Firelight (Firelight, #1) by Sophie Jordan - Review

Now, I'm not sure where to start with this review. I don't think I can say enough about how much I truly enjoyed reading this book. Firelight restored my recently fading faith in YA books and I couldn't get enough of Jordan's characters and the unique world she build around them.


Firelight tells the tale of Jacinda, who happens to be a descendant of dragons. Being part of the Draki, turning into dragons and soaring over the world is all that Jacinda has ever wanted. Even after losing her father, she still takes joy in soaring high in the air in her true form. When her life is threatened, her mother moves her into hiding in Arizona of all places. Jacinda not only hates the dry, arid heat of the desert, but she's losing her Draki... until she meets Will. Will ignites a fire in Jacinda that she thought was lost after moving from her mountainous home. But everything may not be as it seems as Will may be her saving grace, or the one that destroys her.

This story was so beautifully written. Her way with words and the descriptive language that Sophie Jordan uses in her story will knock you off your feet. Readers will feel the passion that Jacinda has for being a Draki and the longing she feels to be herself. It is very rarely that you read a book that  tugs on your heartstrings and makes you splay a hand across your chest while fighting tears and this was one of them. I could not stop reading this wonderful story and I quickly fell in love with all of Jordan's characters.

Jacinda is not your typical YA heroine. Yes, she has the supernatural ability to turn into a dragon and she also catches the eye of the school bad boy, but she's a lot more than that. Jacinda is not bad ass because she fights demons or a war. She is fierce because she believes in the deep history of her people and the heritage that she must uphold. Through out the story, she sacrifices her own happiness for the safety of her family and when it's time, she willingly sacrifices herself to save her kind. I found Jacinda to be an interestingly different YA leading lady and I can't wait to see how she will surprise me in books to come. Will too is one of my favorites. He is a troubled soul that found as much solitude in Jacinda as she found in him. Their relationship has an almost Romeo and Juliet feel to it and I could not help but pull for these star-crossed lovers.

Jordan's story had great pacing and just the right amount of twists and turns. While I picked out the big twist in the story from the beginning, I still almost cried when I got to the end. Jordan has a way of weaving a story to keep you begging for more, while you're falling in love at the same time. I've been having problems getting into YA fiction lately and this story renewed my faith. This unique and stunning book will remain in my mind for weeks to come and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. If you want a book that will leave you breathless and warm your heart, please pick Firelight off of the shelf. You will most definitely not be disappointed.

10 out of 10

Happy Reading :)

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Waiting on Wednesday (8): Nameless (Tales of Beauty and Madness, #1) by Lili St. Crow

As most of you know, W.O.W. is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that helps bloggers showcase those books that they can't wait to get their hands on!  I'm changing things up a little bit this week and going with a few different picks, rather than just one! I'm showcasing a book this week that I saw on another blog (I can't remember where I saw this book so if you recently used this in a WOW post or if you recently reviewed it, thank you for letting me know about this book!)

When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven—the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico.

Now Cami is turning sixteen. She’s no longer mute, though she keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform, and though she opens up only to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But even though Cami is a pampered Vultusino heiress, she knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. And it’s not until she meets the mysterious Tor, who reveals scars of his own, that Cami begins to uncover the secrets of her birth…to find out where she comes from and why her past is threatening her now.

New York Times bestselling author Lili St. Crow thrilled legions of fans with her dark paranormal series Strange Angels. Now she has crafted an evocative update of Snow White, set in a vividly imagined world and populated by unforgettable new characters

The book I picked this week is Nameless by Lili St. Crow. This modern retelling of Snow White sounds so interesting and different. I'm currently reading Cinder, a retelling of Cinderella and I'm falling in love with the story and the characters. These unique fairy tales bring me back to my childhood and make me so happy. The creativity that these authors bring to these storiesis simply tremendous and I can't wait to read even more of them.

What are you waiting on? Leave me your links in the comments section so I can check out your posts!

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Like This, Try This (5): Fairytales, Harry Potter and Starcrossed Lovers!

It's that time again for my favorite meme, "Like This, Try This" from Krista over at Nawanda Files! This meme is "designed to introduce YA books that are similar to TV shows, movies and other books!" Make sure to hope over to Nawanda Files for more info on how to add this weekly meme to your blog!

I got a question on Twitter this week asking if I knew of a book that was similar to Once Upon a Time. I couldn't think of one at the time, but as I watched this week's episode, I figured one out! What do you guys think? Have you tried this new meme yet?!

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Clockwork Angel & Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare -Audiobook Review

Well guys, I just moved to a new state and got a brand new job! The only downside to this new adventure is that I have an hour to an hour and a half commute EACH WAY to work. The only way to control my new found road rage is to listen to audiobooks which actually works for the better. I can read books I've been trying to get to while I drive almost 3 hours per day. (Trying to stay positive here!)


I am a big fan of rereading books. As I'm sure many of you agree, some books just put you in a great mood when you read them or you may feel like going on a date with your favorite book boyfriend again on a lonely Friday night! Either way  you look at it, rereading your favorites is comforting and so I started my commuting by listening to Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince.

Since I've already reviewed both books when I first read them, I'm just going to comment on how I liked listening to the books versus actually reading them.

Let's start with Clockwork Angel. I thought that Jennifer Ehle did a great job narrating this book in particular. Because this book was mostly told from Tessa's perspective, it made sense to have the narrator be a female. Her narration seamlessly fluctuated from American English to British English. She even took stabs at different British dialects. I was extremely happy with her performance and I'd listen to another book of hers.

Now Clockwork Prince on the other hand, blew me out of the water. As a huge fan of Gossip Girl, I could not wait to hear Ed Westwick read to me with that sexy, brooding voice of his. And let me tell you, I loved it. His attempt at a female American accent kind of made me giggle at times but his voice made me fall in love with Will that much more. There was a scene towards the end that I swear, Ed Westwick could get an award for. His emotion almost brought me to my knees (ya know, had I not been driving). I mean wow!

Heather Lind is the  female narrator  that read some of Tessa's part in Clockwork Prince. I liked her voice quite a lot as well. Honestly, I could have just done with Ed reading the entire book, but I understand the importance of also having a female narrator read the more heavily Tessa parts of the book.

Overall, these are both books I'd recommend to someone looking for a good audiobook!

 For these reviews where I'm only judging the audio aspects of the book, I'm going to rate them on a scale out of 5.

Clockwork Angel 3 out of 5
Clockwork Prince 5 out of 5

Happy Listening :)

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Cover Reveals You May Have Missed & Giveaway- October 2012

Well guys, we've had some awesome cover reveals this month and some that came out earlier that you may have missed. It's a great time to be a fan of YA what with authors coming out with their best books yet and they have the covers to match!

Am I sensing some color themes here? I love how they all match my blog! What do you guys think? Which are your favorite?! I haven't done a giveaway in a while so I thought I'd do another pre-order giveaway! Below are the rules so take a quick look at those and then enter though the Rafflecopter! Good luck guys!

• This contest open Internationally the only rule is that Book Depository ships to you! Not sure? Check here.
• The book must be a YA pre-order that comes out after December 2012 under $20 
• Abibliophobic will not be held responsible for lost or damaged packages.
• Participants must be 13 years or older.
• Giveaway will run 11/9/12 to 12/9/12!
• I will announce the winners on my blog and via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to the giveaway or a new winner will be chosen! 

Good luck, thanks for stopping by and as always, happy reading :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles, #1) by Rick Riordan - Review

I am extremely excited to have finished the first book in the Kane Chronicles. I'm a big fan of Rick Riordan and so I love any chance  I get at reading one of his awesome stories.


The Red Pyramid is the first in his series of books about ancient Egypt. Brother and sister Carter and Sadie have split apart now that their mother is dead. Sadie lives a normal life in London with their grandparents while Carter travels the world with only a suitcase to his name with his father, who happens to be one of the foremost experts on Egyptian myth. On a night where their father promises to set everything right for their family, Carter and Sadie find that Egyptian myth did not die in the pyramids... the world around them is not all that it may seem and they must risk everything to help save their father when the Egyptian god Set is released.

I am a huge fan of Riordan's original Percy Jackson series and I've enjoyed what I've read so far of his second Percy series. It's amazing how Riordan has the ability to take what interests kids (and me) the most and turn it into a story that can't be put down. I've had people at work trade my Percy books around and love them as much as I do.

To my enjoyment (and relief) I loved this new series. The brother and sister dynamic in this book really brought on some interesting situations and some pretty funny dialog. I would find myself chuckling along to Carter and Sadie's constant bickering. These two main characters as well as the Gods and Goddesses we meet have such rich and vibrant personalities you can't help but fall into the world that Riordan has created. He has such a way with world building and you can just picture the characters traveling across the U.S. and into the world of Egyptian lore. I was dazzled once again.

One thing that really makes Riordan's books so enjoyable is that he takes our characters to real places and teaches you along the way. As an adult I get excited when I go places where Percy Jackson has been so I can only assume that kids get just as excited as I do! It's a great learning tool and makes you thirst for more and more knowledge on the subject Riordan has presented.

The story moved at a great pace that made you never want to put the book down and the exciting adventure through out the story had me reaching for book two! If you haven't read one of Rick Riordan's books yet, I suggest you do so stat!

9 out of 10

Happy Reading :)

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Waiting on Wednesday (7): The Sequels Version

It's time for my 7th go at  Waiting on Wednesday post! As most of you know, W.O.W. is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that helps bloggers showcase those books that they can't wait to get their hands on!  I'm changing things up a little bit this week and going with a few different picks, rather than just one!


Normally, I try and pick a book that is not the sequel to a series that is super popular that I've enjoyed. I like to mix things up! This week, I've decided it's time to showcase those book twos and book threes that I"m dying to get my hands on to help shed some light on some pretty awesome series. Click on the titles to be taken to the synopsis for the book, I don't want this post to be super super long! I'm sticking to books that are coming out this winter/spring so let me know what you guys think!

                                       The Elite (The Selection, #2) by Kiera Cass.

I simply LOVED The Selection by Kiera Cass. It was one of my favorite books that I read this year and I cannot wait to dive into the next installment of the series that comes out this April. This story took me completely by surprise and I hope you're excited too!

                                       Everbound (Everneath, #2) by Brodi Ashton

The first book in the series, Everneath, was a dark and  twisted story that was just what I was looking for in a YA book. It had romance, danger and tragedy like any good myth retelling should.. This different take on the Persephone myth had me drooling for more and Everbound comes out in January!

                            Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, #3) by Cassandra Clare 

Now this book, is my most anticipated book of next year. I literally cannot wait until this book arrives at my door from Amazon. I believe I've had it pre-ordered since last summer. The first two books in the series were stunning reads and I can't wait for the conclusion of this prequel series... also I think it will give us some answers into the Mortal Instruments books as well... eeep! March can't come soon enough!

Hope you all enjoyed... now, what are you waiting on!?

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Like This, Try This (4): Merfolk, Trolls and Faeries!

Happy Tuesday! It's time for my new favorite meme, "Like This, Try This" from Krista over at Nawanda Files! This meme is "designed to introduce YA books that are similar to TV shows, movies and other books!" This week, in the spirit of Halloween, I've decided to do a Halloween theme! Make sure to hope over to Nawanda Files for more info on how to add this weekly meme to your blog!

What do you guys think? Anything peak your interest?

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Wake (Watersong, #1) by Amanda Hocking - Review

Now I have to tell you that I feel as though I've mislead you all. This will not be a full fledged review because I did not make it all the way through Wake by Amanda Hocking. Please continue reading to find out why...

First and foremost, let me give you a little background on what her first novel in the Watersong series is about. I don't normally copy and paste the synopsis from Goodreads, but I feel like I have to for this book to give you a fair representation of the plot since I did not complete the book:

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets

Let me preface my review by reminding you that I am an Amanda Hocking fanatic. She's great! I started reading her books when they were 99 cents on Amazon and had spelling mistakes. Today, they still remain some of my favorite all time books. I'm talking particularly about her Trylle series... literally to die for and if you haven't picked them up, I recommend that you do.

Since that is out of the way, I have to tell you that I was supremely disappointed in this story. One of the best parts of Hocking's novels are the way that they make you feel. When reading one of her books, you are completely wrapped up in her stories emotionally and almost physically. I've cried numerous times and I've felt that tugging on my heart as the characters she created went through hardships. With Wake, I felt like I could never dive deep enough into the story (sorry for the lame play on words).

Her characters lacked personality which made them very hard to connect with. Gemma, our female lead, didn't have very many characteristics of a good heroine and I didn't find myself feeling sympathetic for her situation nor did I pull for her to succeed. There wasn't anything there for me to grab hold of. I did like the male lead, Daniel (kind of). He wasn't anywhere near one of my book crushes but I found him to be endearing and he had more personable qualities than the other characters.

In the small amount of book that I read, I felt like the story moved so slow. There were interesting moments, sure, but overall I was bored and kept putting the book down. In fact, I first tried reading this book the day it came out and told myself I simply wasn't in the mood. Today, I picked it back up and intended to finish the book, but I didn't get very far as you've probably guessed.

Overall, the idea of this story really drew me in. I was intrigued. This was a different kind of mermaid story and I thought it may just be up my alley. Unfortunately, it wasn't anywhere near my alley. I tend to be pretty picky with stories about merfolk, Of Poseidon by Anna Banks being the only  one I've liked so far (don't get me started on Lies Beneath). Maybe it was my aversion to mermaid stories or maybe I compared Wake to Hocking's older books, but either way I will not be picking this book up again.

Don't let this review turn you off of Amanda Hocking's other books, please! The Trylle series, The Hollows and  My Blood Approves series are so fun and original!

Happy Reading :)

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