Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) in Vampires, Weres and Fae!

Sep 10, 2012 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, new-to-me-author, 1st-in-a-series, 2024-books-to-read, rrrc, re-read, young-adult, urban-fantasy, part-of-a-series, demons

Dec 13, 2018:
Just as good as the first time around.

I really liked this book, original and different. The second half dragged a little for me. But over all the story was great. REALLY looking forward to the next book.

Karou isn't a normal teenager, she is talent artist, speaks multiple languages and was raised by what we call "demons". She constantly feels like there is something missing and alone. Until she meets Akiva, a handsome yet deadly angel, a solider, and enemy. As the pieces fall into pl ...more

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May 13, 2017 Colleen Scidmore rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: drama, young-adult, romance, part-of-a-series, fantasy, audio-books, not-a-happy-ending-kind-of-book, paranormal-romance, books-read-in-2017, paranormal

I have had this book in my TBR pile for forever, well if you've seen my TBR shelf you know I have a ton of books in that pile! So I really wasn't quite sure when I was going to be able to read this, but fate would have it this book fit in perfectly within a challenge for one of my books groups. And I am so glad I finally got to read this!
It is an amazing story of a teenage girl, Karou, who has been raised by "monsters" since she was an infant as far as she knows. She does not know who she truly I have had this book in my TBR pile for forever, well if you've seen my TBR shelf you know I have a ton of books in that pile! So I really wasn't quite sure when I was going to be able to read this, but fate would have it this book fit in perfectly within a challenge for one of my books groups. And I am so glad I finally got to read this!
It is an amazing story of a teenage girl, Karou, who has been raised by "monsters" since she was an infant as far as she knows. She does not know who she truly is or where she comes from. She only knows these creatures are her family. She lives two lives, one in the human world where she lives a normal life going to school and has a talent and passion for art. She spends most of her "human" time with her one true friend Zuzana, who is described as a tiny rabid fairy.
She spends the other half of her life running errands and collecting teeth for her father figure Brimstone.
One day after one of Karou's errands her two lives collide after she follows Brimstone down a portal she is not allowed to enter and into a world where there are more creatures than just the four who raise her. She is discovered and thrown out on her ear by Brimstone and forced to live in the human world. But an Angel, Akiva can't get Karou out of his mind after she had fought him on her last mission for Brimstone. There is something that is drawing them both together and Karou into an age old battle between the Sereph (the Angels) and the Kymera (the Monsters). And questions of who she really is come to light.

This was an amazing book, so imaginative and heartfelt. The "monsters" came to life and a brilliant story was told about why the Sereph and Kymera were such vast enemies. And why Karou and Akiva were so drawn together, that was such an emotional part of the story. There were good guys and bad guys on both sides of the war which made it that much more life like and interesting. All of the characters had such a strong voice and each one had a intricate part to play in the story of the war between Angels & Monsters. Even Zuzana was such a strong character, although Karou's human world took second place, and one of my favorites. I loved her biting, sarcastic nature and her total loyalty to a kind of whack friend.
The ending was so powerful that I could not wait to start the second book Days of Blood & Starlight. There is a bit of a cliffhanger and still lots of unanswered questions that I'm dying to find out about.
The only complaint I have is that I'm listening to this series on Audio. I love Audio when I work around the house but to really enjoy certain books I just have to read them instead of listen to them. But that's OK, this just gives me an excuse to go back and re read the series at a later date! ...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Yodamom rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio, urban-fantasy, ya-books

Audio- Nothing in this was what I expected. I could not predict anything, a rarity. The author took me to a world of angels, magics and mixed animal beings that took my breath away. An amazing multileveled mystery that starts with teeth and ends with the backlash of an ancient war. The characters are strong, week and even humbling. It's just a beautifully written story not to be missed. The ending left me hanging and hoping. I have to have the next book ...more

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Jan 31, 2014 Rachel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Every now and then you come across an author who was meant to write, I mean someone who is truly a wordsmith, and Laini Taylor is one. Her ability to keep you on the edge of your seat from the first chapter, her talent at bringing you into the worlds in her imagination, and her insightful descriptions of her characters' inner struggles all come together to create a story that you will not be able to put down until you get to the end, and then you'll want to pick it up and read it all over again. ...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Nichole ~Bookaholic~ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, freebies, ya, fantasy, favorites, z-2013

WOW....I don't know why I waited so long to read/listen to this one...it was amazing and now I really really want to start the second one...but the third is so far away....I am going to have to wait a while so that I can listen to the second and not have to wait to long for the third. I will have to do a full review later as my brain is a bit muzzy from cold medicine and I can't get my thoughts into words that will make sense.... ...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Lori {Romancing the Dark Side} rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, angels, audiobooks, read-in-2014

I'm truly conflicted after reading this book. It's beautifully written with phenomenal world building, but there was just too much going on at times for me to completely fall in love with it. *full review coming soon* ...more

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Jan 05, 2014 Melindeeloo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, angels, ya-na-but-still-aok, audio_book, x2014-favorites

Hopefully I'll have time to do a review to do this justice later but...
I really liked this book. The writing is really lovely and translates well to audio. I loved the leading character - she is so interesting. The settings are rich and exotic, and the heroine's home base of Prague, a visit to Morroco and the fantasy world of the Chimera were vividly drawn - as was the rest of the world building of Chimera and Angel races. The flashback sequences in the final third of the book are odd in that th ...more

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