Celebrating Debutantes 2016: Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk (Review + Giveaway)

Hi guys! For today, I'm reviewing one of my favorite Cupid novels so far. Cupid stories have always been my weakness but Arrows was just it for me. I loved it a lot. All the feels kept coming back to me days after I read the book.

Book Description:

Hardcover, 240 pages
Published January 26th 2016 by Delacorte Press

A modern cupid story set in present-day Wisconsin combining the fantastical elements of Greek mythology with the contemporary drama of MTV's Teen Mom.

People don’t understand love. If they did, they’d get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can’t say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can’t stay angry with him . . . and can’t stop loving him. But there’s a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she’s been shot with a love arrow.
Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma and Danny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma’s life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.

A clueless Karma doesn’t know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn’s fault . . . but he’s going to get a chance to make things right. He’s here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?

This fast-paced debut novel explores the internal & external conflicts of a girl who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a boy who seemingly doesn't reciprocate her feelings, touching on the issues of love, sex and responsibility, with a heroine struggling to control her destiny--perfect for fans of Katie McGarry's novels and MTV’s 16 and Pregnant.

Reviewer's Copy: e-ARC

Source: Edelweiss

My Thoughts:

My first impression of Arrows was that it was quite tragic from the start. The promise of tragedy and pain in the beginning jump started my reading experience. I am fond of Greek mythology and am quite well-versed with the levels of tragedy, pain, agony and heartbreak that are usually involved with these stories, but to witness the beginning of a fresh disaster was something else. It added to the excitement of the story since the readers are part of it right from the start.

The story was told from two perspectives, Aaryn's and Karma's. Aaryn was my favorite narrator. He was the son of Eros, Cupid himself. He was devastatingly charming that I couldn't quite move on from the story. He was handsome, so painfully sweet and thoughtful that my heart just melted all over the pages. He has to be one of the most caring gods I have ever encountered. His time on earth humanized him, making him see the situation of people, especially the lovestruck ones, up close. Interacting with Karma and witnessing the difficult time that she was going through on a day to day basis enabled Aaryn to understand the consequences of his work. Cupid stories have always been a weakness of mine. Arrows was another chink in my armor.

Karma was a heartfelt character. I felt her love, passion, sadness and pain. She was a victim of Aaryn's arrow and it was hurting more and more every day to be desperately, hopelessly in love with a person who didn't love her the same way she loved him. She was a dedicated mom, a passionate dancer and a loyal girlfriend. It was equally painful and amazing to read about a person who gave her best in everything that she did and yet wasn't receiving the appreciation and goodness that she was giving to the universe. It broke my heart to see an achiever settle for something inferior to her big dreams just to be with a person who didn't even want to be with her.

When Karma was with Aaryn, fireworks would explode, flowers would bloom and the side effects of all the feels would crawl all over my skin. The chemistry was palpable, although in the beginning Karma would deny it or shut it down because she was still in love with her boyfriend, the boy Aaryn was supposed to have shot with the second arrow so he could pair them for life. Now back on Earth, Aaryn would do everything he could to right his mistake, even if it meant saving the Karma himself. As he realized the magnitude of the effects of his failed pairing, he also found more and more reasons to love Karma. I loved reading about their interactions and conversations. It was like watching something beautiful and fragile unfurl.

Arrows is a heart-wrenchingly beautiful debut that will leave readers entranced and encapsulated in a cocoon of feels. I recommend this to readers of romance, readers who are looking for Cupid-related stories, or stories inspired by the Greek mythology. Give this gem a chance. You won't regret it.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

About the Author:

Melissa Gorzelanczyk is a former magazine editor and columnist who believes love is everything. She is a proud member of the SCBWI, The Sweet Sixteens and the Class of 2k16. She lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with her husband and family.

Her debut novel ARROWS is available now from Delacorte Press, a division of Penguin Random House. She is represented by agent Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson.

Follow Melissa: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter


Giveaway

Thank you to Melissa for this giveaway!
What's up for grabs: Signed Swag
Scope: US


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Treat yourself to a complete #CelebratingDebutantes2016 experience. Click the image below for the full schedule and links to the posts!

Review: Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan

Book Description:

Hardcover, 384 pages
Expected publication: January 19th 2016 by HarperTeen

Raisa was just a child when she was sold to work as a slave in the kingdom of Qilara. Despite her young age, her father was teaching her to read and write, grooming her to take his place as a Learned One. In Qilara, the Arnathim, like Raisa, are the lowest class, and literacy is a capital offense. What’s more, only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn the very highest order language, the language of the gods. So when the tutor-in-training is executed for teaching slaves this sacred language, and Raisa is selected to replace her, Raisa knows any slipup on her part could mean death.

Keeping her secret is hard enough, but the romance that’s been growing between her and Prince Mati isn’t helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slave rebels—to help liberate Arnath slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.

Reviewer's Copy: ARC

Source: Harper Collins(Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

Raisa was an endearing heroine. She was realistic, in such a way that she was not entirely rebel and not entirely turning her back on the Arnathim. She was somewhere in between, being pulled to different directions by her desire to help her people, her personal goal to decode her heart-verse, the last reminder she had of her family, and her pounding heart. She struggled and grappled with hard decisions and impending consequences throughout the book. Her honesty, desperation, loyalty and perseverance made her 100% human in my eyes. Raisa knew her strengths and weaknesses and embraced them. She was a beautifully flawed character who made mistakes and sometimes, bad decisions. But she rolled along with the consequences with grace, and this was one of the things I liked about her.

Mati was the kind-hearted prince charming of the story. Devastatingly handsome with his olive skin and onyx hair, I fell for him along with Raisa. The weight of responsibilities and expectations dragged him down. With an anti-Arnathim circle, he needed to be one step ahead of everyone, if he wanted to keep his throne and protect Raisa. Mati was one of the most loyal characters I have ever encountered, through good and bad times. I liked his conviction and dedication to see things through. He was the true prince charming, minus the stallion and the armor, but with a sword and secret passages.

This book reminded me of The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski because of the class struggle and master-slave relationship. Qilarites were olive-skinned and black-haired, the reigning class in all of Qilara. They were the ruling class, composed of guards, courtiers, priests and royalty. The Arnathim, the slaves, were pale-skinned and had varying colors of hair. My first impression was this: the generic, stereotypical assumption on the races of masters and slaves was reserved. The concept was refreshing and quite daring, if I may add. The Qilarites were suppressing all manifestations of rebellion but in doing so, they were creating a bigger fire. The Arnathim Resistance was bristling with anger and thirst for revenge for all their loss and suffering. Though not all Arnathim were part of the Resistance. Most of them were too scared to lose their lives or endanger their loved ones. The situation was a mirror of real life histories, such as the Philippines during the Spanish Colonial Period.

At the beginning of every chapter, there was a short part retelling the story of the pantheon of gods and goddesses that Qilarites and Arnathim worshipped, reminiscent of the Greek mythology in some ways. As Raisa and Mati’s story developed, the mythology of the story world complimented the events. Sword and Verse was actually two stories in one book. The author did a splendid job on the elaboration of her own mythology and it resonated and fit in the story.

The plot of Sword and Verse was beautifully crafted, like a colorful tapestry: there was an abundance of twists and turns and surprises to keep the reader guessing, heart-warming, smile-inducing romance that could flip the reader's world at any time, loss, heartache and tragedy to keep the reader grounded in the story world's reality and salvation to give the reader hope. The book was quite political, too. I loved how the characters moved and thought, struggling to be one step ahead of the other in this political game. Power, influence and impending doom played into the story raising the stakes.

The writing style was fluid and easy to lose yourself into. I delighted in each page that I read. The book had an endearing cast. I enjoyed reading about the Resistance the most for some reason. Jonis, the not-so-nice, spunky rebel leader, had barbed banter with Raisa. He was just doing everything in his power to survive and keep his people as safe as possible, all while plotting how to bring down the Qilarites. The children slaves made my heart ache with their innocence, lost childhood and suffering.

All in all, Sword and Verse was a beautiful, romantic and heart-shattering debut, with the forbidden romance, the deliciously sweet rebellion, the mystery behind the writing and the mythology. I'm giving this book a five because it appealed to the softer side of me: the hopeless romantic and the lover of all things written. It might not be as epic or action-packed as I was expecting it to be, but it definitely satiated my thirst for fantasy and romance. What a way to start 2016. I highly recommend this to fantasy readers, romance readers, people who are looking for a colonial-period, historical vibe book and people who are interested in books about class struggle.

Rating:

5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

Indie Friday + Giveaway: Touch by Natalia Jaster

For the last almost-five-years of blogging, I stumbled upon and discovered gems in YA and NA. I was surprised that some of the best books I have ever read were in fact not published traditionally. Some of these unforgettable books are indie. So I have decided to start a weekly feature on my blog about indie novels and authors, that deserve attention.

Indie Friday is a weekly feature wherein YA/NA indie novels are explored, authors speak up and bookish goodies are given away. Accompany me in my search for the next best indie read.

For the first Indie Friday, I amm featuring Natalia Jaster and her novel, Touch, a YA mythology-with-a-twist. Without further ado, lets move on to the interview:

What or who inspired you to create and mold Love as she appeared in Touch: wild, longing, graceful and sometimes mischievous?

Ha! I have a tendency to gravitate toward characters with a naughty side—and usually that naughty side is hiding something deeper, an emotional yearning. Love is a goddess, so it was easy to give her some graceful qualities. But since she’s alone for most of her life, it was also obvious that she’d have an untamed side, a desperation to her.

Really, what inspired me were the questions, What if the god of love had never been in love? What if Eros had no clue how to truly love someone?

We are used to the male-version Eros. How did you set the difference between the traditional Eros and Love?

Love is like Eros in many ways, yet there’s always a pinch of a difference. They both have human-like features, except that Love doesn’t have wings. She doesn’t spend her time flying around town—and that simple difference makes her even more relatable. She uses the same weapon, but she crafted it herself. She’s arrogant and entitled, but she’s also lonely.

And like Eros, she gets a kick out of matchmaking, however it’s not just callous amusement for her, as it seems to be for him. She genuinely cares about the people she pairs up, she wants them to be happy together, and she believes that she’s doing right by them.

But I think the biggest difference is her sexuality. Eros represents sexual desire, yet Love is a virgin. It’s safe to say she’s not as experienced as he is. She’s the goddess of love, but she’s never been with someone, so intimacy is a mystery to her. Discovering that part of herself is major aspect of her growth in this story.

Could you tell us more about Love's culture and world?

Love comes from a dimension called the Peaks. It’s sort of like a celestial island—or perhaps what an island would look like if it were a star. In her world, gods and goddesses don’t have families, because they can’t procreate. Each deity is born from a star. I wanted to reflect that in the type of landscape they live in, with a sense of darkness and majesty, a place of moonlight and water and cliffs.

Every deity represents an emotion. So not only do we meet Love, we also get to know Anger, Envy, Sorrow, and Wonder. Ironically, the culture is rather pragmatic and dispassionate. They see emotions as a force of power, as a skill to be mastered, as a job. Not as something you just feel. That’s the difference between them and humans. Deities consider it their duty and right to oversee these emotions in humans, but it’s undignified for a deity let their own emotions get the better of them. Of course, Love refuses to conform to that belief, which gets her into trouble.

Could you tell us how you made Andrew so gorgeous-that-readers-would-fall-in-love-with-him? What were the "ingredients" to his personality?

*smiles* Oh my, I can’t take the credit for that. It’s all Andrew’s doing.

He’s just a precious guy. He’s inquisitive, quick-witted, forthright, and generous to a fault. Plus, he’s a writer who carries around a fountain pen. How could a girl not love that about him!


Could you share with us if you encountered some obstacles along the way, while developing Love and Andrew's relationship?

Love and Andrew are very playful and visceral, like two adolescent snow leopards chasing each other through the forest. But man, they quarrel about as much as they goof off. They both have very different, and very strong, opinions about love, fate, and freewill. Those arguments between them were pretty tough to write.

The other challenge was their intimate relationship. The book is about the goddess of love falling in love and learning what it means to be in a relationship—in, ahem, every way. So it was important to balance the innocence, curiosity, and sensuality of their scenes together. This tale isn’t called Touch for nothing.

Any message for our readers?

Thanks for stopping by this interview. I hope you enjoy my little story!

Book Description:

Kindle Edition, 237 pages || Paperback coming out in Jan 2015
Published October 27th 2014

The myth of Eros isn’t the truth. Her story is the truth . . .

Love is an immortal bad girl. With a strike of her arrow and a smirk on her face, she pins human hearts together against their will. It’s for their own good, of course—silly, clueless creatures that they are.

But Love has never loved. Not until the Fates parcel her off to a small, frostbitten town littered with needy souls. Not until she crosses paths with Andrew, a crippled boy whose gaze locks onto hers. Yet how can this be? Mortals don’t have the power to see deities.

The longer they’re friends, the more Love wishes she could touch Andrew. In gentle ways. In other tempting and reckless ways as well.

It’s impossible. She isn’t a true part of his world. She’s an outsider whose fingers will only ever sweep through him. A mischievous, invisible goddess who’s destined to be alone. And he’s destined for someone else. By order of the Fates, it’s Love’s duty to betray his trust. To seal his heart while ignoring the gash in her own.

Or she could become human. For there is one very tricky, very dangerous way to do so.

If only Andrew felt the same about her, it might be worth the risk.

*Mature YA. Intended for readers 17 and older*

About the Author:

Her kindergarten teacher told her mom that Natalia stared out the window too much, daydreaming instead of paying attention in class. It’s true. Eventually she learned to focus more in school (and to love it), but the daydreaming never stopped. So after earning her master’s in creative writing and spending a bunch of fun years as a magazine editor, Natalia is now a writer of YA romance.

She is also a total fool for first-kiss scenes, fanfiction, libraries, and starry nights.

Touch her my first book.

Follow Natalia: Website | Goodreads | Tumblr | Pinterest


Giveaway Alert!
There are two giveaways for this Indie Friday feature guys! For US and INTL readers. :)

US giveaway: Signed Copy of Touch by Natalia Jaster + bookmarks

a Rafflecopter giveaway


International Giveaway: E-book copy of Touch by Natalia Jaster

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Rain by Amanda Sun

Book Description:

Paperback, 304 pages
Published June 24th 2014 by Harlequin Teen

American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.

When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.

Reviewer's Copy: E-ARC

Source: Amanda Sun (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

I was totally inlove with the first book, Ink. I had high expectations for the sequel, Rain, and I'm happy to say that Amanda Sun delivered well in the second book. Aside from the ever present Japanese elements in the story, which I love: the cultural manifestation, the mythology and the dialogue and language. Reading Rain gave me the pleasure of being culturally immersed in an exotic setting while enjoying the story.

Katie continued her life as a gaijin in Shizuoka, stumbling over cultural obstacles, cramming for her studies and struggling to help Tomo with his unstable powers. I have grown emotionally attached to Katie. I have felt her confusion, terror, love, pain, sadness and jealousy. Rain was a roller coaster of emotions for me, thrilling and daunting. 

Her relationship with Tomo was beautiful but bumpy - there were always obstacles along the way in the form of the ink's assault and the aftermath of its disasters, Shiori, the overly clingy childhood friend of Tomo, Jun's friendship and Katie's discovery. Amanda Sum developed their relationship well, going through all the motions - getting back together, making up, getting jealous, going through problems (both normal and supernatural) and protecting each other.

Tomo, the Dark Kami prince, was struggling more than ever to stabilize his powers and keep the ink under control. It broke my heart to see him so fragile and out of control, despite all the measures he has gone through. He didn't have a choice at all, with his fate, so much so that the suffering pulsed underneath the pages. With this suffering comes a dark kind of terror. There were times when I had to flip back to a certain scene and reread it again to digest the eccentricity of it. On the other hand,Tomo also had a soft, normal side. He was sweet, thoughtful and filled with surprises. Charming and mysterious, Tomo will continue winning the hearts of readers.

Jun was in the picture more. This was something that I wanted to see in the sequel. With Jun's presence comes explanations and more details into the Kami mythology - what was legend and what was truth. I found him pleasing and charming overall. There were moments when I wanted Katie to be with Jun instead. It was like seeing the perfect future for someone, a perfect what-if. It made my heart ache even more.

Rain was as beautiful as it was exotic. It was a breath of pure, fresh air in the field of YA mythology. With its strong romance, horrifying and hair-raising Kami-related incidents, and adrenaline-pumping scenes, Rain has become one of the most intriguing fantasy/paranormal novels for me. It bordered on horror when Tomo struggled to control the ink. Fans of Anna Dressed in Blood might enjoy this for its otherworldly ink-splattered scenes, enthusiasts of Japanese mythology will devour this book and finally readers who are looking for a true love story (the kind that is balanced) will adore this book. I highly recommend this!

Rating:

5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

[Blog Tour] Philippine Folklore and The Aswang Wars: Guest Post by Enita Meadows

Hi guys! I don't normally find YA novels about Philippine folklore but guess what? I did encounter not just a novel but a series that falls under the YA Paranormal field. Yes, it's not just Philippine mythology but "Aswangs" to be specific. That is one of a kind. To make things more interesting, an American author wrote this. So enough with my babbling and let's move on to the Halloween feature!

The Aswang Tour10.31.13.docx

Book Description:

When amnesiac Jei Rivera wakes up on the streets of Manila in 1982 with nothing but a necklace and a name, he makes a life for himself spending his days in sleep and his nights crippling weaklings in an underground fight club. With a sixth sense and physical abilities surpassing every opponent he's ever met in the decades past, Jei knows he's not normal, but has no way of knowing what he really is. When he meets Malaya, a girl claiming to be an aswang from northern Mindanao and the clan of the Manduruko, Jei is thrust back into their world and their war. Now Jei must travel south with Malaya and the last Mantahungal to rediscover his shapeshifting abilities and play his role in the war. But the Segbin, having discovered Jei's existence, are waiting around every corner as they make their way south, and Jei's sixth sense - with a mind of its own - slowly takes control from the inside out.

Get it on Amazon.

Enita Meadows was born and raised in California before moving to Washington State at the age of 10. She lived there for eight years, absorbing the mis-mash of cultures and people all around her. This diversity and exposure to different ways of life prompted her to write several of her books, which take place in many different and exotic places, with characters as varying in background as the world around her.

In the summer of 2010, Enita was lucky enough to be invited by her best friend, a Filipino, to visit his family in Manila. During the two weeks she spent in the country, she experienced a piece of the lifestyle and culture of the islands both strange and beautiful, and was inspired to write The Aswang Wars. She returned to the states, wrote out the story, and after dozens of edits, she submitted the manuscript and received a contract for the first book, Manduruko.

Follow Amalie: Blog | Twitter | Website

Review: Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Book Description:

Hardcover, 464 pages
September 17th 2013, Pan Macmillan Australia

A SHATTERED EMPIRE
The mad Shōgun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The Lotus Guild conspires to renew the nation’s broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously – by endorsing a new Shōgun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.

A DARK LEGACY
Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father’s death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko’s anchor is Kin, the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo’s clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, and is haunted by visions of a future he’d rather die than see realized.

A GATHERING STORM
Kagé assassins lurk within the Shōgun’s palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A waif from Kigen’s gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat.

The ghosts of a blood-stained past.

Reviewer's Copy: ARC, 605 pages

Source: Charlotte + Pan Macmillan Australia (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

Stormdancer rocked my world, and yet, it was just the tip of the iceberg. In the sequel, Kinslayer, the action, world building, character development went up an entirely different level. The Shiman Empire was on the brink of chaos, war and further corruption. With the throne empty, the Kage rebels and Yukiko had the chance to change the future of their empire. However, with the threat of the new Daimyo, hungry for power and revenge, they needed to fight twice as hard or the rebellion would just as easily be snuffed out.

The story unfolded from various points of view: Yukiko and Buruu, No One, Michi, Kin, and the Daimyo. Although the third-person point of view was maintained, it was easy to hear the distinct voice of each one of these characters. Thus, Kinslayer offered a broader landscape, encompassing the struggle of not only one girl but an entire population, from the Kage rebellion, to the political Daimyo and the Guildsmen, and finally to the people, who stand on neither side, choosing to remain out of it all. I love diversity, not just in color, but in perception and personalities. Kinslayer was deep and dark. Kristoff did an amazing job in making me see, understand and live Yukiko’s time in different skins and minds.

Another thing that I loved about Kinslayer was the character development. Not one character remained the same. Yukiko’s Kenning was getting stronger and stronger, becoming almost uncontrollable for her. It felt like the world was on her shoulders, its great weight bearing down on her, unbearable. The Kage look up to her for support, beyond that they saw her as the Stormdancer and The Girl all Guildsmen Fear. In reality, she was just a girl who lost her father, her brother and her mother. She was alone, save for Buruu who she treated like a brother. In an effort to search for answers about the Kenning, she journeyed far from the Kage and Shima. Would she get back in time, with answers and determination to finish what she started?

Kin was the Guildsman who left everything to help Yukiko. Despite his efforts and loyalty, the Kage members still perceived him as an enemy. He had to live with beatings, never-ending verbal assault, and ever-present looks of distrust and sometimes, even anger. I was really frustrated with how the Kage treated Kin. It simply wasn’t rational and justified. Isao and company was the receiving end of my death glares as I read on. After all these mistreatments, Kin was starting to doubt himself and his place in the Kage. With Ayane, the girl from the Guild, suffering along with him in the village, he had another reason to believe that they did not belong there.

The other characters such as Hana, Yoshi, Jurou, Michi and Ichizo pulled me into their stories and held me captive. I ached, hurt, laughed and worried over them. The trio Hana, Yoshi and Jurou were the closest to me after Yukiko and Buruu. Hana and Yoshi were clanless siblings who fought to survive on a daily basis. All the things that went through and were still going through just pained me. There was also a little bit of LGBT love in Jurou and Yoshi's relationship. They were partners in crime, bound together by their destiny.

Kinslayer was electrifyingly good in earth-shattering proportions. This book has everything that I love: action (the kind that is bloody and movie-like), unpredictability (the kind that leaves you sputtering), epic world-building (the kind that makes your eyes bug out and your jaw drop), ever-changing characters (the kind that surprises you and shocks you), and of course, mythology (the kind that is simply so exotic). I highly recommend this series to dystopian and fantasy readers! If you're looking for Japanese-mythology-related-YA (like Ink by Amanda Sun), then go for Kinslayer.

Rating:

5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

Review: The Weight of Souls by Byrony Pearce

Book Description:

Paperback, 350 pages
August 6th 2013, Strange Chemistry

Sixteen year old Taylor Oh is cursed: if she is touched by the ghost of a murder victim then they pass a mark beneath her skin. She has three weeks to find their murderer and pass the mark to them – letting justice take place and sending them into the Darkness. And if she doesn’t make it in time? The Darkness will come for her…

She spends her life trying to avoid ghosts, make it through school where she’s bullied by popular Justin and his cronies, keep her one remaining friend, and persuade her father that this is real and that she’s not going crazy.

But then Justin is murdered and everything gets a whole lot worse. Justin doesn’t know who killed him, so there’s no obvious person for Taylor to go after. The clues she has lead her to the V Club, a vicious secret society at her school where no one is allowed to leave… and where Justin was dared to do the stunt which led to his death.

Can she find out who was responsible for his murder before the Darkness comes for her? Can she put aside her hatred for her former bully to truly help him?

And what happens if she starts to fall for him?

Source: Byrony Pearce (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

The Weight of Souls easily drew me in with its vivid storytelling an sinister vibe. Taylor, the heroine, was a very interesting character albeit a bit too troubled and battered in more ways than one. I cheered her on despite the too often gloom mood she was in.

I rarely read about Egyptian mythology in YA that it has become a breath of fresh air for me, leaving me hungry and breathless for its exotic tang. The Tale of Oh-Fa, the translated account of Taylor's family curse, broke the tension of Taylor's narrative. The otherworldly experiences of Oh-Fa alternated with the modern struggles of Taylor in school. The colliding spheres of the past and the present created a sense of balance in the story, as well as maintained the level of unpredictability and interest.

Taylor and Justin shared a passionate hate relationship. But when Justin died, the bully and the bullied learned to work together for both of their sakes. Through the weeks, they got to know each other better and most of all, they learned to care for one another. It was ironic seeing them like this when they could have done it before when they were both alive. Taylor and Justin were more connected now than they ever were before. Reminiscent of Hereafter's couple, they appealed to my inner romantic. But their relationship seemed a bit rushed for me. Although I loved their sweet moments, I felt that the transition should have been longer.

One of the things that I liked most in The Weight of Souls was the diversity. The book had a little bit of everything from Chinese and British culture, to paranormal and mythological concepts that clash and contrast with modern scientific ideas, to the popular clique and the outsider duo. I simply got the best of many worlds in one single story sphere.

Although the novel was paranormal, enough contemporary-ness was injected into the story to delve into social politics and high school student body hierarchy. Bullying, peer pressure, manipulation, loss and grief came into play, bringing out the raw feelings out of the characters. The ups and downs of friendship were also explored, centering on Hannah and Taylor. With their friendship pulled taut and strained by secrets and unexplained absences, the two took uneasy steps towards one another, knowing that sooner or later one of them might just quit.

All in all, The Weight of Souls is a refreshing take on ghost hunting and afterlife. Beautifully written, tragic, heartfelt and exotic, this gem was easy to read and get lost into. I recommend this to paranormal readers and mythology enthusiasts.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

Review: Ink by Amanda Sun

Book Description:

Paperback, 377 pages (Reviewer's Copy: ARC)
June 25th 2013, Harlequin Teen

I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Source: Kai + Harlequin Teen (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

When I started reading Ink, I immediately noticed how Katie was trying to immerse herself in a foreign land. Sun did an amazing job with integrating the Japanese culture, language and mythology into the novel, so much so that I felt that the Japanese-ness of Ink became some sort of skeleton, supporting the story. She made me feel like I was actually there, going to a high school. One of the things I really appreciated was the integration of phrases, expressions and sentences in Japanese.

Katie was still mourning the death of her mother. In Ink, I got to see a mature, down-toned sadness that made it all the more pronounced. Katie did not whine about it much nor did she let this melancholy swallow her whole. One of the reasons why I like her was that she always found things to laugh about, joke about or simply point out. Her curiosity was ablaze. She knew what she wanted in life and made sure that she got it.

Tomohiro was mysterious, attractive and hard to read. There was always a sense of mystery around him – hanging questions in the air. He was rude one second, sweetly smiling at you in the next. He was a walking unpredictability, drawing my attention in every chance. As the story progressed, I got glimpses into his life. Tomohiro was so hard to read at first because he wore ‘layers’ over his true self. He was complex, 100% endearing, soft and gentle and so unforgettable.

The paranormal element of Ink was something I have never encountered before and for that, it became all the more unforgettable. I will not reveal anything more than necessary but I will just say this: the kami, the descendants of Amaterasu, and their legend were interesting points for me. As ‘supernaturals’ walking amongst humans, they were both a threat to the public and threatened by people who want to wield their powers. The ink-related abilities in this novel creeped me out, shocked me and amazed me all at the same time.

The writing was beautiful. Ink had the best qualities of an Anime: fun, cute, sweet and imaginative. The action was not overly dramatic but instead it was detailed, coming in bursts of violence and speed. I loved the twists and turns woven into the story, although they were to be expected, walking in this exotic story world left me guessing what was going to happen next. The secondary characters were also great. Yuki and Tanaka were radiant personalities, constantly bringing color and humor into the story.

Katie and Tomohiro’s relationship started out strained and generally soaked in annoyance, rudeness and glares. So I admit that it wasn’t the perfect beginning. After a series of stalker moves, shared secrets and confrontations, the two start to develop feelings for one another. Right now, you might be thinking: typical YA. I beg to disagree. Katie and Tomo have a link, the unavoidable ‘bond’ between YA lovers and this time it was neither entirely destiny nor something supernatural. It was simple shared experience, shared sadness: the deaths and loss of their mothers. This emptiness inside them made them understand each other better. That bridged the gap – cultural and emotional – between them. The attraction and emotional and a bit of sexual tension zinged between Katie and Tomo, a bit blush-inducing, smile-inducing and just so sweet and passionate. Hopeless (and not so hopeless) romantics will love these bits.

Ink is an oriental gem that is masterfully-written and unforgettably engaging. I officially label this as one of my favorite YA reads for 2013, as well as one of the best debuts I’ve ever read. Overall, Ink is intoxicating with its romance, paranormalcy and atmosphere. Pick this up! You won’t regret it. I highly recommend this to readers of paranormal romance and mythology-themed YA books. Full of life, fun and humor, Ink will appeal to readers looking for reads that follow the tradition of our beloved Anime and adventures. At the same time, Ink will appeal to readers who are looking for something unique and oriental especially when it comes to Asian/Japanese mythology.

Rating:


5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Book Description from the back of the book:

Paperback, 296 pages

March 27, 2012, Harlequin Teen

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life with Henry in the underworld, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the king of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Source: Netgalley (ebook), Karen, MM Publicity & Harlequin Teen (paperback) (Thanks!)

My Thoughts:

Kate was now Henry’s wife. She passed the test, evaded death and gained immortality. However, after spending her summer in beautiful Greece with her friend, James, she came home to a cold Henry. No warm embrace and definitely no welcome-back-kiss. She was disappointed, surprised and slightly worried that Henry might not want her after all. A lonely time like this was one of the best times to get to know her. I got to see her desperate side and her pained side. The author knew how to make me sympathize with Kate but more importantly, the author knew how to make me feel Kate’s pain. I ached for her. On the brighter side of things, Kate was a goddess now. It came with perks: powers. One of these was seeing visions. This played an important role in the novel.

Calliope’s wrath will wreck everything. With the help of Cronus, she brought the whole council on their knees. Henry and the others’ lives were in danger. It only got worse. To save Henry, Kate needed Persephone’s help. The gorgeous, too frank and slightly selfish former queen of the Underworld caused Kate so much pain, envy, and sadness. But above all, Kate started to doubt. The sisters were so different from one another. They were opposites.

Henry, one of my favorite male characters, broke my heart. I know that he was scared that his relationship with Kate might end up the same way his marriage with Persephone did but I can’t help flinching and hurting over how he treated Kate with such coldness. He was distant, unreachable. The growing strain between him and Kate drove me nuts. I was so frustrated at how Henry acted. After everything he did, seeing him soften up was worth it. In the end, I understood why he behaved that way.

The writing was still hypnotic and beautiful. I was lost in the words. In the middle, there were times when the journey felt too long for me but the suspense, the anticipation of disaster and the disaster itself made all the waiting worth it. The attacks delivered by Cronus were chilling. What struck me the most was Cronus himself. He was an intriguing character, very unpredictable. The ending was the final blow to my heart. It was hopeful, shocking, tragic and full of danger. I applaud Carter for this.

Goddess Interrupted is achingly beautiful and bittersweet. I was swept away, wave after wave of emotion. It was strange how I was caught up with the relief and excitement of The Goddess Test, looking forward to Henry and Kate’s happy future as king and queen of the Underworld, only to be shocked and pulled back to reality: Henry loved Kate but he loved Persephone more.  This installment brings the more serious and emotional side of Kate’s story, so people who like heavy and heart-breaking moments will delight in this sequel. Doom and gloom gets a whole new meaning in Goddess Interrupted.

Rating:

Review: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Book Description via Goodreads:

ARC, 502 pages

June 1, 2012, Pan Macmillan Australia

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation.

Source: Charlotte & Pan Macmillan AU (Thank you!!)

Warning: Might be a bit spoilery for people who haven’t read Starcrossed yet.

My Thoughts:

First of all, Starcrossed left me curious, a little heartbroken and wanting more. I got what I wanted in the sequel but not in the way that I expected. There were lots of changes in Dreamless. First of all, Lucas and Helen were driven apart by fate, their friends and family, and Helen’s obligation. The growing distance affected them. I saw how they suffered but I like that the ‘suffering’ wasn’t eating away the plot like in other novels.

Helen was this generation’s Descender, the only person who could visit the underworld physically. With the additional pressure of reuniting Hector, her friend and cousin, with the Deloses and the daily push that her friends gave her, Helen was driven beyond her limits. She was exhausted and frustrated but she kept moving forward.

Helen’s nocturnal visits to the Underworld to get rid of the Furies became the most exciting part of the novel for me. Despite how it was filled with terrifying and abandoned landscapes, I enjoyed reading about it. It had an eerie kind of beauty that awed and freaked me out at the same time. It was filled with so many surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant, that came in the form of monsters and gods.

Just when Lucas was keeping his distance, Helen met Orion in the Underworld. He was a gorgeous Adonis with good intentions. But unlike other gorgeous guys, he didn’t abuse his good looks and his charm. He was also a dedicated friend and partner in crime. But Orion has a dark side and vulnerable side. Like all Scions, he was a victim of the cycle of revenge. My heart broke for him when I found out about his lifestory. I have to admit that I’m Team Orion now.

Jason and Claire had a budding but complicated relationship. Jason became overprotective of Claire, always fuming and ranting about how Helen was selfish and how Helen had no concept of how Claire could get hurt really bad (track scene and flying scene.) I get his point but he kept doing this to the point that it was excessive. I felt bad for Helen. She was slaving away in the Underworld, trying to accomplish the impossible for Scions who may or may not care about her depending on their temper, like Jason. I hated him. Helen’s father was a full mortal. Of course, she knew how fragile humans were.

I felt that the writing could still be improved. I enjoyed the simple manner of the narration but since the plot was suspense, romantic and action-packed, I think that it would have been better to amp up the narration’s complexity so it could go hand in hand with the same height as the plot.

Dreamless is a captivating adventure that goes beyond earth, conquers the depths of the mysterious and surprise-filled Underworld and lures readers with its romance, action, chaos and unpredictability.

Rating:

Review: Oppression by Jessica Therrien

Book Description via Goodreads:

ARC, 373 pages

February 28, 2012, ZOVA Books

Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

Source: Jessica, Molly and Zovabooks (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Elyse had enough drama in her life to last a lifetime or in her case – hundreds of years. Aside from aging slower than normal humans, Elyse had the ability to heal people. She had accepted long ago that she was different from other people and that she couldn’t live a normal life. She needed to move from one place to another every once in a while and blend in with the crowd. She needed to be safe. But when she moved to San Francisco, she discovered two things: there were stalker-like persons who knew things about her and the guy working at the coffee shop down her apartment was gorgeous and strange.

The Descendants were the Children of the ‘gods.’ They had long lives and special abilities according to their bloodline. This was one of the things I liked the most about Oppression. I knew that the story was Greek-myth-related but it wasn’t the ‘typical’ Greek-myth-related novel. It was different. It had an X-Men-meets-the-Survivors (by Amanda Havard)-vibe going on. The author did an interesting twist on the Greek mythology that will appeal to and intrigue readers. I craved for answers and explanations and I got them. But of course, not all the secrets were spilled in this first installment. I’m particularly curious about the origin of it all: the Greek gods.

William was the guy working at the coffee shop down Elyse’s apartment. He was gorgeous, magnetic, mysterious, protective but slightly stalker-like and crazy in the beginning of the novel. He was the kind of guy that girls dream about every night. He wasn’t the controlling boyfriend type although I’m sure he could control everything if he wanted to. He was always there for Elyse as she discovered who she really was and as she entered the world of the Descendants.

William’s relationship with Elyse was what other bloggers might describe as instalove but wait (don’t close this window yet) there’s more to it. You see, Elyse and William were fated to be together. Although William knew it long before Elyse did. Elyse had been living on her own for years. Although she had her stepmother, Betsy, it was still difficult thinking that she was the only one of her kind – the only one with the slow aging condition. She had never dated before. She never had a boyfriend before. Until she met gorgeous and magnetic William. For me, it made sense that they would be attracted to one another since one has been alone for too long, wanting connection and the other has been waiting for her his whole life.

Love, action and danger mix together in this story of destiny. Elyse was fated to do big, great things that could possibly change her world forever. With a storyline like that, two sides were bound to oppose one another. There were characters you’d fall in love with and characters you’d hate so much you wanted to reach in the book and slap them. The story world that Therrien created reminded me of the story world of The Survivors by Amanda Havard. But aside from the mystery and ages-old secrets, Oppression had a youthful vibe that I found refreshing. There was cruelty and blood in Oppression that also balanced the happy side. Oppression is intriguing and enjoyable. I recommend this to Greek-myth-readers and paranormal romance readers.

Rating: