A Radiant Sky by Jocelyn Davies

Series: A Beautiful Dark (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance

Subjects: angels, good vs. evil, magic, abilities, supernatural, love, visions, destiny

Setting: River Springs, Colorado (present day, but River Springs is based off of Boulder, CO)

POV/Tense: 1^st person, past tense, Skye’s POV

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 360 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Since the night of her seventeenth birthday, Skye has been torn between two opposites: Light and Dark, the Order and the Rebellion, Devin and Asher.

But her decision shocked both sides—because she chose neither.

With the help of her friends, Skye forges her own path, setting out to gather an uprising of Rogues. The treacherous and elusive half-angels may be the key to maintaining the balance of fate and free will. But completing the mission her parents left unfinished is more difficult—and dangerous—than she could have imagined. And doing so comes at a cost: Her greatest love may now be a lethal enemy. Because it’s not just the Order that sees her as a threat who must be eliminated. The Rebellion does, too.

And both sides will do whatever it takes to win.

Dark days lie ahead, and if Skye is to survive, she’ll need to rely on her extraordinary powers and the strength of her will. Because she has a future—and a love—that’s worth fighting for.

The sweeping, darkly romantic story that began with A Beautiful Dark and gathered intensity in A Fractured Light comes to a thrilling conclusion in A Radiant Sky.

My Review: I love this series so much and I’m so sad that it’s over. It’s pretty much one of the best angel book series I’ve read. I compare this series to Unearthly by Cynthia Hand since they’re both set in such beautiful places and have hot guys. I love Colorado and visited it in 2003. It’s such a beautiful place and I love reading books with setting I’ve been to (although River Springs is not real and based off of Boulder). 

This series is very character driven. Skye’s narration is spot-on and she definitely is unique and realistic. She’s sometime funny and has a lot of heart. I love the part where she comes down stairs and grab a cucumber to de-puff her eyes. I thought that was hilarious. And how she and her friend get along. Cassie and Dan has such a great relationship. They’re so cute together and they tease each other. Cassie joined the prom committee and it was kind of hilarious how Dan and Ian both made fun of prom. Ian is also a great character. I really wanted him to be loved because her seemed left out a lot, but he definitely played a big role in this book.

 I also thought Devin was doing well for just having joined the Rebellion. He wasn’t into creating chaos, but he wanted freedom. I really wish that there was more Asher in this book. Toward the end we get more of him, but I really wanted more romance. Raven, who was an enemy in the previous books, becomes a great asset and friend to Skye. She sarcastic and sometimes mean, but ultimately want to help Skye with her new group that stand between the Order and Rebellion. I also like Aunt Joe and all the new Rogues we get to meet. There’s a character called Earth. She’s likes the sister Skye never has. I really loved her. She’s a smart kid.

In a Radiant Sky, there isn’t as much romance as the previous books, but there’s a lot more action and magic. I really love how Skye has come into her power. She has wings now and can fly. She has control over the elements and has vision of the future. She’s very powerful and she has great friends that support her. I love all the magic in this series. The flying scenes were some of the best parts. Sky changing the weather was also cool. Colorado has such moody weather. Is thunder really just angels bowling, or being angry? Sky can make that rain go away. Seems like an ability I’d want. 

This book has been an epic and thrilling conclusion to one of my favorite series. It was very emotional for me. I cried a few times, both tears of joy and sadness. This book gave me all the feels. (Not as much as Boundless by Cynthia Hand though.) This book was a true The End Is Near kind of read and Sky stop the end of the. She and her groupies, a ragtag teem of teens, angels and Rogue, must save the universe from destruction. The balance between chaos and control, fate and freewill is in her hands. The ending is a battle of epic proportions and a conclusion to remember.

I recommend this series to fans of angel books like: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, Fallen by Lauren Kate, Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly, Embrace by Jessica Shirvington, Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz, Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton, and other paranormal romance stories.

Cover Art Review: I love the cover, by the model’s pose seems a bit unnatural. I like the aurora colors and the silver dress.

Fugitive X by Gregg Rosenblum

Release Date: 1-7-2014

Series: Revolution 19 (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi

Subjects: robots, survival, adventure, post-apocalyptic

Setting: In the future, 100 years or so. Possibly in New York or Massachusetts 

POV/Tense: 3^rd person, past tense. Rotating between Nick, Kevin and Cassie

Age/Grade Level: Teens 13+

Length: 261 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen and Alloy Entertainment

Summary/ product description: “Their fight for freedom is humanity's last hope for survival. The chilling Revolution 19 trilogy continues in Fugitive X.

A war between humans and robots is on the horizon, and only one side will survive.

Siblings Nick, Kevin, and Cass are struggling to survive in a world where deadly, sophisticated robots have turned on their creators and enslaved mankind. Fugitives from one of the bot-controlled Cities, the siblings venture into the woods, but when they are attacked by bot foot soldiers, the siblings are separated...and for the first time, they are on their own.

Created in conjunction with Alloy Entertainment; Howard Gordon, showrunner of 24 and Showtime's Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning Homeland; and James Wong, writer-director of the Final Destination films, Fugitive X is the gripping next installment in the cinematic Revolution 19 series.”

My Review: This series continues to disappoint me, yet I still read it. I keep on hoping it’s going to turn into the Terminator, but it never does. The characters aren’t all that interesting, except maybe Kevin. The world building is kind of interesting. Some of the robots are kind of like androids, others are floating orb or walking robots. There’s technology and cities and there’s the wilds and Freeposts. 

In this book the three main characters, Nick, Kevin and Cassie (the adopted sister of Nick and Kevin) get separated early on.  Cassie is taken to the City for re-education, and is brainwashed and placed with her supposed biological family. Kevin ends up in a place called the Island. It’s a town that they’re building a wall around, and he’s not allowed to leave. Nick tries to find them and ends up meeting a girl named Erica who takes her to another Freepost near by. They all have their separate adventures and some meet back up later on. I really enjoyed Cassie’s part when she was in the city. It was interesting to see how people lived under the rules of the bots. I also liked when Kevin said funny comments to the bot known as 23. Can bots learn sarcasm and humor?

This book was short and not as thrilling as I hoped. There were action scenes, but I found it hard to keep track of what was going on and who’s POV it was. I skimmed at times. I think that the typeface and leading of the pages may have contributed to me not being able to read well. Maybe if the letters were bigger or if there was more space on the page I wouldn’t feel so bored. Since I was reading an ARC, it’s possible that sometimes may be changed in the final hardcover. 

I really wanted to like this book more, but it just turned out okay for me. It works as a sequel. There were some revelations and surprises. Some people may end up loving these books and I definitely would recommend this to a younger audience, ages 11 and up. There are a few swear words, but nothing too bad. This would be a great book series to give to 13-year-old boys who love all those robot toys. I recommend this if you liked BZRK by Michael Grant, Cinder, or any other books that feature either robots or nanobots. If you’re looking for teen Terminator, this is not it. 

Cover Art Review: Not too crazy about the eye being a girl's (especially that black eyebrow, and mascara), but the bionic eyeball is cool. I like the title treatment.

In My Mailbox 1-4-2014

I won a copy of Fugitive X, but the cover art isn't on there.

I also won an ARC of Elusion. I'm so excited to read this!!!

I bought a lot of books at thrift stores and Half Price Books.

I got these from the library.

Don’t Look Now by Michelle Gagnon

Series: PERSEFoNE (bk. 2)

Genera: Action Thriller/Suspense/Sci-fi

Subjects: hackers, computers, technology, experiments, foster care 

Setting: Boston, Massachusetts, Arizona and California

POV/Tense: 3rd person POV (alternating between Noah, Peter, Amanda and Teo), Past tense

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 319 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Noa Torsen is on the run. Having outsmarted the sinister corporation Pike & Dolan, Noa and her friend Zeke now move stealthily across the country, protecting runaways before they become test subjects for P&D's horrific experiments. Noa knows all too well what that feels like: Whatever they did to her has left her exhausted and scared.

Back in Boston, Peter anxiously follows Noa's movements from his computer, using his hacker skills to feed her the information she needs to stay alive. But he's desperate to do something more, especially when he learns what P&D has done to his ex-girlfriend Amanda.

Then, in an explosive confrontation, Noa and her team are trapped in the one place they thought was safe. It will take everything Noa and Peter have to bring down the corporation before it gets them first. And with no one to trust and enemies hiding at every turn, they may be the only people alive who can.

This stunning second book in the critically acclaimed Don't Turn Around trilogy raises the stakes to their absolute limit and will leave readers begging for the exciting conclusion, Don't Let Go.”

My Review: This sequel was definitely more thrilling and exciting than the first book. Still this series is lacking in the sci-fi department. It’s got its good point. There’s action and adventure and a bit of a mystery. The characters are okay, but I don’t really care much for them. There’s more romance in this book than the first. Not between Peter and Noa though. Peter and Noa are on opposite side of the country, and don’t meet up till the very end. Noa has a relationship going with Zeke, a hacker we met in the middle/near-end of the first book. They are in the southwest, California and Arizona. Peter is back with Amanda and still in Boston. We also get to meet a few new characters including Teo, a Hispanic boy from California. The story alternates in 3^rd person POV between Noa, Teo, Peter and Amanda. I don’t recall ever getting Zeke’s perspective. I’m not a big fan of switching perspectives when it’s written in 3^rd person.

I recently read a book called Blackout by Robison Wells, and this somehow remind me of it. This book didn’t have kids with superpowers, but there is a disease in this book called PEMA, and there’s teen vigilantes called Persefone’s Army. Most of the kid in the PA are runaways, orphans and kids who were in foster care. They’re living on the street or on the run. Peter just helps out by hacking, but he’s not a runaway. His parents are rich. Noa is the leader, and the team leader of the Southwest group. A lot has happened since the first book ended and I feel like there should have been a novella to abridge that gap. Four months have passed, and suddenly Zeke’s Noa’s boyfriend, the PA is created and Noa’s in the southwest and has connections. We missed out on a lot. The time line is definitely confusing.

Other than those issues, there’s solid improvement in this installment. I kind of wish that Noa did more hacking herself, or maybe that her extra-thalamus would give her super powers. She still has irregular eating and sleeping habits from it. I was also hoping to see what they did to other kids. Maybe the third book will have a twist or what I’ve been waiting for. There’s a twist near the end that’s about what PEMA is. I can’t wait to find out more. Don’t Look Now is a fast read, and I suggest reading Don’t Turn Around first. If you like books by Robison Wells, or Find Me by Romily Bernard, you may like this. If you like books about hacker, technology and teens on the run, then you should totally try this book series.

Cover Art Review: I like this cover better than the 1^st book’s hardcover. The orange, yellow and turquoise work well as a color scheme. The hexagons and the pixels are cool graphics. The title is nice and big. The hair photo is okay, and says thriller.

Goodbye 2013! Happy New Year 2014!

Above is the list of books I read in 2013. I do this every year. I stick a paper on my wall to record every book I read that year, and color code them with highlighters. I only read 122 books this year, about 10 books per month. This next year I hope to read at least 125, but life gets in the way and I'm not that fast of a reader. I remember a few years ago I read 150 books. On Shelfari I looked at my stats. Seems like I had a lot more free time in 2011.

2013 turned out to be a great year. The world didn't end, I got a job and made some money. I got rid of all the junk in my closet, organized my books better. I trained two parakeets. I went to some book signing, and even got to be on TeaTime with EpicReads for a few seconds, and they wished me a happy birthday. I turned 21 (and vow not to drink alcohol still). 

The not so great? Well, my bird that I had for 8 years died in March. I took statistics this fall and that was a challenge. My brother moved into a dorm at UIC, so I don't get to see him all the time. 

This year, my new years resolutions include this like getting ready to transfer to another college and apply for scholarships. Keep my job possibly through the summer and maybe get a 2nd job. I also need to work out and exercise because I feel so weak sometimes. Maybe do push-ups? I also of course want to read more book.

I'm setting my reading goal at 125 books and I'm including novellas over a certain number of pages. I will read at least one contemporary/realistic and one historical (fantasy) fiction. I want to read more of the books I own. Catch up and complete series. I want to read Insurgent and Allegiant by March. I want to request less library books and only read the books I want to read. I want to buy LESS books, and waste less money. 

Good luck with all your goals and resolutions. Have a happy 2014!