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Feb 08, 2012

Tatiana rated it:

As seen on The Readventurer

When I first heard the details of the premise of Laini Taylor's new book, for a moment I thought Laini must have read my review of Personal Demons. In that review I rant about how great story ideas are squandered away. You see, Personal Demons had a very interesting concept - a demon and an angel battling for the soul of a human girl. There are so many creative opportunities in the angel/demon lore, I thought surely the author would make something good out of More...

74 comments like (150 people liked it)

Jan 09, 2012

Kat rated it:

Do you remember that Taylor Swift song about Romeo and Juliet, Love Story?

It's lyrics go something like this:

I'm a pretty little girl who knows nothing about literature
So I sing a song about starcrossed lovers
Whose only problem is that Daddy doesn't approve
But it's all good because we get married anyway.
Just like that cliffnote's story about Romeo and Juliet!

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyy!

More...

35 comments like (157 people liked it)

Jan 01, 2012

Cait rated it:

As a P.S. in order to understand this review better if you haven't read the Fallen series, please check out my thoughts on the other book that I will be discussing here.

This book is like some sort of weird alien. When I finished Daughter of Smoke and Bone I wasn't quite sure how to handle it.

What are you, Daughter of Smoke and Bone?

In the synopsis of Daughter of Smoke and Bone, it tells you that this is a story about how a "demon" falls More...

18 comments like (89 people liked it)

Jan 15, 2012

Lisa O. rated it:

Laini Taylor has really put me in my place this time.

I was very eager to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone, so much so that I ordered it as soon as it came out. To say that reviews for this book are gushing is a real understatement; they are, in fact, stellar.
Truth be told though, I was more than a bit biased. Lips Touch: Three Times, her short stories collection had collected the same kind of reviews. Not from me.
I'm not crazy about that book. I suspect it has a lot to More...

35 comments like (56 people liked it)

Nov 12, 2011

Wendy Darling rated it:

3.5 stars Once upon a time, a fantasy book came unto the young adult world and set it aflame. Long-time fans of the author swooned. Mainstream publications wrote cryptic but positive impressions. And many readers declared that the book was leaps and bounds above all other young adult literature previously published.

It's always a little tricky reading a book that arrives with a crazy amount of hype, even one that's not accompanied by the lavish praise that has been heaped upon this on More...

250 comments like (162 people liked it)

Feb 21, 2012

Stephanie rated it:

You know that book you're reading right now? How about all those books on your "TBR" list? FORGET ABOUT 'EM!

I first stumbled across Laini Taylor when I was encouraged by several of my GoodReader friends to read Lips Touch. So, I read it and while I enjoyed it, I wasn't blown away. However, I think it was a "It's not you, it's me" situation because anthologies and I don't really get along. I went into this book thinking it was just another PNR, Angel style. I c More...

13 comments like (33 people liked it)

Aug 10, 2011

Jillian -always aspiring- rated it:

Note: Be warned that this is one of those reviews that in no way can do justice to the actual novel, but there's no harm in trying. Regardless, I greatly urge anyone who has even the slightest interest in this book to procure a copy when it's released on September 27, 2011.

Seven Perfect Reasons Why You Should Read Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor:

1. The writing is fantastic, dang it.

Now, I loved Laini Taylor's first young adult offering, Lips Touch: More...

26 comments like (88 people liked it)

Jun 21, 2011

karen rated it:

this book is astonishingly good.

this is the book i should have been handed when i first expressed an interest in exploring the world of the fantasy novel. never mind that isn't not going to be published for three more months (thank you to the girl with BEA access for getting this for me), it should have happened somehow.

this is the most pure example of fantasy that i have seen so far.
and it is nearly perfect.

once upon a time, an angel and a devi More...

35 comments like (80 people liked it)

Jan 29, 2012

Rane rated it:

I'm not fond overly fond of YA books, the few I've read just never really reached me, that was thrown out the window with Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
Laini Taylor wrote at times a poetic story with a lead that is very much a teen, dealing with the at times rapid changes all teens go through in life, sometimes bitchy, selfish, heartbreaking going down the path to adulthood Karou goes through this and more, growing up in the little shop that deals out wishes for teeth, raised by chimera More...

12 comments like (23 people liked it)

Jul 22, 2011

Catie rated it:

Not just five stars…one million stars, two sister moons, and two pairs of wings in flight. That’s how beautiful this book is. I hope this is a huge hit, and all the kids read it. Listen up kids, this book has everything that you’re looking for: secrets, paranormal creatures, hot guys, best friends; passionate, enduring, forbidden, love…and angst! But unlike all the rest, this one is the real thing.

It’s times like these that I wish I was a real, honest to goodness book fairy, with More...

29 comments like (75 people liked it)

Feb 11, 2012

Meg ♥ rated it:

Finally, a book that lives up to the hype. I haven't read a book that lives up to the hype this well, actually, since Hunger Games. That's a coincidence considering that Karou has quickly earned the number two spot on my list of all-time favorite heroines...Second only to Katniss Everdeen, of course. And no, I'm not comparing this to Hunger Games in any way, just sayin'.

This book came highly recommended to me from a number of people. Ever since it came out in September of 2011 I have More...

36 comments like (76 people liked it)

Aug 22, 2011

Sparrow rated it:

A wise woman, while brushing her hair demurely in front of a mirror, once mocked another wise woman saying, “Remember that time I wrote a book with a conceptual spoiler?” Well, Laini Taylor, I now picture you in that room with the other wise authors chatting each other up about your conceptual spoilers. Because, holy shit. How do you even talk about this book?

I’ve been marinating in it for a couple of days, while getting caught in apocalyptic electrical storms, losing luggage, stu More...

31 comments like (48 people liked it)

Oct 02, 2011

Giselle rated it:

Woooeey. If you need a vacation from reality, this is the book that will haul you inside it's pages and make you live inside it! Laini Taylor created a world like you never imagined. Seriously, I would love to get a glimpse inside this woman's mind. How she came up with this stuff is beyond me. It's incredible. I loved it!

This is among one of the best written books I've read this year, if not ever. The creative aspect is beyond amazing. I was enthralled by every detail. The wonderful s More...

25 comments like (29 people liked it)

Nov 26, 2011

Lou rated it:

An epic story of self-discovery and Love and War.
Guys don't be frightened away thinking it's only for teens or girls, there is plenty of action and adventure. It's a page-turner with wonderful dark, mysterious and glorious characters.
Karou is the main protagonist that you will love more and more as the story unfolds and you will become in awe of her. She is a seventeen year old art student in Prague and also an errand girl to an inhuman creature Brimstone, who is the closest t More...

4 comments like (18 people liked it)

Oct 18, 2011

Eh?Eh! rated it:

Except for the overly long cafe interlude in the middle, this story felt nearly perfect. Overblown love at "first" sight? Yes. Everyone looks gorgeous? Yes. Girl who longs to be special turns out to be super-duper special? Yes. But instead of getting annoyed, I felt wistful.

I'm old enough and worn enough to realize the fairy tales are just tales and the few who get to live them for reals are rare. I don't expect to find The One and fit together like yin and yang. B More...

8 comments like (15 people liked it)

Nov 03, 2011

Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it:

There's so much buzz generating around this one, that although I've always tried to ignore hype, after reading all these gushing reviews from bloggers I follow I had high expectations - I was, unfortunately, let down by the time I was halfway though. It started strong with a lot of potential. But it didn't take long before I already had most of it figured out and the last few twists that were there, didn't please me much. Take our MC, Karou. At first I was thrilled by this 17 year old artsy girl More...

22 comments like (38 people liked it)

Jan 04, 2012

Stacia ~ platonic rated it:

This is what happens when Urban Fantasy and Traditional Fantasy collide.

Results :

Epic.
Beautiful.
Tragic.
Captivating.

After finishing this book, I am in awe of this woman's writing skills. For as much as I love books from any fantasy sub-genre, I also have my own personal roadblocks. Very rarely, can an author use as much descriptiveness in a book without me wanting to tear my hair out. Often, writers show off their "words" just for the sake of More...

36 comments like (15 people liked it)

Dec 09, 2011

Heidi rated it:

Five Stars: This is a literary masterpiece. Do not miss this book!

This is the story of an extraordinary girl. A girl with aquamarine hair, who lives between two worlds; two distinct existences separated by magical doors. Behind the doors is the mystical workshop of the sorcerer Brimstone. He is a chimaera, a being that is a conglomerate of animals. In his secluded and shrouded shop he strings together wishes, for he is the Wishmonger. Caught in a world embroiled in war he cling More...

29 comments like (18 people liked it)

Nov 08, 2011

TheDuchess rated it:

Update: 10/06/2011. I am sorry peeps, after reading the shit that is The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, I have to give this book an extra star.
I wanted to love this book. The author seems really cool, so many of my friends swear on this, and you know the cover is awesome.
But I didnt.
I'm not sure why. But I'm putting my money on the prose. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, sometimes it's possible for prose to be so over written, and sweet, and milky, that it slows down the pace of the book. Ad More...

11 comments like (19 people liked it)

Sep 23, 2011

Arlene rated it:

Once upon a time an angel and a devil fell in love... It did not end well.

Rating Clarification: 10 Solid Stars

My FAVORITE book of 2011!

Whoa!! Absolutely amazing! Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is nothing short of brilliant and spectacular. Does that tell you how much this book rocked my socks? Yeah, it sure did. Taylor has managed to hook me with her hauntingly beautiful YA Fantasy tale about angles, chimaeras, a long standing war, and a forb More...

33 comments like (41 people liked it)

Nov 08, 2011

Bonnie rated it:

Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!

“Once upon a time, a little girl was raised by monsters. But angels burned the doorways to their world, and she was all alone.”

I was so excited to get my hands on this quickly after it was released, but what was even quicker was my disappointment. Sorry guys, am definitely in the minority here, obviously.

’He was standing over her, and his eyes were molten. They were wide, his orange irises ringed around in white, More...

61 comments like (13 people liked it)

Jan 27, 2012

Ari rated it:

For a better visual effect, see the full review at ReadingAfterMidnight.com

"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.
It did not end well."

I was hooked from the very first page.. yes, I can say that again.
My mind is full of beautiful stories of angels and demons (is that the right word?), stories of love and hope, stories of mythical creatures in a war as old as the world itself... My mind is screaming: I want more, I need more More...

18 comments like (15 people liked it)

Jan 26, 2012

Heather rated it:

I read books for a variety of reasons, to be entertained, find inspiration, expand my world view, have a cathartic cry, etc. I read the works of Lani Taylor for her rare ability to string words together in such a lovely way that you feel as though she could write about poo and it would still be one of the most breath-taking pieces written. I simply cannot fathom such a talent. Moreover, I can’t comprehend how one can possess such a vivid imagination and manage to fashion it into a believable rea More...

0 comments like (13 people liked it)

Sep 20, 2011

Lucy rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

10 comments like (24 people liked it)

Dec 31, 2011

Paige rated it:

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker. I received my copy through Amazon Vine.

It was difficult to come up with a review that was more intelligent than "YESYEYESYESYEYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES" times infinity, so here goes something.

Raised by the chimaeras from birth, Karou is an art student living in Prague and runs errands for Brimstone, the chimaera she pretty much considers her own father. Picking up teeth for him here and there isn't so bad (usually) and More...

2 comments like (12 people liked it)

Nov 22, 2011

Cinnamon rated it:

This review may also be found on A Thousand Little Pages.

I love Karou: her eccentricities and her secrets, her bright blue hair and her drawings of monsters. She is the exact opposite of those spineless heroines who act like doll-puppet hybrids and follow whatever the guy counterparts tell them to do. Karou instead attacks her guy counterpart with Chinese crescent-moon blades. The difference is obvious, yes?

Then there is the fact that the book centers around Prague. Prague! S More...

16 comments like (12 people liked it)

Jan 13, 2012

Carol rated it:

A very long time ago, a good friend and I sat down for an early afternoon drink on Hotel del Coranado's patio. The sun warmed our shoulders, the sky was flawlessly blue, and we were indulgent with escaping the end of the school year. It was agreeable and innocuous, and then I tried a refreshing-sounding drink made up of lemonade, white grape juice, vodka, and probably ambrosia. It was delicious, and after chatting awhile, I realized I was thoroughly, benevolently drunk. Eventually we adjourned More...

4 comments like (19 people liked it)

Oct 07, 2011

Wendy F rated it:

"He can't see it. It is a condition of monsters that they do not perceive themselves as such. THe dragon, you know, hunkered in the village devouring maidens, heard the townsfolk cry 'Monster!' and looked behind him."

Can I just say thank you to Catie for letting me read her copy of this wonderful book. As soon as I read the last page I immediately jumped on Amazon and preordered 2 print copies of this book. One to put on my shelf and one to gift my sister, who I think w More...

26 comments like (12 people liked it)

Aug 02, 2011

Anya rated it:

I can't speak highly enough of this book. I got an ARC at BEA 2011, and if this had been the only book I had gotten, it would still be worth it. It's not (by far) and I still can't imagine loving something as much as I did this.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone's scope is incredible and one of the most imaginative I've ever read and it's language... Lainy Taylor's language is more beautiful than English.

And her imagery! This played out like a movie in my head. I still can't ge More...

4 comments like (16 people liked it)

Nov 25, 2011

Katya rated it:

Holy Hell!

Oh, wait, that's the shelf...

So, Daughter of Smoke and Bone... I won't forget the day I got it. UK release day, I walk into Waterstones and instead of the lovely feathered cover, everywhere I look are the hard covers of Silence, before they were even supposed to be published, with a 50% off sticker. Like I'd buy that thing...

Meanwhile, I couldn't locate Daughter of Smoke and Bone anywhere (and I looked), and was about to throw a hissy fit when I deci More...

2 comments like (12 people liked it)