Book Shelf: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) by Laini Taylor

Featuring necklaces made of wishes; an underground shop dealing in teeth; magical tattoos; a wishbone on a cord, DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE is a thrilling story about Karou and her secret life as an apprentice to a wishmonger. Karou manages to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she is a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to an inhuman creature who deals in wishes and is the closest thing she has to family. Her life is surrounded by mysteries she is desperate to unveil.

Blurb from Goodreads.....


Review:

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

Wow. Let me just say....wow! I’m not sure I have the words to truly do this book justice......
This book sure has being getting its fair share of raving reviews and I admit I certainly had high expectations of what I was gonna get, but let me say....I have never, ever read anything like this before. This book is one of a kind....totally, completely. Laini Taylor takes the story of angels and demons and takes it in a direction that’s never been told; creating a world that is so uniquely it’s own, you simply can’t compare it to anything else. There is nothing like this out there. These kinds of books are a rarity; a once in a lifetime kind of thing.

This book is pure magic. Plain and simple. The writing is magic in and of itself and Taylor weaves together a story filled with wonder and mystery. The words seem to dance and float off the pages and from the very first chapter you’re caught. As you follow Karou on her journey, you never know what to expect. Most of the story is seem through her eyes and you only know what she knows. Even I admit I thought I knew what was going on. There was a moment I thought, “Oh, yeah, I’ve seen this kind of thing before. I know what it means and how it will end.” However, I.....Was....Wrong! One thing I learnt pretty quickly, is that you can never assume with this book, because I can almost guarantee you.....you will be wrong. Laini Taylor will surprise you every time and the outcome and end result will be so far from what you were expecting that you just won’t know what to think.

I don’t want to give too much away, because honestly this is the kind of book you really need to read for yourself to fully comprehend what I’m saying, but the creatures in this story aren’t your run off the mill. They’re quirky and different and harsh and beautiful. Lord, I can’t say it enough. There’s nothing out there like this. Not the world, not the myth, not the characters and people who call it home. Think you know angels and demons? Eerrk...wrong answer! These “angels and demons” are from a completely different world and you be entranced by them.

I adored Karou and you will too. She’s so quirky and witty. She’s an intelligent young woman in the middle of a very mixed up world, one who really doesn’t know who and what she is. And yet she does, she really does. Karou is searching for the key to her past and who she is, but she has such a strong sense of self. She knows what she feels and she feels it. She loves Brimstone and Issa and everyone else in her “family”. She loves her best friend Zuzanna and is always there for her. She knows she’s in the middle of a war between those she loves and those who wish to do them harm. She hears the stories being told to her, but she knows the people—ahhh, creatures, in her life and how they truly are. She knows she feels something for Akvia and knows it makes no sense....but it’s there and it means something.
Karou is brave and not afraid to stand up for what she believes in and boy could this girl handle her known. Hell, she goes ninja on an angel twice her size and is waaay more trained than she is. And she wins! Trust me this girl will intrigue you with her strength and mystery and win you over with her flaws and vulnerabilities.

And as for Akiva....let me just swoon for a little bit and then I’ll get back to the review. At first, I kind of thought I was going to get your typical angel, but Laini Taylor does it again and he’s nothing like what I expected. He’s so damaged and haunted, which on the surface may not seem so different, but when you look closer and read more of the book, you see him for what he is. Akiva was the character that drew the most emotion from me. Really, he’s been through the most and as we see both his past and witness his present, his grief and his anguish really sweeps through within the story. It’s impossible not to feel for him in his moments of complete devastation and helplessness. Honestly, I found myself sharing Karou feelings a lot during this book; I simply wanted to see him smile.

For everything it is, I can’t see this book being rivalled. I may have said it already, but you can’t compare this book to most out there. It simply cannot be done. Even the ending will leave you wanting to bang your head against the wall or cry because it’s over. Or both, either way it works. The ending simply leaves you shell shocked and wondering how the hell Taylor can end it like that. Doesn’t she realise that the wait for the sequel might possibly kill us? Trust me, this ending is one you won’t see coming, not after all Karou and Akiva have been through together already.....

And on a final note, I’m kinda annoyed right now too, because if you’re reading my review then you’re not reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone and you should really, REALLY should be reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I don’t want to sound rash, but you need to be reading this book. Go buy a copy, like right now! Don’t have the money? Well, I may point out that you have two kidneys and you only need one of those—so go sell your spare and get the book.
Haha. Kidding! Maybe. Really, I’m not quite sure. This book deserves everyone of it's 5 stars and I CANNOT wait for more!

Rating:
Source: I bought
Format: Paperback
Recommend: YES!!!!!
Recommend borrow or buy: BUY-go, go, go!
Cover: I admit I love the US one more (gotta love the blue mask) but this one is all shiny and foiled finish.
Read sequel/continue with series: Ah, dumb question? Yes......

Buy it here: