Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall

Series: Penryn & the End of Days, #1

Author: Susan Ee

Date Published: August 28th, 2012

Publisher: Skyscape

Rating: 4.5 Stars

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again. 

My Thoughts:

Review- The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Date Published: April 24, 2012
Source: Gifted by a friend <3

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness…

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for… again.

Enter Julie Kagawa's dark and twisted world as an unforgettable journey begins.

My Thoughts:

Okay. Why did I wait to so long to read this? I'd heard nothing but great things about The Immortal Rules, and now I can see why.  It was such a refreshing and exciting book! The explanations, characters, and the worldbuilding were all so well thought out and described. I felt like I was there in the future with Allie, feeling and experiencing what she was.  I will say, this is definitely one of the darker YA series out there, so if blood and guts and the like make you queasy, than you might not be ok with certain parts of the book.  

As I mentioned, Julie Kagawa really created a really interesting dystopian world. Normally with dystopian books, I tend to find a lot of plot holes or inconsistencies, but I didn't really notice any while I was reading. And really I didn't go looking like I normally do, because I was so engrossed in what was going on.  There was so much action and conflict that I couldn't wait to turn the page. I was left guessing as to whether the characters I had met were going to make it out ok!

The main character Allie (Allison) was one tough girl! She had survived so much and had had a really good head on her shoulders.  I really admired how she was able to survive in such a crazy world. Honestly, I don't know if I could do what she had to do.  I admit, sometimes I got really frustrated with her, but she really grew on me.  Kanin was a character that I just loved from the start. I immediately found myself wanting to know more about him, and I just bonded with him right away. Zeke was another character that grew on me. There was more to him than I originally thought. One thing that I especially liked about Zeke was the goodness and optimism that he exuded. I hope he never changes. I'm a little worried though.

This is a series that I will definitely be continuing! It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I have out what happens next. I must admit I'm a bit nervous, but I'm excited to be with Allie again, and see where she goes.

4.5 Stars



Book Blitz: PODs by Michelle Pickett (with Excerpt and Giveaway)

PODs

by Michelle K. Pickett

Release Date: 06/24/13

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Paperback/ebook

312 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

 

Goodreads

 

Excerpt

 

“Who ate all the damn strawberries?” Aidan yelled. “I was saving them for my cereal.”
“I did. Use the banana,” Josh said.
“A banana isn’t a strawberry. I marked the container with my name. You’re a jerk—”
The container hit the metal wall of the chute with a crack. I always jumped when it did that. I hated it. It reminded me of the banging and crunching we’d heard when Cam’s sub-POD was cut off from the main.
“It’s not time for our blood checks,” I said.
“Maybe it’s strawberries. I’d really like some strawberries… Josh,” Aidan said, an edge to his voice.
“Drop dead,” Josh replied, never looking up from his computer.
David got up from the table where we were having breakfast. Taking the container from thechute, he pulled a manila envelope out of the basket.
He dumped the contents on the table for everyone to see. Inside were ten name badges, onefor each of us. Our photos— except Faith’s— and names were printed on one side; the other had barcodes. David scanned the label on the envelope, his face growing pale. “What’s it say, David?” I whispered.
“‘The seals to each sub-POD will be broken tomorrow morning. Do not attempt to leave your sub-POD. Officers will give residents directions and escort them to their appropriate area topside.’ That’s all it says.”
“It’s over,” Tiffany murmured, pulling the baby close.
“Hot damn! Finally, I’m free of this tin can,” Josh jumped up and hurried to the guys’ bedroom.
Well, at least Josh is happy. Why aren’t the rest of us? I thought we’d be excited. But instead everyone looks… anxious. What will we find up there? What has the world become?
“Well, guess we should start packing up our stuff,” Aidan said.
 “Yeah, I guess so,” Seth agreed, rising slowly from his seat, rubbing his hands up and down his thighs.
One by one, everyone walked to their sleeping areas and started packing their belongings—except me. I sat in the living room alone, flicking the corner of my name badge with my fingernail. The lanyard wound so tightly around my fingers they turned red. My insides were quivering, jittery. Something wasn’t right. For fifteen months we’d all looked forward to the moment we could leave, but now that the time was here it felt… wrong.

Praise for the Amazon Bestselling PODs:

"5 Stars! I loved this book. I have been kind of bogged down with dystopias lately, but this was amazing. It was so cool to see life before the 'event', to see Eva wrestle with her choices and then, to watch her change as she lived inside the PODs...Yes, there are zombies. Yes, there's a little romance. But I think, at its heart, PODs is a coming of age story about Eva and how she grows from a girl into a strong, decisive woman during this period of absolute destruction. And Pickett writes it beautifully." ~ Sherry Ficklin, author of "Extracted "

"I was blown away by this debut novel from Michelle Pickett! Rather than feeling like I was reading a book, I actually sometimes felt like I was actually watching the characters' lives progress; it was kind of weird! The emotions that Eva felt were so raw and real, and I think Michelle really captured the emotions that one would be feeling in a post-apocalyptic world...PODs may very well be one of the next big things in YA, so I am very happy to have been one of the ones that was part of the beginning of it all! Congrats Michelle on your YA debut and I am looking forward to more by you!  I gave PODs a well-deserved 5/5 stars!  " ~Phil book reviewer at Stack of Hardbacks

“5 glowing, sparkling stars for this one!...I absolutely adored every character Michelle introduces us to. This book isn't just about a romance, or two people fighting some battle. This book allows us to get to know several, amazing, diverse characters who all grab your heart (even a few who have attitude issues). They all held such an important place in the story… Now for the plot. Holy crap!... Michelle did a flippin' fantastic job giving us each piece of this puzzle… I won't go into details about what happens after they are removed from the POD but O-M-G! The action never stops…This book seriously needs to be a movie. I could picture every detail and already see it playing out on screen. PLEASE SOMEONE MAKE THIS HAPPEN!”  ~Jessica of Total Bookaholic

Buy Links:

 Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million / The Book Depository / Walmart

 

About the Author

I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order.  I write young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction and paranormal romances and have recently started dabbling in young adult contemporary romance. Reading was one of my earliest passions, writing soon followed. I began writing seriously during college where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery.

I’m addicted to Reese’s peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write, have an abnormal obsession with hoodies and can’t write without one, and I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows on television. An unabashed romantic, I love a swoon-worthy ending that will give me butterflies for days.

I wrote my debut young adult novel, PODs, in 2011. PODs, a science/fiction, post-apocalyptic romance, will be released June 4, 2013 through the amazing Spencer Hill Press.  My second young adult title, Milayna, a paranormal romance, will release through Spencer Hill Press beginning in March 2014. Milayna is a standalone, with series potential. It’s meant to be a trilogy. The Infected, a PODs novel, will release November 2014. It is the second, and last, book in the PODs series.

I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan.  I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a snooty cat.

Keep up-to-date with my current, future projects, appearances, and fun giveaways at www.michelle-pickett.com.

I always love to hear from readers, bloggers and other authors!

Find me here:

Website│Email│Blog│Facebook│Twitter│Goodreads

Giveaway

First place: Signed copy of PODs, tote bag, and swag (US only see note for international)

Second place: Signed copy of PODs and swag (US only see note for international)

*International winners will receive a print copy of PODs only if www.Bookdepository.com delivers to their country. Otherwise they will receive an e-book. Swag will not be included.

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