Review: Chaos by Sarah Fine + Vigilante & Stories from the Shadowlands

Today is the release day for the final book in Sarah Fine's Guards of the Shadowlands series, and if you know anything about me at all, it should be that I'm a total fangirl for these books...or any of Sarah's books if we're being honest. But Sanctum was the first book of hers that I ever explored and I was captivated from the very start.

These books follow Lela as she heads to the Afterlife in hopes of saving her friend Nadia, who's just committed suicide. Because of the way in which she died, Nadia is sent to a not-so-nice place in the Afterlife, and Lela can't stand to see her suffer. Lela sneaks into this place where Nadia is sent, and things progress from there. Lela makes a lot of sacrifices over the course of this series, but so do many of the people she comes into contact with.

I'm celebrating the release of Chaos today -- even though the fact that the series is ending is rather bittersweet -- and in doing so, I'm reviewing the last three pieces of this story: Vigilante, Chaos, and Stories from the Shadowlands. Since it's the end, I can't really reveal any details without risk of spoilers, so I'm just going to provide you with feelings-based reviews...they should more than get the point across. ;-) I've come to love all of these characters so much, and I'm sad to say goodbye to them, though I'm glad to have discovered them in the first place. And Sarah's created so much bonus content in addition to her full-length books...it's clear that she loves her characters every bit as much as I do.

Title: Vigilante
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Guards of the Shadowlands, book #2.5
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: July 25, 2014
Source: freebie for pre-ordering Chaos
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ana has done her time as a Guard in the dark city and now that she’s finally been released into the Countryside, all she wants to do is find Takeshi, the love she lost to the Mazikin so many years ago. The only problem? He’s nowhere to be found. Now Ana faces a choice—remain alone in paradise or venture into the depths of the Wasteland in an attempt to rescue the man who still owns her heart.

I haven't read the other novella in this series entitled Captive, but I'm here to tell you that you absolutely should read Vigilante prior to starting Chaos. It's told from Ana's perspective and it gives you a ton of insight into her mindset going into Chaos. Otherwise, you might be a little...thrown by some of her actions at first, especially considering what you already know about her character from the previous books.

Also, you get to meet Takeshi. At least in Ana's flashbacks, anyway. And you'll get to see some seriously swoony parallels between their relationship and that of Malachi and Lela. Plus, you'll meet someone only vaguely referenced in a previous book, and things will all start making sense finally. Or at least as much sense as the will of the Judge can ever make to us mere mortals.

Vigilante is short and sweet and, in my opinion, totally necessary for full comprehension of these characters and what they mean to each other. It was free with your preorder of Chaos, but I'm not sure if that's a thing after the fact or how you can go about getting it now. :( I'll try to find out, if anyone's interested.

Title: Chaos
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Guards of the Shadowlands, book #3
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Source: from publisher via Netgalley, PB won from Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

With Juri in control and everything in absolute chaos, Lela plunges into the depths of hell to free Malachi from creatures that have waited decades to exact their revenge. But the Judge has her own way of doing things, and Lela must work with Ana, the new Captain, who has a very personal mission of her own. Together, they infiltrate the most horrifying realm either has yet encountered in the Shadowlands—the bitter landscape ruled by the Mazikin.

The stakes could not be higher, and Lela must accept the help—and love—of people she barely knows or trusts. As alliances and loyalties shift and she realizes the soul she came to save isn’t the only one in need of rescue, can Lela summon the strength to see the fight through to the very end?

I could not have asked for a better ending to one of my favorite series...seriously. Some things went the way I'd expected, but there were a lot of surprises, as well...and not all of them welcome. But I can honestly say that this final installment was everything I was hoping for, and then some.

Obviously, with the way Fractured ended, we knew Lela was going before the Judge again and that she wasn't going to let Malachi go without a fight. Lela's fierceness and her willingness to sacrifice herself for those she cares about are what I like best about her, and that hasn't changed. And now she's got Ana -- or rather, Ana's got her -- as they trek through the Mazakin realm to rescue both of their loves.

This novel is kind of split between the Mazakin city and the rescue attempt and then what happens after. This final book is fraught with emotional moments: tearful reunions -- and amorous ones! -- heartbreaking goodbyes, daring escapes and startling realizations. It wouldn't be any kind of finale, though, if it didn't make you feel the whole gamut of emotions. I've always felt that there was a good balance between the darkness and the light in this series, though, even if it didn't always feel like it at the time. And nowhere is this balance more evident than in the dark, chaotic atmosphere of the Shadowlands and the nearly palpable romantic tension between Malachi and Lela.

I love happy endings as much as the next girl, but I'm also okay with a realistic ending, one in which the hero doesn't get the girl or the world isn't saved. I honestly couldn't tell you which type of ending I prefer because it really depends on the story thus far. But I can tell you that it is much easier for me to let go, to say goodbye to characters if I see them on their merry way before doing so. With this series, though, I don't think either ending would have made saying goodbye any easier. (Make of that what you will.)

I will say that this conclusion to the Guards of the Shadowlands series was completely satisfying. And it made everything these characters have been through totally worth it. This series has been so intense and so emotionally draining at times, but it has also been completely lovely at times, too. I cannot fathom never having experienced this world or never having met these characters.

GIF it to me straight:

I don't want it to be over. :(

Title: Stories from the Shadowlands
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Guards of the Shadowlands, book #3.1
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: October 6, 2014
Source: gifted by author
Purchase: Amazon

Not ready to leave the Shadowlands yet? From Malachi’s earliest days in the dark city to some of the characters’ experiences after the final scenes of Chaos, this bonus volume gives readers an in-depth look at other realms within the Shadowlands and what it means to be a Guard, whether in the dark city, or the land of the living.

It includes:

--All of Malachi’s journal entries (more than 200) including 30 exclusive, never-before-published entries that reveal his perspective during the events of Fractured

--A 50-page novella from Jim’s perspective (Libertine)

--Three bonus scenes from Sanctum from Malachi and Ana’s perspective (She is the Mission, An End and a Beginning, and The Dark Tower)

--Two lengthy scenes that show some of the surviving characters post-Chaos

This collection is available in e-book format, only.

When Sarah sent this to me, there was a warning not to view the two post-Chaos scenes until I'd actually read the final book because they were very spoilerish. So, I'm warning you now. I waited and read this collection of journal entries and short stories last, and I think that's the best order, especially when it comes to the short stories themselves.

I'd read some of Malachi's journal entries here and there over the years, but never have I sat down and read them all back-to-back. It was insightful, to say the least. Also, there are entries that have never been shared before, from during the time period that Fractured covers, and those are well worth reading, especially if you know what transpires in that book. Very entertaining and very enlightening.

I knew there was so much more of Jim's story that we weren't getting in Fractured, and I'm glad that Sarah decided to write it and share it with all of us, especially since she fed us more of Henry's story in Chaos. As both were part of Lela's team of Guards in the Land of the Living, it's only fitting that both of their stories be told.

I am so thankful for this bonus content because after I finished Chaos, I was kind of a pile of goo and yet still wasn't ready for the final goodbye. It was nice to get even more from Malachi and Ana's perspectives, though I think my favorite part of this book was having all of Malachi's journal entries in one place finally. This collection is a must-have for any fan of the Guards of the Shadowlands series.

About the author:

Sarah Fine was born on the West Coast, raised in the Midwest, and is now firmly entrenched on the East Coast, where she lives with her husband and two children. When she’s not writing, she’s working as a child psychologist. She is the author of the young adult novels Sanctum, Fractured, Chaos, Of Metal and Wishes, and Scan. Her first adult fantasy novel, Marked, releases on January 1st, 2015, from 47North.

Find Sarah:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

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Labels: afterlife, all the feels, all the swoons, amazon children's publishing, favorite authors, favorites, guards of the shadowlands, novellas, paranormal, reviews, sarah fine, souls

Review: Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

Title: Evertrue
Author: Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath, book #3
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 21, 2014
Source:  borrowed from Sara
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon — or die.

Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

In this stunning conclusion to the Everneath trilogy, Brodi Ashton evokes the resiliency of the human spirit and the indomitable power of true love.

Oh, my heart!  This series finale, while no more brutal than other recent series endings, left me desolate.  I devoured this book, but over the course of the novel, I think I distanced myself from the characters and the story.  I actually think I've been doing that with a lot of finales lately, to save myself from the pain, I suppose. But with Evertrue, I couldn't help how my heart was dashed to pieces.

I was numb for most of the book.  Cole was not Cole.  Jack was a bit over-bearing, and Nikki was just...well, her usual over-thinking self.  I loved Everbound, loved it sooo hard.  And even though we do return to the Everneath in this book, it just didn't have the same draw.  Nothing about this final book had the same impact, emotional or otherwise, as the previous two books.  Until that ending.

The amnesia plot in this book kind of drove me nuts.  As did Jack's caveman attitude.  I felt like I no longer knew these two boys, and honestly, I couldn't have cared less who Nikki ended up with.  I am all for the redeemable bad boy, and so I previously sided with Cole, despite his various misdeeds.  But I knew that ultimately that could never be.  I'd made my peace with that.  And with this final installment, I didn't really find him appealing anymore, as different as he was. Until that ending.

But this wasn't ever really a love triangle to begin with, so I don't want to focus on that aspect.  I think it was the overall plot that bothered me most.  I just didn't feel invested in where the story was headed, and the characters didn't help with that.  I read it quickly, but that was because I was trying to get to the end, to where I know Ashton's strengths really lie. The woman can write an ending, if the previous two books are to be believed.  And here again, she delivers.  I can't say I particularly love the turn it took, but it was fitting, if nothing else.  And Cole got some pretty good lines in there at the end.

Evertrue was not my favorite ending to a series, but when you never want your favorite series to end in the first place, that is a tall feat to accomplish anyway.  It hit me in the feels.  It made me want to bang my head against the wall.  It made my heart hurt.  And that's pretty much all I can ask from a finale:  that it makes me feel something...that it makes me reminisce over the entire series and want to read it again in one go.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Because of two parents who were Greek myth geeks, I grew up thinking the latest fashion trends were inspired by Aphrodite, and a good conversational opener was, “So, which mythological character do you most resemble?” Despite these social shortcomings, I found a great husband who’s always my first reader. We live in Utah with our two young boys, who still have no idea why I'm at the computer all the time.

I received a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics.

Find Brodi:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: afterlife, brodi ashton, everneath, harper-collins, mythology, paranormal, retellings, souls

Review: Mistwalker by Saundra Mitchell

Title: Mistwalker
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Series: n/a
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Source: for review via ATW ARC Tours
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

When Willa Dixon’s brother dies on the family lobster boat, her father forbids Willa from stepping foot on the deck again. With her family suffering, she’ll do anything to help out—even visiting the Grey Man. Everyone in her small Maine town knows of this legendary spirit who haunts the lighthouse, controlling the fog and the fate of any vessel within his reach. But what Willa finds in the lighthouse isn’t a spirit at all, but a young man trapped inside until he collects one thousand souls. Desperate to escape his cursed existence, Grey tries to seduce Willa to take his place. With her life on land in shambles, will she sacrifice herself?

I expected to be seduced by this book, much like the Grey Man "tries to seduce Willa to take his place". But to be honest, there's not much seduction here.  If you were looking forward to a romantic tryst with an urban legend type character, I think you're going to be disappointed with this one.  But, if you're looking for a story about a girl who's troubled by the part she played in her brother's death, about a girl who's trying to figure out where to go from here, then this might be your kind of book.

This is the third novel I've read from Saundra Mitchell, and as per usual, one of my favorite aspects is the setting. In this story, it's a poor fishing village in Maine.  I've never been to Maine, but I've always wanted to visit, and I almost felt like I had through the author's beautiful prose.  Her descriptions of the wharf and the lobster boats that sit in it, the island and it's somewhat magical lighthouse, the mystical fog that rolls into the village seemingly of its own accord, even the changing of the leaves as winter approaches...so much beauty and majesty in such a cold, harsh place.

Mistwalker was surprisingly (to me, at least) told from both Willa and Grey's perspectives.  While Willa's voice was rather stilted and halting as she tried to deal with her grief, I found Grey's to be very appealing and almost poetic in nature.  Of course, Willa is from present-day and Grey is the spirit of a seventeen-year-old boy who's been trapped in the lighthouse for 100 years...their voices should sound very different.  However, I appreciated Grey's perspective much more.  His frustration and humiliation over being deceived into his current position were nearly tangible, and his overall appearance and control over the fog and mist made him that much creepier.  But he was just a boy who had been tricked, and he'd still proven himself more or less honorable over the 100 years he'd been ensnared on the island.

Willa, on the other hand, wanted to avoid thinking about her situation, wanted to avoid anything that meant things would change.  She gives everyone the cold shoulder and pushes them all away.  And then she meets the Grey Man.  Nothing comes of it, except that now she's even more worried about her own sanity.  But as luck would have it, their meeting is fortuitous to both of them in ways that neither of them are ready to comprehend.

The problem I ran into with this story was the pacing.  It just never really felt like the story was moving forward.  I think I would have preferred this narrative as a short story rather than a full-length novel.  The writing is good...it's par for this author, but I have to admit I was more than a little bored at times.

A story of seduction that sounds to good to be true, Mistwalker is not what it appears to be, but I think it's all the better for it.  It's not entirely unique in its handling of grief and heartbreak, but it is genuine.  Haunting and beautiful, this eerie tale of tragedy and deception will appeal to fans of ghost stories and urban legends alike.

About the author:

Saundra Mitchell is the author of SHADOWED SUMMER, THE VESPERTINE, THE SPRINGSWEET, THE ELEMENTALS and forthcoming MISTWALKER. She’s also the editor of the YA anthology DEFY THE DARK.

This fall, she debuts WHILE YOU’RE AWAY, her first New Adult novel writing as Jessa Holbrook. In summer 2014, she debuts WILD, her first YA novel writing as Alex Mallory.

Find Saundra:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

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Labels: houghton mifflin harcourt, mistwalker, paranormal, reviews, saundra mitchell, souls, urban legends

Waiting on Wednesday: Chasing Before by Lenore Appelhans

"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: Chasing Before
Author: Lenore Appelhans
Series: The Memory Chronicles, book #2
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Publication Date: August 26, 2014

Felicia and Neil have left Level 2 behind, but another level stands between them and Heaven: Level 3. While the purpose of Level 2 is to relive your time on Earth and make peace with your memories, the objective of Level 3 is to completely detach from life and prepare for your divine vocation.

During Felicia and Neil's training period, a series of explosions destroy the portals out of Level 3. Tension is high, and casualties are mounting. Though Neil wants to become either a Muse or a Healer to help, Felicia is drawn to the Seraphim Guard. A rift forms between the pair, one that grows wider when Felicia receives memories from the Morati. The memories cast doubt on the people she loves the most, but Felicia can't stop her curiosity. She has to know the truth about her life before she moves on--if she can manage to evade old enemies long enough to find a way out of Level 3.

Considering that whole "out with the old, in with the new" mentality of the new year, I thought this would be a perfect pick for today's WoW.  But, what, no mention of Julian?  Or is he one of the "old enemies"?  Either way, I'm on board...I just love stories about the afterlife, at least when they're portrayed like this:  all crazy and unknown and not just about haunting the ones you loved.

And look, another book I'm waiting on where the series was redesigned:

 vs.  
I like the new covers and the new title for book one.  I just wish they'd thought of them before I got my finished copy of the first book.  *le sigh*

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: afterlife, angels, cover redesigns, lenore appelhans, simon schuster, souls, the memory chronicles, waiting on wednesday (wow)

Review: The Unbound by Victoria Schwab

Title: The Unbound
Author: Victoria Schwab
Series: The Archived, book #2
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Source: received from author/publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Last summer, Mackenzie Bishop, a Keeper tasked with stopping violent Histories from escaping the Archive, almost lost her life to one. Now, as she starts her junior year at Hyde School, she's struggling to get her life back. But moving on isn't easy -- not when her dreams are haunted by what happened. She knows the past is past, knows it cannot hurt her, but it feels so real, and when her nightmares begin to creep into her waking hours, she starts to wonder if she's really safe.

Meanwhile, people are vanishing without a trace, and the only thing they seem to have in common is Mackenzie. She's sure the Archive knows more than they are letting on, but before she can prove it, she becomes the prime suspect. And unless Mac can track down the real culprit, she'll lose everything, not only her role as Keeper, but her memories, and even her life. Can Mackenzie untangle the mystery before she herself unravels?

With stunning prose and a captivating mixture of action, romance, and horror, The Unbound delves into a richly imagined world where no choice is easy and love and loss feel like two sides of the same coin.

I re-read The Archived prior to picking up my prized galley of The Unbound because, well...because of the Wesley Ayers. Among other things.  But, gawd, if I wasn't stoked  for the sequel before (and I was, I really was), then to say that giving that bad boy another read did unspeakable things to my determination to read The Unbound stat and without interruption would be an understatement.

I don't know about you, but I love an unreliable narrator.  And in this sequel, Mac becomes just such a narrator.  After the horrific things she survived in The Archived, girl is allowed a little mental breakdown, but when she starts to see Owen Chris Clarke, to feel his presence not only in her dreams but in her waking hours, too, something's gotta give, and for a good while, it looked like it was going to be Mac's sanity.  But it goes without saying that because of her questionable mental state, she might not be the most trustworthy source for information.  It might help if she'd actually talk to someone (ahem, Wesley) about what's troubling her, but you know she's not going to make it easy on herself.  Mac is tough as nails thanks to Da, and she will see this thing through, even if it kills her...but hopefully not.

And to add to the chaos of the situation is the fact that Victoria Schwab is boss as misdirection.  I had suspicions.  I had theories.  I felt at times that I was being pushed in one direction so that I'd get all turned around, like I were in those awful tunnels myself.  This sequel is all kinds of twisty, and I never knew who to trust, if anyone...well, except Wes.  I just can't not trust that guy.

Speaking of, if you were disappointed by the lack of swoons in the first book when it came to Wes and Mac, your patience will pay off in this book.  Though you should be warned, Mac's become a bit of a babe magnet as of late.  But fret not fellow Wesley fans, this is nothing compared to that awkward triangle-type thingy that happened in The Archived. Which, if I'm being perfectly honest, wasn't really there either since that was a case of Mac and OCC using each other for different purposes and really involved no feelings.  Anyway, back to my point:  lots of Wesley Ayers page time and you will see a side of him you've never seen before. And he's all kinds of adorbs, but that's to be expected.

New friends, new foes, old friends, old foes...this sequel isn't lacking for entertaining characters.  Roland is still a great counter to Mac's brash, impulsive personality.  I enjoyed the almost fatherly role he played in the first book, but he's an even more prominent ally now, which is perfect because Mac needs him now more than ever.  Even Mac's parents get more action in this sequel, though I can't say that it made me like them any better.  I empathize with their situation, but losing one child does not net you permission to be absent for your remaining offspring.  They seem to wake up a bit from their stupor and take notice, but it's all the wrong things they're seeing, and Mac can't say a word otherwise to dissuade them.

The interactions between Da and Mac still preface the chapters, but rather than being a present-tense memory where Mac is "speaking" to Da, this time around they actually feel like flashbacks, usually ones that precede some training aspect Mac is putting into action.  They still contain those nuggets of wisdom, but Mac is seeing the Archive and its actions in a different light, and she's starting to question what Da really knew and understood about the people he was working for.

Which is partly what makes this sequel so unbelievably good:  everything is in question and nothing can be taken for granted.  Also:  the resolution that should mollify all involved parties but likely will only result in inciting further rebellion...because it leaves room for more story, which I desperately need.  I could wax poetic about all the things I love about The Unbound, but there's only one thing that I'm disappointed in. And that's the fact that I can't find any info on a third book!  Grrr.

Check back for my stop on The Unbound Blog Tour later in January!

GIF it to me straight:

No words could adequately describe how amazing this sequel was.  Truly.

Gawds, I love those covers.  Eye porn for my book shelf.

About the author:

I am the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Because of this, I have been known to say “tom-ah-toes”, “like”, and “y’all”. I also suffer from a wicked case of wanderlust, made worse by the fact that wandering is a good way to stir up stories. When I’m not haunting Paris streets or trudging up English hillsides, I’m usually tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up monsters.

My first YA novel, THE NEAR WITCH, a dark original fairy tale, debuted with Disney*Hyperion in August 2011, and is now out in paperback.

My next YA novel, THE ARCHIVED, is the first book in a new supernatural series about a world where the dead are shelved like books, and it hits stores January 2013, also with Disney*Hyperion.

My first adult novel, VICIOUS, about two brilliant and highly disturbed pre-med students who set out to generate their own superpowers and end up mortal enemies, is out in hardcover from Tor September 2013.

I have more books coming out in 2014, but I’ll get to those later.

These days, when someone asks me what I do when I’m NOT writing, I just kind of laugh nervously. But in truth, on the odd occasion I’m not typing away, I’m probably baking cookies, or watching BBC shows, or wandering. (See how we came full circle, there?)

Find Victoria:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumblr | YouTube

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Labels: afterlife, blog tour, disney hyperion, favorites, must-read, paranormal, reviews, souls, the archived, victoria schwab