World After ARC Review

What did I think...

World After by Susan Ee

 

 

Description:

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

 

 

 

Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Penryn and the End of Days
Published on: November 21st, 2013
Pages: 438 pages
Format: Digital copy (PDF) - Kindle
Source: NetGalley
Average rating: 4.28 stars
My rating: 4.6 stars

I have to admit, I read World After forever ago (like a couple of weeks) and totally spaced on a review for it, but I'll do the best I can.

This is the second time I've read this book. Once last year from the library, and once now, as an ARC. Backwards, I know.

For my characters, I have a serious thing with names. They really have to fit the character. I almost never read books with "Emma's" or "Sarah's" because those names are very common, much like my own name. Of which I shorted to a rebellious and mysterious "Kat". Yes I am kidding. -ish.

 

Back to the conversation at hand. Raphael is a name I never thought I could get with. Good thing he went by Raffe, because it totally worked for me.

 

Raffe totally unbelievably worked for me. He was perfectly written, full of flaws. At the beginning, haughty and condescending, angry and hurting. Then he got caring, Penryn before himself... and it was really beautiful to watch the transition, watch him fall in love with a Daughter of Man, though.

 

Penryn was my favorite kind of character. She was proud, stubborn and strong, and has a bleeding heart. All she wanted was her sister back, and she was willing to do anything, sacrifice everything to get her back, until she realizes the one person she can't sacrifice is the one she needs to... Raffe.

 

Penryn's mother was a joy to read about. She was completely insane and maniacal. She totally is completely duped in the brain, but was still a joy to read, I enjoyed the hell out of reading about her, even if she was completely fucked in the brain.

 

I was completely hooked by the writing, the characters and the plotline... and I can't wait to read The End of Days .... which came out yesterday !!!

XOXO,
Kat

Stone Cold Touch Review

What did I think of....

Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

Description:

Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…  

Genre: Paranormal romance
Published on: October 21st, 2014
Pages: 464 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
Average rating: 4.5 stars 
My rating: 4.2 stars

Genres:

 

 I've read White Hot Kiss, the first installment, twice now. Once by itself about a year ago, and it was good, and a second time a couple of days ago... right before I read this one, Stone Cold Touch. They made each other so much better... and now I can't wait until the next book comes out.

 

After the huge twist at the end of White Hot Kiss, which left me dead, I was unsure how I felt about starting Stone Cold Touch, but never fear, it was fabulous.

 

Even though Stone Cold Touch was totally a bridge book, I still really enjoyed it, and thought it better than the first, White Hot Kiss.

 

You may have also noticed the difference between the two covers...

 

Featuring: Roth               Featuring: Zayn

 

You may have also noticed, that the cover where Roth and Layla are kissing, it's white hot, and the cover with Zayn and Layla, he's trying to kiss her and she's turning away, and it's stone cold. Mmm-hmm. That being said....

 

Stone Cold Touch was totally Zayn's book. Roth had a much more minimal (yet constant) presence, and I missed his outrageous flirting. Zayn wasn't nearly as present in White Hot Kiss as he was in Stone Cold Touch, and served as a constant source of hurdling.

 

Is that a word? What I mean is that I kept wanting to tell him get out of the way! I need Roth! I need Roth! As you can see, I'm a total team Roth, but if you're not... you're going to lose.

That being said... here are the positive comparisons so you can form your own opinion.

 

 

 VS

 

GO ROTH (and Bambi)!!

 



Layla Shaw has always been different, even by supernatural standards. Living with Warden's, the "protectors" of sorts for humankind against demons, she's always felt like an outsider, even though she's more powerful and paranormal than they are. Layla is half-Warden, half-demon, two polar opposites. Each side, demon and warden alike, are caught in a vicious war against each other, caught up in their prejudiced hatred... and poor Layla is caught in the middle.

Living with the Warden's, Layla has always attempted to suppress her demonic side, added with the guilt she feels from her fellow Wardens. But when Layla turns seventeen, her world becomes pretty topsy-turvy. (yes, exactly like the song).

When the Crown Prince of Hell, or Roth, shows up, he causes her to question everything she thought was true, to accept herself (both sides) and to realize that a little bit of evil is necessary.

Roth is back...

Layla's has finally been given a tantalizing taste of what always has been forbidden, but when it backfires big time, there is only one person who's always had her back, even when it seems unlikely. But when a threat on Layla's life comes from someone she's always thought of as family, Layla, Bambi, Caymen and Roth fight to save the city... and Layla's future.

 

 

 

Roth is an Upper Level demon, and unfortunately, he's here on a job. The Boss from downstairs has given him orders, and Roth is here for a reason, a reason not to solve the problem, but take care of it... or her. Problem is, he's fallen on the job and he's risking Hell's wrath to stay fallen.

 

Layla is not like the usual LJA heroine. She has no self-esteem, is very introverted, and craves attention, but is still super sassy, super cheeky in her own way. Being suppressed her whole life, it was cool to watch her bloom in personality. She also has some super powers, soul-stealing kisses (literally), and others that are spoilers so I will not mention them. However, in Stone Cold Touch, she starts to overcome this a bit; recognizing her individual rights, her worth and realizes that sometimes, a little bit of evil is necessary and sometimes just what the doctor prescribes.

 

Zayn is Layla's best friend, and her safety cocoon. Not only that, but she crushes on him hard, and he is essentially the only person to ever accept her. But, after a tantalizing taste of something that can never happen, Layla starts to realize that she's not fighting for Zayn because she loves him... but fighting because she doesn't want to lose her rock, the only person she could ever depend on, and the only person who ever truly accepted her. But that acceptance might just be her downfall...

 

Stone Cold Touch, was a stunningly well crafted story with expertly laid clues that the truth isn't laid until the very end... You know what they say about hindsight, 20/20.

 

XOXO,

Kat

Angelfall ARC Review

What did I think of...

Angelfall by Susan Ee

 

 

 

This is the second time I've read this book... and I think it was actually better the second time.

 

Description:

 

It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back...

 

Star Rating:

 

 

For my characters, I have a serious thing with names. They really have to fit the character. I almost never read books with "Emma's" or "Sarah's" because those names are very common, much like my own name. Of which I shorted to a rebellious and mysterious "Kat". Yes I am kidding. -ish.

 

Back to the conversation at hand. Raphael is a name I never thought I could get with. Good thing he went by Raffe, because it totally worked for me.

 

Raffe totally unbelievably worked for me. He was perfectly written, full of flaws. At the beginning, haughty and condescending, angry and hurting. Then he got caring, Penryn before himself... and it was really beautiful to watch the transition, watch him fall in love with a Daughter of Man, though.

 

Penryn was my favorite kind of character. She was proud, stubborn and strong, and has a bleeding heart. All she wanted was her sister back, and she was willing to do anything, sacrifice everything to get her back, until she realizes the one person she can't sacrifice is the one she needs to... Raffe.

 

Penryn's mother was a joy to read about. She was completely insane and maniacal. She totally is completely duped in the brain, but was still a joy to read, I enjoyed the hell out of reading about her, even if she was completely fucked in the brain.

 

Rating: 5 stars 

 

Genre:

 

  

 

 

This is the second time I've read Angelfall, the first time I read it was because a friend on mine on Goodreads told me I hadn't lived until I read Angelfall. After numerous people agreed heartily, I complied and picked it up immediately.

I read the first two books in one day, and was done by four o'clock in the afternoon.

 

I was hooked by the writing, the characters and the plotline... and I can't wait for The End of Days.

 

XOXO,

Kat

 

 

 

Angel's Blood and Archangel's Kiss Review

What did I think?

Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh

Description:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best- but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, Elena knows failure is not an option—even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other—and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt does not destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just might. For when archangels play, mortals break.

Wow. I've held Nalini Singh on a high pedestal after having read one of her books, Rock Hard, and was completely blown away. Now, after having read this book, Angels' Kiss, I understand it even more.

I have to admit, I rolled my eyes when I heard the male lead was Raphael, Archangel. I mean, Raphael? I did not think I could connect with that name. Raphael. Raphael. Raphael. But, once again, I was wrong.

Genre's:  

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, let's start with Raphael. Wow, was I wrong about the name. I just wouldn't be the same with a Gabriel, or a Michael (all of which are anti-hot names, but of which I have been proved wrong for with Gabriel). He was the epitome of powerful and sweet. Singh does a good job of preserving his Archangel ways, while still promoting the something between Elena and Raphael, as well as mortalizing him.

 

Elena was my favorite kind of character. She was strong and proud and smart. Strong in her willpower, determination, humanity and hunter-born capabilities; Proud in her strength, intelligence, capabilities, and personality; smart in her capabilities, confident in her capabilities but smart enough and not proud enough to know when to shut it and run, to play her strengths in her perceived weakness.

 

The two of them together? Passionate, sweet and HOT! I have to say, Archangel/warrior sex? Written by Nalini Singh? Beyond hot.

 

Star rating: Angel's Blood: 4.9 stars 

                     Archangel's Kiss: 4.8 stars

 

 

XOXO,

Kat