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Book Review: Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5) by Richelle Mead

Jul 28, 2014

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Pages:380 (paperback)
Publish date:29 July 2014
Publisher:Penguin Australia, Puffin, Razorbill
ISBN: 0141350180
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour,

Silver Shadows:

First line: I WOKE TO DARKNESS

I received a copy of Silver Shadows from Penguin Australia. This in no way has influenced my review. This review will contain spoilers from the Vampire Academy series and the previous Bloodlines books. It will NOT contain spoilers from Silver Shadows.

I love Richelle Mead. I cannot explain how much. With each book she writes everything just seems to be getting better and better and I don’t even know how. Silver Shadows is pure brilliance and, in my eyes, a masterpiece.

I cannot control my fangirling at all. But what VA/Bloodlines fan can? There were so many moments in this book that I wanted to scream and dance. I read Silver Shadows in less than 12 hours. As soon as I received it and picked it up I could not put it down. From the first page the story grips you and you cannot put it down. Richelle Mead’s writing is breathtaking and gripping.

Like The Fiery Heart, Silver Shadows is told from both Sydney and Adrian’s point of view. And let me tell you, Richelle Mead knows how to write from two perspectives. You can tell who is who even without having each chapter title.

We’ll be together soon. In real life. The center will hold.

At the end of The Fiery Heart we are left with a massive cliff hanger and it doesn’t get better for either Sydney or Adrian. I wanted to hug them both and cry with them. Sydney, as we know, is in rehabilitation and it’s not great, not at all. She suffers in so many ways that I cannot explain. Sydney is so strong throughout the whole series and she becomes so much stronger in Silver Shadows and I admire her so much more.

Adrian, oh my poor Adrian. I wanted to hit him across the head sometimes. I also wanted to hold him in my arms. I just wanted to make everything better. We really got to see a lot more of Adrian, the real Adrian. Richelle Mead captures the true emotions of her characters so much. And we feel those emotions too and it’s heartbreaking. He made some wonderful decisions and some, let’s just say a ‘Really Adrian’ is needed. Why, why why.

The romance. Oh how I feel for both Sydney and Adrian. Not even the universe wants them together. But those times, those times that I could not keep a smile off my face were brilliant. Adrian and Sydney are just so beautiful together.

To be told that was a sham, that all love was a sham, couldn’t have come at a worse time. I didn’t believe it, of course. I knew there was real love out there. I’d experienced it firsthand…

We get to know quite a few new characters in this book. They were all very intriguing. Duncan is one of the new characters that I really enjoyed reading about. He was different, but still quite the same. Even though at times he annoyed me and got on my nerves because of things that he said and did. But I know that his intentions were in the right place.

We also got to see a lot of our old characters as well. I loved seeing Rose and Dimitri. I always love seeing them and we even got to see that playful side of Rose that we haven’t seen in a while. I also loved, like a lot, the scene with Dimitri and Adrian even though it might have not ended the best way, it was still nice to see. Lissa on the other hand. . .

Lissa, I love you girl, but please just stop. I wanted to hit her across the face just so many times I cannot explain. Everything that came out of her mouth just got on my nerves like you wouldn’t believe. But I guess Lissa has always sort of been like this, but something just ticked me off.

We finally get to see some faces that we only know names to and it’s really nice and thrilling at first, but then we see those people that we don’t want to see at all. They made my blood boil and yours will too.

Okay, let me try and say something without giving anything away. Okay I can’t say anything that won’t give it away. But I know that you will know what I am talking about when you get to it and then we can all fangirl like crazy people. Because I was screaming around the house at 9 at night because of this and I just OMG. I love you Richelle Mead so bloody much. Trust me all of you will love it. Well I hope you do. Okay it is just so amazing and I cannot stop fangirling. None of you will not be able to do the same, not after you get to this bit. It’s just so cute and I cannot control myself.

For a moment, there was a part of me that was a little more in love with her than ever.

But, then again, I can hate you as well. Another cliff hanger. Why do you do this to us Richelle? Why hurt us, stitch up our hearts, then rip them out again? But you are the queen of cliff hangers that I can give you.

There were so many times that I was on the edge of my seat. Turning one page after another, wanting to know what was going to happen next. Richelle Mead is unbelievable she grips you from the start and hold you on a leash. She doesn’t let go. You cannot anticipate what is going to happen next because she can pull something out of a hat that will turn it all upside town.

Silver Shadows is utterly breathtaking, heart gripping and sensational. It’s Richelle Mead’s best work yet. It is a magical piece of work that pulls you right in, waiting for more.

Have you read the Bloodlines books yet, what did you think of them? Have you read Silver Shadows? What did you think of it?

Book Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Jul 27, 2014

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Pages: 225
Publish date: August 1st 2014 (Australia), May 13th 2014 (US)
Publisher: Allen and Unwin (Aus), Delacorte Press (US)
ISBN: 1760111066
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends – the Liars – whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars:

First line: WELCOME TO THE beautiful Sinclair family.

I received We Were Liars from Allen and Unwin in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my thoughts on the book.

This book. Wow. I have a lot to say about this book and you have probably heard this from review after review, but it really was an amazing read.

Firstly, E. Lockhart’s writing is beautiful, the metaphors, the stories in the book. I cannot get enough of her writing. I haven’t read any other of E. Lockhart’s books, but her writing in We Were Liars is hauntingly beautiful.

“The universe is seeming really huge right now. I need something to hold on to.”

I think my favourite part about this book is the writing. It just adds so much depth and beauty and sophistication.

Another pretty awesome thing that this book has is at the start. A Map. What contemporary book has a map? We Were Liars also has a family tree, which I find totally awesome. I love how the whole book is set up It’s hard to explain, but when you pick it up you will know. The setup is so different to any other book that I have ever seen. It’s refreshing, just like the book.

Cadence is the main protagonist of We Were Liars. As it’s from her perceptive you really are captured by the emotions, her thoughts, everything that she thinks and feels. It’s beautiful at the start, but as the story goes on it gets harder and harder for her and it’s just so tragic but beautiful at the same time.

I really liked the ‘Liars’ as their parents’ call them, but I think that just doesn’t seem right. Throughout the book they are lying to their parents about how they feel. Their parents don’t know they lie. I think that if it was just changed to ‘we call ourselves the liars.’ It would have made the story flow better. But maybe Lockhart wanted it that way.

The liars are Johnny, Mirren, Gat and Cadence and I really did enjoy all of them. But I wish we got to see more of Johnny and Mirren. I felt that they lacked characterisation and I just could not connect with them. In saying that, I felt that all the characters lacked characterisation and I just could not connect with them the way that I would have liked to.

I think that Gat was my favourite character because he brought a light to the Sinclairs family. Well the ‘liars’ at least. He isn’t part of the family, but I felt that at least to the kids he was. The Sinclairs in my eyes are a very old fashion type of family. They are not good with change and Gat brought that in We Were Liars.

What if we could stop being different colors, different backgrounds, and just be in love?

I really didn’t like the adults of the Sinclair family. They just didn’t care about anyone else. They didn’t work for money and they brought that ideal onto their kids. The mum’s of the family just made me so angry and frustrated. They expect everything to be on a silver platter for them. The grandfather, man, he is a piece of work. I have nothing much to say about him than that I did very much dislike him.

The ending…you all knew that this was coming. I think that this ending surprised a lot of people and even though it was devastating I thought it was so good in an ending sense. You are not really sure as to what really happened but throughout the whole book you are left with clues here and there. I think that if you go and re-read it after you know the ending it will all make sense. I don’t want to go too much into this as I don’t want to spoil those who haven’t read it. All I have to say is what they did was stupid. I know that they were trying to prove something, but it was stupid.

Another thing that I really liked about We Were Liars is the little stories about the King, his daughters, and the mouse. It was different and really intriguing. It really added depth to the whole book and after the ending you really understand it a lot more.

Overall, I really enjoyed We Were Liars. It was a hauntingly beautiful, breathtakingly tragic read that you will not want to put down. The gorgeous writing from E. Lockhart and structure of the novel adds for much more to the novel. We Were Liars is thrilling, smart and completely unforgettable.

For those who have read We Were Liars without spoiling what did you think it? For the people that haven’t read it do you want to?

Book Review: Ready to Wed by Cindi Madsen

Jul 22, 2014

Ready to Wed by Cindi Madsen

Pages:350 (paperback)
Publish date:July 22nd 2014
Publisher: Entangled:Select
ISBN: 162266258X
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Dakota Halifax loves to be in love. In fact, as one of Las Vegas’s premier wedding planners, she’s built a whole career around romance. Which is why her own wedding has to be nothing short of perfect. And then her fiancé jilts her. While she’s waiting in her wedding dress. On a cruise ship already out at sea.Once back on dry land, Dakota tries to pour her heart into her business and weekly wedding advice column, Get Ready to Wed. But how can the heartbroken celebrate others’ true love? When she reconnects with her childhood best friend, surprisingly sexy and all-grown-up casino bouncer Brendan West, Dakota wonders if maybe she can fall back in love with being in love.

But then her ex reappears, begging for another chance, and suddenly Dakota questions if she’ll ever understand love. Can someone once-burned and twice-shy ever find her way down the aisle again?

Ready to Wed:

I received an e- arc of Ready to Wed in exchange for an honest review. This in no way has influenced my review.

I always like reading an adult book every once in a while. It’s a nice change from the YA world.

This is the second Cindi Madsen book I have read and I think I enjoyed this one more and that is saying something because I really did enjoy her other book.

Madsen’s writing is really bringing. It takes you in from the first moment and, let me tell you, Ready to Wed starts off with a bang.

At the start of the book (and this won’t be a spoiler because it does mention it in the blurb) Dakota is left at the ‘altar.’ She is left on her wedding day on the cruise ship that she was going to be having her honeymoon/wedding on. To make things a little bit worse, she is also a wedding planner.

Throughout the book Madsen is really able to capture Dakota’s emotions and it’s heartbreaking. She tries to conceal her emotions from everyone around her but we can see how she is really feeling. I wanted to slap her across the head and give her a big hug.

Ready to Wed is set in Las Vegas and I love how Madsen really captures the world of Vegas without overpowering the story. It was just that little hint that it was there.

After all the heartbreak, Dakota’s childhood friend Brendan comes into the picture and he is just amazing. He comes at just the right time and he is what Dakota needs…a friend. Someone who understands her in a way no one else can, he understands why she is the way she is.

Grant is the guy that left her at the altar. He just made me so mad! I understand as to why he didn’t turn up, but he didn’t have the courage to tell her then and there why. Then he tries and gets back with her. Please no, just go away.

Brendan is just so damn cute. He was such a good character. Everyone is going to love him. He is there for Dakota when she needs someone and even though he sometimes doesn’t know what he is doing he helps.

Dakota’s mum. Another mum that I just don’t seem to like. She just got on my nerves. Maybe it’s because of the way that Dakota thought of her mum. Maybe it’s the way that Madsen wanted the reader to feel. Her mum just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Her dad, on the other hand, I quite liked. Yes, he may a little overprotective, but aren’t most dads? He was quite an enjoyable character to read about.

I loved hearing about all the weddings being planned. It was different from what I am used to. Obviously, because I read mostly young adult I don’t get weddings planners as the main protagonist, it was really fresh and interesting to hear about it.

All the time and work that it takes to plan a weddings and all the little details. It was awesome. There were also those dreaded little disasters that happen on the wedding day that nobody wants.

I really enjoyed Ready to Wed. It was cute, heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. I know that I will be reading more Cindi Madsen in the future because so far I haven’t been disappointed.

Have you read Ready to Wed yet, what did you think of it? Will you read Ready to Wed?