I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

         I recently watched American Horror Story for the first time (Oh my goodness I am obsessed, I binge watched all the seasons). But after having finished the first season I was having a craving for understanding the mind of a serial killer. And I didn't want it to be Criminal Minds-esque where someone else was analyzing them. I wanted to be in the killer's head, and I wanted to feel something more than fear or disgust. Holy Moly did this book hit the spot. I was scared and grossed out and totally compelled to like the characters. I am a wimp though and struggled with showering by myself after reading it, for fear of someone on the other side of the curtain.

 What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

You can purchase this book here: I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent)

I mostly read this book during slow hours at work (I know, I am bad). It totally sucked me into the story. Jazz is a teenager who was raised by his serial killer father, to be a serial killer. He is constantly fighting the urge to give in to all that his father filled his head with, and there are graphic details of all the things he stops himself from doing.

He is accompanied by his best friend and girlfriend, both of whom help brighten up what would have other wise been a very very dark story. I really learned to like Jazz, he is prickly and really messed up, but he is a solid character that I looked forward to finding new things about who he was.

This story really makes you think. Really makes you wonder about murder and nature vs. nurture, and when Jazz struggles with it all, you are doing it right along side him. Now, like I said before, I am a major wimp, I am scared of everything, so that being said, this book is not for the faint of heart. It took me a few days to get out of that head space, and not without some serial killer dreams.

I think this was a very well written, and very well researched book. If you like this genre, then this is definitely a much read!

I give it 5 Stars!

Archangel's Heart by Nalini Singh

I know I have reviewed some of the books in this series, but the most recent one just came out and I am DYING. 

One of the most vicious archangels in the world has disappeared. No one knows if Lijuan is dead or has chosen to Sleep the long sleep of an immortal. But with her lands falling into chaos under a rising tide of vampiric bloodlust, a mysterious and ancient order of angels known as the Luminata calls the entire Cadre together to discuss the fate of her territory.

Accompanying her archangelic lover Raphael to the Luminata compound, guild hunter-turned-angel Elena senses that all is not as it seems. Secrets echo from within the stone walls of the compound, and the deeper Elena goes, the uglier the darkness. But neither Raphael nor Elena is ready for the brutal truths hidden within—truths that will change everything Elena thinks she knows about who she is…

Nothing will ever be the same again.

You can purchase it here on Amazon: Archangel's Heart (A Guild Hunter Novel)

So this book was AMAZING. now if anyone knows me at all or if anyone follows my (rare-ish) comments on Goodreads, then you know that I have a major thing for Illium and Aodhan. I just want the two of them to be together forever (who knows if Miz. Singh will give me that though). I was beyond pleased that we got to get to know Aodhan better in this novel. He had always been interesting to me with his horrific past, but I didn't really feel like I got the essence of who he was until this book. You see him through everyone else's eyes up until now, and he is a lot less calm and fragile then you originally think. I really really like him.

That aside, it was lovely revisiting the main pairing of this series Elena and Raphael. They are discovering new abilities and kicking major ass in the process. I love it when Archangels get pissed when someone over steps their bounds. Don't we all wish we could just smite the people who drive us crazy. The Duo go into what qualifies as a religious sect for the angels, and realize that not everything is how it seems.

I wish we could have gotten to know the other Archangels a little better. We know most of them in passing but it would have been interesting to get to know them a bit more.

The only drawback that I found in this one was that since Elena and Raphael's romance is very set in stone, I wanted to see new romance *cough* Illium/Aodhan *cough*.

I still enjoyed myself and I would definitely say that this book was 5 stars!!

Evensong's Heir (Songbirds of Valnon, Book 1) by L.S. Baird

I am not sure if you all remember, but I have a soft spot for feminine men. I love them. I want one. So, that being said the cover of this book really caught my eye. I thought the man of the front was so beautiful that I had to read it, I didn't even know what the book was about, but if that man on the cover was one of the characters, I was all in.

For centuries in the Temple of Valnon, young men have paid a tremendous price to be chosen as Songbirds. Every twelve years, a new Lark and Thrush are castrated for their heavenly voices, but few men have ever been capable of claiming the title of Dove: the holy avatar of Saint Alveron himself. In the six hundred years since the Temple's founding, Willim is only the third to buy the Evensong with his blood. A virtual prisoner of the Temple for the duration of his term, Willim pays little heed to anything but his duty to sing for Valnon. That all changes with the murder of the Songbirds' loyal bodyguard and Willim's rescue by Nicholas Grayson, a sell-sword who brings whispers of Temple scandal and ancient prophecy in his wake.

Plagued by ghosts and nightmares, betrayed by a fellow Temple Bird and forced into exile, Willim struggles to unravel the tangled history of his title in the hopes of understanding what it truly means to be Valnon's Dove. With his friends scattered and Valnon poised on the brink of war, Willim's only hope lies in summoning the ancient power of his saint: to Sing Down from Heaven a music that can fell an army in its tracks, or wipe a city from the surface of the earth. But the song of Saint Alveron is as unpredictable as it is powerful. Whether Willim's Song will bring salvation for his city or the destruction of everything he holds dear, only Heaven knows.

Click to View on Amazon: Evensong's Heir (Songbirds of Valnon Book 1)

This was an extremely beautiful book. I couldn't put it down, I was actually reading it in class. The whole concept of this book is that three young boys are selected based on their singing abilities to become the physical embodiment of saints, upon accepting the position the boys are castrated so that they can retain their youthful voices. Now, I am a singer, so this whole concept really interested me. I was curious as to how the author would describe the singing, because it can be a bit difficult to put amazing singing into words. (The author did beautifully).

Now, Willim, he is the dove, and it has been hundreds of years since the last dove was instated, so he is really precious to the temple. He is found wandering and covered in blood in the middle of the street by the sell sword Grayson. Grayson brings him back to the temple, where shit promptly starts to go down. This is an action packed book. And while it is toted as m/m romance, it is more fantasy adventure with a splash of love thrown in. I wanted more of the romance, but didn't even realize that until I was done with the book. I wasn't sitting there while I was reading thinking "Damn, when do they fall in love?" It was more like, I closed the book then thought, "Wait, wasn't that supposed to the a romance?" I am telling you guys, the story sucks you in.

I loved the characters and how you could really see how these boys develop into the songbirds that they are. All the characters were so expertly created I just wanted to meet them in real life. And that last scene in the book, with Willim singing (I'm not giving anything away), man it gave me chills.

After finishing I went straight to see if the next book was out (It's not, boo). But I saw that there is a perfume line based on the books... what what? I want it, I don't even care what the perfume smells like, I just want it. Actually I just took a break to go look at the perfume, and on my next paycheck I will probably buy it. I know I can be a fangirl (And I am in no way ashamed of it) but I really liked this book and so I really want to help support this world that it exists in and the author who created it.

Here is the link to the website: http://www.valnon.org/

I give this a 5 out of 5

Seriously go read it!!