Review: 'Dreams of Gods & Monsters' by Laini Taylor

Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Laini Taylor

Goodreads / Amazon

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

Travel Companion:

If we traveled with the main character Karou, she would be

The Artist

She would read stunning artwork. Her art would be internationally known. She would also move and never stay in one place. Her art would represent the world and the suffering within.

We would meet her working on some street art in Prague. We would go over and talk to her. She would be evasive and would leave. We would follow her. (Like the stalkers we are.) She would go into her favorite cafe, a weird place with coffins for tables. We would pay for her meal and strike up a conversation with her about art and everything else under the sun. We would mention our travels, and she would be interested. We would invite her to join us on our adventures. She would join us because she would want to see the world with other people.

If we traveled with the main character Akiva, he would be:

The Leader

He would be the one in the front, charging towards the enemy. He would fight with everything he had. He would never resort to violence, though. He would resolve things peacefully. 

We would meet him leading a protest. He would be breaking up a fight. We would start talking about rights and dreams. We would understand his dreams and want to make his visions comes true. We would ask him to come with us to bring peace to the world. Akiva would join because he would see hope in our cause.

If we traveled with the main character Eliza, she would be:

The Secretive Friend

She would be kind and warm. She would be funny and jovial. But she would be hiding things. Certain things she said would be odd. Her actions might be different than her words. We would be able to tell that she had secrets. We would never push it, though. We would let her have her space. 

We would meet Eliza in a library, working on research. We would take her hand and toss her into an adventure. (I mean...research is boring.) She would be reluctant at first. She would finally accept the adventure when she gazes at the sunrise from the mountains because it would remind her of the fiery wings of her kin.

Karou (I keep misspelling her name, so bear with me) was pretty awesome as always. She had her magical flying powers as well as her creative thinking. Her creative thinking  helped her create some amazing battle strategies. Or…ways to escape a full-on war. She played peace maker in this book. A medium between the seraphim and the chimaera. As well as translator to Zuzana and Mik.
This book had less of her, though. I wanted to see her side of things. I didn’t mind it when Akiva took center stage in this book. Karou was mostly the lover in this book. The girl who thirsted for the boy's touch. That annoyed me. She was an awesome character. She was brave and powerful. She was her own person. She didn't have to be somebody's lover. She could be her own character. Truth be told, I wouldn't mind Karou having her own book that was entirely about her. (But the reality of the matter is that Karou is part of a package. It's either Karou and Akiva or no Karou at all.) What I’m saying is that she didn’t need to be just The Lover in this book. She could have been Just Karou, and everything would have been great.

Akiva was great. He was the main actor on the stage this time. We got to see Akiva work his magical mojo in this book. 

Akiva was a great character. He had motivations behind his actions. Sure, he did a lot for Karou, but he also did some things for himself. His decision with the Stelians? That was entirely him.  It showed that Akiva could do things without Karou. He loved being with her, but that doesn’t mean he needed Karou 24/7.  
His magic was awesome. He could disappear and summon large flocks of birds. (That's actually from Days of Blood and Starlight, but let's not dive into specifics, okay?) He used his wounds to his advantage. It gave him access to his magic. And sirithar? That was so cool. Being able to access that massive amount of power was a huge advantage for him. He could had the ability to do so much more with sirithar. And he did. Akiva was given this power, and he used it wisely.

And we were introduced to Eliza. She was this quirky character who had a burning hatred of Morgan Toth (but it was understandable.) She was a researcher who lived in America. She had a shady past.
I didn't know her purpose in the beginning when we were introduced to this girl. I was confused. Who is she? What's her importance? Gimme Akiva and Karou! I thought. She wasn't given a huge part in the majority of the book. She was the sort of character I would write off as a side character with not much of a purpose. It was only when she started spouting nonsense in Seraphic that I understood. All in all, I didn't particularly like her. The ending spotlighted her, but it didn't show her in an appealing light. I know Laini Taylor tried to make her seem nice by making Zuzana the People Hater enjoy being in her company, but I just couldn't like Eliza.

BUT. I understood her hatred of Morgan Toth. He was evil. I wanted to strangle him. He was a terrible person. My anger boiled underneath my skin when I read what he did.

He sent out those messages? And unveiled Eliza's secret? Excuse me? You had no right to do that. It’s her secret to tell. I condemn you! Shame on you! He was a terrible person.  

I have to praise the neek-neek Zuzana and her faithful violinist Mik here. They were pretty amazing. They were just humans, but they charmed the pants off the chimaera. They were charismatic and humorous. I loved their romance. (They were amazing together. And what great chemistry!)
Zuzana was fierce. She was a perfect example of a fierce female. She was a true neek-neek. She was witty and quick to a retort. She would snap at you. And Mik brought out the best in her. He calmed her down. He made her laugh. He was the water; she was the fire. They were great on their own, but they made a better pair when together.  

The Adventure Begins (And Ends):

I thought the plot was lacking a bit. It seemed slow and boring.
For one, there weren't any actions scenes. Well...they were there, but I didn't get to see them. All the action happened when Akiva and Karou weren't in the picture. That essentially meant we didn't get any of the action. I mean...who doesn't want to see Liraz in action? Seriously! She was one of the best fighters in the entire series. 

I hated that I couldn’t see the one battle that happened in this book. Akiva and Karou were yanked from the battle. They were nominated to be the peacemakers and shoved towards Jael. We didn't get to see the angels fall out of the sky. I wanted to see that. I wanted to see Thiago in action. I wanted to see the gore and blood. I hunger for action. But I didn’t get the action I wanted in this book.
What I got was an annoying fake grandmother and a tension-filled usurping scene. (I thought it was a great scene. Don't get me wrong or anything. It was fantastically written and all. But...Wren needs her daily dose of action.) Akiva's aptitude for magic took me by surprise. I knew he was good, but I didn't know how good Akiva was.

I'll Wait For You At the Gate:

And finally...Karou and Akiva action! Last book, we had Akiva yearning for Karou. And Karou, finally, accepted her burning love. I was (im)patiently waiting for some romance between these two. (Gah. Laini Taylor is brainwashing me into wanting romance. That’s a miracle.)
Their romance scenes were filled with electricity. Their scenes were great examples of how to write chemistry. When they touched, stars exploded. The sun shone brighter. The world stopped. Babies were born. Etc etc etc.
In the end, I shipped them. Hard. I completely accept their pairing and encourage them to make adorable Kakiva (Totally making up their ship name) babies with eyes made of fire and stunning blue hair. 
These two might have had their problems, but they were great together. I felt like they barely knew each other, though. Akiva was barely with Karou as Karou. I know her soul was the same and all...but still. You need time to adjust to this new person. They're not the same in every way. They're different now. I felt like this part was rushed. It could have been touched upon longer. Oh well…

Still looking at her with that half-hesitant intensity, Akiva reached out very slowly, and, with one fingertip light against her cheek, hooked a loose strand of her hair and pushed it behind her ear. The tiny touch sparked and blazed, but the spark and blaze were subsumed by a deeper, fuller fire when he brought the whole of his palm against her cheek. His gaze was vivid, hopeful, and searching, and the touch was whisper-light, and it was… a taste of the cake Karou couldn’t have. It was more than a taunt. It was a torment. She wanted to turn her face and press her lips to Akiva’s palm, and then his wrist, to follow the path of his pulse to its source. To his heart. His chest, his solidity. His arms around her, that’s what she wanted, and… she wanted movement that spoke to movement, skin to skin and sweat to heat to breath to gasp. Oh god. His touch made her foolish. It spliced her right out of real life with its drumbeat of armies angels portals weapons war and into that paradise they’d imagined long ago— the one that was like a jewel box waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness.

224-225 ‘Dreams of Gods & Monsters’

Perks and Upgrades:

N/A

You Have Arrived at Your Destination:

I spun around in my chair after I put down my phone. "I'm dead," I moaned, spinning in a circle slowly.
'Is this a book hangover?' I wondered.
The answer is YES.
The ending gave off such great vibes. It was full of karou. It was full of hope. I felt full after reading that last page.
At first, I felt like this book was going to end on a terrible note. I was nearing the last hundred pages, and I knew there were two gaping plot holes in front of me. One being the Stelians. (What’s up with them?) The other being the Cataclysm Eliza and the Stelians talked about. I was worried about this book. Was this actually the last book? Or was there another coming out? I voiced my worries to my poor aunt who had the luck to be sitting by my side the moment I hit the last hundred pages mark. (82% in, if I recall correctly.)
But. This book didn’t end like I thought it would. The plot holes were patched up. It was a smooth ride to the epilogue. I had no questions left. I could only smile when I finished the last page. 

This was a wild ride. This whole series. I was barely holding on as I was thrown about. This book was a roller coaster of emotions and twists. 

This was a great end to a great series. 

And so it was. Karou and Akiva held on to each other and didn’t let go.

612 ‘Dreams of Gods & Monsters’

Rating:

4/5

Review: 'Days of Blood and Starlight' by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight

Laini Taylor

Goodreads / Amazon 

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

This is not that world.

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

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. Forhope.

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

Travel Companion:

If we traveled with the main character Karou, she would be:

The Artist

She would read stunning artwork. Her art would be internationally known. She would also move and never stay in one place. Her art would represent the world and the suffering within.

We would meet her working on some street art in Prague. We would go over and talk to her. She would be evasive and would leave. We would follow her. (Like the stalkers we are.) She would go into her favorite cafe, a weird place with coffins for tables. We would pay for her meal and strike up a conversation with her about art and everything else under the sun. We would mention our travels, and she would be interested. We would invite her to join us on our adventures. She would join us because she would want to see the world with other people.

If we traveled with the main character Akiva, he would be:

The Protester

He would go to protests and rallies. He would protest war. He would yell and shout, but he wouldn't be juvenile about it. Akiva would be a presence at every rally. He would exude power and strength. He would be a karate instructor or fencing instructor for his job. He would work at his job during the day and protest at night. He wouldn't use violence, though, and he would break up fights at the rallies and protests.  

We would meet him at a protest. He would be protesting animal rights. We would see his determination and his dreams of peace for the future. We would ask him to join us to see the world and help bring peace to the world. He would join us because he would want to help people attain peace and safety.

Karou was pretty awesome. She was smart and funny. She was quirky. She had some great lines. 

You’re welcome for the wings, now use them to pee farther away please thank you! 

Page 142 ‘Days of Blood and Starlight’

I liked Karou. She was an interesting character. She was disconnected from the other chimaera. She was the traitor, the angel-lover. She didn’t look like them. She didn’t act like them. Karou was more human than the other chimaera. She was standoffish, but she was a pretty happy person with her friends. She made jokes. She could cry. She was human in a sea of beasts and monsters and angels and seraphim. She was pretty awesome.

She put up with pain to help the chimaera rebellion. She was forced into isolation. She had no one there for her. She went through so much. All for the rebellion. That takes dedication. But I wanted her to have a happier ending. I wanted Karou to truly be happy. I cared for her as if she was my little sister. Laini Taylor, congratulations on making me care for Karou.

Akiva was completely different in this book. He learned from his mistakes. He was more solemn. He was also very sad. He was lonely. His heart ached. He wanted Karou. He wanted to be with her.

I thought Akiva was okay. I thought he had a great backstory. He had a past. He loved Madrigal. He went through a lot to be with her. He cared for her a lot. And he suffered when she was killed. Meeting Karou helped Akiva gain hope, but he screwed it up. (Sigh…the male species.) He loved her, and she loved him. He went through pain. (A different kind of pain. He went through emotional pain. Karou went through physical AND emotional pain. Man…Karou’s really strong.) He did things because of Karou. 

The Adventure Begins (And Ends):

The plot was okay. It was confusing in the beginning. We had so many perspectives. It was too much. It was overwhelming. I was lost. It was like swimming in pudding. (And the image is just…shiver…) I couldn't comprehend what was happening. (My poor brain.)
The plot had action. The fight scenes were amazing. Especially the ones that featured Akiva’s deadly swordsmanship skills. The angels were great fighters. And Ziri could hold his own against some evil angels. The soldiers were efficient and deadly. They attacked quickly and without mercy. The actions scenes has tension, action, blood, and gore. The things an action-lover like me yearns for.
The middle had a more interesting plot. We had Akiva back in the world of the serpahim. He was back with his brother and sister. And he was fighting again. There was Thiago's cruel attacks and the Emperor's retaliation. It was bloody and terrible. Both sides were murdering innocents. The only reason they did it? To get back at the other. They didn't even attack each other specifically. It was like a dance. They danced around each other. They didn’t attack directly. It was horrific to read yet surprisingly interesting.

I'll Wait For You At the Gate:

The romance was confusing. Akiva still yearned for Karou. He stilled loved her. And she despised him. After what he did? I would hate him too. But at the end...Karou's feelings were a mess. I felt like these two would have been a great power couple. They were both great characters. Powerful and strong.

They had chemistry. I can’t deny it. I actually wanted Karou to accept Akiva. They were amazing together. (Before Karou knew the truth, of course.) I would have shipped them if they were together. I understand why Karou didn't show love for him, though. She had been betrayed, but she had to accept the fact that Akiva was trying to make things right. If only she noticed...
And a love triangle started to form. I don't like love triangles. And it’s not like this love triangle was expected. The Kirin was kind. He was someone who cared for Karou. He would be her ally but not her lover. He didn't need to have an unrequited crush. The Kirin was innocent. I didn’t want him to get hurt. 

And as I said, I felt like Akiva and Karou would be great together. 

Perks and Upgrades:

I disliked that it took thirteen chapters to get to Karou's perspective. We had to wait to hear from her. I wanted to know about Karou. I wanted to know what was going on with her. I wanted to know what Karou thought of Akiva's betrayal. I wanted to know what was keeping her busy and where she was. I was waiting for her. This annoyed me a bit. We had to wait for such a long time. It did cause tension and build up, though, but I wanted to know about Karou’s situation from page one.
We had Akiva's perspective, Zuzana's, and some less important characters. We got to catch up with some old friends while we waited for the leading role to walk down the aisle. I didn't like the information dump, though. Everything that happened since the last book was shoved down your throat. You had to sort through the pieces and choose what to keep in mind.

You Have Arrived at Your Destination:

The ending was a complete cliffhanger. I wanted more. I had questions left. What will happen next? What happened to them? Will there be an alliance? Is Ziri okay? I wanted answers. I can't wait for the next book.
The ending had action. And the way Akiva went to help Karou when the angels came? True love. I could see that Akiva would do anything for Karou. And what happened with Ziri? Whoa. And Zuzana going back to Karou? Oh gosh. So much happened at the end. Plot twists were thrown at me as if I was participating in a dodgeball fight.

Akiva's actions against the Emperor were surprising. He did that. Wow. Akiva was stronger than I thought. I truly admired Akiva then. Akiva showed strength and determination. He morphed into a completely different character then. A stronger character, one who could plan things and take action. That really changed my opinion on Akiva. Not that I love his character or anything…I just respect him now.

I was worried about the chimaera and Misbegotten. I had to know what happened to them. Would they survive? Would they form an alliance?

The last chapters were filled with tension. I clung to my phone, wondering and wondering. What happens next?

Overall, the book wasn't terrible. Karou was an amazing character as usual. Akiva was okay; he could have been better. The plot was okay. There was a lot of action, though. (Which I liked.) The romance was a bit odd for me. The love triangle annoyed me, but I sort-of-but-not-really shipped Karou and Akiva. The ending was a cliffhanger, but it was still pretty amazing.

Rating:

4/5

Review: 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Laini Taylor 

Amazon / Goodreads

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

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

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

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

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

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Here Be the Players

Kaoru was pretty cool. She was very artistic. She had talent. Reminds me of Addison Stone actually. Too bad we didn't get to see her drawings. I loved that she knew so many languages. I wanted that for myself. Collecting languages. I would love to know Ancient Greek if that is even possible. I liked that she could kick butt too. She could fight. She wasn't defenseless. She could hold her own. Which was great. I loved her determination. To find her family and help them.
Akiva was pretty awesome. And he would be a good lover. Wow. That doesn't sound weird at all. But he was loyal. Kind. And he was a good fighter. I can't say much other than that, though. When he was with Madrigal, he was good. A nice lover. Kind. Sweet. Caring. But without her, he was a shell. With Kaoru, he was different. He had to be. He didn't know who she was until the wishbone. It was confusing for him. Seeing him lost and confused was interesting. Who is this girl to him? Who is Madrigal? Why is he so willing to give up things for her? It isn't until we reach the backstory that we get more. Who he was. Who was with her. It expanded on his character. We learned more. I'm surprised a seraphim could enter chimaera territory and be fine. (How do you spell spell both of those? I feel like I'm botching it up.) Which was confusing to say the least. Who knows what magic he worked?
Madrigal was so kind. I liked that she did what she had to make people suffer less. And how she saved a seraphim. Do I see Madrigal as a separate person? Actually, yes. She was a good person. But not all good characters are interesting. She was mildly interesting. Her kindness would be her downfall. Loving would be the worst thing for her. But she didn't back down. That showed her bravery. As well as her love for Akiva. Which takes great commitment. And she had the chops to take it on.

The Adventure Begins (And Ends)

The plot was actually pretty cool. It had enough fight scenes. I liked when Akiva and Kaoru fought. They seemed evenly matched. The scenes were good. Fast-paced and interesting. Clever techniques. I wanted more fighting. Not just giving up and stalking her. That's creepy, dude.
The plot was partly on the past. I liked the past. Seeing Madrigal and Akiva. Them from the before. It was fascinating. Seeing their personalities. Their romance. I liked the past. And it made me get interested in the present. The past was entirely romance. Stealing away nights and kisses. Hoping and praying that no one will find them. These two couldn't slip up. No no. One slip up meant...KO. Sudden death. Especially for Madrigal. I feared for them. Hoped for the best. That's the sign of a good romance. When you worry with the characters about their worries.
It could have been better, though. Perhaps more action and less romance? I didn't mind the romance...but still. Maybe more about the past? Ooh. That would be great.

The Swoon-Gasp-Swoon Factor

N/A

Ka-Pow Power

N/A

Kiss Kiss Fall in Love

The romance wasn't bad. It was cute.
Madrigal and Akiva? Adorable. They had no reason to fall in love. He an seraphim. She a chimaera. But they did. Against all odds. And it was a spark. Not even looks. Just a spark. A knowing. A rush of heat. I might be babbling now, but I am allowed to. It was fascinating seeing them together. They had to hide in secret. To kiss underneath their lovers moon. (I'm babbling...) And they knew what would happen if they were caught. Punishment. Death. And they did it anyways. Perhaps, it's enemies-turned-lovers I enjoy. (And I know I do.) But these two had something different. I'm not sure what it is. It could be their races. It might be. Who knows?
Akiva and Kaoru seemed rushed. Even without the Madgrigal secret. Why? They met each other. Fought. Then...kiss, kiss, fall in love. (If you get that reference, plus ten points for you.) They didn't necessarily seem like who they were before. Kaoru was different. Akiva was different. I know you want me to say that they were destined...but they weren't. Kaoru wasn't the girl she was before at all. She was completely different. Nothing could change that. Loving the past her doesn't mean you'll like the present her, Akiva. Calm down. Reincarnations don't always work out how you want them.

Special Effects

The world was actually quite intricate. Well-built. It had many levels. The generals of the chimaera. The wars they fought. The 'why these two races were built'. TWO MOONS. It was interesting. The past between the two races. It wasn't anything like high fantasy. It was a good world, though.
And the world Kaoru lived in with her odd family of chimaera. The world built from there. The shop. The magic doors. The place she lived in. The work she had to do. Fetching teeth. Not knowing what they were for. And then finding out the truth? Interesting.
The magic was cool. As well as the two races. The magic from pain. Wow. That was actually really cool. That explained the teeth really well. Which was something I started to wonder about halfway in. And the magic was sorta lost. Lost but not really. That brought up some questions. How was it lost? Why? When? Where? By whom? And reincarnation? Like that? Awesome. You could remake yourself into someone entirely different. (And that could be the point.)

The End

The ending...I want more. It was a cliffhanger. I want how it ends. Does Kaoru ever forgive him? Who is she now? What will she do? It was such an ending. 

I need to know. I NEED TO KNOW. 

We're given so much information at the end. Who Kaoru is. Who Madgrigal is. Where Kaoru's family is. So much happening. So much going on. We get so much. I think we got a lot of swallow. Which isn't the best. Having the past unfold was a tad much. And then...Akiva? Wow, dude. Nice job ruining things with waifu. Only Akiva... Sigh. 

But.

I am intrigued. I want to know more.

Rating:

4/5