BOOK REVIEW: Avow by Chelsea Fine (The Archers of Avalon #3)

Publication Date: December 11, 2012

Synopsis:

Scarlet remembers. Everything. Her past lives, Tristan, Gabriel, Nate: she remembers it all--including how to get to the Fountain of Youth. But time is running out. 

Heather and Gabriel have been kidnapped by Raven, while the curse that has plagued Scarlet and Tristan for centuries has shifted, putting the star-crossed lovers in more danger than ever before. Water from the Fountain of Youth is the only thing that can save Scarlet and her loved ones. But the water comes at a price.

With lives--and hearts--at stake, Scarlet leads her friends on a dangerous journey to the Fountain of Youth. Where eternal life is possible, but death is certain.

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Review:

Avow is the last installment of the series. The second book ended with Scarlet regaining her memories and learning that Raven is still much alive. Scarlet’s friend, Heather and Gabriel were both held captive by Raven.

Having her memories back, Scarlet realizes where the fountain of youth is. She remembers how to end the madness, cure herself and Tristan. But another thing happens between them. Their roles exchange. Scarlet now feels Tristan and having Scarlet too close to Tristan may be the reason for him to die.

The book answered all the questions I had in the first two books. There were flashbacks from the past from the time Scarlet died and how she turned up alive over and over. The book showed how Tristan struggled because of Scarlet’s death and how he changed throughout the years of heartache.

His twin brother, Gabriel, was cursed to never love any other girl other than Scarlet. With that, girls never loved him and he never felt alive. That changes everytime Scarlet comes to life.

Nate is another important character of this series. He is Raven’s cousin but they aren’t alike. He’s such a good friend to the brothers and Scarlet. He helped his friends go through the phase of having Scarlet back and watching her die. He dedicated his life to find the cure and the fountain of youth.

Heather is also one of the supporting characters. I like her quirkiness. It’s fun having a not so serious character which made me like this book more.

This book particularly had shown a lot of heartache. It has gotten me emotional and I really felt Tristan and Scarlet’s feelings. I’m glad it ended well. Great series!

Rating:

Memorable Quotes:

“I’d really love to explain myself, but honestly, you came up out of nowhere and I haven’t had time to put together a good lie.” 

“Is it okay if I love you forever? Even if forever is only for a lifetime?” 

BOOK REVIEW: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins (School Spirits #1)

Publication Date: May 14, 2013

Synopsis:

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 

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Review:

I loved Rachel Hawkin's Hex Hall series so I was expecting that this book will have the same action and romance that Hex Hall has.

With the first few chapters, I was a bit surprised on how the story progressed. It was a bit slow and I honestly got bored. But when some supernatural things started to happen, it really caught my attention until the end of the book.

This book ranges from middle grade to young-adult. The author used some acronym like BS just to have a lighter feel on the book.

I learned to love the characters of the book but not like how I loved those in Hex Hall. Izzy felt that she should be more matured than her age so she acts tough. Then some friends start to come into the picture. Generally, I liked all of them. I especially love Dex because he's fun and witty! The romance part is expected and I loved how they gotten to know each other before that happened.

Oh, I almost failed to mention Torin, the witch who's trapped in a mirror for hundreds of years. I want to know what's his real role in the life of the Brannicks.

Hopefully this series will continue because I still want to know the answers.

This book is a light read and I had fun reading it. I recommend that you should give this a try.

Rating:

Memorable Quotes:

“You knocked out Ben McCrary?' he asked, eyes wide.

'It was an accident,' I said again. 'I threw the ball harder than I meant to.'

Dex burst into laughter. 'Oh my God, that is the greatest thing I've heard all week. You are my new hero.'

Squinting at me, he leaned in and said, 'Serious, I might actually be in love with you now. Would it be awkward if we made out?” 

“When you don’t have much family left, you’ll do anything to protect what you have.” 

*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks NetGalley!*

BOOK REVIEW: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)

Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Synopsis (Goodreads):
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. 

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
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Review:

Whoa!That was..thrilling and unexplainable!

I sometimes don't read the blurbs of books I choose to read and I'm glad that so far, I liked all of them! This one is one of those books. Some blurbs just give so much away it takes out the surprising factor.

I have to admit, I've read one-third of the book but I was still too confused. At first, I was like, "What's with the teeth? Gross..." I don't get anything. Until..yeah..of course secrets were revealed. I'm happy I kept on reading and learned a lot from it. I love the building of tension. The author took her time and I love how she described the scenes, people and the worlds the book is about.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is basically the story of Karou, her journey of learning the truth about herself and her past. The book will bring you into a unique world and characters that will work your imagination in full blast! This is definitely worth reading!

Rating:

Memorable Quote:

“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.” 

“Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?”