Latest Read: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Here are the basics ...
Book: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (#1)
Author: Laini Taylor
Blog: http://www.lainitaylor.com/
Category: Young Adult - Fantasy 

My thoughts ...

Short summary (it's impossible to describe in one sentence!):  Karou is your not-so-average blue-haired art student living in Prague who draws images of half-human half-animal creatures, called chimaera.  The thing is - they're actually real and the only family she's ever known.  Who she is and where she comes from has been a mystery her entire life.  But she might finally get some answers when she meets Akiva, a seraph solider who's dark past may reveal a lot about her own. 

The good:  This is seriously one of the most creative and imaginative stories I've ever read.  There's just so much mythology and characters involved.  Half the time, I kept thinking - how did the author come up with this stuff? I also loved Karou as a protagonist.  It always makes me happy when the heroines are strong and confident (no more Bella Swan syndromes please) and she was exactly that.  Plus the romance in the story (you knew there had to be one) unfolded in such an unexpected way.  It was well-written and you could feel the chemistry between the characters.  

The bad:  For me, not knowing that it was going to be a trilogy.  There's a lot of backstory in the book and you don't start to get answers until closer to the end (well worth the wait though!).  But in my head, I was wondering how everything was going to wrap up when there was only x amount of pages left.  I got my answer when the book ended with "to be continued".  I kinda wish the book was just 600+ pages long instead of having to wait for the next one.  I'm impatient like that.   

Do I recommend?:  Again, this is really for the crowd that loves fantasy novels.  I love them because of the escapism they provide and this book was one crazy world to get lost in.  So yes, I recommend!

Happy reading!