One Mad Night by Julia London

I found it to be a quick read. It's sweet but there isn't much substance. I think I would have noticed the lack there-of if it was any longer but it worked for me. I found the chemistry between the two was all right but where the book failed for me was the inner monologue of the two characters. I found those words fell kind of flat and didn't feel like real people. I would recommend it as long as you go in with lowered expectations.

Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston

I really enjoyed this. In exploring the budding romance between our Doctor and Wallflower a number of social issues area addressed. It added a new depth to this romance that was unexpected and refreshing. I loved the back and forth between the two protagonists as their feelings for each other develop. Their love story felt so real because of it. Just as these two were trying to find a way to their happily ever after together, as a reader, I was also trying to figure the same solution out. The obstacles and the struggle these two face to get together was really worth the read. It is utterly romantic and when these two get to their well deserved happy ending it actually made me smile.

If you are looking for something original and romantic, pick this up!

The Queen of the tearling by Erika Johansen

I had very high expectations with this one  with all the buzz around it since before it came out. I guess that's part of why I was disappointed with it. But oh dear lord, why does nothing ever happen?! The world building is weak, there are absolutely no revelations and while its an interesting world that Ms. Johansen has created - its really hard to appreciate it when you don't understand it. There are so many mysteries within mysteries and not one is resolved. Another reason I am not a fan of this book is because of the protagonist Kelsea. Again, there is so much promise with that character but she gets more and more disappointing as the book goes on. How can she do no wrong?! how can the girl who has grown up with only two people around her for all her life be so well adjusted when she meets the rest of the world? how can she not make disastrous mistakes? She should be a walking time bomb with everything that is faced with but Kelsea somehow just goes from one perfect action to another and is destined to be the greatest Queen ever. Also, for someone who keeps trying to prove her worth with actions she is much too obsessed with her appearance. This made the book a struggle to get through at some points.

I am going to pick up the second one as the ARC is already available and I am really hoping the writing gets better and something happens.

The Witch With No Name by Kim Harrison

Before I had access to the ARC I literally checked every hour to see if my request was approved. However, once I did a strange reluctance took over. I have been reading this series for the past 6 years. The beginning of each year has been marked by a new Hollows book. Every year in the fall, I harass people at HarperCollins to see if they can get me an ARC or finished copy even a week before the release date. It was almost a tradition at this point. And this was the last time I would read something new. This was the end of it all. I find it hilarious that the books is peppered with Rachel herself feeling this sense of ending. It was heart breaking to finally read it and knowing there would be no more. Thank you for holding back on the epilogue. It gives me something to look forward to in September.  

 

I finished the book an hour ago and I am still slightly devastated at this loss I feel after finishing it. No more Trent?! No more AL?! No more Jenks! NO MORE TINKERBELL JOKES?!! Is life even worth living without reading 'Tink's a Disney whore' ? I don't feel like it is at the moment. I am going to read it again a few more times in the next couple of weeks cause I cant get Rachel and the gang out of my head.

 

If you've read the rest of series then you know where this book is headed. Rachel is pushed by Cormel and others to finally tackle the vampire curse and save Ivy. I love the character development through out the series and so many pieces of the puzzle come together. This is definitely not the Rachel of Dead Witch Walking, I would go as far as to say this is not the Rachel of Pale Demon. This is a stronger, emotionally healthy and ass kicking Rachel that has evolved through 13 books for the tests that she goes through in this one. There are no wasted moments in this book. From the first chapter we are thrust into an action packed plot where friendships and love are tested to their limits. Not every one survives, and it wouldn't have been right if they all had. I loved this book. I have barely slept in the past couple of days but I still managed to read it in between work and school.

 

Rachel and Trent are still one of my favourite part of the series. Their core beliefs that defined them in the first book are completely different from who they are by the end of this book. I loved being taken on a journey with these two amazing characters who have grown and matured so much and it is perfection itself that they find each other in the end.   

 

I was finally able to read the last chapter today. It is exactly what I needed to let go of the series. It was sad and beautiful and with enough of a glimpse into the future to leave me at peace.

Thief's Magic by Trudi Canavan

I am a fan of Trudi Canavan's Black Magician trilogy and was hoping this would be in the same vein. Unfortunately, this one did not grip me the way the books in that trilogy did. I think my disappointed is linked more to the fact that neither character ended where I wanted them to by the end of the book. A book that manages to surprise me is always a welcome change.
It is hard to talk about this book without spoilers so I'll have to be vague. Tyen, a student of magic unearths a magical book - similar to Tom Riddle's diary. His decision to protect the book leads him into more danger and an adventure then he had bargained for. Rielle, beautiful and talented attracts the wrong kind of attention and becomes a victim of the corrupted and powerful religious faction of her society. These two characters are tied together with their discoveries of magic and how it functions in their world.
This is very much a first book of a series, meaning most of the book is dedicated to world building. The first half is quite slow but the pay off at the end is totally worth it. That said, I loved the idea of magic being a by-product of creativity. It is a beautiful way to set up a world. I really enjoyed seeing both Rielle and Tyen grow as characters as they are pushed past their limits. There are some good twists near the end and I can sort of see where Canavan plans to take the next two books in the series. Can't wait!

The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison

There are very few books that I read more than once and almost none that I want to read again as soon as I finish it. The undead pool is the exception to that rule. I read it twice in a two week period and then I read it again a week later. I loved it that much.

Very few authors end up writing stories that can span twelve books and still have a coherent arc that you can reflect back on from book one. In Undead Pool we find Rachel's ley line - that we thought was fixed - causing problems for vampires. Rachel feeling responsible for this delves into the mystery and in doing so we discover more about the history of the elves and demons. Anything to do with elves of course leads to a ton of Trent (thank god for that!) The threesome of Ivy, Jenks and Rachel goes through some major changes and you can see some of how Kim Harrison is planning to bring it to a close. With one more book to go I was very sad to see this one end.

This is a fast paced novel with a lot going on. I do kind of wish she didn't throw so much elf/demon history at us in one book cause it is a lot to take in and anytime Newt is involved there are some annoying magical ambiguities. I am hoping most of them will be resolved in the last one but even if they aren't, I still love this book. It is my new favourite of the series. Trent fans especially, will love this book. I am feeling this urge to read it again for a fourth time just cause...

Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

I absolutely fell in love with the world that Kristoff created in Stormdancer so I had been counting the days until this one came and out and it was worth the wait. There is also a world of difference between the two books. This is a much, much darker story than Stormdancer. On his website it says, "He does not believe in happy endings," and he has really taken that to heart in Kinslayer. There was a sense of hope throughout the first book but this one has none of that. It is devastating to all the main characters - there are a couple of new story lines added - and just so very sad. I had to take breaks while reading it cause it was just doom and gloom for every character I had grown to love, especially Yukiko. I don't mean that as a negative, I think it's a credit to Kristoff that that I feel such an emotional connection with world he has build.
It picks up right after the events of the first book. There was a really helpful refresher (Thank you Jay!) that helped remind me where we left off with each character . Some are dead, some are surprisingly not so dead and some are gonna be dead very soon. Yukiko has been emotionally and physically changed because of the events of the first book and there are some surprises in that respect. I didn't particularly love some of these surprises but I can see he has bigger plans for the characters.
Overall its fast paced with plenty of bloodshed and mayhem to keep the story moving. I will say this; do not get attached to anyone because shifting loyalties is an ongoing theme in this series and is part of what made it a great read. I don't know how he will wrap this all up in one book but I have faith in Kristoff. Fingers crossed it doesn't end with Yukiko dead and me bawling. Yay to another year of waiting!