After Daybreak: Review

Synopsis:

Dawn returns from L.A. with terrifying news: In his greed for power, the maniacal Day Walker Sin is raising an army and infecting his followers with the Thirst—a rabieslike disease that will turn them into mindless killers. To stop him, Dawn and Victor will have to convince humans and vampires to work together before it’s too late.

***

I have to say, this book is a let down. Not the most terrible one, but still a disappointment to me. The biggest problem is the ending. It's a rush. Literally. The truly good part lasts only for a chapter or two, and that's NOT enough for me, especially when this book is the end of a trilogy. And even the good part isn't especially good or epic. It's just...not only is everything so predictable, defeating Sin is just too easy. I mean, he's a freaking Day Walker from an Old Family that is Infected by the Thirst. He's supposed to be very powerful, and yet it takes almost nothing and no time to defeat the big enemy. I literally faceplanted on the table after I read this part. 

The second let down is probably the whole plot itself. It's so slow at the first part, and then when it comes to some important parts that are crucial to the plot development, everything is so fast and so much of a rush that you can say there's hardly anything extremely important going on before the supposed "epic" battle. I expected more than that and this makes me really disappointed.

The only real good thing about the book is probably Dawn herself. At least she's finally not whining about how hard things between her and Victor and truly take up the responsibility of being one of the... specials. Victor... well, I don't hate him because there's simply nothing to hate in After Daybreak. But his character is even flatter than before to me. 

Overall, I hate to say it but the neither the plot nor the characters are strong enough to make an impression. After Daybreak can be way better than that.

Rating: 5.5/10

Gonna Read: June 2013

Yep, June's coming fast. I'm gonna read 4 new releases. But don't think that's all I'm gonna read in June, because after June 19, I will be free to read whatever I want and I'm planning to read Gone series by Michael Grant and Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin (and possibly more :D).

1. Phoenix (Black City #2) by Elizabeth Richards.

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed.

The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

Expected Publication: June 4, 2013 (The date pisses me off a little because that's the first day of the whole 12-day-long of Annual Examination section)

***

2. Vampires, Scones and Edmund Herondale (The Bane Chronicles Part 3) by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

Magnus Bane leverages his alliances with Downworlders and Shadowhunters on a venture to Victorian London. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.

When immortal warlock Magnus Bane attends preliminary peace talks between the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders in Victorian London, he is charmed by two very different people: the vampire Camille Belcourt and the young Shadowhunter, Edmund Herondale. Will winning hearts mean choosing sides?

This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale, is written by Sarah Rees Brennan and Cassandra Clare.

Expected Publication: June 18, 2013 (Ahh, I want it earlier because I want more Herondales!)

***

3. Defy The Dark (Anthology)

Defy the Dark, an all-new anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell. Coming Summer 2013 from HarperTeen!

It features 16 stories by critically-acclaimed and bestselling YA authors as they explore things that can only happen in the dark. Authors include Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Hawkins, Carrie Ryan, Aprilynne Pike, Malinda Lo, Courtney Summers, Beth Revis, Sarah Ockler, and more.

Contemporary, genre, these stories will explore every corner of our world- and so many others. What will be the final story that defies the dark? Who will the author be?

Expected Publication: June 18, 2013



***

4. After Daybreak (Darkness Before Dawn Trilogy #3) by J. A. London

(Reminder: I found THREE different blurbs for this book. Take you pick)

First blurb (from Goodreads):

Dawn returns from L.A. with terrifying news: In his greed for power, the maniacal Day Walker Sin is raising an army and infecting his followers with the Thirst—a rabieslike disease that will turn them into mindless killers. To stop him, Dawn and Victor will have to convince humans and vampires to work together before it’s too late.

Second blurb (from Harperteen):

After Daybreak brings J. A. London's romantic dystopian Darkness Before Dawn series to a thrilling conclusion.

Dawn grew up behind a wall, terrified of the vampires outside who controlled the lives of humans and demanded their blood. But when she became a delegate for her city and met Victor, she realized that not all vampires were the same, that maybe one could be trusted.

Now Day Walker Sin is infecting his followers with a disease that turns them into mindless killers. Dawn and Victor will have to convince humans and vampires to band together to stop him, because alone they will all die.

After Daybreak is perfect for fans of the YA series Morganville Vampires and the Vampire Diaries. 

Third blurb (also from Harperteen):

Our last hope lies with our oldest enemies.

When we lost the war with the vampires, our world changed. The Old Family overlords trapped us in a few scattered cities and demanded our blood. Then Victor—the first vampire I've ever trusted, ever loved—came to power, and I hoped for peace between our kinds. Only now a new type of monster, Day Walkers, has emerged, and their maniacal leader is threatening to destroy us all, human and vampire alike.

The Old Family Council is stubborn and proud, unwilling to acknowledge the danger. But once I claim my birthright as the last living member of the Montgomery line, they will have to listen to me.

Neither fully human nor vampire, I am the bridge between both. Even if I'm not sure where I belong anymore, I know that the only way any of us will survive is if we stand together.

Expected Publication: June 25, 2013
  

Blood-Kissed Sky: Review

Sequel of Darkness Before Dawn

Summary:

There's nowhere left to hide.

I thought vampires were our enemies - they controlled our lives, isolated our cities, and demanded our blood - until I met Victor. With Victor taking over as the new Lord Valentine, things were supposed to get better. Instead, they're worse than ever.

Day Walkers, a new breed of vampires who can walk in the sun, are terrorizing the city. Blood supplies are low, and if Victor's vampires don't get enough, they will become infected with the Thirst - a disease that will turn them into mindless killers.

To stop it, I must journey across the desolate wasteland to the very place where the sickness began. I can only hope that the answers that await me are enough to save us all... before it's too late.

***

Just wow.

This book is really a hell of a ride. First is the transformed Victor. I mean, he's really Lord Valentine now. Without mercy. That's not how I expect Victor would be. But then he's always a vampire. Not cool by Darkness Before Dawn standards.

And then there's Los Angeles, my favorite city of all time. And the city is full of god freaking Day Walkers. Angels does NOT equal to vampires. Los Angeles in Blood-Kissed Sky should not be called City of Angels anymore (maybe City of Vampires will do). The author can surely ruin big cities for the book's good really well. Great writing skills here.

And then there's Dawn's true heritage, which confirms my suspicion. In the prologue of Darkness Before Dawn. there's something very wrong about Dawn's true heritage. And I was thinking "not half-breeds?" And turns out she's the watered-down version of an Old Family. Wow, just wow. Seriously?

There's the V-Process. Turns out is not Vampire Process but Victor Process. I have no idea how Victor came up with this. I mean, he's supposed to be a good guy (well, at least sort-of). And he came up with this god damn V-Process. This is just freaking unexpected. I mean, how can you imagine Victor is more than a blood-sucking vampire?

This book is much, much better than Darkness Before Dawn. The stakes are higher. And the link between characters and plots are fine-made. The writing skills are firm and beautiful, which makes the book more intoxicating than the first one. I think it can be compared to The Immortal Rules now (though I still think The Immortal Rules is better).

I look forward to After Daybreak, the thrilling conclusion of Darkness Before Dawn Trilogy. I will miss this vampire dystopian novel.

Rating: 8.5/10

Darkness Before Dawn: Review

Another dystopian vampire series!

Summary:

Only sunlight can save us.

We built the wall to keep them out, to keep us safe. But it also makes us prisoners, trapped in what's left of our ravaged city, fearing nightfall.

After the death of my parents, it's up to me--as the newest delegate for humanity--to bargain with our vampire overlord. I thought I was ready. I thought I knew everything there was to know about the monsters. Then again, nothing could have prepared me for Lord Valentine... or his son. Maybe not all vampires are killers. Maybe it's safe to let one in.

Only one thing is certain: Even the wall is not enough. A war is coming and we cannot hide forever.

***

Firstly, I have to say the cover kinda reminds me of Fallen.

But that doesn't matter. This is a vampire series, very much like Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden, cuz this is a dystopian series. Cool, cuz I always have a thing for dystopia.

I find my emotions mirrors Dawn's throughout the book. Yeah, you heard me right. And I thought Victor was quite a jerk at first. But then my views towards him started to change like Dawn's. Yep. Quite a good book, actually.

And then there's the whole Day Walker thing. This definitely reminds me of Simon in The Mortal Instruments (yeah, cuz he's a Daylighter). But then, Simon isn't cruel and bloody. Sin is. Which is cool, considering I can't take more not-violent vampires in other books. This goes to the whole vamps-can't-walk-into-the-sun thing. You know what? The whole glittery-vampire thing in Twilight doesn't set my stomach right. I mean, how can a vampire walk under the sun? That's just so wrong in every standards.

When it comes to the part where Dawn and Michael had a fight, I was kinda scared of a love triangle blooming. I mean, come on, not again. Love triangles tend to rip our heart out. It's relieving to see that there is no boy fights over a girl throughout the book. Another thing I appreciate.

But then, the ending is just so infuriating. I mean, who ends a book like that?! It's just like Opal, ending the book with a massive cliff-hanger. How can the author do this? If it wasn't for me start reading this series after Blood-Kissed Sky is released, I would've gone crazy now. Glad that I have Blood-Kissed Sky in my hands.

If you love The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa, you should definitely read this. Yeah, out of all vampires YA fantasy, Blood of Eden is still my favorite out of all. But then this book is quite good too. Maybe in a different way, and maybe you wouldn't enjoy it. But I find it kinda... cool.

Rating: 7.5/10