The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge

The review of The Nightmare Garden I promised several posts back:

Aoife Grayson is on the run, not just from her mistakes, not just from her Iron madness, but from the rivalling influences that each want to use the unique powers of her Weird for their own sinister reasons. When she destroyed the Lovecraft Engine, Aoife had no idea what she was getting herself into, and now she will pay the price.

The worlds are becoming unstable, her destruction managed to somehow uproot them and it won't be long before the worlds come crashing down. Creatures from other worlds are already slipping through to the Iron Land and Aoife has to find a way to turn back time, to stop herself from ever believing the words of the manipulative fae, Tremaine.

When Aoife hears whispers of a mysterious Nightmare Clock, it's almost too good to be true but the lies and secrets that are twisted around the rumours make it impossible to discern truth from lie. Time is working against her, and Aoife must find the Clock before it all tumbles down...

-------o_O---------

ok. So, Book Two of the Iron Codex series.

It took me a while to remember all the details and happenings of the previous book, but that's the good thing about the Nightmare Garden, it gives you some of the details of what happened in the Iron Thorn, but it doesn't bore you with exhaustive details. It gives you enough so that it all comes rushing back and as you go through the book, you pick up on more things and basically add that to the image formed in your head.

The idea behind the Nightmare Garden, and the entire series, is very intricate and also very original, Caitlin Kittredge really does know how to write a book :) It's different and will keep you reading, wanting to unravel all the secrets it holds.

I enjoyed the characters, and what they had to contribute to the story. They were all very complex, though I found that some characters, whilst prominent in the first book, weren't as important in this one. Cal, for example, played a huge part in the Iron Thorn but wasn't really essential to the story in the Nightmare Garden. Dean is still present and as confident as ever though, so that's a bonus :)

Aoife was a little irritating at certain parts in this book, at least she was to me, she seemed to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. I mean seriously, shouldn't you learn from your mistakes? She was rushing things and running from people who genuinely wanted to help her. She was brave, I don't doubt that, but she was also very stubborn. She is a very realistic character though, she's not perfect and she's not invincible but she still manages to get around.
One thing that can be said about Aoife is that she is loyal and determined, she has a lot on her plate for a 16 year old, and you truly can't blame her for some of the things. I can't say I agree with some of Aoife's decisions but I'm sure she will find a way to fix what she has broken.

At around 430 pages, the Nightmare Garden is quite thick, but don't let the number of pages discourage you, because before you know it; the pages will be gone. There is always something happening within the pages of the Nightmare Garden, never a dull moment when Aoife Grayson is around. The writing style is easy to follow and it manages to draw you in, so that you feel connected to the story.

Now. beware the massive bombshell at the end. It will blow you away. It will.
**sobs**
I'll be reading the third book when it's released and I will report!

The Nightmare Garden is a spectacular package of steampunk action, with scheming fae and flesh-eating monsters. It will stun you with its action and enthrall you with its magic!

Live Chat with Becca Fitzpatrick

Watch live streaming video from goodreads at livestream.com

WATCH IT WATCH IT WATCH IT.
I'm so sorry that this is up so late...
I just discovered that you could embed the video :)
hehehe

Hush Hush Book 4 Title!!

Ok.
Currently watching a LIVE chat with Becca Fitzpatrick and the title was revealed!
wait for it...
**drum roll**

Finale

oh it's perfect!
It fits with the whole musical theme thingy

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

AND the fourth book will be the last, if you haven''t caught on with the title.... :)

Soooo excited. Words cannot express my excitement. eeeeeeeeeeeee

The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge

I'm currently reading this as a galley and won't be able to post the review until January 14, but I'd like to share with you all a chapter sampler of the Nightmare Garden, book two of the Iron Codex series.

The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge

Pure by Julianna Baggott

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters.
We will, one day, emerge from the Dome to join you in peace.
For now, we watch from afar, benevolently.

The Detonations changed everything. The searing bright lights destroyed homes, lives, the world as we knew it. The small fraction of people that survived live with the consequences, their bodies are fused with whatever it was they were close to during the Detonation... concrete, furniture, animals... and even other humans.

Pessia Belze spends her days dreaming about the Before, about a carefree life with a myriad of bright colours and hopes. She'll turn sixteen in a few days, but instead of the gifts and parties that those from the Before were given, Pressia will be taken away to be trained as a soldier, and if she's too weak... to be used as a live target. Her only hope to survive is to run from her life, from all she has known.

Patridge Willux is one of those privileged enough to reside in the Dome, and escaped the Detonations unscathed. Those inside the Dome live an easy life, almost unaffected by the Detonations, their bodies are still healthy and perfect... they are Pure. When Patridge discovers an intricate web of lies and schemes, he begins to challenge all that he's been taught, including the death of his mother, who may still be alive... outside of the Dome.

The mystery surrounding the Detonations are slowly unravelling, but one thing is for sure, it will end in a Bang.

------o_O-------

yep. that was my blurb :)

Let me just say that this was Pure brilliance! There was action, there was action... and there was action. Did I mention there was action? :) hmmm... the thought must have slipped my mind. :D

Ok. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, Pure was magical, the way it just manages to incorporate in all the things that make a book. The story was one that I could not put down with twists and turns running wildly throughout the book. Pure was unique, the ideas that Julianna Baggott came up with were, simply put, a tad scary.The details that she managed to put in honestly makes one shiver at times, and downright scream (in your head though) at others. One could argue that the idea of mutants or domes have been used before, but it's the way that Julianna Baggott writes about them, in her own style, that makes the ideas her own. Having said that, Pure was also beautiful, the way the writing just seemed to flow poetically, the words complemented each other, it was a pleasure to read. The story was fast paced and as aforementioned, action packed.

The story is told from a range of characters, each introduced into the story at the appropriate times, I've probably said this in my others reviews, but I love it when a story has multiple perspectives, it just gives the book more freedom to develop and to change dramatically without warning. There are some books that are completely destroyed because of the unnecessary use of perspective changes, but Pure isn't one of them. Yes, once again the name of the character you're viewing the story from is shown at the beginning of the chapter along with the chapter name except for riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight at the end, but by then it's pretty clear who it is.

The characters were brilliant... Pressia. She's not that fake too preppy, too perfect heroine that so many stories have. No, she's a survivor and she has her own strengths and skills. She's also very selfless and caring which is of course is a very nice thing to be :D
Overall, I think she was the ideal character for Pure.

Then you've got Patridge, Bradwell, El Capitan, Lyda and the other characters in between. They all have their own stories and they're all completely essential to the plot. Remove one, and the story just isn't complete. They're all so unique, Julianna Baggott has done an amazing job creating these characters.

I'd also like to mention the extensive research, it sounded professional and really helped to develop the story. It's always good if an author knows what they're writing about :D

Pure was absolutely riveting, and I can honestly say, it's one of my favourit-est (I don't think that's a word :3 ) books of this year.

Loved it!

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

A world created by Robin Bridges where the supernatural resides among the normal and clueless. There you have Katerina Alexandrovna, a young debutante and Duchess of Oldenburg. Her gift is one she considers a curse, for she can raise the dead. After having kept this fact a secret for many years, a small slip-up to protect a member of the Imperial family plunges Katerina into a world she's never known.

Her necromancy attracts the unwanted attention of several rival parties, each wanting her gift for their own agendas. Lies and schemes surround her, and Katerina no longer knows who to trust. The increasing number of deaths of the Tsar's guard causes rumours and theories to swirl through the courts: someone is hunting these men, and it's up to Katerina to find who.

Faced with the ultimate decision, Katerina must decide who she will aid and who she will turn to.

--------o_O----------
Well, what can I say?
The Gathering Storm was simply fascinating, a magnificent blend of supernatural, romance and intrigue. Necromancy is something that has always enthralled me, it's dangerous but it's got this spark about it. One that can make or break a book.

At first, Katerina doesn't want anything with what she considers her curse, but as events occur, she realises that she doesn't really have a choice, for others have made it for her. And then she's faced with a terrible decision, one that could completely alter, not only her life, but the lives of many.

I think it's safe to say that Katerina is a reluctant heroine, she doesn't want anything more in life than to become a doctor and discover the cures to many diseases. She's a very considerate character who is selfless but not without her moments of courage. and without these, the book would cease to be half as excellent as it is.

Despite her upbringing in a society where girls are bred only to be shipped off to a rich aristocrat with a flashy title, or to form an alliance, Katerina has a bit of a rebellious streak, wanting to marry for love, wanting to become a doctor, and this makes her a very admirable character. Her determination, although she may be a little reckless at times, is another admirable trait.

The other characters in the book, were all different with various roles and personalities. They all had different parts to play and I had different reactions to all of them, the "villains" to be precise. Wow. They were eeeeeevvviiiiiiillllll. I think my skin is crawling from just the memory, the way they were described, their voices, appearance, all this added up to their overall image.

The plot of this book could only be said to be original, and unpredictable. I'll admit, I found myself a little lost with all the long names and the twisting plot, it was a tad overwhelming. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing though, I found the different style of writing to be all the more interesting.

With a taste of the first book, I can't wait to delve into the second... as soon as it comes out :)

Cover of City of Lost Souls

oh snap
this looks good... really good.
the cover. ooooooooh pretty cover.
**strokes laptop screen**

This is gorgeous!!! drool-worthy. And if the cover says anything about the actual story, it should be good.

I repeat: oh snap

Ok. I've read City of Fallen Angels, Book 4, and I have to admit, it didn't find it as amazing in comparison to the previous books.
It was still pretty good, but not as good as the others.

I really, really hope for the sake of millions of fans out there that this book will be good, and not just average good, scream-like-a-banshee and run-a-bloody-10km-marathon-in-a-duck-costume good.
So yes, my expectations are high, but I think, if Cassandra Clare puts her mind to it, City of Lost Souls can reach them.