Lailah

The Styclar Saga #1

by Nikki Kelly

The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely ally – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Vampires, Angels, Romance, Supernatural

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Nikki Kelly was born and raised only minutes away from the chocolately scent of Cadbury World in Birmingham, England. So it will probably come as no surprise that when She's not dreaming in Vampires & Angels, She dreams in chocolate! For the past ten years She has lived in West London with her hubby and two dogs, Alfie - the Pug & Goose - the Chihuahua.

Reviews

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Anytime a Big Bad vamp bites through a pregnant angel's stomach and infects the baby with its venom in the first few pages of a book, it's a pretty clear indicator of what you're in for.

If that sounds awesome to you, then, hey, you might love LAILAH by Nikki Kelly.

BUT . . . if you're like me and think that's just about as cornball as it can get . . . you are not wrong.

Francesca doesn't know what she is, she only knows that she cannot die. If she's injured badly enough, she can appear to be dead while her body shuts down to repair itself. When this happens, she wakes up with incomplete memories from her prior life that come to her in fits and starts, and sometimes while she sleeps. She has no idea how old she is, but she knows she's much older than her seventeen year old appearance.

The only thing she's sure about is the man whose face she's been seeing in her dreams throughout all her lives. The man who radiates light, the man whose beauty makes her heart ache, the man with a golden halo of blond curly hair . . . Gabriel. *rolls eyes*

But while Gabriel is the man of her dreams (HA!), Jonah in the injured vamp in her backyard. And even though her last life ended when she came face-to-face with the darker nature of vampires (the more recent the past life, the more vivid the memories), Francesca has a "hunch" that Jonah is different, so despite knowing that he's been tortured, starved, and is grievously injured, she ignores his warnings to keep her distance, lest he exsanguinate her, and cuts her own wrist, forcing him to drink.

The only reason she survives this idiocy is b/c Jonah's captors show up, distracting him from her blood, and then--OMG!--freshly fed, he somehow manages to take out ALL the bad guys.

Hmmm . . . I wonder if there's something different, something super special about Francesca's blood?

But while Jonah is busy with the vamps, Francesca hears/sees a silver bullet racing straight towards Jonah's heart, so she jumps in front of it, getting hit in the shoulder, and passes out.

When she comes to, none other than Gabriel himself is leaning over her. And not only is her dream man there--in the flesh--but would you believe that he's also the angelic leader of the motley band of good(ish) vamps that Jonah belongs to?

SMALL world.

And what a cruel twist of fate. After spending countless lives alone, she had just found Jonah, with whom she shared an instant connection. Jonah, who bares a remarkable resemblance to Damon Salvatore, both in appearance and temperament.



But then there's Gabriel. Gabriel who she's longed for in all of her lives . . . it's just SO confusing. What's a girl to do?<------W-A-F-F-L-E.

So the plot's ridiculous. How about the writing?

He wasted no time scooping me up off the bark and thrusting my body against his. He clung to me, allowing no space between us, pushing his hand into my soaking hair. Eventually I removed my face from his chest and stared up into his eyes; they were enlarged with worry and brimming over with sadness.

He didn't hug or embrace her, he thrust her body against his. She didn't look up, she removed . . . her face . . . from his chest. *headdesk* His eyes weren't wide, they were . . . enlarged.

Then there was the single page in which Francesca was, "utterly perplexed," "bewildered," and "completely dumbfounded," in quick succession.

I also have this peeve about people using the word "literally" for emphasis: I literally walked out, he literally ignored her, she literally just got here, etc.

STAHP. Ugh.

And let's not forget about all the random and bizarre, yet technically correct, words that can be found on nearly every page. Like when the monster vamp slices off a lock of Francesca's hair, and instead of smelling it, or lifting it to his nose, he raised it to his "orifices."

*sing songs* Someone literally needs to have their thesaurus confiscated.

And that's all I got. There were moments that were relatively painless, but overall . . . Lailah by Nikki Kelly was not for me. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the sound of a Fallen + Twilight + Vampire Diaries mashup + a surplus of adverbs, and a questionable use of adjectives.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Negative One Star

Before I start, let me say that had I carefully read this galley description, I would have never picked this book up. Why? Wattpad. I’ve never read anything good on Wattpad. Granted, I know that those are typically first drafts and therefore get a LOT more leeway from me.

But this book has a publisher. So guess what?



So prepare for the longest review I've written because I feel it is my obligation to warn you about this book. It’s terrible. It’s just awful. I regret reading this except that it showed me that every single YA cliché can be put into one easy to read book.

I’m not joking.











I’ll get to the plot—what little there is—in a moment. But first!

Characters

Lailah/Cessie/Francesca

The biggest Mary-Sue I’ve ever encountered.



She’s perfect looking, passive but randomly strong when the story calls for it, rapid healing, passive, painful past, passive, learns everything way fucking quickly, passive, attracts every man’s attention, passive, and is like, super duper smart guys. Because only smart people know how to play chess.

But she is too fucking stupid to live. Pureblood vampires out to get you? Angel says to stay put? Demons say to stay put?

YOLO! Let’s follow this random old woman down the street because hey, that looks like fun.

Are you fucking kidding me?

She jumps in between happy and angry all the damn time. “Oh, Gabriel loves me. I know he does. But he’s caught in compromising positions with Hanora! Well, then I better go kiss Jonah. But I love Gabriel! He’s what I remembered in between lives. But Jonah tastes so good. Like a million tragillion ice cream cones all wrapped in one with zero calories.”

She never puts on makeup, never wears anything revealing, hates taking money from people, is instantly jealous of all the women she comes across, ridiculously self conscious, and OF FUCKING COURSE EVERYONE LOVES HER!

That’s not a joke. Everyone loves this chick. There’s some random guy 80% in who shows up just to try to get in her pants for no reason. Seriously. What is the whole point of showing us that?

At 80% in, we already have three love interests. Well, two who she’s interested in, but all three think she’s their one true love. All three. Because clearly the most a woman can hope to be is sexually attractive to every asshole.



She doesn’t do a damn thing in this story except run away when it’s the last thing you want to be doing! Seriously, she just keeps running away from Gabriel, Jonah, her life, the vampires, the angels, every little damn thing. Why does she run away?

Because how else is the plot supposed to move forward? Guys, writing characters with legitimate desires and motivations is like….so, so hard. It’s just hard, alright?



Of course it’s hard! It’s the hardest thing about writing, but you have to fucking get it, alright?! If you don’t know a clear cut path of motivations between one action and the next, you don’t fucking write it! It’s seriously a “Do Not Pass Go—Do Not Collect $200” sort of thing.

Otherwise your characters are inconsistent, your believability is gone, your plot is mediocre at best, and if none of those exist, YOU DON’T HAVE A STORY!

It doesn’t even have to be hard. Take Alice from Alice in Wonderland. You know what she wanted to do? Find the White Rabbit. Everything she did was in search of that White Rabbit. Yes, things happened. Conflict happened. But we knew why Alice moved from A to B.

Lailah? Uh, she wanted to get one of the guys. She was particular to Gabriel, but really I think she would have taken Jonah. Also, there was something about trying to find out who she was. But that was secondary because penises.

Gabriel

Lailah’s one true love who keeps so many unnecessary secrets he could be an honorary Winchester.



Sorry guys, but really. We could be down to like five seasons if you just reigned in your secret keeping habits. Where was I?

Oh, right. Gabriel. The necessary good side to our love triangle. He loves Lailah, has a guilt complex, and keeps her in the dark about everything because see above “Writing is Hard” gif.

He also lets Hanora climb all over him because how else is Lailah supposed to be jealous and go to Jonah?

Um, he’s also supposed to be real real smart because chess. Other than that, there’s really nothing to Gabriel except this ridiculous attraction he and Lailah have for one another. Oh, and a telepathic bond. Have I mentioned that? Because writing is hard.

Also, super rich. He has to leave the country to talk to a different angel because angels are allergic to cell phones, I presume. They interfere with their halos.

Oh wait, they don’t have halos! But let’s hold off on the crappy world building for later, won’t we?

Jonah

Fucking prick.

He’s the bad boy side to our love triangle. It’s seriously a formula and I hate it. Here’s this formula in a diagram:



He undresses Lailah without consent. She doesn’t like it, but doesn’t say anything. But let’s back up here, because there are a few clues to let him know that she is not all onboard this no pants dance off.

First, the goddamn door was locked. Second, there doesn’t have to be a second because YOU BROKE INTO HER ROOM AND STOLE HER DRESSING GOWN! But even if there needed to be, that’s the second. She asked for the dressing gown, which you didn’t give. She put space between you by going around the bed. She waved you to the door.

This is sexual harassment. I don’t care that she never came out and said she was uncomfortable because literally everything else she did during this scene screamed it. These aren’t unclear signs.

Then Lailah goes and feels guilty for making him feel unwanted.



He stalks Lailah because that’s sexy behavior. No, I’m serious. YA makes it look like stalking people is sexy behavior and not creepy as fuck. He tells Lailah that she can’t be with Gabriel because insert some vague reason here.

At the same time, Lailah is very clearly using him to get back at Gabriel so then I don’t hate Jonah as much as I should because fuck Lailah.

Fuck Jonah, too. But fuck Lailah.

Plot

Oh aren’t you adorable! There’s no plot. There’s less plot than Twilight. Vampires and angels are coming after Lailah because she’s the mix between the two and that means something but I don’t even know because it was so damn vague that I couldn’t get it on straight.

Seriously. Someone read this book and tell me why Lailah was so important. Go on. I’ll wait here.

Are you back yet?

Did the plot have to do with the 30% of the book we spend shopping? Or maybe the 20% of convenient scenes where Lailah sees exactly what she needs to at exactly the right time to be mad at one of the love interests? Or how about the 50% of Lailah running away when people tell her not to because YOLO!

It was in there somewhere, right?

Can you make sense of the ending, by the way? Because I seriously have no idea what’s going on in the climax. Lailah gets reunited with. . . herself? And because of Irish Dad Stereotype? I don’t. I don’t understand.

Also, why can’t evil and good coexist in the same person because I’m positive that happens. I mean, I’m made up of good and evil. Good Me is a goody two shoes who helps her mom out at the library on weekends, volunteer at every event I can find, and donates clothing. Evil Me is an asshole who doesn’t care about people’s feelings because I need to make myself happy. I know myself longer than anyone else, therefore, I get priority from me. Fair’s fair.

See!? They can coincide!

World Building



Guys, I take my angelology seriously. I do. They’ve always fascinated me and it’s always been something of a hobby.

This book turns them into aliens. Not joking. I mean, there’s a vague reference to how their dimension is exactly like Heaven but it’s not because then we’d have to involve God in this and that would make some people angry and WRITING IS HARD, GUYS!

Seriously. They have some world called Scylar something something where everything is perfect and it’s made of crysals because things can totes survive on crystals. And then the light was dying so they went to Earth and stole a bunch of pure souls to make their crystals brighter. But it’s not really stealing because those souls are in bliss the rest of their lives.

BUT IT’S NOT HEAVEN! Even though they call themselves angels. And have angelic names. And are Archangels. And take people to a perfect place for all of eternity.



Then Not-Hell is the third dimension filled with really evil creatures like Pureblood vampires who can enter the world through the rifts left by the not-angels-but-angels when they take good souls to not-Heaven-but-Heaven.

How do the rifts get there? No idea. Why are the rifts there? No idea. How does a rift from the first to second dimension give access to the second dimension from the third dimension? No idea. How do vampires drink human blood if they live on a dimension without humans? No idea. How do angels survive on only crystals? No idea.

These are questions that HAVE to be asked when writing a novel. Someone is going to pick it apart. I’m not even doing that. I could start going into the minutia of how souls are transported, how angels have bodies, how pairs are created, and why only Purebloods can turn human into vampires. I’m not going to because not even the base questions to me are answered so I know the deeper ones won’t be either.

If you don’t have a world built, then why didn’t you just fucking leave it at Heaven and Hell?! Because then people are more apt to believe it because hello, religious precedent for all of the questions I’m asking. But no. It had to be “original” and in doing so, became laughable.

It would have almost been better if it were omitted altogether. I’m not kidding.

Research

Alright guys, here's the piece where everyone tunes me out because I'm gonna talk sports. BUT! Let me have my say.

Jonah was a high school football player who was so good that he got a full scholarship to Florida State University. He proceeded to squander it by getting drunk, not showing up to games, and generally terrible things.

You know what Florida State University is? A football powerhouse. Number One in college football as in the best. (I'm writing this as of September 20th, but I hope they lose soon. Go Oregon! I'm a University of Arizona fan, but you know. Conference pride.)

You know what would happen if one of their scholarship players went AWOL? Media coverage. A fuck ton of it. Google "Jameis Winston" and see what happens when their Quarterback decides to say crude things on a school table, let alone completely leave.

Everyone in America would, by no wish of their own, know who Jonah was and be on the lookout for him. Because there ain't no circus like a media circus.

Writing

Amateurish.

Please keep in mind that the below quotes are from an unfinished galley and may change by the time this is actually published.

Seeing Jonah battle against the evil nature that had been bestowed upon him through no choice of his own, unwilling to accept it, I first came to appreciate that there was no such thing as good and evil; it could never be that simple. Somewhere between black and white, there were shades of gray.



You don’t say?

First, you can omit everything after the semicolon. It’s unnecessary and gives the reader the point you were trying to make without letting them reach it. Second, the entire fucking thing is stupid because of course there’s gray. Who said there wasn’t?

The heat was so fierce that I thought I might melt before the fire reached me. I froze.

What imagery do you want me to come away with there? Hot or cold?

”Stop the car!” I shouted at Jonah, who remained oblivious to what we had been doing. My request barked like an order.

Again, it’s just one step too far. Was this edited? Literally all you have to do is cut the last sentence, change the word ‘shouted’ to ‘barked’ and everything you want is neatly conveyed.

”That was some good hurling, Cessie! I’ll try to make the rest of the journey a little less bumpy.”

Do people talk like this?

As I reached for the handle and pushed it down, the sudden force of a thousand rocks hit my back, sending me sailing through the windowpanes.

Rocks really don’t have much force on their own. The force of a thousand rocks doing what? Because if they’re just being rocks, it’s not much. Also, how big? Pebbles? Because that brings a thought of stinging sensation. Boulders? Different connotation altogether.

Am I being overly critical? Maybe. I won’t deny that I pretty much always am a terrible person to read with or watch movies with. But these are very real problems that should be addressed that I think a lot of people will pick up on.

I caused an asterism; I was the creator of the six-rayed points that now reflected back at me. His stars of Ceylon expanded, verging on the precipice of an explosion into a gigantic supernova.



What does that mean?! There’s random large words throughout this book that make it seem like it’s common vocabulary when it’s just not. I don’t have a great vocabulary but quick, what do amaranthine and sclera mean? And why couldn’t you just use red and white of the eyes instead?

He smeared his clamminess around to my back. . .

*snickers*

Sinking in as far as I could, I bobbed my head under and swilled my face.

Okay, this one is a legitimate question. Is that an alright sentence? Because I don’t know if maybe I’m in the wrong here or if it’s a culture difference between America and Britain. See, because you don’t swill your face. You can swill your mouth out with something, but your face can’t swill anything. It’s used more than a few times in this book though, so I have no idea if it’s a legitimate complaint or not.

“End you” appears a fuck ton in the end too. Instead of death because of reasons.

I have more, dear God do I have more, but I’ll leave it at this because I seriously can’t with this book anymore. Looking at all the notes I took is depressing because clichés aren’t the downfall of a book. They really aren’t. You take a cliché and you turn it on its head to make it original. Nothing is original anymore, but if you tweak it just right, it works.



This was clearly the first book someone has written and it got noticed by enough people. This author can definitely get better with practice and more words under her belt. I don’t mean to belittle her for writing a book because it’s hard fucking work.

But this is why authors tend to revise more than they write. This is why it’s recommended you get a million words down before publishing a novel. Because the first thing you tend to write is everything you love from every different story you’ve ever adored, and a good book it does not make.

Complete revision necessary. Motivations need to be developed. Characters cannot be caricatures. Plot is essential. Backstory must at least have a strong surface.

Zero on this novel and not recommended to anyone unless you want to see why you don’t publish anything until it’s been revised, or preferably, your third novel.

[Giselle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really REALLY wanted to love this one. A girl with mysterious powers who doesn't age and can apparently never truly die!? What's not cool about that? If it wasn't for the infinite details that bogged the plot down to a snail's pace, it might have fared better with me, but my interest quickly waned and kept dropping until I found myself skimming the last few chapters.

I love a book that immediately throws you in the action like Lailah does, grabbing your attention with all the excitement, but in this case I mostly felt dazed by the disorganized chaos. This abrupt start left me with no time to get to know our main character, I simply felt disjointed without any emotional investment. When we meet Gabriel, for instance, we find out Lailah had been having dreams about him, and finally meeting him in real life is apparently a monumental event for her. Me: I couldn't care less, having had no idea about these dreams before this very second. I think more time should have been spent developing her as a character before turning her life upside down. Then these "emotional" happenings would have actually meant something to the reader.

And then there's the romance. It definitely touches on a lot of clichés. We have the love triangle where, to no one's surprise, one is evil and one is an angel. This might not have been so bad if I didn't dislike both love interests so much. Gabriel is simply infuriating with his non-answers. When a character knows everything the reader doesn't and only keeps saying stuff like "you will get answers all in good time" - don't you just want to punch them? That doesn't make him "mysterious" or "mystical" or whatever the point is, it's only frustrating. Then we have Jonah. Oh. My. Word! *shudders* He creeped me out from the very start. The boy tries to physically force Lailah to show him her scar. Like, he shoves her against a wall and tries to forcibly pull her shirt down to see it. And Lailah finds this exciting. Wtf? Then he sneaks into her room while she's changing like a freaking serial killer (her door was locked, too). Yeppers, he becomes a love interest in this story! WHY!! Taste in men aside, Lailah is an okay character. Though like I said, I never felt very attached to her. She does have a few quirks that are especially annoying. Her jealousy towards Hanora is a bit much. Like, way much! She can't talk to Gabriel without turning into a huge bitch only because Hanora is in the same vicinity. Whoa, girl! You're nowhere near married to this guy!

The plot is exciting and creative. We've got an imaginative take on angels and how evil came to earth. I was also intrigued by Lailah's place in all of this. She's obviously someone very… different and important. I did have an idea where it was all going, but I still found myself surprised by a few aspects of the twist. It's well thought-out and makes for a promising sequel. Getting to these answers, however, felt like it took 25 years. There were so many unimportant details and drawn-out descriptions that it considerably bogged down the story. And some sentences were simply bizarre, as if they were trying too hard to be wordy. For example:

"I felt disoriented, woozy. I placed my hand across my head and presented the palm to myself, smeared with blood"
--Presented the palm to myself? Really?

And then:
"His brilliant blue irises opened and expanded into the shrinking white sclera that surrounded them."
--Ew!

It has a great premise; creative and intriguing with some good twists, but everything else failed to grab me. You know what they say: You come for the plot, but you stay for the characters. I did not stay...

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Alyssa · Rating 1 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Lailah by Nikki Kelly
Book One of the Styclar series
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Rating: 1 star
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Over one million Wattpad readers have made Lailah a sensation!

The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely Allie – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.

What I Liked:

Er. Um. Well. Redeeming qualities, have we any to mention for this book? Hmm... NO.

What I Did Not Like:

I'm not entirely sure what you might consider a "spoiler", or how careful I was with avoiding them, so basically read at your own risk.

I can't remember why I picked this one up to begin with. It couldn't have been the summary, because had I read it, I would have been like RED ALERT, LOVE TRIANGLE AHEAD, TURN THE SHIP AROUND. It had to have been peer pressure. There is no way I would have picked this one up otherwise. The summary is awful, the cover is horrendous, and I hate angel-related books. The perfect storm of soooo not-an-Alyssa book.

Right from the start, I had a feeling that I wouldn't like Lailah - excuse me, FRANCESCA. Or Cessie (what the heck is that kind of nickname, it reminds me of Renesmee, ewww). She's pathetic, from the beginning. I cannot get over how AMAZING and POWERFUL she is supposed to be, but she's USELESS! She does nothing, cannot defend herself, or anyone! She just gets hurt A LOT (like, more than Bella Swan), and heals really quickly. Big freaking deal.

As a heroine/female protagonist, OMG, I dislike her so much. Not just because she is useless. But she acts so entitled, like she's entitled to everyone telling her the truth all the time, or entitled to everyone telling her all the details of everything, even though she JUST MET THEM. How is this attractive?! I would find her extremely annoying, and would definitely try to punch her at least once. I'm not even a violent person, but everything about Lailah makes me want to slap her or something.

I haven't even reached the worst parts yet. I seriously cannot stand her decision-making skills. There is one scene that PISSED ME OFF SO MUCH. Jonah, a vampire, drinks her blood (she offered it to him, a perfect stranger). Now he's basically fixated on her. In one scene, he wants check on her shoulder injury... but then he basically takes her shirt off. She is so uncomfortable, and doesn't want him to look at her bare back or whatever, but he does it, she lets him do it. That. Was. Disgusting. He basically assaults her and she knows it's not okay and she lets him do it, get away with it.

Does the author expect me to think that this is sexy, or something? He backs her against a wall, rips off her jacket and cardigan, while she's telling him no and trying to run away from him?! I'd be "okay" with this scene setup if Lailah was resisting, and not resisting but then caving. It's horrible, disgusting, vile. The author made a mess of this scene. You want it to be sexy? Don't have your protagonist trembling in FEAR when you secondary male protagonist undresses her.

Check out chapter five if you want to see what I mean.

For that matter, I don't like Jonah. I think I sort-of like Gabriel, at least a lot more than I like Jonah, but while I flat-out disliked Jonah, I thought Gabriel was very one-dimensional and under-developed. I WANTED to like him though. He's sweet.

While we're on the subject of "sexy" scenes - so-called "sexy" scenes, let me tell you about this AWFUL love triangle. At first, I was like, okay, Gabriel and Lailah, they have history, they seem to love each other innately, cool. But of course the author has the bit about Jonah drinking Lailah's blood, and Lailah being turned on by his "darkness", and Jonah being turned on by her non-human magic blood.

I. Hate. Love. Triangles. You know what else I hate? When the female protagonist misinterprets the actions of the male protagonist love interest (Gabriel), and then the FIRST THING SHE DOES is run off and kiss the secondary male protagonist love interest (Jonah). NOT EVEN KIDDING. She sees Hanora force herself on Gabriel (Gabriel was NOT kissing Hanora), and then Lailah goes and assumes that Gabriel is cheating on her, so OBVIOUSLY that gives Lailah a free pass to go mess around with Jonah.

Right. That makes sense. Lailah, I hate you and your twisted, warped idea of logic. Seriously a very stupid human being. If you love Gabriel SOOOO much, you would never do that to him. You would want to know the truth. You wouldn't stoop to that level and cheat on him. Because in the end, Gabriel never cheated on Lailah, but Lailah had ever intention of cheating on him. Okay. Yup. You're a good person.

So, besides a love triangle, a cheating, stupid female protagonist, and assault... what else you got, Nikki Kelly? Oh, not a very good story, that's for sure! I'm sorry, but the storytelling was so choppy and poorly written. Maybe it's Nikki Kelly's "voice", but it's so badly written. Sometimes the tone was formal, sometimes it was full of slang, and it went back and forth and the story in general was choppy. There was no flow to it. I don't know how to describe that, other than the fact that it didn't feel right, and it felt disjointed, as I was reading.

Also, I was confused from page one to the last page. I didn't really understand what was going on with the vampires and angels and the bad guys. I don't even remember what the bad guys are called. But basically, everyone is after Lailah because her magic blood gave Jonah an energy spurt, and now everyone wants to kill her. Keep in mind, she knew Jonah for about two minutes when she offered up her blood. Hmm...

Don't even get me started on the angel/vampire bit, the light/darkness. So cliche. So unoriginal. So boring. It took so much for me to finish this book... I was bored, I was furious, and I was so irritated by the end. Seriously, could the content at least have been original?! I feel like I don't read too many angel books, because I dislike them, and this book is a great example of why. They're all like the same time over and over and over, down to the overuse of the angel name. Flaunt "Azrael" in my face one more time.

Overall, this book is poorly written, poorly structured, poorly developed. Poor poor poor, and a waste of my time. I should never have picked it up, but I'm glad I did, because it taught me a lesson in making-sure-I-read-the-summary-before-requesting-the-book-because-DANG. So much dislike.

Would I Recommend It:

NOOOOOOOOO. I don't care how popular it was on Wattpad. Wattpad stories don't usually make it to hardcover publication with a fancy schmancy publisher, and honestly, this book is a good reason why. It needed a lot more development and a healthy dose of originality, in my opinion.

Rating:

1 star. Not continuing with this series. Moving on with my life.

[Beth (YA Books Central) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

I am not even sure where to start....This book was so amazing on so many levels. I have not really enjoyed a vampire novel since the Twilight series and have really been wanting to read one so when I saw this book on Goodreads...I thought I would give it a try...and I am beyond glad that I did!!!! Lailah surpassed my expectations and was a phenomenal book.

Lailah knows she is different. She feels different and has visions of a past life. She has no family and no idea where she comes from. She lives day to day without knowing what to expect next. While going home one night she encounters a injured stranger named Jonah and little does she know but this will be the beginning of her destiny. Lailah helps Jonah and treats his wounds and while he is at her home..."others" like him track him down and attack her home.

Lailah and Jonah are rescued by a rogue group of people who help them escape.
"I learned something very useful in the seconds that followed--a lesson once taught to me by Frederic, the first Vampire I'd ever encountered. It had slipped through the net in my panic.
Never turn your back on a murderous Vampire."

At this point we meet Gabriel. Gabriel is an angel who has devoted his life to fight the evil vampires of the world and he has joined forces with Jonah (another rogue vampire) and his companions to fight the bigger evil that threatens the world. Lailah somehow knows that she is supposed to be a part of this war and she feels as though Gabriel has answers and is just not telling her. Lailah decides to join the group and they move to a secluded house in the wilderness while they figure out what steps to take next.

Gabriel is by far my favorite character in the book. I am 100% Team Gabriel!!! He is portrayed as a dark, handsome and very "built" young man. My favorite characteristic of him is the way he is so protective over Lailah and his team. There are several hints throughout the book that make me think there is something more to Gabriel and his relationship with Lailah.....and I can't wait to find out the truth.

Lailah is torn between Gabriel and Jonah throughout the book. They both want to protect her and she feels drawn to both of them but she can only be with one......

Jonah is a vampire but still has feelings for Lailah...He doesn't try to hide his affections even though he knows they can most likely never be together. I found myself feeling sorry for him and wanting him to be happy but I am still team Gabriel so....of course I want him and Lailah together.

This book is so full of crippling secrets that will just completely take you by shock. I found myself just staring at the book in amazement. Every chapter there is something new and fascinating happening. I loved all the characters in the book. They all had something special about them that made you feel as though you were right there with them. This book is so full of action and suspense with the perfect amount of drama and romance mixed in. Lailah is a compelling, emotional, and fascinating read that you will stay up all night reading just to see what happens next....Nikki Kelly has risen to the top of my favorite authors list and I cannot wait to read future books from her. Lailah is easily one of my favorite books this year. If you love a good vampire story with plenty of suspense, drama, and romance then please check this book out!! I promise you that you will not be disappointed!! It...IS.....AMAZING!!!!!

"Lailah," he repeated. "I would never let inevitability dictate your happiness. Wherever your path is meant to lead, you deserve and you should command the choice to decide. In your decisions, inevitability doesn't rule you."

[Booknut 101 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cross between Lauren Kate's Fallen and The Vampire Diaries, Lailah is a mixed bag of romance meets cheesiness.

A 'human' girl has lived multiple lives and can't remember the details of any of them clearly.

Sound familiar?

She can't choose between two hot guys who she feels a 'pull' towards, like they're smexy fishermen and she's a fish they've caught on their line.

Sound familiar?

Everyone wants her. Angels, demons, paranormal creatures of the night...she's the chess-piece everyone wants to get their hands (or fangs) on.

Sound familiar?

Maybe I've become a little jaded. Maybe I've reached the top of my cheesiness tolerance meter. Maybe I'm tired of certain themes/motifs/ideas being recycled in YA books.

But I just couldn't fully immerse myself in Lailah like I wanted to. I was captured by its badass cover image, but once I'd begun reading it...all the descriptions of good VS evil, star-crossed lovers...yeah, I kinda found myself in a reading coma.


Let's get down to what really annoyed me.

I don't like to book-bash. But I also don't like to read about whimpering, self-deprecating female characters. So you're not a supermodel. So you're not Miss Universe. So what?! Just because the guy is an Angel doesn't make him God (no puns intended).

'I felt a powerful pull toward him and, strangely, but of the many questions I desired answers to, the only one I truly cared about was if he had loved me. I chuckled to myself, almost in disgust at my own indulgence. As if someone like him would have loved someone like me. He was exceptional, and I was not.'

Puh-lease, girl! And you're telling me that the most important question - the one you truly care to hear the answer to - is whether this random Angel you just met, and have vague memories of, loves you?

Here are some alternative questions to care about:
- Who killed you?
- Where did you come from?
- Are you in mortal/immortal danger?
- Have you paid all your bills?
- Do these vampires you're living with have Netflix?


Answer those and then...maybe...start worrying about your love life.

I would rehash the love triangle stuff, but it'd probably bore you all to tears. Instead, I'm going to take the chance to play 'good cop' and try and find some positive things to say about Lailah.

They are as follows:
- Lana Del Ray's Born To Die becomes an ironic song choice whilst our protagonist is on the dance floor.

- Disney references take a racy interesting turn, when Jonah refers to himself as a 'pumpkin turned into a carriage' and Cessie as 'Cinderella'...

- Even when Girl 1 almost kills Girl 2 over a guy, they can still put aside their differences to enjoy a day of shopping

- There will be more books in this series!


Fingers-crossed, this series steers away from cliches in the future and evolves into something that'll wow readers :)

[Rachel (APCB Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the full review @ A Perfection Called Books



Just when I thought the paranormal scene was dead (no pun intended), the glorious Nikki Kelly brought it back to life with a fascinating and creepy tale. The protagonist, Lailah, doesn't know who or what she is. She doesn't age, and whenever she dies, she mysteriously wakes up again. The only thing she does remember is a name matched with a face in her dreams, Gabriel. Thrust into a harrowing situation, Lailah becomes immersed in a fight of good versus evil.

Nikki puts a twist to the normal paranormal (see what I did there?) and brings a surprisingly fresh story that hasn't been told before. I feel that Lailah is a book that you need to be in the mood for though. If you're looking for a creepy and fun and sexy book filled with unique writing and awesome characters, this is the book for you. If you're looking for a book packed-full with motifs and life lessons and underlying meanings and philosophical entities, this isn't the book for you. It's fun and spooky, Halloween is the perfect to time to read it!

This book isn't perfect, but then again no book is. This book has so much going for it: addictive writing, intriguing characters, fascinating storyline, a lovely setting, and an amazing love triangle. So if you're in the mood for a fun paranormal read, this is for you! Dark. Sexy. Intriguing. Filled with twists and turns and set on a beautiful backdrop, Lailah is sure to enchant and haunt you from the start.

[Ksenia]

There's a reason this has been so popular on Wattpad: new angel and vampire mythology plus Lailah trying to figure out who, and what, she is! Definitely some twists and turns involved that kept me up last night.

[Mizuki · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars, it is as bad as reading Fallen I jumped for this book the second I saw 'vampire' on the backcover, but turned out the MCs are so flat and boring I could not even get myself to read the book from word to word, will avoid this series in the future!

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Lighting streaked and forked into three, the thunder pounded in waves of two, and the silence fell at once"
That is the first line. Now let's all take a moment to admire it's perfection. . . . . . Okay. Now we've all shown are greatest respect to that sliver of beauty in a world of darkness, I can now go on to the actual review.

Lailah is not what I expected. When I heard angels and vampires(let me just I'm not into vampire books. There it's done) I did not think of what the reality of this book was, and I don't think anyone will. The plot was original as was the atmosphere and world that surrounded it. Now I'll explain why.

The Cover:

I love it! It's interesting once you've read the book because then you see that the light reaching down from heaven to her is her pure and good side and the arms of the dead reaching up to her is her chaotic and dangerous side, both want her but she is stuck between in turmoil. I may be reading to much out of it but whatever - that's just how I "roll".

The Characters:

Lailah

They were a breath of fresh air in the YA world. Francesca/Lailah was a very mature herione. She had a good soul and a pure heart but she wasn't a goodie two shoes. Wow I know. It wasn't like would avoid the word sex or whatever. She wouldn't blush madly whenever anyone said something vaguely suggestive. She was brave, loyal, responsible, compassionate, and calm in desperate situations. Not once did she freak out when her friends needed her. Basically she acted like an adult (probably because she's actually a couple hundred years old). I also really enjoyed her inner turmoil and how she had to struggle with what she was, between good and evil. Overall I absolutely adored her. She never once annoyed me, if she reacted irrationally I understood why. She was a truly great character. And. That. Is. All.

Gabriel

I liked Gabriel even though I didn't expect to. I'm not really the kind of girl who digs Catholic sweater vest wearing school boys. Translation: I don't really like good boys. Thing is he wasn't one. Like Lailah, he surprised me. He was not the bashful, nauseatingly sweet, can-I-hold-your-books-for-you(which by the way NOBODY should ask me because then they would have to carry a hell of a lot of books) which I was bracing myself for. He was a mature amazing man. That is right a man not a boy. A gentleman to be specific. He was strong minded good hearted angel which it was hard not to love. He was very caring and devoted to Layla. It was positively heartwarming!

Jonah

And then we have Jonah. He is the bad boy in the story - who actually referred to himself as a few times in the book as just that, which made me chuckle a bit. He didn't seem to be that developed in the first half of the book but the second part was all his. Once he was given a chance he totally dominated the book . . . And my heart:) Even though he's technically "evil" he certainly has a tender side. He's a very caring individual with a good sense of humor, who is ultimately a good person.

For the rest of the minor characters I have to say my favorite was Brooke. She was pretentious at times but you really see how she's hurting and how she's just trying to be something she never can. She may seem like a brat but really you begin to understand how she's just covering up what she's really going through. To me her story was tragic. Also I loved her obsession with high fashion - go girl!

The Setting:

The story is set in Europe. England and France to be precise. To me it didn't play to much if a part in the plot basically they were just places. Though the imagery that we get of the landscapes are quite nice, but rare.

The Romance:

Was very refreshing! It was different from other YA titles because Gabriel are pretty much already in love when they meet(since they were romantically involved in her previous life). I really enjoyed the way their relationship grew and expanded throughout the book. Gabriel obviously cares a great deal for Lailah(even if she sometimes can't really see it) though he doesn't say it right away. And then there's Jonah who basically comes in to Lailah life and shatters her defenses. Wrecking ball style(and no I'm not going to put a Miley Cyrus GIF right here. Sorry I'm not sorry). The chemistry between Jonah and Lailah was undeniable it's like that Avril Lavigne lyric: "He wanted her, she'd never tell, secretly she wanted him as well" I loved seeing the way he looked after Brooke and how much he really loved Lailah. I'm Team Jonah if anybody wanted to know(I just can't resist a bad boy- Noah Shaw can I PLEASE have your babies???). Lailah didn't obsess over either of the boys which I'm glad about because that can get highly annoying. There was no pedophilia since Lailah was also ancient, this was such a relief I'm just so sick of that aspect in young adult books(hello Edward, oh and you to Patch!). Overall the romantic element in this book was superb!

Summary:

Francesca knows she's not human. And she's known for quite a bit- she was attacked by a vampire leaving her with a hideous scar down her back, and leaving him dead(she doesn't know how she killed him, just that she did). To add to that she see's visions of a past life - her past life - as well as ones of a mysterious man named Gabriel. And she hasn't aged physically since she turned 17 a while back, plus she heals far quicker than any human. She has no memory of parents all she has ever known is life in abandoned buildings as she moves from place to place never getting attached always fearing the vampires will come for her again.

The story starts with her coming back from the pub she works at. And as she walks she finds Jonah lying in the woods, losing blood at a rapid pace. He's panicked urging her to get as far away from him as possible or they'll get her too. She knows he is speaking of the vampires and that he is also one of them. But she can't just let him die so she manages to bring him back to her "home". He is too weak to do anything so she insists he drink from her. When he does she passes out. When she awakes the vampires are surrounding the building. When they go out to fight they are almost overpowered but more vampires - Jonah clan - have come to help. They escape to Jonah's clan's house where she finds Gabriel, and here true name. Lailah. And from there on out there are more discoveries, twists, turns, battles, (though there is some filler between these things it didn't annoy me because it was interesting filler- like shopping for Chanel!)secrets, and forbidden romance. What? You want me to tell you about that stuff? Pfft! Not likely to many spoilers.
One thing I will say is that you won't expect the twist at the end - it's perfection I tell you!

Would I Recomend: yes! This is an enthralling, original, tale of good and evil! So yeah, everyone should buy this once it comes out in October(I was lucky enough to get an ARC - thank you!).

Sexual Content: Gabriel and Lailah almost have sex, but Gabriel stops himself(see he is a gentleman). Some heavy kissing between Gabriel and Lailah/Jonah and Lailah. Attempted rape. The characters go to a strip club where there are prostitutes performing lap dances to there guests, as well as a topless pole dancer. Innuendos. Blood drinking can be very sensual. Romance.

Violence: Ripping out of peoples, dismembered bodies, limbs getting torn off, blood sucking, but it's never to graphic.

Language: Hell, Damn, crap. But that's the extent.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars. Very good!

Enjoy!!!

[Martina Boone · Rating 5 out of 5]

LAILAH takes vampires and angels, adds a deliciously wicked twist or six, and turns everything you thought you knew inside out. If you’ve ever loved a paranormal tale, you don’t want to miss this one!

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 1 out of 5]

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

This book was incredibly infuriating yet at the same time, it let me down. It could have been incredible yet it wasn’t . All that potential down the drain.

Doesn’t the idea of a girl who has no idea who she is but knows she cannot die intrigue you? Doesn’t it make you want to know more? Let me tell you, you do NOT want to know more about this girl and the drama that is her life.

For starters, I just want to rant about the amount of materialism in this book. I don’t know if materialism is the word I want to use but let’s just roll with it. Brooke is this vampire who doesn’t really like Cessie (so she likes to call herself) because she is after her man yet, she takes her shopping to buy her all these things she doesn’t fucking need. THEY LITERALLY BUY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTINS because she’ll need them some day. WHEN? WHEN YOU’RE ON THE FUCKING RUN? She also buys all these pricey things including a Chanel winter coat. You might be wondering why this bothers me though? Why am I so anti this girl spending a lot of money? This is a girl that is used to living on minimal things, yet as soon as she gets her hands on money, she goes cray. Of course, it’s not that she wants these things as we are reminded, but then Brooke tags her along and it would be weird to refuse to waste money on such trivial things. I cannot even.

That’s just a little bit of an insight into her character. She isn’t all that strong. She is incredibly jealous and cannot make her fucking mind up about which boy she wants (more on that later though). She’s also very dependent on people and cannot seem to connect the dots. There are things that are so glaringly obvious but she has her head stuck in the sand so it’s impossible for her to acknowledge these things about her that she should have acknowledged ages ago.

Moving on to the love triangle or I should say love square. I want to start this off by saying that if you’re looking forward to reading this book and love triangles discourage you, you might just be able to justify this one and not let it affect your enjoyment of the book. In fact there is a way the love triangle can be viewed to make it so you don’t hate it as much as I did. I personally don't like them in any form which is why I wasn't convinced by the explanation but that depends on personal tastes. The most annoying thing about this love triangle is that on top of the fact that there are two guys interested in the girl, there are other girls interested in the guys too and it just makes this whole thing a dramatic mess. I just don’t understand why.

Plus on top of that, none of the love interests are particularly appealing. One is creepy stalker who stares at her while she changes (and she blushes instead of being creeped out) and is generally very pushy and rude. If I met someone like that in real life, I wouldn’t hesitate to place a restraining order on him. Gabriel on the other hand wasn’t nearly as unbearable… in the beginning. What changed things was his inability to just tell her to truth. He just let her jealousy fester until he had no choice but to tell her things. It’s really annoying when he refuses to tell her the truth because he doesn’t believe she is ready. Who is he to tell her if she is ready or not? Her father? Seriously.

The plot was actually interesting, or would have been if it weren’t overshadowed by the drama in Cessie’s life.  I mean, they were on the run, but they spend a ridiculous amount shopping so that kind of took from the plot.

There was definitely some interesting world building and I would go so far to say that it makes the book stand out from all those typical angels/demons books but alas this cannot make up for the other faults that had me shaking my head and yelling at my kindle.

The weird thing is, in spite of everything, I want to read the sequel. I have this crazy hope inside of me that things will get better. Considering the fun synopsis, I want things to get better; I want to love the book.

If you’re looking forward to reading the book, don’t get discouraged, there is a good chance you might still like it, but if what I am saying doesn’t make things sound fun, you might want to  give this book a pass.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have a teenage girl who happens to have a power that lets her see her past lives with no memory as to how she got there. All she has is a man's face and she feels a lot for him. When she ends up saving a vampire of the night, her life takes a sudden turn and finds who she is looking for, the man from her visions. In a journey to find the truth she realizes she might not just be human as she thought she was.

The prologue in the beginning intrigued me so much and it set the flow of he story nicely. It had one of those memorable scenes where you know there's going to be more as the story progresses. It set the tone nicely. Right off the bat, you as the reader know something more than the character themselves. You're rooting for Lailah to find out and when she does you feel like she took forever to figure it out when there were so many signs. That frustrated me because I wanted her to be fast enough to put the pieces together. I get it was only her way of coping and denying her true self but ahh it dragged on.

One other glaring annoyance was the instant lust and romance that happened between her and Jonah. There was so much physical attraction there that I didn't really feel all that swoony when he entered the picture. You can only swoon over a guy's looks a couple of times to not get irritated with her. I also didn't trust Jonah or Gabriel. There's just too much annoyance and CREEPINESS surrounding both that I didn't root for either of them. I mean Gabriel pretty much ripped her clothing at one point.. Crazy.. I wanted Lailah to be this ultimate warrior but when she did, she wouldn't remember. I kind of wished her other side was part of it and not blacked out. It would have been crazy to read those point of views that's for sure! It would've added depth to a character that kind of played the damsel in distress role to a tee.

I loved the fact that Angels and Vampires are together in the good versus evil category and the history and world that Kelly built was truly fantastic. I can't get enough of paranormal creatures getting pitted against each other in books as foes and enemies. The book is rather long, but it did read quite fast. You won't be disappointed with the amount of action scenes.

Strong paranormal aspects, action-packed and a good mystery but oh the romance fell super flat for me.. Nonetheless, Lailah is a good start to the saga, but I was looking for more focus on who she was and not the love octagon that appeared.

[Melissa Cushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly I am giving this Amazing book 5 STARS!!! I would give it 10 Stars if I was allowed! This is one of the best books that I have read in a LONG time! Amazing! This book seriously had me guessing through out a lot of it and I am so torn with the love triangle!!! OK.... it really is not this easy to tear me up when it comes to who I want a main character to "be" with.... but I am still on the fence at the end of this Fabulous novel! I was totally team "Jonah" for whatever reason...... he appealed to me on so MANY levels... but then that darn twist at the end.... puts me back at team "Gabriel"!!! Ugh!!!! I am so torn, although I still think I may be team Jonah for some reason :) Dark and Sexy and Bad! But I am sure the ball will end in Gabriel's corner??? It just seems to be the norm. I am not sure which Lailah will choose and I am fine with any outcome at this point! I truly love them both and because of that I understand Lailah's dilemma.

Both male character's are awesome (and of course Lailah the "lead female" in the role)... seriously! Nikki did a great job building this story and I promise you that you will be double guessing yourself throughout... but man, one of the best reads I have come across in a super long time! Simply amazing for you hardcore readers out there! You know what I mean..... here is the synopsis for this fabulous read! Obviously I was blessed and lucky enough to receive this ARC in exchange for an honest review and it ROCKS! The problem is I have to wait for the sequel!

The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely ally – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.

Readers that love YA, Paranormal, Romance.... this is the book for you!

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 30% (I tried-ish)

I’ve gotten to a stage in life where I’ve pushed the stomaching of vampire tales just too far. There’s only so much a person can take and I’ve just about overdone my share and am ready to hurl the excess.

Angel and vampires in one book. Interesting. A mysterious narrator—that’s something. A great premise—fantastic, though a little beefed up. What more could I want? Apparently less of the annoying and more of the actual action.

Granted, who am I to judge? I didn’t exactly make it far. But for those who share my reading preferences, you’d pat me on the back and give me something sweet to settle my stomach and mind, and perhaps something for my eyes because those babies did some hardcore 360s.

Francesca is a nomad. She picks up her whole life every so often because she’s in a fiddle. She’s the immortalised image of a seventeen year old—one who dies only to be reborn, is plagued with memories of a past self, and has no recollection of her origins. But hey, despite having no idea of herself, here’s something she’s sure about: Gabriel. Gab who is super angelic (har har hardy har) a lightness within her murky existence. Francesca/Lailah moves throughout her many lifetimes unknowingly searching for him. But no luck. He’s a faceless ghost of the past.

Cue an coincidental meeting with a spunking vampire. Jonah’s injured, on the run, and deprived of love. Francesca's had a bad traumatic experience with a vampire—you know, just life’s way of telling her to “not trust those fucking creatures” but hey, what’s life, right? So what does she do? She takes pity on his poor soul (har har, I’m having too much fun) and takes in the stray, deprived vamp because who doesn’t love a bit of company. Once safely in her home, Jonah spills his sob story, his “Pity me for I have not had blood” tale and lo and behold, Frannie here falls for it. “Have my blood,” she insists, not in the slightest unnerved by the fact that she dislikes the creatures of night, and is normally highly aware of the danger they pose. But who cares, right? Jonah’s a sexy thing and who let’s sexiness die (oh I’m funny). Not Francesca. There’s no way she’d do the world a disservice by ridding it of yet another hotty Mchotty. If that’s not TSTL enough then it gets better.

“But we have to be cautious. You’re certainly precious.” He smiled.

Lailah’s all about the brooding knight in shining armour. Forget girl power. We need saving left and right because what woman could save herself? (certainly not some mysterious, Mary Sue unnatural “abomination”. Commence the eye rolls).

I love my urban fantasy but I could not stomach this one. I couldn’t. If there’s one thing that pisses me off beyond anything, it’s the guy spoils girls with gifts and she cannot possibly accept. Why does this even exist? It feels like something straight out of a fanfiction. Oh hey, that’s because it is. And not even the quality stuff either (I should know. I used to curate some brilliant things ok). The “no, I just couldn’t possibly accept” pisses me off like nothing. Heck, I’ll accept it for you. Why the big deal?

Writing wise, some phrases are clumsy. Real clumsy. The choreography was horrendous and certain scenes should not be acted out because of the awkwardness that would ensue. The chapters also ended terribly, as though they were being cut off at the wrong time. If there’s an art, it’d be called “Chapter ending”. Actually, it’s more of an instinct. Some people can just seed out that natural ending and others make it contrived. This one’s in the latter.

I didn’t dig deep into the vampire/angel lore because I gave up. I couldn’t take any more of this damsel in distress. I couldn’t take any more of that choreography. And the bloody dreaded love triangle. Why world? In fact, it’s love triangle with a side of severe cockblock. If that doesn’t get you frustrated then I don’t know what will. But hey, if you love those vampires and sexy male love interests (bleurgh, not for me) then you’re going to love this. Don’t let me deter you.

That being said, I did skim the rest of the book, just to see if I’d miss out on anything. HAHAHA I’m laughing now because I saved myself some angry, angry words and frustrated groans. Indecisiveness is a big theme. There’s a lot of “can’t trust my love” and whatnot. The writing deteriorates further. The only thing that would keep you on is the mystery if you’re already invested.

I, however, saved myself from this sinking ship early on. I’ve got a great sense of self-preservation. Me first. And respect my mind. And my mind says: don’t make me read this. Happy days, guys.

(This is such a shame because the author is a complete sweetheart. But honest is honest, and I couldn't read this.)

[Kazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book on Wattpad. Warning: reading this book might transform you into a Styhard (fan of the Styclar Saga).

It's the old boy meets girl, girl falls for boy - except that a) both boy and girl are not human, b) there's another boy involved and c) it isn't as straightforward as that. In fact, everything in the book isn't as straightforward as that. The plot twists will surprise you, and leave you thinking, "Well, I never saw THAT coming!".

This is probably the only romance book where I couldn't choose if I liked Gabriel or Jonah more, because both are equally amazing. Lailah herself is a good protagonist, and didn't get on my nerves (as some female protagonists in YA fiction tend to do).

Recommended for readers who like YA paranormal romance and love triangles.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Interesting YA paranormal featuring vampires. While I didn’t love everything about it, I still ended up really enjoying this unique story!

Opening Sentence: Lightening streaked and forked into three, the thunder pounded in wave of two, and the silence fell at once.

The Review:

Francesca or better known as Cessie knows two things — that for some reason she can’t die and she is not human. For over two hundred years she has traveled the earth trying to figure out who and what she is. She has no family and doesn’t usually have the luxury of making many friends. She has died too many times to count and while she can remember small glimpses of her past, most of it is just a blur. The only thing that is a constant memory is the name and face of, Gabriel, a man that fills her dreams.

Then one night on the way home from work she runs into a stranger that is in dire need of help. She is the type of person that just can’t walk away from someone in need, even if that person is a vampire. Jonah has gotten himself into a bind and with the help of Cessie, he is able to escape and in return he promises to protect her. Jonah is unlike most vampires and he belongs to a group that is lead by a strange rogue Angel named, Gabriel.

Soon Cessie is emerged into a war she didn’t know existed between good and evil. She learns that her true name is Lailah and she will have to make some difficult choices in the future. Not only does her life depend on it, but so does all of mankind!

For the most part, I really liked Lailah. She is a strong and caring person that has been through a lot in her life. Never knowing who you are or what you are would be really difficult, but she hasn’t let her hardships destroy her good heart. I loved that she is always trying to do the right thing, even if it isn���t easy. You can see her beautiful soul shine throughout the pages in her actions and that made it really easy to like her. But she isn’t a pushover and I loved that she would stand up for herself. The only thing that irritated me was how indecisive she was, especially when it came to the boys. One minute she would be all about one boy and literally the next page she would be all about the other boy. I can understand being confused about your feelings, but I felt that she was really immature at times, but only when it came to her love life. But I loved everything else about her.

At first I liked Gabriel. He was mysterious and crazy hot, but as time went on my feelings for him slowly turned negative. Basically, the more I got to know him the less I liked him. I get that in his own mind he was trying to protect Lailah, but I feel like he is trying to mold her into someone that she’s not. It felt like he was always telling Lailah what to do which made him come across as kind of a overbearing jerk at times. The one thing he does have going for him is that he and Lailah do have great chemistry. I do think that he has some redeeming qualities and I have hope that my feeling for him will improve in the next book.

I freaking loved everything about Jonah! He is a crazy hot vampire with a tainted soul but a good heart. He is all bad boy which I am a total sucker for. But the best thing about him was that he loved Lailah for who she was. He didn’t want her to change and he never made her feel like she was anything less than beautiful. The only thing not in Jonah’s favor was that I felt he brought out the darker side of Lailah. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I don’t know if in the long run they could really work. Also, he doesn’t have the same type of connection with Lailah as Gabriel does. Yes, there is steamy chemistry, but not a whole lot else between them.

Lailah was an intense story brimming with romance and magic! I will admit that it had some serious flaws that I will mention in a minute, but it was still a great read. So let’s start with the things I liked. First off, I loved the background story she created, it was fascinating and very different from other vampire books I have read. Another thing I loved about it was that it was a memorable story even though it was a vampire/angel story, which has been told many times in the YA world, this one still stood out to me. The pacing was spot on and I never felt that there was any moment that dragged or felt rushed. Also, there were some great plot twists that took me completely by surprise but in a good way. Ok, now let’s talk about the things I wasn’t a huge fan of. First off, there is a love triangle and it is a huge part of the story, so if you don’t like triangles I would recommend you steer clear of this one. I actually generally like love triangles, but this one just didn’t quite do it for me. I think the reason why was because I wasn’t really sold on either guy, I kind of don’t want her to end up with either of them. The other thing that I had a hard time with was that at times I felt a disconnect with the story. I can’t really pinpoint why, but there were just times where I didn’t feel like reading it. These moments were short and there were only a few but it did happen a couple times. With that all being said, I ended up really enjoying this book and I am really looking forward to the next book, especially after the ending! I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fresh and different young adult paranormal read.

Notable Scene:

“What are you doing!” I stepped away from him, irritated.

“Let me see it. I’ve been feeling guilty about it since it happened.”

“No.” I turned on my heel and started to make for the door. Gabriel has been quite adamant that I shouldn’t reveal my particular gift to anyone, least of all a Vampire.

I was reaching for the handle when he spun me around, pressing me up against the wall so that I was forced to face him. Jonah was tugging his jacket and the cardigan off from around me, holding me by the waist, restraining me.

“Jonah!”

FTC Advisory: Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Lailah. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Nasty Lady MJ]

To see full DNF round up click here.

Yeah, I came into this one not really feeling it-I heard things. And I came out sort of like, well, that was unexpected.

I’ll be frank, I’m not tired of vampires or angels. I know that both paranormal creatures have been overplayed, but done right it still can be interesting.

With Lailah it wasn’t interested. It wasn’t even boring. I was just confused.

It’s probably not the best to throw a reader into the midst of battle when they have no idea what is going on. No freaking idea-I repeat.

And I was still clueless after sixty pages. So, I was lazy and gave up.

End of story.

[Alicia Batista (Addicted Readers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG, I LOVED THIS!!!!



At first I was a little skeptical because of the insta-love and yes, a love triangle.



BUT... I am telling you it is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! I know a lot of people either loved it or hated it. But I find myself in the category that LOVED LAILAH, absolutely loved it, and both of the HIGHLY addicting HOT guys! :)



4.5 Stars


Okay, I have to keep it real and tell you about some of the reservations I had about LAILAH in the beginning. I was so excited for LAILAH when I first heard about it, and then the cover released and it sealed the deal for me. But after starting it, I noticed some aspects that I normally don't like in my books. And then I became skeptical...

But I am thrilled to announce that all my doubts and uncertainty were for nothing, because LAILAH turned out to be an amazing book that I just loved!!! I was weary about the insta-love and the love triangle. I HATE insta-love, I mean HATE IT!! I need to have some depth and relationship development in my books for the relationship to work for me. And while LAILAH did have a form of insta-love, it turned out that it really wasn't. I know that probably doesn't makes sense, but if you read the book you'll understand what I mean. But I still found myself drawn to Lailah and Gabriel's relationship, even before I realized what was going on and why they're feelings ran so deep for each other. In other words, the insta-love angle, in my opinion, was done well and satisfied, especially in the end when it's all revealed.

And for the love triangle, that is another aspect that you have to get to the end of the book to really understand and grasp the full depth of they're feelings. There is important reasons of why Lailah is drawn to both boys, and why they're feels run so deep. I absolutely loved both love interest, Gabriel and Jonah. Gabriel was the good boy Angel, that has deep feelings and a strong past with Lailah, but is trying to make up for some of the wrong in their past. And he was amazing, and willing to do whatever it took to keep Lailah safe.

And Jonah, the bad boy vampire, was crazyyyy sexy!! He was dark, and deadly, and mysterious, and so dam sexy!! Oh, I already said that...lol! ;) But he also cared for Lailah, and was willing to do anything to keep her safe!! And sooo, my feelings were (and still are) conflicted about who I love the most and want to see end up with Lailah. So I will have to wait and read book 2 to know for sure of where my heart and loyalties lies! :)

THE PLOT

Lailah knows she's different. She doesn't know who or what she is, only that she's not like others around her. She tries to conceal her differences, but when she never ages, and heals so quickly that it isn't humanly possible, things become a little hard to hide.

To make things more complicated, Lailah's having the same reoccurring visions about a beautiful boy that makes her heart ache. It's the same boy in every vision, but she feels that she knows him somehow. She doesn't know how, or who he is, only that she feels it with every fiber of soul that this boy is more then a vision, and he is very important to her.

But when one fateful night, Lailah's world collides with the unknown, everything changes, forever....


Lailah has just been opened up into the paranormal world. Something she's always known existed, but tried to avoid. But that is something Lailah can no longer do when she's coming home from a late night shift at the bar, when she runs into a handsome, but dying vampire. Lailah can't force herself to walk away, and that is the beginning of the end, for Lailah!!!



Lailah agrees to help Jonah, the injured vampire that is in desperate need of blood. But she quickly learns that he is running from someone, or something, and that she has just gotten herself pulled into his deadly chase. Running for their lives, Jonah and Lailah meet up with some of Jonah's friends, and that is when Lailah's world comes crashing down around her. The visions come racing back to her all at once, and she's smacked with the reality, that her dream guy, really walks among them...



Gabriel, the boy from her visions is a Angel, and more beautiful then she's ever imagined. But when Gabriel conforms all her suspicions; they have meet, and they do have history, deep history, and he holds some of the secrets she seeks. Now Lailah is more eager then ever to unravel the web from her past. But then Lailah starts to feel something is not right, she knows he's hiding something, but what he hides is the mystery. One thing Lailah knows for sure; there is no doubt of his love for her, and they have shared something strong, some serious feeling for each other in the past. But what is he hiding from her, and why is he so determined to save her, when he left her so many years ago?



As her feelings for Gabriel come to the surface, and he slowly pushes her away with his secrets and lies. Lailah turns to the only other person she feels a connections with, Jonah, the vampire she saved. Jonah has his own formed connections for Lailah, his own reasons why he's bounded with her. Their friendship blooms and grows the more Gabriel pushes Lailah away with his actions. Lailah can't help but to care for the vampire she saved, and who's saved her in so many ways. But what do you do when your heart is pulling you one way, but your mind and body are pulling you another?

As Lailah comes to terms with her Gabriel's past, and her and Jonah's new found friendship, she realizes that everything is not as it seems, and runs deeper then she once thought. Vampires and paranormal beings are chasing her. They all want her for some reason, and they're determined to get her one way or another. She doesn't know why or what they want, but she knows that every where she goes, someone is there; watching and waiting... to claim her.

Lailah's world is coming to a head as secretes are revealed, evil plots thicken, years of treachery unfold, love shatters, lust takes control, and her world explodes. She's finally getting the answers she seeks, but what she finds could very well unbalance the world as they know it. She will have to dig deep within and decide what and who she really is regardless of the blood that runs through her veins. Because before all is said and done, Lailah will have to make the ultimate choice of just where and who her loyalties lie, and what side of the line she's willing to fight for...

YESSS, that was sooo epic!! I loved the intense, complex scenes, with awesome characters that kicked butt, the secrets that just kept coming, and the twist that had me spinning!! I have to admit that I had my doubts about LAILAH, but I am SO pleased that author Nikki Kelly proved me wrong by taking me for one hell of a ride with LAILAH!!

Overall, I loved Lailah, and can't WAIT for book two to release. If you're not a fan of love triangles or insta-love, then I understand your reluctance to not want to read it. But I tell you now and LOUD, do NOT let that be the only reason you do not read this book. Because LAILAH portrayed love triangles and insta-love like I've never seen. And had me swooning over BOTH guys, wishing Lailah could just say screw it, and have them both!! All I want to say is that before you turn the other check, just try and give LAILAH a fair try, you may just find like me, that it's well worth the shot and more!!!

NOTE: I received a physical ARC from Feiwel and Friends for reviewing purposes! All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way!

[starryeyedjen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.

This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.

Here's the thing about Lailah: your overall enjoyment of the novel will depend greatly on what kind of expectations you had going into the book. Based on that cover, I initially expected some serious creepy.  Then I read the synopsis and realized this was going to be a paranormal romance focused on the battle between good and evil. So, I waited until I was ready to read an angsty swoonfest, and then I picked up this book.

This story is definitely one you'll need to be in the mood for. It's campy and overly dramatic, full of clichés and rife with "pretty people". But it was exactly what I wanted to read at the moment, and once I looked passed those things, I found the story highly entertaining. I've seen a lot of comparisons to another vampire-themed series that falls victim to some of these same elements, but when I first read those books, I enjoyed them immensely, too. I think that's what you have to keep in mind with any book: the mood and your expectations can greatly affect your overall enjoyment. I'd read some of those less-than-stellar reviews and decided that I'd just lower my expectations and enjoy the book for what it was. That's not a dig at the book -- I really did enjoy it -- but I don't know that I'll honestly ever take a vampire story completely serious, not unless the vampires, and I mean every single one of them, are portrayed as the violent, lethal creatures they are. (Or would be if they really existed.)

I feel like I've read a book with a similar premise before -- angels versus vampires, good versus evil -- but I can't for the life of me remember what that book or series was. The story in general felt familiar, but I attribute that to the simple fact that I've read quite a few vampire and angel-themed stories in the last few years, and it's hard not to tread on territory that's already been covered. The lore here is somewhat surprising, though, discovering who and what Lailah is, where she comes from and what truths that leads her to about the angel and vampires in her company.

What wasn't surprising was the love triangle...I mean, it's pretty obvious in that summary. So, if you don't love them, this is definitely a book to pass on because it is a full-on, going-to-drive-you-nuts love triangle. But if you don't care either way, if you're just waiting to see which team you'll end up on, this book was written with you in mind. Personally, I still don't know which team I'm on. One boy is the love interest Lailah is destined for, and the other sees her for who she truly is, good and bad, and loves her regardless. Gabriel is the enigmatic angel with secrets. Jonah is the vampire seeking redemption. Both are yummy and both want to protect her. I'm having a hard time picking just one of them. =)

Lailah, on the other hand...well, I'm just going to say it: she was annoying at times, the way she waffled between the two guys and played them against each other and was just one of those girls. I know she's been through quite a lot and not knowing who you are could leave a person feeling not-so-well-adjusted, but you have to draw the line somewhere, especially when there are sooo many people's feelings involved. Still, Lailah's character grew on me eventually. Especially as more of her history and her destiny was revealed.

I breezed through this one and found more than enough to keep me entertained: an interesting premise, intriguing twists and turns, and characters that kept me guessing, especially as to where their loyalties truly lie. The next book is entitled Gabriel, which makes me assume that the sequel is told from his perspective. Yes, please...especially after reading that last bit in Lailah from his point of view. I'm pretty excited to see what the next book holds.

GIF it to me straight:

Entertaining and exactly what I was in the mood for...good, frivolous fun.

[Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Yosbe Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esto fue demasiado Vampire Diaries... pero condensando en un solo libro.

Yo pensé que no podía existir un personaje más insoportable que ‎Nora Grey pero Lailah le ganó simplemente por la más bitch.

Mientras que en VD tuvo que pasar como al menos una temporada a la otra para que Elena se besara a Damon, Lailah lograba besarse con cada uno EN EL MISMO CAPÍTULO. Y esto pasó VARIAS VECES. Y aunque se supone que esto se deba justificar por el hecho de que se sentía atraída por LUZ Y OSCURIDAD ya que es lo que lleva dentro, pues se puede ser MÁS CREATIVO. No andar poniendo a las protas de cachondas: Bien podía haberse reflejado esto en otros actos... pero claro que no. Se supone que eso es lo que está "trending" ahora.



Gracias de verdad por no romper el estereotipo de:

-La protagonista que obviamente no le gustan las compras, que odia los tacos, que no le gusta la ropa de diseñador, que le gusta vestirse simple (uff super diferente)



y que tiene que llevar la contraria en todo, creyéndose independiente pero lo único que hace es estorbar más.





-El triángulo amoroso.

Por lo demás, la trama como tal en interesante, hubiese sido mucho mejor si no le hubiesen embadurnado con todo el cachondeo infantil.



#SorryImNotSorry

[Hayden Casey]

I will not be rating this book, seeing as I don't think it's fair to rate books I don't finish.

Lailah didn't click with me at all. Insta-love from 5%, bad insta-love at that, repulsed me, and I wasn't connected to anybody or anything.

[Jess at Such a Novel Idea · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

This was hella good story telling. There are so many great things about this one I'm going to have trouble holding my thoughts until October!

[Anasheh Satoorian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me speechless!!!! Can't believe that I have to wait so long for book 2! :D Review to come during the Blog Tour in October!

[Cori Reed · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars!

I didn't hate it! But, I probably won't continue with the series. I have experienced the story and now I will move on.

[What Makes Patri · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club, to know more about this book and read an interview with Jonah, go to the post in our website:

Lailah (The Styclar Saga #1) by Nikki Kelly

If you are interested, you can visit our website:

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club's Review:

Rate: 5 stars

Review:

You know those stories that shatter your books world with its awesomeness? I find them the hardest to review because I'm not sure I could find all the right words to explain why the story blew my mind and how much I'm dying to read the second book. It would be a gibberish between a crazy-bookish-fan and a fangirl. Lailah is one of those stories and definitely one of my favorite books of this year.

I have to confess that the vampire has been overused in the YA world, so I try to avoid them. Not because the story is bad, but because I arrived a point where I was bored of the same old. However, Lailah had a dark touch to it, bringing more supernatural creatures like angels and another dimension like styclar plena that made me re-think it. As you can see, Nikki Kelly's story won my internal battle and I found myself with a story that had the best of both world: a Supernatural touch with its own personality and story.

I do not want to give anything from the story, but mainly Lailah is different. She has lived many lives and she has no idea where she comes from. With visions from a past life and no family ties, she ends up meeting an injured Jonah while leaving work. That's when her story starts.

The author did an excellent job. I like those stories who held the tension and mystery until the very end, just to wait until the very last page to make you scream due to the high cliffhanger that held the story. She knew had to do that, while putting in massive danger all her characters, had time for swoon-worthy moments and creating a true villain.
The level of secrets and unsaid things were so many that you can't see them coming. The story is fluid and gives the impression that Lailah's past tries to catch up to her, unraveling secrets and reveling shocking truths up to the final moment when you are left speechless. If a story has the potential to make us feel that way, it's not just a must read book, but it has all the numbers to be a favorite one among other YA reads.
There were some funny moments, some others were the reader can make a connection with all the characters and some action scenes that keep the reader on edge until the very last page.

One of the catching things in this story is meeting Lailah. Her past and her present. As the story goes we get to know her, but she also tries to find herself, trying to figuring out her role and her relationship with Gabriel and Jonah. She's one of those characters who have a badass and sweet side all mixed up and we see either side in the right moments.

Another important characteristic in this story that brings a magnetic pull to the story is the relationship with both Gabriel and Jonah. While it is a love triangle is one of those love triangles you like because of the so many differences between the two male characters. I liked that one took for granted the connection with Lailah and the other saw her true nature, the best of both worlds. And that was one of the important things that made me pick up a team in this love triangle. Good guys with angelic intentions are overrated and the ones who are supposed to be the bad ones end up being the best, sweetest and loyal man alive. So yes, I am team Jonah all the way down. Nikki Kelly has made me a Jonah addictive and a Styclar Saga fan.

Lailah is definitely a page-turner and one of those YA stories you cannot missed. Beautifully written and with some breath-taking characters that have the potential to ruin you for future fictional boyfriends, the Styclar Saga exceeded my expectations and I have the pleasure to say to all of you, Book Addicts, that is one of those stories you might end up re-reading sooner than expected.

My Dream Cast:



Nikki Kelly's Dream Cast:

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Received an ARC for an honest review from Publisher*
Lailah is a debut from Nikki Kelly that originated on the website Wattpad. Lailah is a young adult paranormal that has both vampires and angels. Lailah is action packed and full romance. It was a lot darker than I was expecting it to be, right from the prologue. There is a bit of a love triangle. I am still conflicted about it though. Jonah and Gabriel are fantastic characters. Lailah is a fall release that you need to check out. I read it super fast and was completely hooked.

I absolutely adored this book. There are a few things that I didn't like or didn't understand. This is a young adult novel, but at times it came off as a new adult story for me. This isn't something I had a problem with, but because it is set in the UK it did cause some confusion based on specific laws. Lailah starts off with Cessie working in pub and at some point she ends up in a strip club. At times Lailah has much more mature feeling than the usually young adult novel.

I love the way Nikki Kelly dealt with the flash backs in this book. Cessie didn't just re-experience some old memories; she relived them. The flash backs were raw and dreamlike. The flash backs also brought together several of the plots and tied the story together very nicely.

I love Nikki Kelly's writing style. Lailah is dark and haunting. Her writing is beautiful. Lailah immediately sucked me in and I needed to know the secrets that were surrounding Cessie. I loved that Lailah is dark, but it also has its lighter moments. There were so many swoon worthy moments as well.

I have read and reviewed numerous vampire and angel books. With every books of this particular sub-genre I always want there to be a unique mythology. No one enjoys reading about the same type of vampires and angels over and over. Nikki Kelly has really done an amazing job at world building. She has created alternate dimensions that play with the concept of heaven and hell. It worked really well and didn't disregard the major belief systems. I love that this is more than your typical vampire and angel story. There are alternate dimensions and crazy plot twists that add to this amazing world. At times when Gabriel was explaining the concept for the dimensions it did feel a like there was more telling rather than showing. Hopefully because this is a series we will see the other dimensions rather than having long paragraphs explaining it.

There were numerous lines that I fell in love with while reading! Most of them had to do with making a choice. There were a lot of themes going on in this book. I think my favorite had to be good and evil. I loved that Nikki Kelly showed that no one is ever purely good or purely evil. There is a gray are in everyone. Therefore the choices you make affect that. This theme really resonates with me.

THE PLOT TWISTS!!! There were many, some I predicted and some I predicted wrong. I don't want to say any spoilers, but I had one prediction that I backed and I was completely wrong. I am really glad that Nikki Kelly was able to throw me off.

THE LOVE TRIANGLE!! I know a lot of people aren't a fan of love triangles. I actually enjoy love triangles when they are done well. This one was amazing. I was very conflicted on who I felt was better for Cessie. I think I am leaning toward Jonah. Jonah is a vampire and is the bad boy of the story. I just felt like there was much more chemistry and passion between Cessie and Jonah. Gabriel is that perfect love interest that feels inevitable and perfect. There is something that I don't quite like about him. I gravitate towards Jonah because he sees Cessie for who she is rather than who he would want her to be. I like Jonah so much as a character because he makes bad choices, but his intentions are in the right place.

THAT ENDING! The ending was crazy and I was reading so fast. Then it was over and I was left craving for more. It was definitely a cliff hanger and now I am dying for the sequel. There was even a chapter from the sequel in the back of the arc and that was just a tease. Gabriel is definitely at the top of 2015 most anticipated releases!

Overall, you need to pick up Lailah. If you are a fan of the paranormal genre you would love this book. It was an amazing read and I can't stop thinking about it. I will definitely be purchasing a finished copy and waiting very impatiently for the sequel.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really want to love this book, the author is such a lovely person and I thought 'Lailah' might get me out of reading funk but there were so many things that bothered me, I didn't like it.

Almost everyone I see rated this book with 4-5 stars. I am on the minority here. I tried but I couldn't manage to made it pass 50%. Lailah started out so painfully slow and nothing perk up my interest till the very last page I've read.

To make this review shorter, I'm going to list down some of the things I didn't liked about this book.

• The protagonist isn't that bad but she's not the most interesting character of the history either.

• The supporting characters are a bunch of generic - hot and cold, asshole, lackluster characters.

• Everyone are already the best of friends despite just meeting a couple of minutes ago. Like umm how about we bond first for days - months, week before I show you my diary. This is probably one of my reading pet peeves. I want a thorough relationship buildup between the characters.

• The protagonist keep fainting or losing consciousness. I literally lost count.

• Insta-love. Back off guys because this is not the Daughter of Smoke and Bone esque.



Love Triangle. Do I have to explain this? I usually don't mind this kind of plot but when both of the guys are bland eck no. Thanks.



Over-all the only redeeming quality, I can think about this book is that the writing isn't terrible for the most part.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lailah left me with a series book hangover! I was utter blown away and am still reeling days later.

Angels and Demons, good and evil and that entire wonderful gray in between, Kelly created a marvelously dark, gritty and extremely vivid story about a girl named Cessie. It is like nothing I’ve ever read before. I became enraptured in Kelly’s story telling immediately and left still wanting more. Amazing world building! Kelly has masterfully written an action packed, emotional jarring story that will have you still pondering days later. This book is definitely a Favorite Read and worth a re-read!

I received this ARC copy of Lailah from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - Feiwel & Friends in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication October 7, 2014.

Written by: Nikki Kelly
Age Range: 12 - 18 years
Grade Level: 7 and up
Series: The Styclar Saga
Sequence in Series: 1

[Lori Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know me, you likely know my love of all things bloodsucking. Starting with the VAMPIRE LESTAT when I was a kid and continuing through today with my (obsessive) love for the Vampire Diaries, vamps are my thing. So you know I was jumping up and down when I received an ARC of LAILAH. You will hear many say this is a unique spin on the world of vampires and angels. And it *is*. But it's so much more than that. It takes great characters to make a story—new or not—work, and that's what LAILAH has. Lailah, Gabriel, Jonah, and the entire cast are why this will have you flipping pages to the end. Mystery, love, twists, turns, surprises, and heart. What more could you ask for? Aside from book 2 of course.