YA Excerpt: Stone Cold Touch (White Hot Kiss #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (!)

I read White Hot Kiss recently and loved it. So naturally I had to pick up Stone Cold Touch right away because I couldn't stop thinking about Layla's world, and Roth. I received an ARC copy at BEA, since Stone Cold Touch wont be released until October (2014). So I started reading Stone Cold Touch and I just got sucked into the world once again. In White Hot Kiss we got to see the relationship between Layla and Roth, in Stone Cold Touch the relationship that gets the most attention is Layla's and Zayne's. Even though I am not Team Zayne I can still say that some of his scenes with Layla where wicked hot. Like the scene I posted here below:


He traced the delicate scales around Bambi's nostrils, and when I shivered, his gaze lifted, snaring mine. There was so much heat and intensity in those cobald eyes that there was no mistaking how he was looking at me.

Like he had the night he'd seen me in my bra.

One side of his lips tipped up, and my heart jumped in my chest. His gaze returned to where Bambi rested, to where his finger was idly tracing her scales in smooth strokes. "It doesn't feel like I thought it would. The skin is just slightly raised, but it's really like a tattoo."

Mouth dry, I closed my eyes as his finger moved over her head, nearing the tiny lace that decorated the hem of my tank top. I wasn't wearing anything under the tank and he was so, so close.

"Does she like it?" he asked, breath warm in the space between our lips.
I nodded, assuming she did, because she wasn't trying to kill him.

"Do you?"

The question whipped through me with the force of a destructive hurricane. My eyes snapped open and my breath came in short little pants. My eyes snapped open and my breath came in short little pants. He was still so close, his hair tickling my cheeks and his finger trailing farther south, following the curve of Bambi, under the lace of my tank top.

His lashes swept up again and his gaze collided with mine. I had no idea how we'd ended up here. His hand stilled and he waited, and there was no denying the driving force behind the question. If I said no, he would move away. And if I said yes, then... I couldn't even wrap my head around those possibilities.

If I said yes, everything would change—change in ways I couldn't even fathom, ways I never truly believed could happen between us. My heart was beating too fast, and a strange kind of heat pooled deep in my body. 

"Yes." The word came out barely a whisper, but Zayne heard it.
He inhaled sharply as he moved his hand to the thin strap of my tank top. His eyes never left mine. "Can I see the rest of her?"

My heart rate kicked into cardiac territory. Was I dreaming? Did I fall down the stairs and crack my head open? Seemed more likely than this happening. Seeing the rest of Bambi meant seeing the rest of me. Or at least half of the rest of me.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My gaze focused on the outline of his mouth. Fixating on the way his lips parted, and I couldn't help but wonder how they felt—how they tasted.
Only in the distant part of my mind did I realize that I wanted to taste him and not his soul.
Bambi flicked her tail along my waist, as if she was impatient with all of this and wanted to be shown off. Unable to find the courage to speak, I nodded again.

Zayne's feverish gaze lowered as he slipped the strap down. The top was so loose and thin that it took the littlest effort to move. Within seconds, the straps ended up on my own wrists, the material pooling where my hands were clasped together on my stomach.

I felt his stare as he drank in the detail of Bambi and everything else-every part of me that was exposed. It was like a caress as his gaze tracked over the long, elegant stretch of her neck between my breasts, to the way she coiled just below my ribcage.

"Layla," he rasped, and the sound curled my toes.

I stopped breathing as his hand followed Bambi's path, and the yearning and hunger I was feeling rose until every part of my body felt like a live wire. Everything outside this room ceased to exist-every problem, concern, or issue. It was all gone as his hand moved again and my back arched off the bed. A breathy sound escaped me, mingling with Zayne's ragged breath.

His touch was light, reverent as he explored the layout of my body. He did so with such delicacy it was like it was his first time, though I knew—at least I thought—that that couldn't be the case. With his looks and his personality, there had to be times when he was hunting—there had to be girls.

But it didn't matter as he shifted down, his head lowering close to where Bambi's head rested. There was a good chance this could go horribly wrong, but my hands fisted together and I bit down on my lip so hard a metallic taste filled my mouth at the first whispered touched of his lips against—"

Stone Cold Touch is to be released on October 2014, so pre-order now cause it's a really good one 

Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: White Hot Kiss
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: The Dark Elements
Book #: 1
Pages: 400
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 4.25
Published: February 25th, 2014

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Taschima's POV:

I've never considered Jennifer Armentrout to be big into complex story lines and building huge worlds. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. Whenever I need to read an entertaining, smoking, thrilling read I know by now that if I pick up one of her books she is sure to deliver. Just as she delivered in White Hot Kiss. It's Paranormal-Romance (with emphasis on the romance part) at its best.

Layla: "At that moment I knew three tings. I was screwed. Mankind was screwed. The entire universe was screwed."

Layla is a half Warden-half demon. Her "super power" consists of taking another's person soul via kissing. So basically, it sucks. She can't have a real relationship with any boy because she runs the risk of killing them. Specially the boy she has had her eyes set on for what seems like forever. Zayne, the Warden who is Layla's best friend. The only way Layla can help the Warden's fight agaisnt the demons in the world is to tag the monsters (which basically somehow lights the monsters up like a beacon so the Warden's can pick them out and kill them) since they have no soul's to suck out. Everything is going fine until one stupid day Layla goes agaisnt a particular monster who is too much for her, just as she thinks her life is over out of nowhere appears Roth, an upper level demon who only seems to want to help Layla. Soon enough Layla's understanding of the world is flipped outside down. Who are the bad guys? Who are the good guys? And why is every one lying to her?

At it's very heart White Hot Kiss is a fully entertaining read. The romance is what it's all about really, the rest of the plot only secondary. Demons want to either kill Layla, or use Layla, but either way it is all about Layla. Roth and Zayne are her protectors because poor Layla can't seem to be able to protect herself (until you get her REAL mad that is). Layla's dialogue keeps you glued to the page and invested. She is not a hard character to like as she had me laughing out loud on more than a few occasions. She wants o be helpful, but considering her heritage she can't help but feel like a burden... a deadly one at that. She can't shift into a Gargoyle because she is a half demon, and her half demon powers only really work on the good guys. Sure she knows the basic defensive moves but what good does that do against a horde of demons? Overall she takes this on stride and still does her best to contribute to the fight for the greater good.

Roth and Zayne. This novel is all about the romance, and the boys. At first I couldn't help but dislike Roth. I thought he came on too strong, and every other comment was FULL of innuendo. Sure he is depicted as being hot but what YA hero/villain isn't? So at first I was team Zayne... until we got to see the real Roth that is.

Roth: "Just so you know, your virtue isn't safe with me. So when you look like you want me to devour every inch of your mouth, I will without an ounce of regret."

The Roth that has 3 kittens in his apartment that are little rascals, who likes to tend a garden on his time off, who likes blueberry muffins and who by all intents and purposes seems to just be burdened with his demonic tasks... while at the same time he keeps warning Layla about his "true" nature, and never to trust a demon. I can't help it, he is swoon worthy. The demon that doesn't pretend to be anything but what he is while hiding his softer side from the world. This is all well and all but I kind of want to know Roth's past crimes. I know the first novel was all about making us love him, but what exactly makes him team evil? What has he done in the past to deserve eternal damnation? I kind of want to know.

Zayne on the other hand is the golden boy. Zayne is the angelic boy who has the pure soul, which means Layla can't even kiss him. Making him forbidden fruit. A forbidden fruit who likes to care about Layla and help her and make her feel special... he is a softy. But at the same time he is a warrior. He and Layla spend much of this novel estranged which I think will be fixed come Stone Cold Touch, and I can't wait to see how Jennifer Armentrout is going to make us fall in love with Zayne.

Because that is what a good romance novel is all about. Making us fall in love with the characters, both girls and boys. Layla is a kick, Roth is sizzling, and Zayne is yet to be discovered. The plot overall was pretty interesting though nothing exactly new (demons trying to bring forth the apocalypse by ways that involve Layla). The gargoyle element was pretty sweet and I hope to learn more about their origins in future novels (not to mention their impact in the world since they came out of the closet- I guess it was kind of hard to fly over the cities when Google Earth is always taking their pictures). Overall White Hot Kiss is a great start to a promising series and I cannot wait for more.

Review: The Taking by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Taking
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Taking
Book #: 1
Pages: 368
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 3.82
Published: April 29th, 2014

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Taschima's POV:

I really enjoyed The Taking. I am a sucker for the whole people being abducted and then brought back home only for their whole reality to the changed. It is just so juicy, and so many emotions are at play. It reminds me of when *BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SPOILER*Buffy died in season 5 and then came back in season 6 and everybody was totally shocked and emotions ran high. I am a sucker for those situations. So yes, I enjoyed The Taking's premise, the writing, the pacing, and the alien element, but what I did not enjoy was the romance and what is a shame because a lot of The Taking focuses heavily on the romance. This is why I gave it a 4 star instead of 5. I still really enjoyed the story and I hope to read the second installment as soon as it hits the shelves.

Kyra is this not-so-average girl who is a star at playing Softball. Her future looks really bright. She has her softball, her supportive parents, the bestest friend a girl could ask for, and then she has her long time friend and boyfriend Austin. Everything seems to be working out for Kyra until one faithful night, after having had a spat with her father about her future, she gets blinded by a very instense light and then she is sudddenly GONE. The next day Kyra finds herself stranded behind the local gas station with no idea of what happened the night before. But then when she makes her way home she is confronted with the harsh reality: For Kyra only a day has gone by, while for the rest of her family 5 years have gone by without Kyra.

So yes, the premise is so freaking interesting, and the execution is even better. I can't say I am a big fan of Kyra's. She is this girl who loves sports and gets blindsided too quickly by insta-love... which, lets face it, it is more like the hormones she has accumulated in her 5 years away have come and hit her SQUARE in the face. But I still got lost in the story nevertheless.

"I'd never been so alive, and I knew this was why I'd come back. To be here, right now, in this moment, with Tyler."

*sarcasm on* Yeah Kyra. I am SURE the alien overlords just couldn't pass up an opportunity to make real love come true. *sarcasm off, sort of*

The romance was unbelievable, and not in a good way. I felt like Kyra's "connection" to Tyler was SO rushed. She basically comes back to face that everybody has moved on without her, including her best friend and her boyfriend (they hooking up and in LURVE), and the first thing she does is fall for her ex-boyfriend's little brother? IN A MATTER OF DAYS. I am not even creeped out by the fact that the last time Kyra saw this boy he was like 12 (well, maybe a little) but why in the heavens would Tyler still be hung up on this girl? Last time HE saw her HE WAS 12! I guess he COULD have had a crush on her but let's face it that "crush" would have been long gone. Maybe he saw her as this weird wish fulfillment thing. I don't know. I just did not like it.

But that doesn't mean I didn't like Tyler. He was a sweet heart. He is an artist who loves to read old vintage stuff, and he is a romantic. He is well worth the whole thing, which is why on one hand I couldn't really blame Kyra but on the other hand I just wished he would have fallen for anybody else BUT Kyra. But then again, that wouldn't have been good for the story I suppose. Austin, Kyra's ex, is at first depicted as the perfect boyfriend (they were chilhood friends first and then just seamlessly shifted to the boyfriend/girlfriend label) but then he is of course compared to Tyler and everything goes to shit. Not only that but HOW DARE HE move on, even though Kyra has been missing for 5 years (they all thought she was dead of course)? I couldn't blame the guy, even though Kyra certainly did. Kyra's best friend was an interesting character which I wish we could have had some more time with, but we only get like one scene with her grown up. I thought more scenes with Austin and her were warranted, specially one of Austin confronting Kyra of having the hots for his little brother. Maybe in the next novel?

The whole alien abduction part of the story is still pretty much left in the dark. Who are these aliens who keep abducting people? Why are they doing it? Why was Kyra the first who didn't return until years later? How come she, and everyone else who returns, comes back with special abilities? What the hell is going on with the fireflys everybody keeps refering to? How are they connected? Who knows. I am suspecting we will get answers in the next installment. The Taking certainly made me interested in hearing the answers, it got me hooked.

TOP 10 YET-TO-BE-READ JUNE BOOKS

I have been on FIRE this past month! So far I've read eight books this month alone, and I still have eleven days to go. Today I should be finishing up The Taking, by Kimberly Derting, and after that I think I might start White Hot Kiss, by Jennifer L. Armentrout, or The Girl Who Never Was, by Skylar Dorset. So many choices! But ultimately I can't read them all... So here is a list of the ones on my TBR pile that shall be out this month:

 I currently have 6/10 of these books, and hopefully before the month is done I should be able to at least read 4 out of the 6. I am really excited for Wings though, since it is the last novel in the Black City series. Also excited for In The End and Rain, I really liked the first novels of both those series as well. So much to read!

Review: The Nightmare Dilemma (The Arkwell Academy #2) by Mindee Arnett

Title: The Nightmare Dilemma
Author: Mindee Arnett
Series: The Arkwell Academy
Book #: 2
Pages: 384
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 3.96
Published: March 4th, 2014

Dusty Everhart might be able to predict the future through the dreams of her crush, Eli Booker, but that doesn’t make her life even remotely easy. When one of her mermaid friends is viciously assaulted and left for dead, and the school’s jokester, Lance Rathbone, is accused of the crime, Dusty’s as shocked as everybody else. Lance needs Dusty to prove his innocence by finding the real attacker, but that’s easier asked than done. Eli’s dreams are no help, more nightmares than prophecies.

To make matters worse, Dusty’s ex-boyfriend has just been acquitted of conspiracy and is now back at school, reminding Dusty of why she fell for him in the first place. The Magi Senate needs Dusty to get close to him, to discover his real motives. But this order infuriates Eli, who has started his own campaign for Dusty’s heart.

As Dusty takes on both cases, she begins to suspect they’re connected to something bigger. And there’s something very wrong with Eli’s dreams, signs that point to a darker plot than they could have ever imagined.

Taschima's POV:

Well, I didn't think The Nightmare Dilemma could have been any better than The Nightmare Affair...

Guess I was wrong.

Sophomore reads can sometimes be a downer. It is so nice when they manage to keep up with their predecessor! The Nightmare Dilemma had all the magic that drew me to The Nightmare Affair. Best of all it had Dusty in all her glory. I love this character, she is a smart mouthed Nightmare. Quite literately, she feeds on other people's dreams. Though lately the only dreams she has been feeding from come from the well packaged hotness that is Eli. Eli is Dusty's dream-seer. He dreams about the future and Dusty sees it and reports on it to the rest of the world. They are a team, though lately it seems to be getting harder and harder to work together without awkwardness getting in the way, or sexual attraction, or an attempt on someone's life. Again someone has been attacked in Arkwell Academy. This time it was a mermaid named Britney. When they ask Dusty to look into Britney's dreams in order to identify the killer though Dusty gets a nasty surprise because it seems as if Eli is involved in this last attack, and not just as an innocent by stander. Soon enough Dusty is knee deep in another mystery she must solve before another student gets hurt.

I love how Mindee Arnett is so good at writing these mystery books. Most of the time I can honestly say I have no idea what is going to happen, or who did it, or even why. I like that this series manages to keep me on my toes. And it is so funny! On various times I found myself laughing out loud and just overall agreeing with Dusty's way of being. Her life seemed to unfair at times, people asking her to do things no other teenage girl should be asked to do, like spy on her old boyfriend who betrayed her to the big baddie and had a hand in the death of her classmate. On top of that she gets detention, constantly, because she is trying to help the government. Seriously?

One of the things that might have bothered me a bit while reading was Eli and his "I'm so hot for you/We can't be together" attitude. Even after hearing his reasons for his behavior I still had to stop myself from rowling my eyes in a manner which kept me from having a serious headache. I did screamed "for fuck's sakes" out loud though. Oops. OF COURSE Eli and Dusty HAD TO BE CURSED. It sounds so cheesy, but then again the sexual tension is a great story piece. But seriously I just wanted these two to be able to BE together, which we shall see what happens in the next book I guess. They did leave off things with a BIG kiss in front of everybody... Another character that acted shady was Selene. I love this girl but she seriously could have been a bit more trusting when it came to Dusty. I just felt it was unfair how Dusty told her EVERYTHING and Selene always held back. I guess her secret was imperative in one of the books' scenes, but it still bugged me. Not cool girl.

Eli was still super hot. I am not even being vain, he just is. He goes through some intense changes in this book. He finds out a lot about himself, and he finally starts to fit more into the magical world. Even the part where the magic folk start to hate on him. Yeah, not cool.

If I am completely honest though I might still have a thing for Paul. Even though he was the bad guy (or maybe because he is the repenting ex-bad guy?) Paul is still Paul. I guess in this part I am just like Dusty, confused about my feelings. Paul is still his geeky self, but now you have to add mysterious and brooding to the list... Oh lord. Dusty is in trouble.

The pacing was fantastic, the mysteries kept you at the end of your seat, and Dusty's inner monologue was the cherry on top of the awesome sundae that is this book. I am so enamored with this world that I had to start reading Mindee Arnett's other series [book:Avalon|17149396] which deals with teenage mercenaries in space. Does that sound good or what? I can only hope it is even as half as good as the Arkwell Academy series turned out to be.

PS; Where is the third book's cover and release date? COME ON, don't leave a girl hanging like this!

Review: Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

Title: Otherbound
Author: Corinne Duyvis
Series: n/a
Book #: 1
Pages: 400
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: .5
Goodreads Rating: 3.93
Published: June 17th, 2014

Amara is never alone. Not when she's protecting the cursed princess she unwillingly serves. Not when they're fleeing across dunes and islands and seas to stay alive. Not when she's punished, ordered around, or neglected.

She can't be alone, because a boy from another world experiences all that alongside her, looking through her eyes.

Nolan longs for a life uninterrupted. Every time he blinks, he's yanked from his Arizona town into Amara's mind, a world away, which makes even simple things like hobbies and homework impossible. He's spent years as a powerless observer of Amara's life. Amara has no idea . . . until he learns to control her, and they communicate for the first time. Amara is terrified. Then, she's furious.

All Amara and Nolan want is to be free of each other. But Nolan's breakthrough has dangerous consequences. Now, they'll have to work together to survive--and discover the truth about their connection.

Taschima's POV:

Weird and exhilarating. Otherbound reminded me a bit of Tandem by Anna Jarzab while still being completely original. I liked the idea of being able to travel between blinks to other worlds, kind of like a movie playing inside your eye lids which never ends and which is very damn real. I loved how special the story ends up being, as well as how unique the characters are. It also reminded me of Vampire Academy in the way Nolan is always inside Amara's head, seeing through her eyes. Though Nolan is certainly capable of doing way more things (and feel more things) than Rose Hathaway ever was.

Amara is a lowly servant girl. Her task if to protect the princess everybody thinks is dead. When the mages orchestrated a coup and took over Amara's world they killed her entire family. The princess manages to escape but is then cursed, and every time even a single drop of her blood touches the air the whole world comes apart at the seams and tries to kill her. Amara is there every time to protect her and take the princess' pain as her own, so is Nolan. Amara has the power to instantly heal which is why she is perfect for the job, Nolan is just in for the ride. The kicker? Nolan cannot control his being in Amara's life, so every time Amara gets drowned or chocked to death or anything physical happens to her Nolan feels her pain. Which is why he is diagnosed with epilepsy, because he just goes into these fits every time Amara is in pain. His life has never been normal and it is Amara's fault. Not that she knows this because she doesn't even know Nolan exists.

This whole set up with Nolan and Amara is as uncomfortable as it sounds. And I love how the author just goes there. Nolan has never had sex, and yet he has experienced it enough times though Amara. Amara doesn't even know Nolan is in her head for almost halfway through the book... awkward. Nolan in the other hand both hates and cares deeply for Amara. Because of his blinking out every other second he lost his leg, and can never live a healthy normal life. He has a very short attention span, can barely do his homework, not to mention maintain a normal conversation. His love for Amara's world also keeps him from being very interested in his own... specially when he starts to be able to control Amara.

While Nolan seems to be having the short end of the stick, his plight is nothing compared with the things Amara has to put up with. She is not to think for herself, she is not to learn how to read, or even to talk. They cut off her tongue to make sure of the last one (this happened before she got her healing power so she couldn't regrow her tongue). She spend her whole life protecting someone who she doesn't even know if she loves or hates, getting killed continually. She is a servant, as she is very aware. Her life pretty much sucks in every possible way. Soon enough it gets worse however.

As many others have pointed out this is a novel that deals with diversity in all it's shapes and forms, but it is also a novel that doesn't make these issues its whole point of being. It is something that is just normal to these characters which is refreshing. I was in it for the fantastic world and interesting characters. The only thing the novel lacked was a funny bone. It did not have any smart talk, or lines where you just laughed your ass off. Maybe it takes itself a bit too seriously. Or maybe writing funny scenes isn't in the author's repertoire. Not that it truly matters because the book still stands on it's own but I personally like a  smart ass character here and there.

The ending was intense. I felt like this book could potentially be extended. It could totally have a sequel with the ways things were left. Really, nothing is keeping the bad guys from coming back... Just a thought. It is certainly a novel that was worth the wait.

Review: Dark Days by Kate Ormand

Title: Dark Days
Author: Kate Ormand
Series: n/a
Book #: 1
Pages: 256
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 3.60
Published: June 3rd, 2014

The future world has been divided into sectors--each the same as the other. Surrounded by thick steel fences, there is no way in and no way out. Yet a cyborg army penetrates each sector, picking off its citizens one by one, until no one is left. Behind the sectors' thick walls, the citizens wait to die. Few will be chosen to survive what's coming; the rest will be left behind to suffer. A new world has been created, and its rulers are incredibly selective on who will become a citizen. They want only those with important roles in society to help create a more perfect future.

Sixteen-year-old Sia lives in one of the sectors as part of a family that is far too ordinary to be picked to live. According to the digital clock that towers high above her sector, she has only fifteen days to live. Sia has seen the reports and knows a horrific death is in store for her, but she is determined to make the most of her final days. Sia refuses to mourn her short life, instead promising herself that she'll stay strong, despite being suffocated by her depressed mother and her frightened best friend. Just when Sia feels more alone than ever, she meets Mace, a mysterious boy. There is something that draws Sia to him, despite his dangerousness, and together, they join a group of rebels and embark on an epic journey to destroy the new world and its machines, and to put an end to the slaughter of innocent people.

Taschima's POV:

"They said keeping us contained would keep us safe. But look at us now. We're trapped. The walls were meant to shield us from harm, but now we'll die because we can't get out. We're like animals in a cage."

The thing about Dark Days is that it was just like every other dystopian title out there. It blended in too much. Just like it's town and most of it's citizens, it isn't special enough. I mean, it is a quick read and the part with the cyborgs was kind of cool (because, come on cyborgs!) but even on this aspect of the novel I felt like the author barely scratched the surface. The answers or excuses we are given to explain why things work as they work are shallow and I believe just given so that the reader will be satisfied that things have an explanation.

"--climate change and the reduction of the population and extinction of most of the world's species. Then they'll discuss how the people were spread out on what was left of the planet. And then how the sectors came about, to round everyone up and create communities where people could stay together, stay safe"

I am sorry but what exactly do these people need protection from again? We never actually get an answer to this. They keep saying that the walls were built up to protect the people from something but that something is never actually mentioned. Climate change? How did the population get reduced so much? Also if this is the reason why they decided to round up people in the first place why start killing them and reducing the population even more than before?! Why protect them in the first place if later on you will decide just to kill them? Also, what government are these people under? Is the creator of the "New World" development the president? What went on with the rest of the world?

I have SO many questions. Like seriously, plot holes for DAYS. If I were these people I would have constructed a ladder or SOMETHING out of the shit they have in their sector and just CLIMBED THE FUCKING WALL. Because apparently NOTHING can bring the walls down... NOTHING. I wonder what these walls are made out of.

Also the cyborgs. Sure, they are cool, and I liked how the author WENT there and described the gruesome deaths at the hands of the machines. But (there's always a but with this book) read this:

"They are drawn to human life. It was bound to sense you, standing too close to the door. Don't worry, we've all done it. Spooky, aren't they?"

Sure spooky, but then again what do you mean by human life? Are they drawn by noise? Body heat? HUMAN SMELL? I just don't get this. It seems such a simple solution to something that needed to be a bit more complicated. Again, a band aid solution which doesn't exactly work. Also, these cyborgs seen a bit flimsy, too easy to knock down.

Now, Sia. I know this girl just wants to help her sector (after a while) but the decisions she make are ridiculously stupid. She doesn't think her plans through, and then SOMEHOW they just manage to work. With some other books I can look the other way, but everything was just too convenient. Everybody could see that her plan was stupid and that it was going to fail but she still went with it and SOMEHOW survived to live another day. Other than making the stupidest decisions on Earth though she didn't quite stand out from the rest, no wonder they didn't decide to save her.

Overall my problem with Dark Days was the poor world building. I am sorry and I hope miss Kate Ormand has better luck in the future with some of her other work. As a side note I don't like the cover at all. This is why:

I don't believe this book is part of the tour, and yet the cover is eerily similar. The font, the colors, the background...  Just not good. It was a nice try, it just didn't succeed.

 

The Delirium TV Show is BACK IN ACTION: To Be Released June 20th (2014) @Hulu.com

So I thought the Delirium TV SHOW was a thing of the past (source) because FOX (dummies... maybe) passed it up. But our prayers have been answered because HULU has picked up the pilot!

I am not going to lie, it looks pretty good. After the huge disappointment Requiem was (maybe some of the reason FOX rejected the pilot? Perhaps?) this pilot gives me joy. Maybe it will take the series farther than Lauren Oliver did, maybe it will finally give us some answers as to what happened after Requiem. But let us not get TOO crazy, I mean the first season still has to succeed (*crossing my fingers here*). So people, let's all get together in a big pajama party and watch the premier of the show on June 20th together!

I don't know exactly if you will have to get Hulu Plus to be able to view the pilot... but probably. I would make the pilot available to everyone and THEN after the second episode make it available only to Hulu Plus members. You know, reel the crowd in before making them pay. But that's just me.

PS; Don't you guys think Alex looks hot? ;) and I love Emma Roberts for the part of Lena. Yes, I am excited for this!

Delirium (via Hulu) official webpage.

Book Expo America: DAY 2 RECAP

BEA can be full of surprises. It's a place where authors roam free, and if you are lucky (or if you have a very good memory) you can often find them sitting right next to you, waiting in line with you, or just passing right by you. Like celebrities *.* We were lucky enough to bump into Sarah Beth Durst in line! She is the sweetest person ever, she also has a very creative mind (all of her books are pretty much awesome). She was kind enough to stop and talk to us and take a picture!

Me, Sarah Beth Durst, and Lexie @Poisoned Rationality.

You should definitely check out her latest title LOST. I got it at BEA and I cannot WAIT to read it! I also went right by Melissa Marr and said "Hello Miss Marr" and kept right on going because she seemd busy at the time. Cassandra Clare and Holly Black also made an appearance by their Iron Trail line before they were scheduled to sign. That was pretty cool of them!



Sarah J Maas line along with other lines...



BEA Day 2 was intense. I had a couple of signings in the morning all of which I had to scratch off because Sarah J Maas was signing at 11:30 a.m. You would think that gives you enough time to go about your morning and get books right? WRONG. Dead wrong. The line for Sarah J Maas started at 9 a.m. on the dot. EVERYONE wanted Heir of Fire, so my roomies and I made a pact. We would forsake everything else in our schedules in order to start the Sarah J Maas line, but we weren't the only ones who had that plan. Anyhow we made it pretty early so we were one of the first 25 people to get the book.

We might have been a bit bored in line so we started doing silly stuff. Like this. This is Tegan my roomie and friend, I made her a beard out of her hair. She looks pretty great.

Tegan, Lexie, and Kylene (roomies)

 

Sarah J. Maas in all her glory.

After the Sarah J Maas signing (which pretty mcuh took forever) we all split up again to go to our other signings.  There were a few dissapointments this year, like for example Alli Condie was at BEA to promote her newest title ATLANTIA (which sounds pretty freaking great, and if you need convincing just read the excerpt), and Marie Lu was there also to promote The Young Elites (ALSO great! Read the excerpt I beg of you). They were HIGH on my list but then I found out they were only signings samplers and all my dreams died. I mean they are high demand authors but truth be told I've met them in the past and I didn't want to go an hour long line in order to get a sampler. So that was that.

Overall however I had a ton of fun. I got to reunite with old friends and I met some very cool new people as well. and that's all that matters. The lines were handled beautifully and the volunteers were all very nice (except that one girl who was managing the Holly Black/Cassandra Clare line...) Plus we all got to meet some of the best authors in the world and get their books signed. How cool is THAT?

BOOK HAUL: Day 2

Grainy picture, but you get the gist.

Next day is BookCon... Lord have mercy...

Book Expo America: Books, Authors, and Friends (Day 1)

I have been going to Book Expo America (BEA) for about 5 years. Every year there is always something that rocks the boat, last year it was Power Reader day and this year it is that event called BookCon... but we shall get to that later. After all, this is only day one of the festivities.

You want to see what a real BEA schedule looks like? Pay close attention, this is what I do every year:

The day before I go to sleep early. Like, 9-10 pm early because believe me you shall need it. Then...

• 4:00 - 4:30 a.m. You wake up! The goal is to get ready quick, depending on where your hotel is at the quicker you are at getting ready the better. Take your hair time, make up time, etc. into account ladies!
• 5:30 a.m. Out of the hotel! Walking to the Javitz. You may stop on a Dunking Donuts on the way for some much needed coffee. Unless you want to take your chances with the Starbucks at the Javitz...
• 6:00 a.m. Arrive at the Javitz and get comfy because the doors don't open until 9 a.m!
• 7:00 a.m. Starbucks opens, you can then also check your bags at this time.
• 9 a.m. BLAST OFF!

Yes, these hours may sound crazy but  the first day of BEA, in fact all the days of BEA, is like the first day of school. You are so excited, you have all your outfits planned out, you can barely sleep the day before... It is amazing.

This year BEA was definitely not a disappointed. If anything I would say this was the most relaxed year of them all. I could feel the good vibe in the air! Sure, there were some tales of people bumping into people and taking their books (sources not confirmed however) but overall you could feel the good blogger karma in the air.

Not only that but BEA has stepped up it's game when it comes to organization. The forming of lines was better than in years past where lines were going EVERYWHERE and no one had any idea what was going on. This year the rules were clear early on: if you wanted to start a line get in contact with the volunteer that is assigned to the table your author is to be signing at and then have them guide you to where you can wait and that was that (of course this didn't work so well on BookCon day... but we shall get to that). Special tahnk you to all the volunteers who were crazy enough to give us their time on these days (you are angels).

Now, for the good stuff... THE BOOKS/AUTHORS:

I will admit it, I was busy. Thursday was probably one of my busiest days. I got to the convention center early, but I didn't go into the floor with my fellow bloggers because I decided to attend an event held by the amazing people at Harlequin. 

Pictures may not be the best... I only had an ipod to take pics with and it was real noisy.

Their blogger breakfast was a great way to get some one on one time with the authors they were showcasing this year like Julie Kagawa (Talon), Jennifer Armentrout (Stone Cold Touch), Alexandra Ardonetto (Ghost House), Robin Talley (Lies we Tell Ourselves), and Adi Alsaid (Let's Get Lost). Dawn Metcalf was unfortunately stuck in traffic and unable to attend the breakfast, though her series sequel's book (Invisible) did make an appearance! I had never even met Jennifer Armentrout in person so this was definitely a first. I think I shall never confuse her again in my life because she is pretty sweet and awesome and has a very pretty distinctive appearance (she looks kick ass). 

The man is Adi Alsaid.

Fabulous woman in the middle is Julie Kagawa.

Woman to the right is Alexandra Adornetto.

I also got to meet Jeaniene Frost, writer of the Night Huntress series, by far my favorite adult author!! I was so excited I am pretty sure my stomach did a little back flip.

FIRST DAY HAUL:

Remember, these are the books that keep me occupied for the rest of the year. So you could say I was busy (*understatement*) I was lucky enough to have my co-bloggers Chaz and Kylene as little helpers however so that is why I was able to land so many of the titles in my most wanted list.

I did see some repeats from previous years past in the convention, like Burn for Burn by Jenny Han (2012), The Diviners by Libba Bray (2012), Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken (2013)... Yeah, we noticed. They didn't even put these signings during BookCon day, the obvious choice for the placement of these titles since these were older titles that had been present at BEA's past conventions (I know because I have the titles already, signed). 

SCORE: The Book of Life (total score since I didn't even know it was going to be at the convention!), Sinner, Black Ice, Afterworlds, Zodiac, The Walled City, and of course The Beutiful Ashes. 

Scores: Lock In, Night Sky, Guy in Real Life, Messenger of Fear.

Score: The Jewel, Love is the Drug, Talon, Trial by Fire, Vault of Dreamers.

Basically if you are looking for a vacation destination look no further than New York city in May. Book Expo America is definitely worth your hard earned money, though if I could I would suggest you buy the ticket that allows access for all 3 days of the convention instead of just BookCon (that is another story all together... more on that later). 

Special mention goes to the roomies I love and get to see each and every year, they make the whole trip worth it. Plus, even if you don't know anybody all you have to do is go in, make a line, and spark up a conversation with your neighbor about books. Instant friends! How do you think I met my roomies? ;)