Review: Don't Kill the Messenger by Eileen Rendahl

Title: Don't Kill The Messenger

Author: Eileen Rendahl

Series: Messenger #1

Publisher: Ace

Publication date: 28 Feb 2012

Format: Paperback | 336 pages

Genre: Adult | Urban Fantasy

Goodreads

Melina Markowitz is a Messenger, a go-between for the paranormal forces and supernatural creatures that move unseen among 'normal' human beings. Problem is, when a girl's an intermediary, it's hard not to get caught in the middle…

If Melina doesn't deliver, the stakes are life and death. So when ninjas steal an envelope from her, she must find it at all costs. It contains talismans created by Taoist priests to control the kiang shi - Chinese vampires unearthed from tombs beneath the Bok Kai Temple - who are attacking rival gang members in an attempt to spark a street war.

He may look more like a surfer than a cop but Ted Goodnight is dead serious about investigating the surge in gang violence, only he doesn't believe in the supernatural. It's up to Melina to change his mind - without blowing her cover…

My thoughts:

I'm a big fan of urban fantasy so I was very excited when I came round to reading this. In the more enjoyable reads, there's a whole lot of world building involved where I can get lost on the best of days. Then there's a ton of great characters that make me wish they were real and we could have big hangouts where we share the latest gossip. Who needs real friends right?

Unfortunately though, Don't Kill The Messenger fell short on quite a few things. It became a little bit of a chore to sit and read it after a while. I didn't find it a bad read necessarily, it was still an okay read, but it fell short of the mark to make it one of those books I can keep coming back to.

What it came down to, for me, was the characters. I couldn't take Melina seriously half the time. I really liked her at first - she had the whole hard done by attitude but she still did what she had to in order to get by. She seemed really mature, working three jobs, avoiding things that go bump in the night and giving an all round great impression. But when it came down to her making decisions that would essentially affect every character in the story, she had the common sense of a teenager. Even a teenager is pushing it to be honest.

I also don't understand what point in the story vampires and werewolves became her best friends. It was yet another case of me getting the wrong impression. I was excited by the prospect of reading a book where the vampires and other creatures typical to this type of read were not of the friendly and 'I'm a normal person I just happen to feed on arteries or turn into a big cuddly dog' variety. That all changed though when they turned into the 'I'm a normal person I just happen to feed on arteries or turn into a big cuddly dog' variety. I had none of the feel of spine tingly goosebumps I usually associate with urban fantasy reads.

The plot wasn't anything special. There were no twists that pulled me further into the story, nor were there characters in mortal peril to make me anxious for their wellbeing. It was okay - the gangs and the police aspect of the plot was a little cliched for my liking but there was plenty of action to keep me going.

What I did like about this book was the general idea of it. I really loved the idea of a Messenger going between vampires and werewolves e.t.c. It made a lot of sense and I thought it had so much potential. It wasn't really developed until the plot got underway, so that was a little disappointing, but I enjoyed that aspect of the story. Especially the imp with the flute - that was really funny.

Overall, I thought this book was okay. If you're new to the urban fantasy genre, I definitely wouldn't recommend starting off with this book but as usual, this is just my opinion, you may really enjoy this read.

 

My rating: 5/10

 

Eileen Rendahl:

Goodreads 

 

Messenger:

1. Don't Kill The Messenger
2. Dead on Delivery
3. Dead Letter Day

Review: The Engagement Game by Jenny Holiday

Title: The Engagement Game

Author: Jenny Holiday

Series: 49th Floor #3

Publisher: Entangled: Indulgence

Publication date: Oct 5th 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley

Genre: Adult | Contemporary Romance

Goodreads

The black sheep of the old-money Rosemanns, advertising executive Marcus has made his own way in the world—and done extremely well for himself—but his family is still pressuring him to join their investment firm and settle down with a quiet, unobjectionable girl.

Which is why the sexy Rose Verma is the perfect date for his family’s charity ball. A bleeding-heart lefty from the wrong side of the tracks, Rose has never met a stray dog she didn’t love or a polka-dotted mini-dress she couldn’t rock. Marcus has enough dirt on Rose to “convince” her to play along. And if he lets it slip that they’re engaged, all the better. 

But all’s fair in love and blackmail, and Rose is ready to play a few cards of her own…

My thoughts:

This was another one of those books that I finish, find it an okay read, and then promptly forget everything about it shortly after I move on to the next one.

It sounds harsh, but there wasn't anything memorable about this book. It's been done so many times, even down to the details, that it just becomes 'one of those'. They're not necessarily bad reads - some are of course, but this one wasn't - they're just so common that they all seem to blur into one. 

I liked the characters well enough. Rose was quirky and sure of herself, Marcus was strong willed with family issues and the supporting characters were interesting - especially the parents. 

All that aside, I don't really know what else to say. I did have a problem (as usual seems like) with the ending. I've been saying this for a lot of reads lately, but there wasn't enough fight in the end. The whole book is focused on a blossoming relationship and then at the inevitable big obstacle towards the end, a seemingly huge pit that has opened up between them becomes irrelevant and easily crossed. We all know what's going to happen at the end, but I want the way it happens to be something worth reading and not just a couple of pages of 'oh maybe I was wrong'.

My rating: 5/10

Jenny Holiday:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

49th Floor:

1. Saving the CEO
2. Sleeping with Her Enemy
3. The Engagement Game

Review: Lost in Geeklandia by E.J. Russell

Title: Lost in Geeklandia

Author: E.J Russel

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled: Select Contemporary

Publication date: September 28th 2015

Format: Netgalley | Kindle 

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance

Goodreads

She has 30 days to turn her enemy into her boyfriend...



Introverted computer engineer Charlie Forrester has coded an algorithm for love, a nearly flawless matchmaking program. But then she's challenged to prove its accuracy - on herself. With her dream job on the line, Charlie has thirty days to forge a romantic relationship with her "perfect" match...her ex-friend and now-nemesis, Daniel Shawn. Since her dating experience is expressed in binary, she'll need more than flirting lessons and a wardrobe overhaul to pull it off.

After falling victim to the same online matchmaking con he was investigating, reporter Daniel Shawn's professional reputation went up in flames. Now he suspects someone has rebooted the scam, and he's determined to expose the fraud and rebuild his career. Unfortunately, his efforts to get back in the game get sidetracked by Charlie and her adorable geekitude, even though she seems to know a little too much about digital dating for Daniel's comfort.

And when fake romance crosses into real chemistry, Charlie's formula for love might just be the perfect formula for disaster...

 

 

My thoughts:

I was a little disappointed with this read. I liked it well enough, but I wanted a lot more considering the potential the plot has. 

I liked how driven Charlie was in terms of knowing what she wants and how to get it. She had her career all figured out and all she needed was a little push to get the rest of the way. She had no need for any outside help and when she eventually came across a huge obstacle in her way, she had no problem getting stuck in to get it out of her way so she could move on. I liked that - it wasn't necessarily a good character trait at times, but it gave her this strength that came apparent throughout the read. She knew when to apologise and when to backtrack and do the right thing which might not result in an outcome that's in her favour. She made a decision and stuck with it - there was no point in the read where Charlie was indecisive and it fit with the computer data aspect of the read. 

However, where Charlie came across as the strong, independent woman, Daniel came across as totally the opposite. At first, by Charlie, he was portrayed as this ruthless reporter that follows the facts - I saw none of that. I understand that Charlie was exaggerating her opinion of him based off of her past, but I wanted some of that drive in Daniel too. He was too much of a good guy.

That brings me to what I really didn't like about this book. I wanted so much more of a fight than there actually was. Daniel didn't fight for Charlie, Charlie didn't fight for Daniel and none of the supporting characters had anything to do with the eventual romance. There was no 'push' from them. 

For such a determined character, Charlie sure backed down awfully quickly and settled with the idea that Daniel would never speak to her again - where did all of that fire go? And Daniel was the same. He wasn't especially feisty to begin with, but he changed his mind in a single moment and it bugged me.

All in all I thought this read was okay. It had the outcome I expected and I enjoyed the humour involved, but in the end, it all happened too easily for me to believe in it.

My rating: 5/10

E.J. Russell:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Review: Blackmail Boyfriend by Chris Cannon

Title: Blackmail Boyfriend

Author: Chris Cannon

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled Publishing | Crush

Publication date: August 10th 2015

Format: Kindle | 267 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary 

Goodreads

Sometimes, blackmail is the only weapon a girl has...

Haley Patterson has had a crush on golden boy Bryce Colton for ages. But when she hears a rumor that he hooked up with her she gives him a choice: be her boyfriend for a month to show other guys that she's dateable-despite her overprotective and very intimidating brothers-or deal with the angry, cage-fighting boyfriend of the girl he actually did hook up with.

Bryce didn't know the other Haley even had a boyfriend. He was just trying to get his ex off his back. And now, not only is he being blackmailed, he's being blackmailed by an honor student. His new "girlfriend" has two three-legged dogs, her father mows grass at the country club, and she's...well, difficult. And different.

Can something so fake turn into something real?

 

 

My thoughts:

This review is going to be pretty short since this read really didn't really wow me in any way. It was alright but I'm finding it hard to have something to say about it which, in its own way, is exactly the problem.

I was on and off with the main character, Haley. Sometimes I thought she was a great, quirky character with a loving personality - she loves animals and does her best to help people out, but a lot of the time Haley came off really demanding. I think she was 'supposed' to come across as a strong female character that isn't afraid to ask for what she wants and work for it, but it was too strong and if someone behaved that way in real life you can guarantee they would push everyone around them away.

I felt the same way about Bryce but instead of being demanding, he was the opposite. Bryce couldn't seem to make any decisions and everything worked out in his way anyway. It was frustrating. To me, he was a poor character.

The ending also drove me crazy. I literally thought that 50 pages or so were missing. It was just way too easy - there was no fight involved and it made the characters look really weak.

Aside from all that though, there was a cute romance going. I like how Bryce changed throughout the story and I liked the secondary characters that helped him through it.

My rating: 5/10

Chris Cannon:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Review: Dragons Are People, Too by Sarah Nicolas

Title: Dragons Are People, Too

Author: Sarah Nicolas

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled

Publication date: April 28th 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley | 255 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal

Goodreads

Never judge a dragon
by her human cover...

Sixteen-year-old Kitty Lung has everyone convinced she’s a normal teen—not a secret government operative, not the one charged with protecting the president’s son, and certainly not a were-dragon. The only one she trusts with the truth is her best friend—and secret crush—the über-hot Bulisani Mathe.

Then a junior operative breaks Rule Number One by changing into his dragon form in public—on Kitty’s watch—and suddenly, the world knows. About dragons. About the Draconic Intelligence Command (DIC) Kitty works for. About Kitty herself.

Now the government is hunting down and incarcerating dragons to stop a public panic, and a new shape-shifting enemy has kidnapped the president’s son. Kitty and Bulisani are the last free dragons, wanted by both their allies and their enemies. If they can’t rescue the president’s son and liberate their fellow dragons before getting caught themselves, dragons might never live free again.

 

 

My thoughts:

I don't know what's going on, but the books I've been reading lately have been really hard to review. It's not that they're bad exactly, it's just that they don't seem to arouse any sort of genuine, heartfelt response to the story - it all seems to be just…meh.

Unfortunately this was another one of those reads. My biggest problem was that the characters felt extremely flat. Kitty was supposed to be one of those young, genius girls who can kick your butt into next week. She's a soldier who works for this dragon community of spies. But in no way did she behave like it. She still behaved too much like a high school student who can't stop thinking about their crush. It got really annoying.

What I loved but also hated at the same time, was the potential in the read. Sani has a really great backstory that's not explored in the slightest and Kitty has a lot of elements to her that could have made such a difference. Her parents for one and their story, but also, her spy level upbringing - I mean, she could have been that character that everyone loves to read about in YA, but instead she came across as too dependent.

At the same time, this book isn't exactly a 'bad' read. There's plenty to keep you interested. I liked all the action and how fast paced everything was. In some ways, that was the problem - it was too fast. There were so many missed opportunities for characters to be explored. But there was enough there for me to stay curious and keep reading.

My rating: 5/10

Sarah Nicolas:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Review: Love Me to Death by Marissa Clarke

Title: Love Me to Death

Author: Marissa Clarke

Series: Underveil #1

Publisher: Entangled: Select

Publication date: October 28 2014

Format: Ebook | 359 pages

Genre: Fantasy  | Paranormal

Goodreads

Medical research scientist Elena Arcos has always lived her life under the radar, which is not easy to do when you live with the craziest woman in the world. But eccentric Aunt Uza is a picnic compared to the other people who enter her orderly life after she is shot in a convenience store robbery.

Elena finds herself rocketed from comfortable predictability to supernatural insanity courtesy of her own private angel of death who happens to have the sexiest accent on earth and a body to match. Her death angel is convinced she’s some kind of freaky half vampire thing and that her deceased dad was the real deal: a blood sucking monster. 

Yeah, right. She’ll play along, but then she doesn’t have much choice seeing how as the guy claims to be some immortal law enforcer and has taken her prisoner.

* * *

Nikolai Itzov had expected to fight the urge to torture the progeny of his father’s murderer, but he’d never anticipated battling the urge to kiss her her.

As a Slayer, an elite law enforcer descended from Azrael himself, his charge from the Underveil General is clear: Kill her or die. He has been told she is one of them--an Undead. Nothing but a parasite to be destroyed. But he has been told wrong. 

Nikolai and Elena find themselves in a life and death battle to stop a plot designed to lift the Underveil and enslave humans. 

With her analytical mind and his centuries of training and experience, they might be able to foil the plot with their lives and maybe their hearts intact. But in order to succeed, he must help her become the very thing he hates the most: an Undead.

 

 

My thoughts:

After being sent to exact revenge on a vampire he has good reason to hate, Nikolai finds more than he expected when he sees Elena for the first time - starting with the fact that she's not actually a vampire and has no idea about the Underveil. The two soon set out trying to find out why people want Elena killed and prevent the end of human freedom.

This was another read that I was pretty much split down the middle with. More literally than most though - the first half of the book was a lot different to the last half and that really threw me for a loop. The first half seemed to have more of a focus on the relationship between Nikolai and Elena where they're getting used to being together and Elena is starting to learn about all the new creatures in the Underveil. The second half, however takes a political turn and the focus is entirely on overthrowing the king and getting the rightful heir into power. There was far too much of a distinction which made it feel like two completely different books.

 

I think I enjoyed the first half of the story far more than the second. I thought that the characters were more themselves at the start and as the plot progressed they lost certain characteristics that made me like them in the first place. As soon as the plot moved into getting the throne back and saving humankind, it felt so rushed that there was no time for the characters whatsoever.

 

I liked Elena at first. I loved how clueless and naive she was about pretty much everything - it made for some funny happenings with Nikolai. Nik took me a while to get used to but he changed a little after a while and I grew to really like him, more than Elena actually. I thought he grew into a better character as the read went on - Elena's introduction into his life and finding out his uncle wasn't being totally truthful kind of shocked him into changing. He was a lot more believable than Elena even into the second half of the book where I thought Elena took a turn for the worst.

 

Overall I thought the read was okay. I really liked the first half but the rest went downhill really fast in my opinion. 

 

My rating: 5/10

 

Marissa Clarke:

Goodreads | Website 

Review: Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Title: Darkness Becomes Her

Author: Kelly Keaton

Series: Gods & Monsters #1

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: February 2011

Format: eBook | 288 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal 

Goodreads

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers a message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

My thoughts:

This was another one of those reads that I didn't find amazing, but I still enjoyed reading it. These books are always the hardest to review for me because sometimes they don't leave enough of an impression for me to think 'there's something I have to put in the review later'.

While I did like the read, the scale was too heavy on the 'bad points' side for me to want to read it again or maybe carry on in the series. I'm not sure about that yet, but it's most definitely one that isn't going to be a priority out of all the series I'm dying to get my hands on.

The very first problem I noticed myself getting frustrated by was the way some events took place. For example, in a couple of action packed moments of the book, Ari - who I realise has had combat training but no experience with supernaturals and the like -  was fighting supernatural creatures with surprising ease. Everything that happened with her was too convenient and it made the story totally unrealistic.

 

It was the exact same problem with the romance that I had trouble with. I like romance in a story as much as the next reader but it has to be believable. It wasn't at all. Sebastian came across as a completely different character in the beginning to what he turned out to be at the end of the book. He didn't start off as someone who would just jump into a romance with anyone, let alone a cursed girl with beefy assassins out to get her. And then, without warning, he changes out of the blue to a really sweet guy who wants to be with someone he met the day before. He lost the air of mystery about him and that was really disappointing because it was what made me like him in the first place.

 

Aside from all that negativity, I really liked the plot of this book. It was entertaining, full of secrets and loveable characters. Enough so that I enjoyed the book despite all my ranting.

 

I especially loved Violet. She was such an intriguing character in so many ways. She had such loyalty to her friends and left such an impression on me without saying very much at all throughout the story. Her and her scary pet. I liked how all of the characters acted as a unit - they acted as a family in order to survive but ended up caring for each other perhaps more than blood relations would.

 

Overall I found this to be a pretty average book. I enjoyed it for the most part, but while the problems I had with it were few and far between, they really irked me. 

 

My rating: 5/10

 

Kelly Keaton:

Goodreads | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

 

Gods & Monsters:

1. Darkness Becomes Her
2. A Beautiful Evil
3. The Wicked Within

Review: Til Death by Kate Evangelista

Title: Til Death

Author: Kate Evangelista

Series: Fractured Souls #1

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication date: March 4th 2014

Format: ebook | 320 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal 

Goodreads

Sixteen-year old Selena Fallon is a dreamer. Not a day-dreamer, but an I-see-the-future kind of dreamer. Normally this is not a problem as she has gotten pretty good at keeping her weird card hidden from everyone in her small town. Except from her best friend Kyle and her grandparents, of course. But when Selena dreams of her own rather bloody death, things get a little too freaky even for her.

Enter Dillan Sloan. Selena has seen the new guy in a different dream, and he is even more drool worthy in person. Beyond the piercing blue eyes and tousled dark hair, there is something else that draws her to him. Something…electric. Unfortunately, Dillan makes it more than clear that he does not feel the same. They just met, so why would he act like he hates her?

When Dillan and Selena are forced together one weekend to work on a school project, Selena prepares to be ignored as usual. But when she stumbles across a few undead in the backyard, Dillan comes to her rescue and reveals a whole lot more. Not only is he part of a society that hunts otherworldly creatures…she is too. And she is being targeted by a force bigger and darker than anything she ever imagined. Despite her death dream, Selena is not going to give up easy, especially when she discovers that Dillan might not actually hate her after all.

 

 

My thoughts:

Selena Fallon has visions. And not particularly nice ones at that. Seems like a lot of pressure to keep that big of a secret right? It gets even worse when Dillan Sloan gets transferred to Selena's school. Til Death follows Selena's battle to not only get the answers to the questions that have been plaguing her mind and the meanings behind her terrifying dreams, but to find out what on earth Dillan's problem is...

I don't know about Dillan but my problem right now is that I'm having a hard time getting my thoughts about this book out of my head and down into a review. I pretty much found this book to be an okay read. It had its moments, but that was it. One of the better parts of this read that come to mind is at the beginning of the book where Dillan is pretty much unbearable. I liked the way he interacted with Selena when he was confused or frustrated with the on and off feelings of guilt and the like. 

To be honest, that's where it ended for me. I was actually only a few chapters into the book when I realised I wouldn't get on with it. Mostly for one reason which was predictability. I'm not exaggerating when I say I saw every single thing coming. I guessed which characters were the villain-type and what would happen at the end. I only found myself finishing the book just to find out if I could possibly be right.

If you're into original stories then I definitely wouldn't recommend this one. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a particularly bad read, I just have all the problems I had with it roaming around in my mind for me to be able to focus on what was some of its good points. It weighed far too much on the 'bad' side of the scale for me.

My rating: 5/10

 Kate Evangelista:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

Fractured Souls:

1. Til Death
2. After Death 

Review: Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

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

Goodreads

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 

Review: Noble Conflict by Malorie Blackman

Title: Noble Conflict

Author: Malorie Blackman

Publisher: Doubleday

Publication date: 6 Jun 2013

Format: Hardback | 374 pages

Genre: YA | Dystopian

Goodreads

Years after a violent war destroyed much of the world, Kaspar has grown up in a society based on peace and harmony. But beyond the city walls, a vicious band of rebels are plotting to tear this peace apart. It is up to the Guardians - an elite peacekeeping force - to protect the city, without ever resorting to the brutal methods of their enemy.

When Kaspar joins the Guardians, he has a chance encounter with a rebel - a beautiful girl named Rhea. Haunted from that moment on by strange visions and memories - memories that could only belong to Rhea - he realises he hasn't been told the truth about what the rebels really want, and what he's really fighting for.

 

 

My thoughts:

I'm a huge fan of Noughts & Crosses so when this book came out, I picked it up straight away. My immediate concern though, was that I would compare it to Noughts & Crosses and be disappointed because honestly that book was amazing.Although I did compare it to Malorie's previous books, this one really stood out on its own. It wasn't so different to any of the other books but it definitely came across in a different light.

 

What I didn't like about this read most of all was that it wasn't up to par with Malorie's previous books in terms of the shock factor. I loved, loved, loved the fact that Malorie never failed to make me gasp in shock. I never predicted what was going to happen and what did happen was always something that would have never crossed my mind. There wasn't any of that with this book. It wasn't as intense and when things eventually started to get going, I didn't really feel connected to the characters enough to really care either way. 

 

I also pretty much hated the ending. To me, it was one of those endings that feels completely unresolved in all aspects. I understand that it leaves a reader to use their imagination, but I don't feel that Malorie pulled it off in that regard. 

 

That being said, Noble Conflict still had a lot to offer. There was action right from the beginning so I had no problem turning the pages. The plot was captivating and I didn't see what was coming until it did.

 

Overall I found this read pretty much okay. It had its issues but it also had some gripping, tense moments that I enjoyed. 

 

My rating: 5/10

 

Malorie Blackman:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Review: Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt

Title: Two-Way Street

Author: Lauren Barnholdt

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication date: June 2007

Format: ebook

Genre: YA | Contemporary | Romance

Goodreads

There are two sides to every breakup.

This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love. Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple. But they clicked; it worked. They're even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation.

Then Jordan dumps Courtney -- for a girl he met on the Internet.

It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days. La la la -- this is Courtney pretending not to care.

But in a strange twist, Jordan cares. A lot.

Turns out, he's got a secret or two that he's not telling Courtney. And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can't get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other.

My thoughts:

This is another read that I won't have much to say about since I pretty much found it average. There was a definite mix of things I liked and things I didn't like.

The characters are a great example of what I mean. I loved Jordan. I thought he was really open with his thoughts and feelings, especially when reading from his perspective. I liked how he changed when Courtney came into the picture and how he did his best with what he was given. He was a really relatable character that had both strengths and flaws. However, I had a hard time liking Courtney. Sometimes I felt like I didn't have enough time to and other times I thought she was just all over the place as a character - just when I thought I understood her personality to be a little, shall we say, quiet or a person who keeps to herself, she would do something completely the opposite and start screaming hysterically at someone for nothing especially. I just found it hard to relate to her at times.

 

The thing I really had a hard time with was the plot. The pace wasn't great. It started off really slow and started to speed up as I read on. Eventually it went too quickly for my taste, especially for this kind of book - when I finished the book I was really unhappy with the way things turned out. They didn't seem resolved at all and that really frustrated me.

 

Overall I thought it was okay. It was definitely a quick read and I don't regret picking it up but it's not one to go on my favourites list. Of course it's just my opinion so I would encourage you to give it a go if it sounds like your cup of tea. 

 

My rating: 5/10

 

Lauren Barnholdt:

Goodreads | Website 

Review: Emilie and the Hollow World by Martha Wells

Title: Emilie and the Hollow World

Author: Martha Wells

Series: Emilie #1

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Publication date: Apr 2 2013

Format: ebook | Netgalley

Genre: YA | Fantasy | Steampunk

Goodreads

While running away from home for reasons that are eminently defensible, Emilie’s plans to stow away on the steamship Merry Bell and reach her cousin in the big city go awry, landing her on the wrong ship and at the beginning of a fantastic adventure.

Taken under the protection of Lady Marlende, Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use the aether currents and an experimental engine, and with the assistance of Lord Engal, journey to the interior of the planet in search of Marlende’s missing father.

With the ship damaged on arrival, they attempt to traverse the strange lands on their quest. But when evidence points to sabotage and they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with the strange race of the sea-lands, Emilie has to make some challenging decisions and take daring action if they are ever to reach the surface world again.

My thoughts:

This is going to be one of those reviews that is difficult for me to write and is probably difficult to read. It always happens with the kind of book that I basically have no strong feelings about - while I was reading this, at times, I felt like I was reading it for the sake of reading. There didn't seem to be anything to get me excited or worried about characters.

 

The biggest problem I had was how the book started. Sometimes I love being thrown into the deep end of a story to be left to figure out what happened as the book goes on. There are always clues or little flashbacks to the protagonists past so that I'm given enough backstory to be able to get to know the main character better. That way I form an attachment of some sort - if that character goes through some sort of painful experience then I feel for them, in the same way that I enjoy reading about the character experiencing something pleasant. I didn't get that with Emilie. I didn't feel there was enough of a backstory revealed in order to satisfy me - I didn't really end up caring about what happened to her either way and I hated that.

 

I think that initial problem is what put me off the rest of the book. I ended up having the same problem with the rest of the characters, even though there wasn't any problem with them that I can put my finger on. 

 

One thing I did notice though, was that I loved the descriptive writing. The 'Hollow World' is a world set in the depths of the Earth, it gave the author a chance to use her imagination and I loved how that came across. There were times where I could picture everything described clearly in my mind just because the writing was so easy for me to take in and imagine myself. 

 

Overall this was a 'meh' kind of read for me. It had its moments but for me, if I don't really like the characters, I can't get into the book at all. However, as I always mention, give it a go if it seems like the kind of book you would go for…it's just my opinion. 

 

My rating: 5/10

 

 

Martha Wells:

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Review: Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

Title: Bloodspell

Author: Amalie Howard

Series: Bloodspell #1

Publisher: Langdon Street Press

Publication date: Jun 1 2011

Format: ebook | Netgalley

Genre: YA | Paranormal

Goodreads

The spell was simple...

Cruentus Protectum (Defend the Blood)

But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?

Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.

What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...

Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?

My thoughts:

I struggled to give this book a rating since I don't really know how I feel about it.

I was completely enthralled at the start of the book. There was so much mystery involved that I couldn't help but be sucked straight into the story. I was desperate to find out all the answers. 

I really liked the dark tone to the story that was there from the beginning. It was a constant battle for Victoria to control her powers and stop herself from hurting those who she loves. The author had no problem making Victoria's thoughts as dark as possible and it definitely came across in the right way - I immediately noticed how hard she was trying and was instantly sympathetic. 

The characters were also great at the beginning of the book. I loved Christian straight away and Victoria really grew on me as I was let in on more and more of her secrets. I liked the way the characters interacted and how they had just started to develop and maybe change a little in some cases.

However, the last half or so of the book was incredibly different. I thought it took a completely different turn and it didn't really feel like it stayed true to the characters. The plot started to become more focused on Cristian and Victoria and everybody else was excluded for a long time. It really was like reading two completely different books - the last part of the book was too much of the unoriginal vampire romance for me. 

My rating: 5/10

Amelia Howard:

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Review: Frosted by Wendy Sparrow

Title: Frosted

Author: Wendy Sparrow

Publisher: Entangled

Publication date: January 2013

Format: Ebook - 117 pages

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy Romance

 

 

After falling through the ice one cold day, Kate is saved by a mysterious man named Jack and ends up marrying him. Come to find out she's committed herself to the king of winter himself. Now Kate has cold feet about their life together…and cold everything else.

She doesn't think Jack will miss her if she packs up and runs away to Colorado. After all, she's been in living in sunny Florida for seven years, and he hasn't managed to come see her. But Jack has one last chance of convincing his runaway bride to come back to him, and he won't give up until he breaks through the ice that's frosted her heart.

My thoughts:

I have to start this review off by saying I'm really picky with romances. There are some things I can't stand in a romance and there are also things I have to have in a romance read. This book was pretty much an okay read for me - it had a lot of problems in my opinion, but it also had its moments.

It was mostly the characters that threw me with Frosted. Jack Frost had a lot of potential as a character - he was complicated and mysterious, but while he had loads of depth, he wasn't developed enough to keep me interested in the end. I had a similar problem with Kate. I understood where she was coming from in her decisions but it just wasn't there for me. There wasn't enough of a justification for leaving Jack in the first place when I couldn't understand why she felt the way she did - it didn't go deep enough for me. Kate's excuse is her family life making her into an incredibly independent woman who doesn't trust enough to commit to a relationship - but in the story she already mentioned she loved Jack from the beginning. The problem was that I felt I hadn't gotten to know her well enough before the story ended.

Another problem was that I found the plot really cliché. Sometimes it can come across as charming but in this case it was a little overwhelming. I knew what was going to happen from the first few pages of the book so, of course, I felt there wasn't much point in reading on in that case. 

 

However, what I did like about this read was that the interactions between Jack and Kate were really sweet. Every time they were brought together Jack would say or think things that would make my heart melt and wish that someone would say these things to me. Part of reading a romance novel I think! 

 

It was also an incredibly quick read. That's not always a good thing and I would have liked to get to know the characters better but it was still an entertaining read. You can literally finish it in an hour if you're a quick reader.

 

My rating: 5/10

 

Wendy Sparrow:

At home in the Pacific Northwest, Wendy Sparrow writes for both an adult and young adult crowd. She has two wonderfully quirky kids, a supportive husband, and a perpetually messy house because writing is more fun than cleaning. She enjoys reading with a flashlight under a blanket—the way all the best books should be read—and believes in the Oxford comma, the pursuit of cupcakes, and that every story deserves a happily ever after. Most days she can be found on Twitter where she’ll talk to anyone who talks back, and occasionally just to herself.

 

Goodreads | Twitter | Blog

 

 

Giveaway:

 

Wendy has decided to give away a lovely necklace as part of this blog tour. It's International too! If you want to check the necklace out you can see it here. 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Undeadly by Michele Vail

Title: Undeadly

Author: Michele Vail

Series: The Reaper Diaries #1

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication date: Dec 2012

Format: Paperback - 272 pages

Genre: YA - Paranormal | Mythology

 

 

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper - and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite boarding school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath.

Life at Nekyia has its pluses. Molly has her own personal ghoul, for one. Rick follows her there out of the blue, for another…except, there's something a little off about him. When students at the academy start to die and Rath disappears, Molly starts to wonder if anything is as it seems. Only one thing is certain - Molly's got an undeadly knack for finding trouble...

My thoughts:

This is going to be a difficult review for me to write since I have no clue how I feel about this book.

One thing I get so disappointed about in books is when I don't get on with the main character. From the beginning Molly came across as a strong and wilful character but she also came across as a right brat sometimes. I seriously found her so annoying at some points in the book that I really wanted to scream. It took all of my attention away from what was happening throughout the story - I felt like I couldn't appreciate the mythological side to the book or what was happening. 

What I really find frustrating is the fact that I think this series has so much potential. I really loved the mythology that played a part in the plot. I've never read anything based on the ancient egyptians before and as soon as it came into play, I started to really enjoy it. I also really liked some of the other, supporting characters. Rath came across as incredibly mysterious and I really want to read more of him. I'm definitely intrigued with that side of the story. 

I did, however, find the plot somewhat lacking some substance. There wasn't really anything leading up to any of the big events in the read - when something big did happen there wasn't enough suspense. Nothing came of any surprise because of that so I quickly lost interest. 

I can't really decide if I want to try my hand at the next book. On the one hand, I really want to find out what happens but on the other, Molly will have to grow up a whole lot for me to carry on. 

 

My rating: 5/10

 

Michele Vail:

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The Reaper Diaries:

1. Undeadly
2. Unchosen

Review: The Escape Diaries by Juliet Rosetti

Title: The Escape Diaries

Author: Juliet Rosetti

Publisher: Loveswept (Random House Publishing)

Publication date: Dec 10 2012

Format: Ebook - Netgalley

Genre: Adult - Romance

 

Wrongly convicted of killing her philandering husband, Mazie Maguire is three years into her life sentence when fate intervenes-in the form of a tornado. Just like that, she's on the other side of the fence, running through swamps and cornfields, big box stores and suburban subdivisions. Hoping to find out who really murdered her husband, Mazie must stay a few steps ahead of both the law and her mother-in-law, who would like nothing better than to personally administer Mazie the death penalty via lethal snickerdoodle. With the Feds in hot pursuit and the national media hyping her story, Mazie stumbles upon a vast political conspiracy and a man who might just be worth a conjugal visit-if she survives.

My thoughts:

This book is definitely one to capture your attention from the get go. It wasn't like anything I've read before - it was absolutely hilarious.

I really loved how the author made this such a light, quick and easy read. From the first page, I was sucked into the quirky and insane world of Mazie Maguire. This book is definitely the kind of read that isn't suited for everyone. I know plenty of people who would hate this kind of thing and just find it downright annoying, but I found it too bizarre to stop reading. It wasn't just funny in the sense that the characters got into hilarious situations - it was also the characters. Mazie's character just shone through in the author's writing so I fell in love with her immediately. The other thing I adored about this one was the rest of the characters. They were great - all of them were different in some way, they were all hilarious and they were all loveable. 

 

However, I was a little disappointed with the rest of the story. I felt as if I didn't really have enough time to get to know the supporting characters. Since I really liked them it was a little bit of a let down. The book was actually quite a quick read so that probably played a part - the characters didn't appear as much as I wanted throughout the read. 

 

The plot was a little predictable but I didn't really mind much as it was a really light-hearted read that was more character based than anything. The reader is supposed to get to know the protagonist and root for her the whole way since she could go to prison for the rest of her life, or walk free. Essentially, I did root for her the whole way, no matter how much I wanted to get to know the rest of the characters. I enjoyed that feeling, it's refreshing in any book.

 

For me, this was a perfect read to get a laugh out of you and get you in a good mood. Apart from that though, it wasn't exactly one to add to my favourites list. 

 

My rating: 5/10

 

 

Review: Jane by April Lindner

Title: Jane

Author: April Lindner

Publisher: Poppy

Publication date: September 5th 2011

Format: Paperback - 365 pages

Genre: Romance

 

 

 

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden deaths of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance.

But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonising secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?

My thoughts:

 

This is the first kind of re-telling of a classic that I've had a go at reading. I was a little apprehensive about it since Jane Eyre is what it is - I don't think anything could ever live up to it. I did enjoy how the story was adapted to a modern telling though.

 

The biggest problem I had with this book was trying to get into the story. I found it hard to pay any interest in the character's lives when the story dragged so much from the beginning. It was only quite a good chunk past the half way point that I started to get really into the story. Jane was unnecessarily boring at the start of the book until her character started to change and become stronger - once she did though it became a really refreshing read. By the end of the book she came out of her shell to a huge extent.

 

I have to say I was actually most worried about Nico's character. I wasn't sure about the way he would be portrayed when I first started reading - I was anxious to see if he turned out to be a good character. Nico definitely didn't disappoint me. I thought he was great the whole way through the book - he was moody but still came across as a strong character. I think having him as a rock star provided perfect settings for the story.

 

Another problem I had with this read though, was how closely it followed the original Jane Eyre story. There were times where the dialogue was almost the same just in a more modern tone - I was hoping the book would have just elements of the Jane Eyre story. For example, the element of Jane falling in love with her employer and maybe the employer's personality. Everything else I was hoping would be different to give it a unique edge. At the end of the day, if I want to read Jane Eyre I'm going to pick up the classic not this book. I strongly feel if this read didn't follow the story down to a T it would be so much better - it would have that edge to it. This way it doesn't really stand on it's own.

 

Overall I thought this was just an average read. I enjoyed Nico's character and how the story has been adapted to a modern telling but as a story on it's own, it was a little underwhelming.

 

My rating: 5/10

 

 Jane Lindner:

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Series Spotlight: Need #2

Title: Captivate

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury (UK | US)

Publication date: UK - 05/04/2010 | US - December 2010

Format: Paperback - 288 pages 

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

Zara and her friends thought they'd solved the pixie problem. And they had - sort of. They're locked away, deep in the woods. But the king's needs grow stronger each day that he's in captivity, while his control over his people weakens. Who will fill the power vacuum? Astley. He claim's he's different. He claims that it doesn't have to be violence and nastiness all the time. Zara wants to believe him.. until Astley also claims that she's fated to be his queen.

There's no way Zara would ever turn pixie. And she's got good friends who'll make sure of that. Besides, she and Nick are so in love they're practically inseparable. But when the very thing Zara most wants to protect is exactly what's at risk, she's forced to make choices she never imagined,

My thoughts:

I know you've all probably heard this a hundred times but it's so hard not to compare a sequel to the previous book. After immediately finishing this book I thought 'it's not as good as the first'. It's so hard to stop doing that, more so with the second book than say the third or fourth. The characters and the settings have already been established and you already have a feel for how the author writes. When any of that changes to a point that doesn't suit you, anything you ever found great in the book is thrown out the window. I think you've all guessed that I felt this was for Captivate. 

To me the characters in this read were like completely different people to the first book (there go the comparisons again). Zara was so sensible and mellow which I really loved. In this book she's such a 'girly girl', using completely different language and making different choices to what I would expect of her based on what I already know from when she was introduced in Need. I felt the same about Nick. I really liked Nick in the first book and now I find him so dull - I'm really sorry to say it too. It's probably only Issie and Devyn who are anywhere near the same as what they were in the first book. 

 

The plot wasn't great but it was still a good read. I thought the first half of the book could have had a little more action in it - it did get a little tiring to read until it picked up. When it did pick up it was quite enjoyable. I did predict the end result though which annoyed me a little but the other events took me completely by surprise. I have to say I hated the fact that I couldn't feel for any of the characters though. If a book is a good read then what the characters go through is supposed to affect me. Where I was supposed to be upset I couldn't care less and I'm pretty sure it's not because I have a heart of stone.

 

Overall I thought this was an okay read - it was over really quickly - I didn't really have enough time to start enjoying it.

 

My rating: 5/10

 

Carrie Jones:

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Books in the series:

1. Need
2. Captivate
3. Entice
4. Endure

 

 

Review: Chosen Ones

Title: Chosen Ones

Author: Tiffany Truitt

Series: The Lost Souls #1

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication date: April 10 2012

Format: eARC 

Genre: Dystopian YA

 

 

Life is bleak but uncomplicated for sixteen-year-old Tess, living in a not-too-distant future where the government, faced with humanity's extinction, created the Chosen Ones, artificial beings who are extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.When Tess begins work at Templeton, a Chosen Ones training facility, she meets James, and the attraction is immediate in its intensity, overwhelming in its danger. But there is more to Templeton than Tess ever knew. Can she stand against her oppressors, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

My thoughts:

Chosen Ones was a little bit of a roller- coaster ride for me. I spent most of the read trying to decide whether or not I like it because the pace of the story kept changing so much. 

I enjoyed how I was sort of thrown into the deep end of the story. It starts off with no explanation of the world the protagonist, Tess, is living in and just dives right into the action. It was nice in a way because it was intriguing and I wanted to find out more about this different world that punishes women for being infertile and leaves the children to suffer for everyone's mistakes. But it did leave me thinking I'd missed out an entire book in a series.

A lot was explained after a while with memories, flashbacks and letters so it was left to the reader to put the pieces together which was really different and enjoyable. I just felt that the book as a whole was out of order in some way which is why I can't decide if I like it or not.

The plot was nice to read. It wasn't original so much, but it was still pleasant. A lot of it was incredibly fast paced which I always enjoy and it left me turning pages which is always a good thing! I did find the ending to be way to abrupt for my liking - it really did come out of nowhere and seemed entirely too rushed.

Chosen One's characters were another confusing point for me. I didn't really understand Tess as a character because she changed too drastically for my liking too early into the book. She was such a strong and sometimes stubborn person that I felt she wouldn't be easy to change if change needed to happen - and it did. The fact that she was of one mind one second and of another a page later with no in between occurrence made her too hard to relate to in my opinion. 

And then there was James and Henry. Henry was another character who seemed to be something else entirely different to what he turned out to be. He was also a little bit too much on the sidelines for a character who was supposed to be important in the end. James, however, was my favourite character. He was just James the whole way through and didn't become anything else or change completely - he only became more sure of himself and his actions - yeah, I loved James.

Overall this was an average read for me although it did have it's intense and heart stopping moments. 

My rating: 5/10

Tiffany Truitt:

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Books in the series:

1. Chosen Ones
2. Naturals