The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3) by Michelle Hodkin 

Publisher: Simon and Schuster 

Publication date: November 4th 2014

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.

There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.

She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.

She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.

Retribution has arrived. 

-Goodreads description 

It's finally freakin' here. After months of anxious waiting, Michelle Hodkin has finally blessed us with the last installment in her best-selling series. I can unquestionably say that I have never read a series like this within the Young Adult book realm and this book is definitely an attestation to her unforgettably suspenseful writing style. Whilst it is a love story that puts quite an emphasis on romance, it doesn't feel like you're reading a romance novel. It feels authentic in its approach, combining fantasy, mystery and thrilling plot twists to keep the reader on their feet till the end.

Having read the previous book - The Evolution of Mara Dyer - quite a long time ago, I was scared that I wouldn't be able to keep up with the plot. It starts off right where the 2nd book finished off and in truth, it can be pretty confusing and disorienting to place just what is happening as you begin the book. However, if you have read the 2nd book recently, you should definitely have no problem as even I was able to get back on track after the first few chapters of this 470 thrilling page turner. 

I particularly enjoyed the first half of the book as it was really different to anything I have read not only recently but in a veeeery long time. Within YA, I feel like there is an unwritten taboo about mental instability and insanity when combined with what is seen as a romance story. However, Hodkins is not afraid to dip her toe in the water, giving the reader a sense of the darkness the lurks within Mara's mind. I also love the fact she addressed real life issues within what is really a fantasy series. Rape amongst other controversial topics were delved into which is is a very risqué move on her part. So bravo to you Hodkins. 

The second half of the book was a bit of a let down for me compared to the fast-paced action and ominous atmosphere within the first part. This was a shocker for me as the initial half was not romance-filled and lets be honest, I'm a total romance chick at heart. However, it does not impact my overall thoughts of the book being an undeniably amazing ending to the series. Once again, I really enjoyed the secondary characters within the book such as Jamie and Stella as they brought comic relief to what were the most gruesome situations. Their contribution to the story is undoubtedly evident and a big reason why I was not as mentally scarred as I was. 

One thing I have to mention though is despite the usefulness of the Mara's flashbacks throughout the book, I did NOT enjoy them as they simply did not intrigue me. Nevertheless, this is due to my personal preference and subjectivity.

To conclude, a heart-stopping finale that lives up to Hodkin's reputation.

BTW, Linked below is an awesome free excerpt of Chapter 8 from the audiobook which I received from my friends over at Audible. Thanks!
                                                              - Alana xxx

Talon (Talon #1) by Julie Kagawa 

Publisher : Harlequin teen

Publication date: October 28th 2014 

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

- Goodreads description

Oh, Lordy, Lord. Where to begin? What can I say Julie, you deeply disappointed me with  this book. Before going into this, I was like, this will for sure be a solid read because of course, it Julie freakin' Kagawa. I absolutely loved the Blood of Eden series and quite liked the iron fey series too. I assumed that it would probably fall into place snugly between the two but boy, was I wrong. 

One of the reasons I wanted to read this book was  because of its the ravishingly delectable  cover- I mean, just look at it-  but also because it held substantial promise in terms of plot however it fell disappointingly short. And by short, I mean like face planting before take off. There is really nothing to say about this book but that it was boring, held no interesting character development- they're freakin' dragons, for God's sakes- and it seemed to drag on and on and on and on for an infinite amount of time. 

I considered stopping when I reached about 1/4 of the way through however I really wanted to see if the book would get increasingly better as I read which it sadly didn't. Having said that, if the 2nd book were to be released, I might pick it up because its one of those series. The kind where you know it will be bad but you can't help but want to find out what happens, even though you have basically no interest in the characters themselves. Weird, I know, but I've learnt to roll with it. 

An unsatisfying start to a series which should only be read if all others options have been exhausted.

                                                                                     - Alana, xxx

Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publication Date: October 14th 2014

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

-Goodreads Description

Like so many of the books I've been reviewing this month, Snow Like Ashes is a book that I had been looking forward to reading for a very long time. The concept seemed unique and I could see Raasch writing being a similar kind of style as Sarah J.Maas's Throne of Glass series. This was enough of a push to get me started but the fantasy genre aspect to it really hit the nail on the head.The high-fantasy genre, as you can probably tell, has really captivated me recently and I just can seem to get enough of the captivating world-building and the action, not to mention the romance ;) So, I was excited when I was finally able to get my hands on this bad boy which I am happy to say succeeded in all the right ways. 

Despite my utter satisfaction, I will admit that this book is pretty long, 422 pages long to be exact and there was deemed to be at least some parts that felt dragging. The beginning, although advancing pretty quickly into the action stages, had some character development issues. Meira, the protagonist of the story, is a badass who can hold her own in any situation however her character can feel flat at the start. A particular peeve of mine was her constant need to state that she was meaningless and was not useful in any aspect that mattered in order to recapture their kingdom, Winter. Whilst I admire a humble attitude, the endless echoes of these thoughts were quick to get on my nerves. As the narrative progressed, I did find that this was minimized but it is something you have to deal with. Besides this tiny annoyance, I was really able to connect with her humorous charisma and her dedication to the cause. 

Whilst the summary might outline a love triangle, readers quickly realize that this is not quite so accurate.  Mather, the king of Winter, is Meira's age and has grown up with her his whole life. Little do they know, they both harbor feelings for one another. Just as they begin to recognize the potential of their mounting relationship, the group of refugees once again face threats which force them to flee. This leads her to meet Theron, a noble, intelligent and oh-so-handsome prince from a rhythm kingdom. 

Lastly, the concept of the seasons as kingdoms didn't sit with me very well at first. Not only did I view it as childish but quite dull :/ Buuuuuut, after reading the book, I can 100% assure you that it gets better with time, trust me :)

Great read with interesting characters and strong story line!
                                                                          - Alana, xxx