Books Glorious Books

Over the years, CHERUB has put plenty of criminals behind bars. Now, for the first time ever, they've got to break one out…

Under American law, kids convicted of serious crimes can be sentenced as adults. Two hundred and eighty of these child criminals live in the sunbaked desert prison of Arizona Max.

In one of the most daring CHERUB missions ever, James Adams has to go undercover inside Arizona Max, befriend an inmate and then bust him out.

My thoughts:

I'm starting to really love how in your face these books really are. This book was pretty much nonstop action - it was incredibly exciting, intense and engaging. For a book that is mostly plot driven, I seriously couldn't put it down.

What I love about this author is that he makes his writing somewhat realistic. I know there are no kid spies, but in this story, the CHERUB kids still behave like children. It puts it all back into perspective when they mess up purely because of their age and I like that.

The only problem I had was that I have a feeling James is going to become a character that's really hard to like. So far I love his character, but there are hints of him becoming a little too arrogant. As for the rest of the characters I love them. There wasn't a lot of mention of all of them which was a little disappointing, but there was a lot of focus on Lauren this time. Lauren is on her way to become my favourite character in the CHERUB series.

Overall I really loved this book and this series is becoming a must read for me. I can't get through them fast enough - for all the right reasons of course.

My rating: 8/10

Robert Muchamore:

Cherub:

The Recruit
Class A
Maximum Security
The Killing
Divine Madness
Man vs. Beast
The Fall
Mad Dogs
The Sleepwalker
Dark Sun
The General
Brigands M.C
Shadow Wave

Monday, 27 January 2014

Review: Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind

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Title: Stone of Tears

Author: Terry Goodkind

Series: Sword of Truth #2

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication date: 10 Jul 2008

Format: Paperback | 1040 pages

Genre: Epic Fantasy

The veil of the underworld has been torn.

And Darken Rahl, from beyond the veil, has begun to summon a sinister power worse than any he has wielded before.

Armed with the Sword of Truth, Richard Cypher, now become Richard Rahl, must learn to control his own new-found power; or the world will spin into darkness unending.

The Sisters of Light promise help. While Richard journeys to their forbidden city, his beloved Kahlan sets out for Ayindril, citadel of the old wizards, in search of Zedd and the help only he can lend. War, suffering, torture, and deceit lie on their paths. So, also, does their destiny...

My thoughts:

Wow this was one monster of a book!

So far in the series, I'm really enjoying the writing style of the author. There's just enough description for me to believe I'm really there whilst not being so detailed to bore me to tears. I love getting to know the world the characters live in and appreciate the imagination that's gone into it.

I also really loved the new characters introduced, especially Gratch. They interacted really well with each other and every character had their part to play in the story. I hope I see more of some of them in the books to come.

The plot was a little all over the place at times since there was a lot of focus on subplots. The author switches the point of view of the characters almost constantly so the story doesn't really come together until the very end - with a book this size, it seems like a very long wait.

Overall I enjoyed this read. It was exciting and full of suspense - I can't wait to see what's in store for all of the characters.

My rating: 8/10

Terry Goodkind:

Saturday, 25 January 2014

Review: Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

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Title: Magic Burns

Author: Ilona Andrews

Series: Kate Daniels #2

Publisher: Penguin

Publication date: April 2008

Format: Paperback | 260 pages

Genre: Adult | Urban Fantasy

Down in Atlanta, tempers – and temperatures – are about to flare…

As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.

When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive…

My thoughts:

If this series carries on the way it has so far, I'm going to love every book more than the last.

Somehow, I've managed to fall in love with Kate Daniels even more as well as all the supporting characters. I don't even know what to say about them without fangirling all over the place.

I pretty much loved everything about this book and that's all there is to it. I loved the writing, I loved that it made me laugh and smile and get tears in my eyes. I loved the crazy plot with all of the hints of things to come. I just seriously can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

My rating: 10/10

Ilona Andrews:

Kate Daniels:

Magic Bites
Magic Burns
Magic Strikes
Magic Bleeds
Magic Slays
Magic Rises

Thursday, 23 January 2014

Review: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

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Title: Magic Bites

Author: Ilona Andrews

Series: Kate Daniels #1

Publisher: Orion

Publication date: April 1st 2007

Format: Paperback | 288 pages

Genre: Adult | Urban Fantasy

Goodreads

Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren't for the magic…

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…

My thoughts:

I'm a big fan of this genre so of course that would mean I read a lot of it. It's started to take a lot more for me to fall in love with a series like this one, but I found myself impressed very quickly.

I felt a little out of my depth when I first started reading - the author didn't waste any time with introducing a load of characters and information about the world this book is set in. It didn't take long to get used to though and I steadily grew to love being able to figure out the ins and outs of this 'version' of Atlanta by myself. It made things a little more interesting.

What I loved most of all was the characters. Kate has a load of flaws - more than most protagonists - and she knows it, she doesn't cover them up. She also has her moments where her strength shines and that's where the read gets very exciting. I don't really know what to say about Curran. I actually didn't like him at first, I found him to be really brash and slightly too arrogant but he's really, really grown on me. I really enjoyed the way he and Kate interacted - it made me laugh at times, and at others I got incredibly excited to find out what was going to happen between them. Kate brought him back down to earth with how much she challenged him, so their relationship really worked.

Overall I loved this book - it was full of action and suspense, but most of all, the romance was put aside for the most part so it wasn't the main focus of the story which was great.

My rating: 8/10

Ilona Andrews:

Kate Daniels:

Magic Bites
Magic Burns
Magic Strikes
Magic Bleeds
Magic Slays
Magic Rises

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Review: Class A by Robert Muchamore

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Title: Class A

Author: Robert Muchamore

Series: Cherub #2

Publisher: Hodder

Publication date: 15 April 2004

Format: Paperback | 352 pages

Genre: YA

Goodreads

CHERUB agents are trained, talented, under 17, and do not exist. James' second mission is to smack down the world's most powerful drug lord. He hits the streets, where the dealers work. It's a vicious business. But James is going to take it down ... from the top.

My thoughts:

I am really enjoying this series so far.

What I love most of all is how exciting the books are. There's no end to the action and the suspense. What's more is that they're really quick reads too so I end up reading them entirely in one sitting. This book was especially thrilling since it dealt with the characters trying to take down a drug lord. As you can imagine, there was a lot of fighting throughout the book.

A lot more of the characters that I grew to love in the first book, The Recruit, took part in James' mission this time round. It was brilliant to read about them all together with the way they interacted and worked in each others best interests. There were a couple of new characters introduced too who I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know.

There isn't much I can say about this one without giving anything away. Since I hate spoilers, let me just say so far, I really recommend this series if not for the characters or wit, then for how gripping the story really is in itself.

My rating: 9/10

Robert Muchamore:

Cherub:

The Recruit
Class A
Maximum Security
The Killing
Divine Madness
Man vs. Beast
The Fall
Mad Dogs
The Sleepwalker
Dark Sun
The General
Brigands M.C
Shadow Wave

Sunday, 19 January 2014

Review: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore

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Title: The Recruit

Author: Robert Muchamore

Series: Cherub #1

Publisher: Hodder

Publication date: April 15th 2004

Format: Paperback | 329 pages

Genre: YA

A terrorist doesn't let strangers into her flat because they might be undercover police or intelligence agents, but her children bring their mates home and they run all over the place.

The terrorist doesn't know that one of these kids has bugged every room in her house, made copies of all her computer files and stolen her address book. The kid works for CHERUB.

CHERUB agents are aged between ten and seventeen. They live in the real world, slipping under adult radar and getting information that sends criminals and terrorists to jail.

For official purposes, these children do not exist.

My thoughts:

This read was definitely not what I was expecting. I've been planning to read this series for a while and I found myself having no problem getting stuck in!

There is no end to the action in this book. It's just constant excitement from beginning until the very end to the extent that I didn't put the book down - I read it entirely in one sitting. There are so many fight scenes, intense 'boot camp like' moments and an insane amount of violence for the age of the characters.

At times, it felt a little weird when the ages of the characters were mentioned since they seem so much older than they are. You'll see what I mean if you read the book. I have to admit it made me a little uncomfortable, but I digress.

The plot was a little here and there. A lot of events seemed to be packed into this book - in one book James gets put in a children's home, introduced to CHERUB, trained to become a CHERUB agent and partakes a small mission. Don't get me wrong, it was all amazing to read about, but it didn't flow very well as a story.

The characters are brilliant. What I loved most about this book actually. They all had their strengths and weaknesses, their own distinct characteristics and they were, above all, realistic. Apart from the whole spy business, they acted like kids - they made fun of each other, messed up, got punished and then moved on from it…they developed really well.

Overall I love this book. It's most definitely one I'll be coming back to over and over - I can't wait to see where the series goes from here.

My rating: 8/10

Robert Muchamore:

Cherub:

The Recruit
Class A
Maximum Security
The Killing
Divine Madness
Man vs. Beast
The Fall
Mad Dogs
The Sleepwalker
Dark Sun
The General
Brigands M.C
Shadow Wave

Friday, 17 January 2014

Review: The Gift by Alison Croggon

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Title: The Gift

Author: Alison Croggon

Series: The Books of Pellinor #1

Publisher: Walker Books

Publication date: May 3rd 2004

Format: Paperback | 512 pages

Genre: YA | Epic Fantasy

Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child when her family is destroyed in war. She is unaware that she possesses a powerful gift, a gift that marks her as a member of the School of Pellinor. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true heritage and extraordinary destiny unfolds. Now she and her teacher, Cadvan, must survive a punishing and uncertain journey through a time and place where the dark forces they battle with stem from the deepest recesses of other-worldly terror.

My thoughts:

This is one of my favourite series - I finished it before I started blogging so I thought it would be a good idea to reread it and post some reviews up on the blog.

This book is one of the first books that got me really into reading. I picked it up from the library and decided, after finishing, that I needed a copy for myself, so I went out and bought the whole series. It's not just a book that I found to be a great read, but one that has sentimental value as well.

What is immediately apparent with this book is how original it is. It's like no fantasy I've ever read - there is mention of magic but without the usual wizards, witches, faeries e.t.c. This book is full of mystery and intrigue in more ways than one - the plot alone is enough to get you hooked, even though the book has a lot more to offer.

The characters are also some of my favourites. They all have such depth and mystery to them that you'll want to carry on reading just to find out more of their story. They all have their faults which they make apparent, but they also have obvious strength and endearing personalities.

Overall this is a fantastic read that's part of an underrated series. I strongly recommend it.

My rating: 10/10

Alison Croggon:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

The Books of Pellinor:

The Gift
The Riddle
The Crow
The Singing

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

Review: Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind

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Title: Wizard's First Rule

Author: Terry Goodkind

Series: Sword of Truth #1

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication date: 10 Jul 2008

Format: Paperback | 784 pages

Genre: Epic Fantasy

One man, Richard Cypher, holds the key to the fate of three nations, to the fate of humanity. But until he learns the Wizard's First Rule his chances of succeeding in his task are slim. And his biggest problem is admitting that magic exists at all…

My thoughts:

Wow this book…

I was not expecting anything like this at all. This book was beyond fantastic. I finished it just to want to read it all over again. I'm officially hooked on this series.

From reviews I've seen, this is a book that people either love or hate. I fell into the former category straight away. I have to say it was mostly because of the characters - I've never read about characters with such depth to them. I loved Richard's personality and the way he constantly tried to do good by people. Richard always found the right answer in a bad situation - he went through a lot without having any of the decency or integrity in him taken away. He was probably one of the strongest male protagonists I've come across so far.

I also found the plot to be excellent. It was original and it was chocked full of surprises - I never saw that ending coming that's for sure. This was a monster of a book so I took a little more time finishing it than usual, but it was incredibly hard to put it down at times. There were so many instances that I was worried for the characters - the book was incredibly intense and full of suspense.

Overall I loved this book and I'm definitely going to carry on reading the rest of the series. It's definitely not a book for the faint hearted but for fans of this genre, I really recommend trying it before you read through all of the reviews.

My rating: 10/10

Terry Goodkind:

Monday, 13 January 2014

Review: Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan

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Title: Maid of Secrets

Author: Jennifer McGowan

Series: Maids of Honour #1

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: May 2013

Format: Ebook

Genre: YA | Historical Fiction

If God won't save the Queen...they will.

Orphan Meg Fellowes makes her living picking pockets—until she steals from the wrong nobleman. Instead of rotting in prison like she expected, she’s whisked away to the court of Queen Elizabeth I and pressed into royal service. With a faked noble identity, Meg joins four other skilled girls in the Maids of Honor, the Queen’s secret society of protectors.

Meg's natural abilities as a spy prove useful in this time of unrest. The Spanish Court is visiting, and with them come devious plots and hidden political motives. As threats to the kingdom begin to mount, Meg can’t deny her growing attraction to one of the dashing Spanish courtiers. But it’s hard to trust her heart in a place where royal formalities and masked balls hide the truth: not everyone is who they appear to be. Meg’s mission tests every talent she possesses, even her loyalty to her fellow Maids. With danger lurking around every corner, can she stay alive—and protect the crown?

My thoughts:

I don't read much of this genre so when I saw this read I thought it was too good an opportunity to get some historical fiction under my belt.

I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised - I was actually really impressed with this book. I seriously couldn't put it down it was that fast paced and intense. So much happened right from the beginning and the pace didn't let up until right at the very end.

The only problem I had with this read was the way events were explained as the plot developed. It was the kind of book that waits until the very end and then just drops all of the information on you all at once. I love reading books where I can be left to connect the dots myself when little tidbits of information are left for me. In this book I was given the information but not enough to understand how it was all connected - I was just told in a big paragraph towards the end.

Aside from that, I loved everything about this book, especially the characters. They were the kid of characters that I immediately fell in love with from the get go. I loved Meg and her rebellious side - it led to some really tense chapters that kept me up at night to finish the book. Plus the love interest makes this book worth picking up on its own…sexy stuff right there.

Overall I loved this book and I definitely recommend it. I can't wait for the next book in the series and anything else this author comes up with!

My rating: 9/10

Jennifer McGowan:

Saturday, 11 January 2014

Review: The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

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Title: The Reckoning

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Series: Darkest Powers #3

Publisher: Orbit

Publication date: 03 Mar 2011

Format: Paperback | 400 pages

Genre: YA | Urban Fantasy

Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, Chloe happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are now running for their lives from the evil corporation that created them.

As if that's not enough, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf…

Definitely not normal.

My thoughts:

This is my favourite book out of the trilogy for more reasons than one. For a start, I have to say Derek is probably one of my favourite characters of all time. I love how original and refreshing he is. He fits Chloe perfectly and above all, he is one of the most realistic love interests in a paranormal read I've come across. He's dreamy in his own way, but not in the 'faultless, sexy and beyond handsome' sense. He has his own problems and I really loved that about him.

I loved the conclusion to the trilogy. Everything came together perfectly. All of my questions were answered, I was definitely surprised by some of the answers too - it all led to a really intense read that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

The characters all came into their own in this book, especially Tori. I loved how she overcame her past problems and, as a result, became a little more integrated into the group.

If you haven't read this series, I strongly urge you to - you won't be disappointed. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book by Kelley Armstrong.

My rating: 10/10

Kelley Armstrong:

Darkest Powers:

The Summoning
The Awakening
The Reckoning

Friday, 10 January 2014

Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

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Title: The Awakening

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Series: Darkest Powers #2

Publisher: Orbit

Publication date: 03 Feb 2011

Format: Paperback | 368 pages

Genre: YA | Urban Fantasy

Chloe Saunders used to be a normal teenage girl - or so she thought. Then she learnt the shocking truth - she is a walking science experiment. Genetically altered at birth by a sinister team of scientists known as the Edison Group. Chloe is an aberration - a powerful necromancer who can see ghosts and even raise the dead, often with terrifying consequences. Even worse, her growing powers have made her a threat to the surviving members of the Edison Group, who have decided it's time to end their experiment - permanently…

Now Chloe is running for her life with three other supernatural teenagers - a charming sorcerer, troubled werewolf and a temperamental young witch. Together they have a chance for freedom - but can Chloe trust her new friends?

My thoughts:

When I started this book for the first time, I was worried it wouldn't live up to my expectations based off of how much I loved the first book in the trilogy. I was worried it would be one of those 'filller' books just to bridge the gap between the first and third book. It turned out to be just as good as the first book, if not better, so I had nothing to worry about.

What I loved most about this one was how much more intense the plot got right from the beginning of the book. I guess the ending of the first book was partly to blame, but it certainly meant that this book started off with a bang. I really couldn't get through this book fast enough, just to find out the answers to the questions that had been bugging me since finishing The Summoning. It was as gripping and full of suspense as the best of them - it really had me worrying for the characters more or less throughout the read.

And of course I have to mention how great the characters were. Chloe grew a lot in this book, both in terms of her powers and in character. A lot of secrets were revealed in this book that caused Chloe to doubt her trust in characters that she previously counted on. I loved how she steadily worked through her problems without relying on others as much as she did in the first book. I also really enjoyed how much more I got to know the other characters, especially Derek. Derek is a really refreshing, original character that's continually grown on me - I would read about him forever if I could.

Overall, I really love this read. I seriously recommend this trilogy to any fan of this genre - or even any of Kelley's books. They won't disappoint.

My rating: 10/10

Kelley Armstrong:

Darkest Powers:

The Summoning
The Awakening
The Reckoning

Wednesday, 8 January 2014

Review: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

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Title: The Summoning

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Series: Darkest Powers #1

Publisher: Atom

Publication date: 20.01.2011

Format: Paperback | 392 pages

Genre: YA | Urban Fantasy

All Chloe ever wanted was to be normal. But when she starts seeing ghosts at school, she knows that life will never be normal again. When she finally breaks down, she's admitted to Lyle House - a group home for disturbed teenagers.

As she gets to know the other students - charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek; obnoxious Tori and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire - Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together…

My thoughts:

This was probably my third time reading this book before realising I never posted a review for it, so here ya go.

I love, love, love anything to do with Kelley Armstrong but this series is my absolute favourite and one that I could happily read over and over.

The Summoning is the first book in a trilogy that's full of amazing characters, intense plot lines and brilliant writing that doesn't fail to have you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire read.

What I love most about this book is the range of fantastic characters. I instantly fell in love with Chloe and I fell in love with the other, supporting characters, just as quickly as they were being introduced. They all offered something completely different to the story whilst having well rounded personalities and enough mystery about them to keep me interested.

Overall this is a fantastic read and one of my favourites. It has no end of great writing, loveable characters and enough suspense to have you flipping through pages as fast as you can.

My rating: 10/10

Kelley Armstrong:

Darkest Powers:

The Summoning
The Awakening
The Reckoning

Sunday, 5 January 2014

Review: Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

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Title: Touch the Dark

Author: Karen Chance

Series: Cassandra Palmer #1

Publisher: Penguin

Publication date: 28 Jun 2007

Format: Paperback | 320 pages

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Cassandra Palmer can see the future and communicate with spirits—talents that make her attractive to the dead and the undead. The ghosts of the dead aren’t usually dangerous; they just like to talk…a lot.

The undead are another matter.

Like any sensible girl, Cassie tries to avoid vampires. But when the bloodsucking mafioso she escaped three years ago finds Cassie again with vengeance on his mind, she’s forced to turn to the vampire Senate for protection.

The undead senators won’t help her for nothing, and Cassie finds herself working with one of their most powerful members, a dangerously seductive master vampire—and the price he demands may be more than Cassie is willing to pay....

My thoughts:

I'm just going to dive straight in and say this book was pretty much average for me, if that.

The biggest problem I had that prevented me from really loving this book, was that it was incredibly long winded at times. It was the kind of read where, whenever something had to be explained in detail, it was a chore to read. It happened quite a few times too, so it was definitely something that really put me off. I was mostly frustrated because most of it, in my opinion, was completely unnecessary - I could have figured it out on my own.

The only other thing that bothered me was the romance aspect to the book. It was creepy. I was fine with it until Mircea started bringing up his memories of Cassandra when she was twelve. I can't even tell you how much it put me off.

Aside from that, I liked the book. It just wasn't something I would pick up again - everything else was pretty much average. The characters were okay, apart from Tomas, I don't know what happened there. The plot wasn't original but still mediocre and the writing was alright aside from the aforementioned long windedness.

Overall, it was nothing to add to my favourites list and I don't really recommend it, but it was okay.

My rating: 5/10

Karen Chance:

Goodreads | Website

Friday, 3 January 2014

Review: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

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Title: Etiquette & Espionage

Author: Gail Carriger

Series: Finishing School #1

Publisher: Atom

Publication date: 05 Feb 2013

Format: Paperback | 307 pages

Genre: YA | Science Fiction | Steampunk

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners—and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realises the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage—in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

My thoughts:

I'm a big fan of Gail Carriger's books so when I heard she was writing a YA series I was beyond excited.

I immediately fell in love with all of the characters. I thought Sophronia made a brilliant heroine whilst still being a young girl and acting as such. She had a great personality that made me laugh quite a few times right from the very beginning of the book - I really can't wait to see more of her in the next one.

The plot was a little simpler than I would have liked but enjoyable nonetheless. I found this book enjoyable mostly due to Carriger's impressive writing style. There really is no end to the humour, wacky scenarios and quirky characters in any of her books.

Overall this is a very quick, light hearted read that will make you giggle. I really enjoyed it just as much as the other books by this author so I sincerely recommend both this read and Gail's other books.

My rating: 8/10

Gail Carriger: