Title: Death's Shadow Author: Darren Shan Publisher: HarperCollins My rating: 10/10
Summary:
I'm a human sponge - I soak up memories.
I feel like a thief, stealing secrets with an innocent touch.
I don't like this gift. It's intrusive and sneaky.
I think it's harmless, but I can't be sure.
If knowledge is power, why do I feel so alone...?
The apocalypse came and the world burned. But it wasn't the end, and out of the destruction, new life has emerged.
Bec is back to face the Demonata. After centuries of imprisonment, she's more powerful than ever, but the demons no longer stand alone.
Something else has crawled out of the darkness with her.
Lord Loss is no longer human's greatest threat...
My thoughts:
I love this one for so many reasons. First it's the first full story when all of the characters are together in the same time zone. I love the way they interact and work together towards defeating a common enemy. Three main characters who any reader will come to love in their own individual books coming together in a single book. It's really great to read.
A lot more of the plot of the whole series is revealed in this book. It's definitely one with a lot of surprises interwoven in with the story. Personally, it made me look forward to the next books even more just because I expected there to be more surprises coming my way by how many there had already been.
A new demon is introduced in this book that plays a big part in the series and it's by far the most terrifying just because of what it stands for. From starting the series I would never have guessed the main problem isn't actually Lord Loss but that the demon master is actually far from the worse problem Grubbs, Bec and Kernel have to put up with.
This is another read with loads of action and fighting in it. It definitely got my heart racing and left me wanting the book to never end.
As usual the characters were great. There were so many characters involved in this story that it would have been a disaster if each and every one of them weren't likeable in some way - whether or not they are one of the Demonata.
Death's Shadow is another great addition to the series and is no less scary that any of the other books before it! A brilliant, spine tingling read.
Title: Wolf Island My rating: 10/10
Summary:
We spot the werewolves as we skim the treetops. Mutated, vicious, hairy monstrosities, all fangs, claws and muscles. The beast within me tries to force its way to the surface, howling silently at its warped brethren. I've never rid myself of the wolf...
As the mysterious Shadow builds an army of demons, Grubbs and his team search desperately for answers. But when they follow up a new lead, it leads them to an old, unexpected foe - the Lambs.
The curse of the Gradys has returned with a vengeance.
Werewolves are on the loose.
And they're hungry...
My thoughts:
This has to be the most unexpected book in the series. It was nothing like what I thought it would be about and then some. It completely took me by surprise and left me rushing to turn pages until I finished the book.
Grubbs definitely comes into his own in Wolf Island - without giving too much away, I loved how he changed and stepped up to take charge. Everything I liked about his character just came to the fore and it was great to read.
There was one character that was introduced in this book who I adore. Timas is just hilarious. He brought this new light to the book and made me laugh where the situation didn't really call for it.
I can't really say too much about this one without giving too much away but it is definitely one of my more favourite out of the series. Great action, suspense and loads of drama - love it.
Locked inside Dervish's study. Breath coming quickly, raggedly. Trembling wildly. I still feel sick and dizzy, but maybe that's fear. I force myself to breathe normally, evenly. When I'm in control, I study my reflection, looking for telltale signs. Am I turning into a werewolf? I don't know...
Grubbs Grady has so far escaped the family curse, but when he begins to experience alarming symptoms at the onset of the full moon, he is scared that the jaws of fate are opening and about to swallow him whole.
He has cheated death, defeated demons, moved on with his life. But Grubbs is torn between the world of magic and his wolfen genes. Can he fight the beast inside or will he fall victim to his tainted blood?
My thoughts:
What I love most about this book is the story itself. It has a brilliant plot as well as loads of action and tons of suspense.
It's another book in the series that deals primarily with Grubbs and his family curse. I really loved feeling the constant worry and fear that Grubbs felt in the book as well as sympathy for what other characters had to deal with.
Darren definitely has this brilliant way of making each book not just another in the series but instead a really great book on its own. I've read so many books in a series that on their own are not so great and only shine as part of a collection of a few books.
There's also more in this book to do with normality such as Grubbs being at school and his friends being more involved in the story. So far in the series Grubbs is definitely one of the more important characters and also more likeable in certain ways.
There isn't much to say about this book without giving too much away for those who haven't read the series from the beginning. This is definitely a great read with a lot of action and suspense as well as a few good surprises.
Title: Demon Apocalypse
My rating: 10/10
Summary:
Fire! It's all around me, fierce, intense, out of control. I feel the hair on my arms singe and know I have only seconds before I burst into flames. Total panic. There's a horrible shrieking sound, piercing and destructive. My eardrums and eyeballs should burst. "It's hell!" I moan.
One boy's life ripped to shreds before his eyes...
One wrathful demon master hellbent on revenge...
An army of grisly Demonata on the rampage...
It's the end of the world as we know it.
My thoughts:
Would it surprise you if I said I also love this book? I didn't think so...
I really do though. No book in this series ever disappointed to me - they are all brilliant in their own unique way.
Demon Apocalypse is definitely another book entirely based on the Demonata rather than say Grubbs' family curse. It's full of plenty of demons in all their horrifying glory and then some. That means that it also comes with gore galore and loads of heart-almost-bursting-out-of-your-chest kind of action.
I just wanted to point out how awesome these covers are. They're definitely not ones to have facing you when you're about to go to sleep in the dark but they are amazing covers. I do have all of the series in the same covers and they go so well together with the different colours and different demons on the cover.
Grubbs and Kernel (from Demon Thief) are together in this book which makes for a great read because of their interactions with each other.
This is probably the most emotional book of the entire series for a reason I won't spoil for anyone. When said emotional moment happened I literally couldn't breathe for how unexpected it was and how much it pained me that it had to happen! Brilliant read - fantastic.
Title: Slawter - book #3 Author: Darren Shan Publisher: HarperCollins My rating: 10/10
Summary:
Never trust fairy tales. There are no happy endings. There's always something new around the corner. You can overcome major obstacles, face great danger; look evil in the eye and live to tell the tale - but that's not the end. As long as you're breathing, your story's still going...
Nightmares haunt the dreams of Dervish Grady since his return from the Demonata universe, but Grubbs takes care of his uncle as they both try to continue a normal, demon-free existence. When a legendary cult director calls in Dervish as consultant for a new horror movie, it seems a perfect excuse for a break from routine and a chance for some fun.
But being on the set of a town called Slawter stirs up more than memories for Grubbs and his friend Bill-E.
Lights... camera... Slawter!
My thoughts:
Slawter is definitely one of the top 5 of the 10 books in the Demonata series. It has a slightly different feel to it compared to the other books in my opinion - it's more of an individual book than one of a series but it still deals with aspects of the plot of the series as a whole.
Slawter focuses on Grubbs, Dervish and Bill-E ( a character introduced in Lord Loss) who travel to the set of a production of a new horror film involving demons. The book is definitely more to do with the Grady family than anything else. I remember reading it for the first time and thinking it was nice to get back to Grubbs after reading Kernel's story in The Demon Thief. I think because there is more background information about Grubbs and more insight and involvement with his whole family, Grubbs feels like the central character in a way so reading about him in Slawter: how he's dealing with his introduction to the world of the Demonata among other things is brilliant.
One of the reasons this is one the best books in the series is because the plot seems so isolated from the rest of the series. Grubbs is dealing with his family and his family only. There's not much mention anything concerning the series as a whole so it feels as if there's more time for character development and for a reader to get to know more about said characters.
The action in this book is great. There's more going on than in Lord Loss - where we last saw Grubbs: he has a real chance to test himself. It's definitely a real page turner. I also think the plot is a work of brilliance and the characters equally so.
Definitely one of my favourite reads!
Title: Bec - book #4
My rating: 10/10
Summary:
I'm almost through the door when something breathes behind me, "Beccccc..." I turn. I can't see anything but I know I'm not alone. I want to call for help but can't. Then, in a blue, claws dart out of the darkness...a twisted face...fiery eyes...rows of teeth...the demon grabs me!
As a baby, Bec fought for her life. As a trainee priestess, she fights to fit into a tribe that needs her skills but fears her powers. And when the demons come, the fight becomes a war.
Bec's magic is weak and untrained, until she meets the druid Drust. Under his leadership, Bec and a small band of warriors embark on a long journey through hostile lands to confront the Demonata at their source.
But the final conflict demands a sacrifice too horrific to contemplate...
My thoughts:
This is another book that is similar to Lord Loss. It has an entirely different story revolving around demons with completely different characters.
In this book, Bec is introduced who is another fantastic character. She sees the world with an entirely different perspective and has an extremely different backstory to other characters in the series. A character called Bran is also introduced who is one which any reader will easily fall in love with.
Bec is set in a different time to all of the books in the series which gives it a really individual feel to it - sets it apart from the rest of the books. I loved reading and comparing all of the characters in the different time zones from past and present. I think this book is when I started to get the sense of seeing all of the jigsaw pieces and yet being unable to slot them together yet to see the big picture. Readers will definitely start to see the bigger picture with this one since it involves a tiny bit of the history of the Demonata.
The plot itself was another work of genius as always. There are a few surprises too which is always a good thing in books like these. I had no trouble with getting tired of the story and was racing to turn pages as fast as I could - it was really fast paced and engaging.
Definitely another great book by Darren Shan and a great addition to the series.
Make sure to check my review of the first two books from the series here.
It has seriously been killing me not being able to write any book reviews lately. Unfortunately, I've been having a bit of a hard time with health problems lately and haven't been able to do much of anything.
One thing I have been able to do though is to read. I have been doing a ton of that so stay tuned for some juicy reviews to get stuck into in the near future.
I've been reading a few books in particular over the last couple of months which I absolutely adore and get no way near enough of the attention they deserve so to acknowledge my love for the Demonata series by Darren Shan (picture shown above) I thought a great way to start back into blogging is to do a kind of series spotlight in which I review each of the 10 books of the series throughout the week.
To start off, here's a book review of the first two books of the series, Lord Loss and Demon Thief. But first, a bit of background information on the books: Lord Loss follows Grubbs Grady who, after becoming an orphan when his parents are horrifically murdered by lowly Lord Loss and his demon minions, goes to live with his uncle Dervish. Grubbs soon finds out his past confrontation with Lord Loss is by no means over if he wishes to save someone he loves from a horrible fate.
Title: Lord Loss
Publisher: HarperCollins My rating: 10/10 - I did say I love this series!
Summary:
The door feels red hot, as though a fire is burning behind it. I press and ear to the wood - but there's no crackle. No smoke. Just deep, heavy breathing...and a curious dripping sound. My hand's on the door knob. Inside the room, somebody giggles - low, throaty, sadistic. There's a ripping sound, followed by snaps and crunches. My hand turns. The door opens. Hell is revealed.
When Grubbs Grady first encounters Lord Loss and his evil minions, he learns three things:
the world is vicious,
magic is possible,
demons are real.
He thinks that he will never again witness such a terrible night of death and darkness.
...He is wrong.
My thoughts:
This is definitely one of my favourites. There's always a certain charm to the first book in any series given that the characters are just being introduced and the reader realises that their story is just beginning. From the first moment I started this book, I was so looking forward to going through this, what I knew was going to be epically horrific, journey with Grubbs and loving every terrifying minute of it.
I do seriously think that this book is not for anybody who is not a real fan of true guts and gore in a horror story. It has to be one of the most gory books of any I have read so far and that is saying something. It's definitely not for everybody.
Whilst reading this book any reader will realise that Darren Shan sure knows how to get the heart racing. It's chocked full of suspense and action that makes the hairs on the back of the neck stand on end. He is without any doubt a fantastic writer.
As for the characters, Grubbs definitely grabs your attention from the get go. He's what makes the book in my opinion since his personality is so unique. Grubbs' uncle Dervish is also great. From the start he had a 'no nonsense' feel about him and I loved it. He does open up more towards the end of the book in extreme circumstances. Bill-E who is introduced after Dervish is also a great character who plays such a great and seriously unexpected part that you can't help but love him.
Of course, I have to mention the demons. In Lord Loss, three demons are introduced who have a special relationship with the Grady family. Lord Loss, Vein and Artery. They are described with such detail that you can't help but picture them in your mind. I can't really do them any justice with mere words!
For the start of the series this is a brilliant read that nobody should read before going to sleep!
Title: Demon Thief My rating: 10/10
Summary:
A huge, jagged patch of light forms at the foot of my bed. Then a shape passes through. I'm too horrified to scream. It's a monster from my very worst nightmare. Pale red skin. Dark red eyes. No nose. Sharp, grey teeth. As it leans further forward I see a hole in the left side of it's chest, and inside - dozens of tiny, hissing snakes. The monster frowns and stretches a hand towards me...
When Kernel Fleck's brother is stolen by demons, he must enter their universe in search of him. It is a place of magic, chaos and incredible danger. Kernel has three aims:
learn to use magic,
find his brother,
stay alive.
But a heartless demon awaits him, and death has been foretold...
My thoughts:
This is another 10/10 purely because it's like another Lord Loss without all of the same characters. It has the same effect because it's another introduction to another set of characters. This series is incredibly character based and every one of them is brilliant.
Demon Thief introduces Kernel Kleck, a mysterious boy who has a unique gift that makes him valuable in the wold of the Demonata.
One of the great things about this book is that it finally takes the reader into the hellish world of the Demonata. It allows for some of the most horrible and yet, for a reader, wonderful demons imaginable. It turns out to be a place of great magic and a place where death is a common occurrence.
Quite a few more characters are introduced in Demon Thief, all of them play a great part and all are equally brilliant in personality. A little bit of the plot of the series as a whole is revealed which is always a plus and the plot of the individual book is a masterpiece. Really, really unexpected things happen in this book that would take anybody by surprise. It gives the book this huge edge that makes it a fantastic read instead of just 'another book in the series'.
This is another read I definitely recommend to anybody who is a fan of a good scare or two!
This time the giveaway hop is for a book with a paranormal, supernatural, science fiction or space travel element OR a book that has something to do with a moon or has a moon on the cover.
I thought it would be best to let the winner decide which book they want instead of me picking one out so my giveaway is for any book of choice related to this giveaway hop from the book depository, meaning this giveaway is INTERNATIONAL as long as the book depository ships to you. You can find a list of the countries here.
The giveaway ends March 14th. You can enter by the rafflecopter widget below.
Title: Poison Heart Author: S.B. Hayes Publisher: Quercus Publication date: 1st March Source: Received from publisher for an honest review My rating: 7/10
Synopsis:
From the moment Katy sees Genevieve's beautiful face staring at her from a window, her life will never be the same. Wherever Katy turns, Genevieve is there - at school, with Katy's friends, and worst of all, trying to seduce Katy's new boyfriend.
But Genevieve has a menacing side, a dangerous side, a threatening side that she only reveals to Katy.
As Genevieve's behaviour becomes increasingly twisted, Katy delves into the girl's past. Nothing prepares her for the dark truths that she discovers, or the new romance she finds along the way. Is Genevieve simply a troubled girl? Or does something sinister, something supernatural, lie behind her beautiful smile?
My thoughts:
Poison Heart was definitely one of those reads where there is almost a supernatural element to it even though things are eventually explained in a logical manner. Of course there's always a chance for the reader to assume things in their own way at the end. There were some things that weren't explained and it gave me a chance to sort of explain it myself and in my own terms which I thought was great.
It was also a book that I was so quick to get through purely because I wanted to know all the answers - the suspense was very quick to build up until right at the very end when everything was revealed.
For me the problem was it wasn't like that the whole way through. It was really hard to get into and the only reason I did carry on was because it had potential to become better later on which it actually did after about half way through.
What I loved most about this book was the really creepy vibe it had to it. At times I was seriously freaked out and I was flipping pages as fast as I could get through them. It reached a point in the book where it was constantly like that which is where I started to really enjoy it.
Also, the book was in no way predictable. I find it irritating when I guess what happens before even a quarter of the way through the book. Poison Heart was full of really unusual twists and turns that definitely kept me guessing all the way through.
I did feel that the main character, Katy, didn't have enough depth to her right from the beginning. It was almost like the story started too fast and the plot line was introduced too early so I didn't get to know Katy's character as well as I should have.
I have to say though, the ending to this book was absolutely brilliant - I actually gasped aloud at one point which can only be taken to be a good thing right?
The year is 1931. The scene is werewolfishly classic English fare. And tonight the moon hangs as full as a royal pie plate in this inaugural Reginald Spiffington mystery when the none too obsequious playboy, Reggie, sets out for a delectably long weekend at Huffsworthy Hall to assist his dear friend, Moony, in his failing endeavor to take the hand of his lady-love and to partake in the culinary talents of the genius chef running the kitchen. With no one reason more important than the next, he ll be off straight after breakfast. Reggie s itinerary for the weekend turns abruptly less toothsome when he decides to solve the unexpected murder of another of the Hall s guests, a guest whose luggage is secretly packed full of nefarious plans. Soon, all Huffsworthy s inhabitants are potential suspects, including Reggie s saucy, quick-witted love-interest, Mimsy Borogrove. Aided by his invaluable valet, Pelham, and armed only with his knowledge of detective novels and a newly acquired set of keener, canine senses, Reggie sets out to find the killer before another meal falls to ruin.
My thoughts:
I was so pleasantly surprised by Barking Mad - I started the book a little apprehensive since it's so different to anything I've read before. Little did I know it would turn out the way it did!
I thought it was fabulously witty with hilarious characters. The protagonist Reginald Spiffington made me laugh throughout the whole story no matter was happening which at first I actually found to be strange - I felt weird laughing whilst there was a murder going on! Ridenhour managed to make things serious seem less serious than they are without taking anything away from the importance of the event. If that even makes sense!
What I loved most about Reginald was his reliance on his valet. Pelham is such a great character that brings out the best in Reginald. They both have something about them that makes them so likeable - they really do make the whole story. Pelham balances the serious stuff with Reginald's silliness.
There was also this 'who-done-it' element to the book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I went back and forth between characters thinking about who really did commit the murder until the very end which I've never done whilst reading a book.
It's quite rare to come across something so original. A mystery with a werewolf element thrown in - and it being funny to boot!
Overall I really enjoyed this read and I'm looking forward to more from the author. I most definitely recommend it to anyone to try out - I don't think you'll be disappointed!
Jamieson Ridenhour is the author of Barking Mad: A Reginald Spiffington Mystery, available from Typecast Publishing in June of 2011. He is the editor of the Valancourt edition of Sheridan Le Fanus 1872 lesbian vampire novella Carmilla, as well as creator of the award-winning short fairy-tale horror film Cornerboys.The South Carolina native now lives in Bismarck, ND, where he writes poetry about movie monsters and murder-mysteries with werewolves in them. He also plays wicked lead guitar with Bismarck-based rock and roll band Blind Mice, lectures on vampires and Charles Dickens (though not at the same time), and generally frolics on the plains. He lives with his wife Gwyn and their two children Ian and Eva.
Guest Post -
I’ve been asked to give the “funniest quotes” from Barking Mad. Since I wrote the book, I felt a little strange about deciding what were the funniest lines—who am I, anyway? So, I asked for help from readers. Their picks are below. I also added a couple of my own favorite quotes—I like them; you’ll have to decide if they’re funny. Here we go:
If there is a way in which Moony prefers to love, it is from afar. The last time he needed my “help,” it was to ghost-write love sonnets to Esmeralda Watchcase, the daughter of one of my father’s law colleagues. At the crucial moment, he collapsed under the weight of his own agitation and threw the sonnets in the Thames, completely oblivious to the nearly twenty-seven minutes of brow-beetling I had lavished upon them. Regarding the present circumstances, I suspected a woman was at the bottom of this well. “Moony,” I declaimed, “I suspect there is a woman at the bottom of this well.”
“Yes, but you’ve read detective novels, Pelham. You know how the police are.” “I regret to say I have not read many detective novels, sir. I find myself drawn to more edifying forms of literature.” “Ah, well, that’s nothing to be ashamed of, Pelham. We’re all men below the surface.”
She was pretty in a vacant sort of way, with colorless hair and watery blue eyes. She looked, to be perfectly frank, like an overcooked noodle.
* Now, I can’t say for certain whether you’ve ever tried to explain to a police constable why you’re trying to get into a house at 6:30 a.m. while you are naked. I will say nudity is a deterrent to success in most conversations with members of a rural police force, and this was no exception. I felt extremely visible. Neither of us spoke for nearly fifteen seconds.
Giveaway!
Jamie is offering a giveaway for all entries gathered during the Tour. A signed copy of Barking Mad, 4 unique signed character cards and a DVD.
