Daughter of Smoke & Bone [Review]

Stats:
#1 in Daughter of Smoke & Bone series
424 Pages Kindle
Published 27 September 2011
ASIN: B004QX076Y
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Synopsis:
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?


My Thoughts:
Karou is a 17 year old art student with bright blue hair and lots of tattoos living in Prague. She is an orphan who is fostered by Brimstone, a mysterious wish-making chimaera, who is part reptile, part ram, and part lion. Needless to say, Karou does not have a normal life.  Brimstone's dwelling is a portal of sorts. Karou can come in the door in Prague and leave in Paris. It is also home to Issa, Twiga, Yasei and Kishmish - all of whom are like family to Karou. She makes runs for Brimstone to retrieve teeth of all sorts. He never tells her what they are for and in return she gets a few small wishes.

On a mission to retrieve some elephant tusks in Paris, Karou returns to the portal door and sees a handprint burned into the wood.

Enter: Akiva. He and the other seraph are ready to put a stop to Brimstone and the rest of the chimaera race - who have been at war for as long as anyone can remember. They have been marking all of the portals.


I just have to say that Laini Taylor definitely ranks high in my favorite authors. Her writing is flawless. Her character and world building is outstanding. Her storytelling is ridiculously awesome. I didn't want to put this book down. I wanted to keep reading, even after I finished. The backstory she weaves into the current events is incredible. If you all haven't read this one, pick it up now! I'm kicking myself for not picking it up sooner. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series and more of Laini Taylor's books.


Previous Review:
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley [here]

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