Angel Arias

Angel Arias (Night Creatures #2) by Marianne de Pierres
Release Date: October 3, 2011
Random House Australia
ISBN13: 9781742751016
If you haven't heard of the Night Creatures books yet, Burn Bright is the first book in this stand-out, intoxicating series which is currently only available in Australia. Which is incredibly unfortunate, because it is a fabulous series, and one of my favourites in YA.

Warning: Since this novel is a review of the second book, there may be some spoilers. If you're curious, you should check out my review for the first book, Burn Bright which is INCREDIBLE.


Goodreads Synopsis:
Retra - now called Naif - has escaped from Ixion, the island of ever-night. She doesn't know if her friends on the island survived the battle between the Ripers and the rebels. But she does know that she must return home, behind the sealed walls of Grave, to find out why the Ripers have been seen there talking to the councillors. What links the two worlds?
First she must convince Ruzalia to help her. The fierce pirate captain saves those who face terrible fates on Ixion, but that doesn't guarantee their gratitude. Instead, she faces a revolt - and Naif is caught in the middle.
Naif will need all her courage to survive. For Lenoir, who wants to keep her safe, for her friends Suki and Rollo, if they live, for Markes, who has secrets of his own, and for the new friends she will make on this journey.
The fate of worlds depends on it.

The first thing I did after finishing Burn Bright, was I went online and pre-ordered Angel Arias. I was completely sucked in to this creative world, and thoroughly impressed with Marianne de Pierre's writing and this unique story.

I really don't know of anything like the Night Creatures series. And Marianne has done it again with Angel Arias! I really believe she must be brilliant to come up with a story like this one.

1. You're a fan of dark YA:
   Marianne does not shy away from making things extraordinarily creepy and disturbing in these books. The evil is just so twisted, and we only experienced a hint of it in Burn Bright. That continues in Angel Arias, but it really makes for some interesting characters as we begin to unravel what some of the horrors taking place are. But at the same time, it isn't graphic- much of it is written in Marianne's subtle way, and there were points when I wondered at first if I was even understanding the insinuation properly. (Turns out that I was.)
2. You want ANSWERS, damnit!:
   
   If you read Burn Bright, then you're aware of some shocking discoveries on Ixion. Angel Arias seeks out to pursue those questions we were left out, and we finally (FINALLY!) get an idea of what the heck is going on. We also get some great insight to familiar characters, like Markes! Oh, Markes. I didn't know how I felt about you in Burn Bright, but he has officially grown on me and he feels like such a real boy now. Plus, we're given more information as to the kind of world Grave and Ixion are a part of.
3. Well-developed plot lines:
   
   The mystery behind Ixion and various people in Night Creatures always remains the focus, it is the constant drive behind the story. I appreciate a story where the romance doesn't overwhelm everything else going on, and this is done very tastefully and thoughtfully in these books. There's just enough action, just enough twists, and enough answers and MORE questions to leave you feeling satisfied.

I have to admit though, that this one took me a little bit longer to get through becuase I found the beginning to be paced much slower than Burn Bright was. You're thrown right back into the world, and I confess that I forgot some of the details and confused some of the characters which really isn't surprising when you realize just how much is happening.

And it did seem to me that it lost some of its charm without Ixion. The outside world just isn't as much fun - literally. But I understand that we had questions to be answered, and had to venture away to get that done.

But can we say, KILLER ENDING?! I'm going to have to re-read both of these books before Blaze Dark comes out in Fall 2012!

Now, because this is an Australian book and the rights haven't been sold over here yet, my Book Depository link is actually to the e-book. If you're happy to read e-books, then I HIGHLY recommend you try out this series! The link to Burn Bright is on my reivew of it. But you can also find these books available from Australian retailers, and Fishpond (free shipping worldwide).

 

Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres

Burn Bright (Night Creatures #1) by Marianne de Pierres
Released: March 1, 2011 (Australia and New Zealand only)
Random House Ausralia
ISBN13: 9781864719888

5/5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
Into a world of wild secrets and deadly pleasures comes a girl whose innocence may be her greatest strength.
In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .
Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.

But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.
When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?
Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?

Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.

Wow. I am utterly amazed after finishing Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres. It's incredibly difficult to describe, because I'm really unsure of exactly how to classify it. I suppose it's a horror novel, but even that doesn't do it justice.

Burn Bright is truly unlike other YA books I've read; in my opinion, it currently stands alone and is doing a terrific job of keeping the spotlight on itself. The writing is captivating, the plot is terrifically creative, and this world created by de Pierres is utterly intoxicating. It draws you in and you just can't leave- kind of like Ixion. It's no wonder Ixion's habitants are so drawn to it, how can they not be when I'm just reading about it and I feel the same way without actually living it?

The story of Retra's journey in Ixion is haunting. It plays with your mind, just as Retra finds herself lost in the grasp of this strange place. There is nothing predictable about this, and the discoveries are both disturbing and intriguing at the same time.

I don't want to give anything about this book away, except it's frighteningly hypnotizing.

The one fault I found was how confusing it could be at times; but then again, it's supposed to be. No one is supposed to understand what exactly takes place at Ixion, and every glimpse of a layer revealed only complicates the story further. As well, it's the state in which Retra lives at Ixion (drugged at times, and in a constant state of denial) which makes it even more difficult to comprehend the events taking place when the character's perspective is flawed. But that's the exactly the way it's supposed to be told.

Right now, Burn Bright is only available in Australia and New Zealand from Random House Australia. There is hope that it will become available in North America in the next year or so, but nothing has been decided yet. In the meantime, I ordered my copy from the Australian Online Bookshop which I found to have the cheapest options for book purchase and shipping.

UPDATE: I received an e-mail from Adva, letting me know that Fishbond Books has Burn Bright and offers free shipping. And as well, you can buy Burn Bright from the Book Depository in e-book format (click here to go to the page to buy it). Great news, and thank you for sharing, Adva!