Friday, May 23, 2014

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6)

Stars: 5 out of 5
Author: Richelle Mead
Back of the book
After a long and taxing journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vlad's and has been reenetered student life. It is nearly graduation and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. Rose still aches for Dimitri. However, Dimitri has survived against all odds and now seeks Rose's death. She failed to kill him when she had the chance. Now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him . . . forever.

My Review
Soo sad that its over! But this has to be one of the best endings ever! I'm also a sucker for those fairy tale endings never the less we finally get what we all wanted to see . . . Rose and Dimitri back together this time for good.
I truly have become addicted to this series and I'm sad to say goodbye to all the characters. Lots of twists and adventure on this one with unpredictable scenarios. I just never knew what was going to happen when I turned the page.
I can't wait for the spin off.
Overall Rose has to be my all time fav character not only was she tough, never a damsel in distress, smart, witty and just straight up a bad ass!

Some of my fav lines from the book:

"Huh," Adrian said, letting himself in, "So that's how you're going to fix the family problem. Little Dragomirs. Good idea."

Dimitri "It's you. You're beautiful. So beautiful, it hurts me."

"His fingers never ceased to amaze me. They could break a man's neck, bandage a would and slide sensually across bare skin."

Sonya tells Rose "I see that synchronicity in auras. I can see the love too. And I see all of that in his aura and in yours."

Dimitri tells Rose at the end of the book "We waste our lives with guilt and self-loathing. When you looked at me there at the end . . . I saw it. You did love me."


The soul that complemented mine. My match. My equal.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Take One With You


Author: Oak Anderson
Stars: 5 out of 5

Back of the Book

MURDER GOES VIRAL!

Charlie and Sarah, two disaffected teens dealing with depression, meet in an online chatroom and soon hatch a plan to bring meaning to their lives by encouraging other despondent individuals to help eradicate the "scum of society", such as pedophiles and rapists who have escaped justice. Anyone determined to commit suicide is urged to first kill someone who "got away with it" before taking their own life. Why not, they ask, "take one with you?"

The idea goes viral and things rapidly spiral out of control. As they develop feelings for each other, their worldwide followers begin to enact a very different version of their idea, perverting its original intent and threatening the thin line between civil society and criminal anarchy. Just as they find the hope of happiness together, Charlie and Sarah must deal with the monster they've created, a global epidemic of murder-suicide that threatens the very core of their humanity.

Take One With You is a unique crime thriller/millennial love story that poses the question: If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, would you kill someone tonight? Someone who had done something terrible. Someone who deserved to die. If so, who would it be? If you wouldn't go that far, what about your neighbor? Your friend? Your enemy? Who draws the line? Who decides who lives and who dies? And what if we all began to take justice into our own hands?

Review

TOWY aka take one with you.

If you were going to die, would you take one with you?
This is the question the books asks.
Would you leave the world a little safer , make your death have meaning, take someone who escaped the justice system and deserved to die?

We meet Sarah and Charlie who meet online in a chat forum. They had similar childhood, both were misunderstood, depressed and angry so they turn to each other. 
They start a project called TOWY. Added child molesters, pedophiles and rapists on the website for people to take one with them when they decide to end it all. Soon the website gains lots of attention and becomes out of control. Charlie and Sarah never realized just how much damage they created. How do you justify who you can take? And what happens when you have innocents in the crossfire?

There are many points of views from different characters. We get POV's from the creators of the website, Towy's themselves and the justice system. I've never read a book like this. As my first crime thriller, I think I shall start reading a bit more in this category. Oak Anderson is an amazing writer and I can't wait for what else he has in store. 
TOWY was a creative idea for a book concept and I can't say there are many books written that have you guessing as much as this book had. So many twists had you wondering what each character was plotting and how they relate to each other. 
One of my new favs!

I would also like to thank Oak Anderson for reaching out to me. Such an amazing person and good luck in the future. I can't wait to read what else you have in store for readers.


Friday, May 9, 2014

Moonlight ( A Dark Guardian Novel)

Author: Rachel Hathorne
Stars: 4.5 out of 5

I see him and I know what this turmoil inside of me means: He's the one. My forever. 

KAYLA is the nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying-and thrilling-gene that will change her life forever.

Back of the Book
LUCAS is dangerous, gorgeous ... and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them all in harm's way.

As Lucas and Kayla struggle with their feelings for each other, a greater danger lurks: Humans have discovered the Dark Guardians and are planning their destruction. Kayla must choose between the life she knows and the love she feels certain is her destiny.


My Review
Recently I've been reading books a lot more since school is now over. I really loved the author Rachel Hawthorne, some of my fav books are by her so I was really happy when I found out she had a new series called the dark guardians.
This book has suspense, action werewolves and of COURSE romance (which she specializes in). I didnt start reading the books in sequins by now i will cause you obviously understand more.
I have just finished reading "Moonlight" which is about a girl names Kayla who is a nature lover who is attracted to Lucas. Since she was adopted as a child she has no idea that she has inherited a very interesting gene that will changed her life forever. Lucas is a dangerous, gorgeous and a werewolf. As the leader of the Dark Guardians, shapeshifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them both in trouble.
In the series of books written rachel writes about a set of teenagers. Each one of them have there own individual struggles and problems that they must face. I say if your bored this summer or looking for a good book to read, read one of the books from the series it's a light enjoyable read.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy # 5)

Author: Richelle Mead

Stars: 5 out of 5
Back of the book
After a long and taxing journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vlad's and has been reenetered student life. It is nearly graduation and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. Rose still aches for Dimitri. However, Dimitri has survived against all odds and now seeks Rose's death. She failed to kill him when she had the chance. Now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him . . . forever.



Review
Hmm what can I say this book had it all. In a short recap Rose finally has become a guardian, she broke into a high security prison in  Alaska, and broke out Victor Daskov, helped bring Dimitri back from being a strigoi who has been imprisoned and framed for killing Queen Tatiana. 

All of this in one book, boy is that ever a lot of drama for one women. 


It all starts from the last book where Rose heard it is possible to change a strigoi back. In order to learn how to do this she has to break out the only person who can give them information on this Victor Daskov. 
With Lissa and Eddie at her side they break Victor out of jail and head to Vegas to learn more from his half brother. From him they learn a stake has to be charmed with spirit and the strigoi has to be staked by the spirit user. Lissa's practice and training eventually prevails in staking Dimitri bring him back to his former self. 

With Dimitri back all Rose wants is to see him and relive the love they once shared but he can't look at her and wants nothing to do with her. He's forever indebt to Lissa for saving him and guilty for what he did as a strigoi especially so to Rose. He goes as far as telling her "Love fades, I dont love you anymore." Though he's eyes betray he's true feelings. 

During this time a ruling has occurred that allows the guardian age to be lowered to 16 which to Rose's outrage she confronts the Queen infront of the court and is eventually dragged out saying "i wont let you get away with this" and other Rose like things 

the next day Rose has been charged and framed for killing the Queen.
Someone has framed her buy using her stake and her past actions against her. Now Rose has one last mission, with a note from the dead Queen she can bring Lissa to her rightful place in the court and among the Moroi royalty. 
 "They come first"

Monday, April 28, 2014

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy Book #4)


Author: Richelle Mead
Stars: 4.5 out of 5

Back of the Book

Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world.Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by the strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters ... Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa - her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess - or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out in her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?


Now, will everything at stake - and worlds away from St. Vladamirs and her unguarded, vulnerable and newly rebellious best friend - can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?



Review

Rose's quest to track down Dimitri means leaving everything behind at St. Vladimar's academy including Lissa and travelling around the world to Russia. Hunting down Dimitri didn't start off easy it lead her to finding Dimitri's family telling them the horrible truth about him and finding another bonded shadow-kissed spirit user as well during this time Rose also meets a man named Abe who is like the Russian mob there and has the power to do anything at the snap of his fingers we later learn that this man is Rose's father. During this time Rose still checks on Lissa but finds there's something wrong with her that she can't put a finger on it.
 Heading back into the city her finally tracks down Dimitri only to be knocked out by him. When Rose wakes up she finds she's in a house not just any house a Strigoi's layer. But with Dimitri their Rose tries to find the man she first fell in love with and sooon becomes trapped there by lust and ecstasy from the strigoi's bite. As days fall into weeks Rose no longer has any desire for anything other than Dimitri and a bite to fill her needs. One day Rose hears a whisper in her mind and soon tries to fight her craving and eventually her reason and sense start to return. Rose knows that if she doesn't escape soon she will either die or be turned strigoi by Dimitri.
Rose eventually escapes and has a deadly showdown with Dimitri. Rose finally gets the upper hand on him on a bridge adn before she stakes him she asks "why do you want me to stay with you?" Dimitri answers "because I want you." and with that answer Rose finally realizes that he is not the same man she falls in love with, he doesn't love her, he just wants to own her like a possession and with that she stakes him watching him fall into the river.
Rose returns to St. Vladmir she learns that their are many people who love her and want her in their lives, she has the possibility of returning back to classes and graduating. the twist happened in the last 10 pages when Rose was heading up to the dorms for that night she receives a package inside was the stake she used on Dimitri on the bridge and a note that read "i see you haven't remembered the lesson i have though you, remember never turn your back on your enemy until you know their dead." and with that he will be reuniting with her very soon. This realization makes Rose think back to that night that maybe she didn't kill him like she though she did.
And so this awesome series continues.

Loved this book not my fav but definitely awesome. I couldn't stand to see Rose so weak and powerless and Dimitri I loved him the way he was all cold and evil its a different side from his usual warm, sexy demur that we've all grown to love. stayed up for 3 hours reading the ending last night, even though i was tired i couldn't put it down.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy Book #3)



Author: Richelle Mead
Stars: 5 out of 5

Back of the Book

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all... might be seeing ghosts.


As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose's forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line - and choose between the two people she loves most.


My Review


Never have I read a book that had me crying and felt like a part of my soul was ripped out just as Rose'S was. the best line of this whole book was the very last sentence  that sums up everything "i set off, off the kill the man i love".

This has to be the BEST book of the series so far. I wish I had more words to describe what this book did to me. I hope everyone can feel this type of love at least once in their life. Just wow Mrs. Mead truly out did her self just . . . Wow.

Hands down my fav parts of the series is the interaction between Dimitri and Rose (or Roza in Dimitri's sexy Russian accent)
This is how I pictured Dimitri sexy, brooding and mysterious. Damnn Rose you lucky girl!

Absolutely recommend this series to anyone who loves a good love story, action, mystery and adventure. For more of my book reviews click this link right here  ->  Chrissy Dev

Thanks!!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)

Author: Richelle Mead
Stars: 5 out of 5

Back of the Book
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose . . .

It's Winter break at St, Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but feastive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians - including Rose's hard hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand to hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The strigoi are closing in and the Academy's not taking any risks . . . This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But with the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety, When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price . . . 

Review
I've actually been really liking this series and the best part is I don't have to wait for each book to come out. My pet peeve is when I've started a series and have to wait for the book by then I would have either moved on or forgot what happened in the last 2 books. Sigh
In book two the 2 main events are Rose has competition over Dimitri's attention and affection and the possibility of him leaving to protect another moroi. We finally meet Rose's mom and there is a rogue band of strigoi (immortal dead vampires with insane strength) that are killing off royal families one by one with the help of humans.
We get to see Rose's first killing of strigoi, we see the lost of her friend Mason and a new character is brought in named Adrian ( who is royal and is a spirit user like Lissa)

I really liked this one because we see rose's battle between herself and she learns more about being a guardian and her mother. This one is very emotional and I got caught up in the intense situations.  Overall I gave this a 5 and I can't wait to read the next book.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy Book 1)

Author: Richelle Mead
Stars: 5 out of 5

Happy Easter everyone!! Now on to the review!

Back of the Book

St. Vladmir's Academy isn't jsut any boarding school-it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but not they're being dragged back to St. Vladmir's -- the very place where they're most in danger . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi-- the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires - make Lissa one of them forever.


Review
Surprisingly I really liked it. Usually books that everyone goes crazy for, I don't seem to find the same allure but this was a pretty decent book. Especially that it's a vampire book and for once had and was nothing like a twilight wanna be. Love the connection between these two girl as they unravel the mystery of their bond and the forbidden loves that tehy aquire (i mean who doesn't love forbidden things). The story takes a interesting turn of event with the two types of vampires and a society that is in need of change.
One last thing - I wish i had Dimitri as a teacher, damn lucky Rose. 
Overall i really enjoyed it and it's not what I expected for your typical ya novel where I can predict everything.
To read more of my review go to Goodreads.com
Thanks for reading & follow for more.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Eat, Brains, Love by Jeff Hart

Stars: 4.5 out of 5
Back of the book
A laugh-out-loud funny, surprisingly romantic, zombie road trip novel filled with heart—and brains. Eat, Brains, Love is perfect for fans of Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies.
The good news: Jake's dream girl, Amanda Blake, finally knows his name.
The bad news: it's because they both contracted a mysterious zombie virus and devoured the brains of half their senior class. Now Jake and Amanda are on the run from Cass, a teen psychic sent by the government's top-secret Necrotic Control Division to track them down. As Jake and Amanda deal with the existential guilt of eating their best friends and set off in search of a cure for the zombie virus, Cass struggles with a growing psychic dilemma of her own—one that will lead all three of them on an epic journey across the country and make them question what it means to truly be alive. Or undead.

My Review
Jake was a regular high school boy. He loved video games and getting high with his friends until one day when he ate half of his friends in the school cafeteria. Now he is on the run, he is a zombie fugative and his getaway partner is the hottest girl in school Amanda Blake who ate the other half of his class. Some how they have contacted a zombie virus with a hope of a cure they head to Iowa, but their way there is be a difficult one.

Meet Cass the youngest member of the NCD squad, She is a telepath and is on a mission to track and kill zombies. Those zombies in particular Jake and Amanda. There is humourous banter between Jake and Amanda and even funnier thoughts from Jake.
The story is told from the points of view from both Cass and Jake. So we get both the outlaw and the tracker views and the choices and thoughts they make. The cliff hanger at the end of the book has me amped for the next and to figure out what really is in Iowa and how Cass teaming up with the zombies will change the dynamics.

Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz


Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
Stars: 5 out of 5

My Review
I didn't know what to expect when I first picked up the book and started to read, but by the second chapter I couldn't put the book down. It was soo intriguing and it made you wonder what was going to happen next.


The plot of the book is: High atop Hathorne Hill, near Boston, sits Danvers State Hospital. Built in 1878 and closed in 1992, this abandoned mental institution is rumored to be the birthplace of the lobotomy. Locals have long believed the place to be haunted. They tell stories about the unmarked graves in the back, of the cold spots felt throughout the underground tunnels, and of the treasures found inside: patients' personal items like journals, hair combs, and bars of soap, or even their old medical records, left behind by the state for trespassers to view.
On the eve of the hospital's demolition, six teens break in to spend the night and film a movie about their adventures. For Derik, it's an opportunity to win a film making contest and save himself from a future of flipping burgers at his parents' diner. For the others, it's a chance to be on TV, or a night with no parents. But what starts as a playful dare quickly escalates into a frenzy of nightmarish action. Behind the crumbling walls, down every dark passageway, and in each deserted room, they will unravel the mysteries of those who once lived there and the spirits who still might.


It's the best to read late at night during a thunder storm where every sense is heighten and every nerve is on edge. There were a lot of unexpected happenings in the book and the way she wrote the book makes you feel like your in the scenario with the other teens in the abandoned hospital wondering what every dark shadow has lurking behind it. Each teen has there own reason for going to the hospital that night each with a different motive overall the end of the books tells you how each person turns out whether they make it out ALIVE!


Overall a very good book that i would recommend for a quick summer read. =)

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler



Author: Sarah Ockler
Stars: 4.5 out of 5


Back of the Book
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in ZanzibarBay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.


My Review
Anna, Frankie and Matt (Frankie and Matt are brother and sister) have always been inseparable -bffs till the end they share everything. . . except Anna's feelings for Matt. On her 15th birthday they finally confess how they feel about each other, sharing a marzipan covered kiss. For one whole summer they share things with each other and start to fall in love. Everything changed when Matt crashes due to a heart defection and is pronounced dead. 

1 year later Frankie's family decides to take there annual family vaca to Zanzibar SF. Here the girls make a pact for the A.B.S.E (absolutely best summer ever) and try to get with twenty guys in twenty days. Anna tries to discover what Matt meant all those postcards ago and reconnect with him some how and try to be a different person. 

Over the summer Anna learns how to let go, love and change.  She falls for someone who opens up her perspective on love and life. 
I love the cover which is the symbol of the book sea glass. 

Like the ocean, falling and whispering against the shore. Nothing ever really goes away - it just changes into something else. Something beauty

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Title: Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
# of pages: 273
Stars: 5 out of 5

I LOVED THIS BOOK.
After all the sleepers I've been reading this was fun and refreshing. I loved this book its a modern take on Lysistrata.
There's a school rivalry between their own football and soccer team, that has be on going for 10 years.
All of the girlfriends with the boys on these teams always felt like they were being put second to the rivalries and they've had enough. Especially Lissa Daniels. She fed up and has come up with a plan, all of the girls are going on a sex strike (and any sexual activities count too)there going to make the guys feel it and hit them were it hurts the most IN BED!!

But this book goes much more than teenagers and sex, it takes a look on how females and males are looked upon when it comes to the topic of sex and why there is always a double standard to women. As a result soccer and football sides are demolished and they all bond in a quest to see who can outlast who in the battle of boys versus girls.

To anyone who loves a good chick lit and wants to know who outlast who read this book, I'm sure as hell happy to have picked it up at the library. Kody is an amazing author, I can't wait to read more from her.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog Away with a book.
I will share my likes and dislikes and honest reviews on books that I've read.
Also check out my profile on Goodreads - Chrissy Dev.
Also check out my lifestyle blog as I explore my city A Girl in Toronto
Look forward to my reviews and thanks for reading!