5 out of 5: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

Summary:
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.
While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

Review:

You know when you read a really awesome book but then, the second one is not as good? I can assure you, this book lived up to my expectations. Daughter of Smoke and Bone was wonderful. This sequel was just as good, perhaps even better.

Now, thanks to Laini Taylor, I'm obsessed over Akiva's eyes.

Although I'd love to have an Akiva, every time Karou felt hate towards Akiva, I would silently cry. Through this book, I cried out in frustration because someone new does come along... This story is still very original and refreshing, so, don't miss interpret this story as a variation of the Twilight love triangle.

In this book, the relationship between Akiva and Karou does create some despair. So, that's why you have Zuzana and Mik, they would probably be the second most favorable couple in this book. As the secondary couple, it's amazing how much I hope for their survival.

I love how Laini Taylor thought through her chapter titles, they do mean somethings. Some of them were quiet amusing. Laini Taylor used chapters for switching character point of views. Sometimes, at the most dramatic parts, she would switch to another character, and as a result, I ended up sitting at home all day trying to find out what happens.

It's heartbreaking that I must wait another year to "see" Akiva, and Karou again.

Find Days of Blood and Starlight on: Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Goodreads

5 out of 5: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bones #1) by Laini Taylor

Summary:

Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Review:

Fair warning, when you start this book, you'll probably think that the characters have very weird names. Also, that might stop you from reading this book, but for your sake, you need to just keep on reading, just keep on reading...

In fact, this book was so amazing, I think the names fit perfectly for this book; extraordinary names for an extraordinary book.

I absolutely adore Karou and Akiva (anyone know they're shipping name by chance?). Laini Taylor did an amazing job of describing her characters. You could imagine the intensity of Akiva's eyes just by reading the paragraph below:

They were amber like a tiger's, and like a tiger's they were rimmed in black—the black both of heavy lashes and of kohl, which focused the gold of his irises like beams of light. They were pure and luminous, mesmerizing and achingly beautiful...

Gorgeous right? Not only does the story line pick up fast, but there are several memorable and inspirational quotes along the way.

I love it when covers connect to the book, when I found out Karou's hair was blue, I thought the blue on the cover matched her hair, but the connection goes further than that. I can't wait to read Days of Blood and Starlight and see if there's another connection!

I can't believe I did not pick up this book earlier. Also, at times I even found myself wishing to stay at home and read instead of meeting actual real people. Please, if you enjoy supernatural books, it is a mandatory must-read book.

Find Daughter of Smoke and Bone on: Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Goodreads