Book Review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Book Two

If you haven't read the first book in this series, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I suggest you get on it--immediately! The writing is poetic, lyrical; the story--awesome! It's a fresh, original premise, filled with fantastical creatures and a intense love story that will leave you breathless trying to figure out how it's all going to come together.

The second book, Days of Blood and Starlight was a total surprise. First check out the description...

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou, finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is--and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. It's filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

I was expecting a continuation of the love story essentially, but that's not what happened. This is about about war! It's not entitled Days of Blood and Starlight for nothing--emphasis on the blood! Hold your horses.  Don't let that scare you. I don't mean that the story is filled with unspeakable gore. Nothing could be further from the truth. But Karou has been betrayed and she's not taking it. She's intent on revenge and making the guilty parties pay--in the only way she knows how. I don't want to spoil your discovery, so you'll have to read the novel to learn how she does it...he he he....

Book One

As I implied earlier, the author took the story in a completely different direction--and I love it. She wrote the chapters from the perspectives of different characters beyond the two lovers, Karou and Akiva. This provides an opportunity to get to know old favorites better and meet new ones. I really enjoyed learning more about some of the unusual creatures in the story and getting a more intimate view of them--how they think, what they feel...The entire world of this story was fleshed out more. One is drawn into and immersed in it.

I'm already chomping at the bit to read the next book...*sigh*...I don't think Taylor is finished writing it yet...*double sigh*...but, I have something great to look forward to! I have a friend that I'm sending this book to as a gift. I gifted her the first book in the series now she's as hooked as I am, including her daughters...lol... All three are waiting for me to get it into their hands.

Make sure you don't miss out. I think it's been optioned for a movie. I don't know how they're going to get all these intricate plot points on the screen. Read it now! You won't regret it.

Toodles, ya'll

My Selection for Waiting on Wednesday: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Book Two

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It's a fun way to learn about new books coming out and what folks are looking forward to. This week I'm anxiously awaiting a sequel...Squeee!!!....It's Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor. Here's the description...

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

This doesn't tell us much, especially if you haven't read the first book, so let's look at the description of that...

Book One

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

 

Oooh...I see the new title is taken from the first book's description! I can't wait for the follow up! This story is creepy, beautiful, romantic, lyrical...need I go on? Lol...I gave the first one away to some friends as gifts and they loved it too. Has anyone else started this series?

 

Days of Blood and Starlight releases November 6, 2012 by Little, Brown and Company.

 

Toodles!