Read, Run, Ramble

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Format: Egalley from Netgalley.com

Find this review and much more at Read, Run, Ramble 

Thank you Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing me a copy of this book!


Daughter of Smoke and Bone is not a new book. However, the third book in the trilogy is due out in April so Little, Brown Books for Young Readers released a few copies of this first book on Netgalley (I missed the window for the 2nd book – DANG IT)!

By reading my past reviews and browsing my blog, it is easy to tell that I am both a huge YA fan as well as a Paranormal fan. At some point they all start to feel the same and it takes some work to make something new for fans to love. In my opinion, Taylor totally nailed it in that regard.

A war is raging between the chimaera and angels and Karou is right in the midst of it, though she doesn’t have a clue that she is. There is a lot to like about Karou, an orphaned teenage girl who has grown up running errands for her chimaera family. She doesn’t know who she is or where she came from – all she knows is her little family of monsters, and she must keep them secret.

Akiva is an angel with a score to settle and when he shows up things get crazy and chaotic. In a rash of odd angel sightings and burned handprints showing up on doors all over the city, Karou finds herself separated from her family. While desperately trying to find a way back to them, she meets Akiva and her world is irrevocably changed as he sheds light on who she truly is and exactly where she came from.

The story contains forbidden love so there’s definitely a little Romeo & Juliet vibe to it, and there’s also tragedy. Where Taylor really wins amongst YA reads is that this doesn’t end with all things well, and all roads paved in gold (of course, neither did R&J). Karou and Akiva have much to work out, lots of answers to obtain, and two worlds to guide to peace – can they? I’ll move on with this series to find out, that is for sure!

I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not compensated for any of my reviews.