King's Cage - Victoria Aveyard

Began reading: 29.8.2017
Completed reading: 6.9.2017
Overall rating: 4 stars

Who will light the way for the rebellion?

Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal.

Now a king, Maven continues weaving his web in an attempt to maintain control over his country – and his prisoner.

While Mare remains trapped in the palace, the remnants of the Red Rebellion continue organising and expanding. As they prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows, Cal – the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare’s heart – will stop at nothing to bring her back.

King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard is a young adult novel that contains fantasy, science fiction and romance. Why did I put off reading this novel for so long?! I can’t think of a good excuse, and I’m kicking myself for not reading it sooner. It was great, and I’m dying to know what happens next!

After giving herself up to Maven in order to save her friends, Mare has been trying to find a way to escape. With Silent Stone, constant guard supervision and a king who is still in love with her, Mare will find that exercising the smallest amount of power is almost impossible. Maven, struggling with trying to separate his thoughts from his mother’s, is also attempting to wield power over his subjects and Mare; but he will soon discover that showing the slightest weakness will cause people to turn against him. The growing tension in Norta triggers various houses to abandon Maven; their next moves will shock everyone, including the Scarlet Guard. Cal knows that he must rescue Mare from his brother, but with so many people supporting his return to the throne, he will be forced to choose between love and power. Does Mare have it in her to keep Cal by her side?

As expected, the book was well-written, especially in regard to the pace and structure. The utilisation of literary techniques was commendable and assisted with adding depth and detail to the narrative. For example, the use of personification, theme and point of view allowed me to fully comprehend the emotion and tension that Aveyard was trying to convey. There were also some great quotes, including:

I wonder what hurts more – to hear nothing of your children, knowing they are in danger, or to be fed news of their pain piece by piece (p. 51).

‘A king without supporters is no king at all’ (p. 107).

[…]monsters are most dangerous when they’re afraid (p. 144).

‘[…]she always said it was better to be heartbroken. The pain makes you stronger. Love makes you weak’ (p. 169).

He caught me back then, ensnaring me in a prince’s trap. Now I’m in a king’s cage. But so is he. My chains are Silent Stone. His is the crown (p. 171).

What is he doing? What is he planning?

To find out, I must fly as close to the flame as I dare (p. 196).

‘Those who know what it’s like in the dark will do anything to stay in the light’ (p. 279).

Kings are not known for their kindness or their compassion (p. 330).

Power seduces all, and it makes us blind (p. 501).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I have reached the conclusion that NONE of Aveyard’s novels has a dull plot. There is at least one interesting aspect in each of her books, and this one is no different. I thought the over-arching plot was very interesting, in particular reading about how Mare survived as Maven’s prisoner. Learning about how she spent her days, as well as getting insight into her thoughts made the narrative intriguing. I also enjoyed reading the sub-plots because they were just as significant and fascinating as the primary plot line. I’m very excited to read the next book! I wonder what plot lines will be in that one.

                      

I love when a book has various perspectives because I get to see things from another set of eyes, as opposed to a one-sided story. This novel contained three different perspectives, and one in particular had me hooked – Evangeline’s. Since the first book, I had been interested in Evangeline because she was that character that I loved to hate. She was (is) opposed to Mare, but I don’t think that either of them realises just how much they have in common. As always, I enjoyed Mare’s perspective but I wasn’t much of a fan of Cameron’s, and I’ll explain why further down.

Another aspect of writing that Aveyard has a knack for is creating good plot twists. I’ve said time and again that a decent plot twist doesn’t have to be unpredictable, but it has to make sense. The twists in this book were a combination of predictable and unpredictable but they were dramatic and emotional, which is what I want to see. For example, Cal’s ultimate decision had me shook! Some twists I was able to see for a while, but the unpredictable ones had me reeling and I’m still trying to recover. The plot twists made the narrative suspenseful and flow with ease.

                   

Consistency is something that a few writers have difficulties with, especially in regard to their characters – this is especially true when a character is meant to undergo a transformation. Aveyard has managed to maintain consistency, with emphasis on Mare’s character. From the beginning, Mare has been a badass and feisty femme fatale and this hasn’t changed, despite the hardships she has experienced. While we’re discussing characters, depth was something that I noticed in this book. I loved reading the back stories of each of the characters, especially the ones I liked. I particularly enjoyed being able to see what has made the characters who they are in the present.  

I mentioned earlier that I liked the multiple perspectives because they provide insight into how others perceive a particular situation. I have also said that I enjoyed the perspectives in this novel; however, I didn’t really like Cameron’s point of view. I can see that it was meant to provide us with insight into what the Scarlet Guard was up to, but Cameron’s perspective was dull – informative, but dull. She wanted to rescue her brother, but it was monotonous and uneventful.

My favourite character remains to be Mare, as she is compassionate, strong, confident, and a badass. She also has her flaws, which adds to her likeability. Evangeline is a notable character, especially because she was so unexpected – her background was unpredictable, and I can see why she is the way she is. I’m looking forward to seeing her and Mare interact more in the next book!

I have always been #TeamCal, but his attitude in this novel had me doubting. I love that he’s so compassionate, but at the same time he needs to grow a backbone and stop being so indecisive. In the end, I’m glad he made a decision and I understand the reasons behind his choice. Even though I love Cal, Maven’s behaviour towards Mare in this book was significantly intimate and I found myself hoping that something would happen between them. It could have been some kind of manipulation, but I like Mare and Maven together now.

                                           

*WARNING: SPOILER* My favourite parts of the novel were the bathroom scene, and Mare’s escape. The bathroom scene between Mare and Maven was steamy (pun intended), and this was where I was hoping there would be some action (I’m a little devastated that there wasn’t any). I also enjoyed Mare’s escape because it was satisfying and dramatic.

Recommendation time! If you like The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury, The Winner’s Curse series by Marie Rutkoski, Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, or Matched series by Ally Condie, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes the X-Men and Harry Potter series.

My review for CruelCrown, Red Queen, and Glass Sword can be found by clicking on the titles.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the Red Queen series when the final book becomes available. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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One Of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus

Began reading: 23.8.2017
Completed reading: 29.8.2017
Overall rating: 4 stars

Five students walk into detention.

Only four leave alive.

Yale hopeful Bronwyn has never publicly broken a rule.

Sports star Cooper only knows what he's doing in the baseball diamond.

Bad boy Nate is one misstep away from a life of crime.

Prom queen Addy is holding together the cracks in her perfect life.

And outsider Simon, creator of the notorious gossip app at Bayview High, won't ever talk about any of them again.

He dies 24 hours before he could post their deepest secrets online. Investigators conclude it's no accident. All of them are suspects.

Everyone has secrets, right?

What really matters is how far you'll go to protect them.

Trigger warning: this book contains alcoholism and drug references.

One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus is a contemporary young adult novel that contains mystery and thriller themes. I have been so excited to get into this book! It was pretty good, and I loved how I was hooked from the very first page. Let’s discuss this book!

Being sent to detention for something that no one was guilty of, five students from Bayview High are somehow involved in a mystery murder – one of their fellow students suffers a severe anaphylactic reaction, which later kills him. The remaining four students are thrown into an extensive investigation, especially when the police discover that each student has a secret worth killing to keep hidden. The students are forced to work together to determine how someone managed to die when no one from outside entered the room, as well as who is responsible. Tensions rise when the media gets involved and word spreads across the school, causing everyone to turn against the ‘Bayview Four’. The student will have to learn to stay strong as their secrets are laid bare for their classmates and the media to warp, but when they realise who is responsible for the murder, they will have bigger problems to worry about.

The book was well-written, in particular the pacing – it was fast, which matched the atmosphere of the plot. The various literary techniques that appeared in the book added detail to the narrative, especially the use of flashbacks, foreshadowing and point of view. There were also a couple of great quotes thrown in, including:

[…]if you say no too much, pretty soon someone else will say yes (pp. 45-46).

When the whole school’s starting to turn against you, you need somebody on your side (p. 138).

More quotes from the novel can be found here.

As I briefly mentioned above, the use of point of view to increase intrigue in the novel was notable. The book was separated by different sections, but also by the points of view by the four protagonists. This enhanced the story because we got insight into how each of the characters reacted to the news of Simon’s death, as well as what they thought of their secrets being revealed. Each protagonist had unique experiences prior to the detention that involved Simon in some way. This amplified the mystery because each of the characters were set up to look guilty in some way. This aspect of the novel was executed with meticulousness, which was the main reason why I enjoyed this book.

                   

The primary reason why I read mystery novels is because their plots promise an interesting and shocking narrative. I have to know what happens and the reasons behind the mystery. Of course, the blurb of this book had me eager to read it immediately. It was intriguing, full of suspense and provided opportunities for a range of sub-plots. While the main plot remained the over-arching storyline, there were a few minor plotlines that added depth to the book. 

I’ve said it numerous times, but I was fascinated with the plot before I even purchased it. For a debut novel, I think that this novel was almost perfectly designed, with a lot of attention to detail.

I like a good surprise, and McManus didn’t disappoint – two almost-forbidden romances were something that I didn’t see coming, but did not disagree with. Although I dislike fluffy romances, this novel did not exaggerate the romance, nor did it feel out of place. There was a decent amount of romance, which suited me. I hate when romance overpowers the storyline – that makes me sound grouchy, but big romances aren’t my thing. I was worried about the good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy cliché, but it turned out fine. The relationships felt justified and realistic, which is a testament to McManus’ writing skills.

                                            

Speaking of surprise, the plot twists in this book were a mixture of predictable and unpredictable, which is what I love! I had a feeling that the ultimate plot twist (Simon’s death) was predictable, but I enjoyed being suspicious of almost every character as they were introduced – I thought it would be the teacher! Furthermore, discovering who was behind the blog posts was an unpredictable shock, but made sense in the end. Despite being able to predict some of the twists, I still enjoyed the novel.

I had only one minor issue with this book, but at the same time it felt relevant to the narrative. There were some moments in the book that felt dumb, which made the scene somewhat laughable. For example, the moment when Addy’s phone went off felt silly – it was either unrealistic or she just had sh*tty luck; I’m gonna go with the former reason. Another example was the way in which the police handled the investigation – it was definitely unrealistic and frustrating. Like I said, it was only a minor issue so it didn’t really impact on my overall rating.

My favourite character is Bronwyn because she was protective of her younger sister (just like me), ambitious, rebellious, studious and responsible. Out of all the characters in the book, I related to Bronwyn the most. I really liked how she was with Nate, and I was relieved when they decided to get together.

                              

I didn’t like how the popular group handled the situation. I wonder if it’s an accurate representation of that clique group. I thought that their behaviour helped bring the four protagonists together, so I don’t hate what they did – I just didn’t like that they turned against their friends.

My favourite part of the novel was the conclusion because it was sweet, swoon-worthy, and provided closure. I liked that it didn’t feel completely finished; instead, it left enough to the imagination.

Recommendation time! If you like The Perfectionists series by Sara Shepard, The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee, and the Wicked Games series by Sean Olin, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes How To Get Away With Murder tv series, Pretty Little Liars tv series, The Breakfast Club, and St. Elmo’s Fire.

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Caraval - Stephanie Garber

Began reading: 9.8.2017
Completed reading: 15.8.2017
Overall rating: 5 stars

Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems.

Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.

Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure.

When the sisters' long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show's mastermind organiser, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak.

And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.

Trigger warning: this book contains suicide.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy and romance. I have been wanting to get a hold of this book since its release but (call me a cheapskate) I didn’t want to pay $16 for it. Imagine my excitement when I saw it at the library! I fell in love with this book from the very beginning, so the hype wasn’t exaggerated! I highly recommend this book for fantasy-lovers!

Since they were little girls, Scarlett and her sister Tella have been fascinated with the stories of Legend and his game Caraval – an annual game where the exclusive guests compete to win a magical prize. One day, Scarlett receives a letter from the mysterious Legend with three tickets to join Caraval. With the help of a sailor, Scarlett and Tella arrive on Legend’s magical island, but Tella soon gets swept away and disappears – later captured by Legend and held as the final answer to the clues before finishing the game. Scarlett will have to rush to save Tella, but as she progresses through the game, the line between fantasy and reality will blur – putting Scarlett’s sanity at risk. Will Scarlett manage to rescue Tella before the game is over, or will Scarlett return home empty-handed?

The book was well-written, and I was surprised that it is Garber’s debut novel. The pacing was fast, the atmosphere was immersive, and the characters were relatable. The use of literary techniques was notable, including personification, similes and allegory. These writing tools helped with adding detail in a way that words ordinarily can’t achieve. There were also some great quotes throughout the text, including:

Wishes were things of wonder that took a certain amount of faith[…] (p. 84).

Scarlett had been kissed. At the time she’d told herself it was nice, and she had been content with that, but now nice seemed like a word people used when they had nothing better to say (p. 143).

He’d never stared at her like this before. Sometimes he gazed at her as if he wanted to be her undoing, but just then it was as if he wanted her to undo him (p. 173).

‘Do you always focus on what you’re giving up, rather than what you’ll be gaining? Some things are worth pursuit regardless of the cost’ (p. 191).

Hope is a powerful thing. Some say it’s a different breed of magic altogether. Elusive, difficult to hold on to. But not much is needed (p. 318).

More quotes from the novel can be found here.

World-building is usually something that I don’t really notice – I could take it or leave it. But if I’m honest with myself, I’d say that world-building hasn’t been a significant aspect I look for in the books I’ve read. This novel made the world the story took place in seem really well-developed. I could tell that a lot of thought and creativity was put into its formation. Because of this, I noticed that it was immersive and I found myself wanting to explore more of the setting. Thanks to this book, I’ll now be paying more attention to the worlds in the books I read.

Another aspect of books that I like to comment on is the range (or lack thereof) of characters. I think that having a diverse group of characters in a story mimics reality, as individuals have unique personalities, and gives readers an opportunity to relate to at least one of the individuals in the narrative. Garber incorporated a variety of interesting characters, both primary and secondary, to reflect a realistic community and an elaborate performance. I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the group of characters, primarily because there weren’t too many to keep track of. Each character had distinctive characteristics and contributed to the plot in some way. Again, I’m amazed by Garber’s writing proficiency given that this is her debut novel.

                                 

Plot twists are something that many writers fail to successfully portray, but Garber managed to structure that the twists so that they were unpredictable and emotional at times. I have said in past reviews that, depending on how they are structured, can make or break a novel. The twists in this book were unpredictable, which made me want to know what happened next. There were also some emotional surprises that made me want to cry. I wasn’t aware that I had formed a connection with the characters, so I was shocked to discover that I was overcome with feels when something happened to them. Because of this, I’m eager to see the plot twists in the upcoming sequel.

In some of the books I have read, I noticed that I prefer a main plot and disregard sub-plots. I believe that this is because some sub-plots have felt insignificant or lacked interest. In this case, the main plot and sub-plots were just as interesting as each other. All of the plot lines flowed smoothly alongside each other and seemed relevant to the overall story. It allowed me to enjoy the book in its entirety, as opposed  to racing through a section of the book that I disliked.

             

The conclusion of the book was extremely enjoyable because it provided closure and laid the foundation for the sequel. I always look for this in epilogues or when the novel is coming to a close because I don’t want to be left with unanswered questions or feeling confused. It is important for a book to answer questions but create a decent set-up for a sequel (if there is one), which I understand can be difficult sometimes. The way in which Garber structured the conclusion of the book was well-done, and I’m excited to see how the narrative continues in the sequel!

My favourite character was Scarlett because she is relatable, protective, loyal and courageous. I could definitely see myself in Scarlett because being the eldest sibling, I know how frustrating it can be to always be held responsible for your wild little sister, then to have said little sister call you boring because of it (if my little sister is reading this, sorry, not sorry). Aiko was a notable character.

When I began reading this book, I disliked Tella because I thought she was getting Scarlett into trouble. That was until I realised that she was just as protective of Scarlett as Scarlett is to her. Obviously, I didn’t like the governor, so I’m eager to read about how the sisters get revenge.

                   

My favourite part of the novel was Scarlett’s ‘death’ because it was intimate, insightful, dramatic and full of plot twists. We were given a first-hand look at the stories that Scarlett and Tella were told.

Recommendation time! If you like The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Freeks by Amanda Hocking, the Wintersong duology by S. Jae-Jones, and the Hibiscus Daughter series by Lana Popović, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Greatest Showman, Water for Elephants, Carnival Story, and Cirque du Soleil: The Magic Circus.

I will also be reviewing the Caraval sequel when it becomes available. Keep an eye out for that!

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Unforgiven - Lauren Kate

Began reading: 1.8.2017
Completed reading: 6.8.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars

Cam made a bet with Lucifer: he has fifteen days to make Lilith fall in love with him again. Three millennia ago he broke her heart and she's been serving a punishment for his crimes ever since. Now she can't stand the sight of him.

With the deadline looming and Lilith's high school prom just round the corner, Cam has everything to play for. If he succeeds, Lilith will finally be free and they can be reunited in their love for one another. If he fails, there's a special place in Hell just for him.

Heaven is being with the one you love.

Hell is being kept apart.

Where will Cam fall?

Trigger warning: this book contains suicide.

Unforgiven by Lauren Kate is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy, paranormal and romance themes. This novel was bittersweet for me: it was great to see someone else find romance, but it is the last book in the series. Overall, I really enjoyed the book but there were some things that I didn’t like. We’ll discuss those things a little later.

If an angel can find love, why can’t a demon do the same? During a time when Daniel and Luce were still fighting their curse, Cam was surprised to discover that he was drawn to Lilith – a girl with a passion for music. Arranging their marriage, Cam withheld his past from Lilith and refused to marry her in a church, leaving Lilith heartbroken and full of hatred for him. Back to the present, seeing Daniel and Luce choose love over immortality made Cam think that he could win Lilith back. Shocked to realise that Lilith  lives in Hell, Cam makes a deal with Lucifer – get Lilith to fall in love with Cam within fifteen days, or become Lucifer’s personal slave for eternity. Cam’s task is difficult enough with Lilith’s trust issues, but becomes close to impossible when Lucifer decides to interfere and sow doubt into Lilith’s mind. Cam learns that the best way to win Lilith over is through music, but will Cam earn Lilith’s love and trust before the fifteen days are up?

I noticed a few spelling and grammatical errors as I progressed through the novel, but I could also see how Kate’s writing style has improved since Fallen. I could tell that she focused more on what was important to the plot, rather than going on about something that seemed insubstantial. It was also interesting to see how plot lines have changed since 2009/2010 – Twilight-style romance had given way to independent and feisty female characters. As seen in the previous books, the use of literary techniques to add detail and emotion to the storyline. There were also some great quotes, including:

‘Existence is never so miserable as when you have a taste of something beautiful,’ Lucifer said. ‘It serves to remind you of everything you can never have’ (pp. 32-33).

The only thing Lilith had ever known was disappointment. Nothing in her life ever worked out. Which, for the most part, was okay, because she never let herself expect anything, so she never really cared (p. 93).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

Like I said earlier, I liked the way in which Kate linked Luce and Daniel’s story to Cam’s. It felt like a smooth transition, as it picked up a little before Luce and Daniel’s story ended and it felt relevant to the series. I have had mixed feelings about some of the plots from the previous books, but there have been some stand-out storylines that I enjoyed. I found this novel’s plot to be interesting because it added suspense and unpredictability to something that could have turned out horrible if not done right. The mention of Cam and Lilith’s almost-wedding intrigued me, so I thought that it was great to read it again with Kate’s expansion and Cam’s perspective. A good plot means that I’ll enjoy the story, so I wasn’t surprised to find that I liked this novel.

                    

When we think of a narrative, we usually imagine its structure to be beginning, middle and end. In my experience, it’s uncommon to find a book that has a different discourse (the way a story is told). In this particular book, the discourse features numerous interludes or flashbacks to provide the reader with an insight into Cam and Lilith’s past. I thought that this structure provided a bit of a refresher or a break from the primary plot line. It was clever and well-done, as it was smooth and appropriate for the overall story.

Now, we move on to things that irritated me or I thought could have been improved. It was only a short novel, and I liked that it didn’t drag on. At the same time, the novel felt rushed. It contained insta-love – call me a skeptic or whatever, but who falls in love within fifteen days? It seemed unrealistic, despite Cam and Lilith’s history. Aside from the romance, there were also some unanswered questions that I felt should have been resolved. It annoyed me, but it’s important to remember that this series is similar to Twilight, so I suppose that I shouldn’t have expected a change.

Another issue that I’ve come across while reading this series is the combination of predictable and unpredictable plot twists. Ordinarily, I liked my plot twists as both predictable and unpredictable, but in this case all of the twists were predictable. This made the narrative tedious because I would be reading and it was easy to assume what was going to happen next. I love a good shock, but this never happened in the book, which was disappointing.

                      

When I’m reading, I hope that I’ll feel a connection with at least one character, particularly the protagonist. There’s nothing that I can think of that’s worse than being stuck with characters that you can’t tolerate. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with Cam nor Lilith. I felt that both of these characters were shallow and dull, and I couldn’t relate to either of them. I felt the same with Luce and Daniel, but I’m not sure what other readers’ thoughts are. I wanted to like Cam and Lilith, but they weren’t interesting.

My favourite character was Arianne because she was friendly, sweet, compassionate, funny and talented. I’ve loved seeing her character throughout this series, and I’m glad she played a bigger role in this book.

Like I said, I didn’t enjoy Lilith or Cam’s characters because I didn’t click with them. They were predictable, and didn’t have any real depth. I didn’t understand why there were ‘nice’ characters in Hell, but I suppose that it’s an unanswered question that I will always wonder about. I didn’t like Lilith’s mum, but I thought that Chloe’s relationship with Lilith was surprising.

My favourite parts of this novel were the moments between Arianne and Roland, especially towards the end of the book. Throughout the series, I have been shipping them (that kinda decreased after reading Fallen In Love) and Kate had me hoping that they would end up together! Here are my favourite excerpts of these two characters in this book:

‘No one’s ever given me a corsage,’ Arianne said longingly.

Then something landed at her feet with a thump. Arianne jumped back in alarm, then looked down and saw a small white box identical to the one Cam had given Lilith. She smiled.

‘You’re welcome,’ Roland called from the driver’s seat (p. 312).

Arianne strung an arm around Roland. ‘Ro, will you marry me?’ Then blinked and shook her head quickly. ‘Don’t answer that. It was the thrill of victory talking. Forget I said anything’ (p. 355).

           

Recommendation time! If you like the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, The Hollow series by Jessica Verday, and the Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Fallen, the Twilight series, Lucifer tv series, The Vampire Diaries tv series, and Tuck Everlasting.

My reviews for Fallen, Torment, Passion, Fallen In Love and Rapture can be found by clicking on the titles.

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Rapture - Lauren Kate

Began reading: 23.7.2017
Completed reading: 31.7.2017
Overall rating: 3 stars

The sky is dark with wings...

And time is running out for Luce and Daniel.

In order to stop Lucifer from erasing the past, they must find the place where the Fall began. Only Luce can break the curse, and it is her choice alone that will decide all of their fates.

But as Dark Forces gather, great sacrifices will have to be made in this final, epic struggle...

In the fight for Luce, and for love, who will win?

Rapture by Lauren Kate is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy, paranormal and romance themes. I have been so busy this week, so it took me a little longer than expected to finish. It was a little slow in the beginning, but I ended up enjoying it.

After exploring numerous Announcers, Luce realised that Lucifer plans to erase the world and its history to begin again. With the help of Daniel and the other fallen angels, Luce will have to travel across countries within nine days to locate three relics that will show them where the angels fell at the beginning of time. The race against time becomes more of a struggle when Luce crosses paths with the wrathful Miss Sophia, who has captured three angels. Death will teach Luce about herself and those close to her – but when Luce realises her true self and her conflicted past, she will be forced to admit that the boy she thought she’d always loved had not always been the one who possessed her heart. As the angels come together to end Lucifer’s plans once and for all, Luce will have to choose between a paradise she once knew and knowing a love like no other.

As expected, this book was well-written, if a little slow-paced in the first half of the narrative. I wanted to get through this book as quickly as possible because: 1) it’s a library book and I have heaps of other books to get through, and 2) I want to get through this series because Luce is getting on my nerves. Unfortunately, the pace really dragged me down. Anyway, the use of literary techniques was consistent with the previous novels in the series and one of the reasons why I enjoyed Kate’s writing style. There were also some great quotes in this book, including:

‘The past is important for all the information and wisdom it holds. But you can get lost in it. You’ve got to learn to keep the knowledge of the past with you as you pursue the present’ (p. 120).

‘You said a curse is only a curse if I allowed myself to be cursed by it. You said… I had it in my power to free myself of any curse – that curses were preludes to blessings…’ (p. 233).

Why did something dear have to die so other dear things could live? Didn’t whoever made these rules think they deserved an explanation? It was like Abraham’s being asked to sacrifice Isaac. Had God created love to make pain feel even worse? (p. 331).

‘Mortality is the most romantic story ever told. Just one chance to do everything you should. Then, magically, you move on’ (p. 421).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I love an interesting plot, but it’s been a bit of a hit-and-miss situation with this series. Some of the books have had a fascinating plot that kept me hooked, whereas others have come across as cliché and predictable. Looking back on this novel, it definitely had me wanting to know how Luce and Daniel’s relationship would end. I was invested in this plot, so I’d say that I enjoyed it, especially the second half of the book. I liked the idea of having to travel and find the relics, while also struggling to rescue the fallen angels from enemies. It added suspense to the storyline, which is why I thought that it was interesting.

                     

I had noticed that plot twists in this series have been predictable and unsurprising. I suppose that it’s probably because this tale resembled Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, but I saw so many plot twists coming. However, the plot twists in this book were unforeseen and unpredictable. I was shocked by the deaths of some special characters, as well as Luce’s secret past. It made things emotional and dramatic, suspenseful and exciting. I believe that, by now, Kate has developed and improved her writing style, particularly how to structure a plot twist. Without this improvement, the book would have most likely been dull and forgettable.

An epilogue is a perfect way to provide readers with closure, so it’s important for authors to design one that answers questions and leaves readers feeling satisfied. Fortunately, Kate managed to do this successfully, and I thought that this epilogue was the perfect way to conclude the series officially (no, I haven’t forgotten that there’s still one more novella). It paid homage to most of the characters in the series, and it was bitter-sweet for Luce and Daniel. I was satisfied with this ending, but I still have some unanswered questions about other characters which I’ll talk about in the next paragraph. I must applaud Kate on how she concluded this series because it could have been a train-wreck.

Now, let’s look at the characters – or, more specifically, the secondary characters. I have been looking forward to getting into this book since I finished Torment because Francesca and Steven are my faves! I was glad to see old characters making a final return in this novel, but there were some that weren’t even mentioned. Jasmine and Dawn, Luce’s friends from Shoreline, weren’t brought up which I thought was odd. While at Shoreline, Dawn was kidnapped by Outcasts and almost killed. The last we heard from her, she was leaving to spend Thanksgiving with Jasmine. What happened to these two? Also, Luce recovered pretty quickly after murdering someone, which is even weirder! She had a moment of grief for this lost character, but moved on almost immediately. This character was essentially forgotten, along with Jasmine and Dawn, which made things seem unrealistic. Note to writers: don’t forget about your secondary characters – even a brief sentence can provide readers with closure.

Another issue that I had with this book was the lack of a significant climax. A peak in a story is extremely important in a book’s structure, so an anti-climactic ending ruins the narrative. A story builds up to a major event or climax, so leaving it out of a novel can disappoint readers. In this book, the peak of the plot wasn’t as exciting as it should have been. In my opinion, it felt insignificant in comparison to other events in the series, so I was left feeling a little dejected. I’m hoping that Kate has worked on this since this book because it was an issue in a previous novel too.

                    

My favourite character was Dee because she was friendly, wise, courageous and honest. Maybe it was because of her relation to another character, but I didn’t fully trust her until she revealed her fate. She was an interesting character, which was why I grew to like her so quickly.

Like I mentioned earlier, I had a few unanswered questions. One of them was: what happened to Luce’s parents and Callie when Luce didn’t return? I have tried to process it but it doesn’t make sense. Also, I know that character deaths are important for a good book, but why did the three characters have to die? I was shocked that Kate would kill them off, but this character had a special place in my heart! They were too beautiful to be killed! They deserved better! Excuse me while I go and sob in the corner.

                                               

My favourite part of the novel was when Luce discovered her past because it was unexpected and interesting. I didn’t suspect that Luce had any lives prior to those that were explored in Passion, so this twist took me by surprise. It added extra drama to the already suspenseful plot, so I was getting my fill of excitement.

Recommendation time! If you like the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, The Hollow series by Jessica Verday, and the Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Fallen, the Twilight series, Lucifer tv series, The Vampire Diaries tv series, and Tuck Everlasting.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the Fallen series, including Unforgiven. Keep an eye out for that!

My reviews for Fallen, Torment, Passion and Fallen In Love can be found by clicking on the titles.

Happy reading!

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