Mundie Moms

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Book Review



By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published by: Harlequin Teen
To Be Released on: 10/21/14
Series: The Dark Elements #2
Source: arc from publisher to review
Purchase from: Find out where to purchase from HERE
Add it to Goodreads

Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…


Stone Cold Touch is Armentrout perfection! With a heroine who's trying to figure out where she stands with all the chaos happening around her, two swoon-worthy characters who complicate things with who has her heart (and mine too), plenty of Armentrout action packed scenes, that snark I love about her books, and shocking twists and betrayals fans won't see coming, this is a book Armentrout fans will love!

I feel that the only thing I should say in this review is that this book is AWESOME! I LOVED IT and I need the next book now. There is so much I want to say about this book, but can't. I can't give anything away, and let me tell you there is a lot that happens in this book. Frankly, just when I think I have things figured out Armentrout throws me for a loop both emotionally, and in the "no freaking way I can't believe that just happened" way. Okay well also in the "that's about time that happened" way too. *coughs* Oh those sexy times scenes are fabulous. Speaking of that, seriously Armentrout, thank you for messing with my heart. I was totally set on a team in White Hot Kiss, and now I'm totally torn between Roth and Zayne. I think I'll pledge myself to Team Bambi. 


Roth and Zayne... Let me tell you, I am just as confused as Layla on who I would pick. I don't recall ever being this divided on the two lead guys before, but leave it up to Armentrout to have all flustered and twitter-padded over these two. The thing that I loved about these two in this book is that I understood Layla's feelings for both. I got why she was torn, and the reasons why she loved both guys for very different reasons, but those reasons where ones that made sense. Armentrout does a fabulous job at showing and allowing readers to get why both guys feel the way they do towards Layla. And holy hot gargoyle and demon babies, are the sexy times scenes in this book HOT! Seriously.... hot. Be warned to swoon, sigh, and think, it's about time! I loved all that takes place in this book between the snarky comments and the jabs these two guys make at each other, and the things they'll do to try and prove their point to Layla. 


Layla is an interesting heroine. As if being part demon and part gargoyle wasn't hard enough, she now has to figure out where she stands with all the danger that is happening. No matter what she does, or which side of her true nature she gives into, people will get her, and part of her heart will be broken. I don't admire her for the choices she has to make, but I do admire the strength she has, and her wanting to be that strong, tough girl she is inside. There is a lot that she deals with and has to learn to accept and cope with. Like many hero journeys, this is the book in which Layla shows more of her weaknesses in her quest for understanding, and wanting answers. There are times I was frustrated with her, but given all that she has to work with, her makes choices she feels is right at the time. That still doesn't mean I didn't want to slap her a few times and tell her to wake up and stop thinking the things she was thinking about. 


With Stone Cold Touch, Armentrout dives deeper into her series's addicting mythology, explores the series darker world more, uncovers shocking secrets, ups her sexy times (big time as in "it's freaking hot in here and I think these pages are burning my fingers"), and throws in a few shocking betrayals. Oh yeah, I didn't see any of those coming. This entire book was a package of Armentrout awesomeness! Seriously. I want more.....  Holy demon babies, that ending! I. Can. Not. Believe. That. Ending! What in the heck is going on!?! For the love all that is holy in the Dark Elementals world, did the book have to end on that!?! Are you trying to kill me Jennifer? haha Looking back over the story I realized I should have picked up on things, but there is much going on that I didn't. I loved that this was one story that was totally unpredictable. THIS IS A MUST READ for fans of Jennifer Armentrout's writing and her Dark Elemental series. 


I loved it! This book gets 5 sizzling stars from me!


TDA Snippet

The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Jean

Shadowhunters, have you read the newest TDA snippet from Cassandra Clare? She posted it here, but you can read it below:
She had wondered, when he’d looked into her eyes and said that he’d had to learn to make do without mirrors in the Wild Hunt, whose eyes he’d been looking into for all those years. Who’d been his mirror.
Now she knew.

Cassandra Clare Talks About The Infernal Devices Couple: Will & Tessa and Jem & Tessa


Cassandra Clare took to Tumblr recently to answer fan questions about Will & Tessa, and Jem & Tessa. Y'all know I can't pass up an opportunity to share what Cassie has to say about one of my all time favorite literary couples.... Here's what she said about Will & Tessa, and Jem & Tessa. 
Hi Cassie, I have a question about CP2. Will obviously knows that Tessa loves him at the end of CP2, but that night in the drawing room (when Tessa burned her hand on the fireplace poker) when she didn’t tell him she loved him, he believed she didn’t and was obviously hurt. Unless I’m mistaken, which I could be, she never explained that to him later when they started dating/got married. Did he know? I mean, he’s very smart, so I feel like he could’ve figured it out, but did he? I can’t bear the thought of poor Will not knowing :( also, will Isabelle find a parabatai? D: thanks! — isabelleligtwood
Isabelle is not going to have a parabatai. Most people don’t, and Izzy is fine and happy without one. They are a lot of work and trouble. :)
I was confused at first reading the question and I thought that the question was whether Will ever realized Tessa loved him (which, after fifty years and two kids and a fabulous marriage, if he still didn’t, Will should get so much therapy) but I think now it’s whether Will realized Tessa loved him specifically that night in the drawing room.
As you said, Will is smart, and I think he figured out why she did what she did. He knows she loved him and she also loved Jem, and he knows she let him think she didn’t love him because she was trying to set him free. He would have done the same thing.
Even if he couldn’t intuit it (and he could), she does say this:
"I know how you are with your words, and, Will—I love all of them. Every word you say. The silly ones, the mad ones, the beautiful ones, and the ones that are only for me. I love them, and I love you.”
Will began to speak, but Tessa covered his mouth with her hand.

The Mortal Instruments Series Time Line


Cassandra Clare recently re-shared the timeline for her Mortal Instruments Series. Here's what you shared via her Tumblr page

Hi Cassie, I loved City of Heavenly Fire and cannot wait until the Dark Artifices comes out. I’ve seen the timeline you posted forever ago for the Mortal Instruments, but I was wondering if you could make a more detailed timeline that includes City of Heavenly Fire. Thank you so much!
Sure. Once more, with more details:
Here’s the basic timeline of the TMI books:
CoB: takes place in August 2007, the year the book was published.
CoA: begins in very early September 2007-  a few days to a week after CoB ends. 
CoG: begins in September, about 1 week after CoA ends. The whole book takes place in 1.5-2 weeks. It is mentioned that the leaves on trees are beginning to turn fall colors.
CoFA: begins in Mid-October (Halloween decorations are up, Simon mentions the month) and ends around the third or fourth week of October. In CoFA, it is also mentioned that Clary has been training to fight demons for 7 weeks.
CoLS: The prologue is set in late October. The first chapter begins two weeks later, in the 2nd week of November.
October had 5 weeks in 2007. Here’s a link to a 2007 calendar:
COHF: Takes place in early December through the end of December. It is mentioned in the beginning that people are shopping for Christmas presents. The last chapter ends before Christmas Day. Here’s where it get wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey:
The Clockwork Princess prologue then  takes place in January, 2008, between the last chapter of CoHF and the epilogue of CoHF. Jem goes to meet Tessa.
COHF epilogue: May, 2008. It’s mentioned that it’s May, school’s almost out, etc. We see Jem and Tessa at the wedding, after their January meeting.
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy takes up space in between May 2008— August 2013.
Lady Midnight begins in August, 2013. (Oddly, the same month the TMi movie came out. Randomly chosen, though.)
 I’ve gotten a lot of asks about where the epilogue of Clockwork Princess fits into the timeline of TMI. Here’s the basic timeline of the TMI books:

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