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

Read More

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

YA Fest 2014 Wrap Up

So this past weekend, I finally got to go to YA Fest! If you remember, I was blabbing about it 2 months ago. It was so freaking fun! Oh my gosh, guys, there were so many Authors there it was almost overwhelming. My friend Heather volunteered with me, so it made it a little less scary.

The whole event was so nicely put together, and we all had a blast. And holy crap did B&N sell a lot of books!

That is where I spent most of my day, working in that area to keep up with the rush. Jennifer L. Armentrout alone bought a book by every author attending so she can do a big giveaway. I can tell you first hand how generous that is because I saw the receipt. So keep an eye out!! :)

The only thing missing was my lovely Co Blogger Jen. I offered to get her books signed though. She might not have been there physically, but she was definitely there in spirit. lol So sit back and prepare yourselves for....

THE ADVENTURES OF CARDBOARD JEN

We got up super early so we could pick up Heather on the way. 

This is where she got a little crazy. We had to park behind the police station so she thought flipping the bird to the Po Po was a good idea. Good thing we didn't get arrested. Jen is a rebel!

No worries though, we made it in just fine and found our work station. 

She started out being really helpful keeping an eye on all the books, but for the most of the day she was just up my ass. 

We met another blogger name Vi who also volunteered in our area. Vi meet Jen... Jen meet Vi! She was so sweet, and we all had a great time working together. 

Here Jen is posing with the Authors who organized this awesome event. Jennifer Murgia and Cyn Balog. They loved Jen and laughed just about every time they saw me with her. Both of them have new books coming out that I'm excited for. Forest of Whispers in September and Drowned in June. 

Early on, the fire alarm went off. So we all had to leave the building while the Fire Fighters double checked everything. I couldn't keep Heather and Jen away from the trucks. They were fascinated. 

Jen was in need of a Fem product so we headed to the bathroom. You will not believe what happened next. 

She was trying to PEEP on me!!! That dirty little cut out! 

Then I thought to myself, if we can share a blog, we can share a toilet too! 

Enough silliness though, it's times to meet the authors! I'm pretty sure most of them thought I was nuts. lol

Tiffany Schmidt was the author I most looked forward to meeting, because I loved her books Send Me a Sign and Bright Before Sunrise. She was so fun and I absolutely adore her. And I'm not gonna lie, when I first met Tiffany I almost did this...

Maybe not quite, but pretty darn close. lol

Ahhhhhhhh!!!! It's Maria V. Snyder people!!!! I was a little scared to go up to her with cardboard Jen, because she's Maria V. FREAKING Snyder!!! But... she was really nice and though I'm not sure she knew what to make of Jen, she was a good sport and posed anyway. lol. 

And here Jen is, posing with Shannon Delaney and Molly Cochran! Shannon was concerned that Jen looked so flat, but I assured her that she really does look like this and her husband is fine with it. They were both so fun. I hadn't heard of Molly's books, but now that I have met her I'll have to check some of them out. As for Shannon Delany, I've been eyeing up her Weather Witch books for a while. 

Ahhhh!!! And here is Jennifer L. Armentrout!! I have wanted to meet her forever. It's funny because I only just read my first book by her with Jen, but she's so nice on twitter and everyone seems to love her. I had to see what the hype was all about. She was great and we even discussed Don't Look Back for a little while. That's just surreal to me talking to authors about their books. In Person!!! *sigh* 

Next we met Cristin Terrill, Author of All Our Yesterdays! Now she definitely thought I was weird, but she was more than happy to pose with Jen. lol. 

I haven't read The Beautiful & The Cursed by Page Morgan but Jen has and she loved it so I brought her books to be signed. Page even recognized cardboard Jen. Surprisingly a lot of people did. That Twitter Avi has been around a lot apparently. lol. She was also a ton of fun, so many of the Authors were. 

I was pretty excited to meet Amalie Howard. I read Waterfell by her a while back and I liked it. Helping out with B&N with sales though, made me realize she has a ton of other books that I need to check out. 

And the last Author we met was Anne Greenwood Brown!! She wrote Lies Beneath and I really liked that one. Scary Ass Mermaids for the win!!! I need to continue that series like pronto.

All that Author Mingling made Jen thirsty, so we hit up the water fountain.


I had a couple books I planned to give away that were on my shelf, so I got them signed. I'm not getting fancy with it, because I just have no patience for rafflecopter tonight, so just mention in a comment below if you would like to be entered and I'll pick someone random org next week sometime :) US only, sorry. 

That pretty much concludes the event. I wish it had been longer because the day just flew by. I'm already signed up to help next year so let the countdown begin!!! I can't Freaking WAIT!!!!!

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Labels: amalie howard, anne greenwood brown, cristin terrill, Cyn Balog, jennifer l. armentrout, Jennifer Murgia, maria v. snyder, page morgan, shannon delany, tiffany schmidt, YA Fest