Review: 'Days of Blood and Starlight' by Laini Taylor

Once upon a time,

an angel and a devil held a wishbone between them.

And its snap split the world in two.

With the snap of a bone Karou remembers her former life as a the chimera, Madrigal, and the forbidden love that condemned her people.  Karou returns to Eretz only to discover that the chimeran city of Loramendi has been reduced to ashes, its citizens dead.  Grieving and heart-sick, she joins forces with the surviving band of rebels even though that means working hand-in-claw with the White Wolf.

Laini Taylor casts a spell with her novels, easily drawing readers into a world of angels and demons where the demons are sometimes heroes and the angels are sometimes monsters.  Nothing is Eretz is black and white and the moral dilemmas facing Taylor's characters make them real in a way not often found in YA Literature.  Taylor's writing is sensual, hypnotic and original while her characters are wonderfully flawed.  Karou is a passionate female lead who's strength comes from her deep and abiding love of the people around her, while Akiva is a warrior seeking redemption for his bloody past. Secondary characters are just as complex as main characters and their existence is integral to the story, providing the reader with interesting alternative perspectives.

This is a dense, rich text dealing with issues of love, hate, redemption and morality.  These issues make this Days of Blood and Starlight a perfect choice for classroom or book club discussion.  Somehow, Taylor manages to keep a sprinting pace throughout the book, so be prepared to try and read this 500+ page epic in one sitting.  Fair warning, this is only the second installment in a planned trilogy, so be prepared to finish Days of Blood and Starlight wanting more.

WARNING: Read Daughter of Smoke and Bone before starting this novel!

RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2012

Book Source: VOYA via Little, Brown & Company

Reviewed by: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 16+ Mature themes, attempted rape, war violence

Recommended for Readers of:

Review: 'Immortal City' by Scott Speer

More than one hundred years ago angels revealed themselves to the human population and changed the way they performed their "miracles".  Now Guardian Angels offer Protection to anyone - if you can afford it.  Angels have become some of the riches beings on the planet and have become the new celebrities.  Instead of actors having stars on the Walk of Fame, angels get a star on what has become Angel Boulevard.  Jackson Godspeed is the most famous angel of his generation and the time for his Commissioning (when he becomes a Guardian Angel) is drawing close.  All he has ever wanted was to wear a Divine Ring and provide Protection.  But now something is hunting angels; leaving severed wings on Angel Boulevard and somehow the not-so-ordinary human teenager Maddy Montgomery is involved.

This novel has a LOT going on, but the pacing is a little strange and the first two-thirds seem to take twice as long to read - perhaps because Mr. Speer has created such a detailed world.  Jackson is wonderfully conceited without realizing it and the transition between the self-involved boy he starts as and the thoughtful young man he becomes is realistic.  Maddy's character is an interesting blend of confidence and insecurity that many a teenage girl will relate to and the fact that this mix wins her the heart of the hottest angel on the planet is sure to appeal as well.

Overall this is a decent first novel and there is potential for more novels set in this universe.  Readers looking for a quick paranormal read should find this one worthwhile.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 15+ Underage drinking, violence

Recommended for Readers of:

Review: 'Her Majesty's Dog, Volume 1' by Mick Takeuchi

Amane Kamori has a secret that may get her killed.  She is a medium who can control anyone with word magic. Hyoue is the guardian demon whose sole purpose is to protect Amane. Now that Amane and Hyoue have left their village to attend school, can she keep her secret? Can Hyoue keep her safe?

This manga intrigues me and I am curious to see where it will lead. Amane is a somewhat oblivious teenage girl who lacks some of the most basic in teen social interaction but who can control spirits and people.  (She seems to be uneasy with her power and only uses it  when given no other choice.)   Hyoue is temperamental and rash with the habit of kissing Amane in public.  These kisses serve the dual purpose of embarrassing Amane and allowing Hyoue to feed from her life force. While the continuing plot seems a little unfocused, the drawings and character development are enough to keep me reading.  This manga will appeal to older teens looking for a darker romantic read.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 16+ Mature content, violence, sensuality

Recommended for Readers of:

Zombie-Loan by Peach-Pit	City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare	The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter	Nightschool by Svetlana Chmakova

Review: 'The Princess & The Hound' by Mette Ivie Harrison

A prince who possesses forbidden animal magic is set to marry a princess from a rival kingdom to cement peace between the nations. But the princess in question is more than what she seems and the prince must uncover her secret and challenge decades of discrimination in order to win her heart and rule the kingdom.

The Princess and the Hound is well-written, stays true to it's fairytale roots and should please readers who are looking for such a novel.   However, because of the narration and very traditional format of the story the reader never intimately knows either of the main characters.  The author does not allow the reader to really get inside the characters and so the reader is not emotionally invested in the story.   The tale itself is interesting but the narrative format makes the story drag in places.  This novel is interesting, but will not hold much appeal for readers from the broader spectrum - expect only hardcore fairytale buffs to pursue this novel.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 12+

Recommended for Readers of:

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George	Enchantment by Orson Scott Card	Entwined by Heather Dixon	The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

Review: 'A Certain Slant of Light' by Laura Whitcomb

Helen has been dead for more than a hundred years and has passed the time haunting individuals – most recently Mr. Brown, a high school English teacher. While accompanying Mr. Brown to school one day, Helen notices a boy, James, noticing her; something that should be impossible. But there is more to this boy than there seems and he and Helen soon embark on an incredible journey of self discovery, second chances and redemption.

Helen's personality blends innocence and worldliness in an intriguing combination while James balances her innocence with passion and emotion.  This novel is about more than just redemption, it is about accepting yourself and making a conscious choice to live the life you choose.  Emotion is this novel's strength as Whitcomb puts the reader inside the head and heart of Helen and James.  Somehow this novel balances aspects of a star-crossed lover tale as well as a heartwarming romance without giving in to the sappy language often found in YA literature.    Poignant, bittersweet and beautifully crafted, “A Certain Slant of Light” is incredibly touching novel that will impact readers long after the book is finished.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 16+ Drug use, sexual situations

Recommended for Readers of:

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter	If I Stay by Gayle Forman	Impulse by Ellen Hopkins	I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder