Review: The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1)
By Jodi Meadows

Hardcover, 391 pages

Published March 10th 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books
Average Rating: 3.97

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others.

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.

---

It’s been a while since I read a book that is hands-down, no-doubt, absolutely worthy of five stars since reading Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. There was no way I wasn’t going to give this five stars because it’s that good!

This was a fabulous novel!! I loved it so much and it might be my new obsession! HA! Who am I kidding it is my new obsession. I think the book hangover I got after closing the novel speaks for itself.

The plot was freaking amazing and never stopped with the action. It was fast-moving, intriguing and totally unique. Super fast paced but I did find it long at times but I accepted that because it meant more Wil! I finished this book in a night. I couldn’t stop if I wanted to, I just kept flipping page after page because I needed to know what would happen next. I revel in those books that won’t let me put it down until I’m done. The Orphan Queen truly had power over me.

“I was going to have to face the man who’s destroyed my kingdom, and the boy who was the reason.”

The main character, Wilhemina, or Wil, is not a damsel in distress, she is another strong, independent heroine. I liked her the minute I read the first sentence. Being a princess, and living on the streets after her homeland was conquered, she didn’t grow up with fancy dresses and over-the-top meals. She grew up like any other commoner and this made her humble, tough, and kind. She also learned how to fight and steal and what do I love more than a stealing kickass princess? Wil is just an awesome character that knows how to forge letters, animate objects, fight, and plan revenge. *sigh* Can we best friends? As the anniversary of her home being invaded approaches, she is determined to get her kingdom back, and she’ll do anything. Wil did have the desire to take back her kingdom but it was this other guy who was always in charge of the Ospreys. It wasn’t until the end where she finally stepped up, took control and let her dreams become a reality. She learned that sacrifices must be made in order to save her kingdom. I really look up to Wil and I seriously can’t wait for the second and final book, The Mirror King!! (Update 04/25/16: I HAVE AND IT WAS A-MAZING!!! REVIEW IS COMING!! ❤ ❤ ❤ )

Black Knife is Wil’s love interest. God, I love the Black Knife! His identity was unknown for most of the novel but when you found out who he really is? OH MY FREAKING GOD. YES. YES, PLEASE. GIMME MORE. I NEED MORE. I had my suspicions about who he was, but when it was finally revealed, I was so happy and excited that I was right!! The Black Knife is technically Wil’s enemy. He goes out and finds magic users and sends them off to their deaths. Wil is a magic user and because of that the relationship turns forbidden and dangerous. It becomes even more forbidden when Black Knife’s real identity is discovered and the reality sets in that this relationship might not work. I know it’s so cliché but I really couldn’t help loving the whole thing!!!

” ‘You’re just everywhere, aren’t you?’ I spun and had my daggers drawn before his questions was half finished. ‘Black Knife.’ ‘Nameless girl.’ He stood on the edge of the roof I’d just left, with only a small jump between us.”

The romance was great!! I loved it so much and I reread the book a few times just to get my intake of romance for the day ’cause it’s that good. Some of Black Knife and Wil’s scenes make me want to swoon, cry and/or scream because it was so good but unfair! The emotional distress I felt reading this book was overwhelming. It didn’t help that the plot and conflict was also amazing and tore my heart out of my chest. You will get the feels reading this book, I promise.

The writing is phenomenal. This is my first time reading Jodi Meadows’ work and I’m impressed how easily she could pull me into her writing through Wil. It is written in first person POV (Wil) and I couldn’t have chosen a better protagonist. Again, Wil’s voice is strong and relatable and she does have flaws that make the reading so much more interesting and fun.

The Orphan Queen will grasp your interest from beginning to end. It is a great mix of romance, action and fantasy. Once you pick The Orphan Queen up, prepare to never put it down until you’re finished. You will be obsessed. Like I am right now. (Ugh, April 5th is way too long!!!!! )

I’m currently reading the novellas Meadows provided while waiting for The Mirror Kingto come out. That will be enough for now. But not for long…

Keep calm and read on,

goodreads / twitter / tumblr / pinterest / instagram / bloglovin’

Note: The date that I wrote this, and the date that I posted it messing with my mind. I wrote this about a year ago so when this publishes I would’ve already read The Mirror King.

It Ends With Us: New CoHo Novel!!!!!

Review: Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant

Messenger of Fear
By Michael Grant

Paperback, 288 pages

Published August 11th 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books

Average Rating: 3.71

Michael Grant’s Messenger of Fear is a haunting narrative that examines the nature of good and evil in every human. Fans of Michelle Hodkin’s Mara Dyer trilogy and Stephen King will love this satisfyingly twisted series.

Mara Todd wakes in a field of dead grass, a heavy mist pressing down on her. She is terrified, afraid that she is dead. She can’t remember who she is or anything about her past. Is it because of the boy who appears? He calls himself the Messenger of Fear. If the world does not bring justice to those who do evil, the Messenger will. He offers the wicked a game. If they win, they go free. If they lose, they will live their greatest fear. Either way, their sanity will be challenged.

It is a world of fair but harsh justice. Of retribution and redemption. And mystery. Why was Mara chosen to be the Messenger’s apprentice? What has she done to deserve this terrible fate? She won’t find out until three of the wicked receive justice. And when she does, she will be shattered.

---

After a lot of begging from Shayla (check our her blog!), I finally read this book. She’s been dying to talk to me about it and well, I have and it was the best decision I’ve made. Kinda. Sorta. Well, now I have another series to wait a year until the next released. More torture for me, yay!

Book 1 and Book 2 already released, I caught up in one day. Yup. I read these two books in one day. I went on a serious rampage with these books and I couldn’t continue doing my homework until I finished the second book, The Tattooed Heart (review to come). However, these books are pretty small so it made it easy to read in one day. As I write this review, my pile of assignments are feeling rather neglected. Sorry not sorry.

In my opinion, there rarely are times where a book can 100% suck me in from the very first page. I’ve had those moments before and those novels or series have a special spot on my favourites shelf because of that. Messenger of Fear is another one of those novels. But, this novel sucked me in in such a different way that I’m finding it hard to explain the extent of my experience. I can’t pinpoint the moment where I knew this was going to be a good book, other than the fact the first chapter was written in such a poetic prose yet it was paragraph writing (wrong lingo, but you get what I mean 😛 ). The main character, Mara, had such a prominent voice in my head that it placed a spell on me; it forced me to continue to turn pages. I can’t process how this novel was written in short chapters that ended in curiosity and mystery could bring my mind to its knees in complete surrender to the story, to the realism and to the inevitable fact that this novel is the definition of carrying out justice in such a honest yet morbid way.

“This wrong demands a punishment,” he said. “I offer you a game. If you win, you will go free, unbothered by me or by my apprentice… If you lose, then you will face the thing you fear most.”

There is nothing that can compare to this novel. Grant took the essence of justice, humanity, and evil and created a world where Messengers, servants to the balance, exert the justice required through punishing and rewarding. This novel is full of fantasy and darkness and it was woven like a monster using precious thread in order to create an enchanting image. This monster could create something beautiful, but this monster could also destroy the beautiful. The Messengers are the monsters, but they’re also the beautiful. That is why this book pulls me to opposite ends of the room. There is nothing but balance and beauty and the reality of some wickedness some humans can do and to be given the chance to read the consequences of that is absolutely humbling. Alas, it would be an understatement to say that this novel changed me.

Mara wakes up in a cemetery and is immediately thrown into a world where the laws of physics cease to exist in order to veil her and the Messenger from the real world. Mara’s voice had a great effect on my reading experience in the way that her thoughts, and her words were so honest and had a speck of pain and sadness. As the apprentice to Messenger, this main character sees things that no one should ever see. She is pushed headfirst to face the wicked, the painful, and the sadness in this world that could very much be the one we live in. Through her, I was also subjected to the gripping reality of the world and that is where the speechlessness lies. Her character along with the unmistakable honesty of this novel gave me such a rich experience, that I felt that I was there right along side her, witnessing, executing, and thinking.

“We left the house and were somewhere very different, ready to witness, ready to offer, ready to punish, to keep the balance of the world. To be Messengers of Fear.”

Messenger is what he’s called. Juuuuust Messenger. You don’t get to know his name until Book 2. His backstory is pretty much non-existent; Mara can barely read his emotions. He’s pretty much a big fat present ready to be opened. And that is only the beginning of the alluring mystery that is him. I love how human he is. I love how blunt he is. As his duty makes him indifferent and harsh, there were many moments in the novel where he softened and his hard exterior melted a little for Mara. From how she reacted, how she talked and how she never took his shit, it showed us readers the person he was before. As a result, I got very attached to Messenger very quickly.

“There’s something about him that seems unnatural. He’s a marble statue brought to lie, unreal. Isn’t he? He can’t be real, not really real, if no for no other reason than no dresses that way. Any yet there is a weight to him, like a distortion of gravity, a bending of light, as if he was made of the stuff of collapsed stars.”

And that brings me to the wonderful imagery and symbolism present in this novel. Few novels extensively use literary devices throughout the story, save for the typical, imagery, irony, foreshadowing, blah, blah, blah. I mean, it’s boring to talk about this is a review, but these devices play such a huge role Messenger of Fear that I can’t help but mention them. To me, this is the secret to why I so strongly enjoyed this novel. It made it realistic. It made it powerful. It made the storytelling come to life. It made the whole concept of punishing the wicked by offering them a game and how if they lose, their deepest fears are imposed on them a terrible yet justifying (in some twisted way) thing to do.  They say that words can give you chills, and that is simply what happened. I got chills. I mean just the description of Messenger above is artistry. Grant is a magical word bender. (Yes, I just made that up. Go with it.)

It’s when a book leaves you with chills when you know it’s a good one. The thing is, Messenger of Fear was good. Nothing that blew me out of the waters, other than the amazing themes and concepts the book possesses. It was a quick read with a steady pace, and a good story line. The simplicity of the novel may seem “bad” but I think it made it that much more powerful when telling Mara’s story. It was to the point and its impression gave a feeling of realism that I’ve been repeatedly praising. If you like a book that raises questions about humanity, justice and the influence of fear, I certainly recommend this book!

Messenger of Fear is a great combination of horror, realism, and fantasy. It was wonderful to read and I’m so overwhelmed with the imprint t it has left me. This novel rips away the bandage of ignorance, and gives us a world where the things we do can affect the balance of justice and wickedness.

Keep calm and read on,

goodreads / twitter / tumblr / pinterest / instagram / bloglovin’

Shayla has also reviewed this novel so check out her review here.

 

 

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses
By Sarah J. Maas

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published May 5th 2015 by Bloomsbury Children’s

Average Rating: 4.35

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

---

Holy freaking crap, this is book is amazing. I finished this book in one day and every time I was forced to put the book, I went insane. I didn’t want to the story to end and when it did, I knew I had a book hangover. It was that good!

NOW I HAVE TO WAIT A WHOLE YEAR FOR THE NEXT BOOK!! *sob* (Update 04/08/16: IT’S COMING OUT IN A MONTH!!)

Since reading Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa, I haven’t found another faerie series that I really liked. THIS BOOK broke my faerie hiatus. Iron Fey is one of my favourite series and A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) met up to that standard!!! I’m currently fangirling because– *ah* SUCH A GOOD BOOK.

Tamlin is a High Fae who, in the beginning, Feyre was very hostile to as certain circumstances lead Feyre to live in his home. Tamlin oozes power and beauty but is also cursed. The book is from Feyre’s first person POV and the way Maas wrote about Tamlin through Feyre’s eyes is mesmerizing. I was mesmerized by Tamlin and everything in between, while reading ACOTAR. He is one sexy character let me tell you. I’m pretty sure my ovaries are screaming in desire for him. (Can’t he be real? Please?)

“I wanted his hardness of his body crushing against mine; I wanted his mouth and teeth and tongue on my bare skin, on my breasts, between my bare legs. Everywhere-I wanted him everywhere. I was drowning in that need.”

Feyre is a character I absolutely look up to. From a young age, she had to learn how to keep her family alive after her father lost all their money, putting them out in the streets. Her older sisters did nothing to help out with money, or food. They were spoiled brats. Being the youngest out of three, the responsibility she was burdened with made her trustworthy, likable and easy to sympathize with. By Chapter 5, I was protective of Feyre and had a deep attachment to her. I wanted to punch her sisters in the face for the crap they gave her. Same with her no-good father who wallowed in his despair of being in poverty.

In the long run, I know the romance in a novel is not as important as the main conflict but I can’t help but adore the romance in this book!!!!!!!! (Yes, those exclamation point were necessary. Shall I remind you of that quote up there again? Do you see why I need those exclamation points? Yea, that’s what I thought.) Tamlin and Feyre *heart eyes* The whole book was perfect for me but the romance just made it better! Tamlin is protective of Feyre and not to mention that he is freaking badass and is immensely powerful. His feelings for her and her for him are passionate and red-hot. The romance portion of the novel is absolutely for mature readers, and those who love romance will be surely satisfied.

The plot and the climax was exhilarating. There was non-stop action, non-stop adventure. Maas kept me interested until the very last page. She is brilliant with coming up with unique scenarios to keep the story moving along. It was also super entertaining to read new twists on the popular faerie world theme, with new rituals and holidays. However, there are certain elements that we all love, like the manipulation and the dark secrets of the fae that are certainly expressed throughout the novel.

At times, the book seemed too long. I’m reading and I’m thinking Okay, it’s almost done. Everything is dying down, it’s time to prepare myself when I reach the last page. Then, I look at the page count and there is still 300 pages left and I’m now thinking What the heck is gonna happen in 300 pages that hasn’t already happened yet?!? Kinda like when you reach the top of a rollercoaster, then you dive down, and next thing you know it’s happening all over again! My emotions were all over the place with this book because I didn’t want it to end but was also curious on how it was going to end.

“But even as I strode through the hedges, carefully retracing my steps back to the house, I couldn’t erase the creeping feeling that someone still watched me, curious and wanting to play.”

Sarah J. Maas is an absolutely brilliant writer and story-teller. I recommend this novel to fans of Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa and anyone who likes action/adventure with romance on the side. Also, this book is just as amazing as her other books, maybe better, so fans of Maas should definitely pick this up for their next read!

YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

Keep calm and read on,

goodreads / twitter / tumblr / pinterest / instagram

Note: So um, I wrote this whole review using the name “Rachelle”?!? What?? I’m so sorry for the confusion and I’m currently smacking myself in the face bazillion times. 

 

Review: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Lady Midnight
By Cassandra Clare

Hardcover, 720 pages

Published March 8th 2016 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Average Rating: 4.56

The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel.

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series.

---

 

Disclaimer: Mini spoilers ahead. Not very significant but may be considered spoilers. Sorry. 

And we are back in the Shadowhunter world!!! *jumps for joy* I’ve been waiting years for this book to come out, so when it finally came out, I knew I had to get it in my hands some way, some how. Finished it in about two days, maybe a day and a half and boy, was it a rollercoaster of emotions!

Cassandra Clare is off to a great start with her new trilogy starring Emma Carstairs, Jem’s descendant, and Julian Blackthorn, her parabatai!!

Okay, the basics. The novel starts five years after CoHF, so Emma is 17 years old. Julian is Emma’s parabatai, and that is extremely important with the semantics of their relationship. (Holy hell, Cassie went there.) Mark, Julian’s older brother comes back into their lives after the Fae captured him for the Hunt and brings havoc along with him. (Let’s see how many times I try not to spoil anything…) If you haven’t read the previous Shadowhunter novels then no worries, Cassie briefly recaps everything and reintroduces elements like runes, the stele, the Clave, Downworlders, parabatai, etc. So, even if you haven’t read the precious series in the Shadowhunter Chronicles, it’s okay if you start with this one. (I do recommend reading the others to enhance your reading experience though)

“I thought it was ‘the Law is annoying, but it is also flexible.'”

The running engine of this novel is Emma’s love for breaking rules which is foreshadowing all on its own. She’s a firecracker and her sarcasm hits me at a personally level. She may be my soul sister. I refuse to admit it, but Emma is the female version of Jace (sorry!) but so much better!! Her parents were part of a ritualistic murder, and the blame was put on Sebastian Morgenstern. She knows that that’s not the case. Someone else killed her parents and she’s going to find out who. She’s only 17, and she’s been looking for her parents’ killer for years. She’s desperate. She’s wants answers, the real ones, once and for all. And she’s going to do anything she can to get them. Ambitious, that girl, let me tell you that. If you haven’t already noticed, Emma is full of personality. Cassie made sure of that. Emma is a complex character and I love that about her. She is the perfect protagonist for this new series.

Julian has a secret. A big one. (And that’s all I’m telling because you book lovers out there need to read this book.) Julian is an artist and dude, that is so attractive. He makes my heart skip a beat at his sweetness and his struggle with [spoiler! I couldn’t help it. I had to!!] his treacherous feelings for Emma.  His internal struggle just broke my already fragile heart. So many feels! Even more, Julian is that boy who didn’t get to be a boy. He had to take care of his siblings at age 12, and it’s so heartrendingly sweet, sad, attractive, amazing, and every other adjective you can think of! His relationships with his siblings and along with Emma are just impeccable. Julian is THE book boyfriend and *sigh* I can’t form coherent thoughts when I think about his character. Who am I kidding this book in general just messes with my emotions and my thoughts.

How you ask? Because every single moment was like a slap in the face (in a good way!). THE STORYTELLING. THE WORDS. THE STORY. It pretty much blew me away. You think after a 6-book series, a trilogy, and some extra short stories, things would get old and repetitive. They don’t. They just don’t. I’ve read most of Cassie’s novels and save for the wonderful parallelism between the books, she always brings something new to the table! Lady Midnight proved that Cassie can keep on writing in this Shadowhunter world with no doubt that the books will be successful.

“Patches of skin were burned, black and red, bubbles rising where the burn were worst, like lather on a bar of soup. His gray shirt was torn open, and across his chest and arms marched lines of black runes, not the runes of Shadowhunters, but a twisted demon script.”

The events leading up to the big epic conclusion to the mystery of the demonic murders were well-paced, and the killer took me by surprise. The romance between Emma and Julian is THE literary relationship. The fighting scenes are amazing; there are plenty of seraph blades being swung around, ichor being spilled, runes engraved, Emma being badass, parabatai moments (swoon) and Mark being Mark. I approve the secondary characters: Kieran, Cristina, the Blackthorn children, and Diana, just to name a few. We also get special appearances from Magnus, Jace, Clary, Alec, Jem and Tessa! *yay!* Pretty much, everything in this book was extraordinary. I don’t think I can say that enough! XD

Okay, let’s talk epilogue. I’ll try to make it brief, but what. the. hell. CASSIE YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME!! YOU CANNOT END IT LIKE THAT. That is complete agony. And who knows when the next book will come out! Probably in a year. A year. (What’s funny is that’s nothing in the life of a book addict.) Anyway, thank you so much for the severe book hangover. Much appreciated. You shall find me curled up in my bed, rereading your book.

Lady Midnight is Cassie’s best book yet, and I’m utterly excited for this new series! It just sucks that I have to wait another year or so before the next book comes out!!! (still not happy with that ending) I will definitely be rereading this book and all her other ones in the Shadowhunter Chronicles in hopes of healing my book hangover…

Lady Midnight is full of mystery, romance, friendship and comedy, making it the perfect (and I mean perfect) young adult novel. Well done, Cassie, well done.

Keep calm and read on,

Name(required)

Email(required)

Website

Comment(required)

Submit

Δ

Tolerating Book To Screen Adaptions?!

Welcome to the world where producers take your favourite books and ruin them! *starts clapping* Bravo! Thank you! Thank you so much for ruining my childhood!! Thank you so much for ruining my life.

…Okay, I’m exaggerating here. Harry Potter was phenomenal and Hunger Games fated pretty well. I’ll give some franchises the benefit of the doubt, but come on, 60% of the time our book-turned-movies don’t feat very well. 99% of the time, us book lovers, can find at least one thing wrong with the movie. Anything from casting to story line to quotes, we will find something we don’t like. I think book lovers are the most pickiest critiques out there! Nonetheless, it’s not like we don’t appreciate the movie itself. It’s a BOOK come to life, but to what extent do we tolerate the book to screen adaptions that don’t always turn out how we envisioned them on the flat screen TVs in our heads? (That was a mouthful.)

Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

White Hot Kiss (Dark Elements #1)
By Jennifer L. Armentrout

Kindle Edition, 400 pages

Published February 25th 2014 by Harlequin Teen
Average Rating: 4.30

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she’s anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she’s crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she’s not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn’t an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she’s the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

---

Disclaimer: This review may be extremely biased and positive. NO HATE HERE. ONLY LOVE.

I love Jennifer Armentrout and it is really hard for me to complain about her books!! With that being said, all these reviews will be written with the knowledge of the other books. I’ll try to write these reviews as if I haven’t read the others, that way the reviews would be more accurate. (I pretty much read all her books up to date.) Hopefully, I won’t be repeating myself too much. 🙂

First things first, the covers. These covers are gorgeous!!! I love the old ones better than the new ones though. I think the others are too plain and simple. White Hot Kiss‘ cover is steamy and sexy as hell. And Roth is on this one. *heart eyes* (That is such a pet peeve as well!! When I buy books I want them all to look the same. Do not go and change the covers on me in the middle of the series!!)

I don’t know why, but it seems every single series that I love, I rejected before I decided to give them a chance and I end up loving them to bits once I finally read them. This book was no different. I came across this novel on my Recommendations on Goodreads and ignored it. The book’s story didn’t appeal to me then, but now? NOW I want to punch myself in the face for not reading it sooner!! The novel, this series is the epitome of YA novels!!

“When people inexplicably disappear into thin air, it was usually because they had a new zip code. Something like 666.”

Layla has a deadly kiss. She can suck the souls out of humans with one harmless kiss, and boy, does that make things interesting. Layla is a character I can very much relate to. She’s kind, smart, sarcastic, quirky, stubborn and the best heroine ever. Her spunk makes for a very amusing read. I literally have all her sarcastic, sassy comments highlighted in my book. Not to mention that some were random as hell! Layla is hilarious! She’s one of my literary best friends. Have I mention she can also kick some butt? She’s fiercely loyal to the Wardens but she never felt like she fit in with the them either. When Roth, a demon who oozes sexy and charm, appears in her life, she starts to question who she is, and the Wardens. And that pretty much sums up Book 1.

Now, Roth. Oh my goodness, ROTH. He is absolutely swoon-worthy! *heart eyes* He is the bad boy in the form of a very powerful demon. He’s sarcastic, playful, and loves to piss Layla off! Layla and Roth are the dynamic duo that makes this book so much fun to read. I laughed, and I cried when these two were together. Also, the chemistry between Roth and Layla was sizzling hot! Let the shipping commence! I love JLA for giving us some extras in Roth’s POV. I reread them over and over again. *heart eyes* (Seriously, WordPress needs a smilie or emoji for that. I’m going to be using it soo much in this review ) ANOTHER THING. His familiars!! They are the best thing to be ever made!! Three kittens, one snake, and a dragon. All tattoos. Animated. They come to life and destroy you. Best. Thing. Ever. I’m sure I’ll be fawning over them in my review of Book 2, Stone Cold Touch. 😛

“Don’t be scared of Bambi,” the demon said. “She’s only curious and maybe a little bit hungry.” The thing was called Bambi? Oh my god, the thing stared at me like it wanted to eat me.“

Zayne, oh Zayne. I’m so sorry that I’m on Team Roth (no, not really…) but I still like you all the same. Zayne is the “boy next door” type of character. He’s sweet, caring and honest. Zayne is the complete opposite of Roth. He wasn’t that important in Book 1, but in Book 2, we really see the love triangle. *stabs myself in chest* *swears at the heavens* (Seriously, I know. THAT’S how much I love the series if I can (kinda) ignore the whole love triangle bit) Zayne is rather oblivious in this novel, and blindly trusts the Wardens. I mean he happens to be one, so I guess it was more blindly devoted to duty than to reason. I didn’t hate him nor love him like I did Roth, but he was a good addition to White Hot Kiss. I really did love the best friend vibe Layla and him had. I’ll always want that guy best friend that will always stay platonic. (So sorry to the Layla/Zayne shippers out there…)

With some amazing characters, the plot didn’t go unnoticed. Simply, Layla is the one that is going to save the world from destruction that this really evil demon called Lilith is planning to cause. The plot paced rather well, it wasn’t too slow or too fast. The action never ceased to stop, so there was continuous interest throughout the novel. Lots of snarky, quirky and laugh-out-loud moments as well. I remember reading this book for the first time in one night. I also had to immediately get the next one the very next day. THE CLIFF-HANGER WAS AGONIZING.

Speaking about cliff-hangers, the plot twists in this book were jaw-dropping. I’m pretty sure there is one specific scene where I started to shout, “No. No, no, no. Nonononononono!!” Ah, JLA is brilliant at inducing the feels and the emotions. This is why she is probably one of my favourite YA authors out there!

I recommend this book to everyone! Seriously, if you haven’t read this book yet, you should get it RIGHT NOW. Anything JLA, you should read immediately!

Keep calm and read on,

Note: Another old review of mine from the previous blog. Again, I can see the noticeable different between my reviews then and now. *cringe*