5

Similar Reads: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire, #1); A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies (A Beautiful Dark Trilogy #1) and Angel (Burn) by L.A. Weatherly (Angel Trilogy, #1)

Synopsis for Unearthly (from Goodreads):
In the beginning, there’s a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she’s part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn’t easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there’s another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara’s less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she’d have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart

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Series Review: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for A Beautiful Dark (from Goodreads):

On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites–like fire and ice–Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move–only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine

breakdown

Series: A Beautiful Dark
Author: Jocelyn Davies
# of Books: 3 (A Beautiful Dark, A Fractured Light, A Radiant Sky)
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Angels, Romance
Heat Rating: cold
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Dates: September 2011 – 2013
Source & Format: Own–eBook

thoughts

My Expectations / Why I Picked It Up:

I bought A Beautiful Dark when Kobo had it on sale one weekend. The plot sounded interesting to me and in general, I seem to enjoy angel-focused young adult reads so I decided to give it a shot.

My Thoughts on the Series:

I enjoyed the first book enough. I liked how Davies presented the angel clans being rivals in their magical powers and why they have the powers that they do in what is an otherwise obvious division between angels (ie. those in heaven vs those who have fallen).

What I didn’t enjoy was Skye or the love triangle.

Skye is annoying—-plain and simple. She was alright in the first book—I mean she has gone through a lot so I let her have a little angst but it becomes unbearable in the second book, A Fractured Light. I swear that sometimes the elevator doesn’t reach the top floor for her. She becomes whinny when she gets grounded (because she disappears for long periods of time without letting her aunt know) and can’t understand why she can’t leave the house. Well, that’s what being grounded means!

The other thing that irks me about this book is the love triangle. I don’t like love triangles but like any good reader, I push forward and pick what team I am going to be on. I think the problem here is that I don’t care for any of her love interests (and there are a few because she is one of those girls guys gravitate to all at once) and I don’t like how she gets angry at them for moving on when she has clearly made her choice.

The storyline is a little too predictable for me in both books. I could see most things coming and nothing really surprised me.

updates

–July 12, 2014– Book #3: A Radiant Sky

I picked this book up and then promptly DNF’d it at the 28% mark. I wasn’t feeling it and even knowing that the conclusion was near wasn’t enough for me.

Series Rating: DNF

A Beautiful Dark 3/5 | A Fractured Light 3/5 | A Radiant Sky DNF

overall

If you can tolerate angst-y, spoiled heroines who can’t make up their mind and like angel stories, check it out. Otherwise I would pass.

Read if You Like: angels, love triangles, angsty teens
Avoid if You: dislike YA paranormal

similarreads

  • Fallen by Lauren Kate (Fallen Series #1)
  • Darkness Before Dawn by J A London (Darkness Before Dawn Trilogy #1)

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