The Archived
The Archived Series #1
By Victoria Schwab
Hyperion (2013)
My Ratings: *****

Review by Denise S.

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Publisher’s Blurb: Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous-it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

~ ~ ~ ~
My Review: The Archived contains a very thought-provoking storyline that is easy to follow and the further you go into it the more intriguing it is. Especially on the whole other world that exists outside of “life.” We are exposed to the realm of the in between, lost in the Narrows and that is where we’ll stay until we see the infamous light. Spirits become Histories to be hunted and guided to their final destination. I find that connection so profound. In essence, we are just a capsule of memories that are developed over many years of lifetime experiences and events. When we cease to exist we become nothing more than a bit of history.

I really enjoyed reading and learning about Mackenzie Bishop and the life she leads. Her vivid memories of her encounters with Da were very helpful for me to understand why she is the way she is. I like that on random moments she reverts back to her conversations with Da and his teachings. We start to get a clear picture of who he was as a person and how he plays a crucial role in her life decisions.

On these occasional flashbacks, her memory of her brother is not that far behind. It’s never easy dealing with a loss but to lose someone so close and know the secrets of where they end up is even more difficult. How do you move forward knowing your loved ones become Histories waiting to be Archived away? Mackenzie is a History hunter, a Keeper. Who knew hunting Histories required so much intense training where quick wit and precision is of the utmost importance. For a 16 year she has had to grow up fast and learn so much in order to survive the Narrows.

I feel I must add a little tidbit about my other favorite character, Wes. He’s a punk rock nerd who randomly gets introduced to us out of nowhere but nonetheless leaves a memorable mark. I really liked him not just because he had so much in common with Mackenzie but because he truly balances her out. In this serious and secretive life she leads he’s kind of the light she’s been lacking for many years. At the end of the day she is still a teenager who should be doing teenager things like having friends, doing fun things, laughing, or even smiling once in a while. As dark as Wes is portrayed to be, he’s really got the heart of gold and is a partner you can truly trust to watch your back.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good easy read. Victoria Schwab is an amazing writer who has clearly kept her readers in mind when putting this piece together. There’s an easy flow to her work that keeps me wanting to move forward. You roll through different emotions as you join in on these experiences with Mackenzie and that keeps you connected. I wanted to learn more about this character, this whole other world and life she leads, and the people she encounters along the way. It’s knowledge that lures you in and keeps you wanting more. I cannot wait to read the second book in this series.

Shadow of Night (#2 All Souls Trilogy)
By: Deborah Harkness
Published by: Viking Adult
Published on: July 10, 2012
Review by: Maria G.

Publisher’s blurb: Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.

My Review: There’s a reason why this book took me so long to complete and that does not mean it was a horrible book. I mean, it was on everyone’s top 12 of 2012 lists for a reason. Let me back track a bit…

When we turn to page 1, we see that Diana and Matthew have been hurled into Elizabethan England. This is an era where the likes of Christopher Marlowe and Shakespeare exist and it is a world filled with darkness and political/religious intrigue. Basically forget Shakespeare in Love and think more Elizabeth…

We see that in this age, Matthew was a bit darker. However, due to the fact that the Matthew we know is now in the past, his confidants are thrown for a loop because this is not the Matthew they knew and loved and this Matthew has brought a wife with him and that is our Diana. Diana is frowned upon from the get-go. She makes an enemy out of Marlowe, just because she exists. She also does not speak in the language that everyone is accustomed to, nor does she look like the average Elizabethan woman. Then there is the fact that she is a witch with very specific talents that have to be harnessed. These two just hit wall after wall as they attempt to assimilate, work on Diana’s powers and hunt for Ashmole 782.

The bad: I felt like I was taking a history course on Elizabethan Culture and Politics. Now, there was a book that I read ages ago, Possession by A.S. Byatt, which was centered on the relationship between two fictional Victorian poets, and via two academics and a trail of clues from various letters and journals, we along with the two protagonists attempt to uncover the truth about Ash and LaMotte’s past before it is discovered by rival colleagues. So, when I initially read Discovery of Witches, I felt that it was attempting to take a page from Possession and I thought it would be this great adventurous tale with a supernatural tilt. With Shadows, there was none of that adventurous spirit. With that said, I understand that you want to give us a foundation in this current world, but I would have preferred that not being an ongoing crutch.

What I did love about Shadows of Night was seeing how everything that was happening in the past was affecting the present. I also loved seeing the trials and tribulations of Diana and Matthew’s relationship and watching Diana evolve as a witch; there is no doubt that there is much more of an emotional core to this book versus Discovery.
Do I suggest you pick this book up? Only if you have the time and patience to devote to this book.

Will I read the 3rd book in this series? Yes.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Poison Princess
by: Kresley Cole
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Released: October 2, 2012
Reviewed by: Diana M.

If you like Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series for adults, you’re going to love POISON PRINCESS, her first paranormal YA novel.

The story is dark — very dark — but Cole’s witty dialogue, creative new world and characters based on Tarot cards — the Arcana — and just the right amount of weird teen angst make this a page turner. Here’s Cole’s description from her website: (And scroll to the bottom to see YouTube video of her talking about the book!)

22 Arcana cards. 22 young assassins. May the best hand live.

Sixteen-year-old Evie Greene’s horrific hallucinations predicted the apocalypse, and the end of the world brought her all sorts of new powers. With the earth scorched and few survivors, Evie teams up with handsome and dangerous Jack Deveaux in a race to find answers. They discover that that an ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens have been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…

Her heroine is Evie — a popular Southern belle in high school who is dating a hunky quarterback and who seemingly has the world wrapped around her finger. But when we meet Evie, we are not in her cheerful high school world — but in a different world — one that’s been laid to waste by something called the “Flash” with loved ones killed. It’s a world where lawless groups roam the countryside. Zombie-like creatures are everywhere. And it’s literally every man – -because most women died in the “Flash” — for himself. But when the story opens, Evie is being lured into an old house by a young man named Arthur, who is exceptionally cruel and evil — and a total mystery.

And that’s how Cole tells her tale. She alternates between the sadistic Arthur and Evie’s past until we are caught up at the end and back in Arthur’s house. We go back in time to find out that her idyllic teen life wasn’t so perfect because Evie had visions of the end of the world. Her mother put her in an institute for the summer because she was worried Evie would follow in her grandmother’s footsteps — insanity. Or what Evie’s mother thought was insanity.

As Evie struggles to mainstream her way back into school and with friends, she meets bad boy Jackson Deveaux, a Cajun from the wrong side of the tracks who is fascinated by Evie and what is haunting her. They tug at each other — both repulsed and yet attracted to each other at first. It’s a pretty intense and hot relationship — just right for this story.

Cole weaves in the story of Evie’s visions — the strange creatures she sees. A witch, Death, a girl who shoots arrows and a boy who beckons to her as a friend. Bloody battles from ancient wars. Evie sees desolate landscapes, death and oddly enough — plants. Evie is called the Empress in these visions and later on after the “Flash” but she doesn’t understand who or what she really is. Without giving too much away, I will say that Cole has based her characters on Tarot — what she calls the Arcana — cards. In the end, the story and subsequent books in this series will amount to a sort of THE HUNGER GAMES among these card characters. But the relationships are more complicated in this frightening post-apocalyptic world.

And then there’s Jackson — who is dark and handsome and not part of the Arcana — at least that we know in this first book. He seems to want to protect Evie, who — fast forward into the world after the “Flash” — is determined to find her grandmother, who was put away somewhere in North Carolina. Evie is convinced her grandmother is still alive and can help her figure out what her role as Empress should be in this new world.

Suffice to say, Cole leaves us with a giant cliffhanger and it’s going to be a long wait between this book and the sequel. But if the second book is anything like the first, it will be well worth the wait.

The Golden Lily

By: Richelle Mead

Published: June 12, 2012

Published by: Razorbill

Reviewed by: Maria G.

Publisher’s Blurb: Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students–children of the wealthy and powerful–carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

My review: This is going to be an interesting review because not only did my daughter have to chime in, but my husband wanted to chime in… This will be interesting.

So, not only did I get the book… I got the audiobook. I had a free credit, so why not? This is when my family got involved. Before you cringe… their reaction was kind of refreshing. Now, as you know, we pick up a couple of months after the last book. Everyone is as Amberwood, but Sydney was summoned to go before the alchemist leadership to handle a particular issue that strikes a nerve with Sage. After her visit, her feelings about her relationships with the Moroi that she is responsible for and deals with are conflicted.

This is clearly evident in Sydney’s attempt at romance. She dates a fellow that is literally the male version of her, but because of her obligations to her “family” they are never really allowed to move the relationship beyond the first real date.

When I say familial obligations, I mean Adrian. That guy manages to come up with new reasons to pull her from having those normal high school moments that girls strive for.

And that’s when my husband pipes in with, “That poor bastard, he’s in love with her and she can’t see it.”

Then my daughter follows with, “She’s oblivious. Wait, how old are these people? I thought they were in their 20’s?”

So, this went on for a while.

You may think that this is a clear sign that we did not like this book, but that is not the case. We listened to it and we laughed along to all those awkward moments that everyone has experienced when they first realize that they like someone, but really do not know how to deal with those feelings.

So, we heard the audio in three days and we never had so much with an audiobook.

Back to the book, I have to admit that the pacing and the story arc in this book were far more interesting than Bloodlines.

Unfortunately, Jill’s storyline was forgettable; the other storylines were quite interesting. The best revolved around Sydney, Adrian, Dimitri, Sonya and the vampire hunters. There was such an interesting buildup to the “boss battle” that I was afraid that it would not pan out to anything, but it left me happy, satisfied and wanting more.

In hindsight, this book reminded me of Harry Potter and Goble of Fire with all its issues with kids and romance. Yet, as someone who has fond memories of those times… I could only smile along. The best moments involved Sydney and Adrian, those two inevitably moved from friendship to confidants and to the inevitable next step.

These two characters have gone beyond their initial cardboard cut-out caricatures from Bloodlines and have evolved into far more complex and conflicted characters. You can’t help but want to see them be together. The question is will they allow that to happen?

I have to admit, I was sad when I finished this book. It was a fun read that reminded me of a supernatural teen novella and I cannot wait for the third installment which is hinted at towards the end of the book.

So, I think this would be a great book to pick up for yourself, your kid… whomever.

Now as stated earlier, the 3^rd book in the installment, The Indigo Spell, will be released on February 13, 2013 and here is a little bit from the first paragraph:

This wasn’t the first time I’d been pulled out of bed for a crucial mission. It was, however, the first time I’d been subjected to such a personal line of questioning.

“Are you a virgin?”

What does it mean???? Ah, the torture. Well, mark your calendars for the next installment.

Listen to Kelly and Maria recap the latest news and spoilers for some of your favorite shows: The Vampire Diaries, Syfy’s Being Human, The Walking Dead, True Blood, Lost Girl and Teen Wolf. They also recap the latest episodes of Lost Girl, Teen Wolf and True Blood.

They also cover the latest movies news which includes World War Z and The Hobbit.

For SBLC, Maria Reviews Insurgent by Veronica Roth and gives a thumbs up to Undead and Unstable by MaryJanice Davidson.

You can download the podcast here, via iTunes or through the Zune Marketplace.

Enjoy!

This podcast was recorded on 06.11.2012.

Undead and Unstable

By: MaryJanice Davidson

Published: June 5, 2012

Published by: Berkley Hardcover

Reviewed by: Maria G.

Official Blurb: Betsy’s heartbroken over her friend Marc’s death, but at least his sacrifice should change the future—her future­—for the better. But it’s not as if Betsy’s next few hundred years will be perfect. After all, her half-sister Laura is the AntiChrist, Laura’s mother is Satan, and family gatherings will always be more than a little awkward.

What’s really bothering Betsy is that ever since she and Laura returned from visiting her mom in Hell, Laura’s been acting increasingly peculiar. Maybe it’s Laura’s new job offer: as Satan’s replacement down under. Unfortunately, the position comes at a damnable price: killing Betsy, her own flesh-and-blood.

Over Betsy’s dead body. And for that matter Marc’s, too, since he’s not quite as buried as everyone thought. Now a war has been waged—one that’s going to take sibling rivalry to a whole new level, and a dimension where only one sister can survive.

My Review: After I read the last Betsy the Vampire Queen book, I swore that I would never pick up this series again. But, like a moth to a flame, I could not resist the latest installment. By the end of it, I had to admit that I actually liked the book.

Now, the main reason why I originally liked this book series was that these books were a nice break from the emotionally draining books that we love to read. Yet, somewhere along the line… it lost it’s way and the last few books reminded me of I Love Lucy and not in a good way.

But in this last book, I have to admit I smiled from ear to ear throughout it.

Betsy is still in the alternate universe and has somehow mangaged to fix almost all that hinders her from functioning as Queen of the Vampires. The biggest issue she had was convincing herself that she can handle being the Queen of the Vampires…

The craziest bit of the story revolved around Betsy, Lena Olin and her sister, Laura. What happens between the three of them will make you go O.M.G.!

The funniest bit in the book was when they stated that they blamed the insane popularity of Vampires to the vampires that we follow in this book series. So, now you know who to blame?

By the end of it, I started to wonder what will happen next with Betsy, Sinclair, Jessica, Marc, Laura, Dick, Antonia, Garrett and Tina.

That must be a good sign, right?

There was no cliffhanger, but there was clear indication of what may pose as an obstacle for Betsy in future books and one of them is a doozy.

Do I think you should pick this up? Yes, especially if you are going to the beach because this is a fun and quick read.

Listen to Kelly and Maria discuss the season finale of Game of Thrones as well as the last episode of Lost Girl, as well as the latest spoilers and news for some of your favorite shows: True Blood, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The Vampire Diaries and Grimm.

The ladies also the latest on the Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie and Maria reviews Snow White and the Huntsman.

Kelly reviews the latest in the Lost Instruments series, City of Lost Souls, by Cassandra Clare. This SBLC review leads to discussion about YA, Sex & it’s audience.

You can download the podcast here, via iTunes or the Zune Marketplace.

Enjoy!

The podcast was recorded on 6.4.2012.

Into the Dreaming
By: Karen Marie Moning
Published: April 24, 2012
Published By: Delacorte Press
Reviewed by: Maria G.

A classic Karen Marie Moning highlander romance tale, in which we meet Jane. Jane feels like she was born of another era and this feeling stems from her kilt-wearing dream lover. One day, when all hope is lost, she gets a package. In it, there’s a tapestry and guess who’s visage is staring richt back at her. That’s right, her dream lover. She ends up being transported back and she comes across the man that has made her wish her dream life was her real life since she was a wee lass. But, there is a hitch, Jane’s dream man is not all that he is cracked up to be. Now, Jane is hell bent on getting her dream lover back from the icy cold depths of his servitute to the Unseelie King.

This was a fun and quick read and left me wanting more and more. Time to re-read the highlander series for me and possibly just up and move to Scotland so I can find my highlander… don’t tell my husband though.

I wholeheartedly suggest that you pick this book up because you not only get the novella, but you get other goodies like:

A proposal for a tale titled Ghost of a Chance
Deleted scenes from Kiss of the Highlander
The Dark Highlander Lite
Excerpt from Darkfever
and a sneak peek of the Fever Moon graphic novel.

Great buy and a nice addition to your Karen Marie Moning section of your library.

Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers Book #1)
By: Michelle Rowen
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Published on: May 22, 2012
Reviewed by: Maria G.

Blurb: I don’t do dangerous. Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that’s me. But I just couldn’t pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me…something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It’s like part of me is missing-and I don’t know if I can get it back. Then there’s Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he’s keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he’s what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me…. NIGHTWATCHERS When angels and demons must work together; something beyond evil is rising…

When I first started reading this book I kept thinking of My So-Called Life. You remember that short-lived TV show, right? You have this non-assuming girl, Samantha, whose life is less than stellar and dreams of life post-high school. But, then there’s this boy and then there is a kiss…

That’s when the book stops being like that show.

We follow Samantha as she tries to figure out who she really is and what she has to do to save her soul, her best friend and those that reside in Trinity, her home town. Of course, with such endeavors, there are obstacles that she must contend with and they are:

1. A group of Angels and Demons that were summoned to Trinity to eradicate the evil that is growing by leaps and bounds. One of the members is drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
2. Her hunger, which may do her and everyone else in.
3. Natalie, who is determined to use Samantha to get out of dodge.

As you read on, you come to sympathize with Samantha as she confronts both supernatural and purely normal every day teen issues like boys and her relationship with her parents. Yet, there is a moment of incite that just makes you read furiously to the end, which was quite satisfying.

My favorite moments in the book actually happened between Samantha and Kraven, a demon, and not those restrained and not so restrained moments she has with the angel named Bishop. Kraven knows how to push Samantha’s buttons, but there is a side to him that pops up everyone once in a while when he is around Samantha that makes you wonder… is he really that bad? There are two bits of info about Kraven that floored me and now I want to know more about this character. Hopefully we will get to learn more about him in the next book, Wicked Kiss.

Overall, I liked this book. Yes, there were moments where I looked at my kindle and wondered when are you going to kick this story into high gear; but when it did, it was an awesome read. Go pick it up.

Angels’ Flight by: Nalini Singh
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Reviewed by: Maria G.

Blurb: Warrior angels, vampire hunters, and angels gone bad heat up this altogether sizzling paranormal alternate universe. This anthology of novellas features Angels’ Wolf, Angels’ Judgment, Angels’ Pawn, and the never-before-published Angels’ Dance.

Nalini Singh is quite respected in the paranormal romance genre, but her books have always escaped my purview. With the knowledge of the release of this compendium of novellas from her Angel-focused series, I was allowed to jump in without being at a loss from not knowing the books of this series. This is the first reason why you should pick up this book.

The second reason is the characters. Usually, when we read paranormal romance, there is something lacking in the female protagonist’s life that prohibits her from living a happy life. Usually, it is lack of love. On the surface, you could perceive that these stories are of that ilk. In reality, the heroines are of heartier stock and are completely okay with the paths they have chosen. The men they have chosen to love are just the icing on the cake. Yes, the men do have a bit of an edge to them.

I have to admit that I loved all the stories:
In Angels’ Pawn, Ashwini (A Guild Hunter) and Janvier (a much older and well known and respected vampire) work on a case together that forces them to go undercover in an Angel’s court wrought with issues brought on by the local vampires. Now, this story is not only fun because of how Ash and Janvier play off of one another, but the sexual tension between the two is amazing. Now, you may not like the ending of this story, but I hope to see this pairing again.

In Angels’ Judgment, we meet Sara. She has been tapped to become the new Director of the guild. To become the director, she has to accept the position and also go through a test (sent by the Cadre) that will show if she is strong enough to take the position. Knowing this, the current guild director sends another guild hunter, Deacon, to keep an eye on her. Now there is something special about Deacon, he is a hunter of the guild hunters. That is why he was also coupled with Sara, because she is on the hunt for a guild hunter that attacks vampires (a rarity). Together they work together and slowly fall for one another, but because of her becoming the new Director and he being who he is… there is a huge obstacle in the way of them spending the rest of their lives together.

In Angels’ Wolf, we meet the archangel Nimra, who has spent her life alone since a past lover left her broken. But, that has not stopped her from being the most human of the Archangels. Yes, she is feared for a rare power that she has, but those in her court adore her. Well, except one. In steps the recently transferred, from the Archangel Raphael’s territory, Noel. Noel is a mess, he was tortured and abused and is now suffering from the after effects of that abuse and he also feels slighted by the fact that Raphael sent him to Nimra’s court. But, he finds purpose in Nimra’s court. He now has to find out who is trying to kill her and why. Over time, Nimra learns to trust this broken vampire and he in turn learns to love again with this feared archangel. I have to admit that this was my favorite story in the lot and I think you’ll like it just as much as I did.

Finally, in Angels’ Dance, we meet Jessamy. She is both teacher to all of the young angels, historian and political advisor  for the Cadre. She resides in Raphael’s Refuge and leads a solitary life due to her having a defect in one of her wings, which grounds her. This defect has forced her to be a recluse when it comes to matters of love, because she fears that her wings makes people take pity on her. But then she meets Galen. Galen has decided to leave Titus’ court in hopes to join Raphael and possibly become his weapon’s master. He is a wall of an angel that lacks refinery that other angel’s might have, but there is something in him that Jessamy brings out in him. So, he courts her in the only way he can and at first she kind of balks, but then she lets him. Yet, due to political machinations in another territory and Jessamy slowly growing into the woman that she is meant to be, it takes forever for them to get together. When they do get together, you are just cheering them on. This was my second favorite story and I really hope we get to learn more about this couple and the issues in the politics of the angel world. It was very interesting to learn about the rules of how territories are governed.

Overall, I loved this little gem of a book. I give it 4.5 stars out of 5 and that is only because I wanted more!

Go pick it up!