Top Ten Books On the Top of My TBR List for Fall

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

This fall I am going to be in book heaven because there are so many new and awesome-looking books coming out! My current TBR pile is about to get so much larger...

1. Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions Anthology - Edited by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong (September 20)

I've never been into short stories, but I'm totally going to give them another shot because this book is packed with stories by many of my favorite authors!






2. The Mephisto Covenant - Trinity Faegan (September 27)

The cover of this book is super gorgeous and I just know that I need a beautiful finished hardcover copy of it for my shelf! I've been lusting after this one for quite awhile!






3. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin (September 27)

I've heard really great things about this book and read some great quotes from it on Goodreads... this is definitely a must-read on my list!







4. The Faerie Ring - Kiki Hamilton (September 27)

Another title that comes out on September 27 that I must get my hands on! That's going to be a great book day!






5. The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson (September 29)

It's written by Maureen Johnson and that's all you really need to know to want this book!







6. Angel Fire - L.A. Weatherly (October 1)

I have no idea when this comes out in the U.S., but I'm way too impatient to wait until it does, so I've already pre-ordered this from the Book Depository! This is the sequel to Angel Burn and I can't wait for more Alex!





7. Carrier of the Mark - Leigh Fallon (October 4)

I've read some really great reviews of this book. The summary really drew me in, and I want to read about the Ireland setting and this boy named Adam!






8. The Iron Knight - Julie Kagawa (October 25)

It's Ash's story and I am 100% Team Ash! I love this series so much, and I'm sad that this one actually is the last book of the series, but I have high expectations for it!





9. Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi (November 15)

The reviews I've seen for this have been wonderful, and I don't know how I'm going to wait another two and a half months to read it!







10. The Pledge - Kimberly Derting (November 15)

I love Kimberly Derting's Body Finder series so as soon as I found out that another story of hers was being published, it immediately went to the top of my list of must-reads!






I'm curious to see what you all are most looking forward to this fall--I'm sure we will have many of the same books on our lists, but I'm always on the lookout for new titles to add to my Excel spreadsheet of upcoming releases (no mocking, I'm sure some of you have one, too)! Meanwhile, maybe I should continue tackling my current TBR pile to make way for these books!

Review - The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

Title: The Demon Trapper's Daughter
Author: Jana Oliver
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Series/Standalone: Book 1 in a series
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads.com: It’s the year 2018, and with human society seriously disrupted by the economic upheavals of the previous decade, Lucifer has increased the number of demons in all major cities. Atlanta is no exception. Fortunately, humans are protected by Demon Trappers, who work to keep homes and streets safe from the things that go bump in the night. Seventeen-year-old Riley, only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing attraction to fellow Trapper apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving citizens from Grade One Hellspawn. Business as usual, really, for a demon-trapping teen. When a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood, she realizes that she’s caught in the middle of a battle between Heaven and Hell.


My Review:


I picked up this book for a very superficial reason: the cover was gorgeous! Luckily, I did like the story and enjoyed reading about demon trapping, which is something that I haven't read about before. 


Riley is one tough main character who sure has to deal with a lot of bad stuff in this book! Luckily, she has three friends (all male--no girlfriends) who support her. There's Peter, a nerdy school friend who is not involved in demon trapping at all, Simon, a fellow demon trapper apprentice, and Beck, her father's demon trapping partner. Though Riley considered herself to be Simon's girlfriend in the book, I personally was rooting for Beck, who is a few years older and more experienced in demon trapping. This book is the first of a series, so I hope she gets paired up with Beck in one of the following books. 


The story held my interest when I was reading it, but I found myself putting it down in favor of several other books on numerous occasions, which is a sign that, while I might like it well enough, it's not bound to be among my favorites. I'm sure I will pick up the sequel at some point (Soul Thief, the sequel, comes out tomorrow), but for now I need a break from this demon-filled world.


Rating: 6/10

In My Mailbox (4)

"In My Mailbox" is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. 

This has been such an awesome book week because I've been able to get my hands on several books that I've been dying to read!

Swapped:
Frost - Wendy Delsol
Fury - Elizabeth Miles
The Girl of Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson
Dreams of Significant Girls - Cristina Garcia
Uncommon Criminals - Ally Carter

Bought:
Sweetly - Jackson Pearce
Bloodlines - Richelle Mead (signed!)

For Review:

The Iron Knight - Julie Kagawa
(Thank you so much, Harlequin Teen and NetGalley!)

This is one of the top three books I've been looking forward to this fall because I LOVE the Iron Fey series and am one hundred percent Team Ash, so I was super excited to get this one!

Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley (thank you, Random House and NetGalley!)
Wanderlove - Kirsten Hubbard (thank you, Random House and NetGalley!)

What did you get this week?

Review - Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Series/Standalone: Book 1 in a trilogy
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads.com: Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal. 


Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. 


So much for normal.


My Review: 


Paranormalcy is such a fun book and has the cutest narrator ever. Evie, the very girly star of the story, was always making me smile or laugh! She is definitely a memorable character, equipped with her pink taser she calls Tasey. 


Evie desperately wants to be a normal teenager who does normal teenager things like attend high school and date boys, but because she can see through paranormal glamours, she is instead employed by an international agency to identify and bring in paranormals. This book is full of pretty much every paranormal creature out there--vampires, mermaids, werewolves, faeries--and then there's Lend, a shapeshifter in his own category, who wins Evie's heart and mine. I cannot wait for more of him in the next two books of this trilogy! 


I bought this book a year ago right around its release date because I knew that I had to have it because of its gorgeous cover. I'm very pleased that the story was just as awesome as the cover. This is yet another book that I'm glad I haven't had a chance to read until now (this is the story of my book life) because I have Supernaturally, the second book of the trilogy, on my shelf waiting and ready for me to read. 


One other thing: In addition to owning a physical copy of this book, I also purchased the audiobook through Audible to listen to when I couldn't sit down and read. If you are looking for a good audiobook, I would definitely recommend this one! Emily Eiden, who narrates the audiobook, has a really young voice that fits Evie perfectly and really brings her character to life. I actually found myself wanting to listen to the book over reading it, which has never happened before (I always prefer reading over listening to a story)! I'm glad to see that she also narrates Supernaturally because I'm planning on buying that audiobook, too. 

Rating: 10/10

My Book Boyfriend (2)

My Book Boyfriend is hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. 

My Book Boyfriend for this week is Po from Kristin Cashore's Graceling. Po is a Lienid prince with one gold and one silver eye who isn’t afraid to admit that his girl, Katsa, surpasses even his own strength and ability to fight. 

Po’s description: "He was taller than she was, and smooth in his movements, like a cat. Deceptively calm, ready to spring. A torch on the path nearby caught the glimmer of small gold hoops in his ears. And his face was unbearded, like a Lienid." - page 13


"His eyes were beautiful. His face was beautiful to her in every way, and his shoulders and hands. And his arms that hung over his knees, and his chest that was not moving, because he held his breath as he watched her. And the heart in his chest. This friend. How had she not seen this before? How had she not seen him? She was blind." - page 229


"'I know you don’t want this, Katsa. But I can’t help myself. The moment you came barreling into my life I was lost. I’m afraid to tell you what I wish for, for fear you’ll… oh, I don’t know, throw me into the fire. Or more likely, refuse me. Or worst of all, despise me,' he said, his voice breaking and his eyes dropping from her face. His face dropping into his hands. 'I love you,' he said. 'You’re more dear to my heart than I ever knew anyone could be. And I’ve made you cry; and there I’ll stop.'" - page 231

"She wiped her face on his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt warm in his arms, and calm, and safe and brave. And then she was laughing, laughing at how nice it felt, how good his body felt against hers. He grinned at her, a wicked, gleaming grin that made her warm everywhere. And then his lips touched her throat and nuzzled her neck. She gasped. His mouth found hers. She turned to fire." - page 241


"She shivered as he left her to go to the fire, and find water and cloths. He leaned into the light, and brightness and shadows moved across his body. He was beautiful. She admired him, and he flashed a grin at her. Almost as beautiful as you are conceited, she thought at him, and he laughed out loud." - page 243

Graceling is a YA fantasy novel and is one of the first books I read that got me hooked on young adult books. I strongly recommend that you pick up this book (and not just because it has a supportive and swoonworthy love interest in it, but that always helps)! 

 

Review - The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Title: The Beginning of After
Author: Jennifer Castle
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 6, 2011
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Source: Gift from friend

Summary from Amazon.com: Sixteen-year-old Laurel's world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel's life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss--a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways. Jennifer Castle's debut novel is a heart-wrenching, surprisingly witty testament to how drastically life can change in the span of a single moment.


My Review: 


I don't generally gravitate toward sad books, but I wanted to give this one a shot because I saw comparisons of it to Sarah Dessen's The Truth About Forever and Gayle Forman's If I Stay, both of which are books that I have enjoyed. 


The book takes you on Laurel's journey to recovering and going on with her life after both of her parents and her little brother die in a car accident. The pace of the book was much slower than I expected (it took me longer than usual to read it), but the slow pace was fitting for the story because one would expect that it would take a lot of time for someone to recover after such a tragedy. 


When I read stories with first person narration, I generally can slip into a character easily and "become" her, but in this case I felt like I was watching from the outside throughout the book. Maybe that's a good thing because I really wouldn't want to be in Laurel's situation, as she was suffering from so much loss, but I felt disconnected from the story. Additionally, even though Laurel was very intrigued by David, the son of the man who was driving the car in the accident, I never connected with him either.  I didn't really care whether they would get together because he just didn't interest me. 


I did love that Laurel began working at an animal hospital after the accident because I am a firm believer that cute animals can help a person heal! I loved the fact that she was able to save and rescue kittens, and I liked that she took care of David's dog, Masher, when he was away trying to sort out his own life. 


I feel like this is the type of book that I should like more than I actually did. I would recommend either The Truth About Forever or If I Stay (the books I saw this one being compared to) over this one if you want to read about people getting their lives back in order after losing loved ones. Despite not completely loving this book, I am glad I read it because I want to read more contemporary realistic fiction books and this was a start. 


Rating: 6/10

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.


I'm expecting to receive a bunch of books in the mail soon (some pre-orders that come out next week and some trades), but I got some great e-galleys this week, all of which are books that I am really looking forward to reading!

First off, I was able to get my hands on my most anticipated book for this fall (through S&S Galley Grab):

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

THANK YOU SO MUCH, Simon & Schuster!

I loved Kimberly Derting's The Body Finder (favorite book read last year) and the sequel, Desires of the Dead (one of my favorite books read this year), so I've been so anxious to read her new book that isn't a part of the series, but sounds very awesome!




From NetGalley (thank you, Egmont USA):

The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen

I pre-ordered this book (it comes out on September 27) because a book with a gorgeous cover like that just needs to be on my shelf! I've heard that the story is just as good, so I'm excited that I'll be able to read it before I get the finished copy next month.

Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

I actually ended up with a paper copy ARC of this book, too. If you are interested in my paper copy ARC, let me know and maybe we can work out a trade or something. I'd love to be able to pass this one on to someone who wants to read it!





More from S&S Galley Grab (thank you again, Simon & Schuster):

Past Perfect by Leila Sales (release date: 10/4/2011)
Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst (release date: 9/13/2011)
Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez (release date: 10/18/2011)
Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz (release date: 4/17/2012)

Does anyone know where we are supposed to send copies of our reviews to for S&S Galley Grab titles? I can't figure out the answer to this!

And I got one book through a trade:

Supernaturally by Kiersten White









What did you get this week?

Review - The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Queen
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Series/Standalone: Book 3 in the Iron Fey series
Source: Purchased 


Summary from Amazon.com: My name is Meghan Chase.


I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.


This time, there will be no turning back.


My Review:


This is one of those series in which each book gets better than the last. I loved diving back into this faery world (in fact, before I tried this series, I was anti-faery) and getting reacquainted with a cast of great characters--Meghan, Ash, Puck, and of course, Grim, my favorite talking fictional cat. Plus, we get to meet some new characters: in particular, I loved Razor, a Gremlin who reminded me very much of Dobby in Harry Potter. 


I am definitely a member of Team Ash and was very pleased about how many sweet moments there were between Meghan and Ash. Their romance is my favorite part of these books! Members of Team Puck need not fear, though, as Puck also is right by Meghan's side in her quest to seek out the new Iron King to save Nevernever and all faeries. 


I've had this book since it was published back in January, and I'm really glad that I haven't gotten around to reading it until now because I can't imagine having to wait nine months for The Iron Knight. The ending really left me hanging and wanting more. Now, I just have to wait two months (which still kind of feels like an eternity). I can't wait until I get to read Ash's story! 


Rating: 10/10

My Book Boyfriend (1)

My Book Boyfriend is hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. I'm super excited to participate in this meme because even though my blog is really new, I’ve been a reader of other book blogs for awhile and think this meme is the most genius idea ever! 

My Book Boyfriend for this week is Alex from L.A. Weatherly’s Angel Burn. Alex is an angel assassin who falls in love with Willow, a half-angel.

Alex’s description: “Half turning, I dawdled so that the dark-haired guy would catch up. He hesitated; then we made eye contact, and he walked slowly toward me. He had a medium build—slim, but with firm-looking shoulders—and moved like an athlete, confident in his own body. Something fluttered in my chest as I realized how attractive he was… Taking in the strong lines of his face, I suddenly wondered whether he was my age after all. He seemed older somehow. Not his muscles—half the guys at school worked out. But something about his eyes maybe. They were a sort of bluish gray, like a storm at sea.” –page 98

“Warmth filled me. I straightened up slightly, trying to see his face in the darkness. 'You really think that, don’t you?'

'What, that you’re beautiful?' Alex sounded surprised. 'You are. The first time I saw you, you were wearing these pink pajamas and a gray T-shirt, and you were making coffee… and I just couldn’t take my eyes off you.'” –page 322

“We kissed again. It grew deeper; Alex wrapped his arms around me, drawing me close against him. His back was smooth and warm. I ran my hands over it as we kissed, loving the feel of his skin, and almost went faint as his lips moved briefly to my neck and then found my mouth again." –pages 324-325

“Willow nestled against him. He smoothed her long hair down the back of her T-shirt, feeling its softness. In a few moments she fell asleep again, her breathing warm and regular against his chest. Alex kissed her head, his arms tightening around her. As he drifted back to sleep himself, he saw a brief flash of the thousands of angels streaming in, but right then it seemed distant, almost unimportant. The only thing that mattered was that he was lying in a bed holding Willow, their bare legs entwined. It was all he wanted to do for the rest of his life.” –pages 438-439

(Pictures are of a male model named Albert Reed found through Google images)

Review - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release Date: September 29, 2011
Series/Standalone: Standalone (companion)
Source: Gift from friend




Summary from Goodreads.com: Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. 


When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. 


My Review:


Stephanie Perkins is definitely one of my favorite authors of YA contemporary romance books. I loved Anna and the French Kiss when I read it earlier this year, and I was also very impressed by this companion novel. 

The best thing about this book were the characters. Lola, her two dads, and Cricket all had memorable personalities and I liked getting to know them. I also loved that I got to see both Anna and Etienne St. Clair more than I expected. This book is very similar to Anna, with lots of funny internal thoughts in the narration, and is a great feel-good book that provided me with a much-needed break from all of the paranormal YA I usually read. Another bonus of this book is that Cricket is a nice boy who wins, and I'd like to see more nice boys as love interests in the stories I read. 

In short, if you liked Anna and the French Kiss, then you'll like this book. I still would consider Anna to be my favorite of the two (because it had a Paris setting and lots and lots of St. Clair), but I was by no means disappointed in this book. A friend was kind enough to give me an ARC of this book, but I will definitely be purchasing a finished copy when it comes out next month. 


Rating: 9/10

In My Mailbox (2)

"In My Mailbox" is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren! 


I got quite a few great books this week:

Purchased:
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Both of these copies are signed! I wasn't able to attend one of the Ash to Nash tour stops, but I love getting autographed copies of books, so I ordered copies from Fireside Books & Gifts. I wish I had a really good indie bookstore close by, but I've gotten to support quite a few indie bookstores around the country by ordering signed books after various author events (this is my secret to how I've built my good collection of autographed books!). I've read Hourglass and consider it to be one of my favorite reads this year, and I'm super excited to read The Near Witch because I've heard great things about it!

Swapped (through Goodreads bookswap):
The McCloud Home for Wayward Girls by Wendy Delsol (this is not YA, but the author wrote Stork which is one of my favorite YA novels)

Gifted (from a friend):
The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

It was a really great book week for me! What did you get?

Review - Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Title: Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: September 5, 2011
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Source: Gift from friend

Summary from Amazon.com: Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.


Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.


My Review:

I was disappointed in this book. I really enjoyed The DUFF, so I looked forward to reading the author's second book. I thought this book was silly (I rolled my eyes on many occasions while reading), predictable, full of cliches, and then felt like an after school special with all of the major revelations the main character had in the end. Even though it was about a sex strike, the book seemed immature. 

What also made it difficult for me to fully enjoy this book is that I found the main character to be incredibly annoying. I felt like the author was trying too hard in building Lissa's character--yes, we get that she's anal through the zillion examples of her control freak tendencies. Enough already! However, the author does deliver a swoonworthy male love interest. The presence of Cash Sterling made up for many of the flaws in this book. 


I would recommend readers who haven't tried this author's books yet to read The DUFF because I think it's a much more polished book, and I would definitely point them toward the author's debut novel over this sophomore effort. 


Rating: 6/10

Review - Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Title: Last Sacrifice
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Penguin Group
Release Date: December 7, 2010
Series/Standalone: Book 6 (final) in Vampire Academy series
Source: Purchased


Summary from Goodreads.com: The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!


Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them.


My Review:


I did not want this series to end. I've had this book since its release date back in December, but have been saving it for a time in which I need a book I know I will love because these books are such treats. This is my all-time favorite series because I love the characters, the romance, the mystery, the humor... everything about these books! 


I thought this book was a great ending to the series, but not my favorite of the series. I was shocked by the revelation of who the murderer of the queen was, but had correctly predicted who Rose would end up with (I think everyone probably knew this!). 


Dimitri, Adrian, and Christian are among the top of my list of favorite male fictional characters. Thank you, Richelle, for giving us these three swoonworthy men! 


I am so sad to say goodbye to Rose's story. However, I am really looking forward to Bloodlines, also set in the Vampire Academy world and comes out this month, so that's helping me get over my depression about the end of my favorite series. This is definitely a series that I will reread again and again. 


Rating: 9/10 (my rating of the entire series is 10+/10!)

Review - Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

Title: Shift
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Series/Standalone: Book 2 in Shift trilogy
Source: Purchased

Summary from Amazon.com: Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

My Review:

Wow, this is definitely a sequel that is better than the first book. Don't get me wrong--I really enjoyed Shade, but I could not put this book down and read it in one day. The love triangle between Aura, Zachary (Scottish hottie) and Logan (ghost musician boyfriend) is a love triangle that's done right, as both Zach and Logan are likeable boys so Aura really does have reason to be torn between them. For the record, I am Team Kilt (Zach), but I still did like Logan.

In this installment, the choice between Zach and Logan is complicated by the fact that, just when Aura is ready to move on, a miracle allows Logan to become solid again for about a 15 minute window of time. Aura and Zach work together to find answers to how something like this can happen in addition to learning more about the Shift and Aura's mother's past. While a satisfying amount of information is revealed, there are still loose threads that will hopefully be resolved in the final book of the trilogy.

I'm sad that I have to wait until next May to get my hands on Shine, the third and final book, but I think I'll probably reread this one and Shade in the upcoming months to tide me over (maybe by listening to the stories as audiobooks because I'm curious to see if the narrator can bring Zach's Scottish accent to life!).

Rating: 10/10