Reviews: Starling and Descendant by Lesley Livingston

Starling (Starling, #1)Starling
(Starling #1)
by Lesley Livingston
YA Urban Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook341 Pages
August 28th 2012 by HarperTeen

Summary

Mason Starling is a champion fencer on the Gosforth Academy team, but she's never had to fight for her life. Not until the night a ferocious, otherworldly storm rips through Manhattan, trapping Mason and her teammates inside the school. Mason is besieged by nightmarish creatures more terrifying than the thunder and lightning as the raging tempest also brings a dangerous stranger into her life: a young man who remembers nothing but his name—the Fennrys Wolf. His arrival tears Mason's world apart, even as she feels an undeniable connection to him. Together, they seek to unravel the secrets of Fenn's identity as strange and supernatural forces gather around them. When they discover Mason's family—with its dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods—is at the heart of the mystery, Fennrys and Mason are suddenly faced with a terrifying future.

Set against the gritty, shadowed back-drop of New York City, this first novel in award-winning author Lesley Livingston's epic Starling Saga is an intoxicating blend of sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action.
  

My Review

I really enjoyed Livingston's Wonderous Strange Series, so I was really looking forward to reading this one and hoping that I would enjoy it just as much. I was pleased  to find that it did not disappoint.

For me the thing that pulls me right into this author's stories are her characters and the overall sarcastic, snarky, yet sincere voices. Descendant did a fabulous job introducing the main characters in this series with a big bang all in an opening scene. I knew right away that I would love Mason and Fennrys. How could I not with all the banter and smirking thrown  around? Then there was also an immediate fierceness shown from the characters as they battled for their lives.

The plot moved on from there, giving pieces of the overall prophecy and the other involved parties. There is also still enough mystery that it was hard to know for sure who was on which side and who Mason could trust. The end of book one definitely let me dying for book two to find out how Mason fairs and if the end of the world will actually come.

If you enjoyed Livingston's other series or enjoy urban fantasy, then I'd definitely pick this one up.

Content: Some innuendo and violence. Quite a bit of mild swearing and some heavier swearing (a few s-words). Otherwise, clean.
Source: Library


Descendant (Starling, #2)Descendant
(Starling #2)
by Lesley Livingston
YA Urban Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook336 Pages
August 27th 2013 by HarperTeen

Summary

The last thing Mason Starling remembers is the train crossing a bridge. An explosion . . . a blinding light . . . then darkness. Now she is alone, stranded in Asgard—the realm of Norse legend—and the only way for her to get home is to find the Spear of Odin, a powerful relic left behind by vanished gods.

The Fennrys Wolf knows all about Asgard. He was once trapped there. And he’ll do whatever it takes to find the girl who’s stolen his heart and bring her back—even if it means a treacherous descent into the Underworld. But time is running out, and Fenn knows something Mason doesn’t: If she takes up the Spear, she’ll set in motion a terrible prophecy. And she won’t just return to her world . . . she’ll destroy it.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Starling, Lesley Livingston delivers another electrifying blend of nonstop action and undeniable romance that will leave readers breathless.
  

My Review

After reading the first book in this series I was excited to continue on to find out how Mason faired in Asgard. The author did a great job in giving enough info as a reminder as to what happened in the first book for those that might not remember. Sometimes authors give too much or too little info and I felt there was a good medium here. We basically pick right back up from where we left off in Starling.

There continued to be quite  bit of action in Descendent. I liked that it wasn't too little or too  much. I also liked that Mason has continued to grow and mature. She is still somewhat that scared little girl after a terrible childhood experience, but she is also learning that there is much more to her and that she can rise above the fear, especially with Fenn by her side.

I also liked the new characters that were introduced, especially Loki. They all has different roles to play and played them well, adding much to the  story, I also liked that the  plot was explained more fully, even though I think it is a somewhat changing thing with different pieces and so many players. It did feel slightly like a middle book, as in a filler in some ways for the series, but in other ways there was quite a bit of info and character development that was important to the story moving forward.

Another great book in the series and one I'd recommend for fans and those who read urban fantasy.

Content: Some innuendo and violence. Quite a bit of mild swearing and some heavier swearing (a few s-words). Otherwise, clean.
Source: Library


I'm a tour stop for the third book in this series, Transcendent, today here. Go check out my review and enter the giveaway!

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