Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 420
Published: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company
Genre: YA Fantasy

Description:

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?

Review:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a truly fascinating book. The plot can easily be summarized by the first page of the book: "Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well." That sets the tone for the entire story and keeps the theme throughout.

Main character, Karou, is quirky, tough, and easy to relate to. Her best friend Zuzama, adds humor and balance to Karou's unconventional life, while her chimaera family bring in another level of complex characters that are both fascinating and mysterious. Most notably, we meet Akiva, the most secretive, yet powerful character in the book, as he essentially holds Karou's future in his hands.

The world building is unlike anything in any novel I have ever read. Laini Taylor's attention to detail is impeccable and the places are described so vividly, I felt like I could imagine myself in the scenes next to Karou and Akiva.

My only true complaint with this novel was that during the world building, the story lulled some with Karou and seemed to slow down in momentum which made it somewhat of a slow read at times. However, once Laini Taylor introduced Karou to Akiva, sparks began to fly, secrets began to unravel, and I couldn't put the book down! The plot exploded on to an ending that left me in shock and wishing for more.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a vivid, detailed novel of another world that will delight fans who enjoy forbidden love, magic, and the unraveling of centuries old secrets. Laini Taylor has written a wonderful novel - just make sure you stick through the slow spots during the world building because the ending will not leave you disappointed!

Rate: 4/5

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor Review + Giveaway

Format: ARC Paperback
Pages:420
Published: 29th Sept 2011
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Genre: YA Fantasy
Buy On Amazon: UKI US


Description:
Featuring necklaces made of wishes; an underground shop dealing in teeth; magical tattoos; a wishbone on a cord, DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE is a thrilling story about Karou and her secret life as an apprentice to a wishmonger. Karou manages to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she is a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to an inhuman creature who deals in wishes and is the closest thing she has to family. Her life is surrounded by mysteries she is desperate to unveil.

Review:
Everyone and their grans have been so excited for this book. It has been the buzz of the book world for what seems like forever. So when I got a chance to actually review the UK arc OMG you should have seen me the day it came through. I was so tempted to read it weeks ago but I stayed strong and waiting to closer to the release date. I finally started it last week. And in total honesty, the book was was good but I was slightly disappointed.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone tells the story of Karou a young girl who is brought up in two world. The regular world and a world that is filled with magic, mystery and inhuman creatures. Karou is trying to balance her two lives. However, when she meets Akiva her world and everything she thought she knew about herself is blown apart and who is she is revealed.

Karou is a really interesting character. I am actually on the fence on whether I liked her or not. She is a strong character and is very unique but sometimes she comes across quite immature. But there is no denying the fact that she is never boring. She is also quite funny. I really like that about her. I guess I did warm up to her more when she gets to Akiva, the chemistry behind them is wonderful and draws you into the story.

I really did struggle alot of with this book. It took me about a week to read it. And it kinda annoyed me because it was slow then picked up then when slow again then picked up again. The start of this book for me was pretty dull and didn't really get interesting until we are introduced to Akiva. However, it does drag on for a good bite with alot of world building. Now I like world building in books I do. But there is ALOT in this that it kinda put be off. And it could go pages without any of the characters actually having a conversation. I am one of those people who like alot of conversations between the characters in a book.

HOWEVER, and this is a big however. The last 100 or so pages were OMG, explosive, exciting, freaking amazing! It totally made up for the rest of the book. When I was reading it I set myself a reading goal before bed to only read a little bit but I was completing drawn in to the book and the characters stories that I ended up sitting finishing the book and was left breathless with how the ending turn out.

So overall, I was slightly disappointed in the book but the ending was awesome enough that I can't wait for book two and see how this series develops and what's in store for Karou.






Rate: 3/5

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Giveaway
UK and Ireland Only!

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