Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Caution, you may see spoilers below for this book and all previous books in the series.

Second books in series are usually the bane of my existence. You know the standard YA trilogy formula, where the girl loses her guy at the end of the first novel, and the second one is all about her misery and potentially introducing the other boy in their love triangle and you're just so frustrated because you know no girl in the fictional world ever ends up with second-book guy. However, Onyx is the exception, and I enjoyed it very thoroughly.

What I Liked:

• The Daemon/Katy in this installment. When Daemon celebrated Thanksgiving with Katy...I died, it was so sweet. Also, when he asked her if he could stay over...gah, I just love when Daemon nuzzles Katy while he's still asleep. (Don't act like you don't think the same!)
• The development of Blake's character and Katy's relationship with him. I typed in my draft, after the scene with the three of them after Blake took out the Arum in the diner, "I really suspect Blake, I just do." First off, we know that Katy has to end up with Daemon, so the love triangle boy, if you will, has to be nixed somehow, so I was already prepared to dislike Blake. However, I really, really loved Jennifer Armentrout's characterization of him; it was such that I had my suspicions of him, but I didn't quite have him figured out. For example, when he drove her away and was really rude at the restaurant, we all pretty much knew he was bad news, but I totally expected them to pull up next to a member of the DOD right then and there, and him having her fight an Arum was not what I expected. 
• Will. Will totally blew me away. I didn't have the slightest suspicion of Will whatsoever, right up until the bowl of potatoes that Katy knocks over and thinks she sees him watching her. I certainly didn't like him, but I kind of viewed him like Ash, an annoyance to Katy, but not a major problem. I really like that I was able to be suspicious of Blake and then have the satisfaction of seeing precisely how he was a bad guy, yet there was also the character of Will that really blindsided me.
• Daemon! I just loved Daemon in this. I hate to admit it, but I am one of those girls that thinks jealousy and being angry because he's hurt are the most attractive things ever. (I would never do this to a guy in real life, of course, supposing one noticed me, but it's nice in fiction.) Also, his love for Katy despite her total lack of judgment was just so noble. Oh, and the last section, their declaration of love from his perspective: I could not stop grinning. I look forward to his perspective the most, and this addition did not disappoint. I really, really applaud Jennifer Armentrout for portraying Daemon's feelings (in his words, being a "pansy") without seeming out of character with his general attitude. 

What I Didn't Like:

• Katy. This isn't a criticism of the book itself, this is more something I'm frustrated with in the characters in an in-universe way. I'm still kind of annoyed with Katy's poor judgment in this installment. Like I said, Blake threw up red flags for me, but, okay, Katy's trusting, but she doesn't say anything even after he takes her to see the Arum? And after she realizes he's with the DOD? Ugh. I could have smacked her. I still want to. I'm just not over that yet. Especially the way she said she did it was so she could be equal to Daemon and help and everything, and all she's managed to do was ruin everything. I'm interested to see how Dee handles Adam's death in terms of Katy's culpability, because I sure won't be forgiving her. 
• I'm also frustrated with the number of bad guys that are now just running around. Will and Blake, most obviously...but also that Nancy woman, and who knows which side Bethany is on. I mean, obviously there's a sequel, but I generally get annoyed when character's leave an enemy live for moral reasons. You know they're going to somehow play a future part. 

Final Thoughts:

• The Daemon was just out of this world in Onyx. Seriously, it was actually hot. Like, in real life. I cannot adequately tell you how desirable Daemon was in this book. 
• This definitely avoided the usual dragging of the second book in a series, but I think I preferred Katy in Obsidian, though, like I said, Daemon was incomparable in this one. 
• I'm looking forward to Opal and I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! (It's like 8 minutes left right now.)

Bite-Size Book Rec #1

I've also decided to start doing a thing called "Bite-Size Book Recs." It's where I don't want to write a full review (either because I don't have time or I'll gush too much), but I really want to share something, and I want you to know about it ASAP because you should all be running out to get your hands on it immediately.

Bite-Size Book Rec:

Who: Everyone!

What: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

When: Right now! Go! Read! Or comment if you have read it and want to gush!

Where: Wherever you read books! I'm on my couch! With some tea! (I also recommend drinking tea.)

Why: The MC (Lenzi) is so relatable and so well-developed, and Alden, for whom she has feelings, is such a great character. I feel like their romance (well, the beginnings of it, this is the first in a series) is so real and so wonderful and just makes you feel so much and fall so hard...gah, I just love it. Also, the concept of Speaker and Protectors and Hindered is so unique compared to what else it out there is YA fiction. I said this on Goodreads, I've said to all my book-loving friends, and I'll say it again here: this is profound.

Marmoreal Mondays!

I've decided to do a new thing where I talk about something that isn't solely a book review every Monday. It's called "Marmoreal Monday" for no reason other than a) I couldn't find a synonym for "personal" that started with an "M" and b) I really, really like that word and would like to see it used more widely.

Ahem. Moving on.

I mentioned in a recent post that my favorite author was Maggie Stiefvater. I dislike the idea of having one author that is your "favorite" per se. However, in terms of YA Lit, Maggie Stiefvater is an author whose books I have had really, really strong feelings about pretty much since the I started reading her.

Basically, her Shiver Trilogy (Shiver, Linger, and Forever) is such a unique interpretation of werewolves and the romance so real and so ideal and so ... so ... I'm having a hard time articulating this, but it's one of those romances where I get that feeling of my heart being squeezed from all the emotion, and it gets difficult to speak. The feeling that is the origin of the phrase "your heart's in your throat," basically.

I also absolutely drool over her Books of Faerie (Ballad and Lament). First off, anything for folklore, particularly British or Irish folklore just gets me. (Seriously, I bought everything Amazon had from Katherine Briggs, who is pretty much the biggest name in that area). Second, I LOVE the whole "faerie" concept. (NOT Tinker Bell, like, traditional faeries. The next series I'm delving into is by Nancy Werlin and includes Extraordinary, Impossible, and Unthinkable. It involves, you guessed it, the world of the fae. So you can see, I'm really into it.) Finally, she just makes everything real, you know? Like, I believe because Maggie Stiefvater wrote about it. She just makes her writing so alive.

My favorite book from her is The Scorpio Races. One, Sean is the kind of man one can only dream about. I mean, of course, a relationship with him wouldn't really work in real life (at least for me, anyway), but it's liked he walked out of a legend. The whole book is, really. Everything is ancient and full of myth and time and meaning AND I LOVE IT! The way she writes the world is the way I wish I could see it all the time.

Her Raven Cycle (The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, and two more, I believe, yet to be released) is also one of my favorites. First off, ley lines? Glendower? I am all over that. One, it made my British history class actually relevant to my actual life for the first, last, and only time, but, damn, was it worth it. Two, no one handles legends as well as Maggie Stiefvater. The way she described Cabeswater and nature and the connection the characters' feel towards it is just so... stirring.

Also, I highly recommend you check out her website or something, because she is also awesome as a person! (She has tons of pets and plays the bagpipes. Really. Now, go research her, I promise you will not be disappointed with the way in which she embodies awesome.)

In short, Maggie Stiefvater is my favorite author because her books are just that good. The characters, the plot, everything is awesome. However, what really does it for me is a little more intangible than that. I want to throw around the phrase "speaks to my soul" ... however, I don't want you to think I'm off my rocker and leave. Oh, hell, it's not like anyone's really reading this. The novels of Maggie Stiefvater speak to my soul. Just the way she describes magic and legends and things ancient and eternal just gets me the way nothing else ever has. Seriously, I believe in the world because Maggie Stiefvater wrote about it.

I'll freely admit, I've always been a bit weird...i.e. attributing odd little things to elements of supernatural/folkloric natures is something I've always done, and I've always been obsessed with the past and the fae and magic and such. HOWEVER, my love for Maggie Stiefvater is completely independent of that aspect of my interests and if you have never read anything by her, I HIGHLY recommend you do so right now. Seriously, you don't know what you're missing.

Angel Fever by L.A. Weatherly

Caution: You may find spoilers below.

I'm a bit late, but I wanted to talk about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two installments in this series, and the third one was no exception.

What I Liked:

• Willow, Alex and Seb's characters. I feel like they really remained true to themselves throughout their appearances in the series, which can sometimes be hard to find. 
• The author's handling of grief. For some reason, reading about a character's grief is so bone-shatteringly anathema to me. I just dislike it. However, I found that I didn't have that aversion to Willow's mourning in this book. 
• The balance between end-of-the-world drama and romance drama. Sometimes, I find myself either yearning to go back to the two characters' love story or to the action of the overall blot. This was not so here, as I believe Ms. Weatherly perfectly captured the best of both worlds. 
• Willow's hair journey. I really, really liked that L.A. Weatherly chose to make Willow's hair kind of representative of her symbolic journey through the novel. It was a nice literary touch without being blatant or contrived.

What I Didn't Like:

• Too short! I need more!

Final Thoughts:

• Willow is still one of my favorite heroines in YA literature. 
• I was way happier than I should have been about the hair thing. 
• If you're a fan of the series, read this, obviously. If you haven't, and you like the whole YA, supernatural thing, give this a go. Really, it's very well-written and has compelling characters.

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

CAUTION: Here, there may be spoilers. You have been warned.

Obsidian is the first book in the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This is my first book by Ms. Armentrout, and it certainly will NOT be the last. I received this book for Christmas, and I am kicking myself that it was not the first book from my Christmas haul that I read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm reading the sequel (Onyx) right now.

What I Liked:

• Katy. I LOVE Katy. First off, she's a book blogger! How cool is that? Second, she's one of the most relatable yet realistic heroines I've encountered in YA fiction. She's feisty, intelligent, and awesome, but she's not a Mary Sue at all. She's someone I would want to be and/or be friends with. 
• Daemon. It must be a law of the universe that all guys named this are incredibly sexy. (Damon from The Vampire Diaries anyone?) He's got that perfect blend of badassery, jerkface-ness, and emotional vulnerability that make a YA hero swoon-worthy. (Seriously, I've been having a hard time swooning over books lately, mainly because I read so much that characters start to seem contrived, but, no, I swooned.) Plus, moody guys are hot. 
• Daemon and Katy's relationship. You'll see a lot of people comparing the Lux series to the Twilight Saga. Yes, a human girl moves to a small town where a non-human boy rescues her from a moving vehicle and by so doing reveals his non-humanity to her, much to the chagrin of his non-human relatives who hate her, except for his bubbly sister. However, what I think of the Twilight series notwithstanding (*cough* not much *cough*), it's hard to argue that Daemon and Katy's relationship isn't much, much hotter. 

What I Didn't Like:

• Honestly, I'm not partial to aliens. I much prefer a more folklore/mythology based bent to my YA supernatural/paranormal romance. Nothing against the book, but keep in mind, this is a bit of a sci-fi novel. 

Final Thoughts:

• I would unreservedly recommend this book to fans of YA romance. It has everything, yet it still managed to stand apart and, for the most part, above the rest. 
• Seriously, Daemon is swoon-worthy. 
• Jennifer Armentrout makes cultural references in this book! I love that! 

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Caution: You may see spoilers below.

Once again, I am late, but I've just recently got back into book blogging, and I wanted to talk about this book. Obviously, it was a wonderful follow up to the first book in the series.

What I Liked:

• Everything! But, seriously, it's Maggie Stiefvater, who is my favorite author. 
• The relationship between Blue and Gansey. Both in a plot way and in a meta wow this is really well done way. 
• The continuing information about Glendower and ley lines and all that. I love nothing more than I love that stuff. 

What I Didn't Like:

• I found myself a bit frustrated with the lack of information on the Gray Man. I just wanted a little more on his motivation for choosing sides. 

Final Thoughts;

• Usually, I give some kind of a caveat about reading a book, but, no, this is the book for everyone ever. 

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

*This review contains spoilers.*

This book is, of course, the sequel to Under the Never Sky which I read and adored last year! And now there's a sequel! And there's going to be a third one, called Into the Still Blue! YAY!

Since you've already read the first one, there's no need to tell you that this is amazing, but I'd like to mention a few things anyway, in case anyone has forgotten the utter genius of Veronica Rossi.

First off, this is one of those books where I can be reading it and think that no time at all has gone by, and then look at the clock and see it has been an hour and I've read a hundred pages. It's so immersive and seamless that I see the entire thing like a movie in my mind, completely unconscious of that. Veronica Rossi's prose is just inspired, literally...she's so good about everything - the setting is seared into your brain, but you never feel overloaded on description, you feel the characters' feelings, but you aren't bogged down with endless inner monologues...it's lush and sparse at the same time. It's like she's writing on pure talent and instinct or something...I can't even tell you why I'm so enamored with Ms. Rossi's style, but it's just fabulous, as always.

I also have to say, I enjoyed seeing characters I'd never thought would come back. I loved Marron, and it was nice to see him fitting in with the Tides and helping Perry. Also, Soren! I LOVED what she did with him.  Making his dad betray him, and then have him develop a rapport with Talon (the big softie! :) ) was so sweet and unique and I loved it.

Also, I adored the development of Cinder and Willow being a cute little thing. It was so cute how, after the storm, he was worried about her knowing what he was and seeing him like that, it just broke my heart. And Roar. Poor Roar. I'm indifferent on Liv, she was kind of a flash in the pan for me, but I was heartbroken for poor Roar, who I really liked a lot.

I was also totally enamored with the development of Aria and Perry's relationship. I liked the vulnerability Perry had as a Blood Lord, trying to save his people, feeling like Aria left him because he failed her. It was sweet and the trust issues that they had were very deftly handled. I fell in love with them as a couple even more in this novel than I did in the first. It was the kind of fictional coupling that makes your heart pound and your blood race, you know? I really, really cared for and felt for and loved Perry and Aria.

In short, this was an excellent read, and I continue to absolutely worship the literary talents of Veronica Rossi. I couldn't recommend this book more highly.

Thanks for reading!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

*This review contains spoilers.*

This is my first novel by Maggie Stiefvater (though I did buy The Scorpio Races, I haven't read it yet), so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was really surprised with how much I liked this book, in the end.

It follows Blue, a psychic's daughter, and four boys from a prestigious private school, Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah. They are all a quest of sorts, which leads them discovering something magical in their little town of Henrietta, Virginia.

First, when Gansey started into his explanation of using ley lines to find the tomb of Owen Glendower, I totally screamed. (Side note: He was the last Welshman to bear the title Prince of Wales, and fought against the English conquest of Wales in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He disappeared into the mountains and was never found. A legend has grown around him, kind of like that of King Arthur being the once and future king, that he will wake and rule again when Wales needs him.) I love ley lines, and one of my college classes (History of the British Isles) actually came in handy for something! I was freaking ecstatic! I have an affinity for the paranormal, so a a family of psychics, ley lines and a quest to discovered the tomb of Owen Glendower was so welcome in a book I cannot even describe it.

The romance of the book was very understated, but, surprisingly, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of this book. I also really enjoyed the lush landscape of the book.  As for Blue, I really liked her as a heroine. If you were to ask me to describe her as a character, I don't think I could, though. It's like Maggie Stiefvater's characterization and development are so subtle that I can't outright tell you anything, but, while reading, everything Blue did, everything Blue was, was right.

One thing I didn't fall head over heels with was the treatment of Gansey's wealth, and the way the other characters made him feel ashamed of it. Like, when he used elevated vocabulary, he was somehow ungraciously flaunting what he had and they didn't in their faces. I guess I see the desired characterization for him, but that just felt a little odd to me.

Speaking of, I really liked Gansey. I liked his unerring dedication to his quest, his complete and utter devotion to his friends, his eternal desire to make a name for himself, do something good for the world. I don't know why, but he felt very raw to me. I almost want to call him fierce. I don't mean to say he was fierce in a shaved-head, tattoos and bad attitude kind of way (that's Ronan, by the way, and I found it adorable that he nursed a baby bird), just that he was exacting, almost? Not exacting, unflinching? I mean to say that he thrummed, you know? He felt real to me, like really real. I don't mean he was a good book character, who we can see metaphors and symbolism in, I mean that Gansey is a person, a real live person. He didn't feel literary, and like he had a purpose in the novel, like he did X in order to supplement the falling action of situation Y, he just was. Hell, he seemed more real than a lot of "real" people. He was different, fierce. Not just that he had his finger on the pulse of what it means to be alive, but that he was the very beating heart of humanity. I'm not making any sense, but Gansey is a character that I won't soon forget.

Since this was my first book by Maggie Stiefvater, I feel compelled to say that I've been missing out. Like I said, the romance was more understated than you usually see in a YA novel, and there are many things left unanswered, but, as a whole, the novel was seamless...like a living organism, almost. Again, it's hard to define why I feel so strongly about this book, but I do, and I will definitely be checking out the sequel(s), as it is book one in the Raven Cycle, and purchasing the collected works of Maggie Stiefvater as soon as possible.

I really recommend this book, I don't know what it was, but this book is something you shouldn't miss.

Thanks for reading!

Villette by Charlotte Bronte

*This review contains spoilers.*

I adore the Bronte sisters, so, in the tradition of reviewing classic literature for pleasure reading, I perused Charlotte's lesser known novel: Villette. If you don't know, Charlotte is my third favorite Bronte sister, but I was still expecting greatness because I did enjoy Jane Eyre, even if not as much as Wuthering Heights. 

I loved the character of Lucy Snowe very much. Her habit of being out of the way, the manner in which she never feels real, never feels like she partakes in life and instead sits aside and observes is so me it's scary. Believe me, I appreciate the passion and vivacity of Cathy and Heathcliff, or the pride and combattiveness of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, but I identify so much more with Lucy's character. For her alone, I recommend the book.

I also really enjoyed the  romance of John Graham Bretton and Paulina; it was adorable how it morphed from her childlike fascination to his adult infatuation.

Speaking of, how everyone kept turning up in each other's lives was marvelous and so beautifully done.

Also, the backstory and plotting around Paul Emmanuel, my God was that juicy! I mean, wow, I was floored at how intricate and mysterious it was.

I also found myself continually intrigued by the veins of Catholic vs. Protestant and French vs. English that came across in the novel, from a sociological standpoint. (Protestant and English came off the better, in case you're wondering.)

The love story. Oh, the love story. Honestly, I can't see it. I don't get it. One minute, Paul is a cantankerous blowhard who needs his ego stroked and his presence pandered too, and Lucy hates him (as I did), and then she finds herself in love with him and he with her...I just don't get this part of the book. That may be me, and you might enjoy the love story.

Also, the love story of Ginevra Fanshawe and Count Alfred de Hamal...priceless.

I enjoyed this book a lot, but then again I really love Victorian novels and the Brontes already, so I can't speak objectively on the merits of this book in particular. Nonetheless, I would recommend it.

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

*This review contains spoilers.*

So, I was looking for something to read on Barnes and Noble's website and, lo and behold, Kim Harrington has written a new book! Yay! I adored Clarity and Perception, so, of course, I picked this up.

As always, I find her books incredibly readable. It took me a few hours, and - it's a  murder mystery, too - I was guessing and re-evaluating who I pegged as the murderer constantly, but I never felt that annoying, impatient sense of "For God's sake, just figure it out already," that I get with some books.

The love interest is Donovan O'Mara, and he's great...cute, angst-ridden, tortured, lonely...he's really great, and everything you'd expect or desire.

I really enjoyed Jade, though I didn't identify with her as much as I did Clare, though I did really appreciate her bravery.

Is this book one that will stay with me forever and impact my life immensely? No, but it was a very lovely way to spend an afternoon and I highly recommend you read it!

The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson

*This review contains spoilers.*

In my tradition of reviewing classic literature for the casual reader, I read The Black Arrow Robert Louis Stevenson, who also wrote Treasure Island.

Essentially, it's the trials and tribulations of Richard Shelton, a young squire who is trying to avenge his father and rescue his love, Joanna, all while avoiding death at the hands of either Yorkists or Lancastrians during the tumultuous times of the Wars of the Roses.

The book had a decent pace, and I finished it fairly quickly for a non-contemporary novel. I really liked the Medieval feel the dialogue was given, though I could take or leave the author's habit of occasionally breaking the fourth wall to remind the reader of something.

The book was a lot of action and scheming, but there was some humor at the end, in the character of Alicia Risingham. I think her character was there for the comedic element, but I didn't really get the joke, so I didn't care for her or her sections of the book at all. At the beginning the love story fell flat for me, but towards the end, I really liked Richard/Joanna, especially how bold he was in openly declaring his feelings for her.

I also liked the history of the time period, and the way Stevenson put in Richard III in the end. However, if you're unfamiliar with Shakespeare of English history, a lot of the ending may be confusing for you.

I don't want to say that I didn't like the book, but I don't want to say I liked it either...it was okay, I suppose. There wasn't enough character depth for me to really, truly be invested in the character...I wanted Richard to win and get back Joanna because he's our protagonist, not because I felt for his plight.

I recommend picking this up only if you have nothing else to read and want to read something, or you really, really enjoy English history.