Book Review: SIRENSONG

Title: SIRENSONG
Author: Jenna Black
Other books by Author: GLIMMERGLASS and SHADOWSPELL
Publication Date: 07/05/2011
My Rating: 4/5--Really good! Worth your time.
Plot in One Word: Faeries
Good if...you want something hard to put down

When Dana is invited to Faerie to be officially presented at the Seelie Court, it’s no easy decision. After all, everyone knows Titania, the Seelie Queen, wants her dead. But Titania claims not to be the one behind the death threats; and her son, Prince Henry, makes the decision a whole lot easier when he suggests Dana might be arrested for (supposedly) conspiring with her aunt Grace to usurp the Seelie throne. So she and her father better do as they're told . . . The journey through Faerie is long—and treacherous. Dana thought it would be a good idea to have friends along, but her sort-of-boyfriend, Ethan, and her bodyguard’s son, Keane, just can’t seem to get along, and Kimber’s crush on Keane isn’t making things any easier. When a violent attack separates Dana from their caravan, the sexy Erlking saves her just in the nick of time . . . and makes it clear that he hasn’t given up on making her his own.  Arriving at Titania’s beautiful palace should be a relief. But Dana is soon implicated in an assassination attempt against Titania’s granddaughter, and is suddenly a fugitive, forced to leave her father behind as she and her friends flee for their lives. Will she be able to prove her innocence before the forces of the Seelie Court—or, worse, the Erlking—catch up with her? And will she save her father before he pays the ultimate price in her stead?

My thoughts...There's something really captivating about Jenna Black's novels and this particular series.  Are they best novels in the world?  No.  But somehow I'm totally hooked and I've waiting for sometime to get my hands on SIRENSONG.  This is the third novel in the series and perhaps the last.  (Been trying to figure out if there will be a 4th...let me know if you know.)  The story continues following Dana and this time we get to enter the fairy world.  It was pretty cool how things played out between her and Erkling and between her and the Seelie Queen.  I suppose you'll just have to read this series to find out what I mean.  But I do promise it's very addictive.  The first novel was my least favorite of three...but two and three were very hard to put down.

Book Review: ILLUSIONS

Title: ILLUSIONS
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Other books by Author: WINGS and SPELLS
Publication Date: 05/03/2011
My Rating: 5/5--Incredible! Loved it!
Plot in One Word: Faeries
Good if...you want a middle series book that's as perfect as the first

On the first day of Laurel’s senior year there are two new arrivals. Tamani — the electrifying faerie with whom she shares an undeniable connection — appears, posing as a foreign exchange student. And even more disturbing is another foreign exchange student named Yuki whom Laurel quickly realises is a faerie, though the new girl doesn’t seem to have any idea who or what she really is. Laurel is determined to figure out how Yuki fits into the picture, and what connection she may have to the ever-increasing threats to her family and Avalon. Meanwhile, Laurel struggles to maintain a balance between her human boyfriend David and Tamani, with whom she shares a passionate past. But balancing two worlds is becoming more and more complicated. When the threat to Avalon grows ever stronger, Laurel’s illusion of control of the situation shatters and she must confront a danger even greater than the trolls.

My Thoughts...  Aprilynne Pike has done it again!  I'm crazy about this series!  I'm crazy about Tamani!  I couldn't put this book down from start to finish!  The storyline picks up about a year after the second novel finished.  Laurel and David have been dating for a while and then suddenly Tamani enrolls at their high school and it throws things into chaos.  And, of course I'm team Tamani all the way, but I do love David too.  I fell for both guys all over again and I especially loved their interaction in this novel.  I really don't know what else to say, but that if aren't already addicted to this series then I suggest you get addicted.  It's really my favorite.  :)  Oh, and the one maddening thing: the novel ends in the middle of the climax at the end.  It kind of felt like the movie Harry Potter #7 part 1.  Where's the 2nd half???  I guess I have to wait another year for it. 

If you liked ILLUSIONS; you might also like...

NEED by Carrie Jones

Book Review: SHADOWSPELL

Title: SHADOWSPELL
Author: Jenna Black
Other books by author: GLIMMERGLASS
Release Date: January 2011
Rating: 4.5/5--Really good! Worth your time!
One Word Summary: Faeries
Good if...you want something action packed and surprisingly great for a second of the series novel

On top of spending most of her time in a bunkerlike safe house and having her dates hijacked by a formidable Fae bodyguard, Faeriewalker Dana Hathaway is in for some more bad news: the Erlking and his pack of murderous minions known as the Wild Hunt have descended upon Avalon. With his homicidal appetite and immortal powers, the Erlking has long been the nightmare of the Fae realm. A fragile treaty with the Faerie Queen, sealed with a mysterious spell, is the one thing that keeps him from hunting unchecked in Avalon, the only place on Earth where humans and Fae live together. Which means Dana’s in trouble, since it’s common knowledge that the Faerie Queen wants her – and her rare Faeriewalker powers – dead. The smoldering, sexy Erlking’s got his sights set on Dana, but does he only seek to kill her, or does he have something much darker in mind?

My thoughts:  I only rated GLIMMERGLASS (the 1st book in this series) a 3/5. It wasn't that it was bad, it just didn't have the best of endings. But since I read GLIMMERGLASS I haven't been able to forget it. Lots of times I'll read a book and like it but by the time the next book in that series comes around I've already completely forgotten the first and don't care so much anymore. Not with this one.

And I'm very happy to say that this book was really good!!! How often does that happen with middle of the series books. Hardly ever. So I highly recommend that you check out GLIMMERGLASS if you haven't and get started right away on this series!

And also...SIRENSONG (the 3rd of this series) is due out JULY 2011!

Book Review: WICKED LOVELY

Title: Wicked Lovely
Author: Melissa Marr
Rating:
Good if...you want something with a really sweet, solid love story

Summary (Amazon):
Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens. Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer. Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention. But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires. Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.

My Thoughts...
This was WAY better than I ever expected! I came in with little--to no expectation--and found this story surprisingly romantic. I read the prolouge (which you must for this story!) and found myself expecting the story to go one way and it ended up going in a complete different direction. Which was awesome! I think I loved every single character and I know I loved all the steamy moments between 2 of those characters. And I was 100% happy with the ending. My big question is will I like the sequels? I think there are another 4 books already out after this one...and I'm wondering should I read on? Yes, I really loved this first novel, but will I love the rest? If someone out there has already read on please let me know what you thought.

Book Review: GLIMMERGLASS

Title: Glimmerglass
Author: Jenna Black
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Good if...you're big into the whole faerie thing.

Summary (Amazon):
Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie. Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her new found friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with… until she does. Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again…

My thoughts:
So to be completely honest, I wasn't crazy about this one. Actually, my feelings toward it are pretty mediocre. In the beginning I was way into it, unable to put it down. But as the end neared I just wanted it to be over. I started skimming and rushing to get through it. I'm not saying it was bad. I'm not saying don't read. It just wasn't my favorite ever. So what made it go down hill for me? It just got kind of repetitive. I kept wondering when my questions would be answered. And in the end things with her and Ethan weren't really resolved. I guess that's what book 2 is for (Shadowspell, due out 2011), right?
Well...no.
I'm going to get a little off topic here. But lately a lot of new young adult books I've read have been very...unfinished. I feel like they're all solely written to set up from their coming sequels. Is this just a ploy to sell more books? Surely. But also getting surely annoying. Anyone else getting that feeling lately? I mean having sequels is all fine and dandy--I loved Hunger Games--but even though Hunger Games ended on a major cliff-hanger I still felt like it had a beginning, middle, and an end. I just hate when novels have a beginning and middle--but no end. I'm not saying I don't enjoy books with sequels. I just like to read a book and not necessarily have to read the sequel to enjoy it. Take Twilight. I almost wish I never read past Twilight. It was stand alone. I just want more stand alone books, I guess.

Book Review: SPELLS

Title: Spells Author: Aprilynne Pike
Other books by Author: Wings
Rating:
Good if...you loved Wings and are ready for part two in the Fairy Tale Adventure

Summary (Amazon):

Although Laurel has come to accept her true identity as a faerie, she refuses to turn her back on her human life—and especially her boyfriend, David—to return to the faerie world. But when she is summoned to Avalon, Laurel's feelings for the charismatic faerie sentry Tamani are undeniable. She is forced to make a choice—a choice that could break her heart.

What you need to know...
Spells is part two in Aprilynne Pike's four part series about Faeries. (You can find my review to Wings--book one--here.) Although not quite as intriguing and unforgettable as I found Wings, Spells is still a guaranteed good read. I didn't hesitate to buy it right away. There is just something about Aprilynne's writing that really sucks me in. Its got this simple, sweet feeling to it. I get lost her world--in the sweetness of Laurel, the loyalty of David, and the intrigue of Tamani--and I can't get enough. Now--recently I made my sister read Wings and she didn't Love LOVE LOVE it like I did. So if you didn't love-love-love Wings then I'm not sure if you'll be into Spells. It was a little slower than Wings and the love triangle between Laurel, David, and Tamani only grow far more complicated and seemingly unsolvable. I will say that we got to see way more of Tamani--who has always been my favorite character--and even though my heart breaks for him now--I so hope Laurel choose him at the end of book four. (Sorry David). I guess that makes me Team Tamani (are people choosing teams on this one yet?)