Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

#1 in the Georgia Kincaid series
Published in 2007 by Kensington

3 stars

Goodreads Review
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny. . .

Review:  Richelle Mead's writing is so fun and charming in The Vampire Academy series, and the same can be said for Succubus Blues.  I liked this, but it wasn't as awesome as Vampire Academy. My intuition about certain characters were correct but I was still surprised by the (depressing) ending. 

I do want to continue the story because I really do like Seth and I want to find out what happens to him. I tend to root for the beta males (I don't do that whole macho man thing, it's annoying and not sexy!) and I thought he was a compelling and charming character.  I'm not so sure I really like Georgina though, she could really use a backbone. No means NO!  However, I really liked that she's a flawed character.  So often the heroines of paranormal romance are sweet and innocent.  I liked that Georgina has a history but also tries to make the most of who she is and her situation.  She accepts herself, which is refreshing because so many paranormal main characters can't come to terms with their moral conflicts of their nature.

I really love Richelle Mead's writing.   The dialogue is snappy and fun and we get the added bonus of fun sex scenes!  Succubus Blues felt a lot lighter than some of her other books.  There was still a good plot and well developed characters, but overall things were more light hearted, fun, and sexy! 

Overall Succubus Blues is a fun adult urban fantasy.  I would recommend it for anyone who wants a quick paranormal romance with some snark and sass.  Succubus Blues is a great vacation or summer read!

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

 #3 in the Across the Universe Series
Published January 15, 2013 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

Review:  Shades of Earth is the best of the three in the series, especially the first half.  We start off with the shuttle crash landing on Centauri-Earth and tensions mount as the people break into two groups, Earthborn and Shipborn.  I thought the racism was really well done and I could totally understand Amy's frustration at being caught in the middle.  I did enjoy their first impressions of the planet. My mind was coming up with all kinds of theories about what was going on with this planet and what kind of dangers they would face. Unfortunately I felt like my imagination was bigger than the planet because I felt like what actually happened on the planet was a bit of a let down.

The twists weren't all the surprising, I pretty much called everything that was going to happen.  I didn't appreciate Amy's parents as much as I wanted.  Her dad was all military all the time, and was set up as an antagonist which I thought was a step back in terms of plotting and the character development of Amy.  Her mom had no personality and was there basically to just be the scientist so new plot elements could be revealed easily.  That too felt like a cop out.  I honestly found the plot to be really confusing.  I literally just finished the book and I was trying to explain it to a co-worker and I couldn't summarize it.  Something about corporate greed and slavery?  It felt like Beth Revis was trying to get allegorical but also trying to do it subtly and it just didn't come out in a clear way.

Also I thought the love triangle was ridiculous and completely unnecessary. I hated how jealous Elder got, your girlfriend is allowed to be friends with other guys, though I thought Amy handled the whole situation pretty well.  Amy and Elder's relationship as a whole didn't really work for me, and honestly I would have rather Amy choose herself and learn to live as her own independent person. Alas, what YA heroine ever gets to do that?

Overall the Across the Universe series improved with each book.  I really appreciated that Revis stepped away from the sexual assault and intimidation in the second book.  That was a plot device that I really hated, as well as the general sense of sex is scary and bad that was in Across the Universe.  I appreciated the different allegorical themes throughout the series, but I did think some were more successful than others.  I think Across the Universe addressed racism very well throughout the whole series, whether it was the shipborns not trusting Amy because she looked different or the earthborns thinking they were better than the shipborns.  I thought the theme of government control were well explored at the beginning of the series, but fell flat later on.  Finally I don't think the evils of corporate greed were written about in great depth.  That portion of the story felt rushed and very surface level.

I would recommend the Across the Universe series to people who are looking for a science fiction with a lot of parallels to our current society.  While the series didn't really work for me, I know that many will find it compelling and surprising.

The Last of Us Video Game Review

Released June 14, 2013
Rated M for Mature
Genre Action/Adventure, Survival Horror
Developed by Naughty Dog
Published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Playstation 3 exclusive

The Last of Us was one of the most hyped games of 2013 and after a solid week of playing at every free moment, I can report that the hype was most certainly deserved.  I actually bought a PS3 just so I could play The Last of Us and it is well worth it.  Even though I finished the game yesterday I already started a second play through, which I don't think I've ever done with a game.

Game Play

The game play of The Last of Us is simple yet efficient, with every weapon and skill usable throughout the entirety of the game.  I never found myself only using one weapon or tactic (which I often do as I get further into a game); I was constantly switching it up to best fit the situation.  There are many different ways of approaching a situation, and while the game is linear it still feels expansive. I also really appreciated the NPCs in this game.  They never were a burden and I never felt like I was doing a painful escort mission.  Much like Elizabeth in Bioshock Infinite, they were an asset, alerting me to danger and hidden supplies.

The pacing of the game was great.  There would be a scene of intense action or drama followed by a more mellow scene that allowed you to appreciate the beautiful world building and connect with Ellie.  I loved exploring the world because there was no compass showing you which way to go, I had to just pick a direction and start walking.  This type of free form exploration lead me to discovering a lot of wonderful hidden details in the game.  The collectibles are also really well done, they aren't just hidden items throughout the game, they are little bits of story that add to the ambiance. 

Another aspect that really adds to the overall feel of the game is the sound and music.  They knew exactly when to use background music to add emotional effect and when to strip it away.  Also the sounds the infected made were absolutely terrifying.  More so than the infected that were screaming and moaning, it was the infected standing in a corner just sobbing that would really get to me.

Story

To put it simply, the story of The Last of Us is amazing.  I won't post any spoilers, don't worry, but all I can say is wow.  I don't think a video game has ever made me question my own morals and ethics as much as The Last of Us.  None of the characters are all good or all evil, they're a mix of the two and that makes it feel so real. Ellie and Joel are great characters and I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow. 

In addition to the more personal relationships of the game I really enjoyed the apocalyptic scenario.  I thought it was a very interesting play on the zombie genre.  In The Last of Us the zombies are actually people infected with a parasite-like spore that takes over all motor functions (which is based on a real life fungus which is terrifying).  So the idea that the zombies you are fighting still have some amount of human consciousness is pretty horrific.  I also really liked how the government reacted to the infection and the resulting rebellion against the marshal law.  Whenever I read apocalyptic fiction I really want a firm world building, even if the focus is on the personal relationships between a few people, and The Last of Us really delivers on both fronts.

In conclusion, The Last of Us is one of the strongest video games to come out in the past five years.  The story, graphics, and game play all lend to an immersive and emotionally impacting experience.  The characters are all relatable, the world building on point, and an overall message that will stick with you long after you put the controller down.

10/10 - A standout game that will last the test of time.

October 2013 New Releases

Hi guys!  Sorry I'm a little late posting this, I got super sick (strep throat is no fun!).  But without further delay, let's discuss some of the October new releases!

October 1

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
#1 in the Legion series

Why I'm Excited:  Unbreakable is described as "Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code".  Um, yes!  A secret society of demon hunters?  Cool.











October 8

Emerald Green Kerstin Gier
#3 in the Ruby Red trilogy

Why I'm Excited:  First this cover is gorgeous!  But also this series as a whole is one of the most praised YA series out there.  Everyone I know who has read it just raves about how good it is.  Now that the series is complete I can marathon it!  There's also a movie of the first book that supposed to be really good (it's German because this series was originally written in German and I am waiting for the English release, obviously).






October 15

 Neverfade by Alexandra Bracken
#2 in The Darkest Minds series

Why I'm Excited:  Another YA series that has been getting a lot of hype and praise.  I never would have picked these books up based on cover appeal, but so many of my friends have loved these books that I am really interested in the series.









October 22

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
#3 in the Divergent series

Why I'm Excited:  Let's face it, this is probably the biggest release of October and probably one of the biggest releases of 2013.  Even though Insurgent was less than inspired for me, I am still excited to see how this series will play out.  I think I'll have to do a re-read of the whole series and marathon them back to back.  Maybe this will happen next year since the movie for Divergent will be coming out in March.







October 29

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
#2 in The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series

Why I'm Excited:  You all know I'm a big fan of Julie Kagawa's writing, whether it be about Fairies or Vampries.  I really enjoyed the Iron Fey series and this spin off sounds really great.  I'll have to dive into it soon.










Other Notable Releases

October 1 - The Enchanter Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
                     Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles
                     Blackout by Robison Wells
                     How to Love by Katie Cotungo
                     Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

October 8 - The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
                     The Eye of Minds by James Dasher
                     Tandem by Anna Jarzab
                      Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein

October 10  - Just One Year by Gayle Forman

October 15 - Across the Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

October 22 - Reality Boy by A.S. King

October 29 - Horde by Ann Aguirre

                      Altered by Gennifer Albin

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Published November 6, 2012 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers

#2 in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
5 stars

Goodreads Review
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

First, I am so sorry it took me so long to write this review.  I read it the day it came out and I swear I had written the review then.  You all know my undying love for Laini Taylor and Daughter of Smoke and Bone and that is no different for Days of Blood and Starlight.  So I am so sorry this review is so late, but here it is!

Review:  Guys, Days of Blood and Starlight gives me ALL THE FEELS.  Seriously, Laini Taylor just writes these words on the page and gives me all these feeling that I don't know how to process!  Basically I was just one big ball of ugly crying face.

 



Days of Blood and Starlight is much darker than it's predicesor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone. While we certainly still have Taylor's beautiful writing, the beauty of the story is replaced by something a lot more mature. I really enjoyed how Days of Blood and Starlight leaves the love at first site (sort of) theme behind and focuses on much more difficult subjects like war, rape, and genocide. 

 

Poor Karou!  She is just at rock bottom, wracked with guilt.  She goes through a lot of terrible things in this book, and I have to say I really loved it.  I am a bit of a sadist I guess, but I really like it when the main character's world is completely ripped apart in a way where they can never fully go back to who they were before the beginning of the novel (part of the reason why I loved Mockingjay).  I like seeing how events of a novel change a person, for better or worse, and books where the main character never goes through any turmoil feel a little cheap to me.  Well, you don't have to worry about Karou not going through abuse in Days of Blood and Starlight, let me tell you.  I'm really excited for Dreams of Gods and Monsters to see how all of this bad stuff will change her from the first book. 

And Ziri...oh Ziri.  He is so amazing and brave and wonderful and all the bad things that happen to him just is NOT FAIR.  I didn't think I would grow so attached to a character just introduced in this book, but I DID.  His character really expands on the interesting "purity" theme because he is the last of the natural born Kirin and therefore Karou sees him as special.  But where Thiago's desire for only natural born women (not resurrected) is very negative and a parallel to the idea that virginity is the most important quality a woman can have, Ziri's purity feels a lot more important.  He is the last of her kind, not just in physical appearance but in culture as well.  I can understand Karou's protectiveness, much like a big sister not wanting her sibling to lose their innocence. 

I have to admit for a while I thought he was introduced to create a sort of love triangle with Karou and Akiva, but now I am a little ashamed that I thought Laini Taylor would take such a cliche road.  Gurl, I am sorry I doubted you and your amazing writing abilities.  I honestly hope Karou in the end will not be with either of them.  I think that Karou will eventually forgive Akiva, but forgive doesn't mean forget.  I dont' want her to go back to him.  I want Karou to love herself.

We also have to talk about the angels.  I really loved how their society is an allegory for today's government.  They really show what can happen when you don't question the ethics of the decisions made by the government and just follow blindly. 

So overall I think you all can tell that I love this series.  It is one of the strongest YA(ish) series out there and I am so so so excited for the final book, Dreams of Gods and Monsters (due April 2014, OMG WHY). 

No excuse me while I go re-read this and cry.

 

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

#2 in the Across the Universe Series
Published January 10, 2012 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. Everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed.

But there may be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to act on his vision—no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder learns shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a mystery that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier. Their success—or failure—will determine the fate of the 2,298 passengers aboard Godspeed. But with each step, the journey becomes more perilous, the ship more chaotic, and the love between them more impossible to fight.

Beth Revis catapulted readers into the far reaches of space with her New York Times bestselling debut, Across the Universe. In A Million Suns, Beth deepens the mystery with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

 

 Hey guys!  Long time no blog!  I was out of town for work for two weeks and had no time to blog (sad day for sure).  But I'm back and we can return to our regular scheduled reviewing!

Review:  More like a 3.5, but not enough to add up to a 4. I ended up liking this a lot more than Across the Universe and I'm actually excited for Shades of Earth. The follow the clues was a cool idea, but I'm not sure it worked in this context because Amy just told Elder everything from the start. However, I enjoyed the build up to the final book (even though I totally called it, like spot on. I'm so smart).

While I really liked the idea of the follow the clues to find the truth treasure hunt plot device, I don't think it worked in the context of this particular story.  Amy is told from the start not to tell Elder, that deciding what to do with the information discovered should be her choice alone.  But of course she runs to Elder immediately.  I felt like this was a missed opportunity to create suspicious and distrust between the two characters which could have lead to some interesting development in their relationship.  It also could have given Amy a real chance to grow and act independently.  It was also painfully obvious what the secret information was, so there really wasn't much tension while they were trying to figure out the clues.  A good idea, but not executed well. 

What did work very well was the dissolution of the Eldest/Elder system and the rebellions that start springing up all over the ship.  I felt like this was a great allegory for what is happening in the world today.  People who live in poor conditions who are controlled by their government will eventually rise up against the institution, often in violent riots.

Overall I thought that while A Million Suns missed the mark on a few plotting choices, it is a great improvement on the first book, Across the Universe.  The writing style was great and the deeper message about mob mentality and the inherent flaws in a dictatorial type of government work really well in the futuristic setting.

September 2013 New Reads

I know this is a few days late sorry guys!  I had friends visiting last weekend so I didn't have the opportunity to get this post out.  There are also a lot of really great releases for September, here are a few that I'm really excited about. 

September 3

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Why I'm Excited:  First I have to say I love the title, it's wonderful.  This book sounds crazy and suspenseful and I hope it's as dark of a thriller as I want it to be.






September 10

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake
#1 in the Goddess War series

Why I'm Excited:  I love the premise for this book.  What if supposedly immortal gods start developing strange and horrific diseases?  I love the take on Greek mythology and I can't wait to see where this will go.





September 17

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
#2 in The Raven Cycle

Why I'm Excited:  I really enjoyed The Raven Boys and I have to know what will happen next!  There was a lot of mythology introduced in the first book and I'm really interested in seeing it further explored.

Frozen by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston
#1 in the Heart of  Dread series

Why I'm Excited:  I love the setting for this series, a dystopian Las Vegas covered in ice?  Ok!  Sign me up.

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Why I'm Excited:  Gretchen McNeil isn't afraid to really get out there with her writing.  I love that she takes risks and writes horror for the YA genre, which is really under represented.  I love horror so of course I want to read this one!






September 24

 Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Why I'm Excited: I have to admit I am really drawn to this cover.  I love that it's not a person on the cover and the colors are beautiful.  I also really like the plot, it sounds like a unique idea and I'm excited to see how it is executed.

Vicious by Victoria Schwab

Why I'm Excited:  Everyone I know just raves about Victoria Schwab's writing, and I have yet to read one of her books (I am ashamed!).  If I'm correct this is her first jump into adult fiction and I'm excited to have a book that's a little more intense.





Other Notable Releases

September 3 - All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
                        Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney
                        Sweet Legacy by Tera Lynn Childs
                        The 100 by Kass Morgan

September 8 - Gold by Talia Vance

September 10 - Smoke by Ellen Hopkins
                           Monster by Ilsa J. Bick
                           The Final Descent by Rick Yancey
                           The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
                            The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman
                           Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

September 17 - The Wicked Within by Kelly Keaton
                           Once We Were by Kat Zhang
                           This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales


September 24 - Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
                           A Radiant Sky by Jocelyn Davies
                           Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender
                          Where the Stars Shine by Trish Doller
                           Find Me by Romily Bernard
                           Fallout by S.A. Bodeen
                           Inhuman by Kat Falls