The Dragon's Call
(The Dragon Throne, #1)
By: K.W. McCabe
Publisher: FantaFire Press
Published: Sept. 28, 2012
Genre: YA/ Paranormal Romance
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In a war-torn world, a
careless act of destruction wakes a creature of myth and legend - a
dragon. Mankind unites to battle for survival, but when dragons enter
the fray in human form... humans lose.
Three decades later,
Cecily lives in an enclave with her father and brother. Ignorant of life
before the war, she placidly obeys the restrictions imposed by
dragonkind.
Stifled by court life, Derek, heir of the Dragon
Queen, commits a petty crime. To avoid punishment and chronic boredom,
he escapes to the enclave. His arrival sparks increased tension when he
meets Cecily. She realizes the limitations on her freedom, and Derek
discovers his life is built on a lie. Their forbidden friendship
threatens to splinter the separation between their people, but something
more dangerous occurs.
A mysterious killer has kidnapped
Cecily's mother - and seems to be stalking Cecily. Derek and Cecily must
defy the rules of their society to find and stop the murderer before
Cecily is next.
K.W. McCabe is a Californian transplant to Minnesota. She lives there with her family where she tries very hard to stay warm in all the snow. She has loved fairy tales, Sci-fi, and fantasy all her life, and has been writing stories and poems of that nature since she could first spell. She has worked, in the past, as a library assistant, a baby sitter, a counseling hotline intern, and as a case manager. She maintains that art and writing can only be done when inspired, and inspiration comes from a sufficient amount of laziness. Currently, she is working on Dragon Kin.
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Last Sacrifice
(Vampire Academy, #6)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: Dec. 7, 2010
Genre: YA
Rating:
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They come first.
My
vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore
it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time.
Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join
Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I
loved most were safe, I could leave this world.
The dead could finally have me.
Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules.
She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with
her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke
the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor,
Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world,
risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir
guardians to come.
Now the law has finally caught up with Rose -
for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest
offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help
from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall
her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new
candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.
But the clock
on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the
dead wants her back...and this time she is truly out of second chances.
The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who
will save you?
Spirit
Bound ended with Rose being locked up at Court for the murder of the
Queen, which is exactly where Last Sacrifice picks up. Everyone is
shocked that Rose is being accused of murder. She's clearly been framed
since the murderer so conveniently left her silver stake at the scene of
the crime. The evidence is all against her and she is locked back up
until her trial which is in two weeks time. Not nearly enough time for
Lissa, her father and friends to find the real murdered exonerate her of
her charges but they need to come up with something because if Rose is
found guilty, she will be executed.
I was so sad to see this
series end. I wasn't sure how Mead would end everything but I thought
she did a good job. I was a little let down with Dimitri though. I'm so
used to him being this kick-ass character that it was a little weird
seeing him being all broken and emotional. Although, considering he
thinks that Rose is slipping away, I guess I could see him opening up to
console her. He doesn't try to win her back though because he knows that he lost his shot when he pushed her away. He's come to terms with the fact that she's moved on and he's trying to be happy for here. However, Rose is still obsessing over Dimitri and it kind of pissed me off. Here she is with Adrian and she's still hung up over
Dimitri. I just didn't care too much for that. I mean, sure at first Adrian seemed a bit off his rocker, and let's be honest here, he still is but he cares for Rose. Even during the grief of losing his aunt, he still only thinks of Rose. It's always been about Rose for him, which is why I was really annoyed that she was so quick to drop him like a hot potato just because Dimitri was back in the picture. Otherwise, I loved the
story and the fact that the story is split in half. Rose does a lot of
bond spying on Lissa as they try to find the murderer. She's still not sure exactly what's going on back home but Rose has come up with an idea of her own. An idea that will change all of their lives
I'm sad to see this series go but loved the ride. I loved it so much that this series has been something that I re-read at least twice a year. Yes, I know, I'm obsessed and I couldn't be happier that they are turning it into a movie. *picture a crying Bieber fan girl clapping excessively, and you have me*. I'm a little happy that there is a spinoff called Bloodlines that will deal with Adrian and I hope to God that poor guy gets his happy ever after. Normally I like a little spin in my romance but by golly that poor guy deserves a happy ending.
"There was a look of woe on his face that was almost
comical. Raids, bullets, criminals...no problem. A missing duster?
Crisis."
Previous reviews from the Vampire Academy series...
Vampire
Academy
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise
Spirit Bound
Taking Back Forever
(The Kindrily, #2)
By: Karen Amanda Hooper
Publisher: Starry Sky Publishing
Published: May 31, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Forever is worth the fight.
Maryah
erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul
mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second
chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person
she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily
member’s life depends on it.
Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best
hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big
on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking
matters into her own hands. Heaven help anyone who stands in her way.
“Every lifetime,” he continued, “each body has been different. It’s always a challenge to relearn you, but I enjoy each and every drawn out moment of it, and in the past, you did too.” He kissed the crook of my arm and my breath caught. I didn’t even know people kissed each other there, but it should be on way more top ten lists.
As enchanting as Nathan’s words were, it was still hard for me to comprehend that I had lived in other bodies. He set my arm down and I forced my eyes to open. “What was your favorite version of me?”
“What do you mean?”
I spun my ring around my thumb, avoiding eye contact with him. For some reason it was easier to talk about it if I wasn’t looking at him. “I’m sure I was prettier and sexier in my other lives. Is there a past version of me that was your favorite?”
Nathan put the book on the nightstand and adjusted so he was sitting directly facing me. “Let me explain this again. It’s your soul I’m in love with. The package it comes in makes no difference to me. Your inner beauty and the energy of your being are what attract me to you.” He touched my cheek then his fingertips drifted down my neck and shoulders. “But to answer your question, this is my favorite version of you.”
I'm a twisted little pixie who dances down rabbit holes and rides shooting stars while playing a never-ending game of "Imagine If..." Then I write about my impossible and fantastical musings and call myself an author. Ahem, aspiring author.
Born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple years, currently sunning and splashing around Florida. I go wherever life (and my imagination) takes me.
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Onyx
(Lux, #2)
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: Aug. 14, 2012
Genre: YA
Rating:
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Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…
Thanks
to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is
more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off,
even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got
bigger problems.
Something worse than the Arum has come to town…
The
Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can
do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new
boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to
me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away
from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling
for Daemon. Hard.
But then everything changes…
I’ve seen
someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I
know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What
happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want
from them—from me?
No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…
I liked the mystery in this
book. You have these new characters coming in and you don't really know
who's good or bad. Also, at the beginning Katy gets really sick and what
appears to be the flu actually turns out to be some by product of
Daemon healing her. This is all taking place while the Arum are out there
attacking and the DOD's noose seems to be getting tighter around the
Luxen. Yup, there is a lot going on in this book.
The hot and cold romance was still there for Katy and
Daemon. However, this time it was Katy who was pushing Daemon away. She
can't seem to get over the way Daemon treated her in the beginning and
she's not 100% sure that his feelings toward her aren't from this alien
mojo she has going on from the healing Daemon did on her. However, you
can clearly see that the poor guy is trying and I actually felt bad that
Katy was throwing everything back in his face. Not to mention that when
the new kid, Blake comes in the picture, Katy seems to trust him more
than Daemon.
Regardless of my feelings for Katy's idiocy, I
found the story entertaining. I was curious what would happen next and
if my suspicions were correct. I will say one thing... J. Armentrout
definitely knows how to create a unique story. I really dig the whole
alien thing. Move over vampires, there's a new brooding hottie in town!
"Humping my leg like a dog in heat every time I'm around you doesn't prove you like me, Daemon." -Katy
Previous reviews from the Lux series
Shadows
Obsidian
Spirit Bound
(Vampire Academy, #5)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: May 18, 2010
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
After a long and
heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway
has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It
is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives
beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches
for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.
She failed
to kill him when she had the chance. And 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.
In
this installment of Vampire Academy, Rose is back in school and about
to take her final exam. Once she's graduated she comes up with a plan to
free Victor in hopes of finding his brother who happens to be a spirit
user that once saved a Strigoi and turned them back to their original
form. She hopes to turn Dimitri back into a Dhampir but when she finds
out the process of turning a Strigoi back involves a spirit user
(Lissa), Rose isn't sure that's a risk she's willing to take.
There
was quite a bit going on in this book. Exams, freeing Victor, finding
Dimitri and then everything that follows, there wasn't really a boring
point in the book. Like the previous books, the flow of the story is
spot on. My only problem was Rose. She's decided to give Adrian a chance
but when there is hope to save Dimitri she seems to sort of forget that
Adrian exists. Poor Adrian, to him all there is is Rose and she's still
hung up over Dimitri. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for Dimitri but I
just felt like she was stringing Adrian along. Either way I still REALLY
enjoyed this book. There was a ton of action, a blossoming romance on top of an old flame with added bonus of suspense that leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat until the very last word.
Yet again, Mead has left us with ANOTHER cliffhanger
that leaves you craving the next book. I must be honest though... I'm
not looking forward to this series ending!
"I've given up on you. Love fades. Mine has." -Dimitri
Previous reviews from the Vampire Academy series...
Vampire
Academy
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise
Nevermore
(Nevermore, #1)
By: Kelly Creagh
Publisher: Atheneum Books
Published: Aug. 31, 2010
Genre: YA
Rating:
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
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
the 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.
I was intrigued by the
mystery behind this book and went into it with high hopes but that
didn't last long. My first bump in the road were the characters. They are so
incredibly immature. I mean, Varen writes his number on her hand so that
she can call him and set up a time that they can get together to do
this project that they've been paired up to do. No big deal, except to
maybe EVERYBODY! Isobel freaks out that he's writing some voodoo symbol
and sentencing her to death while her big, buff, jock of a boyfriend goes
ape-sh*t crazy because of it. Not because of the voodoo but because Varen
is encroaching on his territory. So he starts beating up Varen and
literally terrorizing the poor kid. Then when Isobel decides that this
project's grade isn't worth the drama, she finds herself in a doozy of a
situation. Her boyfriend and their "crew" go out for ice cream, which
just so happens to be where Varen works. Is it a coinkidink? I think
not! The boyfriend and "crew" start vandalizing the place and it isn't
until the boyfriend opens the register to steal the money that Isobel
decides enough is enough. I mean, seriously?! Red lights would have been
flashing the moment my boyfriend flipped out over someone giving me
their number so that we can do a school project.
Aside from the
characters being the clique teenage "populars", the story had some
merit. I like the mystery behind it and the fact that you really didn't
know what the heck is going on with Varen. Hell, even after finishing the book I
still didn't know what the deal was with Varen. One minute some freaky
stuff is going on and then all of a sudden I'm thrust into chaos and I
have no idea how I got there. I was completely lost the entire last
quarter of the story when the sh*t hit the fan and that sucks because
I'm sure that was the best part of the story. Maybe a page from the book
was ripped out and I missed a vital part but I was left literally
scratching my head. By the time I got to the last page I was thoroughly
confused on what I read and what happened.
Will I be giving the
second book a shot? No. Not until I figure out what the hell happened in
the first book since no doubt my confusion will just roll over into the
second book.
My
fave character was Isobel's younger brother, Danny. Her father is upset
with Isobel and is yelling at her and Isobel's yelling back, and the
mother is yelling at her husband to stop yelling and Danny says...
"If this were in Japanese, it could so be an anime."
Half-Blood
(Covenant, #1)
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencerhill Press
Published: Oct. 20, 2011
Genre: YA
Rating:
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The Hematoi descend from
the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two
Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and
mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become
trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the
homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her
life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up
slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the
Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially
rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.
Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden.
But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long
enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails
in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being
turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of
suck.
My thoughts...
Not
sure how to rate this book. Was I entertained, yes, but only because it
gave me my Vampire Academy fix that I've been in need of since the
series ended. There is no originality in this story, it's a retelling or
plagiarism (depending on how you want to view it) of Vampire Academy
by Richelle Mead. Scenes are similar, circumstances are similar, even
characters personalities are similar to their counterparts. The author
should've just called Alex-Violet and Aiden-Pyotr (get it because of
Rose and Dimitri?). I mean if you're going to go for it... GO FOR IT!
Alex
is a half-blood. As a half blood she has two choices, become a Sentinel
or Guard of pure bloods or become a slave to the pure bloods. She was
in school to become a sentinel, the highest of protectors, that is until
her mother and her ran away for reasons unknown to Alex. Three years
later sentinels find Alex not long after her mother's killed by daemons.
She's brought back to the school by the baddest sentinel of all, Aiden,
and a couple of other Sentinels, where the dean is reluctant to have
her back. In fact the dean (who is her uncle) is ready to take away her
free will and turn her over to a pure blood as a slave. However, Aiden
and one of his co-sentinel's speak up and convince the dean to give her
another shot. Aiden soon finds himself as her training instructor even
though his job is to fight daemons. Pretty soon the sparks start flying
between the two of them but their love is forbidden amongst their
society. While fighting their attraction, Alex learns that her mother
wasn't killed but in fact turned into a daemon and is now hunting her,
she has a special bond with a guy named Seth and he can sense her
feelings and even though Aiden has feelings for, they must remain as
student and teacher.
The only reason why this isn't getting a
flat out 1 star is because, and I hate to admit this, I was entertained.
Not that anything was original but because I miss Rose and Dimitri so
much that I felt like I was reading their story through anothers eyes. Had I not read Vampire Academy before this, I would have loved it. I
really wish something from this was original but sadly even the
conflict girl in the story Lea, is just like Mia! She causes problems
for Alex, spreads stories about her and then when her parents are killed
by a daemon attack, her and Alex sort of call a truce. Ugh...
Should I even touch the scene where Alex almost
gives her virginity over to Aiden only to be snapped out of the trance
at the last very second? Or when Alex is attacked by a daemon who she
knew, and when she's unable to beat the daemon, Aiden comes storming in
and saves the day? *Shakes head*
I miss Rose and Dimitri (ー_ー)
Favorite quote...
"I
know that there are some pure-bloods who break the rule, but they do it
because they don't care about what happens to the other person, and I
care about what happens to you. I care about you more than I should and
that's why I'm not going to put you in that situation and jeopardize
your future." -Aiden
Blood Poems
By: Colette Ntuj Chevalier
Publisher: Self-published
Published: Jan. 30, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy
Goodreads | LuLu
How much fear will you allow to control you? Discover the limit of courage. Discover the strength of heart. Dare to Discover.
After
losing both of her parents, fifteen-year-old Violet longs for a second
chance at life by finding somewhere she feels she belongs in. When she
is sent to a secret union boarding school (of vampires and humans) deep
in the woods of Cook County Minnesota, little does she know that here in
this place is where her search for home will end. Hotaru, a vampire,
invites her into a world where she recollects the memories she has
forgotten, recapture her soul, and through dangerously twisted
situations she discovers the limit of her courage and the strength of
her own heart.
Dim lights flickered from the windows of the fourth floor of the Dining Hall, where the ballroom was echoing with classical music. I entered the building and walked up the vacant staircase. My heart began to beat nervously every time I reached a floor and placed my foot onto the next staircase. I was not prepared to show myself for I felt I did not belong.
Embracing the Flames
(Born in Flames Trilogy, #2)
By: Candace Knoebel
Publisher: 48fourteen
Release Date: unknown
Genre: YA Fantasy
Goodreads
The Stone of Immortality
has been protected under the watch of the Draconta for as long as time
has existed. That is, until the betrayal of a Fate. Now everything is
about to change.
Aurora Megalos accepted her destiny without
blinking-even if it meant succumbing to her dragon side. Deemed the
Progeny, she left the ordinary life she knew and has done everything in
her power to learn the ways of her new realm and what it means to be
part dragon. But when her mentor, Astral, suddenly disappears, she is
forced to take the reins. With war on the brink, she sets out on an epic
journey to not only find her mentor, but to stop her Arch Enemy,
Zordon, from attaining the Stone of Immortality. But what she discovers
about him along the way is far worse than she could’ve ever imagined.
She will be tested and pushed to the limit. Lives will be lost, love
will be questioned, and a battle will begin.
Candace Knoebel had dreamed of
being a dancer ever since she could remember. With a love of all things
art, she saw herself moving to New York and pursuing her passion as an
artist. But all that changed on October 10th, 2002 when she met the love
of her life. Her dreams diverged and after marrying her high school
sweetheart and having two beautiful children, she realized she missed
her creative side.
Growing up alongside the Harry Potter series,
Candace found herself missing the epicosity of a story that pulls you in
and won’t let you go. In 2009, she began dreaming up characters that
would mold her first novel. Through lunch breaks and late nights, after
putting her kids to bed, she built a world where she could escape the
ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. She found her calling
in life and knew this was more than dancing could’ve ever meant to her.
Once
complete in 2010, she began the grueling process of finding a
publisher. With relentless determination, she was finally able to
realize her dream in December of 2011 when 48fourteen offered her a
publishing contract. With a HUGE yes and a happy dance, she now
continues her Trilogy.
The Golden Lily
(Bloodlines, #2)
By: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: June 12, 2012
Genre: Paranormal YA
Rating:
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
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.
Sydney would love to go to college, but
instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm
Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir
from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war.
Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and
obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.
But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more
she finds herself questioning her age–old Alchemist beliefs, her idea
of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world
becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may
hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones
who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical,
powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new
romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in
every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn
to someone else—someone forbidden to her.
When a shocking
secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are
suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed
to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught,
and what her instincts are now telling her.
Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?
How it starts...
"Most people would find being led into an underground bunker on a stormy night scary. Not me."
My Thoughts...
In
the last book Sydney signed up for an assignment that involved helping
to hide and protect princess Jill from attacks. Since Jill is the
queen's last relative, if those who appose the queen can kill Jill, due
to Moroi law the queen will have to give up her throne since she will
have no other relatives. So Sydney, Jill, Eddie and Adrian meet up and
hide out in sunny Palm Springs, CA.
The Golden Lily picks up
shortly after Bloodlines ends. The gang is still hiding out in Palm
Springs and Dimitri and Sonya join the mix as well. I really liked the
addition of more characters in the story. Sonya and Dimitri are trying
to figure out what keeps a person from turning back to a strigoi once
they've been "saved". Plus, we also have a potential love interest for
Sydney who is pretty much the male version of herself, and Trey who we
got to see a little bit of in the first book.
One key point that
I have to point out that I hands down loved was the mention of Joshua Tree National Park. I literally squealed when I read it. You're probably
wondering why. Well, it's because I work there! If you ever call the
park and need information about what to see or where to go in the park,
I'm the one answering the phones. I also talk to visitors when they come
into the visitor center. So I was pretty excited to see that they not
only name dropped the park but Mead did a little bit of homework
concerning the two deserts that run through the park and the differences between them. That to me was probably the best part of the whole thing... oh
and having a secondary character named Kristin didn't hurt either.
There
is a couple of mysteries that take place in this book. Sydney realizes
that the Alchemists may not be what she had grown up to believe it as.
As well as the fact that Sydney may be more otherworldly than she
though. You don't get 100% answers to either of these two but all I know
is that Mead is setting us up for an epic adventure. Not to mention
that the ending leaves you reeling for more Adrian. I mean seriously,
how can you end a book on a swoon worthy note like that?!
Favorite quote...
"Nice blouse, Sage. It really brings out the khaki in your pants." -Adrian
