ARC Review: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco + Fashion Sketches

Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Pages: 336 pages
Release Date: September 20th, 2016
Source: ARC from Jimmy Paterson
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery, Horror
Rating: 5/5 stars

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

Buy it now!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

** DISCLAIMER: The publisher was lovely enough to provide me with an advanced copy of the book. This has not affected my thoughts and opinions in this review **

God damn JIMMY Patterson Books really knows how to pick 'em. Stalking Jack the Ripper is the first acquisition that this publishing company decided to print, and they should feel proud for making such a big splash in the water. This book is a new refreshing take on Young Adult historical fiction. I have to admit that I was a little reluctant about getting into this book in the first place. The whole historical fiction aspect didn't really sell me. It wasn't until Twitter blew up with early praise that I knew I had to request a copy from the publishers.

Audrey Rose lives a sheltered life under the eye of her father, who wants to preserve her innocence and give her the life a young lady should have. Tortured by her curiosity, she can't seem to stay away from her uncle's practice with examining dead bodies. She's not your average Victorian young woman. Along with the help of an unlikely ally who is rather charming, Audrey Rose thinks she can catch the killer responsible for the frequent murders. As blood is spilled and she is falling head over heels for her partner, Audrey Rose realizes that she might not want to find the answer at the end of the tunnel.

My favorite part was the writing style. Kerri was able to effortlessly mimic the accent and the way people talked in Victorian times. It was done so so well that from time to time I liked to go back into the book just to read the dialogue between the characters. If I could give you only one reason to read this book, the writing style would be it!

Extra points for originality! In the back there is an entire explanation of the creative liberties that were taken. The entire story was, of course, based off of the infamous killer. It was fun to see the author create her entire world around the real murders and events. If I'm not mistaken, the women murdered in the book were real names from history. She took many creative liberties to give these women a backstory and a life beyond knowing they were murdered.

It really bothers me that this book is labeled under horror on Goodreads. I think it's so misleading because this book wasn't scary at all! That's coming from a girl who's got an affliction with horror books and movies. I've already had some people say to me that they don't plan on picking it up because it's supposedly 'scary'. It was bloody, cringe-worthy and kinda nasty (if you don't like dead bodies and brutal murders kind of way), but definitely not scary! I've seen a lot of other people say the same thing, and I really wished it were changed.

I'm trying (trying is the key word) to keep this review short and sweet because I've got something else to show ya'll. I really think this book is worth a read! It's so unique from any other historical fiction on the market, and I commend Kerri Maniscalco for putting so much blood (haha, you get it?) and sweat into her work. It really does show from the effortless writing style, impeccable character development and swoon-worthy romance. She's got all the typical elements of a YA novel without it being too cliche. I had a fantastic time flipping through this title and only hope it's everything you've been looking for as well! 

5 bees for a must-read!

Fashion Sketches from Victorian England 

My sister has this dream of being a fashion designer. I'm her number one fangirl, and I really wanted to feature one of her pieces on my blog. She originally created these pieces for her school play as costumes, but I really though they fit this book's time period. Hope you enjoy and definitely be sure to give my sister a follow on Instagram (@kristina.ang). 

With Malice by Eileen Cook | MYSTERY NOVEL OF THE SUMMER

Title: With Malice
Author: Eileen Cook
Pages: 320 pages
Published: June 7th, 2016
Source: Hardcover from The Strand Bookstore
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

It was the perfect trip…until it wasn’t.

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital room, leg in a cast, stitches in her face and a big blank canvas where the last six weeks should be. She discovers she was involved in a fatal car accident while on a school trip in Italy. A trip she doesn’t even remember taking. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident…wasn’t an accident.

As the accident makes national headlines, Jill finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. It doesn’t help that the media is portraying her as a sociopath who killed her bubbly best friend, Simone, in a jealous rage. With the evidence mounting against her, there’s only one thing Jill knows for sure: She would never hurt Simone. But what really happened? Questioning who she can trust and what she’s capable of, Jill desperately tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life.

Get it now!

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Yes. yEs. YES. Finally the summer mystery/thriller I've been longing before. As you all may know a few weeks ago I finished A Court of Mist and Fury. To say I wasn't torn apart by that book would be a lie because I was irrevocably messed up for the next week or so (give or take a few days) and couldn't read anything. Every book that I tried to pick up, I just put down soon after starting. The fact that this book got me out of a Sarah J. Maas-sized hangover speaks volumes.

The story begins with Jill Charron waking in a hospital bed, unaware of the incident that caused her to be there in the first place. She has no memory of the past few weeks in Italy, of her romantic fling with a cute Italian boy, of the car accident she got into and of her best friend who was killed in that accident. Now everyone thinks she's to blame. The car was in perfect working condition. People claim the two girls were fighting prior to the accident. Who else to blame than the best friend who was driving and survived the accident? The hands are all pointed at Jill as the killer. But did she really do it? Find out in this fast-paced thriller!

First I must state that the memory loss of Jill was done so wonderfully. I personally don't know professionally or medically how memory loss is supposed to occur but was pretty impressed, to say the least. It made sense. It was logical. The author got technical at times and brought up some medical terms like aphasia. I think it just made the story 1000x more believable. Well done, well done. I can just tell a lot of research was put into the backbone of this story. Throughout the story we know that Jill doesn't remember anything that happened in Italy so she's most likely not a trustworthy character and we, as the reader, can't depend on her to help us solve this mystery.

While we're still on this topic, I appreciate how the author dragged out the recollection of her memories. She didn't regain her memories all at one time and the most important memory made an appearance at the end! Now that was one big jack-in-the-box ending!

 

The author went the extra mile and decided to add a hodgepodge of the evidence in the story. The book would alternate between storytelling and then evidence, varying from things like interviews, police reports, news articles and blog posts. It was literally the coolest thing eva and made me enjoy the book so much more.

The way the author planned out the entire story was just mind-blowing. I obviously can't tell you the plot twist without spoiling everything, but I can tell you this. As the story unravels itself, you begin to realize things that you never imagined would happen. It kept me at the edge of my seat and it was all I could do not to flip to the end of the book and read the ending that everyone was talking about. I'm not even remotely talented at guessing the endings of books so I can't tell you if the ending was surprising, but it sure as hell was mind-blowing to me though.

So you're probably wondering, why not give it the five stars it deserves, Alex? Yes the ending was not what I was expecting at all,  but I thought it was mostly left unresolved. For some reason, I feel like this book should have ended differently or at least on a better note. It just felt like the author was trying to take the easy way out the entire time. You know what I mean?

*You see, even Phoebe knows what's up 

Besides that point, I really did enjoy this book. I knew I made a right choice in picking it up! I couldn't relate to any of the characters personally, but I liked the FOIL aspect of Simone and Jill's relationship. We're given that they're friends but we soon discover where that base of friendship comes from and what the true meaning of friendship really is. We even get dragged into the courtroom! Like.. how did that happen? I just finished watching a few episodes of How to Get Away with Murder and am now being dragged back into talk of law.

The portrayal of the media was so beautifully refreshing. Sure, we read books about famous celebrities that get so screwed by the media but never to the extent as it was portrayed in this story. In fact, the media makes Jill out to be some psycho killer who wanted to murder her best friend because of a little jealousy. She can't say shit that will back her up because she has no memory. Cook didn't shy away in showing her readers just how manipulative and malicious the media can be in these kinds of cases.

With Malice is exactly what's it made out to be. The ideal mystery/crime read that puts both the 'C' in crime and the 'M' in mystery. Also.. what a bomb-ass cover and title. 

Will you be getting your crime game on?

Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh

Title: Near Enemy
Author: Adam Sternbergh
Pages: 320 pages
Published: October 6th, 2015
Source: Paperback from Penguin RH
Genre: Thriller, Noir
Rating:

New York is toxic-- decimated by a dirty bomb. The only people still in the city are those too stubborn to leave-- and those rich enough to escape to a virtual-reality haven, oblivious to the horrors raging outside their windows.

But for Spademan, the city's still home. And for a hit man, it's not a bad place to earn a paycheck.

At least, that is, until a routine job reveals a secret he can't ignore: terrorists are getting ready to attack the city again. This time in a way that should be impossible-- and that will leave the crippled city in ruins.

Spademan may be a killer, and New York may be a wasteland, but he'll be damned if he doesn't try to stop what's coming. And unless he can figure out who his true enemies are, he may be damned either way.

Buy it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

I'm stepping out of my comfort zone to try some hard-hitting literary fiction. Near Enemy is a book that packs a punch and takes place in a reality that doesn't seem so far off into the future. For fans of Ready Player One, Near Enemy is one heck of a novel that will have you seriously messed up by the end. 

The reason I compare this book with Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is due to the fact that it deals with the virtual reality concept. Reality sucks so people have to rely on a virtual reality world to get the most out of what's left of their lives. There was a similar concept between the two books but they were not played out in the same way. The virtual reality world is called the limn and it's primarily for anyone who could afford it. As a virtual reality world it gives free will for people to enjoy themselves except for one very important rule-- You can't be killed through the limn. It's not until speculating evidence gives light to the possibility of death through the limn does Spademan begin to realize that virtual reality isn't the safe haven the world has been looking for after the terrorists attacked. 

This book is more a mix of a mystery/crime scene novel and a thriller. You're obligated to follow the clues, along with Spademan, and find out the truth behind the killings and possible murders. This book doesn't stop short of anything. You're always on another lead, stuck in another situation, or even getting it down with a naughty nurse. The fact that this book didn't focus much on romance brings such a relief because I believe I've had my fair share with romance-- especially with YA romances, which are kind of cliche and unrealistic.

The writing style is... peculiar. The only real problem I had with this novel was particularly the writing style. At times it bugged the hell out of me and at others, I was indifferent. The author doesn't use quotation marks in dialogue and everything's just really staggered. I got stuck sometimes where I wouldn't know when a character was talking because I didn't see any quotations. I'm kind of curious, however, as to why the author doesn't use quotation marks. I mean, don't get me wrong. It's a pretty cool perspective and looks good on paper, but I personally wasn't a fan. 

How else do I say this? This book was so in and modern. I don't know how to fully articulate this point but being a girl from the city that never sleeps, there were so many references that made my heart flutter. If you're a sight-seer or wanderlust-er, this book will probably convince you to visit New York. There's talk of Hoboken, Times Square, and even Chinatown. 

On Goodreads it says that this book is the second installment in the Spademan series. I did not read the first book and don't think it's necessary to fully enjoy this novel. In fact, the beginning of this book doesn't even sound like a sequel. This book is just a follow up to its predecessor and another story about the same character, Spademan. It's not necessarily a 'sequel'. 

I think I've covered everything I wanted to talk about. My review doesn't do this book justice. The best way I can describe it is as a book that can be compared to others but is nothing alike. The writing style takes a long while to get used to but it's nothing we book-lovers can't handle. A gritty novel with twists and turns you'll never see coming. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Adam is a contributing editor at New York Magazine and Vulture, and the former culture editor of The New York Times Magazine. His first novel, SHOVEL READY, is a future-noir thriller about a garbageman-turned-hitman set in a dystopian New York City.

Raised in Toronto, he now lives in Brooklyn with his family.
Author Website

A Thrilling Story- You by Caroline Kepnes

Title: You (#1 in the You series) 

Author: Caroline Kepnes

Pages: 422 pages

Published: September 30th, 2014 

Genre: Thriller, Mystery 

Source: Barnes & Noble Reserved Copy

Rating: 

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides in the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card. 

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she'll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight- the perfect place for a "chance" meeting. 

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck's life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck's perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way- even if it means murder. 

Get it now!

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As most of you know I'm a hermit on Instagram and taking pictures of books is my life and soul. You has been the Instagramed pic of the month of August that I've decided to give it a try and the summary was all the convincing I needed. Queen of Shadows got me in a good ole' reading slump (you guys remember those?) and I haven't been able to read since I picked up this book. So let's get started into the review.

**BE WARNED: This book is for mature audiences only as it contains sexual content, foul language, and violence.** 

Plot

The plot sounds like a thousand other stalker book summaries you've read before. But that's exactly it.. because it's not! This book is totally unique in a beautiful and lyrical way that even I enjoyed being in the head and being the eyes of a obsessive, love-sick narrator. This book is 2nd person point of view so there is a lot use of the word "You" as the narrator, Joe, observes Beck and judges her every move. It's more than just some stalking, but the stakes get higher as he becomes obsessive with the idea of this girl being his and he goes as far as violence, kidnapping, and even murder to let her find herself in his arms at the end of the day. 

The book takes us on this point in his life where he can't stop thinking about Beck and everything that he does is about her. It's like he's writing this for her because it's directed to her when he uses the pronoun 'you'. This book is geared toward older audiences than the normal YA audience that the acclaimed novel Stolen by Lucy Christopher is made for. It's an exciting read that will keep you interested at every point and turn in the book! It has a rising creep factor that increases with every chapter as the obsessed gets greater and Joe is so close to procuring the one thing he's crazy about. 

Characters

Let's talk about our narrator. The book is told in second person point of view by Joe Goldberg, a guy who works in a bookstore. Because of the fact that he's worked in this bookstore since he was very young, he just lives around books and literature. He's fond of it and that's shown in the way he speaks; how he automatically and without knowing, refers to literature and classics when he compares them to people or talks about someone else's actions. He's a very cynical character that thinks he's up to par with the idea of an image of a perfect boyfriend for Beck. He talks fondly of himself but judges everyone else including Beck's friends, ex-boyfriend, and family for being phonies. He kind of reminds me of an version of Holden Caulfield... but IN LOVE. I wouldn't go as far as to say he's crazy because someone can be totally sane and still be in love. Also the definition of crazy has varied in society so much that it's been scarred. I will say, however, that he does go a little bit too far and for what? A beautiful girl that just happened to walk into his bookstore that one day?  But it does surprise me how one could have so many sexual fantasies about a girl he's barely talked to. 

Beck, on the other hand, is like any normal woman living in the city. She's spunky, has a great personality, and loves to flirt, which all ladies know is the key to surviving in a well-populated area (wink wink). I thought her character was one I really admired and yet she was so oblivious over the fact that this guy was stalking her and watching her from her window. I don't know about you guys but I can sense shadows and feel people's presence! 

Romance

How else can I word this? The romance in this book is sick! Being stalked by a sexual-driven and obsessive man is not fun. It's really not and I think this book truly showed me what we all have to be afraid of. This may not be based off of a true story, but it sure can be! Even though it's obvious that this was insta-love, it wasn't as cliche as most insta-loves are made out to be. You know what I mean? What I'm trying to say is that the author, from the start, expands on this problem that the main narrator has. He's the kind of person that becomes obsessed and overprotective of one thing for a while and once he has it, he moves on to something else. He's characterized wonderfully and Caroline Kepnes did a marvelous job at making him sound like a creep and someone you just wouldn't want to encounter. 

Summary: 

Caroline Kepnes brings a moving and hypnotic thriller to the table that will give you the chills for years and, not to mention, make you want to purchase seals for all your windows around your house. Not only did it feel so real almost like a true story, but we get a glimpse into the eyes of a broken character that didn't have a perfect childhood or gets way too attached to things easily. She brings this scary story to life and the eeriness of the story is something you'll dearly miss soon after you're finished reading it. Frightening till the last page... I couldn't recommend a better book than this one! 

For audiences of...

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan

Title: Daughter of Deep Silence 

Author: Carrie Ryan 

Pages: 375 pages 

Published: May 26th, 2015 

Genre: Revenge thriller, Mystery

Source: Hardback from Barnes & Noble 

Rating: 

I'm the daughter of murdered parents.

I'm the friend of a dead girl. 

I'm the lover of my enemy. 

And I will have my revenge. 

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story- and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she'll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process. 

Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by bestselling author Carrie Ryan is a decisevly smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose. 

Buy it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

For fans of the TV show Revenge, you will eat this book up! 

This story follows our main character Frances who witnesses a shooting attack on the Persephone, the luxury yacht, but survives only to have to deal with the death of her family and her best friend Libby. Two other survivors, the Senator and his son Grey, are the only ones who have survived with Frances. They tell the media that there was a huge wave that destroyed the ship and killed everyone, trying to hide the fact that there was a violent shoot out and everyone was shot to death. Frances is enraged and knows they're trying to hide something. Libby's father, upset with the death of his wife and daughter, wants to get revenge on the Senator as well and tells Frances to take the place of his daughter to keep her safe so she can get the revenge they both deserve. We get front seats to Frances' revenge plot and how she plans on taking down every last person who aided in the covering up of the attack of her family and friends.

"It's funny, most people think that revenge is a passionate affair, driven by rage and pain. But it can't be. Feelings such as those make you weak. They overwrite thought and cause reckless impulses that lead to poor decisions. 

If anything, revenge is the absence of emotion." 

God, I don't know how long its been since a great revenge thriller came out, do you? I absolutely adore when the narrator of the book takes us inside the plot and how he/she will attain their revenge. It's so brilliant! I definitely need to read more revenge novels now. 

Frances, our main protagonist, was like a profession revenge plotter. She was so devious, I just loved it! All throughout the book she played the innocent girl Libby that needed help from her traumatic experience, while on the inside she was slowly stalking her prey, waiting to pounce. This innocent cover up was like the cherry on top of the ice cream because it definitely persuaded Grey that she was just that, innocent and that he should comfort her. WE GOT A BAD GIRL OVER HERE! #badgirl #livinglifeontheedge

Exactly, no one had any idea what she was capable of with her facade on. 

The characters are not bland or boring. Carrie Ryan perfectly envisions her characters to have a certain role in the revenge plot so they're not there for no reason. Also when you guys do read this book, it's just satisfying to understand why each character was involved and how they were involved. You never know: for example the damsel in distress could may as well be the killer after all. *wink wink*  

Remember that quote you always hear, "Love always triumphs in the end." I think that saying is perfectly embodied by this statement! 

The TV show was cancelled, so if you're looking for some more satisfying revenge plots, READ THIS BOOK! 

There were no sappy romances or swooning male leads, but there was a romance nonetheless! Our main character, caught up in revenge, is forced to choose between hurting the family of the person she loves or getting revenge for her family and best friend. There are also some juicy scenes, so don' be afraid to try this revenge thriller if you're normally always into contemporary. You're going to love it, I promise!

A Daughter of Deep Silence is a uniquely-written, never before seen revenge novel following a main character driven by rage and fury. Fans of the popular TV show Revenge will find this book satisfying and even more exciting since our main character is a devious little squealer! 

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Steifvater

Title: The Dream Thieves (Raven Cycle #2) 

Author: Maggie Stiefvater 

Pages: 439 pages 

Published: September 17th, 2013 

Genre: Urban Fantasy series, YA

Rating: 

If you could steal things from dreams, what would you take?

Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself. 

One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams. 

And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things. 

Ronan is one of the raven boys- a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface- changing everything in its wake. 

Of The Raven Boys, Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Maggie Steifvater's can't-put-it-down paranormal adventure will leave you clamoring for book two." Now the second book is here, with the same wild imagination, dark romance, and heart-stopping twists that only Maggie Steifvater can conjure. 

Buy it now! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

I haven't been a good girl in keeping up with this series considering I read the first book a good few months. It comes a surprise to me that I didn't automatically jump into the second book after reading the first one, since I absolutely loved the first one! My review can be found here. Lately these past few weeks, I've been in a reading slump because of ACOTAR, but I'm ready to get back into the game with a book I knew would leave me wanting more.

For non-spoiler purposes, I will not reveal anything that happened in book 1, but the events of this book follow where book 1 left off. The plot entails our main raven boy, Ronan, who can pull things our of his dreams. Ronan, being my least favorite out of the group of boys, was like the main focus of the book. His power was everything to the key to finding Glendower.

Nothing more can be revealed other than saying that Maggie Steifvater knows how to weave an exciting and spine-chilling story. Her writing style is a mix of creepy, haunting, and beautiful. It's sometimes very ominous but can be romantic when the time comes. 

The pacing of this series is super fast, as I would have expected from reading the first book. I wasn't a fan of the first book, and I think that's mainly because I spent 70% reading it and was confused. The world building and characterization was very mehhh in the first book. Finally the second book, which didn't include as many info dumps and world-building, was already nicely set up and told a great story.

Okay, so there were like mini-cliffhangers after every chapter and I was like what the hell! I HAVE A LIFE YA KNOW. I had to do chores and stop reading and eat dinner and go to the bathroom.... ughhh it was killing me when I couldn't find out immediately what happened next. 

The Raven Boys are one of my favorite group of characters in any novel. They have an unwavering bond that aids them throughout the story and proves to be a force to be reckoned with. Each boy in the group has their own personality that greatly differs from each other. I found it particularly interesting how Maggie Steifvater was able to come up with 4 different sets of character traits for our Raven Boys and make them contrast in such ways that made the story interesting. 

You know an author is truly special when they can create a character that annoys you, scares you, makes you anxious, and one that lures you in with his charms. When she gives her characters supernatural abilities, her choices are sensible and she gives power to the right hands. As the book progresses, so does everyone's abilities and their strong characterization. 

I like when YA books tend to stray away from the lovey dovey romances. The Raven Boys series is more about the mystery and intrigue of the twists, not much about teenagers falling in love. Yes, that are pros and cons to this kind of romance, but I believe the pros outweigh the cons. One pro is that you can never go wrong with something different. This book didn't need any romance because of all the hectic events happening in the book.

I would describe the romance to be slow-burning. Throughout the series, I've been questioning the book, asking about who Blue is going to end up with! Well guys, this isn't revealed until a longgggg time after, which was something that itched at me.

[SPOILERS SECTION]

I whole-heartedly ship Blue and Gansey. They are the power couple of the book. In the Raven Boys, Adam and Blue were dating, and I knew something wasn't right with this relationship. I'm glad my hunch wasn't wrong, and she was actually meant to be with someone else. 

Can we just talk about The Gray Man and Maura for a second? I did not see that coming and at first I thought he was bad, but I guess love always prevails in the end and she was able to sway him to the good side. I absolutely loved TGM. He was all mysterious and evil in the beginning, but in the end he realized that there were more important things!

That's the end of this review and sorry that it's so short. I'm actually writing this as I'm reading Blue Lily, Lily Blue, the third book in the series so I'm getting confused between what happens in each book! Nonetheless, read this series if you've been yearning for a dark, urban fantasy that will leave you on a cliff after every chapter.