Weekend Wrap Up: Review of Divide by Jessa Russo

There aren't enough stars to give this book. Just be warned of that, because this is totally going to be a gush fest. In fact, I'm going to preface this review by urging you to go buy the book. Now. So we can talk about it and gush together. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

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From senior class president to dejected social outcast, with just the flick of a match.

After accusations of torching her ex-boyfriend’s home are followed by the mysterious poisoning of her ex-best friend, seventeen-year-old Holland Briggs assumes her life is over. And it is. But not in the way she thinks.

As Holland learns the truth about her cursed fate—that she is descended from the Beast most have only ever heard of in fairytales—she unites with an unlikely ally, good-looking newcomer Mick Stevenson.

Mick knows more about Holland’s twisted history than she does, and enlightening as it is to learn about, his suggestion for a cure is unsettling at best. Holland must fall in love with Mick in order to break the spell, and save their future generations from repeating her cursed fate. Having sworn off love after the betrayals of her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, this may be difficult to accomplish.

Complicating things further for Holland and Mick, time runs out, and Holland’s change begins way before schedule. With Holland quickly morphing into a dangerous mythical creature, Mick struggles to save her.

Should they fail, Holland will be lost to the beast inside her forever.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jessa Russo believes in fairytales, ghosts, and Jake Ryan. She insists mimosas were created for Sundays, and that’s not up for discussion. She’s obsessed with the great city of New Orleans—where she’s collected too many beads to count, eventually married her sweetheart, and visited graveyards they don’t include on maps.

She’s loud, painfully honest, and passionate about living life to the fullest, because she’s seen how abruptly it can be taken away.

What began as a desire for reading and writing young adult paranormal has bled into stories of all kinds. From fantasy to pre-dystopian to erotic contemporary, Jessa’s stories always include romance, though she’s given up on pigeonholing her work into a category or genre box.

Jessa was born and raised in Southern California, and remains there to this day with her husband (a classic car fanatic), their daughter (a Tim Burton superfan), and a Great Dane who thinks he’s the same size as his Chihuahua sister.

ENTWINED, the final installment of Russo’s Ever Trilogy, will be released late 2014, as well as an erotic romance written under a pseudonym. Stay tuned!

MY REVIEW: 

Five out of Five Stargates--Out of This World!

I LOVE Beauty and the Beast. It is one of my favorite fairy tales. I love it so much that I refuse to watch it again for fear it might be ruined if watched through adult eyes. But this book is yet another reason not to watch it again. Because Beauty and the Beast probably won't hold up when compared to Divide.

First, I love the characters. I love that Holland is smart enough to know that there is something wrong with her. She can sense something brewing under the surface, and while outsiders might think she has gone all emo, we know the truth. Holland Briggs never stops being Holland Briggs. She only gets better. She's going through a rough time with the curse and the beasty hanging over her head, but she is still smart, strong, stubborn, and witty. I had a few laugh out loud moments with her. Mick is also awesome. He's smitten from the start, which makes their fairy tale all the more believable. He isn't just some guy destined to help a gal out of a curse--he is THE guy for Holland, and you really see that as their relationship builds. He doesn't just worship her like some stereotypical Prince Charming swooping in to save the day, but matches her completely and goes toe to toe with her stubborn ass time and time again. I'd love to go on and on about everyone--Cam, Rosemarie (LOVE her!), and even Donovan, but I'm going to quell the obsessive fangirl side of me.

Jessa Russo is an amazing writer, which I already knew after reading EVER, so I am not all that surprised to say she has hit another home run with DIVIDE. It is fast paced with compelling characters and an ingenious twist on a fairy tale close to my heart. My only complaint is that there isn't room left for a sequel. You might normally think that is a good thing, but I would love to spend more time with these characters. I'm comforted in knowing that Jessa has a long and successful career ahead of her with many more books to ease this book addict's needs. =D

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Weekend Wrap Up: My Review of KIYA: Mother of a King by Katie Hamstead

KIYA: Mother of a King by Katie Hamstead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the problem with starting a really good book: You can't put it down and finish it within the span of two days.

KIYA: Mother of a King was everything Hope of the Pharaoh was and more. Katie Hamstead really took everything up a notch, especially the tension as Tut took his place as pharaoh and the love triangle from book one came to a head. There were times I wanted to slap both Malachi and Horemheb.

I love that we get to see that Naomi's strength--her heart--is also her biggest weakness in this book. She's compassionate and loving, and it is hard for her not to show love to those she holds dear, even when it means putting her morals on the line.

Queen Kiya and Naomi are supposed to be two separate people, but it seems like we are getting to see more and more of how much the two have in common, even if it easier for others (and sometimes Naomi herself) to view them as different people. Kiya is clever and charismatic, to the point of being able to seduce anyone in the room just with her presence, but we get to see how those traits were there with Naomi as well when the annual festival comes around.

New foes are introduced, and surprising new friends. Kiya had a big impact on Nefertiti's daughters in a very contrasting way. One wishes to be more like her while the other hates her almost as much as Nefertiti does. The differences are very refreshing and it is nice to see how someone can be raised to hate someone and up idolizing them instead.

This book is full of intrigue and action, while balancing it out with romance and the every day heartbreaks and joys of family life. I'm sad that the next book will be the end, but I'm excited about what comes next.

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