GEEKY CHIQUITAS: the forever song

Book in Review: The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

2014 books

Title: The Forever Song
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publishing Date: April 15th, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary:
Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

After that HORRIBLE cliffhanger in Book 2, I thought I had seen the worst. How wrong I was.

Oh Julie. You will never make this easy huh.

The Forever Song was an epic, fantastic and excellent conclusion to the Blood of Eden series. I couldn't have wanted anything more for the last book. Wow... it was exciting, action-packed, gory, bloody, absolutely horrific! But at the same time it was awesome and so kickass. I was on the edge of my seat finding something to hold on to, because I was afraid I'd actually lose it. I certainly did not foresee that ending, but I loved how everything becomes full circle in the end.

In this third installment, Allison's struggle is the hardest. For a newbie vampire, she really is going through a lot with all her mixed up emotions of revenge, anger, and sadness. She certainly has her moments in the book, where she almost gives up to the monster within her, but she always, always finds a way to get back. I loved her character development in this last book, and she has gone a long way from that small weak girl dying in the rain. And my god, Allison is a scary killer with that katana. She is a brave and incredible fighter. This girl is practically my hero.

It was interesting to see a different side of Zeke in this book but Julie really pulled it off with her top notch writing. I can't see any other author write a nice guy into something as horrible as what Zeke turned into in this book and still feel like it makes sense. The character development is incredible, and you never for one second think Zeke is out of character or inconsistent. Everything just adds up!

And then Kanin - he is seriously one of the best characters ever. Truly a master vampire. I really really admired him even more in this book. He's a father figure to both Allison and Jackal and is great at leading people. Jackal, with his morbid sense of humor and his outward facade of bloodthirstiness, is actually a really really complex character. I can really say that he actually has a heart and cares about Allison no matter how much he'd deny it. I especially loved their constant bickering and interaction in this book.

As much as I loved all the characters in this book, I loved almost everything else too! I loved the DETAIL and how well developed every scene and plot point was. Every single thing that happens in this book is so descriptive and visual and so intense - I could imagine it happening right under my nose. Julie's writing is as always, excellent and commendable. I LOVED THIS BOOK AND CAN'T BE ANY HAPPIER WITH THE ENDING. It was hard and heartbreaking and we lost so much, but it was so good and was an excellent way to wrap up the series!

This is not a paranormal YA book series with hot shiny, or sparkly vampires. This is a dark, compelling series with scary, crazy and morbid vampires. Consider yourself warned.

8:45 PM
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Top 10 of 2014: Best Books I've Read in 2014

a game of thrones

Top 10 of 2014 is hosted by Jamie of Two Chicks on Books, Mindy of Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, Nancy of Tales of a Ravenous Reader, and Rachel from Reading YA Rocks. It's a yearly event where bloggers participate and make lists about top 10 things in relation to books.

For today's topic, we have the Best Books of 2014. This does not necessarily mean that these books were published in 2014. The only requirement is that they were READ in 2014. :)

So, without further ado, in NO particular order, we present the BEST BOOKS WE READ IN 2014!

1. Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

I cannot stress enough how much I ADORE best friend romances! This was such a light and sweet book but it definitely tugged on my heartstrings. This is the kind of book that I will be rereading many many times, in the near AND distant future.

2. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Oh God... I can't even begin to describe the perfection that is this book! I honestly do not know what to say, except that it blew me away and tore me apart (in a good way I guess since I am recommending this to you). I loved this book so so much, in ways unimaginable.

3. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

"If you give a girl an orange, her love for you will multiply." This is one of my favorite quotes EVER and it's from this book. This one honestly exceeded my expectations and I didn't anticipate that it would affect me so much. But it did, it did.

4. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Not a book published in 2014. A book written by the famous poet/author who stuck her head in an oven. This book was painful, but amazing. Period.

5. Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park was my favorite book of 2013, and of course Landline would make the list! Rainbow is just too talented, it makes me want to cry.

6. Afterworlds by Scott Westerfield

I've actually been debating with myself over putting this book on this list, especially since I only gave this one a 3.5 (whereas all the others had 5 star ratings). However, I just can't seem to take my mind off this book, probably because it is just so unique and different and I loved the concept of it. I really do.

7. The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

I took some time reading this, because it was just too intense! Perfect ending to the trilogy.

8. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

I think I take this as the cue to kick myself for only discovering Colleen Hoover this year. Ugly Love was just.... so painfully good! I couldn't put it down and it made me cry. Like real ugly tears.

9. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Can I just say... I read this for 6 straight hours on an airplane when I was supposed to sleep, thus resulting to me being extremely jetlagged. No regrets whatsoever though. Too addicting. Just like the series.

10. Half Bad by Sally Green

Wow, this one I really did not expect would make this list. At first, I thought this was more like a children's book but it unravels into something more towards the end. Definitely looking forward to the next book!

1. Maze Runner by James Dashner

I'm not sure if I read it for the first time this year or if I just reread it for the movie. Either way, The Maze Runner is one of the best movies I've read this year. I love the action, the plot, and the binding between the people in The Glade.

2. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

I'm still currently reading this but I already know that I'm gonna love it. This book is so cute, sweet, heartwarming, and beautifully crafted. Every single place had a purpose that added more to Amy and Roger's story. I am simply loving it.

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Amazing. Levi and Cath are perfect together. I love the fact that this story isn't just about love. It's also about growing up, acceptance, and supporting one another. It's so mich more than you would expect it to be. Even the tiny snippets from Cath's fic is perfectly added to the story.

4. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

No words. This book sent chills down my spine. It made me want to tell everyone about it but at the same time I couldn't bring myself to because I wanted people to read it themselves and tell me they feel the same way. Just. Perfect.

5. Luna by Julie Anne Peters

I read this book in less than one day which shows just how good it was. I think that the author was very brave and very talented to have taken on such an intimidating topic and actually do it justice. The only thing I wanted to change was the ending, but other than that, I really liked it. It was an eye-opening read.

6. Everyday by David Levithan

I love David Levithan's works. He never fails to give us another unique story that we will surely love. Everyday is just so different. I know that I would never have thought of something this unique in a million years. Another thing that I like about this book was how it was written in the point of view of someone who just didn't judge. It's really refreshing and different in a good way from what I'm used to.

7. Landline by Rainbow Rowell

I admit that I haven't finished it yet, so it shouldn't really count but whatever. I'm loving this book. Rainbow Rowell is so talented and this book just displayed that fact even more. Landline is amazing, just like all Rainbow's other books are.

8. Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

Torn Away is a haunting read. The story sticks with you. Sure, you don't think about it everyday, but Jordan's story will remain in your heart for a long, long while. She's a remarkable character, it was remarkable, cry-worthy book, and it truly deserves to be here, on my list.

9. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

It's not as deep as the other books, nor is it as clever, but it's simple, sweet story just made me love it. It's not just about football or Jordan's love life. It's a story that makes you appreciate your friends, your family, everything you have. It sucks you in with its simplistic charm and you'll definitely want to read it over and over again.

10. Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

This is a really nice, clever book that everyone will love. The ending wasn't really what I wanted it to be, but the journey to the end, with all the spectacular people and all the amazing adventures made the book a worthwhile read. You'll laugh, have fun, become smarter in some way, and maybe even learn a thing or two.

1. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

I have proven that Rainbow Rowell books are awesome, every single one of them, I really love the plot of this book since it's not your average love story. Attachments is all about three people in their mid 20s. It's about falling in love with someone who you haven't even met yet. This book will definitely make you smile.

2. Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Another Rainbow Rowell book! I am truly amazed how Rainbow could write books in such different personalities, but still be able to truly feel each one of them. I just currently read this book, and it definitely deserved a 5 out of 5 rating.

3. Forever Layla by Melissa Turner Lee

So this book was sent for us to review, and I actually loved it. It's a mixture of different genres like YA Contemporary, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance and the list goes on. The relationship of David and Layla moved quite fast, but there's the feeling of connection between them. I am looking forward to more books by Melissa.

4. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

I have actually already read this book a long time ago, but I reread it this year, and it's still the cutest book ever. No matter how old you are, you just have to read this one and watch the movie too because both are beautiful. This is probably one of my all-time favorites.

5. Everyday by David Levithan

Wow. That's the best word I could think off that describes this book. How could David Levithan think of a story like this? It's all about A who wakes up everyday in a different body, but loves the same girl everyday. David Levithan books are a must read!

6. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Even though The Lover's Dictionary is a pretty short book, it's the book which seemed to have endless words. It's a love story told in dictionary entries. Though the entries are short, it provides great events and even not so great ones of being within a couple.

7. If I Speak True by Jessica Brooks

I was thrilled to be given the chance to review this book this year. It's a very unique read. Ambrosia was a place that is utterly fascinating and made me wish that it actually existed. This book is full of secrets, and because I like revealing secrets as I read, I enjoyed this book.

8. Summer on the Short Bus by Bethany Crandell

Bethany Crandell showed in this book that people with disabilities aren't so different. It's a book that made me laugh so much that lead me to crying. It's a story about transformation. This is probably the best coming of age book I have read this year.

9. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

I think we have mentioned this book so much in our blog, but that's just because it's reaaally good. It's a sweet book that will make you read it over and over again.

10. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

I listened to this as an audio book, and to be honest audio books are not the best for me because I fell asleep. But, once you really listen to this story, you would completely appreciate it. It's about the loss of a friendship, but it's what made the story beautiful.

I hope you guys enjoyed today's post! Did you do Top 10 of 2014? What are your favorite books of the year? Leave a comment!