{Audiobook} Review: Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole

Title: Dead of Winter
Author: Kresley Cole
Narrator(s): Emma Galvin
Series: The Arcana Chronicles, book #3
Length: 9 hrs 58 min
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Source: audio received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

Heartbreaking decisions
Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, the Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.

Uncertain victory
Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on the Lovers. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

Two heroes returned
There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first...?

Up to this point, I wasn't all that sure that I liked this series. I don't think I rated either of the two previous books higher than two stars. And I just read my review of Endless Knight, and in it I indicated that I had zero intention of spending any more money on this series. But I was offered a copy of the audiobook for review, and my curiosity got the better of me because though I've had a ton of issues up to this book, the tarot aspect still really fascinates me, and I have no idea where it's all headed.

That's the best way for a series to hold my attention: to remain unpredictable. And though there are parts of the story that are easy to guess -- like that love triangle that emerged in book two -- this series definitely leaves me with a lot of questions. And speculation. I've developed so many off-the-wall theories about those Major Arcana -- which ones are left to discover, who might be an Arcana, and what roles they'll all play in the end -- that it's hard to keep track of them all.

Another aspect that continues to intrigue me is that love triangle. Love triangles don't usually deter me from a story, but they are rarely what draws me to one. Except in this case, where one of the love interests is Death personified. Obviously, I'm pulling for him because if this were real life, I'd be drawn to him, too, especially once his sad, sad story comes out. Also, I've never, ever liked Jackson Deveaux. He is crass and over-bearing and a hot-head. Yet I can't help but watch this train wreck of a romance unfold.

I'm trying to give the narrator of these audiobooks another chance because I know this is not the only series she narrates. And I actually enjoyed her narration of other books prior to listening to this series. And I know that it probably has more to do with my dislike of the main character earlier in the books than Emma Galvin's style of narrating. Also, maybe a little bit of my distaste for the audiobooks has to do with the accent Galvin gives Evie. She makes Evie sound like she's from the South, that's for sure, but maybe it's a little too pronounced, not to mention a bit off-putting, and that's why it bothers me so much.

However, I should say that I didn't mind the narration much at all while listening to this third book. The story reeled me in pretty quickly, and I found that I barely noticed the things that annoyed me so much in the previous two audiobooks. Also, I've listened to a few audiobooks narrated by Emma Galvin since the last Arcana book, and I found them much more tolerable than I expected. I guess I've finally gotten past my dislike…which is great because she narrates a lot of YA novels that I'd hate to miss just because I couldn't stand the narrator.

This third novel in the Arcana Chronicles has reignited my interest in the series, and it's the first in the series that I've truly enjoyed. Cole has really upped the ante in this installment, providing just enough clues and more than enough excitement. And as always, she leaves the reader with an agonizing cliffhanger, which is admittedly what always has me coming back to this series.

GIF it to me straight:

I know! I'm as shocked as Moriarty that I actually liked this one, too!

About the author:

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the U.S. and abroad.

Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. Two of her favorite places to visit include the rain forests of Central America and the Far North Queensland area of Australia (where, by the way, she would not recommend swimming outside of the stinger nets–at night).

Cole lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals.” She spends any free time traveling and enjoys all things related to boats and water.

Find Kresley:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

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Labels: audiobooks, cover redesigns, kresley cole, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, reviews, simon schuster, tarot, the arcana chronicles

{Audiobook} Review: Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

Title: Endless Knight
Author: Kresley Cole
Narrator:  Emma Galvin
Series: The Arcana Chronicles, book #2
Length:  10 hrs 55 mins
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles.

Shocking Secrets

Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who've been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It's kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected Allies

With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-Wrenching Treachery

When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she's drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can't remember—but Death can't forget.

I didn't have very high expectations for Endless Knight after being pretty disappointed with Poison Princess.  So why, then, did I pay good money for the audio of this book?  Good question.  I think I just really needed to prove to myself that this series was not at all for me.  Also, I wanted to see how the author continued with the tarot card aspect.


Alas, what I got was a lot of Evie lamenting about the sad state of her love life.  I did not like Jackson Deveaux's character in the first book, and I liked him even less in this installment.  He now knows the truth of what Evie and his other traveling companions are, and he's understandably freaked out.  He rather quickly comes to terms with Evie as the Empress, though, and starts up with propositioning her again.  And this time, he's successful.  As I alluded to in my review of the previous book, this girl apparently thinks very little of her virginity.  And her indiscretions may cost her...and those she cares about.

Because no one in this story is trustworthy, and because Evie is naïve and trusts everyone, Evie ends up being abducted by the enigmatic Death.  She can't deny her physical attraction to him, though she wants nothing more than to escape and return to Jack.  But there's a history between Death and Evie, and when it finally came out, I can't say I was all that surprised.  Besides the tarot aspect, the only other thing that sounded even remotely captivating about this book was the promise of Death as a character.  (I am a sucker for Death personified.)  But even that wasn't enough to hold my attention, though he is an intriguing character, but that's probably just because he's such a freaking mystery.

And although I did like Death's character, I still couldn't get on board with the direction the romance was taking in this book.  Sure, I dislike ole Jack and everything he stands for and I'd like nothing more than to push Evie into Death's arms -- whether to be killed or not is an entirely different conversation -- but regardless, Jack is still in the back of Evie's mind. Despite certain betrayal, she still wants to give ole Jack the benefit of the doubt, give him a chance to explain himself. And she doesn't want to continue whatever this is with Death until she's talked to Jack.  But that thing she let Death do...I think the Cajun would still frown upon that.


I finally think I have a better understanding of this world, the Arcana, and the characters themselves this time around.  I think in the last book, I was trying too hard to make the focus on the post-apocalyptic setting, and though that's important to the story at times, it's not the main focus.  It's actually just the precursor to the game the Arcana are playing now, just as it has been for centuries.  I still find the game itself and the roles of the Arcana fascinating, but I grow tired of the key players and would like to see the focus shift to the rest of the Arcana.

I think the thing I dislike most about this series is Evie herself.  The author has chosen to write the most obnoxious, self-centered, and ill-informed character, and I think her innocence is supposed to overshadow those terrible qualities, but in the end, all it does is make them more pronounced.  I'm not a fan of the narrator for this series, either, but maybe that's because she makes Evie sound even more immature than I'd probably read her character myself.  Emma Galvin does great accents for the Cajun and for Death, but that can't make up for the rest of the book.  I think this series kind of ruined this narrator for me, unfortunately.

The one thing I'll give the author is that she can write a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more.  This should have been a DNF for me, but having paid hard-earned money for it, I couldn't give up.  And then I was presented with a cliffhanger to rival the one at the end of the first book.  And yes, crazy as it sounds, I want to know what happens.  Not enough to buy the next book myself, mind you, but I can't help my curiosity.

About the author:

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the U.S. and abroad.

Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. Two of her favorite places to visit include the rain forests of Central America and the Far North Queensland area of Australia (where, by the way, she would not recommend swimming outside of the stinger nets–at night).

Cole lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals.” She spends any free time traveling and enjoys all things related to boats and water.

Find Kresley:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

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Labels: audiobooks, book trailers, dystopian, kresley cole, paranormal, reviews, simon schuster, superpowers, tarot, the arcana chronicles

Review: That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard

Title: That Time I Joined the Circus
Author: J.J. Howard
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Point
Publication Date: April 1, 2013
Source: from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Lexi Ryan just ran away to join the circus, but not on purpose.

A music-obsessed, slightly snarky New York City girl, Lexi is on her own. After making a huge mistake--and facing a terrible tragedy--Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi's mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.

When Lexi arrives at her new, three-ring reality, her mom isn't there . . . but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She even lucks into a spot as the circus's fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.

But then Lexi's ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it's Lexi's own future that's thrown into question.

With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, and the importance of an excellent playlist.

If the beautiful and unique cover weren't enough to pique my interest in this novel, that clever title surely was.  Truth be told, in all my thirty years, I've never actually been to the circus.  Even as a kid, I just never really had the desire to do so.  It seems that Lexi, our main character, feels the same way.  Except now she's got no other choice.  She has to find her mom, and since her estranged mother was last known to be performing with a traveling circus, that's where Lexi is headed.

Lexi had been through quite the ordeal prior to her excursion via Greyhound bus to Florida.  Everything that happened during the week or so leading up to her departure from New York is actually the reason for her trip, the reason she needs to find her mother.  But as the reader, you don't know what all she's endured, at least not from the start.  Lexi's story alternates between the past and the present, with each chapter heading informing you as to what time period she is in her life.  Some of the story flashes back months prior to the "incident" to give the reader a better background on her relationships and her state of mind at the time.  Other chapters reflect on how she's surviving after fleeing to the circus.  Focusing on the story from the past and present angles really brought the novel full-circle and provided a more in-depth view into Lexi's world as opposed to just having her dredge up a couple memories.

Once Lexi arrives at the circus, she realizes her mother is no longer there and that she is well and truly alone. To survive on her own, Lexi performs a number of odd jobs for the ringmaster of the circus, who has reluctantly taken the poor kid under his wing.  My first glimpse of Louie had me worried, with his gruffness and lack of sympathy, but like everyone else in the circus family, he grew on me.  Everyone eventually warmed up to Lexi and she even made some new friends, friendships that seemed unattainable when she first showed up.  For awhile there, it even seemed like she'd forgotten about her search completely.

And then someone from her past shows up to wreck everything.  Lexi has got some seriously confusing and complicated relationships going on.  She kisses no less than three boys in this book, which nearly results in her losing one of the new friends she's made at the circus and could cost Lexi the ex-best friend she thought she'd lost for good.  Watching Lexi navigate all of her friendships and relationships took some compassion but it also ended up being a lot of fun once she moved passed the heartache.

What started out as a rather discouraging story ended up being really cute and hopeful.  I reveled in the importance placed on music throughout the book, as it is a constant source of comfort for me, as well.  This novel contains lessons about love and loss and everything in between, but it isn't preachy or emotionally-fraught by any means.  It's just about a girl, triumphing over a rough patch in her life and trying to get back to normal.  And the circus is just one brief stop along the path.


Rating:  

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Labels: contemporary, dac 2013, j.j. howard, reviews, scholastic, tarot, that time i joined the circus

Audiobook Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Title: Poison Princess
Author: Kresley Cole
Narrator: Emma Galvin, Keith Nobbs
Series: The Arcana Chronicles, book #1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side...

Poison Princess could've been great.  As it stands, I'm not sure if I liked this story or not. It was so confusing and convoluted and there was so much miscommunication. And it's probably one of those rare books (for me, anyway) where it would have made more sense had I read the text instead of listening to the audio simply because there was so much going on.

One of the things that bugged me the most was that the reader never learns the cause of the apocalyptic event that nearly wipes out all life on the planet.  We only see glimpses of it through Evie's visions, and even then, they're not reliable because Evie is too preoccupied with her own sanity to give the visions any credibility.  Speaking of, could Evie be any more dense?  She asks plenty of questions throughout the story but never the right ones.  It was infuriating and made it that much harder to connect with her as a character.

It doesn't help that I was immediately put off by Evie's immaturity and lack of experience when it came to boys.  For example, in the very beginning of the novel, Evie admits to promising her boyfriend that she would sleep with him when she turns 16 if they're still together.  This is her way of keeping him interested because he apparently has roaming eyes, and she's afraid of losing him.  What?!?  That is not okay!  Purportedly, Evie is attractive and popular, a cheerleader and queen bee-type, so I'm sure there is someone else for her, someone who treats her better.  But even if there's not, never in a million years is that okay!

My next point of contention is ole Jack, who likes to refer to himself as such.  My problem isn't actually with his character because even though he is flawed in ways you don't want to know, at least he's always honest.  He never said he was a good guy or that he'd rescue Evie from the hell she's found herself in or any of those chivalrous declarations that most YA heroes make when in this situation.  No, my problem with ole Jack is Evie's immediate hatred toward him, despite not knowing anything about him.  Despite drooling over him and  practically describing him as sex-on-a-stick.  Because really, is insta-hate any better than insta-love?

In spite of generally disliking all of the characters and the "romance", the tarot aspect kept me intrigued.  I didn't really know much about tarot going into this book, and I still don't really understand it now, but the story focuses on the Major Arcana, or the 22 trump cards without suits.  According to the synopsis for this novel, there are 22 teens linked to each trump card and they are to fight "the ultimate battle between good and evil".  Each teen has a special power or ability related to the card they represent in the Major Arcana, and I'm assuming it's going to help them in this epic battle. Yeah, I didn't see much of that storyline in this novel, but it's the first in the series, so I guess we're building up to that.  Had the story focused more on that and the apocalypse and less on Evie's neurosis and her ever-changing feelings toward ole Jack, I might have enjoyed it more.

As I mentioned before, I might actually have liked this novel better had I read it instead of listening to the audio.  Emma Galvin was great as the narrator...except when she was voicing Evie, but maybe that was the point.  Evie was portrayed as selfish and naive and immature, and that's exactly how she sounds on the audiobook.  I'm not sure how to rate my agitation due to that fact.  The narrator does a great job with all of Jack's Cajun phrasing and French vocabulary, though.  What I didn't get was why there was a separate narrative at times for the man that Evie is relaying her story to.  Why did he get his own POV?  (And why can't I remember his name?!?)  That's not the fault of the narrator or the audiobook, but it felt unnecessary to include this perspective, even after knowing his relation to the story.

This was my first Kresley Cole novel, and I'm sure it won't be my last because my curiosity will get the best of me, and I will have to find out what happens to Evie and the rest of the Major Arcana.  Regardless, I am not impressed...not after all of the raving for this book and her adult novels.  I just didn't see whatever those readers apparently saw.  If I had reviewed this immediately after listening, I would have given it 2 stars.  A week or so ago when I was trying to remind myself about the book and characters in order to review it, I might have given it 3, maybe 3 1/2 stars.  Now that I've gotten my rant out of the way, I feel like it was somewhere in-between.

Favorite Quotes:

“Matthew, exactly how psychic are you?”
“So psychic that other psychics should be called Mattics.” 

“At that, the initial mrowr pfft pfft I'd felt transformed into I will cut a bitch.”

“If you touch me like that again, Evangeline,” he began in a husky tone, dropping to his seat once more, “in the space of a heartbeat, I will have you off this bike and onto the closest horizontal surface. And I woan be picky, no.” 

Rating:   1/2

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Labels: audiobooks, kresley cole, magic, reviews, simon schuster, special abilities, tarot, the arcana chronicles