Review: The Wondrous and the Wicked by Page Morgan

Title: The Wondrous and the Wicked
Author: Page Morgan
Series: The Dispossessed, book #3
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

For fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series comes the exciting conclusion to the trilogy that includes The Beautiful and the Cursed and The Lovely and the Lost. The Waverly sisters must save themselves before all is lost.

Since the Waverlys arrived in Paris, the streets have grown more fearsome by the day. As Ingrid learns to master her lectrux gift, she must watch Axia's power grow strong enough to extend beyond her Underneath hive. By all indications, the fallen angel's Harvest is near-and the timing couldn't be worse.

Targeted by vengeful gargoyles, Gabby has been exiled to London for her own protection. Meanwhile, the gargoyle castes are in disarray, divided between those who want Luc to lead them and those who resent him and his fondness for humans. The Alliance is crumbling from the inside as well, its members turning against one another, and possibly against the Waverlys, too.

Axia has promised that the world will burn. And now, unable to trust the Alliance, separated from Luc, Gabby, and her twin, Grayson, Ingrid is left to face the demon uprising alone.

Guys, if you haven't started this series yet, you are missing out on one of the most unique shifter stories out there. Forget that comparison to Lauren Kate in the synopsis up there. I liked those books when I didn't know what else was out there, but now I know better. Now I know that there are books like this out there. Books full of heart, great characters and twists that leave me begging for more.

From start to finish, the novels of The Dispossessed series have been on point. I'm not the biggest fan of stories told in third person, especially when there are so many perspectives, but it really works for this series. The large cast of characters makes it nearly impossible not to give the major players a voice. Having insight into so many characters' thoughts and feelings was not only necessary to the plot, but it made me fall for the characters even harder, something I usually only find with first person point-of-view.

The characters have suffered immensely over the course of this series, and that's not about to stop now. There's a lot more hurt to go around, but there's also still hope for them: that they'll overcome ex-angel Axia, that they'll manage their special gifts, that they'll move past the losses they've already endured. There was so much to wrap up in this final installment, but the author resolved it all…if not in a realistic way, at least in a way that made sense to the story at large.

That includes all of those romantic entanglements. I'll be honest, I truly liked both of Ingrid's love interests, and I understood the pull she felt to each. But there was definitely one that I favored over another. I was pretty anxious about how all of that was going to be resolved, but I should have trusted that Ingrid would be her frank, honest self and make things right…and that she'd pick the right guy. *wink* I was also happy to see that the other Waverly siblings got their shot at love, too, even in the midst of the turmoil they were facing. Those two romances weren't quite as intense as what Ingrid was faced with, but they burned no less brighter, and I reveled in their inclusion in this series.

Some might find the ending a bit too easy but not this girl. Not after everything these characters have been through. Things that might normally bother me in a story were easy to rationalize away when it comes to the Waverlys, the Alliance, and my favorite gargoyle. I honestly don't think I could have asked for a better end for these characters. Well…I might have changed one or two things, but then the overall impact of the novel's end would have been lessened and it wouldn't have been the same.

I really wish this series got the attention it deserves. I mean, it's a pretty high-octane story featuring shape-shifting gargoyle protectors in a gothic Paris overrun with demons and an English family that finds themselves right in the thick of things. What more could you want? And the fact that it's solid from beginning to end doesn't hurt either. I am seriously over the moon with how this final book finished out the series: equal parts daring, romantic, and flat-out thrilling. I can't wait to see what Page Morgan writes next!

GIF it to me straight:

Gasping gargoyles! Lots of surprises in this one!!!

About the author:

Page Morgan has been intrigued by les grotesques ever since she came across an old, black-and-white photograph of a Notre Dame gargoyle keeping watch over the city of Paris. The gargoyle mythologies she went on to research fed her imagination, and she became inspired to piece together her own story and mythology for these complex stone figures. Page lives in New England with her husband and their three children.

Find Page:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Labels: beautiful covers, favorites, gargoyles, historical fiction, page morgan, random house, reviews, the dispossessed

Waiting on Wednesday: Love and Other Theories & The Wondrous and the Wicked

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selections are...








's Pick:

Title: Love and Other Theories
Author: Alexis Bass
Series: n/a
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: December 31st, 2014

Love and Other Theories is a fast-paced twist on the coming-of-age novel . . . and the romantic comedy.

Aubrey and her best friends made a pact to play by the guys' rules when it comes to dating. They're hoping the rules will keep them from experiencing high school heartbreak--they don't realize that these rules could just as easily keep them from opening their hearts and minds. And when new boy Nathan Diggs moves to town, Aubrey starts to think that some rules are meant to be broken.

With equal parts bite and romance, topped off with an irresistibly engaging voice, Alexis Bass's debut novel is one you won't want to miss.

There is really one main reason I want to read this book. The main character's name is Aubrey and that's my little girls name. I'm sold! lol. Hoping I'll get approved for this one on edelweiss. *crossing fingers*

's Pick:

Title: The Wondrous and the Wicked
Author: Page Morgan
Series: The Dispossessed, book #3
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: April 14, 2015

For fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series comes the exciting conclusion to the trilogy that includes The Beautiful and the Cursed and The Lovely and the Lost. The Waverly sisters must save themselves before all is lost.

Since the Waverlys arrived in Paris, the streets have grown more fearsome by the day. As Ingrid learns to master her lectrux gift, she must watch Axia's power grow strong enough to extend beyond her Underneath hive. By all indications, the fallen angel's Harvest is near-and the timing couldn't be worse.

Targeted by vengeful gargoyles, Gabby has been exiled to London for her own protection. Meanwhile, the gargoyle castes are in disarray, divided between those who want Luc to lead them and those who resent him and his fondness for humans. The Alliance is crumbling from the inside as well, its members turning against one another, and possibly against the Waverlys, too.

Axia has promised that the world will burn. And now, unable to trust the Alliance, separated from Luc, Gabby, and her twin, Grayson, Ingrid is left to face the demon uprising alone.

More gargoyles! More Waverly family craziness! Yes, yes, YES! I am so excited to see how everything pans out for our intrepid heroines and their wayward brother, but I'm also sad to see the end of this series. It's just so damn evocative and stunning, and those covers are just plain gorgeous. However, I still can't help but picture this -- not that it's a bad thing:

What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: alexis bass, beautiful covers, contemporary, gargoyles, harper-collins, love and other theories, page morgan, paranormal, random house, the dispossessed, waiting on wednesday (wow)

Review: The Lovely and the Lost by Page Morgan

Title: The Lovely and the Lost
Author: Page Morgan
Series: The Dispossessed, book #2
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: May 13, 2014
Source: ARC from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ingrid and Gabby survived the Underneath. They saved their brother, Grayson, from a future of dark servitude and exposed a plot to undermine the Alliance. But danger still lurks in the streets of Paris, and the Dispossessed, perched on the city's bridges and rooftops, might not be able to save their human wards this time.

Wow, what a mess! Not the book itself, just the way it ended. I'm still reeling from the adrenaline rush. I'm always a little wary of sequels because of the dreaded second book syndrome, where the author spends more time on world-building than plot and character interactions, but The Lovely and the Lost suffers from none of that. In fact, I'd wager that I enjoyed this second book even more than The Beautiful and the Cursed!

The Lovely and the Lost picks up a month or two after the events of the first book. I won't allude to any of what happened in book one in order to keep this review spoiler-free, but if you read it, you know it was chock-full of danger, deceit and was a bit of an emotional roller coaster on all accounts. But if you thought the first book was full of action and suspense, it's got nothing on this sequel. New characters, new villains, and twists that even I didn't see coming, and with as much reading as I do, it's usually pretty easy for me to predict where the story is going. But I guess when you throw angels, gargoyles, and demons -- not to mention special demon powers -- into the mix, things are going to get pretty unpredictable.

I'm not always a fan of multiple third person perspectives in a story, but it really works in this series. There's just so much going on in the story that it warrants having multiple narrators so that the reader isn't completely lost. Plus, it saves on time since we already know what's happening and it doesn't need to be repeated from character to character so that everyone's clued in. Most point-of-view transitions are obvious and happen at the beginning of each chapter, though there are times when the switch happens in the middle of a chapter. Even so, Morgan does so seamlessly, maintaining the fast pace of this suspenseful story.

I appreciated the introduction of the new characters and the inclusion of characters that were only known on the periphery previously. But even more, I loved how much more developed the characterizations of Ingrid, Luc, Vander, Gabby, Nolan, Grayson, and yes, even Chelle, were in this sequel. (Though, I think the brooding Luc will always be my favorite.) The events of the first book undeniably changed each one of these characters, but what happened in this last 100 pages of this book will leave them irrevocably changed. It's to the point now that I don't know that some of them can come back from what they've been witness to over the last few months.

The author is a master at weaving all the threads of these characters together, and it's going to be hard to separate them going forward, with what's happened and what the future holds. Also, adding in the parental presence this time around? Genius! It makes things so much more difficult for everyone involved, but it also makes for endless entertainment as everyone tries to evade them.

The romances -- and there are several to consider in this series -- are really nicely drawn, as well. They were less of a focal point in the first book, but they've really picked up speed in this continuation of the story.  Yes, the "triangle" that semi-existed in the first book is still present, but I think it's more than obvious where it's headed by the end of this book, especially considering -- but also despite -- certain circumstances. I think the impossibility of both are what make each so captivating. Regardless, all of the romances in this story take a hit by the end, and no one's future is very stable anymore.

This entire story is just endlessly entertaining, full of plenty of nail-biting moments. I love the gargoyle protectors and their angel overlords. I love the entire Waverly clan and all their problems. And I'm still very intrigued with what the Alliance has to do with all of it. This sequel was quite impressive considering all of the characters and plot threads the author has to keep track of. And I'm sure that the next book will be the best yet!

GIF it to me straight:

GARGOYLES FTW!!!

About the author:

Page Morgan has been intrigued by les grotesques ever since she came across an old, black-and-white photograph of a Notre Dame gargoyle keeping watch over the city of Paris. The gargoyle mythologies she went on to research fed her imagination, and she became inspired to piece together her own story and mythology for these complex stone figures. Page lives in New England with her husband and their three children.

Find Page:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Labels: beautiful covers, favorites, gargoyles, historical fiction, page morgan, random house, reviews, the dispossessed

{Audiobook} Review: Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Title: Emerald Green
Author: Kerstin Gier
Narrator:  Marisa Calin
Series: The Ruby Red Trilogy, book #3
Length:  12 hrs 42 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.

She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

In a manner of only weeks, Gwen Shepherd has offiicially taken on her annoying cousin's role to complete the Circle of Twelve.  In the beginning, she was chagrined that it was no longer Charlotte's place to do the time-traveling, but despite little to no training, I think she rather likes it now.  Or, she likes spending time with Guideon.  ;0)

Whereas some time travel novels spend an exorbitant amount of time trying to explain how one goes about time traveling (and not usually very well, I might add), a large portion of the Ruby Red trilogy is actually spent traveling back in time.  And it's in a manner that actually makes quite a bit of sense.  There's always the possibility of running into your own person while time-traveling, even as far back as the characters in this story go, simply because of the volume of treks they make back to the past, so it is always well-documented where and when one travels to.  Also, one must dress the part.  I especially loved this aspect, as Gwenny and Guideon got to wear the most wonderful costumes on their adventures back in time so that they did not stand out or alert anyone in the past that they weren't who they were claiming to be while on whatever mission had dispatched them to that time period.

The characters in this series are also a bucketful of fun.  Gwenny is snarky and hilarious, plucky and courageous, and the tangents her mind wanders on are almost as much fun as her adventures back in time.  Her sidekick Leslie is the best kind of friend to have around, the one who's resourceful and dependable and just plain funny.  Gideon is the attractive, older counterpart to Gwenny in this time-traveling duo; he's educated, capable, and has been trained all his life for this moment.  But my most favorite character is still that cheeky gargoyle demon spirit Xemerius.

Even though this series is translated from the original German, it's quite clear that the author had a clear plan for her story from the beginning, the way little tidbits of information were released to the reader, building upon the larger picture. One huge revelation I think, was only vaguely disguised in the last book, though the big reveal doesn't happen until closer to the end of this book.  But there was one shocking discovery that I did not see coming...AT ALL.  I love it when that happens.

I've really grown to love this series, especially after listening to Sapphire Blue on audio.  I decided to grab the audio for Emerald Green, as well.  I thought the narrator did a fabulous job on both, making Gwenny sound as plucky as expected and Xemerius as grouchy as ever.  And though she has an English accent, the narrator's French accent -- for Raphael and Madame what's-her-name, costume designer extraordinaire -- was just as gorgeous.  Marisa Calin's narration almost makes me wish there were more books coming in this series.

Almost.  As much fun as I've had with these books, I'm extremely pleased with the way the series ended, and I feel that the characters all got the ending they deserved.  The romance was a little rushed in the first book, especially considering how little time the entire series spans, but I really like how it played out in the end, too.  Honestly, I don't think there was anything about this series that I didn't like...well, other than Charlotte.  ;0)

About the author:

Kerstin Gier is the bestselling author of the Ruby Red trilogy, as well as several popular novels for adults. This series was translated by Anthea Bell into English.

Find Kerstin:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook

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Labels: audiobooks, edelstein trilogie, gargoyles, ghosts, historical fiction, kerstin gier, macmillan, reviews, ruby red trilogy, sci-fi, time travel

Waiting on Wednesday: The Lovely and the Lost & Where Silence Gathers

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...

Title: The Lovely and the Lost
Author: Page Morgan
Series: The Dispossessed, book #2
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: May 13, 2014

Ingrid and Gabby survived the Underneath. They saved their brother, Grayson, from a future of dark servitude and exposed a plot to undermine the Alliance. But danger still lurks in the streets of Paris, and the Dispossessed, perched on the city's bridges and rooftops, might not be able to save their human wards this time.

Gargoyles!!!  I loved The Beautiful and the Cursed, and I can't wait to see what's in store for Ingrid and company in this next installment.  Also, I love these covers....soooooo pretty!

Title: Where Silence Gathers
Author: Kelsey Sutton
Series: Some Quiet Place, book #2
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: July 8, 2014

In this companion novel to the critically acclaimed Some Quiet Place, Alex must choose between Revenge and Forgiveness. Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Tate sits outside Nate Foster's house, clutching a gun. After serving ten years for the drunk driving accident that killed Alex's family, Nate has been released from prison. Every night, Alex waits out of sight, building up the courage to exact her own justice. There's just one problem: Forgiveness. Alex has been able to see personified Emotions for as long as she can remember, and Revenge is her best friend. But when Forgiveness suddenly appears, he offers Alex a choice--getting even or moving on. It's impossible to decide when Revenge whispers in one ear...and Forgiveness whispers in the other.

Not gonna lie, I'm sad that this is a companion novel because I found Elizabeth and Fear equally intriguing in Some Quiet Place, but I am very much looking forward to the pull of Revenge and Forgiveness in this story. I'm still quite fascinated by the personified Emotions in this series, and I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us this time around.  Also, more pretty covers!!!  :D



Now that you know what I'm dying to read, what are you waiting on this week?  Feel free to share it in the comments or leave a link so I can stop by!

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Labels: favorites, flux, gargoyles, kelsey sutton, must-read, page morgan, paranormal, random house, some quiet place, the dispossessed, waiting on wednesday (wow)