Sasha Hibbs

The Story:

So far, we have followed as different magical nations have come together, in a world of their own, whilst still blended in this world we know. Unbeknownst to the human race, the magical world is hurtling earth to distraction, on the brink of an inevitable war that was determined long ago.

There is one key to ensuring to the world doesn't hurtle into darkness - Azreal the Seraph of Death, always bound to Abaddon -destruction. We've followed the story of Ally, Azreal, on the edge of our seat, gripping the sides to keep us from tumbling over the edge of excitement. We've been left as the worlds of Abaddon and Azreal collide, a multitude of emotion, love/hate/betrayal. Teetering on the precipice of anticipation, we are next led into the lives and story of our favourite ginger and the Seraph we love to hate.

As Brandi, the Seraph of Love, grabs Dave and pulls him from the abyss of destruction and grief, she knows a foretelling of Laurel's is coming true. She slowly comes to realisation that Dave, the newly turned Nashoba, is more to her than she could have ever imagined.

With this new information sinking into her broken heart, she feels it sputter to life, after time's cruel tricks had long since caused her to turn away from her own name. With a new sense of hope and purpose, she knows what she is meant to do. Dave will not survive his ultimate plan. The Seraph of Love decides her path will be one of redemption and sacrifice. Her plan, to take Dave's place in his battle, sacrificing herself to avenge his love and save his twin sister. She has no plan of returning to anywhere but the Gates, to return to her father's side.

In her determination to succeed for her own redemption and save Dave, she loses sight of the now. As she falls further for Dave, she also falls for life, love, hope and even turns to her father, one she hasn't spoken to for years. Perhaps, there is more to this story than redemption and sacrifice. There may just be a possibility that the Seraph of Love will finally become whole again.

What I Thought

This third book has taken a chance in characters to follow. We focus on the journey of Brandi and Dave. We have grown to love Dave, his humour and cute ways winning us over from the first book. we had only just grown to love the Dave and Lucy, when Dave's father Ragnar takes away Dave's soulmate. He falls into ultimate despair. Brandi pulls him away from the destruction and we move to Black Atonement, where we learn that there is so much more to Brandi than we previously thought.

The depth of character that is unraveled in this book is amazing. Gibbs has wound the layers of Brandi so intricately that we had only seen her as a Seraph who had been evil in previous years to protect, and had turn off her heart and emotion due to a previous death, which she blames herself for and chalks up to another failure on her part. As the list of Brandi's perceived failures grows, her heart grows colder, leaving her to turn away completely from emotion.

Yet, as Black Atonement starts to unwind, we find that Brandi has so much more character below the surface. She has the ability and willingness to follow the path she believes right, even if it means giving her life for the one she loves. She is selfless, brave, kind, strong and devoted. She loves and gains love, opening up the full character of the Seraph of Love, her true nature, a name that hasn't been spoken since her birth.

We also learn about Dave and his true path, one which we had not foreseen, and which has completely blown me away.

I loved the pace and detail of the story. We are introduced to a few new characters, of which I have already learned to love. We also see another side of The Authority, a side I found touching and enlightening at the same time. The pace allowed for us to really get to know the characters and to see where the war is leading. We also learned about the nature of war, the fact that even previous enemies will unite to defeat an evil that is shared.

I must admit, I am truly addicted to not only Hibbs' Vulcan Legacies, but also to her overall writing style. She has a way of making stories intricate and addicting, while still keep the story simple and enjoyable. She keeps all characters true to their nature and gives us moments to love, hate, fear and find sorrow in.

The connection between Abaddon, Azreal, and our two main characters in Black Atonement weaves itself into another intricate story, leading directly to the fourth book in the Vulcan Legacies, Black Apocalypse. One in which I will eagerly await and hope it is not the final story in the series, as I crave so much more reading from Hibbs' intricate penning.

OVERALL: Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I enjoyed every moment of this book and loved that it gave us a look into another story, giving us another piece of the puzzle that is Vulcan Legacies. The writing and story are addicting and would be excellent reading for any readers from YA/Teen to Adult. There are so many layers to grasp onto in the story, that it will give any reader pages to adore and read, more than one I expect.… (más)

The Story

Ally has learned a few lessons, first of which was - love hurts. Her love hurts more than most, as she didn't realise she even had him and already he was gone.

After Michael sacrificed himself for her, Ally was thrust into another of her mother's memories. She believed this was in order for her to change the past, to start back at the beginning. She was wrong. The beginning she thought she was fixing was not at all what was needed, and now her mother has forced her back into present day, having taken all of her away - immortality, powers, wings and all. Now, she truly must start back at the beginning, the beginning of her Angel of Death transformation.

She soon learns that her journey has cycles, she must weather the storm in this unforgiving winter of her life before she can start anew, with any hope of saving the world from evil and darkness. However, there is a catch.

Love.

Ally finds herself in a world of turmoil, trouble and new emotions. She runs off with the one man she thought never possible and soon finds herself falling for him, completely.

But all is not what it seems. Soon a message starts to appear, one that is reflected on the one who is coming for her...and it is not the man she thinks.

Can Ally get through this desperate time? Will she still save the world? Can love help her through her winter? And just what or who is Abaddon?

What I Thought

Wow. I knew, after reading the first book, Black Amaranth, that Sasha Hibbs was a fantastic author. The story that was woven together was both addicting and exciting. I couldn't wait to pick up the second book and get as absorbed in the extension of Ally's world.

I was not let down. The second installment is fantastic. Rather than just a sense of urgency and coming of age, we find ourselves deep in a story of sorrow, reconciliation and the search for ones self. Ally has become a beacon of strength, while those around her fight amongst themselves. Yes, she is broken and full of sorrow for losing the love of her life. Yes, she is filled with fear and regret, having made the wrong decision and having lost her abilities. However, she has and unrivalled inner strength, and makes the choice to forge ahead, aiming for what she sees as the best option for saving the world.

I love the characters in this second book. They hold true to their original characters, except for those who are 'new' to this book. They have increased depth and emotion, and we find ourselves bonding even more with them.

I like the twists and turns in the story, be it unexpected love or the return of something to Ally never saw coming. All of these surprises are unexpected, but easily fit in the story, and become something you want for Ally.

The pace of the second book is perfect. It still moves quickly, to keep that sense of urgency, fear and turmoil, but still moves slowly enough to develop the next steps in this 'game.'

OVERALL: I am highly impressed with this book. It has depth, great characters and pace and is a truly gripping book. I cannot wait to read the third book Black Atonement, and find myself hoping it is not the final book, as I don't know what I'll do when I don't have anymore Ally to read about.

I would highly recommend this book from YA/Teen to Adults, as it has something for all ages. It is a book that you truly cannot put down.… (más)

The Story

We've all got dreams. Some of us have plans to do something of brilliance and some of use just want to live a normal life, university, family, friends and maybe a few small adventures. Well, whilst we all may work toward the life we dream of, for some people it just isn't possible. Ally is one of those people.

Things start to take a turn for the worst, when Ally's uncle is a no show for her graduation. She has plans, running through her mind, that involve getting even by breaking a few rules and heading off to university, something her uncle wasn't too keen on.

However, Ally's plans of vengeance are put on hold, when her and her friends arrive at her house, prepping to grab party supplies and split,only to find her uncle being attacked by some thing.

Within minutes, Ally and her mates are rushing down a country road, hurtling toward an intertwined destiny they never thought possible. As the blades of her future are thrust into the ground, Ally begins to notice that her life is about to change, in ways she never imagined...is she ready for the challenge?

Follow Ally and her mates as they explore a world they never knew about, uncover secrets about Ally's family, Princess Bray-Bray (school popular girl and bully) and possible a few people close to them, whom they never expected. The real question is, will their bonds of friendship and love be enough to conquer the approaching evil?

What I Thought

I couldn't put this book down! The characters, the storyline, the pace, the detail, the crossovers between certain beliefs, fantasy and real life are written to perfection.

I found this book to be a great all-round book. It is perfect for many ages of readers, from teens/YA all the way through to adults. The lessons learned, by Ally, are those which appeal to and happen to all ages, really pulling you in and making you a part of the story. You find yourself relating to the feelings she has, as well as some of the deep feelings we see from the other characters. The drama is great for relating to teens and YA, while still having a mature tone to them.

I loved the pace of this book. There was never a dull moment, always sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting and wondering what would happen next, how would this affect 'the choice' and Ally? I found that though the pace was fast and entertaining, Hibbs was able to layer in the details needed to create rounded, realistic and deep characters.

The storyline was excellent, sticking to great fantasy writing and really incorporates in a favourite style, where real world beliefs/stories are accounted for in this fantasy world. The story also remains realistic, which is great. You close the back cover, having finished the last brilliant line, and half expect to walk outside and see Dave, Jessica or Ally.

OVERALL: I highly highly recommend this book. The writing style, depth, pace and story are brilliant. It is a book that will appeal to a wide age range, and I believe it is appropriate for early teens through to adult.… (más)