The Eternity Key by Bree Despain

Into The Dark Book 2

This was not the original book I was going to review. But when my puppy ate The Healer's Apprentice and I had to pay for it- well I needed to move on for a bit. Luckily this book became available. 

I read Book 1, The Shadow Prince about a year ago. I remember it being very enjoyable and have been waiting for the release of The Eternity Key for sometime. 

The Library took its time getting it in, but once I inquired about it, they had it to me within in two weeks. 

Since it had been so long since I had read the first book, it took me a few chapters for my memory to refresh. As soon as it did, I couldn't put the book down. 

Daphne thinks she is an ordinary girl, although her father happens to be a rock star. When he comes back into her life, offering tuition to one of the best music schools there is, she can't turn him down. 

Unfortunately, Olympus Hills is not what it seems to be. Neither is Daphne.

Haden Lord is not just the good looking, rich and mysterious new guy in school, he's an Underlord. An Underlord on a mission and Daphne happens to be his target. 

I love the way the author writes mythology as if it is fact. It is as if the legends are repeating themselves and the reader has a front row seat. 

I did like the story. The plot was very well developed and the writing flows beautifully. Bree Despain's first series The Dark Divine never sat well with me. The characters in those books were a tad whiny and I struggled with the cheesiness. 

This series was not that. Bree Despain has grown as an author and has developed a style that I found refreshing. 

If you are looking for an all night read, this one's it. My only reservation I had about it, is the love stories in Greek mythology never seem to end well. I fear that this tale is heading down the same path.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

This was a good book. 

Thank goodness.
I haven't really been hitting jackpots in the spellbinding stories lately.

These Broken Stars is well written with high definition imagery. (well-if you could write high definition, this would qualify)
The description of not only their location but what the characters were feeling and experiencing was riveting. And the love story was just the right amount of mushy, nothing over the top or cheesy. I felt their pain with them, which may sound weird, but that is what makes a good book for me. When I feel worried for a character. When my heart is hurting because their heart is hurting.

I got that with this book.

Tarver and Lilac are star crossed lovers. Lilac comes from the richest family in the galaxy and Tarver is a soldier, no where near her station. But fate, or something else......has different plans.
When their ship crashes, after being ripped out of hyperspace, they are the only survivors, stuck on a deserted planet. Or so they think.

Book Two is already on hold and I can't wait to start it,

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Book 3 of Under the Never Sky 

I know, I know, I've said it already. I love this story.

Normally, and I mean more often than not, sequels/trilogies/series are ruined by the final installment. 

They can feel rushed, as if the author is tired of their characters and feel the need to kick them out of the house on their eighteenth birthday. Or sadly, they rely too heavily on shock value, writing a plot/character twist that rips the reader's heart out as if it meant nothing to them. I hate shock value endings, but I loathe them more when the shock has no purpose to the story. It is a question I ask myself a lot when I finish a book. 

Why? Why did it end this way? Or why did the hero do that? If I can't find the why, I feel incomplete, lacking and let down.

Into the Still Blue is NOT one of those books. 

The story unfolds perfectly, laying it out for you with a bird's eye view. You experience the growth and progress with the characters. You feel their pain and their earnest. 

I don't want to say that Rossi wrapped the story up in a neat little bow, because she didn't. There were jolts and uncertainties the entire time. The ending was satisfying without being a happy ever after. 

I am still thinking about it. I will be for a long time I suspect.

This series will find a place of honor on my shelves and someday soon, when my daughter is old enough for this genre, I will encourage her to read it. I will probably read it with her.....again and again. 

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Book Two of Under the Never Sky series

I am very impressed with this story line. Most who know me are aware that I am not a fan of dystopian novels. This is the exception, and a beautiful one. I said it in my last post and I will say it again. I love Veronica Rossi's way with words. I found myself repeating certain phrases out loud because I found them so full-filling (my husband was concerned). 

I unfortunately did not read this book. I prefer to read than to listen to books, but we took a family trip and reading in the car is not my forte, nor my stomach's. So I was lucky enough to download it onto my phone from my library's Overdrive App, (love, by the way) and I listened to it for most of the road-trip.

Aria and Perry are now faced with a new goal and a new destination. They need to find a way to the Still Blue.

Perry has become blood lord over the Tides, his childhood tribe, and their location near the coast is no longer safe. (no where is safe) The Aether is becoming more volatile. The storms are plaguing the world more frequently and for longer periods of time. Perry needs to find the Still Blue and take his tribe there in order to survive. (If it exists)

Aria is confronted with an ultimatum by the dweller leaders. If she ever wants to get Talon back (Perry's nephew) she has to find the location of the Still Blue. 

The problem;

Only one person seems to know what the coordinates are for the Still Blue. Sable, the Horns tribe's blood lord and a manipulating, ruthless, psychopath.  The odds of striking a deal with Sable are against Aria, Perry and their friends.

I want to hug this book, this series, tightly and never let go. 

Again, Book One, Under the Never Sky , is on sale through Amazon Kindle.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

I read this book about a month ago, before I started this little endeavor, and I loved it. I find myself thinking about it all of the time. Under the Never Sky is book one of three.

Aria is a dweller. Living in a pod with an entire population of dwellers, protected from the outside world; a world that has started to burn. The Aether storms, ( I picture a bright, blue and white, never ending lightning tornadoes) have destroyed most of the world. The dwellers have never really concerned themselves with the outsiders, viewing them as Savages.

An injustice has Aria banished from her pod, Reverie.  Her mother, a scientist was stationed at a different pod before her banishment and Aria sets out looking for her. The outside is brutal and dangerous for her and she struggles to survive.  When she meets an outsider name Perry, she is torn between disgust of him and needing him to survive.

Perry is in search of his nephew who has been kidnapped by the dwellers. He battles between helping Aria because of her connection to the dwellers and his hatred towards her origins.
The alliance starts out rocky, and contentious, pulling you in.

When they come upon a cannibalistic tribe, Perry saves Aria's life and kills the blood lord of the tribe. With the Aether chasing them, the harsh nature of the world and now an entire tribe hunting them, they have no choice but to work together to survive.

The imagery is vivid. Veronica Rossi has a beautiful way with words. You learn the description of a scene or a character without ever leaving the story. Magnificent.

I love this book. I love this series. My next two posts will be Through the Never Night and Into the Still Blue, but I wanted to get this post up because Book one is now on sale on Amazon for your Kindle.


Enjoy.

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Book Three of The Ruby Red Trilogy

Don't worry....NO spoilers.

I love this series. I really do. It is now on my wish list for my book shelf and it will be displayed with pride. 

There was one part towards the end that I felt could have been written better. I felt like it glazed over a big reveal without much emotion. It needed more oomph.

But it was easily overshadowed by all the excitement and discovery. 

The entire series was very well thought out and I loved the little twist at the end. It was the obvious solution but I didn't think of it because I was so caught up in everything else, which was fantastic. 

I will be reading these books again. The escape the imagery affords is easily the highlight of the book. Traveling to different periods of time, the costumes, the society and balls are all incredibly enjoyable. The love story between Gwen and Gideon is wrought with drama and angst as any teenage affection should be. And the danger with each journey back through time is heart jumping. 

The entire structure of the series is well developed and satisfying. 

This is one for the collection.

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

 Book 2 of the Ruby Red Trilogy

It's too early. Especially when you spend your sleep-time reading. 

I finished the book in one day- well less than one day. It was pretty dang good, but I have a few qualms now that I've read every page. 

The book keeps you going. There is so much mystery related to the secret behind the secret that you can't help be engrossed with the story. Gwen knows very little about the secret society she has just inherited, which means we as readers know very little as well. And I have no issue with that other than this is the second book and I would have liked a little more revealed than what was given. 

I wanted something discovered, where I would be like holy crap. It really only happened once (I muttered a little holy crap that no one heard) and it was towards the beginning of the middle giving me false hope that more was going to be discovered by our extremely patient heroine.

I mean really, she has the patience of a seasoned mother. Don't get me wrong, she has her break downs and who can blame her. Everyone treats her like she's a stupid little girl, but she has her break downs in private or with her best friend. 

Half the things this secret society is having her do, while having little regard for her or her feelings would have made me flip them the finger and say screw you. And anyone who knows me knows that I don't do those things even when provoked. 

So there was that. 

The author also introduced another villain, or possible villain, I am not sure because like I said above; little has been revealed.

So far, overall, I do like both books a lot. But I am telling you, this third book better blow my mind because the buildup for the secret behind the secret might very well be a stalagmite. (Which are very impressive, I might add.)

This was obviously an all night reader, no dog ears here. 

 I still think the series might end up on my shelf. We'll see how anti-climatic the third one is to be sure though,