Review: Obumbrate by Alivia Anders

Obumbrate (Illumine #2)

Author: Alivia Anders
Pages:292
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: July 7th 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: ARR

Essallie Hanley just wishes her life could go back to normal. But what's normal when you carry the burden of knowing you're a half-angel created for war, that the only person who can help you is a demon still waiting to kill you, and that your only chance for salvation lied in a boy who died in front of you?
If Essallie had turned her back on everything she'd learned, she could have made the most of her fractured life. That is, until Kayden told her that she's a ticking time-bomb; that at any given moment her blood could betray her, her veins burning her alive from the inside out until nothing but ash remains.

Desperate to find answers, and possibly find her only chance for survival, Essallie heads back for New York City, back to the place where it all began. With every answer comes a price, and with every price the risks and rewards become greater. But when Essallie soon finds herself the target of an unknown hunter determined to kill her, she's at wits' end. That is, until a fellow Nephilim named Ari steps in. But is Ari a piece of the puzzle to her salvation, or the promise of her demise?

My Take:

 Ever felt that life couldn't get any more complicated, for Essallie Hanley being told she is a weapon and can be used that can put one big strain on life. Just days after the attack her ex had orchestrated, getting back to normal can take some time. Esepcially when you lose someone you felt a deep connection with. Not wanting to do anything with being a Nephilim and pushing away those who helped along the way, Essallie just wants the school year to end and go back home. But when the queen wants something she usually gets it, this time she is after the one Essallie can't give her, thats her power. So when attacked Essallie ventures into the last place she wants to go, Charon. Since the place gave her insight before, maybe the same person can give more of an idea of how much time she actually has.

Meeting Ari was a plus because another Nephiim couldn't get worst right. Its until he starts to question why she can't fight for herself. Essallie can see that he cares for her, but at the end of the day her time is running out and starting something is just not possible. Unless Kayden of course shows up with nothing more than a what stare. The problem with Kayden is that he just used her for his benefit and he pushes her buttons. With the three of them, figuring out a plan to see why the queen wants Essallie isn't as easy as any plan would go. One thing for sure Essallie puts her feelings aside and does the one thing she knows to do, question everything there is to be questioned.

While reading this I saw that Essallie was really trying hard to push those close to her, and in doing so she prevented any feelings to get in the way of her actions. Of course realizing Kayden used her really help with being on Team Kayden and of course later on he than changed my mind. Kayden is like that always changing my mind at every turn. Meeting Ari at first I was cautious and as the pages were turned I realized wow he actually cares and she doesn't yet see that he can actually see her. Add in a clock and you have the making of an intense ride. The one thing though to put some tears in my eyes was finding out who her watcher was, it hit me like an arrow to the heart. Of course her journey continues later this year, its just the wait is going to be tough. I want to know more of the queen, and who Essallie picks. Anders draws you in and leaves you wanting more and thats when you wish Christmas came faster.

5/5 stars

Review: A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton

A Beautiful Evil (Gods & Monsters #2)  

Author: Kelly Keaton
Pages:285
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: February 21st  2012
Author Website
Available for Order: Amazon| Barnes and Noble

Source: Borrowed

Myth and mayhem inhabit a richly reimagined New Orleans in this sequel to Darkness Becomes Her.After the epic graveyard battle at the end of Darkness Becomes Her, Ari and her friends know what they’re up against: Ari is facing the Medusa curse and is haunted by the image of what she will become. To make matters worse, the heinous goddess Athena has kidnapped young Violet and is threatening to destroy Ari. 

Ari, along with the superhot Sebastian, is doing everything she can to learn more about Athena and to get Violet back. But the battle of good and evil is bigger than she realizes, and she’s about to be pulled into a world more horrific than she could ever imagine....

My Take:

Finding out your cursed and upon your 21st birthday your destined to wreck havoc on the gods, for Ari finding out she is a God is one of the things she found out. Another is that who her father is and what her mother had sacrificed to save Ari all those years before. With some help from a very hot guy, Sebastian, Ari knows that she needs to find her friend Violet and the father she left behind. She owes them that much, but since her power to kill the gods isn't controlled its hard to even consider using the curse that made her own mother take her own life. Coming to grips with the fact that the Medusa curse runs through her, its hard to even consider a relationship with anyone. Even Sebastian has been distant so no love anytime soon. Finding a weakness that can end the goddess Athena is hard but since she is given access to the library she is able to gain some knowledge and hope for some answers to all her questions.

With time ticking down to the day she is to turn into a god killer, Ari must have a plan or plans to bring down the one god who took away everything from her. With help from Henri and Sebastian and of course her findings of how to enter Athena's temple, Ari must take precaution when dealing with a goddess who can easily kill her with one thought. Once inside Ari must know to keep her emotions in check because knowledge is everything and once you show your weakness, whoever it is can use it to their advantage too bad it so happens to Sebastian that is her one weakness. Because she really cares about him and he kinda likes her too and actually wants to see where things go. So yeah that moment for Ari was so intense realizing a guy likes you too is big. With time and her touch Ari must know when to fight and when to stop fighting and save those closest to you.

This was a very different way going about the Medusa curse and the fact if left me wanting more when I turned the last page thats priceless. Understanding that Ari is a tough character was amazing because she has this idea that its her fault and she needs to do anything necessary to get to those who were taken from her. But when Sebastian wants to help and doesn't take no for an answer leaves Ari to think its also because he lost someone. But the truth is far from that. When she met Sebastian she didn't ever think his haze would ever linger towards her. He really likes her and will do anything in his power to help her along the way. He is so dreamy it kinda hard to not think about him while reading and also what he tells Ari is so cute. She really is lucky because she found something she wasn't even searching for. Thats what I looking forward to in the future, Athena has it coming she really does deserve it.

5/5 Stars