Monsters (Ashes Trilogy #3) by Ilsa J. Bick Review.

Title : Monsters by Isla Bick

Source : Netgalley
Pages : 688

The Changed are on the move. The Spared are out of time. The End...is now. 

When her parents died, Alex thought things couldn't get much worse--until the doctors found the monster in her head.

She headed into the wilderness as a good-bye, to leave everything behind. But then the end of the world happened, and Alex took the first step down a treacherous road of betrayal and terror and death.

Now, with no hope of rescue--on the brink of starvation in a winter that just won't quit--she discovers a new and horrifying truth.

The Change isn't over.
The Changed are still evolving.
And...they've had help.

With this final volume of The Ashes Trilogy, Ilsa J. Bick delivers a riveting, blockbuster finish, returning readers to a brutal, post-apocalyptic world where no one is safe and hope is in short supply.

A world where, from these ashes, the monsters may rise. 

My Thoughts

I jumped right into this after finishing Shadows. I enjoyed the last 2 books in this series and couldn't wait to see what would happen to the characters I came to love. Monsters is an action packed,edge of your seat, nail biting, exciting book, which I've come to expect from this series. Bick can tell a story and isn't afraid of giving a lot of description and details!! This isn't a short book by any means and took me about a week to read.
I don't know what to say that I haven't already said in my last 2 reviews so I'm going to focus on my likes and dislikes of Monsters.
What I liked :
I loved the fact that we see a lot more of Alex, Ellie and Tom. Alexs' journey is so hard and horrible that you feel so much for her. She is so strong and brave. Ellie is only a child but she has to deal with so much and misses Alex and Tom something fierce. Then there is Tom. I love his character. He is strong, brave, selfless and loyal. 
I'm also happy in a way that we got to see a bit more of Peter. He wasn't my favourite but his journey captured me in Shadows because not was so heartbreaking and horrifying that I needed to see what happened with him.
I love how Back can keep the reader gripped with her writing and vivid descriptions. She created a gory, horrifying, death filled world but you have to keep reading to see what she has in store for her characters. She always throws in so many twists and turns that there's never a dull moment.
Mina was another thing I loved. She is the epitome of a loyal dog. She was wonderful!!

Now onto what I didn't like :
I didn't like the multiple POVs and I mean multiple!! It felt like everyone and their grannies got a POV. It was very confusing at times and down right annoying the rest of it. I had to reread bits to see who was talking and try to get back into their minds.
I also didn't like the fact that after waiting for an explanation of what, how, why and who made the EMPs happen we didn't get any!!! 
I didn't like the fact that it took too long for the original trio so long to get back together. I understand why they didn't and that it created suspense but they came so close at times and then it didn't happen and I was like "UGH"

Overall I'm satisfied with the ending of this trilogy. I didnt love it but I didnt hate it either. It answered enough and came together but there was still things left unanswered.
It was one heck of a ride and not once did I find it boring. There is constant action, suspense and so many things happening that you are on the edge of your seat the whole time. 

Shadows (Ashes Trilogy #2) by Ilsa J. Bick Review.

Shadows by Isle J. Bick

Alex has escaped from Rule - but what new horrors face her in the ravaged world outside? 

Tom is safe - but what will he risk to find Alex? 

Chris - how much does he really know about the terrible darkness of Rule? And what are his true feelings for Alex? 

Ellie - where is she? 

The terrifying follow-up to the hugely popular Ashes.

My Thoughts

Bick delivers another gory action packed book.
I'm glad I had Ashes fresh into my mind going into this. There were so many different POV and things happening that if I hadn't of read Shadows straight away, I could of found it confusing. Shadows picks up where Ashes left off Alex has escaped Rule but is she any better off? We don't see as much of Alex in Shadows which I found a bit disappointing. I really liked her and the strength she has. What we do see of her is heartbreaking. She has so many things to deal with in Shadows but even when the people she is with take the easy way out she keeps fighting and trying to survive. 

Tom is alive and ready to find Alex but his journey isn't exactly a picnic. With bounty hunters, Chuckies and people he thought he could trust gunning for him, his journey is fraught with danger. We don't get to see anything of Ellie in Shadows so your left with the question of what happened? I'm sure it will all come together in the final book. 

What is happening with Peter is disturbing to say the least. His captors are so mysterious and evil and I'm dying to see where the author will take this. Even with the multiple POV I still really liked this book but I was confused some of the time trying to figure out who was talking. 

Shadows is another book that's gory, bloody, disgusting,When I was reading it I was thinking "OMG" and "Eww" and "I have to keep reading to see what happens"!!! It is a descriptive, action packed, heartbreaking, edge of your seat book. Im starting book 3 now and am looking forward to seeing how it all ends.

Ashes (Ashes Trilogy #1) by Ilsa J. Bick Review.

Ashes by Isla J. Bick

No, she thought. No, please, God, I'm not seeing this

Seventeen-year-old Alex is hiking through the wilderness when it happens: an earth-shattering electromagnetic pulse that destroys almost everything.

Survivors are divided between those who have developed a superhuman sense and those who have aquired a taste for human flesh. These flesh-hunters stalk the land: hungry, ruthless and increasingly clever...

Alex meets Tom, a young army veteran, and Ellie, a lost girl. They will fight together and be torn apart, but Alex must face the most difficult question of all: 
In such a vastly changed world, who can you trust?

A story of high-wire tension, gut-wrenching twist, and burgeoning love, Ashes will leave you breathless

My Thoughts

Ashes starts really strong. Alex hikes into the woods when she meets Ellie, an 8 year old girl, and her grandpa. While she is talking to them she suddenly feels a tremendous pain and pressure in her head. Ellies' grandpa keels over with blood spurting out of his ears and mouth. Alex sees birds falling from the sky and the deer acting strange. Alex and Ellie have to get out of the woods to find help. They decide to head to the rangers station further up the mountain. Along the way they stumble on some teenagers eating a person, they are freaked and quickly run away. They meet up with Tom when he saves them from a zapped teenager that tries to eat them. Tom is Army and tells Alex he reckons it was an electromagnetic pulse or something like that and isn't just happening here.

Ilsa Bick draws you into a world that is bleak and what people are left will do anything for survival. The first time Alex sees the Zapped kids is one of the gruesomest, goriest, scariest, heart pounding, nail biting parts. The author isn't afraid to describe exactly what was happening. She pulls you into the scene and you are on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens. Alex is such a likeable character. Despite what is happening with her she tries everything to keep Ellie safe even with Ellie being a typical 8 year old and making nothing easy. She is a very scared little girl and Alex does all she can to make sure Ellie is OK.
Then they meet up with Tom and he makes the girls feel protected and safe. He is so good and kind with Ellie and helps Alex learn to defend herself. He is a really strong character.
In this Post Apocalyptic time Alex, Ellie and Tom have to deal with Zapped kids, raiders, savage dogs and trying to survive. Ashes read like a typical post apocalyptic book and then bam the author throws something else into the mix. Something happens half way through and Alexs journey isn't the same. From then on its twists and turns and you honestly don't know what will happen. Ashes is a action packed, scary, heart stopping story and Im really look forward to seeing what happens to these characters and Im glad I can dive into book two because with the ending of book one I was like NOOOOO!!

Of Beast and Beauty Review

 Of Beast And Beauty by Stacey Jay


In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

My Thoughts

Of Beast and Beauty can be rated in one word, amazing. Ive only read a few fairy tale retellings and this is one of my favourite's. When I saw it was a retelling of Beauty and The Beast I ordered it straight away. 
The Pure Heart and The Dark Heart were once one being but when the humans came from another world The Pure Heart reached out to them with its magic and transformed them so they could survive. They grew scales and claws and became terrified of what was happening. The humans that came later saw the Monstrous and built domes to keep them safe. In the dome the very first Queen spilt some of her blood and where it hit some roses grew. From that second, crops grew when they shouldn't and the livestock flourished. They made a bargain there and then and from that moment a female queen was to be sacrificed every time the dome started failing.
Isra has always known she would have to sacrifice herself for the good of Yuan. The night her mother died, she lost her sight and she knew the job of keeping her city safe fell to her. 
Gem is a Monstrous and is trying to save his tribe from starving. He sneaks into the dome with a few of his clan to try and steal the secrets that keep the smooth skins fed and healthy. He is captured and Isra holds him prisoner. She learns that he can help stop the mutations with herbs. She starts to build a garden and gets Gem to help. Both of them find out that neither is what they were thought to believe. As her sight comes back she realises that beauty isn't always on the outside. 
Of Beast and Beauty blew me away. The writing was beautiful and the story was phenomenal. Stacey Jay took the Beauty and Beast fairytale and totally made it her own. The beast is captured and the beauty is the prison guard. From the world that she created to the characters, there was nothing I didn't like. Isra took a while for me to like but she really grew as a character and I ended up really liking her. Gem is strong and brave but with a kind heart. He has the chance to kill Isra but doesn't and ends up captured. This book, even at over 350 pages, was a quick read. It really was unputdownable, from the beautiful writing and magical world to the unforgettable characters it truly was amazing. This is a book I've no problem highly recommending.

After The Ending (The Ending, #1) by Lindsey Fairleigh Review.

Goodreads Synopsis

The Virus spread. Billions died. The Ending began. We may have survived the apocalypse, but the Virus changed us.

When people started getting sick, “they” thought it was just the flu. My roommate, my boyfriend, my family…they’re all gone now. I got sick too. I should have died with them—with the rest of the world—but I didn’t. I thought witnessing the human population almost disappear off the face of the earth was the craziest thing I’d ever experience. I was so wrong. My name is Dani O’Connor, I’m twenty-six-years-old, and I survived The Ending.

The Virus changed everything. The world I knew is gone, and life is backwards. We’ve all had to start over. I’ve been stripped of my home, my dreams…all that is me. I’m someone else now—broken and changed. Other survivors’ memories and emotions haunt me. They invade my mind until I can no longer separate them from my own. I won’t let them consume me. I can’t. My name is Zoe Cartwright, I’m twenty-six-years-old, and I survived The Ending.

We’ve been inseparable for most of our lives, and now our friendship is all we have left. The aftermath of the Virus has stranded us on opposite sides of the United States. Trusting strangers, making sacrifices, killing—we’ll do anything to reach one another. Fear and pain may be unavoidable, but we’re strong…we’re survivors. But to continue surviving in this unfamiliar world plagued by Crazies and strange new abilities, we have to adapt. We have to evolve. 
And more than anything, we have to find each other.

My Thoughts

I'm still unsure about my rating for this one.
I love Post Apocalyptic books so after reading the synopsis I knew I'd read it. A world wide virus hits and within weeks most of the population is dead. Dani and her boyfriend get the virus but he dies and she barely survives. Zoe, Danis' BFF, is hundreds of miles away and her roommate gets the virus and dies so she decides to send her brother to see if Dani is still alive(he lives near Dani). She is and they decide to meet up in this supposedly safe place. Each group leaves and checks on their own family members along the way. 
The virus that killed everyone has changed others. Some of them have become 'Crazies' and some seem to have developed special powers. The Crazies are extremely dangerous and some of the people with the powers have let it gone to their heads and turned bad. Each group has their work cut out for them trying to stay alive.

OK, I wanted to love this, I really did but I have a few WTFudge moments and was like Ugh!! First of all there was the emails between Dani and Zoe. While it was a good idea it kind of fell flat. To me it was like they were just rehashing what we already knew and I found myself skimming most of them. Also how would the internet be working when there was no phones???? And how would they have WiFi everywhere they went? Also the way the girls were about meeting up was kind of obsessive. They would go on their own just to meet up even with what happened and the Crazies. 
I hate being negative but so much annoyed me in this book. Dani 'loved' her boyfriend but within days of meeting up with Jason she was fawning all over him. The Crazies were another thing. They weren't explained well, how did they become like that? Maybe it will be explained in the next book though!!

Now saying that, I ended up liking it. The whole Virus giving super powers was unique to me and I liked the idea. Also there wasn't really a dull moment in the book. Something was always happening. The "villians" were really bad which I enjoyed and I liked most of the characters. Overall it wasn't a bad book it just raised a lot of What?? moments. The ending was a real cliffhanger and felt a bit abrupt but it will make you want to read the next book just to see what happens, also the hinting that the virus may not have been natural is another thing that will make you want to pick up book 2.

Dreamdark: Silksinger (Dreamdark #2) by Laini Taylor Review.

  Goodreads Synopsis


One faerie, the last of her clan, must fight to complete her sacred duty

Whisper Silksinger is the last of the secret guardians of the Azazel, one of the powerful Djinn who dreamed the world into being. Relentlessly pursued by bloodthirsty devils, she flees to the city of Nazneen to restore the Azazel to his temple. At the same time, Hirik Mothmage is also on a secret quest, to find the Azazel and restore his disgraced clan’s ancient honor.

And behind them all flies Magpie Windwitch, first champion of the new age of faeries, desperate to rescue Whisper and the Azazel alike before they fall in the clutches of a sinister hidden enemy.

My Thoughts

Whisper Silksinger is the last of her kind. She is tasked with guarding the Djinn Azazel. She has to bring Azazel back to his palace to try and wake him. She isn't the only one searching for the Djinn. There is an army of devils on her trail. Whispers journey is fraught with danger and she is no warrior, her clan weave silk with their voices. On her journey only one person tries to help her, Hirik. He has a secret he is afraid to reveal because people will loathe him. He vows to help and protect her on her mission.
Magpie Windwitch is on a mission also. She has to find the rest of the Djinn and reunite them with the Djinn king. When she hears of Whisper and what she carries she immediately sets out to help her but will she make it in time!! 
I jumped right into this after reading book 1 and I'm so glad I did. As I said already Laini Taylor has a way with words that makes you a part of the worlds she creates. Her vivid descriptions and imagination make for an unforgettable experience. 
Her faeries may be small but they are fierce. I'm so glad we got to see Magpie in this story as well. Silksinger sees Pie having to deal with heartache, betrayal and loss. 
These books may be aimed at younger kids but anyone that loves Laini Taylors writing should love these. The books will stay on my shelf and hopefully we will get more stories from Dreamdark. Be prepared though, there is a lot left unfinished in book 2 and the author doesn't have any immediate plans to write more in this series yet. Saying that I'd still highly recommend people to read these books. Dreamdark is a world I won't easily forget.

Blackbringer (Dreamdark #1) by Laini Taylor Review

Goodreads Synopsis

When the ancient evil of the Blackbringer rises to unmake the world, only one determined faerie stands in its way. However, Magpie Windwitch, granddaughter of the West Wind, is not like other faeries. While her kind live in seclusion deep in the forests of Dreamdark, she's devoted her life to tracking down and recapturing devils escaped from their ancient bottles, just as her hero, the legendary Bellatrix, did 25,000 years ago. With her faithful gang of crows, she travels the world fighting where others would choose to flee. But when a devil escapes from a bottle sealed by the ancient Djinn King himself- the creator of the world- she may be in over her head. How can a single faerie, even with the help of her friends, hope to defeat the impenetrable darkness of the Blackbringer?

At a time when fantasy readers have an embarrassment of riches in choosing new worlds to fall in love with, this first novel by a fresh, original voice is sure to stand out.


My Thoughts

In a world where most of the faeries have forgotten most of their history and are content to live in ignorance of the world, there is one faerie who is fighting to keep the devils at bay. Magpie Windwitch is a tiny faerie with a big heart. She dreams of being like her idol Bellatrix and help keep the world safe. When she finds an abandoned boat with missing mannies on it, she knows something terrible has been released into the world. She must do all she can to save her friends and family.
I loved Laini Taylor's Daughter Of Smoke and Bone so when I saw this I had to get it to try. I wasn't disappointed. Laini Taylor doesn't just tell a story, she weaves it. She draws you into her world with her rich descriptions and mesmerizing characters. While it took me a little while to get used to the writing style, it didn't detract from the story at all. The faeries in Blackbringer may be small but they are fierce. I loved everything about this book and am eagerly diving into book 2 now.

Raising Dragons (Dragons in Our Midst #1) by Bryan Davis Review.

Guys this review is written by my 10 year old son. Im so proud of him :) He has Dyslexia and doesn't read much but finished this book!!



Goodreads Synopsis

A boy learns of his dragon past; a girl has known of hers for years. They combine their faith, courage, and love to overcome evil, a slayer who seeks to bring an end to dragon heritage, forever. The kids at school call Billy “Dragon Breath” for good reason. His breath is bad! It isn’t the normal, morning-mouth bad; it’s the hot-as-fire, “don’t-you-dare-get-near-me” bad. Trouble erupts when his hot breath sets off the fire sprinklers in the boys’ restroom at school, and his parents learn that they’ve kept their secret for too long.Billy finally discovers the secret. His father was once a dragon! Now that’s a piece of news a guy doesn’t deal with every day! Billy feels betrayed, alien, lost. When the dragon slayer traps him on a cold mountaintop in West Virginia, Billy learns to battle with weapons of steel and spirit while relying on a power he doesn’t understand, a power that helps him learn to trust again. Bonnie, an orphan, tries to find a home, someone to love her, even though she feels like a freak because of a body feature that she calls a deformity. But this unusual feature becomes a life-saving attribute as she discovers that her love for others and her faith in a creator hold the answers she’s looking for.

My Thoughts ( Well my sons thoughts today )

Billy and Bonnie are both half dragons. Bonnie has known her entire life but Billy only just found out. Not long after hearing what he is, he finds himself on the run from a crazy Dragon Slayer. He learns what and who his dad is and how and why they are being hunted.

I love Dragon books and my mom gave me this to try. I enjoyed it and found the story good - a boy finding out he is half dragon (how cool would that be???)and that his dad is a full dragon (even cooler) forced to become human to hide from the Dragon Slayers. He meets another half Dragon and both end up on the run with Slayers trying to kill them. 
Bonnie is cool for a girl Dragon. She has wings and is quite strong. Billy though is awesome because he can breath fire. I liked both of them but my most favourite character was Walter, he is a good friend to have. He had their backs. The story was action packed and never dull. I especially liked the Arthur bits and reading about the Dragons. The Slayers weren't very nice but they were very good villains. I also want a teacher like Professor Hamilton because he was pretty cool and had awesome weapons. I also want to know who or what he is because that bit was very mysterious. 
I really liked Raising Dragons and have asked my mom for the next in the series.

Tamed by Douglas R. Brown Review.

 

Goodreads Synopsis.


Werewolves are real.

And they make excellent pets.

Owning one of the legendary creatures is the latest fad. The WereHouse insists their werepets are loyal, docile, and 100% safe, but what happens when these gentle giants turn on their masters?

While on a routine EMS call, paramedic Christine Alt is attacked by a rogue werepet. She escapes with her life, but the encounter leaves her with more than just scars. As her body begins to change, she discovers the WereHouse is hiding a terrible secret, and they will stop at nothing to keep her from exposing them.



My Thoughts

Werewolves have been domesticated and have become pets called Wergs. Everyone who can afford one seems to have one. The Werehouse tells them they are animals only and wont ever harm. But the Werehouse is hiding a lot of secrets.
Christine is a medic for the fire department and has never liked the Wergs. They terrify her. On a routine EMS call she goes to a house with her partner Billy and finds a gruesome sight. The owners of the house were killed by their Werg. Its still there and Christine is mauled by the animal. Some of the animals blood finds its way into her. As her life changes she meets Alex, a rogue werg hunter, and finds out explosive secrets about The Werehouse.

OK so the first few lines of the blurb really pulled me in " Werewolves are real.
And they make excellent pets."
Tamed was not what I expected. It was gory  bloody, action packed and brought something new to the werewolf genre. The Werehouse is brutal in its taming of the werewolves and promises that the wergs wont harm, but like all "animals" there are an odd few rogues. When Christine turns she is the only female werg that's not controlled by Bernard Henderson (the owner and founder of The Werehouse) Any male werg goes crazy around her and the rogue hunters are trying to kill her. Her life is turned upside down but she has to expose The Werehouse for what it is. 

Tamed switches POV between a few people but you don't feel lost because the author makes it flow from person to person. While they seem random POV, they tie up nicely at the end. 
Douglas Brown definitely doesn't shy away from the darker side of things and its not for the faint of heart or the squeamish. I really enjoyed Tamed and loved that it was dark and a kinda disturbing werewolf book!!! If you like dark and thrilling tales then this is for you.

Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain #2) by Amanda Carlson Review

 Synopsis from Goodreads



Jessica McClain has just discovered she's the biggest threat the supernatural world has seen in over eight-hundred years, but there's only one thing on her mind - finding her mate. Rourke's been kidnapped by a wicked goddess and his only chance of survival lies in her hands.

Finding Rourke and defeating the goddess proves to be difficult enough, but when the Underworld comes calling and Jessica discovers she's accused of crimes she hasn't committed, the entire game changes. The price they are demanding for her freedom is too steep. There is no way she can ever pay it back.






My Thoughts

In the second installment of the Jessica McClain books we see Jessica along with Tyler and Danny on a mission to confront a goddess and save Rourke. While defeating a Goddess is anything but easy she also has to contend with things she never even heard of before. 
Hot Blooded was amazing. It was everything the first book was and more!!! Jessica is trying to save Rourke but even before she gets there she has to fight things she has never heard of or seen. How do you defeat something when you don't know their weakness? Throw in Ray and 2 vamps and you have an action packed edge of your seat book. This book is a book that had me going from one emotion to another in a few pages! Theres betrayals, kidnapping, vows made and vows broken. There is never a dull moment. 
Amanda Carlson has created some awesome characters. Jessica is kick ass but in Hot Blooded I think my favourite was Danny. He is a breath of fresh air. Loved him. I hope we see more of Danny and Rourke in coming books. Highly highly recommend. 
Received from Netgalley.