{Blog Tour} Book Review + Character Playlist + Giveaway: Wings - Elizabeth Richards

Title: Wings (Black City #3)

Author: Elizabeth Richards

Release Date: June 12th 2014

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Age Group: Young Adult
Source: ARC from author (Thanks again, Liz! <3)
Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Following the cliffhanger ending of Phoenix, Natalie finds herself separated from Ash and unexpectedly reunited with her parents, including the father she thought was dead. But she can only think of Ash. She hasn't heard a word of him since she and Elijah were brought to the underground headquarters of the Sentry Rebellion. But she vows to find him.

Ash, meanwhile is back in Black City; it's the perfect place to hide from the Sentry government. But not for long. He won't give up on Natalie or bringing an end to the terrible reign of Purian Rose.

If not for this tour, I probably would have put off reading Wings for a long time - that's what I usually do with series enders. Leaving behind beloved characters is a very unpleasant experience for me, as I'm certain it is for all of us readers, and the Black City trilogy is no different.

Wings opens with Natalie in a rebel camp and Ash on the run, but even with the distance between them, they do everything that they can to aid in the efforts to bring down Purian Rose, the tyrant who insists on purging the world of Darklings and everyone else he deems unworthy of living. As the two lovers and their friends race to stop their enemy before he brings the entire world to its knees, there is a constant worrying for the lot of them that makes for one intense, unputdownable read.

I've said this before in my reviews of the previous books but I feel the need to say it again: I love how Natalie and Ash are both proactive, brave and determined to get things done whether they're together or apart - which had me pulling at my hair the entire time (no, seriously) because I was like what the fragg you can't get blown up into pieces before you two bump into each other! God. Theirs is definitely one epic romance that had me tearing up so many times because of the feels. Ash, you're the man. Err, half-man, half-Darkling.

"You were brain dead for a few minutes," Beetle says. "Of course, nobody noticed any difference at first..."

Aside from Natalie and Ash, the other characters also really shine in this book. Each of them plays a huge part in the tight plot, but I would advise against investing your feelings in any of them because the author had no problem torturing them. No one is safe, definitely not the reader's heart. I kept gasping and flailing every few pages or so; the story's that good.

Although the first two books were both truly amazing, Wings, for me, is the best in this trilogy. It further cemented Black City as one of the twistiest, most heart-pounding series I've ever read, and I cannot recommend it enough to everyone looking for the perfect balance of romance and action in their reads. The ending is more than satisfying and wraps up the series very well, but it's still an ending, and I'm still feeling bittersweet.

MY FAVORITE PART was Ash saving Natalie. *sobs*

RATING:

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Phoenix - Elizabeth Richards

Welcome to my second stop for the Phoenix PH blog tour! My first stop featured Dacian temptress, Giselle Lambert. You can follow the rest of the tour here.

Title: Phoenix (Black City #2)

Author: Elizabeth Richards

Release Date: June 4th 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Source: ARC borrowed from Precious at Fragments of Life (Thanks again! <3)

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Ash and Natalie are just starting to build a life together when things in the United Sentry States go from bad to worse. Ash and Natalie find themselves at the center of turmoil when dictator Purian Rose threatens Natalie’s life unless Ash votes in favor of Rose’s Law—a law that will send Darklings and other dissenters to a deadly concentration camp known as the Tenth.

When Ash can’t bring himself to trade Natalie’s life for those of millions of Darklings, her fate is sealed. Enter Elijah Theroux, the handsome Bastet boy Natalie once saved from her mother’s labs, where he’d been experimented on and tortured. It was his venom the Sentry used to create the lethal Golden Haze, the heart of the government conspiracy that led to Black City’s uprising and Ash’s rebirth as the Phoenix, the face of the rebellion. Elijah is back and Ash doesn’t like him; it’s clear he’s taken with Natalie, and Ash fears she may have feelings for him as well.

But Elijah also may have the answer to taking down Purian Rose for good—a powerful weapon called the Ora. Ash, Natalie and Elijah just have to escape Black City undetected to find it. But fleeing the city and finding this weapon (if it even exists) are easier said than done, and the quest could tear Ash and Natalie apart, even pushing them into the arms of others.

This enthralling sequel to Black City is just as absorbing, delicious and steamy as the first book, leaving readers hungry for the series conclusion.

Phoenix picks up a few weeks/months (I'm not sure because I flew through those details, lol) after the events in Black City, and immediately there was action and suspense. Purian Rose has threatened Natalie's life if Ash doesn't vote in favor of Rose's Law, but if he does, he would fail the same rebellion that he is the face of.

This sequel was 368 pages of adventure, as Ash and Natalie worked with the rebellion while trying to keep themselves out of Purian Rose's hands. With their lives at stake, they only found solace in each other's arms, and even that love was tested, revealing just how much these characters have grown. 

Natalie has developed into a strong and practical person, always thinking of the greater good rather than herself, and I just really loved—and pitied—her. Ash, on the other hand, started out really well, and I thought his death and resurrection had made him mature even more. Well, no. He soon, although only in bouts, reverted back into his testosterone-induced self. To his defense, Natalie also had some faults, but I hold him responsible for his actions.

Here in Phoenix, we reunite with and bid farewell to a lot of old characters while meeting new ones. Ash and Natalie's mission to save everyone from Purian Rose's greed for power brought them outside Black City, and we finally got to see so much more of their colorful world as their every step left flames behind.

More eventful than Black City—and that one was already brimming with happenings—Phoenix was also full of surprises and revelations; there was at least one of them in every chapter, so my eyes were just glued to the pages. This book tired me out, in a good way, because I felt like I was running for my life alongside Ash and Natalie. It was shocking until the end, but it left me feeling like nothing was resolved. Still, you don't know how desperate I am for the third book! 2014, please come sooner.

MY FAVORITE PART was Nat's birthday.

RATING:

About the author:

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist, who spent her early career reviewing videogames before making the bold (or crazy) move into travel writing, despite suffering from terrible travel sickness.

In her spare time, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favourite bands, go to gigs and basically blag loads of free swag all in the name of ‘research’.

Elizabeth lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her husband. Black City is her debut novel.

Fun facts:

- She's an identical twin. (No, they don’t have psychic powers, and yes she is the evil one.)

- She's a little bit in love with Daniel Radcliffe.

- Her favourite book of all time is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

- Her second favourite book is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

- Her third favourite is Harry…oh, you get the idea.

- Her ambition is to see 10 volcanoes before she dies. She's already seen Stromboli, Vesuvius and Mt Etna. Just 7 more to go!

Giveaway!

{Blog Tour} Character Interview + Giveaway: Phoenix - Elizabeth Richards

Thanks for dropping by my stop on the Phoenix blog tour! You can see the full tour schedule here.

Today’s 60-second interview is with Dacian temptress, Giselle Lambert.

1. Describe yourself in three words.

- Fierce, mischievous, thief

2. What’s your favorite pastime? 

- I love to dance, particularly to Dacian folk music. My people are very musical, and we find any excuse to sing and dance.

3. Ash or Elijah? 

- Ash. He’s so brave and defiant. A true leader.

4. Cats or dogs? 

- Dogs. They’re loyal and loveable.

5. What’s your favorite food? 

- A traditional Dacian dish called sarmale, served with polenta. Sarmale are cabbage leaves stuffed with pork, greens and tomatoes.

6. Tell us a secret about yourself. 

- No. Dacians bring their secrets to their grave.

7. What are you afraid of? 

- Madame Clara dying. I don’t know what I’d do without her; she’s the closest thing to a mother that I have, and I love her with all my heart.

8. Who do you love the most in this world? 

- Madame Clara. She took me and Lucas in, when no one else wanted us. She has the most generous heart of anyone I know.

9. Who do you hate the most?

- My father.

10. If you had one wish, what would it be?

- I wish that my people were accepted by the other humans. They treat us worse than the Darklings sometimes.

That's it! If you want to know more about Giselle, be sure to pick up a copy of Phoenix which will be on sale tomorrow, June 4th!

About the author:

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist, who spent her early career reviewing videogames before making the bold (or crazy) move into travel writing, despite suffering from terrible travel sickness.

In her spare time, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favourite bands, go to gigs and basically blag loads of free swag all in the name of ‘research’.

Elizabeth lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her husband. Black City is her debut novel.

Fun facts:

- She's an identical twin. (No, they don’t have psychic powers, and yes she is the evil one.)

- She's a little bit in love with Daniel Radcliffe.

- Her favourite book of all time is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

- Her second favourite book is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

- Her third favourite is Harry…oh, you get the idea.

- Her ambition is to see 10 volcanoes before she dies. She's already seen Stromboli, Vesuvius and Mt Etna. Just 7 more to go!

Giveaway!

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Black City - Elizabeth Richards

Thanks for dropping by my stop for the Black City Philippine Tour, hosted by Kate at The Bookaholic Blurbs!

Title: Black City (Black City #1)

Author: Elizabeth Richards

Release Date: November 13th 2012

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Wow. Black City has left me speechless. I knew it was dystopian paranormal romance - genres I've read quite a lot of times already, but this book is just so unique, it totally surprised me.

Ash is a twin-blood Darkling, the son of a human and a Darkling, who lives in the human side of the wall in Black City. He's an outcast among men who torment him and treat him with nothing but distaste. Meanwhile, Natalie Buchanan is the daughter of the Emissary, leader of the humans, and her past experiences with Darklings have been nothing but excruciating. They meet one fateful night and, like the blurb above says, fall in love.

Before I get into the characters, I'd just like to say how much I love the version of the future that Richards' has created. It was strict and terrifying for both humans and Darklings as they pushed against each other's supremacy. Also, I love the idea of Darklings and how different yet similar they are to the vampires we know of. And there were various types of Darklings, too!

Now, the characters. Natalie was likable enough for me. She was spoiled (but not the mean kind of spoiled) and a little bit naive, but that was because of her being the Emissary's daughter. She had bad experiences with both Darklings and the human tyrant who led their government, so her loyalty was often questioned, mostly by herself, even. Ash, on the other hand, was brooding and harsh but again, it was to be expected from the tough life he'd been living. He was bullied and shunned, but he had to control himself and not hurt anyone. He helped support his family by dealing Haze, which was like drugs that came from Darkling venom, and that showed his good side. I really loved his character - and that's not just because he was so swoon-worthy, I swear. There were also a whole lot of interesting secondary characters, but my favorites would have to be Ash and Natalie's schoolmates.

Black City is one of those books where there was both insta-love and insta-hate. The insta-hate was because of Ash and Natalie's different races; it was fun to see them bantering and antagonizing one another. I'm glad the insta-love was justified by a sensible reason, and I really enjoyed it. Their romance had me raising the sails of my ship because their whole world just went against them.

With all the positive reviews I've seen all over the Internet, I'd have been surprised if I ended up not liking this book. But how could I not? Aside from the compelling romance, there was also political intrigue and conspiracy and just a whole bunch of layers to this book, so it's really not just a love story. I'd recommend this to everyone!

MY FAVORITE PART was their first Tracker training, hihi.

RATING:

(cover and summary from Goodreads.com)

About the author:

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist, who spent her early career reviewing videogames before making the bold (or crazy) move into travel writing, despite suffering from terrible travel sickness.

In her spare time, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favourite bands, go to gigs and basically blag loads of free swag all in the name of ‘research’.

Elizabeth lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her husband. Black City is her debut novel.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway!

Waiting on Wednesday {5}: Black City

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where we post about much-awaited releases!

Title: Black City (Black City #1)

Author: Elizabeth Richards

Release Date: November 13th 2012

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR

Goodreads

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. 

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong. 

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

I thought I've had my fill of dystopia/post-apocalyptic already, but this seems too good to pass up! I mean, just look at that cover! *drools* Also, I have a soft spot for forbidden-love stories ♥ I hope this will be available here in the Philippines; I'll surely pick up a copy!