Category Archives: Ya Urban Fantasy

Sneak Peek Wednesday: Moribund by Genevieve Iseult Eldredge

Moribund
(Circuit Fae #1)
by Genevieve Iseult Eldredge
Publisher: Monster House Books
Publication date: Sept. 12, 2017
Genre: LGBTQ+, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

High school sophomore Syl Skye is an ordinary girl. At least, she’s trying to be. School photographer and all-around geek, she introverts hard and keeps her crush on sexy-hot glam-Goth star Euphoria on the down-low. But when a freak accident Awakens her slumbering power, Syl is forced to accept a destiny she never wanted—as the last sleeper-princess of the fair Fae.

Suddenly hunted by the dark Fae, Syl’s pretty sure things can’t get any worse. Until she discovers her secret crush, Euphoria, is really a dark Circuit Fae able to harness the killing magic in technology. Even worse, she’s been sent to destroy Syl. With mean girls and magic and dark Fae trying to kill her, it’ll take more than just “clap if you believe in fairies” to save Syl’s bacon—not to mention, her heart.

 

 

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Review: Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Blood Promise 
(Vampire Academy, #4)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Aug 25, 2009
Genre: YA
Rating:
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Rose Hathaway’s life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir’s Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose’s neck, a mark that says she’s killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life’s vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She’ll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir’s and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?

 

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Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

 

The Awakening
(Darkest Powers, #2)
By: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: April 28, 2009
Genre: YA
Rating:
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If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl — someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I’m as far away from normal as it gets. I’m a living science experiment — not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization call the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters. I’m a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I’m running for my life with three of my supernatural friends – a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch – and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

 

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Review: Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Shadows
(Lux, # 0.5)
By: Jennifer Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Published: Feb. 21, 2012
Genre: YA
Rating:
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The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.
Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence…and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

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Review: Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

 

Shadow Kiss
(Vampire Academy, #3)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Nov. 13, 2008
Genre: YA
Rating:
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Is Rose’s fate to kill the person she loves most? It’s springtime at St. Vladimir’s Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason’s death, Rose hasn’t been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can’t concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret . . . .She’s in love with Dimitri. And this time, it’s way more than a crush. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever…

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Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

 

Frostbite
(Vampire Academy, #2)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: April 10, 2008
Rating:
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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.

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Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

 

Vampire Academy
(Vampire Academy, #1)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Aug. 16, 2007
Genre: YA
Rating:
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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…

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

 

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Review: Croak by Gina Damico

 

Croak
(Croak, #1)
By: Gina Damico
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published: March 20, 2012
Genre: YA
Rating:
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Fed up with her wild behavior, sixteen-year-old Lex’s parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach Lex the family business.

She quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. But Lex can’t stop her desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she encounters a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. Will she ditch Croak and go rogue with her reaper skills?

 

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Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines

(Bloodlines, #1)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Aug. 23, 2011
Genre: YA
Rating:
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When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive – this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

1thoughtsThis is a spin-off series from Vampire Academy series. If you haven’t read that series yet and plan to don’t read my review. It will have spoilers in it.

 
 
I held off for so long on reading this book. I pre ordered a copy and then was nervous to read it when it finally came in the mail. Would I like it as much as VA? Even though I am not 100% in love with it, it has potential to steal my heart with the books to come.

Instead of sassy outspoken Rose as a narrator, you have timid, sheltered Sydney. She is sort of a pushover at first but gets her bearings as the story progresses. She is ordered to go into hiding with Jill, to keep her safe from further attacks on her life. Since Lissa needs one family member to remain queen and Jill is all the family she has left, the attacks have been directed at Jill, so that Lissa will be removed from the thrown. Eddie and Adrian join the ranks in this book and take the adventure to hot and sunny Palm Springs. (Which by the way is literally right around the corner for me). Jill, Sydney and Eddie enroll into a private school and try to fit in with the humans as best they can. Eddie becomes friends with his roommate, Micah, who reminds him of his old best bud Mason (who was killed in VA), Jill is actually making enemies with the girls at school when Micah shows interest in her and Sydney seems to be getting along fine. She makes friends with a pair of human girls…  one just so happens to be named Kristin (no one ever spells my name with an I, so I was thrilled by that).

I loved that part of the team was back but I wish that there was more Adrian and Eddie time. They were so carefree in VA and now Adrian is heartbroken over Rose and he literally mopes around the entire time. Eddie has gone from serious guardian to an extremely overprotective guardian. I also wish that there was more of a surprise to the conflicts that take place in the book. Right away I knew who was behind the attacks and what was going on. Whereas in previous VA books, where Dimitri gets attacked or when Mason dies, I didn’t get that same surprise reaction from this one.

However, I cannot wait to see what happens with the gang over time. I hope Adrian licks his wounds soon because I miss the snarky sarcastic guy he used to be, even though you see glimpses of it, it isn’t nearly enough. This book seemed more of an adjusting section for Sydney to get used to being around the moroi and their magic and a small process of healing for Adrian. Hopefully with the upcoming books everyone settles down with their feelings and they get back into the action.

1favequote
“The only thing keeping me alive is that he keeps a hefty supple of liquor on hand. But at this rate I’m going, that’ll be gone by the weekend. Jesus Christ, I’m climbing walls here.” His eyes fell on the cross at my neck. “Oh. Sorry. No offense to Jesus.” -Adrian

 

Review: Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellcaster

(Spellbound, #2)
By: Cara Lynn Shultz
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: March 27, 2012
Genre: YA
Source: NetGalley
Rating:
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Finding your eternal soul mate – easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil – not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although…it’s not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close….

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan’s deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma’s crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

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