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: Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting

Title: Dead Silence 

Author: Kimberly Derting

Series: The Body Finder #4

Publisher: Headline

Publication date: 25 Apr 2013

Format: Paperback | 400 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal

Goodreads

HER GIFT MADE HER DIFFERENT

A murder leaves a mark. It imprints an echo on victim and killer, detectable by only a few. For a long time, Violet Ambrose saw this ability as a curse but her work as part of a special investigative team helped her see its benefits. Until, that is, she was the victim of a horrific kidnapping and acquired an imprint of her own. Now she is desperate to put the past behind her, to ignore the echoes of the dead and lead a normal life with her boyfriend Jay.

NOW SHE'S ONE OF THEM

But when she senses a murder victim's echo, she stumbles upon a terrifying scene unlike anything she's ever witnessed. Frenzied and twisted, the killer left a disturbing calling card for all to see - a cross sketched in blood on the wall. Haunted by the crime, Violet finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a vicious madman. A hunt that will endanger everything she holds dear. She has survived dangerous situations before, but keeping her loved ones safe is far more difficult than protecting herself…

THE STAKES HAVE NEVER BEEN HIGHER

My thoughts:

I really wasn't looking forward to reading this one. It wasn't even down to me hating the series or anything, I've really enjoyed reading the past books. The last book though, left me thinking something was going to happen that I didn't want to, and so, I was putting off reading this. Funny thing is, what I was worried was going to happen, didn't, so all is good.

Now that nonsense is out of the way, I really liked this read. I still can't say it's as good as the first - none of the books in this series were as good as the first in my opinion. There was just something about Jay and Violet exploring their new feelings and getting to know what Violet was capable of, that gave the book a different edge to the ones later on. I enjoyed this last book more than the ones in the middle of the series though for quite a few reasons.

What I noticed first about this read was that it took a new level of creepiness. The crimes involved were pretty grotesque and it left me with shivers going down my spine. The person responsible was even worse. When the time came for me to read more into him and his back story I was thoroughly creeped out. Not that that's a bad thing. It was great. I seriously couldn't wait for him to be brought to justice. •shudders•

 

I was also really, really please that what I was dreading happening didn't actually happen. I'm still so relieved a week after finishing this. I'm not going to say what it was I was so worried about, but safe to say, after all the new characters being introduced it becomes pretty obvious…I love Jay.

 

The only major problem I had with this read - and it's why I wouldn't give it a full 10 - is the ending. It felt way to rushed and I felt that the characters deserved way more after all they'd been through to sort of have a slow ending where everything's resolved in stages. There were a lot of things that didn't feel finished. Especially where the 'team' is concerned - I got the impression that the crime solving aspect of the plot would go a lot further in terms of finding out who's running things. That was really interesting so it was disappointing not to see it go any further - or even be ended in some way which it isn't. It's just…left.

 

Aside from the ending I really liked this read. I loved Jay and Violet's relationship and while I thought it was way cuter in the first book I still love the two of them together. I would definitely recommend this read as a change to the usual paranormal YA - the body finding ability is a nice twist to things so I say give it a go.

 

My rating: 7/10

 

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: 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: Arcana Rising by Kresley Cole

Title: Arcana Rising

Author: Kresley Cole

Series: The Arcana Chronicles #4

Publisher: Valkyrie Press

Publication date: August 15th 2016

Format: Kindle 

Genre: YA | Fantasy | Dystopia

Goodreads

Losses mount and deadly new threats converge in this next action-packed tale of the Arcana Chronicles by #1 New York Times bestseller Kresley Cole. 


When the battle is done . . . 

The Emperor unleashed hell and annihilated an army, jeopardizing the future of mankind--but Circe struck back. The epic clash between them devastates the Arcana world and nearly kills Evie, separating her from her allies. 


And all hope is lost . . . 

With Aric missing and no sign that Jack and Selena escaped Richter's reach, Evie turns more and more to the darkness lurking inside her. Two Arcana emerge as game changers: one who could be her salvation, the other her worst nightmare. 


Vengeance becomes everything. 

To take on Richter, Evie must reunite with Death and mend their broken bond. But as she learns more about her role in the future--and her chilling past--will she become a monster like the Emperor? Or can Evie and her allies rise up from Richter's ashes, stronger than ever before?

My thoughts:

That ending. Whaaaaaat. I’m just blown away right now. 

 

 

I was scared I would be disappointed with this book considering so much has happened over the series so far. I just couldn’t imagine much more happening. But no, stuff happened. Stuff happened and it blew my mind.

This book was a perfect blend of character and plot development. While not as much happened in term of the fight between the Arcana, new alliances were formed in unexpected ways and a lot was revealed about the characters.

I do have to mention that I’m so glad I read Day Zero before this. It made such a big difference to the story to know what went on with each character before they made an appearance in Arcana Rising. Some new characters made an appearance and it was so much less confusing having already read their situation.

I am a little disappointed that Cole didn’t reveal a secret that I’m sure a lot of readers are wondering about…Jack. I need to know! I’m so much more excited for the next book because of Jack. I need to know what his deal is. I won’t say anymore for fear of spoilers but there are so many questions after reading this. I need my answers.

Also, this book ends on a cliffhanger. Guys, I think Evie has issues. I’m so intrigued as to what’s happened with her. It’s so weird - I was reading just assuming Evie was her usual self and then just BAM - nope turns out everything has just been turned on its head.

I honestly have no idea where this series is going to go from here. I love it.

My rating: 10/10 

Kresley Cole:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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Day Zero by Kresley Cole

Title: Day Zero

Author: Kresley Cole 

Series: The Arcana Chronicles #3.5

Publisher: Valkyrie Press

Publication date: August 1st 2016

Format: Kindle | 174 pages

Genre: YA | Fantasy | Paranormal

Goodreads

Arcana means secrets, and these Arcana Chronicles short stories from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole are filled with them. Experience firsthand the beginning of the end and behold the apocalypse through the eyes of characters you only thought you knew. 

Ashes to ashes . . .

Evie Greene’s story of the Flash is just one of many. All over the world, those connected in some way to the lethal Arcana game—like Death, Jack, and Fortune—must first survive a horrifying night of blood and screams. 

We all fall down.

Some will have to grapple with new powers; all will be damned to a hellish new existence of plague, brutality, desolation, and cannibalism. Find out who they lost, why they endure, and what they sacrificed in order to live past Day Zero. . . .

My thoughts:

I’m a serious fan of the Arcana Chronicles. Like big time, jump around when I find out another book is coming out, hold my breath when a character is in danger until I almost pass out kind of fan. Love these books.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, when I saw that Day Zero was going to give us a little bit of an insight into each Arcana’s Flash story I got really excited. 

For those not familiar with this series, the Flash is what Cole called the event that ultimately led to an apocalypse type environment. Fire raining down, oceans drying up, disease spreading like wildfire - you get the drill. Each of the characters in this series has their own story and it was, in part, why I liked them so much.

Before I even fully get into this novella I loved getting to know more about the main players. There are so many characters at play in this series that it’s amazing how all of them are so essential. I love most of these characters for one reason or another so to find out more about them and to have them be made even more three dimensional was brilliant. 

Since this is a novella it makes for a really quick but interesting read for fans of the series. There are some characters included that we hardly know anything about, but now I know I won’t be able to read the next book without some heartstrings being tugged at.

My favourite story was The World’s experience. Also known as Tess, she came across as kind of a weakling in the last book even though her powers are not to be laughed at. She didn’t have much control over anything but also, she didn’t have much of a presence in the story apart from one instance. I love Tess. Oh my God I’m already dreading what’s going to happen to her. She’s so sweet.

Joules ( The Tower) and Finn ( The Magician ) were both big surprises. Where Tess proved her strength, Finn and Joules came across as so much more sensitive than before. The emotion that came from both of those characters really touched me. Both of them are putting up a huge front and it’s amazing.

The only criticism I have is that I wanted something a little different from Evie’s perspective. Instead it was a recap of how the Flash went down in Poison Princess and while it was nice to think back and realise how much things have changed in a few books, I would have liked something different.

For fans of this series, I definitely recommend you read this novella. It will definitely change how you see the characters. For those of you who haven’t picked up this series yet, please do it’s brilliant.

My rating: 9/10 

Kresley Cole:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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Review: Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari

Title: Artichoke Hearts

Author: Sita Brahmachari

Series: N/A

Publisher: MacMillan

Format: Paperback | 336 pages

Genre: Children's | YA | Contemporary

Goodreads

Mira Levenson's family is always chaotic - with a little brother and baby sister, busy parents and her artistic, outspoken grandma. She loves them all, but sometimes it feels like nothing is private and there's nowhere for Mira to just be herself. And the thing is…Mira does have secrets - her beloved Nana Josie is dying, she's drifting away from her best friend, and she can't stop thinking about mysterious, confident Jide Jackson, who is definitely keeping some secrets of his own.

Everything's spinning out of control…can Mira let someone into her heart when it feels like it's about to break?

My thoughts:

Told from 12 year old Mira's point of view, Artichoke Hearts is a coming of age story focusing on a young girl's thoughts and feelings as she waits for her grandmother to die.

I don't usually read books like this one. I was a little apprehensive when I saw that the main character is so much younger than me. Not that I don't read books with teens as the protagonists, it is in most YA, but Mira is young even for most YA. I was unsure, but I just decided to give it a go anyway.

As the book went on I liked Mira more and more. She was very down to earth, especially with what her character was going through, and her thoughts about her experiences were something every reader should relate to in some way. I loved how realistic the character's reactions to everything were - there were no huge breakdowns and 'how will I live after this' kind of attitude, it was all reasonable reactions that would happen to everyone. In a way, that made it all the more emotional.

I thought the book had a pretty slow start. It seemed so different in the beginning too, there was so much focus on art and all that good stuff and then things suddenly took a depressing turn. I realise that's how it should be, but I thought there wasn't really a transition in between. It kind of jumped from Nana Josie still being so enthusiastic to do whatever she needs to, and then next thing you know she's in a hospice. Yes, things can happen that quickly, but the way it read just didn't sit right with me.

There was a huge variation in characters which I adored. Every character, whether they played a huge part or not, made a really big difference to the story. There were characters that were only mentioned once or twice and they still managed to make my heart hurt. Whether I enjoyed the story or not, an author who can give a character that depth is very talented.

All in all I really liked this read. It was a little slow at times but the characters were wonderful and the plot was very touching. I would definitely recommend it.

My rating: 7/10

Sita Brahmachari:

Goodreads | Twitter | Website 

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Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Title: The Madman's Daughter

Author: Megan Shepherd

Series: The Madman's Daughter #1

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication date: 11/04/2013

Format: Paperback | 368 pages

Genre: YA | Science Fiction | Historical

Goodreads

To uncover the truth means risking all…

London, 1894, Juliet Monreau has built a life for herself working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumours about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns her father is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations were true.

Yet what she finds on the island is twisted beyond all imagining, and out of her father's control. As the island rapidly descends into chaos, she must escape the horrors of her father's creations, but not before she discovers the true extent of her father's genius - and madness - in her own blood.

My thoughts:

After Juliet's father is accused of horrendous crimes, Juliet is forced to make do with any job that will keep her off the streets. Working as a maid in the hospital, Juliet comes across something that may mean her father is still alive. Determined to find out if the accusations were true, Juliet hitches a ride with an old friend to an island filled with unnatural creatures and a dangerous murderer that leaves three claw marks as his calling card.

Wow this book had some creepy characters. I loved every minute of it. Seriously.

I'm a big fan of creepy reads - not necessarily horror but something that raises the hairs on the back of my neck. From the very first page, I could tell that this book would be a good one. The writing immediately had a feel of suspense and dark drama that was bound to creep me out. It did just that. There were creepy characters, a murderer that had everyone afraid to leave the house and bucket loads of suspense. I couldn't stop reading.

The characters were great. I loved how mysterious they were - nothing but their basic personality and history was revealed until close to the end of the read where everything got turned on its head. I found myself starting to doubt everyone, even Juliet. Were they who they said they were? Characters who seemed perfectly innocent beforehand were seen in a new light.

By the way, I loved Montgomery he was totally steamy.

The plot with Juliet and her father was amazing. He was definitely a character I won't be able to get out of my head for awhile. Totally insane. I really liked how he still managed to get into Juliet's head even when she'd decided he wasn't worth listening to - you know, because of the fact that he's a total creep who enjoys inflicting pain in the name of science.

All in all I loved this book tremendously and I can't wait to get the sequel, especially with the way it ended. Never would have called it!

My rating: 10/10

 Megan Shepherd:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

The Madman's Daughter:

1. The Madman's Daughter
2. Her Dark Curiosity
3. A Cold Legacy

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Review: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines

Author: John Green

Publisher: Penguin

Publication date: 10 May 2012

Format: Paperback | 272 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary

Goodreads

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.

On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a blood-thirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun - but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

My thoughts:

After being dumped by his 19th girlfriend, all of whom were named Katherine, Colin is persuaded by best friend Hassan to go on a road trip to take his mind off his heartbreak. Being the prodigy he is, Colin is on a mission to save everyone the trouble of relationship break ups by creating a formula to predict who will be the dumper and who will be the dumpee.

What I liked most about this read was that it constantly had me laughing, either that or it left me with a huge grin on my face. There was just something about the characters that got to me. Colin's so clever and yet he manages to be so clueless about a whole lot of things, especially relationships. Hassan just has these great one liners that never failed to make me crack up laughing. Colin was cute but Hassan was just downright hilarious.

The plot to this book is pretty simple. It's all about character development, friendship and a little bit of romance thrown in. It's all carried by the characters in my opinion. With such brilliant characters who are truly great friends, you can't help but wish them to figure out where they're going and to make the best of what they've got. And they do. There was a very realistic ending that left a lot open to the imagination but the characters had gotten to where they needed to be. I thought the ending was perfect.

 

I do think that this book would be a hit and miss with a lot of people. I can imagine Hassan and Colin getting on some people's nerves if they're not into books that don't have such a clear direction.

 

Generally I really enjoyed this read, aside from it being a little slow at times, I loved how awkward it was and the situations the characters got into really did make me laugh. It was a good time.

 

My rating: 8/10

 

 John Green:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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Series Spotlight: Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness

 

Series: Chaos Walking

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker

Publication date: 2008 - 2010

Format: Paperback

Genre: YA | Dystopian

Goodreads

Book 1 Summary:

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

 My thoughts:

I finished this series about a week ago now, novellas included, and up until now I just can't believe I put off reading it for so long. My sister read it before me and she doesn't read anywhere near as much as I do and a few of my friends started it a while ago. I've been told so many times to start it and I just had so many other books to read that I put them aside. It was pretty stupid of me considering how much I loved reading this series. At least I didn't have to wait for sequels to come out - I already had the complete series sitting on the shelf.

 

This series pretty much had everything I love in a book throughout the whole trilogy. It had some of the most amazing characters I've come across yet, great action, brilliant writing and suspense to the likes of which I've never felt before whilst reading.

 

What stood out to me most though, was the fact that each book stood out on its own. Usually in a series, especially a trilogy, I expect at least one book to fall through a little bit and act as a 'filler novel' but it wasn't the case with Chaos Walking. Each of the three books offered something new. Each time the characters were a little different, the setting was a little different and the plot was no worse for wear because of it. The protagonists served as the anchor for all three books while everything changed around them the whole time they were struggling to stay alive.

 

Todd and Viola have made their way into my heart - honestly, they are two of my new favourite characters of all time. I adored the way they worked together and any time they were separated I was just on the edge of my seat waiting for them to meet each other again. It wasn't even in the romantic sense necessarily, they just worked. I would believe it when they said they could do anything together if they put their mind to it and it would break my heart when one of them falls in some way and the other picks them back up with a heartfelt speech about how they never gave up on each other before now and they wouldn't start. 

 

The character development in this series is breathtaking. The Todd at the beginning of the trilogy is a different person entirely to what he becomes at the end of the series. Best of all, it didn't happen too fast and it happened with good reason. After every major event in each book, Todd learns something new and just steadily grows up. It's amazing to read.

 

Like I mentioned before, the suspense in this book is something else. Thank goodness my sister had already read the series because I was going around the house ranting and raving about something that was happening or about to happen and how I couldn't bear it if it all goes down the way I think it will. She just laughed at me. For all three books, no matter what, 'oh my God, OH MY GOD!' was constantly going through my head. 

 

If you couldn't tell already, this series is one of my favourites now and I strongly urge you to get it if you haven't already. I love it. Please, please give it a go.

 

My rating: 10/10

 

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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: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Title: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Series: N/A

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: May 2010

Format: ebook | 352 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary 

Goodreads

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident.

 

 

My thoughts:

Following her father's death, Amy's family moves to Connecticut for a fresh start, but because of money troubles, Amy's mother decides she has to drive there with a friend's son, Roger. Amy's mother sets the route, books the hotels and hands over her credit card, but Amy and Roger are disappointed to see that the route set isn't one that inspires any sense of adventure…they decide to liven things up a little.

This was a great, feel good read. I really enjoyed it. I've only read a couple of books with a road trip as the main focus but it seems to be a really great way to tell a story. Especially for characters that have to get to know one another and maybe even themselves again - plenty of time to be left alone with your thoughts, close quarters with more or less a stranger and lots of things that can go wrong.

I loved how gentle the story was. Matson really took her time with the characters I think, I felt like I really got to know them. Amy was very vulnerable and the trip was her way of getting a little bit of her old self back but it took a lot of time. Nothing in this read was rushed, not one thing - not the friendships, not the romance and definitely not the closure of all the characters involved.

The characters were beyond lovely. I don't know why I'm using that word to describe them, but it seems to fit them perfectly. They gave each other so much space at first because they each had their own problems. I adored how they took their time to get to know each other, because really, doesn't it just make sense that way? Who rushes into any kind of relationship? Even of the friendly sort. 

 

I also thought it ended in such a lovely manner. It might have annoyed me if the read was any different, but I loved the fact that it was an open ending. It wasn't a bad ending in the sense that nothing was resolved - things were resolved and it ended on a good note, but it was also open to interpretation a little. I thought that for characters who had a long way to go, it would have been hypocritical in a way to end the book with full description of where the characters are going to end up and where they all stand with each other. Like Amy's mother for example, I would have liked to see how things between Amy and her changed, but I also knew that they had a hell of a lot to work out. Seeing them work it out in a couple of pages wouldn't have sit well with me I think. It was a great way to end the book.

 

Overall I loved this read and I don't have a bad thing to say about it. Not one. I'm definitely going to keep watching this author.

 

My rating: 10/10 

 

Morgan Matson:

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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:

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Review: Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake

Title: Thief of Lies

Author: Brenda Drake

Series: Library Jumpers #1

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication date: January 5, 2016

Format: Kindle | 400 pages

Genre: YA | Fantasy 

Goodreads

 Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels - magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books - rescue them from a demonic hound.

Jumping into some of the world's most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren't busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik's world and her own, before both are destroyed.

My thoughts:

This was, I'm sorry to say, not a great read to start off the year with. I had so many problems with it, I can't even remember what I liked about it.

What I didn't like about this read ended up coming together into this convoluted mess where I started to hate any and all the characters and whatever was going on made no sense to me. It became so tedious to read and that, in turn, frustrated me to no end so it was just a cycle of generally not enjoying myself.

I will say, at the beginning, I liked the characters. I liked the relationships they had going and I liked all the different personalities going on. Arik in particular.

I think where it started to go downhill for me was when I noticed this repitition of the characters doing the same thing and generally having the same conversations. Not just in the sense that they would go to the same places over and over again but in the sense that every single supporting character was in some kind of romantic relationship. Why? There were a lot of characters to be paired up. So throughout the read there was no end to the protagonist noticing how other characters felt about each other, being curious about it, and asking if that's the case. Like 500 times. Not really, but it felt like it after a while.

The pacing was also a big problem for me. As in, there was none. So much happens in this book that I couldn't keep up and got so confused. It made everything seem so muddled and of course that caused me to see the characters as unbelievable and unrelatable since I was so confused but they were taking stuff all in their stride.

It might have been me, but the world this book was set in wasn't clear enough. I was fine at the beginning, but when things started happening too quickly I felt like a runner who'd been left behind after tripping up. I was just watching everything else race ahead of me. Everything going on was meant to be exciting! There was action - fighting sequences left and right, magic training, people being kidnapped and endless romances. The pacing of this read killed all of it. By the way, pair all that with the introduction of a love triangle. No thanks.

I genuinely feel this book needed to be cut in half. I can even imagine at what point in the story it would have been perfect to end it at. Everything could have happened at a slower, more relative pace and I most likely wouldn't have had anywhere near as much of a problem as I did.

All in all this was a disappointing read that had a lot of potential. The original aspect of 'library jumpers' held no excitement when I could see no end in sight to the story.

My rating: 4/10

Brenda Drake:

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Review: Red Glove by Holly Black

Title: Red Glove

Author: Holly Black

Series: Curse Workers #2

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication date: 16 Jun 2011

Format: Paperback | 272 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal 

Goodreads

Curses and Cons

Magic and the Mob

In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, but now he knows the truth - he's the most powerful curse worker around. He can transform anything - or anyone - into something else. That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Now she's back, but she's been cursed to love him. If Lila's love is as false as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit him to help find the killer. But the mob wants Cassel too - they know how valuable he could be to them. He will have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. Where can he turn when he can't trust anyone - least of all, himself?

My thoughts:

After finding out he's one of the most powerful curse worker's around, Cassel Sharpe can't trust anyone to keep his secret and protect him from being exploited. A lot of people want him to work for them and will use any means to get it to happen - bribery, blackmail and even murder are all on the table where Cassel's involved. The only person he can really trust is himself.

I will say right off the bat that I didn't enjoy this read as much as the first one in the series. I didn't find it as thrilling simply because the element of surprise wasn't there to the same extent. I already knew what Cassel could do and what the rest of the characters curses are. It just wasn't the same.

Those elements were there on a smaller scale though. I liked the mystery involved in this one and how Cassel (or Holly Black I should say) kept the answer secret until the very end, even though he knew who the murderer was quite some time before it was revealed.

What takes the biscuit for me, in both this read and the previous one in the series, was how Cassel dealt with his problems in such a genius way. He waits until he has all the facts possible and then puts them together to plan a huge con. The cons are the best part of the book. When everything comes together and everyone plays their part - pure genius. It gives Cassel such depth and mystery that I can't help but want to get to know him more.

Overall I really liked this read and I can't wait to see more of Cassel and his brilliant ideas. I definitely recommend it.

My rating: 8/10

Holly Black:

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Curse Workers:

1. White Cat
2. Red Glove
3. Black Heart 

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Review: People's Republic by Robert Muchamore

Title: People's Republic

Author: Robert Muchamore

Series: Aramov #1

Publisher: Hodder

Publication date: 05 Apr 2012

Format: Paperback | 432 pages

Genre: YA 

Goodreads

CHERUB's newest recruit is on his first job: befriending a spoilt rich kid whose grandma runs a billion - dollar criminal empire. But twelve-year-old Ryan's got no idea that this routine mission will turn into one of the biggest in CHERUB history…

My thoughts:

I'm a huge fan of the CHERUB series and I've started reading the spin off series, Henderson's boys, too. I started reading these books when I was in high school and I've been following them ever since, albeit slowly. While I finished CHERUB a while back, I've yet to catch up on the other two series, including this one.

This book definitely wasn't disappointing. It had all of the traits I've grown to love from Muchamore, especially his sense of humour. While you can expect lots of action and suspense from his reads, the humour is what separates them from other books featuring a plot based on espionage. 

I will mention, as is the case with a lot of series, that CHERUB holds a special place in my heart. I followed those characters for a long time, so to be reading about the same place and some of the same supporting characters, I missed James terribly. I couldn't help but compare Ryan to James and how he first behaved on the same campus with the same teachers. 

 

This book seemed to be a lot more plot driven than the CHERUB books. The other series focused a lot on James and his character development and for a 12 year old, Ryan seemed a lot more mature than James did in the beginning. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it just gave the book a different feel to the other series and made it stand out quite a bit. It wasn't more of the same stuff.

 

I'm definitely interested to see what happens with this whole Aramov clan - it was interesting to find out that one mission will carry on across a few books.

 

My rating: 8/10

 

Robert Muchamore:

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Aramov:

1. People's Republic
2. Guardian Angel
3. Black Friday
4. Lone Wolf

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Review: White Cat by Holly Black

Title: White Car

Author: Holly Black

Series: Curse Workers #1

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication date: 01 Apr 2011

Format: Paperback | 336 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal

Goodreads

No-one at home is ever going to forget that Cassel is a killer. No-one at home is ever going to forget that he isn't a magic worker. And now he is being haunted by a white cat…

Cassel's family are magic workers. Ever since magic was prohibited in 1929 magic workers have been driven underground and into crime. His grand-dad is a black-fingered death-dealer, his mother is in prison and his brothers detest him as the only one of their family who can't do magic. But there is a secret at the centre of Cassel's family and he's about to inherit it. It's terrifying and that's the truth.

My thoughts:

Cassel is the sole member of a family of magic workers without any magic. People with the ability to give good luck, dreams and change emotions as they see fit with just a slight of hand. Of course, not all workers use their magic to do good, in fact, most are criminals, some with the power to kill with a single touch or transform a person into an inanimate object. Cassel finds himself struggling to fit in with his family when he has always been an outsider and treated as such. 

 

I had no idea what to expect from this book. I'd heard good things, so I bought it. Aside from that, I knew nothing - no reviews were read, I didn't ask anybody about it, I just bought it. Turns out I really loved it.

 

More than anything, I loved Cassel's point of view. I thought he was a brilliant character, full of depth, witty, charming one minute and devious the next - he was a really well rounded character that I kept learning about throughout the read. He had enough personality to keep me interested to the end of the book. 

 

I've never picked up on this in any other books, but I noticed the dialogue in this novel was incredible. I mean it in the simplest sense. I found myself really enjoying whenever Cassel was having a normal, day to day conversation with someone from his family or school. Nothing involving magic or assassination plots, just everyday stuff. It's a testament to how much I like Cassel's character but I loved how Holly could make dialogue seem so natural, enough so that I could imagine myself speaking in that way to my own family. Until I started talking about death workers and losing my memory of course…

 

This was the first book by Holly Black that I've read but it's certainly not going to be the last. I've already started on the sequel to this book - Red Glove. If anything the plot and world building made me ever the more eager to get on with the next one, just to get a bit more of the suspense and the awesome way Cassel can pretend to be someone he's not to cultivate a con. This book was exciting. I got nervous when Cassel and his friends tried to pull off something a little complicated. I worried that plans would fall through. I was surprised when Cassel showed a hint of genius when he suddenly announced he had a failsafe ready anyway. It made my heart race in the way only a good writer can - by immersing me in the story completely.

 

All in all I really enjoyed this one and fully recommend it to anybody who reads YA. And even those who don't!

 

My rating: 10/10

 

 

Holly Black:

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Curse Workers:

1. White Cat
2. Red Glove
3. Black Heart 

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