Search - Poison Princess (Arcana Chronicles, Bk 1)

This book was AWESOME...right up until the last few chapters. I was totally hooked & loving the story...then BAM--Cole speeds through the last few chapters on high-octane, leaving a path of destruction a mile wide. She left more loose ends than she wrapped up.

Great story--TERRIBLE miserable rotten unhappy ending. Prepare yourself.

I've been a big lover of Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series for years. So, when I heard that her publisher offered a free 17 chapter view of her YA novel, Poison Princess, I jumped all over the chance to check it out. I totally wasn't disappointed. I ended up buying the full-length novel that same day.

If you're looking for a typical happy-go-lucky YA novel, this very much is NOT it. Kresley Cole takes this book to some dark places, just like she takes her IAD heroines through. This book is YA, so there is no sex, but there are some very steamy scenes between the two main characters.

Evangeline Green is a typical rich southern cheerleader. Blonde, football boyfriend, loving mother, huge mansion. But there's something different about Evie. She has visions, horrifying visions of an apocalyptic nature. Having just come back from a summer in a children's mental hospital in Atlanta, Evie is doing everything she can to fit back in at school.

Jackson Deveaux is new to the school, along with several of his Cajun friends from across the bayou. He is the typical bad-boy. Did a stint in jail, rides a motorcycle, carries a hip flask. And he's totally enraptured with Evie.

Jack and Evie spark at every moment, until something momentous happens... Evie's apocalyptic visions come true. Now Jack and Evie have to depend on each other while Evie learns about who she really is... a member of the Major Arcana. A war is coming, and Evie and Jack will have to do everything they can to survive it.

This book is not your typical post-apocalyptic read. While there are a form of zombies, no government, and humanity turning on itself, there's also a PNR edge to it that Kresley Cole makes shine through. The idea of people being the cards of a tarot deck, their powers based on their cards, is wonderful. Completely unlike anything I've ever read before!

I instantly fell in love with Evie and Jack, although the fact that I still don't quite know where they stand together is a little annoying, it also helps set up the next book. If you've never read Kresley Cole before, this book would be a great introduction! I totally recommend picking it up today!

Green Goddess on a Tarot spread, I haven't been this hyped for a book two in quite some time. (well, since reading First Grave on my Right)
Kresley has earned herself a fan. Her writing sucked me in and left me jealous. It's obvious she had me b/c I can't necessarily relate to her characters and couldn't imagine myself staying attracted to Jack and I still loved this story.

If I hadn't been reading this as part of a challenge I would have given up several times. I wasn't really getting it and the main character was so irritating. Also, my memory is just not good enough to get the most out of cliffhangers.

But those are my issues and since I'm a huge Kresley Cole fan, I'm happy I stuck it out. The story was disturbing and gritty and maybe even a realistic take on the end of the world. This is a good read and I hope I remember the bulk of the story by the time the next installment comes out.