Review: Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2) by Kresley Cole

Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Dystopian, Adventure
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased by Reviewer
Goodreads • Amazon


In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles.

Shocking secrets

Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who’ve been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It’s kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies

With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery

When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she’s drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can’t remember—but Death can’t forget…


He made the sign of the cross.

He made the sign of the cross when he saw what she was. Evie tries not to let it hurt her, his sign of revulsion, but it's difficult. She's in love with him, and she knows it. A part of her hoped that he would accept her—regardless of her true nature—but that seems impossible now.

The cat is out of the bag now, so to speak. Jack knows everything: he knows that Evie has supernatural powers. He knows that she and their companions are part of a much larger game. He knows that she's a killer. He knows that this is no longer "his party."

And he knows he still wants Evie.

As the odd man out in their hodgepodge group, Jackson Deveaux immediately returns to his brooding nature. And Evie is going out of her mind thinking that he hates her.

The gang continues their journey to find her grandmother—Evie's last hope at learning how to play the game to end it. As they travel, their purpose is revealed; alliances are formed; secrets are uncovered.

And Death is on their heels.

More specifically, Evie's heels. For some inexplicable reason, Death is obsessed with her. And she gets the feeling that it is not because of the game. Something has happened between them in the past. She can't remember what, and he can't help but to.

But now she's in his grasp. And she can't deny her attraction to him.... There is something so eternal—inevitable—about them.

I want to start by saying: I got a lot of grief for the cover of this novel. I pretty much spent all my classes reading (don't worry, my classes were boring), and all my friends laughed at the vampire-esque cover photo. It was pretty funny in retrospect, but at the time I was slightly mortified and took extra care to conceal the cover. Yes, I know I could have taken it off, but I didn't want to rip the cover either.

But it was a great conversation starter!

"Elizabeth, are you reading a vampire romance?"
"No! It's about Tarot Cards and an apocalypse. And there are zombies. And now they have to form an alliance and ohmygawd they're having sex right now! What is going on?!"
"Wait really—can I see?!"

These are mostly guys I'm talking to. So enjoy that image of me getting a few guys to hold a book with that cover. I was so proud and should have gotten a photo.

Downside, though? I was definitely blushing in the middle of class—so people knew. And a few probably thought I was reading Fifty Shades of Grey.

But how did I feel about this novel?

In a word: confused. I mean, I liked it. I definitely was engrossed by it. But I cannot sort out my particular feelings about it.

I still love the characters! Matthew and Finn are my homeboyz—a true bromance! And I especially love the teenage girls and their dynamics. They are so ridiculously catty and it brings me great joy to watch them all but scratch each other's eyes out.

And, to an extent, it is a fairly accurate representation of teenage girls' behavior when it comes to boys.

Aaaand now it's time for my rant! Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen—I have a lot to say!

So remember when I said that I thought I could tolerate Evie as a person? Yeah, I withdraw that statement. She skipped past stupid and landed right on dumbass for this round.

I have a strong suspicion that Evie is the kind of girl who can't help but be in a relationship—which is impressive and unfortunate, given her apocalyptic setting. There is slim pickings in the After Flash world, but boy, does she know how to pick 'em!

Spoiler alert: she is definitely experiencing major Stockholm Syndrome, and I want nothing more than to slap her and isolate her from all men. She just cannot seem to make a rational decision. And she is attracted to terrible qualities in men: like possessiveness. I am not talking about jealousy, that is fine—you do you Jackson and Death—but I am talking about how both of her suitors seem to view her as an object to be coveted rather than a person to be loved. And I strongly disagree with that notion and don't think that this view of "what love should be" should be perpetuated for young(er) readers. Both men are vindictive and manipulative and I don't think they should be presented as desirable.

Also, I am sorely tempted to tag this as "Raunchy Reads with Izzy." This book—I don't know how—took a sharp left turn and somehow ended up with semi-explicit sex. Which, I do not mean to demonize sex—it is a perfectly natural and enjoyable part of human life—but I am disconcerted by it being depicted this way in a YA novel.

To be perfectly honest, I don't know how I feel about it. I think it wouldn't have bothered me, had it not been tied to an unhealthy representation of a relationship.

Also, the age difference between Death and Evie weirds me out. I don't mean the fact that he's about a millennia older than her, I mean that he is 23 and she is 17. Give her three years, Death, and I might feel better about you.

Okay, rant done.

I did enjoy this book. But you all know how particular I am about romance and the representation of what is a healthy relationship. The plot itself is interesting, though, and I definitely recommend you guys read this series!

Until next time, my loves!

About the Author

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the U.S. and abroad.

Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. Two of her favorite places to visit include the rain forests of Central America and the Far North Queensland area of Australia (where, by the way, she would not recommend swimming outside of the stinger nets–at night).

Cole lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals.” She spends any free time traveling and enjoys all things related to boats and water.

Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1) by Kresley Cole

Release Date: July 9, 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian, Romance
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased by Reviewer
Goodreads • Amazon


She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life—until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, killing everyone she loves, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally trust Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…

In Poison Princess, New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces a dark and intriguing world, full of unspeakable danger and irresistible romance.


About a week into Evie's sophomore year, the world is all but destroyed by the great cosmic event called "The Flash." The night where the sun shone and the Earth was scorched. After the Flash, life is brutal; civilization is slipping away as people struggle to survive in this barren, new landscape. With no water, no plants, and the zombie-like bagmen that sate their insatiable thirst with human blood, things are looking pretty grim for the once-queen-bee Evangeline Greene.

Sure, she had seen the events of the Flash before they had occurred, had noticed how plants seem to beckon at her command, but she thought she had been insane! With voices in her head and survival on her mind, Evie sets out with the bad boy of her school, Jackson Deveaux, to find some answers.

Will romance blossom in this desert land?

The answer is yes. Yes it will. Be forewarned, my short synopsis does not even begin to cover all of the intricacies of this plot.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I thought the plot was interesting and am eager to see where it goes—I've already lined up The Endless Knight (book #2) for me to read when I get the chance. I know nothing about tarot cards, however, so there may be inaccuracies in the plot. I'm sure the author would fact-check, but you know, sometimes they get creative with known truths.

I do have to say, though, that it took me a while to get into the story. I felt like the first third of the book was filler. Granted, it gave you context with the characters (such as Evie and Jack's standing relationship and events leading up to the Flash), but I felt that it could've moved faster. Also, the way it is written was hard for me to wrap my head around. It had something to do with the syntax, but I can't pinpoint exactly what it was. Maybe it was just the fact that it is narrated by a teenage girl and I am losing touch with my inner teenager? I don't know, BUT, the last half of the novel was really enrapturing! I stayed up until 1:00 AM to finish it (I am a grandma at heart, so my bed time floats around 10:00 usually)!

Now let's get into the characters, because you all know how I love to pick them apart!

Evie:
This girl has a crap-ton of issues, and I'm not just talking about the voices in her head and her weird powers. Sometimes, I think she is too naive to be true. And it can get super infuriating. But that is the author's call, of course. I understand why Cole wants Evie to be perceived as innocent and helpless, so that her growth as a character is more prominent, but sometimes I think it borders on the irrational. That being said, Evie is probably one of he few heroines that I think I'd be able to tolerate in person. For the most part (again voices and powers aside) she is a normal teenage girl. I can deal with normal teenage girls, just not "the destiny of the world rests in my hands, so let's go jump off of a building" kind of girls. I'm talking to you, Tris Prior. You are dumb some most of the time. If nothing else, I feel like I would keep Evie in line and talk her out of doing stupid things. But, to be fair, she is a little over sixteen, and I did some pretty dumb stuff when I was that age. Hell, if I were in her shoes—not sure if I were insane or not—I probably would have caved in after a few months.

Jack:
Jack is the classic bad boy that makes all the good girls swoon. Myself included some of the times. Other times, I would slap his backward, sexist ways right out of him. However, I'd like to think that I would be more physically competent than Evie is; so I would be justified in my slapping his beautiful face. Jackson "Jack" Deveaux is an enigma to me. His moods fluctuate faster than his sixteen-year-old girl companion, and it leaves me dizzy at times. I just cannot keep up with him. And neither can Evie, for that matter. So obviously, we both get frustrated with him.

He is a large, competent, and, not to mention, sexy boy, who is wrapped up in so many insecurities around Evie. He seems stuck on the idea that, just because she came from a wealthier family, she is always looking down her nose at him. Which is not true. At all. At least, not after the Flash. I can honestly say that his insecurities are probably my biggest pet peeve. Granted, Evie is not the best communicator. If I were Evie, I would've had a long chat with him a while ago about where I stand and how I feel, but I think that would be too rational of a move for the plot to bear.

Selena:
She comes in later, and I just have to say this: the reader's perception of her is definitely biased. I actually like her and I just think she is in an unfortunate situation. Both Jack and Evie are unfair to her, and that makes me sympathize with her brusque nature.

Those are the three I wanted to cover, but obviously there are more and they are awesome/not-so-awesome! I am pretty excited to see where Cole is taking this story after how this novel ended, and I hope I can read it soon!

I would suggest you guys read it; just know you have to stick with it for it to get good!

About the Author

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the U.S. and abroad.

Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. Two of her favorite places to visit include the rain forests of Central America and the Far North Queensland area of Australia (where, by the way, she would not recommend swimming outside of the stinger nets–at night).

Cole lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals.” She spends any free time traveling and enjoys all things related to boats and water.