Review: Sister Assassin by Kiersten White

Title: Sister Assassin

Author: Kiersten White

Series: Mind Games #1

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication date: 19 February 2013

Format: ebook - Netgalley

Genre: YA | Paranormal

 

 

She never chose her deadly gift but now she’s forced to use it. How far would you go to protect the only family you have left?

Annie is beset by fleeting strange visions and a guilty conscience. Blind and orphaned, she struggles to care for her feisty younger sister Fia, but things look up when both sisters are offered a place at Kessler School for Exceptional Girls.

Born with flawless intuition, Fia immediately knows that something’s wrong, but bites her tongue… until it’s too late. For Fia is the perfect weapon to carry out criminal plans and there are those at Kessler who will do anything to ensure her co-operation.

With Annie trapped in Kessler’s sinister clutches, instincts keep Fia from killing an innocent guy and everything unravels. Is manipulative James the key to the sisters’ freedom or an even darker prison? And how can Fia atone for the blood on her hands?

My thoughts:

I was already a fan of this author before I started this book. I didn't know what to expect after reading the summary though. I immediately picked up on how different it was to anything I've read from Kiersten White before.

By the end of the first page I had already fallen in love with Fia. And by the end of the book I realised Fia is actually incredibly well written. There's a really dark tone that I noticed when I read her points of view, they steadily got darker and darker when Fia got especially desperate in her efforts to protect her older sister. I really loved how she would go out of her way to protect Annie, how flawed of a character she really is and just how smart she could be at times. Fia had this ability that meant she couldn't make a wrong decision - she had flawless instincts and that came through really well in the story. I never thought it would be such a cool ability to have, but Fia would know where to go, who to talk to and how to do things without even necessarily knowing why. The book starts off showcasing Fia's skills when she decides not to kill Adam even if Annie suffers because of it - her instincts just tell her to.

 

Admittedly, I had a little bit of a problem with Annie for quite a bit of the book. She came across as a little too selfish in my opinion, especially at the beginning. I felt like Fia was left with all the horrible things to deal with while Annie was in her own little world pretending nothing was wrong. I understand that it's supposed to be like that, at least for the majority of the book,but it didn't come across in the right way sometimes. 

 

I really loved the plot. It was really exciting with all of the action and suspense. I could feel Fia's desperation and Annie's fear, it made the read utterly enthralling. The book as a whole did feel like an introduction to the series at times, like it was just getting incredibly exciting and then nothing would happen - I feel like a lot of it has been saved for the next book. What did happen though kept me from putting the book down - I read it entirely in one sitting because I was completely invested in needing to know what happens to the characters.

 

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book, especially with that ending. I recommend this to any fan of YA, especially readers who are fans of Kiersten White - she's definitely come out with yet another great book!

 

My rating: 8/10

 

 

Kiersten White:

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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: Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Finale

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: Hush, Hush #4

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication date: October 2012

Format: Hardcover - 464 pages

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

Nora is more certain than ever that she's in love with her fallen angel, Patch, despite her Nephilim heritage making them destined to be enemies. For her, there's no turning back on him. But now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one fast trial. Old enemies and new are ranged against them, standing between them and the peace they so desperately crave. The battle lines are drawn - but which sides are they on?

My thoughts:

I am a really big fan of this series - I love everything about it. The characters, the plot lines of every book in the series and the writing. As usual I was a little anxious that this one wouldn't live up to my expectations because of how amazing the first three books are. I needn't have worried though because I thought this was a fantastic read.

Everything I loved about the past books played a big part in this one too. Especially the characters. Patch and Nora were brilliant as always. I would have liked Patch to have been more involved in the first part of the book but it wasn't big deal - it was just because I love Patch so much. Scott and Vee play a bigger part in this book which really surprised me - especially Vee. I thought they both played their part really well and were incredibly well written. 

What I loved most about this book was that it stands out on its own and not just as part of a series. I'm not a big fan of series where each book depends on the other - books that when read by someone who didn't necessarily know that it's part of a series, they don't like them because they don't have enough substance by themselves. Finale was just that little bit different to the rest of the series that it gave it a lot of depth and made it a great book by itself and not just part of the Hush, Hush series. 

Nora was a big part of what made it different in my opinion. She changed a little for the worse for reasons I won't give away. She soon gets herself out of it thought which made her seem so much more independent and tougher than ever. It just shows how far the characters have come since the first book. 

I can honestly say I have nothing bad to say about this book. Or the series as a whole for that matter. I love, love, love it! It's definitely one that I'm going to read over and over. If you haven't read this series yet, please do check it out because you won't be disappointed.

 

My rating: 10/10

 

 

Becca Fitzpatrick:

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Hush, Hush:

1. Hush, Hush
2. Crescendo
3. Silence
4. Finale

Review: Steel by Carrie Vaughn

Title: Steel

Author: Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication date: 13 March 2012

Format: Paperback - 304 pages

Genre: YA - Paranormal 

 

 

 

 

A mysterious broken sword transports a modern teen through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past, and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief, and as she learns about the dark magic that brought her there she forms a desperate scheme to get her home - one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain!

My thoughts:

This book had been on my wishlist for over two years before I finally decided to buy it. I just thought that the idea of going back through time to a pirate ship could turn into a really fun read and it was.

 

 

First off, I have to say I really enjoyed Vaughn's writing style. It was really simple and to the point whilst still having enough descriptive writing to keep the settings magical and interesting. It had a little of everything that a good writer has which really kept me turning the pages.

 

 

My favourite part of this book was all to do with the characters. I instantly fell in love with Jill with her fencing and frustration with herself. I loved how she changed throughout the story - she really came out of her shell and learnt to appreciate what she already had. I thought that the fact that she was a flawed character at the beginning that learnt from her experience was really refreshing - it's not done in books no way near enough anymore in my opinion. 

 

 

I also loved the other characters. I thought the villainous pirate Blane could have been included a lot more in the book since he played such a huge part in the plot - he was just mentioned a lot of the time which I wasn't really satisfied with. Cooper, Abe and Henry were absolutely adorable. I thought they, especially Henry, were so loveable that I was rooting for them the whole book. They were all well-developed and relatable so they made for a nice read.

 

 

My only problem with this book, and it is a big one, is the plot. It was so underwhelming for me. It was over so quickly so I felt like it was too easy for the characters to get what they want - there wasn't much of a struggle and there was no way near enough adventure. The only reason I kept reading was entirely because I wanted to find out what happened to the characters - I couldn't really care less what happened in terms of the plot.

 

 

Overall, I thought this was a nice read. Considering it only took me a couple of hours to read I would recommend it, especially to fans of pirates!

 

 

My rating: 7/10

 

 

 

Carrie Vaughn:

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Review: Silence

Title: Silence

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: Hush, Hush #3

Publisher: Simon and Schuster 

Publication date: October 2011

Format: Hardcover - 448 pages

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past, bridged two irreconcilable worlds and faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust - all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for - and their love - forever.

My thoughts:

To put it really simply I thought this read was fantastic.

I could honestly leave this review at that and have said all I needed to. I couldn't really fault this book for the life of me since it doesn't have any single thing wrong with it in my opinion. I will, however, risk sounding like a complete fangirl by telling you all the things I really loved about it.

What I think most people enjoy about these books are the characters, especially Nora and Patch. Patch is just as much of a mystery to me in every book as he was in this one. In every book in this series so far there has been something about Patch that has kept me guessing for some reason or another in every read.  He really does know how to keep his secrets and the book is so much better because of it. I love the fact that I second guess everyone in this series - I never know who is to blame for anything bad that happens purely because Fitzpatrick keeps me guessing all the time - to no end. Everybody is suspicious of everybody else for some reason or another - even Nora of Patch.

It's just so easy to connect to all of the characters in these books that you start to feel everything they are. Nora's confusion played a big part in Silence, for the first half of the book I was desperately wanting Nora to find out all the answers for herself and when she did I felt the same relief she did. You simply can't have that kind of experience reading a book unless the author is a fantastic writer. The fact that, for me, this happened with a number of characters in this story is a testament to how great of a writer Becca Fitzpatrick really is - she doesn't miss a single detail in her books.

Aside from the characters the plot had to be the best one so far. The second book in the series Crescendo, ended on a really dramatic note - obviously after an ending like that I wanted to pick this one up as soon as possible. It really didn't die down at all from that point. Every moment of the book was either emotionally all over the place (in a good way), suspenseful to the point of me wanting to skip chapters in my rush to find out what happens and so exciting! I really couldn't put it down.

For those of you that haven't picked up this series please do because you will not regret it.

My rating:  10/10

 

 

Becca Fitzpatrick:

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Hush, Hush series:

1. Hush, Hush
2. Crescendo
3. Silence
4. Finale

Review: Sweet Venom

Title: Sweet Venom

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Series: Medusa Girls #1

Publisher: Templar

Publication date: September 4th 2012

Format: Paperback - 384 pages

Genre: YA - Paranormal/Mythology

 

 

GRACE is new in town. It's scary, starting over, but it get's scarier when a girl who looks just like her rocks up to fight it.

GRETCHEN is fed up of fighting monsters, especially on school nights. Getting rid of a minotaur is easy, but she never expected to run into her double in the process.

GREER is perfection personified. But her world is knocked off its immaculate axis when two identical girls appear on her doorstep and claim they're all demon-hunting sisters.

My thoughts:

My biggest worry about books like this is whether or not I'll connect to all of the characters involved because there are quite a few. Even if all three sisters (Grace, Gretchen and Greer) are just as important as each other, it's hard to not favour one over the other and connect with all of them when only two have been introduced from the very beginning. 

Gretchen is the first of the triplets to make an appearance in the story and I liked her right off the bat. She's a tough cookie and has no problem letting everybody know it. Above all I really enjoyed her relationship with Nick - I found it really funny at times and found myself rooting for the man since he put himself up for failure more than a dozen times at least. I also thought that the way Gretchen's personality was balanced out by Grace's was really refreshing - it was incredibly nice to read about the two of them together because they complemented each other so well. 

I loved Grace just as much as Gretchen. I liked how much depth she has underneath her happy-go-lucky exterior and how she interacts with friends and family. She's the most loveable out of the three sisters and as such, sometimes she was the best person to read about. Her brother Thane was really intriguing - he's only involved a few times in the story but all the same, he's so mysterious that I can't help but really want to know what significance he is in the next book.

Greer was where the problem was for me. She makes her first appearance about halfway through the whole book and it didn't really sit well with me. She took too much of a back seat in the story for me to have related to her in any way and she ended up getting on my nerves. It felt like someone interrupting two people in the middle of a conversation in a way - even if I was waiting for her to come into the story, it didn't feel right when she did because it was so late on. Especially with her personality. If she came into the story at the beginning, there would have been more time for me to glean some kind of idea about her past and attitudes towards different things but there wasn't so she just came across as snobby. 

The plot was quite fun to read. I love anything to do with mythology for a start, so that aspect of the book was great to read about - all the different creatures and abilities were great. I did think it seemed like an introduction to the series and that it doesn't really stand on its own as a book. It was all about the triplets finding each other first.

Overall I thought this was a good read full of great world building and secrets yet to be revealed. I thought Greer could have been better as a character but all in all I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who is a fan of YA and mythology. 

My rating: 7/10

Tera Lynn Childs:

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Medusa Girls series:

1. Sweet Venom
2. Sweet Shadows
3. Sweet Legacy

Review: Crescendo

Title: Crescendo

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: Hush Hush #2

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: October 2010

Format: Hardcover - 432 pages

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and, even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadn't been acting so distant. Even wth Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her Nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations as she searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

My thoughts:

This is another book that I'm kicking myself for not reading sooner. I read the first in the series, Hush Hush, when it came out but I left this one till ages after. I just recently bought the last book, Finale, so I wanted to get caught up since I loved Hush Hush so much. 

As always, there was a little bit of apprehension starting the second book of a series. Especially one where I loved the first book. I was a little anxious as to whether I would like all the old characters in the same way as I did before and if I would like the new characters at all. Safe to say I loved all the characters just the same so this book in no way disappointed me.

I think the only problem I had with this book (get it over and done with first) was that there were moments where I thought nothing was happening and my attention started to slip a little. It was moments where characters were supposed to be figuring each other out and moving the plot forward. I suppose I just felt it didn't move fast enough at times - but that could also be me just wanting to find out what happens as soon as possible.

Something I enjoyed more than I did in Hush, Hush was the writing. I think Fitzpatrick did a fabulous job in this one purely because of how the plot turned out without me guessing any of it. Where she wanted Patch to be suspected, i suspected him.  It was such a relief to get towards the end and have no idea what was going to happen.

Speaking of which, the ending was something else entirely. I'm so glad I have the next book waiting in my cupboard because that was a real shocker and completely unexpected.

My rating: 8/10

Becca Fitzpatrick:

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Series Spotlight: Need #4

Title: Endure

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury (UK | US)

Publication date: UK - 10/05/2012 

Format: Paperback - 288 pages 

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

There was a time, not long ago, when all Zara wanted was to have Nick back. Rescuing him from Valhalla should have made all her problems disappear. He's Bedford's greatest warrior, not  to mention Zara's true soulmate. Except Nick isn't the person he used to be. And neither is Zara. She's a pixie queen. Astley's queen.

Zara has a plan to stop all the evil pixies that are ravaging her town, and her ideas are not the same as Nick's or Astley's. One thing they can all agree on though: war is here. And not everyone will survive. Zara's gravest choice is yet to come.

My thoughts:

I was really apprehensive before reading this one since I wasn't a big fan of the second or third in the series. It was sort of the last chance to get me enthusiastic about the whole pixie taking over the world idea.

I have to say it was definitely a big improvement to Captivate and Entice. I had a big problem relating to or caring for any of the characters in the second and third book. This one was different though. Zara especially seemed so much more mature and decisive which I found a really great relief. Nick was less obnoxious and Astley behaved realistically for the most part. It wasn't to the level as I found it to be in the first book, Need, but it was getting there. 

What I didn't like, that I actually didn't have a problem with in the other books, was the fact that Zara was so easy to sway in terms of who she wanted to be with. It was decided in an instant and I found that really annoying. I'm not a fan of the really unrealistic 'soulmate' idea so that really bugged me. I won't say anymore in case there are those of you who don't know who she ends up with but it was pretty obvious to be fair.

The plot was so much better in terms of how it was paced and what happened when. It was similar to everything else that had happened in previous books - it was almost like reading the same book over and over again. There was a lot less predictability and a lot more intensity which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Overall this series was pretty much average for me. I do recommend it for people who are big fans of pixies, fey and the like. It was definitely full of mythology - plus, there was loads and loads of glitter!

My rating: 7/10

My rating of the whole series: 5/10

Carrie Jones:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Books in the series:

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

Series Spotlight: Need #3

Title: Entice

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury (UK | US)

Publication date: UK - 04/01/2011 | US - December 2011

Format: Paperback - 272 pages 

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together for ever. But that's not quite how things have worked out. For starters, Nick has gone. He has been taken to the mythical place for warriors known as Valhalla. Zara and her friends might be able to get him back , it's just not going to be easy. Meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But even if Zara and her friends do discover the route to Valhalla, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't turned into just any pixie…She's Astley's queen.

My thoughts:

 After just finishing this the first thought that came to mind was that it disappointed me. I had hoped after enjoying the first book in the series and not the second so much that it would improve. I have to say, the first book seems like it's part of a different series altogether, even by a completely different author.

 

Mostly, what I didn't like in the second book of the Need series, Captivate, I had the same problems with in this one, especially the characters. I've already mentioned that I didn't like the way the characters seemed to drastically change for no apparent reason apart from it being the second book. It made me completely unfeeling towards them if anything (bad or good) happened to them. I couldn't root for one character or another so it made the read pointless in a way. If you don't care for any of the characters then what is the point in reading a book?

 

I did think the plot was better than both the first and the second book. It had a lot more substance, more to gain if all goes to plan and definitely more to lose if things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to. There was a lot more suspense involved which made the book that much more intense. I did think that far too much happened too quickly at moments. One big event would occur and then another in the next page - partner that with not really caring about what happens to any of the characters led to said events being anticlimactic. 

 

What I most liked about this read was that it was incredibly focused on one thing, making it incredibly fast paced. It all revolved on the characters rescuing someone they care deeply about and everything else was put aside for the moment. The end of the book all came down to whether they achieved this or not - it got pretty exciting towards the end. I did like the end too - it was really different and it was described in this really magical and captivating way. I thoroughly enjoyed the end of the book. 

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Carrie Jones:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Books in the series:

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

 

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:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Books in the series:

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

 

 

Series Spotlight: Need #1

Title: Need

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury (UK | US)

Publication date: UK - 01/02/2010 | US - December 2009

Format: Paperback - 306 pages 

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

Zara White suspects a freaky guy is stalking her. She memorises phobias and chants them when she's nervous. OK, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But moving to a freezing Maine town to stay with her grandmother is supposed to be the perfect fix - so her mum says.

Except, this plan of sending Zara away to help her stay sane? Yeah, not working. Turns out the stalker is not a figment of Zara's imagination. He's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs are pointing to Zara.

My thoughts:

The first thing that came to mind after finishing this read was the fact that it was over so quickly. I literally finished it in about two hours and I was quite upset about that in a way - I was enjoying it.

I thought the plot of this one was a little odd. It was too simple for my tastes which meant it was entirely too predictable. Literally every single supposedly shocking event was no shock to me since I already knew it was going to happen ever since the first few chapters. I still enjoyed reading it but I felt that I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it weren't so obvious. I am looking forward to what the next book holds in store in terms of the plot though - it may be a lot better.

The characters have to be my favourite aspect of the book. I really enjoyed how cute they all were. Nick was a sweetheart when he wasn't in a temper and Devyn was just adorable. Issie was hilarious and someone I wish I knew in real life - she was really fun and energetic but also enigmatic in a way, I really want to see a lot more of her. Zara, the protagonist, was really quirky. She came through great in the book evident by the fact I took a shining to her immediately. She was very different to any character I've read before so it was greatly refreshing to read her sometimes exasperating one-liners and funny stuff she seems to just blurt out. 

Even if I don't think the book fulfilled the potential it does have, I started to really like the author's writing style towards the end. I thought it was confusing and weird at first because I thought I was thrown into the deep end a little bit. However, once I warmed up to how different and sometimes strange the characters were I started to really like it - it was definitely something different. 

 

All in all this was a quick and easy read, especially for the first book in a series. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

 

My rating: 7/10

 

 

Carrie Jones:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Books in the series:

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

 

 

Review: Wolfsbane

Title: Wolfsbane

Author: Andrea Cremer

Series: Nightshade #2

Publisher: UK -Atom | US - Speak

Publication date: UK - 21 Feb 2012 | US - 03 Jan 2012

Format: Paperback - 400 pages

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of her sworn enemies, she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer, one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack - and the boy - she left behind.

But is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side, no matter what?

Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can survive. 

My thoughts:

Even after finishing this book I'm still kicking myself over the fact that I hadn't picked it up sooner. I bought this when it came out - I think I left it because I was afraid of what happens in this one.

 

If you'd like to read my review for the first books in this series - Nightshade - then click here.

I really loved Nightshade but I certainly wasn't expecting anything like this in the second book. It was so jam packed full of action I couldn't stop turning the pages - literally, I was up until three in the morning finishing it. It actually had the feel of an 'in-between' book but in a good way. It's kind of made me anxious as to what will happen next since I'm rooting for so many characters to survive and have a great end to the trilogy. It really is a testament to how well the book is written.

The characters are really amazing in this book. I felt a characters absence when they were mentioned by another character and I felt each emotion they - especially Calla - were feeling. It really adds to the story and takes everything that happens to a whole different, more intense, level. 

The plot was great. Most of it focused on Calla getting her pack back but it held clues to what will happen in the last book plot-wise. Like I said before, it did feel like an 'in between' kind of book but it didn't affect how much I enjoyed the read. It definitely built up the suspense for the next book, more so than Nightshade ever did.

All in all, I can't wait ( and simultaneously dreading ) to read the last book in the trilogy because the first two books so far are amazing.

My rating: 10/10

Andrea Cremer:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Nightshade series:

1. Nightshade
2. Wolfsbane
3. Bloodrose

 

Review: A Discovery of Witches

Title: A Discovery of Witches

Author: Deborah Harkness

Series: All Souls Trilogy #1

Publisher: UK - Headline | US - Penguin

Publication date: UK - 29 Sep 2011 | US - 27 Dec 2011

Format: Paperback - 720 pages

Genre: Paranormal

It begins with absence and desire.

It begins with blood and fear.

It begins with a discovery of witches.

A world of witches, daemons and vampires.

A manuscript which holds the secrets of their past and the key to their future.

Diana and Matthew - the forbidden love at the heart of it.

My thoughts:

I think anybody who picks this book up first notices just how big it really is. My first thought was to how long it was going to take me to read it and then that it had better be good considering how long it will take me to read it. It didn't disappoint me I'm glad to say.

I loved how much detail was put into this book. There was so much mention of history, alchemy and science that it's sometimes painfully obvious how much research has gone into it. I know quite a few people who hate writing this detailed but I'm a big fan. I love painting a picture of settings and events in my mind as the story develops - I think it's a true testament to writing skills. Deborah Harkness certainly has those skills as every chapter, paragraph and line in this book leaves hardly anything to the imagination - it's all laid out in front of you. 

I did find that I would have liked to have connected with the two main characters, Diana and Matthew, a little more than I did. I thought they were great at first. There weren't many other characters involved for the majority of the book, or at least until the second half. It was mainly about Diana and Matthew which I enjoyed. After the halfway point though, there were quite a few more characters introduced and while I did really like the other characters involved, it seemed to take a lot of focus away from Diana and Matthew to the point of sometimes completely forgetting about them. 

The plot was great. It was a big difference to what I usually read in that there wasn't immediately any danger or solutions involved. Everything happens relatively slowly so that when something does happen, it's a big shock. The characters come to realise what's happening at a realistic pace when they start to get clues and ideas from other characters. I felt as though I was figuring it out at the same pace as them which I thoroughly enjoyed. More than anything though, I have so many questions that I really want answered in the second book.

All in all, I did enjoy this book since I do want to find out what happens in the next one as soon as possible. I would definitely recommend it to anybody fans of paranormal romances.

My rating: 7/10

Deborah Harkness:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter

All Souls Trilogy:

1. A Discovery of Witches
2. Shadow of Night
3. Untitled

Review: Starling

Title: Starling

Author: Lesley Livingston

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication date: 8/28/2012

Format: Hardcover - 352 pages

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

Mason Starling is a champion fencer on the Gosforth Academy team, but she's never had to fight for her life. Not until the night a ferocious, otherworldly storm rips through Manhattan, trapping Mason and her teammates inside the school. Mason is besieged by nightmarish creatures more terrifying than the thunder and lightning as the raging tempest also brings a dangerous stranger into her life: a young man who remembers nothing but his name - the Fennrys Wolf. His arrival tears Mason's world apart, even as she feels an undeniable connection to him. Together, they seek to unravel the secrets of Fenn's identity as strange and supernatural forces gather around them. When they discover Mason's family - with its dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods - is at the heart of the mystery, Fennrys and Mason are suddenly faced with a terrifying future.

My thoughts:

This book has to be all that is considered unputdownable. It was without a doubt a definite page turner - I loved it.

It was the first book I've read by Livingston. I'd already heard great things about her books and writing so I was excited to try it out for myself. I wasn't disappointed - not by a long shot. I found her writing to be fantastically thrilling, wonderfully intense, suspenseful and magical. I loved how she's included just enough mythology to keep me intrigued and kept enough of it hidden so I immediately want to pick up another book that she wrote.

The characters in Starling were brilliant. I took a shine to them immediately, especially Mason and Fenn. Mason was really exciting to read about with all the aspects of her personality - she has great skills in fencing, really bad claustrophobia and was just really loveable in all ways. Fenn was just as loveable to me. He was a great character from how he entered the story to how he interacted with Mason - it was really sweet. I would have loved to have learnt about all his lost memories in a bit more detail but saying that, there are a bucket load of questions I have which I really can't wait to have answered.

 

Starling's plot was astounding in my opinion. I did say I thought the book was a definite page turner and it was for this reason. I loved the whole mythology aspect to it as well as the fact that it wasn't predictable to me at all which is something that I hate to a big extent in any read. There wasn't any part of the book where I wanted to put it down or leave it for one second. Even where there wasn't any action there was always the anticipation of it which is just as good. I did think the ending seemed a bit rushed to me but how it ended more than made up for it to be honest.

 

I definitely have to pick up something else by Livingston soon because if any of her other books are as good as this one, then I want them in my hands as soon as possible.

 

My rating: 9/10

 

Lesley Livingston:

Goodreads | Website | Blog | Twitter 

Review: Shift

Title: Shift

Author: Kim Curran

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Publication date: UK - 6 Sept 2012 | US - 4 Sept 2012

Format: Paperback 

Genre: YA - Paranormal

 

 

When your average loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, he learns he's not so average after all. He's a "Shifter" - he has the power to undo any decision he's ever made.

At first, he thinks the power to Shift is pretty cool. But as his world quickly starts to unravel around him, he realises that each time he uses his power, it results in terrible, unforeseen consequences. In a world where anything can change with a single thought, Scott has to decide exactly where he stands.

My thoughts:

 

 This book was a pleasant surprise. It wasn't what I was expecting at all but instead a really entertaining read that had quite a bit of humour added in throughout.

 

What I loved about this read from the get go was Scott. I thought he was such a loveable character that captured my attention straight away and made me root for him for the whole book. He didn't change drastically in the middle of the book somewhere which is a plus since it happens so much in books nowadays. I did find it weird about a quarter of the way into the read when he 'Shifted' for the second time - his appearance changes in a certain way. It felt a little unnecessary to me. 

 

The plot was pretty good. I loved how it wasn't confusing - after reading the blurb of this book I realised it could be a really all over the place read easily enough. Given that the characters can change decisions that they have previously made I was expecting a lot of mess to be honest - the way the 'Shifts' were written was incredibly well done so I had no problem following what had happened. 

 

I did find that a big chunk of the book wasn't as exciting as the rest of the read. The rest of the book made up for it though - it was incredibly fast-paced at some points and the story moved along especially quickly. Admittedly, I didn't like the ending too much. I thought it was too fast and it did come to the point of it seeming rushed. I always feel like I've missed something somewhere in the story when that happens - it's slightly frustrating since the ending of the book is probably the most important part. 

 

Kim Curran's writing was really enjoyable. The first page drew me right in with how serious and yet hilarious it was. There were moments where it was completely inappropriate to laugh and I did anyway because these little one liners were thrown in that were so out of place that I couldn't help but find it hilarious. 

 

All in all I enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it. It's a quick read that has an exceptional plot, brilliant characters and funny moments. 

 

My rating: 7/10

 

Kim Curran:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

 

 

 

Review: Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Title: Desires of the Dead

Author: Kimberly Derting

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication date: 15th February 2011

Series: The Body Finder #2

Previous books in series: The Body Finder

Source: Received for review.

My Rating: 8/10

Buy the book

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Summary

VIOLET AMBROSE’S SECRET IS OUT

Violet has a curious gift: the ability to sense the echoes emitted by murder victims. Only her boyfriend Jay and her closest family know. But when she locates the body of a missing boy sought by the FBI she puts herself firmly on their radar.

NOW SHE’S BEING WATCHED

As if dealing with regular calls from the FBI isn’t enough, threatening notes are being left on her doorstep, and she feels disturbing echoes around the home of Jay’s new best friend. Violet needs answers fast…

WHO CAN SHE TURN TO?

Violet should feel closer to Jay now he’s moved from best friend to boyfriend, but she hasn’t told him what’s worrying her. She tells herself she’s protecting him, but is their fledgling relationship strong enough to cope?

As Violet faces her fears alone she uncovers dark truths that lead her to danger…

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My thoughts:

I talked a lot about Jay in my review of The Body Finder and I’ll probably do the same now… I love him! He is so utterly and unbearably perfect!

I still love Jay and Violet’s relationship in this book. I was sort of worried that it would be all clichéd and that it wouldn’t develop from the last book but I wasn’t disappointed. It developed even more really well and seemed to be realistic and natural making it really believable which helps the whole story.

I loved how one chapter leads to the next. There was a really nice flow to the story which made one event lead into another flawlessly. It definitely made this another unputdownable book. I read it entirely in two sittings it was that engrossing.

The tension and suspense build up was excellent. It really sent shivers down my spine at times which is always a good thing!

One thing I didn’t really like though, was that the plot got a bit predictable at times. It wasn’t enough to put me off, and even if I guessed what was going to happen I still enjoyed reading about it when it did eventually happen!

I can only hope that more from Kimberly Derting comes soon!

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Great quotes:

She fell asleep like that, wrapped in warmth.
Wrapped in Jay.

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About the author:

Kimberly is the author of THE BODY FINDER and it's follow-up, DESIRES OF THE DEAD. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the ideal place to write anything dark or creepy...a gloomy day can set the perfect mood. She lives with her husband and their three beautiful (and often mouthy) children who provide an endless source of inspiration.

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