Midnight Secretary Vol. 1 by Tomu Ohmi | YOU NEED THIS MANGA!

Midnight Secretary Vol. 1 by Tomu Ohmi

Midnight Secretary #1
Date Read: Jan 26, 2018

First Published: 2008

Paperback

Adult, Fantasy Romance

Rating:

Re-Readability:

Kaya Satozuka prides herself on being an excellent secretary and a consummate professional, so she doesn’t even bat an eye when she’s reassigned to the office of her company’s difficult director, Kyohei Touma. He’s as prickly—and hot—as rumors paint him, but Kaya is unfazed…until she discovers that he’s a vampire!!
Kaya quickly accustoms herself to scheduling his “dinner dates” and working odd hours, but can she handle it when Kyohei’s smoldering gaze starts turning her way?!

Okay, so before we get on with this review, there is one thing I need to make clear: this is one of my all time favorite manga. This is not the first time I've read it. I first read it in 2009, and have returned to it time and again since.

This is, however, my first time owning a copy of the series.

So, some background. Midnight Secretary tells the story of the hardworking and serious Kaya, the titular secretary. She begins working for a difficult boss in her company, one that works very hard but also seems to find time to entertain women in his office ALL THE TIME (really, it's kind of a superpower).

That's Kyouhei Touma*. And, yes, he's a jerk, but he's also a major book crush of mine. Hey, at least I'm self-aware!! 

At first, these two are at odds. Then Kaya discovers the truth about her boss. He's a fucking Vampire. In this world, vampires are born, not made. As a result, they aren't killing machines. They don't need to--they only need a little bit of human blood to survive. Blood they usually ingest through intercourse with their "victim" none the wiser, experiencing sexual pleasure instead. They kind of have it good. Only, they're allergic to sunlight, and faith, and find humans beneath them. Which probably has to do with them being beautiful and smart, and more often than not rich. 

Now, half because she's blackmailed and half because she's the mother fucking boss of all secretaries, Kaya vows to be the perfect secretary for her boss. That includes learning all she can about him, and helping him even when he refuses to admit he needs help. But that doesn't include falling in love with him. AT ALL. 

AT ALL I SAID.

Dammit. 

(lol)

So, yes, this is a love story. If you love romance novels, you NEED this manga in your life. It's absolutely perfect. It's mostly like a contemporary romance with fantasy settings and a smattering of fantastical elements (nothing overpowering).

And it will give you THE FEELS.

Even in this first volume, that serves to set up our characters, their predicament and the beginning of their unlikely romance, you can sense that this is a story with a lot of heart, about a woman making a hard man see that loving is not a weakness, and that admitting "defeat" doesn't damage your pride.

And Kyouhei and Kaya are one of my favorite otps of all time. There's just something about these two people meeting and changing each other's lives that makes my heart pump like no other manga does!

PLEASE GO READ THIS MANGA AND THEN COME BACK AND DISCUSS WITH ME, I NEED DISCUSSION BUDDIES! 

*Okay, mini rant about the official translation... It's not the best?? First of all, why do they call Touma "Tohma"? It's written "とうまきょうへい" which is literally To-u-ma Kyo-u-he-i. Why would a professional manga translation company make this dumb a mistake?... (Also, based on how often it appears in manga and anime, Touma is a really common name in Japan).

Second, I found "Mr. Director" to be really awkward. I wish it would have been just "Director". Like, I guess I get it, but maybe because I got used to shachou (director/president in Japanesee) on its own it was, like, really weird. 

Dancing With the Devil by Keri Arthur | Rant Review [Spoilers]

Dancing With the Devil by Keri Arthur

Nikki & Michael

First Published: 2008

Paperback

Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

Re-Readability:

Private Investigator Nikki James grew up on the tough streets of Lyndhurst and believes there's nothing left to surprise her. All that changes the night she follows teenager Monica Trevgard into the shadows-and becomes a pawn caught in a war between two very different men. One fills her mind with his madness, the other pushes his way into her life-and her heart. Nikki knows how dangerous love can be, but if she wants to survive, she must place her trust in a man who could easily destroy her.
Michael Kelly has come to Lyndhurst determined to end the war between himself and another brother of the night. For 300 years he has existed in life's shadows, gradually learning to control the life from death cravings of a vampire. Nikki not only breaches his formidable barriers with her psychic abilities, but makes Michael believe he may finally have found a woman strong enough to walk by his side and ease the loneliness in his heart. But will his love be enough to protect her from a madman hell-bent on revenge? Or will it drive her into his enemy's deadly trap?
Only together can they overcome the evil threatening to destroy them both. But the secrets they keep from each other might prove to be the greatest threat of all.

Good God this book was boring.

Seriously, I did not expect this. The "heroes" kept getting into traps, nearly dying, failing and in pain. Rinse and repeat. It got old real quick. Even scenes one would normally classify as action scenes were dull and dry without an ounce of soul.

And let's just take a second to lament how dumb someone has to be to fall into traps over and over and over again. At a certain point, couldn't you try to put a trap of your own? Or do something, anything, to counter attack?? Seriously, it's been 5 years since I read this book and I am still angry about it...

Now, on top of all this, a lot of parts made absolutely no freaking sense. Michael, who is the male protagonist, literally found the whereabouts of villainous-dude Jasper about half a dozen times throughout the book. But then, those scenes ended in fade-to-blacks paired with some inane notion like "it's time for the hunter to become the hunted"... which never played out. The next time we see our "heroes", nothing has changed and Jasper is still at large. Why is this even in the story?

Then, there was the Case of the Vanishing Injuries. These guys... they get hurt. Often. Like, hit by a car kind of hurt. And then... it's mentioned maybe once, and is forgotten until the next time they get injured. That's not how these things work, book!

But at the end of the day, it was the characters that made this book suck ass. More specifically... it was Nikki. I disliked how scared she was, all the time. It's human to be afraid, but having that be your one single emotion is just frustrating. But I could deal with that. I could even kind-of-maybe-sort-of deal with her utter uselessness, even though it's one of my pet peeves in books, especially when the girl is so heavily gifted. Like, you've got everything working for you to be a key character in the story, and instead, you are just a damsel in distress.

But I only started actually hating her later in the story. On the one hand, she did not want Michael to go and on the other she was so darn annoying, refusing to trust him because of something someone else did, being anti-vampires in general, accusing Michael of dumb things and just looking for something wrong about him. And then, when he does leave, she regrets it. Girl, you deserve to have your ass deserted and left to fend for yourself. Yes, you will die within a minute because you are that useless but at this point, I don't even give a fuck.

Now, clearly, considering the former paragraph... I wasn't a huge fan of the romance. It wasn't very believable, at any case. I have no idea why this two fell for each other. I mean, why would anyone fall for Nikki??? And naturally, the "I love you"s came out of nowhere. Because that's the kind of novel this is...

One of the most disappointing things about this novel was actually the writing. I had been excited to read a Keri Arthur novel when I picked this up. I heard a lot about them, after all. Sadly, I was very underwhelmed by it. There was just nothing about it, and as I said before - boring as hell.

Okay, wait, time for a positive thing about this novel!... It ended and I was able to move on to better reads. LOL. 

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer | Book Review

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Last Survivors #2

First Published: 2008

Kindle

Young Adult, Dystopia

Rating:
Re-Readability:

Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.
With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful new novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities.

While The Dead and the Gone is categorized as a sequel to Life as We Knew It, it would more accurately be described as a companion novel as it actually follows the same time span of the original novel, only chronicling the world-ending disaster through the eyes of 17 years old Alex Morales all the way in New York.

Despite this, The Dead and the Gone is fundamentally different than it's predecessor, and all because the eyes it's told through, and the place it's being held.

Alex is a less likable character than Miranda, I'll admit that. This is the main reason that, while I enjoyed this novel, I didn't love it as much as the first. It's not that I hated him or anything, but I also didn't like how he thought and acted with Julie, and he was sometimes overly righteous. It just didn't sit all that well with me, even though God knows I don't condemn him for any of it.

Because Alex sees death, everywhere, all around him, from the very first moment things go array. His experience is much darker and traumatizing than Miranda's, especially as all the responsibility falls on his shoulders. The things he has to do and see are horrifying... and he has to do it all alone.

I do wonder how I would've felt about this novel if it had been told in the intimacy of first person pov like Life as We Knew It, instead of third person. That said, I think this distancing in perspective is done quite intentionally. 

Where Life as We Knew It is an isolated story, about a family who is cut off from everyone else, but still has each other, The Dead and the Gone is far wider in its scope and shows much greater detail of the disaster, and is far more brutal about it. And Alex himself needs to distance himself from all the horrors around him, or else he might collapse.

The one thing that really bothered me in this regard was that Pfeffer clearly relied on people having read the first novel to fully understand the natural disaster afoot. Alex very rarely focused or cared about the larger things that were happening around him - it was simply glossed over. Oh, yeah, the moon's closer to the earth. Now there are earthquakes and floods. Hmmm... volcanoes erupting ? cool.

I understand why - Alex is focused on saving his and his sisters' lives. There is no space in his life for anything else. But at the same time, this grates because of how much this novel reads like a companion novel. 

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer | Book Review

SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER // SPOILER

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight Saga #4

First Published: 2008

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?
--
To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.
Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life - first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse - seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

TO READ THE SPOILERS - CLICK "READ MORE"

Breaking Dawn is my second favorite in the Twilight series. It's a return to form of sorts. When it comes to Twilight, I don't shy away from the fact I love the series. But loving something and having no issues with it is not the same thing, and books two and three in the series are actually kind of meh when you get down to it.

Breaking Dawn brought back the things I loved most about Twilight, and added its own little spin on things. 

The story is divided into three parts: the first is told from Bella's pov as we've come accustomed to. The second is actually told from Jacob's pov which was great for many reasons, and in the third we go back to Bella. But a better Bella.

Because what Breaking Dawn does is redeem Bella. Finally, after two books that made me despair of her, she's back and better than ever. She's active. She makes choices. She fights and protects what's important to her - first by proxy when she's too physically weak to do it, and then by sheer bad-ass-ness.

She is useful. She is important to the story and the action. For once, without her (actively) they won't even win the battle. Her relationship with Edward is still the reason those conflicts exist, but she is finally an active part of the solution.

Then there's Jacob. While I was still majorly pissed by him (and Bella's reaction to him) in the first part of the book, the second gave much needed insight into his head, making him a character I could like again - which hasn't been the case since he became a major one. So we got to see the depth of his feeling, his sadness, his sort-of loneliness, his inert leadership. Clever move, Meyer.

Another clever move was making Jacob so damned funny. Seriously, Jacob in this book has a sense of humor and I LOVE it! And pairing him up with Rosalie, even just as a comedic pair, is brilliant. Every time this unlikely due was together on page, I laughed. It added some levity to a somewhat dire situation, and gave us a new dynamic to observe, and it worked beautifully.

Speaking of Rosalie... She was not one of my favorite characters in the books, in fact she was the only Cullen I disliked, but this book did a fantastic job at endearing her to me.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer | Book Review

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

N/A

First Published: 2008

Paperback

Young Adult, Sci-Fi

Rating:

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

The Host is by far my most favorite of Meyer's novels, and one of my favorite books in general. Every time I re-read it, which I do about once a year, I am filled with the same emotions I did the very first time I looked between those pages.*

The premise of this book is like nothing I've read before. Aliens have been used and used again, but how many times do the authors make the aliens better than the humans? Make them a race that has barely any violent tendencies, that treats everyone as equals. A race that has no such concepts as thievery or crime in it. 

You must be wondering what kind of conflict could exist in such a perfect world. Well, mix in some human rebels, an alien who sympathizes with them and two people living in one body and things get a lot more interesting. 

Now, before starting the real review I would like to address the first 100 pages of the book, because some will find it very hard to get past them. Like my mother. Well, get past them. They are absolutely necessary to the plot, and from the second reading on I understood the real beauty and perfection of them, but they are admittedly slow. Don't give up. Read on. You won't regret it! 

Now that we've got that out of the way, my absolute favorite character in this novel is Wanda, the alien main character. Wanda is a pacifist who protects who she loves fiercely and always puts them first. Even if it might have disastrous ramifications to herself. I don't always love self-sacrifice, but here it was done perfect.

The dynamics between her and Melanie were very interesting, especially because through Melanie's memories Wanda learns to love those Mel does. So while Melanie is the complete opposite of Wanda in many ways, they can both agree that their family and loved ones come first, which makes them fit like a glove despite their differences and work together. 

Now, it wouldn't be a Stephenie Meyer novel without some romance in it, right? Well, there is that in this book. And I loved how it played out. At first I was very scared I will hate it because it presents itself as a very complicated love triangle at first glance, but it's not. It never was, as you come to understand at the end of this perfect novel.  

Jared, Melanie's boyfriend, is one of those love interests. To summarize him - he's a jerk. Maybe not to everyone, but certainly to Wanda. Does he have an acceptable good reason? sure. but Wanda has been nothing but a doll the entire time so I really couldn't learn to like him. Especially when the only times he was nice to Wanda, it was for Melanie and no one else.  

There there is Ian. 

the guy is major swoon!

He reigns at the top of my Book Boyfriend List. As the story goes on, this character develops into one of the most wonderful, loving and kind guys I've ever read of. The guy's freaking awesome! Honestly, he is the first of the rebels to open himself to the possibility Wanda isn't bad and from then on I was in love. 

Two other noteworthy characters are Jamie, Melanie's adorable brother and Jeb, the Dumbledore of this book. Wise, mysterious and eccentric, he gives Wanda the change to earn her place among the rebels and has earned my eternal love for it. 

And the ending... 

it so beautiful *sniff*

Everything about that ending was beautiful. From what Wanda chose to do to the proof of how much the rebels became her family - and she theirs. It was heartbreaking and courageous and stunning and sad and I can't even with this ending.

*Re-visiting this review made me unable not to re-read the book again. So... I did. 

Need by Carrie Jones | Book Review

Need by Carrie Jones

Need #1
First Published: 2008
Paperback
Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

Zara collects phobias the way other girls collect Facebook friends. Little wonder, since life's been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother's pretty much checked out. Now Zara's living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays safe. Zara doesn't think she's in danger; she thinks her mother can't deal. Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn't a figment of her imagination. He's a pixie--and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He's the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he's trailing Zara. With suspense, romance, and paranormal themes, this exciting breakout novel has readers rapidly turning the pages.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE JUICY RANT (PART TWO)

Need was the first ever "bad" review and rating I posted (originally on Goodreads). It got that questionable honor by being one of the most disappointing books I've read to date, which is a big deal, considering I knew nothing about the book coming into it and therefore had no expectations.

And it still managed to completely crush me - because it started out so good, with the quirky chapter titles, laugh worthy moments and the cool seeming heroine. Unfortunately, it all went downhill fairly quickly. Honestly, if anything, this book makes me feel cheated.

Zara is our main character, and despite what I said above - I didn't really like her. I hated how she behaved towards her mother. I hated how illogical and self centered and downright stupid she was.

Then we have Nick, the resident hot guy love interest and a semi-main character. He had his sweet moments, sure, but they were mostly overshadowed by his major dick ones...

To be honest, the characters I did like were Issie and Devyn, and they were sadly negated to barely-there side characters.

And stillI had two MAJOR problems with the whole lot of them, the first being the sad unfortunate truth that they were all extremity, insanely... stupid. They never ask the right question... or any questions at all, for that matter. They just accept everything at face value and wait for something to happen next. I mean, c'mon!

Don't believe me? Well, what if I told you they find a note that tells the peculiar story of a sacrifice and running away, alongside a small side-note about pixies. Do they ask questions--what's it about, who wrote it, etc? Even just to each other? Err, no. They do not.

The second, which is the superior sin between the two, was the fact I did not find them believable... at all. Their behavior, actions and reactions all rang false and scripted. They never jumped out of the pages, never felt alive.

And yet, for such dead characters, you'd be amazed at how exasperated I got by the romance (or whatever the hell that was). But, well, this is insta love after all. The kind that make you pull your hairs out, because they know absolutely nothing about each other, and yet they reach the kind of relationship where somehow, the other's presence is a magical balm to all ills in the world. Even though, you know, cuddling will probably not stop the crazy creatures after you from stealing your humanity. But, whateves, kissing's way more important.

Then came the ending. I don't think I've ever read of a silliest one, and that's saying something 'cause I read this back in 2012 and it's still accurate. It was just ridiculous. The logistics made no sense, lady luck played much too big a part and the pixies' previously established traits just vanished at the convenience of our heroes.

And let's not forget... how considerate of the bad guys to listen to what the good tell them! Jolly nice of you, mate!

Come back tomorrow for a breakdown of the (many) stupid things in this book - no hold backs, no spoiler tag, no mercy. 

Fire by Kristin Cashore | Book Review

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Graceling Realm #2
First Published: 2008
Paperback
Young Adult, High Fantasy
Rating:

HER BEAUTY IS A WEAPON - AND FIRE IS GOING TO USE IT.
Fire's exceptional beauty gives her influence and power. People who are susceptible to it will do anything for her attention, and for her affection.
But beauty is only skin deep, and beneath it Fire has a human appreciation of right and wrong. Aware of her ability to influence others, and afraid of it, she lives in a corner of the world away from people - not only to protect them but also to protect herself herself from their attention, their distrust, and even their hatred.
Yet Fire is not the only danger to Dells. If she wants to protect her home, if she wants a chance to undo the wrongs of the past, she must face her fears, her abilities and a royal court full of powerful people with reason to distrust her.

Confession: originally, I read Fire the last of the three books, despite it being the second published. I was just so invested in Katsa and Po that I was more interested in their future rather than a past they weren't alive in yet.

When I finally read it, I closed the book wanting to hit myself for waiting so long. 

Fire starts by giving us a very disturbing look into Leck's childhood, who we find out has been evil since the very beginning. When you want to cover yourself in something warm and safe from a toddler, it says something.

Moving from that fun little experience we're introduced to the monster Fire, a human beautiful beyond description who can invade and control minds. People either hate her or admire her to destruction, and with an infamous monster father created from the same mold as Leck, the hatred is palpable.

The thing Fire is most afraid of in the entire world is herself. She is scared to death she'll become something like her father because of her powers and abilities. But she's a dutiful, driven, loving person, who will do anything for those she loves. And so, when she's asked to do something for the king- she accepts.

That's where the real story starts. Before that, we get to know Fire, her routine, the dynamics she shares with those around her and her past, through beautifully done flashbacks that are never boring or meaningless. 

If this book excels in anything (and it excels in many things), it's in making you know Fire inside and out, on all her layers. It's in making you live inside Fire to to point of tearing up at the things she feels - without the need for anything truly "tragic" to happen.

Fire is as strong a heroine as Katsa, while being vastly different from her.

And Brigan is as amazing a male character as Po was, for different reasons. I feel like I want to let you guys discover him all on your own. 

Now, if that's not enough to make you want to read this book, what if I told you that the romance is of the slow-burn variety? What if I told you it's sort of a hate to love situation? What if I told you that two people who are uncomfortable with each other on sight learn to trust one another, become friends and eventually develop something more in the most real and believable way that will give you ALL the feels???

And what if I topped that by saying the romance is not the main focus of the story, but a delicious bonus? That the real story is one of self acceptance, forgiveness and repenting? That it's real and raw and human? That consequences exist in this world, for better or worse, and happy endings are not in the cards for everyone? That it's heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, and that the combination is beautiful? 

I really can sing praise of Fire and Cashore's magic with words for days, you know. She is one of the most amazing authors out there to me. Once you get a taste of her writing, you really can't stop.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare | Book Review

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments #2
First Published: 2008
Paperback
Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? Clary would love to spend more time with her best friend, Simon. But the Shadowhunters won't let her go--especially her handsome, infuriating newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil--and also her father. When the second of the Mortal Instruments is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor suspects Jace. Could Jace really be willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

City of Ashes and I started off rocky. If you read my review of City of Bones you know that I read that book twice (because I couldn't remember anything). What you don't know is that the first time I read it, I proceeded to open City of Ashes immediately. I read the prologue. I closed the book. It stayed closed for about... oh, I dunno... two years, maybe?..

I can't even explain what went wrong and why this happened. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it. But whatever it was, I kept recalling that I did in fact do that every time I considered reading the book, and so I became too afraid to actually read it.

So afraid, that I had to limit myself on a vacation by taking City of Ashes only to make myself read it. If you're like me, who take 3 physical books and a full kindle everywhere, you must understand how dire the situation truly was.

I ended up being completely baffled by my initial reaction. City of Ashes, for me, was a much superior book to City of Bones.

Firstly, I got to like Clary better in this book. I never hated her, but I was never sure I liked her, either. Does that make any sense? Anyways, in this book Clary discovers a power that finally makes her useful. She is no longer helpless. And that makes her much more interesting, to me.

Though, I will say - I was gritting my teeth so bad at how she behaved with Simon! That is NOT okay.

As for Jace, the first book I was surprised to like this character, who is named a jerk (though usually affectionately) by many people. In this book I was once again surprised that I liked him - this time, because I strangely enjoyed his mopey and sullen attitude. It added a much needed vulnerability to his character, making him that much more relate-able.

A character that I lost some respect towards (thought I still love him) is actually Simon. Why would you go into a lair of vampires? That is such a stupid thing to do. The end of the book with him was interesting, for sure, though I don't quite understand how it was possible. Hopefully, Clare explains this in the next book (side note: did Clare explain? I can't seem to remember o-o)

My possibly favorite part of the book was listening to Simon recite Sh'ma Israel. It was very accurate, because that is the prayer a Jewish person would use (I should know lol), and I wasn't actually expecting it.

Simon also gets a possible future love interest in this book, called Maia. I hated her. She is just such a useless character, so unnecessary to the plot. Hopefully, Clare won't negate Simon to an actual relationship with her.

Two side characters I feel deserve the extra mention are Luke and fan favorite (and my favorite) Magnus Bane.

I love Luke for the fatherly feeling he gives off, and Magnus for the sparkly feeling he gives off. Both of them create a large contrast between how you (and the Shadowhunters) expect a character like themselves to be and how they really are, Luke because he is the farthest thing away from the cruel, vicious werewolf and Magnus because he is not the typical wise, bearded Mage but a colorful collection of traits that create this persona that is so much fun to be around!

I hope to see more of both these characters in the following books (with emphasis on Magnus's relationship with Alec).

"Every time you almost die, I almost die myself".

As for the romance - I was kind of on the middle with it. Sometimes I loved it, like when Jace said the quote above. At that moment? I shipped it hard. 

But then sometimes I hated it. Like when Jace started blowing up over things Clary hadn't even said, based on his wrapped interpretation on them-- and Clary wouldn't even contradict his weird assumptions, instead continuing on with the conversation as if he is right. Like, major wtf.

I think this reading experience was so much better than in City of Bones because, above all else, I got used to the writing. But I'll be honest, I still don't like it.

Book Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling Realm #1
First Published: 2008
Paperback
Young Adult, High Fantasy
Rating:

In a world where people born with an exceptional skill, knows as Grace, are both feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing.
Feared by the court and shunned by those her own age, the darkness of her Grace casts a heavy shadow over Katsa's life. Yet she remains defiant; when the King of Lienid's father is kidnapped she investigates, and stumbles across a mystery. Who would want to kidnap the old man, and why? And who was the extraordinary Graced man whose fighting abilities rivaled her own?
The only thing Katsa is sure of is that she no longer wants to kill. The intrigue around this kidnapping offers her a way out - but little does she realize, when she takes it, that something insidious and dark lurks behind the mystery. Something spreading from the shadowy figure of a one-eyed king...

I really cannot even describe the amount of love I have for this book. Can you shout BLEW MY MIND AWAY loud enough?!

This book came to me in the midst of a reading slump. All the books I read seemed to be alright, but none of them were great. They were interesting, but they didn't hold my interest. I didn't hate them, but I didn't love them either. I was starting to despair.

And then came Graceling, a book I've been thinking of reading for a while. I found it in my local bookstore to my great surprise, and with such a beautiful cover I couldn't resist getting it (and its sequel).

What I found when I opened this book is an amazing, incredible adventure like nothing I've read before. One that sucks you in so deeply that you cannot put it away, because it is as if your life hangs in the balance.

Tired of main characters who are just plain useless? who are pathetic and petty and exist only in their tiny little worlds? Whose biggest concern is which guy to chose - Sweet A or Bad Boy B? Well, you're in luck, because Katsa is nothing like that. 

Katsa is, in one word, phenomenal. It's important you understand this. She is strong. She is brave. She is goodhearted and kind. She tortures herself because of her abilities and powers. She is afraid of her own anger and keeps a tight leash on it. And she is very, very human. And, to me, very beautiful.

Quite frankly, Katsa is the kind of character that makes me proud to be a woman. 

Next to such an incredible woman has to be an equally incredible man. And Po is just that. It's been almost four years since I read this book (and I desperately want to re-read it), and the guy is still at the top of my top-ten-book-boyfriend list. 

He is kind. He is good. He is strong. He is brave. And... he's not without his share of dark secrets. Everything about Po drew me in - from the way he converses, to the way he stand, sits, walks, laughs... It was the first time (since Harry Potter) a book made me see a character so clearly in my head, like he was right there in front of me.

And the romance between these two... *dreamy sigh*. Let's just say it's befitting to two such incredible people. 

Next to Katsa and Po are a wide range of characters, all wonderful (even the villain is wonderfully atrocious and evil). I feel like every supporting character could easily have their own story--and I'm sure I would gobble it up.

The one I feel compelled to mention though is Bitterblue, a young princess at the age of ten. She was so adorable, and strong beyond her years. In a way, she was both like a child to Po and Katsa and a mother to them as well. 

This intense novel has, to me, a perfect ending. It's not a completely happy one, and it definitely leaves you with a taste for more. But at the same time, you know all you really need to know. And the choices which were made were 100% fitting and right for the characters, even if personally I would like something different for them.

And at the end of the day, all you can really ask from an author is to be true to the character he or she created. #IApprove

Book Review: Seduce me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas

Seduce me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas

The Hathaways #2

First Published: 2008

Kindle Bundle

Adult, Historical Romance

Rating: 

He has tried hard to forget her.
Kev Merripen has longed for the beautiful, well-bred Winnifred Hathaway ever since her family rescued him from the brink of death when he was just a boy. But this handsome Gypsy is a man of mysterious origins—and he fears that the darkness of his past could crush delicate, luminous Win. So Kev refuses to submit to temptation…and before long Win is torn from him by a devastating twist of fate.
Can she remember the man he once was?
Then, Win returns to England…only to find that Kev has hardened into a man who will deny love at all costs. Meantime, an attractive, seductive suitor has set his sights on Win. It’s now or never for Kev to make his move. But first, he must confront a dangerous secret about his destiny—or risk losing the only woman he has lived for…

This book frustrated and delighted me in equal measures, earning it a 3.5 star rating from me. If it frustrated me a little less, it would've been a four star for sure.

Frustrated for the singular reason of Kev, who would not face his feelings. He would rather play with Win as he wants her one moment then regret it the next, would rather watch her marry another man, than consider the possibility of the two of them together because she is "too good for him".

Pshaw. Let the woman decide that for herself, you rattlebrain. I mean, I love you, you are deliciously brooding, but end this back and forth before I'm tempted to throw something at you. Stop stringing her along (and yourself) with kisses. Just as Win keeps telling him.

Which brings us to our first delight - Win herself. Win is a wholesome, fragile young girl who knows exactly what she wants, even if it won't be easy to get. And that's Kev. Wonderfully opinionated and determined, unafraid where Kev is frightened, she will bring him down with the force of her love alone and god help them all. So, basically, she was a great main character.

Another reason to be delighted? The continuation (and maybe conclusion) of Kev & Cam's search of their background, as well as additional insights into Cam's head.

Most of these type of series never return into the mind of past couples, opting instead to feature them in each other's story but look at it through different eyes. Kleypas veers from that path as she lets us peek into Cam's head often throughout this story as well. And as I love Cam... I consider this a great plus.

Speaking of their background... I loved it (and suspected it), but at the same time, I felt like they tied things a little too quickly at the end there. It would've been better if it carried on to the third book, or if parts of it have been revealed sooner so it didn't feel like everything just happened at once due to a stroke of luck.

In general, a great installment in the series, and it sets up yet another future couple that ought to be so fun to explore!