{A Kelly M Review}: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Princess
Series: The Infernal Devices #3
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Walker Books

Synopsis:


Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

Ok so I have been steadily avoiding writing this review. I just did not want to. I’m probably gonna end up pissing through my eyes anyway but let’s give it a go.

When Clockwork Princess got delivered to me I ran out of the house so fast I sprained my ankle and fell on my face. Not a pretty picture I know but this series and Cassie Clare has seriously messed with my brain. So I ripped off the packaging and just sat and stared at it for a good fifteen minutes. It was so beautiful. AND I had to hypnotize myself into NOT looking at the family tree and I am so proud of myself because I didn’t.
I was so terrified of reading this book because the entire twitterverse was mourning and some even screaming in pain. Normally those types of feelings scare people away, but I know the Cassie fandom just craves for it more!

Anyway on to the actual book!

THERE WILL BE SOME SPOILERS!!!!!

Right off the bat something happens. That’s the thing with Cassie’s books they are so action packed, that the story never drags! Gabriel comes in covered in blood because of what the Demon Pox has done with his father. I loved the TMI parallel here where Gabriel talks about his father being a worm in the same way that Isabelle spoke about Simon becoming a rat. I found it quite hilarious.

Jem ends up getting sicker and we realise that he is near his end. Immediately this sets of a somber atmosphere to the story and you know that this is not going to end well. So Will, Tessa and the gang are working fast trying to find a cure for Jem.

Mortmain also steps up his game into getting Tessa and force her to marry him and have his children (sick right???). He ends up capturing her and then Will is torn between staying at Jem’s side and going after Tessa, the girl he loves. Jem finds out that Will is just as in love with Tessa as he is and he tells Will to go after Tessa and basically gives Will his blessing to be with Tessa, because Jem is just as selfless as Will.
So that is part of the story in short, really short, so now on to individual characters. I’m going to do Will, Tessa and Jem last.

Charlotte and Henry we see finally being comfortable in their marriage because they finally know how the other is feeling. Even though they are still so young they are basically the parents of the institute, especially Charlotte. She always looks after everyone and is very worried about Will’s emotional and mental health because of Jem’s death being so alarmingly close. Henry get’s more inventive and he and Charlotte realise how deep their love really goes.

Cecily, Will’s sister, is freakishly like Will and not just the physical appearance. She is just as stubborn and fierce as he is! She wants to be a part of his life even though she has a hidden agenda, to save Will from the evil Shadowhunters whom he has fallen prey to. She realises that this is not the case, that the entire institute operates as a family and Will is very happy, well as happy as Will can be, there. He has Jem and that is all he needs really. Cecily develops a relationship with Gabriel and it is utterly hilarious. She keeps him on his toes and I really ended up loving Cecily.

Gabriel IS AWESOME!!!!! He turned out to be one of my absolute favourite characters. The dude is hilarious and he is like a younger version of Jace and Will mixed together. It was quite awesome to read about him. He has a temper and it sometimes leads to hilarious scenariors. There was a part where I thought he might be a traitor but luckily he was the guy I always thought he was.

Gideon and Sophie, dear God but watching this relationship develop was so funny. Sophie rebuking him and Gideon who keeps asking for scones, just to see her, even though he hates them and ends up shoving them under his bed which infuriates Sophie. I laughed so so much! But luckily it’s a happy ending for them!

I’m going to do Will, Tessa and Jem together coz really how can I even separate them? This was the most complicated and heartbreaking love triangle I had to deal with and I already have tears in my eyes. I am not Team Will or Team Jem, I find that you cannot love the one without the other, but hey to each their own right? Anyway I wanted Jem to be alive and happy and I also want Will to be happy so how the hell does that work right? Jem doesn’t die, thank God but he turns into a Silent Brother. So he cannot marry Tessa and therefore Will and Tessa can be together. They have a happy life with children and grandchildren and Will dies of old age. My God but did I cry when that happened. It was the worst moment of my life and I’m still not over it. After like eighty years Jem finds a cure and he can switch back from being a Silent Brother and then he and Tessa can have their chance at a relationship! YAY right?? Like Woolsey said Tessa is lucky enough to have two great loves of her life and I am so happy that they could have their time together.

Okay so some people were sad that Tessa and Jem had to say goodbye and not get married and some people were sad because Will died and left Tessa behind. Me? I was sad because Will and Jem were separated! They had to live their lives basically apart from each other and then Will was dead when Jem finally got the cure. I find it unfair that they had to and have to live their lives without each other. That was the most heartbreaking thing of the entire story for me

Cassie is the most amazing writer under the son and she deserves to win a Nobel Prize for literature for this story. If you want your heart shattered and your soul shredded then read this series.

This is my Will and Tessa song: 1949 by Mallory Knox

This is my Will and Jem song: Don't Go by Bring Me The Horizon

{Book Review} Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Title: Slammed
Series: Slammed #1
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books (Simon & Schuster)
Publication Date: September 2012 by Atria
Originally Self-Published January 15, 2012
Contemporary

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Synopsis:


Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

And then some...

I've come to figure out I am not a book club girl. Why? Because I can't stick to the reading assignment. Divide the chapters up over a freaking month? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Slammed, about four hours reading time, give or take. Seriously. A little longer including the obligated pee break. 

Direct Quote to my ladies at the Mafia (you know who you are)...

I'm a firm believer that certain things fall into your life at the exact right times. You ladies are a great example, and then there's Slammed by Colleen Hoover! I laughed, I cried, I giggled, and tears of both sadness and joy streamed down my face. Oddly, I feel much lighter now!

From the end of April until about now, my life tends to get pretty hectic. We've had a tragedy or two inside this household, not unlike many others. Often I'm terrified to read anything that might be remotely heart-breaking, but Colleen's book was chosen for our book club read this month, so I thought "Why not?" (I'm pretty sure I even voted for it.) I would ask, as I often do, "Why didn't I read that sooner?" but it fell into my lap when fate meant for it to, and I'm so very lucky.

The Short of It:
Are you ready for layers packed upon layers of yummy reading goodness? I certainly was!

Ah, Layken or Lake if you're Will. Sad and uprooted after her father's death, she finds herself in Michigan. Now, I'm telling you, I'm a Texas girl myself, and how any good Texas mother could drag her baby to Michigan is beyond me. When I first read this, I was horrified. Literally. I mean, I love all you peeps from Michigan, but this is Texas! Okay, so I eventually understand her mother's motives, but I would be just a little pouty if I were forced to move anywhere but the Carribean, or a secluded island. But Layken's really not that pouty. Sure she's sad because not only has she lost her father, but she's being transplanted to another state at the start of her senior year! She's making the best of it for her mother and her little brother, Kel.

Then there's the boy next door, Will. I mean isn't there always? Except he's not. He's not the typical bad-boy next door, he's not even the good-boy next door. He's the stranger from across the street who's had a tragedy of his own and  now instead of playing college football he's raising his little brother, Caulder, while attending college and working an internship. He's a busy boy, without no time for a relationship. Until he notices the cute girl sitting behind the steering wheel of the U-Haul truck across the street who stops sulking long enough to play Zombie with her little brother and his newly made friend.

I wish I could say things were that simple, in this book or in life generally. Lake and Will have a chance for one single date before everything changes. Lake and Will, the two people who need each other the most, aren't allowed to be together. Not because of those pesky parents, or even age ranges, but because Will can't afford to lose his internship and Layken can't stop going to school. She's made a couple of friends, but no one like Will.

Layken's heartache doesn't stop at Will, but I'll go no further with the storyline as there is so much left to tell, and so much a reader should not experience through one blogger's eyes.

My Overall Opinion:
In all honesty, my summary sucks. I can't do this book justice without going into a ten page essay on it's merits. Overall, I'd call the theme edgy, but not necessarily dark. Two families are negotiating their way through the most un-perfect storm the only way they know how. One day at a time.

Layken's mom is a doll. And an exceptionally smart woman. Reading this book as a mother has given me wisdom when dealing with children. "let them carve pumpkins when they need to" (that one you'll need to read the book to understand, and "while you must choose the battles you pick with your children, it's important not to pick that many."

I love the culture of poetry slamming, I love that this book shows strong male characters hitting back at the world with their words in a civilized manner. And the Avett Brothers? Has anyone ever seen them in concert? I haven't, but my sister has and she told me how amazing they were. I looked up a few videos on YouTube and became enthralled with their enthusiasm. Watching them play, even on my laptop, is exhilarating. But to read their lyrics, to understand them in reference to Slammed gave me a complete different appreciation for them. Eventually Will refers to them as philosophers and I'm not too sure he's wrong.

And Finally:
Now, if my words are not a straight out endorsement of Slammed, perhaps you'll read a few other reviews or just pick up the book, because there's just so much greatness packed inside. The characters are amazingly strong, even during their weakest moments. They're funny and upbeat, tragic and sad, but mostly, they are inspiring.

In the end, when the tears were cried, and the giggles laughed, life felt lighter and I breathed easier.

Until...I started Point of Retreat (Slammed #2)

A Review by Kristin

{Teaser Tuesday} Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Title: Poison Princess

Series: The Arcana Chronicles #1

Author: Kresley Cole

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: October 2, 2012

Synopsis:

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

Teaser:

My sketchbook was...gone. The one filled with the rats and serpents under an apocalyptic sky, bodies mangled in thorn barbed wire, and horrific sack-faced bogeymen. I'd drawn one lapping blood from a victim's throat. Like and animal at a trough.

And, because I don't want to leave on a bad note...

At that moment, I was dying for this Cajun boy to kiss me. I didn't care about my reputation, the friends I'd disappoint, the popularity I'd lose, or the bragging rights he'd win.

I had to know what the look in his eyes promised.

He was staring at my lips, and before I could think better of it, I'd wetted them.

He wrapped one of his arms behind my back, cupping my chin with his free hand. "Evangeline, I'm goan to kiss you until your toes curl, until we're breathing hard for each other."

***I've started this book and have enjoyed it immensely. I will admit that the writing and the storyline are so unique and intriguing that sometimes I'm a bit overwhelmed so I take a break for a few days. I've fallen in love with Jackson, though I'm not sure I'm supposed to have, and Evangeline is still a complete mystery to me. If you've had troubles making it through in one reading, don't feel bad, set it down and come back to it. Each time I do, I fall a little more in love. Also...no words are misspelled in the teasers, I typed them as they were written.

{Book Spotlight} If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones

Author: Lisa Renee Jones
Title: If I Were You
Goodreads
Amazon

Synopsis:

The steamy first installment in the Inside Out erotic romance trilogy by Lisa Renee Jones, in the bestselling tradition of Fifty Shades of Grey. When Sara McMillan finds a stack of journals in a storage unit, she’s shocked and enthralled by the erotic life the writer led. Unable to stop reading, she vicariously lives out dark fantasies through Rebecca, the writer—until the terrifying final entry. Certain something sinister has happened, Sara sets out to discover the facts, immersing herself in Rebecca’s life. Soon she’s working at the art gallery Rebecca worked at and meeting Rebecca’s friends. Finding herself drawn to two dangerously sexy men, the manager of the gallery and a famed artist, Sara realizes she’s going down the same path Rebecca took. But with the promise of her dark needs being met by a man with confident good looks and a desire for control, she’s not sure anything else matters. Just the burn for more.

Just a little spotlight to let everyone know, If I Were You has been picked up by Simon and Schuster. To celebrate, Lisa is holding a contest for bloggers. If you'll post the cover, synopsis, and buy links on your blog, you can enter to win $300! The link's below, so go and share, spread the word!

http://www.lisareneejones.com/2012/09/14/new-contest-for-bloggers-and-reviewers-win-300/

{Waiting On Wednesday} Double Edition

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, it spotlilghts upcoming releases that we are dying to read.

Title: Finale
Series: Hush Hush 4 (Last book)
Author: Becca Fitzpatric
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: October 20, 2012
Goodreads

Synopsis:

Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the "New York Times" bestselling Hush, Hush saga. Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen Angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean that they will always be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. And yet their biggest challenge lies ahead. Can their love survive a seemingly insurmountable divide? The lines are drawn, but it's unclear which sides have been taken. And in the end, will there be enough trust left to rebuild what has been broken?

Title: The Rise of Nine
Series: Lorein Legacies 3
Author: Pittacus Lore
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date: August 21, 2012
Goodreads

Synopsis:

Until the day I met John Smith, Number Four, I'd been on the run alone, hiding and fighting to stay alive.

Together, we are much more powerful. But it could only last so long before we had to separate to find the others. . . .

I went to Spain to find Seven, and I found even more, including a tenth member of the Garde who escaped from Lorien alive. Ella is younger than the rest of us, but just as brave. Now we're looking for the others--including John.

But so are they.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They caught me in New York--but I escaped.
I am Number Six.
They want to finish what they started.
But they'll have to fight us first.

{Review} Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither
Series: The Chemical Garden Trilogy
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: March 22, 2011

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Synopsis:
By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can't bring herself to hate him as much as she'd like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband's strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

One of my goals for 2012 is to expand my reading range. With the exception of the Hunger Games, I haven't read any dystopian and honestly, it's a bit depressing to me. I've said it many times before...I read to escape reality and well, dystopian storylines don't always provide the most luxuriousness of getaways...so I usually leave these for my last choices.

The first thing I noticed when I began Wither was Ms. DeStefano's prose. Her descriptions evoke images and feelings that bubble to the surface...both beautiful and frightening. Written in first person, from Rhine's point of view, the emotions seeped into my subconscious. Her fear, longing, and kindness made her stand out among her sister-wives. The one thing I didn't ever get from Rhine was her supposed hatred of Linden or his father. I know she learned to like Linden but Housemaster Vaughn remained a royal pain in the butt throughout the book and though Rhine feared him...she didn't seem to be completely disgusted by him. And I thought she should have been completely repulsed by him.

Rhine is kidnapped and chosen to be one of three new wives to Governor Linden. When girls die at the age of 20 and boys die at 25...getting married and having children young is the only way to continue the human race. Rhine is 16, Cecily 14, and Jenna 18 at the age of the gathering. Rhine quickly becomes friends with Linden's "real" wife, Rose...who's on her death bead. Rose sees something special in her and knows Rhine will become Linden's favorite once she passes.

Rhine does become the "first wife"--a term describing the wife that accompanies her husband to social events and gatherings. Jenna has no desire to become this wife and Cecily quickly becomes pregnant and prefers to be domestic. Linden treats Rhine with the utmost respect and never forces himself on her. He truly loves her...but that's not enough for Rhine. She wants to get back to her twin brother and return to her old life. Her plans are known throughout the house and place others in danger.

If she escapes...others will pay.

Okay...so I liked Wither but several things bothered me about the book.

1) The content is not meant for young readers...I would venture to say this is much more of an adult read at best. The sexual occurrences are not vivid and detailed, but the circumstances in which they revolve around are a bit worrisome. I would venture to say those younger than 17 or 18 should probably discuss this book with their parents.

2) Bigamy bothers me...especially when it involves an adult male (20) and young girls (14 & 16 plus another who's 18). This is a very taboo subject that affects teenage girls of this day and age, in a completely different manner. Statutory rape charges are filed all too often and Wither will be read by young girls. Making this type of relationship okay just doesn't seem right. My opinion only!

 3) There is a whole chapter about breast milk and wet nurses and so forth. There were many descriptions of breast milk leaking through Cecily's shirt when she hears Bowen cry and I understand that this was meant to show the reader that Cecily missed being allowed to feed Bowen...I'm just not sure how many teenagers will get the analogy.

I've heard great things about Fever and will definitely be picking it up. If you chose to read Wither, be prepared for adult content.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Prince
Series: The Infernal Devices #2
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
December 6, 2011

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Synopsis:
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. 


With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Cassandra Clare creates worlds well beyond anyone's imaginations. She is an artist with words, bringing complexity, heart-ache, and true emotions to her characters and their surroundings. She knows exactly when to throw a major kink into the plot that leaves you screaming...WTH? Clockwork Prince is no exception. Tessa, Will, Jem, and Magnus remain some of my favorite characters of all time. Cassandra doesn't mess around with whiny, unself-assured heroins. She brings it all to the table every time with every single book she pens.

When we last left Tessa in Clockwork Angel, she was broken-hearted at the betrayal of her brother and hurt because of the infamous Will Herondale and his complete lack of civility toward much of anyone besides Jem. I am happy to say you will find out exactly why this is in Clockwork Prince. Will is and always has been my man...I only hope that Clockwork Princess will bring him more happiness. He remains sharp-tongued and immeasurably sexy in this second installment of The Infernal Devices. There is much we learn about his past that will leave you weeping. And...like the Will we all know and love, you will want to rip him to shreds from time-to-time, but hey, it's Will after all.

Tessa is on a mission to help Charlotte and Henry remain in charge of the London Institute. They must find Mortmain and punish him for his crimes against the Clave. They must prove to the Council, or Benedict Lightwood as the case may be, that they are capable of holding down the fort in light of the complete...well, cluster-eff that took place in Clockwork Angel. Tessa will Change into someone you will never imagine in order to save the Institute.

We know Gabriel Lightwood, but we now get to meet his older brother, Gideon, who I love, by the way. He is nothing like his dad or brother...perhaps, though, I am not giving Gabriel a chance. We will just have to see what happens in the sequel. Gideon is a good, honest, and caring man. He has been absent from home for the last several months and, upon his return, becomes thoroughly disgusted with the things he learns about his father...although, come to think of it...this could just be one huge disaster waiting to happen.

The illusive and ever-loving Magnus Bane plays a much larger part in this book. He is so easy to love. I am super-excited that Cassandra decided to place him in this series. He will forever be in my memory. He is much more than I could have ever imagined in The Mortal Instruments. Snarky, snide, and outright hilarious with feelings...every woman's (guy's) dream.

Now, I finished this book a couple of days ago, but I had to let it set, ruminate in my mind. I was shocked and, quite honestly, horrified at the events surrounding Tessa, Will, and Jem. I still can't get a grip on what happened. I want to throw things, yell, scream, jump into the book and kick some butt. I want to cry. I can't even begin to explain without spoiling the entire story...so you will have to read it. This is perhaps the best and worst book I have read this year. It left my heart in pieces and, yet, elated all at the same time. When I said you would be asking...WTH?, well that's no lie. A tale riddled with heart-ache, passion, deceit, death, and pure bliss, you won't be able to put it down.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Silence
Series: Hush, Hush, #3
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing
Becca Fitzpatrick's Website
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Silence on Goodreads
Silence at Amazon
Silence at Barnes and Nobles

Synopsis:

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

All I have to say is thank the heavens above that there is going to be a fourth book because if Ms. Fitzpatrick had left me hanging like that...I would be so mad. LOL. While I can't say Silence was better than Hush, Hush it was absolutely not worse. Patch and Nora's story takes you on a whole new ride between the Fallen Angels and the Nephilim with plenty of love and betrayal to keep those pages flipping. I figure if you are reading Silence, the third installment, then you know the characters but just for old times sake...lets talk about them for a bit.

• Nora Grey was a smart and sublimely ordinary sophomore girl when we first meet her in Hush, Hush. Things would change quickly when her biology teacher revamps the seating chart seperating Nora and her best friend, Vee. If that wasn't bad enough, he paired her with the ultimate bad boy...Patch, who seems to know entirely too much about Nora's life. He inserted himself into her life and now he refuses to leave.
• Patch, or Jev as we know him in Silence, is a fallen angel turned guardian angel turned...well, that remains to be seen. He had ulterior motives in befriending Nora and let's just say...they weren't the good kind of motives. But like all things...change happens and the two of them become more involved than ever. There is never a time that their relationship not complicated by otherworldly problems or meddling friends. 
• Vee has always been leery of Patch and with good reason. She is Nora's best friend but may prove to have her own agenda with secrets withheld.
• Hank Millar is a truly evil man. He is the father of Nora's archnemisis, Marcie Millar. He was close friends with Nora's dad who was murdered shortly before we meet her in Hush, Hush. These two men had secrets that should have been plenty of protection for Nora...if Hank was the upstanding citizen most of Coldwater, Maine believed him to be.
• Marcie Millar is...well, a pain in the keester to say the least. She has came between Nora and Patch once, but now, she is nothing but a machination to be used by her father. She will deceive Nora and find herself in the middle of this otherworldly war that is brewing.
• Scott Parnell is an elementary school friend of Nora's that we initially meet in Crescendo. I was pleasantly surprised to see him return in Silence. He and Nora didn't always see eye-to-eye but in the end, Nora helped him accept his destiny and saved his life. Now he is hiding from the Black Hand who wants to recruit Nephilim into his army to overthrow the Fallen Angels. Scott has no intention on joining this army without significant force. And to say the least...there is no lost love between Scott and Patch.
• Dabria, a fallen angel of death, is back and nastier than ever. Okay, well maybe not nastier than ever, but she certainly didn't win any points for kindness. She and Patch were an "item of convenience" at one time and she just can't let him go. She reeks havoc with Nora, causing her to second guess Patch's motives at every turn.
• Dante and Tono are truly the only new characters we meet in Silence. They are first lieutenants in the Black Hand's army. We meet them in the very last chapter of Silence, leading me to believe we will be seeing more of them in book number four! 

Silence begins approximately three months after we leave Patch and Nora at Delphic Amusement Park where the Black Hand has found them. To put it mildly...the summer has been no picnic for either Patch or Nora. At the point we find Nora again, her memory has been erased and she remembers nothing of the last five months. That's right...five months, meaning she doesn't remember Patch but she does have feelings that something important is missing. I'm not going any farther into the story because there is no way to do it without completely spoiling everything.


Silence is written in first person from Nora's point of view. The voice is dark and suspicious pulling you deep into Nora's life. The war between the Nephilim and The Fallen Angels is growing closer and more violent bringing forth emotions of loss and anxiety. The multitude and intensity of the betrayals in this installment far outweigh those in Crescendo. Nora's constant battle between what is real and what is bogus takes us for a ride on the Archangel with the doors wide open.


The only negative thing I have to say is it is time for Nora to stop speculating that Patch is only using her and trust him. He has proven himself trustworthy time and time again. Have a little faith.

Favorite Quotes:

"My history is long, and not much of it is good. I can't erase it, but I'm determined not to make another mistake. Now when the stakes are high, not when it comes to you. There's a plan in all this, but it's going to take time...If I lose you, I lose everything." Pg 60

The white SUV rolled to a stop and the engine cut off. The driver's-side door opened, and through the grainy darkness, someone stepped out. Male. Tall. Loose-fit jeans and a white-and-navy baseball tee pushed up to his elbows. His face was concealed under the brim of a ball cap, but I saw the strong line of his jaw and the shape of his mouth, and the picture jolted me like a current of electricity. Pg 116

He clutched me agianst him. "I know everything," he murmured roughly into my ear...."No you don't," I protested miserably. "Hank made me swear a vow." Pg 407

If you haven't read the Hush, Hush series...start it now. I promise you won't be let down.  

The Hidden by Jessica Verday

Title: The Hidden
Series: The Hollow Series #3
Author: Jessica Verday
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Copyright © 2011 by Jessica Miller
Jessica Verday’s Website
Jessica’s Blog
Jessica’s Facebook
Jessica’s Twitter

Synopsis:

A love that knows no bounds.

Abbey knows that Caspian is her destiny. Theirs is a bond that transcends even death. But as Abbey finally learns the full truth about the dark fate that links her to Caspian and ties them both to the town of Sleepy Hollow, she suddenly has some very hard choices to make. Caspian may be the love of her life, but is that love worth dying for?

Beautifully spun, emotionally gripping, and irresistibly romantic, The Hidden will leave you breathless.

Well, this is the final book in The Hollow Series and what a finish! I will do a brief character overview because I have done a more detailed one HERE!

• Abbey – Abbey has made her decision to be with Caspien but other forces are in play.
• Caspien – is Abbey’s soul mate. He is the ghost that haunts her dreams. Caspien loves Abbey dearly and wants to be with her; however, he also wants her to enjoy the time she has left on Earth.
• Ben – remains to be one of Abbey’s best friends. He is supportive, loving, and kind. He still loves Kristen, but her time has come and gone.
• Cyn – is the new girl at school – the girl who is assigned Kristen’s locker. Cyn becomes a good friend to Abbey and helps her in ways I could never have imagined.
• Cacey, Uri, Kame, and Sophie – are still hanging around Sleepy Hollow, protecting Abbey. Their job becomes harder than ever in this installment.
• Vincent Drake – is still after Abbey. He is a royal pain in the butt.

Again, Jessica has written a novel that pulls you deep within the walls of Sleepy Hollow. Her characters have more charm and charisma in The Hidden (if that’s even possible.) And the twists and turns…oh wow. I honestly have to say that I never saw this ending coming. The Hidden is a suspenseful and emotional rollercoaster ride.

Abbey accepted her destiny in The Haunted and now she is just waiting to see when IT will happen. She is driving everyone crazy with questions, some that are answerable and some that just aren’t. Problem is – things are changing in Sleepy Hollow. Things are changing with Caspien. Things are changing for Abbey in ways she had only dreamed about? Is she ready to leave it all behind?

Caspien is hanging on to Abbey but there is something much bigger than the both of them is at work. Is it possible that their destiny will never be complete? While Caspien does want to be with Abbey, he also wants what would be best for her. (I would definitely compare him to Edward Cullen in this installment.)

As Abbey and Caspien carry on with life, the Revenants are having a hard time figuring out what is happening with Vincent. He continues to cause upheaval in Sleepy Hollow – causing much grief and suffering. If he can keep Caspien and Abbey apart for just long enough, his life may change dramatically.

I was very surprised by the turn of events in The Hidden. It really wasn’t the ending I was hoping for, but a great ending all the same. And…I promise that more of you will be happy with the ending than unhappy with it. I tend to see things a little strange sometimes. So go read it! Now!

My reviews for The Hollow Series:
      The Hollow (#1)
      The Haunted (#2)
      The Hidden (#3)

The Haunted by Jessica Verday

Title: The Haunted
Series: The Hollow Series #2
Author: Jessica Verday
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s
Copyright © 2010 by Jessica Miller
Jessica Verday’s Website
Jessica’s Blog
Jessica’s Facebook
Jessica’s Twitter
The Haunted at Goodreads

Synopsis:

An impossible truth. An impossible love.

After a summer spent reclaiming her sanity and trying to forget the boy she fell in love with—the boy who must not exist, cannot exist, because she knows that he is dead—Abbey returns to Sleepy Hollow, ready to leave the ghosts of her past behind. She throws herself into her schoolwork, her perfume-making, and her friendship with Ben, her cute and funny lab partner, who just might be her ticket to getting over Caspian once and for all.

But Abbey can never get over Caspian, and Caspian has no choice but to return to her side, for Caspian is a Shade, and Abbey is his destiny. They are tied not only to each other, but also to the town of Sleepy Hollow, and to the famous legend that binds their fates—a legend whose dark truths they are only beginning to guess....

The sequel to The Hollow, The Haunted takes place a few months after we leave The Hollow. Abbey had just found out Caspien is a ghost and has went to live with her Aunt Marjorie for the summer. Just as she feels like she is making her way in the world, it’s time to return to Sleepy Hollow. Abbey and her friends begin another journey and it’s their Senior year! Will things work out?

• Abbey – found out that Caspien is a shade or ghost. She has had a difficult time dealing with this reality and now, there may be more secrets tucked away.
• Caspien – the ever-loving friendly ghost that haunts Sleepy Hollow, or more specifically, Abbey. He broke her heart in The Hollow, can he fix it now?
• Ben – is one of the only friends Abbey still has. He kindly volunteers to help her make-up her science grade so she can still graduate on time, plus she is throwing in Funyuns on the side. They become closer than ever. Can they ever be more than friends or will Caspien and the memories of Kristen get in the way?
• Aunt Marjorie – is Abbey’s supportive aunt who is filled with wisdom Abbey would be smart to heed.
• Cacey – is new to Sleepy Hollow and has an addiction to Coke (Coca-Cola). She is knows things about Sleepy Hollow that an outsider should not know.
• Uri – is Cacey’s partner in crime.
• Kame and Sophie are two other newbies in the town of Sleepy Hollow. They have a purpose to serve, but who knows what it is?
• Aubra Stanton – is a young woman that Uncle Bob hired to work at the ice cream shop. Abbey knows her from school, she is a cheerleader who soon finds herself in a giant scoop of trouble.
• Beth – is a girl from school who is attempting to be friends with Abbey. She is sweet and well-meaning.
• Vincent Drake – is like the worst being ever. I despise this guy! I can usually persuade myself to like a villain at least a tiny bit, but nope, not even a droplet of hope for him. He makes the ebie-gebies sound like a warm cup of hot chocolate on the coldest day in Antarctica. LOL!

So, I loved this book even more than I loved The Hollow. Jessica still provided the same mystery and romance but upped the action. Wow! The things that happened in this book amazed me and even scared me a little. I wasn’t sure who I should trust sometimes.


One of the things I love about this series is, even though there is a love triangle (of sorts), it isn’t like the ones that are typically written. There’s no fighting, no jealousy, just people trying to get by the only way they know how.


Abbey has so many irons in the fire in this installment. She is dealing with her mom’s drinking, figuring out her feelings for Ben…and Caspien, convincing her parents to support her dream of owning her own perfume shop, and last, but not least, accepting her destiny. Some of Abbey’s questions get answered, but many remain unknown – and there are even more questions brought to life.


Sometimes I think Abbey is strong and then she falls a little bit; however, she is only human. Her acceptance of all that is bizarre in her world is amazing. She does it with such finesse. And just as she is accepting everything, these really odd individuals start showing up…Revenants.


When Jessica writes a book, she knows how to put a few surprises in the mix. I love this series and would recommend it to anyone.

My reviews for The Hollow Series:
      The Hollow (#1)
      The Haunted (#2)
      The Hidden (#3)

The Hollow by Jessica Verday

Title: The Hollow
Author: Jessica Verday
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Copyright © 2009 by Jessica Miller
Jessica Verday’s Website
Jessica’s Blog
Jessica’s Facebook
Jessica’s Twitter
The Hollow at Goodreads

Synopsis:

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead?and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

It’s been a while since I read The Hollow; but, I loved it so much that I wanted to review it before I did The Haunted and The Hidden. This group of books is based around The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; which I have never really cared for, however, The Hollow Series brought Sleepy Hollow to life for me.

• Abbey – and her friend Kristen grew up in Sleepy Hollow surrounded by Washington Irving’s lore. They are fascinated with the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery where Washington Irving is buried and they manage to spend a lot of time there. Abbey finds solace in visiting his grave and telling Mr. Washington her problems.
• Kristen – is Abbey’s best friend and confidant. They shared everything. When Kristen dies un-expectantly and rumors of suicide and drug use surround her death. However, Abbey believes that she may have been murdered. Then Abbey learns that Kristen has been keeping a very big secret, one that may have ended her life. Abbey believed she knew everything there was to know about Kristen, but there are skeleton’s lurking in the closet.
• Ben – is a friend of Kristen’s from school. He and Abbey will bond over her death and find comfort in one another. Ben is smart, funny, and caring. He gives Abbey room to grieve while remaining a constant in her life.
• Caspien – is a mysterious boy that Abbey meets at Kristen’s funeral. There is something truly unusual about Caspien. When the truth is revealed, it may send Abbey for a nose dive.
• Nikolas – is a “caretaker” at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. He and his wife, Katy, may be the only people who can answer Abbey’s questions about Kristen’s death and the mystery that surrounds Caspien.

Abbey is having a heck of a Junior year, her best friend dies, she meets a mysterious boy, she learns her best friend was keeping an important secret from her, instead of making perfume she is working at her uncle’s ice cream shop, and she has a feeling that things are certainly amiss in Sleepy Hollow. The secrets she learns may very well send her over the edge.

I loved the mystery in this book. At times it was like a scary ghost story and at others, a deeply romantic love story. Jessica created a world full of lore and emotions that will keep you reading until the very last page. I was drawn into the story from the very beginning, feeding on Abbey’s emotions and possibly her delusions. Each page held a new question, a new mystery, a new revelation.

A definite must read! So go, go read it now…there are still two more books in the series.

 My reviews for The Hollow Series:
      The Hollow (#1)
      The Haunted (#2)
      The Hidden (#3)

Third Sentence Thursday #5

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to wander around in the forest!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!

"'Will it happen now?' I asked Kame. 'Are you here to help me...die?'"

Now, why would you ask somebody if they were there to kill you; I would just run screaming!

*The is a unfinished E-Proof from Simon and Schuster's GalleryGrab! There could be changes before publication, which is in September.