Seraphina (Seraphina #1) by Rachel Hartman

Publisher: Random House

Year Published: 2012

Pages: 451

Rating:

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift - one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

I just wanna say that I really LOVE reading this book!

I love dragon story, and Rachel did a super-fantastic job on creating such a wonderful and complex dragon world.

On this first book, it felt like I was reading a crime story in the dragon world setting which is awesome! I love everything in this book, mainly the story-plot, the writing and the characters.

There are some elements that made me love this book, the mystery and the secrets. This two elements combine with a fantastic writing have created a great story which I adore so much. I love how everything feels so mysterious and as the reading goes, the secrets reveal, one by one.. and it gives surprises to the reader..

And the characters! Seraphina, this girl is so unique (in a very literal sense).. She has been through a very complexed life. Some parents issues and such. She is quite a realist and reasonable one. I really like that quality in a character. I also love other characters, they are also unique whether they are human or dragon, or half-dragon. There are some of them, but probably I can't write all of them, but one thing for sure is that their characters are well-built and very interesting!

The Romance... How I love UN-cheesy romantic story. I can detect a bit of angsty romantic story in this book. I think there are two main romance stories. One, between Seraphina's mother and father, and two, Seraphina and Prince Lucian Kiggs. And these two stories are quite similar in a way, but different. And these two have angsty quality that have caused me to pull my hair and almost knock my head on the wall.. As for Seraphina's parents romantic story was really sad, so much for forbidden love story.

Really can't wait for the sequel to come out ;), Dracomachia. There would be more adventure and action! for sure :D

Book Highlight! : The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Hyperion
Date Published: expected January 2013 (I am gonna die waiting ><)
Pages: 336

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive. Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive. 

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous--it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now that her little brother is gone too, Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall. 

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hardwon redemption.

I got approved on Netgalley for the sneak-peak of The Archived by Victoria Schwab. Basically, it was only the first nine chapters of the book. But, OH MY GOD! Now, I am sure the waiting for the book will be torturous! I need all chapters! I need the book right now!

This book will blow me away totally! what have those nine chapters done to me?! There was mystery (checked!), detective-feel (checked!), paranormal (checked!), a bit of crime (checked!), ghost (checked!), hunt (checked!), library (checked!). Romance? I felt there would be, but what nine chapters could tell me about it? (T.T) There was this guy, with spiked black hair, eyeliner (punk much?) and a very taunting smirk.. I really want more.. I wish I can tell more.. huhu..

So, the story would evolve around this girl (the heroine) named Mackenzie Bishop. And she was the Keeper. The Keeper was like a hunter who hunt lifeless-soul/ghost or to be exact their histories to be kept into the Archived at the Library of the dead. woooooooooo! but that was not just it, there were more.... she just moved to her new resident which used to be a century-old-old-Hotel and now an apartment! and guess what, as The Keeper of Histories of the dead she was able to see the past. And there was something! SOMETHING terribly wrong at her new resident! and I am really CURIOUS!

Hah....... January 2013.... where are you.......