Best Myth Story this year!!!
346463
I finished this in less then 1 day!! what more is their to say besides this maybe the next best thing for Mythology romance story that I have ever read that is next to The Goddess Test by Amiee Carter. I truly mean it this story blew my mind with every page that I moved unto I couldn't get over the amazing words that I was reading. At first to be honest I didn't like it then as I got reading it more and more I loved it and I have to say that it's worth the read for everyone.

*** I received this story for free in exchange for an honest review, see more of my review @ [...] on 3-21-14***
1187208
If you like Greek mythology, then I think you'll love this book. So many of Greek mythology's best characters are in DESTINED. And seriously, I can't help but love how Ms. Harrell took all of my favorite Greek myths and incorporated them into this story to make them so stinkin' faulous!

The main protagonists Psyche and Eros--you may know him as Cupid--are great together! Psyche wins me over with the beauty of a goddess, but the kindness of a saint. She's definitely flawed, but not in a way that makes her unlikeable. Eros, on the other hand, can't seem to let go of his past. It's the standard, "she did me wrong, now all girls are evil", stance. But, I can, safely, say both of these two have the absolute best of intentions throughout the entire story, but it just seems like everything keeps going wrong for them!

But, if I'm going to be honest, my favorite surprise of this book was Aphrodite. I think she may just be the most complex character in the entire book. And the way she gets used as a tool to form this story, is flawless. Absolutely amazing.

The reason I didn't give DESTINED five stars is because I feel like if you are a stranger, in any way, to Greek mythology, you may miss out on this book. There are so many references to Greek myths in here that aren't EXACTLY explained that someone, NOT up on their Greek, may be confused.
739892
I had the pleasure of reading Tur before Elsker, and I recommend you do too. It's free, so why not grab a copy?? ;) Although you don't have to necessarily read Tur first, I just think it is a great set up for the love story that unfolds in Elsker.

I was really excited to get to know Ull more, and if Inga's thoughts in Tur, on his reaction to knowing Kristia would step into his life any minute were anything to go by, I had no doubt this was going to be one fantastic, romantic story.

It was adventurous, fun, and I loved the mythology that went with it. All I know of Asgard is everything I've learned while drooling over Chris Hemsworth, and I enjoyed getting to know the other gods and goddesses. For me, this story was a wonderful and refreshing read because it took on the Norse mythology in a fun way, that stuck to everything I love about this genre but was also different and exciting.

I cannot wait to read the next book in this series to see where Bende will lead her characters.
1339058
I received an ARC for this book - but may I just say it's one of the best I've read! I first started reading Mary Twomey's stories when she was looking for reviewers on one of her other series, Undraland, and I loved how she brought in Norse mythology. I was super excited, clearly, when she started a new series based on Fillipino myths.

And may I just say she doesn't disappoint! The main character is absolutely amazing and develops well, as do the secondary characters. They all tie into the plot and make you want to figure out what else could possibly happen next! As always, the novel ends on a cliffhanger which just leaves you wanting more and keeps your interest piqued for the next book.

I would definitely recommend this, and any of her other stories, to anyone looking for a good read!
1879383
Could not be happier. There hasn't been a Mythos novel this good in quite some time! Will be recommending this to all my fellow Cthulhu Cultists. ^_~
2211318
I became a huge fan of this series from the first page of book 1, Curse of the Sphinx.  With Demigods and Monsters, I was pulled even further into Hope's world and fell even harder.  It had all of the elements I love... Greek mythology, a mystery to be solved, forbidden love, you name it.

Again, I felt so badly for Hope, rooting for her to find a way to break the curse placed on her.  In this story, she's pretty much on her own in a dangerous place surrounded by demigods who would kill her if they knew what she really was.  I loved the new strength and confidence she found in this story.  I loved the new characters,and the spark she tries to deny she has with her new mentor, Xan.  Seriously, I can't figure out which guy I'd want her to be with, because I really like them both for different reasons.

In this book, we get a deeper peak into the mythology of the story, demigods, the Greek gods themselves, and hints of what Hope must do to find the answers she seeks.  There were some amazing fight scenes in this story that had me on the edge of my seat.

Altogether, the author did an amazing job with this second book.  The story progressed further, new mysteries were revealed, as well as the new characters, which just added more flavor and depth to what I already though was going to be a great series.  The book read very quickly, and I finished it in no time at all.  I loved it and can't wait to see what happens next!
4854419
Such a great book! Greek mythology at it's best! Hades has a smoking hot club in Las Vegas, but he's not really certain what to do when he finds that one perfect lady! In true mythology fashion, it's packed full of intrigue, sexy characters, unwanted conflicts and finally the great climax, um...I mean perfect ending! Solera Winters writes phenomenal mythology stories. I love, love, love reading the tried and true stories that have a modern, sexy twist to them. Definitely a recommend! And I can't wait for book 2!!!!
795715
If you read one fantasy book this year PLEASE make it this one.
I saw a lot of people raving over this story and when it appeared on my recommendations, I decided to get myself the audio version from Audible and delve right in to Karou's world. And I am SO glad I did. As with most audio books it has taken me a while to reach the end of this book, but now that I have: I have to say that 12.5 hours was NOT enough. I'm so glad there are sequels!!!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is an epic story of fantastic beasts, an incredible war and an epic, mysterious love story that just keeps unfolding, showing you more hidden gems of amazing writing and talented storytelling in every single chapter. Characterisation is superb: even the characters that I hate, I still had to love their creation and existence (Thiago for one). The human and non-human characters are all so relatable and perfectly described so that I could picture the whole adventure really clearly in my mind.
I know from experience that this book can come off looking like just another YA fantasy love story from the outside, but once you're inside this story it's a whole 'nother thing! This book is a whole world to step into that you'll never want to leave: beautiful, joyous, tragic and so powerful that I'll be thinking about Karou, Brimstone and Akiva for a very long time to come! I can't wait to get some more storytelling from Laini Taylor - she is a writer to love for the rest of your life.
1448757
This was another amazing book I came across.  I'm really impressed on the author's information on myth, occult, and lore placement in the story to the point I question if there is some truth to it all.  The synchronicity and placement of all the myth stories from Egypt, Sumerian,Celtic, Greek, and etc, and  the scripture story of Enoch - Genesis chapter 7 after the Noah,  family, and animals exiting the ark after the Flood.  Is fluid to the point of been a missing book of the scriptures of who the Nephilim were and what the days were like when they ruled the earth. I enjoy the side plot points of explaining detail and connection of the nephilim, angels, and demons been the construct of myths we hear today.

I enjoyed both the prequel(This book) and Historia Regum Obscurum: Book 1.  Filling up origins of the supernatural entities of book one with the reign of the Dark Kings.

I have to admit out of all the side stories I enjoyed the plot points of Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. Even had a spot of learning more indepth about the genealogy of Cain. I liked the story of Egypt especially when Set vs Horus & Isis(Aset) plot begin and ended.  I honestly prefer this story over the myth.  Especially when you find out the connection between those three.

In the beginning of the story I actually like hearing and different account on the group of angelic domain called the Satans/Satanim,  It's sad to hear how majority of them became apathetic and resentful towards humanity because of constantly of seeing them at their low and the peer reputation from both humans and another angelic dominion of been look upon as "evil-doers".  When really their job was under the command of the Most High/God to test humanity and show their weakness so they can improve and learn to not take things for granted.

Highly recommend this book if you love the Historia Regum Obscurum: Book 1.  Hell, If you love the bible/scriptures especially the Book of Enoch. Pick this book up for an adventure in the Days of Jared/Noah.
3287339
WOW, I don't think there is an adjective for how great this story is!! This is the second story from this author that I have read and been blown away, I am a definite fan of her work, and recommend this story to all para/fantasy fans!!!!
214343
Unhooked feels like the little story that could.  I had absolutely no expectations going into this story, especially with a synopsis so vaguely perfect.  I almost hate to admit this but I was just about to put this book aside for another book but fellow blogger Nick quickly steered me away from that course.  Phew!  Turns out, this story completely captivated me once I got into it.

We meet Gwendolyn (Gwen) and her mom as they move, yet again, to a new city and new home.  This time Gwen has her best friend, Olivia, with her to help Gwen settle into her new home for the first two weeks.  But moving isn't something new for Gwen.  Shes had to do this her entire life, moving every few years whenever her eccentric and paranoid mother got a new job painting for a new sponsor.  Gwen is getting older and is pretty much over all the moving.  But she also doesnt want to abandon her mother, who is always talking about monsters lurking in the dark and other nonsense.

Its not too far in to the book that the story takes a wicked turn and everything changes.  It was at that point in the story that you could not separate me from my Kindle.  I had to read, read, and read some more to get quickly to the end.  I was just so interested!  The story is an intricately woven study of good versus evil.  Its looking into your gut and knowing when to trust your instincts or to believe the outward appearance of the actions of others.

Yeah, its a pretty badass tale.

Even more badass is the character of The Captain.  Hes dark, furious, and oh so mysterious.  He is easily my favorite character of the story.  I will not spoil anything by explaining further why.

And thats the thing,  I cant go into too many details about the characters because if I do, itll ruin the story, sorry!  Just take my word that they are all developed and utilized beautifully in the story.

Im kind of bummed this is a stand alone for only one reason and that is because of the imaginative and wonderful visual imagery that Ms. Maxwell wrote into her world building.  When she wrote about the faceless dark creatures, I could easily picture them as I read.  I thought the prose that she began each chapter with complimented the story and it put the final star on my five star review.

This was just one of those stories that went everywhere and then at the end came all together perfectly.

Damn, that final reveal

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
1358659
What can I say about this story that the other 5000+ readers haven't said already??!!! As aforementioned I could kick my own butt for not reading this story sooner!

This story is EVERYTHING I hold near and dear to my heart in reading fiction. I am obsessed with obsessive alpha men! Yes their tactics are sometimes brutal and over the top. However, it is those tactics that define the label "epic story"!

Twitch is FABULOUS! I don't give two flying flips who disagree. I love him. I love his attitude and his approach in and out of the bedroom. I won't apologize. After all, the story is fiction. And I appreciate this FICTIONAL story for what it is....a MAGNIFICENT movie in book form! The "thing" between Twitch and Lexi is their thing! It works for them. It's PERFECT for THEM! Without the level of intensity and obsession involved in this story, Raw would not be as successful!

Raw is deep, dark, PERFECTION! Perfection for adults of a specific audience. And the ending?????? I wasn't ready!!!! No warning. No nothing. Just boom! Hence my blubbering mess session. Kudos to Aurora for stepping up to the plate and providing quality writing! Five stars seem soooooo inadequate.....

Five stars!
3203115
This was a unique story which put a completely different spin on the old lore. It tells of a group of people whose origins date back to the Akkadian Empire, and  who have been left to live without understanding of why or how they came to be immortal. Are they cursed, like most believe? Or, have they been given a gift?
The story begins with the immortal, Enzu. He is an incubus...sort of. Enzu is a tatto artist, taught by the Native Americans centuries before, and in all that time, he has been alone; that is until a young woman walks into his shop. Tristan is a typical college student who has just had her heart broken. Wanting a tattoo after her breakup, she goes to Enzu for a goddess symbol inked into her chest. Enzu immediately feels a connection to Tristan, and a relationship commences. While it is never explained exactly what Tristan's pull is, others merely accept it as "if they exist, why not something else?"
Many more immortals and their back stories are introduced, like Li, who was a warrior for the Spartans (yum) and is in a relationship with Naram, the enigmatic king from their time, and Iltani, a woman Enzu had a relationship with many centuries before.
While Enzu and Tristan begin their relationship, outside forces place them in the path of a maniacal immortal, whose machinations terrorize Tristan and Nina (another immortal), almost destroying one of them.
This book is filled with interesting characters, mayhem, and mythology. While I found it at times abstruse, I read it as the abstract mythos it is meant to be, and became lost in the tale, thoroughly enjoying myself!
143341
Everneath left me speechless.  I suppose I should preface this by saying that I am a sucker for mythology.  I love well-done, modernized stories that bring in elements of traditional tales, folklore or mythology.  On top of that, I always liked the Greek myths of Hades and Persephone and Orpheus and Eurydice.  I picked up Everneath because it had a gorgeous cover and I recognized it as a modern nod to the Persephone myth.  I was not at all disappointed.  Everneath flawlessly blends traditional fantasy, mythology, fatalism, redemption, love, angst, sacrifice and redemption.

If you had six months left, what would you do?  Nikki Beckett decides, not even fully understanding why at first, to take this time to reconnect with the family and friends she has left behind.  As far as they are concerned, she disappeared without a word of goodbye for six months.  For Nikki, it has been a long hundred years since she fled the Surface, broken and desperate.  The only thing she remembers as she makes the decision to make her Return is the face of a handsome boy she can scarcely assign a name to -- Jack.

However, her Return is not a smooth transition.  She left her father with harsh words about his feelings toward her deceased mother.  She left her boyfriend without giving him a chance to explain his actions because of her crushing doubts.  She left her best friend without a word.  Everyone who knows her thinks she was strung out on drugs for the six months she was gone.  Can she really reconnect with them when she can't dare to tell them the truth, and can barely work out for herself what needs to be said?  To make matters worse, Cole, the Everliving that seduced her into Everneath with promises that she never had to feel again, has followed her to the mortal world.  He wants her to rule Everneath as his queen by his side, and he will not take no for an answer.

Everneath is full of emotion and masterfully styled.  At its core, you have a story about a broken girl who has six months to make up for all the pain she caused those that love her by running away.  Nikki's draw to Everneath reminds me of the show Dollhouse, where participants often agreed to lose control of their lives for years to escape from the obstacles of the world.  The styling of the world of the Everneath, with the Everlings, Forfeits and Shades has an almost modern science-fiction/fantasy movie-type feel to it.  However, the messages of fate, redemption and sacrifice are timeless, like the myths on which the novel is based.

I would recommend Everneath to absolutely anyone that thinks they might like the story, even a little bit.  It has so much to offer, and I think that young adult paranormal/romance/dark fantasy fans will find Ashton's story especially refreshing.  I eagerly await devouring the next two novels in the trilogy.
4135415
Great story!  I also love the fact that the kids and I are learning mythology without even realizing we're learning it!
1920362
I'm a huge fan of mythology and after reading Daimon and Obsidian, I am huge fan of Jennifer Armentrout as well. Half-Blood was even better than I expected. This book is awesome, fast paced, action packed and highly entertaining!

Half-Blood gives us a new spin of Greek mythology where demigods or Hematoi (and their children with each other) are considered pure but their children with mortals are considered half-bloods. The Hemotoi live by a brutal caste system where half-bloods are either forced in drug induced servitude or trained to protect the pures.
 Our main character, Alex, is snarky, has an attitude problem and is a huge issue with authority. I can't say that I blame her, being subject to the complete control that the pures have over the half-bloods would give anyone a bad attitude. Even with all her issues, I really like Alex. She's had to deal with some horrific situations and is just trying to find some purpose in it. She is also flawed and makes some less than ideal decisions. I admire the way she takes responsibilities for her actions and faces the consequences head on. The secondary characters are well written and I especially like Aiden (of course) and Seth. While there is no love triangle in Half-Blood, I'm more very curious to know what will happen with these three in the sequel.

One of the many things I love about Armentrout's writing is how she creates relationships. Alex's relationship with her mom is so precious and heartbreaking. Her relationship with Aiden is all slow burn so well developed. I've mentioned my dislike of insta-relationships in books before so the romance in Half-Blood was a huge relief for me. Theirs is also the forbidden romance which just ratchets up the tension in an awesome way.

While I would have liked to know more about the gods, I have a feeling Armentrout will go more in depth with the mythological aspects in upcoming books. With lots of action and romantic tension, Half-Blood keeps you turning the pages. The sequel, Pure, is now one of my most anticipated sequels of 2012. I cannot wait to find out how this story continues!

Half-Blood can be read on its own, I suggest you read the prequel novella, Daimon, first as it will gives more insight to Alex's state of mind when she arrives at the Covenant. You can download it from Spencer Hill Press for free.

Content: Sexual situations, kissing, mild profanity, violence and underage drinking. More appropriate for older/more mature teens.

My Rating: The Best!
1494216
Absolutely loved this story! I am a big fan of these globe trotting archaeology adventures and this was a great one. The characters were well developed and were easy to get to know and really like. One of the things I like about this type of story is that there is something to learn about history, present, past and ancient. One of my favorite authors of this type of story  is James Rollins and i would stack this book against his any day. I was so pleasantly surprised when I found the " Fact and Fiction" section at the end that explains what was fact and what was made up to further the story. Now it is time to find out about Henry!!!