Book Review: Chaos (Guards of the Shadowlands #3) by Sarah Fine

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES IN THE SUMMARY
With Juri in control and everything in absolute chaos, Lela plunges into the depths of hell to free Malachi from creatures that have waited decades to exact their revenge. But the Judge has her own way of doing things, and Lela must work with Ana, the new Captain, who has a very personal mission of her own. Together, they infiltrate the most horrifying realm either has yet encountered in the Shadowlands—the bitter landscape ruled by the Mazikin.
The stakes could not be higher, and Lela must accept the help—and love—of people she barely knows or trusts. As alliances and loyalties shift and she realizes the soul she came to save isn’t the only one in need of rescue, can Lela summon the strength to see the fight through to the very end? 

Oh dear, I've finished another series. 
I loved this series, so it's even sadder to see it end. Hopefully more people will read it and it will cause just as much pain to them as it did for me. That's what marks a great book- emotional turmoil.

Ah, sweet, sweet pain.
While this book did the rest of the series justice and gave me an ending that was very, very generous; it felt a little too fast-paced for me. I would've enjoyed a break between each monkey wrench thrown into each plan. It would have been nice to calm down and think everything is going fine only to realize you have about a hundred pages left. 
But maybe I'm just a cruel sadist. 
This series is one of my favorite for many reasons.
1. It has a POC (person of color) as the protagonist and it's not catered to or ignored. She's just not white, nothing crazy.
2. The story was wonderful and highly imaginative. 
3. Character development from book to book was extraordinary. Even development in each book was amazing. You have to keep reminding yourself that these aren't real people. 
4. It displays what it's like to have PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) without the protagonist being magically cured when she falls in love or conquers her fear. It's a constant battle that is shown throughout the books.
It's just a great book, a great series and a great story.
Highly recommended for those who want a captivating adventure story. 

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: Fractured by Sarah Fine

Really all I have to say about this book is:



Seriously. This book is amazing. If you've read the first one (Sanctum), then you should most definitely read this one. If anything this might be better than the first. 
The characters are so real and have such growth in each book. I love, love Lela. She's a great protagonist and such a badass. She's everything I hope to be. Malachi is great. That boy is wonderful and I want one for myself. Their relationship is real and goes through similar emotions that other couples do. (I would say situations but I don't think most couples fight spirit-infested people.) 
The angst! Oh, the angst. It was heart-breaking to read but so well done. Ugh. 

BUT THE ENDING. Oh man. I am so happy I had the third one with me on hand. I would've died if I had to wait to read it. This is left with the worth possible cliff hanger ever. It's so sad and everything. Oh my God. Just-just read it. Seriously. You will not regret it. Okay, maybe you will because of the emotional trauma this will cause. 
This is definitely one of my favorite series.

Read: April 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: Sanctum by Sarah Fine

“My plan: Get into the city. Get Nadia. Find a way out. Simple.”
A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos’s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance—hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn’t just anyone—she’s determined to save her best friend’s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife. 
As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she’s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city’s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn’t—the dark city isn’t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate

This was just a spur of the moment, "This looks good" kind of read.
Boy, did it pay off. I am so happy I read this, I can not even begin. I'll do my best anyways. 
First, we have a badass heroine that is also a POC (person/people of color) and that's HUGE for a book like this. We need more POCs in literature because representation is very important. It empowers others that there are people like them that can do the same stuff as other characters. Okay, kind of a tangent, but it was really nice to read.
Secondly, she is your typical action hero with all the badassery, snark, and terrible back story. BUT she's real. She's not this way because she wanted to be but it's how she dealt with the hand she was given. She's a great, great character. 
Third, the story is AMAZING. It's a new twist on the whole "afterlife" thing that's been done before. This was unlike anything I've read and written really well. 
Fourth, the character development was really fun to read. We get to see how her thoughts change throughout this journey.
Fifth, her love interest is the perfect yin to her yang. Plus, it was like a bonus to the whole story and not the story itself. Just how it should be. The boy is to die for. (Sorry, it's a terrible pun but we are talking about the afterlife after all.) Not a lot of swoons but a lot of cute moments. 
Finally, the ending was wonderful. I could've seen this as a complete novel had certain things not happened, but it's a trilogy. I already have the whole series and I eagerly await reading them. 
I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a good book. Also check out Sarah Fine's other book Of Metal and Wishes, which is also really good. (And a modern take of Phantom of the Opera.)

Read: February 2015

My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars