Sunday 29 April 2012

Fortnight of Guests Is Back - Bigger and Better Than Ever!



Those of you who knew me last year may remember The Fortnight of Guests, when we had loads of amazing bloggers all doing guest posts on The Book Addicted Girl.  It was loads of fun and we had some amazing guest posts...


This year?  We are having two Fortnights - one for bloggers and... one for authors too!  We've got some amazing bloggers and authors already signed up...  More shall be revealed closer to date, but I can say some of my favourite bloggers and authors will be taking part!


Back to business!  I am looking for a few more bloggers who want to take part.  If you this sounds cool... 


I need book bloggers who are willing to do a guest post on anything book-related - Top Tens, Reviews, Interviews, Anything!  It doesn't matter how long you've been blogging or where you're from, I'm just looking for someone with a great idea and a love of books!


So, if you're interested, please leave a comment with your email address, a link to your blog and a rough idea of what you'd like to do or email me at thebookaddictedgirl@yahoo.co.uk!  I want loads of different bloggers to take part, so the more different your idea, the better - even if it is just a rough idea!  


And spread the word!  You can add the button to your site, Tweet about it, email your friends - anything!  I promise you that this June, Fortnight of Guests will be amazing!!

In My Mailbox (#51)

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a perfect way to see who's reading and review what. Awesome! 



I've not done an IMM in... forever!  So I have, like, three weeks worth of books here.  Anyhoo, this is what I got!  :)


For Review:


The Pledge (The Pledge, Book One) by Kimberly Derting (Goodreads | Amazon)
Words Are The Most Dangerous Weapon Of All...
This was ace!  I really loved it!  It's the first fantasy-dystopia I've read and it was awesome!
Insignia (Insignia, Book One) by S.J. Kincaid (Goodreads | Amazon)
This one just blew my mind!  It was just amazing - out of this world!  Action, humour, suspense: everything I needed!  My review will be posted when the book comes out in July!  I'll give you a peek preview... 5 Stars! :D
The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies, Book Two) by Pittacus Lore (Goodreads | Amazon)
We Are Hunted.  We Will Fight.  We Have The Power of Six.
Again: awesome book!  Totally lived up to I Am Number Four!




Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers (Goodreads | Amazon)
I've read this already - it was really sweet and touching!
The Seeing by Diana Hendry (Goodreads | Amazon)
This sounds incredible - really chilling and just amazing!
Fire City by Bali Rai (Goodreads Amazon)
There Is Nowhere To Hide...
This looks ah-ma-zing!!  :D
Turf by John Lucas (Goodreads Amazon)
Kill Or Die...
I love edgy books - and this looks like it's a really amazing one!
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, Book One) by Jenny Han (Goodreads | Amazon)
We'll Always Have Summer (Summer, Book Two) by Jenny Han (Goodreads | Amazon)

Yay!  I can't wait to get stuck into Summer!! :D
Bringing The Summer by Julia Green (Goodreads | Amazon)

I loved Green's Drawing With Light, so I can't wait to read this!
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (Goodreads | Amazon)
Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay!!  I cannot WAIT to read this - I've been wanting to read it since forever!




The Vampire Blog by Pete Johnson (Goodreads | Amazon)
I Was Just An Ordinary Kid.  Until I Started Craving Blood...
The Vampire Hunters by Pete Johnson (Goodreads | Amazon)
Growing Up Is Hard Enough - Now Try Growing Fangs.
The Vampire Fighters by Pete Johnson (Goodreads | Amazon)
Think You've Got Problems?  Try Being Thirteen... And A Half Vampire.



Friendly Fire (Thin Air Saga, Book Two) by Lynn Seresin (Goodreads | Amazon)
I loved Lynn's first book and can't wait to read this one!  Check out the blog tour stops on my blog!




Bought On a Hill...Thing.

It's a nice day, so you go out for an icecream.  You're on this hill-slash-wildlife-thing.  You go into the little building for tea.  And - oh!  There's used books, three for 50p.  How's a girl meant to resist?!


Marley & Me by John Grogan (Goodreads | Amazon)
life and love with the world's worst dog
This film made me cry bucketloads, so I can't wait to see what the book will do!!

The Cheerleader (Point Horror) by Caroline B. Cooney (Goodreads | Amazon)
Yes, this is an old book and I'm way too old for it, but 50p! ;)
I Like It Like That (Gossip Girl, Book Five) by Cecily von Ziegesar (Goodreads | Amazon)
I didn't even know this was a book!  And seeing as I love the TV show, I couldn't resist!




Bought:



Starters (Starters, Book One) by Lissa Price (Goodreads | Amazon)
Your Body.  Rented Out.  Used To Murder
This book was amazing!!  And the cover is awesome!  You can download this app, and the cover comes to life!!  Squeee!! :D :D
Kitty Kitty (Bad Kitty, Book Two) by Michele Jaffe (Goodreads | Amazon)
Jas Is Back.  In Venice.  In Trouble...
Yay, yay, yay!  I loved the first in this series and can't wait to read this one!! :D
Tempest (Tempest, Book One) by Julie Cross (Goodreads | Amazon)
Time Will Tear Them Apart
I've heard so many great things about this one, so I can't wait to read it!




Well, that's me.  Hope you've all had a great three weeks! :D

Saturday 28 April 2012

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver


Series: Delirium, Book Two
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Format: Hardback
Published: 1st March 2012

Number of Pages: 336
Book: For Review*
Genre: Dystopia, Romance, Science-Fiction, Thriller-Suspense, Mystery, Action-Adventure, YA
Recommended Age: 12+
Contains: Violence, Death, Swearing, Alcohol References
No Drug References
Author's Blog: Lauren Oliver

Love, the deadliest of all deadly things.
It kills you when you have it.
And when you don’t. humour

“I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside though sot Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do.  The old life is dead.  But the old Lena is dead too.  I buried her.  I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.”

Pandemonium is a poignant, explosive, recklessly romantic and utterly heartbreaking novel.  Like Delirium, the first in the compelling trilogy, it will take you to the very edge.  That’s all you need to know.  We’ll let Lena do the rest of the talking…

                                                                   Review:
Lena Haloway had a plan.  She would run away from the loveless society with her true love, Alex.  Only, he didn’t make it, and Lena is all alone in the Wilds.  Feverish and close to death, Lena is taken in by Raven, an Invalid and member of the Resistance.  She tries to stay strong, to forget about her old life, as she struggles to adapt to life in the Wilds.
But that was then.
Now Lena is an undercover part of the Resistance.
But leaving your old life and love behind is harder than Lena ever imagined, even when you have a whole new purpose, a whole new life and perhaps more as well…
I adored Delirium.  I felt so much throughout the book and was left desperate for more.  And, my God, did Pandemonium lives up to all my expectations – exceed them, actually!  Once I started reading, I just couldn’t stop.  It was amazing, beyond words.  I felt every moment, saw every single thing and was left going out of my mind, desperate for more, more, more!
And Lena, oh how I’ve missed you!  I loved seeing the two sides of Lena – the “Then” and the “Now”.  The “Then” Lena seemed so vulnerable, yet unbreakable.  Meanwhile, the “Now” Lena was impossibly strong and determined.  She just surprised me completely with her resilience, her hardness, her new-found unshakable strength, her dedication to the cause.  While she loved so much, she hated equally.  Both Lenas were so strong, yet so lost…  I love this girl, seriously!
Julian Fineman, son of the head of DFA – Deliria-Free America.  He was so strong.  And so sweet! He had this feeling of vulnerability, of innocence, that just made me want to protect him.  I don’t know why.  And as much as I loved and missed Alex, I really did love Julian too.
I loved the relationship between Lena and Julian: how Lena was now the one opening Julian’s eyes, as Alex once did for her.  I loved seeing how their relationship changed from mistrust and loathing on Lena’s part to friendship and trust, maybe more…  The pressure, the chemistry, the heat just built up and up and man, I felt it!  Yet despite this and how much I loved Julian, I was just screaming: ‘But I want Alex.  I miss Alex…’
Even more than that, I loved all of the new characters to pieces; they gave the story a whole new feel, a whole new dimension.  I loved all the Invalids, the resistance, especially little Sarah and Blue, Hunter, Tack and most of all Raven.  Raven was kinda brash and to-the-point, totally in command of everyone and the homestead and one of my favorite characters ever!  She was firm, yet fair and sweet – and I really loved all of her mantras and protectiveness, and the way we slowly got to know the real Raven. 
Again, I must say: My God, how amazing this world is!  It’s so three-dimensional; it’s real and alive in my head.  So beautiful and so horrible.  I still haven’t gotten over the whole love-as-a-disease thing.  I mean, how did Lauren think of that?  It’s so brilliant, ingenious.  And I loved all the different aspects of the world we get to see, all the different people, even if it wasn’t all nice! 
I adored the writing in Delirium and I loved the writing in Pandemonium even more.  Beautiful, raw and powerful; once more I felt everything Lena felt, saw everything she saw.  There was just non-stop action and I loved every second.  And the gorgeous writing was made all the more brilliant by the split narratives – Now and Then.  It was confusing to begin with, but I quickly came to love this double timeline, eating it all up, unable to put it down.  This split POV made the plot even more amazing!  It was intense, action-packed, amazing.  And the ending?  Oh.  My.  God!  I NEED Requiem.  I’ll go INSANE if I can’t read it soon!  Miss Oliver?  Man, you’ve done it again!
Yet, despite the intensity and new storyline, I found Pandemonium just as emotional as Delirium, which made me laugh as I cried – something I did a lot.  Pandemonium was emotional, but in a whole new and wonderfully powerful way.  I loved every second, hated who Lena hated, loved who she loved, missed everyone she missed until it hurt.  And God, it was amazing
Addictive, powerful, emotional, intense, compelling and beautiful, Pandemonium is a book you must read.  Even if you only read two books, ever, read this and Delirium!

Star Rating:
5 SQUILLION Out of 5…  Ok, 5 Out of 5.



Read this book if you liked:
Matched by Ally Condie
Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne


Challenges It's Taking Part In:
Happy Reading
Megan
* This book was received from Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review

Friday 27 April 2012

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting


Series: The Pledge, Book One
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Format: ARC
Published: 26th March 2012
Number of Pages: 352
Book: For Review*
Genre: Dystopia, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Action-Adventure, Dark Romance, YA
Recommended Age: 12+
Contains: Violence, Death, Swearing, Alcohol References
No Drug References
Author's Blog: Kimberly Derting

Seventeen-year-old Charlaina knows she has exceptional but perilous powers.
In the far future, in a land controlled by an aged and ruthless queen, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak.  Even acknowledging a member of the ruling class while they are speaking their native tongue is punishable by death.  Charlie can understand all languages, a secret she must protect to stay alive.
When she meets the alluringly handsome Max, who speaks in a language she hasn’t heard before, she is intensely attracted to him.  Max believes that Charlie is the key to something bigger and he pledges to protect her.  But as war descends, can she trust him?


                                                                   Review:
“I pledge to keep you safe.”
In Ludania, the people are divided by the language they speak and the class they are born into. To look at someone in a higher class whilst they are speaking their own language leads to death.
17-year-old Charlie can understand all languages, a secret she protects above all else, because if she's found out, she's dead.
In a land where parents betray their own children to gain the favour of their ruthless old Queen, Charlie seeks the freedom of underground clubs, where there are no rules and no divisions. It's there she meets Max.  Gorgeous, mysterious Max, who Charlie instantly feels a connection with, who speaks a language she's never heard before. Who guesses she's different and pledges to protect her.
But with a rebellion threatening and the old Queen ruling as ruthlessly as ever, can Max keep his promise, keep Charlie safe...?
I'd never read anything by Derting before, though I do have her two Body Finder books on my TBR pile.  After The Pledge, I simply cannot wait to read them!  I was sucked right into the world, hooked from start to finish.  I loved it and quite frankly need the next book.  And not because I want more Max. Obviously...
Charlie had all the traits I like in my lead girls: cheeky, caring, smart and brave.  She loved her little sister to pieces and went out of her way to help others.  Feisty, strong and so, so brave, I just loved her!  As for Max, he was self-confident, charming, protective and mysterious. And so perceptive.  And just yu-um-my!  Cute, loyal, gorgeous... I loved him!
The relationship between Charlie and Max was just perfect too! I could feel the chemistry.  And I loved seeing it become more.  And the kisses?  Wow.  Kimberly sure can write a good romance!
All the characters were all so real to me and I loved them all!  I loved how padded out they felt, how I completely misjudged many of them to begin with.  Of course, I had favourites, naming no names. *Max*  I really liked Brook, or at least liked how I had to get to know her twice, though I preferred the wild and cheeky Brook.  Angelina, Charlie’s sister, was so cute; if I had a little sister, I would want Angelina!  Xander was another intriguing character: super mysterious, cheeky and brave, he was either “insolent” or spirited, depending on whether you listen to one of the other characters or to me! 
The world was just amazing - unlike anything I'd read before.  All the classes and jobs were exaggerated by separate languages for each level.  And there was magic!  This is the first dystopian I've read that has paranormal tie-ins!  I loved learning all the history and found myself smiling at the Queen's desperation for a female heir (the only ones strong enough to rule), the complete opposite of our own history.  It was all so new, so rich, so detailed, so utterly unique. More please!
And the writing was beautiful, addictive, descriptive; I fell in love with the style, with Charlie.  I loved how it was divided up - mostly told in 1st person by Charlie with the occasional chapter told in 3rd person by some of the other characters. I loved this, even if it threw me off at first. But I really got into Charlie's head, fell in love with her, got to see the whole world.  The plot was also completely unique and utterly addictive.  Fast-paced, twisty and unlike any dystopian I'd read before, I truly loved the story.  I just could not put it down! As for the ending... Well, I am most eagerly anticipating the next book! And by anticipating, I mean needing!
One ruthless queen, one queendom on the verge of war, one girl with a huge secret, a secret to protect at all costs... The Pledge was a book I loved, one I was sucked into from the word go.  A dystopian like no other.  I can't wait for the next in the series!

Star Rating:
4½ Out of 5



Read this book if you liked:
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
The Mortal Instruments by Cassanadra Clare
Partials by Dan Wells


Challenges It's Taking Part In:
Happy Reading
Megan
* This book was received from Allison & Busby in exchange for an honest review

Thursday 26 April 2012

Friendly Fire Blog Tour, Excerpt #5




I don't know if you remember, but I took part in the awesome Thin Air blog tour last year. I adored the book and couldn't wait for Friendly Fire. And now... it's here! Yess! And we have an oh-so-temping extract to read today!

Oh, and before we start, I must tell you about the awesome Blog Tour Grand Prize Giveaway! It's this gorgeous necklace!


To enter, comment on any of the blog tour posts!
Your comment is an entry for the grand prize giveaway!
The winner will be selected via random.org and
announced on These Paper Worlds
(But US/Canada Only!)

Now, enjoy the excerpt...

“I can’t leave you here,” I explained.

His gray eyes pierced mine defiantly. “Why not?”

“Because that awful man might come back and hurt you,” I said. “Besides, you’re cold, and I’m guessing you’re probably hungry as well.”

The boy’s lower lip trembled slightly, his eyes returning to his pants.

I continued cautiously, not knowing what might cause his temper to flare again. “I was once just as you are—when I first became human.”

His eyes grew large as he looked up at me. “How did you know?” he asked, softly.

“I can see what you were. You’ll gain that ability, too—in time.” I bent closer. “How long have you been here, on this plane of existence?”

“About three months,” he answered, tremulously. Tears moistened his eyes but he quickly blinked them away. “I think it’s been three months. It seems much longer, somehow.”

I stood up. “You must come with me, then,” I said, beckoning him with my hand. “We must care for our own, and I can’t let you starve on the street.”
“Were you…a salamander?” His eyes were beseeching now as they gazed up at me. He looked every bit the frightened, lonely child that he was.

“No, I was a sylphid, but it makes no difference.” I reached down and took his hand. It was cold and clammy. “Let me get you washed and fed. I’m sure I can find some clean clothes for you, too. You’ll see. You’ll feel so much better after you’ve freshened up and eaten something.”

Slowly, he rose to his feet. He was small, barely coming to my shoulder, and fine-boned. Without another word, he began to accompany me up the street, casting an occasional glance in my direction. We walked along Broadway, pausing at the corner of Prince Street for oncoming traffic before crossing.

“So, tell me, who helped you when you first arrived?” I couldn’t imagine Rose Quartz or Ignis leaving such a young, newly-transmuted individual to fend for themselves on the streets of New York City.

“Someone named Petris. A gnome, I think,” he answered. “He gave me these clothes, and some money.” He scowled as he studied the sidewalk. “It was all gone in a matter of a few days,” he added, shoving his hands into his pockets for warmth as he hunched against the night air. “I’ve been begging for money ever since.”

“I don’t know him,” I said. I suddenly realized I also didn’t know what to call this boy. “Have you a name?” I asked.

“I was called Calora,” he replied, with a hint of a smile. “Now, I go by Ashen. Ashen Blaise. But people usually just call me Ash.”

“I like that name,” I said. “I’m Alice Ayre. It’s nice to meet you, Ash.”

His eyes flitted to me. “Nice to meet you,” he muttered, before looking away again.


Previous Stop on the Friendly Fire Blog Tour: Everything To Do With Books
Next Stop on the Friendly Fire Blog Tour: Book Briefs
See all the stops: These Paper Worlds


I loved this extract!  I can't wait to read it!
All of you, hope you enjoyed this! Check out Thin Air and Friendly Fire on Goodreads! And check out Lynn's Blog, Site, Facebook and Twitter account! Oh, and thanks to the amazing tour hosts at These Paper Worlds

Friday 20 April 2012

Friendly Fire Blog Tour: The Mythology Behind the Books


I don't know if you remember, but I took part in the awesome Thin Air blog tour last year.  I adored the book and couldn't wait for Friendly Fire.  And now... it's here!  Yess!  And the lovely author Lynn Seresin is here to tell us all about the mythology in the two books!

Oh, and before we start, I must tell you about the awesome Blog Tour Grand Prize Giveaway!  It's this gorgeous necklace!


To enter, comment on any of the blog tour posts!
Your comment is an entry for the grand prize giveaway!
The winner will be selected via random.org and
announced on These Paper Worlds
(But US/Canada Only!)


Thin Air (Thin Air Saga, #1)

The Mythology behind THIN AIR and FRIENDLY FIRE:

The mythology behind THIN AIR and FRIENDLY FIRE is rooted in a time when men of learning struggled to understand what made up the world around them. Without the benefit of scientific equipment, they could only apply their limited understanding to their direct observations of nature.

The idea of four elements comprising the natural and material world—earth, fire, wind, and air—dates back to the ancient Greeks. It was their belief that all matter, living and inanimate, was comprised of some combination of these four building blocks. However, it took a learned man from the Renaissance to bestow “personalities” to the elements. It is his elaboration on ancient tradition that my books—and any other books about elementals—owe their origin.

Paracelsus (1493-1541), born Phillippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, was a Swiss-born physician, botantist, alchemist, astrologer, and occultist. He devised the notion that each of the elements could be personified by a group of beings, as real in substance as humans, but essentially invisible to the naked eye. He classified the four elements as follows:

Friendly Fire (Thin Air Saga, #2)Gnomes – Earth elementals. Their ruler is Gob.

Undines – Water elementals (this includes nymphs and mermaids). Their ruler is

Sylphs – Air elementals. Their ruler is Paralda.

Salamanders – Fire elementals. Their ruler is Djin

It is important to remember that these mythological beings are not represented by the tangible aspect of the element they belong to. For instance, the wetness of water, or the searing heat of fire can’t be identified as an undine or salamander, respectively. Rather, they are the “spiritual” non-physical essence of the element, made up of a ubiquitous substance called ether. They are present when we encounter water or fire; without them, these elements wouldn’t exist. They embody their element, but they can’t be physically experienced the way any of the four elements can. It’s a difficult concept to get your mind around. It helped me to think of these beings as protectors of their element.

Anything else you read in either THIN AIR or FRIENDLY FIRE is an embellishment from my own imagination. I haven’t read anything to suggest that elementals can transmute from their ethereal state to a physical, human one. I made that up. But I loved the idea of this sort of alternate society living right under our noses, made up of beings that, for whatever reason, chose to take on a human form and live among us. While I don’t believe in elementals, I think it would be amazing if they existed.

Previous Stop on the Friendly Fire Blog Tour: Everything To Do With Books
Next Stop on the Friendly Fire Blog Tour: Book Briefs
See all the stops: These Paper Worlds

Thank you so much for stopping by Lynn!
All of you, hope you enjoyed this!  Check out Thin Air and Friendly Fire on Goodreads!  And check out Lynn's Blog, Site, Facebook and Twitter account!  Oh, and thanks to the amazing tour hosts at These Paper Worlds!  Keep an eye out - the tour will be stopping by here again soon! :D

Monday 16 April 2012

Explorer X Beta Blog Tour: Book Trailer


Explorer X: Beta looks amazing - and action packed, alien adventure.  From what I've read, it's amazing!  And all the reviews for the previous book are great!  Since I've not been able to fully read the book thanks to a ridiculous amount of things on my plate, I'm just doing a little feature today to show you the book trailer!  Oh, and check out LM Preston's site, her blog, Twitter and the books' Facebook Page.  Enjoy the trailer!

 


Here's the rest of the blog tour - check it out!

April 8th: Mariah @ A Readers Adventure
9th: Angie @ My Four Monkeys
10th: Glenda @ Book Reader's Heaven
11th: Krystal @ Live To Read
12th: Nicole @ Purple Peguin Reviews
13th: Shelia @ Shelia Deeth
14th: Luke @ Luke Reviews
17th: Dee @ Book Zone

Explorer X Beta by LM Preston
Barely escaping their captors, Aadi and Eirena are determined to save their dying friend. After their final confrontation with the species that tortured them, they've changed-unfortunately, not for the better. The changes caused by a terrible experiment force Aadi to accept the possibility that he may never be fit to go home, and that holding onto his sanity, or leading his friends to safety will end in failure and may rip his friendship with Eirena apart, forever. Time is slipping away and the possibility of losing his friend is not an option, but the foe that awaits them may be worse than the one they left.

Friday 13 April 2012

Immortal City by Scott Speer

Series: Immortal City, Book One
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: ARC
Published: 5th April 2012
Number of Pages: 416
Book: For Review*
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Mystery, Urban-Fantasy, Action-Adventure, YA
Recommended Age: 12+
Contains: Death, Violence, Mild Swearing, Alcohol References
No Drug References

What price would you put on love?
Imagine a world where Guardian angels not only exist, but walk amongst us every day, treated as the ultimate A-listers.  Blogs are dedicated just to their movements, the latest fashion trends are dictated by what they wear.  They are still the Guardians, providing service, protecting people every day… for the right fee of course.
Jackson Godspeed is the hottest Angel in a city that is obsessed with these Immortals.  He’s about to become the youngest Guardian in history.  Everyone loves him.  Everyone except Maddy Montgomery.  She’s not interested in celebrities and the shallow world they inhabit.  Until Jackson takes refuge in the diner where Maddy works and a fierce, inexplicable connection pulls them together.  But as Maddy is reluctantly drawn into Jackson’s glamorous world, she’s exposed to more than just the paparazzi.  A serial killer is murdering one Angel at a time… and Jackson is his next victim.


                                                                   Review:

You have the money? You have their Protection.
Los Angeles, Angel City, Immortal City. Angels walk among humans as Protectors, saving those rich enough to afford their protection.
Jackson Godspeed is the hottest, most talented and loved Angel in the city, just days away from achieving his dream of becoming a Guardian.
Maddy Montgomery seems to be the only one who isn't completely obsessed with the Angels. But after a chance meeting with Jacks in her uncle's diner, a bond strikes between them as they find themselves inexplicably drawn together.
But there's someone out there, brutally killing Angels. And Jacks is next...
All is not as it seems in the Immortal City.
I was feeling ill and couldn't bring myself to concentrate on one book, so I randomly started picking books up to read the first chapter. I did this many times. Until Immortal City. I started reading and then was like: "Oh my God! Angels walking around in Gucci protecting for money? Must keep reading!"  The rest of the book did not disappoint!
Maddy was really down-to-earth, modest and just an average human girl. I loved her stubbornness, how real and relatable she felt.  Also, the visions she got were awesome!  Horrible, but still awesome.  And her insecurities made her even more relatable and I liked it when she stuck up for herself; but I didn’t like that she stuck up for herself and then went back to being insecure…  Though Viv was pretty intimidating…  But really, Maddy rocked!
Jacks... Well, yum!  He was just so sweet, and I loved the hidden side of him, the more insecure and human side.  And... he was just so cute! And stubborn. And did I mention he was cute? Gallant, chivalrous, brave, dedicated, amazing, wonderful... I am so Angelstruck!
I really loved Maddy and Jacks' relationship.  Although it wasn't exactly love at first sight, it was pretty close.  But it worked.  Each had a reason to like the other when they met.  I could feel the chemistry.  Plus they were just so cute; I loved them together!
The other characters were great and just as 3D. A few of my favorites were the sweet and sincere Uncle Kevin, the Angel-addict and hilarious Gwen, the cop Sylvester, who was brilliant and had a secret of his own, and Jacks’ PA Darcy; a Blackberry-addict I found brilliant and really funny. 
I loved this world!  I mean, Angels as celebs?  Protecting for money?  With awesome wings, really glamorous parties, Angel blogs and televised Saves… it was all so new to me!  And I really liked that the Angels weren’t all that angelic: they had flaws that made them feel human.  The sense of mystery about where they came from and the darker side of the Immortals was amazing!  And I loved the parody to the celeb world.  It was a really super and clever idea from Scott.  One that worked brilliantly and made me think about our own society...  Seriously: More please!
The writing was amazing: I loved the feel of it, the style, even though it was in third person, my least favorite.  Though ol’ third is growing on me!  I loved that it jumped from Maddy to Jacks, letting us see what was going on in both if their heads and feel what they felt. I also liked the time we spent in Officer Sylvester's head: what can I say, I love the crime novels! However, all the jumping could be a little confusing. But other than that; perfect!  The plot was awesome - and unexpected! I was expecting just a love story, but I got so much more!  I got a mystery too!   I love mysteries!  So it was ever so excellent to find out that there was a murder to solve! Ok, just read how sick and twisted that sounded, so ignore it please. But seriously, amazing.  Full of twists and turns with a non-stop pace, Immortal City was an addictive read I just zoomed through.
A hot, powerful Angel, a normal girl who couldn't care less, a series of brutal Angel murders and a forbidden love story, Immortal City was an awesome book that sucked me in from the word go.  A brilliant, brilliant debut set in a stunning world I can’t wait to dive back into!  Speer is an author to look out for! 
I.  NEED.  BOOK.  TWO.  NOW!
Star Rating:

4¼ Out of 5




Read this book if you liked:
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Fallen by Lauren Kate
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead


Challenges It's Taking Part In:
Happy Reading
Megan
* This book was received from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review