Showing posts with label magic. Show all posts
London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches.
Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.
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At first, I have to admit that magic and history aren't my favorite genres. Usually I read mostly urban fantasy and castles, knights, dragons, princesses, wizards etc aren't not my thing. We'll there aren't dragons in this one either, but you get what I mean, right? I like more future or modern day fiction. But I made an exception with this one, because the cover is so amazing. It's really beautiful and there's just something about it.. I have one bad habit and it's judging book by it's cover. This time is was worth it. The cover is amazing and the story was just as amazing.
At first I was a little sceptical and the beginning wasn't really convincing. Maybe that's just my prejudices about history and magic. So I had maybe a little negative expections. But I was SO wrong. The writing is smooth and the characters deep. The story is interesting and compelling and the whole book was really positive surprise. It gave me a pretty good picture about 19th century London and what life was at that time. And I'm really glad that I was born 100 years later.
The ending was exciting and this part of the story was erapped up pretty nicely. There wasn't that great big cliffhanger, but there were still some loose ends that were left to next book. This book lessened little bit my prejudises toweards magic and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to read more Warburton's books.
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She could save the world—or destroy it.
Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.
But she can't do either alone.
With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?
Who can Evie trust?
As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side.
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What's common between the Tarot cards, zombies and the end of the world? One of these doesn't seem to belong, but Kresley Cole has created just such an incredibly unique story. Wow. What else can I say? The book was just amazing, even though most of the time I was totally baffled. The story is told in such way that you realize what's going on just almost at the end. I just had to read and read in order to know more one piece at a time. This was another one of those books that messed with my sleep, because I just could not put the book out of my hands.
Tarot cards have always been fascinating and everything about mysticism has always fascinated me. Now I regret that I don't have my own Tarot deck, I would have really liked to see those cards myself and imagine character behind them. This book was amazing start to this series. The next book is sure to be something at least as great, maybe even better (I hope). Impatient reader might get a little frustrated with this book, because the plot and meaning behind everything is revealed in very small pieces and I have to admit that I was really baffled a lot. But after this book, my expections are really high, because I believe that the next book will be really exciting and full of action now that the plot and idea behind everything is finally revealed.
I don't know what else to say about this book. It was awesome, gorgeous and one of a kind. Mysticism, superpowers and the end of the world is geared up together into a seamless story, which, at least in my opinion, was something completely unique. The next book is already in my shelf and I can't wait to begin reading it.
(tbr goal 16/200)
Mae never asked to be craft-born. She never wanted that burden.
The realm needs magic again, and the the King of Aegunlund has been waiting for the first craft-born girl to marry his son, Prince Casimir.
In Mae's town of Halts-Walden, the ambitious miller claims his daughter Ellen is craft-born. Mae knows this is a load of hogwash, but she's glad Ellen will have the unfortunate pleasure of becoming queen instead of her. All she has to do is sit back and wait until Casimir and Ellen are married, then she will finally be free of the threat of her fate. But on that day an event so shocking and terrible occurs that Mae finds herself entering the neighbouring cursed forest on a quest she never thought she'd have to follow.
Join Mae as she rides her white stag through the Waerg Woods with a pampered prince at her heels. She's out for revenge and nothing, no one, will get in her way.
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No! No! No! Why did it end? Why? This is absolute horrible. Horrible. What am I going to do now? I was just turning the page and it wasn't there. This is torture. How is it possible that it ended like that? I can't believe it. I feel like shouting and screaming and I want to throw my e-reader to the wall. Really. I want MORE!!
So if you didn't yet get it, I LOVED the book. This was definitely one of the best books for a while. I liked the cover, it's wonfully simple and timeless. It remimded me a little of Maggie Stiefvater's Mercy Falls series ans their covers. The stories are not similar in any way, but covers are similar and I love them both. So, the cover was the first thing that got my attention. The next thing was book's summary. The craf-born idea seemed really interesting, even if the magic is not always my favorite genre. But I had really psotive expectations about this book even before I started reading and the book didn't betray those expectations. It was even better if possible.
As the summary tells us, Mae is craft-born, the only girl born in this generation with magic. And because she is craft-born, she should marry the prince, but she doesn't want to, so she hides her powers. Mae doesn't want to be a princess and she certainly doesn't want marry a guy who she doesn't know, just because those powers. However, in Mae's village these is a girl Ellen, who suddenly claims to be the craft-born. Mae of cousce knows that this is bullshit, but she is satisfied that she doesn't have to marry the prince. The prince comes to claim Ellen and something terrible happens. Ellen is kidnapped and Mae's father is killed at the same time. Mae decides to go after the crooks to avenge his fathet death as well as to retrieve Ellen. Stubborn prince decides to come with Mae and they leave to a nearby hautend woods. Mae and prince Casimir will face horrible mystical horrors is forest and Mae learns a lot of herself and what being the craft-born means. Perhaps that obligation involves more than just marrying the prince, in which Mae soon begins to fall in love with during their journey. But will Mae reveal het feeling or that she is the real craft-born instead Ellen?
The book is incrediblt well written and I really liked the characters. Mae is at first perhaps a little selfish, even thought she is brave and independent person. But as the story progress she learns a lot of herself and she grows as a person, realizing that perhaps revenge isn't the only option and perhapt there really is meaning in her powers. Prince Casimir seemed at first like a typical snooty prince, but it soon become clear that this is not the case, but the prince is really a great person and he could someday be a great king. On the way we meet other characters as well, which affect the story, but not any more about them here.
Since I'm extremely bad at writing reviews, I don't know how to better analyze this book, but I can sum up my feelings in one sentence. There wasn't anything in this book that I didn't love. There is romance and action, lies and honesty, selfish people and selfless people. And the best (or maybe the worst) was the amazing cliffhanger, which ensures that I really look forward to the next book. I just simply cannot wait for what happens next. And while I'm waiting for the next book, I'm definitely going to check out rest of Sarah Dalton's production.
5/5
First of all... Sorry Richelle Mead, but I don't like the cover. I just don't like it. But luckily I love all your books, so I'm willing to forgive you. But just so you know, the cover is horrible. I know that there are lots of people who love it, but I'm not one of them.
Secondly.. I'VE BEEN WAITING THIS BOOK SO LONG AND IT'S FINALLY HERE. Yej!! Finally!!
I couldn't wait, so I read it as soon as possible. It took me only few hours. And now it's over and now I need to eait yet another book.. Nooo... But maybe I can manage, I have to.
But about this book. Sydrian. Finally. Love it, love it, love it! The plot thickens and things start to really heaten up and I think that things are just waiting to explode. And as you can see, it happened. The ending was so tradig. So sad. Awful. No, no, no!!I think I need a little moment to really cry.
But the book was absolutely amazing. I have no other word for it. I loved every minute of it. The ending was pretty sad and awful and everything, but it did it's job. I just can't wait to read next book. The waiting is going to be torture. Really. I love this series so much.
5/5
A girl with no memory, hidden in plain sight. A boy with no hope, freefalling into Darkness.
Autumn doesn’t know why she remembers a boarding school she’s never visited, or why her reflection isn’t always … hers. There’s another girl in the mirror, a dark-haired ghost that emerges one night to guide her to a cliff near the school. Only Autumn can’t remember what happened there and why it’s so important. Beck’s gentle touch soothes her distress while Decker’s every look sets her body on fire. Caught between the twins, she struggles to understand her instincts and magick while working through the pain caused by a mysterious car accident that left her disabled, barely able to walk.
Unable to recover from Summer’s death, Decker slowly surrenders to the Dark. He can’t live with the pain, and those around him keep Autumn’s secret too well. The guilt he feels when he falls for her – and betrays Summer’s memory – drives him farther from the Light, until he loses control and begins taking the souls of Light witchlings. As the protector of Light, Beck must choose between confronting his twin and watching more witchlings suffer. Decker realizes Beck has come between more than him and the witchlings. With neither of them willing to let Autumn go, they turn on each other.
Only one of them knows the truth. Only one of them will walk away, unless Autumn can find a way to save them both.
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The first thing I loved about this book, was the cover. I think it's amazing and lovely and something about it just appeals to me. It's simple, yet so beautiful. And I love the colours. I mean, look at it. It's perfect, itäs so balanced and everything. And the lips... ♥♥
And then I started reading. Loved it. But I didn't have the chance to read 1.5 novella Summer Night, so the beginning of this book was really confusing. I'm mean really. I quickly figured it out, but first I was like "What? I don't get this."
If I understood correctly, the novella is pretty much important part of the story, so if was kind of stupid, 'cos I couldn't read it. Somehow I just missed it.
But overall the book was amazing. I loved every page of it. I was well written and the characters are amazing as was in the first book. Luckily now I have the chance to read the next novella, so I don't miss anything.
But I love, love, love this series. Seriously. Read it! Lizzy Ford is amazing author and I'm looking forward to read more her books.
