Waiting on Wednesday: Wings of the Wicked

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton (her website)
Publisher: HarperCollins/ Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: February 1, 2012
Synopsis:
Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined. 
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night. 

She’s been warned.

Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed. 

Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

*Read my review for Angelfire here! 
**Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event is hosted by Breaking the Spine to share upcomming releases we are eagerly waiting for :)

Banished by Sophie Littlefield

Title: Banished
Author: Sophie Littlefield (her website)
Release: October 2010
Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Hailey Tarbell can't wait for the day she'll leave Gypsum, Missouri, far behind, taking only four-year-old Chub, the developmentally-delayed little boy her cruel drug-dealing grandmother fosters for the state money. But when a freak accident in gym class leaves a girl in critical condition, Hailey feels drawn to lay her hands on the injured girl and an astonishing healing takes place. Before Hailey can understand her new powers, a beautiful stranger shows up...just in time to save her and Chub from hired killers. A desperate race begins, with Hailey as the ultimate prize: there are those who will stop at nothing to harness her gifts to create an undefeatable army of the undead. Now it is up to Hailey and a small but determined family of healers to stand up to the unbelievable and face the unthinkable.





**Technically there are no spoilers, just a lot of talking about detail, but just to be safe: spoiler alert? 

Review: 


In a nutshell, Banished was an interesting read. Hidden and unknown powers. Evil scientist. Zombies. It was a nice turn from vampire and fallen angel books (not that I don't love those either way). One thing I enjoyed most from the story was the background story of how Healers and the Banished came to Gypsum. It gave a history that seemed to enhance the legitimacy of the story and make it more believable, even if it was fiction. 
Other that that, I think what I found the most intriguing about the books is the author's descriptions. Not only with the characters, though. It was easy to imagine a lot of things that happened, but there was one thing that really stuck to me and that was the zombies. Her discription of the zombie like things near the ends was repulsive, which, though it might not sound like a compliment, it is. I felt like I could hear the way their brittle and decaying bone's broke near the end. I could imagine in vivid detail the way their skin sagged on their face with a gruesome green or purple tinge. I'm shuddering just thinking about it. 
The whole time the author describe it, I felt as if I could feel, smell, hear and see everything she wrote down. I mean, yes, most writers, if not all, can capture and write down what they see in their head in vivid detail, but I've read a few zombie-like books and none have captured this sort of detail easily. What's more amazing is the fact that the zombie things aren't an entirely huge piece in the book, they come in near the end. And, yet, the author was still able to grasp all that detail and shove it into those last few chapters.
To begin the characters, I will start with the main protagonist: Hailey. She learned how to deal with life a long time ago. She's independent and sort of a loner but she's tough. She's a natural Healer, even though she never knew what she was and she learns to accept it. But out of everything, the trait I appreciate most about Hailey is that she is the kind of person that would do anything and everything for the ones she loves. 
Which is where Chub comes in. Four years old and as adorable as a button, he's the only thing that keeps Hailey from leaving Gypsum. There's not really a lot more to say about him since he's only a toddler, though.
Now, there's Gram. She's basically the guardian of Chub and Hailey, not that she actually acts like it. She spends her days drunk and selling drugs from her basement. She's one of the main reasons that Hailey can't leave town without her stepbrother. Basically, Gram is a horrible old hag. Litterally. 
The only person who could possibly be worse would be Rattler. Just the name make everyone shudder in fear. Sadly, there's a twist at the end including him that will make your jaw drop through the floor. 
Luckily, there are a few people who are actually good. 
Prairie is one of those people, she's also the aunt everyone wants. Being sweet and kind, it's sort of surprising how well she can lay out a roundhouse kick when she needs to. Sadly, her life is haunted by her sisters death and by her ex who would do anything to get her powers. Either way she is one of my favorite characters in this book. 
Kaz has grown up knowing Prairie as family even though they really weren't. I see Kaz is sweet and determined but I can't talk too much about him because of the fact that he and his mother don't come into the book until the end.
Now, to the main antagonist.  Bryce. He is the aforementioned evil scientist... and Prairie's ex. The sad thing, like many others before him, he thinks his work is for the greater good but really it's in humane and wrong.
Whoa, that's a boat load of characters. Anyway, most of these people have a lot more to them, but I'd be risking accidentally revealing to much of the book before anyone could get their hands on a copy if I said more. 
Well, now, because of this book's amazing zombie details, it's plot, characters and legit background of the Healers and the Banished, I will give it a solid rating of an A. 
Warning, this book is not for the weak stomached but highly recommended for anyone who can handle it and anyone who likes paranormal and supernatural books.


**the warning is sarcasm so don't take it too seriously. There's a good chance that everyone can handle what this book has to deal out. Enjoy!

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Title: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton (her website)
Release: February 15, 2011
Synopsis:
First there are nightmares.

Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her. 

Then come the memories. 

When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream. 

Now she must hunt. 

Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Review:

All I can say is that I was captivated before the end of the first chapter. This book had so many amazing qualities that it's probably impossible to name them all. The action, the romance, the non-romance, and the whole reincarnation thing are just a few of them. The entire plot of the book was really well played out, not to fast, not to slow and the story was so amazing. There were a lot of original ideas in this book that the author brought. The alternate dimension where the reapers prowl get's pretty confusion and at points I'd be reading a little to fast and I wouldn't realize that a fight was in the Grim and not the human dimension... if you haven't read the book what I said may have confused  you. Bottom line, don't skim or else you'll miss a lot. Anyway, I also think that the flashbacks were a nice touch to add to the whole reincarnation thing.
To start off the characters, there's the main one, Ellie. Overall, she is a great heroine. I see her as kind and independent in a selectively stubborn way. She is also very powerful and can kick some serious butt. Although, like everyone, she has some flaws. Lack of knowledge about herself and her past lives cause her to be confused about many things that she should already know. What I appreciate most about her character is the way she accepts what she is and does quickly, minus her small this-is-just-a-dream phase. I swear, if it were me, I'd be running screaming in the opposite direction if I was faced with a reaper (mostly because I don't have swords...) It's refreshing to have a heroine who literally jumps straight into the action instead of trying to ignore it.
Moving on to my favorite character,Will. Ironically enough, his name means desire and protection, which fits him perfectly since he had been Ellie's Guardian for the last several hundred years. Speaking of which...I think one of my favorite parts is the flashback of when Ellie and Will first met...mostly because he has a seriously awesome accent in that part. Anyway, Will is just the kind of guy you imagine saving people from burning buildings. Strong, fast, with a burning need to do good and protect everyone. Which is why I think Ellie was drawn to him...
Like practically every book, there is a villain. The general version of the villains in this book are the Reapers. Hideously evil with a taste for blood, they are little pieces of hell on earth. The eat the flesh and take the souls of humans. The more specific version of the villains would be Ragnuk, Geir, Ivar, and the over all most infamous one...Bastian.
All of them are more or less out to end Ellie. But I won't get into to much detail so you'll have to find out more on your own.
Now, the ending, I had mixed feelings about. The way they dealt with the Enshi (again read the book to find out what that is, I'm trying to avoid spoilers here) seemed a little too easy, if you know what I mean. The answer seemed a little bit too obvious. Beside after the whole book, I expected something a tad bit more creative. But, I can't imagine that part happening in any other way so it's all good.
The most powerful moments of the book weren't when she was fighting reapers or hanging with Will, it was the last few pages. The revelation Ellie had about herself and her being the Preliator made me smile and think "She's baaack" in a totaly creeptastic voice. Just kidding. But seriously, it was a very powerful part of the book and it make me eager to read some more of Courtney Allison Moulton's writing.
Filled with action and romance, Angelfire is a fantastic book that had me captured from the first chapter. It's an action packed, sword swinging, romance building book that deserves the rating on an A from this reviewer.  I loved every moment of this book and I hope the sequel will be just as brilliant, not that I'd really have any doubts at this point. Recommended to paranormal, action, and semi-romance lovers of nearly all ages.

Waiting on Wednesday: Destiny's Fire

Author: Trisha Wolfe
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Release Date: January 10, 2012
Synopsis:

It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.

*It sounds great and like my kind of book. I can't wait till the release :)

**Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event is hosted by Breaking the Spine to share upcomming releases we are eagerly waiting for :)

Waiting on Wednesday: Hallowed

Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: Janurary 17, 2012
Synopsis:


For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.




** You can read my review of the first book in the Unearthly series here
**Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event is hosted by Breaking the Spine to share upcomming releases we are eagerly waiting for :)

Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched
Author: Ally Condie
Release: November 30, 2010
Synopsis:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Review:
Dystopian books always give me mixed feelings. I love the how the authors are able to create alternate worlds that seem so realistic. And I especially love the way each author always has something different to contribute to their idea of a dystopian future. But I have an irrational irritation toward them. Mostly because I like the idea that I can write and speak out against things I don't like but the way the government in these types of books (the Society in Matched) control everything makes me feel that if I was in the book I'd be leading the revolution. So it's the good kind of a love-hate relationship.
Anyway, I like how the author described the Society; they gave only enough freedom to keep the people satisfied but they controlled practically everything else.And I love the undercurrent of rebelliousness coming from the characters in this book. On the surface, everyone is perfect and obeys, but underneath, they all have secret desires and actions.
The main character, Cassia, is  very, for lack of a different word, interesting. She starts as this girl who follows the rules without question, like everyone else, but she does like to think. Her character is set to staying blended in with everyone else in her world. But as the book moved on she became the one red rose in a field of white. She started disliking the ways of society and exploring paths that led her to rebelliousness...
Which leads us my favorite character, Ky. He's witty and incredibly intelligent, even though he likes to hide it. Not that he doesn't have a reason. Ky, like Cassia, want to stay out of notice of the society, but for different reasons. I won't tell you why, though. Anyway,he has his own view on the world that was shaped when he was a child. In my opinion, he is just what Cassia a needs, someone to balance her out.
Xander is like Ky in many ways, but he shows his emotions easier than Ky. I guess most ways Xander is perfect for Cassia. They've known each other for years and they know everything about each other. But there is such thing as too perfect. Another thing about Xander is he would do nearly anything to make Cassia happy, even if it means destroying his own happiness.
Love Triangles are so complicated!
(I could go on about other characters but I think I'll stop at these three)
Throughout Matched I could hardly put the book down. True, there were a few down times where if felt as if not much happened, but the undercurrent of a would be/should be romance between Cassia and Ky and trouble with the Society kept me hooked till the end. So the down times didn't hinder the book.
Also, while the plot line for Matched isn't necessarily original (many dystopian books have controlling governments), the way the author portray the novel is. Cassia, a girl in a society that controls everything finding the courage to break free and be her own person and all the while she is trying to continue a relationship with the wrong guy with a bad background. It's a really interesting plot and even more so with all the other little details and parts incorrperated in it; which is why it has became one of my must reads.
And on that note, I will say the ending is practically a cliff hanger. But, in my opinion the ending was sort of abrupt and I can say I had though there would have been more to it. Either way, I can't wait to discover what happens between Cassia and Ky and Xander in Crossed. I'm bouncing in anticipation just thinking about it. I recommend this book to anyone who likes love triangles and dystopian worlds. Matched earned the rating of an B+ for it's plot, characters, and tendency to make a reader never want to put it down. 

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Title: Nevermore
Author: Kelly Creagh (her website)
Release:
Synopsis:
Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Review:

Nevermore was a very interesting and dark book. Plus, it is the first I've ever read with Edgar Allan Poe integrated into it as a major part of the plot. Actually, this book has really peeked my interest in Poe (since the only poem I've read of his is Annabel Lee). What I think is the most interesting thing the author has done is mix history with fictional characters. Like the mystery of Poe's death, the Poe Toaster, and his poems (though that's technically not history). 

The only thing that got to me was the length and pace of the book. Nothing really important happened until somewhere in the middle of the book and even then, it wasn't till the end that the actual eye catching paranormal stuff started happening. Mostly it was a lot of Isobel's high school life and her friend issues. 

Which brings me to another thing, as much as I loved the book, the high school part was really... unnatural. I'm speaking from high school experience. Yes, there are some cliques of specific people, but not everyone is categorized into organized groups. Most kids just stick with their friends no matter what group or club they "belong" to. Well, everyone's high school experience is different, right?
Now to characters.
Isobel is, in a way, a strong heroine. She shows her morals and where she stands from the start and I rarely had a doubt about her character (as in the way she acts). Her only weakness and ultimately, her greatest mistake, is trusting to easily. 
Varen is a dark mysterious shadow that comes of as cold and sardonic. But he grows on you from the start. Well, there are some moments where you want scream out in frustration because of his behavior. And despite their sun and rain differences, Isobel and Varen have an odd connection. 
Reynolds is a whole other type of mysterious throughout this book. Popping up at the moments he is needed but disappearing anyother time. I like, though, how his character is based off the Poe Toaster (read the book to know who that is or Google it ;) The thing most infuriating about Reynolds is his way of turning a conversation in circles and leaving more questions left in the open then answered.
Gwen is weird in a good way and her character makes me smile. She's forever being hyper and open to the world, uncaring of what others think. At least that's what I got from what I have read of her.
Her dad, on the other hand, sort of annoyed me in the beginning with his biased opinion  toward Brad. But, later on in the book, he redeems himself in my eyes. I'm being vague, I know, but I'm trying to stay away from spoilers.
Now just to get it out of the way, Brad, is the stereotypical, no-brain jock. I see him as a jerk and rude. He was also Isobel's boyfriend in the beginning of the book. PS. he's the jealous type.
There are other characters I could mention, but it'd take a while, so I'll let you form your own opinion on them and the ones I already mentioned.
Other than my qualms with the high school life in the book this was a very interesting story that had me hooked in the end. I loved the way the book ends in a way that makes me want to speed time till the next one comes out. Major cliffhanger. I highly recommend to all horror fanatics, paranormal lovers, and Poe readers. 
And since I finally figured out a rating system, I give this book a solid B for a fantastic story line, okay pace, legitimate Poe details, and an ending that'll leave you begging for more.


**PS for anyone who has read or is reading this book, I've heard rumors that the sequel will be released next year in August and the title will be Ensadowed.