Oh my goodness Kresley Cole knows just how to torture me! I loved this book; I could not put it down! The pace was great; there was never a dull moment for me. I hate that I accidentally spoiled myself on the ending of this book. When I'm about to start a new book, I usually turn to the back of the book just to see how many pages there are. Well on the last page my eyes were drawn to two words that were in caps and it totally spoiled me and I am forever kicking myself for it. So if you're like me and you like to go to the back just to see how many pages there are, let me save you the trouble of accidentally spoiling yourself, there are 303 pages in the hardcover book. Jack and Aric's characters grow so much in this book and I've actually warmed up to them both a lot. In the other 2 books I didn't like Jack or Aric's character but in this one I really understand Evie's struggle. I have no idea how she could choose. The twist and reveal at the end, so good! The villains in this one (the Lovers) were so good. All the villains in this whole series are great but the Lovers were so twisted and creepy and they played the villains so well. If you thought the Alchemist was creepy wait till you meet the Lovers and if you thought they were bad in book 2, you've seen nothing yet. The ending of this book is going to have me in pure, agonizing torture for another year! Kresley Cole why do you do this to me?! I need the next book in my life now! ( )

I am insanely frustrated with Kresley Cole for making amazing novels and then making me wait for the next one! This book was fabulous and I loved it during every word. I couldn't put this novel down, and I didn't want to.

Seeing the story of Evie move forward with Jack and Aric (Death) together made for a very interesting story. A lot of the plot line I did see coming, but it was still very excellent! Her view into the different characters's minds and worlds make for an excellent novel. The description of events was also written wonderfully!

I don't have many bad things to say about this novel, other than I wish the next one would be out soon. Having to wait at least a year for this amazing series is almost painful! The Arcana Chronicles seems so well planned and beautifully written, I don't know why everyone isn't reading it!

If you like Divergent, The Hunger Games, Alice in Zombieland, Soul Screamers or any fantasy/supernatural YA novel along those lines, this series is perfect. It isn't your normal, everyday teenagers and it follows a unique story that I haven't read in any other novel before.

Excellent novel! No complaints here!

Five out of five stars! ( )

Dead of Winter
By Kresley Cole
The Arcana Chronicles #3

Although I really love this series, I do not like the love triangle that it has turned into. In the last book, Evie was kidnapped by her enemy, Death, but ended up having deep feelings for him even though she still loves Jackson too. At the end of the book, she heard that the Lovers had abducted Jackson so she used her powers to put Death into a sleep to escape him to go save Jackson.

The series is about a bunch of young adults who have been thrown into a game…or rather reincarnated to play a game over and over. They are not reincarnated ever generation, not even every other generation. It could be hundreds of years before they are reincarnated and the families hand down the knowledge about the game. Each teenager is the equivalent of a Major Arcana or trump card of a Tarot deck. I believe there are 22 in all. They each have special powers and weaknesses. Unfortunately, Evie’s mother refused to believe in any of the things that Evie’s grandmother tried to teach her and when Evie was only 8 years old, her mother had her
grandmother locked away into an institution so Evie was not prepared when the game began.

There was something called the Flash where the sun flashed brightly and killed any living thing in its path and dried out all bodies of water. The surviving humans are dying or being killed rapidly because of all the new dangers in the world. One of those dangers is the army run by a crazy man who, instead of wanting to bring order to the world, is just out to grab up all the resources and terrorize people. His twin children are part of the game, the Lovers, and they are psycho. They abduct people and torture them.

The weather has changed from hot and dry to cold and rainy. All it does is rain. Matthew warns that the rain is better than the snow that will soon come.

Evie has to work with or ally herself with a bunch of other Arcana to first save Jackson from the evil twins and then Selena who is the Archer. Matthew, the Fool who sees the future, tells Evie that she, Jackson and Death have to travel alone to save Evie. Jackson and Death hate each other and are rivals for Evie’s love so they may kill each other before they rescue Selena.

There are new threats in the game too. Matthew tells Evie, “Beware of the inactivated card.” Whatever that means. I kept on wondering if that could be Jackson but nothing else was mentioned about it so I just kind of forgot about it. The Priestess Ruler of the Deep, Circe Ramire, has introduced herself to Evie. She controls water but Evie isn’t sure if she is friend or foe. Then there is the Emperor who can make earth quakes and reshape mountains and landscapes. Death has warned Evie that he definitely is not a friend.

It was an eventful and adventurous book and like the previous two books in the series, I gobbled it up. I just wish the love triangle would end. I’m voting for Jackson even though I like Death.

I’m not going to give anything up but the end of this book was a SHOCKER. I’m still zinging from it.

www.paranormalromanceslut.com
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teen fiction (book 3 of arcana chronicles = fighting romance) ( )

Well, I still like the series and all the arcana stuff. But really? A love triangle? I just don't like them. Despise them really. So, I will continue to the next book. Also, not a fan how the book ended. But I still like the writing style and definitely the story's going somewhere... ( )