ARC Review: Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

MECHANICA
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retellings
Release Date: August 25th 2015
Book Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books
Source: ARC, Goodreads 
Review: 2/5 *Full Review Below.

Blurb:
Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn't want a fairy tale happy ending after all.
 

Review: Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

EVERY LAST BREATH
Series: The Dark Elements #3
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Release Date: July 28th 2015
Book Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen 
Source: eBook, Goodreads 
Review: 5/5 *Full Review Below.

Blurb:
Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

The Dark Elements Re-Read: Stone Cold Touch Q&A!



The Dark Elements Re-Read: Stone Cold Touch

For those of you who don’t know yet, this reread is being done in anticipation of the release of Every Last Breath on July 28th, the final book in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s The Dark Elements series! This past week, the two of us have been reading the second book, Stone Cold Touch. In celebration for second the first book, we’re having a fun Q&A and discussion together!

For those of you who haven’t finished Stone Cold Touch, not to fear! Questions #1-10 are SPOILER-FREE! And feel free to post your answers to these questions! We’d love to read them! :)


1. Who’s your favourite character? Least favourite?

Erika: My favourite remains to be Roth. Yes, he was a bit of a jerk, but he wasn’t a complete jerk to Layla the entire book. There was no I’m-avoiding-you-thing or if-I-do-see-you-I’m-going-to-only-say-mean-things. His reasons were valid. Least favourite would probably be the demons dubbed Sucky and Inky by Roth. They were seriously creepy.

Cody: My favourite would be Roth again, I absolutely love him despite his attitude in the beginning. He can really do no wrong and is completely devoted and loyal to Layla. My least favourite would have to be the majority of the Wardens, their attitude towards Layla was horrible and in some cases completely uncalled for, I felt so sorry for her having to live in that house.

2. What’s your favourite moment? Why?

Cody: When Roth takes Layla to the Demon club and Layla gets high from taking a soul. This moment is hilarious and Layla’s inhibitions are completely lowered so we get to see exactly what she’s been thinking and feeling since Roth’s return. Nothing to do with the steamy scene… Honest ;)

Erika: When Roth saves Layla from the Warden warehouse. I mean, he completely obliterated that place for her! He unleashed some serious power, all for Layla. Who wouldn’t want a Roth after that? <3

3. Top three favourite lines/quotes?

“We need to be friends. Or at least to get along to the point where you aren’t destroying perfectly good fast food when I open my mouth.”

“I love you, Layla. Do you hear me? I’ve loved you since the first moment I heard heard your voice, and I will continue to love you. No matter what. I love you.”

“Then why don’t you? You’re trained. You can fight. Do you really need their permission? I mean, really? Who’s here to stop you if you go out and hunt?”

“Are you...seriously growling at me, Stony?”

“I want you so badly it’s like hunger that gnaws at me endlessly. It doesn’t go away.”

“Because you were afraid I was going to throw myself at you again?”
The question burst out before I could stop myself. Roth cocked his head to the side.
“More like I was afraid you wouldn’t and that’s the problem.”
He went down a step and turned to me.
“I left you alone because if you woke up and you asked me to kiss you, I wouldn’t be able to stop a second time around.”

4. What would you have liked to see more of in this book?

Cody: More Cayman! We did get to see a little more of him in this book compared to White Hot Kiss but it wasn’t enough. Like Stacey he produced some of the funniest quotes and I would love to see more of his life as a an Infernal Ruler. Maybe a spin off series, please?
Erika: More Layla-Danika moments. Once they cleared the air between them, I found myself enjoying their conversations, how they both sympathize with one another. Also, I definitely think Layla needs more female Warden friends. Danika is trained to fight, and Layla is awesome, so together, I think they would make a great team!

5. What did you think of Roth’s sudden reappearance?

Cody: I was over the moon, like literally fangirling so bad but that only lasted about 5 minutes until he opened his mouth to Layla </3

Erika: I was so relieved! I mean, I knew there was no way he would stay in the Pits forever (*shudders*), but seeing him back in action made me so happy. But much like Cody said, then he opened his mouth, and all that stupid stuff came out.

6. What did you think of Roth’s sudden change of attitude towards Layla?

Erika: At first, I was all “Roth did what?” But I was sort of expecting it. This is a love triangle, after all, and I knew Roth would have to do something to upset/hurt Layla enough that she would want to get together with Zayne.

Cody: Majorly confused especially after his confession in White Hot Kiss. I didn’t understand what could have happened and then Zayne totally wormed his way in during her heartbreak which I was not happy with!

7. What did you think of the romance between Layla and Zayne?

Erika: After reading about Layla and Roth in White Hot Kiss, I wasn’t sure how a relationship with Zayne was going to work out or even compare to what Layla and Roth had. I wasn’t completely sold on her being with Zayne, but as I read more, it began to seem like they’d be able to make it work, that they could be right for each other. But...I don’t know, there are a few issues in their relationships. Like trust issues, as Layla has run off with Roth a few times (which, to me, is all the more reason for her to end up with Roth). There’s a lot of angst on Zayne’s side, which is understandable, but at the same time a little annoying. Zayne just doesn’t have the same chemistry with Layla as Roth does, which is why though as great as Zayne becomes in this book, I’m still Team Roth.

Cody: In White Hot Kiss it was clearly unrequited love between Layla and Zayne and Zayne only ever saw Layla as a sister. However in Stone Cold Touch he clearly starts to show an interest and it wasn’t until the end of the book, in Zayne’s POV that we found out he has actually liked Layla and has done for past 2 years. While this is all cute and cuddly, for me the romance was basically the result of Layla’s heartbreak over Roth, a rebound of sorts. Even though I hate to admit I really did start to like Zayne but it’s just nothing compared to the way I feel for Roth and Layla.

8. How would you have reacted if students and teachers began acting strange, and eventually some dying, at your school?

Cody: I would be gobsmacked if students and teachers just randomly started fighting and most probably stand and watch haha, but if someone was to die I would definitely need some therapy.

Erika: Short and simple? I’d run around screaming. Ambitious and possibly over-reacting? Transfer schools. Maybe move countries. Completely illogical? Become a detective and try to figure out what’s going on.

9. At the end of Stone Cold Touch, are you Team Roth or Team Zayne?

Erika: TEAM ROTH TEAM ROTH TEAM ROTH

Cody: TEAM ROTH FOREVER <3

10. Lastly, overall thoughts/comments/rating?

Cody: I loved this book, love triangle aside.. 5 amazing stars! You can check out my review Here x

Erika: Another easy 5 stars for me! You can check out my review here :)

These next questions contain spoilers!


Stone Cold Touch Re-read Review

STONE COLD TOUCH
Series: The Dark Elements (Book Two)
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Release Date: October 21th 2014
Book Length: 446 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen 
Source: Physical copy, Goodreads 
Review: 5/5 *Full Review Below.

Blurb:
Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.
But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

ARC REVIEW: A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

A THOUSAND NIGHTS
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retellings
Release Date: October 6th 2015
Book Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: ARC, Goodreads 
Review: 3/5 *Full Review Below.

Blurb:
Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time.But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.
 

ARC Review: The Last of the Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy

THE LAST OF THE FIREDRAKES
Series: The Avalonia Chronicles #1
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Release Date: August 15th 2015
Book Length: 488 pages
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing 
Source: ARC, Goodreads 
Review: 3/5 *Full Review Below.

Blurb:
16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.

Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.

With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.

The Dark Elements Re-read: STONE COLD TOUCH


The Dark Elements Re-read has started and now that we've finished White Hot Kiss it's onto Stone Cold Touch!

If you don't know yet, this reread is being done in anticipation of the release of the Every Last Breath, the final book to Jennifer L. Armentrout's The Dark Elements series, on July 28th. With that, Erika from Books, Stars, Writing & Everything Inbetween and I have decided to host this re-read, and we will be doing fun discussions, Q&As, reviews, and a lot of fangirling for the duration of the next two weeks.

As we know White Hot Kiss was all about the gorgeous Roth but you may not feel the same for him once you get a load of Zayne in this book! Prepare for a lot of mixed emotions and guard your traitorous hearts ;) 


    
Blurb:

Every touch has its price
Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life- no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who's pretty sure things can't get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could. 
But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla's powers begin to evolve, and she's offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She's finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay….
What are you waiting for? Grab a copy of Stone Cold Touch and join our re-read! Don't forget to check back on the 27th for mine and Erika's discussion and Q&A! 

To see our thoughts on White Hot Kiss check out my review Here and Erika's Here and find our Q&A Here.

So please join us, read at your own pace but be sure to let us now what you think, even if it is a little rant about the writing, characters, loves and hates. Happy Reading! <3




The Dark Elements Re-Read: White Hot Kiss Q&A!


The Dark Elements Re-Read: White Hot Kiss


For those of you who don’t know yet, this reread is being done in anticipation of the release of Every Last Breath on July 28th, the final book in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s The Dark Elements series! This past week, the two of us have been reading the first book, White Hot Kiss. In celebration for finishing the first book, we’re having a fun Q&A and discussion together!


For those of you who haven’t finished White Hot Kiss, not to fear! Questions #1-13 are SPOILER-FREE!


It’s not too late to join us if you haven’t yet! We will be reading Stone Cold Touch this week, so there’s ample time to catch up. Be sure to check back for our discussions and Q&As on July 27th, and feel free to post your own answers to our questions. We’d love to read them! :D


So much love to Erika from Books&Stars... You're the best for agreeing to do this with me, by far our best crazy idea yet. Our love for this series knows no bounds, I feel we actually need help ;)



Welcome to our White Hot Kiss Q&A! Without further ado, let’s get started :)


1. Who’s your favourite character? Least favourite?


Cody: Roth is clearly my favourite and super high in my Book Boyfriend list!! My least favourite are Petr and Elijah for obvious reasons, I hate them.


Erika: Roth is my all-time favourite. I’m a sucker for hot guys with bad attitudes, haha. Least favourite would be Petr. Or Paimon. There seems to be a “P” trend going on here, haha.


2. What’s your favourite moment? Why?


Erika: My favourite would have to be when Roth and Layla go to find the a specific item (the LKoS we’ll say for the sake of being spoiler-free). Particularly the part where Roth shields Layla from the bats ;)


Cody: All of the scenes with Roth & Layla, especially those apartment moments *swoons*. This book is all about the romance!


3. Top three favourite lines/quotes?


“I lost myself the moment I found you.”  (We both love this one!)


Cody’s:
“At some point, Roth had gotten hold of my cell and replaced Zayne's name with Stony and listed his own number under Sexy Beast. What a tool. I grinned.”


"I think you like me," Roth said suddenly. I stopped pacing and my heart did a funny little jump.
"What? No." He tilted his head to the side, his lips spreading into a teasing grin.
"The way you lie to yourself is sort of cute."
"I'm not lying."
"Hmm..." He sat up, eyes glimmering with mirth.
"You wanted me to kiss you earlier."
Heat flooded my cheeks. "No. I did not."
"You're right. You wanted me to do much, much more."


“He leaned down, placing his palms on my desk, smelling of something sweet and musky. “I’ve been thinking about you all night.” Stacey sounded like she’d choked.”


Erika’s:
“What are you doing?” I darted to the side as it reached for me. “Don’t you have any evil powers of darkness or something?”


“See,” he murmured in a thick voice, and he let go, his fingers trailing over my cheeks. “Your life isn’t about all you can’t do. It’s about what you can do.”


“Did you know that was the first time you’ve used my name? I’ve decided I quite like hearing you say it.”


4. What would you have liked to see more of in this book?


Cody: Definitely more Stacey, her mind is never far from the gutter, she gives your enemy the *evil-eyes* and she’s more than willing to cover for you when you sneak out with a hot guy? I need to get myself a Stacey, she was soo funny, I loved her.


Erika: More Roth! Haha, but apart from that, I think more of Roth’s kittens would have been nice. Seeing as Fury, Nitro, and Thor are quite dangerous, I was hoping that they would have played a bigger part or something. And I really would have loved some one-on-one time between Layla and Bambi! That would have been cute.


5. Do you prefer Bambi or Roth’s three kittens (Fury, Nitro and Thor)?


Cody: Bambi <3


Erika: Bambi :)


6. What do you think about Layla’s friends, Stacey and Sam? Do you think they are an asset or hindrance?


Cody: As I’ve said I loved Stacey so I feel she is an asset for sure, whether your a Warden/Demon/Zombie or anything you always need a friend to make you feel grounded and I think she does this perfectly for Layla. Sam provides a little dose of reality with his random facts which serves as some much needed distraction.


Erika: Hmm, good question. There’s a line somewhere near the end, where Layla says that hanging around Stacey and Sam have helped her develop and cherish her humanity. They definitely helped her out identifying as a human, but they’re also a weakness for Layla...it’s easy to target them, since they’re only human!


7. What did you think of Bambi at first?


Erika: I’m going to be honest here, I don’t like snakes. At all. So when Layla gave us the description of a ten feet long snake as wide as her with fangs as big as her hand, I might have felt a little uneasy at first. But then we got to know Bambi, and all was well.


Cody: Terrifying, like Erika, I’m not the biggest fan of snakes so when there’s one on a much larger scale, with fangs you can count me out BUT she did turn out to be a little babe :’)


8. If given the chance, would you want to be able to see souls like Layla, and have the ability to tag demons?


Erika: That would be cool. But I feel like tagging would put me in a ton of danger, so I’m not overly sure. I’d be like, “Look! A demon! I’m just going to casually touch you, and run away now, BYE!”


Cody: I’m not sure about tagging but I would like to be able to see people’s souls, appearances are deceiving so I would love to know who has sinned.


9. If Wardens came out public, how would you react?


Cody: Freaked out for sure, people who look like stone just isn’t the norm haha, also after reading this book I’m Anti-Warden, oops!


Erika: I’d probably be a little creeped out, but then it would smooth over. I always figured there were supernatural forces among us, so I guess wouldn’t be too surprised...or so I say now.


10. What are your thoughts on Roth and his hobby of gardening?


Erika: ADORABLE.


Cody: TOO CUTE FOR WORDS.


11. Free will is a recurring theme. Roth claims at the beginning that there’s no such thing as free will, but Layla argues against it. What are your thoughts on it?


Cody: I suppose for Roth there is no such thing as free will, let’s not forget ‘who exactly Roth is’ and the reasons behind his actions. It’s funny that Layla argues against it because in her position she seems to have even less free will. BUT I do think we all have free will just sometimes we don’t necessarily use it. I’ve answered this like a politician hahaha, completely on the fence.. ah well!


Erika: I think Roth is right on some aspects… We do what we’re generally told to do, but how we choose to do it is up to us. Roth is right in the sense that we don’t have complete free will, but if we all actually did, there wouldn’t really be order in the world, would there? But Roth’s example is that he was born a demon, thus he “must” do demonic things, as it’s in his nature. Layla, on the other hand, is trying to defy her demon nature, and she has free reign to choose which side she acts upon.


12. Is the concept of ‘Gargoyles’ new to you? Are they a Hit or Miss?


Erika: This is the first book I’ve read on gargoyles. I don’t know, they’re kind of both a hit and miss for me. The concept of gargoyles is a bit of a miss, as I don’t find them overly amazing in comparison to other supernatural creatures. It’s also a little hard to picture them, if you get what I mean. However, this is Jennifer L. Armentrout, and her works are amazing, which makes it also an instant hit.


Cody: I’m completely new to gargoyles and I really wasn’t expecting much but this exceeded my expectations. I’m not going to actively seek out gargoyle stories but if I ever come across them again they will have to live up to this standard as it’s the first I’ve ever read. So I suppose in a way this was a hit. I’m the same with faeries, I always go back to The Iron Fey Series.


If you haven’t read The Iron Fey Series, do it now, you won’t regret it!!!


13. At the end of White Hot Kiss, are you Team Roth or Team Zayne?


Erika: TEAM ROTH. (Though we can still be friends even if some of you are on Team Zayne)


Cody: TEAM ROTH <3


14. Lastly, overall thought/comments/rating?


Cody: 5 Amazing Stars! Check out my review Here .x


Erika: Easy answer! 5 Stars! You can check out my review here :)


Don’t forget: We will be reading Stone Cold Touch this week, so be sure to check back for our discussions and Q&As on July 27th!


The rest of the questions contain spoilers!

White Hot Kiss Review

WHITE HOT KISS
Series: The Dark Elements #1
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal
Release Date: February 25th 2014
Book Length: 392 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen 
Source: Physical copy, Goodreads 
Review: 5/5 *Full Review Below.

Blurb:
One kiss could be the last. 

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. 

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever. 

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul. 

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.