Review: King Tomb by Scarlett Dawn

Title: King Tomb

Author: Scarlett Dawn

Series: Forever Evermore #3

Publisher: Escape

Publication date: 10/2014

Format: Kindle | 229 pages

Genre: Fantasy 

Goodreads

Queen Shifter, Lily Ruckler, has found solace in brutal warfare. Her bloodied fists and bared fangs fill the holes left in her memory, the blank spaces that leave her soul aching and empty. Her only pleasure is in blood; her only salvation is the relationship she has with her infant child, the baby of unknown origins who brings her solace and stability. 

When Elder Harcourt summons Lily and her protector Antonio back to the United States, Lily thinks nothing unusual about the change of location. But a standard reconnaissance mission leaves her trapped inside King Zeller's private quarters, and at his mercy. Surprise attraction rapidly turns to a battle of wills and an intense power struggle that leaves no clear victor but plenty of resentment. 

They are not allowed to nurse their wounds. In order to win the war against the Commoners, the King Vampire and Queen Shifter must work together. It should be easy. The war is turning, the battle is deadly, and both Lily and Ezra love the cold cleanliness of combat. 

But their chance meeting has led to more than an unlikely alliance. Secrets have a way of surfacing, especially on a torn-up battlefield, and Lily and Ezra are about to re-learn all they cannot remember. If they can't control their emotions and responses, it will be to their own ruin and the destruction of everything around them.

My thoughts:

I don't even know what it is about these books but I just can't stop!

Compared to the first two books, King Tomb was actually a little bit of a disappointment. I know for sure, if this was the first book, I wouldn't have carried on reading. It was an incredibly rushed read that was completely focused on Ezra and Lily's relationship and payed little to no attention to the war that played a huge part to the story.

I love Ezra and Lily. I really do. But the way things were resolved in this book were too easy.  I mean I wanted them to sort things out relatively quickly, but when there's no real conflict or thoughts that might make me doubt it will actually happen, there's no real joy or excitement when it eventually does. The resulting feelings depend on the journey right? Nothing should be too easy. It was just so…meh. That happened. Yay…moving on.

 

They're just so flippin' sexy together. I still need more.

 

The plot was the most disappointing thing about this book though. It wasn't so much what happened but how. The book was so romance driven that the war didn't get the attention it deserved. The character that caused so many problems in the past books might as well have not existed. Actually, the whole war shouldn't have happened - the book would be better off for it. Even though the 'mysticals' are at war with the 'commoners', the war didn't even get a proper mention until over half way through the book where a solution was halfway mentioned in passing. I mean…priorities right?

 

There was also hardly anything resolved at the end of it all. Aside from plenty of characters from the first book dying off, there were so many questions that were left unanswered and new characters came into play in the last few chapters. I understand that the series will continue just not from Lily's perspective, but there has to be some resolution if not just because the book has ended. Keep a few things secret, but a little less than a reader just going into the series please.

 

Putting all that aside I still really enjoy these books. Especially in the first two books, there's a great balance between humour, romance and friendship that gives the characters some really endearing qualities. Aside from the terrible ending of this book, I still loved the characters enough to not want the book to end.

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Scarlett Dawn:

 

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Forever Evermore:

1. King Hall
2. King Cave
3. King Tomb
4. Chosen Thief

 

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Review: Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

 

Title: Bloodrose

Author: Andrea Cremer

Series: Nightshade #3

Publisher: Atom

Publication date: 05 Jul 2012

Format: Paperback | 416 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal 

Goodreads

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting.

There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping her brother safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all.

And when the battle finally ends, there's deciding what to do and who to love. That is, if Calla can make it out alive.

My thoughts:

What just HAPPENED?!

 

Seriously, what the hell was that ending about? I had heard that the ending to this trilogy upset a lot of people but, come oooon!

 

I love this series. I really do. The only thing that stopped me from finishing was the reaction from a lot of readers on how it ended and I have to say I more than understand why. What I was anticipating with dread actually happened regardless of my hopes and pleas. The worst thing is, I understand where the author was coming from by doing it, but it wasn't done with taste…not at all. I'm so disappointed.

 

I don't even know what to say past the ending. It just seems as if the whole trilogy was completely ruined by that tragedy of an ending - I won't be able to see it the same way ever again. 

 

What makes me mad is that this book was still a great read. I mean, it was literally the last chapter or so that brought it all crashing down. I love the characters to bits - apart from a choice few - and I'm sad to see them go, especially in the way that they did.

 

I just…can't even.

 

My rating: 6/10 (I would love to give this book 1 out of bloody 10 but that would be my love for Ren talking)

 

Andrea Cremer:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Nightshade series:

1. Nightshade
2. Wolfsbane
3. Bloodrose

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Review: The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Last Echo

Author: Kimberly Derting

Series: The Body Finder #3

Publisher: Headline

Publication date: 29 Mar 2012

Format: Paperback | 368 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal

Goodreads

 

 IN THE BEGINNING

Violet's morbid ability to sense echoes from the dead led her to uncover dark murders and long-buried secrets. The only people she told were her supportive parents and boyfriend Jay.

NOW SHE CAN FINALLY BE HONEST

Violet hopes that working with a special investigative team will give her the chance to actually save lives - or at least catch more killers. But the instant connection she feels with mysterious partner, Rafe, is both confusing and unsettling and their unique bond creates tension with Jay.

IN THE END, ALL THAT'S LEFT IS AN ECHO

When she discovers the body of a student murdered by 'the collector', Violet is determined to solve the case. With her own relationship on the line, Violet doesn't realise that the serial killer is looking to add to his collection, and that she may have caught his eye.

Will the next life Violet has to save be her own?

My thoughts:

I've said this so much, but sometimes, I really hate the fact that I love reading series. I seriously need to read more stand-alones. I haven't picked up this book because I loved the first two books of the Body Finder series - it doesn't even make sense to my own ears! I was so worried it wouldn't live up to the expectations I'd built up for it in my own mind. The sad thing is, it didn't. 

I wasn't disappointed per se, but I thought it didn't live up to its potential. I wanted to see something different in the story, a big addition. There was for sure, there was Sara's team complete with Rafe and the rest of the gang which I can tell has a lot more to give. I'm sure the next book will focus on them entirely. But, this big addition to the Body Finder series took away from the main story I think. I hated not seeing more of Violet's friends, especially Jay. What happened to Jay? It wasn't the same.

I also didn't find Rafe to be a believable character. I understand what was supposed to happen - he was obviously the bad boy, mysterious type as opposed to Jay's outgoing, heart on his sleeve nature. It didn't work for me. If what I think is going to happen actually happens in the next book I'll be one unhappy reader.

The only other gripe I had was the ending. Towards the end is where the suspense kicks in and things take a very dramatic turn. It was great in that sense. The problem I had was that it was so similar to what had happened in the last two books. It got predictable and that took most of the suspense out of the ending.

Aside from all that, it had all the great attributes the past two reads have had. Violet is a great character and top off that with the addition of new characters that I grew to really like, I found the read really enjoyable. It still had all the creepy suspense I now associate with this series and the added crime solving part brought a lot of crazy action into the story. I liked it.

All in all I enjoyed this read but I thought the past two books were a lot better. I still like this series and I'll definitely be picking up the next book soon.

My rating: 6/10

Kimberly Derting:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter

The Body Finder:

1. The Body Finder
2. Desires of the Dead
3. The Last Echo
4. Dead Silence

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Review: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Take

Author: Rachel Vincent 

Series: Soul Screamers #1

Publisher: Mira Ink

Publication date: January 1st 2011

Format: Paperback | 345 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal

Goodreads

Something is wrong with Kaylee Cavanaugh…

She can sense when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest boy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the dark forces behind Kaylee's power than she does.

And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason and only Kaylee knows who'll be next, she realises that finding a boyfriend is the least of her worries!

My thoughts:

My Soul to Take follows Kaylee - a girl who just wants to be noticed by the hottest guy in school and to get over whatever's causing her supposedly random panic attacks. Kaylee's world soon gets turned upside down however, when healthy teenage girls collapse dead for no medically apparent reason and every time they do…Kaylee has an overwhelming urge to let out a screech that fights to make people's ears bleed.

I think this review will be pretty short, mainly because I found this read to be pretty average. There was nothing specifically wrong with it that made me want to vent my frustrations out in a review, nor was there anything that stood out that would encourage me to sing its praises. 

I could pinpoint a few ways this book fell short for me. For a start, I didn't like the way Nash and Kaylee first met - how their relationship started. Nash seemed to jump into the story where he wasn't necessarily wanted at first - way too fast and furious. It made Kaylee seem very shallow where I obviously don't think it was intentional. Of course, that also made the relationship look fake and uncomfortable to read. 

 

There was also an instance that I won't mention because, you know, spoilers and all - when the story is coming to an end and the plot is about to revealed. The big moment where the villain is finally ousted and you're like OMG! THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!!! because it turns out to be the character you all thought was innocent. Yeah that didn't happen for me. Not that I guessed beforehand, but because it was so unbelievable in the sense that I didn't believe in the motives wholeheartedly. There wasn't enough of a build up for me to really buy into it. So that sucked a little.

 

Aside from that I didn't really have a problem with the book. It was a little meh at times but for the most part it was a pleasant read. I liked the characters most of the time and the plot was suspenseful enough that it kept me going. All in all it was an okay read, however I don't think I'll be carrying on with the series.

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Rachel Vincent:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Soul Screamers:

1. My Soul to Take
2. My Soul to Save
3. My Soul to Keep
4. My Soul to Steal
5. If I Die
6. Before I Wake
7. With All My Soul

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Review: The Girlfriend Request by Jodie Andrefski

Title: The Girlfriend Request

Author: Jodie Andrefski

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled: Crush

Publication date: January 11th 2016

Format: Kindle | 267 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary | Romance

Goodreads

Updating best friend to girlfriend is more than a change of status...

Emma has been best friends with Eli since she moved to his neighborhood ten years ago. Tired of being cast in the role of the girl next door, Emma creates a fake Facebook profile in the hopes of starting an online friendship with Eli, which would hopefully lead to more. Like...way more. From friend request to In a Relationship--it all seemed so completely logical when she'd planned it.

Eli can't figure out what Emma is up to. He’s pretty sure she's the one behind the Facebook profile, but then again, why would she do something so drastic instead of just admitting she wants to be more than friends? And who the heck is this new guy he saw her with? Eli starts to think that just maybe...he missed his chance with the girl next door.

Two best friends, one outlandish ruse. Their status is about to become way more than It’s Complicated...
This Entangled Teen Crush book contains one fake Facebook profile, two best friends who secretly crave each other, and a dreaded sex talk with parents...boy crush in the room included. Pushing a relationship beyond the friend zone has never been so crazy...

My thoughts:

I always pick up books like this and end up saying exactly the same things about them. I don't know why I bother sometimes, but for some reason, silly little cliched romances are my 'in-between books' kind of reads. They always put me in a good mood even if I know what's going to happen and the cliches are enough to get anyone rolling their eyes. I think it mostly boils down to not taking them seriously and just going with it. Pretend to live in a world where best friends always fall in love in the cutest way and nothing serious ever happens. Life is so much less complicated. At least for a few hours until you're at the last page and reality checks right back in.

This read was pretty much the same deal as other feel good reads. There's a girl, who's best friends with a guy, she falls for said guy, and tries weird ways to get him to notice her as more than a friend without telling him directly. The only difference with this one was the guy notices and figures it out straight away. I appreciated that too because what best friend wouldn't notice something was going on?

I liked Eli and Emma. They worked as friends and they worked as a couple. Emma was a sweet girl and Eli was so cute - if he was real, I would pinch his cheeks. Don't judge me.

This read was still totally predictable and it was still chocked full of cliches, right up until the very end. But all that aside, it was a sweet, cutesy and quick read that I enjoyed.

I will say Emma got a little annoying towards the middle of the read. She had so many signs that I think anybody in reality would notice - like you would notice a big red flag in front of your face right? Emma was just a teensy bit of an idiot for not going for it at that point. But whatever.

All in all I liked this read for what it is. It's not an emotional roller coaster - it won't make you cry and it probably won't even make you laugh but it's nice for just getting away from reality for a little while and that's what reading is all about.

My rating: 6/10

Jodie Andrefski:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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Review: Hope Out Loud Kristina Riggle

Title: Hope Out Loud

Author: Kristina Riggle

Series: N/A

Publisher: NLA Digital LLC

Publication date: June 30th 2015

Format: Kindle | Novella

Genre: Women's Fiction | Romance

Goodreads

Five years after the summer of 'The Life You’ve Imagined', Anna Geneva’s mother is getting married. This means Anna must return to her hometown and the scene of her infamous affair with her teenage love Will Becker, who was married at the time, with a young daughter. Anna plans to avoid him, watch her mom get married, and hightail it back to her private law practice and her cozy apartment in Chicago.

But in a town as small as Haven, avoiding the elder son of a prominent family is harder than it seems, especially with so much shared history. And Maeve Geneva’s wedding? Well, the bride is starting to worry that maybe she’s not ready to marry again after all, though she swears her ex-husband’s affectionate postcards have nothing to do with that.

Anna thought she’d left her hometown behind for good five years ago, but she’s learning it takes more than two hundred miles along the Lake Michigan shore to put Haven truly behind her…

My thoughts:

Since this was a very quick novella, I don't really have much to say about this read.

The start of the read started off a little depressing. There was a sullen tone to the writing and it quickly became apparent the main characters were not happy in the situation they were living in. In a way it was a kind off annoying that they were so miserable in the sense that they found no enjoyment away from each other but at the same time it was cute, you know? They were suffering without each other.

What I wanted from this read was more. Everything and everyone else in the book were mentioned in passing and it was almost solely about Anna and Beck. It wasn't a bad thing, considering that it's a novella about them but I wanted more of a fight - I wanted the ending to be worth it. I knew it was going to eventually happen but I wanted the journey there to be a little more dramatic than a few conversations.

That being said I enjoyed it. If nothing else, it was cute and it was nice that they got a lovely, practical ending.

My rating: 6/10

Memorable quotes:

It's not a choice to hope or not. It's only a choice whether to say it out loud.

Kristina Riggle:

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Review: Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Living with the Dead

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Series: Women of the Otherworld #9

Publisher: Orbit

Publication date: 03 Nov 2011

Format: Paperback | 384 pages

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Goodreads

Robyn Peltier has never done anything out of the ordinary. So when her new boss is murdered and she is named prime suspect, she finds herself way out of her depth. As friends and colleagues abandon her, only two people remain loyal - best friend Hope Adams, and Hope's spooky but charismatic boyfriend Karl.

What Robyn doesn't realise is that she has accidentally stumbled into a bloody and escalating supernatural turf war. She's also completely unaware that Hope is actually half-demon, and her 'spooky' boyfriend is a powerful werewolf. Now the only way Hope can keep her friend alive is by introducing her into a world she's safer knowing nothing about…

My thoughts:

Living with the Dead is so far the only book in the Women of the Otherworld series with a non-supernatural as the protagonist. The book follows Robyn Peltier as she tries to clear her name after becoming the prime suspect in a murder investigation that soon turns incredibly nasty. With a little help from Hope, the half-demon journalist and her werewolf boyfriend, Karl Marsten, Robyn sets out to solve the murder case of her boss and absolve herself of the case once and for all. 

So for this review, I'm going to get all the negative, ramblings going on in my head out of the way first and then move on to the good stuff. I was pretty much split right down the middle with this book. I liked it, but as usual in any series, I couldn't help compare it to the previous books. I can't get on with Hope as well as the other characters for some reason. I don't know if it's because she wasn't introduced until quite a bit later on or if I just don't like her personality. Either way, pair that with a completely random, non-supernatural protagonist as well as a bucket load of new characters, safe to say I got a little muddled with where the author was going with this one.

I did, however, recognise that this book may be a turning point for the series. There were hints of things to come - big Cabal secrets revealed, unrest between supernaturals and the like. I have to admit, that side of the plot was incredibly interesting. Maybe the previous books were just an introduction into a final, intricate plot? Maybe Armstrong was leaving a trail of hints all along? I certainly hope so at least!

Aside from the characters, I enjoyed the book. There was the usual suspense present in the rest of the series that made me desperate to find out what happens. I didn't want to put the book down and for me, that essentially says it all. I wasn't disappointed in this read, it just didn't seem on par with the rest of the books in the series.

My rating: 6/10

Kelley Armstrong:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Women of the Otherworld:

1. Bitten
2. Stolen
3. Dime Store Magic
4. Industrial Magic
5. Haunted
6. Broken
7. No Humans Involved
8. Personal Demon
9. Living with the Dead
10. Frostbitten
11. Waking the Witch
12. Spell Bound
13. Thirteen

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Review: Just Pru by Anne Pfeffer

Title: Just Pru

Author: Anne Pfeffer

Series: N/A

Publisher: Anne Pfeffer

Publication date: March 2nd 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley | 232 pages

Genre: New Adult | Contemporary

Goodreads

"My mother once joked that my dad had wanted to name me Obedience. As if Prudence wasn't bad enough. I was not a Prudence and I never would be."

When twenty-five-year-old Pru Anderson—braless, pajama-clad, and clutching her cat, Chuck—is rescued from her burning Los Angeles apartment, the thing that scares her most is meeting the neighbors. New people make her hide in the bathroom, counting by sevens, but when her home is destroyed, she must turn strangers into friends … or crawl back to the controlling parents she only recently escaped. 

What would her idol, Pepper Hathaway, do? That’s a no brainer: the detective-slash-supermodel heroine from Pru's favorite TV series would take no prisoners while looking fierce in a tankini and stilettos. So when the chance comes to live with her upstairs neighbor, Ellen, a playwright, Pru goes for it.

Thus begin the adventures of Pru, who's never had a job, a friend, or a first kiss. Swept into Ellen's whirlwind life, Pru begins to build her own, as director's assistant for a new play, muse to brooding actor Blake, and possible love interest to adorably neurotic neighbor, Adam. 

Only one thing can derail Pru's exhilarating ride. Well, actually, it's two things—and they're in a car headed straight for LA to torpedo her life. When the past that nearly destroyed her comes calling, who will she be: a Prudence or a Pepper?

 

My thoughts:

What a cute read!

I fell in love with Pru right away, I really did. She's too endearing not too. I just wanted to give her a big hug, pat her on the back and be all 'there,there'. Pru is the character who constantly messes up but has this running commentary that makes it so much more hilarious than it would be otherwise. I was chuckling to myself from the very beginning and mentally urging her on in the tougher situations like with her obsessive parents.

I also loved how both Pru and Adam were so obviously imperfect. Adam was in no way naive like Pru is but he was just as, if not more so neurotic. The mental health side of the read didn't really go into too much detail which was disappointing, but Pru suffers from depression and anxiety while Adam has OCD. They understood each other to the extent of Adam being able to calm Pru down and Pru finding Adam's horror towards any sort of bacteria 'cute'. 

This was a really quick, light and fluffy read that can get you through a bad day.

What I didn't like though, was how predictable it was. You sort of expect it with reads like this - where the book is more focused on humour and a light hearted sort of tone to the read. It's not going to be all roses and sweet things and then the ending is a real downer…it doesn't make sense right? But, more often than not, it means what is going to happen is evident from just a few chapters in. I mean, it was clear to me from the beginning - who was going to end up with who, what was going to happen with Pru's parents and a few other things. It's just a question of details, and the details are where you can actually enjoy the read. Obviously I would rather have just a small doubt in my mind as to what will eventually happen, but it doesn't happen much with reads like this and that annoys me. What's the point in reading if you already know what's going to happen?

Aside from that I still liked this read. To be honest, it was over too quickly for me to get really frustrated with any problems I had. I think it was a nice story to pick up just to waste a couple of hours and distract you from cleaning the house or something equally tedious. 

My rating: 6/10

Anne Pfeffer:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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Review: The Virgin Romance Novelist

Title: The Virgin Romance Novelist

Author: Meghan Quinn

Series: N/A

Publisher: Hot-Lanta Publishing

Publication date: April 2nd 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley | 292 pages

Genre: Contemporary | Humour | New Adult 

Goodreads

Her bosom heaved at an alarming rate as his rough hand found its way down to her soft, yet wiry briar patch... 

Can you say briar patch in a romance novel? What about meat sword? That’s what it is…a meat sword, right, all meaty and sword like, slaying through the inner dungeons of a woman’s dark desires. What about breasts? Do bosoms really heave? 

God, I have no idea what happens when private parts touch. 

I’m a virgin trying to write a romance novel and can’t seem to write past a sex scene thanks to my lack of experience. 

My two best friends encourage me to drop the pen for a while and gain some real life practice through multiple dating facets such as blind dates, online profiles, and random hookups. 

But losing my virginity is proving to be tougher than expected…

 

 

My thoughts:

This is another one of those reads that you have to be in the right mood for. I really wanted something that would just constantly make me laugh - something light hearted and full of quirky characters that get up to all sorts. This was definitely that book to get me out of a bad mood.

I think the only way to enjoy this read is to take it as it's meant to be. It is pretty ridiculous with the things that go on - throwing up, running away from gangs of cats and general hilarious conversations are pretty much what this book is made up of. It was a blast.

I really liked these characters. Rosie made me laugh but she was also really relatable - to a certain extent at least, hopefully no one has to go through what she did! She was an ordinary young woman who wanted to get out there and experience life - she was unsure about her job, where she stood with her friends and most of all, she thought her love life was a disaster. But she took it on the chin for the most part and tried her best to figure things out. 

Even though this was supposed to be a fun read, I did think it needed more substance. Rosie went through potential dates like nobody's business and it just didn't pace well since around 4 happened in the span of one week, each with different guys. I also really wanted to hear more about the other important things in her life - she didn't spend a lot of time with her best friend (aside from Henry) and nothing else was mentioned about the work aspect of the story. I mean, the whole idea was Rosie trying to get experience in order to write a romance novel…but what happened to the actual novel after the experience part was done? I would have liked more.

 

Overall if you want a light, fluffy read that will make you laugh I would recommend this one. 

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Meghan Quinn:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook

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Review: The Thorn and the Sinking Stone by CJ Dushinski

Title: The Thorn and the Sinking Stone

Author: CJ Dushinski

Series: Thorn & Dagger

Publisher: Entangled: Teen

Publication date: March 10th 2015

Format: Kindle | 313 pages

Genre: YA 

Goodreads

Warring families. Forbidden love. And danger they can’t escape… 

Daggers. Roses. Cowboys. Boat Men. Survivors of Earth's Last War, four “families” vie to rule the dreary streets of Rain City through violence and blood.

Valencia Hara, Princess of the wealthy Black Roses, is raised in warrior ways with sharpened steel. But she is no ordinary Rose. She is Cursed—tainted with the ability to see seconds into the future…

 To avenge his father's death, Sebastian Leold, of the rival gang Two Daggers, must face off against the Black Princess, he with his dagger, she with her katana sword. Yet a secret from a shared past leaves him unable to kill beautiful Valencia; nor can she kill him. For they once knew each other beyond their blood feud…and they have more secrets in common than they know. 

But in a world filled with vengeance and violence, there can be no room for love…

 

 

My thoughts:

This book reminded me a lot of Romeo and Juliet. I have a feeling a lot of people will read this and think the same. There's two clashing families and a forbidden romance, it's just set apart by the more paranormal aspect of 'Curses' - an extraordinary ability - and the more dystopian, futuristic feel to the settings of the story. 

I liked this read. It was very quick, simple and enjoyable. The plot wasn't as complicated as I might have liked and it was a little predictable, but it was full of great action, and that's always a plus for me. There was no chance for me to get bored with all that was going on - something was always happening and it was always something relevant and important to the plot. It was a very, in your face, here's what happens sort of read. And sometimes, that's just what I need.

What stood out to me most though, was Sebastian. I loved his simplicity as a character, and I don't mean simple in the sense that he had nothing to him aside from his backstory. He was still a well rounded character in a way, it's just he wore his heart and thoughts on his sleeve. I think the novel being written in first person helps, but I loved knowing what he was thinking every step of the way. He never lied to himself or kidded himself about his identity as a huge member of the Daggers and I really appreciated that. He stood up - at the very least in his own mind - and decided to be different to the rest and try and change as many minds, and protect as many people as possible. In my eyes, that makes a very strong, unwavering, hero to the story. Loved him.

So I liked the plot, the action, one of the main characters and I also liked the rival families and gang aspect of the story. What really let me down was Valencia. She was basically the polar opposite to Sebastian. Everything I loved about him, Valencia had all the same attributes but it just didn't work for her. What happened in the plot went against her thoughts and feelings she was displaying throughout the read. 

 

Val was very confident in the beginning of the read and I loved it. She was this fierce warrior for her family, ready for her calling and looking forward to it. But throughout the read she fell incredibly flat. Instead of a warrior and protector, she became a damsel in distress, even though she had this awesome ability to see seconds into the future and she'd worked so hard to become this bad girl fighter. It became really annoying. 

 

I do have a feeling that Val will feature more in the second read and grow into a better character and I'm interested to see where it goes from here.

 

My rating: 6/10

 

CJ Dushinski:

Goodreads | Twitter | Website

 

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Review: Betrayals by Lili St. Crow

 

Title: Betrayals

Author: Lili St. Crow

Series: Strange Angels #2

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication date: Nov 17th 2009

Format: Paperback | 304 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal

Poor Dru. Her parents are long gone. Her best friend Graves has been bitten by a werwulf. And she just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn't entirely human. Now Dru's strange and handsome savior, Cristophe, has her hidden away at a secret Schola for djamphir and wulfen teens. Trouble is, she's the only girl in the place. The really bad news? Dru's killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead.

With all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide…

My thoughts:

Betrayals pretty much starts off where Strange Angels left off, with Dru and Graves being sent on their way to a Schola to learn more about their abilities and the world of nosferatu, djamphir and wulfen. This time though, both Graves and Dru know that there's a traitor to the cause around somewhere in the Schola and have to go about trying to find out just who that is.

If you've read the first book in this series, you'll know that Graves came across as a bit dependent on Dru seeing as he's thrown into the supernatural world just for trying to help Dru out. Of course, in the first book of the series it was fully expected since Graves was fully dropped into the deep end with no warning whatsoever, however, Graves completely changes in this book. I expected it somewhat, just because it would be tiresome if he stayed the young, naive high school student all the way through the series, but he really came into his own in this one - he was a completely new character. I loved it to a certain extent - he had a lot more self confidence, power and attitude which I really enjoyed. But he also was incredibly different to the Graves from the first book. It may as well not be the same character. So I've kind of finished this read being so-so about Graves' new personality.

I thought exactly the same about Dru just going the opposite way. Dru was the tough heroine type in the first book of the series but this one was a different story. She spent too much time crying for my liking and not enough time figuring things out. I did take her with a pinch of salt seeing as she's lost everyone and she's supposed to be safe at last in the Schola, giving her a bit of leeway to let go of her tough girl facade. But, same as Graves, it went a bit too far - so much I could almost say she's a completely different character too.

This book is definitely nonstop action though. Straight from the start there's a lot going on and it stays that way throughout the whole book. Not just Dru running for her life, but her dealing with some of the usual high school problems on a supernatural scale. I loved the drama that took place with Graves and his friends. I really want to see if that's taken any further or explained a little since it left Dru feeling doubtful about who she could trust.

Overall I liked this read, even though I had a few problems with it. I certainly want to carry on in the series which says a lot in itself.

My rating: 6/10

Lili St. Crow:

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Strange Angels:

1. Strange Angels
2. Betrayals
3. Jealousy
4. Defiance
5. Reckoning

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Review: A Spy Unmasked by Tina Gabrielle

Title: A Spy Unmasked

Author: Tina Bagrielle

Publisher: Entangled: Scandalous

Publication date: November 10th 2014

Format: ebook | 285 pages

Genre: Adult | Historical Romance

Goodreads

London, 1820.

 The mission did not go quite as Robert Ware--known in society as the new Earl of Kirkland--planned. A spy in the service of His Majesty, Robert is a "guest" at a masquerade party as he retrieves vital information for a murder investigation. Until he's quite unexpectedly interrupted by an exquisite, masked woman with glittering green eyes. And a pistol she has cocked and aimed right at him... 

Lady Sophia Merrill has defiantly taken up justice's shining sword, determined to expose the brigand who murdered her eccentric but brilliant father, and stole his latest invention. Now she must masquerade as Robert's betrothed in order to infiltrate the Inventor's Society and find the killer. But the undeniable potent attraction between them not only imperils the investigation, but Sophia's reputation... and both of their lives.

My thoughts:

I've been reading a lot of books lately where the story gets split because of some event or another and I end up liking one part of the book a lot more than the other. This one was no exception. The Earl of Kirkland is a spy investigating the goings on in a secret society until Lady Sophia almost blows the whole operation. There is a point in the story where Sophia gets involved in the whole spying business a lot more than before. It's at that point where the read started to go a little off the rails in my opinion.

I liked most of the read. The espionage aspect of the story was very enjoyable. I'm not usually one for crime solving and spy novels, so to enjoy that side of it was refreshing. It gave the book the suspense and sense of adventure it needed. The spying involved was pretty simple and repetitive, but I still found myself liking it. Most of all though, I liked how the author stuck with it throughout the book. The main focus was definitely the plot and not the romance which was great.

My big problem was the ending of the book. Not so much right at the end, but several of the later chapters. Things moved way too fast. There was a really nice pace going between Sophia and Robert's relationship and then it just went full speed ahead in the worst of ways. It made sense at the start, but to have it go from 0 to 60 in just a few chapters was just terrible considering both characters refused to work together in the start. It wasn't believable in the end which was disappointing.

Overall I was pretty much on and off with this read. I liked the characters, until I didn't anymore and I liked the plot, until it became a little dry. It was okay.

My rating: 6/10

Tina Gabrielle:

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Review: Dead Over Heels by Alison Kemper

Title: Dead Over Heels

Author: Alison Kemper

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication date: September 29th 2014

Format: ebook | 269 pages

Genre: YA 

Goodreads

The end of the world just might be their perfect beginning…

Glenview, North Carolina. Also known―at least to sixteen-year-old Ava Pegg―as the Land of Incredibly Boring Vacations. What exactly were her parents thinking when they bought a summer home here? Then the cute-but-really-annoying boy next door shows up at her place in a panic…hollering something about flesh-eating zombies attacking the town.

At first, Ava’s certain that Cole spent a little too much time with his head in the moonshine barrel. But when someone―or something―rotted and terrifying emerges from behind the woodpile, Ava realizes this is no hooch hallucination. The undead are walking in Glenview, and they are hungry. Panicked, Ava and Cole flee into the national forest. No supplies, no weapons. Just two teenagers who don’t even like each other fighting for their lives. But that’s the funny thing about the Zombpocalypse. You never know when you’ll meet your undead end. Or when you’ll fall dead over heels for a boy…

 

 

My thoughts:

After a deadly rabie-like virus spreads all across the world, Ava finds herself following neighbour, Cole, into the woods to escape mindless, rotting cannibals that could once call themselves people. In order to find both Ava and Cole's parents and get to a place of safety, Ava has to place her life entirely in Cole's hands as they trek for days through the woods. Cole is the one with the survival skills, so Ava has to try her best to be a help and not a hindrance to a boy she's slowly coming to like very much.

This read, for me at least, was split pretty much right down the middle. I liked it, but there was a lot I didn't like as well. The most annoying of which was the sound the 'zombies' made. It may have been meant to be funny and cute, but I don't necessarily want funny and cute in a zombie novel. The romance would have been enough to satisfy any need for my 'awww' moments. The zombies said 'rawr'. Also, a bear played a minor part in the book and it said 'grr'. Every time I saw it, I wanted to bash my head against the wall. I'm sorry but that's just so stupid. If you want a book to have a comedic feel, then give it that element, but don't throw in death defying situations and expect me to take them seriously when a shambling zombie catches up and says 'rawr' before it eats someone's face off...

Weirdness aside, that was the only thing that had me wanting to scream. The only other point that frustrated me was how fast and furious Ava and Cole got. It's not a spoiler when I say they have feelings for each other, it's pretty obvious just reading the synopsis that it's going to happen. I didn't feel that they moved into a relationship too fast per se, considering what they went through, I just don't understand why they got to the point of furiously making out so quickly. It wasn't done right in my opinion. It just didn't seem like a priority, obviously, at the time - maybe a nice kiss but a furious make out session? It seemed a little too much.

Anyway, the rest of the read was good. It had a lot of action and suspense and I did like the characters. I loved how Cole doubted himself and how Ava really stepped up towards the end of the book. They both really came into their own by the end.

All in all it was a good read but what I didn't like about it seemed to be a the forefront of my mind constantly which ruined it a little. Sadly, I actually think my reading so much, including books featuring zombies, made me a little too critical. To each their own though. 

My rating: 6/10

Alison Kemper:

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Review: Mercy by Rebecca Lim

Title: Mercy 

Author: Rebecca Lim

Series: Mercy #1

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication date: 28th October 2010

Format: Paperback | 288 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal 

Goodreads

Mercy wakes on a school bus bound for Paradise, a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business…or thinks they do. But Mercy has a secret life. She is an angel, doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, taking on a new human form each time she does, in an effort to resolve a cataclysmic rift between heavenly beings.

In Paradise, Mercy meets Ryan, and eighteen-year-old whose sister was kidnapped two years ago and is presumed dead. When another girl is also taken, Mercy knows she has to act quickly and use extraordinary powers to rescue her, even if it means exposing her true identity.

My thoughts:

Mercy is the first book of a series focusing on a girl who doesn't know who she is past the name she's given herself - Mercy. Every once in a while she wakes up in a new body with a new name and in a new location. Things change when Mercy finds herself taking control of Carmen, a small, musically talented girl that dreams of making it as big a opera star. She finds herself fighting to find Ryan's sister where she wouldn't usually go out of her way for someone she'd only just met. But it might just end up pointing her in the right direction to find out who she really is once and for all.

Throughout this read Mercy is controlling Carmen's body but occasionally snippets of Carmen's thoughts would come through and it becomes plain to see the differences in the two characters' personalities. I really enjoyed that. It didn't happen very often but when it did, I found it really intriguing. Mercy wasn't exactly the friendliest person ever, but it was what Carmen needed to move on from her so called 'best friends' who were holding her back big time. I actually found Mercy to be a huge bitch, but Carmen balanced it out a little and stopped me from outright hating the main character which would have been disastrous.

However, I thought a lot of the characters weren't written so well. Seeing as though this read had a crime solving element to it, there was a whole list of characters thrown into the story to be seen as suspects which I didn't think worked so well. Mercy trying to figure out who took Ryan's sister is one thing, but when the characters Mercy suspects have no depth or personality traits a reader can relate to, it makes them fall short as even the most basic of criminals. Aside from that, I also found the mystery side to the story extremely predictable - I had no problem guessing who was the kidnapper far from the end of the book.

 

Overall I liked this read and I think I'll be carrying on to the second book for now. I have to say though, while I enjoyed Mercy, I think if the next book isn't any better than this one, I won't be going any further with the series.

 

My rating: 6/10

 

 Rebecca Lim:

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Mercy:

1. Mercy
2. Exile
3. Muse
4. Fury

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Review: Crash by Lisa McMann

Title: Crash

Author: Lisa McMann

Series: Visions #1

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication date: January 2013

Format: eBook | 256 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal 

Goodreads

Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.

The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.

 

 

My thoughts:

For me, this was one of those perfectly average reads where there were a lot of good moments, but also a lot of moments that frustrated me.

It wasn't that I hated the read, I enjoyed it well enough. It's just that it wasn't one that I immediately want to reread or even put it on my bookshelf to be honest. It had just enough of the good stuff for me to want to finish it. I think if it was any longer than it is, I would have given up long before the end.

 

What I really loved about this book, and it's definitely what kept me going, was the characters. Jules was hilarious. Her quirkiness led to some really funny moments and her ability to blurt out what's on her mind at the most inopportune times made me burst out laughing. I also liked Sawyer and how much the both of them together made a perfect couple to balance each other out. Sawyer had the capacity to admit to his mistakes at the end and that always makes me relate to a character, if only because it's the right thing to do.

 

The frustrating aspects of this book aren't easy for me to put into words. It was like there wasn't enough to get me completely invested in the story. Whenever there were hints at the history between the two families involved in the story, it was mentioned but never taken anywhere. I thought the same about Jules' new 'vision' capabilities - there was never any mention of when they started or how they came to be. Whether or not it's fully explained in the next books, it was too important a detail for me to wait for - I can't help but feel it would have made the story that much more believable. I suppose it all came down to the details for me. I am a fan of authors who have very descriptive writing and detailed imaginations so this read fell short in that respect.

 

The plot itself was good. This read is very to the point and the author wastes no time getting the story going. I read it entirely in one sitting in just a couple of hours so it's nice for a fun afternoon read. 

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Lisa McMann:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Visions:

1. Crash
2. Bang
3. Gasp

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Review: Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn

Title: Searching for Beautiful

Author: Nyrae Dawn

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication date: March 4th 2014

Format: ebook | 304 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary

Goodreads

Before, Brynn had a group of best friends, a loving boyfriend, a growing talent for pottery. She had a life. And after…she had none.

When Brynn lost the boyfriend who never loved her, the friends who feel she betrayed their trust, and the new life just beginning to grow inside her, she believes her future is as empty as her body. But then Christian, the boy next door, starts coming around. Playing his guitar and pushing her to create art once more.　She meets some new friends at the local community centre, plus even gets her dad to look her in the eye again…sort of.　

But can Brynn open up her heart to truly find her life’s own beauty, when living for the after means letting go of the before?

My thoughts:

Brynn's life takes a turn for the worst when her mother dies of an aneurysm. While Brynn thinks she's found the perfect man to help her get back on her feet, she soon realises he's not what he seems when he questions whether Brynn's baby is his and asks her to get an abortion. After growing apart from her father, best friends and abandoning her love of pottery, Brynn has the hard task of finding a way to get back on the road to recovery. 

The character that made this book for me was Christian. His romantic interests aside, I thought he made a fantastic character. He was honest from the get go and it was almost enough to push Brynn away completely. I think part of my enjoying reading about him though was that I found him to be incredibly relatable. In terms of where he fit into the story, I thought he worked really well with Brynn's character in pushing her to make the first steps to becoming more like her old self. He made up for all of Brynn's weaknesses and in turn, Brynn had no problem telling Christian where he was going wrong. They made the perfect team.

While this story was pretty predictable, I still found myself reading it in no time on account of me just wanting to know what happened to all the characters. The characters really hold a story like this together so I was happily surprised to find out that this book had a nice set of characters that I started to really root for.

However, I really didn't get on with the ending. A book like this is all about the emotions the characters are going through and the journey to their recovery so I like it when the story takes its sweet time coming to the inevitable conclusion. This ending was way too rushed for me. All of the loose ends were tied up almost in bullet points it went so quickly. There was no lead up to the ending, it was just in my face and then the book was over. 

Even though I loved the main characters, including Brynn's father, I didn't like some of the others so much. The so called best friends of Brynn that abandoned her and her ex-boyfriend Ian who was going out with Brynn before her mum died and before Jason happened. I thought they were completely unnecessary which was evident by how much they actually played a part in the story. They only really appeared in the beginning of the book and right at the end. I know it's difficult to do, but I like all of the characters that make an appearance to give something to the story. They were the kind of characters that I wouldn't care if they were in the story or not. It would have made no difference to me.

 

Overall I thought this was a good read. It frustrated me a little but it didn't make me want to give up reading it. If you're a fan of contemporary Searching for Beautiful is a really quick read that you'll get through in no time. 

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Nyrae Dawn:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

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Review: Miss Me Not by Tiffany King

Title: Miss Me Not

Author: Tiffany King

Publication date: Nov 22 2012

Format: Kindle

Genre: YA | Contemporary

Goodreads

Madison Hanson's past demons have given her a shadow of an existence with little hope. With the sudden tragic death of a fellow student, Madison questions her own life choices, and is now forced to evaluate everything she thought she believed in. When fate intervenes and partners her with Dean Jackson, a popular "all around good guy" from school, Madison gets a glimpse of a life that is filled with sunshine that has the power to break through the darkness she has cloaked herself in. 
With Dean's help, Madison discovers a desire to finally step out of the shadows, and embrace life and all its gifts.

 

 

My thoughts:

I found myself surprised by actually liking this read. For some reason, I think I started reading this book without any great expectations. It wasn't the best read ever, most definitely not one to be put on my favourites shelf, but I liked it.

 

One thing I loved was that it took me no time at all to start liking Madison as the main character. I didn't find her initial attitude at all off putting, even though her thoughts on suicide were a little disturbing from a reader's point of view. I think it was mainly because I immediately understood where the author was going with the points Madison was making. So Madison as a whole was a pretty good character.

 

I also liked Dean. Madison and Dean really made the perfect combination. He was basically everything she wasn't - she needed him, but Madison also played a part and helped him, just in a different light. I liked Dean for his personality - he wasn't too pushy, but at the same time, he wasn't afraid to cross the line with Madison sometimes and go a bit further than she wanted, just to give her that little more of a nudge forward.

 

The only problem I had was that things didn't progress at the right pace in my eyes. Madison's relationship with Dean moved way too fast for the problems Madison had. It made me feel that Madison's issues weren't actually a big deal because her relationship took over. I didn't like that vibe. 

 

The other side to that problem was that Madison completely forgot about her best friend James. I understand that it was crucial to the story, but it just led to me not caring about what happened to James one way or another. He just didn't play a big enough part in the story.

 

Overall this was a quick afternoon read that i think a lot of people will like. 

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Tiffany King:

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Review: Demonic Dora by Claire Chilton

Title: Demonic Dora

Author: Claire Chilton

Publisher: Ragz Books

Publication date: June 30th 2013

Format: ebook | Netgalley

Genre: Paranormal

Goodreads

SHE'S FINALLY MANAGED TO SUMMON HER FIRST DEMON...

Dora Carridine is trying to summon a demon, but she's not very good at Latin and nothing ever works out the way she plans.

Her life is fraught with weekly exorcisms and having to watch her father’s fire and brimstone TV show every Sunday. So, when Dora finally succeeds in summoning an incompetent demon lord, she’s absolutely delighted when all hell breaks loose.

She thought summoning a sexy demon lord would be the answer to all of her problems, but her problems are only just beginning when her zealot parents try to burn her at the stake, and Dora is left with only one option—to escape and follow her demon straight into Hell.

My thoughts:

I don't really have much to say about this one so it's probably going to end up a really short review.

I can honestly say a lot of people will hate this read. I only started reading it thinking it looked like a lot of fun and to be honest, it was.

There were no complicated plot twists, it was predictable and the writing was about average in my opinion. But it was so funny. I really loved the interaction between Dora and Kieron - sometimes it was so ridiculous I would read over a couple of pages just because it made me smile every time. 

It may not be the best read, but I honestly do recommend this one if you want a good laugh.

My rating: 6/10

Claire Chilton:

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Review and giveaway: Suddenly Beautiful by Boone Brux

Title: Suddenly Beautiful

Author: Boone Brux

Publisher: Entangled

Publication date: June 2013

Format: ebook

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Amazon | Goodreads | B&N

Being the son of Aphrodite isn’t a walk in the clouds. Rebelling against his demi-god status, billionaire make-up mogul Toraos Stephanos fights to separate his personal life and the immortal world by swearing off demi-god girlfriends forever. Too bad his newest employee can’t take the hint.

Though Nikki secretly pines for her smoking hot boss, no way will she jeopardize her job and independence professing her love to a guy so clearly out of her league. Too bad that leaves her with only imagining him naked and thinking evil thoughts about the new girl.

After a single bottle of Ambrosia and one night of passion… Nikki finally thinks she has a chance with the man of her dreams. But the next morning, Tor pretends like nothing happened, leaving Nikki with an emerging drive for combat—after all, turns out she is the daughter of Ares and she’s about to make her mama proud.

All is fair in love and war… and Nikki’s not about to let anyone forget it.

My thoughts:

This is a great read for a little bit of fun. I didn't start reading with any huge expectations of complicated plots and big secrets - I wanted a cute read with a little quick romance. And that's what I got.

 

I liked that this read had a little of everything. It had enough of the Gods and Goddesses aspect to satisfy my curiosity, romance and quite a bit of humour thrown in. 

 

The characters were endearing. Nikki was sweet half the time and feisty the other half so she had a nice well rounded personality to keep me interested. Tor was just hot. I loved the fact he couldn't figure out his own feelings until he was pushed into it. It gave him a little vulnerability which made him relatable in my opinion - not just a bachelor wanting his next fling. 

 

As for the plot, like I mentioned before, it's not amazing. I think people will like this read if they want to read it for the romance which is its main focus. It's really predictable but at the same time I still enjoyed reading about what happened with the characters anyway. 

 

Just as a side note, I loved Ares, he was hilarious.

 

My rating: 6/10

 

 

As a multi-published and an award winning author, Boone's writing drips with experiences from real life.

 

Addicted to anything that might make a good story, she weaves tales that range from dark fantasy to humorous romance. Settled in the icy regions of Alaska with the love of her life and twin daughters, it's not uncommon to find her tapping away on her iPad on a windy beach or the barren tundra.

 

Be warned, anyone and everything is fodder for one of Boone's novels.

 

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Onto the giveaway! This giveaway is open to the US only and offers an Amazon gift card worth $25.

 

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