Bloodthirsty

Title: Bloodthirsty

Author: Flynn Meaney

Series: Standalone

Number of Pages: 234

Date Read: 4/11/16 

Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Vampire, Humor

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads.com):

Some vampires are good. Some are evil. Some are faking it to get girls.
Awkward and allergic to the sun, sixteen-year-old Finbar Frame never gets the girl. But when he notices that all the female students at his school are obsessed with a vampire romance novel called Bloodthirsty, Finbar decides to boldly go where no sane guy has gone before-he becomes a vampire, minus the whole blood sucking part. 
With his brooding nature and weirdly pale skin, it's surprisingly easy for Finbar to pretend to be paranormal. But, when he meets the one girl who just might like him for who he really is, he discovers that his life as a pseudo-vampire is more complicated than he expected. 
This hilarious debut novel is for anyone who believes that sometimes even nice guys-without sharp teeth or sparkly skin-- can get the girl.

My Review: 

So this book is a reread for me and I have to say I loved it this time around as much as when I first read it. The book is just hilarious, I love love love the main character and it's a fun coming of age story. 

The plot is a simple one. Finbar (Finn) is 16 years old, a nerd and never had a girlfriend. His fraternal twin brother, Luke, is hot and gets all the girls. Finn has always been picked on but recently his family moved to NYC. Finn wonders what he can do to get a girl. He notices that a lot of girls are reading a book called "Bloodthirsty", which is about vampires. He figures out all girls love vampires and decides to become a vampire to get a girl. Hilarity ensues. 

I loved Finn. First off his name is completely hilarious. Finbar. Ha. Anyway he is the most down to earth character ever. He loves to read, is a science nerd and horrible at sports. He also recognizes his faults in both character and his appearance (in his opinion). Finn is a very sweet, kind, caring and loving guy and all he wants is to give his love to someone. It's a bit hard for him though. He also has problems with the sun and he can't be in it for long. He describes himself as tall, skinny, pale, with brown hair and creepy clear blue eyes. Finn totally makes this book. He is just so funny and his thoughts are hilarious. Finn is also completely oblivious when it comes to signals from girls. Its very funny. Poor guy. 

The situations Finn gets himself into because of his pretending to be a vampire are funny and I loved seeing how he got out of them. Also through his new vampire state, he becomes able to do things he wouldn't have been able to do when he was just himself. He is able to speak in class, about sex no less. He can talk to girls. He's popular. He can also actually win in a fight. Although there are many pluses for his new "species", some problems do arise and he has to figure out how to navigate through them. Especially when he falls for a girl he really likes. 

Finn's brother Luke, was funny too. His extremely catholic, obsessed with cleanliness mom was also really funny. She was just so awkward, the things she said were hilarious and she embarrassed Finn so much. I loved it. 

All in all the book was funny and it made me laugh out loud so many times. I highly recommend it.

Rating: A+

All the Truth that’s in Me

Title: All the Truth that’s in Me

Author: Julie Berry

Series: Standalone

Number of Pages: 274

Date Read: 3/25/16 

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads.com):

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.

Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas.

But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.

This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

My Review: 

This was a good historical fiction book and I enjoyed it. 

The Plot:
Judith has disappeared from her village in Roswell Station for 4 years. When she comes back she is mutilated- He tongue has been cut out and she cannot speak. The story is about her day to day life in her home and village. Many events happen and she related them to the reader as if she is writing in a journal except it's her thoughts. When she talks about a certain character, named Lucas, and the feelings she has for him she use the word "you" as if she is talking to him. The book is about how she is treated by others in the village and by her family now that she is a mute. 

The Characters:
I liked Judith. As a reader I could see her grow and change from the beginning of the book to the end. In the beginning she was timid and didn't really want anyone to notice her. She was also kind of whiny and a bit stalkerish towards Lucas. But near the end she becomes strong and wants people to hear her and take notice. Judith starts out very lost, wondering what will become of her and throughout the book she finds inner strength and decides she can do something with her life. She also has a tough skin, hearing all the gossip and rude things people say about her. The only things that hurt her are her mother's remarks. Judith is also loyal to her village even though they treat her like garbage. She went and faced her fear because it meant getting help when the village was under attack. She is a sweet character and I'm glad she was ok at the end. 

Lucas is the by Judith loves and who she talks to in her mind throughout the book, so we only get a view of him through Judith's eyes and hear what he says through Judith's ears. From what I gathered he is a hardworking young man who has many hardships in his young life. He was revered as the town hero and the one people looked to for leadership because of his family name but one event throws him out of popularity. Now he is ridiculed and treated as a pariah by the stupid townspeople. Lucas is very sweet and kind especially to Judith. He helps her and her brother to school during the winter. I loved how sweet, loving and kind he is to his old dog Jip. He is like the perfect guy. 

I really hated Judith's mother. She treats Judith like a leper because of her cut out tongue which was NOT HR FAULT! She was gave all her affection to Judith's brother (who honestly didn't want it) and basically treated Judith as if she was a slave. Instead of being thankful that her daughter came back alive she is disgusted by her and all but ignores her except to order her around. At one point she even calls her a whore. She forbids Judith to even try to talk because she says Judith sound like an idiot when she tries to talk. What a winner of a mother. She should of died of a fever. What a b***h.

I really liked Judith's brother Darrel. He is younger than her but he helps her and is there for her when he can be. Of course they have their fights and disagreements but thy help each other. Darrel gets injured and Judith helps him. They both go to school and Darrel helps Judith with the work. He dislikes the way his mother treats Judith and defends her when he can. He is genuinely happy for Judith at the end of the book. 

I'm not going to lie, the book was boring at times. There was a bit of mystery involved because a girl went missing a few days before Judith. The girl was found dead a few days after Judith disappeared and they're a mystery of who killed the girl and who was Judith's kidnapper. The reader learns some information in the beginning of the book but the townspeople doesn't know. So it was kind of a wait to see when they would find out the information and that was kind of annoying. But all in all a good book and I'm glad I read it. 

Rating:B

Carry On

Title: Carry On

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Series: Standalone

Number of Pages: 517 

Date Read: 1/18/16

Genre: Fantasy, Magic, Romance- Glbt 

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads.com):

 Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters. 

My Review: 

This book was awesome. 

This book is Rainbow Rowell's version of the Simon Snow books she created in her book "Fangirl". 

This book takes place during Simon's last year at the magical school of Watford where he is learning to be a magician. The only problem is that Simon suckas a magic and spells. He has all this magic inside him and when he gets angry or something it explodes out of him. He can't really control it. At this point in the story of Simon Snow he is still trying to find the bad guy who is called the insidious Humdrum. The Humdrum takes/sucks the magic out of a place, leaving magicless pockets where magician's magic doesn't work. And the Humdrum is after Simon. The Mage is the headmaster of the Watford school and tries to protect Simon. There are more things about the Mage and his politics in the book. At the start of the book, Simon goes back to Watford after summer break and Baz, his roommate, doesn't come back for awhile. 

The book is told in multiple point of views but the main one is of course, Simon's and the second most used pov is Baz's. 

I really liked Simon. I thought he was great. He was very brave and he did what he had to do when he was fighting all the things the Humdrum sent his way. Simon is very different from Harry Potter. Simon really sucks at magic and spells. He has all this power that builds inside him but he can't use it. He can only use it when he "goes off" which I guess is when his magic goes berserk. So instead of magic, Simon uses his strength and his sword of mages to fight beasts. He is by no means a genius but he tries his best at the mystery that's in his book. He is very loyal to people he cares about especially the mage. Simon is also slightly obsessed with Baz and always thinks Baz is plotting against him. I also love the fact that Simon is always hungry and always wants to eat. He is very brave and does what he has to do to save the world of mages. 

I loved loved loved Baz. He was so badass. I love that he's a vampire and a mage and I love how he doesn't confirm everyone's suspicions about him. He doesn't deny it but he doesn't say yes either. Baz is very elegant, he wears expensive clothes and everything about him is so formal. He is sarcastic and doesn't want to get too close to Simon. He and Simon are always fighting, arguing and insulting each other at least in the beginning of the book. I just loved him. 

I loved Penny, who is Simon's best friend. She is very smart and she helps Simon and Baz with the mystery of the book. Baz, while he doesn't get along with Penny, actually wants her help with the mystery because she is so smart. She genuinely cares about Simon and is really a great friend to him. She has been with him through all of their years at Watford. She's helped Simon in fights, gone on his "adventures" with him and always had his back. She is also superb at magic and helped Simon that way. 

I really didn't like Agatha. She was a b*tch and a coward. She broke up with Simon, had a crush on Baz but when she finds out Simon and Penny are helping Baz with something, she's all like "why, Baz is evil, he's a vampire, he's bad." WHen reading that I was like b*tch you wanted to kiss Baz in the beginning of the book, did you forget that? Agatha really doesn't do anything but complain and when she has a chance to help, she turns into a coward and runs away. I really didn't care what happens to her at all. 

There are other characters too. I though the mage was a bit creepy. I began to get suspicious of him as I was reading the book. He just rubbed me the wrong way. I was expecting a Dumbledore type of character but he is nothing like that. And I loved Ebb the goatherder. She was such a sweet person and so friendly to Simon. She was also extremely powerful but all she wanted was to stay out of politics and take care of her goats. She was a good person. 

I loved loved loved the romance in this book between Simon and Baz. I have read a few books with two girls in a relationship but never two boys. I loved every minute of their romance once they decided to stop fighting with each other. A lot of things build up between them and then finally they kiss for the first time. And let me tell you I was like "YESSSSSSSS!". You have to wait a long while for this moment and it is soo satisfying when it happens. They are so sweet together. Baz is able to let his guard down and we get to see a softer, loving side of him when he's with Simon. And Simon has someone he wants to hold onto and fight for. And that whole "I want to be your boyfriend" speech Simon gave- Loved IT! I think Simon and Baz are perfect for each other and they truly care about each other. I loved their kissing scenes and lovey dovey scenes. It's clear that they love each other and compliment each other; Baz is still his badass self and Simon is still his heroic self. Well done Rainbow Rowell!

I also enjoyed the world of mages that Rainbow Rowell built. I loved the different kinds of beings and I loved the way the magicians casted spells. They just used regular phrases like "Clean as a whistle" to clean up something or someone. My personal favorite was the one that Penny used to make something invisible; it was "These aren't the droids you're looking for". Love the star wars reference!

I am so happy I read this book. It really was worth it and its on my favorites book list. 

Rating: A+

The Bunker Diary

Title: The Bunker Diary

Author: Kevin Brooks

Standalone

Number of Pages: 260

Date Read: 7/5/15

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Contemporary, Mystery, Survival

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads.com)

Room meets Lord of the Flies, The Bunker Diary is award-winning, young adult writer Kevin Brooks's pulse-pounding exploration of what happens when your worst nightmare comes true - and how will you survive?

I can't believe I fell for it.

It was still dark when I woke up this morning.

As soon as my eyes opened I knew where I was.

A low-ceilinged rectangular building made entirely of whitewashed concrete.

There are six little rooms along the main corridor.

There are no windows. No doors. The lift is the only way in or out.

What's he going to do to me?

What am I going to do?

If I'm right, the lift will come down in five minutes.

It did. Only this time it wasn't empty . . .

My Review:

This book was ok. It wasn't as great as I thought it would be. 

Basically six people get taken by an unknown man and are put inside an underground bunker where he has control of everything. He controls their food, their supplies, their actions (through rewards and punishments) and he watches/listens to them all the time via cameras and audio bugs. The book is the main character, Linus, account of his and the others day to day life in the bunker and what the unknown man puts them through. 

I liked Linus. He is a sixteen year old boy who got caught by this guy because Linus was trying to help him. The man was disguised as a blind man who needed help and Linus stopped to help him. Linus is a nice guy, who never felt like he belonged anywhere; not in his boarding school, not with his rich dad and not on the streets when he ran away. He is also very caring and protective and it shows when he takes Jenny, the little girl who was put in the bunker as well, under his wing. 

Linus is the first to arrive at the bunker. Then Jenny comes and I love her. She is a nine year old girl who is spunky and grows up very fast in the bunker. She is very smart and usually has good ideas that even the adults don't think of. She grows tough and is a very strong little girl, mentally and some what emotionally. Then there is Anja who is in her late twenties and is in the "property" career. She is very weak, complains a lot, is very irritable and doesn't contribute any real help or ideas to the group. She basically wallows in her misery waiting to be saved by someone who will never come. I didn't really care about her one way or the other. Then there is Fred who is a hulk of a man with tattoos and who is very strong. I also liked him a lot. He is a heroine addict but he really is a nice guy. He can be scary, rough, intimidating and mean at some points but he really isn't out to hurt anyone. He is smart in his own way, more so in the common sense department. He is also very good with Jenny and with saving the other when they need it. Next is Bird who is a fat man in the banking business or something. He is a real jerk who thinks he's smarter than everyone and who has an infatuation with Anja. He just gave me the creeps and I really didn't like him. Lastly is Russell an elderly african american gay man, with a glass eye and who is an author and a physicists. Linus had read his book. He is very smart, intelligent, nice and extremely knowledgable. I liked him a lot too. 

The diary is all of Linus' musings, thoughts, conversations with the others and plans for escape. It is really horrifying to see what these people had to deal with everyday, all for the entertainment of a creep. Anytime the group tried to rebel or escape, the man would do horrible things to them like starve them, gas them and other things. He would try to pit them against each other just to see what happened. It was really heartbreaking as well especially with Jenny who was so young. 

The one thing that this book left me wanting was an explanation on who the guy was who put them there. We don't see him at all in the book except for the character's descriptions of him when they encountered him. The group never gets a chance to talk or confront him. The reader know and learns absolutely zero about him which annoyed me. I wanted to know what kind of sick asshole he was and I wanted at least one of the group members to kill or hurt him. It was very frustrating.

I am extremely upset about the dog. What that bastard (the guy who put them there) did to the dog makes me want to kill him even more.

I'm not even going to talk about the ending.

So all in all the book was ok but I wanted some more from it, especially more information about the sick creep who did all this. 

Rating: B

Crimson Bound

Title:Crimson Bound

Author: Rosamund Hodge

Standalone

Number of Pages: 436

Date Read: 6/14/15

Genre: Fairy-Tale Retelling, Fantasy

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads.com)

When Rachelle was fifteen, she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

My Review:

This is the second book by this author where I thought I was going to love the book but ended up not liking it as much as I thought I was going to. What sold me on the book was the fact that it was said to be a retelling of red riding hood......no where in the story did I see a reference or parallel to the red riding hood tale. I gotta say the book did disappoint me. 

in this book there were immortal creatures called forestborn. I still don't really know what kind of supernatural creature they are but to me they seem extremely similar to vampires, without the fangs. there is also the big bad in the book who is called the Devourer but I still don;t know what this thing looks like or really what it is. Apparently it needs a body to inhabit but it has a stomach where it swallowed the moon and sun and apparently the main character sees and describes it. The description is so vague and unclear that I really don't know what it is. Then there are bloodbound where are humans who are marked by forestborn to become forestborn. The marked humans have 3 days to kill another human to become bloodbound or they die from the mark. IF they kill a human, the become bloodbound which is a not human nor forestborn state. They get all the special powers and abilities of forestborns but not to the forestborn's degree. Once a bloodbound forsakens the rest of the humanity in them, they become an immortal forestborn. IF you've ever seen the Vampire Diaries tv show then its the same thing as becoming a vampire. 

So basically the story is this. The devourer was defeated hundred of years ago by the legendary Zisa and her brother Tyr. The devourer swallowed the sun and the moon and there was eternal night. The humans had to honor and sacrifice for the forestborn their master the devourer. That is until Zisa saved the day, returned the sun and the moon and defeated the devourer. Now the sun and moon light are waning and its up to our heroine Rachelle to stop the devourer from coming back. To do this she must find Zisa or Tyr's legendary bone swords which are the only things that can truly kill the devourer. So she spends her time in the book looking for the swords as well as guarding the King's bastard son Armand. Oh and there is also something called the Great Forest which is where the forestborn and the devourer live but its like in a parallel dimension where only forestborn and bloodbounds can see it. The forest can manifest anywhere and the creatures in the forest can come into the human world and attack the humans. 

Rachelle is an ok character. She was studying to become a woodwife which are kind of like witches who cast spells and charms to protect the village from forestborn. Unfortunately Rachelle doesn't listen to her aunt (who is training her) and speaks to a forestborn who she thinks she can outwit. Of course that doesn't happen and she becomes a bloodbound. She leaves her village because they'll kill her if they find out what she did and she goes to become part of the king's bloodbound army. There she "mans up" so to speak and she becomes this bad-ass bloodbound who is great with a sword and at fighting. She spends her time killing woodspawn, where are creatures that come from the great forest. Like I said before she begins to look for one of the swords but she also gets assigned to watch the king's son armand. Rachelle is brave and can be loyal when she wants to be. She is also annoying always whining about being a bloodbound, and how she's damned to hell, how shes in the kings army to do penance for becoming a bloodbound, how she should of died instead of becoming a bloodbound and the complaints keep on coming. She is constantly reminding Armand that she is dangerous, that she's a blood bound and she constantly threatens him. She wants to give in to the forest and become a forestborn (who apparently have no emotions) but then she doesn't and is horrified at the thoughts that she has. She's just all over the place and her complaining had me going crazy. 

I really liked Erec, who wa another bloodbound in the king's army who trained Rachelle. He is so arrogant and thinks he is the hottest ladies man but he does it in a funny way where it's not sleazy. He is always trying to get into Rachelle's pants and its funny how he tries to woo her. He has no qualms about becoming a forestborn and looks forward to it. He really is such a likable character. He always calls Rachelle "my lady" and can make her into a stuttering mess in an instant. He acts like a gentleman would, makes sarcastic remarks and loves to be in the center of attention in the king's court. I'm not sure but I think he is the head of the king's bloodbounds but don't quote me on that. He does some bad things that can cause the reader to dislike him but in the end he tries to redeem himself. I really liked him alot. 

I also liked Armand. His story is that he was marked by a bloodbound but he survived without killing and becoming a bloodbound. His hand however, were cut off by the forestborn who marked him so now he had silver hands he can attach to his stumps. Rachelle doesn't like him because she is jealous that he survived the marking and it makes her wonder if there was something she could of done to not become a bloodbound. Anyway the king has made his son kind of like a saint to the people and he is constantly trying to be assassinated. So Rachelle is assigned to guard him. Armand is very funny too but in a more sarcastic kind of way. He gets under Rachelle's skin by being extremely calm and speaking to her in a calm manner. It seems like nothing upsets him. He is loyal to the people he cares about and he is willing to sacrifice himself for the ones he loves. He is a very likable character. 

There is a lot of action in book with constant fights and battles with woodspawn. There are also mysteries because both Erec and Armand have secrets. Then there's the mystery surrounding the devourer and the swords that can kill him. 

Now on the the romance. This book has a love triangle which I can't stand. Rachelle of course is in the middle. Rachelle has feelings for Erec who is very handsome and is just like her, a bloodbound. Even though he is very flirty its clear that he wants Rachelle too, though until much later the reader doesn't know in what capacity- as a lover/sex thing or that he really loves her. Then Rachelle loves Armand which, really comes out of left field. Its clear in the beginning when she has to guard him, the reader can see her dislike of him, how she sees him as a chore and how she thinks he is a fraud. Then all of a sudden she "realizes" she loves him and what she feels for him is different from what she feels for Erec. Of course the triangle wouldn't be complete if Armand didn't love her too-which he does. Then added to her feelings for both men is the fact that both have secrets and whatnot. AND since I really like both guys a lot, I don't know who I would rather her be with. I don't think I'd want her with either of them because I don't really like Rachelle much. But anyway I hate love triangles. 

So all in all this book was an ok read for me. Nothing special.

Rating:

B 

Beyond the Burning Time

Title: Beyond the Burning Time

Author: Kathryn Lasky

Standalone

Number of Pages: 272

Date Read: 5/31/15

Genre: Historical Fiction, Witches, History

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads.com)

They say something very strange is happening to some of the people of Salem. That some of the young girls have become - troubled. And the fear is beginning to spread. Mary and her mother don't hear about the rumors right away. They don't know that many of the villagers believe that some of Mary's friends have had spells cast on them - by witches. Or that one of the accused is Mary's mother.

Now Mary and her brother, Caleb, have a decision to make: Are the villagers right? Or is their mother innocent? And if she is - can they help her escape before it's too late?

My Review:

wow I haven't read this book since I was in seventh grade! I decided to re-read it and I'm glad I did. I still like it alot. I had remembered a few plot points but some I had completely forgotten and was surprised to read about. 

This book is about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Many of the characters were real people who participated in the trials. The main character and her family are fictional characters. The events that occurred were real and mainly in the order they appear in the book. I have always loved reading about the Salem Witch Trials; even though they were a tragic event they are very interesting to read about. This was my first book about the Salem Witch Trials. 

I loved the main character, Mary Chase. She is a very spunky 12 year old. She is very responsible, helping her mother take care of the farm her father left after he passed away. Her brother Caleb, is a shipbuilder's apprentice so he can't be at the farm to help. Its just Mary, her mother Virginia and Mary's father's friend Gilly. Mary is very practical and has no time for girly nonsense. Instead of thinking about boys she is thinking about if the barely she planted will grow. MAry has had to grow up faster due to her father's sudden death. The witch trials scare Mary and she is very worried about her mother, who is very outspoken against the trials and notion of witches. Mary can be a bit bold with her mouth but she also knows when to keep quite. She is usually a calm good girl. We see Mary change later on due to some circumstances where she becomes violent and wants to hurt people because of what has happened to her. She can be a sweet girl but can also be vicious when she needs to be. I really liked her. I also admire her and her mother, for taking on the job of keeping up the farm. It is hard work and the two females do it all and run the farm well. 

While I liked to read about the witch trials and find them interesting, reading about them also gets me angry. I get angry about the unfairness of it all and angry about the poor people that were hung because some girls decided they wanted attention and pretended to be possessed and tortured by witches. People were so ignorant back then that I just want to slap them all. Also I'm not a big fan of the Putnam family. I dunno but to me it seems as if they were the bad guys encouraging the girls to name their rivals and enemies as witches to get rid of them. They were twisted, ruthless and money/land hungry people. At least that's how many books portray them as. Anyway I don't really like them in any story i've read so far and the mother is creepy in the stories. 

Anyway reading this book makes me want to learn more about the trials so I guess I'll get some nonfiction books to read !

Rating:

A 

Cruel Beauty

Title:Cruel Beauty

Author: Rosamund Hodge

Standalone

Number of Pages: 342

Date Read: 2/21/15

Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling, Romance, Fantasy

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads.com)

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

My Review:

I enjoyed reading this book. Its based on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale and its set in ancient Greece or at least in Greece during a time when Greek people still believed in the gods. 

Nyx was raised all her life to be a weapon by her father to kill her future husband when she married him. Nyx lives in Arcadia, in a world filled with demons, where people go mad by looking into the shadows where demons live. Arcadia was once part of the rest of the world but some time 900 years ago, Arcadia was sundered from the rest of the world and enclosed in its own world, with a fake sun and sky. Nyx's Arcadia is ruled by the Gentle Lord, Ignifex, who is a demon lord and king of bargains. He makes bargains with mortals but his prices always end in death, sorrow or misfortune. This is Nyx's husband. She is forced to marry a demon because of a bargain her father made with the Gentle lord and his price was one of Nyx's fathers daughters must marry him. Her father chose her. 

I liked Nyx. She wasn't just some girl who obeyed her father and went happily along with her fate. She was bitter, hateful, and upset at her father and Aunt (her mother died giving birth to her and her twin). She was jealous of her sister, had the rest of her life to live (Nyx's father's plan to kill Ignifex involved Nyx's dying). She was also very feisty, especially with Ignifex. Even though she hated her father and was jealous of her sister, she was still loyal to them in her cause to destroy Ignifex even when she fell in love with him. Nyx was someone who wanted love all her life and she found it with Ignifex and she was happy for a time, until she realized that she had to destroy him to save Arcadia. She was still determined to save Arcadia even when it broke her heart. 

I really liked Ignifex. He was funny, sarcastic and playful. He never got angry at Nyx, except for one time. In his own way her was a prisoner too, trapped to being the lord of bargains. He was also bitter and hateful but he trusted Nyx completely. He has many secrets that Nyx has to unravel and there are many things that he doesn't even know about himself that he has to discover in the book. He is kind to Nyx from the beginning and he falls in love with her as well. He knows what she's trying to do from the beginning, that she's trying to destroy him, but he loves her anyway. 

Shade is another character in the book. He is Ignifex's shadow and he is bound to obey Ignifex. He grows close to Nyx and helps her in finding what she needs to find to defeat Ignifex. He believes in her and she is her his hope in saving Arcadia. During the day he is a shadow but at night he gains a body, which allows him to speak to and help Nyx. Shade also has secrets that Nyx needs to find out and there are some romantic feelings between them also. 

I enjoyed the romance in the book a lot. At first Nyx had only desire (sexual) Ignifex and she was war with herself about her feelings for the demon who was responsible for her mother's death and the sundering of Arcadia. As they spent more time together they fell in love and they were happy. He never pushed her to do anything she didn't want to do and he never hurt her. The s**t does hit the fan later on and there are twists which I didn't see coming until the end but it was a really nice romance and love story. 

Rating

A