SHADOWS IN THE SILENCE by Courtney Allison Moulton

Shadows in the Silence
Courtney Allison Moulton

Rating: A-
Release Date: 01/29/13
Synopsis:
Your strength in heart and hand will fall. . . .
Ellie knows that the darkest moments are still to come, and she has everything to fight for:

She must fight for Will.
The demonic have resorted to their cruelest weapons to put Will in mortal danger, and Ellie makes an unlikely alliance to save him and to stop Lilith and Sammael, who seek to drown the world in blood and tear a hole into Heaven.

She must fight for humanity.
As the armies of Hell rise and gather for the looming End of Days, Ellie and her band of allies travel to the world’s darkest and most ancient regions in her quest to come into her full glory as the archangel Gabriel.

And Ellie must save herself.
Her humanity withers beneath the weight of her cold archangel power, but Ellie must hold tight to who she is and who she loves as she prepares for the ultimate battle for Heaven and Earth.

In this final installment in the Angelfire trilogy, Courtney Allison Moulton brings her dark world of epic battles and blistering romance to a blazing bright conclusion.

My thoughts on the book:
Shadows in the Silence is a heart-wrenching, action-packed thrill ride that you cannot miss. This novel will rip your heart out several times and give it back to you. You'll get to where you're afraid to turn the page because something awful may be lurking on it, but you have to know what happens next. Moulton lures you into false senses of security while simultaneously crushing you. It's an emotional roller coaster, that's for sure. 

Ellie grows into her angelic identity more in this book, and through that the reader (and Ellie) feel as if she's losing a part of herself in the process. However, she carries on because she's just that kick ass, and she's willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity, if that's what it takes. I really respected her in this book. She was strong, yet emotional, and I could completely relate to her every step of the way. Likewise, Will's situation, while heartbreaking, feels like it was what was meant to be. Everything he goes through also shows how deep his and Ellie's connection really is. 

The plot was non-stop action and suspense. I could not put this book down. However, I do feel that Moulton dragged out the final battle a bit long. I felt like she could have shaved at least 100 pages off of the second half of the book and the story still would have kicked ass. It felt like unnecessary length was added in several places. I know that loose ends had to be tied up, but I just think she could have paced it a bit better. The ending was satisfying, though heartbreaking. When I finished this book, I felt like the war was over and the characters had grown as much as they could. Moulton did an excellent job of tying everything together. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book, and this series, to anyone who loves a good YA epic romance/adventure/angel story. All three books are amazing and not to be missed. 

Pre-order Shadows in the Silence

Stacking the Shelves #20

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by  Tynga's Reviews! This meme showcases the books received, bought, or checked out from the library over the course of the past week. 

For Review:

Apollyon
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: 04/09/13
A big thank you to Spencer Hill Press!
Synopsis:
Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

So... I opened up the book, right? And look what I found inside!!!

Yep, that's right... A blurb about Deity from Fall Into Books!!! I was so excited! This is the second JLA book that I've gotten blurbed in, and I'm so honored. I'd like to give an extra thank you to Spencer Hill Press for thinking of me!

Purchased:

Hallowed
By: Cynthia Hand
Synopsis:
For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Undeadly
By: Michele Vail
Synopsis:
The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper—and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite boarding school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. 

Life at Nekyia has its plusses. Molly has her own personal ghoul, for one. Rick follows her there out of the blue, for another...except, there's something a little off about him. When students at the academy start to die and Rath disappears, Molly starts to wonder if anything is as it seems. Only one thing is certain—-Molly's got an undeadly knack for finding trouble...

Swag:

Again, a big thank you to Spencer Hill Press!!!

ASUNDER by Jodi Meadows

Asunder
Jodi Meadows

Rating: A
Synopsis:
DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

My thoughts on the book:
Asunder by Jodi Meadows is an excellent follow-up to Incarnate! The fascinating world that Meadows created continued to grow in this sequel. Characters developed, new problems emerged, and new battles were waged. In my opinion, this book was even better than Incarnate. If you loved the first book, or just enjoy Utopian novels (no, I didn't mean to say Dystopian, I meant to say Utopian), then Asunder is for you!

Ana had grown since the last novel, and she was more aware of social situations (thankfully). She was still socially awkward, but she was improving. She was also much stronger and more determined, which I liked. She's turning into a terrific female lead. 

We also got to know Sam and the supporting characters a bit better. Sam really got on  my nerves throughout the novel, though, because he acted like an idiot. You would think after 5,000 years that he'd learn not to let what others think influence his behavior, but he still cared what people thought. Sometimes, Ana seemed more grown up than he did. I have to admit that I don't like a couple of the characters as much as I did in the first novel. Some of them are a bit two-faced. We also got to meet new characters. My favorite was Cris. 

This amazing world that Meadows created continued to expand. We were introduced to more newsouls in this installment, and we got to learn more about them. Also, more information was given about the mysterious sylphs, and there is a big revelation about them at the end. Furthermore, Ana faced off against Janan again, and we learned more about who he really is and his history. I must say, he's one of the creepiest bad guys out there. There are just no words. Through learning about Janan, we also learned some of the Heart residents' dirty secrets. Moreover, the pacing of the book, and the series, is perfect. Meadows reveals just enough without dragging things out.

Overall, I'd recommend this book, and series, to anyone. This is a terrific fantasy world, with a hint of paranormal. We have reincarnation, dragons, and sylphs. What more could a person ask for? If you haven't read Incarnate yet, give this series a try. If you have read Incarnate, then be sure to pick up Asunder the second it's released. You won't be sorry.

Pre-order Asunder!

Follow Friday #27

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

If you can't follow via GFC, then please follow via NetworkedBlogs or e-mail! :)Please state in the post if you're a new follower or old follower. If you don't tell me that you are following, then I don't know that you are. Therefore, I'll not follow you back. I would like to follow each and every one of you back, so it is important that you clearly state that you are following me and not just stopping by. When someone says, "just saying hi!" or "just hopping through!" then I have no idea if you are following or not. That means that I may or may not return the visit, depending on how much time I have. The people who state they are following me will definitely get a visit and follow back. Also be sure to leave a link back to your blog, otherwise I won't know where to go to follow you! Thank you.



Q: What New Year's blogging or writing resolution have you placed on yourself?
A: My resolutions are to be more social and be a better reader, when it comes to other blogs. I read a lot of other blogs, but I never comment. I just have a hard time thinking of things to say. Also, I want to interact with more bloggers and participate in more events (both on and offline). I also resolve to go to the BEA this year.

OPAL by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Opal
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: A+
Synopsis:
No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

My thoughts on the book:
Wow. Okay, first of all, let me complain. TWO CLIFFHANGERS IN ONE YEAR, JEN? REALLY? Ahem. I feel better now. This book was SO intense and emotional and beautiful. The ending was so "omg did this just happen?" As I've come to expect with JLA books, Opal blew me away. I couldn't get enough of this novel, and when I finished it (at 4am), it was all I could do not to scream "NOOOOO" at the top of my lungs. I did not see that ending coming, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I know I have to find out what happens next. I know that I'm quite concerned for everyone. I also know that July can't come quickly enough. The characters and their relationships evolved realistically. There were a lot of surprises. This, in my opinion, is the best book in the series. 

Katy and Daemon are turning into amazing characters, and their relationship was explosive in this installment. Katy sometimes sounded like she went to marriage counseling one too many times with her repeated proclamations that she "knows this is coming from a good place," though. I've always loved Daemon, but this side of him totally sealed the deal. He's got to be the most swoon-worthy YA male love interest EVER. Dee changed a lot, and while I understood what she was going through, I didn't like the change. She was slowly coming back to herself, but I missed the old Dee. Ash got on my nerves as usual. Andrew wasn't so bad, and I actually liked Matthew this time around.

The plot was intense, emotional, sweet, soul-crushing, and amazing. I don't even know how to talk about it beyond that, really, and I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't read the book yet. There are TONS of surprises in this novel, and I'd hate to be the one to ruin them all, so I'll just leave it at the plot does not disappoint and fans of JLA and the Lux series will be thrilled with it. As I mentioned, the ending is a cliffhanger, and while I hate that, I understand. It totally sets up the last two books in the series. I have a feeling Origin, which comes out in July, is going to be a tough read though. I bet I'll cry a ton. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book (and this series) to EVERYONE. Opal is the best book in the series, and arguably the best book JLA has written to date. You can't miss this one, but be prepared to lose some sleep. 

Order Opal today!

BITING COLD by Chloe Neill

Biting Cold
Chloe Neill

Rating: B-
Synopsis:
Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined.And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans. Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed.

No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on.

My thoughts on the book:
I never thought I'd rate a Chloe Neill book this low, but the pacing at the beginning was extremely slow. I put the book down and entertained the idea of just not finishing it a few times within the first 3-4 chapters. After chapter 5 or so, things picked up and got interesting. Then I couldn't put it down. Overall, this was a decent transition book, and it adds to the series. However, I don't feel that this is representative of Neill's immense talent as a writer. I'm confident that the next book in the series will be better. 

Merit didn't grow a lot during this installment, but Ethan did. I really like who he is becoming and where his relationship with Merit is going. I also enjoyed learning more about Tate and finally figuring out what he is. The scenes with him were top notch. Mallory changed quite a bit over the course of the novel, but I'd like to know more regarding how these changes came about. The flimsy excuse given just didn't suffice, in my opinion. Paige was a new character, and I really liked her. I hope to see more of her in the next novel. 

The plot was intriguing, but as I mentioned, it was very slow at first. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have the others. While things picked up around the 5th chapter, I didn't feel that this book really reached its stride until about the 70% mark. That was when it grew into a novel that was up to par with what I'd expect from Neill. I really loved the ending of the book, though, and I can't wait to see how that will affect the future of Cadogan house. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series. Also, I'd recommend this series to anyone who loves a good urban fantasy with a kick ass heroine. Merit does not disappoint. She's strong and smart, but she also has a heart. This series can't be missed. 

Want to order Biting Cold?

THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT by Veronica Rossi

Through the Ever Night
Veronica Rossi

Rating: B+
Release Date: 01/08/13
Synopsis:
It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

My thoughts on the book:
Through the Ever Night is an excellent follow-up to Under the Never Sky. The plot is action-packed and full of suspense. There is a lot of drama, both of the romantic and friendship varieties, and because of that, the book is impossible to put down. Both Aria and Perry grow throughout the course of the novel, and I really like where their relationship is headed. If you loved Under the Never Sky, then you'll absolutely adore Through the Ever Night. Rossi does not disappoint.

Rossi refused to go easy on her characters. Awful things happened to Aria and Perry, and because of that, the characters and their relationships grew in surprising and wonderful ways. I really liked that Rossi basically placed a ton of road blocks in their paths and forced them to figure out how to deal with them. All of these changes and challenges seemed very organic, though. I never got the sense that Rossi was manipulating the story in order to fit a plot outline. She just did her job as an author and put obstacles in Aria's and Perry's way so that they could become what they were meant to become, and she did a terrific job of it. 

The plot is action-packed and suspenseful. Rossi continued to surprise me throughout the course of this novel. I laughed and cried and was extremely emotionally invested in the outcome of these characters. There were many points when I wasn't sure what would happen or if anyone would make it out alive. I really love that kind of suspense in a book, and I could not put this one down. 

Overall, I'd recommend Through the Ever Night to anyone who wants a good, suspenseful dystopian romance. However, I feel that I must warn you: You will lose sleep with this book. 

Pre-order Through the Ever Night!