Witch's Pyre by Josephine Angelini

Genre:  YA Fantasy Romance

Worldwalker Series, Book 3

Josephine Angelini's website

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Note:  This is the third and final book in a series.  You've been warned.

Description (taken from Josephine Angelini's website):

Two versions of the same world. Two versions of the same girl.
Lily Proctor has come a long way from the weak, sickly girl she used to be. She has gained power as a witch and a leader, found her way home, chosen to face battle again, and (after losing her first love and being betrayed by her new love) she has learned more about loss and grief than she ever wanted to know.
Thrust once again into a society different from anything they have ever seen, Lily and her coven are determined to find answers―to find a new path to victory, a way to defeat the monstrous Woven without resorting to nuclear weapons or becoming a tyrannical mass murderer like her alternate self, Lillian. But sometimes winning requires sacrifices . . . and when the only clear path to victory lies at Lillian's side, what price will Lily be willing to pay?

A series I fell in love with but over the years couldn't remember well enough.  This third book picks up right where the second one left off.  And if you can't remember exactly what happened in the last book, then you're kind of lost for the first half of the book.

Lily has left Rowan in his own miserable exile.  And now she's teeming up with the evil Lilian to help get rid of the Woven.  Wait a second, I can't exactly remember what happened in the last book.  Woven definitely rings a bell, but I'm super lost with where they belong in the plot.  Oh right, I'll catch up once I'm halfway in this story.  But wait, this whole plotline of being angry at the new love and losing the old love, wow I forgot a lot.  And it just didn't make sense to me.  But for some reason, I was still hooked in the story...  Must have been the good writing.

Yeah, this is a fun fantasy series to read.  But I'm definitely going to recommend reading them one right after the other, so you don't have the same problems I had.

Firewalker by Josephine Angelini

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Worldwalker Trilogy, Book 2

Josephine Angelini's website

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Note:  This is the second book in a series and can spoil pieces from the first book.  You've been warned.

Description (taken from Josephine Angelini's website):

Lily is back in her own universe, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the Pyre that fueled their escape from New Salem, and must hide her magic for the safety of everyone she cares about, but compared to fighting the Woven, the monstrous creatures inhabiting the alternate Salem, life is looking pretty good.

Unfortunately, Lillian, ruthless ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. If she can’t persuade Lily to return to her world, she will force her to come back by doing away with the ones she loves.

Picking up right where Trial By Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced, and heartbreaking thrill ride.

Lily has returned home to her own universe after just surviving a brutal battle against her otherworld self: Lillian.  She brought Rowan home and is finally ready to settle into a life on Earth without magic and the Woven.  The only problem is it's hard to let another world that's dying go when you could possibly save it.  And not everything is as peaceful as it seems on Earth.  Will Lily get her happily ever after or will she decide to save Lillian's world?

While Lily is healing, Lillian enters her mind to show her Lillian's past.  This is literally living through memories that turned Lillian into the evil tyrant she is.  Only problem is Lily can see where she's coming from and begins to question what she once thought was black and white.  Meanwhile, Rowan is encouraging her to let her friends know about magic and witches.  She needs to gain mechanics to protect her in case Lillian comes after her.  Only Lily's not so sure that's all necessary yet.

It's hard to review this book without giving it all away.  Needless to say, stuff happens.  And it's been so long since I read the first one that I honestly forgot why I was supposed to hate Lillian.  Because this book made me sympathize with her.  If there was any hating to go around, I kind of hated the immaturity with the relationship between Lily and Rowan.  They do some pretty stupid and childish things to each other considering they're supposed to be soulmates or whatever.  Regardless, that's pretty much my only complaint to this book.  I was hooked from the beginning and in love with the multiple universe and magic concept.

Fans of Josephine Angelini are not going to be disappointed.  And if you're one who's interested in multiple universes, I'd suggest picking this one up.

Thanks goes to Around the World ARC Tours for providing me a review copy.

Trial by Fire by Jospehine Angelini

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Worldwalker Trilogy, Book 1

Jospehine Angelini's website

Expected publication date:  September 2, 2014

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Description (taken from Josephine Angelini's website):

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruellest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

In Lily's world, she's the sickly outcast that everyone tries not to notice too much.  But with her allergies worsening, she knows she's not going to be able to do a whole lot of normal things for very much longer.  And she's dying to get her best friend, Tristan, to notice her.  When he finally does and decides to take her to a party, Lily thinks it might finally be her dream come true.  But things happen and Lily finally gets noticed, just not in the way that she wanted people to notice her.  And when someone offers her a way out of her humiliating experience, she decides to take it.

But where she ends up isn't what she expected.  An alternate universe where the Lillian here is in full control of the world.  Her allergies are suddenly explained as power Lily wields.  She's strong; she's a witch.  And the hesitant Rowan, who's been burned by Lillian already, must teach her how to wield her magic.  As their world fights a revolution against the witches' tyranny, Lily finds everyone trying to use her how they see fit.  But all Lily wants to do is learn enough to get herself home.  No matter how good this world turns out to be, it's not her home.

Josephine Angelini is one of my favorite story-tellers.  The fact that I stayed up hours into the night reading this book even though I wasn't sold on the concept is proof.  After finishing the book, I still didn't know what to think.  I mean alternate universes where magic rules instead of science?  It's cool, but the whole alternate universe thing has been done before.  It seems like dystopians are going to step down and make way for alternate universes, but that's a rant for another day.  Back to the book, I honestly have a love-hate relationship for this book.  The characters kept me very entertained, and I loved their determination to fight for what they believed in.  But I felt like a lot of them gave up too early and lost their flame; plus Lily is just weird.

This is a series that is going to captivate an audience.  Fans of Josephine Angelini's writing are not going to be disappointed.  And after I let the story settle in my mind for a day, I realized I will plan on reading the next book.  I do want more of the story even if I wasn't exactly sold with the first book.

Thanks goes to Around the World ARC Tours for providing me a review copy.

Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Genre:  YA Mythology

Starcrossed Series, Book 3

Josephine Angelini's website

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Description (taken from Josephine Angelini's website):

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas's life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

Um, so the only reason this is not getting 5 stars is because I had to wait a whole year between the second and third one (two years between the first and third).  A lot happens; I forget things, and I really don't have enough time to reread books before the final release.  So, I was lost for the first hundred pages trying to remember who was who.  To end my trilogy rant: I really wish publishers would release books in a series within a couple of months of each other.  I'd probably have a better time remembering the story and liking the book more.

Anywho, back to the Scions battling the gods.  This story puts an interesting twist on past-lives and who looks like who, and who's supposed to do what in the grand scheme of things.  There were some moments where I got confused and had to second guess what I was reading, but my mythology-fantasy-crazed mind quickly told that logical-thinking part to shut up and disappear.

And we finally get more of that love story that we've been dying for since the first book.  Gah, Lucas and Helen.  Finally!!!!!  Although I wish I had seen a bit more of Morpheus here.  I don't know.  The ending was epic.  I loved it, and it actually ended things for the most part.  A very satisfactory ending.

Now that the series is over, what other mythology books can I read?  Loved these books...

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Genre:  YA Mythology

Starcrossed Series, Book 2

Josephine Angelini's website

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Note:  As always with second books in a series, it can spoil the first one for you.  So reader beware.  Although when I'm undecided on a series, I always find the second book reviews tend to help sway me...

Description (taken from Josephine Angelini's website):

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Ooh, mythology and fantasy, how I love thee.  I absolutely loved Starcrossed; it was one of my favorites last year.  And while the second one was good, I feel it left me with some questions.

As most series go, this book does have a slight love triangle going on once Helen meets Orion.  Who am I kidding though?  This love triangle wouldn't even exist if it weren't for the incest part keeping Lucas and Helen from each other.  Did I mention that I'm sick of reading about incest in tons of books? Or how characters believe they're related and they're really not?  Yes, I'm sick of all of it...  Anyways, back to the love triangle.  It's not really that bad of a triangle because Lucas, hands down, wins Helen's love.

We've got some Underworld happenings, some pesky gods, and some furies pissing the Scions off.  Sidenote here, I liked reading about Morpheus' character.  He has a small role in the book, but I somehow loved his character.  Back to the story, Helen has to somehow release the Scion curse while maintaining her sanity.  In the end, the plot is fairly simple, but there were some things I did not catch onto until they happened.  So, indeed, I still loved the story.  I just want my questions answered, dang it.

So will I be anxiously awaiting the third one?  You bet ya.  And I'd recommend all mythology lovers pick this series up.

Challenges:  Sensational Seconds, YA Mythology, and Young Adult Reading Challeges