Spotlight Wednesdays: Age of X

Info

Title: Age of X series
Title of First Book: Gameboard of the Gods
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Adult Dystopian
Rating: 4.5/5

Why you should read it

Actually, there are so many reasons, so I decided to make a list. People like lists, right? Lists are cool.

1. Awesome protagonists.
If you read Mead's Vampire Academy series and loved Rose and Adrian, you're going to adore Mae and Justin. They're like the adult versions of them, and *drumroll* yes, there are strings of romance between, and no Dimitri-like character to interfere.

2. Multiple POVs, so you get to be in all of those awesome heads. It is third person, but still.

3. Amazing world construction that has very strong links to our world.
Mead shows her hand as a feminist very clearly in these books (which is cool in and of itself), and there is nothing more glorious than seeing Mae cut down the patriarchy for assuming she's no threat just because she's female. Seriously, it is beautiful to read.

4. The tongue-in-cheek humour that only Mead can deliver so seamlessly.
The books sometimes get quite dark and touch on heavy subjects, but she never lets that go on for too long, always making sure there's just enough humour in there to make the book fun, without subtracting from the issues she's addressing.

Not convinced yet?

5. It's got Gods.
And by Gods, I mean that, at some point in the first two books (not saying when because... spoilers), you will meet Loki. And I don't know, I mean this might just be me, but you give me a god called Loki, and I instantly have an image of Tom Hiddleston - and that's not something I will ever complain about.

Unfortunately, unlike most of her series so far (recently completed with Bloodlines last month!), this one isn't finished, and the next one up (due out this year at some point) is book 3 - notorious for cliffhangers. But it's my humble opinion that if you haven't experienced a Mead Book 3 Cliffy for longer than it takes you to get to the bookstore to buy #4, your book experience isn't complete. Besides, not much can top Shadow Kiss, so you should be safe-ish.

Covers are from first and second books, respectively.

Cover Love: Firewalker + Soundless

Hello, lovelies!

Josephine Angelini just revealed today the cover of the second novel in her Worldwalker series, Firewalker.
I like it, but I have to say, the original cover for Trial by Fire was absolutely gorgeous, and I don't think it needed revamping, so I'm not too sure about this.
I'm holding out for the UK cover, because we had a stunning one for #1.

Worlds divide, magic slays, and love lies in the second book of Josephine Angelini’s The Worldwalker Trilogy.
"You think I’m a monster, but my choices, as ruthless as they seem, are justified."
Lily is back in her own universe, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the Pyre that fueled their escape from New Salem, and must hide her magic for the safety of everyone she cares about, but compared to fighting the Woven, the monstrous creatures inhabiting the alternate Salem, life is looking pretty good.
Unfortunately, Lillian, ruthless ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. If she can’t persuade Lily to return to her world, she will force her to come back by doing away with the ones she loves.
Picking up right where Trial By Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced, heartbreaking thrill ride from internationally bestselling author Josephine Angelini!

In other news, this week Richelle Mead revealed the cover to her upcoming standalone YA fantasy novel, Soundless. It's a stunner, and seems to reflect the story - that follows a Chinese girl in a completely soundless town in the mountains - pretty accurately.

From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore. 
For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 
When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.
But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.
Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever...

Soundless is scheduled for a November 17th release, and Firewalker for a September 1st release.

The Ruby Circle

Title: The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: YA
Rating: 3/5
Cover: 2/10

"The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

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.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world."

***

Having to write down that 3/5 up there nearly killed me; I've been an avid Mead fan for years now, so it pains me to have to write a less favourable review.

This book was about Sydney and Adrian, apparently. I hardly noticed them amidst the Rose and Dimitri show. To be honest, the only saving grace of this entire novel was Rose and Dimitri's continued presence. They made things interesting, brought the fun of the Strigoi and gave us some pretty awesome news and twists.

Aside from that though, the book was rushed, and the problems easily brushed aside. Something I often look to when I buy the last book in a series, is the length of it. And, the first signifier that Ruby Circle would fall short came at the quick comparison between Ruby Circle and Last Sacrifice. Whereas Last Sacrifice could be used as a door stopper, Ruby Circle hardly hit 300 pages - and I'm being kind. The result of that was a plot that, while slightly more compelling than that of the last two books, felt cramped, rushed and we were left with a disgruntled, unfulfilled feeling, as in the end Sydney simply swept all their troubles under the rug, easy as pie.

And I won't even talk about how OOC (out of character) some characters were, because I could spend a day harping off that; but let's just say I didn't buy one second of Daniella's sudden change of heart, and kept expecting her to turn on everyone... except she didn't, she apparently just really doesn't care if her son married a human - this from a woman who threw a fit that would make a prima donna proud when he brought Rose to dinner.

Was I happy with the ending? In many ways, yes. I feel like it's probably time Richelle stepped away from this world for a while, since the characters seem to be evading her, and focus on writing us an awesome Loki for Age of X. I also very much liked the... situation the book left some characters. It was cute, and way overdue.
But at the same time, it felt a bit like a repeat of the Dark Swan series - a tantalising possibility for a future filled with everything we've ever wished for, forever left out of our reach. So, while I think maybe some time away from the VA world might be good, I have to say, I do very much hope she comes back to it one day; even if it's just another short story, to let us know what's going on in Rose and Dimitri's life, and if he managed to get her down the aisle finally.

Spotlight Wednesdays: Vampire Academy

Info
Series Title: Vampire Academy
Title of First Book: Vampire Academy
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5

Why you should read it

The word 'vampire' carries a lot of baggage these days, but rest assured, these do not sparkle.

In Mead's vampiric world, there are two kinds of vampires - the good, live Moroi, who only feed without killing and can control the elements, and the bad, undead Strigoi; the Strigoi are your basic vampire: can't go out in the sun, enjoy killing for the fun of it and have no soul.
The plot is based off the idea that Moroi can have kids with humans, and their offspring is called dhampirs. This is what our protagonist, the badass Rose Hathaway, is. Because of the vampire genes, dhampirs are stronger and faster than normal humans, which makes them the perfect bodyguards against the Strigoi.

Rose will not hesitate before kicking your ass to kingdom come, and quite honestly, I'm pretty sure the term BAMF was made with her in mind. And to make it better?

Well, the icing on the cake is what my circle of friends affectionately calls the 'badass Russian god', aka Dimitri Belikov.

For you to have an idea of how amazing these books are, you might think that their appeal is mostly for teenage girls, right? Well, my 54 year-old father picked these up a few years back and kept pestering me to give him the next one, he was so hooked.

And no wonder as well, it has some of the best plot twists known to man (handy hint and tip: do not finish Shadow Kiss without having Blood Promise around handy. Trust me, you'll thank me later on), magic, vampires, fighting sequences worthy of Hollywood (we don't talk about the movie; it was a sad, sad thing - but if you liked that, you will love the books!) and scorching romance that will make literally anyone swoon.

Covers are of first and fourth books respectively.

Author News: Richelle Mead's New Book

News in the fandom! News in the fandom!
If you're looking forward to The Ruby Circle (which you probably are), but wondering what you'll do when it's over, worry not. Publishers Weekly published an article yesterday all about Richelle's new book, titled Soundless, that will be out November 17th.

According to PW, "Soundless centers on Fei, a girl whose isolated village has heard no sound for decades. Like the other villagers, Fei can neither hear nor speak, until she is suddenly awakened one night by a searing noise, and sound becomes a weapon she can use to save her people from an oppressive regime," and it is Mead's first fantasy novel.

For myself, I'm intrigued by the premise, and look forward to finding out how Fei's world works. What about you? Are you excited for Richelle's new book?

The Twelve Books of Christmas: Day 12

Yay we made it! Merry Christmas (Eve)! I hope you all get everything you want in your stockings and presents! I'll be going off on holiday in January, so the blog might be going slow, but I have a few posts queued to keep things going. Hope everyone has a great time during holidays :)
Now, for our last Book of Christmas...

Day 12:
Vampire Academy, Richelle Mead

I talked about Mead's Storm Born a few days ago, so of course I had to talk about my favourite of her series - and the one that sparked my love for all things Richelle Mead.
The word 'vampire' carries a lot of baggage ever since Twilight, but trust me when I say, this is not Twilight, and Rose points and laughs at the types of Bella. Think of it more as a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter.
Rose Hathaway is a dhampir - the child of a Moroi vampire and another dhampir (or a human, both unions end in dhampirs. Originally, dhampirs came from vamps/humans, so they're essentially half vampires), and she's training to be a Guardian for her best friend, the Royal Moroi Princess Lissa Dragomir.
The cool thing about Vampire Academy is that it incorporates real Scandinavian vampire myths into the novel; their folk tales told of two different kinds of vampires: the live Moroi that could control the elements (air, earth, water, fire and spirit), and the undead vampires, the Strigoi, who were basically manic beings whose main purpose in death was to kill all the Moroi and destroy civilisation. Yay!
As a Guardian, it's Rose's job to train to kill Strigoi. And she's good at it. Especially because she has an uber special instructor: what me and my friends lovingly call 'the badass Russian god', aka Dimitri.
Rose is a hilarious narrator, and it was always an absolute pleasure to be in her crazy head; it's one of the things I miss the most in the spin-off series, Bloodlines. With Rose around, there's never a dull moment.

The Twelve Books of Christmas: Day 6

We've hit the half-way mark! Only six days until Christmas. Don't panic if you're still looking for bookish gifts! You can have a look back on the previous Books of Christmas posts here on BookWorm for ideas.

Day 6:
Storm Born, Richelle Mead

This is one of my all-time favourite series of books ever. And it's written by one of my favourite authors ever. Great package deal!
The Dark Swan books are all about the shaman Eugenie Makhram, who helps her stepdad to keep an eye out on any supernatural beasties from the Otherworld from setting up shop in our world. She's very good at what she does, and does it for money. The problem is, suddenly these beasties aren't so intent on killing her, but on... getting in her pants?
Eugenie is in for a bucketload of surprises in Storm Born - namely, that her biological father was the all-powerful and tyrannical King of the Otherworld, and there's a prophecy that his grandson will unite all the kingdoms of the Otherworld. And every single male-indetifying creature on the other side wants a go at being the father of the next King.
Unlikely alliances are made, trust is questioned and love is found where we least expect it. It's a roller coaster ride from book one right until book four - and even beyond, since Mead has already said that she does plan on writing more in this world... eventually.
Fair warning, though: this is very much an adult book, and very graphic sexytimes ensue. Please don't give this to your 12 year-old cousin or something, you will scar the child for life.

Happy Halloween

To celebrate the day, I've compiled a list of some of my 10 favourite supernatural fictional people - most of whom are also creatures that go bump in the night, and that would love to be out and about on Halloween!

1. Selene from the Underworld movies. Topping off the list is one incredible lady which, sadly, will not be returning to the next movies. Still, she was one badass vampire, and took no crap from anyone; I wouldn't want to be on her bad side, that's for sure! She's definitely more likely to kill first, and ask questions later.

2. Second on the list of awesome Halloween-ish creatures, is one dhampir that holds a very dear place in my heart. This Russian God, as he's known throughout his world, goes by the name of Dimitri Belikov, and to quote Rose, 'alive or undead... [he] was a badass'. Couldn't have said it better myself, Rose! Dimitri gets to be on here, even though a dhampir isn't technically so terrifying, because he spent a book and a half as an undead, evil vampire whose sole mission was to enslave all of humanity, with Rose by his side as his Queen of Darkness. Deliciously horrible. I even sometimes miss what me and my friends call Strigmitri, his soulless vampire side!

3. How to follow up from Dimka, right? Well, this is another incredible lady who, even though most people will say they hate her - because she's a psychotic maniac, and you're supposed to hate those people! - the entire fandom actually loves to hate, and I know it. It is, of course, the terrifying Bellatrix Lestrange. In all fairness, much as I love what her character represents, and I absolutely adore the way Helena Bonham-Carter portrays her, I'd be more scared if I bumped into her in a deserted alley than if I did with Voldemort. Dis bitch be crazy...

4. Next is another vampire - they seem quite popular these days haha! - and one that I have loved for all the wrong reasons for way too many years. I fell in love with the bad Salvatore in the books, and of course Ian Somerhalder playing Damon did nothing to diminish my love (on the contrary, in fact). Still, despite his tortured soul and deep-down good heart, you don't want to run across him on a night he's had a fight with Elena...

5. Moving away from the vampires now, let's talk witches again. She's a classic because she was Merlin's nemesis. Beautifully portrayed by Katie McGrath in BBC's Merlin, Morgana Pendragon started out like a lovely, sweet and innocent girl in a court where magic was seen as treason (I still can't look at Giles in Buffy without hearing the echoes of 'SORCERY!' in my head. Uther really needed a chill pill. Or twenty). But she found her magic, turned bad, and by the end of the series, was almost as powerful as Merlin himself. And yes, she does look lovely in a crown.

6. Another good girl-gone-bad situation with magic and a crown involved, comes in the form of the stunning Lana Parrilla, playing the Evil Queen (yes, the one from Snow White), in today's world known as Regina Mills, the tyrannical mayor of the little town of Storybrooke, Maine. Another case of really unfortunate parenting, Regina sets loose a curse that ends all happy endings and brings all fairy tale characters to the human world. She's another lady you don't want to catch on a bad day; and never, ever accept an apple from her, not even if she slips it into your trick or treat bowls! NO APPLES!


7. Moving on to the traditional Halloween costume, we find Helena Ravenclaw, more commonly known as The Grey Lady. The ghost of Ravenclaw House, she's a tad short-tempred, as Harry found out the hard way in Deathly Hallows, but hers is another sad story - and one worthy of Halloween: she was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, but stole her mother's
magical diadem, hoping it would make her smarter. On her deathbed, Rowena sent for her daughter. The man who went searching for Helena, was a Baron (aka The Bloody Baron, the ghost of Slytherin House. Must make for awkward meals!) who harboured amorous feelings towards Helena. Enraged, he killed her when she refused to return with him to her mother, then proceeded to kill himself in despair at what he had done. Hence the blood all over him... That's a tale and a half!

8. Next is one devilishly clever and dangerous imp. We all know him - he's even been in Shrek, for crying out loud! He is, of course, Rumplestilstkin. I'm looking at that name and hoping I spelt it right. It's easier to say than to spell, honestly. But this little guy (or not so little, depending on which version we're talking about!) is not to be trifled with. If you don't avoid any of the others in this list, maybe consider keeping away from him - he'll have you signing away your firstborn before you even know what's going on.

9. Our favourite DADA teacher makes this list because of his... ah... extracurricular activities. By which I mean, of course, he makes a habit of turning into a giant stinking wolf every month. Luckily, Lupin is one of the few people on this list that are on the good side. Still, don't stick around to chat if he's in his wolf form - he won't recognise you, and neither will anyone else once he's done with you!

10. This one actually didn't make it into the movies, but he's my favourite ghost ever, and I think cutting him out was a complete travesty. Especially since they actually did film some scenes with him - the image is one of the few actual footage pictures we have of Peeves the Poltergeist, from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. From water bombs on terrified first-years, to chasing Umbridge out of the castle to the sound of hooves, Peeves, in my opinion, truly embodies the spirit of Halloween of having some spooky fun.



Now I'm going to curl on up on my bed and watch The Corpse Bride, followed by The Nightmare Before Christmas (both because it's about Halloween, but also because it's also about Christmas, so what's not to love?), to get into the mood for some Christmassy fun!

Shipping Saturdays #4: It's a Dimka World

Last weeks' winner of Shipping Saturdays was: Sherlock Homes!

Welcome to Shipping Saturdays! Basically, I talk about my favourite ship in a book/series, and then you guys get to vote on which favourite pairing of that book/series you prefer. If there are any couples you'd like me to talk about, let me know in the comments (along with what book they're from, in case I haven't read it yet!) and I'll add them to the list.

This week, in honour of Halloween next week, we're talking vampires! I may be persuaded to do one for the sparkly vamps eventually, but today is not that day. As most of you will know by now, I'm a strong Richelle Mead believer - I'll pretty much read anything she puts out, and most of the times am very happy with it.

Through her books, especially Vampire Academy, I've met four of my best friends today, so I really owe that series so much. But beyond that, it also introduced me to the fictional guy to end all fictional guys: Dimitri Belikov.

Confusingly, to me, some people don't share my love and appreciation for the Russian God of all things BAMF. I don't get it, I really don't, but some people insist that party boy Moroi Adrian Ivashkov (not-so-lovingly usually referred to me by simply Ivashkov) over Dimka.

I will admit that Ivashkov (see? It's almost ingrained in me now, I swear!) was actually a pretty cool character during Frostbite and about half of Shadow Kiss. By the end of Shadow Kiss though, I wanted to strangle him slowly, and I can't say that I was sorry to have Rose dump him (though, I will give him this much - the way she did it was shitty, and no one deserves to be cheated on). Plus, look at how cute Romitri look in the picture! Too cute!

Still, I'm unsure if Adrian fans have moved on from focusing on Rose now that he's a married man, but let me know who you think Rose should have ended up with.

Dimitri or Adrian?

Dimitri, aaaaall the way!

Nope, standing strong with Adrian.

I'm hopeless, and am clinging on to Mason :(

Other (who? Comment!)

Poll Maker

The Immortal Crown

Title: The Immortal Crown (Age of X #2)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: adult (language), dystopia
Rating: 10/10
Cover: 5/5


Warning: this post contains spoilers. Proceed with caution.

JADFJEBCKJNFKJGHVIUSDHVBFD THAT ENDING! WHAT! *bangs head on desk* dammit, Richelle, you've done it AGAIN.

I'm actually glad I read it on my kindle, because it meant I could go easily check that name, and oh my god. To those of you who didn't have that ease, Porfirio was Mae's ex, the one who tried to rape her when she broke up with up him. I mean, honestly, no pun intended, but OH MY GOD.
She should ship him off to Arcadia and drop a nuclear bomb on all those misogynist pigs. Aimed directly at his head. I mean. OH MY GOD.
But also... Loki! Now I'll forever picture her god as Tom Hiddleston, and I'm not even sorry.
I just... so many motions about this book. I'd forgotten how good a Mead book could be, because the Bloodlines books don't really hold up to the same standard, but ooooh my. I kind of need book 3 right now, but at the same time, I know, I just know that it's gonna hurt. Damn the woman and her #3s.

But, ahem, right. The review.

Astounding, as per usual. Even though you will want to rush ahead and skip Tessa's chapters, stick with the girl, because it all ties together at the end. Plus, Ms Mead is an excellent storyteller, and the slower chapters away from Justin and Mae just help to amp up the excitement and anxiety about what they're doing even more.
As for those two themselves, what can I say? Richelle has a way with characters, making them so fully dimensional, it feels like they're in the room with you. And this is no different, even with the impediment of third person. It was fascinating to see Mae's journey and her development from a stone-faced praetorian to a woman who not only opened up her heart (finally), but also actually showed a deep, caring side of her with the children that I honestly didn't expect from Mae.
Justin... what can I say? He reminds me of Dorian, damnit. Always quick to protect the woman he loves, acting first and asking later, he's another one of her male leads that stole a piece of my heart. At this rate, I'd better hope she doesn't write any new series, or there'll be nothing left, what with all of her characters already vying for attention.
But, arguably the best part of the book was the open damnation of Arcadia. I know the element presented in the book is 100x worse than what we live with every day, but still so much of that is relevant to society today, with women being blamed for "enticing" men to rape them. I felt like the stand was clearly towards a more positive, equal society, where, as someone puts in the book, people realise that the problem isn't with the girls, but with the men who are brought up with a sense of entitlement that they think gives them the right to do as they please with no consequences. Oh, I so wanted Mae to smack some of those assholes around a little.

The Fiery Heart

Title: The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 7/10

This is a spoiler-free review. I'd like to thank Penguin UK for providing me with an ARC for review.

So much to say, and so little ways to say it without being murdered at the pike for spoiling the book!

I will endeavour to do my best, though.

Let’s just say that, on the worst-case scenario, you will at least be happy with all the lovin’ going on in this book. Seriously, there is stuff for everyone. Sydrian fans especially, obviously, will have the time of their lives, and should listen to Loving You before reading the book, to set the mood. But there’s stuff for us starved Romitri loons, there’s so Angeline action, some Eddie action, some Jill action, and even some Dragozera action. Hell, Richelle even added a British lad to spice things up even more. Trust me, the title of the book is definitely fitting for the goings-on. I honestly think the only one who didn’t get some lovin’ was Zoe – even Mrs Terwilliger did!

Aside from that, the biggest concern here is the ending. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been able to connect to Syd so well as a narrator as well as I did with Rose, but the ending didn’t hurt as much as expected. It got to a point where frankly, it became glaringly obvious something was going to go to s***. And so when it did, it was kind of expected. As usual though, props to Mrs Mead for suspense. The woman sure knows what she’s doing.

Bottom line, little dhampirs, is: take a deep breath, relax, grab that kleenex box and dive in. You can blame me later on if you need therapy.

Gameboard of the Gods

Title: Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: adult
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 8/10 (not sure what/how it links to the story, but the swirls are pretty)


I know I shouldn't; I mean, you'd think that after ten adult books and nine young adult books, I'd be used to it. An yet, this woman's ability to captivate me with her stories never ceases to amaze me. And honestly? I'm hoping it never, ever does. Because, boy do I love the crazy rides her increasingly crazy main girls take me on.

To those of you familiar with Richelle's other works, the only way I can describe Mae (and I won't even try to spell her surname. I'm still trying to tackle Danila's. One crazy name at a time, please) is like, quite literally, a grown up version of Rose if Dimitri had stayed Strigoi, and Rose hadn't broken up with Adrian. Now, that was never a future that appealed to me, because in Rose's case, Dimitri was in the picture, and really, there's just no question when it comes to those two. But with Mae, I was happily surprised.  The similarities between Jason and Adrian can be quite astonishing for those who know what to look for, but at the same time, they're intrinsically different. Still, it was quite a shock to find myself yelling in my mind for them to just get it on already. Of all the books to make me reconsider my feelings on indulging, vice-imbibing, asshole-inclined, superior-minded, arrogant pricks, this was not the one I expected. But it did. And god help me, I fell head over heels in love with Jason. The jury's still out for Adrian, though.
Even more interestingly, is Tessa. The best way I can describe her, if we're still going with the Richelle Mead book examples, is as a bizarre cross between Sydney and a pinch of Rose. And yet something else too, because she's endearing - and while I love both leading ladies mentioned above, neither can be called endearing.
So what's the book about, and what makes it so amazing, you may ask? Join those three characters above, add in some crazy magic/god action, sexual tension thick enough to give even Georgina and Seth a run for their money, politics that are actually, bizarrely, quite intriguing, a dystopian-like country, and top it off with the trademark Mead snark and fabulous dialogue, and you have your answer. And if that doesn't sell you on reading this, then you should just read it because it's a Richelle Mead book, and I've come to learn that that basically means it'll blow your mind.
One thing that was, at first, a bit of the shock, is the third person narration that I wasn't used to with Mead's stories. However, once the book gets going (around page 2, as usual), it only ever stood out again whenever I had to stop reading, and then got back to it. Otherwise, in the flow of the narrative, the story lends itself quite well to third person, and it actually helps to keep the tension up, and kept me curious about the backgrounds of Mae and Jason, making me want to read on even more.
Also, to any budding YA readers out there who want to read more RM stuff, but are weary of the adult content, this is a pretty safe place to start. Leave Dark Swan and especially leave the Georgina Kincaid books alone until you can deal with explicit scenes; Gameboard of the Gods is really quite tame considering the usual amount of debauchery I've come to associate with adult books, although I suspect that might change in the next book. No swearing either, so safe enough.
Otherwise, definitely worth a read to any lovers of Richelle Mead, and/or good supernatural books. With a hint of dystopia to boot ;)

Confessions of a Book Worm #2

The problem with "that's misogynistic" in relation to books. Oh yeah. I'm going there.
See, I read somewhere quite some time ago that it was funny how, in the Victorian Era, when Jane Austen was writing, the girls in the books were portrayed as strong, independent women who knew what they wanted, and didn't let any man tell them what to do. Yes, they fell in love and married, but they didn't marry simply because it was what society expected them to do. And while it might be argued that really, Austen, the Bronte sisters and other women writers of the time were simply trying to out across the message that marriage wasn't all bad, we do have to recognise that very few women actually behaved like that at the time.
Even more ridiculous, this person thought, was the fact that, today, when women have, supposedly, gained equality to men (don't get me started on that supposedly. I could go on for days), the heroines in the books are Bella Swans, and Anna Steeles, who are only happy to let the man dictate their every move - the latter in a more... ahem, extreme way. This person believed that such books were a step back in the feminism fight, and were a disgrace to the world.
And this is where the problem lies. I'll be honest: I read Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed. Even more honestly: I liked them. The epitome of honesty: I would never, ever consent to a relationship like that. It's not for me. However, my main problem with Fifty critics is that they seem to be making a stink of the fact that the book is a Twilight fanfic, and must, therefore, be crap by default (since we're sharing, I'll admit to having been a Twilight fan. When I was 12. We grow up. When you're twelve, a perfect boy sounds... well, perfect. Today, if I met Edward, I'd likely kill him within the hour). Then they go on to call it "porn". I'm not very clear on what counts as porn in book terms. I only ever thought of porn in terms of movies before, so who the hell knows. Maybe it is. And guys buy those movies by the droves, don't deny it. So what's the problem about Fifty being porn, if that's what you want to call it? It might be because it became famous, and porn is usually considered something that should be kept hush-hush. But the main reason, as far as I can see, is that women are reading porn. God forbid! Women might be masturbating while reading Fifty Shades of Grey! The horror!
Yeah. Because, as a person who read all 3 books, I can safely say there are hot moments, even for a non-BDSM inclined person like myself. The thing is, there is also a solid character development, and interesting, if predictable, plot line. It's not just sex sex and more sex. So the comments about how Fifty is anti-feminist? Well. What exactly do people see in the book that is misogynistic? The fact that the man is the dom, and the woman is the sub? Just because a book about a dom woman and a sub man hasn't been written (or maybe it has - it's just not famous), doesn't mean it doesn't happen just as much as the situation presented in Fifty. In fact, if people had taken the time to read Fifty, they would know that in fact, there is such a relationship mentioned in the books. It's not in the forefront, but it is mentioned and acknowledged.
But if you hate Fifty on principle, let's look at other literary pieces. Richelle Mead's Dark Swan series have a really strong, independent and kick-ass heroine, Eugenie Markham. She kills the shit that gives you nightmares. She is badass. Feminist, right? Well. What if I told you she was in to bondage with her boyfriend? Does that instantly make her anti-feminist? NO. It makes her a well-rounded character, who likes things kinky in the boudoir. Nothing wrong with that. And there is no way in hell Mead can be called a misogynist.

Another example, and one which makes me even more incensed than the Fifty debacle: Harry Potter. I have seen and heard countless people say "it's misogynist, because the women are always secondary characters". Let me just point out that the series might be called 'Harry Potter', and Potter might be the Chosen One, but he would have died at the age of eleven without ever even knowing that it was Quirrell if not for Hermione. Ginny Weasley is the most powerful wizard in the entire Weasley family. Minerva McGonagall almost single-handedly decides to stand up against Voldemort in Deathly Hallows, and gives instructions to all other teachers about what to do. Molly Weasley kills Bellatrix. And Bellatrix herself probably kills more people than even Voldemort does. Personally, I'd be more scared if I met Bellatrix in a dark alley than I would be if I met Voldemort. Luna Lovegood is eccentric, but uncannily clever. Umbridge nearly destroys Hogwarts. I could go on. On the flip side, Ron is clumsy, Harry is dependent on Hermione, Fudge was too scared to face Dumbledore, so he sent Umbridge, who wasn't scared. The one thing the Weasleys wanted more than anything was a girl daughter.
So why, exactly, is it so easy for us to just turn and say "it's misogynist"? If you want a real example of misogyny, you should read Euripirdes' Medea. Misogyny is telling women they can't read a book because they might get aroused reading it. Misogyny isn't writing a book whose main character is a guy; it's treating the female characters as if they were not important simply because they're female. Misogyny is making women believe that wanting what they want and liking what they like - be it bondage, BDSM, vanilla, or becoming a nun - is wrong because they have to conform to men's expectations because they are the "fragile sex". Misogyny is demeaning women because they don't have a penis.
Misogyny does still happen, yes, but not half as much, at least in literature, as most people would have us believe.

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The Indigo Spell

Title: The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: YA
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 6/10


It gets old when I keep on yammering about how I'm surprised with Adrian in the Bloodlines books. But, well, I am. The Ivashkov we get to meet in these books is miles away from the womanising, drunk bum that we met in Vampire Academy; a bum who had no qualms on hitting on a taken girl. No, this Ivashkov is pretty much perfect. He's sincere, romantic, sweet, thoughtful and just all around a great guy. But you know, the best traits of the old Adrian are also still there: his sass and sarcasm.
I do like Sydney. I do. Really. But... she's not Rose. Again, I feel like I'm hitting on the same spots in any and every review of this spin-off. However, I do want to say that Angeline surprised me. I never expected that from her. Then again, I didn't expect it from Trey either. But I just feel very sad, because Eddie and Angeline were like Romitri 2.0, so I had pretty big expectations for them. Still, I guess it sort of makes sense, though it bothers me that Eddie just bounced right back from Angeline to Jill. Eager much?
As for Romitri themselves (come on, it's a VA-world book, we gotta talk about them!), my only happiness is that Richelle has promised that Rose will be showing up much more in the next 3 books, because their scene here was waaay to short. I was all hyped up for the wedding, ready for loads of Romitri goodness, and have to make-do with that? Very sad indeed. Also, why no Christian? He's the one Ozera I like, and I miss his snark.
As for the whole witch thing... I like it. I still don't trust Trey's reasons for dating Angeline, but I get it that Richelle wanted to steer the plot a little further from vampires because of Sydney being human. The big bad witch didn't really scare me, though, despite her killing all those girls. Not sure why, but the Strigoi put the fear of god in me. Witches? Not so much (except maybe Voldemort. But that's beside the point). I did like Syd's choice at the end, though. I love seeing her break free and start making her own decisions. The ending, though? Honestly, book #1 had a more riveting ending (I'm a Dimitri girl, as I'm sure you all know by now) than that, which is bad, cause I was mentally prepared for a classic Richelle Mead book 3 ending. Now I'm told it's going to happen in book 4. So, here I go preparing myself again...

Cover Reveal: Gameboard of the Gods

It's that time again! Richelle Mead, our favourite redhead in literature is gearing up to release her new adult series, and today we got the blurb and cover for Gameboard of the Gods, the first book in the Age of X series:

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised i

n an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

 Look for Gameboard of the Gods in bookstores June 2013.

The Golden Lily

Title: The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 8/10

Sydney Sage is back! Along with Ivashkov, Eddie Castile, Jill (Jailbait) Mastrano-Dragomir, Angeline,  Sonya and *drumrolls, please* Dimitri Belikov... along with a few other characters from Bloodlines. But yes, LOTS of Dimitri Belikov. I'll try not to focus too much on him, though, since this is Sydney's book.

The one main difference I see between the Bloodlines series and the Vampire Academy series, aside from the obvious, is that the plot twists in Bloodlines seem to be so much more predictable. I mean, remember that whole Tasha Ozera conspiracy? That was genius, pure genius (still hate the bitch's guts though).
Sydney's riddles seem to come undone much easier than Rose's. This doesn't mean the book isn't entertaining, it just doesn't make the 'favourite' shelf.
The Golden Lily follows the crew as they try to remain anonymous in California. Their anonymity is almost compromised when a group of vampire hunters starts trying to stake Sonya, thinking that she's still a Strigoi (which is when we get to see badass Russian god in god form again). With all that, plus all Alchemists, who seem to believe that Sydney Sage can do nothing wrong and is the perfect example of what a young Alchemist should be, that very same Alchemist can't seem to stop getting closer to her vampire and half-vampire comrades (Yeah, I went there...). Adrian seems to be walking an ever-thinner  line between spirit-madnes, and... well, Adrian-madness.
After getting used to liking Adrian in #1, I all but fell in love with him now. The man is truly smitten, and I'm happy for him, though his bond with Jill kind of creeped me out at times. Rose and Lissa's bond never made Rose look at Christian all moony-eyed, so that gave me the heebie jeebies. Plus, he's always had the best one-liners, even back when I wanted to walk him off a cliff. Angeline is my mini-Rose. Her training sessions with Eddie (who Adrian calls mini-Dimitri, wink wink, nudge nudge), and all her grouching and complaints just kept reminding me of Rose, especially in Frostbite. Not to mention her punch-first-ask-later policy. I kept wishing someone would call in Rose to train her, because man, that would be just too good.
And talking about Rose... Dimitri. I honestly thought we'd see him in two scenes, tops, and then he'd be gone. Instead, we got an entire bookload of Russian., and I want to take the opportunity to thank Richelle profusely. I'd missed him. And I do love his cell phone. He should use it more. And Sydney should learn to eavesdrop. Eavesdropping can be perfectly fine at certain times. That was one of them.

If you liked Bloodlines, definitely read The Golden Lily. If you read Bloodlines, but are still a little iffy at the lack of Romitri, READ The Golden Lily. I promise you, there will be scenes to make you happy. Fans of Sydrian, have at it.

Cover Reveal #2

Like I said, yesterday was a busy day in the cover world. What I have now is the provisional (meaning the tats & other cool stuff will be added later on, so no freaking out, please! Sydney is still an Alchemist!) cover for The Indigo Spell, due to be released on Feb. 14th 2013.

Richelle has already confirmed that the girl is Sydney, and the guy on the right is Adrian. Any bets as to who the guy on the left is? Miss Mead also informed us that by the time the cover is final, we'll probably have a good idea as to who he is, so I have a pretty solid hunch. I just can't remember his name *sigh*

The Golden Lily Quote Trailer #2

As promised, here is the second trailer... my money for this quote is that it involves Adrian, Dimitri and Sydney. Any bets?

The Golden Lily Quote Trailer #1

It's still six weeks till the release of The Golden Lily, but Penguin, keeping up with the tradition they started with Spirit Bound, released today the first Quote Trailer for Richelle Mead's upcoming book. Every week there will be a new trailer, and I'll be posting all of them here, so ladies and gents, I present you The Golden Lily's first Teaser Quote Trailer:

The Golden Lily Excerpt

We've waited, we've begged, and finally... the time is getting closer to the release of The Golden Lily (in which, in Mead's own words, Dimitri will be around, doing what he does best: "being hot, kicking ass, and dropping words of wisdom with a Russian accent." *fans self*), out June 12th, and as the date grows nearer, little tidbits start popping up. Today, I give you... the first chapter!
The EW has released it, along with a great interview with Richelle about the book, so head on over HERE to read it all!

The Golden Lily is the second book in Richelle's spin-off series, Bloodlines, which continues in the world of best-selling series, Vampire Academy, but this time, told in one of Rosemarie's friends perspective, the Alchemist Sydney Sage (whom I love to death, but - and I mean no disrespect to Miss Mead - is sadly no Rose herself...).