Book Review: Lailah by Nikki Kelly

AUTHOR: Nikki Kelly
PUBLISHER: Fewiel and Friends

SERIES/STANDALONE: Series
PAGES: 352

SOURCE: Netgalley via publisher

Outline:
The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely ally – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is

Quick Thought (or not)

I'm going to start off by saying that while this review may not be long and in depth that does not take away from how much I loved it. It's occurred to me recently (or maybe I've known all along) that the books I love the most are pretty much the ones that I absolutely have no words for. I have been trying to write this review for about a week or two, and I feel like I won't be able to do it justice. So with that being said if it sounds ridiculous and like I'm just rambling remember that it's because I love it that much!

If you've read one vampire book, you've read them all right? My answer would usually be a yes, but Lailah is different in my eyes. The thought surrounding the story was built and crafted just right for my taste. The imagery and words that the author used to build this first dimension is one of the many things I fell in love with.

I can't complain either way about the pacing of the story. At times it did feel a bit slow, but it wasn't that stand in one place, move in one motion kinda slow. Does that even make sense? It felt like they were constantly on the go, moving from one safe house to another yet, the story took it's time to show us who these characters really were, and who they were becoming

.Cessie/Lailah as stubborn as you were girl I could understand you completely because for someone who was on their own for a while I would have a hard time with someone telling me what to do and where I'm going. I definitely don't envy you having to choose between Jonah and Gabriel since they appeal to both sides of you. As Nikki said I'm on the fence on which side I want. :)

I will admit at times I wanted to slap Gabriel in the face. (You know like the girls do in movies to guys when they've been a jackass) but in the end he was trying to help her. He was trying to figure out who/what she was.

I kinda loved this vampire. No sparkles here, but he was all vampire, and though he liked his humans his was on the wagon to being good-ish.

Brooke reminded me of Rosalie in a way, being that she cared about her appearance. I think I enjoyed Brooke more than Rosalie though because while she didn't care for Lailah all that much she put up with her, and she took her shopping and acted decent towards her. 

Sidenote:
I got to meet Nikki at the Fierce Reads Tour in Irving this past Wed, and she was adorable. This was her first time being on tour, and I think she did an awesome job. She's from England so she has the accent which just made it that much better. Oh and she remembered the name of my site from the tour I did. Nikki if you read this You did a fantastic job Wed. :)

Quotes

"He wrapped me up tightly inside and I turned my back to him, hurt. He nestled in next to me, under the quilt, and placed his sturdy arms around my body, nudging his nose into the dip of my neck. Pushing my tangled hair from my face, he grazed his fingers over the lacerations scratched into my cheeks. I curled in embarrassment; I was a mess."

"You loved me once before..." I sniffed. "Yes." His answer was swift. "I'm not the same person you knew," I said. "I have changed; I haven't even the slightest clue who Lailah is. She's a stranger to me. I don't know who I am, I never have." He didn't reply immediately but pulled me closer, kissing the top of my forehead. "You're wrong. When I look at you, I'm met with the same person. Your smile may have weakened and your eyes may have grown weary, but you are no different from the beautiful girl I fell in live with. And somehow, if it is even possible, I feel more connected to you now than ever before."

"It's an extraordinary, inexplicable yet inevitable force that I can't deny. I may not know what I am, but one thing I am certain of is that whatever it is I may be and whatever it is I may want, none of it matter without you."

Book Review: A Need so Beautiful by Suzanne Young

AUTHOR: Suzanne Young
PUBLISHER: Balzer & Bray
PAGES: 267
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Series
SOURCE: Bought
OUTLINE:
We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences

MY THOUGHTS:
I don't know what it is with me, but it seems like most books it takes me a bit to get into them, and then when I do get to that spot (where ever that maybe) it's either smooth sailing or a bumpy roller coaster ride. I either end up really loving them, or being a little let down. So where exactly does that leave this one?

I enjoyed the twist on the angel story. It's not the same old fallen angel loves the human, can't leave them bit. Okay, so I've only read a few books that are like that, but you get where I'm going with this right? I mean there's only so much you can do with angels. How can you take something that's been done to death, and shed some new perspective...new light on it? (Pun totally intended) Well just like "A Need so Beautiful" has done. 

Charlotte is what someone would call A Forgotten. She's put on the Earth to spread love and the light to people who otherwise would have a dark ending to life. Problem is every time she "saves" someone she loses a part of herself, and at the rate with which the Needs are making her feel she just might be closer to the Light then she thinks. Little by little her family and friends are forgetting her, forgetting memories they once shared. So it's no wonder Charlotte would do whatever it takes to just stay whole. The Lady in black she keeps seeing could possibly help her, but at what cost? 

I liked the diversity of the characters in Charlotte's family. Her little brother made me laugh. I'm not sure how I feel about the relationship between Charlotte and her boyfriend though. I mean at times he seemed to genuinely care for her, but then he'd be all suspicious of what was going on. I mean if you care at all then trust her. Oh, and the doctor I wanted to hit him so many times. Just tell her what's going on she's got skin falling off her for crying out loud. Why beat around the bush just say this is what's happening. Easy right? I did feel a little bad for him though after learning who and what he is.

The ending...oh.my.god. I mean I know that this is a series, but I was thinking how can the author make this a series. I got my answer.  I can't wait to read the next book.

Personal Demons Review

AUTHOR: Lisa Desrochers
PUBLISHER: Tor Teen
PAGES: 364
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Series (Original Sin #2, Hellbent #3)

OUTLINE: Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems her senior year will be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions—for Hell—and she possesses a unique skill set that has the King of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay…for all of them

STARTED: 11-24-10
FINISHED: 11-28-10

MY THOUGHTS:
OMG! I mean what else is there to say. I know it took me a bit to read this, (it usually take 2 or 3 days I haven't been in my reading mode Sorry!) I finally sat down earlier, and thought okay I'm going to read a few chapters. That didn't happen I read the whole thing from page 170 (that's where I left off a few days ago) I think it was just that after reading some I wanted to finish the book and see what happened with Luc, Gabe, and Frannie. I'm so happy I did too. I loved it mucho.

The little outline-y thing pretty much tells you what the story is about. I don't see a need to go into details on that because usually if I do that. I pretty much make a spoiler review, and I hate that.

The book is told in two perspectives (I like big words, POV just sounds boring. lol) those being Lucifer aka Luc, our darling demon from the fiery pits, and our not-so catholic school girl, Mary Frances better known as Frannie. I'm usually not fond of this just because I find that it's hard to read, but Lisa's way worked really well. I actually could follow along quite well. You got to feel what both the characters were feeling about the same thing at the same time, but not so much. Does that make sense? If not sorry you just have to read it to know I guess. 

I liked Frannie as a character most the time (sometimes I did get mad at her for not just picking Luc or Gabe because truthfully I probably couldn't either) I wished at times she would just say why she was feeling so guilty and let it go, but that was part of the story so all is well. :)

Luc he started off as a bad-ass, cocky, know it all demon. Later down the pages he softened some not much. I wanna demon like him! I can't say to much because I don't wanna give much away about him, and what happens.

Gabe was the angel and I was actually sad to see that he didn't have a bigger part then he did. I really would have liked to know more about him. At times he did kind of seem like a butt-head, but he's an angel so he knew where his place was, and knew not to get mixed up to much with Frannie. Just enough to try and keep her "safe". Here's to hoping he'll have a bigger part in the next book.

The other characters were pretty good too. Although I really wanted to hit Taylor sometimes. She was definitely a "B". Riley on the other was the complete and total opposite. Like they say though opposites attract. (It's funny cause my friend and I are like that) (Oh also it's funny too I have two cousins that are sisters whose names happen to be Taylor and Riley. Just a sidenote)

The ending I was thrilled with although it was not what I was expecting it most definitely was a plus. :) If you're confused or don't know if you want to read this. I whole heartly suggest it. You'll be wanting your own Angel and Demon after you meet these two. :)  I know I do. There's no way in Hell  (pun SO intended) I could choose between these two. I know in some books you can somewhat form a side you like better. I can honestly say I can't do that in this one.

MEMORABLE QUOTES:
-If there's hell on Earth, it's High school. (Luc) This was the opening line to the book.

-She's got more wrinkles then a shar-pei (Luc)

-So maybe that's my problem I need pink hair. (Luc)

-There's no crying in baseball, and no love in Hell. (Luc)

-Unholy Hell (Luc) He says this alot I thought it was cute. :)

-Because I love her, but can't have her (Luc) Poor Lucifer!

-If you have power to transform shit-for-brains over here (Gabe) For an angel he's awesome.

-So all those kids digging to China are in for one Hell of a suprise (Frannie)
Literally (Luc)

-That's like saying I beat you in poker cause I stacked the deck, but you're glad I have all you're money. (Frannie)

-You've got archangels quaking in their boots (Gabe) This reminded me of Supernatural for some reason.

-Are you done beating me up? (Luc)
Are you done pissing me off? (Frannie) Ok so this one was within a scene that I literally laughed out loud at. They were pulled over on the side of the road from something that Frannie had told him. Some car had stopped to see if she was okay having just pushed Luc down it looked like they were fighting. Its just funny cause Luc smiles and laughs through it all and then Frannie realizes it looks funny and starts laughing too. Poor guy in the car was confused. Anyways, loved this scene. 

-Tag you're it (Frannie) This was by far my favorite quote. You have to read to find out why. :P

Here are my little scribbley notes I took while reading it. Mostly the quotes I like. I'm weird. Yes!

BOOK TRAILER:

So have you read the book? What did you think of it? Let me know I always comment back.