Shadow Kiss (Paging John Edward, this Bitch is Seeing Ghosts)

Despite Rose's lapses into immaturity during this book, I thought it explored some really dark places with her which is what made it so memorable. Between that and the ever present tension with Dimitri, this book gave a good payoff in multiple ways. I liked the continuing of their guardian training and more of realization of what that entailed for a future, something that Rose didn't seem to dwell on that much before. 

***SPOILERS AHEAD***
 
Rose's Crankypants Outburst #1: The first one sets the tone for the book when Rose has a hissyfit over her assignment with Christian. You know something's off by the extreme way she reacts to it, resorting to childish, almost embarrassing levels. The pairing ends up bringing them closer together and foreshadows the kickass team they make at the end when they're taking out Strigoi.

Rose's Crankypants Outburst #2: Seeing Mason in the middle of her first mock fight against "Strigoi" sends Rose into another fit of rage where she runs her mouth and gets punished for it. Because of her overreaction to being paired with Christian before, her teachers just think her non-reaction in the fight is an act of defiance. She's too stubborn to tell them otherwise and understandably so, because when she finally does, they put her into therapy. The counseling thing yields one fruitful result though and that's her opening up to Dimitri more and finally getting closer to him.

Rose's Crankypants Outburst #3: The final outburst is the worst, where she realizes that she's sucking in all of Lissa's darkness. She's at her wit's end and pretty much in meltdown mode, half a step away from the asylum. That's when Dimitri's there to pull her out of it and the tension that had been mounting since book one finally culminates when they get together. Everything was perfect between them for one sweet moment. Which of course meant it would all go to hell seconds later. And it did in a spectacularly heartbreaking fashion. Rose feels nauseous and out pop the Strigoi, having just broken through the school's wards. But after giving us all of the built up Rose/Dimitri action, Richelle Mead snatches it away when Dimitri's dragged off by the Strigoi, to become one of them.

So, I'm guilty of absolutely loving the way she stuck it to Lissa at the end of the book. Even if she felt badly about it. Lissa's a very passive character that doesn't do a ton. Through the first three books we are told how wonderful she is by Rose, but we don't actually see her do a ton. To be honest, Lissa gives little thought to her flailing friend, not picking up on any emotional hints or even digging deeper and making her open up. All of that makes her a rather selfish character, so at the end of the book when Rose chooses to go off? I wanted to clap. And it ended on such a brutal note too, heartbroken at Dimitri being turned and heading off on her eighteenth birthday after resigning from the school she fought so hard to stay in. A fantastic read.

Rating: 4

The Coal Elf (Santa Claus, the Communist)

All the Communism coincidences aside, this was a really fun read. I might not call it YA but more MG based on the tone and character interactions, but nonetheless, it was an interesting take on Santa and his elves. Ember was a strong main character and you gain a lot of respect for her throughout the novel. I thought the underlying message was strong in that the order must be kept and people must fulfill their place in society for it to work efficiently. That cog in the big wheel mentality did strike me as very Communistic which I'd never think of putting with Santa Claus...and yet it works, really well. And gives the whole story/setting quite a unique take. 

***SPOILER ALERT***

Rumblings in the Mines #1: While the first part of the story dwells on how much Ember hates being a Coal elf (miserable life that it is...I mean Coppleysites? Eww.), things really kick into motion when Sturd rips up the list. We're talking the reason for Coal Elves in the first place, the list of Naughty and Nice. After all, if there weren't any naughty, no one would be needed to work down in the mines. Based on Ember's feelings in the beginning of the story, I was surprised to see her try and salvage said list, but she collects the pieces, believing them to be important.

Rumblings in the Mines #2: Ember spends her time fixing the List, but meanwhile, things are changing down below. They don't deliver the coal on Christmas. None of the elves down below work, except for Ember, furiously pushing ahead to fix the old List. But because the coal isn't delivered, it disrupts the balance. After all, their main food, Nessie fruit, comes from kids' happiness. Now they've got an overabundance of Nessie. The overflow causes most of it to rot and both above and below, people are getting sicker and sicker. Some are dying, especially up above. 

Rumblings in the Mines #3: With a repaired List and a dying friend, Ember decides to breach the surface. If she leaves, she'll be severely punished as a deserter, but with everyone falling ill, she doesn't know what else to do.With the help of the others, Ember manages to sneak to the surface, even with Sturd hot at her heels the entire time. She uses a rejected reindeer and flies to the Boss's lair to confront the higher ups about what's been going on in their land. The small Council she runs into seems highly disorganized and inept at handling the problems down below. But with the old List and a willing volunteer in Ember, she becomes Santa's official helper, the Coal Elf to deliver coal to the bad children on Christmas.

What I thought was most intriguing about the ending is that it didn't end with her going back up to the surface or living happily ever after underground with her crush. Instead, it focused on how her role in society made her happy, reinforcing the heavy Communist undertones of the book. I found this absolutely fascinating and definitely not what I expected--in a good way. Although, the book is worth reading for the creative world alone. The author builds an incredibly detailed universe off of the traditions surrounding Christmas.

Rating: 4

Hidden Trump (Forget Fangs, Vamps carry assault weapons)

Amber's back with bisexual love abounding. Athanate, like all vampires love mingling blood and sex, so throughout this book, she's oozing the charm with male and female alike. Being Athanate hasn't changed her that much. She still totes a gun and follows the same ultra paranoia as before. She's still a strong, kickass character. Only this time she's got Skylur and gang backing her rather than going through everything alone. The introduction of pack and werewolf was a great addition to the universe as well, giving the story an extra punch.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Athanates Assemble #1: When they say don't drink the Kool Aid, what they're really referring to is Amber's blood. For some reason, (which is still unexplained) Amber's blood binds quick and fast and not only is David part of House Farrell after she lets him drink from her, but Pia by proxy as well. Skylur's pretty pissed, but once they realize she wasn't intentionally trying to steal away members, they start trying to figure out the mystery that is her blood. At the heart of all of this is the question of what possibly bit her to make her this different.

Athanates Assemble #2: While on her mad recruiting spree, she accidentally takes in more refugees to House Farrell. Not that she isn't charismatic enough to do it on her own, but every time she uses her Athanate juju and bloodshares, she seems to add more misfits to her motley crew. First she causes problems with Alex. His pack is pissed because he's part House Farrell now. The two of them try and figure things out, but their insatiable sex drives end up pushing them closer and closer together. Near the end when Jen's all dying and sickly, Amber's healing magic ends up converting her to Team Farrell too. Tullah's a wildcard still, but her dragon seems to like Amber an awful lot...which probably means there's another non-Athanate Athanate member.

Athanates Assemble #3: The whole book was gearing up to this Athanate assembly. All of the loose threads ended up tying together nice and neat when House Farrell was brought to question and Skylur dropped some truth bombs to make sure things turned out the way he wanted: towards Emergence. Bian's dedication and Skylur's cleverness brought a lot of points to the Altau during this book and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more of them. I liked the theme of betrayal throughout because until the very end, I wasn't sure if one of the Altau was going to end up slipping a dagger in Amber's back. I'm glad they didn't.

While I loved everything Amber was involved with during this, I thought Kingslund was kind of a throwaway character. She had such a presence and purpose in the first book, but this one she faded to the background only to show up at the end to get kidnapped and nearly killed. Personally, I would've been okay with seeing her knocked off, since I could do without all her "Honey" this and that. The best parts of the book? Everything with the Weres and Alex. So much fun.

Rating: 4

*I received this book for review purposes

Frostbite (Active listening? What's that?)

While I enjoyed the first book, this was the turning point for me. This book was exciting from start to finish and hammered in how dangerous/fucked up the Strigoi are from the start. Unlike in the first book where they felt like flat villains, in Frostbite, the Strigoi are monsters and they've come to shake foundations in the Moroi and dhampir circles. Rose, while a bit more childish in this book, really comes into her own by the end. The discrepancies in her character are really befitting of her age and the volatile nature of her personality. This book was a keeper.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Which Boy is it Now? #1: While Dimitri's always in Rose's peripheral vision, he starts out strong and then takes a backseat during a large portion of the novel while she's avoiding him. The Tasha situation really drives home some strong realizations about the world they live in and what's required of them as guardians. Arrangements as simple as being assigned to different Moroi could tear them apart and understanding that brings a deeper level of desperation and bleakness to their relationship. However, despite all of the obstacles against them, they still manage to steal some simmering moments during the book, especially near the end.

Which Boy is it Now? #2: A new character into the series, Adrian is a fun sort of irritating from the start. He smokes cloves and follows Rose around like a puppy that relishes in your angry squeals as it nips your heels. However, because of his reputation, even standing in the same room as him causes problems for Rose. About every person she interacts with during the book at some point tells her to stay away from Adrian because he's a bad guy, or gets into trouble. But in actuality, he's got a lot more going on underneath the surface, including the same type of mojo as Lissa, that spirit schtick.

Which Boy is it Now? #3: Mason is a large character in this book. Despite Rose flirting with him, even making out with him and their farce of a relationship, she still doesn't feel anything towards him more than friendship. However, he adores her and likewise, can't help how he feels. But when he gets fired up to take on Strigoi and his fight with Rose pushes him to be impulsive, he nails his own coffin shut. Which is a shame, because he was a likeable guy. She never gets the chance to break his heart, because the Strigoi kill him, leaving his death on her conscience forever. 

So, definitely sad that Mason died. He was awesome. But the fight with the Strigoi was all the levels of badassery I was hoping for from the first book that never delivered. The events of the book also hammer a new level of somberness and responsibility into Rose that was never there before and works for her very well. Plus, all the clashing with her mom stuff was incredibly tense, but really well written.

Rating: 4

Vampire Academy (Beware of those scary dead animals, oh blood-sucking vampire)

Apart from the general bloodsuckiness, blood whore accusations and magical shenanigans, St. Vladmir's Academy appears like any other high school: full of drama, gossip and cliques. Rose is sassy which means I like her, even if she's a little full of herself sometimes. Dimitri's definitely a plus in the story. As a hardass trainer with a Russian accent, it's only to follow that she'd be attracted. The Moroi/Dhampir relationship's fresh and it makes up for the kinda anticlimax about the Strigoi. We hear a lot about them, but since they don't actually do much throughout the book, it doesn't really grip us with terror. The only thing that kept coming up at the mention of Strigoi was the thought that it sounds a whole lot like Strega.

***SPOILER ALERT***

 Let's Mess with Lissa #1: The book starts off with Rose taking her bodyguarding duty seriously and continues that way. When they return to St. Vlad's, the problems for Lissa start almost at once. Lissa's a gentle (i.e. weak) soul that dredges up every ounce of protectiveness in Rose, which is good because it gives her a likeable, responsible side to balance out the impulsive decisions and backtalking. The first attempt to seriously screw with Lissa's head though starts with the dead animals on her bed. This sends Lissa off into a spiral that Rose knows and can feel, but doesn't know how to stop. 

Let's Mess with Lissa #2: In case there weren't already enough problems dealing with the rumors that circulated after they escaped, a short chick, Mia, decides to make their lives hell. While at first she just throws around damaging rumors, Mia aims to hurt Lissa by targeting Rose. The blood whore rumor spreads around school. Rose handles it, but the whole situation pushes Lissa over the edge. She decides to quell the rumor by using compulsion like whoa. Lissa goes from being weak to Miss Socialite, buzzing around and manipulating the other nobles. Not any of which is helping her mental state.

Let's Mess with Lissa #3: The cherry on top of the Lissa shit sundae is Victor, who appeared a kindly old dude for most of the book. But turns out, he's dying and wants Lissa's healing juju to help keep him alive. Not a one time dealie either, he wants his own pet healer. Rose doesn't dig this in the slightest. Luckily it's her bond with Lissa that saves the day since she manages to place herself in Lissa's body for enough time to figure out where she's at. They find out all of the stuff that's been going on to push Lissa over the edge has been Victor's doing with the help of "nice" Natalie.

We finally meet the Strigoi at the end of the book in the form of Natalie turned crazypants. However, she's too much for Rose to take on and Dimitri storms in cowboy style and saves the day. Dimitri and Rose leave a lot of intrigue since after getting hot and heavy they can't be together. Not if both of them are going to be guardians to Lissa. (Man, Lissa, you're raining on the love parade) Still, a fun first entry into the world that definitely entices me to read on.

Rating: 4

City of Glass (Bad dye job: Supreme Indicator of Evil)

Final installation was more fun than riding a rhino across a beach.While Cassie Clare's strengths lie not in surprising plot twists, this novel abounded with more of that lusciously snarky dialogue. Always a plus. I collect quotes from her books like a dragon does treasure. While the Mortal Instruments books themselves keep going on for another three, this trilogy wrapped up here, including all of the major loose ends. End Boss is Valentine and he's wielding all of the fancy instruments of destruction! Sounds like a plot straight from a Final Fantasy game!

***SPOILER ALERT***

Welcome to the Emerald City, I mean Idris #1: Instead of someone at the gates to the Emerald City, we've got the new Inspector (who oddly reminds me of a Munchkin) dealing with keeping Downworlders and unwanteds out. That means Simon gets screwed over almost immediately, only mildly deceived by the dripping cheeriness of Aldertree. Clary and Luke run into similar problems and have to stick to the outskirts of Idris so they won't be thrown in prison like dear old Simon. Seriously, that poor boy can't catch a break.

Welcome to the Emerald City, I mean Idris #2: One of the biggest quests in this book (which is seeming more and more video gameish by the second, not that I mind) is breaking into Valentine and Jace's old house to find a book that Magnus Bane needs. If Clary manages to do this, she wins a trip to Hawaii! Oh yeah, and can wake her mom up from the coma which is all she's been trying to do since book one. So even though her and Jace are having issues (honestly, couldn't tell you why since it's always one thing or another), they follow the not quite yellow brick road to Valentine's house!

Welcome to the Emerald City, I mean Idris #3: Jace and Sebastian have a kickass sendoff, but meanwhile, Valentine's throwing his big plot into motion by finding the mirror, last of the instruments. The big battle between demons and the Shadowhunters ensues, but Clary slips away to stop Valentine and find Jace. For someone who thought out every step of the way and even sacrificed his surrogate-son in the effort (Jace), he surprisingly didn't think that an ANGEL, bringer of all things good and loverly, would object to the trail of bodies and dark, demon-y mayhem he's caused. Come on dude. Luckily, that means good news for the heroes and like the Wicked Witch of the West, water (the mirror) helps contribute to his destruction.

Oh thank god the incest drama is done. By book two we could diminish the ew factor because Cassie Clare smacked the message into our face that these two were not related. But the reveal of why they have the abilities and powers they do was a fun explanation and played a lot of the light and dark mythos that prevails throughout the book. And Sebastian was all sorts of slimy nastiness, of course, actively pursuing his sister...although he knew it was his sister. Despite the killing of Max, poor neglected child, everyone else lives happily ever after. They attend a celebration for the defeat of Valentine at the end which ties up all the remaining threads and drops the story on a great positive beat. 

Rating: 4

Sleight of Hand (Taking "Army of One" to a New Level)

Like all good urban fantasy, the story starts rolling from the beginning and the problems only compound. That being said, Amber Farrell was a fantastic heroine. As someone who is always on the lookout for a strong female lead, I was not let down. With a background in military and police, she makes a tough ass private investigator who collects more bruises than anyone human should. Luckily, she's not human. She got infected by a vamp bite back in her army days. So quicker healing, for the win. But she's extremely resistant on the idea of bloodsucking and all that vampire goodness, even though one of her friends is undergoing the turning process. While Amber had a heaping pile of shenanigans to deal with, the real theme of this book is her struggling to deal with the fact that she's becoming more vamp by the day.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Embrace your inner Athanate #1: The first time the vamps reach out to Amber by crowding her, she fights back and thrashes them. So next time, they play by different rules and send a more skilled team. They drive her blindfolded to their super secret Vampquarters. Turns out they're not "vampires", they're the Athanate and pretty much the good guys in an ancient clan war against the creatures of the night that like to kill humans and pillage those walking chicken dinners. This is a major step for Amber since until then the only information about vampires was coming from her friend David who's going through the turning process.

Embrace your inner Athanate #2: The military's been involved somewhat since they keep tabs on Amber. Plus that jerkoff, Krantz keeps investigating why she's getting backpay even though in the records she never existed in the military. Back when she first got turned, they kept her in solitary because the scientists were looking at her as a murderous threat, not still her. The colonel she talks to ends up being a good guy, keeping the scientists from taking her back and telling her when her hero, Top, is passing away. Her moments with Top reveal a lot about her character and what shaped her into the strong, moral person she is. He sets her down the right path, reassuring her that even if she turns, no one can take away who she is.

Embrace your inner Athanate #3: In David's turning process, things have been getting dangerous throughout the book. She stops by several earlier times to check in on him but he's sickly and pale. His vamp mentor/master through the turn has been draining him, but this final time when she goes to check, he's not moving. Things went too far. This became her final turning point where she threw her restraint about vamps out the backdoor window and let him drink her blood even though she knew it would take her further along the process to becoming a vampire. For her, saving a friend is worth it which says volumes about her character.

 Amber Farrell ends the book tying up her loose ends herself, like any good investigator should. But there's a lot still brewing, the idea of war between the vampires looms overhead as a great impetus for the series. And her slight love triangle between Jen Kingslund and Alex the werewolf doctor adds some interesting spice to the novel. The part were/vamp twist? Love it. This novel left me wanting more immediately after and I'll be anxiously awaiting the next book.

Rating: 4

*I received this book for review purposes

The City of Bones (Snark with an occasional helping of teenage attitude)

Something gripped me with these books from the start. Maybe it was opening up with an all ages, kind of alternative club which reminded me of youth. Or maybe the whole hidden world thing. Really, it was the snarky dialogue. I am a sucker for witty banter and this book, like all of the following ones, delivers. The plot's engaging and the characters are fun (Magnus Bane, anyone?) but the real reason you truck through these books are for the interchanges between the cast and all the ridiculous things they say. Plus, the Shadowhunter thing, angels, demons and all works really well within the setting of New York City and the read through is ridiculously fun.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Shadowhunter-trainee in session #1: Clary finds out at a very rapid pace that she's something different. Although, seeing people who no one else can at the club....usually a result of a wicked trip. But as she gets dragged down into Shadowhunter land, her mom goes missing because dear mother has been lying to her. And the lovely present left in her house is some evil demon bug hybrid that she manages to kill on her own. Points for Clary. But Jace finds her and drags her off to "The Institute" a place for bright, young assholes to learn how to kill shit!

Shadowhunter-trainee in session #2:  They hit a party looking for answers about Clary's past and Clary has her YA-staple, 'I wore a dress and it made me magically pretty' moment, extra Jace attention included. Isabelle and Simon have been flirting around and under her watchful care, Simon turns into a rat. The whole Magnus Bane party is nothing short of hilarious, but ends with Simon going missing. Which leads to some real field action for Clary, the next step in becoming the Shadowhunter she should've been. Clary and Jace go save Simon by busting into a vamp den, irresponsible-style.

Shadowhunter-trainee in session #3: Through all of this, they figure that Valentine (big bad/secret father) kidnapped Jocelyn because he wanted to know where the Mortal Cup was located. After Clary's makeout session with Jace turns sour and Simon's pissed at her, she finally focuses on the game. She discovers she has the ability to create runes on her own and realizes where her mother hid the Mortal Cup--inside the tarot deck she painted for their neighbor. From there on, Clary's pretty much considered a Shadowhunter at this point, not even considering herself a mundane any more. (Although, if I got to use a cool term like that, I probably would too)

Big confrontation with Valentine (worst villain name ever) and then the author decides to drop the narstiest bomb on you. I wanted to go take a shower after this. Jace and Clary, who have been making gooey eyes at each other from day one, are siblings. At first, I was completely turned off to the books after that, but I was glad I read on, because Cassandra Clare manages to turn things around and come up with a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Now I can reread it fine because I know what happens, but man...that initial readthrough made me feel slimy at the end when I found out.

Rating: 4

Chase Tinker and the House of Magic (Aryan Bad Guys? That's a Twist!)

This book was exactly what I think of when Middle Grade comes to mind. Two young boys discover they have powers while their dad's missing and their magical grandfather comes along and whisks them to this ridiculously awesome house full of magic rooms and adventure. They find out they have extra family they didn't know about and get to exercise their powers in the house of Tinker, a gigantic, constantly evolving place. The tone reminds me of early MG where the tone is very light and even though things upset them, it's a time of black and white and even on adventures they don't fully understand the repercussions of their actions. Chase is a likeable lead and his brother Andy, his cousin Janie and Persephone make for a motley crew.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Chase and Crew's Discovery #1: The magic. Chase and his brother are worried about their missing father, but amidst it all discover they have magical powers. Chase can make things move with his mind and Andy can freeze time. Like clockwork, their grandfather shows up to explain said magical powers and whisk them away to his castle of fun delights. Creepy, right? The grandfather's a great character and even though they haven't known him well, they quickly step into the role of troublesome grandsons.

Chase and Crew's Discovery #2: Once they find out that House Tinker has enemies, Aryan enemies in fact, (blonde hair, blue eyes) Chase and crew take it upon themselves to help grandpa out, even if he doesn't want it. Using the variety of rooms to their advantage, the kids manage to go back in time to stop Original Tinker from losing the shard from the Relic. All their trip through time does is make the kids fight more though and their group splinters apart, urged onward by the arrival of James, Janie's evil brother.

Chase and Crew's Discovery #3: The best discoveries came at the end, because they pulled the twists well. Most of the book was very straightforward, so I wasn't expecting any real twists, just kids playing around in a giant magical house and having fun. So the entire time, Doctor Dan's been creepy and all of the kids think he's the bad guy. Turns out, he's not and he ends up helping them towards the end. The biggest surprise happens when they reveal where their dad's been all along. He's been cross dressing as Aunt Clair, since his ability involves changing faces. Aunt Clair died trying to save Ben so he took it upon himself to spent some time examining his ladylike side.

Good, easy read and it fits the Middle Grade category perfectly. Aryan bad guys, Gender-bending fathers, who could ask for more?

Rating: 4 

*I received this book for review purposes

Captain's Fury (Name dropping like a boss)

I would have to say right now it's a tie between Cursor's and Captain's Fury for the best book of the series thus far. So, yes, Jim Butcher did it again and blew the story out of the kickin' underwater theme park. All of the secrets he built up and revealed throughout the first three books come to fruition in this book as Tavi learns of his true heritage....the son of the deceased Princeps and the grandson of the First Lord of Calderon. Not only are the Canim still a problem externally, but the bigger issue throughout this book involves the Senator Arnos and the politicians. They refuse to see reason and Arnos has it out for Tavi from the start. He puts them into a ridiculously dangerous campaign and then heaps the expectations on him until he manages to oust him as Captain.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Hello, My Name is Octavius Gaius: Prepare to Die #1: Because of Arnos being King of the Douches, Tavi's sent to prison. But luckily, this boy is incredibly smart and if he doesn't already have a plan, he's in the middle of developing one. However, the stroke he pulls using the information of his heritage comes as pure genius. Once in prison, he petitions to Cyril to let him out. He's got more important things to do than stay in prison, like rescue Varg, the Canim and negotiate peace with the Canim. Cyril cares about Tavi and thinks Arnos is being an idiot, but he won't betray the crown. Lucky for him, he won't because Tavi's the damned Princeps. 

Hello, My Name is Octavius Gaius: Prepare to Die #2: Despite the dangers involved in getting Varg out of prison, they manage to make it to the Canim and deliver the merchandise so they can negotiate a withdraw on both sides and stop the senseless fighting. The Canim want to build ships and go home and the Alerans want them to go home. Win/win. Tavi returns to the Legions to deliver the news of all the adventures he was up to while he was "imprisoned." The soldiers in the First Aleran are overjoyed to see their Captain, but concerned about what Arnos would do. And then he drops the bomb of his true identity. An entire legion goes slackjawed in shock with his incredibly ballsy declaration.

Hello, My Name is Octavius Gaius: Prepare to Die #3: He declares juris macto, fight to the death, on Arnos, but unfortunately Arnos is a coward and calls his mercenary Navaris up to fight Tavi instead. She's been after his blood through the entire book and it was only a matter of time until they finally faced off. And the battle is tense and heated, with the entire force watching. When Tavi claims his victory however, he also solidifies his strength in the eyes of his troops. The call rising up afterwards where they shout "All Hail Octavius Gaius" is nothing short of bone chilling and gave me goosebumps.

Puppies sent packing, battles won and enemies brilliantly outmaneuvered? Butcher's skill at plotting really shines in this fast paced and fantastic book. The Canim are an excellent and worthy foe and the threat from within causes most of the tension throughout the book, matched only by the inventive fight scenes.

Rating: 4

A Hidden Fire (Battle for the books and the hot librarian)

I have to say, I was quite impressed with this book. I couldn't put it down. Started it on a lark, but then the mysteries in the beginning kept me reading and the deeper I read into the characters, I got incredibly attached. The strongest strength to this book is the intrigue. It keeps you guessing, keeps things not quite explained, at least not until the end.The cast is fantastically fleshed out and none of the characters are flat or cookie cutter. Giovanni is all dark and mysterious, but it turns out, he has good reason for being a loner and he really is quite alone. Beatrice is a smart, computer savvy and capable female lead which is...well, refreshing. And Carwyn the Irish priest vampire who wears Hawaiian shirts? I think that says it all on its own.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Giovanni's Mysteries #1: When I first started reading the book, it took until the third chapter to reveal he was a vampire. You could guess it, sure, but there was enough vagueness and enough uniqueness in his abilities that you didn't just go, d'oh, vampire. His interactions with Bea in the library are like an intricate dance as both observe the other, becoming more intrigued and more interested. And once he reveals himself to her in the elevator? She handles it like a champ, despite her qualms and concerns. Plus, the concept of elemental vampires is a fun variant and brings an entirely different perspective to his vampirism.

Giovanni's Mysteries #2: Now, this is a vampire with a fine appreciation for books. (An avid reader's wet dream) And early on in the novel, particularly when Carwyn comes around, it becomes evident that Giovanni's running some sort of game. Even though he finds Bea attractive, he's ancient and has more smarts than that. Her dad is the source of intrigue because he's been tracking down his books the whole time and has the feeling her father got involved. Well actually, he has the concern that her father got turned. So he hires Bea to work for him and leaves the reader wondering what his real end goal is with all of this.

Giovanni's Mysteries #3: The final bit of intrigue which ties the story together involves Giovanni's crazy "son" (aka the guy he turned) Lorenzo. Nothing like Giovanni. And more like an unstable clown that's taken too many uppers and decided to prance around in Renaissance garb. At least that was the mental image that popped to mind every time he spoke. And Lorenzo pretty much takes it on himself to toss Bea's life into the garbage chute. He attacks her grandmother, he turned her father and he kidnaps her, forcing her to live in his gigantic Grecian dollhouse and wear all of his dumb white outfits.

So the story wraps up with Lorenzo temporarily defeated and Bea saved, even though she bears some pretty hardcore trust issues as a result of her staycation in Lorenzo's funhouse. Even though her and Gio get together, she ends up still leaving for L.A. which I was very sad about. But, the book still ended on a good note with Gio walking up to her place in Cally and leaving a note for her, which desperately makes you want to read the next book.


Rating: 4

Divergent (Abnegation's the new Puritan)

This book was getting a lot of talk and piqued my curiosity. Young adult dystopian scifi? I could get behind this. I feel mildly conflicted on this book as a reader. It was a spectacularly fun read and I ripped through the book, but now that I've had time to mellow on it and think, I'm a little more subjective. The concept is phenomenal and the world is very fascinating with a clever new dystopian society. Beatrice as a character is who I feel conflicted about. She seems very detached for a lot of the book. Despite her romance with Four, she leans towards an emotionless response to things. While I can appreciate her struggles to stay strong, sometimes I felt a little lacking for internal reassurance that she's not so prickly. What I will say though is that her fights throughout everything make her a badass and that is something that kept me wanting to read along.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Dauntless be crazy #1: From the beginning of the book, we get the gist that these Dauntless folks are crazy mofos. But when they say they're daring, what they mean is they're pretty much Tyler Durden level nuts. Not that it doesn't make an entertaining read, it definitely does. If you aren't tough, you soon learn to be, or you die. Beatrice/Tris starts off strong, jumping off the roof first. Since she's from boring ol' Abnegation, she has to prove that she's tougher than the rest even though she's a slip of a thing. And these kids get brutal.

Dauntless be crazy #2: While Tris stayed in the middle ranks during the physical stuff, its the mental initiation where her Divergent juju really sticks out. During these simulations, its about addressing fears, but the Dauntless initiates are fully immersed. Except for the Divergents. They have the unique ability to realize they're in a simulation, a la The One style in the Matrix, and they can therefore manipulate their surroundings. The Divergent thing becomes more and more dangerous in this highly regulated government where things are supposed to work perfectly because people are supposed to perfectly fit their factions.

Dauntless be crazy #3: The problem with perfect dystopian societies is that they don't exist. Hence they all come crumbling down. The Erudite are crafty bastards (shocked, anyone?) and decide to take out the factions that they don't like. The Dauntless mental initiation? Zombie juice to take over all the Dauntless and use them as soldiers. Only issue with this plan are those pesky Divergents.This is where Tris and Four as well as all the other Divergents reveal themselves, because they won't mindlessly walk in to slaughter all of Abnegation. Tris turns into a badass and the remaining people in Abnegation rise up to fight against the Erudites.

Regardless of any qualms I had, the end of the book picks up in such a phenomenal way that its incredibly addictive and worth the read. The romance between Tris and Four is really engaging and I love the way they bond together. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

Rating: 4

Hexed (Everybody needs a pocket Druid)

This was the book that determined I'd be sticking with this series. From start to finish it was everything I had hoped for by the original description of the series. Atticus is witty and hilarious, Oberon plays off him well and Granuaille is a great balance to the three, smart and eager to learn. The dialogue is nothing short of hilarious and the fights are fantastic, increasing in difficulty and ridiculousness the further you read. The mounting ridiculousness as well as danger makes for a phenomenally fun jaunt through Arizona with everyone's favorite druid.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Atticus Favor Swaps #1: So despite Atticus' claims that he's avoiding trouble (Atticus doth protest too much, methinks) when the god Coyote comes knocking at his door, he gladly offers his help. Considering the demons are partially cleanup for his big messy fight with Aengus Og the previous book, he gets guilt tripped into taking care of a demon who's killing kids at a school. Weeeeell, apparently it's not your run of the mill demon. It's a fallen angel. So luckily his friend the widow MacDonagh is a devout Catholic, so she prays to Mary for him. Which means that Mary pops up in the real world so Atticus has some holy blessed arrows to use in this fight. The battle is messy and apart from killing the big bad demon, Coyote pulls one over on Atticus and he doesn't accomplish a hell of a lot.

Atticus Favor Swaps #2: There are two big compromising factors to Atticus' happy life in Tempe. One of these are Bacchants. Apparently wherever they go, orgies rein and since they're leaving Las Vegas and trying to bring the party to Tempe, it's up to Atticus to stop them. Pesky sex crazed Bacchants and their pesky orgies! Problem is though, their juju works on Atticus. So he needs help. This is where he calls in a favor of Laksha which sets up future problems for him. Laksha agrees to kill the Bacchants, but in return, Atticus has to steal a golden apple from Idunn. Meaning he's got to get involved with the Norse gods. Laksha makes quick work of the Bacchants with her frightening witch powers, but Atticus is stuck dealing with the cops as well as the deal that leads into the next book.

Atticus Favor Swaps #3: Laksha isn't the only one who wants Atticus to mess with the Norse. Leik, his vamp pal, hates Thor and wants Atticus to help him kill the god. That's particularly messy and he doesn't want to, but unfortunately he needs Leik's help. The other big compromising factor to Atticus' happy Tempe life is the Hexenwitches, these German bitches that consort with demons. They mess with him big time, killing his loyal employee Perry. Plus, the other coven of witches that Atticus plays nice with doesn't like the Hexenbitches either. So Atticus swaps favors with Leik to get him to help take out this crazy coven with their demons. A big showdown with witches, a vamp and a druid end in lots of blood flying, lots of weapons flinging and a ton of fire.

So Hexenbitches defeated, Bacchants temporarily staved and Coyote's off cackling to himself, success, right? Even though some threads are tied up this book leaves a LOT of loose ends leading to the next book where there is Valhalla, giant squirrels and the asshat, Thor. The satisfying note to leave on though is Oberon, as was done the book before. The dog's just adorable.

Rating: 4

Searching for Dragons (In which wizards hatch yet another dastardly plot)

After the barrage of obnoxious kings, princes and knights from the first book, Mendanbar is a refreshing change of pace. He's pretty much Cimorene, if she was a man, and King of the Enchanted Forest. Like the first book, Patricia Wrede sets up a fantastic and wry tone for her world and makes the entire story a fun, engaging frolic. While the first book mostly focused on the Mountains of Morning, this one reveals a lot more about the Enchanted Forest, which is quite an imaginative realm. 


***SPOILER ALERT***


Mendenbar's Expectations are Flipped #1: Cimorene is Mendenbar's biggest surprise. After all, he detests empty headed princesses almost as much as Cimorene hates knights. Which is a lot. So when he first hears about her working for Kazul, King of Dragons, he thinks she's going to be some frustrating ambitious princess who really doesn't know what she's doing. However, once he arrives to the Mountains of Morning and Kazul isn't there, the raven haired, sharp tongued, sassy woman he meets isn't remotely close to who he imagined.

Mendanbar's Expectations are Flipped #2: Magic carpets end up being a memorable part of this book, particularly the one that Cimorene and Mendenbar borrow from the Giantess. Mostly because of the pink teddy bears, but also because it fails so spectacularly as a mode of transport and makes their journey three times as difficult. Falling from the sky by teddy beared carpet was never part of their plans, but it creates an entirely new and deadly image of magic carpets. Unless they're fixed by Jack (not a thief, a businessman).

Mendanbar's Expectations are Flipped #3: A magician is NOT a wizard. The magician they meet, Telemain, makes this very clear early on. Which is good, because turns out, the wizards are the bad guys, again.Telemain on the other hand is incredibly helpful and does not leech magic in the same way wizards do. However, he's got the attention span of a ferret and is constantly intrigued by anything magical that he can analyze be it Mendanbar's sword, wizard's staffs, etc. If you give a Telemain a magical conundrum, he's going to ask for time to study it.

Once Cimorene and Mendanbar realize that Kazul is being imprisoned IN the Enchanted Forest, Mendanbar decides to go take care of matters. However, he's amassed a large group of people insisting on joining him which creates one of the best, most chaotic scenes in the book. Finally, he takes the stubborn ones (Cimorene, Morwen, Telemain), defeats the wizard and saves the dragon. The whole book is tied up with a wedding between the Cimorene and Mendanbar in a very satisfying fashion.

Rating: 4

Name of the Wind (Tale of the ever expanding ego)

So, I'll fully admit, this book did not have me hooked at the start. First off, I don't really dig the super egotistical thang. Secondly, the format was a little jarring of the story within a story as well as the third person switch to first person. After finishing the book, I didn't mind the format and found it rather clever. Kvothe's story is incredibly fascinating, if only detracted by the blowhardiness of Kvothe himself. I mean, his ego wears a giant flashy hat which is wearing another fancy hat on top of a fez. His ego ends up getting tempered out by the constant rain of shit that happens to him and the entertainment comes from watching his clever ways to maneuver out of problems.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Super Dramatic Life Changing Moment #1: Kvothe details his life as one of the Edema Ruh, the wanderers, the performers. He had a happy family life early on with a mother and father who loved each other very much and an extended family from the performers who took care of each other. The problems begin with the Chandrian when his father is focused on creating a fantastical song about them. The result of his father's song is the entire camp being massacred with the exception of Kvothe who had been out in the woods leaving him with the haunting words that "Someone's been singing the wrong sort of songs."

Super Dramatic Life Changing Moment #2: Kvothe's entrance to the University of course can't be the normal, hey I went to school---it was pretty awesome, yo. Of course he set all of the newest brightest records by entering the school by having them pay him since he was so brilliant. And when he gets in trouble early on, he earns a whipping, but he also moves up in rank. Which is unheard of. Since he's so amazing. Like I said earlier, the book itself is incredibly engaging and entertaining, but MAN. This guy fucking loves himself.

Super Dramatic Life Changing Moment #3: Denna. She's not just the girl he loves. She's the most beautiful woman that ever lived and her eyes were full of moondrops and twiddleblossoms and her smile---Oh no. I can't compare how superfantasticalamazing she was to anything. So yeah. Kvothe exaggerates a bit. She's a fascinating character though who shows interest, but keeps dancing in and out of the picture so unexpectedly it keeps you engaged as a reader. She's a charmer for sure as well as a confidently manipulative woman in all the fun ways, but Kvothe goes on for pages and pages about her.

I started it out skeptically, especially once Kvothe's narrative voice took over. I didn't want to like it because this should be called Name of Kvothe's Ego. But the writing was fantastic and the story was incredibly fascinating and drags you along whether you want to keep reading or not. I'm anxiously looking forward to reading the next book, egotistical narrator or no!

Rating: 4

Dealing with Dragons (Cherries jubilee is making a comeback)

This book is a fantastic young adult intro to writers like Terry Pratchett. The whole book pokes ridiculous fun at fantasy tropes all the meanwhile creating a fantastic world with memorable characters. Princess Cimorene is another female lead who was ahead of her time, sarcastic, rebellious and practical.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Don't Mess with Cimorene #1: The whole story starts off by explaining this princess (Cimorene) who looked and acted different than all the other princesses thought she should. Her family pushes through regardless, determined to do what is proper and arranges a marriage with a moronic prince named Therandil. A talking frog gives her the idea to become a dragon's princess however and thus starts the story rolling. Cimorene is told what is proper, promptly ignores it and signs up to be a dragon's princess by marching up to the dragons and offering her services, cherries jubilee included.

Don't Mess with Cimorene #2: There are many other moments that show her ingenuity throughout the story while she deals with pesky wizards as well as princes and knights determined to rescue her, but one of the highlights of this book had to be the encounter with the djinn. Therandil, ever determined to do what is proper and save her, despite the fact that she doesn't want to be saved, ends up opening a djinn's bottle while she's trying to clean. The djinn tells them they must die, but can choose the manner of their death. Cimorene chooses old age and the djinn gets flustered because its not proper. He's prepared to kill them anyway when Cimorene catches his slip that he wasn't quite in there the proper amount of time to kill them, but 'no one ever releases the djinn before the three hundred years.' Cimorene's solution? Go back in the bottle another hundred years and they'll be dead by then, getting her wish for a death by old age anyway.

Don't Mess with Cimorene #3: First the wizards kill the dragon King. Then they try to sabotage the race to choose a new one. Neither of these things sits well with Cimorene and to her luck, her and the Princess Alianora discovered a way to melt them: soapy lemon water. So with the help of the kooky witch Morwen, a stone prince and Princess Alianora, Cimorene takes the wizards on, one soapy bucket of water at a time. They stop them at the Ford of Whispering Snakes just before their plan could be pulled off and melt them all.

When it turns out Kazul, Cimorene's dragon, becomes the King of the Dragons, everything ends quite happily with Cimorene becoming the King's Librarian and Cook rather than the monotonous life of marrying a bore and becoming queen to a dullard like Therandil. Even though it ended on the happy ending trope of a fairy tale, Patricia Wrede does a brilliant job at keeping things fresh. Cimorene doesn't end up married away at the end of this book, rather she finds work and stays the same independent, fiesty woman we love.

Rating: 4

Codex of Alera: Cursor's Fury (When puppies attack)

Book three of Codex of Alera brings in one of the biggest battles we've seen yet with the twist that Tavi is a man now and leading the Legion against the Canim. The Canim you say? Yes, our furry friends are the big bad invaders at this point, coming in midway through the book after Kalare has declared war on Gaius. Of course, the timing was rather impeccable since Kalarus had been corroborating with them. With our plucky friends torn in two different directions, Kalare's war quickly takes a backseat to this insane Canim invasion. This book was a treat to read though, as it drops more surprise bombs and plot twists than the previous ones, all with panache. As the couples start solidifying through this book, most of the point of view switches centralize on them and it's easy to follow.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Couples Corner #1: Isana and Fade. Fade gets poisoned and Isana tries to save him. Easy enough, right? Well, these parts throughout the entirety of the book serve you on a gold flecked platter all the questions you've had before about Isana. Yes, she is Tavi's mother. Yes, he is Septimus' son. (Almost typed Optimus there and we'd have a Transformer.) Yes, her and Fade go way back. But Butcher uses her memories combined with healing Fade and discovering his memories to reveal the truth of everything that happened the fateful day that Septimus died. Fade's selfless love for Isana, after knowing everything he'd gone through and sacrificed is both heartbreaking and beautiful, so his reward at the end of the book hits hard.

Couples Corner #2: Bernard and Amara. The two have become inseparable, especially after Amara skips her period and could possibly be pregnant. They go on a top-secret-Gaius-cursor trip to help stop Kalare and save Lady Placidia and the other unimportant chick. But, bringing Lady Aquitaine and her cronies are where things get sticky. They fight Kalare and Amara saves Rook's daughter as well as the captives, but the most important interactions are between her and Lady Aquitaine. A lot of well placed mistrust leads Amara to take the upper hand at the very end when Lady Aquitaine tries to force her onto her side and lucky for them since Odiana and Aldrick could very well throw down some hurtin'. Although Amara ends up not pregnant, Bernard and her are eager to keep trying....like in every book. (Regardless, those passages never get old)

Couples Corner #3: Tavi and Kitai. More Tavi than anything, this is his book where he really shines. From Cursor to Captain after an ill fated explosion, he turns from the small child we see in the first book into a man in this one, taking command of an entire Legion against the biggest Canim threat Alera's ever seen. Tavi really comes into his own as Septimus' son and the heir, even impressing the First Spear, Fidelias in disguise. In pure Butcher fashion, there's even a moment where the two hordes are on either side and Tavi takes some time to play ludus (chess) with Nausaug, the Canim Battlemaster. Absolutely fantastic. But on the Tavi and Kitai scale, their most important moment hits near the end, when they're ready to get busy. First Tavi, then Kitai discover they've developed the ability to furycraft, effectively dropping the biggest storybomb yet.

Rating: 4

Codex of Alera: Academ's Fury (More villains crammed in one book than a Spiderman movie)

Book two in the Codex of Alera series finds everyone from Calderon spread across Alera. Tavi is now in the Academy and is Gaius' own personal page. Of course, things couldn't be easy, seeing as he has no furies, so he's mercilessly picked on. Isana's running the steadholt now and Bernard and Amara are in their new positions. When the vord start stomping on everyone's picnics, Isana has to go to the Capitol to get help, but also for fancy appearances sake since she's the first female steadholder. Now, it wouldn't be a Jim Butcher book without a lot of action, but this book requires at least a dozen different enemies to do so.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Angry Horde #1: So, let's start with Tavi, since that's where the book picks up. He's got all these douchely Citizen dudes picking on him from the beginning. Problem is, the father of one is High Lord Kalare. He is the distraction bad guy throughout the book. He serves to just....well, cause them problems. It was a great setup for book three where he's head honcho bad guy, but man. No wonder this guy sires douches, as he sets the precedence for Primary Asshat in the first place. He sends assassins to kill Isana, but she's saved by the Aquitaines, last book's bad guys turned not-so-good guys in this book. And then when Kalare's dolt of a son gets his ass whipped by Tavi, Kalare takes on a personal vendetta against him. Granted, none of it is as bad as the chaos he causes in book three.

Angry Horde #2: The Canim. Now, I know the last book focused on the Marat, but I think more might have been mentioned about the puppyfolk. These guys haunt around the Capitol growling in people's faces and leaving dumps as open acts of rebellion against Gaius. That last part didn't happen, but it is one of the questions brought up by half humans, half wolf people. Where is the line drawn? Regardless, the Canim become a huge problem by the end of the book because of the bigger threat...

Angry Horde #3: The Vord! Between the wax spiders, possessed masses and weird buggy shapes, these guys are a boatload of fun. And since the whole rest of the Capitol is distracted by petty politics and the lack of Gaius, nobody comes until the fight is pretty much over to help poor Amara and Bernard. For the second time in a row, Calderon people are left saving the asses of the entire nation and yet people still don't believe them. The vord took on so many different appearances and forms that it became difficult to keep up all of what they could do. These guys seem like the ultimate baddies, but it's kind of hard to take them seriously when everyone's squabbling over at the Capitol, ignoring the vord while they're in full rah rah conquer mode. Despite the overwhelming number of villains in the book, Butcher manages to entangle most of them in with the vord by the end, thus making it work, rather than sink like a kitten in a vat full of pudding.

Rating: 3

Mockingjay (The depressive finale, aka, how everyone else dies)

The Hunger Games series as a whole is nothing short of genius. And don't get me wrong, I loved Mockingjay. I enjoyed all the twists and the crazy events leading to an explosive (literally) finale. BUT. Out of the three books, I found this one to be the weakest. Let's be honest, Katniss has had the world take one giant dump on her since book one. And I think everyone was hoping for a little bit of a let up for the bleakness factor in the third book. A little more triumph, fanfare, etc. Which is why the final book is so divisive for people. But, I gotta hand Suzanne Collins some props. She fervently clings to her bleakness and stark realism. And she makes a damn good story. Despite the overall despondency, the final couple pages of the book include some of the most beautiful writing I've seen in my life. So even though the majority of Mockingjay is a bleakfest, it's worth skipping to the final pages just to read those bits over and over again.


***SPOILER ALERT***


All my friends are dead moment #1: Cinna's death is finalized in this book. It was brutal watching him dragged away in book two and we knew the moment was coming. But nothing said grim like hearing that Cinna, the calm support throughout the other two novels finally bit the bullet. Cinna was just the beginning though and the other two deaths were the hard hitters that had people questioning the ending so much. And then Boggs dies, right as you're really getting to like him. Way to drive the knife deeper.

All my friends are dead moment #2: Finnick. He just haaaaad to marry Annie only chapters before and we just haaaaad to get way too attached to him. His character was one of the best fleshed out through the story. In book two, we aren't sure what to think of him until the ending. But his scenes in book three are so memorable and brave that you can't help but love him. Between his selflessness with Annie and the way he helps Katniss through her difficulty knowing Peeta's being tortured make him the stand out character he is. But what divides the fandom is the way he died. His character deserved more than lizard mutt chow. And he kind of gets glossed over as a toss in. Oh hey, yeah. Finnick's dead. Realistic, yes. Unfair, hell yes.

All my friends are dead moment #3: Everyone knows this one. Because the ENTIRE series was built around saving her. Oh, Prim. We knew you were screwed the moment Suzanne Collins started building your character up a lot in book three. Her death was heartbreaking, not only because she was Katniss's entire reason for living, but because it also splintered Katniss' friendships and remaining family. The mother ditches her (way to go, deadbeat mom) and Gale, being the one who might've been responsible for the killing bombs, goes off to another district never to be heard from again. But. I see what you did there Collins. Symbolically, Prim was Katniss' whole reason for living and part of surviving trauma is finding a new reason to live. So Prim ultimately had to die in Katniss' transformation as a character as part of shedding the past and creating her own life.

Rating: 4

Codex Alera: The Furies of Calderon (No Furies? No Problem)

As an avid reader of the Dresden Files, I was antsy to read Jim Butcher's hand at anything, frankly. He doesn't disappoint in the Codex of Alera either. The story and world are well crafted, and his trademark action sequences are always enjoyable. This being a very different beast, it had little of Dresden Files snark and humor, but still remained a really fun read. The different races such as the Marat added dimension to the world, as did his unique system of magic called furycrafting.


***SPOILER ALERT***


Tavi runs for his life part 1: The story follows many different characters, but there's one theme that consistently crops up of Tavi running for his life. The first part where he's escaping from imminent danger involves the Marat. These people are a different race than most of the main characters, Alerans. When Tavi and his Uncle Bernard stumble upon them, it becomes very clear that the Marat aren't supposed to be around. This quickly ties into the other storyline involving a Cursor named Amara who is trying to protect the throne. An usurper rallies the Marat to invade Calderon and weaken the First Lord Gaius. Unfortunately, Tavi gets caught in the crosshairs and stuck out in the elements with Amara. 

Tavi runs for his life part 2: Tavi's great luck continues as he ends up captive at the hands of the Marat. Which doesn't involve a lot of happy fun time as these blokes want to serve him up like sashimi, nice and raw. He catches the interest of one Marat chieftan though, who uses Tavi as a potential way to overthrow the other corrupt leader. The agreement? Tavi and the Marat chieftan's own whelp will participate in a Trial of Wits. Whomever wins is in the right. Which means Tavi will not get devoured alive. However, during said trial, while Tavi's smarts may get him through with his life, he wakes up a big, bad, unknown beastie. Continuing his winning streak of...running for his life.

Tavi runs for his life part 3: So, meanwhile in the rest of the book, everyone else has been busy getting themselves into dire situations. Which makes it perfect for when Tavi interrupts their failing stand at Calderon to bring in an opposing army of Marat to save the day. But the brief cheer that's brought on his arrival quickly falls to chaos. And when he steals the Marat leader's knife, containing the name of the usurper behind the attacks, suddenly everyone focuses their attention on him again. And he's again, running for his life. This kid lands in the worst freaking scenarios. Regardless, with the aid of his companions, including an ex-swordsman turned dullard, they manage to save Calderon, so Tavi can finally take a break and catch his breath.

Rating: 3