Brad About Books: Elegy by Amanda Hocking

Read on June 20 to 21, 2013 

ELEGY
Expected Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's
Format: ARC
Page Count: 542 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: Watersong, #4

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't started this series.

Read my reviews for the first three books in this series:

Forgotten Lyrics • Wake • Lullaby (spoilers for Wake) • Tidal (spoiler free)

Elegy is a fantastic and phenomenal conclusion to one of the best series I have ever read. Amanda Hocking's vivid world is riveting, chilling, and simply stunning - I couldn't have asked for a better ending!

Amanda Hocking is one of my favorite authors of all-time, and I can officially say that the Watersong Quartet is one of my favorite series ever. They're so addicting and amazing! And in Elegy, more risks are taking and the action scenes are insane. Right from the first page, we're thrown into a tension-filled, nail-biting scene, and it never, ever stops. And I want to applaud Amanda Hocking for creating this brilliant series - she definitely pushed her characters to the max and challenged them in ways I couldn't even fathom. I loved how she broke them and destroyed them, which only makes them stronger. All of the characters shine out in Elegy, and it's fantastically incredible.

Another thing I love about this series is how it doesn't focus on one or two particular characters. In book one, Wake, we mainly see Gemma and Harper. But as the series progresses, we get inside Daniel's, Penn's, Sawyer's, and even more characters's heads. It can be very hard to juggle so many POVs, but Hocking tackles it masterfully. I was never once confused, and this series is the perfect balance of paranormal and romance. The Watersong Quartet is one of the best series out there, and I highly, highly recommend it!

That. Ending. I'm still not over. I had no idea how Hocking would end the series. There were many ways that Elegy could have concluded, but the path that was chosen was not only satisfying, but rich and deep - it worked perfect for the series. And since this is a complex series, I was definitely satisfied and fell in love with this finale. Hocking fans, rejoice! You are going to love Elegy - one of the best conclusions to a series ever.

Overall, Elegy was fantastic, phenomenal, and entirely marvelous. I'm so sad to let this series go, but it ended so great. Thank you, Amanda Hocking, for this journey - I loved every single moment of it.

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: September Girls by Bennett Madison

Read from May 21 to 22, 2013

SEPTEMBER GIRLS
Published: May 21, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 342 pages
Source: Purchased

When Sam's dad whisks him and his brother off to a remote beach town for the summer, he's all for it-- at first. Sam soon realizes, though, that this place is anything but ordinary. Time seems to slow down around here, and everywhere he looks, there are beautiful blond girls. Girls who seem inexplicably drawn to him. 

Then Sam meets DeeDee, one of the Girls, and she's different from the others. Just as he starts to fall for her, she pulls away, leaving him more confused than ever. He knows that if he's going to get her back, he'll have to uncover the secret of this beach and the girls who live here.

September Girls is a vivid, mystic love story with a twist like none other and a supernatural creature so epic. Sizzling and explosive, September Girls burns bright!

My favorite part about September Girls was definitely the feel of summer and the Girls. This is the perfect book to read in the summertime - it just captures the atmosphere of the beach and warm, summer nights so perfectly well! And the Girls themselves are just so haunting and mysterious. We're never quite exactly sure what they are (but to be honest, it's not hard to make an assumption: I'm going with mermaids/sirens here), but Bennett Madison gives off their eerie and magnetic vibes to the reader so perfectly, it just blossoms off the page. September Girls radiates with a beautiful and tragic love story, with a dash of a dreamy and electric atmosphere.

And Sam was just an excellent main character. Yes, he did get on my nerves at times, but out of all the male protagonists I've read about, he stands out. He's lost in the world, trying to find someone to love and a home to call his. Madison executes Sam's character so, so well. I wish there was a sequel, because I'd love to continue a journey with Sam! Another awesome part about September Girls? The Girls' POV. In between chapters, we get to see through the Girls' eyes, and it's just so unique and wonderful! Love it!

A slight problem I had with this book was the beginning. It seemed a bit draggy for a couple of pages longer than it should have - I'd say around the 40-page mark, things got a whole lot interesting, which I'm happy about. September Girls is a rollercoaster of emotions that you'll never want to end. Gorgeously told and plotted out so well, this is one of the most original books I've read in a long time.

Overall, September Girls is one of a kind. Pulsing with mysterious scenes and racing with forbidden love, it's impossible to put September Girls down!

M Y   R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Tidal by Amanda Hocking

Read from January 29 to 31, 2013

TIDAL
Expected Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: ARC
Page Count: 342 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: Watersong, #3

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't started this series.

Read my reviews for previous books in this series:

Forgotten Lyrics • Wake • Lullaby (spoilers for Wake)

Tidal is a stunning and fantastic installment in an addictive and one of my all-time favorite series. Amanda Hocking was created another brilliant novel!

Let me start off by saying that Amanda Hocking is one of my favorite authors ever, and this is, by far, my favorite series of her. I get sucked into the world so quickly, and Tidal was definitely the best book! SO many plot twists and insane events happen in this book - I couldn't put it down for a second. I loved how Hocking gave us even more perspectives in Tidal by adding in Daniel's POV (which was really cool to see the world through his mind). I can't get over how much I adore Tidal!

The characters are what really brings this book to life. The sisterly love between Gemma and Harper is outstanding, and their bond is taken to the next level. You know who was actually my favorite character of Tidal? Penn. Yep, the antagonist was my favorite character. This has never happened to me before, but we get to learn so much more about her, and I was very intrigued about her storyline! In fact, all of the girls were marvelous. Hocking can weave a villain like there's no tomorrow, and Tidal shines bright.

That ending was absolutely insane! If you thought the endings to Wake and Lullaby were crazy, Tidal is going to blow your mind. I flew through those final 100 pages, and I adored every single second of it. And the last few chapters... I can't get them out of my head! Needless to say, I need Elegy so bad. 

Overall, Tidal is phenomenal! Rich, dark and highly addictive, Tidal held me tight and never let me go.

M Y   R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Of Triton by Anna Banks

Read from February 21 to 22, 2013

OF TRITON
Expected Publication Date: May 28, 2013
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 256 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: Of Poseidon, #2

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't read Of Poseidon.

A fantastic sequel! Anna Banks managed to top the already awesome Of Poseidon with this explosive, daring and brilliant sequel. One of my favorite books of the year!

 A kingdom is in peril, and man, the setting was wonderful! Banks has a way of stringing and crafting words together to portray a beautiful and haunting castle - a definite highlight of Of Triton - but I just couldn't get over how incredible the setting was. Of Poseidon definitely had a great setting, but this sequel blew it out of the water (pun not intended)!

And the characters... oh gosh, the characters become so great. There were some characters I had troubles with in Of Poseidon (*cough* Rayna *cough*), but each and every character morphs and develops in the sequel. Emma was absolutely epic - fierce, determined, strong... yep, that sums her up in Of Triton. She did a complete 180˚ on me, and she's quickly become one of my favorite characters... ever. Galen was just as great too! We get to explore him in his "normal" life, and he's definitely a different person. Emma and Galen together are unstoppable, but there not the only great characters. Toraf and Rayna... outstanding! I am so happy there is more than one romance in the book, and Toraf and Rayna together are hilarious. You have the contrast between them, but they even each other so perfectly. Just another reason why Of Triton is even better than its predecessor!

I love kick-butt action scenes, and Of Triton brings a bunch to the table. I thought that the end of Of Poseidon was crazy... guys, it doesn't even compare to Of Triton's final 60 pages. I mean, mind equals blown here. Anna Banks, I applaud you for such an epic ending! I'm super excited and curious to see where Of Neptune goes!

Overall, Of Triton... oh gosh, there are no words. An absolutely phenomenal sequel! Mysterious as the ocean itself, Of Triton glows from the first page and never let me go.

M Y   R A T I N G