4 STARS | BLEACH Volume 47: End of the Chrysalis Age by Tite Kubo

Title: BLEACH, Volume 47: End of the Chrysalis Age
Series: BLEACH #47
Author: Tite Kubo
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Japanese Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Paranormal
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1421543000
Published: September 4th, 2012
Source: Library
Rating: 4/5 STARS
Series Reviews: Volume 45 | Volume 46
Purchase: Kindle | Paperback

If you became a snake tomorrow
And began devouring people,
If you roared your love for me
With that mouth you use to devour people
Could I still say that I love you
As I do today?

Aizen's new powers are too much for even the combined efforts of Ichigo, Isshin, Urahara, and Yoruichi. But as Aizen and Gin head for the real Karakura Town, Ichigo decides to undergo intense training under his father's tutelage.

Matsumoto caught a glimpse of Gin while he was fighting Ichigo and took off running. Her feelings toward Gin are going to get her killed eventually. She was only healed enough to stay alive, and yet she's running after Gin. Not smart.

With Ichigo's lost hope, his strength diminishes. Gin states that Ichigo was a lot scarier when they first crossed swords after Gin cut off Jidanbo's arm when Ichigo first arrived in the Soul Society. This is true. Ichigo looks kind of pathetic now.

Just as Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho wounded Aizen's, so does Isshin's. But Isshin can't read Aizen's spirit energy since his transformation. Only someone in the same state would be able to. Of course, Ichigo can sense is power. And it's made even more real when Aizen takes out Isshin, Yoruichi, and Urahara. This is when Aizen prepares to open the Senkaimon Gate and invade the real Karakura Town in the Soul Society. It's also when Aizen's creepy shell--chrysalis stage--breaks apart and his transformation is complete. I have to admit, the new Aizen does look kinda cool.

With Kototsu missing from the Dangai, Isshin can teach Ichigo the Final Getsuga Tensho. Ichigo meets Tensa Zangetsu--the Bankai form of his sword. For some reason Zangetsu--and Isshin's Engetsu--don't want to teach the Final Getsuga Tensho. We don't find out why in this volume, but I'm sure there's an interesting reason why.

"This towering world of yours that was filled to the heavens with hope has been reduced to your tiny little town! The rain that once poured down on this world may have stopped, but now it's been sunk to the bottom of the ocean! All because you lost hope and stopped moving forward. Ichigo, I will not let you stay like that. I will pull out the very roots of your despair."

This is when Ichigo meets the new form his Hollow power gained in his fight with Ulquiorra. Ichigo fears this form and that is the reason he can't Hollowfy properly. Tensa Zangetsu and the Hollow are one. They both are Ichigos power. And this--both of them merged together--is who Ichigo needs to battle to learnt he Final Getsuga Tensho. The two merged together look really awesome. I can't wait to see more of their fight against Ichigo.

As Aizen enters Karakura Town, Ichigo's friends begin waking up. They make a run for it as Aizen draws closer and closer, but will Ichigo make it in time to save them all?

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The son of a town council member in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima. He never took drawing seriously until he was 17; after reading Dragon Ball he knew he wanted to be a manga artist. At the age of 18 he submitted his first concept for the series Zombiepowder but it got rejected. Zombiepowder was rejected multiple times until Kubo was 22, when it finally was accepted by Shonen Jump. It did not last long; it was cancelled after four volumes in late 2000.

His next series, Bleach, about a high school student who becomes a shinigami and fights hollows, was not such a failure. Bleach began regular publication in 2001. It has been running in Weekly Shonen Jump ever since.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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4 STARS | BLEACH Volume 46: Back from Blind by Tite Kubo

Title: BLEACH, Volume 46: Back from Blind
Series: BLEACH #46
Author: Tite Kubo
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Japanese Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Paranormal
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1421542997
Published: September 4th, 2012
Source: Library
Rating: 4/5 STARS
Series Reviews: Volume 45
Purchase: Kindle | Paperback

It is not frightening
To know misfortune
What is frightening
Is to know lost happiness
Will never come back again.

With Captain General Yamamoto giving him an opening, Ichigo goes in for the finishing strike against Aizen! But Ichigo will need the help of some new reinforcements if he hopes to defeat both Aizen and Ichimaru Gin!

Yamamoto uses a forbidden technique that can only be used by sacrificing the users body, but unfortunately Aizen only gets singed a little. But Yamamoto's sacrifice left an opening for Ichigo to launch another surprise attack. Finally Aizen receives a wound! The only problem is that the Hogyoku healed him.

This arc seems like it's going to go on forever. Would someone just kill Aizen already so the story can progress? All of this ATTACK-MISS, ATTACK-HEAL, ATTACK-OOPS, IT'S JUST AN ILLUSION stuff is starting to annoy me.

"Ichigo Kurosaki...All of your battles took place in the palm of my hand."

Apparently, Aizen was behind everything that happened to Ichigo since he met Rukia and became a Soul Reaper. Aizen was sure that Ichigo would be the best subject for his research. There is one little mistake in the dialogue when Aizen says that Ichigo had never seen a Hollow until the night he met Rukia. That isn't true. Ichigo saw the Hollow that killed his mother when he was younger.

"I've known you from the moment you were born. You were born special. Because you are human and..."

And then Ichigo's dad appears in all his Soul Reaper glory. Ichigo is half-human and half-Soul Reaper. We already knew that, but this is Ichigo's first time hearing (and seeing) about it. He's surprised at first, but he takes the news pretty maturely and tells his dad that he won't ask questions and he'll wait until his dad is ready to tell him about it.

Ichigo finally has his battle with Gin Ichimaru, while his dad attacks Aizen. Gin is one of those characters that always has his eyes closed, but you know that when they open, he's completely serious about what he's saying or doing. As they fight, Gin comes to the realization that Ichigo is going to become even stronger than he is now.

"The Hogyoku's true power is the ability to read the hearts of those around it and realize their deepest desires."

The Hogyoku is pretty much the reason for Rukia losing her powers, and Chad and Orihime gaining their special powers. The Hollowfying of Shinji Hirako and the others was an experiment to verify the powers of the Hogyoku. With his suspicions confirmed, Aizen sent Rukia to Ichigo. It's kind of scary how much power to Hogyoku has, and something that powerful in Aizen's hands really isn't good--especially since he's fused with it.

Urahara makes his entrance using a bunch of fancy Bakudo, Kido, and Hado, but they don't really seem to have done much of anything to Aizen. He didn't come alone, though. As Urahara and Isshin (Ichigo's dad) restrain Aizen--in his new creepy form--Yoruichi attacks from above. It's getting really old seeing all these different people attacking Aizen and barely leaving a scratch.

As Ichigo watches Urahara, Isshin, and Yoruichi fight Aizen, he begins to lose hope. With lost hope comes lost strength. If Ichigo wants to protect his friends, his family, and his town from Aizen, he'll need to regain the hope that they'll defeat Aizen and make it out alive.

Twitter | Goodreads

The son of a town council member in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima. He never took drawing seriously until he was 17; after reading Dragon Ball he knew he wanted to be a manga artist. At the age of 18 he submitted his first concept for the series Zombiepowder but it got rejected. Zombiepowder was rejected multiple times until Kubo was 22, when it finally was accepted by Shonen Jump. It did not last long; it was cancelled after four volumes in late 2000.

His next series, Bleach, about a high school student who becomes a shinigami and fights hollows, was not such a failure. Bleach began regular publication in 2001. It has been running in Weekly Shonen Jump ever since.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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3.5 STARS | BLEACH Volume 45: The Burnout Inferno by Tite Kubo

Title: BLEACH, Volume 45: The Burnout Inferno
Series: BLEACH #45
Author: Tite Kubo
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Japanese Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Paranormal
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1421542980
Published: August 7th, 2012
Source: Library
Rating: 3.5/5 STARS
Purchase: Kindle | Paperback

Do not live bowing down.
Die standing up.

The great battle heads for a climax as Aizen joins the battlefield and faces the Soul Society's greatest captains. Captain General Yamamoto reveals his true powers for the first time, but will it be enough to stop Aizen?

You know, whenever someone introduces a new attack that hasn't been seen, you think "Oh wow, that'll do the trick." Shinji's Bankai seemed real mysterious, but of course it doesn't do much of anything against Aizen. It was really kind of pathetic, if you ask me.

Ichigo makes his big entrance into the battle at last! It was a great, dramatic entrance, but the attack, might I add SURPRISE attack, was blocked! What a wasted offensive strike!

When the captains and Visoreds make a stand to protect Ichigo so he might have his chance to attack Aizen and finish him, it was real bold and BAM! in your face, but totally deflated when they start falling one by one.

What is the difference between hate and duty? Swinging a sword for hatred is only violence, but swinging a sword for duty alone is what a captain does. Can you guess who made this statement? Well, it definitely sounds like something Hitsugaya would say. He takes his duty as Captain very seriously, but he also has a very short temper and he really hates Aizen for what he did to Hinamori.

When I first saw Captain General Yamamoto battle in the volumes when Ichigo and company invaded the Soul Society to save Rukia, I thought him incredibly strong and unbeatable. But in this volume in his fight against Aizen, he seemed incredibly weak in comparison. It was kind of disappointing.

With Yamamoto and the other captains down for the count, Ichigo enters the battle again as Aizen leaves the flames. But if Yamamoto, the strongest, most powerful Soul Reaper for a thousand years, couldn't even scratch Aizen, will Ichigo be able to defeat him?

Twitter | Goodreads

The son of a town council member in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima. He never took drawing seriously until he was 17; after reading Dragon Ball he knew he wanted to be a manga artist. At the age of 18 he submitted his first concept for the series Zombiepowder but it got rejected. Zombiepowder was rejected multiple times until Kubo was 22, when it finally was accepted by Shonen Jump. It did not last long; it was cancelled after four volumes in late 2000.

His next series, Bleach, about a high school student who becomes a shinigami and fights hollows, was not such a failure. Bleach began regular publication in 2001. It has been running in Weekly Shonen Jump ever since.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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4 STARS | D.Gray-man Volume 22: Fate by Katsura Hoshino

Title: D.Gray-man, Volume 22: Fate
Series: D.Gray-man #22
Author: Katsura Hoshino
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Japanese Manga, Fantasy, Paranormal, Graphic Novels
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1421542102
Published: July 3rd, 2012
Source: Library
Rating: 4/5 STARS
Series Reviews: Volume 21
Purchase: Kindle | Paperback

Struggling with mounting turmoil over his own identity, Allen meets The Cardinal. Who is he? What is he? Why is he interested in Allen? The answers are startling, and arrive with a vision that shocks the young demon fighter to the core!

After Yu and Alma's deadly battle, Allen sends them to a place where no one will ever be able to harm them again...

As an Akuma, Alma can sense the Allen is a Noah and sympathizes with Allen. This is a sure sign that Alma is coming to his senses, at least at the end. The last image of Yu and Alma is so heartbreaking. Their fate was such a sad one. Alma's sadness was as deep as his hatred.

When the Earl said that he wanted to be by the Fourteenth's side, it made some, if not all of the Noah jealous. The Noah captured Bookman and Lavi, because they want to know the Fourteenth's weaknesses in order to kill him, even though the Earl ordered them to protect him at all costs. The Noah can be pretty scary!

I feel so bad for Allen! He always seems to end up locked up somewhere. How many times has it been now? It's like no matter how Allen proves himself to the Order, because he has the Fourteenth inside him, they will never trust him.

Allen laments his ignorance about the things going on around him. Especially concerning the Fourteenth. He knows that the Fourteenth was Mana's younger brother, but he doesn't know why he betrayed the Noah and wanted to be the Millennium Earl. There are so many things about the Fourteenth that are still unknown. We finally know his name and what he looks like, but what were his motives?

"Love. Friendship. Sorrow. Despair. No one has a deeper or more tempestuous relationship with Innocence than you. You've grown into a splendid exorcist, Allen."

The Cardinal is SO CREEPY!! He wants to become one with Allen, whatever that means. In the process, Allen sees a disturbing vision involving the Cardinal and his master, Cross Marian. I knew the Earl wanted to protect Allen, but I didn't expect him to sense the Cardinal's attack on Allen and send a couple Noah (Road and Tyki) in to help. The Cardinal turns out to be something even more creepy than just being a weirdo. He's Apocryphos--an independent-type Innocence that exists to protect the Heart. He is the closest anyone has come to the Heart in 7,000 years. I'm telling you, all the talk about "becoming one" is just too weird and makes the Cardinal sound like a pervert. And I don't even want to know what would happen to Allen if that were done.

When Allen escapes the Cardinal and the prison cell he was held in, thanks to Link, he is declared to be considered a Noah and his status as an exorcist is suspended.

"You don't know what you are and you don't really care. You just spread confusion and conflict. You're the worst of us all, Allen Walker."

This turn of events brings about the time when Allen needs to go out on his own and really figure things out for himself. He may need to fight his friends in the future, but he has accepted that. His farewell with Lenalee is really sad, but Allen has an almost hopeful air about him. It'll be interesting to see where Allen ends up.

"Whatever happens, I'm an exorcist. Whatever road I may take, that won't change. The Order is where my heart is because of all the wonderful goofballs like you."

Goodreads

Katsura Hoshino ((星野 桂 Hoshino Katsura) was born on April 21, 1980, in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, as the younger of fraternal twin girls and the second of three children. She drew her first manga at twenty-one. In 1998, Hoshino moved to Tokyo. She dreamed of bringing her mother to the city and was able to in 2006.

She made her debut with her comics in July 2003 with the publication of her first manga series Continue and is known for her work, D.Gray-man, which began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in May 2004.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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4 STARS | D.Gray-man Volume 21: The Awakening of Alma Karma by Katsura Hoshino

Title: D.Gray-man, Volume 21: The Awakening of Alma Karma
Series: D.Gray-man #21
Author: Katsura Hoshino
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Japanese Manga, Fantasy, Paranormal, Graphic Novels
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1421540771
Published: November 1st, 2011
Source: Library
Rating: 4/5 STARS
Purchase: Kindle | Paperback

Allen has been dropped into a flashback of his surly colleague Yu Kanda's past, where a parade of disturbing secrets reveal themselves--including one that could at long last explain what makes Yu tick!

The Millennium Earl and the Noah have attacked the North America branch of the Order, trying to awaken Yu's childhood friend, Alma Karma. While the battle rages around him, Allen sees Yu and Alma's past. But when Allen breaks through Waizurii's spell, he finds that Alma is awakening as an Akuma.

Allen feels things really deeply and it pains him when he can't protect those around him. This is one of the things that I admire about Allen. It also makes him a great exorcist.

Alma's hatred leads him into a vicious battle with Yu. The reason for Alma's hatred is never really clear--all I know is that it has something to do with the woman that Yu cared deeply for and the promise he made to her. There was a revelation about Alma and this woman that I totally wasn't expecting, though.

The Earl was really devious in this volume. He uses the pain being caused to Allen's friends because of Alma's hatred to goad him into leaving the Order. The Fourteenth, who is a part of Allen, was the Noah that tried to kill the Earl, and when Johnny asks the Earl why he wants Allen, the Earl said, "To be by his side. I want to be by the Fourteenth's side." This is an intriguing answer. I hope we find out more about the past between the Earl and the Fourteenth. The Earl's main goal in pitting Alma and Yu against each other, knowing that Allen would intervene, was to awaken the Fourteenth!

That is probably my favorite part of this volume. Each time Allen is attacked by an Innocence, the Noah memory inside him, that hatred of Innocence, is awakened, therefore awakening the Fourteenth. Seeing Allen slowly, and I mean SLOWLY, change into a Noah was exciting. Not that I want Allen to be a Noah.... It was so cool meeting Nea, who is the Fourteenth Noah who destroys everything. I was wondering what the Fourteenth would look like, and I wasn't disappointed. And the display of the Fourteenth's power when the barrier surrounding the North America branch was destroyed was so AWESOME!

Allen's great show of friendship at the end when he sent Yu and Alma through the Ark so no one could ever bother them again, was so awe-inspiring. I can't wait to see where the story will go next.

Goodreads

Katsura Hoshino ((星野 桂 Hoshino Katsura) was born on April 21, 1980, in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, as the younger of fraternal twin girls and the second of three children. She drew her first manga at twenty-one. In 1998, Hoshino moved to Tokyo. She dreamed of bringing her mother to the city and was able to in 2006.

She made her debut with her comics in July 2003 with the publication of her first manga series Continue and is known for her work, D.Gray-man, which began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in May 2004.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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5 STARS | First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky

Title: First Comes Love
Series: First Comes Love #1
Author: Katie Kacvinsky
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-0547599793
Published: May 8th, 2012
Source: Library
Rating: 5/5 STARS
Purchase: Kindle | Hardcover

Like his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan is the exact opposite--full of light and life. It's definitely not love at first sight for these two. But slowly, fascination turns to admiration, which turns to caring, until finally these lone souls find love.

But staying in love is not as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they're going to have to learn that sometimes love means having to say you're sorry.

First Comes Love teaches about life and love. Gray stopped living after the death of his twin sister, but when he meets Dylan, a girl so much like his sister, she shows him how to start living life again, instead of just existing. Dylan is just the opposite. She's full of life and lives every day to the fullest. Dylan has met many people, but she's never made a real bond with anyone, until she met Gray.

What started as fascination quickly became something more. But life and love aren't without obstacles. As their lives take them in different directions, Dylan and Gray have to determine of their love is strong enough to overcome their differences.

I love stories that have an emotional punch, so I really enjoyed First Comes Love. I liked that the way Dylan and Gray met and fell in love was so natural. There are a lot of stories where the love is instantaneous and totally unbelievable. Dylan and Gray take the time to really get to know each other and develop feelings for each other. They go through the ups and downs. So their relationship is very believable and real.

The alternating POVs provide deeper insight into both Dylan and Gray. We see Gray's struggle to move on and Dylan's struggle with the bond she made with him. They both add their own experiences to the story. I always like stories with two or more narrators. The story has depth it otherwise wouldn't have with only one.

I'm really excited to read the next book in this series. I can't wait to see what happens with Dylan and Gray's relationship. It's bound to be another emotional ride.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Katie Kacvinsky was born in Wisconsin. She worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, has lived in Phoenix, AZ, Redding, CA, Milwaukee, WI and currently Oregon. She taught high school English and worked for a young adult magazine before writing full time. She owes most of her writing inspiration to traveling.



Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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3.5 STARS | The Chosen of Gaia by M. Mariz

Title: The Chosen of Gaia
Author: M. Mariz
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Publisher: Marcela Mariz
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-0985808433
Published: August 4, 2012
Source: JKSCommunications
Events: Book Tour
Rating: 3.5/5 STARS
Purchase: Kindle | Paperback

Fifteen-year-old Albert has just received an invitation that could transform his disappointing life completely – a chance to belong to an advanced and hidden society that only reveals itself to a select few.

Immersed in a new world of mind-boggling technology and intriguing peers, Albert will overcome his fears enough to ignore a few suspicious details. But soon he'll find his family dragged to the center of a scandal that threatens to tear them apart and erase their very identities.

A conflicted Albert must find the strength to challenge authority by relying on his newfound allies and gift for Revelation.

Prepare for adventure, humor and suspense in this fast-paced tale of a “normal” family striving for their place in a “perfect” world.

Gaia is a perfect world that values the good in people and strives to advance its society. There hasn't been a serious crime in more than 200 years and no ones fears leaving their homes unlocked. The citizens of Gaia are descended from those who once lived in the legendary city of Atlantis. And then there are those very select few from Earth who were Chosen and given the opportunity to live on Gaia. Albert Klein and his family are the most recent to be Chosen to live in this perfect world. But just as there were those in Atlantis that persecuted the mystics, there are those on Gaia who persecute the Chosen.

The Kleins and their neighbors, the Beckers are two Chosen families being targeted by this clan of racial purists. Albert, with the help of his new friends, will need to overcome his fears and embrace his new found gift for Revelation to set things to rights.

The Chosen of Gaia depicts a seemingly perfect world of peace, enlightenment, and advancement. But a pretty exterior can't hide a ugly interior forever. No matter how hard or how long one strives for perfection, it cannot be achieved. As long as hate exists in the hearts of people, peace cannot be gained. This is shown through the racism and prejudice the Raif clan shows toward the Chosen. They see the Chosen as impurities that need to be purged from the Gaian society.

But there are those, like Albert, who strive to be the best they can possibly be and gain strength from the persecution they face, and become unlikely heroes to those who would face the same persecution. Albert was even dubbed "The Clumsy Chosen Hero" after his efforts to stop the Raif clan were made public. It's through people like Albert that even a small amount of peace can be obtained.

The Chosen of Gaia raises questions about the nature and hearts of the human race. Through only one person a civilization can thrive or decay, all depending on what's in their hearts and minds.

I really liked this story and the characters the live within it. I would love to see more from this world, maybe from Ruth's POV, Albert's twin sister. But if this is the end of the Chosen's story, I'm glad that it ended on a happy and hopeful note. The bad guys are punished, friendships are mended, and love brings them all together. It couldn't end in a better way.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

M. Mariz is an actress, lawyer and writer with more than 20 plays produced. Her debut novel The Chosen of Gaia (Sept. 28, 2012) was inspired by her own Revelation dream.

Born in Rio de Janeiro and currently living in Southern California, Mariz writes screenplays and novels in both Portuguese and English. The artist has more than 15 years of acting experience, encompassing works in theater, television and movies. She has multiple plays and sketches featured in theaters, including a teenager play that was performed by young Brazilian celebrities all over the country, and has written many other plays for different Brazilian companies to present work-related themes in a funny, entertaining way.

She lives with her husband in Orange, California, where she is constantly developing ideas for new stories to tell.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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5 STARS | Vampire Knight Volume 14 by Matsuri Hino

Title: Vampire Knight, Volume 14
Series: Vampire Knight #14
Author: Matsuri Hino
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Japanese Manga, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Graphic Novels
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1421542188
Published: July 3rd, 2012
Source: Library
Rating: 5/5 STARS
Purchase: Kindle | Paperback

The Vampire Hunter Society has imprisoned Aido in order to interrogate him about Kaname's connection to Sara Shirabuki. Meanwhile, Yuki wants a fresh start with Kaname, but circumstances arise that may force them apart.

This is one of the most shocking volumes in the Vampire Knight series so far. We see more of the past and the connection between the progenitors and the hunters. The lines between who is more inhumane have become blurred. Zero is still struggling with his feelings toward Yuki now that she's the Kuran princess. Sara is using a pharmaceutical company for something really bad in her pursuit to become Queen. But the most shocking of all that happens in this volume is Kaname killing Lord Aido and leaving Yuki.

I can't even guess what is going on in Kaname's head. He waited 10 years for Yuki and now he leaves her?! It makes no sense! Yuki is left confused and heartbroken, and in her desperation to follow Kaname, she sprouts butterfly wings of blood. When I watched the anime, I always wondered about the blood butterfly wings shown in the opening, and now I know where they come from. The wings are a symbol of her confusion, her heartbreak, and her desperation to follow Kaname, as if she could fly to him.

Goodreads

Matsuri Hino was born on January 24 in Hokkaido. She was a bookshop keeper who one day decided to become a manga artist, and all of nine months later, in 1995, she published her first manga title, Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over), in Japan's LaLa DX magazine.





Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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3 STARS | Guardian of the Moon Pendant by Laura J. Williams

Title: Guardian of the Moon Pendant
Series: Highland Secrets #1
Author: Laura J. Williams
Age Group: New Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal
Elements: Fae, Pixies, Demons, Ghosts
Publisher: Laura J. Williams
Format: PDF
ASIN: B008P30FV8
Published: July 25th, 2012
Source: Laura J. Williams
Events: Book Tour
Rating: 3/5 STARS
Purchase: Amazon

The MacAlpin women are of a fierce clan, born from a rare bloodline that harbors a dark and powerful secret – a mystical heirloom called the Moon Pendant. It is the key to controlling the MääGord standing stones, a magical Portal into the Otherworld, the realm of the Fae.

Anabel and Izzy’s MacAlpin are two sisters, polar opposites, living separate lives.

Anabel’s life is going precisely according to her plan, a ring on her finger from her steady beau, Edgar, and medical school in the fall.

Izzy’s life is filled with scars and wounds from her past. Dubbed the “spare child” by her family and treated poorly, she rebelled, and now lives life by her own rules.

These two sisters’s worlds are about to explode when one of them must go to Scotland and fulfill her duty as the Guardian of the Moon Pendant, by recharging this magical heirloom with four elementals, air, earth, water, and fire, and then finally close the Portal.

There’s only one problem…

The Baobhan Sith – a vampiric faery who lures men in with her hypnotic voice, feeding on their blood or transforming them into Màrmann, her zombie-like warriors who do her bidding – desires the Moon Pendant to take control over the Portal, opening a gateway into the realm of man, helping her to seek revenge on the MacAlpin clan, and to quench her eternal thirst for human blood.

Anabel finds herself torn between a sinfully handsome Scottish warrior, Blane and her fiancée, Edgar. Izzy finds herself, angered by her sister’s lack of faith in her.

Both sisters are forced to help one another, but may end up killing each other in the end.

Will these two sisters put aside their differences before the final task to charge the Moon Pendant or will the Baobhan Sith, the vampiric faery, be successful and open the Portal into the Otherworld?

Guardian of the Moon Pendant takes us on the journey of two sisters who travel to Scotland to prevent a portal to the realm of the Fae from opening. On the Isle of Moon stand the MääGord standing stones and the portal to the Fae realm. Once every nineteen years the full moon passes through the standing stones and the portal will open a pathway for the Fae. Before that can happen the Guardian of the Moon Pendant must recharge the Pendant's power with the elements--Air, Earth, Water, and Fire--and close the portal. The new moon is here. Can the Guardian accomplish each task and save mankind from the Fae?

Anabel and Izzy MacAlpin are two sisters who couldn't be more different. Anabel has her life all planned out and everything is going accordingly. Izzy is just trying to get through each day in one piece. These two are constantly fighting, bickering, and trying to one-up the other. Their relationship perfectly portrays the sibling rivalry to a T. Although Anabel and Izzy go too far sometimes, I felt the relationship between them was genuine.

The MacAlpin clan has been the Guardians of the Moon Pendant and the portal for generations. Anabel, being the eldest daughter, is the heir and it's her duty to become the Guardian, but she wants no part of it since it will ruin her perfect life plan. Whereas Izzy is nicknamed the "spare child" and treated badly. Izzy views Anabel's resistence to being Guardian as her chance to prove herself by becoming the Guardian instead. But as their grandmother said, the Pendant is fickle and it may not let Anabel go.

I love reading about mythology and folklore, so when I saw that Guardian of the Moon Pendant featured Scottish fae folklore, I couldn't wait to start reading. There's the Red Cap, the Baobhan Sith, the Nuckelavee, the Ghillie Dhu, Trows, Will-o-the-Wisps, among others. I just love the stories behind these fantastical and otherworldly beings.

While I'm on the subject of Scotland, this book does have a highlander--in all his kilted glory. Blane is a Sentinel of Light, who swore an oath to Danu to protect the Guardians and the portal. He is roughly 500 years old, but only looks about 25 years old, and boy, does he make Anabel want to change her mind about marrying Edgar. It's too bad that a Sentinel is forbidden from marrying a Guardian. Though I thought the romance between Blane and Anabel wasn't necessary to the story as a whole, it was nice to see a bit of romance--and I'd like to know what Anabel ever saw in Edgar? He's kinda icky in my opinion--I'd choose Blane when I first laid eyes on him.

Besides the Fae was a whole, the main villain of the book is Lainahywn, the Baobhan Sith. She is a vampiric faery who sucks men dry or turns them into zombie-like warriors. She wants the Pendant and control of the portal--and she'll do anything to get it. Lainahywn is really kinda scary. She may look real pretty when she's all glamored up, but once she drops the facade--ugh! She's definitely a baddy you want to stay away from.

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Laura J. Williams is a hopeless and lost cause, tucked away in her dark sleeping chamber, in her gloomy abyss of a writing cave, separated from the realm of man, chomping on chicken legs and quenching her thirst with large glasses of red wine. She is consoled daily by her rescued cat, baby-kitty, who only gives her love when she wants to.

Aye, it is a sad life she lives…

But, God danced the day Laura was born, the angels rejoiced, and the demons trembled.

She’s just another day-dreamer with a story to tell, doing her best to kick arse. She hides behind a shroud of anonymity, creating a world of lost mythical creatures, breathing life into them, and praying that someone will take pleasure in her work.

She is the warrior of the heroine, the sorceress of words, yielder of magic, teller of dark secrets, and the jester of tantalizing tales.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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3.5 STARS | Dancing with Death by Andrea Heltsley

Title: Dancing with Death
Series: Dancing #1
Author: Andrea Heltsley
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Horror
Elements: Demons, Succubi
Publisher: Andrea Heltsley
Format: PDF
ISBN-13: 978-1478204183
Published: August 10th, 2012
Source: Andrea Heltsley
Events: Book Tour
Rating: 3.5/5 STARS
Purchase: Amazon

Death is coming and he's coming for me.

Murders have plagued the woods in the past, making them a place of fear. Eighteen year old Wendy and her friends become worried when a new string of murders come to their high school. After a horrible car accident, Wendy returns to school, going from wallflower to popular overnight. As the murderer edges closer to Wendy she realizes things are changing. She is afflicted with nightmares that are all too real and she herself is undergoing unnatural changes. Learning the truth about her past, could be the key to saving her future.

In Dancing with Death, Wendy is a senior in high school, living in a town plagued by murder after murder. The "Witchy Woods" where the murders took place is a place of fear, so when Wendy is hit by an oncoming car on a road alongside the woods, left in the ditch in her mangled car, she fears that that is how she will die. But before her car can explode she's saved by a stranger who pulls her out and takes her to the hospital. This car accident is only the beginning as Wendy's life changes forever.

There is a very good reason why I gave Dancing with Death only a 3.5. More than half of the book is just intense makeout scenes and finding the perfect outfit. I started to wonder if that was all this story was going to be about. What saved this book was the strange nightmares and messages from beyond the grave. This piqued my curiosity enough to find out what was really going on. Don't get me wrong, I like action but not when all of it is in the romantic sense. The story really picked up when Wendy and Halle found the locked chest in the attic filled with her family's secrets. Then there were the multiple murder attempts against Wendy's life. Basically I'm saying that, even if they are small, I would have liked more events to add suspense and intrigue within the first half.

I definitely wasn't expecting Wendy's secret family history to be what it was, though. I don't want to say too much about it since I want to leave that part for readers to find out, but I will say that she is a demon and the type of demon she is really explains the changes she undergoes. I thought the story would have had something to do with Death himself from looking at the title, Dancing with Death, but it really only refers to death itself.

I mentioned intense makeout scenes and, boy, are the INTENSE. Wendy finds herself with two guys vying for her attention--Brandt Summers, the new guy from California and Matt Geyer, the new school librarian. Maybe it's my bookish ways, but I loved Matt from the very beginning. Now that is perfect--a smokin' hot male librarian. But he's also genuine, loving, and respectful. I never really liked Brandt. That's all I can really say about him--I just didn't like him at all.

The conclusion was a little anti-climatic, but the question of whether Wendy will live to see the next year leaves me wanting for the next book, Dancing with Demons.

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I am a biology nerd who decided it was more fun writing than dissecting. I have written two novels and my third will be out this summer. I live on coffee and read like a robot. My husband and two italian greyhounds usually have to tear me away from the computer...imagine that. :).


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2012 to my book blogs, Zodiac Book Reviews and A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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