REVIEW: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence (Mystic City #1)
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 9, 2012
Source: Netgalley via publisher*
Rating: 4/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths.

But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place.

Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

My Review

With a more than stunning cover, I had high hopes for Mystic City. What I thought to be one thing, turned out to another in the best way imaginable. A simple forbidden romance was all I was expecting, but I got so much more from Mystic City. This book had that unwavering love I was looking for but it also had revolution, magic, and power struggles that made this book gripping, exciting, and enthralling. 

I loved main character and heroine, Aria Rose. In the circumstance of losing some of her memory, she never gives up even in the slightest doubt. Groomed, trained and fit to be a political darling and perfect daughter to Johnny Rose, Aria feels as if she always has to prove her devotion and loyalty to her family. In Mystic City we see how truly conflicted Aria feels. Courageous and willful girl that she is, Aria doesn’t judge and doesn’t quite agree with her family and with this difficulty leads her to open her eyes and see everything in a whole different light. The way in which she discovers new things about the mystics and the city is something of curiosity and adoration that made me believe and see something more in Aria. She was brave and determined to find out the truth throughout the book. Despite her conflicts, Aria stands up for what she believed was right. She was stronger, wiser, and much more compassionate and kind-hearted than her family. A rebel at heart, Aria rises from under the restraints of her family, pushes to be her own person and is determined to make new of the city she holds dearly.

The romance between Aria and Hunter that quickly develops in a short period of time is very reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, only in a more modern and advance world. While their love may have been fast, it did not feel forced nor rushed. Their love had much more than at first glance and I really got to see and feel the truth and realness of their feelings through their interactions and their wish for the safety and well being of the other. Hunter, albeit powerful and dangerous as a mystic was kind and had a fun side. He brought in some of the humor I needed when the book got really serious.  He was everything Aria described him to be: otherworldly, sexy, strong and sweet. Hunter was an amazing character for many reasons, but mostly because he helped open Aria’s eyes about the mystics and he loved her unconditionally. 

Aeries, the Depths, the Magnificent Block with their TouchMe screens, e-coulmns, lightrails, PODs, and the Grid are all a part of this rich and limitless world created by Theo Lawrence. In this futuristic setting of New York, the west side and east side are separated and ruled by the feuding and sworn enemies of the Rose and the Foster family respectively. The enemy of their enemy are the mystics, those with special powers that enhance speed and strength that are known to be a danger and menace to those living in Aeries and the Depths. In Mystic City, there is a combination of political families joining together to gain political power and control and of an uprising and a revolution brimming among the mystic rebels wanting the equality they deserved for many years. That coupled with the romance between Aria and Hunter, made Mystic City one hell of a fast-paced and invigorating novel. The whole book was one complete big rush of exhilaration that consumed me. Lawrence made me want to scream and shout and pull my hair out in frustration and in anticipation. I loved the writing and descriptions used to envision this part of New York. Lawrence really does a great job of bringing the futuristic, dilapidated, dark and mysteriousness state of this world to life. I had no trouble imagining and seeing it all in my mind. 

Overall, Mystic City was a novel full of rebellion, love, desperation and urgency I felt, read, and saw from the start. Dystopian fans will love this world and romance fans will be rooting for Aria and Hunter all the way. 

*Thanks to Random House for sending a copy for review purposes

I was not compensated for my opinion.

REVIEW: Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

Title: Strands of Bronze and Gold
Author: Jane Nickerson
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: March 12, 2013
Source: Netgalley eARC 352 pages
Rating: 3/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

My Review

The saying “It’s not you, it’s me,” could not have been more true than when I read and finished Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson.

Sophie was a young, sweet, innocent girl full of curiosity. She loved being at the house and exploring all around it. Sophie was kind, very good hearted, and brought up well despite the death of her father and also being motherless growing up. Although naive at times, Sophie was defiant when need be and when she felt she was being stifled. I loved that she was talkative and enjoyed telling stories and pleasing others. She was the type of person who didn’t like to be confined, but wanted to know, learn, and do new things. Sophie was fierce when she wanted to be and had fire and spunk when she knew she was right. Her curious nature was adorable, but was bound to get her into more than a little trouble. While I did like Sophie very much, I was unable to connect with her. 

Sophie’s godfather, Bernard de Cressac, was a peculiar character. To be quite honest, I think I was actually fond of him, which sort of makes me a little queasy. I think I grew to like Bernard because of his charm and charisma and the way he wanted to please Sophie so much. There was an underlying mystery about him, where I never really got to know him at all, making me only want to know him more. I don’t know whether I like him because I felt some kind of sympathy for him and his downfall or maybe because he exuded this dangerous and secretive personality that I was drawn to from the start. Maybe it’s because he was always a surprise, always in different moods throughout the  story. You never really know what side of Bernard you were going to get, and even Sophie describes him as such. He was really possessive, successful and maybe even crazy, but he was the most fascinating character in this story, if not the most interesting. 



I really wanted to fall in love with this book because the writing was very rich, languid, delicate, and simply stunning. The imagery and description of the setting was breath-taking and very expressive. I really got the sense of time in which this novel was set, especially with the descriptions of the house, to the workings of the servants, to the clothes that the characters wore, to the food eaten and the language spoken. I even loved that the pacing was pretty slow, but picks up near the end because it gave a sense of foreboding throughout the whole book. The problem I had was simple and sad; I was bored. No matter how much detail was put into this book and no matter how much I did seem to like and enjoy it, I was not compelled to finish it. In between reading this book and putting it down, I didn’t feel the pull to pick it up. It took me over three weeks to finally reach the last page and instead of wanting more, I was so relieved I finally finished. I also think that knowing this was a Bluebeard retelling made me expect Bernard’s demise and thus, took away any suspense, excitement, or creepy factor I was hoping for. 


Overall, Strands of Bronze and Gold was beautifully written and a respectable retelling of a very well known fairytale. Fans of historical fiction and of retellings with surely enjoy such a fantastic piece of literature despite my thoughts.

*Thanks to Random House for sending a copy for review

REVIEW: Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

Title: Love and Other Perishable Items
Author: Laura Buzo
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 11, 2012
Format: egalley* 256 pages
Rating: 4/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Love is awkward, Amelia should know.

From the moment she sets eyes on Chris, she is a goner. Lost. Sunk. Head over heels infatuated with him. It's problematic, since Chris, 21, is a sophisticated university student, while Amelia, is 15.

Amelia isn't stupid. She knows it's not gonna happen. So she plays it cool around Chris—at least, as cool as she can. Working checkout together at the local supermarket, they strike up a friendship: swapping life stories, bantering about everything from classic books to B movies, and cataloging the many injustices of growing up. As time goes on, Amelia's crush doesn't seem so one-sided anymore. But if Chris likes her back, what then? Can two people in such different places in life really be together?

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

This book fooled and entertained me tremendously. I was looking for one thing and it totally took me in another direction. While I can’t say that this book exceeded my expectations, I can say that it did not disappoint me either. Really, it was breath of fresh, sweet air that surprised me, but also left too quickly.



Fifteen year old Amelia was one independent girl whom I enjoyed getting the chance to know. The best thing about young Amelia was her intelligence, her way with words and the depth of her mind. She may seem like an ordinary girl, but Amelia was smart and different. She got excellent marks on her schoolwork, loved English, and reads classic novels. She can talk about things you wouldn’t think a fifteen year old could talk about. She may be socially awkward and innocent in other aspects, but she still has a lot to learn. Amelia also cares about the welfare of her mother and her happiness and adores her younger sister. She observes other people around her and though she wishes to be like them, she doesn’t change herself to accommodate anyone. She’s pensive, passionate, and a tiny bit peculiar, but I liked her all the same.

Chris was a whole other story. He was just as passionate as Amelia when it came to books, movies, writing and lectures. I think that’s why he and Amelia just connected and hit it off so well. They share that intelligent and profound way of speaking and thinking. I loved that he wasn’t too cool to hang out with Amelia and that he was just a guy finding his way and looking for the right girl. While Amelia was socially awkward, Chris was a social butterfly. He was funny and easy to get along with. You couldn’t hate him even if you tried your very hardest.



Laura Buzo’s writing style is something I am not used to. It’s different and addictive and one that I hold great pleasure to be acquainted with. I loved how Buzo made it so we were able to see through Amelia’s eyes in the beginning for a few months and then we go back and see through Chris’s. I thought this was brilliant. Not much long dialogue goes on in this book, they are fairly short, but having this sort of forward-pause and rewind effect we have with Amelia and Chris made the whole story come full circle and allows us to just enjoy them simultaneously. The best part of this book is the banter between Chris and Amelia and how easily they are able to talk with one another. Everything about them is witty, interesting, and super entertaining.

To be honest, nothing truly happens in Love and Other Perishable Items. The main characters talk about their everyday lives, troubles, and tribulations, but nothing much more than that. We see through their eyes and we get to know them and learn to love them. It’s written in a genuine way that reminds us time and time again that life is not fair and not everything will go how we want it to. While this sort of thing may not be for everyone, I learned to appreciate this along the way. I believe that, even though it pains me to say, the decisions made in this book were the right ones. In the end, Laura Buzo may not have given me exactly what I wanted with Chris and Amelia, she did give me hope.

*Thanks to Random House for sending a copy for review.  



REVIEW: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Title: Meant to Be
Author: Lauren Morrill
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 13, 2012
Format: egalley* 304 pages
Rating: 4/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

I was looking for a light book to read, something that would make me smile and laugh. What I got in Meant to Be was exactly what I needed and more. It was cute, easy to read, and one fun book that I enjoyed very much!


Julia was one character that grew on me the more I got to know her while reading. To be honest, I thought she was too uptight and slightly annoying at first. As the story moved forward, I started to like her more and more. I found her love for Shakespeare, history and her constant need to follow rules very endearing. Julia was super accident prone and always embarrassing herself in some awkward situation, but this only made me warm up to her personality more and more. I found myself laughing because of her accidents and smiling when she recovered because Julia handled herself in such an adorable way even during her humiliation. I really loved Julia more when she started to have fun and break the rules a bit. She didn’t really change, but made herself open to more things. Julia learned that people are not who they seem to be or who she imagined them to be and I think that’s where she grows as a character and as a person. 

While the romance between Julia and Jason was slightly predictable, I loved their interaction, tension, and chemistry very much. Jason is the complete opposite of Julia. He’s a trouble-maker, continuously breaks the rules, and is a prankster to the core. This may have turned Julia off in the beginning, but soon she sees another side of Jason, one that is funny, caring, cute and sweet. His annoying childish ways became adorable to both me and Julia. I thought that Jason was misunderstood, mostly by Julia, and that he had a sort of depth quality in his personality where you really had to dig deep to get to the good stuff. Even with their differences and their little arguments, Jason and Julia form a friendship, a sort of bond that gets them to open up to one another and discover things about each other. They end up enjoying the company of one another and seeing their relationship bloom into something more was just a lovely thing to read.

What Lauren Morrill created in Meant to Be was one quick and clever read that was a complete page-turner. Her writing was very smooth, making it more than easy to zip through chapter after chapter. She gives us an adventure with Julia and Jason as they explore London and she gives us plenty of entertaining and sweet moments between the two that could make anyone’s heart beat fast. The best part is the genuine romance that develops throughout the story and the new light and meaning of what ‘meant to be’ really means. 

Although some moments were predictable and even when I had some hesitation in the beginning, I really loved Meant to Be in the end. It made me smile, it made me laugh, and it just gave me a good time. 

*Thanks to Random House for providing a copy for review

REVIEW: The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab

Title: The Opposite of Hallelujah
Author: Anna Jarzab - Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 16, 2012
Format: ARC 464 pages
Rating: 4/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Caro Mitchell considers herself an only child—and she likes it that way. After all, her much older sister, Hannah, left home eight years ago, and Caro barely remembers her. So when Caro’s parents drop the bombshell news that Hannah is returning to live with them, Caro feels as if an interloper is crashing her family. To her, Hannah’s a total stranger, someone who haunts their home with her meek and withdrawn presence, and who refuses to talk about her life and why she went away. Caro can’t understand why her parents cut her sister so much slack, and why they’re not pushing for answers.

Unable to understand Hannah, Caro resorts to telling lies about her mysterious reappearance. But when those lies alienate Caro’s new boyfriend and put her on the outs with her friends and her parents, she seeks solace from an unexpected source. And when she unearths a clue about Hannah’s past—one that could save Hannah from the dark secret that possesses her—Caro begins to see her sister in a whole new light.

My thoughts, feelings and reactions.

The Opposite of Hallelujah begins with a teenage girl, who was basically raised as an only child, dreading the return of her estranged sister. This is just the first layer of the story. In this book, we are taken along a journey of self-discovery through the eyes of Caro Mitchell. Anna Jarzab created a novel that shows the true strength and bond of a family and the meaning of love between sisters even through all the dark secrets and mistakes. 

Caro was a tremendous surprise in the book. On the surface, she was stubborn, tempered, blunt and albeit, extremely selfish girl. Even with her bad attitude towards her sister and her parents, I found Caro to be extremely real and likable. I understood her actions and feelings of resent and unworthiness when Hannah comes back into her life. Change is not easy and the adjustment of sharing her parent’s affection and attention was hard on Caro. Added to that is the unknown true reasoning of Hannah’s departure eight years ago, her unexpected return, and all the lies and secrets her parents have been keeping about what happened to Hannah when Caro was very little. Caro tries to find herself throughout the book, questioning why she does things, learning from her mistakes, and embracing her sister’s presence. Caro really changes herself, opens her eyes, mind and heart, and grows up immensely. 

The romance between Caro and Pawel is not prominent in the book, but a very wonderful addition to Caro’s overall growth. Along with her talks with Father Bob, I think Pawel really helps Caro. He was supportive and understanding. He was an adorable, cute guy that cared so much about Caro. He was there when she needed him and his absence made her realize her dire mistakes. What I loved most about Pawel was the funny, laid back side of him who was just fun to be around and one of the few people that saw the good in Caro’s heart. I have no doubt why these two fall for each other. 

While this book mentions some aspects of religious beliefs and philosophies, its’ prominence does not take away the overall enjoyment. In fact, it enhances the storyline and gives more depth and shape to Caro and her sister’s characterization. It helps the pacing go smoothly and it gives the reader a whole new perspective.

Jarzab has an amazing writing style that gives her character life and meaning. Her writing kept me riveted and brought out genuine emotions. She made Caro’s life interestingly flawed and she portrayed real family struggles. Jarzab didn't just center the plot around Caro, but she brang forth the parts of her parents and Hannah with all the misunderstanding and miscommunication. She really showed the imperfectness of a family, but she also showed the unconditional love as well. The truth about Hannah’s past, while not quite surprising, did not take away from the inspirational feel of the book and all the hope it brought. 

Overall, The Opposite of Hallelujah was an enlightening novel about forgiveness, faith and the growing relationship between two sisters and a family. It’s a thoroughly delightful read.

REVIEW: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1)
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan -
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Published: September 11, 2012
Format: Netgalley eARC* 370 pages
Rating: 5/5
(honestly this deserves an infinite amount of stars)
Get it: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan is the type of book that creeps up on you and when you least expect it, you’re so wrapped up in its goodness that you cannot extricate yourself from its hold. That’s exactly what Unspoken did to me. The whole book is one big wonderful surprise that just blew my mind.

Kami Glass: eccentric investigative journalist and one remarkable heroine. 


She was the whole package with a little more. Kami is the epitome of a heroine; strong, determined, high-spirited, relentless, never gives up, adventurous, creative, intelligent and a girl with a big heart and big dreams. Kami was the type of girl to take charge. She does what she wants, when she wants and she doesn’t need a boy to tell her what to do. Like Kami says throughout the book, she can handle herself and this is so true. She’s no damsel in distress and she certainly doesn’t need a guy to make her world go round. Kami was half part responsible and half part risk-taker-let’s-go-all-out galore. She was so funny and snarky and full of sarcasm that I was beside myself with laughter at nearly every moment. Kami was a little odd, possibly even a little crazy (in the best possible way) and she knows it and it’s perfectly fine. She’s comfortable with being who she is and you have no idea how much I love that. Kami was different and one of a kind and in my opinion, fabulous. 

Kami and Jared: the best romantic ‘non-relationship’ that ever existed. 


These two had this undeniable, obvious, but intense connection that goes way back to when they were young, speaking to each other through their minds. Everything is comfortable up until they meet in person. They struggle with each other’s presence, but they still cannot simply pull away from one another. Their not-quite-severely-complicated-relationship was unconventional, unorthodox, and unusual in the most endearing way that I loved so much. It’s nothing like I’ve ever read about before. They can’t seem to come to terms with their feelings and it becomes difficult and strange and sometimes really awkward between them since secrets are all out there in the open, yet the mutual understanding and loyalty was always there. Jared was as different as Kami. He was aloof and arrogant and not typically friendly like his counterpart, but still lovable in every sense. He is completely misunderstood, but he cares deeply for Kami and has this fierce protective side for her that I absolutely fell for. 

The writing, the world building, the pacing: magnificent.


Sarah Rees Brennan’s writing was surreal and whimsical. She really balances the humor and amusement with the dark and spooky feel of the book. She does a great job of making the story easy to read despite the few POV changes, while still creating a story that flowed nicely from start to finish. I was completely impressed with her ability to create a world and develop it well in just a few pages alone. Sorry-in-the-Vale (amazing name, right?) is a small town filled with secrets of magic and sinister happenings that surround the Lynburn family. What I loved was how well-thought out everything was from the mysteries of the town and its background, the deaths, the Lynburn family itself, the magic and power, Jared and Kami’s connection and so much more. All of it is explored throughly. The pacing of the novel is spectacular, spilt into six parts where it steadily builds until it reaches the climax then eases into the resolution and then gets packed with a devastating ending that leaves you with a heavy heart and a desire to break something. There was not a single dull moment and the entirety of this novel was more than entertaining.

All in all, Unspoken is immensely witty, cleverly written and filled with fun characters, eerie elements, and a mystery that makes this book one heck of a page-turner!

*Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for allowing me to read this book.

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REVIEW: Rapture by Lauren Kate

Title: Rapture (Fallen #4)
Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Published: June 12, 2012
Format: Netgalley* 448 pages

The sky is dark with wings . . . .

Like sand in an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past they must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again.

Yet together they will face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen.

For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now will be the only one that truly matters.

In the fight for Luce, who will win?

My Review:
The fans of the Fallen series by Lauren Kate will not be disappointed with Rapture, the fourth and concluding novel. In this book, everything is at stake, not just Luce and Daniel’s love, but history itself and the future of the Angels. The truth about Luce will finally be revealed and a betrayal will be known to all. Full of adventure, Rapture will keep fans riveted until the very end.



Rapture picks up where Passion left off and immediately settles you into Luce and Daniel’s story with ease. Lauren Kate made it an easy transition and she mentioned events from the previous books into the story, making it easy for me to recall what happened before. I was already wrapped up into the story and I was more than eager to find out the truth about Luce’s curse. 


Lauren Kate really brought the action and excitement into the story. I thought her idea for locating the fallen site of the Angels was an interesting twist along with the actual ritual involved. I found it fascinating and an intriguing concept. I like that she allowed the reader to travel with Luce and Daniel to the places that they went. I found that Lauren Kate described these places in great detail allowing me to visualize the area and to appreciate the architecture even if I only imagined it in my mind. For Luce and Daniel, I felt the imminent danger surrounding them. It felt like everything and everyone was trying to stop them. It was scary and frustrating and it kept me on the edge of my seat all the time. 



I really loved Luce more in Rapture. Following her journey throughout all the books, she has changed and grown so much. She definitely matured tremendously. I really felt her strength, bravery and loyalty shine through. She was scared, but she still pushed on even when Daniel felt like he was losing hope, Luce gave him the courage and strength to keep going. I was really proud of Luce and all the decisions she made. She really thought them through and she helped Daniel and her friends instead of standing by helpless. I absolutely loved how Lauren Kate added in Luce’s past memories into the the story. They weren’t random at all and they made sense. I also liked that Luce’s memories came to her slowly instead of being slammed into her. It set the pace of the story and allowed the reader not to be overwhelmed with all the information. It was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders when Luce’s identity was finally known. It’s like, finally, everything made sense and everything fit together nicely. I absolutely loved that I finally got to know how Luce and Daniel met for the first time and how their love became what it is now. I could see the depth of their love and their bond and I loved how they stayed true to themselves all the time until the very end.


I have to admit that the big twist in the end wasn’t a real surprise for me since I’ve been thinking about all kinds of theories, but I still loved how everything played out. I must be going out of my mind when I’m saying this, but I kind of felt bad for Lucifer. However, I still felt like he was blinded and misguided and too focused on his anger. I was surprised by the overall ending itself. I never expected what Daniel and Luce had to do in the end, but it was at this part was where I admired Luce the most. Her selflessness in the end really made her more than memorable in my mind. 


Lauren Kate really impressed me with her ability to weave all the parts of Luce’s story. I was confused on some parts throughout the series, but I think this book really explained everything I wanted and needed to know. Of course I still have questions about some things and other characters, but she ended Luce and Daniel’s story in the best way possible that felt real and right. It was absolutely beautiful.



All in all, Rapture was the perfect ending to the Fallen series. It’s always a little bittersweet when a series ends and I’ll admit that I will miss Luce and Daniel terribly along with the other characters I grew to love. For me, the ending was satisfying and gave me the overall contentment I have been waiting for in Luce and Daniel’s love story.



In the end, the very last line of the book took my breath away. 


My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

*Thanks to Random House for allowing me to read Rapture. :)

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