Title: The Darkest Star (Origin, #1)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pub. Date: October 30, 2018

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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When seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher is caught up in a raid at a notorious club known as one of the few places where humans and the surviving Luxen can mingle freely, she meets Luc, an unnaturally beautiful guy she initially assumes is a Luxen…but he is in fact something much more powerful. Her growing attraction for Luc will lead her deeper and deeper into a world she’d only heard about, a world where everything she thought she knew will be turned on its head…

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I listened to this book via Audible, and I hate myself for waiting so long to get to it. I thoroughly enjoyed The Darkest Star and being back in the world of the Luxen. It was fun running into old characters, and I’m not gonna lie – now I want to reread the whole Lux Series because it’s been years.

I thought the pacing was really good, the writing was really good and honestly, I don’t have anything bad to say about it. I’m pretty sure I’ve said it before on this blog, but Jen’s books are like coming home. She was one of the first YA authors I started reading (after Twilight) and I will always read anything she writes. I will be honest, for a while, I felt like the quality of her books lacked the usual ‘oomf’ I loved about her books – yes, that’s the best description I have. Don’t judge, because you know exactly what I’m talking about. It kind of felt like there was this quantity vs. quality battle raging. On one hand, so many new enjoyable books, but on the on the other, they seemed to really lack some of my favorite qualities that make up her books.

I’ve since learned that Jen had over contracted herself, meaning she had many books to write and very little time to write them. She’s since cut back, and I think it shows in her stories. But again, I will legitimately read anything she publishes so this isn’t a complaint or necessarily a critique, but an acknowledgement. The Darkest Star definitely feels like she had more time to write it, because it reminded me why I love her books so much. Maybe it was because I haven’t been in the world of the Luxen in years – I’m sure that played a part – but if I had to be introduced to Jen’s work by a book, I would not be upset if it had been this one. I loved this book, the characters, and oh my god, the sexual tension / tension in general between Evie and Luc.

I’m here for it.

I really like Evie as a character. She was compassionate and strong and very likeable. Like most people, she has her flaws, but she tries to be a good person. She’s very loyal and friendly and isn’t above putting people in their place. Also like most teenagers, she curious, and that occasionally gets her into trouble. I think she embodied your average human, your average high schooler, but maybe a bit on the more mature side.

As for the love interest – can I just say – let hot aliens come to earth and move to my town? (which happens to be Evie’s) If they’re like Luc – or Daemon for that matter – I volunteer to be the girl next door when they move in. Hell, right now the house across from me in vacant.

Luc was enjoyable. I liked Luc. He was like a mini Daemon, but can you blame him? Look at his authority/‘parental’ figures.

Also, that closet scene.

Sign me tf up.

Evie if you don’t want him, I volunteer.

And speaking of aliens coming to my town (I mentioned this briefly a moment ago) they actually did in this book!

My old high school was featured, as well as the park near it. I knew exactly where Jen was referencing so it made it very easy to picture everything. I will say, Centennial High School isn’t two stories, but one sprawling concrete building that was always overstuffed with too many students for the four years I was there. A second floor would have been hella nice to alleviate some of the congestion, but the stairs would have sucked.

But back to Evie – I kind of saw her twist coming and I love how Luc handled the whole situation. Had it gone another way – I’d probably be raging.

Back to Luc really quick – sorry if this review is kind of scatter brained – Jen really had me wishing Luc was real. Like I wanted to jump into the story and be Evie.

He really cared about her and wanted to protect her and be there for her. He was also a cocky smart ass, but again, look at his ‘parental’ figures. I found it to be a part of his charm, since underneath it all – all the walls, masks, smart ass comments – he’s genuinely a good guy – er, alien – who *redacted for spoilers*

I’m really super excited for book two The Burning Shadow and cannot wait to read it. I felt like the Darkest Star wrapped up nicely, and it’s not the ending that has left me with the desire to need to know what happens next but more like, Jen’s dragged me back into the world of hot aliens and I need more.

I think I see a re-reading of the initial series in my future.

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Check out The Darkest Star if you haven’t already, in preparation for The Burning Shadow out October 8, 2019! And if you haven’t already, catch up and see how the Luxen were introduced with the first book Obsidian, and fall in love with Daemon and Katy!

Who’s your favorite JLA guy? Mine’s probably a tie between Aiden and Jax. Let me know yours in the comments!

 

 

 

Title: The Traitor Prince (Ravenspire #3)

Author: C.J. Redwine

Pub. Date: February 13, 2018

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Javan Najafai, crown prince of Akram, has spent the last ten years at an elite boarding school, far away from his kingdom. But his eagerly awaited return home is cut short when a mysterious imposter takes his place—and no one believes Javan is the true prince.

After barely escaping the imposter’s assassins, Javan is thrown into Maqbara, the kingdom’s most dangerous prison. The only way to gain an audience with the king — and reveal Javan’s identity — is to fight in Maqbara’s yearly tournament. But winning is much harder than acing competitions at school, and soon Javan finds himself beset not just by the terrifying creatures in the arena, but also a band of prisoners allied against him, and even the warden herself.

The only person who can help him is Sajda, who has been enslaved by Maqbara’s warden since she was a child, and whose guarded demeanor and powerful right hook keep the prisoners in check. Working with Sajda might be the only way Javan can escape alive — but she has dangerous secrets.

Together, Javan and Sajda have to outwit the vicious warden, outfight the deadly creatures, and outlast the murderous prisoner’s intent on killing Javan. If they fail, they’ll be trapped in Maqbara for good—and the secret Sajda’s been hiding will bury them both.

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This will be a spoiler free review.

I’m glad I finally got around to reading this book. The first two in the Ravenspire series were favorites so I had high hopes for this one. Then I heard some not as stellar reviews and I was a little put down. After two great books that I loved, I procrastinated reading this one, in fear that it wouldn’t be good.

Thank goodness for being wrong. Although I felt like the book a tad bit too long, and I could not stand Rahim, overall, I really loved it. The character arcs were believable and once again I was sucked into this fantastical world that C.J. Redwine has created. I could go on forever reading books set in this world, in the various kingdoms. I thought the writing was great and it painted a very clear image in my head – I could see Maqbara easily in my mind, and the arena – it felt like The Hunger Games. There was a moment at the end of the book where I said, “Oh fuck no”, but that lasted for only a couple of minutes. A few spots made me laugh, and others made me feel a varying range of emotions.

As for the pacing – the book felt too long, and a lot of the focus was on Javan’s time in Maqbara, as it should, but at the same time, other parts were kind of glossed over.

As for the characters, I’ve already stated that I couldn’t stand Rahim, so I’ll start there.

He was annoying. My entire Twitter thread for the book is basically me just complaining about how tedious and tiring he was. He was so angry, and it weighed on me. His anger and hatred made me tired. He was so tiring to listen to.

We get it, you’re angry, but honestly, it’s not the world that screwed you over, just one person in particular.

By about three quarters of the way through, it started feeling like he was now angry for angers sake. Like he had been so angry for so long, that it was his default. All in all, Rahim, he’s a little punk ass bitch, who either needs all the hugs in the world, or needs to be punch. Hard. Repeatedly.

Javan! I kept picturing him as Ben Barnes. But also, for someone who has spent the last ten years studying (I know he studied everything) but he was pretty bad ass. I definitely enjoyed reading about him. I loved his arc, and how he came to realize that his outlook wasn’t the one he needed to succeed in his mission. He was a very real and believable character, and I definitely didn’t get tired of him when he talked. There was one scene in particular that made me “oh my god” and that was his first entrance into the area. That played out like a cinematic masterpiece in my mind and it was amazing. I could just see the crowd’s reaction to that entrance, because it was “oh my god”. Again, it was so easy for me to picture everything in this book.

I loved his relationship with Sadja, and how once they became friends, that it grew naturally, that they became each other’s light in the dark.

Sadja – the girl who loved the stars. I felt for her and wished she didn’t have to be the badass she was because of her circumstances. She had no choice but to become cold, hard, unyielding in order to survive. But through friendship Javan is able to chip away that the walls she surrounds herself with. Sadja is a fighter, a survivor, inquisitive and smart, always up for a challenge. She has to be this way, if people were to find out who she really was – it wouldn’t be good.

Her relationship with Javan is one of the best parts of the novel. In a place where humanity is exchanged for animalistic brutality, the two of them keep each other sane and sharp. They challenge each other at every step, always trying to help one another. The way their relationship grew and changed felt natural and real and made me root for them. By the end of the novel my heart ached. I loved how each of them thought that they wanted this one thing, and before they met one another, maybe that was the case, but after they met and grew close, their visions for what they wanted altered.

I could talk about every character in this book that I loved, or that annoyed me, but I’ll just quickly mention Tarek, the old man, Sadja’s chosen family and Javan’s friend. I loved him, and what happens to him is not fair. He was sweet in a place that had taken everything from him. He could have been bitter and angry, and instead he worked hard and helped protect people.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would, so I’m happy. It’s not my favorite book in the series, The Wish Granter still holds that title as of now, but The Blood Spell – out February 12, 2019, and I cannot wait to read it!

 

Title: Sherwood

Author: Meagan Spooner

Pub. Date: March 19, 2019

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- 4.5

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Robin of Locksley is dead.

Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on, but the people of Locksley town, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, need a protector. And the dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sheriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley and Marian’s fiancé.

Who is there to stop them?

Marian never meant to tread in Robin’s footsteps—never intended to stand as a beacon of hope to those awaiting his triumphant return. But with a sweep of his green cloak and the flash of her sword, Marian makes the choice to become her own hero: Robin Hood.

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This will be a spoiler free review – I received an ARC of this book via a trade on Twitter.

I absolutely loved this book! I’m kind of annoyed at myself for waiting this long to read it. I know why I waited, Robin dies in the beginning of this book (it’s stated in the synopsis so no spoilers) and it put me off. How can you have a Robin Hood retelling without Robin of Locksley?

Though, with that being said, I thought the book was brilliant and enjoyed every moment of it. At almost 500 pages, I thought that maybe it would take me a while to get through it, but the pacing of the book, as well as the writing style made it very easy to read, and I flew through it in a handful of hours over a few days. If I’d been able to, I would have sat down and not gotten back up until it was done, but life gets in the way of binge reading sometimes.

The pacing and writing style combined made for a very effective story, and made it very easy to visualize what was going on, where it was going on, etc. I’m assuming this book is set in the 13^th/14^th/(maybe)15^th century England, I maybe it’s all the BBC shows I watch (Robin Hood, Merlin, etc) but I found it so easy to picture the world, the town, the forest. The story just came to life in my mind, so vividly.

I really want Netflix or someone to pick this book up and create a movie or a show out of it. I would watch the crap out of it.

I think this book has snuck its way onto my list of favorites. I read Meagan’s other fantasy – Hunted and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I do think that this is my favorite of the two. I don’t know if I can put my finger on exactly why I loved it so much – without spoiling – but I was left a warm, giddy mess upon finishing, which wasn’t the reaction I expected or anticipated to have.

Now, you might be saying “that’s all well and good, but what about the characters?”

Well, there wasn’t a character I didn’t like! Even the ‘antagonist’ (I use quotations because if you’ve read the book, you’ll know why) was likable by the end. Unless you’re talking about the Sheriff then, he can rot in a cell.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s just go through the major players really quick.

Robin of Locksley:

He does and doesn’t play a huge part in this book. Not actually being physically present was a bummer. It was one of the reasons I was hesitant to start it. There are flashback scenes of him and Marian as they grow up together, those were sweet, but for most of the book, he is Marian’s voice of reason, in her head, responding to her fears and her concerns.

Now, I know it’s not really him, and that it’s how she thinks he’d respond, but other than the flashbacks, that’s the extent of his involvement.

Marian:

She’s pretty badass. In a world where women are supposed to be dainty and ladylike, she’s the opposite. She’d rather be outdoors riding a horse, or shooting a bow, or practicing with swords. A friendship blooms between her and Robin at a young age, the two of them complimenting each other very well. She wants to learn and grow and use her skills and knowledge to be as good, if not better than then men around her, and Robin let’s her be herself, rather than what society dictates she ought to be.

She’s fiercely loyal and brave. She’s a bit unsteady in the face of danger – not really willing to do whatever it takes. She’s also got a pretty moral compass and humanity through everything. Even it if means a bad outcome, especially for her, she’d sooner risk her own life over those of her friends – if it means they stay safe.

I adored her character – strong and independent but also not afraid to ask for help if she needed it.

Robin Hood:

He wasn’t Robin of Locksley or Marian – he was what she wished she could be, what she admired in Robin, and what the people needed.

Guy Gisborne:

I never disliked his character, but in the beginning, he was a little annoying and nuisance – constantly pestering Marian. There were moments I just wanted to shove him out the door so Marian could be in peace.

He was a man on a mission, a passion, a drive.

I loved how through all his interactions with Marian, more of who he fundamentally was became apparent, and it got to the point where I was actually rooting for him to somehow win Marian’s affections…because, you know, Robin’s dead.

The Merry (Wo)Men:

They were a great cast of characters, and I loved them. They all had their own reasons to stand with Robin Hood, and it was just loyalty to Robin of Locksley or just to be Robin Hood’s men. They were unique personalities and I kind of wish there had been a little more of them. (This is where I think a show, or a movie would add to the story.)

Ultimately, what I think I loved most about this book was the idea that maybe the person you hold closest to your heart – the one you love – might not actually be who you believe them to be. You can do so much in the honor, the name of someone, but are you actually doing it because they would, or are you romanticizing them to fit your narrative?

Love can make you blind.

I don’t doubt that Marian loved Robin, that she cared for him deeply. But even Robin understood that he loved her more that she loved him. In the end, the person who ended up being her better match, was a man she never expected. Neither Robin or Marian were bad people, but people make choices, and choices can lead to different outcomes – death or the creation of Robin Hood.

The journey Marian goes through in this book, is one of self-discovery – figuring out who she is, when her best friend dies. She has to figure out her next steps, and find a way to help her people, all while dealing with loss, and unwanted advances, and trying to navigate a world where she doesn’t fit the standard mold of what a woman should be.

I loved this book so much, and if you like stories about Robin Hood and his her Merry Cohorts, then you’ll definitely want to pick this book up when it comes out next week!

 

Title: Never-Contented Things

Author: Sarah Porter

Pub. Date: March 19, 2019

Rating – DNF’d at 31%

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Seductive. Cruel. Bored
Be wary of… 

Prince and his fairy courtiers are staggeringly beautiful, unrelentingly cruel, and exhausted by the tedium of the centuries―until they meet foster-siblings Josh and Ksenia. Drawn in by their vivid emotions, undying love for each other, and passion for life, Prince will stop at nothing to possess them.

First seduced and then entrapped by the fairies, Josh and Ksenia learn that the fairies’ otherworldly gifts come at a terrible price―and they must risk everything in order to reclaim their freedom.

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I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This isn’t going to be a long review, and it’s going to be spoiler free. I wanted to like this book. Truly I did, but I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t the right book for me. I struggled with the idea of not finishing this book and writing a review for it. I’ve never DNF’d a book that I’ve been approved for. But I want to be honest.

Based off the synopsis I was excited, dark faerie with maybe some intrigue and an escape plot – that’s what I took away from reading it. This book is vastly different from what I was led to believe and that’s partially on me. I should’ve read some reviews before requesting this title. Regardless, this book was marketed as something other than it is, and that’s misleading. I can honestly say, I felt mislead and that’s not fair to the reader.

I will also say that I saw a few tweets from the author who was acting a little condescending towards her readers who didn’t pick up her message in the book, and were confused as to why there were no fairies in the novel…

My remark to that is, have you read the synopsis for you book on Goodreads?

Anyways,

Based on what I’ve read, I don’t think Never-Contented Things is a bad book. The writing is quite good, flowery and the use of color is heavy. The pacing is a little fast, and the format of how the story is told – to me – feels like reading through a haze.

It’s kind of hard to explain. I get that the author was trying to put us (the reader) in the mind of the main character Ksenia – she doesn’t fully understand what’s going on, so we (the reader) don’t either. Though, for me, it just made me frustrated that I had no idea what was going on with these characters.

My frustration is also due to the fact that I thought this book was going to be akin to The Cruel Prince with the court drama and intrigue and maybe some hate-to-love romance or infatuation, with a daring fantastical escape back to the human realm. I’m frustrated to say, it’s not.

As for the characters, I felt zero connection with any of them. I was also a little disturbed by John and Ksenia’s relationship that (I want to say “could be” deemed incestuous – depending on how you personally might define it, as they aren’t actually related) but it was awkward and controlling nonetheless. I would define it as borderline incestuous, but to be honest, I don’t spend a lot of time defining that word in my head, because it’s not something I would even entertain.

Ksenia is arguably the main character, she’s had a rough life, it hasn’t been easy, but she’s found companionship in her younger foster brother, John. Ksenia is quiet and can come across cold and unfeeling, but really, she’s terrified. So much of her life is out of her control, and John doesn’t help matters.

John is a dominant personality, with his own baggage, and (whether or not) he means well, he is constantly making choices for Ksenia. He pressures her into a lot of situations that she’s not comfortable with, but because they are so co-dependent on each other, she lets a lot of the instances slide. It actually bothers me how John talks, very dismissive and peppy. He’s in your face and in your business.

Then there’s Lexie. As I DNF’d this book, I only got to a small section of her story, so maybe her part is much more significant later on, but she’s a friend to both Ksenia and John. From what I read, she’s the “normal” (meaning she doesn’t have the same kind of histories as her friends – i.e. foster kids) one. I don’t feel comfortable talking about her more than that, as I didn’t read the book in full.

If you’re looking for a book about changing one’s mindset from dark to hopeful, coming to terms with one’s relationship and whether or not it’s healthy, then maybe you should check this one out. But don’t read this book expecting fairies. They’re there, but they only act as a catalyst to make bad situations worse.

I wish I had been more interested in this book and had been able to finish it. Maybe one day I will, but as for right now, I don’t want to spend time reading a book that isn’t holding my interest. It read as a heavy contemporary novel with some fairies thrown in, and I like my contemporary novels to be a little more on the light and fluffy side, as I use them as escapes. This just wasn’t the book for me, but I know some people will read it and enjoy it (well, that might not be the right phrase, but they’ll like it more than I do).

 My advice to you, is that you read some other reviews – there are quite a few on Goodreads, from people who finished the whole book – who have more to say about the book and its contents.

Let’s just jump right into this, because I have SO MANY books to get through. Somehow, I read fifteen books last month. It still blows my mind. Granted, I was able to get through that many books, because of Audible and audiobooks, otherwise, the number wouldn’t be nearly that high.

Quick note: AB = audiobook / HC = hardcover / PB = paperback / ARC = Advanced Reading Copy / DNF = Did Not Finish

Anyways, let’s just jump in!

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The Air Awakens Series – Elise Kova

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Earth’s End (AB Finished 2/3/19) GR / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Water’s Wrath (PB Finished 2/6/19) GR / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Crystal Crowned (PB Finished 2/28/19) GR

See my Full Series Wrap-Up for my thoughts! Love this series so much, definitely one of my all-time favorites!

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The Covenant Series – Jennifer L. Armentrout

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Deity (PB Finished 2/1/19) GR / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Elixir (PB Finished 2/1/19) GR / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Apollyon (PB Finished 2/3/19) GR / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sentinel (PB Finished 2/7/19) GR

See my Full Series Wrap-Up for my thoughts! This was so fun to reread, and I still love it so much!

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Escaping from Houdini – Kerri Mansicalco

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (AB Finished 2/9/19) GR

I have a full review for this book posted – but be warned it’s a little rant-y and a bit spoiler-y! This wasn’t my favorite book in the series, and I raged through most of it, but I still enjoyed being back in this world with these characters. Capturing the Devil – Cressworths’ next adventure comes out September 10, 2019!

 

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Never-Contented Things – Sarah Porter

(eARC DNF at 31% Finished 2/10/19) GR

I’ll have a full review of this posted next week, but this was not a favorite and I felt very misled going into this book.

 

 

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The Traitor Prince – C.J. Redwine

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (AB Finished 2/12/19) GR

Eventually there will be a full review of this book going up on my blog – I have so many too write. This was better than I thought it would be – some of the reviews I saw weren’t good. I enjoyed this, and I love the series so much.

 

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The Darkest Star – Jennifer L. Armentrout

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (AB Finished 2/13/19) GR 

A review for this is coming! I loved it, and it was so fun being back in the world of the Luxen and I’m so annoyed at myself for not reading it sooner! It was fun seeing my old High School and around where I live mentioned in this book. I cannot wait for the second book, The Burning Shadow which comes out October 8, 2019!

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The Wicked King – Holly Black

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 4.5 (AB Finished 2/17/19) GR

I wasn’t a huge fan of The Cruel Prince, but I get the hype now. This book killed me, and I cannot believe I fell for certain things. I cannot wait for the next book.

 

 

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Evermore – Sara Holland

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (AB Finished 2/19/19) GR

I was really looking forward to this book and was left pretty disappointed. It wasn’t a bad book, but it felt like a whole lot of nothing happened, and then there was the ending, which was pretty unsatisfying. Everless was a favorite of mine last year when I listened to it, so my hopes were high. Sadly the book fell flat.

 

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Part of Your World – Liz Braswell

⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 3.5 (AB Finished 2/21/19) GR

This was my first Twisted Tales book, and I enjoyed it. I knew I would have to buy it due to the fact it was about Ariel. It was a bit long, which made the book lag a bit, but overall it was a good read and I would totally be on board for a movie adaptation of it.

 

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Undying – Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 4.5 (AB Finished 2/22/19) GR

Ugh, this book was so good. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and the authors had me sobbing at one point. Once again, they have proven to write some of my favorite books!

 

 

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Stain – A.G. Howard

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (AB Finished 2/26/19) GR

I kind of had low expectations going into this book. Mainly because Roseblood, the author’s last release fell pretty flat for me. This book was amazing and so good, and I absolutely loved it. It definitely a new favorite and I encourage everyone to pick it up and read it!

 

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What books did you read in February? Let me know! Also, have you read any of these books? What did you think?

Title: Bloodleaf (Bloodleaf #1)

Author: Crystal Smith

Pub. Date: March 12, 2019

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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 Princess Aurelia is a prisoner to her crown and the heir that nobody wants. Surrounded by spirits and banned from using her blood-magic, Aurelia flees her country after a devastating assassination attempt. To escape her fate, Aurelia disguises herself as a commoner in a new land and discovers a happiness her crown has never allowed. As she forges new bonds and perfects her magic, she begins to fall for a man who is forbidden to rule beside her. But the ghosts that haunt Aurelia refuse to abandon her, and she finds herself succumbing to their call as they expose a nefarious plot that only she can defeat. Will she be forced to choose between the weight of the crown and the freedom of her new life?

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I received an ARC through a trade – this will be a spoiler free review!

I’m just going to start by saying yelling, THIS. BOOK.

I loved it. Flew straight through it actually. I probably could have finished it in one sitting, but I made the unfortunate smart choice of going to bed at a reasonable (for me) hour instead of staying up until the early morning hours to finish it. I kind of wish I had just stayed up and finished it though.

Bloodleaf definitely held up to the hype I heard surrounding it. It felt original, new and fresh, and I honestly can’t pick out a book on my shelf that it reminds me of. BUT I will say this, and I think this is only because I’ve been inhaling so many fantasy books lately, I did pick up on some similarities. I’m not holding them against the book at all, because they’re things I absolutely enjoy in a story.

The world building and the magic in this book are very easy to visualize and understand. It wasn’t super heavy on either, but more than enough to picture the world, the kingdoms, it’s inhabitants, the rules. The magic system as well, complex enough that it has some structure and rules, but easy enough that it doesn’t take forever to figure out how it works – does that make sense?

Wow, my brain just turned off, and I kind of just lost my train of thought.

I’m going to start this next part briefly talking about something that bothered me a bit in this book, but by no means ruined it or is a point that angered me.

I do think it was a little rushed, and specifically the relationship that blooms between Aurelia and Zan. Now, I know, in the book that weeks pass from the start to the end, but the relationship felt a little insta-love-y. Just a little bit. I feel like if we had been able to see more of the time passing, through little scenes or snippets or something, it wouldn’t have felt so rushed. It is very much a plot driven book, which isn’t a bad thing, and I clearly loved it.

But, with that being said, I absolutely loved Aurelia and Zan together. I thought they had good chemistry and balanced each other out pretty nicely.

I really liked all the characters in this book, except the antagonist (ugh. More on him later).

On the run, Aurelia quickly finds herself among very nice people, if not a little annoying (looking at you Zan) and she cares deeply for them. Nathaniel and Kate are friends of Zan who almost instantly adopt Aurelia into their group.

I love Nathaniel and Kate. They were adorable, but WHY did THAT have to happen? (read the book when it comes out to find out what I’m talking about.) They were such good people, so caring and kind.

As for Zan, there wasn’t a point where I didn’t not like him. Even when he was annoying Aurelia, I liked him. I didn’t see his twist coming, though in retrospect it was kind of obvious, but I loved being surprised.

Then there’s Aurelia’s friend Kellan – and there is a scene in the beginning of the book, that actually brought tears to my eyes. He’s her protector, there for her whenever she needs him to be, but he doesn’t fully know her, or understand her.

Which brings me to Aurelia. I felt for her through this whole book. When she got emotional, I found myself getting emotional, especially when she would look back on what she had lost. She had so many hard choices she had to make, and she comes out the other side a better person – well, a changed person. She grew stronger as the story progressed.

And finally, Toris. Ugh. Ugh. And Ugh. He was a good villain, but he annoyed me. I didn’t see his twist coming though.

There were actually quite a few twists in this book, that caught me by surprise. I loved it.

Agh, I cannot wait for book 2! I’m really interested in seeing how things will play out and what will come next. I do feel like Bloodleaf wraps up quite nicely, so I’m curious to see what happens next. I’m so excited for this book to be out in the world, for everyone to read it and fall in love with these characters! Make sure you pre-order if you haven’t already! There’s an awesome Pre-Order Incentive!