Bookbabe Reviews: Fallen by Lauren Kate

                                  

Fallen Angels and an Earth Shattering Love: The Bookbabe Reviews  Fallen by Lauren Kate 

Let me start off as saying this is not my first attempt at reading this book. I originally purchased it in 2012 and attempted to read it. I gave up about fifty pages in because I simply could not get in to the book. The prologue was interesting but after that I was pretty much lost. I got bored. Well....fast forward to 2016 and to the downloading of the audio book from Dover Public Library and viola.....I am completely done the first book in the Fallen series. 

Fallen was exactly what I expected and I thought that I could almost predict the ending; I mean,, come on, we've all read these types of YA novels and they almost always follow the same formula. Girl falls for mysterious guy, guy tries to resist girl, he is hiding a secret...yada yada yada. We have all been there. However, Fallen was a bit different. This was the first series of I had read involving Angels; and I was pleasantly surprised. Kate weaved a good tale of forbidden love  and lost. Also, she kept it interesting by putting our main characters in a very interesting environment: a reform school. Who knew that a school full of delinquents could be so fun to read about. 

Luce and Daniel are probably going to become some of my favorite couples in a YA series. This is for several reasons: 1) Daniel seems to be a hopeless romantic (he reminds me of Darcy from P&P but without the snooty attitude); 2) Luce seems to be able to handle herself; she knows what she wants and seems to be okay with fighting to stay with Daniel. It also does not hurt that both of them are extremely relatable and likable. Also,  Luce is not the typical female love interest you would expect in a YA novel. She is not clingy or whiny and she sticks up for herself. You could say Luce is the anti-Bella (as in Bella Swan from Twilight). 

One of my favorite scenes from the book involves a bit of a plot twist; in which, someone they all trusted decides that Luce has to die because, frankly, she is a destruction for Daniel in the fight against another Fallen angel. I can honestly say that I am extremely happy to have read it. I can not wait to start Torment. I gave Fallen 4/5 Stars on Goodreads.com.

Favorite Quotes:

"The classes here are soulless, worse they'll strip you of your soul. Of the eighty kids in this place, I'd say we've only got about three remaining souls."

"Trust is a careless pursuit at best. At worst, it's a good way to get yourself killed."

"You - you wouldn't hurt me?" "Of course I would....you're the human equivalent of a migraine"

To fall in love with Night itself....The Bookbabe Reviews: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Sarah J. Maas has stolen my heart with this book. I usually wait until the next day to write my reflections (review) of most of books; but, I just couldn't with this one. A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMF) has everything we fanasty YA nerds want. Great world buliding, fabulous writing, bad ass characters and maybe just a little bit of a romance. She delivered all that in more with the pages of this book. 

In ACOMF, Maas takes us back to the Spring Court and back into the relationship that has been developing between Tamlin and Feyre. They have just returned to the Spring court after their almost life ending experiences Under the Mountain. One would think with all the hardships, torture, and death they witnessed Under the Mountain that they would have a closer bond. But, they don't and Tamlin is not being the guy we meant in A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTR); he is withdrawn, on edge and seems content to allow Feyre to waste away. He ignores her unhappiness and the changes in her. He is selfish, and only thinks of himself and putting on show of strength and force to his people. 

The only relief Feyre seems to get from him is her trips to The Night Court; which were forced upon her by its High Lord Rhysand. At the Night Court she is free to do what she likes. Rhysand comes off with his usual arrogant bravado but you can sense something deeper there. Especially any time Feyre mentions Tamlin; Rhys just seems to bristle at simple mention of the High Lord. It would take the wedding ceremony and Tamlin locking Feyre in the Spring Court Manor home for Rhys to really step in. 

Once he rescues her, basically frees her, he allows her as much time as she came to become what she was before she went Under The Mountain. Rhys is giving Feyre something Tamlin can't....freedom! It's no surprise that during all this her feelings towards both Tamlin and Rhys shift. 

She begins to see Tamlin as very self serving, uncaring, maybe even a little emotionally abusive and possessive. Rhys is Tamlin's complete opposite - he is kind, patient, caring and attentive. Even though he has it in her head and has been told by others at the Spring Court that he can not be trusted; that he is dangerous. Against her better judgement she makes a decision to cut Tamlin off completely, and stay on in the Nighy Court so that she can learn to use her powers and learn to fight. Something that Tamlin had no interest in letting her do at all. 

Slowly Feyre begins to feel something for Rhys that was never there with Tamlin....Rhys also does not reveal until the book is almost at an end that he and Ferye are mates. And that he has known for sometime. He attempted to separate himself from her but...he could not so he made up ways to see her and to misdirect the attentions of that witch from Under The Mountain away from Ferye. During all of this Ferye and Rhys and his court are trying to stop am invasion of a long hated and very dangerous King. They almost have it under control when several betrayals come to light; and at the worse possible time. It's in these betrayals that the majority of the plot twists happen. The most surprising one of all coming right at the end. 

Maas wrote this book so well, waving in just the right amount of mystery to make you want to speed read to the ending. I think ACOMF has replaced The Girl with all the gifts as my favorite book read so far in 2016. 

I gave it 5/5 stars on Goodreads.com

Favorite Quotes:

"There are different kinds of darkness, there is a darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful. There is the darkness of the lovers, the darkness of assassins. It becomes with the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good."

"No one was my master – but I might be the master of everything, if I wished. If I dared."

"He luck to you up because he knew – the bastard knew what a treasure you are. That you were worth more than land or gold or jewels. He knew, and wanted to keep you all to himself. (Rhys)"

"He did - does love me" (Ferye)

"The issue isn't whether he loved you, it's how much. Too much. Love can be a poison." (Rhys)

"To the stars who listen – and the dreams that are answered."

"Truth is deadly. Chances freedom. Truth can break and mend and and bind."