Wings (Black City #3) by Elizabeth Richards

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published June 12th 2014 by Putnam Juvenile

Following the cliffhanger ending of Phoenix, Natalie finds herself separated from Ash and unexpectedly reunited with her parents, including the father she thought was dead. But she can only think of Ash. She hasn't heard a word of him since she and Elijah were brought to the underground headquarters of the Sentry Rebellion. But she vows to find him.

Ash, meanwhile is back in Black City; it's the perfect place to hide from the Sentry government. But not for long. He won't give up on Natalie or bringing an end to the terrible reign of Purian Rose.

A pulse-racing end to an exciting series.

This book!! Oh my goodness! As you may remember from my reviews of Black City and Phoenix (if you haven't read the reviews, go do it :)), I am in love with this series and have had this book since the beginning of this year and have been waiting on putting up the review. So here we go...

Though I knew this series had to come to an end, I didn't want it to. However, no one but Elizabeth Richards could wrap up a series this well. Not only were we given new insights to Natalie and Ash, but also to so much more. I gasped, I got mad, I cried, and I loved this book from cover to cover. Sometimes when you read the third book in a trilogy, it is full of rehashing what was already talked about or done, but that was definitely not the case with Wings. 

One of my students introduced me to the series, so when I got finished reading this one (the day after I got the ARC in the mail) I took it to school and handed it to her. I wish that I could have gotten a picture of her face. It was priceless! She had it read within a few days so we have had fun talking and rehashing the series long before the others got their hands on it. 

If you haven't read the series, go now and buy it. Especially if you are missing Divergent or any of the other amazing YA Dystopian novels out there. You won't regret it! Visit Elizabeth Richards here to find out more about her, her books, and other goodies!

Happy reading!

Phoenix (Black City #2) by Elizabeth Richards

Kindle Edition, 273 pages

Published June 4th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile 

 

 Ash and Natalie are just starting to build a life together when things in the United Sentry States go from bad to worse. Ash and Natalie find themselves at the center of turmoil when dictator Purian Rose threatens Natalie’s life unless Ash votes in favor of Rose’s Law—a law that will send Darklings and other dissenters to a deadly concentration camp known as the Tenth.

When Ash can’t bring himself to trade Natalie’s life for those of millions of Darklings, her fate is sealed. Enter Elijah Theroux, the handsome Bastet boy Natalie once saved from her mother’s labs, where he’d been experimented on and tortured. It was his venom the Sentry used to create the lethal Golden Haze, the heart of the government conspiracy that led to Black City’s uprising and Ash’s rebirth as the Phoenix, the face of the rebellion. Elijah is back and Ash doesn’t like him; it’s clear he’s taken with Natalie, and Ash fears she may have feelings for him as well.

But Elijah also may have the answer to taking down Purian Rose for good—a powerful weapon called the Ora. Ash, Natalie and Elijah just have to escape Black City undetected to find it. But fleeing the city and finding this weapon (if it even exists) are easier said than done, and the quest could tear Ash and Natalie apart, even pushing them into the arms of others.

This enthralling sequel to Black City is just as absorbing, delicious and steamy as the first book, leaving readers hungry for the series conclusion.

 

 

I told you it would be up soon :) Both books were actually finished within 4 days of each other... but again, I had to teach so that took away precious reading time!! Haha!

 

You know how sometimes the sequel to a great book was such a let down? No title please, no titles! Believe me when I say that this one will not leave you disappointed. Though it may leave you a little (no A LOT) antsy for the next, and final, book! And the Cliffhanger of the Year Award goes to....

ELIZABETH RICHARDS

for her amazing work in Phoenix (Black City #2)

 

Seriously,  that is the only warning I will give you so don't say I didn't warn you. Just when you think you have it almost figured out, Richards has an amazing way of throwing all that you know up in the air and making you rethink it all. The fact that she does that and keeps readers on their toes is what draws me into her story even more. I have said it before, but there are certain genres that are starting to have books that all sound the same and (as I said in my review of Black City) this series is such a breath of fresh air. This series is one that has something for everyone because of the dynamic story that is told throughout each page. It has drama for all, a romance for the girls, major fighting and death for the guys and everything else you could ask for.

 

I just saw where someone tweeted that if you are missing Divergent, then this is the series you need to read next and I couldn't agree anymore!  

 

Make sure to visit Elizabeth here for updates on the final book, contests and much more! By the way... I entered her  "Show Me Your Pumpkins" contest to win a signed copy of Phoenix and swag and guess what?! I WON!!! Here is the winning pumpkin (inspired by Divergent) along with my kids pumpkins they carved!

 

 

 

I am so excited :) Maybe she will accidently slip in a copy of Wings (Black City #3) for me! Hey... a girl can dream, right?! 

 

Happy reading all! 

Black City (Black City #1) by Elizabeth Richards

Hardcover, 374 pages

Published November 13th 2012 by G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR 

 

  

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-old Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

 

I love nothing more than getting a book recommendation from my students.  And I really mean that! They find some of the greatest books that I miss out on sometimes (despite my vast reading selection). Black City is by far one of the best recommendations of books that I have gotten in a very long time! I must say though, that when Jade (my amazing student) told me about it I was a little hesitant. Vampires and I have not gotten along for a while. But I decided to give it a chance and a mere 12 hours later... I was done with the book. It would have been sooner but I had to do my pesky job and teach kiddos! Haha!

This book is not your typical vampire story in any way, shape, or form. The amazing wold that Elizabeth Richards has built in the dystopian society is unlike anything I have ever experienced and its unique writing was a breath of fresh air to my reading addiction. Natalie and Ash have obstacles to jump over, under and through but the biggest one is each other. The dynamics between the two are so real and well written that you can picture them in your head very easily. This is by far one of my top reads of this year and I am just so sorry that I didn't find it sooner. Thank goodness for my amazing students!! 

Happy reading!

PS: I have to admit that I didn't take the time to write this review before getting Phoenix (Black City #2) on my Kindle that night and finishing it a few hours later! So look for that review very soon... because you know I am already done with it now too :)