Book Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #3
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: February 12th 2013
My Rating: 4.5 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she struggles to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she finally tracks down the elusive, enigmatic Marcus Finch – a former Alchemist who the organisation denies exists, and who lives in shadows, on the run. With Marcus's help, Sydney realises that the group she's been loyal to her whole life has been hiding the truth from her. Is it possible that her golden lily tattoo might have more power over her than she thinks?

As she struggles to come to terms with what that might mean, Sydney is compelled to use her growing magical powers to track down an evil magic user who is targeting powerful young witches. Using magic goes against everything she always thought she believed, but she realises that her only hope is to embrace her special blood – or else she might be next.

Forging her own way is harder than Sydney ever dreamed. Maybe by turning off her brain – and following her heart – she'll be able to finally figure out where she belongs.

The hotly anticipated third installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series.

When The Indigo Spell was published, I decided I was going to be brave and patient and not read it right away. After all, I would've had to wait 9 months and 7 days (yes, I actually took the time to calculate that. You can call me a geek, I won't mind!) for the next book and I was pretty sure I was going to spend all that time mentally kicking myself for being a fast, impatient reader.

I told myself that if I waited, I'd get to read two new installments back-to-back in the same year, instead of just one and be miserable waiting. I think the last time I ever had that magnificent experience of two books of the same series out in the same year was around...2010? So I was excited about waiting that long for the books and I thought I could do it. I waited. But then I saw the book trailer for The Fiery Heart and my curiosity won. So I grabbed the book yesterday and finished it last night. Of course, now I'm mentally kicking myself for being a fast, impatient reader.

I really, really loved this book. The pace was great, I got to see some old characters that I love and adore, some butterfly-inducing moments, funny moments, some drama. You know, it was COOL!

Sydney is turning into such a strong woman. She's starting to question a lot of things about herself and about the cause she was born into and I really believe this is a good thing for her. I can finally understand why she's the lead heroine of the Bloodlines series. While Rose was a strong character from the very beginning of the Vampire Academy series, or at least that's how I saw her, that hasn't been the case for Sydney. Now, however, I can see she has the potential of becoming as strong as Rose, not necessarily physically strong, but mentally. I have a feeling she's going to be phenomenal in the next three books.

Adrian is.... well, he's the Adrian we all know and love. He's even sexier than before, if that's even possible. What is so amazing about him is that, out of all the characters in this series, he's the one that makes the most sense at times and he's the most level-headed one. Which is kind of a big deal, to be honest, considering his particular problems with his magical qualities. Not only that, but looking back at the Adrian he was at the beginning of VA, I can easily see he's come a long way and he's so much more mature than when he first showed up in the books. And did I mention hotter? He is hotter.

As for the other character, they're an interesting bunch. Eddie is a puzzle to me. I can't really understand him at times. I feel like he needs something to happen (or maybe someone) to make him the strong character I think he can be. Then there's Jill, who is very insightful for someone so young. And she's a good kid. I like her. I hope she and her Big Sis will sort things out and have a real relationship. Angelina is... I have to be honest and say she's a little annoying. I can somewhat understand it, because she is still adjusting to a new world and a new set of rules about a society she knows absolutely nothing about. So maybe I am being a little too hard on her.

There were only two things that I didn't particularly like in this book. One was Marcus and the other one was this book's villain. For the latter, I was hoping something more... maybe more dangerous, more cunning, more evil, something else. It was surprising, meaning I was expecting something else entirely, but I was waiting for something a little bigger than what it turned out to be. As for Marcus, I was waiting for him to be different. Stronger, maybe. He just wasn't the guy I thought he was.

Thankfully, I don't have to wait too long for the next book, only one month and 9 days. What I love about this two books in particular is that if you read The Indigo Spell you will understand the title of the next book. I love when that happens. The sad part about getting two books in one year is that the series ends sooner *pout* I'm not happy about that at all, but I can only hope that Richelle Mead will continue writing in this world after Bloodlines ends *fingers crossed*

Wednesday Chatter #3: On ARCs and why I'm giving them up

Wednesday Chatter is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books where we'll be talking about anything and everything related to books and reading. Click here if you want to see what we talked about in the previous weeks


WARNING: Some bad words might be used in the following post. Don't say I didn't warn you!

You know, when I first started blogging about books I thought ARCs were like mythical treasures and all the bloggers who got them were almost equals to the ancient Greek heroes. I actually think I looked like this when I got my first ARC:

I love getting ARCs. Who doesn't? Whenever I receive one I feel like it's my birthday all over again, especially if it's for a book I've been dying to read for what seems like an eternity. It's always a happy day when I get a "Yes" in my inbox to a request for an e-galley and it's also a humbling experience, since it means that someone, somewhere actually gives a damn over my opinion. Which always makes me feel really important and cool. 

But here's the thing. Besides the responsibility tied to an ARC (writing a review on time, posting regularly on your blog and more) I find that it takes me away from other books that I already own and that have been sitting on my shelves for months and I never opened them. EVER. I know, I should've figured it out when I first requested those galleys, right?

I actually looked on my Goodreads account the other day and I saw I have over 1000 books on my TBR pile. That's more than just insane. Of course, I haven't yet bought all those books, otherwise I'd need to buy a house just for them, but still, it's a huge list. And I'd like to read them sometimes during this lifetime. I'm not complaining over getting ARCs, don't get me wrong. I'm just complaining over all those books I haven't yet read and I want to do it.

I sort of had this heart to heart with myself (it's a good thing I can't contradict myself all that much, you know?) so I decided that after I finish reading the galleys I already have now, I'll stop requesting them. I figure I need to take some time off from ARCs and read random books I pick at the bookstore and the books I already own. There is only one book I'll request if it ever comes up on Netgalley next year (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this one, since all the other books in the series where on Netgalley). 

Also, as you might have noticed, I haven't been very active lately. That's because I'm studying and I'm starting to work on my dissertation, which turns out to be a huge pain in the ass.

Also, requesting ARCs (and receiving them) are starting to make blogging look like a job. I started book blogging for fun. I wasn't looking for a job, but for a way to express my feelings over the books I'm reading. And since I don't exactly want to join a book club (the idea of synchronized read-alongs of a specific book just doesn't do it for me) this blog is the only way I can actually do that.

So. Bottom line: I'm giving up ARCs. I'll probably do a little of this when it sinks in and I see all the cool books that will pop up on Netgalley and Edelweiss once I publish this post:

But I'll be taking a deep breath, look at the pretty covers, add the books on my TBR pile and just wait until I can read them. No pressure, right?

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Everything You Know by Mary Beth Bass

Everything You Know

by Mary Beth Bass

Release Date: 09/27/13

Summary from Goodreads:

A dark forest, a screaming woman and blood. These are the images that haunt seventeen year old Emma from the moment she meets Joe Castlellaw. And so much more awaits.

Emma Mathews never believed she was like everyone else, but neither did she think herself crazy. Meeting Joe Castlellaw, Henry Dearborn High’s newest student, was like waking on a cold rock in a strange place, the world bathed in liquid moonlight. Everything is different now…and fraught. Visions of a dark forest, a screaming woman and blood have begun to haunt Emma’s dreams, and not only at night. But Joe’s lonely beauty makes her float on air, and she would follow him anywhere—out of high school and through the great tree, to a world of poetry and political savagery, of magic and murder, to a life that is entirely theirs and yet unlike anything they have ever known.

Excerpt:

The orange sun burst between two buildings, blinding Joe for a second. He shaded his eyes and looked around. The detainee tower was straight ahead, just to the right of the setting sun. If he stayed reasonably clear of it he’d be able to avoid the Masevo, he hoped, and if he kept it in his sightline he wouldn’t get lost. Emma was somewhere in the city. He was sure of it. And he was sure the vision in the water meant he had to reunite her with her family, wherever they were. He just had to find the tunnel and Emma before the Masevo. 

Joe’s clothes and shoes had dried in the wind and his jeans had shrunk until they were uncomfortably tight. The air was getting cooler as the sun sank lower. He wished he had a jacket. 

The outskirts of the city were dotted with small houses fronted by little walled gardens. The architecture was a strangely appealing mix of modern and medieval, as if Frank Gehry had designed house-sized castles made of steel and stone. A few gardens had flowering vines that climbed over white walls. Joe heard laughing. He saw a few winged kids flying and playing above their yards…

About the Author

More than a little obsessed with Keats and MOBY DICK and fueled by loud music and cold grey days, Mary Beth Bass is the author of young adult fantasy and romantic women’s fiction. Her debut paranormal-women’s fiction hybrid, FOLLOW ME received the Book Buyers Best Award for Time Travel, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance. 

An occasional travel writer, Mary Beth has written about Paris, Bordeaux, and Yorkshire, where she hiked the moors to the legendary setting for WUTHERING HEIGHTS and stood breathless in the parsonage room where Charlotte, Anne, and Emily Bronte talked out their stories with each other.

And if I seem a little strange, well that’s because I am.
Also loves octopuses. 

***Author Links***

  

GIVEAWAY
3 ebook copies of Everything You Know (INT)
1-prize pack of C. C. Hunter Shadow Falls series: Born at Midnight, Awake at Dawn, Taken at Dusk, Whispers at Moonrise, and Chosen at Nightfall (US)

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Book Blitz: Angus MacBain by Angela Townsend

Angus MacBain

By Angela Townsend

Release Date: 09/27/13

Book Summary:

Angus MacBain is unaware that his ancestral roots hail from an ancient sect of Scottish kings. When his dying grandfather gives him a dragon pendant, thirteen-year-old Angus learns of a legacy that will take him across an ocean to the island of Iona and thrust him into a heritage he did not know he had. 

He soon discovers that his mother, whom he had believed dead, is really a seal fairy, in hiding from a dangerous enemy. To save her, Angus must undergo a perilous journey of destiny and power to battle an evil Dacian knight and those who serve him. With only his family shield and the advice of a wizened vampire hunter to protect him, Angus must navigate dangerous terrain and dark enemies, in a land where the past and the present mingle, and sleeping kings wake.

Available from:

About the Author

Angela Townsend was born in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Missoula, Montana. As a child, Angela grew up listening to stories told by her grandparents, ancient tales and legends of faraway places. Influenced by her Irish and Scottish heritage, Angela became an avid research historian, specializing in Celtic mythology. Her gift for storytelling finally led her to a full time career in historical research and writing. A writer in local community circulations, Angela is also a published genealogical and historical resource writer who has taught numerous research seminars. Currently, Angela divides her time between writing, playing Celtic music on her fiddle, and Irish dancing. She resides on a ranch, in rural Northwestern Montana, with her two children Levi and Grant.

***Author Links***

  

GIVEAWAY

One Angus MacBain necklace plus swag shown below (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz organized by:

Follow Friday #19

Welcome to Follow Friday hosted this week by Parajunkee and Alison!
The main idea behind FF is just to go see a bunch of new blogs you may never have seen before, and follow the ones you like (and they’ll follow you back!) It’s a total win/win, so take a peek around!


This week’s question is:

What book (or TV show or movie) have you not read that seemingly everyone else has?

Book: Aside from the obvious Twilight, the book I haven't yet read that I believe everyone on this planet has (and I have a suspicion they've heard about it on some other planets as well) is Divergent. 

TV Show: Game Of Thrones. There, I said it. I tried to watch it, can't say I enjoyed it that much (I haven't read the books, but ever since True Blood, I'm a bit weary of books turned tv shows for HBO)

Movie: Um... There are a lot of movies that everyone has seen that I haven't. Right now the one that comes to mind is Spider-Man 3. I must admit that since I'm not a huge fan of spiders in general, Spider Man is my least favorite superhero. 

What about you? 

Mini Review: Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron

Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Series: Fall and Rise #1
Publisher: All Night Reads
Release Date: January 12th 2013
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: NetGalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Ready to move on. Ready to start forgetting the night that ripped her life apart.

Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.

Zack is cruel, selfish and constantly rubbing what happened to her friend in Lottie's face.

Zan is different. He listens to her awkward ramblings. He loves "To Kill a Mockingbird" as much as she does, and his dark eyes are irresistible. His words are few and far between, but when he does speak, she can't help but listen.

The trouble is, Zan was the driver in the accident, and now Lottie's discovered he lied to her about what happened that night. Now she must decide if trusting him again will lead to real forgiveness, or deeper heartache.

This was a very surprising book. It made me want to cry and punch something at the same time.

I found myself liking Zan even though, like Lottie, I tried not to. He has a lot of pain, though you can understand why when you get to the end of the book.

I was so sad for Lottie. She was really struggling to move forward with her life, but at the same time she couldn't let go of her friend, Lexie. She also felt guilty a lot. I think she needed to move on and I can imagine how difficult it was to accept that the one person who could help her do that was Zan.

I hated Zack and I wanted to hit him many times throughout the book.

There were a few things that confused me a little, like Zan's willingness to protect his brother, but in the ned I think it was a great read and I'll definitely read the next book in the series.

Mini Review: The Edge Of Never by J.A. Redmerski

Author: J.A. Redmerski
Series: The Edge of Never #1
Publisher: Createspace
Release Date: November 15th 2012
My Rating: 4.5 cups
Source: NetGalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.

Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.

With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.

But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?

Oh boy! This is one of those books that stick with you long after you've finished reading it.

I fell in love with Andrew. He has a great sense of humor, he's an amazing friend and he has great taste in music. I actually squeed a little when I read about what music he likes. (You could call it insta-love, if you want *giggles*)

Cam was great too. I felt like she was way more mature by the end of the book, happier and more comfortable with herself. Of course, I don't think I would've trusted a guy I just met on a bus (I'm a little more paranoid than it should be allowed).

The only thing that I didn't particularly like was the ending. It was great, but it felt completely rushed. The novel had a great pace, but at the end of it I felt like I took a wrong turn and got to the end before I was ready for it.

I did however love the book and I'm ready for another dose of Andrew. I mean, I'm ready for the next book *whistling*

Sassy Girl Swoony God Tourney Challenge #2

The second challenge in the Sassy Girl Swoony God Tourney is so cool *squees a little* Before I get to the task though, let me show you an amazing slideshow with the entries for last week's challenge. Last week we had to post a picture of the tropical location where Kai kidnapped Persephone.

And here's the video for this week's challenge.



Great, right? I thought so too! Here's my playlist.


Playlist Name: Love is a killer

1. Gary Allan - Bones
2. Roxette - It Must Have Been Love
3. Letters To Cleo - Cruel To Be Kind
4. Vixen - Edge Of A Broken Heart
5. Lita Ford - Shot Of Poison
6. Bruce Springsteen - I'm On Fire

That's my playlist. In case you're wondering about the name of my playlist, I know it's not terribly original, but it's one of my favorite songs from the band Vixen. Thought it was just right for Sophie and Kai :D See you next week in the tourney :D

Book Review: Elite by Rachel Van Dyken

Author: Rachel Van Dyken
Series: Eagle Elite #1
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: July 9th 2013
My Rating: 2.5 cups
Source: NetGalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

When I won the annual Eagle Elite College Scholarship lottery, I was thrilled. After all, my grandma had just died and I wanted to take care of my aging grandpa -- he couldn't be a farmer in Wyoming forever. And graduating from Eagle Elite meant opportunity.

But I wasn't counting on meeting Nixon.

Nor was I counting on the rules of the Elect.

1. Do not touch The Elect.
2. Do not look at The Elect.
3. Do not speak to The Elect.

And worst of all? Don't discover the secret they hide, because in the end, you may just realize... it's about you.

*This is a New Adult Book, blood, violence, cursing, sexual references, and drug use. Not recommended for those under 17.*

You know how sometimes you get so excited about a book, you get these really high expectations? This was what happened to me with Elite. I read the blurb and I immediately wanted to read the book. I was sure it had mystery, angst, drama. And the warning got me even more curious.

The book started okay. I always enjoy the "small town girl gets to leave her small town and have a chance at a career she never would've had otherwise" stories. And this book had the potential of being very good. But then something happened.

The first thing that bothered me was the bullying. There's a lot of bullying in this book. Bullying that I didn't understand. Don't get me wrong, I think all bullying is pointless and stupid and it should disappear off the face of the Earth, but the amount of bullying in this particular book make no sense to me. Especially when you get to the end of the book and you get to have some answers to a few of your questions about the characters. What amazed me even more was the person doing the bullying at first, but most of all his reasoning. The "I'll treat you like crap so others won't" mentality never quite worked for me. I wanted to like Nixon. He seems like the kind of bad boy most girls fall for, but I felt he was a little bipolar at times.

The second thing that I didn't exactly understand was Tracey's attraction to Nixon. He might be sexy, he might be dangerous and something completely different than all the boys she's ever known before, but he treats her like crap. Why would you give a guy like that the time of day, I have no idea. She's also a little too weak for my taste. She didn't stand up for herself nearly as much as she should have. I would have at least told a few of the mean kids to eff off.

The only thing that really kept me going in this book was the mystery behind Tracey and Nixon's families. I kept wondering who they were and how they were related. And, I must confess, I kept hoping there was something supernatural about the book. It could have been anything, really, because there were a lot of things that pointed in a very subtle way in that direction.

I really wanted to be amazed by this book. It had a lot of potential and it had some elements I've never read about before. Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me :(

Cover Reveal: Red Dirt Road by Annie Rose Welch

Red Dirt Road by Annie Rose Welch

Book 2 in the Saving Angels series

Adult romance

Expected Publication: September 24th, 2013

The Saving Angels Series continues…

A new cast is introduced, while journeys already taken start to merge with the present, leading you down the old Red Dirt Road.

Death has always seemed just one step behind Layla Hill, taking almost everyone she’s ever loved. After she loses the love of her life, Layla vows to never love again—how could she, when she’s a death magnet?

Trying to outrun fate traveling with her uncle Willie and his band, Layla meets Michael Roberts, a beautiful Irish boxer as gentle on the piano as he is brutal in the ring. He proves as relentless in life, fighting for a place in her world even as she pushes him away, trying to protect him from her killer tendencies.

But neither foresees the sinister presence waiting for Layla at the end of the Red Dirt Road.

GCRPromotions is currently organizing a tour for Red Dirt Road. If you're interested in being a stop on the tour, sign up HERE.