The Shadow Cabinet (Shades of London #3) by Maureen Johnson

Publication: February 10, 2015

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Source: Bought/Own

The thrilling third installment to the Edgar-nominated, bestselling series. Rory and her friends are reeling from a series of sudden and tragic events. While racked with grief, Rory tries to determine if she acted in time to save a member of the squad. If she did, how do you find a ghost? Also, Rory’s classmate Charlotte has been kidnapped by Jane and her nefarious organization. Evidence is uncovered of a forty-year-old cult, ten missing teenagers, and a likely mass murder. Everything indicates that Charlotte’s in danger, and it seems that something much bigger and much more terrible is coming. Time is running out as Rory fights to find her friends and the ghost squad struggles to stop Jane from unleashing her spectral nightmare on the entire city. In the process, they'll discover the existence of an organization that underpins London itself—and Rory will learn that someone she trusts has been keeping a tremendous secret.

The Shadow Cabinet is the third book the Shades of London series. I was very anxious to see how things would play out with this one.

***HUGE SPOILER BELOW IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SECOND BOOK!!!***

I didn’t really like how the second book ended. Stephen dying really through me for a loop and I did not see it coming. I kept thinking, how could she end it like that?!??  So when The Shadow Cabinet begins, it basically picks up pretty much where the story ended in book two. Everyone is in the hospital with Stephen, mourning over his loss when Rory makes a desperate attempt to bring back him as a ghost.  Not to mention Rory’s classmate is still missing and she is possibly in danger.  

Because of everything that has happened to Rory, her and the team are secluded; more so Rory than anyone else. Callum and Boo attempt to go around town to see if what Rory did actually worked and Stephen became a ghost. Rory is not one to wait around wringing her hands, so naturally she goes out and tries to find some answers for herself.  Which leads to some interesting and unexpected results.

The Shadow Cabinet starts off a little slow for me.  Nothing  major seemed to happen until almost halfway through the book. It wasn’t a struggle to get through the book though. I wanted to see how things resolved and find out the why behind them. 

This wasn’t my favorite book out of the trio….The Madness Underneath is my favorite, but The Shadow Cabinet was still enjoyable. I am curious what exactly this mysterious groups needs from Rory and how major a part she will play in it. And  what is up with those weird and creepy twins? I was curious, but never a big fan of stories involving ghosts and people seeing ghosts before, however Maureen Johnson has made me one. I am looking forward to her announcement of book four.

RATING: 3½ out of 5.

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Frozen (Heart of Dread #1) by Melissa De La Cruz, and Michael Johnston

Publication: September 17, 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Source: Publisher

From New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston comes this remarkable first book in a spellbinding new series about the dawn of a new kind of magic. Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows. At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light. But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.

Imagine living in a frozen post apocalyptic land where you are hunted down like an animal because you are “marked.” That is pretty much what sixteen years old Natasha’s life is like. 

Hiding out in New Vegas as a dealer in casino, she is always thinking of surviving. She keeps hearing an inner voice telling her to travel to “The Blue”, which is a place that may or may not exist and if it does, the journey is extremely difficult.

This is where Wes enters the picture. Nat hires him and his crew to help her get there. There is a little romance between them. It doesn’t start immediately, but it is there.

There is a lot going on in Frozen. At times it felt like a little too much. This story doesn’t lack for entertainment though. The world building was pretty cool and all of the characters were interesting and I wanted to know more about them. I wasn’t sure what to really expect with this story, especially since I don’t read a lot of dystopian books that often, but this one was pretty fun. I am curious what will happen in book two, Stolen releases on November 18, 2014.

RATING: 3 out of 5.

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Waiting of Wednesday #39

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. The goal is to spotlight upcoming books that I am super excited for.

This week I am waiting on The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall.

Publication: January 13, 2015

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

To fight her destiny as the missing heir to a powerful and dangerous secret society, sixteen-year-old Avery West must solve an ancient puzzle in a deadly race across Europe. Forbidden love and code-breaking, masked balls and explosions, destiny and dark secrets collide in this romantic thriller, in the vein of a YA DaVinci Code. Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada at the Champs-Elysees when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. They are part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle of Twelve, and Avery is their missing heir. If they discover who she is, some of them will want to use her as a pawn. Some will want her dead. To thwart their plans, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the landmarks of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul and through a web of ancient legends and lies. And unless she can stay one step ahead of beautiful, volatile Stellan, who knows she’s more than she seems, and can decide whether to trust mysterious, magnetic Jack, she may be doomed after all.

What is on your radar for this week???

Waiting on Wednesday #38

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. The goal is to spotlight upcoming books that I am super excited for.

This week I am waiting on The Shadow Cabinet (Shades of London #3) by Maureen Johnson.

Publication: February 10, 2015

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

The thrilling third installment to the Edgar-nominated, bestselling series Rory and her friends are reeling from a series of sudden and tragic events. While racked with grief, Rory tries to determine if she acted in time to save a member of the squad. If she did, how do you find a ghost? Also, Rory’s classmate Charlotte has been kidnapped by Jane and her nefarious organization. Evidence is uncovered of a forty-year-old cult, ten missing teenagers, and a likely mass murder. Everything indicates that Charlotte’s in danger, and it seems that something much bigger and much more terrible is coming. Time is running out as Rory fights to find her friends and the ghost squad struggles to stop Jane from unleashing her spectral nightmare on the entire city. In the process, they’ll discover the existence of an organization that underpins London itself—and Rory will learn that someone she trusts has been keeping a tremendous secret.

What is on your radar for this week???