Review: The Secret Fire by C.J. Daugherty & Carina Rozenfeld

The Secret Fire by C.J. Daugherty & 

Carina Rozenfeld

Publisher-Atom

Released-Sept 10th 2015

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

French teen Sacha Winters can't die. He can throw himself off a roof, be stabbed, even shot, and he will always survive. Until the day when history and ancient enmities dictate that he must die. Worse still, his death will trigger something awful. Something deadly. And that day is closing in.Taylor Montclair is a normal English girl, hanging out with her friends and studying for exams, until she starts shorting out the lights with her brain. She’s also the only person on earth who can save Sacha.There’s only one problem: the two of them have never met. They live hundreds of miles apart and powerful forces will stop at nothing to keep them apart.They have eight weeks to find each other.Will they survive long enough to save the world?

My Thoughts:

At first, I didn't even realize this book was co-written. I've never read anything by Rozenfeld before, but I gotta say, she and Daugherty make a good team. The writing was evenly paced, flowed at a steady stream of intrigue and extremely easy to sink into and get lost in the pages. As for Daugherty? She's one of my favorite authors and her Night School books is one of my favorite series. They were unpredictable, gripping and addicting as hell. While I do still miss that world, I was thrilled when I heard that Daugherty was coming out with a new series and I'm even more thrilled to say that it was everything I hoped it would be.

The Secret Fire, has just about everything I like in my reads. It has two unlikely allies, a 300 year old curse, genetic powers and has a ton of gripping suspense. I absolutely love the concept and found it completely fascinating. Sacha Winters is a 17 year old teenager who lives in Paris. He's reckless, fearless and doesn't value his life, but then again he can't die, at least not yet and not from the lack of trying. For as long as anyone could remember his family is cursed. Every first born son on his fathers side will die at the age of 18 and nothing can kill them before then, which I guess explains why Sacha has lost interest in school, friends and well, life.

Taylor Montclair is a 17 year old teenage girl who takes her education seriously. She's an Intelligent straight-A student who enjoys charities, volunteering and dreams of going to Oxford to study with her grandfather. So when her French teacher asks Taylor to tutor a boy who needs help in English, she agrees. When Taylor gets in touch with Sacha, things aren't exactly smooth, but eventually they get it straight and agree to meet on-line and 'study'. In the meantime, Taylor has been getting these strange headaches, losing time and strangest thing has been happening to her. Soon Sacha and Taylor realize that their meeting isn't by chance, and soon they will learn what fate really has in store for them and what they will mean to one another.

There is so many aspects of the story that I really enjoyed. Sacha would put himself through these terrible and dangerous situations, but like a train wreck, I couldn't look away. I loved learning more about the curse and seeing Taylor train her new found powers and was continuously curious how the two connect, which I have to say when the big reveal happened, it was a brilliant twist. I also loved that this wasn't one of those insta-love romances, cause actually there was no real romance at this point, but we do have a real connection between two people who are fated to save the world by saving each other. I loved their deep protective need and fierce determination to go up against exhaustible odds. This book is extremely suspenseful and riddled with endless questions and all it did was make me want more.

I really enjoyed all of these characters. They all have a unique voice and the greatest personality. Taylor is a wonderful character who has a good head on her shoulders. She took the news about her mutated genes well and it was fun watching her strength develop. I wasn't sure what to think of Sacha at first, he lives his life very dangerously and I found him to be obnoxious and rude, but as we got to know him better, I realized that he's just bitter, scared and mad as hell and my heart hurt for him. He's actually very kind and sweet. Louisa is also pretty kickass. She's got sass and great sarcasm and I love what she brings to the story.

Bottom line, I absolutely loved this one, it's exciting, it's fascinating and it's completely consuming. I can't wait to find out what happens next. Bring on the next book! Instant favorite!

                                                                          5 Snowflakes

Find the authors:

C.J. Daugherty- Goodreads/ Website

Carina Rozenfeld- Goodreads   

Review: Endgame by C.J. Daugherty

Endgame by C.J. Daugherty

Publisher- Little Brown/Atom (UK)

Released- June 4th 2015

Purchase- Amazon/ TBD

Broken. Scattered. But not defeated.The spy is gone but the cost has been high - the rebels at Cimmeria Academy have lost their leader and Carter West is missing. Nathaniel can taste victory. But Allie and the other survivors aren't done yet. First they have to get Carter back. Then they plan to make Nathaniel pay.One way or another - the game must end.Endgame is the thrilling fifth and final book in the internationally bestselling Night School series.

My Thoughts:

It's over and I'm so sad. The Night School books have been one of my favorite escapes providing remarkable mystery, incredible writing, amazing characters and pure solid entertainment. C.J. Daugherty took over my  imagination book after book and it makes me sad to think that there wont be a new book to look forward to next year, but if this series has to end, I couldn't ask for anything better!

Endgame starts off seconds after Resistance ends. The beginning of the book is straight out of an action movie. It got my heart pumping from minute one and this was one ride I didn't want to stop. Allie is still recovering from the tailspin disaster at Hampstead Heath, mourning the lost of Lucinda and worried sick over Carter's capture, but she's more determined then ever as she and the rest of the Night school students and teachers fight to once and for all put a stop to this war Nathanial has started. This book felt very different amongst the rest. More dire, more intense and way more suspenseful. We're in total mission-mode here and I loved how realistic Daugherty made it feel. When the action hit it was in your face fast and exciting but then there were the longer slow periods of waiting and planning time that was both calculating and maddening. I also loved how involved the guards were in this book. It gave it that extra push, specially when Number Nine is introduced. But above all, I loved the energy that crackled throughout this last hurray. From the first book fans craved to see what Night School was all about but this book shows us just how it all goes down. And I loved every minute!

Allie, Carter, Sylvain, Zoe, Rachel and Nicole. I'm truly going to miss all of these remarkable characters. Allie has grown so strong  throughout the entire series and I was so proud of the way she took control of her own fate but still wise enough to let others help her. I'm also glad we had the chance to see what becomes of Christopher, Gabe and of course Nathaniel and the future of the organizations. As for Carter and Sylvain, well, I don't want to spoil anything but I believe this was the ending that was always meant to be. I do wish we had a little more romance, but I can't really complain given the very complicated and fast paced plot, any more romance then what we got, would have felt forced.

Bottom line, I absolutely loved this book and this series. It has been one of my most treasured and solid escapes that was such a complete joy to experience. I'll miss this world, but even though I know it's done, I still think there might be room for a spin-off, so,  fingers crossed. Congrats to Daugherty for such a brilliant series and I'm looking forward to your next adventure!

Find the author: 

Website / Goodreads                               4.5 snowflakes

Review: Fracture by C.J. Daugherty

Fracture by C.J. Daugherty

Publisher- Atom

Released- Aug 15th 2013

Purchase- Amazon / TBD/ Fish Pond

Devastated by the loss of her friend and under constant threat from an unknown spy at Cimmeria Academy, Allie Sheridan is finding it hard to cope.In Fracture, the third book in the Night School series, she’s not the only one losing it – everything is falling apart. And when Nathaniel begins to reveal his game plan, Isabelle starts to lose control.As the school slides into a deadly morass of paranoia and suspicion, everyone is guilty until proved innocent. Anyone can be held without proof, and convicted without a trial. No one is safe.This time Nathaniel doesn’t need to hurt them. This time they’re hurting themselves.

My Thoughts: 
Such a brilliant world! Seriously. C.J. Daugherty's Night School series is one of my favorites books to escape with.  I always look forward to the next installment, craving that heart pounding excitement, alluring mystery and charming romance that I've come to expect from these books. I simply adore Daugherty's writing. She is a true master at pacing her stories in a way that plays with your mind and pulls at your heart. The flow and tone is also pitch perfect, but what I love most about these books is that it's still crazy addicting. I love how unpredictable everything feels, I never know what to expect and I'm continuously guessing from start to finish. I'm happy to say that Fracture is just as riveting and strong as the previous books and once again, an instant favorite!

Tormented after the lost of her best friend, Jo, Allie is beside herself. She feels like everyone at Cimmeria Academy has let her down and she doesn't know who she can trust. Wanting to take action into her own hands, Allie escapes the school and tries to find the answers no one else seems to be going after. But her attempt to escape to London failed and Allie is sent back to the Academy. Fueled only by the desperate need to avenge Jo's death, Allie is filled with a new found hope. Revenge. She will train. She will fight and together with her friends, she will find a way to avenge Jo, stop Nathaniel and find the spy lurking in the walls of Cimmeria Academy.

I always thought that the third book in a series is the most difficult to write. There is a lot of information and truths that need revealing but you don't want to say to much or give away the entire story. Where's the fun in that? After all, there are two more books planned for this series. So, with that said, Fracture is a great in-between novel, but this was more like a filler then anything else. 

With the help of their Night School training, Allie and her friends form a secret group and try to plot out who the spy could be. We are treated to seeing these characters fight back in the only way they know how. United. We also  finally find out what Night School is truly about and while there were scattered clues among the other books, it was still something else to finally get the grand picture after all this time. I loved how Daugherty waited for the perfect moment to let us in on the big secret, it was a great way for Allie to accept and appreciate where her destiny truly lies as well as capturing that curiosity in readers to keep us guessing and invested. Which totally worked. We learn more about Lucinda's role and how it's connected to Isabelle, Nathaniel and eventually Allie. We also get some action packed scenes that involve Nathaniel and his ultimate goal to take over the school, but at last, we still don't know who the spy is. So, while a lot happens in this installment, at the same time, nothing actually gets resolved. This might be disappointing or frustrating to some readers, but I for one love how Daugherty is setting up for future books. The biggest anchor in these novels has always been the building mystery in both story line and characterizations. When I really think about each of the characters I've grown so attached to, I wonder if I really know them at all.  Daugherty has us skeptical of everything about this world. We truly don't' know who we can trust and all we can do is sit back and hope against hope that are favorite characters don't betray us in the end. Yes, the wait can be exasperating, but it also gives us something to ponder and look forward to, which is wonderful since I'm not ready to let these books go just yet. 

Since the death of Jo, all of these characters seem to grieve and grow in different and even surprising ways.

In the begging of the story, Allie is back to her old rebellious ways. She's defiant, hurt and lashes out in mean ways and while she may seem like a brat, she's actually portrayed very realistically. She was the only one there when Jo died. She blames and hates herself and when it doesn't feel big enough, she starts to blame everyone else around her. Later in the book, Allie realizes that she's not the only person who lost a friend that night and that everyone is doing what they can to find the person responsible  for helping Jo's killer get inside the school. My heart really goes out to Allie, but I'm glad she finally snapped out of her grief-stricken stage and decided that the best way to avenge Jo was is to fight back. 

Even Carter and Sylvain decided to put their personal grudge behind them for now and work together, for both Allie and Jo. It was strange to see this unlikely alliance, but it was also really great to see Sylvain and Carter as well as Rachel, Nicole and Zoe work as a team. They have brilliant chemistry and it's exciting and entertaining to see them in action.

I'm still waving my Team Carter flag, but I have to admit, Sylvain is growing on me. For someone who I didn't think could be redeemed, Syl turned out to be the only one who is giving the confidence and warmth Allie desperately needs. Carter is acting like his older self that we met in the first book (not really sure who he was in the second) but he still has a lot of issues that he needs to work out.

Which brings me to the romance. For now, that part of the story is on hold, but I'm actually glad that Daugherty took this step for Allie. She has so many conflicting problems right now that it would feel forced for her to just pick up where she left off with Slyvain at the Winter ball and her heart still breaks when she thinks of Carter. Allie is confused and lost right now and the last thing she needs to focus on is her love life. So there isn't any romance in this book, but we still got a few heated moments that made my heart smile. 

All in all, Fracture is another thrilling installment in the Night school series. I'm enjoying the slow but steady rhythm in the plot, the writing is remarkable and these characters are beautifully complicated and compelling.  I also really liked the way this ended. It was action packed and gripping and I'm mighty curious where Daugherty will take this next. 
Another amazing read in the Night School series!

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                                4.5 Snowflakes

Reviews- Legacy by C.J. Daugherty & Giveaway-Night School!

Legacy by C.J. Daugherty

Publisher-Atom

Release- Jan 3rd 2013

Purchase- The Book Depository  / Fishpond

In the last year, Allie's survived three arrests, two breakups and one family breakdown. The only bright point has been her new life at Cimmeria Academy. It's the one place she's felt she belongs. And the fact that it's brought dark-eyed Carter West into her life hasn't hurt either. But far from being a safe haven, the cloistered walls of Cimmeria are proving more dangerous than Allie could have imagined. The students and faculty are under threat, and Allie's family - from her mysterious grandmother to her runaway brother - are at the centre of the storm. Allie is going to have to choose between protecting her family and trusting her friends. But secrets have a way of ripping even the strongest relationships apart...

Tina's Thoughts:

I quickly fell in love with C.J Daugherty debut novel, Night School. It has everything I adore in an escape; mystery, action, romance and thrilling characters. It also has this brilliant quality of being crazy consuming! I couldn't wait to see what Daugherty had in store for these characters next and I'm happy to say that Legacy turned out to be another favorite.

Legacy starts off with Allie on the run from men in suits who are chasing her through the London streets. Soon she finds refuge with Rachel's family and are back in Cimmeria Academy before term begins. The attack at the school left the academy in devastation and everyone works hard to rebuild the old gothic building before all the students come back. It's here that Isabelle tells Allie that she will be admitted into Night School, where she will learn how to protect herself from Nathaniel's men.

Only, Night School is a lot harder then Allie realized, physically, emotionally and morally. 

Rules and secrets have a way of trapping you but lies and betrayal have a mind of it's own and soon Allie will have to decide where her true loyalties belong, no matter who she may lose in the process.

First off, I want to take a minute and just gush about the excellent writing style! I'm not sure what it is about Daugherty's books that have this all absorbing quality to it, but if I would have to pick one word to describe it, I guess it would be realistic. These characters and everything that happens in this book just feels so dame real! Vividly detailed, Daugherty has an exquisite flavor when she writes. From lavish details about the school and it's grounds, to every expression on each of these faces, to the fight scenes and clever witty dialog and banter. Every little aspect is set to motion where I feel like I'm transported in these pages and I can see everything in all it's richness. Then we have this incredibly maddening mysterious plot, and when I say mysterious, I mean I'm still not exactly sure what Night School is all about. 

When you read a vampire book, you expect vampires to be in it. Same with werewolves, fairies and so on. But the beauty of this book is that it's like a label-less can. Daugherty doesn't give you all the answers, even in the second book, we're still not positively positive what's inside. This is both alluring as hell and aggravating, but funny enough it's not frustrating. In fact, I love not knowing, it only makes me want to read these books more!

I simply adore ever single one of these characters, even the bad dudes. They're all skillfully well developed. Allie felt so conflicted this year, with all that's happening at the academy plus all the vigorous training in Night School, not to mention her very daunting love life and all the family drama. Poor girl has had one helluva year. But Allie is such a resilient character. Solid and strong, she doesn't let things weigh her down long. She takes responsibility for things that she did wrong, learns from her mistakes and changes and grows because of them. She is definitely a character I can be proud of.

There really isn't any secondary characters in this book, or at least not for me. Everyone seems to have a very specific role and are quite involved with every aspect of the story, which I find fascinating and fun.

Jo, Rachel, Jules, Isabella, Lucas, Carter and Sylvain continue to bring in much entertainment as the story slowly starts to unfold. We even have a couple of new characters, Zoe Glass, our kickass zingy child-genius that is infectiously adorable and Nicole, who turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

There is a spy among us within the walls of Cimmeria Academy. It was fun to try to guess whodunit, but sadly, it will keep you guessing and leave you hanging till the next installment.

As for Allie's love life? Well, I wish I could be happy about that particular part of the story, but I'd be lying if I said I was. I'm the kind of reader who doesn't mind love triangles, but this one stabbed me in the heart. In all honestly, I don't think I would have minded so much if Carter stayed true to his character. In the first book, Carter West was hard to read and I couldn't quite get a fix on him, but he was still sweet, charming and a supportive friend and love interest. So it really shocked the hell out of me (and broke my heart) to see this overbearing, possessive, difficult and unreasonable Carter that unfortunately graced us in this book. He's still Carter, but he's...different, wrong somehow and I just didn't like it.

I'm all for giving second chances to characters who prove redeemable, and Sylvain has proven time and time again that he regrets what he did, but I'm not happy with this new romantic development. Sure, he may have been the better man this round, but I don't feel any chemistry when Allie and Sylvain are together. He had his chance in the first book and blew it. End of story, but hey, they can still be friends. 

So yes, I'm waving my 'Team Carter' flag proudly in hopes that he doesn't let me down and things play out differently in later books. 

Bottom line, I seriously couldn't love a series more. It's crazy addicting, outstanding writing and real heart and soul characters that have you invested at minute one. This is without a doubt one of the most intense and intriguing stories I ever read. It's grips you and doesn't let go till the very last page and even then it will consume your thoughts long after the story is done. The ending shattered my heart and there is still so much we don't know and so much we still need to learn, so I can't begin to express how badly I need the next book!

A must read for fans who enjoy mystery-suspense, thrilling action and an unstoppable romance. MORE!! 

                                                                   4.5 Snowflakes

Crystal's Thoughts:
Oh my brain hurts!  This second installment of the Night School series was beyond entertaining, but has left me with so many unanswered questions!  My head is spinning from everything we did learn and begging for more answers.

Legacy starts off with Allie being chased and let me tell you my heart was pounding!  She of course gets away and for her safety she goes to live with her friend Rachel until school starts.  When it does start things don't get any easier for Allie.  She is behind her Night School training, her friends aren't happy about this new addition to her schedule, there is a spy among her peers that she can't find, and Carter *sigh* I don't even know where to being with him.  My heart is broken  =(

This book isn't big on answers, but it is filled with action and while I love action I still need answers.  I feel like this book took a small step back and I am a little disappointed.  I had so many questions from the last book that I couldn't wait to have answered and the author doesn't even really touch on any of them.  Even her characters were getting fed up with the lack of information given.  So since this book wasn't filled with answers you want to know what to expect??  HEARTACHE!  Lots and lots of heartache.  I understand that Allie needed to breathe and I seriously wanted to kick Carter for his ultimatum, but these needed to TALK!  I can't believe the way their story ended in this one and I just don't know what to do.  I was always a Team Carter so Allies new relationship is not sitting well with me and I just hope the author rights this wrong early on in the next book and gives us some answers!  One of the things I liked about the first book was the secrets and smoke and mirror stuff, but I can only take so much of that before I start losing interest.  

There is one thing that happens that I can't actually talk about, but I am very upset about it and very confused.  I hope we also get closure in regards to this situation that happens at the end.  I want this something to have more meaning for the person involved.

Even though I have a headache and heartache I still did enjoy this installment.  Allie is feisty as ever and I still enjoyed reading her story.  I will say though that if the next book doesn't start explaining things I might have a different opinion.  

Find the author
Goodreads / Website

                                                                    3.5 Snowflakes

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