Every Last Breath

Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the final book in her The Dark Elements series.

Some loves will last 'til your dying breath.

Every choice has consequences- but seventeen-yeear-old Layla Faces tougher choices than most.  Light or darkness.  Wickedly sexy demon prince, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers.  Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too.  A Lilin- the deadliest of demons- has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her... including her best friend.  To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city- and her race- from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has not certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all.  But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side- and then fight like hell...

The Breakdown:
1. Anyone who has ever read this blog knows I have a deep love of all things JLA writes, and this book is no exception.  I loved how she brought Layla's story to an end, and the revelations she brought in this book, at times, blew my mind.  I, also, appreciate that she did not draw out Layla's choice between Roth and Zayne.  It was made very close to the beginning of the book, but you will have to read it yourself to find out who she chose.

2. I have loved Layla's character from the beginning, plus she has a pretty awesome name. I was so glad that she comes to terms with who she is and where she came from in this book. She really grows into herself in this book, and is so much stronger for it.

3.  I think that my favorite part of this book was Layla's trip to Hell and her meeting Grim.  With him, JLA reveals so much about Layla's origins and what she is exactly.  Plus, it was with Grim that Lilith finally makes an appearance, and boy is she a piece of work.

4. JLA wrapped up things beautifully in this book.  Although, I did have a few moments of wondering if Layla would be able to get her happily ever after, but in the end it worked out perfectly.  Plus, I always love the Supernatural references in JLA's books.

To Read or Not to Read:
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Book Giveaway!

I subscribe to Bookworm Box, which is pretty amazing.  Every month I get a book of with book swag, books, and other cool stuff for the the book lover.  Plus the proceeds from the boxes go to charity.  You can check out here: http://www.thebookwormbox.com/.

Since you don't get to pick out what is in the box, I do get things and books I am not really interested in.  So I have decided to share the wealth with my readers.  Now, I am giving away a signed book: Fury by Fisher Amelie.  Also, leave a comment as to your favorite authors/books since I have many items of signed swag that I may be giving away in the future.




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A Great and Terrible Beauty

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray is the first book of her Gemma Doyle trilogy.

Gemma Doyle finds an icy reception at the the Spence Academy in London, the boarding school to which she's sent after tragedy strikes her family in India.  Lonely and guilt-ridden, Gemma taps into her power to attract the supernatural.  Dark visions fill her mind that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true.  Trying to survive at Spence, she becomes entangled with Felicity Worthington, leader of the school's most powerful clique... and discover's her own mother's connection to the shadowy group called the Order.

Secrets haunt the halls at Spence, with its mysterious burned out East Wing, and after a diary lands in Gemma's hands, it leads her to a world she cannot fathom- one where her destiny waits, if only she is brave enough to face it.

The Breakdown:
1. Bray's book is wonderful Victorian Gothic tale that has many secrets to the story and fantastic characters. I love that Bray portrays both how London society was that in that day, with the rules, the beliefs, and attitudes, and gives glimpses in the other ways of life with the gypsy troupe and the scenes in India.  I love that her characters have such depth to them.

2. Gemma starts the book as your typical moody teen, but in an instant her life is turned upside down, and she is struggling to adjust to the changes. She makes an interesting personal journey in this book, learning to deal with her visions, and making friends, plus her first crush. There are times that Bray shows, despite her faults, that Gemma really does have a kind heart, and those are my favorite moments of Gemma.

3. I like the mysterious character of Kartik.  He shows up warning Gemma not use her visions, but is very vague as why and how to avoid them.  Gemma is also attracted to him, and has visions of him which only increases my need to know more about him.  He is definitely a character I am looking forward to reading more of in the future books.

4. As for Gemma's friends, Felicity, Ann, and Pippa, they make for an interesting combination.  Each girl struggling with their own fears and insecurities, but doing their best to be what society expects of them.  Felicity and Pippa, at first, seem like the Victorian era mean girls,  but as the book progress, Bray reveals more of their personalities and their lives.  Then there is Ann, the girl that no one expects anything of, but does not want to spend her life as invisible.

5. Bray fills this book with so many secrets, Gemma's family secrets, the school's secrets, and Kartik's secrets.  She definitely keeps the story interesting from beginning to end.  I cannot wait to see how the next book goes.

To Read or Not to Read:
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Elixir

Elixir is a novella of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Covenant series and falls between Deity and Apollyon.

Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex.
Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for.
Even if it means making way against the gods.

The Breakdown:
So I know I usually give you a numbered breakdown of the books, but this one is so short, only about 75 pages, that I am not going to bother with that. I was so excited to see a story from Aiden's perspective.  I love that JLA shows the struggle that Aiden is going through with Alex's Awakening, and how to he is dealing with the choices that have to be made.  Although, I think my favorite part is when Aiden is describing the first time he saw Alex.  It just went to show how much he loves her, and how long her has waited for her.  I cannot wait to see how his decision in the end affects the next book.

To Read or Not to Read:
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Becoming Jinn

Debut author Lori Goldstein's Becoming Jinn is the first book of the series of the same name.

Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist.  As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.

To the humans she lives among, she's just a girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush.  But behind closed doors, she's learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.

Mentored by her mother and her Zar "sisters," Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn... and that her powers could endanger them all.  As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there's always a trick.

The Breakdown:
1. Since I read Exquisite Captive by Heather Demtrios, I have been a little fascinated by Jinn stories.  Goldstein definitely put an interesting take on Jinn, why they grant wishes. I loved the way she built her magic into the world, and why Jinn must grant wishes.  The whole magic world building was super interesting to me after going to a panel on it at Dragon*Con this weekend.

2. Azra as a character has some very interesting internal conflicts.  On one hand she hates being Jinn, the secrets, the magic, and being told who deserves her wishes.  On the other, she learns very quickly that she is very good with magic, and as the book progress, that her magic is more than the average Jinn's. She wants so badly to be an average teenager, and yet, as Goldstein shows through other characters thoughts and reactions to her, she is anything but average.

3. I loved the way Goldstein goes about revealing the secrets in this book.  From Azra's secrets to her human friends and other Jinn friends, to Azra's mother's secrets about her father and the Afrit.  I can't wait to see what kind of role they will play in the next book.  Plus the dilemma that ends the book with has me want the next book, like yesterday, to see how Azra handles the problem.

To Read or Not to Read:
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