TV Review: The Legend of Korra Book One

I watched the original series of Avatar and was thoroughly addicted (it’s still in my top-5 shows), but for several reasons I didn’t get to Korra until now. It’s a pretty good show; I don’t think it completely lives up to Avatar, but that’s probably because the originality is gone.
It’s actually pretty hard to watch Korra because pretty much all the characters from the original series are dead. I actually started tearing up when Korra saw memories of Aang, Sokka, and Toph. I was like “SOKKA!! NO!!! You can’t be dead!” The show also has a ton of Easter-eggs for fans of the original (Cabbage Corps, for example) which are so much fun.

The new characters are easy to like, but just as easy to compare. You just can’t help saying, “Oh! That’s the new Momo,” or whoever it may be. However, the character’s aren’t really just new incarnations of old ones. Korra is a completely new and different kind of Avatar from Aang, and really, I like her better in some ways. It’s nice that it’s a female Avatar, for sure. She’s also older, so some of the events seem a little more plausible. Then there’s Mako and Bolin. How can you not love them? And for completely different reasons. Bolin is pretty awesome as the comic relief, and Mako is pretty awesome just all together. If I’m being honest- I have a little crush on him, myself. I like that the romance is amped up in this series, too. Next, Asami is OK. I don’t really like characters that interfere with the main character’s love interest, so liking Asami was hard. Once she really became a member of Team Avatar 2, though, she did grow on me a lot. There are so many characters in this show that I could go on and on about how much I love them. I won’t, I’ll save you all from my rant. (If you’re curious about a certain character, episode, or plot point, just tell me in the comments and I’ll tell you what I thought!)

The world was still familiar, but the time was drastically different. It is almost a hundred years later, after all. Industrial Revolution, basically. I liked it. It was cool to see this steam-punk quality to such a fantasy show. And the villain- Amon- and the Equalists seemed totally realistic. I love when that can happen.

I’m not going to talk about the final episode, but it’s as epic as all the other finales were. It’s just such a fun, amazing show.

I’m giving Book One (which is technically season one, part one) a very strong ****4 stars****. I can’t wait for Book Two!

P.S.
I have this suspicion that they made Mako, a firebender, and Korra, a waterbender (and avatar) get together to make all the people who cheered for Zuko-Katara with the original show.

Book Review: The Bone Season

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.
But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.  Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.
The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine—a young woman learning to harness her powers in a world where everything has been taken from her. It also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut. 

I could talk for hours about this book.  I loved it so much.  It's the best book I've read since  Clockwork Princess and is pretty close to being the "perfect" book.  It's definitely one you want to read.  Even with all the hype it's been getting, you should PICK THIS ONE UP.  It deserves the hype- trust me.

Since I could talk forever about it I'm going to make this an abridged review.  I won't give any spoilers, hopefully, so this may be a little hard.

The pace is really the only thing I have to complain about.  The amount of time that goes by isn't the amount of time it feels like goes by.  For me the events in the book sped past, but for the character's it was months.  I wasn't reading this book all that quickly, either, since I've been busy.  However, this isn't really detrimental to the story, it just ticks me off a little.  Continuity errors and whatnot.

There are so many character's.  So many.  And they're all wonderful.  For the sake of things, I'm only going to speak of two: Paige and Warden.

I loved Paige.  She's one of my favorite main characters, ever.  She's strong, but weak, and she doesn't make it a habit to be whiny or depend on anyone else.  She's not so strong that she thinks she can take on the world.  She knows who she is and where she belongs.  She's a very realistic character and you get to know her well without knowing every single detail and secret she keeps.  You just learn the important ones.

Warden is very similar.  You don't get into his head so much, but when they do interact, you find yourself loving him and hating him simultaneously.  He owns Paige, but he's kinder then the other Keepers.  You see the conundrum?

The romance in this book is very small.  It doesn't take up many sprawling pages, but simmers in between the lines at just the perfect amount.  When it finally does break into the story you are pulled in by the reality of it.  It wasn't a split second romance, but one that has happened over time, has grown and matured like it would in real life.

The world is so.... Amazing.  It's detail is perfect, reminding me of high-fantasy novels  in how deep it gets.  A whole new world has been constructed atop our own and it's both a beautiful, wondrous place and a terrifying, dystopian one.  The mythology built into the series is like nothing I've ever read or seen.  Clairvoyance has never seemed more appealing.  Really, the true test for a "real" and good world is whether or not the reader wants to live there.  I want to live there.

The writing is amazing.  The words fly off the page and you can't help but devour them.  Every time you start a new line, a new page, a new chapter it's like taking a refreshing sip of cool water.  A lot of people have complained about info-dumping.  I didn't really see it that way.  It was more of throwing you into the middle of the story and expecting you to catch up.  There is a glossary at the back to help you.  I actually really liked that aspect.  It helped make everything seem more real, to me.

Of course, I'm giving this book *****5 out of 5 stars*****.  I loved it and I CANNOT wait for the next one.

Book Review: Storm Front

I'm here to talk to you about the other wizard name Harry.

Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out that 'everyday' world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in.

Harry is the best at what he does - and not just because he's the only one who does it. So whenever the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal capabilities, they look to him for answers. But business isn't just slow, it stinks.

So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. And that's when things start to get . . . interesting.

MAGIC - IT CAN GET A GUY KILLED.

I've wanted to read this book for quite some time but I hadn't gotten around to it for various reasons.  In fact, I hadn't even picked up a copy. Well, that all changed when I ran over to my neighborhood Half Price Books and snatched up the best edition I could.  Which just happened to be the UK version.  Which is absolutely gorgeous, by the way.  This means that (being the OCD cover person I am) when I buy the other books in the series I'll have to buy them from the UK.  Which means it could take a while for a review of another one of these books.  But there will be another review because I absolutely LOVED this one.

Harry is such a great character.  He's not easy to pin down with one word, but he's almost an anti-hero, I would say.  He has that kind of vibe to him, even though he really isn't one.  He also has a lot of weight on his shoulders, a lot of problems, and I have to give him a lot of credit for being able to function under all these things going against him.

The other character's were good, but they weren't the fleshed out.  They didn't really need to be, but with the complexity of Harry, I almost wished they were.  I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing the supporting cast in the next installments, though, so I'm not worried.

The mystery in this book is rather twisty, but not surprising.  You can see where it's going and know where it connects, to an extent, but it's not really set up for the reader to guess what exactly is going on until Harry does.  The reader gets the information with Harry, and he even chooses to keep some to himself.  I wish there were some more surprises, but it isn't necessary and the book is balanced well.  The right amount of story, mystery, action, and character.

This is an urban fantasy, through and through, and as such, all the mythology has to work in conjunction to the real world, which it shadows.  The magic used is a little scientific, a little otherworldly, and a little high-fantasy.  The laws are pretty cut and dry to magic, but they're also broad enough to allow some wiggle room.  The creatures in this book seem to range from the well known to the obscure, which is always enjoyable.  The White Council makes sense (unlike in some books where councils are just made up because they're needed and don't really carry any weight for the reader) and the way the world is set up to "hide" is believable.

I'm giving this book *****4 3/4 stars***** and look forward to continuing the series.

Book of the Month: Sequels and Three-quels

Continuing on with the book of the month, here’s a review of the other two additions in the series. Book three isn’t out yet but is expected late this year. Warning, there may be spoilers, so read at your own risk.

This is a novella published between Hidden Wings and Broken Wings. However, it actually tells the story of Alaine and Samuel and manages to clean up the mythology very well. There are some subtle mysteries hinted at that I’m hoping will enrich the rest of the series, as well.

The novella takes place from the Fall to Emma arriving to live with Alaine, but it is told sporadically, almost like a cliff note version. We see nearly all of Samuel and Alaine’s lives, both before they met and also after. It shows how Alaine grew up, how they met, how Emma was born, how Samuel “died”, how the guardians came to live with Alaine, and so on. It was a pleasant read and I would definitely recommend it if you want to have the full experience of the series.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

The second book in the series, Hidden Wings, felt a little more rushed then the first one.  I liked how they condensed the character's to a select few, but I was mad that Kade left so early on.  I feel like the author changes her mind while in the middle of writing things and the book has an unpolished air to it.  Honestly, at some points I felt like I was reading a rough draft.  This really got on my nerves but didn't detract from the story, which is still very good.

I don't want to give too much away, but most of the novel takes place in Hell.  I really liked this.  Hell made it a "dangerous" story and brought the stakes up.  Plus, it helps that pesky problem of time lapse.  Again, this story only took place over several "days" but whereas the first one felt like it was much longer this one fit into that time frame nicely.

There weren't as many Darkling in this one which I appreciated and the "villains" were actual monsters who didn't have any sort of conscious.  Always love a good monster and these were pretty unique for the most part.  The "quest" in this story brings the characters down to Emma, Kade (who leaves early), Danyel, and Samuel.  At one point Malachi and Dom help out, but besides that we really don't see anyone else from the last book.  There's a new character introduced at the end and he's pretty important so I won't say anything.  Let me just say, though, I was a little disappointed with what he brings to the picture.  Oh, yeah, and Kade now being human (not too much of a spoiler, I promise) totally made me go "awww" in a good way.  Heart melting.

I am excited for what the next book brings, so finger's crossed it comes soon.

Rating: ***3 Stars***
Series Rating (so far): ****4 Stars****

Book Review: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.

This book is a masterpiece!  I knew I would like it, but I didn't think I would love it this much.  It had my heart racing, the bees in my belly raging with anticipation, and my mind pleading with me to get back to reading!  This book is so different from a lot of the stuff that's out there, it's very gothic, for one, and for another, it's the most awesome and unique story I've read all year.

The pace of the books is very fast, but I think the best way to actually describe it comes from a line in the book itself: "People say time is relative, and I guess that explained why my life before River felt like a handful of seconds... But my life after River was a three-volume saga," (pg. 350).  The book really does feel that way even though only about a week, maybe a week and a half, pass.

There were only a handful of characters but they were all well thought out and deep.  Violet, the main character, is simple and rather eclectic, almost like an old person is living inside of her.  She's different then most other heroines in YA.  She's strong, but a quiet and sleepy strength.  River is an amazing antihero, although I don't really think that describes him all to well.  There isn't one simple word to describe River, except, River.  Luke, Violet's brother, comes off as an ass, but about half-way through the book you figure out who he really is.  Sunshine is the same way, although I wasn't ever to fond of her the way I was fond of Luke.  I feel like Jack could have had more to him, but there is a sequel, to we'll see where that goes.  Neely was a great character as well and I couldn't help but love him, too.  He's one of those characters that really imprints upon the reader.  Well, they all are, but Neely especially.  Finally, Freddie.  There could be a whole series about her.  We get a peek into her life, but Violet's grandmother was a colorful woman who was a scene-stealer in the story.  Just wonderful.

The villain in this book is truly terrifying.  You think you know but then you don't, trust me.  A very flash-pow-OMG!! ending.  I loved it.

The love between Violet and River was nice.  Not over-the-top but very truthful and, while important to the story, not the main piece of it.  You know it's there and you're rooting for them, but you don't feel swallowed by hormones.

The mythology in this story is very simple, but also something you don't want to know before you go into it.  That's part of the fun, finding out what's going on.

The writing is beautiful and elegant, and dark.  It leaves an impression, and I know that this author (April Genevieve Tucholke) is going to be around for a while.  Her writing is very good and rings in your ears after it's all over.

Rating: *****5 out of 5 stars*****

TV Review: The Vampire Diaries Season One

So, I just marathoned the whole first season (22 episodes) in six days.  That's right, six days.  Wow.  I'm both proud and disturbed by myself.  It was a sort of last ditch effort to watch something new before everything starts up again and my friend convinced me to watch this show.  Why haven't I watched it before?  I don't really know.  But I've been sucked in (pun intended) for good.

I actually read the books (the original four) a while back.  I can't really recall much from them except that none of them would have gotten more then three stars.  I do know that this show is different- better then the books- and am glad because the books had so much potential.  That potential is certainly reached through this show.

I'd definitely say this was PG-13 because there are several sex scenes.  They actually made me a little uncomfortable to watch and I'm not that squeamish.  You don't see anything, really, but you get the idea.

This is not one of those shows you want to binge watch.  It's not bad, so much as the way it's set up makes it a little hard to stomach at times.  There are time lapses between episodes that can span a couple days and that makes you feel like you've missed something when you watch it in quick succession.  At the end of the series the pace picks up and it's OK, but I really think I would have liked it even more if I watched it when every episode came out.

There are so many characters on this show I'm not going to talk about every single one of them.  There's Elena, who I didn't like much until she got onto the vampire idea (she just seemed so clueless... which I suppose was the point) and was always jealous of her hair.  (actually, I started calling this show "The Perfect Hair Show" because everyone always had perfect hair.)  Stefan is pretty sweet and for a while I was wavering between him and his brother, but in the end, I have to say I'm team Damon.  Damon is probably the most complicated character on the show, and the most interesting.  Three other favorites (in order) are Alaric (who's just damn awesome), Jeremy, and Caroline (who's a bit of an airhead but actually a pretty nice person; I hope she has a happy ending).

For a while they would throw a plot line up and then end it an episode later which I found aggravating, but once they left some plot lines alone and then tied them up much later I thought they had some pretty ingenious stories.  There were several cliffhangers I didn't see coming (season finale!) and was always pleasantly surprised by them. 

My goal is to catch up on the next three seasons before the fifth (and spin-off The Originals) start October third.  Wish me luck!

Rating: ****4 out of 5 stars****

TV Review: Covert Affairs Season One

I’ve recently had the opportunity to binge-watch the first season of this show and, thanks to a recommendation from my grandmother, I dived in.

From the commercials I’ve seen on USA I haven’t been very impressed. It looked rather light and thin with sub-par, overly dramatic, acting. Really, I couldn’t see how I would like it.

I was soooo wrong.

I love this show, it’s fantastic. It’s not dark, per-se, but it certainly holds up as a spy drama, and the acting is far from sub-par. I love all the characters (especially Sendhil Ramamurthy’s Jai) and can’t wait to start on season two.

Each episode is relatively self-contained with interesting plots, some leaving you guessing and many leaving you yelling at the computer screen “NOOOO!” or “YESSS!”. The only real problem I had was the relationship between Annie and Ben. I feel like there wasn’t very much chemistry between the two actors and that their meetings were strained. There could have been more drama in their re-acquaintance which may have added to the story. I also think that the 10-episode season could have been to blame. With a couple more episodes they could have stretched it out a little more gracefully.

All in all, I’m giving this show 4 ¾ stars.

Book Review: The Power of Six (Lorian Legacies #2)

by Pittacus Lore

TTHEY know about the charm.
THEY know about our legacies.
THEY caught number one, number two, and number three.
THEY killed them all.
I AM NUMBER SEVEN.  ONE OF SIX STILL ALIVE.
WE are growing stronger.
WE are starting to come together.
WE are ready to fight.
WE ARE THE LAST DEFENSE










This book was much better then the first.  There was more going on, there were more surprises, and there were more characters and a deeper understanding of the mythology in the series.  I always feel paranoid when I read these books, like I can't trust any of the characters, and I really think this book keeps you guessing.  I also liked that part of the story was told from a different character's point of view: Marina.  Her story is just as important as John's and it helps keep his story from dragging along like it did in the first one.

The new characters are all really from Marina's story and while I don't feel particularly attached to any of them, everyone has a reason.  Pittacus didn't just write filler characters he actually gave them purpose which I always like.  There is an important introduction at the end but I don't want to spoil it here.  I am really excited with this character, though.  In this book we are also, kinda, introduced to the big villain of the story (and he has some ridiculous name I'm not going to type here).

In the end I'm giving this book a solid ****4 stars****.  It was entertaining and original.  I really liked this one.

Suits Review: "Shadow of a Doubt"

SPOILER ALERT!  Only read if you've watched the most recent episodes.

Rachel/Mike relationship status: Still together (but I was worried)

Three words: Pearson-Darby-Specter
That's right, Jessica has given Harvey his name on the door.  Basically, this elicited a scream from me.  I did not see this coming in the least.  The biggest surprise of the season- possibly the show- by far.

Here are the five other things you should know from this episode:

1. Nigel and Louis bond over a cat
2. Mike meets Rachel's parents (and he makes a good impression)
3. Mike and Rachel fight because Rachel might be going to Stanford
4. Donna tells Harvey about her and Stephen (and there's a moment where you think there's something more between them) and later Stephen and Harvey but heads
5. Rachel and Mike work a case together

Episode Rating: *****4 3/4 stars*****
Season Rating (so far): *****4 1/2 stars*****
Series Rating: *****5 stars*****

Star Trek Update (6)

Here's an update on where I am with Star Trek.  I've slowed down a bit and my days are getting busier, so the amount of tv I watch is going to suffer.  Expect these updates to start coming once a month and have fewer episodes.

212 "The Deadly Years"
One of those awkward episodes where you cringe and cross your fingers for it to be over.

213 "Obsession"
I liked the peek into Kirk's past but was disappointed that his crew didn't want to trust him.

214 "Wolf in the Fold"
I really liked this episode.  It kept me guessing and was an intricate little murder mystery.  Also, poor Scotty.

215 "The Trouble with Tribbles"
I want a Tribble.  This episode is infamous in my house.  One you really should watch, though, even if you're not a big fan of the show.

216 "The Gamesters of Triskelion"
A decent episode with a good idea that I think could be pretty relatable in todays society of video games.

217 "A Piece of the Action"
This was another fun one.  I really enjoyed the turn of events and the "gangsta" theme.  Love how Kirk turned everything on it's head.  Definitely a keeper.

218 "The Immunity Syndrome"
A rather long-feeling episode.  I wasn't really in the mood when I watched this one (although, normally the episodes suck me in anyways) and was disappointed.

Writer's Block: The Cliffhanger

Cliffhanger’s can be a dangerous writing tool.  Some people are really good at them, but others are not.  It’s not whether the ending is shocking or not, it’s whether a reader will want to pick up the next book even if it doesn’t come out for another year.  I know a lot of people who won’t because after putting all this work into the book- getting to know the characters, the plot, the mythology- they feel like it was all for nothing.

Writing a good cliffhanger means you’ll have to wrap up some major questions throughout the book.  The reader needs to feel a sense of completion to an extent.  Then, when the surprise comes, don’t let them see it coming.  Don’t hint at it throughout the story too much, if at all, and don’t EVER make it something that feels so ridiculous the reader won’t believe it.

Writing a good cliffhanger also means that you want your reader to feel like they’re actually hanging on the edge of an emotional cliff by only their fingers.  The surprise has to not only be surprising in when it happens but with what happens.

I, personally, like cliffhangers.  They add to my experience and that’s what I’m always looking for when I read a book- an experience.  Any book that gets me to feel something is a 5-star book in my opinion.

For me, the cliff-hanger queen is Julie Kagawa.  The ending of Eternity Cure alone was mind blowing.  Who do you think is the best at writing cliffhangers?  Do you even like cliffhangers?  Let me know in the comments!

 

Hey, have a question?  Want to see me rant about something?  Curiosity eating away at you?  Want my opinion?  If you have a question writing related just ask it in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer it.  I’ll do research into it and answer it as full as I can.  Don’t be shy!

Book of the Month: Another Book by Cameo Renae

In addition to the Hidden Wings series, which you’ll see more of in a couple weeks, Cameo Renae has written a novel called In My Dreams. 

It was happening again. The dreams. The nightmares. It was something that seventeen year-old Elizabeth Hayes thought she’d outgrown; dreams that would come true; detailed premonitions of how people would die. This time she dreams about her boyfriend, Michael Young, and soon discovers that he has been found... dead.
He has not crossed over because he was murdered, and now the murderer is after Lizzy. His spirit won't rest until she is safe. As a newbie spirit, the easiest way for him to make contact is through Lizzy's dreams. When she dreams, it's as if he hasn't died.
Lizzy must learn to pull on her inner strength to survive horrifying events, and is faced with a most difficult decision. Would she risk her life to save her best friend and the very person responsible for Michael's death?
Meanwhile, Michael learns everything he can about his supernatural gifts to help. But will it be enough to save her?

She’s also working on a possible sequel to this one.

For the Hidden Wings trilogy she’s at work on the third book which looks like it’ll be coming out near the end of the year. 

TV Review: Suits "Conflict of Interest"

Warning: There are SPOILERS ahead, so be careful what you read.

Mike/Rachel Relationship Status: Still Together!

And not only are they still together, but at the end of the episode they both said "I love you"!!  And I must say, I was afraid for them in this episode.  Katrina is back and, perhaps, getting along with Mike.  They were both forced to work together but started bonding over The Wire which lead to some soft music in the background and a major "Oh, no!" feeling.  No worries, by the end of the episode, when Mike finds out what Louis did he's not very happy with her.  And then, quickly following, the "I love you" part happens.  Not so worried anymore.

Speaking of couple's, Donna and Stephen are in an "arrangement" which basically (in Rachel's words) means "hot and steamy affair".  So yeah, that finally happened.  And while it was happening, Donna didn't think about Harvey.  Didn't even think to tell him.  When she does start to tell him he completely crushes her and it now remains a secret.  It was an "ouch" moment.  And a complete surprise.  I didn't think Harvey would be so mean to her so soon after what happened last season.  Yeah, he has a lot on his plate, but it's Donna!

Another surprise: Ava isn't guilty.  I was just as taken off balance as everyone else.  I'm glad because now she doesn't feel so much like a villain and doesn't feel so cold.  Her character seems to be sticking around for the remainder of the season and it's nice to not hate her.

Finally Jessica and Darby came to blows.  Sort of.  Definitely another nail in her coffin now that she took the company away from Ava.  I am starting to feel bad for her, though.  She was trying to do what was best for Pearson-Hardman (now Pearson-Darby, which is still strange to say) and it looks like she'll be leaving.  Can't wait to see how that pans out.

As always, I'm dying for the next episode.

Episode Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Season Rating (so far): 4 3/4 stars
Series Rating: 5 stars

Book Review: Bloodlines

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

I loved Vampire Academy but after I bought this book it ended up just sitting on my shelf.  I decided it was time to pick it up and I'm so glad I did.  I'll try to keep it light on spoilers, but you really should read Vampire Academy first if you're going to read it at all.  This book is a minefield of "inside jokes" and Easter eggs. 

Like all the VA books this one was perfect.  The mundane mingled with the action in a perfect balance.  You know it's going somewhere and you're dying to find out where.  There are so many different plots and things going on it's like a tangles web that is remarkably straightened out by the end of the book.  I just love the magic Richelle Mead can work with these. 

Many of the characters we already know but seeing them again, from a new point of view, was refreshing.  The story is told by Sydney, who is a little hard to warm to at first because I was so used to Rose.  They are pretty different in forms of narration, although you can still tell there are some similarities.  Sydney is more comfortable with vampires then most other alchemists, and sometimes I feel like too comfortable.  She's painted in a light where you expect her to be a little more wary around them, but she melts into their little group with near perfect precision.  That's my only complaint.  My only one for the entire book.  Honestly.

Quickly we meet Keith who is one jack-ass.  I really can't elaborate more then that.  I'm glad with where the book left him.  Of course, everyone's favorite Ivashkov returns in this series.  I loved Adrian in VA (sometimes more then Dimitri, yes) and I loved him even more then this.  Spirit Bound left him (and me) heartbroken.  I'm so glad he's getting this chance at redemption.  I'm starting to see some sparks fly between him and Sydney (fangirl squeal).

Other characters who grace the pages of this book are Eddie and Jill, with cameo's from Rose, Abe, and Dimitri.  Eddie and Jill play major parts in this book and, again, I was glad to see them there.  Rose was good friends with Eddie in VA but here I think we get a different side of him- a softer side.  He was always a good character, but now he's been promoted to great character in my books.  We also get a closer look at Jill, which comes with several surprises of it's own.  I honestly thought Jill was a little bit annoying in VA, but here she's really not, and I'm glad.

New characters (besides the aforementioned Keith) include Clarence, an older vampire who believes vampire hunters killed his niece; Lee, Clarence's son and Jill's boyfriend; and Micah, a human at the school who has a crush on Jill.

Returning to this world was nice, and seeing behind the Alchemist's curtain was even better.  It peels back the layers of how complex this series really is.

I also enjoyed the story line.  It fits nicely into the way VA ended and doesn't make it seem like it was unfinished.  Instead it takes a leap and, while keeping old plots and happenings closed, opens new ones that make perfect sense.  I couldn't put this book down most of the time.  I really fell back in love with everything.

At the moment I'm basically foaming at the mouth for the next one and hoping I can somehow scrounge up the money for it.  For now, my rating is *****4.45***** stars. 

SPOILER ROOM BELOW:  READ IF YOU DARE

Writer's Block: Pen Name

Having a penname is pretty common now-a-days.  Sometimes it no more than keeping your maiden name, or substituting your middle name for your first, but other times it can be something completely different.

Writers use pennames for a variety of reasons.  Maybe they just don’t think they’re name looks good on a book (like me) or there’s a name they’ve always wanted instead.  Maybe it will help the book to sell- a name on the front that sticks in your mind is always good.

Besides ascetic appeal there are several publishing related reasons.  One is when a writer from one genre writes a book in another.  For example, an adult author going on to write a children or YA book.  They may not want they’re two “lives” intermingling.  Another popular reason is to keep more of their books on a shelf.  Unless you’re a really popular author a bookstore will only keep so many of their books in stock.  By using a penname, both the books from the original name and the new one will be kept around longer.

Still, it could be that an author just wants to hide their identity.  Take J.K. Rowling.  For one of her books (and I’m sure you’ve all heard about this by now) she used the pseudonym Robert Galbraith for the sake of keeping her identity private.

After deciding you’re going to use one comes the fun part: actually picking it.

Here are some famous pen names just for fun:

J.K. Rowling- her real name is actually just Joanne Rowling, the K. came when she published Harry Potter.  So really, she’s pulling a double pen name

Stephen King- he masqueraded under the name Richard Bachman for a stint

Stan Lee- his real name is actually Stanley Martin Lieber; the pen name is a lot easier to remember, let alone say!

Mark Twain- Samuel Clemens

Dr. Seuss- his real name is Theodore Seuss Geisel

Book of the Month: Hidden Wings

Continuing with my book of the month project, this month I'm going to be showing Hidden Wings by Cameo Renae. 

This book makes me want to move to Alaska.

In Hidden Wings Emma Wise is suddenly orphaned when her parents are killed in a car crash.  She finds out she has an aunt she didn't know about living in Alaska and goes to live with her and her rather strange family.  Emma learns fast that she's not who or what she thought she was and that there really are monsters in the dark.

This is one of those books that everyone should be talking about.  A book where generally everyone has read/owns/or at least heard about.  It's good writing, is about angels, and has a bunch of hot guys in it.  Seriously, paranormal romance fans, why isn't this book getting more of a spot light?

Let me start with the characters.  I already mentioned the hot guys and (besides Kade) I have a hard time picking a favorite.  They're all awesome and each has their own, well-defined, personality.  Seeing them in action is awesome and the scenes fly off the pages.  Kade is a very dreamy book crush, but he's also more then that.  There is this aura about him that makes you wonder what exactly is going on in his head.  Emma, herself, is a decent character when you get to know her, but she does come off a bit rude.  She's a little harsh to her friend Jeremy and, honestly, I wasn't sold on the fact that she would be hanging with the "geeky-loner-group".  Emma's aunt Alaine is tough but she isn't keen on keeping secrets, which is a nice break from the general idea in YA that there should be secrets kept from main characters by the annoying adult figure.

The mythology in this story was pretty cool.  A little complicated but easy to grasp.  There are angels, fallen angels, darkling, and nephilim that make up the general group of paranormals here.  The villain didn't strike me as very evil, though, and a good (and by good I mean bad and cruel and cold and hard and complicated) villain is something that really makes a book something great in my opinion.

Overall, I can't wait to read the next book in this series (be warned: major cliffhanger at the end and you won't see it coming) and I hope that you seriously consider picking this one up.

Rating: 4 stars