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."

Write on (Emberlyn's Prologue)

I don't have any creative juices flowing right now, and my eyes are hurting. (I think I have sensitivity to bright light. I've been having problems lately with my eyes. Freaking weird. Everything gets blurry and bright. I know that it doesn't make sense and I have the hardest time explaining it to people. Not the point.)
Here is a little bit from Emberlyn Ray. I think she's by far my favorite, and maybe her sister too. At this point in time this is all I have written about her. I need to work on her. she'll probably be next after i can finish with her sisters part.

Her Prologue

Paranormalcy Review

AUTHOR: Kiersten White
PUBLISHER: HarperTeen
PAGES: 335
SERIES/STANDALONE: Series (book 2 supernaturally)

OUTLINE:
Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.

STARTED: 11-14-2010
FINISHED: 11-16-2010

MY THOUGHTS: OMG! that's all I'm saying I loved this book. Like really loved it. I can't wait for the 2nd one to come out. I love Keirsten's writing style. To me there's something a little different about it. I don't know. Maybe it's because I also like to read what she writes in her blogs and it's always funny. I love to be able to laugh at stuff. I love the funny moments in books when you actually can laugh out loud at something the character does or says, and I had a ton of those moments in the book. The whole bleeping things.... awesome. There was no need for cussing. :) One thing I like about these kind of books is they don't just stick to one type of paranormal while I don't have a problem with books being just vampires or just werewolves. I like the mix,and this book definitely had the mix from weres, vampires, shapeshifters, mermaids, faeries, a hag (I've never seen hag that I can remember in a recent book), another kind of water paranormal :). Yea for all paranormals! I like all the side notes too. You know the parenthesis thing. I do it to when I'm writing things on here. Oh and the titles for chapters you don't see many books with title chapters anymore. :(  Have a bleep bleep day, and dumbells, boys, and other dense things are a few.

I loved just about every character that was in the book.

The main character Evie did seem a little ditzy to me at times but that's okay. All her other qualities made up for it. She works for the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment agency) as a bag and tag girl, mainly because she can see through all paranormals glamours. She had been doing that for as long as she could remember, and before the agency she just went from foster home to foster home. I loved how she had her weapon Tasey all pink and sparkly. Her fascination with school lockers funny!

Lend oh our darling Lend I love his character too. I want him and Evie to be together. It took me a bit to figure out what he actually was. I know stupid me right. I definitely think I'd rather have him for a boyfriend then a faerie. Sorry Reth.

Reth bad boy faerie in all. I know there's got to be that one bad boy out of the lot and he was that. Popping out of nowhere and frightening poor Evie. I have to admit I do like how he's not as mean as I anticipated him being.

There are others, but like always I found these to be the most mainish (Is this a word?) characters. You also had the director, Raquel of IPCA I like that she didn't have to say much for Evie to know her feelings she could tell by the sighs. "Raquel sighed. She was a professional sigher-the woman conveyed more emotions with a single exhalation than most people do with their entire faces" Believe me there's plenty of sighing from her. :), There was also Lish, a mermaid, and Evie's Best friend. She was cool. Then Jacques the werewolf a bodyguard, and then people that know Lend. Oh and the fire girl. (figure out what that means yeah) So yeah there's quite a bit of characters.

This book always had me wondering what was next.

In case you don't have the book this is the back cover to paranormalcy. I kinda like it.

I cannot wait for supernaturally to come out. :)

MEMOARBLE QUOTES:
- We spent the rest of the morning conjugating. (a word that sounds dirty but is in fact boring)-Evie
-Silver Knives.(Bud)
Tasey! Hot pink and sparkly (Evie)
-I can't believe I made a pink knife. (Bud)
It's so cute I love it. Finally a companion worthy of Tasey (Evie)
-Seriously did I look like some sort of psycho assassin? Maybe it was the pink sneaker or the heart earrings (Evie)
-Don't be flattered--most of your competition is dead (Evie to Lend)
-Oh relax if he wanted to kill me he already would have. I brought him all these sharp pencils, ideal for stabbing and he's been a perfect gentleman (Evie to Raquel)
-It's a glamourless life. My favorite joke hurt tonight. (Evie)
-it was like a bad set up to a joke or something. A doctor, two werewolfs, and vampire walk into a bar. what'll you have the bartender asks. We were thinking him the vampire answers eyeing the doctor. (Evie)
-What a lovely balance. Lend shows whatever he wants the world to see, and you see through whatever the world wants to show you. (Cresseda)
-How would you like to come to school tomorrow with me and see a real live locker? (Lend)
I'm pretty sure I squealed (Evie)
-No, you're officially band from listening to us. Or thinking about this or even thinking about thinking about this. (David to Lend and Evie)

Sorry I know I have more quotes butt I'm not sure where I wrote them down so if I find them. I shall put them up.

Let me know what you think!

Frostbite review

AUTHOR: Richelle Mead
PUBLISHER: Razorbill
PAGES: 327
STAND ALONE/SERIES: Series book 2 (Vampire Academy 1, Shadow Kissed 3, Spirit bound 4, Blood Promise 5)
OUTLINE:
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…
It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand to hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks….This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.
But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…(Goodreads)

STARTED: 2009
FINISHED: 2009

MY THOUGHTS:
I'm slowly but surely working on the VA reviews :)
As you can see the next book in this awesomenss of a series is Frostbite. Yes I said awesomeness. I've read it at least 3 times.
The book starts off with Rose and Dimitri getting ready to go for some training with an awesome gaurdian out at one of the rich moroi's family homes. When they get there though, it's anything but cool. A family and guardians gone. So what happened? Strigoi attacks in mid daylight? How's that possible that's what Rose and the others guardians and everyone want to know. Now that the academy and everyone are on high alert the ski trip is mandatory. They think it's the safest place for everyone to be, but is it really?

I love this book, and I hated it.

Let me explain a little as to not give away a whole lot from the book.

I love the book more then I hated it just to clear that up.

In this book we get to meet a few new characters ones which I love. First one Adrian Ivashkov, a spoiled rich kid, whose related to Queen Tatiana. Oh but is he awesome. He might be just as nutty as Rose is, someone who could actually put up with her. Needless to say when he meets Rose he is definitely hooked I guess you could say. Later throughout the book we learn a couple more things about him. Sorry can't tell you. Just read it. Now that he's in the picture who do we choose Adrian or Dimitri? What a hard choice. I want a little bit of both please. Second, character Tasha Ozera, Christians Aunt, I started to like her then I hated her so I don't know which it is. She's kind of one of the characters you love to hate. She does a few things that irritate me, but I just told myself it's okay everything will work out. The third Character is the great Janine Hathaway, Rose's Guardian mom, the scenes between her and her daughter are hilarious. The fighting, the sarcasm, it's great. Those were my main fave new characters. So if there were others I don't remember. Sorry.

Once Rose finds somethings out from Dimitri at the ski resort about where the Strigoi might be she's mad enough at him to go and tell some of her guardians-in-training friends the locations. What happens after that well what do you think? A bunch of teenagers ready to kick butt. We know exactly what's going to happen. Hunting time! So as 3 of them (Mia,Mason,Eddie) set out to find the undead dead vampires, Rose and Christian have to set off to find them 3 and what happens in that house is anyones guess. Let's just that's where my hate comes in. :)

I like to try and leave a little guessing for people in my reviews I hate telling so much that something might be said so if this review seems weird. My bad!

MEMORABLE QUOTES:
- I sometimes act before I think. I'm getting better at avoiding this, but when something sets me off I tend to punch first and then find out who I actually hit later. When it comes to those I care about being in danger well rules seem opitional (Rose)
-If you would turn off this crap music and put on something that came out after the berlin wall came down (Rose)
Your worst class is history yet somehow you know everything about eastern europe (Dimitri)
Hey gotta have material for my jokes Comrade. (Rose)
-Canadian geese are deadlier then Vipers (rose)
You ever try to fee those little bastards. They're vicious. You get thrown to vipers you die quickly, but the geese that'll go on for days. (Mason)
Wow I don't know whether I should be impressed or frightened you've thought about this. (Rose)
-If you teach me to swear in russian I might have a new appreciation for it. (Rose)
You swear to much already (Dimitri)
I just want to express myself (rose)
-Don't you think this time of the year is for forgiveness (Dimitri)
 This isn't a christmas special. This is my life. In the real world miracles and goodness just don't happen. (rose)
-okay just stop this for once(rose)
Stop what (dimitri)
The whole profound zen crap thing.  You don't talk to me like a real person. Everything you say is just some wise life lesson nonsense. You really do sound like a christmas special (Rose)
- Some of the best things in life happen while sweating (adrian)
- You're one of those people who either have soulmates or mortal enemies aren't you? No in betweens. (adrian)
- I might as well have been working the corner as far as she was concerned. (Rose)

There you have it. Book 2 in the VA series.

What do you think?

Misguided Angel review

AUTHOR: Melissa De La Cruz
PAGES: 256
PUBLISHER: Hyperion
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Series Book 5 of the Blue Bloods (Blue bloods 1, Masquerade 2, Revelations 3. Van Alan Legacy 4)

OUTLINE:After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the five remaining gates that guard the earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silver Bloods.

Back in New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat.

STARTED:11-11-2010
FINISHED: 11-13-2010

MY THOUGHTS:

Okay, I'm a little disappointed in this book. No actually I'm very disappointed. I liked all the books up til this one. What the hell happened to some of the characters from the past 4 books. They disappeared according to her. I did however, like the new character Deming, a ventor from China I believe (Sorry I don't have my book to go back and check). I guess had Bliss not been replaced by her. (Yeah Bliss was not in this book at all) I really would have been mad. I kind of thought she would had some sort of role seeing as how the other ended. I don't know. :( The whole book just seemed slow, and I honestly didn't care to much with what was happening to the characters that were left to want to keep reading, and I only did so because I was going to loan to someone. It only became interesting to me near the end. I finished it quickly though because I had to let my sis in law borrow it.

The way is was put together was also different from the other four. Where those were told in chapter POVs of the characters like Schulyer, Mimi, and Bliss. This one wasn't it was done in 4 parts. Part 1 being Schuyler and Jack and their escape. I like Schuyler and Jack as characters but I was so bored with this part. Is that bad to say? I'm usually very open to books. *shrugs* Part 2 was Mimi and her time as the fill in regent. I actually liked her alot better in this book then the others. She wasn't overly stuck up like she normally is. Part 3 brought us a new character. Mimi brought her over from the Asian Coven to help with attacks that were being done on the Blue Bloods. Deming was a cool character, she's actually the angel of mercy, not bonded to anyone, and has a twin sister. We learn quite a bit about her. She does think a little to highly of herself. It's all good though.The 4th part was kind a tie in with all of them I guess. Like I said it wasn't til the end that I actually started liking it. 

I did miss Kingsley in this book even though technically there's a reason he wasn't in it. Also Oliver didn't have to big of a part either, and when he did it was to help Mimi out. I did like that part. That would be cool to see something happen with Mimi and Oliver, but I think Kinsley would be better for Mimi. Just my opinion.

I'm hoping maybe My bloody Valentine will be somewhat interesting since Schulyer and Jack are well yeah read what it's about.

QUOTES:
-Vampires don't die, they get recycled to suck for another day. Pun definitely intended. (Oliver to Mimi)
-I mean you could ask nicely. You know instead of throwing your weight around like some 3rd world dictator. (Oliver to Mimi)
-But stella's a vamp tramp. She'll never learn. (Gemma,Conduit) Ha I just liked the vamp tramp part..

I really hate to do this.

Vampire Academy Review

AUTHOR: Richelle Mead

PUBLISHER: Razorbill
PAGES: 332
STAND ALONE/SERIES: Series (6 books)
BOOKS:  Frostbite (2),Shadow Kissed (3), Blood Promise (4), Spirit Bound (5), Last Sacrifice (6 comes out Dec 6 2010)

OUTLINE: St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

STARTED: 2008

FINISHED: 2008

MY THOUGHTS:  I have to start off by saying this is my favorite series ever. I have read each book at least 3 times, and it seems to get better every time. I found this series after having read all the Twilight books. I was hooked the whole vampire thing. Yeah yeah I know kind of sad. Seriously though I just kind of stumble upon it while I was looking in the book section at Walmart (You'll notice alot of books I get come from 1 of 3 places. Walmart being 1 of them) I don't know what really pushed me over to the section I guess I just wanted more twilighty stuff. Who would have thought?  FYI: This probably will be a long review.

The story is told n Rose's POV she's a dhampir (human/vampire), a guardian, whose job is to protect the Moroi (living vampires) from the Strigoi (dead vampires). Her best friend Lissa is the last in the line of the Royal Dragmoirs. After a car accident claimed Lissa's family and almost Rose's life they've been inseperable. Seriously Rose and Lissa have a bond like no one's seen. (It's only one way though Rose can get in Lissa's mind but not the other way. It does take her awhile to get the hang of it.) They start their journey out in the world as regular teenagers, but soon are captured and taken back to the school they were trying to get away from by some guardians the main one being Dimitri. *dreamy sigh* Back at school Rose is threatened by the headmistress to be expelled but before that can happen our lovely Dimitri steps in. Thus earning him title of rose's new instructor. Throughout the book you learn about Rose and some of her Guardian friends like Mason and Eddie, and also Lissa and some of the other Royal Moroi like Christian (he shows up alot...kinda the bad boy type/outcast), Mia, and a few others. Sorry I can't remember all of them. :)

I don't want to go into more detail (I totally could though. I could easily tell the story. :)) During the book Lissa starts getting harassed by someone. Them telling her they know her secret. In the end things get explained alot more, but you'll have to read to find out.  It's basically your whole high school scene: crushes, backstabbing among each other, teachers. All the drama we loved in high school only theirs more twisted. :)

I absolutely loved the characters. I loved Rose I think she's an asweome MC. She doesn't put up with anyones crap, she's loyal to her friends (well Lissa anyways). Dimitri I loved his character too. The way he was described by the students and all. Who could resist him? Lissa's the all american girl, the one everybody (besides Mia) wants to be friends with (maybe it's just her compulsion. Who knows.) Mason, the goofy sidekick to Rose, and Christian the one everyone loves to hate.

I know sorry I couldn't explain it more. I want too really, but like I said I would give things away. I gave it four stars because it wasn't my fave out of the series, but like I said it is my favorite books series.

MEMORABLE QUOTES: Ok with this book I have tons of quotes I like so I'm just going to put some not all because I have like 4 small pages worth of VA quotes.

- Who the Hell are you anyway? Outsourced help? (Rose to Dimitri)

- You got cheap, foreignl labor to protect Lissa? (Rose about Dimitri)

- Hey Mason wipe the drool off your face if you're gonna think about me naked do it on your own time. (Rose)

-Ah, I'm guessing you used the Hathaway-glane-around-when-you-remember-to-method. (Stan,Rose's teacher)

-Forcing 5 year olds to spell Vasilisa Dragomir and Rosemarie Hathaway was beyond cruel and we'd, I'd rather responded appropriately. I chucked my book at our teacher and called her a fascist bastard. I hadn't known what those words meant, but I known how to hit a moving target. (Rose)

-So am I. I love pity parties. I'd wish I'd brought the hats. (Christian)

-I don't think it's fair to keep me away from umm religious beliefs. (Rose)

I wasn't aware you had any religious beliefs (Kirova)

I found Jesus while I was gone. (Rose)

Isn't your mother an Athiest (Kirova)

And my dad's probably muslim, but I've moved on to my own path. (Rose)

-Go find your pacifier and shut the hell up! (Rose to Mia)

- I don't what's crazier: what you're actually telling me or the fact that you actually read something to find all this out. (Lissa)

Hey I know how to read. (Rose)

-Yeah well we all have to do things we don't like. That's life (Christian)

What are you an after school Special? (Rose)

Tell me what you think. I know it's kind of a crappy review. Have you read the book? What was your first thoughts?