Upon Further Review - A Court of Wings and Ruin

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, # 3)

By: Sarah J Maas

Publication: June 2nd 2020 by Bloomsbury Publishing (first published May 2nd 2017)

736 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything—and everyone—she holds dear.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers—both magical and political—and her love for her court and family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the fate of Feyre’s world is at stake as armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy it.

I went back and re-read my original review of A Court of Wings and Ruin. Honestly, I pretty much covered it all, but there's a difference between the way you inherently feel reading a book for the first time compared to the second. And that's a lack of disappointment (for the most part) because you already know what's going to happen. You aren't surprised, but you're not reading with any hopes or expectations beyond what you already know is going to happen.

That being said, I didn't end the previous book as irritated with the characters' situation. If anything, I was actually more excited to jump into this book than I was the first time. I also didn't find things as annoying the 2nd read through. Feyre's time with Tamlin's court wasn't so dreaded. I read with excitement for her reunion with Rhys rather than the dread of not knowing how long she would be there and separated from Rhys. I also wasn't so annoyed with my predictions being right because as I said already, I already knew how every single piece would go.

If anything, this read-through gave me space to appreciate how things couldn't have (well I guess they "could" have) gone any different. I just mean that the way they did go made the most sense even if I originally found it a little predictable. I enjoyed the journey more this time.

The one thing that sparked as strong of a reaction the second time reading this book as it did the first time was Mor's big revelation. I guess I blocked that from my mind because I really forgot that's what happened. And I was just as ticked off at her for how she chose to treat Azriel over the last 500 years. She knew how he felt about her, but instead of having an honest conversation with someone who is one of her closest friends, she used him. I am so beyond ticked off. Still. I went from thinking that she was one of the strongest characters to feeling like she was one of the weakest and certainly one of my least favorite.

This re-read also sparked my burning desire to know more about the side characters. Elaine & Lucien. Azriel. Cassian & Nesta. I need to know more. I hope we get some relief and answers soon.

Overall, I enjoyed A Court of Wings and Ruin much more the second time reading it. Not having any expectations allowed me to appreciate the story as it was rather than factoring in the expectations of my experience. A Court of Wings and Ruin now gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read A Court of Wings and Ruin? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Upon Further Review - A Court of Mist and Fury

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, # 2)

By: Sarah J Maas

Publication: May 3rd 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

626 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Since finishing A Court of Thorns and Roses for a second time, I could not fathom not reading A Court of Mist and Fury given what I know is to come. This book has perhaps the best reveal in any book or series I've ever read. I mean this rivals the Snape reveal from Harry Potter and truthfully might be even better. Seriously! I knew immediately that I needed to re-read this reveal. I couldn't wait to see how each piece fit since I knew what was going to happen from my previous read through. And it was just as good the second time through as it was the first.

I went back and read my original review. In it, I complained about the first 30% being slow for me because of the negative place Feyre was in. This time it didn't bother me at all because I knew where things were heading and why those events needed to take place. I also mentioned feeling like I was on a rollercoaster the first time through, but of course, that also wasn't an issue for a re-read since again I already knew what was going to happen.

I did spend this re-read focusing a good bit more on the side characters. Or well pay attention to their stories. Because even though we learn more about each of them, the series ends in a way that there are open storylines for each and every side character. I can't wait for more of their stories. Az, Cassian, Elaine, and Nesta. Those were my favorite side characters. I still need more.

I mentioned the big reveal already but this book has one of the single best relationship builds I've ever read as well. Feyre specifically goes through such a vast transformation from the beginning of A Court of Thorns and Roses to the end of this book. The emotional and mental connection is so deep and the foundation so solid that I wish many other authors would take note of how to build a relationship the right way. Rhys is revealed in just the right amount at the right time. Piece by piece.

I did find myself annoyed yet again with the ending of A Court of Mist and Fury. The crew went into a mission with too little planning and relying on too much luck. Lots happened and left several of the characters in peril. Ultimately, I again understand why Sarah J Maas chose this path since I've read the series before, but I still felt angry about the events. Just the fact that I could feel so strongly about a book I've read before says a lot.

Favorite (non-spoiler) quotes from my re-read:

-“There are a great many things that I wish to do, and don’t get to.”

-Lucien had come to patch me up a few times, but no one risked quite so much in keeping me not only alive, but as mentally intact as I could be considering the circumstances. Just as he’d been doing these past few weeks— taunting and teasing me to keep the hollowness at bay. Just as he was doing now.

-“To the people who look at the stars and wish...”

-“To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.”

I can't believe I ever considered giving A Court of Mist and Fury anything but 5 Stars. This book is by far my favorite of the series. It has one of my all-time favorite relationship build-ups and reveals of any book I've ever read. Re-reading this book was not an option. It was a MUST. And I felt just as much the second time through as I did the first. Tears pricked my eyes. Anger filled my belly. 5 Stars! Have you read A Court of Mist and Fury? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Upon Further Review - A Court of Thorns and Roses

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, # 1)

By: Sarah J Maas

Published: May 5th 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

421 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae, Faeries

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

So I've actually read A Court of Thorns and Roses before (here's my original review). I used to love to re-read but I haven't felt like I've had time to re-read over the last couple of years. I originally borrowed the series from Holly. So when I saw A Court of Thorns and Roses available for review, I jumped on it.

My biggest excitement about doing a re-read of this series was the big reveal that comes in book 2. And I knew that so much of book 1 is set up for that one moment, so I was excited to go back and see how much foreshadowing I might have missed and just see the setup coming. And honestly, I have to say it was just as good the second time as it was the first.

I remember my friend Lacy warning me that A Court of Thorns and Roses had a slow start, and I remember not being as put off by that the first time as I expected given her warning, but this time it was even more noticeable for me because I knew exactly how far I needed to read before the action started picking up and given what I know this time that I didn't know before had me uninvested in aspects of the story that I originally devoured. I can't say too much because I don't want to spoil the story for new readers. Fans who have already read this one will know exactly what I'm talking about.

One thing I complained about in my original review is that Sarah J Maas has a tendency to over-describe. I don't need to know what every meal consists of, what each character is wearing, or what each place looks like to the point of not needing to imagine or fill in the blanks myself. I can't tell you how many times I skimmed during this read-through because the description was just too much. This was especially difficult for me when the action picked up the last 30% or so of the book. In those intense moments of action, I need to move along quickly. And given the length of her novels, I personally think it would be beneficial to trim some of the excess descriptions.

I really hadn't thought much about how I would feel like I needed to continue reading the remaining books of the series after finishing A Court of Thorns and Roses, but I mean duh! A Court of Mist and Fury might be one of my all-time favorite build-ups and reveals ever. So, of course, I need to read that!

Favorite quotes:

-It took me a long while to realize that [...], whether he knew it or not, had effectively kept me from shattering completely.

-“Everything I love has always had a tendency to be taken from me.”

-“Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”

I think my original rating of 4 Stars stands for me. I am tempted to give it 4.5 because I know just how much of this book builds to that pivotal moment in the next. But truthfully I still agree with all of my original reasons for rating it 4 Stars. Too much description is my biggest negative. Upon Further Review of A Court of Thorns and Roses, the final verdict is 4 Stars. Have you read A Court of Thorns and Roses? What did you think? Let me know!

Upon Further Review - PS I Like You

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

PS I Like You

By: Kasie West

Publication: July 26th 2016 by Point

304 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes.

My original review of PS I Like You (which I realize I just published last month).

After reading PS I Like You the first time, I thought about re-reading it immediately. The reason for that is that you find out that not only did Lily find out who her pen pal was before she revealed herself to him, but he also figures out that she is who she is before revealing that to her. And so not only was this just a generally good and enjoyable book the first time through, but I was completely interested to see how said pen pal behaved once he figured out who Lily was and how that fit into everything that Lily was experiencing.

And even though I did thoroughly enjoy my second read through of PS I Like You almost as much as the first time. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more written in to Pen-Pal's behavior after he discovered Lily's identity than there was. Of course, I picked up on a few things since I knew during this reading when he actually figured out who she was, but I wanted just a little bit more depth here. I feel like even though I enjoyed the book as much as I did the first time, that this was a little bit of a missed opportunity.

Another thing is that in a second read through, I'm even more interested in the love story than the first time. Since I'm already acquainted with the characters and their backstories I wanted to skip all of that and get to the good stuff which made the beginning feel a little longer to me than it did the first time. Overall, I still read this book for a second time within three days which is not too shabby at all for a first read or a second read.

The deciding factor for me to pick up and re-read PS I Like You was that I was in a bit of a reading slump at the time. I wasn't reading anything at all. And really wasn't even in the mood to read. So I finally decided to read something that I knew I would enjoy since I enjoyed it the first time. Ultimately, I do think a 4 Star rating for PS I Like You is a better rating than the 4.5 Stars that I initially gave it. It is still a really great book, but being caught up in finishing it late at night had me boosting the score just a smidgen more than I feel like it probably deserves. Still a completely solid read with all the feels. Have you read PS I Like You? What did you think? Let me know!

Upon Further Review - Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, # 1)

By: Laini Taylor

Published: September 27th 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

424 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Angels

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!) (I also own the audiobook version)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My first experience with Daughter of Smoke and Bone was in the form of the audiobook version. While the narrator, Khristine Hvam, does a wonderful job narrating the audio version, I'm so glad that I was able to read the kindle version too. As a matter of fact, I'm actually quite glad that I was able to listen to the audiobook version first. For one, there are so many names and words used that I wouldn't have known how to pronounce without hearing them out loud. But also, Khristine Hvam does such a great job with Zuzana's voice in the audiobooks that she was really brought alive as a character. I'm afraid I wouldn't have put as much life in her had I just been reading the book for the first time.

That being said, Laini Taylor's world is so creative, yet complex. It's almost too much to absorb on the first read through in my opinion. All of the places and terms and people were a lot for me to absorb the first time. I'm not 100% sure if that's because I wasn't reading the kindle version the first time and instead listening to the audiobook or if it really is borderline too much.

I'm actually afraid that I might have spoiled a bit in my original review of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It's such a hard book to discuss due to the nature of how the information is presented. We start off with Karou who has a unique job of running errands for her foster father of sorts, Brimstone. Karou thinks Brimstone is just a tooth collector, but we find out that these teeth are used for something that Karou could never have imagined. All she knows is that magic is real and her "family" is not human. But she has to keep this a secret from her friends and teachers.

One day as Karou is running one of the many errands for Brimstone, she runs into Akiva--a Seraphim who has been at war with Karou's monster family for years. But Akiva sees something in Karou that he can't look past. He doesn't know exactly what draws him to her at first, but he can't deny it.

Karou and Akiva don't have an insta-love relationship, but upon my second "reading" of Daughter of Smoke and Bone I was surprised by how quickly things do seem to progress between these two. I can see this being an issue with readers who are really against relationships that develop quickly.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is split into two main parts. There's the now and then really the second part of the book is more of a flashback. That's about all I can say without saying too much. I wasn't excited about the second part of the book in my original experience with Daughter of Smoke and Bone, but when I got to the end of the book all of the pieces fit together in such a way to make up for the split. I usually struggle with books that suck me into one storyline and then change directions with an entirely different story or feel. But since I know the entire story (and series) at this point, the redirection wasn't near as bad as my first experience. As a matter of fact, I was able to absorb so much more information during this read through than my original listen.

Because audiobooks are extremely hard to quote from, I'm so glad that I have the kindle version to share some of my favorite quotes with you now.

-"Does he think if he just dangles his boy bits at you like a cat toy you'll go scampering after him?"

-For the way loneliness is worse when you return to it after a reprieve--like the soul's version of putting on a wet bathing suit, clammy and miserable.

-"I don't know many rules to live by," he'd said. "But here's one. It's simple. Don't put anything unnecessary into yourself. No poisons or chemicals, no fumes or smoke or alcohol, no sharp objects, no inessential needles--drug or tattoo--and...no inessential" ... "either."

"You don't have to be afraid, Karou. How could it be awful? It's you. You can only be beautiful."

My second experience with Daughter of Smoke and Bone was even better than my first. Because I listened to the audiobook first, I was able to hear Khristine Hvam's voice for Zuzana, and I knew what all of those crazy words and places and names were. And of course because I know how it all ends, I loved seeing the pieces of the puzzle while knowing the entire picture. I originally rated Daughter of Smoke and Bone as 4 Stars. I think that rating stands. Have you read or re-read Daughter of Smoke and Bone? What did you think? Let me know!

Upon Further Review: Carter Finally Gets It

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

Carter Finally Gets It (Carter Finally Gets It, # 1)

By: Brent Crawford

Published: April 2009 by Disney-Hyperion

300 pages

Genre: YA, Realistic Fiction, Comedy

Source: Free Audio Download from Sync Audiobooks

( Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, The Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Meet Will Carter, but feel free to call him Carter. (Yes, he knows it's a lazy nickname, but he didn't have much say in the matter.)

Here are five things you should know about him:

1. He has a stuttering problem, particularly around boobs and belly buttons.

2. He battles Attention Deficit Disorder every minute of every day unless he gets distracted.

3. He's a virgin, mostly because he's no good at talking to girls (see number 1).

4. He's about to start high school.

5. He's totally not ready.

Join Carter for his freshman year, where he'll search for sex, love, and acceptance anywhere he can find it. In the process, he'll almost kill a trombone player, face off with his greatest nemesis, suffer a lot of blood loss, narrowly escape death, run from the cops (not once, but twice), get caught up in a messy love triangle, meet his match in the form of a curvy drill teamer, and surprise the hell out of everyone, including himself.

HERE’s my original review of Carter Finally Gets It. Periodically, I just get in a mood where I want to read (or listen) to a book that I know what to expect from. When Top Secret Twenty-One (Stephanie Plum, # 21) by Janet Evanovich didn’t have me rolling on the floor or laughing out loud, I decided that I need something that was going to make me laugh and something that I knew what to expect and therefore, if I spaced out for a bit because of work then I wouldn’t miss anything too much. And so Carter Finally Gets It fit that bill. I remembered this book having me literally belly laughing when I first listened to it, and so I wanted that again.

Obviously, I knew where all of the funny parts where listening to this audiobook a second time, but man that did not hinder this book’s ability to have me rolling. I was trying so hard to hold my laughter in since I was listening at work, but it just wasn’t possible. One time a coworker came to my desk to discuss a work project, and I just had to sit there for like 5 minutes or so trying to get myself together. It was embarrassing. But oh so funny. Upon my second listen, I can see where this book might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Carter Finally Gets It appeals to a specific type of humor, but it just happens to fit mine perfectly.

Carter Finally Gets It has more of a story than I ever expected. It was hilarious to see how clueless Carter was in general but especially when trying to deal with the opposite sex. He has no clue and his hormones get him into more than one mess. As a female, I couldn’t help thinking “Is this how it really is for guys?” I want my husband to listen to this book, but he’s not been in the audiobook kind of mood lately—and if he finds that mood then we have to finish listening to Harry Potter first. But in an industry that is mostly dominated by female narrators—or at least dual narratives—this is probably my favorite young adult book solely narrated by a male character. The language was more noticeable to me this time. Even though Carter doesn’t drop any f-bombs, other language is used pretty frequently.

I sang and sang the praises of Nick Podehl in my original review of Carter Finally Gets It, but I just have to sing them again. This book would have still been funny without him, but it would not have been AS funny without him. I said it before, but I’ve never found a narrator that commits to a part or a book as Nick Podehl committed to Carter in this book. It was awesome. And I’m tempted to go hunt down other audiobooks that he’s narrated, even if the book itself wasn’t originally on my TBR list.

I originally gave Carter Finally Gets It 4 stars. I gave it a 5 for the narration and a 3.5 for the story. I don’t know guys, I’ve yet to overturn an original rating, but I think the storyline for Carter Finally Gets It might be better than I originally thought. Since this was my second time through this book, I picked up on a lot of the little details that escaped me last time. I feel good about bumping the storyline up to 4 Stars, which would give my overall rating of Carter Finally Gets It 4.5 Stars. Have you read (or listened) Carter Finally Gets It? What did you think? Let me know!

I also forced this audiobook on a friend who was in a major need of a laugh about the same time that I listened to it, and she loved it too. I always worry that I’ve built it up too much, but that’s just another validation for me that this book is as good as I originally thought—and shoot…better.

Upon Further Review - Grave Mercy

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, # 1)

By: Robin LaFevers

Published: April 3rd 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

549 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Source: Free Audio Download from Sync Audiobooks

( Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository )

Goodreads description--Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

HERE’s my original review of Grave Mercy. I was originally drawn in by the cover of this book. A girl standing in front of a castle wall in a big dress and holding a crossbow. Um…yes please. Then to find out that we’ve got assassin nuns! Does it get much better than that? Yes, yes it can!

Ismae’s backstory took a little bit longer to set up this time through than I remember upon initially reading it. But since listening to this on audiobook, it didn’t take THAT long. Plus I knew what was coming. I knew that Ismae was still a novitiate when she was sent out on her first assignment, and even after that while being assigned to Duval. But I didn’t remember how much Duval gave her flack for being so “green” and unexperienced. He is outspoken about it on numerous occasions. But even still, Ismae proves her worth time and time again.

Speaking of Duval, I loved the banter that he and Ismae had at first. Neither trusts the other to begin with and it was really a slow building relationship and trust that only came from being proven with time and circumstance. I didn’t remember them being as combative at first. Theirs was an easy relationship to root for.

I discussed in my original review how much I loved the reasons why Duval and Ismae come to each other. It’s not just a physical attraction that they have. They’re both attracted to character and behavior just as much as physical attraction.

One particular bonus from listening to the audiobook was all of the French words got pronounced for me. I mean I struggled through reading them and kind of made up my own pronunciations, but it was nice to finally hear them correctly. Some of the words were so far off from what I was saying in my own head that it took me a minute to realize who (or where) the narrator was talking about.

I didn’t discuss this in my original review of Grave Mercy, but I did in Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart, but I absolutely love the symbolism used in this entire series—specifically the parts that pertain to Mortain. It was a nice way to add a religious flare to the books without feeling beat over the head with anything.

My original rating of 4.5 Stars still feels like a pretty good rating to me. I still love this series, and I can’t wait to re-read the other two. Have you re-read Grave Mercy? What did you think? Let me know!

Upon Further Review: Believe Tiny Limits

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

*So I’ve been in a bit of a reading funk lately, right? October was not a good reading month for me. And so I thought that re-reading some books that I already knew what to expect, how they end, and that I knew I would enjoy would be a great way to motivate me and move me out of my reading slump. (*Disclaimer: I did re-read Ten Tiny Breaths well before the reading slump began, but I just hadn’t typed an Upon Further Review post about it and felt like this was the perfect time to include it.)Here's my original review of Believe, my original review of Ten Tiny Breaths, and my original review of Pushing the Limits.

Believe (True Believers, # 3)

By: Erin McCarthy

Published: January 21st 2014 by InterMix

232 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!!)

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Robin used to be a party girl… until she got black out drunk and woke up in bed with her best friend's boyfriend. Now she's faced with being THAT girl, and couldn't be more disgusted with herself. She can't even tell her friends the reason for her sudden sobriety and she avoids everyone until she meets Phoenix—quiet, tattooed, and different in every way that's good and oh, so bad…

Phoenix is two days out of jail when he meets Robin at his cousin's house, and he knows that he has no business talking to her, but he's drawn to her quiet demeanor, sweet smile, and artistic talent. She doesn't care that he's done time, or that he only has five bucks to his name, and she supports his goal to be a tattoo artist.

But Phoenix knows Robin has a secret, and that it's a naïve dream to believe that his record won't catch up with them at some point. Though neither is prepared for the explosive result when the past collides with the present…

Believe was my favorite from the True Believers series by Erin McCarthy. I loved the way that Robin’s big secret was beginning to be set up at the end of Sweet. And more than anything, I liked seeing a character make a terrible mistake, feel remorseful, and then work towards making things as right as she could. Trying to be redeemed.

The Robin from before this epic mistake is not a Robin that I would have related to at all. I never was a partier and still don’t even really enjoy being around others who are drinking. So I wouldn’t have been able to connect to her. But I most certainly can relate to someone who makes a big mistake, feels awful about it, and then tries to do what she can to fix it.

Phoenix is the perfect counterpart for Robin. Phoenix has made his fair share of mistakes as well. Being fresh out of jail and all. Yet the reason why he went to jail isn’t even one of the things he would consider a mistake. Either way because Phoenix understands, he’s able to offer Robin what she needs—acceptance and forgiveness. He was an easily likeable leading male for this book.

Upon my re-read, I did focus in on how quickly Robin and Phoenix’s relationship progresses. They’re declaring love for each other and moving forward on a physical level at a ridiculous pace. But you know how things like time don’t always translate on paper. I initially rated this book 4 Stars, and the whole point of my Upon Further Review features is to see if this rating still stands for me or not, and well…it does. Believe deserves every one of those 4 Stars. I mean it has to say something that it hasn’t even been a year since my first read through of this book and I’m already pulling it out for a re-read, right?

Have you read Believe? What did you think? Would you consider re-reading it? Let me know!

Ten Tiny Breaths (Ten Tiny Breaths, # 1)

By: KA Tucker

Published: December 11th 2012 by Papoti Books

262 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from my SNL, Holly @ Words Fueled by Love

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Goodreads description--Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

After picking up In Her Wake, which is Trent’s version of the Ten Tiny Breaths events, I was dying for a re-read of this book. And re-read it I did--in like a day. So essentially, even though In Her Wake is slightly different, I’ve still experienced Trent and Kacey’s story in some form or other THREE times in the last year. I don’t feel like I have anything else to really add to my original reviews of either Ten Tiny Breaths or In Her Wake, except to say that even after experiencing this story as many times as I have, I still feel like Ten Tiny Breaths deserves the 4.5 Stars that I originally gave it. Knowing what I now know about Trent’s perspective, Ten Tiny Breaths was even deeper, and where his motives and actions didn’t make sense before, they do now. I highly recommend this book.

Have you read Ten Tiny Breaths? What did you think? Is it worthy of a re-read for you? Let me know!

Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, # 1)

By: Katie McGarry

Published: July 31st 2012 by Harlequin Teen

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--So wrong for each other …and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

So I originally read Pushing the Limits a little over two years ago, right? And I loved it. So much so that I couldn’t even really discuss it at the time in any kind of intelligent way. I only seemed to keep repeating “READ THIS BOOK!” Well I always planned to re-read it, but with blogging and reading books for review sometimes books that I want to read for pleasure get pushed to the side, and that’s doubly true for books that I want to re-read. But since I’ve been in this reading funk, I just really wanted to read a book that I knew what to expect and knew I would love. I didn’t want unpredictable. I didn’t want being able to see any train wrecks yet be powerless to stop them. I just wanted to get pulled into a good book and love every minute of it.

And thank goodness, that is exactly what happened for me during this re-read of Pushing the Limits. Because I was able to relax with the story since I knew what to expect and what was going to happen, I was actually able to appreciate Katie McGarry’s writing style better during this read through. I was able to see that she gives you enough information without spelling things out for you that you can begin to form ideas about the characters without being given their entire backstories up front. I was able to see that just picking one word can change the meaning of a sentence (e.g. the difference between using the word walk/stalk/strut) and the impression that the sentence makes. I was able to see that just a sentence or two of description is all that’s needed for me to paint a picture in my head of the scene surrounding these characters. Brilliant.

I will say that Noah’s marijuana usage was more of an annoyance to me in this read than in the first—and it bothered me in the first read as well. It just seemed like he was constantly talking about it almost. Also, I didn’t pick up on this in my first read through Crash Into You (and I can’t remember who said it in a review that I saw), but yes Isaiah’s drug use was entirely too easily explained away in Crash Into You. Of course, I was paying close attention to that in this read of Pushing the Limits. While Isaiah didn’t seem like the instigator, he definitely didn’t seem like he was as anti- as he tells Rachel in Crash Into You. But for me that’s just a minor annoyance.

I totally forgot that Pushing the Limits brought tears to my eyes the first time I read it until I went back and re-read my original review of it. But I say that it did, so I believe myself! (HA!) And that happened this time too. You’ve got to know that a book is really good if it can make you cry (or almost cry) during a second reading. If the emotion is that raw even when you know how the story ends, then that’s some good writing.

I originally gave Pushing the Limits 5 Stars, and I can uncategorically say that I still agree with that rating. I’m so glad that I was able to re-read it. And it only took me about two days to re-read it as well. That’s how much I was hooked even the second time. Plus Breaking the Rules is coming up in about a month (at the time of writing this review--I've since actually finished it) and I’m dying to get my hands on it. So I’m glad that I was able to get a refresher before picking that one up.

Have you read Pushing the Limits? What did you think? Could you see yourself giving this one a re-read? Let me know!

Also, please tell me you guys got what I did with the title of this blog post!

*My reading slump really went from October through November. December was definitely a better reading month for me. I usually type my reviews as soon as I finish a book, but I'm scheduled ahead on blog posts anywhere from a month to three months out.

Upon Further Review: The Hunger Games

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

Here's my original review of The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, # 1) by Suzanne Collins.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, # 1)

By: Suzanne Collins

Published: September 14th 2008 by Scholastic Press (first published January 1st 2008)

374 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Source: Personal Kindle Library

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Goodreads description--Winning will make you famous.
Losing means certain death.

In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

In my first review of The Hunger Games, I focused mostly on how the plot twists didn’t surprise me because my friends warned me ahead of time not to get attached to any characters and how basic humanity remains the same despite the world that we live in (or fictional world we read about). I still find both of those things to be true. Obviously there were still no surprises for me this time because this was a re-read, but the basic human emotions still go deep. I didn’t feel as much of what Katniss was feeling in this read through, but that could have been because I was actually listening to the audiobook. The narrator, Carolyn McCormick, did an okay job. I wasn’t overly impressed with her narration though. I will say that I find reviewing The Hunger Games to be a bit difficult. It’s such a well-known and loved book, but also because the sequence of events and how when we get Katniss and Peeta’s backstory is just as important as what happened in their backstory.

The Hunger Games starts out pretty somber. It’s the Reaping Day which the Capital wants everyone to celebrate as a holiday, yet each district is forced to send two kids to participate in the Games and fight to the death. Katniss is entered multiple times, Gale is entered a total of 42 times, and Katniss’ younger sister Prim is only entered once. The odds of Prim getting pulled are so low, but as we learn, the odds are never really in their favor. Prim’s name gets called and Katniss doesn’t hesitate to volunteer to take Prim’s place. Since their father died when Katniss was eleven, she’s taken on the major role of providing for her family and keeping her mother and sister safe and fed. It’s a huge burden and responsibility to place on an eleven year old girl’s shoulders, but as we humans often do, Katniss did what she had to in order to survive and to keep her family alive. Peeta has lived a very different life from Katniss. Because he’s the son of the baker, he’s never really gone without food. And Katniss is nervous when Peeta gets picked as the male tribute for District 12 because she feels like she already owes him her life. How can she kill someone who once saved her?

As you can imagine, going into this whole process knowing what’s being required of you—to kill other people or be killed yourself—has to be taxing on any and every emotion you have. From the disgust of the Capital’s extravagance when just about everyone in Katniss’ district is starving, to being asked to kill other people. The emotions are off the roof and all over the place. From the moment Katniss volunteers as tribute she has to begin the portrayal of a strong tribute. She can’t allow herself to cry because even the Reaping is televised. And this literal “game face” is essential to her survival throughout this entire book.

I also mentioned in my original review how any time I start a new book I’m keeping a lookout for the love interest. I make note of phrases like, “There’s never being anything romantic between X and me,” “Maybe there’s nothing romantic between us, but when he opens his arms, I don’t hesitate to go into them,” and “Oh no! Not him!” And so if there’s a love triangle I normally try to base which character I’m rooting for off these kinds of statements and pick the one I think the main character feels the most for. In my first reading of The Hunger Games, I felt very adamant about my choice. And while I still agree with my choice, with this second reading, I definitely felt Katniss’ confusion more.

Katniss has no clue where Peeta stands and what his thought process is throughout the entire book. Even when Peeta is being utterly honest with Katniss, she’s so paranoid of being tricked that she doesn’t believe him. From Peeta crying during his goodbyes, to knowing their history and how Peeta saved her life that one day with the bread, to his strategy to train together and then alone, and even his interview with Caesar…Peeta is constantly keeping Katniss on her toes and she never knows what to think about him. She can’t see the real motivation behind Peeta’s actions. Even when it’s spelled out for her and no matter how many times Peeta saves her life, Katniss thinks it’s all an act. All she knows is that she owes him a debt that she can’t quite figure out how to repay.

Peeta himself is one of my favorite characters. He’s constantly from the beginning working out how he can ensure that Katniss leaves the arena alive. I don’t know if it’s because of the way he feels about her or because he genuinely doesn’t think he’ll survive (thanks mom for the vote of confidence), but he is utterly determined to make sure that Katniss doesn’t die. Every step he makes the entire time is for her. And it’s this selflessness that guarantees his own survival. Without it the viewers in the Capital would not have been so in love with his story of young love. Without it Katniss never would have done all she could to help him as well. His feelings for her carried them both through.

Favorite quotes:

”District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety.”

Maybe if I had thanked him at some point, I’d be feeling less conflicted now. I thought about it a couple of times, but the opportunity never seemed to present itself. And now it never will. Because we're going to be thrown into an arena to fight to the death. Exactly how am I supposed to work a thank-you in there? Somehow it just won’t seem sincere if I’m trying to slit his throat.

Pity does not get you aid. Admiration at your refusal to give in does.

Before I can stop myself, I call out Peeta's name.

”Remember, we're madly in love, so it’s all right to kiss me anytime you feel like it.”

"Besides, it's the first gift that's always the hardest to pay back."

You guys I could keep talking about The Hunger Games for days. I took at least 4 pages of notes when listening this time around, but I’ll spare you all of my notes. I left out spoilers as much as I could. Overall The Hunger Games was an emotional read for me—the first time and this second time. I was impressed both times with the utter desperation that these characters feel. How utterly terrifying it would be to be thrown into this situation from any single character’s perspective was all that played in my mind. To find love but have it ripped away from you. This is why The Hunger Games turned into such a franchise like it has. The world building was wonderful, sure, but it’s the basic human emotion that carries any world that extra mile.

The Hunger Games still gets 5 Stars from me. Have you read The Hunger Games? Have you re-read it? What did you think? Let me know!

Upon Further Review: Last Sacrifice

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

As you guys know, I've been re-reading the Vampire Academy series. Check out my From the Ashes reviews of: Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, and my Upon Further Review of: Spirit Bound. Last Sacrifice also gets an Upon Further Review post instead of From the Ashes because I actually semi-reviewed it before. I can barely stand to look at my old posts much less call them reviews. As with Spirit Bound here's my attempt to make up for that.

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, # 6)

By: Richelle Mead

Published: December 7th 2010 by Razorbill

594 pages

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy, Vampires, Urban Fantasy

Source: Own in multiple formats

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Goodreads description--They come first.

My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.

The dead could finally have me.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back...and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?

Join Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, and Lissa in Last Sacrifice, the epic, unforgettable finale to Richelle Mead's international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series.

I read Last Sacrifice the first time immediately after its release in December 2010. Along with Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice was one of the first books I ever did a post about. Seriously, that post is so embarrassing I didn’t even want to link to it. I didn’t know anything about writing a book review at that point.

I’m not really sure how I feel about the Goodreads description above. In some ways I feel like it gives too much away and yet it’s deceptive at the same time. I’ve been discussing how Richelle Mead is a foreshadowing magician, right? Well it all culminates in Last Sacrifice. Everything that’s been set up and alluded to has come out. But does she stop there? Absolutely not. She goes on to foreshadow and set up her Bloodlines series with Last Sacrifice. I love it.

I only took 3 pages of notes this reading of Last Sacrifice because my 6 pages of notes from Spirit Bound was so overwhelming I had a hard time even using them to write my review. Too much information is just as hard to muddle through as not enough. Either way, just the fact that these books are worthy of note-taking—and they are!—is enough to make them top rated books for me. So let’s dive in. Again….spoilers for Spirit Bound (book 5) and all previous books.

At the end of Spirit Bound, Rose and Adrian have just had a very sensual night together. Having not gone all the way, Rose does let Adrian drink from her which is totally taboo. The evidence is on her neck the next morning when she sneaks out to get breakfast. She stumbles upon Dimitri who acts like he wants nothing to do with her at first. They begin talking about the new dhampir age decree, and then the guardians swoop in and try to arrest Rose. Dimitri fiercely protects Rose from them in a way that can only come from someone who has the history that they have together. Rose is eventually arrested for the murder of Queen Tatitana because she talks Dimitri into backing down. And that’s essentially where we pick up with Last Sacrifice. Rose is still in holding for this crime.

Abe, Rose’s father, has taken on the task of defending her. He’s sworn to her that she won’t be convicted or executed for this crime, but time appears to be running out. I know I’ve been talking about him since he first showed up in Blood Promise, but I just love Abe. He’s snarky, sarcastic, a flirt, a mobster/gangster, dresses like a pimp, and his faith in his daughter is nothing short of endearing. Even though Rose and Abe haven’t had a very long relationship, it doesn’t take years for them to click and to depend upon each other. Rose could easily have that “I didn’t have a dad” victim mentality, but as she discusses at the end of the book, she’s never had a victim mentality at all—and it’s one of the reasons why I love her character so dearly.

Lissa is the strongest in Last Sacrifice that we’ve ever seen her throughout the whole series. She started the series as a character that I struggled connecting to, but has come out on the other side being a character that I can respect. She isn’t going to let Rose go down for this crime she didn’t commit, and instead of letting Rose take care of everything like she normally does, Lissa steps up and takes charge to take care of Rose this time. She executes her plan with poise and grace, even when bumps in the road come. As I said, I’ve come to respect her a lot. Now there is some pieces of her behavior at the very end of the book that had me furrowing my brow in slight confusion but nothing too bad. Also, as I’ve said in every single review of this series, the bond between Lissa and Rose is the perfect way for Richelle Mead to have dual narration without actually having dual narration. So smart.

The biggest thing for me with Last Sacrifice is Rose and Dimitri’s relationship contrasted with Rose and Adrian’s relationship. I’m going to try to be as vague as possible here, but proceed with caution. I don’t condone Rose’s treatment of Adrian. She doesn’t always take him seriously. She uses him even when she’s not fully aware that she’s doing it. Sometimes Rose almost treats Adrian with scorn. This should not be the way you think about the person you’re with—your other half. Rose never intended to be forever with Adrian. She tells his mother as much in Spirit Bound. She cares about him, sure, but she sums it up by saying “I should have said we strengthen each other. He makes me want to be a better person. We understand each other. I didn’t motivate him,” and “We have fun together.” While my heart aches for Adrian, I love how utterly raw he is with Rose about how he’s feeling. He tells her some harsh things in a harsh way, but they’re things she needs to hear. And the same goes for her. While she’s in a position that can’t really defend her actions and he might not want to hear the truth, she is completely right about their relationship.

Obviously in contrast, Rose and Dimitri do better each other. They make a great team. Dimitri is willing to fight for Rose, for her life, even if that means forfeiting any life of his own to go on the run with her. He comes alive with her after having been dead. After feeling the extreme guilt over his actions as a Strigoi. Rose is the only one who knows how bad Dimitri really was as a Strigoi. She’s the only person he can share those feelings with because she’s the only one who saw him at his lowest. When Dimitri kind of goes off the deep end and kills Donovan in a messed up attempt to atone for his Strigoi days, Rose is the only one who can bring him out of it by showing him that he can’t possibly have any Strigoi left in him because he’s able to see the beauty in her—in the world. Seeing how beautiful a second opportunity at life after being Strigoi really is, Dimitri can’t help but want to live his life to the fullest. That includes being with Rose—what he ultimately wants and is scared he’s lost forever. He wants her to be happy, even if that means she’s with Adrian—or someone else. And Rose…well look at every single thing she’s done since Shadow Kiss. Every move she’s made has either been in service to Dimitri and her love for him or in service to Lissa and her love for her. Rose has matched Dimitri moment for moment, sacrifice for sacrifice. Rose and Dimitri match. They fit.

Of course, not everything in Last Sacrifice revolves around the Rose/Dimitri/Adrian love triangle. Lissa, as we found out at the end of Spirit Bound, has a sibling and the sibling must be brought to court so that Lissa can have her family backing and vote on the counsel. Rose, Dimitri, and Sydney are out and about searching for Lissa’s long lost sibling while Lissa, Christian, Adrian, Eddie, and Abe are back at court investigating Tatiana’s murder in order to prove Rose innocent. Politics still infest the Moroi at court as elections begin for a new monarch. And Spirit continues to play a vital role in both sides as spirit dreams, Strigoi healings, aura watching, compulsion, telekinesis, and charming various silver objects abound.

Favorite quotes:

“Of course not. Why do anything without a reason?” – Abe pg 16

“Ah, my daughter," he said. "Eighteen, and already you’ve been accused of murder, aided felons, and acquired a death count higher than most guardians will ever see." He paused. "I couldn’t be prouder.” – Abe pg 64

“You’ve always been my equal, Roza.” – Dimitri pg 72

“Impossible situations are our specialty...” – Rose pg 94

“I don’t need luck, Roza. I’ll always find you.” – Dimitri pg 117

“I've seen you too. Ozera. Crispen, right?” ... “So what brings you and Christopher here?” ... “But you just got here! I was hoping we could get to know each other." It went without saying what he went by that. "Oh. And Kreskin too.”– Blake Lazar pgs 316, 317, & 321-322

“Fighting is easy. It’s why we fight that matters.” (I don't remember who said it and therefore wasn't able to find it searching through the book. If anyone knows, please let me know in the comments, and I'll update this.)

“...it was better to be alone with my self-respect than to be in the wrong relationship.” – Rose pg 486 - amen Rose, amen!

“Ah, Belikov," said Abe, shaking Dimitri's hand. "I'd been hoping we'd run into each other. I'd really like to get to know you better. Maybe we can set aside some time to talk, learn more about life, love, et cetera. Do you like to hunt? You seem like a hunting man. That's what we should do sometime. I know a great spot in the woods. Far, far away. We could make a day of it. I've certainly got a lot of questions I'd like to ask you. A lot of things I'd like to tell you too.” – Abe pg 589

Last Sacrifice is an excellent series ender. Everything wraps up nicely but in a way where it doesn’t feel forced or overly predictable. As a matter of fact, the true killer for Tatiana’s murder was a pretty good surprise the first time reading it. Richelle Mead pulls in pieces from even the very first book and references them again in Last Sacrifice which I love. The characters continue to grow and change, and I love them even more in this book than I did in the beginning. Last Sacrifice is witty as Richelle Mead tends to throw in those one-liners here and there for the right characters at just the right moments. It’s passionate and yet methodical. I love it. Last Sacrifice easily gets 5 Stars from me for an overall 5 Stars for the series. Have you read Last Sacrifice? What did you think? Let me know!

Upon Further Review: Spirit Bound

Upon Further Review is an original feature here at Somewhere Only We Know. I have always loved re-reading my favorite books, and I wanted a way to incorporate re-reading into my blog. Thus From the Ashes and Upon Further Review were born. From the Ashes is where I re-read a book that I have never reviewed before and finally review it. Upon Further Review is where I re-read a book that I've already reviewed and see if my original rating stands or not. This is also the time for me to discuss any new revelations that my latest re-read has brought to my attention.

As you guys know, I've been re-reading the Vampire Academy series. Check out my From the Ashes reviews of: Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, and Blood Promise. Spirit Bound gets an Upon Further Review post instead of From the Ashes because Spirit Bound was actually one of the first post I ever wrote. I can't even call that a review. I wasn't sure where I was going with the blog at that point, and I had NO idea how to go about writing a review that had any substance. Here's my attempt to make up for that.

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, # 5)

By: Richelle Mead

Published: May 18th 2010 by Penguin Razorbill

489 pages

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal

Source: Personal Library (own in multiple formats)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

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Goodreads description--Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

I don’t normally do this, but due to the cliffhangers between each book I must state that there will be spoilers for Blood Promise (book 4) and or any previous Vampire Academy book in this review of Spirit Bound. It can’t be helped. If you haven’t read the four Vampire Academy books before Spirit Bound then PLEASE stop reading here!

Now….Let’s discuss briefly the ending to Blood Promise for just a minute. Rose traveled to Russia to find Dimitri and kill him, thus freeing him for a state of being that Dimitri-the-dhampir would never have wanted to be in, right? Right. Well at the end of Blood Promise, Rose has finally made her decision to kill Dimitri. It can’t be helped. It’s him or her. And she stakes him. Right before finding out that there’s a Spirit user out there in the world that claims to have brought a Strigoi back to his/her previous state of being (Moroi, human, dhampir). How heartbreaking must it be to have killed the person you’re in love with after you’ve tried so hard NOT to kill them, only to find out that there’s possibly a way to save them? BUT…guess what…Dimitri didn’t die! No sir! But now instead of Rose hunting him, he’s decided that he’s going to hunt her. And that’s essentially where we pick up with Spirit Bound.

I was always Team Dimitri in these books, though I like Adrian and am so excited about what’s happening with him in the Bloodlines series. This reading of Spirit Bound I was particularly aware of comments that Rose makes throughout the book to indicate where her heart truly lies. There might be a triangle between these characters, but Richelle Mead makes it clear that the way Rose feels for Dimirti is completely different from the way she feels for Adrian. Because I have a newfound and deeper love for Adrian as a character, I was struck rather brutally with how unfair to him Rose is in their relationship. She rarely sees Adrian as being able to overcome the persona that she’s pinned on him. While I can understand how she’s come to see him the way she does, it isn’t really fair to him or to herself. Or to Dimitri.

Some of the aspects that play a major role in Spirit Bound are so embarrassingly foreshadowed in the previous books that I’m truly, truly ashamed that I missed them in my first reading. There’s that f-word again. I’ve mentioned it in every review of this series, but Richelle Mead’s foreshadowing is some of the best I’ve seen. I can’t wait to see how everything ends with the Bloodlines series so I can go back and re-read it knowing the bigger picture and what foreshadowing details I’ve missed already.

As with the field experience laid out in Shadow Kiss, I love how the trials were set up to test the dhampirs in order for them to rank and then graduate. It seems such a small but brilliant addition to their curriculum and a right-of-passage. I love that Richelle Mead included this in Spirit Bound. And as one would expect, the trials in no way compared to what Rose has already gone through in her real world experience having been kidnapped by Strigoi and decapitating two of those, fighting in the battle at St. Vladamir’s that resulted in countless Strigoi deaths, and her international Strigoi hunt to try to kill Dimitri. Yeah…some Guardians pretending to be Strigoi just isn’t going to match up to that. And of course, Rose’s days of big adventures out in the real world aren’t even close to being over. They’re only just beginning.

I touched on this earlier but with each reading of this series, I’m impressed with how much Rose has to go through things like this. We pick up Spirit Bound with Rose receiving taunting letters from Dimitri which is a constant reminder that he’s no longer the man she fell in love with. She has to take her trials without her mentor there like the other students have. The lengths she goes through to try to save Dimitri and change the rest of the Moroi world is above and beyond someone who has fallen in love and had her heart broken. And she doesn’t even get the credit for all that she’s put in, all that she’s lost.

As I said before, with reading the Bloodlines series I’m more in tune with the things going on with Adrian, and I think more than the things that Rose suffered and went through in this book, Adrian totally beats her on that. He’s done nothing but try to be the supportive boyfriend, even when Rose’s mission becomes about trying to save her ex-boyfriend. Adrian continues to get pushed aside, misunderstood, underestimated, undervalued, and generally kind of walked over. I hate it for him, but I’ve said before that he needed these experiences to change him, to make him stronger, and to get him ready for the events he must face with Bloodlines. It’s all for the greater good.

Typical of the other Vampire Academy books, Richelle Mead peppers this book with the sarcastic, the witty, and the downright humorous. With characters such as Abe, Christian, Adrian and Rose, the comedic relief is all over the place. Rose banters with Stan, with Victor, of course the typical comments to Christian and with Adrian. But Adrian and Christian give it right back. Abe is such a flirt and he uses that to his advantage in Spirit Bound. I can see how easy it would be to fall for his charm. He is still one of my favorite characters in the series despite having such a small role in this book. I love with is being done with his character and how he and Rose are developing their relationship—as strange as it is. (Would it be too much to ask for an adult series revolving around Abe? With Rose's mom too maybe?) Shoot even Lissa had me cracking a smile a time or two, specifically when defending Christian’s good looks to Rose. Mia, Robert. Seems like almost everyone is gifted a line or two. Drunken sod anyone?

Speaking of secondary characters, we see Jill, who’s babbling self seems so different from how she’s grown and matured in the Bloodlines series. There’s Eddie who I’ve said multiple times now that I would love to have his own series. He’s so loyal, he follows Rose into her big master plan without a single question as to why. He literally trusts her that much. Though Eddie doesn’t take Rose’s mission lightly once he finds out what it is. He isn’t afraid to stand up to her and give her a dose of hard to swallow reality that she desperately needs. Everyone needs friends like Eddie in their lives.

I really enjoyed Lissa and Christian’s interactions in Spirit Bound. Because of the bond, Richelle Mead gets the dual narration from Rose seeing into Lissa’s head. So while we left Blood Promise with Lissa and Christian breaking up, it was obvious that both of them still care for each other in Spirit Bound. The way that they find their way back to each other through the means of working on a neutral task was really enjoyable. I liked seeing Christian show his protectiveness over Lissa. Not in a possessive kind of way. No, Lissa has the possessiveness covered. But Christian just genuinely cares for Lissa to the point where he always wants to have her back and look out for her best interests despite how much she’s hurt him in the past. I loved it. Christian knows Lissa better than she knows herself. His observant nature has always been a big draw for me.

Lissa is back to her stronger self now that she and Rose are united. They go into battle metaphorically speaking, and Lissa holds her own. As a matter of fact, so much of this story and plot of Spirit Bound is essential to Lissa. She has a big role to play and she’s eager to fulfill her role, to do her part, to make a difference, not just for her best friend and former guardian, but for the entire Moroi world. Lissa is ready to step into the political role her parents’ death has left in their world, but she has some resistance of course preventing her from doing so. But it doesn’t prevent her from doing whatever she needs to do.

I could spend days comparing Rose and Adrian’s relationship to Dimitri’s or Sydney’s, but time wouldn’t be on my side, you’d get tired of hearing me ramble, and spoilers would ensue. I literally took six and a half pages of notes while going through Spirit Bound this time, and as per usual what I most want to discuss is spoilerish in nature—the best parts always are. Spirit Bound was full of twist and turns my first time reading it. I should have seen certain events coming that I just didn’t. And the ones that were more obvious, I just wasn’t sure how they would play out, if all would be a success, or everything would blow up in the characters’ faces. But so much happens and cliffhangers are left. And well…Spirit Bound still lives up to the 5 Stars I originally rated it on Goodreads for me. Have you read Spirit Bound? What did you think? Let me know!

Since I mentioned Bloodlines so much in this review, check out my reviews of Bloodlines, The Golden Lily, The Indigo Spell, and The Fiery Heart.