*Gizmos Book Reviews* The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy #3) by Deborah Harkness

**I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

*Synopsis*

After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

*My Thoughts*

In the final installment of the All Souls Trilogy, time weaver witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return from the past to find the missing pages of Ashmole 782 once and for all. The book has been out of reach since Diana first discovered it in A Discovery of Witches. The book is not only the key to finding the cure for the blood rage that affects Matthew and his kin, but also the origins of the daemons, witches, and vampires.

Diana has learned much more about her abilities thanks to some historical figures from the past. She's become more comfortable in her own skin, as it were, after years of denying her powers and abilities, and being spellbound by her parents. She's come back from the past not only married and pregnant, but having been blood vowed by Philippe de Clermont, the patriarch of the Clermont family. This makes Diana a force to be reckoned with. Diana even brought back her own familiar in Cora, the fire drake, as well as some interesting new tattoos on her back and fingers.

Unfortunately, not everything is smooth as water on a calm day. One of their own falls, and if you didn't know already that Diana and Matthew have many enemies, this drives the point home in an emotional way. One of Matthew's mistakes comes back to haunt the couple, Peter Knox just won't stop haunting Diana and her family, and it begins a slow burn rush to find and destroy their enemies before anyone else dies. This is the book that wraps up everything, albeit in a slow, and methodical pace. There are a whole lot of issues that remain on the table, and each one needs to be addressed before anyone can have a happy future. 

Will the Congregation (governing board that oversees daemon, vampire and witch activities and relationships) stop Diana and Matthews rush to find Ashmole? Will Matthew and Diana be sanctioned because of their relationship which was supposedly banned by the covenant? Will Diana's nemesis Peter Knox finally pay the price for his previous actions against her and her family? With Diana pregnant, what will be the future for children, as well as her longevity in a house filled with daemons, vampires, and witches? What makes Diana and Matthew different from other witches and vampires? Finally, who will end up with the Book of Life and what will it mean for that persons future?

The Book of Life travels to several different places across Europe and the United States. From Matthew’s ancestral home of Sept-Tours in France, to Madison, New York, to Yale University in Connecticut, to London, England, as well as Venice, Italy the home to the Congregation, and Poland. There is a significant cast of characters in this series, and it grows even larger in the The Book of Life with the revelation of who is on the Congregation, and the appearance of the witches coven of London who help Diana find the missing pages of Ashmole.

I would say that if you haven't read the first books in a while, to go back and refresh your memories. I say this because not knowing who is whom, takes away from the enjoyment of the series itself. I would also say that unless you are a speed reader who can remember everything they've read, to set aside time to read this book. At nearly 600 pages, there is a whole lot of information to take in.

My favorite secondary characters in The Book of Life were Diana's best friend, Christopher Roberts (a researcher and professor at Yale), Marcus (Matthew's "son" who leads the Knights of Lazarus), Phoebe Taylor, Marcus's fiance who grew on me like moss on a rolling stone with her plethora of information she has at her hands. Miriam (Matthew's vampire co-worker) who is just the right kind of snark and awesome. Then there is Gallowglass (Matthew's vampire nephew) who had his heart broken by Diana's affections towards Matthew.

The All Souls Trilogy has been about power and who controls it, family and responsibilities to it, past deeds and their present consequences, love and how far a person would go to protect the one they love. Diana and Matthew use ancient knowledge and modern science to slowly reveal the secrets that readers have been hoping for since first reading A Discovery of Witches. 

Author - Deborah Harkness
Title - The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy # 3)
Published by Penguin/Viking Adult
Released - July 15, 2014
Genre -Historical, Paranormal, Romance
Format - Ebook 576 pages

*Gizmos Book Reviews* Kinslayer (The Lotus War # 2) by Jay Kristoff

*Synopsis*

A SHATTERED EMPIRE
The mad Shōgun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The Lotus Guild conspires to renew the nation’s broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously – by endorsing a new Shōgun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.

A DARK LEGACY
Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father’s death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko’s anchor is Kin, the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo’s clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, and is haunted by visions of a future he’d rather die than see realized.

A GATHERING STORM
Kagé assassins lurk within the Shōgun’s palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A waif from Kigen’s gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat.

The ghosts of a blood-stained past

*My Thoughts*

When we last left Sixteen year old Yukiko (Arashi-no-Odoriko), she had just killed Shōgun Yoritomo, watched her father die, saw her so called lover Hiro betray her, try to kill her, and was presumably left to die by her own hands.

This time our, Yukiko is the guiding force of the Kage rebellion. She's tried to urge the citizens of Shima to join the rebellion against the Lotus Guild who have their meaty little paws into everything.They rely on her, they rally around her, and she in turn destroys anything that threatens the rebellion headquarters. She is also having a bit of difficulty with her keening powers (the ability to speak with animals) and her anger hasn't lessened all that much since losing her father, and being betrayed by Hiro.

Yukiko, along with Buruu who has become her one true friend and guide throughout this series, travels to another locale to find answers to her abilities, and instead, they end up in a whole lot of kimchee. I will say that the dynamics between Yukiko and Buruu grow stronger than siblings. The do have some ups and downs, but who doesn't? Yukiko has an interesting future ahead of her after a starting revelation. I was absolutely shocked when Kristoff's surprise popped up. I absolutely did not see that coming.

*Note* I truly believe we haven't dug beneath the surface into Buruu's past yet, and why he is called Kinslayer. Should be enlightening to find out what actually happened before he met Yukiko. It will also be surprising to learn his relationship with other arashitora.

I will not discuss Kin any more than I actually have to. I realize he was the main reason that Yukiko survived in Stormdancer. I realize that he feels like the black sheep of the family, most times. I realize that he has his heart set on Yukiko becoming something more than friends. I just can't agree with his actions when all is said and done. It was like, what was the point of even bothering to save Yukiko just to turn around and do what you did? Yeah, Kin definitely needs to be beheaded and stuck on a pole.

Kristoff is one of those writers who leaves absolutely nothing to chance. Kinslayer is dark, bloody, action packed, and fast paced which allowed me to read without worrying about interruptions, or missing something. Normally, I feel let down by second books in a series, but this time out, that isn't even on the table.

There are so many characters that are given a chance to shine, or disappoint, or offer betrayal in one particular heart breaking case. One of my favorite characters has to be Hana, nicknamed No One, who apparently is 1/2 gaijin, and voluntarily joined the rebellion while her brother was out losing his blasted mind. I loved Hana's spunk, and determination. I love that she isn't a weeping willow, but one that can ultimately handle herself. I loved that she has some of the same abilities as Yukiko (the ability to speak with animals).

Kage Michi, the rebellions swordmaster, and Lady Aisha maid in waiting who befriended Yukiko, also makes her presence felt. I absolutely loved when the spotlight was shined on her, and she kicked some serious Guild ass while attempting to stop a wedding that would change everything for Shima. I also felt her emotions when she has to make a difficult choices, or face further isolation in jail.

One of the things that Kristoff does well, in my opinion, is portray a world that is dangerous, and dark, and people struggle every day just to feed themselves and their families. It is an alternative Japan where steampunk and flying dirigibles cover the skies, and the nation is still at war after 20 years with the gaijin. The oppression is thick, the use of interesting ingredients to make the Lotus bloom is sickening, and yes, unfortunately, there were several acts of rape that really make me mad as a honey bee.

My reasoning for my overall rating is that I am a Yukiko fan. I need more of Yukiko and when I am faced with a plethora of POV's, I get grumpy, and irritable. I also dislike, with a major passion, any forms of rape. Sometimes I do understand why it's there, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I will say this, the first part of the book, OK, the last part of this book, fanfreakingtastic.

By the way, I do not have any hopes that ANY of these characters will survive Kristoff's brutality. I think he stays up late at night and laughs maniacally knowing that readers will be losing their damn minds when all is said and done.

Author - Jay Kristoff
Title - Kinslayer (The Lotus War # 2)
Published by Thomas Dunne Books
Released - September 17, 2013
Genre - Japanese Steampunk
Format - Hardcover 432 pages

*Early Review* Strange and Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly #3) by Susan Dennard

**I received this book from Edelweiss / HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

*My Thoughts*

Now, that is a way to write a finale people! I mean, holy cow! There is action, adventure, betrayal, suspense, drama, a bit of romance, awesome fight scenes, and ending that will blow you away, and leave you speechless, but ties up all loose ends. I truly hope that other authors take notice of this, and follow in Dennard's footsteps.

Strange and Ever After picks up right where A Darkness Strange and Lovely left off. Marcus, the evil necromancer, has managed to stay one step ahead of Eleanor Fitt, her demon Oliver, and the Spirit Hunters (Joseph and Daniel) while taking everything away from Ellie, including the abduction of Jie. It is now a mad race to next stops, Marseille and Egypt, and finding the Old Man and the Black Pullet.

As you start to understand Eleanor's desire to use her abilities that are sometimes black in nature, you also understand that Marcus has taken away everything from her (mother & brother), and therefore the only way to defeat him, is to become a bit creative and go outside the box. It is a bit of a challenge for Ellie because while she respects Joseph and Daniel, she doesn't necessarily understand or agree with their desire not to see her fall into darkness. Oliver's own desire of being finally free from his bond with Ellie and able to return home also weights heavily on her decisions. Yet, Ellie's abilities may be the only way to end Marcus's threat once and for-all.

With Marcus raising the dead wherever they go, and the unwanted arrival of Ellie's nemesis Allison Wilcox at the most inopportune time, what could possibly go wrong? Will Eleanor be able to spend quality time with Daniel, or is there just too much in the way of a happy ending for both of them? Who will get their happy ending, and who will fall by the wayside?

I have to say that I honestly found this book one of the best I've read this year. I loved that in this series, Dennard took readers from Philadelphia, to Paris where Ellie was given a key piece to defeating Marcus. We then went on a Balloon ride to Marseilles where yet another bloody battle with Marcus & the undead takes place, before spiriting away to a country that I've had the pleasure of visiting; Egypt. Here, the final battle between good and evil will take place, with some unusual assistance being used on both sides.

I loved the angst, yes, I did, between Daniel and Ellie. It made it more realistic that they disagreed, and still respected the other person. I adore Daniel. I loved his inventions, and his ideas for a school for the strange and ever after. I even liked Oliver in the end because he didn't totally abandon her when the chips were down. I love Joseph and Jie and will miss them now that the series is gone. I found the arrival of Egyptian deities to be an exciting part of this story, even though I clearly wanted a reunion between Ellie and her brother in the spirit world.

Author: Susan Dennard

Title: Strange and Ever After # 3

Series: Something Strange and Deadly

Published by HarperTeen

Release Date: July 22, 2014

Genre: Historical, Paranormal

Format: E-Book 400 pages

*Early Book Review* Poison Promise (Elemental Assassin #11) by Jennifer Estep

**I received this book from Edelweiss / Pocket Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

*My Thoughts*

In the Eleventh installment of the Elemental Assassin series, Poison Promise, it's Gin Blanco's birthday and Jennifer Estep won't let her personal day go by without plenty of intrigue, suspense, action, bloodshed, romance, surprises, along with a villain who knows a whole lot about the infamous Spider.

Once again, Gin kicks ass, takes names, puts her life on the line for others, and ends up in yet another deadly web of deceit that could take away everything that she loves if she's not careful. It is very interesting to me how Estep portends a possible future where Gin doesn't have the luxury of having people to rally around her because people NOW know that if you mess with someone she loves, it automatically triggers a response from Gin at the risk to her own life.

Estep shows readers a different side to Detective Bria Coolidge. Bria is on a deadly mission to bring down Southtown Vampire King Beauregard Benson. Benson has brought a new drug called Burn to Ashland, and doesn't care who he hurts as long as he shows a profit. The drug has different affects on everyone from humans, to vampires, to elementals. Bria's own stubbornness, determination, unreasonable actions, and desire for payback, puts Gin in the crosshairs once again. I should say that I was a bit slap happy when it came to Bria and the fact that she nearly pushed everyone to their breaking point. But, I understood her need to bring the big bad down once and for-all after losing someone she promised to help. It's just too bad that her actions came with near deadly consequences for others, including Gin.

For months now, Gin has stood back and waited for the undesirables to come to her before eliminating them one by one. It has been a year since her mentor Fletcher Lane died. Since then, she has faced one deadly challenge after the other, including killing the person responsible for her mother and older sisters deaths. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised when Gin made her presence felt in a major way. Her very public fight with Benson, was a shock because Gin has always done things under the cover of secrecy and darkness while letting everyone guess as to who the real Spider was. Time will tell how this all plays out since she definitely painted a bull's-eye on her own back.

I love so much about this series. I love that there are apparently PIG PINS (Pork Pit) that show a pig holding a plate of food that waitresses wear! I mean, come on, I want one now! I like how Estep flashbacks to Gin's teenaged years when she was living off crumbs, sleeping on cold streets, being at the mercy of others, and learning how to become an assassin. Goes towards her overall character and why she is so determined to save innocents by taking cases Pro Bono.

Poison Promise lures you into the newest chess game piece, by bloody piece and then hits you upside head with the unveiling of who MM Monroe really is, and the reason why she is in Ashland. The ending leaves enough suspense to ensure that you return for Black Widow which releases in November. It will be interesting to see how Gin handles the twisted new axis of evil that is full of hatred towards her and knows her weaknesses. Who will survive, and who will walk into the final sunset when the series ends? Only time will tell.

Author - Jennifer Estep
Title - Poison Promise (Elemental Assassin # 11)
Published by Pocket Books
Releases: July 22, 2014
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: E-Book 416 pages

*Stacking the Shelves* Featuring Queen of Someday

Stacking the Shelves for the week of July 6 thru July 12, 2014

Stacking The Shelves is a fun way to show off the books we received over the past week in the hopes that you will find something that you will be interested in reading. As always, it is in no way, shape, or form to be considered bragging or sticking out our tongues at other bloggers. 

I really, really tried to behave myself this week. My Netgalley ratio is currently at 96.9 percent, and that's simply because I requested toooooo many titles! I hate to see what my Edelweiss ratio is. If anyone knows how to check it, please let me know!

A huge THANK YOU goes out to Harper Voyager, Simon Pulse, Clean Teen Publishing, and Spencer Hill Press for approving the following titles: 

Received via Edelweiss / Harper Voyager

Received via Edelweiss / Simon Pulse

Received via NetGalley / Clean Teen Publishing

Received via NetGalley / Spencer Hill Press

Borrowed via the Library

Purchased cheaply from Amazon.com

*Gizmos Book Reviews* Where Silence Gathers (Some Quiet Place#2) by Kelsey Sutton

**I received this book from NetGalley/Flux in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

*Synopsis*

Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Tate sits outside Nate Foster's house, clutching a gun. After serving ten years for the drunk driving accident that killed Alex's family, Nate has been released from prison. Every night, Alex waits out of sight, building up the courage to exact her own justice. There's just one problem: Forgiveness. Alex has been able to see personified Emotions for as long as she can remember, and Revenge is her best friend. But when Forgiveness suddenly appears, he offers Alex a choice--getting even or moving on. It's impossible to decide when Revenge whispers in one ear . . . and Forgiveness whispers in the other.


*My Thoughts*

"Where Silence Gathers" is the companion novel to "Some Quiet Place" and not a direct sequel. It is set in a totally different place, with a totally different lead character, but with the same personified emotions. Where in SQP Elizabeth Caldwell didn't feel any emotions and but could still see them and met her match with Fear, Alexandra Tate sees and feels all the emotions, and is forced to choose between Revenge, and Forgiveness in determining her future. 

Alexandra truly is her own character, and nothing like Elizabeth. After a drunk driver took her family away at age 12, she was left  living with her aunt Missy and uncle Saul who do their best for Alex. She is pushed by her so called best friend in Revenge who doesn't sugar coat anything. She is pushed by the memories of being left alone, and watching her family die by her side. She feels guilty that somehow she survived.  The release of Nate Foster from prison 6 years after her families deaths, pushes Alexandra into seeking revenge for her families sake.

Alex sits outside Nate's home with a fully loaded gun she stole from her uncle, wanting to pay him back for all the hurt and suffering he's caused. She throws herself so much into ending Nate, that she misses the fact that she's pretty much turned her back on everyone except Revenge who came into her life when she needed him the most. The story really is about choices. Does Alex really go through with her Revenge, or will Forgiveness warm her cold, dark heart and make her choose an entirely different course? 

Once again, I guess I read a totally different book than the synopsis says, or what other reviewers are saying about the book. I say this knowing that I wrote down that Alex was actually EIGHTEEN since she celebrated a birthday and is a High School Senior who intends on graduating when we first meet her. The other thing I found different from others is that Nate Foster didn't spend 10 years behind bars for vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence. Remember, Alex was 12 at the time of the of her parent's deaths, and was shocked to learn that he had been released from prison so soon.

**Please note; Ms Kelsey was good enough to respond to my questions, and I was right on the money!*

I am not sure how to take Alex. While I absolutely understand her desire for revenge, I also saw a girl who pushed away everything that was good in her life, which includes her best friends Georgie, Briana, Uncle Saul, and Aunt Missy for her mission. She even pushed away her little neighbor who didn't exactly have the best home life with two parents acting like complete idiots not understanding the pain they were causing their son.

Kelsey Sutton creates a world where there are Emotions, Elements, and Choices come from another plane of existence. The Emotions all appear in human form, and in different shapes, and sizes. There are few people in society who can actually see them. Alex has the ability to see each and every single emotion that comes her way. Her obsession with Revenge, had me asking if perhaps her vision was a bit clouded by thoughts other than hers. 

What I will take from this story, is that it is very easy for a person to lull themselves into believing that revenge is a dish best served cold. I think that Alex allowed herself to be used, and pushed into making silly mistakes, and when all is said and done, there are way more important things that needed to be addressed that could have changed her life and perhaps even shortened it had she not had a bit of assistance.

I, unfortunately, do have a few minors thoughts on some hiccups. I do understand that this copy was an ARC, and therefore I can only hope that in the finished copy of the book, we won't find Alex throwing away her phone into a river one minute, and plugging in an address into her GPS on HER phone the next. Then, a few minutes later, she is using the house phone to make her calls. 

*Again, Ms Kelsey tells me that this was in fact, fixed, and the finished copy caught this error!* Thank you, Kelsey!*

Although Where Silence Gathers wasn't as good overall as Some Quiet Place, I would definitely consider, and recommend reading any future works that Ms. Sutton releases in the future.

Author - Kelsey Sutton
Title - Where Silence Gathers (Some Quiet Place # 2)
Published by Flux
Released: July 8, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Format: E-book 360 pages

*Gizmos Book Reviews* The Half Life of Molly Pierce by Katrina Leno

*Synopsis* 

You take it for granted. Waking up. Going to school, talking to your friends. Watching a show on television or reading a book or going out to lunch.

You take for granted going to sleep at night, getting up the next day, and remembering everything that happened to you before you closed your eyes.

You live and you remember.

Me, I live and I forget.

But now—now I am remembering. 

For all of her seventeen years, Molly feels like she’s missed bits and pieces of her life. Now, she’s figuring out why. Now, she’s remembering her own secrets. And in doing so, Molly uncovers the separate life she seems to have led…and the love that she can’t let go.

*MY THOUGHTS*

The Half Life of Molly Pierce is one of the more bizarre stories that I have chosen to read this year. It surrounds a soon to be Eighteen-year old girl who experiences depression, melancholy, suicidal thoughts, and memory loss, but has no clue as to what is happening to her until she starts trying to piece the puzzle together. What's worse is that those around her, her family, and friends, seem to understand when Molly disappears and why, and to just roll with the flow, and not make major issues out of her situation. 

Molly is a character that you can immediately grab hold of and try to understand her struggles, and when you finally do understand what is happening to her, you find yourself wondering how you would treat your best friend, or family member were they to experience the same issue. She is also a classic example of why more stories about mental health issues are necessary if we are ever going treat those left behind by societies ignorance, and intolerance of those who may be different from ourselves.

Molly isn't a character that we know a whole about. We know that before her "issue" she was once at the top of her class; then, it all came crashing down, and people no longer expected all that much from her. From her sister, to her brother, they realized that their big sister was "different" yet, they did not go out of their way to make things even more brutal, or scarier for Molly. I absolutely loved this about the story. Normally, siblings can be the worst kind of awful when they know one of them is having issues.

One can never disregard a person who has melancholy or experiences depression. Depression is a major killer right next to Cancer. If left untreated, it can tear you apart at the seems, and make you fall into a deep, dark hole that takes years of therapy & treatment to dig yourself out of. With Molly's particular disorder, it is hard not to rush to judgment and force massive drugs upon the patient without understanding first how she got to this point. For Molly, I was happy that she knew that the drugs would make her high, and low, and chose to discover what was happening to her no matter how hard the truth was to face. I also appreciated that Alex, the mental health provider, didn't force the issue, but gave Molly enough space to make her own choices, and learn the truth about her situation.

The Half Life of Molly Pierce has been favorably compared to Memento and Identity which should tell you a whole lot of Katrina Leno's ability to write an entertaining psychological thriller. I try not to guess what the ending will reveal to me, but in this case, I have to say that I pretty much guessed at what was happening, and why. I will say that I hope readers give this a chance. It is a fairly quick read at 256 pages. 

**I received this copy via Edelweiss / Harper Teen. No monies were transferred. My review is mine, and mine alone. Receiving a free copy does not change my opinion of this book.**

Author - Katrina Leno
Title - The Half Life of Molly Pierce
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: July 8, 2014
Genre: Young Adult, Social Issues
Format: E-Book 256 pages