Review: Bloodrose

Author: Andrea Cremer

Series: Nightshade #3
Pages: 406

Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
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 Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamanble horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

Review:
I'm kind of sad this is the last book in the Nightshade series because I actually really enjoyed it.  But I'm also glad I finished it because I got to read Wolfsbane (which I loved) and this book, so it's kind of bitter-sweet.

I have to admit, this book has one of the best story lines I've seen in a while.  There were twist and turns, things I didn't even see coming, and the ending was great.  But it was also really sad (I won't tell).  It had great writing, great action, and another thing I loved about it was the love-triangle.  I know, I know I always say I hate love triangles, but sometimes the book really needs it to make it exciting, and I feel like the love-triangle was perfect for this book.  But what I really liked, and I think Andrea Cremer is a genius for doing this, is Calla putting a hold on both her relationships with Ren and Shay.  It really kept you captivated because she kind of went from one boy to the other, sneaking a private moment, and I LOVED it.

Coming into this book I was totally Team Ren.  I hated Shay because he was so possessive and he just wasn't as sexy as Ren.  But as I read I started liking Shay more and more, until they were about even.  Ren is so sexy and caring, and he really, really loves Calla.  With Shay, I didn't really get those vibes.  But I'm so sad the love-triangle ended like it did (let's just say there wasn't a third person to make it a triangle).

Although I wasn't a huge fan of Nightshade, and Wolfsbane was better, I think that Bloodrose is the best of the series.  And I'm so glad I own it so I can go back and read it again and again whenever I want.

Review: Destiny's Fire

Author: Trisha Wolfe

Source: Trisha Wolfe (thanks a million!!)

Rating: 4/5

Summery:
It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.

Review:
I usually don't like books with love triangles in them because it lowers my opinion of the main girl character, but in this book it really worked.

I really liked this book.  There was action from page one, beautiful writing, and, of course, the love triangle.  I usually despise books with love triangles in them, but it totally worked for this book.  However, if it had just been the love triangle and nothing else going on, I don't think I would have liked it half as much as I do, so a tip of the hat to Trisha Wolfe for writing it like that.

In the love triangle there are three people: Jace, Reese, and Dez.  Of the two guys, I honestly can't decide which I like best.
On one hand, Reese is super hot and totally swoon-worthy.  But it was like a sea-saw with him: I loved him, I hated his guts, I loved him.  Maybe that's why I like him so much though.
I also really like Jace.  He is also super hot but not as swoon worthy.  I don't know what it was, maybe the fact that he's like a slobbering guard dog when it comes to Dez, but he came across a little creepy.  I like him less than Reese, but it's still really close.
And, last but not least, I like Dez.   I didn't mind that she had two guys going at one time because she didn't go back and forth, back and forth between the two.  She picked one and stuck to him.  Mostly.  I won't give away too much because you have to read it.:p  I also liked that she was a strong female character and actually did something in the book.
This character isn't huge in this book, but I also like Lana.  She was so cool and supportive, I would totally love her as a BFF.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what Trisha Wolfe comes up with next.

Huge thanks to Trisha Wolfe for sending me a copy for review of this book.  It was totally awesome and I really appreciate it.  THANKS!!!

Review: Sweet Venom

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Series: Medusa Girls #1
Pages: 345
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 2.5/5

Summery:
Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Review:
I was really, really looking forward to reading this book.  I totally judge books by their covers (sometimes I don't even read the summaries before I buy them) so I thought this book would be amazing, because the cover certainly is.  But, sadly, I was a little disappointed.

The story line was ok, average.  I didn't really see the point of two girls having different romances at the same time, especially when the romances contributed nothing to the book itself.  I did, however, like that the book was told from three different views because when one is laying around at home, another could be fighting a monster, and if it was just one point of view, you wouldn't get to "witness" the fight.  The did like the ending though, and the cliffhanger is completely necessary to keep people interested.

There are three different points of view here: Grethen, Grace, and Greer.  Of all three of them, I honestly can't choose which one I like best.
On one hand, Gretchen is kick-ass, no nonsense, and really smart and strong.  I like a strong character.  On the other hand, Grace is shy, a self-proclaimed door-mat, but I also like that she stood up for herself and she's the one that I relate with most, not because I'm weak or a door-mat or anything, but I just feel for her.  And Greer-I can't really say why I like Greer.  Maybe because she's popular, which I know is a really shallow reason to like someone, but oh well.  I did like that she changed though.
I said in the beginning that I didn't really get the boys in this book, and it's true: they are useless in this story.  Milo (I totally don't like his name, btw) is just Grace's brother's friend and Grace happens to think he's cute.  Now, if he was a monster with rare powers to conceal his true identity or something like that, then I would totally understand him being in this book.  As it was, he contributed nothing to the book.  And as for Nick, same with him.  They were useless and I have no idea why they were in the book.

All in all, definitely not my favorite book, but I will definitely look forward to and read the next on when it comes out.

Review: Angelfire

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Series: Angelfire #1
Pages: 453
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 15th, 2011
Rating: 5/5

Summery:
First there are nightmares.
Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.
When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.
Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Review:
I have wanted to read this book so bad and I'm so happy I finally have.  And boy, was it ever worth the wait.

WOW.  That's all I can say.  This is going to be a very bad, very short review because I can't describe it.  It was just amazing.

The story line was amazing.  The plot was awesome.  There were times when I was reading so fast, so caught up in the story, I actually didn't know where I was.
I loved the fighting scenes.  I'm so glad that Moulton described them with such detail.

And OMG.  WILLL!!!!  SO HOT!!  I can't get him out of my head.  He is hot, he's nice, and he's a bad-ass fighter.  Wow.  I think I may be in love.
I loved Ellie.  She was such a strong character.  And I love the role she played.

All in all, MOULTON BETTER RELEASE THE SECOND BOOK ASAP OR I WILL EXPLODE!!!

Review: Fury

Author: Elizabeth Miles
Series: The Fury Trilogy #1
Pages: 370
Format: Hardcover
Publish Date: August 31st, 2011
Rating: 3/5

Summery:
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.
Em and Chase have been chosen.

Review:
I really, really, really want to like this book (well, I do kind of like it) but the negatives outnumber the positives.  By a lot. ):

In a well written book, the story builds on itself.  The author drops hints here and there to give the reader clues to what this book is about.  Mermaids, unicorns, werewolves, ect.  But Elizabeth Miles didn't do that.  She went on and on for about 200 pages about Chase and Emily's social life, and at the end of every chapter they see someone looking through their window.  That does nothing.  That doesn't help the reader figure out what's going on, what creature is out there, or why.  All it says is that Emily and Chase are popular and that someone is looking at them.  The one good part of the book was the end, and that was pretty much because I finally found out what the heck was going on.

I really wish that Elizabeth Miles had incorporated more into the story, had dropped hints and had things happen.  The only things happening were Emily making out with Zach and Chase running around after Ty.  And that would be completely fine if Elizabeth Miles had just gone for a real-life, chic-lit type story, and not even mentioned supernatural.  But, as the wrote it, it didn't work out.

There really isn't any boy to swoon over in this book. ):  Zach's a jerk, Chase is an idiot, and J.D. is sweet but not swoon-worthy.  Although he is my favorite guy in the book.

The mistakes Elizabeth Miles made were beginner's mistakes, and as she learns more and writes more she will learn to make the plot complex and build the story up.  I really hope her next book shows all she will learn.

OTHER COVER EDITIONS:

What do you think about the covers?  And the book as well, of course? :P

Review: Fateful

Author: Claudia Gray

Pages: 325
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Rating: 5/5
Summery:
Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.
Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .
Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

Review:
Wow.  Before I read this book I never thought I would like reading about the Titanic, but did Claudia Gray ever prove me wrong.

This book is amazing.  The plot was so complex, and the characters were so good.  If Claudia Gray had picked a single other historical event and had the same paranormal stuff going on, I don't think it would have worked half as well.  The plot was amazing, all the events happening and flowing together and leading up to one another.  The way Gray wrote Tess's situation, it was like she was pretty much guaranteed to be killed, but somehow, she always managed to survive and keep her cool.  If I had been in that situation, with some lunatic werewolf coming after me, I would have freaked. :p

I love Tess.  I love her name, I love her strong will, and I love her defiance.  She is the kind of strong female character that all books like this need, and she's so sweet to Mr. Marlowe and Miss Irene.  She is the perfect character for this book.
I hate Mikhail.  Hate, hate, hate him.  But in a way I also like him because his evilness and ruthlessness was what made this book as good as it is.  He is the perfect villain.
I really, really wanted Tess to take Irene with her when she quit her job, because I just felt so bad for her.  Her mother is so mean, and Irene is so kind and different from the rest of her family.
Alec *swooning*.  OH MY GOSH!!!  I love Alec.  He is so cute!  He is so kind and gentle, and he really feels bad about what he does when he is "different". (I won't say anything more because I would give away the story.)

All in all, this is a really sweet romantic fantasy that I think everyone will love.  And you also learn about the Titanic :P

OTHER COVER EDITIONS:

  

Which cover is your favorite?  And what do you think about this book? (:

Review: Hooked

Author: Catherine Greenman
Pages: 276
Release Date: August 9, 2011
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Cover Rating: 4/5

Summery:
Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.
Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for. When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.
This smart, touching first novel brims with realistic, beautifully drawn characters, and reminds us that love is never as easy or predictable as we might like it to be.

Review:
I know this is totally random and weird, but I got this book out of the library, and I think I may have been the first to read it.  That has never happened before and I'm really excited about it. :p
Ok, enough with the creepy statements and to the review.

Although I really enjoyed this book, there were some things I didn't like about it.  The romance was too quick.  They meet, talk, whatever.  That's fine.  But then they go on a date, have their first kiss, fall in love, in one evening.  And then soon after they do "it" all the time.  Thea was kind of easy.

Will was kind of creepy, and I didn't completely like him, even in the beginning.  And it wasn't just his eye; it was the things he did and the people he hung out with  He just wasn't what I would call "good boyfriend material."

I like and admire Thea for sticking with Ian and taking such good care of him and having him in the first place.  Although, I do think she messed up getting pregnant in the first place, I think she did the best that she could with the following situation.

Ian sounds so cute and perfect to me.  Which, I will admit, isn't saying much since I love babies and think they are the most adorable things ever.  Even animal babies. (Pandas are the cutest ;p)

You've just got to love characters like Carmen and the dad, and I guess the mom as well, although I didn't like her.
Carmen was so nice to Thea, helping her and all, and I really liked her.  I also really like the dad.  I thought he was a real jerk in the beginning, but after Ian was born, he started to soften up, and that's when I really started to like him.

What are your thoughts on this book?  Leave comments, I love them. (:

Review: Firelight

Author: Sophie Jordan

Series: Firelight #1

Pages: 323
Format: Hardcover

Release Date: September 7, 2010

Rating: 4/5
Cover Rating: 4/5 (I love the red hair and the scales around her eyes)

Summery:
A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.
Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.
Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.
Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Review:
I was actually very impressed with Sophie Jordan in this novel.

She got right into the action on like page five, which I love, and she explained everything, like Jacinda's history and all, so that we could understand the story.  It was a very complex plot, sometimes confusing.

When you are a girl falling for a guy, the guy has to be cute and likeable.  I don't think Sophie Jordan did as great a job in this area.  Will came across as too tough and buff and I just didn't like that.  A guy should have muscle, yeah, but he should also be kind, soft, and caring, and I don't feel like Will was like that.

In the middle of the story I got a bit confused with all the drama--do I stay with Will or run away?--I'm in love with Will--Oh, I'm not anymore--Oh wait, I'm in love again.  It was confusing and a bit unnecessary.  I know you have to have suspense and drama, but you also have to write it so that the reader can keep up, and I just couldn't.

I feel like Will did soften up towards the end, which I like, but I can't help liking Cassian better than Will because he seems nicer.

Plus, I love this cover.  The scales and glitter and red hair work perfectly together.

What are your thoughts on the book?  Leave comments, I love them. (:

Review: Paranormalcy

Author: Kiersten White
Series: Paranormalcy #1
Pages: 335
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Rating: 4/5
Cover Rating: 3/5
Add this book to your to-read shelf on Goodreads
Summery:
Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.


Review:
For a debut, Kiersten White did a very good job.  I loved the story line, loved the writing, loved the characters.

I usually don't like book with institution-like story lines, but it worked out for this book.  There were twists and turns and climaxes everywhere, and it was fast paced and funny throughout.

It's always important to have good, strong characters in a book, and I think Kiersten White did a great job in this area.  She made you fall in love with them, from mermaids, to supervisors, to werewolves, you found yourselves feeling for them.  And Lend--OH MY GOD DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED!!  Totally swoon-worthy, and he sounds like the sweetest guy ever.  Lish was so nice and sweet, and Raquel was the motherly figure Evie never had.  And Evie, I LOVE Evie.  She was funny, smart, care-free, cool, and didn't care what she said.  I love the cast in this book, it's one of the best.

The writing was connected and flowed without a hitch, and sometimes I couldn't even tell I was reading a book, I actually thought I was there.
I can't wait for the next books in this series, and I'm sure they'll be just as good.



What are your thoughts about this book?  Leave comments, I love them. (:

Review: Starcrossed

Book: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Pages: 487
Series: Starcrossed #1
Publish Date: May 31, 2011
Rating: 1/5
Cover Rating: 4/5
Add this book to your to-read shelf on Goodreads

Summery:
Heleen Hamilton has always tried to hide how different she is-no easy feat on an island as small as Nantucket, and only getting harder as she finds herself haunted by hallucinations and vivid nightmares.  It's not until she crosses paths with Lucas Delos at school that Helen's true heritage is finally revealed.  Yet even as Lucas helps her awaken her startling powers, they can never be together-not unless they can break free from the tragic destiny the Three Fates have in store...

Review:
To be perfectly honest, I was disappointed. It was a pretty good story line, but reminded me of the Twilight Saga, which I'm not crazy about. The writing was choppy and disconnected, and there wasn't any building to the story. There was no foreboding comments, no climax leading up to an event, it was just sudden and unexpected, and not in a good way.

I didn't like--or understand--how Helen and Lucas were one second trying to kill each other and the next deeply in love. Lucas is, however, completely swoon-worthy. He sounds so cute and like the perfect guy.

I didn't like the fact that Lucas and Helen could fly.  It was a little over the top.  I did, however, like that Helen was a powerful character, and I loved the lightning.
Although I like the cover, I don't like the content, and I'm really sorry I don't becuase a cover like that just has to have a great book inside it.  I really hope that Josephine Angelini does better with the next book.

OTHER COVER EDITIONS: 


Rating: 5/5

What do you think about the book?