Review- Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent

Summary-

Bound by blood, condemned by fate

As a bloodtracker, Liv is extremely powerful. And in a world where power is a commodity that can get you killed, Liv's learnt to survive by her own rules.

Rule number one? Trust no one.

But when a friend's daughter goes missing, Liv is bound by a potent magical oath. She can't rest until the child is safe.

And that means trusting her dangerous ex, Cam.

A sinister prophecy tells that she and Cam will be the death of each other, yet Liv's tired of being a slave to destiny. She's ready to play the forces controlling her world at their own game.

No matter what the cost.

Review-

I had Blood Bound lying on my shelf since a long time and I am glad that I finally decided to pick it up. I have read Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamer series and I had really liked it so I was curious to see if I would like her adult books as well. Rachel Vincent has a created a unique world in the Unbound series and I was really fascinated by its whole concept.

Liv is a blood tracker. She can track anyone by touching their blood but she has her limits as well. In the world of Blood Bound, theCity where Liv lives is dominated by two syndicates. In Liv's world she can trust no one for various reaons.At first I couldn't understand why Liv had complicated her own life but slowly we started seeing her reasons and why she thought she was doing the right thing.

Then we have Cam. Cam and Liv were in a relationship six years ago. Then all of a sudden Liv left Cam and Cam was left to pick up the pieces of his own heart. We can clearly see since the first page that Cam and Liv have all these unanswered questions between them. There is this tension between them and all Cam wants to do is get close to Liv again.

When Liv's friend's daughter goes missing, Cam and Liv are forced to work together. Cam and Liv definitely had chemistry but this book was definitely more focused on the bindings of the blood and how the world operated. I found the concepts interesting but I definitely needed something more to tie it up all together nicely. We also get to meet a bunch of characters whom I expect will play major roles in the next books.

Rachel Vincent's writing style is really nice. There are a lot of things which are inter connected. Some knowingly, some unknowingly.I also wasn't a fan of the ending. While I can't say I loved Blood Bound I am definitely interested enough to give the next book a try. Blood Bound was an okay read. 

Review- Archangel's Shadows by Nalini Singh

Summary-

Return to New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s sensual and painfully beautiful Guild Hunter world in her new novel of sacrifice, loyalty, and the choices of love that can shatter the heart.

In the wake of a brutal war, the archangel Raphael and his hunter consort, Elena, are dealing with the treacherously shifting tides of archangelic politics and the people of a battered but not broken city. The last thing their city needs is more death, especially a death that bears the eerie signature of an insane enemy archangel who cannot— should not—be walking the streets.

This hunt must be undertaken with stealth and without alerting their people. It must be handled by those who can become shadows themselves…

Ash is a gifted tracker and a woman cursed with the ability to sense the secrets of anyone she touches. But there’s one man she knows all too well without a single instant of skin contact: Janvier, the dangerously sexy Cajun vampire who has fascinated and infuriated her for years. Now, as they track down a merciless killer, their cat-and-mouse game of flirtation and provocation has turned into a profound one of the heart. And this time, it is Ash’s secret, dark and terrible, that threatens to destroy them both.

Review-

Archangel's Shadows is the seventh book in Nalini Singh's stunning Guild Hunter series. It is Ash and Janvier's story and one I was looking forward to since the beginning. After seeing the push and pull between Ash and Janvier I'm sure everyone had a ton of expectations from this book. Nalini Singh not only met my expectations but also exceeded them. 

The build up in Archangel's Shadows is a bit slow but I think that makes it stay very true to Ash and Janvier's story. The book follows right after the events of Archangel's Legion. The war is over and the city is trying to recover from the after effects. But someone is giving out drugs which make vampires crazed with blood lust and Ash and Janvier along with the Tower must get to the root of it.

I LOVED Ash. She was an amazing heroine. I actually couldn't find a single fault in her. She was strong, smart and kick ass. Fierce in her protection towards her loved ones and hiding a secret. There is a reason Ash isn't letting Janvier catch her even though she loves him. Nalini Singh's brilliant mind shines through here and you can totally understand what's happening.

Then we have Janvier. I loved him to pieces. He didn't once give up on Ash. The man was head over heels in love with Ash but he had bucket loads of patience and understanding. I love all Nalini Singh heroes and this Cajun vampire with his charming accent was no exception. 

Ash and Janvier have sparks flying all over the place but it takes time for them to reach an understanding. I adored their love story from the start to the finish. We also get to meet some of the other members of Raphael's Seven and I have to say Naasir was the real show stealer here. I am extremely intrigued by him. Archangel's Shadows was an amazing read.

Review- Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

 BOOK SUMMARY:

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy. 

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

Release date: July 1st 2014

Published by: Scholastic Press

Page numbers: 357

REVIEW: 

I was extremely excited to read Sinner from the moment I saw that Maggie Stiefvater was writing a story for Cole St. Clair. I absolutely love her The Wolves of Mercy Falls series. I read the books at a time when I didn't write reviews, so I will take the opportunity to say now what I couldn't at that time. Although I barely remember much, what I do remember is that this series had me absolutely, completely and totally engrossed. I didn't just read it, but I lived it. I felt so much while reading it. The powerful impact of the author's writing made me fall in love with the characters and the story and The Wolves of Mercy Falls is undoubtedly at the top of my most favourite Young Adult paranormal reads list. So it was but obvious that I was eager for Sinner and I had high expectations from it. 

While Sinner didn't live up to the first three books of the series, in its own way, it was a great read. Maggie promises on Goodreads that the book is "very full of Cole and Isabel" and obviously, she knows what she's saying and she's absolutely right. From the first page to the last, this story is about that destructive, unimaginable and almost I-hate-that-I-love-you pairing. We met a bunch of people before, but this book only focuses on two individuals. Of course there are other people involved and they were all lovely in their own way. Also, in a way, they were all needed to make Cole and Isabel realise that they were, in fact, contrary to thier own belief, meant to be. 

I was slightly disappointed with Sinner since- and I can say this on the part of the many fans of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series- it didn't make me feel what the series made me feel. I wasn't into it, you know? The writing wasn't as magical and poetic as it was before but yes, it's Maggie and she writes beautifully. It's just that it wasn't as beautiful as what I've read previously from her. Also, I found myself getting frustrated with Isabel more times than one. My simple point was if she's so intent on being indifferent, there was no need to care even the slightest bit. And if she did care, then she could have done it without pretending to be indifferent. Another thing was the epilogue. For me, an epilogue provides a kind of a closure- if not to the characters, then to the story at least- but clearly, this epilogue left me wondering what even happened there. It all ends well, yes, but I didn't "get" the epilogue. 

What I did love about the book was Cole. It was all about Cole and I loved every bit of it. He is fighting a battle between his past and present to make his future and it was portrayed beautifully. Isabel wasn't always with him, but when the two were together, they made for a fire-crackling pair. While there are quite a few aspects that get a bold and bright tick from me, there are also many aspects that get a simple and straight cross. My loyalty to the series and Cole St. Clair are the two things that have made me wrap up and say that Sinner was a great read, although not all that great. 

Buy the book: AMAZON

Review- Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh

Summary-

Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed...and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.

Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life--the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows...

Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past...or lose everything that ever mattered.

Review-

Mine To Possess is the story of Clay and Talin in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. This book was not one of the best books in the series from what I've read so far but it was definitely good. We get to see the first Changeling and human mating in this book where are the previous ones were between Psy and Changelings.

Clay is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel. He grew up with a horrible childhood always suppressing his leopard with his human mother. But now after having been through so much he has the bonds of the Pack to keep him grounded. Yet, he stands on the very thin line between good and evil. I liked Clay. He had the whole silent brooding thing going on. The only chink in his armor is Talin, his childhood best friend whom he thinks is dead.

Talin barely survived childhood. At first, I didn't like her very much because of the way she had lied to Clay and the way she was fearful of him when all Clay wanted to do was protect and love her. But as we get to know her, the horrible abuse she had to face as a child comes to surface. She's been through hell and it is justified how she wants to do nothing with her past.

But when children Talin knows start to disappear suspiciously and turn up dead with their organs missing, she has no choice but to ask Clay for help. Clay and Talin's relationship was not as easy one. There was a ton of past hurt, and lies and misunderstandings and things unsaid. They get a rocky start but there was always a familiarity between the both of them. Seeing them work through it made the ending very satisfactory.

We get introduced to many new people in this book who look like they'll be playing major roles in the future books. I am intrigued by Kaled Krychek. The sub plots keep you updated about what's going on in the Council and with the rest of the Pack. It is so very easy to lose yourself into the world Nalini Singh has created with these Psy-Changelings. I can't wait to dive into Dorian's story next.

Review- Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

Summary-

As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now a defector, his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins - cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna . . .

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted - and had her mind violated - by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives . . .

Review-

Caressed by Ice is the third book in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. The first two books went pretty well for me but this book has just made me a solid Nalini Singh fan. There was such an impossibility in the love story between Judd and Brenna but it was so brilliantly done that I was amazed by the end of Caressed by Ice.

Judd is an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council who aren't officially supposed to be existing. After a few tragic events which take place in his life, he and his brother take shelter between the SnowDancers who are a wolf clan. Judd is cold. Like, really ice cold. He has a complete control over Silence and he knows that if he gives in to his emotions he may very well end up killing everyone around him.

Brenna is a SnowDancer. She was the victim who was kidnapped by a sociopath in the first book. Now, she is trying to recover past the mental rape and she just wants to move on. But she has two very overprotective brothers in her way. On top of that it seems like the cold Psy, Judd is the only one who really understands her.

I really liked Brenna. She was brave and courageous. But Judd was the real hero of the book. From the first page he captures you and as the ice around his cold heart melts he makes you feel all the things he does. Their love story was definitely not easy. Judd was stubborn not to give in to his feelings but Brenna was just as determined to make him feel. I loved it.

Caressed by Ice actually gets quite a few developments in the plot as well. We are introduced to the Ghost. There are several changes taking place within the Council itself and it looks like a revolution is about to happen. Meeting all the other members from the DarkRiver territory just made the book more enjoyable. I am completely immersed in the series and can't wait to see what happens next.

Review- City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Goodreads Summary:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

REVIEW:

I started reading City of Bones two days before the movie was released. I had read some 30% of it when I watched the movie, which I thought was amazing. I revel in the fact that I love going backwards, which is why I don't really mind watching the movie before reading the book. I've done it tons of times before and it only makes the reading experience more enriched and easy, in a way.  

City of Bones the book, for me, was a little slow but my college schedule is the one to be completely blamed for that. It took me nearly three weeks to finish this one book and I've heard that the books to come are more dragged out. Well, it's a new world in The Mortal Instruments altogether so it has got to be dragged out or else we'll all be lost in a world we know nothing about. 
Clary and Simon have been best friends since a long time now and their life seems to be going really normal, until a fatal accident with her mother makes Clary realise that she no idea what secrets her mother has hidden from her and what it all means for her future. That's where the main heroes come in. We have the very famous, arrogant, cocky and absolutely great Jace and his fellow Shadowhunters. And that's all you get about the story because if I start with it, there's a lot to tell. 
Author Cassandra Clare has created a rather fascinating world with this series. I bet I would have fallen deeply in love with City of Bones had I read it a few years ago, in my teens, perhaps during the Twilight and House of Night phase. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed every bit of it, because who doesn't love an amazing Young Adult fantasy? 

It's hard for me to say this, but I have to admit that when Janhvi and I got out of the movie theatre, I recall telling her that The Mortal Instruments is perhaps the closest that any fantasy movie has come to Harry Potter and that's quite huge coming from me.  Because this reminds me a wee bit of Harry Potter, I'm going to make sure I pay more attention and read more faster henceforth. 
With the time the book took me, I really feel like I don't have some of the concepts clear, but that's why there's more books in the series, which I'll be continuing for sure because- this totally random but- I love Magnus Bane! 

RATING:

Review- Visions Of Heat by Nalini Singh

Summary-

Hailed as a major new talent in paranormal romance, Nalini Singh takes us deeper into the world of the Psy and the changelings in her latest extraordinary novel, where a gifted woman sees passion in her future - a passion that is absolutely forbidden by her kind...

Used to cold silence, Faith NightStar is suddenly being tormented by dark visions of blood and murder. A bad sign for anyone, but worse for Faith, an F-Psy with the highly sought after ability to predict the future. Then the visions show her something even more dangerous - aching need... exquisite pleasure. But so powerful is her sight, so fragile the state of her mind, that the very emotions she yearns to embrace could be the end of her.

Changeling Vaughn D'Angelo can take either man or jaguar form, but it is his animal side that is overwhelmingly drawn to Faith. The jaguar's instinct is to claim this woman it finds so utterly fascinating, and the man has no argument. But while Vaughn craves sensation and hungers to pleasure Faith in every way, desire is a danger that could snap the last threads of her sanity. And there are Psy who need Faith's sight for their own purposes. They must keep her silenced - and keep her from Vaughn...

Review-

Visions Of Heat is the second book in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. I went into this right after  I  finished reading Slave To Sensation because I just had to find out what happens next in their world even though the first book didn't end on a cliff hanger. Visions Of Heat was really good but I think Lucas and Sascha remain my favorite couple yet.

Faith NightStar is an F-Psy. Which means that she is a Psy with the ability to for see the future. This makes her an invaluable asset to the Council. But now she's having dark visions of the killer who murdered her sister. She knows that she need to figure it out without mental degradation or letting the Psy know. So she goes to Sascha Duncan for help.

I really liked Faith. She was a really strong person but still she had a vulnerability to her. She had to fight herself between what she thought was right and what the truth was. Meeting Vaugh D'Angelo, the man who has his beast, a jaguar so close to the surface was never in the plan. Yet she is completely fascinated by him and vice versa.

I was not completely taken away by Vaughn in the last book with what little we got to see of him. But we get to see his real self in Visions Of Heat. Vaughn has a horrible past, which is why he is the only jaguar in between the leopards in the Dark River territory. He has sworn his loyalty to Lucas and he intends to protect his alpha and his mate, even if the threat is one tiny beautiful woman.

There was a constant push pull between Faith and Vaughn. It was shown extremely well and when all that sexual tension finally reached its peak, the end result was much more than satisfactory. Nalini Singh's books have it all. There's romance, action, a plot filled with mystery and intrigue. I flew through this book as well. The only slight complaint which I have is that it felt similar to the first book. But I hope that gets rectified in book #3. Yet, it was a really good read.

Review- Slave To Sensation by Nalini Singh

Summary-

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”—the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was…

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…

Review-

I had always heard great things about Nalini Singh's books. I'd always wanted to read her Psy-Changeling series and her Guild Hunter series and see what the hype was surrounding these books. After finishing Slave To Sensation I can completely see how addicting Nalini Singh's books are. I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in the Psy-Changeling world.

Slave To Sensation is a book set in the year 2079. There are several different races present on earth with humans like the Psy and Changeling who are basically shape shifters of various kinds. The Psy are a race who are conditioned not to feel emotions. It is known as the silence. And Slave To Sensation is the book where two people from different worlds and races fall in love with each other. I found the whole concept utterly fascinating.

Lucas Hunter is the alpha of the pack in the Dark River territory. After a series of murders are taken place where Changeling women go missing, Lucas and his Pack are determined to find the killer whom they suspect is Psy. So under a guise Lucas makes a deal with Sascha Duncan, the daughter of one of the most powerful Psy in the Council. So begins their story.

I loved Lucas. He was a complete alpha male with all the alpha tendencies of being possessive and protective. He was pulled in by Sascha though she tried being emotion less towards him. His relentless pursuit of what was between them made him all the more sexier. Sascha was just as good. Binded by the Psy rules she thinks she is defective for feeling emotions. But being with Lucas is the only thing that makes her feel sane.

Lucas and Sascha had a dark and irrefutable chemistry. The romance was brilliantly shown. There was a bond which binded Lucas and Sacha together and that with all the specifications of the world made me breeze through the book. We also get to meet the whole Pack and I am super excited to know each one of their stories. Nalini Singh is an awesome author and all fans of paranormal romance and/or urban fantasy should give this series a try.