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    Poison Princess
    Poison Princess
    Poison Princess
    Audiobook12 hours

    Poison Princess

    Written by Kresley Cole

    Narrated by Emma Galvin and Keith Nobbs

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces The Arcana Chronicles, post-apocalyptic tales filled with riveting action, the dark mysticism of Tarot cards, and breathtaking romance.

    She could save the world—or destroy it.

    Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life—until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, killing everyone she loves, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

    But she can’t do either alone.

    With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally trust Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

    Who can Evie trust?

    As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…

    In Poison Princess, New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces a dark and intriguing world, full of unspeakable danger and irresistible romance.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateOct 2, 2012
    ISBN9781442352971
    Author

    Kresley Cole

    Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into over twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the US and abroad. Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. She lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals,” and spends any free time traveling. You can learn more about her and her work at KresleyCole.com or Facebook.com/KresleyCole.

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    Reviews for Poison Princess

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    • 5/5
      Best series that I ever read. I adore Kresley Cole!
    • 5/5
      Kresley Cole hits paranormal post-apocalyptic fiction out of the ball park with her debut young adult title, Poison Princess! The Arcana Chronicles proves to be a series that will take you on a wild ride with no limits and absolutely no hint of predictability. Poison Princess is brilliantly written from the plot, style, and cast of characters.The array of characters who fill this novel are hard, compassionate, fierce, sneaky, but ultimately believable. Evie is plagued with hallucinations and terrible nightmares that leave her with a misconstrued view of reality. When her mind-boggling visions of the world's end comes true, as depicted in her drawings, Evie has to find a way to use her mysterious powers to survive. In the meantime, the smoking hot, bad-boy Cajun, Jack, comes around to protect her, even though he may not want to. Evie and Jack's relationship is rare in young adult literature. Their differences and prejudices keep them apart for a good part of the novel, yet their toing-and-froing is tantalizing and definitely entertaining!Cole's Poison Princess is a welcome break from the cookie-cutter novels that seep with unoriginality and the same-old themes. 22 teens, though only a few are introduced in the novel, survive the end of the world embodying characters from a set of tarot cards; if this doesn't cause one to dive in, what will? The story is involving enough to read continuously without interruption. By the time the story reaches its crescendo, readers will be stuck between speechless and completely awed by Cole's skill in writing heart-racing scenes full of power and action. Evie's growth from the girl too afraid to accept the truth of her destiny to the girl who embraces it is the highlight of the novel. The Arcana Chronicles has phenomenal potential and with the first book in the series, Poison Princess, Kresely Cole makes it a sure-fire series!Originally posted on Lovey Dovey Books*ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review* 
    • 5/5
      This fantastic book is very much praise-worthy! Everything I’ve been looking for a book was here.All this time, I’ve been dreaming or day-dreaming for a character that looks and has the same kind Evie’s adventure and life. I guess I’ve found my book – my book friend. How I wished I’d read this long before when my sister had grabbed this on a bookstore’s sale.The plot is very amazing. The way how Evie’s life would go before and after the Flash will surely make you go on an emotional coaster ride. You will be scared, angered, mystified and even feel the romantic connection between Evie and Jack.The plot started with an epilogue where a guy was the one speaking here then it goes back on the day before the Flash and from here, it was told from Evie’s view.I loved how the author wrote this novel. Poison Princess is very engrossing, absorbing and addictive. I was very compelled on reading this book until I reached the end part. Imagine me starting reading this by 7 pm and ending up still awake at 6 am, it’s that good!The cover is also pretty but I don’t choose to read this because of the cover but because of the synopsis that looks promising of a good story and that’s what I’d read – a very unputdownable book!The characters are very cool! You’ll get excited to know them all especially those tarot characters as you read each chapter!Overall, I am in love with the book and the series. This is much recommended!
    • 3/5
      POISON PRINCESS begins the Arcana Chronicles which are a combination paranormal/post-apocalyptic series. The star of this book is Evie who begins the story just home from the Children's Learning Center, a behavioral clinic for kids. Her mother had sent her there because of her visions, hallucinations and disturbing drawings. She is wealthy, privileged and just a little spoiled. She is also trying desperately to fit into her old life of cheerleading, designer clothes, and just the right boyfriend while hiding that she is terrified that the hallucinations mean that she is insane. She has aural hallucinations and hears snatches of baffling phrases. She also has visions that take her to strange settings. She also has visions of of a boy who keeps issuing cryptic comments and commands. She has a strange affinity with plants too. The flowers in the school commons turn their faces toward her. She thinks that a lot of these things could be explained by her grandmother but she was committed to a mental home when Evie was eight. She didn't get a chance to do much more than tell Evie that it has something to do with the Major Arcana of Tarot cards. A new bridge has paved the way for kids from the other side of the water—poor, Catholic Cajun kids—to come to their school. One of the kids is Jackson Deveaux, quintessential bad boy. He is handsome, tough, and has a killer Cajun accent. He and Evie do not hit it off. She thinks he is rude and crude; he thinks she is stuck-up. Then the disaster happens, something, maybe a solar flare, scours the Earth and evaporates the lakes and oceans. Most people died immediately. Those who didn't were either turned to bagman who are rotting away and who are constantly seeking any moisture, cannibals, slavers, and bands of militia who are "enlisting" all the men and capturing the women. Evie and her mother survive because the heavy oaks that surrounded their plantation home kept the house from catching fire. They manage to scavenge the surrounding area for supplies, but when Evie's mother gets hurt, Evie is in desperate straits.Jackson has survived the devastation too. Now he has come to the plantation to see if Evie survived and to gather supplies as he tries to stay ahead of the militia. After her mother dies, Evie convinces Jackson to go with her from Louisiana to try to find her grandmother in North Carolina. Together they have all sorts of perilous adventures and gather other members of the Major Arcana. Along the way Evie has to learn about what her place is in the Arcana and what she is able to do. This was an entertaining beginning to a series. I look forward to finding out what happens next for Evie, Jackson and the other kids.
    • 4/5
      This was a slow build for me. Lots of interest and development, but it did take me a bit to get going.
    • 4/5
      I really wanted to love this book. I did like it a lot. I think the concept was really well written and interestingly shown. I am a fan of Tarot so I thought this would be a great storyline. Unfortunately, it was lacking. I was not crazy about the characters, how they were presented nor did I ever feel a connection with them. I was really hoping for more and found myself skimming a lot as I was losing interest and fast. Still, I am interested in seeing where this one goes and I look forward to a sequel which will hopefully capture my attention better!
    • 4/5
      I have wanted to read this book for some time. Right now there are at least five books planned for this series. The fifth one is supposed to publish Spring 2017 and will be called “The Dark Calling”. This book wasn’t what I was expected but it did end up being an engaging read that is part fantasy/magic and part apocalypse. The prologue to the story is incredibly creeper in a serial killerish kind of way. We find out that something has happened to the world and are hearing from the view of a man who preys on females. He is trying to lure a young girl into a trap. This was kind of freaky and really made me wonder what kind of book I had picked up.However after that opening it takes a bit for the story to get going. First we meet Evie and learn about her struggles with visions and other supposed mental issues. Quite a bit of time is spent on visions in the beginning of the book and strange occurrences that are interspersed between Evie’s standard high school days. However, you know something big is going to happen because each chapter takes place a small number of days BF (before flash).The second part of the book is very post-apocalyptic with a lot about survival and bagmen (creatures that are a lot like zombies). Woven into this is the concept of tarot cards being actual people who can determine the fate of the world. The second part of the book is very different in tone compared to the first part of the book.This constant shifting of tone makes it kind of hard to grasp what kind of story this is supposed to be. At times it feels a bit disconnected and left me a bit confused about exactly what type of book I was reading. Is it a thriller, a zombie book, a high school drama book, or a paranormal fantasy of sorts? I thought it could have flowed a bit better.However, despite the above I found myself incredibly intrigued by the whole concept of tarot cards as actual people who control the fate of the world. I was also drawn in by the Flash and curious as to what caused it. By the end of the book I was pretty hooked; I loved some of the end scenes and desperately wanted to know what would have next.Overall this book was a good blend of high school drama, paranormal, fantasy, thriller, and post-apocalyptic elements. It blends a lot of things together which can get a bit overwhelming at parts. However, I was completely sucked in by some of the concepts and story elements and plan on continuing the series.
    • 4/5
      4.5 stars

      Wow, I was really into this story when it ended. I almost dnf it at the beginning. All of the part about school and stuff was boring to me, and I got so tired of the word cajun being used in every sentence. When things really got started though, it hooked me completely. It's dystopian with mystery, action, magic, mythology and everything to make a great story. It centers around tarot cards. I don't remember ever seeing them used this way. Poison Princess has the whole YA fantasy romance vibe going on, but at the same time, there are zombie-like creatures and things that happen when society falls and survival of the fittest kicks in. I didn't see that ending coming, which is awesome to me. I'll be continuing the series for sure.
    • 3/5
      I give this book four stars for the unique story, action, and adventure. I read the entire thing in one sitting because I was captivated by where Evie and Jackson would end up. Unfortunately, if you are looking for romance, this isn't the book for you. Aside from one semi-steamy scene, it was a dud.. Which is unfortunate considering some of the reviews I read talked about how steamy it got.

      BUT if you are looking for a YA book version of Walking Dead meets Tarot cards meets a weird chess like fantasy game where everyone is a player then this is your book.

      I liked it, but I won't be continuing the series.
    • 5/5
      This fantastic book is very much praise-worthy! Everything I’ve been looking for a book was here.All this time, I’ve been dreaming or day-dreaming for a character that looks and has the same kind Evie’s adventure and life. I guess I’ve found my book – my book friend. How I wished I’d read this long before when my sister had grabbed this on a bookstore’s sale.The plot is very amazing. The way how Evie’s life would go before and after the Flash will surely make you go on an emotional coaster ride. You will be scared, angered, mystified and even feel the romantic connection between Evie and Jack.The plot started with an epilogue where a guy was the one speaking here then it goes back on the day before the Flash and from here, it was told from Evie’s view.I loved how the author wrote this novel. Poison Princess is very engrossing, absorbing and addictive. I was very compelled on reading this book until I reached the end part. Imagine me starting reading this by 7 pm and ending up still awake at 6 am, it’s that good!The cover is also pretty but I don’t choose to read this because of the cover but because of the synopsis that looks promising of a good story and that’s what I’d read – a very unputdownable book!The characters are very cool! You’ll get excited to know them all especially those tarot characters as you read each chapter!Overall, I am in love with the book and the series. This is much recommended!
    • 4/5
      I received a copy of Kresley Cole’s first book in her widely adored series, The Arcana Chronicles for review some time last month. I’m not unfamiliar with Kresley Cole, I do own a few of her adult fiction romance novels that I still need to read. From what I’ve gathered Poison Princess is her first foray into the YA world, and after I received the request and read the synopsis I knew this book would be right for me.Poison Princess has a very inventive theme. There aren’t many novels out there that deal with Tarot cards and I felt that in times when reading was a little straining, this kept me going because I wanted to see where it would go. I mention straining only because there were some somewhat less exciting parts of the novel every now and then for me during reading, especially in the beginning. Which is understandable since 1) this is the first novel in the series and 2) you have to set up the world, characters, and story.I loved the world that Kresley built. It’s very hard to set up a believable world that is literally in shambles, but the world before and after The Flash definitely had their own unique distinctions. Paired against a wonderfully refreshing theme that separates this series from the wave of others in the genre, it’s easy to see why many adore this series.In regards of Evie and Jackson, I feel that if I dug deep inside the novel there would be some redeeming qualities. They aren’t one of my favorite sets of characters, but I’ve also read far worse in other novels I couldn’t even finish. Jackson has romantic qualities but I feel that his actions and overall persona are counterintuitive of a true romantic love interest. I do love when characters have somewhat of a complexity to them as it helps in adding dimension, however I feel it wasn’t the most forgivable or justifiable in this case. Evie is somewhat of a popular girl who is rich and privileged and there is a bit of a whine to her character. It’s only natural that she wouldn’t be as resourceful and a strong survivalist like Katniss in the wake of destruction but necessity and desperation can humble even the strongest of egos. I felt, overall, disconnected to the majority of the characters.As I’ve mentioned Poison Princess is inventive in its theme and is a great first book in what I’ve heard is a phenomenal series. Despite the few flaws I encountered, I did still think it was enjoyable and entertaining and would one day like to read the rest of the series. I can see why Kresley Cole novels come with high recommendations. The love and talent she has for writing is evident, and I am even more eager to read the other novels I own that are written by her. I would like to thank the author, publisher, and Sullivan + Partners for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      I've loved reading Kresley's IAD series and I have a feeling that I'm going to love her Arcana series as well. From the very beginning, Evie's story has captured my attention and I couldn't wait to see what next would unfold in the book.
      Privileged Evie is led to believe that she's lost her mind when in actuality, her delusions are a warning of the future to come. She meets Jackson on her first day back to high school while with her boyfriend and there's instant tension.
      When the Flash happens, most of the world loses its population of himans and Evie finds herself grudgingly relying on surly Jackson for help. Evie believes the only way sje can figure things out is by finding her Grandma though trying to get to her is easier said than done.
      Along the way they encounter Bagmen (zombies), militia and close calls. They also find themselves teaming up with Selena who seems to excel at just about everything and has secrets of her own, Matt who can see past & future as well as being clairvoyant and and Finn who can get out of just about any scrape.
      Evie finds herself falling for the mysterious and rugged Jackson though she has secrets of her own and is being drawn in a battle she really doesn't want to be a part of but may have no choice.
      I've enjoyed reading this fascinating play on the Tarot card figures and can't wait to see what Kresley has up her sleeve next!!
    • 5/5
      So deliciously exciting! I love the humanity of the characters and the narrative choices. And the plot was absolutely thrilling!
    • 3/5
      I have been a long time fan of Kresley Cole, her adult IAD series of course. I have read her other adult series but I didn't care for it much. This book, however, I was sure would be amazing. I also didn't care much for this one.

      I have to give props for her amazing world building and ideas...she is top notch when it comes to breaking the mold. Her main character is normal and a normal person can relate to her, well, mostly. I like the fact that she makes her characters flawed and she has no problems putting them through hell.

      I didn't care for this book because I couldn't get in to it. That may have been my fault, I could have been in a rush, I don't know but with the way the book opened I just wasn't grabbed by it. I hope you will give this book, or her IAD series a shot though, Ms. Cole is an amazing author!
    • 3/5
      Now I'm someone with more than a passing knowledge of the Tarot, rusty knowledge but it's there, so this should have been right up my alley, nope, didn't work for me. It wasn't terrible, but I just didn't give a damn about the characters or the situation. After a catastrophe that ends with many people in a pile of ash and surface water gone, the world is full of water thirsty zombies, militia and no order. Evangeline 'Evie' Greene has survived but the visions she had before weren't psychosis, they were true, and she's still having more. One of the people who have survived is Jackson Deveaux, a boy from the backwoods, an excuse for the author to slip in a lot of Cajun patois. The story is framed by a visit to a serial killer where our heroine tells him her story and honestly the timescale feels off.I didn't care, I don't care and this is a series I won't be continuing.Also as a side note, riding a Ducatti without proper protective equipment where theres a lot of debris on the roads is a short cut to permanent injury.
    • 5/5
      As reviewed on 411Junkie.comA little over a year ago, I previewed the book series The Arcana Chronicles in this post. It's been sitting on my list for over I year. I'm sorry, I was distracted by KMM's Fever Series, Kiera Cass' Selection Series, Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices/Mortal Instruments, Deborah Harkness' All Souls Trilogy Series, Tonya Kappes' Charming Series, and even Karen Cantwell's Ghostly Romance Series. Not to mention a whole bunch of movies, TV, and other books in between.But its allure is still just as strong as it was last year and since I got caught up with all my other series, I took a crack at Poison Princes Sunday evening and ended up reading from 10p on Sunday night until 5a Monday morning. I couldn't believe it! It's the first time that I can remember that I lost track of time and lost an entire night's sleep. Seriously. I've read and watched TV until the wee hours of the morning, but I've always made it a point to force myself to sleep by 4:15a, whether I'm in the middle of a plot climax or not. But I completely spaced on the time Sunday evening and when I went to check to the time I freaked out realizing my alarm was going to go off in 10 minutes.So, as you can probably gauge from my reading marathon, this book is AWESOME! It's a total page turner for me. I really ease.This story has a solid plot. It didn't drag or seem confusing. It moved right along. I just had to know what happened next. And when I forced myself to sleep at 5:05a, adjusting my alarm clock to give me at least a 30 minute cat nap, I had to skim the up coming chapters to figure out what happened next.As I mentioned in my preview post, Ms. Cole basis her characters and plot on the Tarot deck. This is what intrigued me the most because I had never read a story where the supernatural element is tarot cards. There's been witches, demons, werewolves, vampires, magic and such, but I've never seen one revolve around this particular subject. It was fascinating to read. There's love, mystery, sadness, hope, action, and fun rolled into this unique story line and Ms. Cole does an excellent job weaving her magic into words.She does a great job introducing the characters of this deadly game and I love how she allows us to get to know them. We get very familiar with them. Does that make sense? That's the best way I can explain it. I just love the chemistry between Evie and Jackson. I really do. The characters are strong, almost immediately. I'm not sure if I'm explaining that correctly either. I mean, there wasn't any character that "grew on me." They were right out of the gate familiar in their own skins. Don't get me wrong, there's growth throughout the book, but it's different from what I've experienced before.In some ways I'm so disappointed that I missed the grand début of this wonderful series, but at the same time I am so glad I waited as long as I did. Ms. Cole has some doozy of a cliffhanger at the end of this one and I am so very glad I was able to jump into the next book immediately. I don't know if I could handle a year or more's wait to know what happened next. And even now, I'm more than half way through the second book, Endless Knight, and I can't believe I have to wait until January for the next one!I'm definitely adding this to my library. No question. Just a heads up though. It's edgy for a YA audience. Ms. Cole really pushes on that YA-Adult border and since I can cross lines pretty easy, it doesn't bug me. But it may bug some. By edgy I mean there's swearing and descriptive imagery on certain apocalyptic images. Keep in mind it's a game to the death and edgy. Compared to the Hunger Games and even Twilight, this book tops that. Just thought I'd mention that.So, one book down, six more to go. Yay!Favorite Scene:I don't have one moment in particular. They're all very good. If anything, I really enjoy Evie's interactions with Matthew.Favorite Characters:All of them! Okay, I'm being difficult. If I have a lovable favorite, it's Matthew. Followed very closely by Death. Yep. You heard me. I'm very intrigued in his story.
    • 5/5
      Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.This was my first Kresley Cole book—I know, I know, someone slap me! Her IMMORTALS AFTER DARK series has been on my radar for quite some time, and has come highly recommended, but two installments is a little more manageable than fourteen. After having previously listened to, and enjoyed Emma Galvin’s narration of SINNER by Maggie Stiefvater; I decided that it was about time to scratch another author off my must-read list. Love doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt after finishing POISON PRINCESS—it was dark, imaginative, and beautifully written. Ooh, and did I mention that this was my first Young Adult Dystopian? I’m now completely sold on this genre, or at least Cole’s version of it, and couldn’t stop myself from getting my ENDLESS KNIGHT one-click on.YA and I are far from being BFF’s, so after an extremely captivating opening chapter, I was rather upset when the high school drama, and love triangle kicked in—cue eye roll. The story is told from Evie’s perspective, but she’s relaying past events to a character named Arthur, so there’s also a bit of time jumping going on. Fortunately, the teen angst was short lived, because then the Flash (apocalypse) hits and Greene’s seemingly mad visions become reality. The world building was indescribably fantastic with bagman, black cats, slavers, carnivores, and of course, the Arcana all coming out of the woodwork. I loved the complex Tarot mythology, end-of-days tone, and dog-eat-dog ruthlessness featured in this novel. It had a genuine Armageddon feel to it, and I really liked how different it was compared to my usual reads.Evie wasn’t the easiest character to like; in the beginning I found her naivety and softness annoying. I think that perhaps my THE WALKING DEAD addiction may have somewhat skewed my view of peeps’ survival instincts. I had a difficult time grasping why she wanted to maintain a sense of propriety by refusing to bunk with Jackson (strength in numbers, anyone?), insisting to bury her dead when trouble was on the horizon, and stupidly thinking she could make it on her own. I just wanted to shake her, and yell “run, you fool!” Deveaux however, was incredible; some people are just born to fight zombies, and this guy is a survivalist’s dream. In the real world he was a bad boy, criminal, but after the Flash he became Evie’s saviour. I also really enjoyed learning about the other Arcana including Selena, Matthew, and Finn.I can’t fault Emma Galvin’s delivery; she succeeded in capturing the Dystopian atmosphere of THE ARCANA CHRONICLES universe, and I loved all of her character voices. I did however have a couple of complaints about this audiobook. For one, Jackson speaks French regularly throughout the narrative, and I realize the Cajun version isn’t quite what I’m used to, but some of the pronunciations were way off, even if the words didn’t have exactly the same meaning that they do in Québecois. And two, Keith Nobbs’ performance although good, was extremely minimal which was rather disappointing. I would have preferred he read Deveaux’s POV instead of Arthur’s because the latter only shows up in the first and final chapters. I got excited at the prospect of two narrators when in reality, there’s only one.My jaw hit the floor in the final minutes of POISON PRINCESS; the conclusion was masterfully executed, and Evie is no longer soft—let the ultimate battle begin!
    • 2/5
      I think she had a workable idea for this series, but her writing leaves a lot to be desired. It was crass and crude and her characters were extremely shallow. A huge waste of my time, but I finished it just so I can say I've read all the YALSA TTT nominees.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book so much. Kresley Cole is one of my favorite authors. I purchased the free preview and then immediately bought the book. She has such control of her characters that make me fall in love with them. It is a very cool concept of how each person is a Tarot card. I can't wait for the next book in the series. Hurry up, Kresley Cole!

      *Update*
      I just reread this in order to fully appreciate the second book in the series, Endless Knight. I picked up subtle nuances and foreshadowing that I missed the first time. Very clever, mon petite peekon!
    • 4/5
      Let me start by saying I do NOT read YA, much less YA apocalypse/paranormal. I am an avid romance reader. So me wanting to read this book and liking it so much I couldn't put it down was a big deal! I actually downloaded a free sample and I was hooked I borrowed the book from a friend so I could finish it!

      What made me want to read this book???? The Cover. If it hadn't been for the cover I probably wouldn't have ever given the book a second thought. That's in all honesty. What do I like about the Cover?? What is there not to like? You have a beautiful girl who from the title you guess is some kind of poison princess. At least that's what I thought. A gorgeous guy. And Chaos all behind them! Everything about this book Cover drew me in. I usually NEVER have that happen.

      I have a love/hate relationship with this book. There are some things I don't understand, a lot of things I found unnecessary, and some things just not explained.

      In all this how did the Zombies come about? I understand the slavers, the cannibals, the militia. But never once did it ever explain the existence of zombies.

      I don't understand why her school life was necessary at all. I don't know if it was to show what a spoiled brat she was, the kind of life she lived or what significance it played. What I do know is it took up a lot of chapters. BUT although I didn't find it necessary, it didn't bore me or detour me from the book.

      I also have a love/hate relationship with Jack. The guy is totally into her, its obvious. but the way that he was sometimes made me angry. But I do believe the good outweighed the bad.

      Matthew his character is VERY unlikeable and I found myself wanting to slap him a time or two maybe even 3. For as much as she liked him and favored him, I did not feel that connection.

      Selena pissed me off, Finn was cool!

      As for Evie I liked her, something about her just totally drew me in. I didn't like how she let Brandon treat her at the beginning of the book. A lot of things that happened toward the end I DID NOT expect and I like that twist of events!

      Needless to say I love this book and I can't wait to get my hands on Endless Knight!
    • 5/5
      WOW!! I absolutely freaking loved this book!!! It was the most entrancing, original, overall wonderful book I've read this year! I didn't/couldn't imagine where the story was taking me. At first paranormal, then post apocalyptic, then love story, then zombie. And boy oh boy, do I ever love a sexy man with an accent. I could've dealt with a little less angst and more relationship, but what's a girl gonna do when Death is waiting for you?!

      More review to come...
    • 5/5
      Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1) by Kresley Cole After reading the first few pages of Poison Princess, I was not sure I was going to like it. I am so glad I kept reading it. This book was amazing. Plus, in retrospect, the beginning of the novel was perfect.The novel starts out in the home of this creepy mad scientist named Arthur, after the apocalypse, better known as A.F. (After the Flash). Arthur keeps girls chained in his basement where he conducts experiments on them, including the removal of body parts. Our main character, sixteen-year-old Evangeline (Evie) Greene, was lured to his home. He gives her lunch and drugged tea in a quest to add her to his victims. While they are eating, Arthur video tapes, Evie and asks her to talk about her life before the flash. Uncertain and timid Evie tells her story. Her mother found her journal where she drew all her visions of the apocalypse. While her friends were vacationing over the summer, her mother had secretly placed Evie in a mental institution. Now back at school Evie tries to lead a normal life where she is a cheerleader, her boyfriend, Brandon Radcliffe, is a football player, and she is popular. Of course, readjusting is not easy. She is partnered with irritating but attractive transfer student, Jackson Deveaux, in a year-long history project. Evie continues to tell her story about after the flash. Evie needs to get to her grandmother to find out about her destiny. Jack becomes her protector and guide. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I’ll stop there. I have always enjoyed reading Kresley Cole’s work. She is a talented paranormal and fantasy writer. To date, this is my favorite of her novels. This book has everything: fantasy, mystery, suspense, horror, apocalypse, zombies, supernatural, magic, class-conflicts, and love-triangles. I’ll be looking forward to the next book in the series Endless Knight released on October 1, 2013.
    • 5/5
      A-freaking-mazing.
    • 4/5
      Wow, I put off buying this book for so long, afraid the hype wasn't worth it. Now I'm glad I put it off, as that means less time being anxious for book two. I can't wait to continue with this series.

      Evie has a little bit of a "Rebecca" problem (ladies, just *talk* to your significant other, for the love of God), but given the magical/unbelievable/apocalyptic events swirling around her, it's understandeable. I am loving the apocalypse vibe, Jackson is to *die* for, and it will be interesting to see how the Arcana work out in person.
    • 3/5
      This was YA Book of the Month December 2012 @ Nothing but Reading Challenges Group at Goodreads.

      A little bit disappointed, I expected more from this book. And I HATE cliffhanger endings. o.O
      Full review soon...
    • 4/5
      More like a 4.5, but there moments where Evie annoyed me a bit too much and there were character traits of Jackson's that were harder to swallow to make it a 5.

      Interesting take on the post-apocalyptic/zombie series. Look forward to more from this series.
    • 3/5
      2.5 stars

      This is a hard book to review for me, and I suspect for a lot of readers, because it's almost like this consists of two books slapped together into one. The first third of the book (maybe more, I wasn't counting) basically reads like your typical teen PNR: girl has super-sekrit abilities she's desperately trying to hide all while being a normal high school student and developing a crush on the Guy From the Wrong Side of Town. (Literally, something is mentioned about him living in a different school district at one point.) And then, quite abruptly, the book jumps over some kind of solar flash, and we suddenly find ourselves in a much grittier, post-apocalyptic setting. It's pretty jarring, and all the more frustrating since absolutely nothing that happens in these chapters is relevant to the later ones. It really felt like this could have been a stand alone e-novella, rather than included in the book.

      I usually really like Kresley Cole's books, with a few exceptions. Her heroines tend to be strong and kick-ass, something that was severely lacking in this one. Until the end, anyway. I'm not sure if that's because this is her first YA series or what, but I was disappointed by how much Evie, our protagonist, relies on the love interest and general jackass, Jackson. Ms. Cole does seem aware of this, though, as a character mentions at one point that Evie has to leave Jackson behind because he makes her weaker, not stronger, so who knows where that's going.

      Honestly, the whole Jackson dynamic is unsettling. Cole seems to be going for the whole bad-boy-with-a-heart thing, but honestly, I think she goes a little too far, especially for the YA genre. Jackson is basically obsessed with screwing Evie as soon as he sees her, and everything he does seems to be geared at getting that to happen. At one point, he literally asks her if it would kill her to put out. (Charming!) Then, when she's legitimately repulsed by his sleaziness, he basically jumps the next girl's bones they cross paths with. By the end of the book, I was totally rooting for Evie to dump Jackson's ass, which I'm not sure the author was going for.

      I'm pretty unsure about this rating, but am tentatively going to give it 2.5 stars because I feel like it's leading somewhere interesting, even if it hasn't gotten there yet. I LOVED the ending, and can't wait to see Evie cause some serious destruction in the next book. (GO, EVIE, GO!) Also, it seems like there might be a secondary love interest on the horizon, and at this point anybody has got to be better than Jackson date-rapist Deveaux. Yes, even Death.
    • 4/5
      A great beginning and I am so looking forward to the next book. This story talks about the troubles a young teenage girl is going thru. There are so many twist and turns to this story. Magic and mystery are involved so this changes the course of her life.
    • 5/5
      Poison Princess locked me in a trance of mesmerizing awesome from the VERY first page. No… I’m absolutely serious.Evie has been lured into a madman’s lair… And it’s utterly chilling to hear his horrific and terrifying inner monologues as he tricks Evie into sliding deeper into what promises to be her worst nightmare.“My lair looks safe, warm, grandmotherly. It should; an old woman lived here before I slaughtered her and made it my home.”*gasp* I know right?! The “price of entry” is that she has to recount her life before and after the Flash. He claims to be making a chronicle of events and experiences of events leading to the Flash and how people coped with the aftermath.The Flash was a catastrophic event that killed most of the world and wiped any form of vegetation right off the map.So as Evie launches into her tale, her story begins one week BEFORE the Flash and just after she was released from the mental institution. We meet the boyfriend… Who doesn’t impress me too much. We meet the BFF, Melissa…“Mel was a hyperactive wild child who was a stranger to shame and had never acquainted herself with embarrassment.”And we meet the band of Cajun misfits who have been thrust into suburban hell by a new bridge that put them in an entirely different school district. Jackson, the fiercest one of them all WON’T quit staring at her with his disarming grey eyes and devil may care attitude.We meet Jackson. Who. Is. EPIC. Complete with the sexiest accent I’ve ever READ. Seriously, usually “accents” in books tend to irritate me- but Kresley Cole did an absolutely amazing job with the authenticity, with made it even more appealing!I LOVE Evie and Javkson! There’s no insta-love… No triangles… They honestly don’t like each other very much! Except buried under all that hostility, is a SUPER cute romance!They trek across country, searching for Evie’s grandmother and along the way they meet people from Evie’s visions… Members of the Major Arcana.Evie was told long ago that she was the ‘Empress’ … Then they meet ‘The Moon’ in the form of a super hot chick who is seemingly MADE for Jackson! Then Matthew who has made the most appearances in Evie’s visions has put out a call for help, as he’s DROWNING and Evie, Jack & Selena (the moon) are a state away.I KNOW.Matthew is The Fool card of the Major Arcana, and seemingly Evie’s greatest friend and ally. They meet Finn, The Magican, while being held captive in a slaving camp.I loved EVERY SECOND of this book! Poison Princess is utterly mesmerizing and fiercely captivating!! Without a doubt the BEST post apocalyptic book I’ve read ALL YEAR!
    • 5/5
      I can't believe I can't believe I accidently deleted this the first time I tried to post it.Blurbs: The characters on Tarot cards are real. The Huntress, the Fool, Death, the Lovers . . . and eighteen other Major Arcana all exist. These warriors, femme fatales, magicians, and devils each have uniquely lethal powers. And they’re coming for me. To survive, I’ll have to embrace my own terrifying abilities—and team up with dangerously handsome Jack Deveaux, one of the few people I know that also survived the Flash. But if Jack ever beholds what I truly am, will he abandon me to my fate . . . ?In her young adult debut, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces a dark and intriguing world, full of unspeakable danger and irresistible romance. 22 Arcana cards. 22 Chosen Teens. Let the cards fall where they may. Sixteen-year-old Evie Greene’s horrific hallucinations predicted the apocalypse, and the end of the world brought her all sorts of new powers. With the earth scorched and few survivors, Evie teams up with handsome and dangerous Jack Deveaux in a race to find answers. They discover that that an ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens have been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…Okay now for my review, may be slightly spoilerish in some parts although I've done my best to remain vague for most of it.Plot: The plot in this book is remarkable. It's been a while since I had a book where I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. There were times in this book where I had to cover the bottom half of the page up just to stop my gaze from flicking down to see what happens. When I finished the book it was like waking from a very short coma, it took me a few seconds to remember where I was. The book drops you straight into Kresley's post-apocalyptic world and it starts from the point of view of the predator-like Arthur, coaxing Evie to recount her experience of the apocalypse so right from the start you know what will happen. Still as you are drawn into Evie's point of view and her high school experiences it's so hard not to feel her anxiety about hiding her secrets, her hope of something better, so hard not to believe that this might just be a tale about surviving high school with a mental condition. On another note I think Kresley has given us a story that is so easy to obssess over, there's so many details in there that feel like loose threads hinting at the tapestry of future books. I don't think I've had such fun speculating over possibilities since the Harry Potter books.Characters: So many good characters in this book and with more cards to be introduced I think we can look forward to many more. From cute and mulish Matthew to loveable, cocky Mel, to Selena, who you love to hate, the side characters in the book make for a colourful background to this story. Then there's Evie who, by all logic, I should hate. She's a pretty, smart and popular cheerleader, exactly the kind of girl that a freak like me would've hated on sight and had fun bitching about (I'm betting half of you would've too whether you'll admit it or not ;) ). Of course what blows a giant bazooka-sized hole in my prejudice is the giant war zone that is Evie's head. Watching her grow and develop as a character is rewarding in a way I rarely ever find. Her pretty image is cracking and what's being revealed underneath sure is interesting. Now for Jack, oh my lord is there a lot to say about ole Jack. If Evie's image is cracking then Jack is the pick axe driving those cracks open. He appears to be just the perfect epitome of your bad boy character, that delicious mix of cajun temptation with a harsh and cutting demeanor, Jack goes from stoic, to cruel, to gruffly sweet, to brooding, to lustful in the blink of an eye. But underneath all that is one of the most real character's that Kresley has ever created. His poverty and destitution is a sharp and shocking contrast to Evie and her friends lady-of-the-manor lifestyles. His broken family, his painful protectiveness of his mother and his palpable shame at his situation are so explanatory of his nature they are heartwrenching. I'll finish with what is my favourite quote from the book (it's from fairly far along so if you want to wait and read it in context stop reading here):“So you stay the hell alive! You doan do like Clotile, you doan take that way out. You and me can get through anything, just give me a chance”—his voice broke lower—“just give me a chance to get to you.” He buried his face in my hair, inhaling deeply. “There is nothing that can happen to you that we can’t get past.”