Summary: (from goodreads) Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find that she has become an angel-and that her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, likes having her under his control. But almost immediately, Raphael must ready Elena for a flight to Beijing, to attend a ball thrown by the archangel Lijuan. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan's power lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena...
Elena has been in an induced healing coma, after being mortally wounded on the previous installment. Raphael's love and refusal to loose her brought, what the archangels call ambrosia and while he was kissing her turned her into an angel. Finally awake after a year, she has to learn fast to be an angel when expected to attend a ball being given in her honor by the oldest of the Archangels. This archangels penchant for the dead, has become a sore point between the Cadre, and is expected that this is not going to be an ordinary ball. In attendance to this ball are those who want her dead, so her ability to defend and project a strong front will be a necessity for her own and Raphael's sake. Since the killing of the roque archangel, the empty position has become a instant power struggle for those who want to fill the void.
Elena's special ability becomes necessary once again to help find the one that has been undermining the Archangels against each other and crossed a sacred threshold when one of their child is kidnapped and torture. As expected this only add to the list of those that want her dead at no cost or consequence. During this book we learn more about Raphael's and Elena's past and their constant fear of becoming those they hunt if they loose control, so they pledge to become each other rock when necessary.
Elena's desperate need to learn to fly is not all work related, it is the last step to be able to consummate her love with Raphael and finally become one.
In this world Nalini could be considered the Archangel of the followers of the Guild series, she has a hold on you and you become her captive audience until this story is told and she releases you only until the next one comes along..
Tonight we will chat with Author Jamie Manning about his debut novel. Blood Born is the first in a trilogy. The trilogy is called The Blood Prophecy. Tonight's chat will run for a full hour (maybe more). We will discuss Blood Born and the future of the series. The chat begins at 9PM CST (7PM PST). If you missed any post during the Blood Born blog tour CLICK HERE.
Under The Never Sky Under The Never Sky #1
Author: Veronica Rossi
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic
Released: January 3rd 2012
Review Source: HarperTEEN
Available: Amazon
Summary: (from goodreads) Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.
(4.5 Trees to be exact)
Normally I start off my reviews talking about the cover or something else entirely. Today though I'm starting with the ending!!! What a freaking doosey of an ending Rossi gave us. Seriously, I thought I missed something, I flipped back a few pages a few times wondering out loud, "that's where she leaves it! No she can'ttttt." Rossi's ending is now tied with Karen Marie Moning's ending in her Fever series as my top favorites for being MAJOR Cliff-hangers! Closely behind are Pandemonium and Insurgent. You have been warned if you have yet to read Under the Never Sky. Now don't go cheating and reading the last pages first. I know a few of you that like to do that. It will be worth the wait and its a good suffering.
Under the Never Sky is an alluring combination of Dystopian and Post Apocalyptic mix. Rossi created a world that I can see happening in a far future, let's pray it doesn't though. Our world now lives in inside these pod-like cities and wear these contraption on their eyes so we can visit these realms. Everything is pretty much conducted through visiting the realms plus they have figured out ways to stop unnecessary things. So for instance, fingernails have no use in growing and has been cancelled out, this is just one example. I guess if you have played the game Sims before, I picture the realms like the game. You can visit all sorts of different realms with your friends or family, change your attire, hair and much more while in the realm. Pretty cool right? They also don't have disease anymore. Well it all sounds fine and dandy until your thrown out of this world you only know, and have to live in the outside world.
Under the Never Sky is told from Aria and Peregrine "Perry" point of view. Aria gets exiled when certain events happen while she is trying to discover why she hasn't heard from her mother. These events involve the son of one of the consul, which surviver do you think will get the blame dump on. Instead of the one who is at fault getting the blame, the consul protects him and banishes Aria to the outside world. Aria is in full panic, she feels she will die and not be able to survive. Lucky for Aria her path crosses once again with Perry. Perry was the outsider who saved her before she got exiled. Perry is angry, and blames Aria for events that have taken place to him. Aria and Perry will have to learn to work together to be able to survive and save those they cherish the most. Add to this the deadly Aether storms that can take place at any second. Will Aria's voice and Perry's sense of smell, help them survive another day?
If you like adventurous journeys then you will love to read Under the Never Sky. There was never a dull moment in this book. If your not running from cannibals then your sitting discovering what it is to fall in love. The characters in Under the Never Sky will win you over and they will leave you pinning for more after you close the book.
It's Friday so that means Friday Five that was inspired by Author Cheryl Renee Herbsman. Our friends at Eve's Fan Garden and Page Turners also partake in this meme. Each Friday we will post a question or topic, then respond with our five choices.
Darkness Before Dawn Darkness Before Dawn #1
Author: J.A. London
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Paranormal/Dystopian
Release Date: May 29th 2012
Review Source: HarperTEEN
Available: Amazon
Summary: (from goodreads) This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.
Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters....
Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series.
First order of business is the cover. Who doesn't love this cover. I'm a huge fan of the black and white look on covers. They can speak to you so much louder sometimes without having all those colors under the rainbow. The font is very pretty and the model's dress is to die for. I can see how this would represent Dawn in the book. Great job to the team behind the cover.
Darkness Becomes Her is a collaboration between a mother and son team. This team really did their homework and wrote a great book. You might begin reading this book and feel it has similarities to Julie Kagawa's new book The Immortal Rules, but having read both the only similarities is that each book has vampires and its a dystopian. Other than that the story lines are very different. Each great in their own special way.
In Darkness Before Dawn we meet Dawn. She is a human living during a time that Vampire rule. Dawn has lost her parents and has taken the position of delegate to Lord Valentine for the humans. This is not an easy task for such a young person to take on. Add to that the crazy expectations from Lord Valentine, from how Dawn has to dress to visit him to what she can say. The lord you can say in stuck in the old days. Dawn main goal is to maintain the peace treaty between humans and vampires. Of course Lord Valentine wants more blood donated, which Dawn sees as a problem. She must think of creative ways to get the humans to want to donate more blood. All this while still attending school where she is either respected or made fun of because of her position.
Then one night Dawn receives help when she gets attacked, she believes her savior is one of the Night watchmen. Who serve to protect humans from the vampires. Well she eventually finds out that who she thought saved her was not who he really was. Dawn was saved by a vampire and to top that off, its Lord Valentine's son Victor. Victor (drool-worthy) doesn't follow by the rules and much less when they are coming from his father. Victor begins to appear at all times around Dawn and well this has Dawn questioning her relationship with her boyfriend who is trying to become a Night watchman. If Dawn's boyfriend or anyone really were to find out she is hanging around a vampire, its bad news. Dawn will have to try and understand what she is beginning to question about her beliefs on vampires and figure out what she is starting to feel towards Victor.
Darkness Before Dawn will keep you tied to the pages as you become engrossed in this world where Vampires rule and human are the cattle. You will probably not want to stop once you start. Each characters is well balanced and our assets to the story. When you think you know what is going to happen, you find out you weren't even close to guessing. I recommend this book to those who like dystopian, paranormal and romance all in one book.
Stop #11 - THE Immortal Rules - these are the actual rules for being a vampire
1. You must feed on human blood. To go without will drive you mad and force you into a frenzied killing state.
2. You must relinquish your human past and any loyalties you held as a mortal. Former friends and family will see you only as a monster now.
3. You can be killed by beheading, fire, or exposure to direct sunlight. A wooden stake through the heart, while it will not destroy you permanently, will immobilize you and force you into hibernation.
4. You will heal from most other injuries, but your body will draw upon its own reserves to do so, and you must feed to replenish them soon after.
Please visit http://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com/ for the next stop on The Immortal Rules blog tour.
About The Immortal Rules (Harlequin Teen; April 24, 2012; $18.99):
You will kill. The only question is when.
In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.
Unregistered humans cling to the fringe, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.
Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.
About New York Times Best-Selling Author Julie Kagawa:
To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time. Her third novel, The Iron Queen, became a New York Times bestseller and her debut novel, The Iron King recently won the RITA award for best young-adult fiction novel of 2010.
Julie now lives in La Grange, Kentucky, with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian shepherd who is too smart for his own good and the latest addition, a hyperactive papillon.
You can follow the full blog tour for The Immortal Rules by CLICKING HERE. Visiting the schedule, you will also see a chance to enter for the grand prize a Kindle touch with a one-of-a-kind Immortal Rules case cover.
Don't miss Julie while on tour. She will be visiting: Saturday, April 28th at 2pm - The Bookstore, Radcliff, KY / Monday, May 7th at 5:30 pm - Lincoln's Loft, Hodgeville, KY.
Now here at Once Upon a Twilight thanks to Harlequin Teen we have one SIGNED copy of The Immortal Rules to give out to one of our followers. Read below to enter.
by Andrea Cremer (ARC)
by Gayle Forman (audiobook) - Yara - Thank you Sabrina @ by Tahereh Mafi - Yara, Jenny, Ana & Deitre (personlized copy)
by Veronica Rossi - Yara, Jenny & Ana (personalized copy)
by E.L. James - Yara & Ana (personalized copy)
by E.L. James - Yara & Ana (personlized copy)
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This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won. 
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