religion – The Talking Bookworm

Goodreads Summary:

Gameboard of the Gods introduced religious investigator Justin March and Mae Koskinen, the beautiful supersoldier assigned to protect him. Together they have been charged with investigating reports of the supernatural and the return of the gods, both inside the Republic of United North America and out. With this highly classified knowledge comes a shocking revelation: Not only are the gods vying for human control, but the elect—special humans marked by the divine—are turning against one another in bloody fashion.

Their mission takes a new twist when they are assigned to a diplomatic delegation headed by Lucian Darling, Justin’s old friend and rival, going into Arcadia, the RUNA’s dangerous neighboring country. Here, in a society where women are commodities and religion is intertwined with government, Justin discovers powerful forces at work, even as he struggles to come to terms with his own reluctantly acquired deity.

Meanwhile, Mae—grudgingly posing as Justin’s concubine—has a secret mission of her own: finding the illegitimate niece her family smuggled away years ago. But with Justin and Mae resisting the resurgence of the gods in Arcadia, a reporter’s connection with someone close to Justin back home threatens to expose their mission—and with it the divine forces the government is determined to keep secret.

Review:

This woman did it again. I have no idea how she does it. The sequel to Gameboard of the Gods is even better than the first, and I thought the first book was pretty darn good. The entire time I was reading TMI I was at the edge of my seat. And I can honestly say I love Richelle Mead for always recapping in the first chapter of every single sequels because that means we don’t have to re-read in order to figure out what happened.

Can I just say I really hate Lucius and finding out he too is an elect made it worst!? OMG! I had a feeling he was an elect, but I thought I was being tricked into thinking that. I can already see him being involved in whatever dirty scheme we see in book three. I’m so glad Mae was able to rescue her niece. That entire rescue mission had me biting my nails, and Justin and Lucius dealing with returning to RUNA without her was crazy. Also, that ending. I died. How is it possible that Justin is now bound to the god even though he did everything to not make it happen?! THAT IS THE REASON WHY MAE LEFT HIM. SO HE WOULDN’T BE BOUND TO THE GOD. I was so mad. I hate those crows, but I kinda like them at the same time. Ugh. It was sweet though when Mae finally admitted she is totally in love with Justin. I really liked how their relationship progressed throughout the novel. A+ for relationship development.

This review is basically me fangirling and I am totally okay with that because it’s a Richelle Mead book, and I can only fangirl when it comes to her books.

Please read Ms. Mead’s new adult fantasy series. It’s to die for. 😉

This is an unconventional review because this book hasn’t been published yet. The book will be released to the public June 4th, 2013 (in the United States). This review will be staying spoiler free for that very reason and I’ve made a new structure for this type of review. Thank you Net Galley and Dutton for providing me with an advanced copy of the book.

Goodreads Summary: In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

Review:

This book blew me away. Why? Because I didn’t know Richelle Mead’s writing was capable of changing in a very good way. Unlike the Vampire Academy Series or the Bloodlines Series where the reader find themselves only in Rose’s or Sydney’s mind, in Gameboard of the Gods the story is told through many point of views with different lenses. I believe this to be a absolutely brilliant move on behalf of Ms. Mead. Normally, books that have several narrators throw me off because there seems to be something missing, but somehow Richelle Mead was able to find the perfect balance and make it work. I do see some similarities in the structure of the book/series to that of the Bloodlines series and the Vampire Academy series.

There was only one thing I did not like in this book and that was that it had a sex scene in it. I’m a person that tries to avoid books with sex scenes. Nonetheless, this is a great book! Another Richelle Mead masterpiece. There is a reason as to why she is one of my favorite authors.

Edit:

After almost three months since I’ve read Gameboard of the Gods, I love this book even more. As I sat thinking, drinking my morning coffee, the way Richelle Mead made me uncertain about the main characters through the first half of the book. I couldn’t decided who I did and didn’t like. That has never happened to me before and that is another reason why you need to read this book.

Rating: 5/5

Rating System:

1/5: I hated it

2/5: It had some redeeming qualities but overall, not a good book

3/5: I liked it (A fun read)

4/5: I really like it, but something was missing

5/5: I love it! It’s as close to perfection as it can get!

Tag: religion

ARC Review: The Immortal Crown (Age of X #2) by Richelle Mead

Goodreads Summary:

Review:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Book Review: Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead