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Soul Eaters #3
Crossed
War is here.
Full-scale war has erupted between the Crusaders and demons and even Chi has to admit isn’t going well. Like any sensible rat, Meda’s eager to abandon the sinking ship but, unfortunately, her friends aren't nearly as pragmatic. Instead, Meda’s forced to try to keep them all alive until the dust settles.
As the Crusaders take more and more drastic measures, the tables turn and Meda suddenly finds herself in the role of voice of sanity. No one is more horrified than she is. When old enemies reappear as new allies and old friends become new enemies Meda has to decide—again—whose side she’s really on.
And then the Crusaders decide that Meda should go to Hell. Literally.
Can’t a monster ever catch a break?
Full-scale war has erupted between the Crusaders and demons and even Chi has to admit isn’t going well. Like any sensible rat, Meda’s eager to abandon the sinking ship but, unfortunately, her friends aren't nearly as pragmatic. Instead, Meda’s forced to try to keep them all alive until the dust settles.
As the Crusaders take more and more drastic measures, the tables turn and Meda suddenly finds herself in the role of voice of sanity. No one is more horrified than she is. When old enemies reappear as new allies and old friends become new enemies Meda has to decide—again—whose side she’s really on.
And then the Crusaders decide that Meda should go to Hell. Literally.
Can’t a monster ever catch a break?
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2015
38 people are currently reading
2247 people want to read
About the author
Eliza Crewe
4 books760 followersMy Ratings:
5 stars = If I weren't taken, I'd marry this book and have its delightful little book babies.
4 stars = goin' steady (or whatever you crazy kids call it these days). So good I'd read it again.
3 stars = A great, one-time fling. I enjoyed it but it probably won't be a reread.
2 stars and below = The pretty thing didn't make it past the pick-up line. I don't rate these because I don't finish them.
Bio
Eliza Crewe always thought she’d be a lawyer, and even went so far as to complete law school. But as they say, you are what you eat, and considering the number of books Eliza has devoured since childhood, it was inevitable she’d end up in the literary world. She abandoned the lawyer-plan to instead become a librarian and now a writer.
While she’s been filling notebooks with random scenes for years, Eliza didn’t seriously commit to writing an entire novel until the spring of 2011, when she and her husband bought a house. With that house came a half-hour commute, during which Eliza decided she needed something to think about other than her road-rage. Is it any surprise she wrote a book about a blood-thirsty, people-eating monster?
Eliza has lived in Illinois, Edinburgh, and Las Vegas, and now lives in North Carolina with her husband, her hens, her angry, talking, stuffed dwarf giraffe, and a sweet, mute, pantomiming bear. She likes to partially-complete craft projects, free-range her hens, and take long walks. Cracked is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
August 14, 2015
I fly through the air, soaring over chaos, then slam into the opening of the world. I grip the edge just barely. Grit rolls under my hands and I slide back towards the hole, only barely catching myself with the very edge of my fingertips. I dangle over disaster, the roar of battling demons below, but I am unafraid. I am filled with nothing but smug damn victory.I don't know what to say. This is the final book in one of my favorite YA series in the last couple of years, and reading it is like saying goodbye to a friend. Which is kind of confusing, since I believe we've established that Eliza based Meda after ME (my ego knows no bounds), and therefore I would be saying goodbye to myself? Whatever. I digress.
I am Meda fucking Melange. There is no way in hell I’m letting go.
This book maintains everything I have previously loved about the series. The friendship. The snark. The priorities. As in: when the world is going to burn to a fiery death, thou shalt not gaze lovingly into thine lover's eye and whisper sweet nothing into his heads, but instead, thou shalt kick thyself some motherfucking demon ass. Meda has always, always got her head straight, and that's what I love about her. She is irreverent. She is selfish. She's out for self-preservation first and foremost. And above all else, she is loyal and loving to her friends. And no love triangle. Ever. In fact, the romance is hardly a mention at all.
And what romance there is...is so damn funny.
My gaze leaves them and finds Him. My one true love.The character development is great. It happens so subtly, but our Meda isn't just a bloodthirsty, snarky, immature teen anymore. She's matured. Instead of reveling in the midst of pain and suffering, she only celebrates a little bit.
My heart gives a little squeeze at the sight of him. He leans nonchalantly in the parking lot, the long afternoon sun splashing his shadow on to the pavement, bigger, taller than the original. Enormous, like the space he fills in my heart.
It wasn’t love at first sight. Oh no, like all the best relationships it was slow and tempestuous. I thought he was too loud, too flashy. As for him, he was aloof.
I move forward and stroke his shiny chrome fender. “Who’s a good boy? Are you my good boy?”
“It’s just a motorcycle,” Jo snaps.
I’d like to tell you that I enjoy his pain, that the revenge is sweet. That my harsh words are only the beginning of a scheme to destroy him. But I can’t.Ok, so we're not going to see her get into a circle and sing Kumbaya with the Crusaders or comfort a poor demon who's trying to convince her that it's good at heart, really! No. But we do see her grow to love her friends. We do see her making sacrifices for the greater good. We see her thinking about people other than herself.
Neither can I tell you that I don’t enjoy it. That I’ve become a better person who doesn’t delight in the pain of her adversary; that I don’t take a dark delight in the piteous cries of what remains of [his] pathetic heart. But I can’t say that, either. Instead I rest in the middle, feeling victorious but a bit sick, like a child who’s eaten an entire cake.
That isn't to say Meda isn't perfect. When danger rears its ugly head, the best action is sometimes to just run the fuck away. Survive to fight another day. Fuck bravery, you gotta save your own ass at times. Clearly, a girl after my own shriveled, enormously wimpy heart.
“You heard them, Meda. We’re losing. The world is losing. We have to do something.”This book is the last book in the series, and consequently, shit is real. It's full-blown war between the Crusaders and an army of demons, and the good guys (excluding Meda, of course) are vastly overpowered. It's the equivalent of the Black Knight fighting King Arthur.
“Did it ever occur to you that, no, we don’t? That we are already doing enough and it’s not our damn responsibility?”
Clearly, desperate times call for desperate measures, the measures of which Meda does not like. At. All. And for good reason.
“You’re about to get married.” She clears her throat uncomfortably. “And as you no longer have a mother, I feel it’s my duty to explain what to expect.”*snickers*
What to expect? She can’t mean…
She clears her throat again. “Now, it’s been quite some time since I’ve done it.” She scratches the back of her head. “Years and years, really, but—’
My look of absolute, utter horror cuts her off.
She sees my expression and her face takes on an equally horrified one. Under different circumstances I would laugh to see the severe, emotionless Sarge turn such a brilliant shade of red, but the threat of a sex talk from the Sarge is too terrifying to allow levity.
Fortunately she holds up her hand. “No. No. Oh, God, no, this isn’t that talk.”
In all seriousness, this book filled with plenty of ass-kicking, blood, and unexpected twists. Meda's friends play a large role in this book, for which I'm thankful, and the end was as satisfying as I would have hoped. Goodbye, old friend.
December 29, 2015
I picked this book up because I'm horrible about starting series and then never finishing them. I have never even finished Harry Potter. If you finish them then that means the characters are gone!
I'm on a quest, to finish the multiple series that I started. I will probably fail, but I'm giving it a go. (I'll fail because I'll see a pretty book and get distracted)
Starting this one I kinda shook my head. The beginning just did not get it for me. I felt like the writing was kinda childish, so I came on GR and looked around. High stars, so maybe it was me. I kept reading.
I should have trusted Meda fucking Melange. (and Eliza Crewe)
Meda starts off doing something because the Crusaders wanted her to do it. That just didn't feel right, of course she was doing it to save Jo from the same fate. BUT...it felt kinda weird and I was terrified that this series would go the way of every other dang series out there.
Then Meda pulls off the sweetness and comes back to herself!
I'm not the hugging sort and providing comfort has never been one of my many skills, so I ignore her.
Revenge, on the other hand, is a different story.
I wish I could tell you more of what happens in the book but that is part of the fun in this one. Find out for yourself. Read this series. It breaks ground that needs broken.
Female friendships that aren't bitchfests? Check
"Just two wicked friends having wacky adventures, ruining the world one vulnerable soul at a time. The Turner and Hooch of evil."
"Turner and Hooch was about a cop and his dog."
I pat her on the shoulder. "Precisely."
No insta lurve? Check
"So I can't kill him, can't divorce him, but I am allowed to torture him?"
"It wouldn't be marriage, if you weren't allowed to torture each other."
Bad Ass female characters? Check
As I said, my dignity is a delicate flower. It can only take so much abuse.
Then throw in the fact that these characters never really let you know if they are really bad or good? They just are human..well half anyways.
Little side trips into hell also keep you on the edge of your seat.
Books are Tardis's review sums this book up just perfectly. The whole series is just some of the best.
I'm on a quest, to finish the multiple series that I started. I will probably fail, but I'm giving it a go. (I'll fail because I'll see a pretty book and get distracted)
Starting this one I kinda shook my head. The beginning just did not get it for me. I felt like the writing was kinda childish, so I came on GR and looked around. High stars, so maybe it was me. I kept reading.
I should have trusted Meda fucking Melange. (and Eliza Crewe)
Meda starts off doing something because the Crusaders wanted her to do it. That just didn't feel right, of course she was doing it to save Jo from the same fate. BUT...it felt kinda weird and I was terrified that this series would go the way of every other dang series out there.
Then Meda pulls off the sweetness and comes back to herself!
I'm not the hugging sort and providing comfort has never been one of my many skills, so I ignore her.
Revenge, on the other hand, is a different story.
I wish I could tell you more of what happens in the book but that is part of the fun in this one. Find out for yourself. Read this series. It breaks ground that needs broken.
Female friendships that aren't bitchfests? Check
"Just two wicked friends having wacky adventures, ruining the world one vulnerable soul at a time. The Turner and Hooch of evil."
"Turner and Hooch was about a cop and his dog."
I pat her on the shoulder. "Precisely."
No insta lurve? Check
"So I can't kill him, can't divorce him, but I am allowed to torture him?"
"It wouldn't be marriage, if you weren't allowed to torture each other."
Bad Ass female characters? Check
As I said, my dignity is a delicate flower. It can only take so much abuse.
Then throw in the fact that these characters never really let you know if they are really bad or good? They just are human..well half anyways.
Little side trips into hell also keep you on the edge of your seat.
Books are Tardis's review sums this book up just perfectly. The whole series is just some of the best.
Read
October 29, 2015UPDATE 10/29/2015: Canadians, CreateSpace now distributes to Canada, so if you've been waiting for the print edition, wait no more! http://amzn.to/1ilQ29d
CROSSED IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1M7WB8F
Print: http://amzn.to/1M7WB8F
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1TO0XKh
Nook: http://bit.ly/1TM0dzR
CROSSED IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1M7WB8F
Print: http://amzn.to/1M7WB8F
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1TO0XKh
Nook: http://bit.ly/1TM0dzR
September 17, 2017
This is how you end a trilogy!
Maybe this wasn't quite 5 star material, but I'm rounding up, because I think it deserves it for not being a huge letdown.
Like some other trilogies...
Alright, I'm really horrible at writing reviews for books that I loved, so this might not make any sense. It's just so hard to explain the feelings that come with realizing that the ending of a beloved series didn't suck!
It didn't suck at all!
These characters didn't morph into weird parodies of themselves, there wasn't that odd moment of forced Happily Ever After, and no one died just to prove that the author had BALLS...or some such nonsense. It's always disappointing when an author loses sight of what made you love characters, or maybe just doesn't know how they want the story to end. Whatever the case, the end result is that they phone it in, or toss out a bunch of random insanity. Meanwhile, as a reader, you deflate like a balloon, because everything you initially loved is gone, and in its place is a bizarre version of what made it so special.
However, these guys always stayed true to their character...except when they didn't. But, in reality, that was precisely how they needed to act for the story to be delicious. Make sense?
No?
Too bad. I'm trying not to give anything away here!
Thing is, Crewe didn't go anywhere I thought she was going to, and I don't want to ruin the story for those of you who haven't read this yet...
Buuuut.
I can't help mention a few things that I really loved. Now, I'm not going to spoil how it all goes down, but if you don't want to know anything, then back away from this review. Fair warning, and all...
Ok, first off, I did NOT see the proposal thing coming!
Whaaaaat? Like, if I were going to make a guess about something that was going to happen in a Soul Eaters book, that marriage would never have crossed my mind. NEVER! But, now that I think about it, an unromantic wedding is exactly what the trilogy needed. And the tone of it solidified my feelings about Crewe not vomiting out garbage at the 11th hour. It sounds crazy, but I ended up loving it.
Next up... Evil Joe .
I can't even properly express how much fun I had reading about Joe giving in to her dark side. Muahahahahahaha! It was fantabulous!
I thought it was so awesome that she...no.
Must shut up...can't...spoil!
And that Big Reveal about God, the Crusaders, and the demons? Ack! So perfect!
I'm not religious, but even a heathen like myself could appreciate the Moral of the Story at the end of this sucker.
This was just... *fangirl squealing*
See? I just can't write a good review when I love a book. Sorry.
The best I can do is tell you that I gobbled it up, thought it ended the way it should, and wasn't in the least heartbroken or disappointed. There. Now go read it for yourself.
Maybe this wasn't quite 5 star material, but I'm rounding up, because I think it deserves it for not being a huge letdown.
Like some other trilogies...
Alright, I'm really horrible at writing reviews for books that I loved, so this might not make any sense. It's just so hard to explain the feelings that come with realizing that the ending of a beloved series didn't suck!
It didn't suck at all!
These characters didn't morph into weird parodies of themselves, there wasn't that odd moment of forced Happily Ever After, and no one died just to prove that the author had BALLS...or some such nonsense. It's always disappointing when an author loses sight of what made you love characters, or maybe just doesn't know how they want the story to end. Whatever the case, the end result is that they phone it in, or toss out a bunch of random insanity. Meanwhile, as a reader, you deflate like a balloon, because everything you initially loved is gone, and in its place is a bizarre version of what made it so special.
However, these guys always stayed true to their character...except when they didn't. But, in reality, that was precisely how they needed to act for the story to be delicious. Make sense?
No?
Too bad. I'm trying not to give anything away here!
Thing is, Crewe didn't go anywhere I thought she was going to, and I don't want to ruin the story for those of you who haven't read this yet...
Buuuut.
I can't help mention a few things that I really loved. Now, I'm not going to spoil how it all goes down, but if you don't want to know anything, then back away from this review. Fair warning, and all...
Ok, first off, I did NOT see the proposal thing coming!
Whaaaaat? Like, if I were going to make a guess about something that was going to happen in a Soul Eaters book, that marriage would never have crossed my mind. NEVER! But, now that I think about it, an unromantic wedding is exactly what the trilogy needed. And the tone of it solidified my feelings about Crewe not vomiting out garbage at the 11th hour. It sounds crazy, but I ended up loving it.
Next up... Evil Joe .
I can't even properly express how much fun I had reading about Joe giving in to her dark side. Muahahahahahaha! It was fantabulous!
I thought it was so awesome that she...no.
Must shut up...can't...spoil!
And that Big Reveal about God, the Crusaders, and the demons? Ack! So perfect!
I'm not religious, but even a heathen like myself could appreciate the Moral of the Story at the end of this sucker.
This was just... *fangirl squealing*
See? I just can't write a good review when I love a book. Sorry.
The best I can do is tell you that I gobbled it up, thought it ended the way it should, and wasn't in the least heartbroken or disappointed. There. Now go read it for yourself.
October 9, 2015
Unplanned buddyread with Tamara. Do read her review when it's already posted. Thanks. <3
That was one bloody hell of a journey! (pun deliberately intended).
It’s no secret that I and almost everyone else who’s read this series are diehard fans of the infamous half-demon, half-crusader, part-beacon and part-human girl called Meda. That’s a lot of halves and parts because you really can’t break down the girl into only two things. So, if you haven’t met her yet, you’re seriously missing out on all the fun and laughter she provides because who wouldn’t want to meet a girl who would casually wear leotard and leggings just because she’s comfortable in them? LMAO!
It’s basically because of Meda and her awesome friends (the righteous, all-knowing Jo and the extremely optimist handsome Chi) and the object of her hidden stubborn affection (the equally evil but hot Armand) that I have been consistently giving the books in this series five stars. Oh, and have I mentioned that all these characters kick ass? Well, they do!
But aside from the admirable and impressive character development, what I love most about this series is how it never allowed romance to overpower the story and instead underscored friendship (between Jo and Meda) more than anything else-Friendship in its most natural, sincerest meaning.
“We have never agreed on anything, but it has never mattered.”
If the story was a bit short of plot complexity or world building, the writing, message and entertainment definitely made up for whatever is lacking. It’s impressive how the awesome Ms.Eliza Crewe crafted the story with every intention of telling readers how love and loyalty for a friend can move someone into unimaginable selflessness and heroism and can transform a person to become better.
"When someone loves you unconditionally no matter what you do…it’s hard to be an ass.”
Even evil (literal or not) has chance and hope for redemption and forgiveness when there’s someone willing to dispense unconditional love.
So long, Meda, Jo, Chi and Armand! Goodbye, favorite urban fantasy series.
Till we meet again!
Looking for more reviews?
Vane's
Evelyn's
Burn's
That was one bloody hell of a journey! (pun deliberately intended).
It’s no secret that I and almost everyone else who’s read this series are diehard fans of the infamous half-demon, half-crusader, part-beacon and part-human girl called Meda. That’s a lot of halves and parts because you really can’t break down the girl into only two things. So, if you haven’t met her yet, you’re seriously missing out on all the fun and laughter she provides because who wouldn’t want to meet a girl who would casually wear leotard and leggings just because she’s comfortable in them? LMAO!
It’s basically because of Meda and her awesome friends (the righteous, all-knowing Jo and the extremely optimist handsome Chi) and the object of her hidden stubborn affection (the equally evil but hot Armand) that I have been consistently giving the books in this series five stars. Oh, and have I mentioned that all these characters kick ass? Well, they do!
But aside from the admirable and impressive character development, what I love most about this series is how it never allowed romance to overpower the story and instead underscored friendship (between Jo and Meda) more than anything else-Friendship in its most natural, sincerest meaning.
“We have never agreed on anything, but it has never mattered.”
If the story was a bit short of plot complexity or world building, the writing, message and entertainment definitely made up for whatever is lacking. It’s impressive how the awesome Ms.Eliza Crewe crafted the story with every intention of telling readers how love and loyalty for a friend can move someone into unimaginable selflessness and heroism and can transform a person to become better.
"When someone loves you unconditionally no matter what you do…it’s hard to be an ass.”
Even evil (literal or not) has chance and hope for redemption and forgiveness when there’s someone willing to dispense unconditional love.
"Hope can be a powerful thing.
A spark of light in the dark,
A star in a black night.
An impetus to change, a motivation to transform.
Something to lose, something to attain."
So long, Meda, Jo, Chi and Armand! Goodbye, favorite urban fantasy series.
Till we meet again!
Looking for more reviews?
Vane's
Evelyn's
Burn's
October 3, 2015
3.5
Despite the rating (hey, 3 stars means I liked it) this is still going down as one of my favorite YA series I've read. As a whole these books are a gem. Like, if you haven't checked these out? I have no idea why we are even friends.
...maybe
I can't stress enough how amazing the characters are. I know that was basically all I ranted about in the previous review. Maybe this time it'll get through your thick skulls. These characters are gold. I honestly believe they are what make the series. Meda, Jo, Chi, Armand are just pieces to a puzzle that end up creating a complex work of art. They are all different in their ways bringing forth a uniqueness that isn't that common in YA series nowadays. They are so flawed it hurts, shady as heck, they're actually sensible in their rationale, and just everything you can picture that you don't see in YA. The fact that this author was able to sell a book where our main character is evil-the real definition of evil-without remorse, where others have remarkably failed *coughThroneOfGlasscough* is just all too beautiful. This isn't a "I'm an assassin but I don't kill" theme. No. This is a "I will kill you slowly while I bask in your screams and bathe in your blood" theme. So kudos to Eliza Crewe, you deserve credit where credit is due.
As I've mentioned before one of my favorite aspects of this series was that there was no black and white. And there never will be. I adore how an author can take that leap and stand where few dare to. She doesn't go for that splitting ego mechanism. Everyone is flawed to the tenth degree. Everyone is capable of pulling the rug from under your feet, and the fact that you never know who will do it is again, all too beautiful.
When was the last time you read a book where the friendship was an actually integral point to the plot? Personally, I'm tired of these friends who aren't really friends but Crewe depicted a friendship that embodies all the points on a scale. We have completely different characters, characters who are in a deeper level black and white. And still she was able to convey, that friendship isn't based on whether you wholly agree with someone else's decisions, it's based on that deepest desire to connect. They brought out the best in each other and you could feel the bounds, not by all the crap they said, but by their actions, their hesitations, their thoughts. Just for that they deserve all the stars.
Seriously this series is worth the time to read. They are easy reads and Meda will make it worth your time.
Now, as to why it isn't a five. I adored the beginning. And the middle was great. It was the ending that kind of killed it for me. And I know that I still usually rate the last books of a series as a whole but man, it was so rushed I couldn't just ignore it. It wasn't a bad ending, not in the slightest, but I needed more. It just felt like "End of Days" all over again. I needed more.
Despite the rating (hey, 3 stars means I liked it) this is still going down as one of my favorite YA series I've read. As a whole these books are a gem. Like, if you haven't checked these out? I have no idea why we are even friends.
...maybe
I can't stress enough how amazing the characters are. I know that was basically all I ranted about in the previous review. Maybe this time it'll get through your thick skulls. These characters are gold. I honestly believe they are what make the series. Meda, Jo, Chi, Armand are just pieces to a puzzle that end up creating a complex work of art. They are all different in their ways bringing forth a uniqueness that isn't that common in YA series nowadays. They are so flawed it hurts, shady as heck, they're actually sensible in their rationale, and just everything you can picture that you don't see in YA. The fact that this author was able to sell a book where our main character is evil-the real definition of evil-without remorse, where others have remarkably failed *coughThroneOfGlasscough* is just all too beautiful. This isn't a "I'm an assassin but I don't kill" theme. No. This is a "I will kill you slowly while I bask in your screams and bathe in your blood" theme. So kudos to Eliza Crewe, you deserve credit where credit is due.
"Now I have seen too much good in my enemies, too much evil in my allies. I’ve seen too much evil in my friends, even.(...)Just as the Crusaders are plagued with hate, demons are afflicted with hope. The equal opposite nature of the cosmic game board means no one is above reproach, and no one is below it."
As I've mentioned before one of my favorite aspects of this series was that there was no black and white. And there never will be. I adore how an author can take that leap and stand where few dare to. She doesn't go for that splitting ego mechanism. Everyone is flawed to the tenth degree. Everyone is capable of pulling the rug from under your feet, and the fact that you never know who will do it is again, all too beautiful.
"My relationship with Jo has always been built upon a foundation of discord. We have never agreed on anything, but it has never mattered.(...)We are bound too tightly by ties I can’t escape, even if I wanted to. And I don’t want to. Ever."
When was the last time you read a book where the friendship was an actually integral point to the plot? Personally, I'm tired of these friends who aren't really friends but Crewe depicted a friendship that embodies all the points on a scale. We have completely different characters, characters who are in a deeper level black and white. And still she was able to convey, that friendship isn't based on whether you wholly agree with someone else's decisions, it's based on that deepest desire to connect. They brought out the best in each other and you could feel the bounds, not by all the crap they said, but by their actions, their hesitations, their thoughts. Just for that they deserve all the stars.
Seriously this series is worth the time to read. They are easy reads and Meda will make it worth your time.
Now, as to why it isn't a five. I adored the beginning. And the middle was great. It was the ending that kind of killed it for me. And I know that I still usually rate the last books of a series as a whole but man, it was so rushed I couldn't just ignore it. It wasn't a bad ending, not in the slightest, but I needed more. It just felt like "End of Days" all over again. I needed more.
February 1, 2018
ATTENTION PEOPLE!!!!! READ THIS SERIES!!!! PLEASE!!!!!
What a glorious way to end this beautiful series. This series is one of the best young adult series ever right after Six of Crows and Strange the Dreamer and I'm so disappointed that out of my 221 friends, only 9 have read it. What a bummer. Honestly guys, if you love well developed stories then read this. If you love morally grey characters, then read this. If you love some blood and gore and action and hell, then read this. If you love stories based on strong female friendships, then read this series. If you love just a bit of romance with a broken sexy half demons, then READ THIS SERIES.
I repeat, READ! SOUL EATERS! BUY IT NOW FROM HERE! PLEASE.
Whew I hope this works. So now, why this series is amazing. First of all, Meda.
Though Meda was great, the characters who stole the show are Jo and Armand.
I always have soft spot for a dark, sexy half demon and Armand can have my whole heart. He's the most precious cinammon bun and needs to be protected from the whole world at all cause. His pain, his sufferings, his reasons to do everything he did in last book, everything made him more real to me. Eliza Crewe constantly kept readers on edge with romance and Meda's final thoughts for Armand were so heart breaking and so hopeful. Armand really deserve redemption.
Jo has the most important character arc in this whole story. In Crossed, her tiredness, anger and frustration become more obvious as stakes become more deadly for Crusaders. It compelled her to take some dangerous steps which brought her inner self on surface, which made the whole book even more interesting. Her friendship with Meda is one of the best depicrion of female friendships I've read about. Their love is so unconditional, so pure, so beautiful. They are complete opposites but still manage to stick together through everything.
Apart from characters, everthing in this story is one hell of a perfection. Get it? Get it Haha..ha..um. I need to make this joke somewhere. Anyways, unlike the last book, story was fast paced and action was constant. There were plenty of twists and turns that would surely keep you on the edge. Many things that were not explained in previous books were made clear. We got to visit hell (yessss) plus we saw nature of demons closely.
There is anger, love, hurt, excitement, frustration and all other emotions among these pages along with twisted dark humour. All in all, this book is perfection.
READ THIS BOOK. PLEASE.
HOLY WAH HOLY WAH HOLY WAH.
It’s this, my own depravity, that makes me unable to condemn others for theirs, that makes me want to believe that no matter what mistakes I make, that there is forgiveness. There is hope.
I want to believe there’s a chance, Armand had said. Even for me.
That’s what rebirth gives the demons: hope. Hope can be a powerful thing. A spark of light in the dark, a star in a black night. An impetus to change, a motivation to transform. Something to lose, something to attain.
Just as the Crusaders are plagued with hate, demons are afflicted with hope. The equal opposite nature of the cosmic game board means no one is above reproach, and no one is below it.
What a glorious way to end this beautiful series. This series is one of the best young adult series ever right after Six of Crows and Strange the Dreamer and I'm so disappointed that out of my 221 friends, only 9 have read it. What a bummer. Honestly guys, if you love well developed stories then read this. If you love morally grey characters, then read this. If you love some blood and gore and action and hell, then read this. If you love stories based on strong female friendships, then read this series. If you love just a bit of romance with a broken sexy half demons, then READ THIS SERIES.
I repeat, READ! SOUL EATERS! BUY IT NOW FROM HERE! PLEASE.
Whew I hope this works. So now, why this series is amazing. First of all, Meda.
I am Meda fucking Melange. There is no way in hell I’m letting go.I am now convinced there is no end to Meda's awesomeness. Absolutely no end. She always has her head straight. She's selfish and she's arrogant only care about her three most beloved friends and it's this very love that keeps her motivated to do the right thing and don't fuck anything up. I absolutely love how her character developed. She didn't become a saint comforting crusaders and trying to justifies anyone's actions , but she continues to love her friends and try to do better for the world even when sometimes her selfish instinct kicks in. I really think she's the character every YA lover needs to read about. She's everybit snarky, selfish, witty and everything in between but all you need to know is that she's amazing.
Still I don’t mind when Jo, Chi and Armand reach over the edge and haul me up.
Hey, just because I don’t need help doesn’t mean I don’t mind a little from my friends every once in a while.
Though Meda was great, the characters who stole the show are Jo and Armand.
I always have soft spot for a dark, sexy half demon and Armand can have my whole heart. He's the most precious cinammon bun and needs to be protected from the whole world at all cause. His pain, his sufferings, his reasons to do everything he did in last book, everything made him more real to me. Eliza Crewe constantly kept readers on edge with romance and Meda's final thoughts for Armand were so heart breaking and so hopeful. Armand really deserve redemption.
“Tell me . . .” He fiddles with a button on the pocket of his cargo pants, then forces his hand still. He looks up, his eyes betraying his vulnerability even before his words do. “What would it take for you to forgive me?” It’s soft, almost a whisper. As if my forgiveness is a bird he’s afraid to startle away.
I eye him, then lean forward until our mouths almost touch. His eyes drift to my lips. I pause, letting the moment hang, letting it draw long, letting him wait. “Die for me, Armand.” My voice is a seductive, violent purr. “Die for me and set me free from our marriage.”
He closes his eyes as if pained. “I can’t do that.”
“And I can’t do forgiveness.” I bend my lips in a smile. “But cheer up. At least I can’t kill you.”
There’s a beat, then he forces a tight smile. “I guess I’ll take what I can get.”
“You always do.”
Jo has the most important character arc in this whole story. In Crossed, her tiredness, anger and frustration become more obvious as stakes become more deadly for Crusaders. It compelled her to take some dangerous steps which brought her inner self on surface, which made the whole book even more interesting. Her friendship with Meda is one of the best depicrion of female friendships I've read about. Their love is so unconditional, so pure, so beautiful. They are complete opposites but still manage to stick together through everything.
When she stops, she takes another breath and she looks more relaxed than I’ve seen her in months. Maybe ever. “Who would have thought that you would become my conscience?”I loved Chi most in this one in all of the three books. He's the beacon of kindness and selflessness among demons and their evilness, and little insight to Chi's character we got all along the way to hell was really comforting to read about. As much as I love Meda, I admit my little bit angelic side doesn't really like it when people are dying and Meda only think about saving her own ass, so Chi'selflessness always cheer me up. Afterall, too much evilness is contagious too.
I gasp in horror. “Don’t you dare get used to it! I’m the bad cop.” I point at her. “Staid, righteous good cop.” I point at myself. “Mischievous, fun-loving bad cop.”
She grins impishly—which really doesn’t bode well—and tosses an arm around my shoulder. It pulls her off balance a little and her leg brace clangs against the railing.
“Sure thing, Hooch.”
Apart from characters, everthing in this story is one hell of a perfection. Get it? Get it Haha..ha..um. I need to make this joke somewhere. Anyways, unlike the last book, story was fast paced and action was constant. There were plenty of twists and turns that would surely keep you on the edge. Many things that were not explained in previous books were made clear. We got to visit hell (yessss) plus we saw nature of demons closely.
There is anger, love, hurt, excitement, frustration and all other emotions among these pages along with twisted dark humour. All in all, this book is perfection.
READ THIS BOOK. PLEASE.
August 17, 2015
Review originally posted on Books With Chemistry (July 13th, 2015).
**And ARC was received via the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion on the book.**
Well, this is the end of an era. Goodbye, Meda, Jo, Chi and Armand.
There's one thing you need to know about me, and no, it's not that I hate cats. What you need to know is that I absolutely abhor angels/demons books. Really, I hate them with all my soul. They're given for many things I hate in books. This book, however, is the exception to everything.
I told you in my review for Cracked that I almost added this book to my thank-you-but-no-thank-you shelf. Why? Because of the fact I mentioned. I had never liked an angels/demons book before reading this series. I'm really glad, though, that I decided to give it a try.
This series meant a lot to me the moment I met Meda. Fo those of you who have not read this, I will tell you who she is: She's the demon girl who eats people's souls for a living. She's a sassy, badass, and incredibly relatable heroine. I loved her in all the books.
But all the aspects I mentioned above are not the only ones that made me truly love her. She also grows as a character. In the second book, we almost see her broken as a person for all the things she went through. In this one, she has grown even more. The events in the second book (and the beginning of this one) have impacted in her again. If you compare Cracked-Meda with Crossed-Meda, you may fool yourself into believing they are different people.
The same can be said for the rest of the cast, even Armand. He starts as a seductive demon boy in book 1. In book 2, he gets even more evil and I loved him. And in this book... oh my God, Eliza Crewe, aren't you an evil one? ;) I won't tell you anything because what happens is a really big spoiler, but what he became made me pity and love him more.
And Jo... Jesus-freaking-Christ, Jo. She's so badass. You think Jo is just a know-it-all-sulky-but-kickass-Crusader? Haha, how fooled you are. She has an evil side too! And she will make you both snicker and open your mouth in horror.
The characters in this series are by far the thing I loved the most, but wait a sec... It also was entertaining as hell.
(Did you see what I did there? Ha!)
I don't believe there's much need for me to say what this is about - I mean, this being a final book in a trilogy? What do you think might happen? Yeah, you guessed. It's when things obviously have to end, and when things have to be solved or ruined for eternity (or something in-between).
(If you haven't read neither of the books in this series, you might want to skip the next paragraph.)
The story continues where it left. Meda is now with the Crusaders, and they need to find a way of getting rid of the demons as they grow stronger and kill more and more Crusaders. You cannot imagine the surprise she gets when she figures out Armand is still alive (after she left him to die at the end of book 2), and it's a bigger surpise the one she gets when she's told that the only solution the Crusaders have for figuring out the demons' secrets is to have her married with Armand. After this point, things get even more complicated and full with twists. Characters are challenged to their wits ends and even Meda is amongst the people entering crisis. How will they solve everything?
I had one complain about the plot, though, and it's not really a spoiler, so you're safe here. My complaint is all the talk about God. This is one of my problems when reading angels/demons books: Most deal with destroying demons and fighting for a great deity that represents good. Yeah, sure, this is necessary, because you know there's no evil without good, just as there's no good without evil.
And the problem is not the deity itself, because I don't really care about that, but the fact that it's given for deux ex machina moments. Gratefully, this does not suffer from that, and what really bothered me was that it is never explained a single thing about it. Sure, we know almost everything about the demons but the deity? Who is this great being for whom everyone is fighting? Why is it worth fighting for it? Just because it's supposed to be "good"? Mmm, well, that does not convince me.
But that little pet peeve did not prevent me from enjoying this.
The relationships between the characters was another thing I adored. Case in point, Jo and Meda: In most books, whenever two girls are present, they're enemies and they slut-shame each other.
Not so in this book.
Jo and Meda are actually best friends, and their relationship is not perfect. They fight at some points, they disagree, they have their ups and downs, they help and protect each other, etc.
And even when I enjoyed this immensely, I cannot give it a perfect rating, because it had unforgivable gramatical errors (and this is said by someone who comes from a non-English-speaking country). For example, this:
I guess the message there was actually "I hear Armand's jeering voice in my head." Yeah, it's something small, but the devil's in the details ("devil," haha).
Also, I felt there was less badassery and heart-stopping scenes, which, if you have read the previous books, you know were ever-present in Cracked and Crushed. The fun aspect from the other books was less common in this one as well. There were some, but part of them felt forced. Gladly, the plot twists that characterized the other books were here, and they were 0% predictable and 100% awesome.
In the end, I recommend this series to everyone. My favourite book keeps being Crushed, but I thought this was good too. It's truly amazing brain candy. I assure you there's nothing like this out there. The concept might be too common, but trust me, this is unique in lots of senses.
Now, when is Eliza Crewe publishing another book? Because I would totally read it.
...
Update (April 8th, 2015): THE COVER IS ALIVE!!! And it's glorious. Also that blurb... Ahhhhh!!
I seriously cannot wait for this book to be released.
...
**And ARC was received via the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion on the book.**
Well, this is the end of an era. Goodbye, Meda, Jo, Chi and Armand.
There's one thing you need to know about me, and no, it's not that I hate cats. What you need to know is that I absolutely abhor angels/demons books. Really, I hate them with all my soul. They're given for many things I hate in books. This book, however, is the exception to everything.
I told you in my review for Cracked that I almost added this book to my thank-you-but-no-thank-you shelf. Why? Because of the fact I mentioned. I had never liked an angels/demons book before reading this series. I'm really glad, though, that I decided to give it a try.
This series meant a lot to me the moment I met Meda. Fo those of you who have not read this, I will tell you who she is: She's the demon girl who eats people's souls for a living. She's a sassy, badass, and incredibly relatable heroine. I loved her in all the books.
But all the aspects I mentioned above are not the only ones that made me truly love her. She also grows as a character. In the second book, we almost see her broken as a person for all the things she went through. In this one, she has grown even more. The events in the second book (and the beginning of this one) have impacted in her again. If you compare Cracked-Meda with Crossed-Meda, you may fool yourself into believing they are different people.
I am Meda fucking Melange. There is no way in hell I’m letting go.
The same can be said for the rest of the cast, even Armand. He starts as a seductive demon boy in book 1. In book 2, he gets even more evil and I loved him. And in this book... oh my God, Eliza Crewe, aren't you an evil one? ;) I won't tell you anything because what happens is a really big spoiler, but what he became made me pity and love him more.
And Jo... Jesus-freaking-Christ, Jo. She's so badass. You think Jo is just a know-it-all-sulky-but-kickass-Crusader? Haha, how fooled you are. She has an evil side too! And she will make you both snicker and open your mouth in horror.
The characters in this series are by far the thing I loved the most, but wait a sec... It also was entertaining as hell.
(Did you see what I did there? Ha!)
I don't believe there's much need for me to say what this is about - I mean, this being a final book in a trilogy? What do you think might happen? Yeah, you guessed. It's when things obviously have to end, and when things have to be solved or ruined for eternity (or something in-between).
(If you haven't read neither of the books in this series, you might want to skip the next paragraph.)
The story continues where it left. Meda is now with the Crusaders, and they need to find a way of getting rid of the demons as they grow stronger and kill more and more Crusaders. You cannot imagine the surprise she gets when she figures out Armand is still alive (after she left him to die at the end of book 2), and it's a bigger surpise the one she gets when she's told that the only solution the Crusaders have for figuring out the demons' secrets is to have her married with Armand. After this point, things get even more complicated and full with twists. Characters are challenged to their wits ends and even Meda is amongst the people entering crisis. How will they solve everything?
I had one complain about the plot, though, and it's not really a spoiler, so you're safe here. My complaint is all the talk about God. This is one of my problems when reading angels/demons books: Most deal with destroying demons and fighting for a great deity that represents good. Yeah, sure, this is necessary, because you know there's no evil without good, just as there's no good without evil.
And the problem is not the deity itself, because I don't really care about that, but the fact that it's given for deux ex machina moments. Gratefully, this does not suffer from that, and what really bothered me was that it is never explained a single thing about it. Sure, we know almost everything about the demons but the deity? Who is this great being for whom everyone is fighting? Why is it worth fighting for it? Just because it's supposed to be "good"? Mmm, well, that does not convince me.
But that little pet peeve did not prevent me from enjoying this.
The relationships between the characters was another thing I adored. Case in point, Jo and Meda: In most books, whenever two girls are present, they're enemies and they slut-shame each other.
Not so in this book.
Jo and Meda are actually best friends, and their relationship is not perfect. They fight at some points, they disagree, they have their ups and downs, they help and protect each other, etc.
“You have been my greatest weakness since the day we met,” I shout.
She doesn’t back down. “You’ve been my greatest strength.”
And even when I enjoyed this immensely, I cannot give it a perfect rating, because it had unforgivable gramatical errors (and this is said by someone who comes from a non-English-speaking country). For example, this:
"I here Armand’s jeering voice in my head."
I guess the message there was actually "I hear Armand's jeering voice in my head." Yeah, it's something small, but the devil's in the details ("devil," haha).
Also, I felt there was less badassery and heart-stopping scenes, which, if you have read the previous books, you know were ever-present in Cracked and Crushed. The fun aspect from the other books was less common in this one as well. There were some, but part of them felt forced. Gladly, the plot twists that characterized the other books were here, and they were 0% predictable and 100% awesome.
In the end, I recommend this series to everyone. My favourite book keeps being Crushed, but I thought this was good too. It's truly amazing brain candy. I assure you there's nothing like this out there. The concept might be too common, but trust me, this is unique in lots of senses.
Now, when is Eliza Crewe publishing another book? Because I would totally read it.
...
Update (April 8th, 2015): THE COVER IS ALIVE!!! And it's glorious. Also that blurb... Ahhhhh!!
I seriously cannot wait for this book to be released.
...
April 15, 2016
4.5 stars
Hey, Meda?
If I know her, she'll definitely appreciate the subtle expression of love that comes with bodily tackling human beings. After all, she's the kind of gal that notices a gorgeous thousand-thread-count carpet and thinks:
I love her, I love her, I love her. Meda is a delightful breath of fresh air in the YA genre and it is a sin this series isn't more well-known.
Armand tricked her and attempted to sell her soul to the devil in Crushed and like any other normal person, she totally hates his guts and doesn't fall into his chiseled arms after he apologizes, like Generic Paranormal Romance #101. Oh no, she ignores him, taunts him, and generally makes his life a living hell.
Her will is stronger than mine because when this happened:
I was begging for them to kiss and make up. "So he's a bit of a fixer-upper. So he tried to trade your eternal soul for his. Just kiss already, dammit!"
Meda's character development is astounding. Back in Crushed, she was sneaky, manipulative, bloodthirsty and didn't give a crap about anyone other than herself. Now she's also sneaky, manipulative and bloodthirsty, but gives a crap about a selective group of people.
Let's call them Meda-bitches. Population: Jo and Chi.
Chi was rather sidelined in the last book and I'm glad he gets more screen time here. There's a very touching scene where they're hiding from demons and Chi, gently, but firmly tells Meda she can't knock him out whenever she feels like it. Granted, she was saving his ass from suicidal heroics, but it made me go, "Awwwwww," all the same.
But the real star is Jo. Fierce, handicapped, righteous Jo.
It's not weird I ship Jo and Meda, right? RIGHT?
I was pretty ticked off at how Jo's disability was handled last book and I'm proud to say it's dealt with in a far more realistic way in Crossed. Jo can't walk as fast as a normal person and it's something her Sergeant considers during mission assignation. Best of all,
There are a few typos here and there, but it doesn't affect my enjoyment of Crossed. And talking about religion in a non-preachy way is always a plus.
A fabulous conclusion to a fabulous series.
Huge, huge thank you to Eliza Crewe for sending me an ARC!
"When someone loves you unconditionally and eternally, no matter what you do... Well, let's just say, it makes it hard to be an ass."
Hey, Meda?
If I know her, she'll definitely appreciate the subtle expression of love that comes with bodily tackling human beings. After all, she's the kind of gal that notices a gorgeous thousand-thread-count carpet and thinks:
"The carpet is luxuriously thick, the kind upon which you could sneak up on a person without even trying, the kind that would muffle the thud of a body, the kind that would cost thousands to get bloodstains out."
I love her, I love her, I love her. Meda is a delightful breath of fresh air in the YA genre and it is a sin this series isn't more well-known.
Armand tricked her and attempted to sell her soul to the devil in Crushed and like any other normal person, she totally hates his guts and doesn't fall into his chiseled arms after he apologizes, like Generic Paranormal Romance #101. Oh no, she ignores him, taunts him, and generally makes his life a living hell.
Her will is stronger than mine because when this happened:
"I'm drowning, Meda." The words are whispered, rough and raw from his raw throat, and his eyes close again, exhaustion overtaking him. "I'm drowning and I'll be drowning for eternity." His eyes open but he doesn't look at me. "I want to believe there's a surface, and air, even if I never see it."
I was begging for them to kiss and make up. "So he's a bit of a fixer-upper. So he tried to trade your eternal soul for his. Just kiss already, dammit!"
Meda's character development is astounding. Back in Crushed, she was sneaky, manipulative, bloodthirsty and didn't give a crap about anyone other than herself. Now she's also sneaky, manipulative and bloodthirsty, but gives a crap about a selective group of people.
Let's call them Meda-bitches. Population: Jo and Chi.
Chi was rather sidelined in the last book and I'm glad he gets more screen time here. There's a very touching scene where they're hiding from demons and Chi, gently, but firmly tells Meda she can't knock him out whenever she feels like it. Granted, she was saving his ass from suicidal heroics, but it made me go, "Awwwwww," all the same.
But the real star is Jo. Fierce, handicapped, righteous Jo.
"I joined the Crusaders for you. I married [spoiler] for you." I'm in her face, snarling. "You have been my greatest weakness since the day we met," I shout.
She doesn't back down. "You've been my great strength."
It's not weird I ship Jo and Meda, right? RIGHT?
I was pretty ticked off at how Jo's disability was handled last book and I'm proud to say it's dealt with in a far more realistic way in Crossed. Jo can't walk as fast as a normal person and it's something her Sergeant considers during mission assignation. Best of all,
There are a few typos here and there, but it doesn't affect my enjoyment of Crossed. And talking about religion in a non-preachy way is always a plus.
A fabulous conclusion to a fabulous series.
Huge, huge thank you to Eliza Crewe for sending me an ARC!
May 8, 2018
War has erupted between the Demons and Crusaders and the Crusaders are losing. Are they doomed forever or is there still a way to win this war?
This book is darker than previous books as it dives more into the demon world and we get to see how they truly live.
What I loved about this book is that it shows that people are hardly either good or bad, but mostly grey (except chi but I’ll get to that later).
- We have Meda who is probably the greyest of them all. She is ruthless but she is also fiercely loyal to the people she loves. She would gladly let the world burn if it means saving them. She isn’t the selfless kind and she has no problem with that. She demonstrates this alot in this book. Most of the decisions she makes were not for the betterment of mankind, but the betterment of her friends.
- We have Jo who is loyal to the cause to a fault. She hates demons with a passion and would do anything to win the war
- Then there is Chi who is the exception to the greyness. He is as good and Christ-like as it gets. I’m pretty sure the only person better than him is Christ himself. Chi sees the good in everyone even people that are supposed to be his enemies, is optimistic and has an unwavering faith even in bleakest times. If everyone was like Chi, the world would be a better place 💕.
But as the saying goes, there is a time and place for everything and the personality differences between these characters is what made them a good team. There were times that required Meda’s ruthlessness, there were times that required Jo’s determination and there were times that required Chi’s goodness.
What I loved most about this book were the twists and not just at the end like most books have but from the beginning to the end.
This book had me feeling all sorts of emotions. I was happy, sad, angry and scared and I would not have it any other way. This was the perfect ending to this series and I am going to miss the gang 😢
This book is darker than previous books as it dives more into the demon world and we get to see how they truly live.
What I loved about this book is that it shows that people are hardly either good or bad, but mostly grey (except chi but I’ll get to that later).
- We have Meda who is probably the greyest of them all. She is ruthless but she is also fiercely loyal to the people she loves. She would gladly let the world burn if it means saving them. She isn’t the selfless kind and she has no problem with that. She demonstrates this alot in this book. Most of the decisions she makes were not for the betterment of mankind, but the betterment of her friends.
- We have Jo who is loyal to the cause to a fault. She hates demons with a passion and would do anything to win the war
- Then there is Chi who is the exception to the greyness. He is as good and Christ-like as it gets. I’m pretty sure the only person better than him is Christ himself. Chi sees the good in everyone even people that are supposed to be his enemies, is optimistic and has an unwavering faith even in bleakest times. If everyone was like Chi, the world would be a better place 💕.
But as the saying goes, there is a time and place for everything and the personality differences between these characters is what made them a good team. There were times that required Meda’s ruthlessness, there were times that required Jo’s determination and there were times that required Chi’s goodness.
What I loved most about this book were the twists and not just at the end like most books have but from the beginning to the end.
This book had me feeling all sorts of emotions. I was happy, sad, angry and scared and I would not have it any other way. This was the perfect ending to this series and I am going to miss the gang 😢
August 25, 2015
4.5 Girl Power Stars
You’ve read how many YA series where girl has a best friend but then meets a boy and everything becomes about him? The heroine becomes stupid over him and waves bye-bye to the best friend who is now delegated to the back seat…Meda is not that girl. Meda is the girl who might have the boy but will still go into hell for her BFF, literally. Don’t get me wrong Meda can still do romance…well sort of but it will never be roses and candy. Her idea of romance is not killing you, what more do you want she is half demon.
Crossed is my favorite book of this series for a few reasons. It actually has the best plotting and pacing out of all the books of the series. Not a lot of time is spent with the actual crusaders and I like it best when it is just the small group running around and getting into trouble and there is plenty of that. Every character gets their chance to shine and become a little more than they were before. Even Chi who was the ultimate paper cut out of the good guy shows he is deeper than we initially realized.
But you want to know who steals the freaking show is Jo. You thought I’d say Meda right? I thought I was going to love Meda the most too but surprise, surprise Jo stepped up to bat and hit one out of the ball park. I LOVE HER in this. Because what happens when Jo isn’t tethered by everything the Crusaders taught her? What happens when she finds out what it is like on the other side and how good it can feel to play for the other team? What happens when she knows-it-all??? I’ll tell you what happens… Meda becomes the voice of reason and we are all in trouble when she is our conscience. Need I remind you that she is part monster and hunts killers for fun and food.
It is a scary day when she is the one that has the lead on the moral compass. Still I loved the Bad Jo and Trying To Be Good Meda so much together. They have wonderful banter and the dark humor in the book is so wonderful I laughed a lot throughout.
Then there is The French Guy…aka Armand. I thought I was going to have to wait forever for him to come into the story again but I was so happily surprised when that wasn’t the case. When he appeared pretty early in and he might love Meda in his demon-hearted way but he also has an agenda of his own.
Demon love is so cute…probably cuter than crusader love. And while yes there are two definite couples in this it is far from having an overabundance of lovey dovey moments. We don’t have time for that since we are marching into hell to try and save the world.
I enjoyed every twist in this tale and dynamic of the team. I especially enjoyed the trek into hell, I’m a sucker for how different authors envision hell and project it for the reader. Crewe did a really good job with showing how she thought this world’s version of hell would look and behave.
Not everything is perfect in the story since this has been a tale of Heaven vs Hell I thought there might be a little bit more closure to it. I really enjoyed the revelations (get it revelations in the bible) that came out at the end about the war and how the tides had turned so much over the years but I wanted just a little bit more. It seems that we leave our group with a lot of work still left to do. I’m not saying that is a bad thing I’m just one of those readers that likes a really wrapped up epilogue in a 3rd book of the series.
This entire series is one of my favorite in YA since it doesn’t fall into a lot of the trope pitfalls of the others in the genre and it is different.
p.s. – Unwind by Neal Shusterman still holds the #1 spot in my YA series favorites…but this is solidly in my top 5 YA series currently.
You’ve read how many YA series where girl has a best friend but then meets a boy and everything becomes about him? The heroine becomes stupid over him and waves bye-bye to the best friend who is now delegated to the back seat…Meda is not that girl. Meda is the girl who might have the boy but will still go into hell for her BFF, literally. Don’t get me wrong Meda can still do romance…well sort of but it will never be roses and candy. Her idea of romance is not killing you, what more do you want she is half demon.
“Hey, I can do romance,” I protest, forcing levity into my voice. “I didn’t feed you to the dragon when I had the chance. That’s romantic.”
“You’re right, I’m sorry. You have the soul of a poet.”
Crossed is my favorite book of this series for a few reasons. It actually has the best plotting and pacing out of all the books of the series. Not a lot of time is spent with the actual crusaders and I like it best when it is just the small group running around and getting into trouble and there is plenty of that. Every character gets their chance to shine and become a little more than they were before. Even Chi who was the ultimate paper cut out of the good guy shows he is deeper than we initially realized.
That Chi’s freeing of the soul was a deliberate attempt to protect it from Jo’s cruelty and not just his happy-go-lucky naivety is again the wind fluttering the curious curtain over Chi’s depths. He has seen something in Jo and now we all see something in him.
Jo blinks, as if someone unexpectedly turned on a light, then shakes her head. “You can’t do the right thing here, Chi. It’s not . . . it doesn’t belong.”
His voice gentles, the previous bite all but forgotten. “You can do the right thing everywhere, Jo. That’s why it’s the right thing.”
But you want to know who steals the freaking show is Jo. You thought I’d say Meda right? I thought I was going to love Meda the most too but surprise, surprise Jo stepped up to bat and hit one out of the ball park. I LOVE HER in this. Because what happens when Jo isn’t tethered by everything the Crusaders taught her? What happens when she finds out what it is like on the other side and how good it can feel to play for the other team? What happens when she knows-it-all??? I’ll tell you what happens… Meda becomes the voice of reason and we are all in trouble when she is our conscience. Need I remind you that she is part monster and hunts killers for fun and food.
I love screams. All screams. Bloodcurdling, terrified screams. Squealing, pained screams. Harsh, moaning screams ripped from raw throats that thought they could scream no more. The trailing scream that crumbles into a death rattle. I love the way they ring in my ears, the way they vibrate in the points of my teeth. The way the Hunger roars in harmony. If I were a musician, my instrument would be the highest pitches of the human voice box. I’d line up my victims and pluck their vocal cords like a street musician stroking the lip of a dozen water glasses.
It is a scary day when she is the one that has the lead on the moral compass. Still I loved the Bad Jo and Trying To Be Good Meda so much together. They have wonderful banter and the dark humor in the book is so wonderful I laughed a lot throughout.
Then there is The French Guy…aka Armand. I thought I was going to have to wait forever for him to come into the story again but I was so happily surprised when that wasn’t the case. When he appeared pretty early in and he might love Meda in his demon-hearted way but he also has an agenda of his own.
“Because I need the Crusaders to do something for me.”
“You need them.”
“Where else am I going to find an army of heroic self-sacrificing idiots?”
Can’t disagree with that one. “And you think they’re going to help you?”
His eyes open and he smiles faintly. “Not on purpose. Obviously.”
Demon love is so cute…probably cuter than crusader love. And while yes there are two definite couples in this it is far from having an overabundance of lovey dovey moments. We don’t have time for that since we are marching into hell to try and save the world.
I enjoyed every twist in this tale and dynamic of the team. I especially enjoyed the trek into hell, I’m a sucker for how different authors envision hell and project it for the reader. Crewe did a really good job with showing how she thought this world’s version of hell would look and behave.
Not everything is perfect in the story since this has been a tale of Heaven vs Hell I thought there might be a little bit more closure to it. I really enjoyed the revelations (get it revelations in the bible) that came out at the end about the war and how the tides had turned so much over the years but I wanted just a little bit more. It seems that we leave our group with a lot of work still left to do. I’m not saying that is a bad thing I’m just one of those readers that likes a really wrapped up epilogue in a 3rd book of the series.
This entire series is one of my favorite in YA since it doesn’t fall into a lot of the trope pitfalls of the others in the genre and it is different.
p.s. – Unwind by Neal Shusterman still holds the #1 spot in my YA series favorites…but this is solidly in my top 5 YA series currently.
August 23, 2015
This will be me when I buy this book
May 10, 2017
Best ending ever!
How do I contain myself enough to write something that is not simply fan-girl gushing? Sorry, I don't think I can. I will just fan-girl all over this shit!
I love Meda so much! She is my favorite anti-hero ever! I love the way she is sarcastically & unapologetically truthful & practical:
I have a rule about arguing with idiots. Don't.
The kids are slow and stupid, and need to be shushed repeatedly.
I stiff-arm and elbow them out of the way with the viciousness of the wannabe-riche at a designer-tag sale.
I also love how she gets stuck marrying Armande, but keeps thinking about killing him:
"Remind me again, Jo, what happens if I kill him?"
"Agony for all eternity," she says, sounding as dismayed as I feel.
"Ah. Right. Well, maybe we should make him wear that on a t-shirt or something."
And, I love her relationship with Jo:
I shrug. "It'd be easier if he was dead."
She smiles faintly. "You think that about everyone."
I bat my eyes. "Oh, how you get me."
...
The bright side is that you're my maid of honor and I'm going to saddle you an ass-bow the world will never forget."
This book is just so much fun. We get to see evil-Jo, traipse through hell, and watch Meda do married-life.
"So, I can't kill him, can't divorce him, but I AM allowed to torture him?"
"It wouldn't be marriage if you weren't allowed to torture each other."
Now that I've quoted the whole book to you - READ IT! You won't regret it!
How do I contain myself enough to write something that is not simply fan-girl gushing? Sorry, I don't think I can. I will just fan-girl all over this shit!
I love Meda so much! She is my favorite anti-hero ever! I love the way she is sarcastically & unapologetically truthful & practical:
I have a rule about arguing with idiots. Don't.
The kids are slow and stupid, and need to be shushed repeatedly.
I stiff-arm and elbow them out of the way with the viciousness of the wannabe-riche at a designer-tag sale.
I also love how she gets stuck marrying Armande, but keeps thinking about killing him:
"Remind me again, Jo, what happens if I kill him?"
"Agony for all eternity," she says, sounding as dismayed as I feel.
"Ah. Right. Well, maybe we should make him wear that on a t-shirt or something."
And, I love her relationship with Jo:
I shrug. "It'd be easier if he was dead."
She smiles faintly. "You think that about everyone."
I bat my eyes. "Oh, how you get me."
...
The bright side is that you're my maid of honor and I'm going to saddle you an ass-bow the world will never forget."
This book is just so much fun. We get to see evil-Jo, traipse through hell, and watch Meda do married-life.
"So, I can't kill him, can't divorce him, but I AM allowed to torture him?"
"It wouldn't be marriage if you weren't allowed to torture each other."
Now that I've quoted the whole book to you - READ IT! You won't regret it!
August 25, 2015
'You can't spend your life apologizing for the terrible things you almost did. If I did that, I'd never have time to do anything else.' - Meda Melange.
I have decided that Angel/Demon books are simply not my cuppa so I will not lie but I'm not really blown off my feet with this one.
I'm also currently hiding out in an underground bunker with a lightbulb dangling above my head as I write this review just in case Meda comes hunting for me with her claws out ready to rip me apart for not finding this series amazing enough to give it a full, stellar five-stars. Now, now before you throw something at me it's not that I find the book or the Siul Eater series bad - I just feel utterly underwhelmed and unimpressed in some parts of the book. Plot-wise, it's simply not original enough to hold my attention. I decided that I couldn't care enough if any of the secondary characters lived or died. I'm not particularly interested in the ending because I know somehow everyone will succeed in defeating the big bad dude. I'd say that the whole thing is easy to predict despite the turns of things. At first, I also had huge trouble connecting to the events of the story because I couldn't remember where I left off at the last book. Apparently now I find The Soul Eater series to be quite forgettable! (Plot-wise) However, when talking about characterization, I have to say that the series is actually pretty strong in that field. Characters like Jo, Chi, and Armand are my highlights reading this book. Especially Meda. You could never not miss out on Meda Melange. She is just as funny, witty and snarky in the finale.
I simply love how she didn't push her priorities away when things got a bit distracting. *cough* Armand *cough* and better yet, her soul-eating habit didn't even wear off. She relishes in eating people and I like that demonic part of her.
I'll also be saying pretty much what everyone who adores this series say but let me just mention that I totally ship Jo and Meda together through and through. A friendship like theirs, who wouldn't?
If you mash her and Jo together you get a kick-ass combo with full of pumping actions. The two of them are equally headstrong, stubborn and loyal to a fault.
I always imagined Meda to play the part of a rebellious teenage daughter and Jo would be the stern mummy trying to keep her (Meda) in control which is practically impossible.
And then you have Chi with his sweet, humanitarian nature. The guy fed a baby demon his granola bar and nearly got his arm ripped off, for god's sake. Normally, people who are 'too good' in books annoy me. But Chi makes me want to just squeeze him into a fat hug. I warmed to his humble nature and the fact that he balances Jo's raging persona just fits perfectly. It still astounds me that he survives her till the last book.
I'm not sure what I feel for Armand here. It's a cross between liking him and feeling neutral. I can never fully connect to him but every scenes where he and Meda are together is my favourite. It's partly a shame that the romance isn't so much of a focus because I would love me some more ArMeda kissy moments.
If I put aside the strong characterizations (which I enjoyed), the backstories are also a major highlight here.I wasn't expecting it but it's heart wrenching. I won't spoil anything but seriously, you'll definitely have mixed feelings for the villain.
Overall, I think the characterization overshadowed whatever plot there is for me to feel the story completely. But despite that, I still had lots of fun reading this. Meda was and is (probably will always be) a huge stand out heroine in all of YA. I'll never forget her.
I have decided that Angel/Demon books are simply not my cuppa so I will not lie but I'm not really blown off my feet with this one.
I'm also currently hiding out in an underground bunker with a lightbulb dangling above my head as I write this review just in case Meda comes hunting for me with her claws out ready to rip me apart for not finding this series amazing enough to give it a full, stellar five-stars. Now, now before you throw something at me it's not that I find the book or the Siul Eater series bad - I just feel utterly underwhelmed and unimpressed in some parts of the book. Plot-wise, it's simply not original enough to hold my attention. I decided that I couldn't care enough if any of the secondary characters lived or died. I'm not particularly interested in the ending because I know somehow everyone will succeed in defeating the big bad dude. I'd say that the whole thing is easy to predict despite the turns of things. At first, I also had huge trouble connecting to the events of the story because I couldn't remember where I left off at the last book. Apparently now I find The Soul Eater series to be quite forgettable! (Plot-wise) However, when talking about characterization, I have to say that the series is actually pretty strong in that field. Characters like Jo, Chi, and Armand are my highlights reading this book. Especially Meda. You could never not miss out on Meda Melange. She is just as funny, witty and snarky in the finale.
When someone loves you unconditionally and eternally, no matter what you do . . .
Well, let's just say, it makes it hard to be an ass.
I simply love how she didn't push her priorities away when things got a bit distracting. *cough* Armand *cough* and better yet, her soul-eating habit didn't even wear off. She relishes in eating people and I like that demonic part of her.
I'll also be saying pretty much what everyone who adores this series say but let me just mention that I totally ship Jo and Meda together through and through. A friendship like theirs, who wouldn't?
If you mash her and Jo together you get a kick-ass combo with full of pumping actions. The two of them are equally headstrong, stubborn and loyal to a fault.
'My relationship with Jo has always been built upon a foundation of discord. We have never agreed on anything, but it has never mattered.'
I always imagined Meda to play the part of a rebellious teenage daughter and Jo would be the stern mummy trying to keep her (Meda) in control which is practically impossible.
And then you have Chi with his sweet, humanitarian nature. The guy fed a baby demon his granola bar and nearly got his arm ripped off, for god's sake. Normally, people who are 'too good' in books annoy me. But Chi makes me want to just squeeze him into a fat hug. I warmed to his humble nature and the fact that he balances Jo's raging persona just fits perfectly. It still astounds me that he survives her till the last book.
I'm not sure what I feel for Armand here. It's a cross between liking him and feeling neutral. I can never fully connect to him but every scenes where he and Meda are together is my favourite. It's partly a shame that the romance isn't so much of a focus because I would love me some more ArMeda kissy moments.
If I put aside the strong characterizations (which I enjoyed), the backstories are also a major highlight here.I wasn't expecting it but it's heart wrenching. I won't spoil anything but seriously, you'll definitely have mixed feelings for the villain.
Overall, I think the characterization overshadowed whatever plot there is for me to feel the story completely. But despite that, I still had lots of fun reading this. Meda was and is (probably will always be) a huge stand out heroine in all of YA. I'll never forget her.
September 24, 2015
I was so excited when I finally got ahold of this book,'cause I've been dying to know how would this series end,and that..I'm a fan of Meda and Jo's friendship!^^
The ending of this awesome series though,would have been perfect if the story lines have been more explored,and isn't been rushed a little. (I wonder why in most dystopian/fantasy series,the last book always end up in an abrupt manner..Does someone else notice this too?)-this is the 1st reason why I only rated it 4 stars.
And then,there's Armand too! I'm so glad that he was entirely here in this book,but I somehow felt that his role was disregarded(especially by Meda,lol)-this is the 2nd reason.
But still,I enjoyed reading this book..I loved how the author plotted the story with it's surprisingly astonishing twists and turns,and the vigorous will power of Meda and her team to fight their enemies.
And oh,how glad I am to know that Meda and Jo's friendship is now more intact and powerful.(I wish I also have bestfriends like them!)^^
The problem in reading series is that,you'll always do get attached with the characters and you'll end up missing them by the time you finished it.:(
To all my co-readers who have read the 1st and 2nd book of this series,you certainly shouldn't miss this!^^
The ending of this awesome series though,would have been perfect if the story lines have been more explored,and isn't been rushed a little. (I wonder why in most dystopian/fantasy series,the last book always end up in an abrupt manner..Does someone else notice this too?)-this is the 1st reason why I only rated it 4 stars.
And then,there's Armand too! I'm so glad that he was entirely here in this book,but I somehow felt that his role was disregarded(especially by Meda,lol)-this is the 2nd reason.
But still,I enjoyed reading this book..I loved how the author plotted the story with it's surprisingly astonishing twists and turns,and the vigorous will power of Meda and her team to fight their enemies.
And oh,how glad I am to know that Meda and Jo's friendship is now more intact and powerful.(I wish I also have bestfriends like them!)^^
The problem in reading series is that,you'll always do get attached with the characters and you'll end up missing them by the time you finished it.:(
To all my co-readers who have read the 1st and 2nd book of this series,you certainly shouldn't miss this!^^
September 6, 2024
First read: 01/2016 - 3.5 stars
Second read: 09/2024 - 4 stars
I am Meda fucking Melange. There is no way in hell I’m letting go.
In this review, I will both conclude my opinion on the entire trilogy and say a few words about this installment in particular. There might be some mild spoilers, so read on at your own risk. Any major spoiler will be tagged as such, though.
My thoughts on the trilogy:
This was hands down one of the best YA UF series I've come across in... ever, really.
One of its biggest assets was undoubtedly the cast. While each major character was amazingly developed right from the get-go, it was the crazy amount of character growth that impressed me most. And the subtlety of it. I absolutely loved how the author managed to weave new character traits into their personalities without taking away those we initially fell in love (or hate) with.
I would have hated to see Meda turn into some soft, righteous martyr, just as I would have hated to see Jo as a sweet, compassionate BFF or Armand as the perfect, smoochy boyfriend. It wouldn't have suited them. It was their deviousness and unscrupulousness, their blood thirst and cynicism, or, in Jo and Chi's case, their stoic loyalty to the good cause and their strong beliefs, that really made them. And yet, there was so much more to every single one of them at the end.
Meda and Jo's friendship was a thing of beauty, and I loved that it was made such an essential part of the story instead of basing it on the romance between Meda and Armand.
“Who would have thought that you would become my conscience?”
I gasp in horror. “Don’t you dare get used to it! I’m the bad cop.” I point at her. “Staid, righteous good cop.” I point at myself. “Mischievous, fun-loving bad cop.”
Also, Eliza Crewe never slipped into the black & white trap, not only regarding the characters, but the story as well. There was such a vast gray scale, in fact, Christian Grey would turn green in envy!
There were times when the lines between good and evil would blur, when I would find myself rooting for the bad guys and booing the supposed good guys, only to be turned around again the next moment.
As for the storyline, I was enthralled from start to finish. It was intelligently told, with simple but engaging writing, and an (almost - see passage below) perfect pacing.
There was so much action, hilarity and emotion involved.
★★★★★ for the overall series.
My thoughts on this book:
As brilliant as the series was as a whole, though, I didn't quite love Crossed as much as I did the others. Don't get me wrong, all in all it was great... again a little darker than its predecessors, but still witty and exciting. The issues I had with it were minor.
In my review on Crushed, I complemented the author's guts to not follow the typical UF rules, so I'm not exactly in a position to complain about the book not ending the way I was expecting/ hoping it to, right? But then again, I don't seem to be the only one who wasn't fully satisfied with it.
My biggest complaint is that it felt rushed. I just wish we would have gotten a little bit... more. More about how things turned out between Armand and Meda. More about future plans, where to go, what to do, how to recover from the war. It just wasn't completely satisfying.
There was also a stretch somewhere in the middle that dragged a little too much for my taste. The story never lost me and I was never tempted to start skimming, but I was so spoiled by all the action up to that point that the slower parts seemed even slower than they actually were. Does that make any sense?
And still, this was a more than worthy ending to an outstanding trilogy. I can't recommend it enough. Give it a try and I almost guarantee you will be just as blown away as I am.
Go on, read it. Like right now.
Seriously. Now.
I love screams. All screams. Bloodcurdling, terrified screams. Squealing, pained screams. Harsh, moaning screams ripped from raw throats that thought they could scream no more. The trailing scream that crumbles into a death rattle. I love the way they ring in my ears, the way they vibrate in the points of my teeth. The way the Hunger roars in harmony. If I were a musician, my instrument would be the highest pitches of the human voice box. I’d line up my victims and pluck their vocal cords like a street musician stroking the lip of a dozen water glasses.
August 29, 2015
July 7, 2015...
What's that you say, it's finally available for pre-order???
DONE.
This will be me when I finally get my hands on this book:
April 8, 2015...
There is a COVER!
And it's beautiful
And that blurb!!!
"As the Crusaders take more and more drastic measures, the tables turn and Meda suddenly finds herself in the role of voice of sanity. No one is more horrified than she is. When old enemies reappear as new allies and old friends become new enemies Meda has to decide—again—whose side she’s really on."
I am happy dancing with excitement!!!
Where is Armand Delacroix when I need him???
I have deals to make!
What's that you say, it's finally available for pre-order???
DONE.
This will be me when I finally get my hands on this book:
April 8, 2015...
There is a COVER!
And it's beautiful
And that blurb!!!
"As the Crusaders take more and more drastic measures, the tables turn and Meda suddenly finds herself in the role of voice of sanity. No one is more horrified than she is. When old enemies reappear as new allies and old friends become new enemies Meda has to decide—again—whose side she’s really on."
I am happy dancing with excitement!!!
Where is Armand Delacroix when I need him???
I have deals to make!
March 12, 2018
Safe to say this final book scared the shit right out of me!!!! Damn! I think this writer is magnificent...her descriptions are soo thorough and everything abt the story fell into place perfectly...
This book didnt get 5 stars as the rest did because all the characters got me super angry in this book...i wanted to smack everyone of them and the happily ever after wasnt so complete for me but all in all it was great. You all need to read this series for real! Amazing!!!
This book didnt get 5 stars as the rest did because all the characters got me super angry in this book...i wanted to smack everyone of them and the happily ever after wasnt so complete for me but all in all it was great. You all need to read this series for real! Amazing!!!
February 13, 2019
*3.75/5 stars*
A lot better than book one for me, but not as amazing as book two. The plot a smidge dragged for me, whereas I flew through the second book at one go. Overall still a great conclusion to a unique and fun paranormal series about the not-so-evil-now Meda and not-so-goody-two-shoes-now Jo.
The tone of this book is darker than in the previous ones, and I guess it's the reason why I didn't get into it as much as book 2. I really love books with a bit of a dark theme, but... At its core, I think the greatest strength of Soul Eaters - aside for the amazingly unconventional, unapologetically dark heroine, who is still there and as amazing as always - is the humour and bantenter and sarcasm and the lightness it brings. And here, for me, the bleakness in a sense overshadowed the fun parts of the story a bit.
I liked Meda's character development. I liked how this book showed that she now actually cared about a selected group of people (Jo and Chi). I loved the girl friendship as in all three books.
Even Chi was given a bit more depth here, that cute heroic dumbass. I have conflicted feelings about Jo's arc in this book, on the other hand. It's understandable, but also not my favourite b/c too bleak. Armand is still here and still good.
So all in all, the one reason as to why I struggled deciding between 3 or 4 stars, whereas book two was very strong 4, is because of the direction of the plot - the war between Demons and Crusaders - which made the book darker and therefore a smidge less fun to read.
Overall, a series worth giving a try to if you're in the mood for an entertaining paranormal read with morally grey heroine focusing on friendship instead of romance, which is damn unique for the genre. This is not series to be missed out on.
Quotes:
My gaze leaves them and finds Him. My one true love.
My heart gives a little squeeze at the sight of him. He leans nonchalantly in the parking lot, the long afternoon sun splashing his shadow on to the pavement, bigger, taller than the original. Enormous, like the space he fills in my heart.
It wasn’t love at first sight. Oh no, like all the best relationships it was slow and tempestuous. I thought he was too loud, too flashy. As for him, he was aloof.
I move forward and stroke his shiny chrome fender. “Who’s a good boy? Are you my good boy?”
“It’s just a motorcycle,” Jo snaps.
A lot better than book one for me, but not as amazing as book two. The plot a smidge dragged for me, whereas I flew through the second book at one go. Overall still a great conclusion to a unique and fun paranormal series about the not-so-evil-now Meda and not-so-goody-two-shoes-now Jo.
The tone of this book is darker than in the previous ones, and I guess it's the reason why I didn't get into it as much as book 2. I really love books with a bit of a dark theme, but... At its core, I think the greatest strength of Soul Eaters - aside for the amazingly unconventional, unapologetically dark heroine, who is still there and as amazing as always - is the humour and bantenter and sarcasm and the lightness it brings. And here, for me, the bleakness in a sense overshadowed the fun parts of the story a bit.
I liked Meda's character development. I liked how this book showed that she now actually cared about a selected group of people (Jo and Chi). I loved the girl friendship as in all three books.
Even Chi was given a bit more depth here, that cute heroic dumbass. I have conflicted feelings about Jo's arc in this book, on the other hand. It's understandable, but also not my favourite b/c too bleak. Armand is still here and still good.
So all in all, the one reason as to why I struggled deciding between 3 or 4 stars, whereas book two was very strong 4, is because of the direction of the plot - the war between Demons and Crusaders - which made the book darker and therefore a smidge less fun to read.
Overall, a series worth giving a try to if you're in the mood for an entertaining paranormal read with morally grey heroine focusing on friendship instead of romance, which is damn unique for the genre. This is not series to be missed out on.
Quotes:
My gaze leaves them and finds Him. My one true love.
My heart gives a little squeeze at the sight of him. He leans nonchalantly in the parking lot, the long afternoon sun splashing his shadow on to the pavement, bigger, taller than the original. Enormous, like the space he fills in my heart.
It wasn’t love at first sight. Oh no, like all the best relationships it was slow and tempestuous. I thought he was too loud, too flashy. As for him, he was aloof.
I move forward and stroke his shiny chrome fender. “Who’s a good boy? Are you my good boy?”
“It’s just a motorcycle,” Jo snaps.
September 12, 2019
Yes, yes, yes, yessssss! Absolutely amazing! This book was the best ending this series could possibly have! I am glowing and cannot contain myself!
After the disappointment of the second book, I was not having high hopes for this one. And the first half of the book hinted at a "just okay" finale. But Eliza Crewe outdid herself in the second half which more than made up for this and the previous book's shortcomings, and all of this series' sins have been forgiven.
For those who've never heard of Soul Eaters series, this is a YA series with no love triangle about a girl who chooses herself over a man, and finds hope and love within the darkest parts of herself. The prominent relationship in the story is between the MC and another woman she chose as her best friend. And honestly, it's so beautiful this relationship between them. The way they are each other's strength, their unconditional love, and how they are each other's mirror. How they understand each other completely, love each other with no judgment, and have each other's backs in the worst situations just because and without asking for anything in return. I want a friendship like this, my dear genie!
Crossed is wonderful! It reminded me again why I fell in love with these books and Eliza Crewe.
The ending was splendid! Everything that happened was so right! It made perfect sense. It was just beautiful. I'm dying here trying not to explode from joy and awe! I'm just gonna stop talking since nothing I say can convey my happiness to you in the way that I want. So just read this book. It's more than just a book! This is one of those books. This one will transform you.
After the disappointment of the second book, I was not having high hopes for this one. And the first half of the book hinted at a "just okay" finale. But Eliza Crewe outdid herself in the second half which more than made up for this and the previous book's shortcomings, and all of this series' sins have been forgiven.
For those who've never heard of Soul Eaters series, this is a YA series with no love triangle about a girl who chooses herself over a man, and finds hope and love within the darkest parts of herself. The prominent relationship in the story is between the MC and another woman she chose as her best friend. And honestly, it's so beautiful this relationship between them. The way they are each other's strength, their unconditional love, and how they are each other's mirror. How they understand each other completely, love each other with no judgment, and have each other's backs in the worst situations just because and without asking for anything in return. I want a friendship like this, my dear genie!
Crossed is wonderful! It reminded me again why I fell in love with these books and Eliza Crewe.
The ending was splendid! Everything that happened was so right! It made perfect sense. It was just beautiful. I'm dying here trying not to explode from joy and awe! I'm just gonna stop talking since nothing I say can convey my happiness to you in the way that I want. So just read this book. It's more than just a book! This is one of those books. This one will transform you.
August 22, 2015
This. Book. Was. PERFECT!!!! *squeals. Everything was on point: the writing, the plot, the humor, the action, the twists. It was just amazing. It's like Eliza Crewe had a sit down with me and asked me what I wanted to happen in the third book and the conversation went something like this:
Oh Eliza. All I can say is. ahgolfhsfj[jfwhgiwfdwjskfhgfhdgfypjf'wk;fmnlmbfksvbkfgshf.
You rock. ;)
...............Previous..................
Update
It has a title, a cover, and a blurb now. *salivates
...............Previous..................
Armand and Meda! Armand and Meda! Armand and Meda! I don't care...
so now, we wait
November 28, 2021
I definitely expected this ending to be unexpected but the fact that it was also delightful and delicious? So good.
I have seen too much good in my enemies, too much evil in my allies.
Obviously there's even less I can say about this finale than the books that came before because I in no way want to spoil the surprises that await you. But just know.. they await. Patiently.
It's this, my own depravity, that makes me unable to condemn others for theirs, that makes me want to believe that no matter what mistakes I make, that there is forgiveness. There is hope.
This series has a snarky hilarious narrative built around our not-at-all innocent soul eater, a half demon, Meda. It has strong female friendships that are complicated by differences and realness but endure nonetheless. It has an interesting and complex romantic element that constantly surprised me. It has darkness and violence but also hope and light. And so much more.
Just as the Crusaders are plagued with hate, demons are afflicted with hope. The equal opposite nature of the cosmic game board means no one is above reproach, and no one is below it.
If you're looking to beef up your backlist reading, you love YA, and you enjoy a twist on the usual formula; if you love to revel in some excellent dialogue around good and evil, the truths we avoid and the lies we tell ourselves, no matter what side we're on, this would be a high recommend from me.
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I have seen too much good in my enemies, too much evil in my allies.
Obviously there's even less I can say about this finale than the books that came before because I in no way want to spoil the surprises that await you. But just know.. they await. Patiently.
It's this, my own depravity, that makes me unable to condemn others for theirs, that makes me want to believe that no matter what mistakes I make, that there is forgiveness. There is hope.
This series has a snarky hilarious narrative built around our not-at-all innocent soul eater, a half demon, Meda. It has strong female friendships that are complicated by differences and realness but endure nonetheless. It has an interesting and complex romantic element that constantly surprised me. It has darkness and violence but also hope and light. And so much more.
Just as the Crusaders are plagued with hate, demons are afflicted with hope. The equal opposite nature of the cosmic game board means no one is above reproach, and no one is below it.
If you're looking to beef up your backlist reading, you love YA, and you enjoy a twist on the usual formula; if you love to revel in some excellent dialogue around good and evil, the truths we avoid and the lies we tell ourselves, no matter what side we're on, this would be a high recommend from me.
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
January 6, 2018
Happy.
If I had to pick a single word for this book happy would be it. Excellent end to a great triology. DO READ.
I'm outiie.
If I had to pick a single word for this book happy would be it. Excellent end to a great triology. DO READ.
I'm outiie.
August 14, 2015
There is something about an unapologetic character that gets me every time. Meda is consistently and completely amazing in all three books, and this conclusion was perfect for her story.
Meda and Jo are the ultimate in friendship goals. I want to be in their squad, and I’d be happy to take Armand off of Meda’s hands. Meda really stayed true to the kind of character she is and her progression was very organic from book one to book three. Jo had significant character development in this book, and I mean significant. I wasn’t sure how I felt about a certain development in her character for a little bit, but in the end it was both brilliantly done and also felt really genuine and authentic.
Jo is a badass in the extreme.
Actually, I think Jo overshadowed Meda a little bit in this book. She’s a really powerful side-main character and even though Meda is certainly the clear primary character, I couldn’t help the excitement I had each time Jo was front and center.
"You look like you think you’re leaving.” The words contain a silky threat.Oh, Jo. I love you.
Jo rises to the bait. “And you look like an asshole.” I squeeze her arm in warning. “What?” she says to me, “I thought we were stating the obvious.”
Another thing to love about this installment, though really the entire trilogy, is that romance never even once becomes the primary focus of the story or any character. Crewe is an author that knows how to craft a story that can stand on its own without falling into that trap and I love that! Sure, I love me some sex in my stories, I’ve never claimed otherwise but it gets tiring to read books that pretend they’re not romance. Stop lying to yourselves, books!
If you haven’t yet picked up Cracked or Crushed then you are sorely missing out. These books are about the strength of friendship, the power of belief, being true to yourself, and sprinkled with wicked fun and a dash of depravity.
December 19, 2015
Meda, my favourite Soul Eater... person is back! :D
And with her comes the usual array of cockiness, self-preservation and humility... *snort*, just seeing if you were paying attention, that are her known trademarks.
Now, what can I say about this story?
First of, I have to start by saying that this book surprised the hell out of me!
And in a most positive way.
It went "places" I never thought it could go. Both physically and morally.
There was so much depth to the characters as I'm not used in reading in the YA (or basically anywhere) genre, that a couple weeks later, I'm wondering why didn't I gave this five stars. o_O
Meda continues to be her own self, which Is great. There's nothing I hate more than multiple personality issues in a series that I'm following.
She's arrogant, borderline psychopath, except when it comes to her friends. And in this one, her friends are going be her Achilles heel. Ahaha, payback is a bitch.
I loved that so much! Seeing her trying to behave as the voice of reason was just... unbelievable.
Her friendship with Jo... well what can I say?
So many feels. I loved it. Finally, a friendship well done: even if most of us don't go literally into Hell because of our friends.
Then there's the other relationship with... I am not going to give you any spoilers on this, because that for me, was half the fun.
Suffice to say that I wasn't expecting it, and that probably made me love it even more.
So yes, I definitely recommend this book, and this series. One of the best I've read.
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January 30, 2016
WARNING. This review doesn't have any rants in it. Mostly
Gaaaaahhhhhh It was awesome!!
Meda is awesome. Bad Jo, not so much. Chi is the same, and Armand gives an interesting... ah, twist, to the plot. Not much of a twist, just enough to spice things up.
The book is written in Meda's POV. We have an insight to her thought, her feelings, he opinion, her understanding. She gets demons and Crusaders alike, seeing her heritage.
Also, the book brings a different view of Hell and Heaven. I'm not sure if it was inspired by the Bible (duh) or her faith, but it sure was cool, and educational.
So, i recommend every book is this series (trilogy), because. They. Are. Awesome.
*And, the book was read in about 4 hours. Calculate about that amount for each book... 1 free day to read one trilogy (read: AN AMAZING COLLECTION OF WORDS, SENTENCES, PARAGRAPHS, BOOKS...) and have more knowledge of books in general (read with a French accent, please.)
Gaaaaahhhhhh It was awesome!!
Meda is awesome. Bad Jo, not so much. Chi is the same, and Armand gives an interesting... ah, twist, to the plot. Not much of a twist, just enough to spice things up.
The book is written in Meda's POV. We have an insight to her thought, her feelings, he opinion, her understanding. She gets demons and Crusaders alike, seeing her heritage.
Also, the book brings a different view of Hell and Heaven. I'm not sure if it was inspired by the Bible (duh) or her faith, but it sure was cool, and educational.
So, i recommend every book is this series (trilogy), because. They. Are. Awesome.
*And, the book was read in about 4 hours. Calculate about that amount for each book... 1 free day to read one trilogy (read: AN AMAZING COLLECTION OF WORDS, SENTENCES, PARAGRAPHS, BOOKS...) and have more knowledge of books in general (read with a French accent, please.)
September 5, 2015
Oh Meda. I missed you so much!
This was a pretty good conclusion to a pretty awesome trilogy. I was incredibly happy with Jo's change, she's never been my favourite character and her twist in this book made complete sense to me.
All in all it was an incredibly satisfying read and a series that I'd recommend 100%.
This was a pretty good conclusion to a pretty awesome trilogy. I was incredibly happy with Jo's change, she's never been my favourite character and her twist in this book made complete sense to me.
All in all it was an incredibly satisfying read and a series that I'd recommend 100%.
September 12, 2015
In my review of part 2 in this series, which is more angry rant than review, I mention that there are no good guys in this series. After finishing this, I believe, wonderfully, that is the entire point.
March 17, 2019
This whole trilogy was awesome. I'm in love.
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