Since I won't be reviewing it here, I needed to talk about the book while I could. If you're interested in my written thoughts, I'll more than likely post a quick review on Goodreads later.
Showing posts with label ya paranormal romance/fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ya paranormal romance/fantasy. Show all posts
Just reviewed Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins on Youtube!
Since I won't be reviewing it here, I needed to talk about the book while I could. If you're interested in my written thoughts, I'll more than likely post a quick review on Goodreads later.
ARC Review: Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal
Story Arc: Series, Book 1
Publication: July 10, 2012 by Simon & Schuster
Hardcover: 320 pages
Genre: Aliens, Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi
Age Group: Teen, Young Adult
Source: ARC Requested from Publisher
Excerpt(s): from pg 305
Content: Kissing, Implicit Sex, Violence, Bloody Deaths
As far as scientists have been able to determine, the primary function of the human coccyx, or tailbone, is to remind us that once upon a time we were all monkeys or something...
ARC Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking + US Giveaway
Story Arc: Series, Book 1
Publication: August 7, 2012 by St. Martin's Press
Hardcover: 320 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Mythology
Age Group: Teen, Young Adult
Content: Kissing, Violence, Murder
Source: St. Martin's Press | Quote(s): No
Even over the sea, Thea could smell the blood on her.
ARC Review: Tempest Unleashed + Interview with Tracy Deebs + Giveaway
The following review contains
NO SPOILERS!
NO SPOILERS!
my thoughts in a few sentences: Whether because of my evolved reading tastes, or by Wrong Place Wrong Time Syndrome, I didn’t dig the sequel to Tempest Rising NEARLY as much as its predecessor. What I’d found refreshing, initially, quickly turned into something less enjoyable, more typical and more predictable. I could sympathize with Tempest’s feelings toward her family, her issues with Mark, and I definitely didn’t expect them to vanish in the sequel. HOWEVER, I didn’t expect the love triangle to survive in the sequel, and there was inconsistency as a result, making me lean less toward liking Tempest Unleashed by Tracy Deebs as much as book one.
hooking first line: "I didn't know what I was doing here."
Walker • NetGalley • Paranormal Romance • 6/5/12 • $13.28
ARC Review: Of Poseidon
my thoughts in a few sentences: I’ve been reading a ton of mermaid books lately, but of them all Of Poseidon by Anna Banks was the one I was most worried about and the one that surprised me the most! I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did! But this book is, seriously, HILARIOUS. Banks has got an awesome sense of humor and quickly becomes apparent as soon as we start on Emma’s inner monologue. I was already engrossed because the humor is so inviting, real, and in tune with the book. And technically this book is NOT about mermaids. It’s about something way, way, way cooler, with mythology that is intriguingly spun through the plot to make it equal parts interesting and puzzling. And the romance! Of Poseidon by Anna Banks isn’t totally lighthearted, good underwater fun. The romances—yes, Anna gives us the benefit of two—are steamy with tension build-up, tangled up with misunderstandings, and has this pervading sweetness. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks is fun, smart, entertaining, but, more than that, fascinating.
hooking first line: "I smack into him as if shoved from behind."
Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan • NetGalley • Paranormal Romance • 5/22/12 • $13.49
ARC Review: Destined (#4) *no spoilers*
The following review contains
NO SPOILERS!
NO SPOILERS!
my thoughts in a few sentences: War has come, on a dark wave of thick sludge that can't be clogged. The fight has come, down to every last man, woman, and child, and no one is safe. The Avalon we know and the faeries we love are on a deathly brink of hopeless extinction, and everyone is needed, everyone's strength, will, and courage is tested. Survival is a dim wish escaping with the breeze, falling with the sun. And Death waits for all and pardons few. Tears, anguish, hope, they all collide in our chests and set a foreign rhythm to a once calm, warm place. Destined is the captivating peak in a series that rips us up and reattaches us in a way in which we are never the same, the final story we've been waiting for.
intriguing first line: "Tamani pressed his forehead against the chilly windowpane, fighting back a wave of exhaustion."
HarperTeen • E-ARC Request • Paranormal Romance/Fantasy • 5/1/12 • $13.49
ARC Review: Ascend (#3)
The following review contains
NO SPOILERS!
NO SPOILERS!
my thoughts in a few sentences: Torn may have been a lovely improvement in the series, but it's got nothing on Ascend. With this final installment came the realization that I was in love with this series and all it has to offer, from characters who range from cocky and vulnerable, sweet and insolent, and have grown so much, to a fascinatingly thought-out world to intense plot ties that span the entire series and hardly cease to entertain and excite. However, Ascend's biggest appeal is the all-sweetness-and-heat romance with a blinding flash of the forbidden intensifying the blushing hues of true love. Ascend is definitely my favorite in the series, an unforgettable finale—the brilliant story I was waiting for Hocking to deliver me.
hooking first lines: "I had my back to the room as I stared out the window.It was a trick I'd learned from my mother to make me seem more in control."
St. Martin's Griffin • Requested • Paranormal Romance • 4/24/12 • $6.74
ARC Review: Goddess Interrupted (#2)
The following review contains NO SPOILERS!
my thoughts in a few sentences: No one was more surprised than me when I turned out liking Goddess Interrupted so much. If ya'll remember, I wasn't very fond of The Goddess Test, and that was mostly because of the lack of action and had nothing whatsoever to do with Kate and Henry. Carter was dancing around the good stuff in Goddess Interrupted's predecessor, but dancing no more she does with this sequel. Within the first few chapters the impact of all those fateful final decisions in book one materializes with the force of a several thousand ton sledgehammer, and the urgency crackles swiftly and powerfully. The threat is very real this time and very straightforward, as opposed to the mystery horrors hidden behind the doors of Eden Manor, which actually had far less appeal. This time there's traipsing through the Underworld, sneak peeks at a restless all-powerful titan, a goddess gone totally loca, and so much more, but the pacing kept me actively turning the pages and avidly seeking the next thrill.
hooking first line: "Calliope trudged through the sunny field as she ignored the babble of the redhead trailing behind her."
Rating: Sud-Kissed | HarlequinTeen • NetGalley • Paranormal/Myth Retelling • 3/27/12 • $9.99
Blog Tour: Review: A Bite's Tale + Excerpt
my thoughts in a few sentences: A pleasantly cliche fairy tale retelling with a paranormal fantasy-ish backdrop and fun characters, A Bite's Tale proved to be an entertaining read, one which plays on our sympathies toward the main characters although the predictability of the plot should deter us. A happy ending is practically guaranteed with a story like A Bite's Tale, yet the journey from point A to point B is a heartening, attention-grabbing one that wonderfully manipulates our incessant need to see these two endearing characters come together, after tragedy has struck them down, at last.
intriguing first lines: "Seated on the log, I forced my limbs to hold still, but my foot had a mind of its own. My toes twitched, making tiny indentations in the soft dirt. Where was she?"
Rating: Guilty Pleasure | Self-Published • Blog Tour • Paranormal/Retelling • 1/7/12 • $1.99
Review: Torn (#2)
The following review contains NO SPOILERS!
my thoughts in a few sentences: Although I wasn't reduced to fangirl gushiness over Switched, Torn rapidly makes up for any lack I felt from its predecessor. The stakes are cranked up to a nearly unbearable volume, all but suffocating our relatable, mistake-making heroine who is doing her best to learn on her feet, hoping to pick up all the right cues and etiquette, not to mention the unyielding mentality of a princess while trying to balance her innate compassion into the equation. Wendy has the power to change things, to make a difference in this world she's only just been introduced to yet has quickly fallen for. It's her world now, and she has people to fight for. Fans of The Princess Diaries and The Iron Fey series combined will enjoy Wendy's tremulous journey into a character and ruler we can all adore.
hooking first line: "When Rhys and I showed up at my "brother" Matt's house at eight in the morning, he was happy... in the sense that he was glad I was alive and hadn't disappeared forever."
Rating: Sud-Kissed | St. Martin's Griffin • Requested • Paranormal Romance • 2/28/12 • $8.49
DNF Review: Initiation + Excerpt
my thoughts in a few sentences: Despite the fun setting of a boarding school chockfull of paranormals roaming about, and the one romantic interest that intrigued the hell out of me, I couldn't endure a heroine who pretty much posed as a nuisance at every turn and continue with the confusingly plotted story line, in which we are thrust into the story with little introduction and background information, wholly expected to understand what's going on with very little clues to work with. Even if that were all, there is only one character in the story that pulled any interest out of me and the rest fell flat to my estimation, striking me with slight interest, a mild curiosity that wasn't enough to propel my reading pace.
hooking first line:"Trust No One. The wooden plaque hanging over the bed couldn't be any more in-your-face. "
Rating: Did Not Finish | Self-Published • Blog Tour • Paranormal Romance • 12/25/11 • $14.99
Blog Tour: ARC Review: Embrace
my thoughts in a few sentences: So I'm a bit of a book racist. I generally refrain from reading angel books—there's just something about them that annoys me. Could it be the twist on religious figures? The typical cliche love triangle (Tucker and Christian aside) that is just about mandatory? I don't know, but that's my rule, and very rarely do I ever break it. With all the buzz making the rounds for Embrace, I was secretly ecstatic, because the premise just sounded amazing, though I refused to admit it. Despite not being WOWED by Embrace—Violet Eden may have had something to do with that—I enjoyed the hell out of the angel lore and the sizzling two-for-one-girl package of smokin' hot boys that liven up the pages. Authentic dialogue, fun characters, and some pretty decent action, Embrace is an intriguing addition to the bunches of angel books already out in YA fiction.
hooking first lines: " Birthdays aren't my thing. It's hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother's death. "
Rating: Guilty Pleasure | Sourcebooks Fire • Publicist • Paranormal Romance • 3/6/12 • $13.30
Review: Dearly, Departed
my thoughts in a few sentences: While Dearly, Departed starts out tortuously slow, failing to keep me utterly immersed within the first hundred pages, the story suddenly picks up speed, jumpstarting a fascinating thrill-ride into a post-apocalyptic, technologically advanced New Victoria, in which everything has reverted to the ways of historical Victorian London with a futuristic spin to form a relaxed, peaceful society. Stirring my interests with rebels hateful of these changes and a secret pocket of government-trained zombies, mindless cannibalistic ones aside, Dearly, Departed shot me into a riveting mash-up of genre elements and fed me (har har) a sweet, heart-aching romance that made me want to bear-hug the couple. An AMAZING cast, constant action, equal parts witty and sober, Dearly, Departed definitely recovered from its unhurried beginning, delivering the story I hoped I would find behind its stunning cover.
hooking first line: "I was buried alive."
Rating: Sud-Kissed | Del Rey • Bought • Paranormal/Post-Apocalyptic • 10/18/11 • $15.13
Review: Born Wicked
my thoughts in a few sentences: A wonderfully thought-out historical world with an undercurrent of the paranormal to excite and bewitch, Born Wicked gives us a familiar take on witches with a twist and takes us back to a time period in our history that sickens us when we think of it, for innocents were slaughtered unmercifully for the wrong reasons. The romance is sexy and adorable, throwing in another heart-throbbing element to an already delightful story.
hooking first line: "Our mother was a witch, too, but she hid it better."
Rating: Perfect Bed Partner | Putnam • Historical/Paranormal Romance • 2/7/12 • about $12
Review: Hunting Lila
my thoughts in a few words: An explosive blend of the supernatural, mystery, and kick-butt action, followed by a mind-fizzling romance between two characters we're forced to adore, Hunting Lila allows for ZERO dull moments—it drove me into the wee hours of the morning.
hooking first line: "Only when the tip of the knife started to shave against the white of his eye like a scalpel about to pierce a boil, did I realise that I was the one holding it."
Rating: Perfect Bed Partner | Simon & Scuster UK • Paranormal Romance • 8/5/11 • under $10
ARC Review: Stolen Away
Warning: As I am a die-hard fan of Alyxandra Harvey, this review may be a TAD biased.
Add it to Goodreads?
Purchase: Amazon | BookDepository
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Publisher: Walker/Bloomsbury
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Fantasy
Special: YA/MG Fantasy Challenge
Source: NetGalley
Rating: Perfect Bed Partner
About the Book:
Purchase: Amazon | BookDepository
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Publisher: Walker/Bloomsbury
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Fantasy
Special: YA/MG Fantasy Challenge
Source: NetGalley
Rating: Perfect Bed Partner
Hover over Books in the navigation bar above to find a link to My Rating System In-Depth.
About the Book:
When a cute guy dressed like a Victorian pirate kneels in front of Eloise the day after her seventeenth birthday, she knows that something strange is going on-and that's before he vows to be her champion and mentions her flaky aunt, Antonia, who's gone incommunicado once again. But this appearance isn't a coincidence, and when Eloise is attacked and pushed into an alternate world called Faery, she becomes embroiled in the underground politics of this world. Her captor is Lord Strahan, the ruler of Faery who is desperately clinging to his throne and will do anything to keep it. The only one who can break his power is his wife, Eloise's aunt Antonia-and Eloise has become his bargaining chip.
Now Eloise must find a way to save her aunt from Lord Strahan, and she'll need the help of her best friends Jo and Devin, along with the other Fae captives of Strahan's hall, including his son, Eldric. With a whole world of Faeries out to get her, Eloise must stop Strahan both worlds are thrust into complete chaos.
"I hate this town," Jo complained. "There isn't a single hot guy anywhere."
Alyxandra Harvey's books are like pockets of gleaming treasure; they typically have everything I want - great romance, a fast-paced, blood-pounding story, and characters and prose that are full of charm and humor. Personally, I think Harvey is a writing genius, so after hitting up vampires and ghosts, I was ecstatic for her take on faeries! Which are creatures Eloise Hart never imagined encountering in her relatively ordinary life. After being sought out in an open crowd by a guy clothed in an outrageously old-fashioned get-up, spouting out obvious nonsense about mysterious kidnappers on the hunt for her, Eloise hasn't a clue about the hidden supernatural world that's about to clash with hers. And it'll be up to the teamwork of she and her friends, along with unlikely relatives, to untangle the muddled mess born from this complicated, unbidden merging.
An inseparable, witty, hysterical trio, Devin, Eloise, and Jo are such enjoyable characters to read about, with their entertaining interactions being some of the highlights of this read, however they weren't as fleshed out as I typically come to expect from Harvey or as I'd've liked. Unlike with her other novels, I felt as if we absorb the surface of these characters and don't acquire a deeper look inside. Still, although I wouldn't say the three became my best buds by the end of the book, I loved how each of them balanced out their friendship and truly came through for each other, even when that meant trying to save their best friend from the capture of one power-hungry faery king or enduring the company of an irritated, bitter ancient faery with a penchant for insulting their intelligence. Despite their pitiable lack of knowledge for faery lore, they each brashly bust in guns blazing for those they care about, though the situation could be termed dire. It's damn near impossible to refrain from liking and admiring them.
With rapidly flourishing romances, the two couples that emerge in the story could be chalked up to 'instaluv.' But here's the thing: even when writing an instaluv-esque romance, Harvey still knows how put the swoon in swoon-worthy when it comes to the chemistry, and, oh, THE KISSING. Harvey should definitely be written down as one of the Kiss Scene Mastahs. I like how the romance was woven into the story, although I do wish there was more of it. And I enjoyed watching the sweet, tension-filled build-up in each relationship, leading to that first kiss, that first admission of feelings for one another. It was sweet and happy at times, sexy at others, and even wrenching. I'm no fan of a romance without substance, but I thought Harvey did a wonderful job considering the circumstances within the novel.
What's shouting in my brain is, I wish there had been more! I wish there was going to be more! Stolen Away did feel a bit rushed and not as thorough as I've know Harvey's novels to be; it should've been either lengthier or stretched out into, at minimum, a two-story arcing plot. While I won't say Stolen Away outshined the faery books that have dazzled the market, it was a fun, fast-paced adventurous tale that colors faeries in a sinister and exciting shade, and gave me another reason to love Alyxandra Harvey!
Eloise: "Eloise."
I squawked like a chicken being plucked bald. I had the most attractive reactions; I couldn't think why I didn't have a hundred boyfriends eager for my company.
Still, when you found someone hiding in the shadows of your roof garden, a little screeching was healthy. Elvis hissed and darted past me to the safety of the apartment. Fat lot of good he was to me.
"How did you get up here?" The fairy lights caught the silver of his sword hilt. A sword hilt. "Did you follow me?" (6%)
Jo: "Where's your mother's stash of PMS chocolate?"
"Behind the dried lenthils. But it's for emergencies."
"Hello?" I pointed at her. "Kidnapped." Then at myself. "Shot."
"Good points. Give me a piece of that."
I rolled my neck. "I hurt all over. Elf darts, my ass. I'm getting myself a water gun full of holy water."
"We're not after vampires."
We stared at each other in horror. (58%)
I squawked like a chicken being plucked bald. I had the most attractive reactions; I couldn't think why I didn't have a hundred boyfriends eager for my company.
Still, when you found someone hiding in the shadows of your roof garden, a little screeching was healthy. Elvis hissed and darted past me to the safety of the apartment. Fat lot of good he was to me.
"How did you get up here?" The fairy lights caught the silver of his sword hilt. A sword hilt. "Did you follow me?" (6%)
Jo: "Where's your mother's stash of PMS chocolate?"
"Behind the dried lenthils. But it's for emergencies."
"Hello?" I pointed at her. "Kidnapped." Then at myself. "Shot."
"Good points. Give me a piece of that."
I rolled my neck. "I hurt all over. Elf darts, my ass. I'm getting myself a water gun full of holy water."
"We're not after vampires."
We stared at each other in horror. (58%)
Mini Reviews: Lost Voices, Between the Sea and Sky, & Spellbound
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Release Date: July 4, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: NetGalley + Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
About the Book:
"When fourteen-year-old Luce is assaulted on the cliffs near an Alaskan village, she expects to die when she tumbles into the icy water below. Instead, she transforms into a mermaid. Luce is thrilled with her new life—until she discovers the catch."
Lost Voices is a book I could get into at first. Luce, the main character, is a young girl who has lost all family apart from her drunk of an uncle, who has reluctantly taken her in. In the opening chapters of the book, a heartbreaking glimpse into Luce's sad and miserable life is presented, and I couldn't help but feel remorse toward her. She's scared - constantly wary of her uncle, wondering when the next blow is going to come raining down - and alone, totally terrified of other kids her age. Instantly her character spoke to me and instead of feeling impatient for her mermaid transformation, I wanted badly for her life on land to be resolved.
When Luce actually does get under the water is where the seed of boredom sprouted. Which is ironic considering that, if you've read my blog, I LOVE MERMAIDS. And yet when Luce is surrounded by them I couldn't muster a single drop of excitement. I couldn't get behind the mermaids - girls with terrible pasts that have found themselves in similar situations as Luce, which connects to the reason behind their transformation - and the world-building wasn't very satisfying. When I go under the sea, I want rich, flowy detail of places I could never explore on my own. My desire wasn't met. The mermaid characters, while crucial to the story, didn't interest me enough to want to dive deeper into the story. In fact, their presence rebuffed me from the story.
I wanted little Luce to find a happy ending - whether that be a new family on land, people who cared about her, or a guy who starts up a whirlwind romance with her. I couldn't help but automatically dream-up a The Little Mermaid-inspired scenario. My lack of interest in the slow-paced, tensionless plot provoked my skipping around until finally I just stopped trying and put the book down with an exhalation of relief. Lost Voices was definitely not the kind of read I was looking for.
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Release Date: October 25, 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Library Check-Out
Rating: Guilty Pleasure
About the Book:
"For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alander, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alander band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship... and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air."
Between the Sea and Sky was a much better-suited mermaid story. Going back to the built up image of mermaid life going all the way back to The Little Mermaid, the truth is I don't like when tellers of tales change what I know and love. I find that's harder to get into the book otherwise. I like my mermaid tales light and sweet and fun, and the mermaid almost always has to have a human lover (sometimes, I can dig the mermen). While Between the Sea and Sky wasn't a flawless read, the romance, the fantasy-ish world, and easy-peasy plot compelled me to continue reading.
Esmerine is the kind of MC I can get behind, a girl who is loyal to her family, curious by nature, a MERMAID, and adoring of books. I like that, while at first, she comes across as submissive and someone who is anxious for approval, she shatters all conceptions gained toward her character when she runs off to track down her kidnapped sister. Embarking on this terrifying quest to discover her sister's whereabouts requires her to invoke the help of Alan, a winged boy she knew long ago but was forced to expel all contact with at the demands of their separate races. At first the reunion was rocky and so were my feelings for Alan. I had doubts as to his rude and all-knowing personality, but they were quickly smushed as Esmerine's journey progresses and their romance sparks.
I liked this book for the laidback plot with minor tension flares, "feel good" romance, the attraction which isn't based on "instaluv," and that requisite happily ever after at the closing of the book.
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Release Date: June 28, 2011
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: NetGalley + HarlequinTeen
Rating: Sud-Kissed
About the Book:
"What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?
Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else."
Oh, gawd, I was prematurely ready to gag at what I had perceived to be an approaching "instaluv" romance deduced from reading the synopsis. I can't stand girls who "can't stop staring" or girls who get all crazy obsessive with the hottie at school. And Spellbound had the potential of leading the two romantic leads right into that unwanted territory. While the veering wasn't smoothly done, Spellbound succeeded in averting that disaster and I was able to move forward with the book without any animosity that would have come from reading a stupid romance-driven tale.
This is another "feel good" read, where Shultz exposes us to an upbeat, tongue-in-cheek prose and a cute, if not endearing, MC that I would totally offer a bear-hug to. Emma Connor has been through loads of horrible crap in her life and now it's time for a change, one which forces her to move to a different state altogether and where she can start fresh. What I really liked about Brendan and their quicky romance was that it didn't go by TOO fast exactly and they hung out first, talked, bared themselves enough to reveal tragic pasts and details about themselves they would normally keep secret. Families were introduced, they had mutual friends. And their rapid romance is plausible, with the thousand-year-old shared history between them.
I found Spellbound totally likeable for the hilarious bits, the enjoyable characters, the quick but not rash romance, and the fairy-talelike feel to it. Plus, the resolution was nice and tidy, yet there's room to weave another story for the next book, as not all the loose-ends were tied up. Overall, I enjoyed this book.
Review: The Near Witch
by Victoria Schwab
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Release Date: August 2, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Library Check-Out
Rating: Special Shelf
Good for 2011 Debut Author Challenge
About the Book:
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.It starts with a crack, a sputter, and a spark. The match hisses to life...
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.
This book made me feel small and innocent again, like before the illusion of Santa was shattered, like Lexi's younger sister Wren, tiny and gullible. Because before school and homework and college applications, and all that other real world crap, this took me back to that time when my mom and dad would sit with me at night and read to me the requisite bedtime story. The writing, gosh, how can I explain it? It's poetic and dreamy and fairy tale-like. It flows beautifully and feels almost as if you're floating in a dream. The way the setting is depicted is just like that - surreal and immersive. The descriptions are lush with fantastical imagery, so that you're sitting there completely in awe of Schwab's writing ability.
The Near Witch truly didn't disappoint me in any way. Not in the heroine, Lexi, another Serious Supergirl with an HoG and such wisdom and open-mindedness. Her courage, her sense of duty, and loyalty and love for her family is just remarkable really. The fact that her well-loved father is dead, her mother's a ghost of a person, and her uncle doesn't believe in her, wishes to hold her back and do the protecting, does not deter her from learning about the enigmatic stranger that suddenly pops up in the town, or from searching for the vanishing children. Despite the consequences, she befriends and allows this stranger to help her hunt for the answers. Her unflinching trust in him - Cole - endeared her to me.
The mystery of the disappearing children, I thought, was NOT going to hold the book throughout. But I was wrong. The plot is eerie and intense, and it keeps you suspended in suspense. As you read on, you grow as hungry for the truths of the town's history and the secrets kept by the town witches as Lexi. It becomes imperative, because Schwab masterfully wraps Lexi's feelings in beautiful packaging so that you get to know everyone in the town, and feel sorry for the children's parents. I felt the sudden loss of the children strongly because of this, because of Lexi's firm connection to everyone there. And it made me worry all the more for Lexi's younger sister, because she could be kidnapped next at any moment. Lexi's love for Wren is palpable, and you don't want anything to happen to her.
I got so FREAKING ANGRY at the townspeople for their unwillingness to believe in and listen to Lexi, for their close-mindedness toward Cole and the Thorne sisters, and for the lies and premature blame placed on innocent people. How and why their children begin disappearing from their beds in the night is connected to this quick-to-blame attitude within the town. And that's another reason why I found this story to be so, well, beautiful. Because, like with all children's fairy tales, there's a lesson to be gleaned from this book. The Near Witch isn't just another book; it has strong themes of acceptance and delivers that age-old, sometimes trite saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover," in a non-preachy and breath-stealing manner. It's timeless, this story.
And the romance is like the cherry on top of a perfect sundae of epic and magical proportions. Cole is sad and in pain and basically introverted. He's not an Agressive Alpha in the least, but he falls under the Sentimental Sweetheart category, which I love nearly as much. And, to me, he fits in perfectly with this mystifying tale. The attraction that sparks between he and Lexi is undeniable and evident, but sweetness can be found in Lexi's prying for details of his life. They swap anecdotes about their lives - well, Lexi does more of the talking - and exchange personal, heartwrenching memories. I wanted to physically reach into this book and give them bone-crushing hugs. They brought each other out of their darkest periods and believed in each other, working together seamlessly to save the children of Near. There's nothing more heartwarming than that, watching them press forward in spite of the towering obstacles.
The Near Witch is like an old bedtime story to be passed down - both original and familiar - or a cherished fairy tale to bring you out of the gloom and believe in happy endings, no matter how bad things get. I want to clutch this story to my chest and hug it, reread it, and then share the magic of it with everyone around me. The Near Witch is memorable and will stay with me for, I imagine, a very long time.
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Thought up by the lovely Small Review, Special Shelf books are unforgettable books that make you emote in extraordinary ways, hold beautiful stories inside and characters you will forever be in love with... (My Rating System In-Depth ) |
"I've always been your friend, Lexi. That will never change. Why can't we be more?"
I take a deep breath. The wild grass rolls away from me toward Near.
"Do you remember," I say over the growing wind, "when we were little, and we used to play those games, the spinning games?"
"Of course I remember. I always won."
"You always let go. You let go when you thought it would be funny, and the circle broke apart, and everyone fell down except you."
"It was just a game."
"But everything's a game to you, ***." I sigh. "All of it. And it's not about skinned knees anymore. You just want to win." (65)
Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Bloodlines
by Richelle MeadGet the Deets: Goodreads»»
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Release Date: August 23, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: borrowed/Public Library
Purchase: Book Depo. | Amazon | Kindle
About the Book:
The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.
When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.
Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.
I honestly don't know if my review will do this book justice. How is it possible, that so soon after putting down the last of the Vampire Academy saga, I've been drawn into another world, another main character's POV, another love interest as deeply and irrevocably as the first time? It's almost surreal. But Mead is THAT good. She masterfully blends characters new and old in this new spin-off series, WHILE maintaining that same wonderful and thrilling feeling that came with the first one. Even managing it with a heroine who is the COMPLETE opposite of the MC I've known and loved for so long!
I never thought I'd love again after Rose, but somehow, with Sydney, Richelle Mead made it work. She pulled it off. My transition from character-to-character went much more effortlessly then most people I've read about (in reviews) so far. It literally took me, like, ten pages to fall into Sydney's telling of the story currently unfolding. I think it helped that Sydney is a bit more relatable than Rose. She has insecurities like other girls, her life is less... Action Movie-like and more of a reflection of our reality. Something I think was imperative considering that alchemists are human--that connection had to be made. I thought I would be more reluctant, put up more of a mental fight against shifting over to another MC, but I found that I enjoyed Sydney not necessarily more--I love my Rose!--but differently and just as much. Just as powerfully effected and captivated by her story. Leading an alchemist life, I'll have you know, can sometimes be nearly as eventful as being a butt-kicking dhampir guardian--which both Sydney and Mead have exceptionally proven.
Mead skillfully wove in so many different problems to throw off the characters that I couldn't help but be glued to Bloodlines's pages BECAUSE SOMETHING IS ALWAYS GOING ON. Don't get me wrong, there's downtime (which, incidentally, manages to be interesting, too!). But Bloodlines is filled with so much action and mystery. More of the ins-and-outs of the vampire world are unveiled. It was wonderful, sinking back into this world, learning so much more about it. It's that spot in Bora Bora that you want to go back to time and again, because the magic, the awesomeness is addictive. And that slight familiarity that makes it comforting, too. I didn't have to sit there through pages of info-dumps--I was fairly acquainted with the world of the Moroi/dhampir. And it was exciting revisiting it with well-known and loved faces that are somehow fresh altogether.
These starring characters having their time in the spotlight gives them a depth they've never had before, one I wanted to explore further and further as the book progressed. Two of them characters I'd never thought I'd really cared to know more about. I liked them in previous VA books, but they never struck me as minor-MC material. Oddly enough, it felt great to be proven wrong. Jill is sweet and shy, a bit naive, and very teenagerly. Probably the most of out of the group. Sydney, while sometimes stiff and proper, endearingly responsible and efficient, surprised me with what's going on beneath the surface. I'm impressed and dazzled by her and I just want to know more. Adrian, yes, yes, YES, ADRIAN, returns for his role in Bloodlines, and I will admit that I've been secretly in love with him for a long time. He was always a great side in VA, but I loooove it that he plays a major role in this book. And Eddie, I was curious as to how his life was going to pan out after everything that occurred in VA, but now I'm definitely way more into him than I was before. With the benefit of a few cameos and new guest characters, Bloodlines is this incredible, seamless blend of the new/old, fresh/familiar.
And the romance... how I wish I could find it in me to delve deeper into the romance for this review... But, I cannot. It would totally be spoilery. HOWEVER, I will say that... I've had a sneaking suspicion as to the direction of the main romance, and I'm more than a little pleased. I'm touched. I'm ECSTATIC. For both soon-to-be couples that will, undoubtedly, be put through hell in the upcoming books.
And in the way of all Great and Torturous Authors, Mead ended Bloodlines exactly as it should have, though not entirely as expected, and with one HELL OF A CLIFFHANGER--but not a common one, that's for sure. I'm freaking out people. The release for The Golden Lily is the middle of 2012!!? It's so unfair, considering I read the VA conclusion followed swiftly by the opening to the new, fantastic spin-off! What am I supposed to do nooooww??
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Then I realized Keith had froze up beside me. He'd claimed he could "handle" being around Moroi, but apparently, that meant staring gape-mouthed and not saying a word. Keeping a pleasant smile on, I said, "Keith, this is Adrian Ivashkov. Adrian, this is my colleague, Keith Darnell."
Adrian held out his hand, but Keith didn't shake it. Whether it was because Keith was still shell-shocked or because he simply didn't want to touch a vampire, I couldn't say. Adrian didn't seem to mind. He dropped his hand and took out a lighter, stepping past us as he did. He nodded toward the doorway.
"They're waiting for you. Go on in."Adrian leaned closed to Keith's ear and spoke in an ominous voice. "If. You. Dare." He poked Keith's shoulder and gave a "Muhahaha" kind of monster laugh.
Keith nearly leapt ten feet in the air. (47)
Adrian studied each of them in turn and turned to me. "This is a law firm," he said in a low voice. "It specializes in divorce, doesn't it?"
"Yes," I said.
He nodded and took a few moments to process the information. Then, to my horror, he leaned over me and said to the older woman, "He was a fool, clearly. You're a stunning, classy woman. Just wait. He'll be sorry." (257)
Adrian held out his hand, but Keith didn't shake it. Whether it was because Keith was still shell-shocked or because he simply didn't want to touch a vampire, I couldn't say. Adrian didn't seem to mind. He dropped his hand and took out a lighter, stepping past us as he did. He nodded toward the doorway.
"They're waiting for you. Go on in."Adrian leaned closed to Keith's ear and spoke in an ominous voice. "If. You. Dare." He poked Keith's shoulder and gave a "Muhahaha" kind of monster laugh.
Keith nearly leapt ten feet in the air. (47)
Adrian studied each of them in turn and turned to me. "This is a law firm," he said in a low voice. "It specializes in divorce, doesn't it?"
"Yes," I said.
He nodded and took a few moments to process the information. Then, to my horror, he leaned over me and said to the older woman, "He was a fool, clearly. You're a stunning, classy woman. Just wait. He'll be sorry." (257)
Review: The Forest of Adventures by Katie M. John
The Forest of Adventures
by Katie M. JohnGet the Deets: Goodreads»»
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Release Date: December 10, 2010
Publisher: Little Bird Publishing House
Source: borrowed from a friend
Purchase: Amazon | Kindle
About the Book:
For seventeen year old Mina Singer, falling in love with an Arthurian Knight on a white horse was never part of the plan - especially being that she's an ordinary college girl living in the twenty first century. As Mina finds herself catapulted into a land she believed only existed in the bedtime stories of her childhood, she soon discovers that Fairyland is not quite as innocent as she imagined.I can't believe how disappointing this book was for me. Maybe I'd let my expectations run a little too high, but what I thought was going to be an innovative and incredible Arthurian-based story turned out to be about a "forbidden love" that made this book into a forgettable, unpleasant read. This book focuses on an instaluv romance that did nothing for me, and instead furthered my dislike of this book. I felt deceived by the time I was done, frustrated and baffled. The Forest of Adventures has the potential to be a great story had the author paid more attention to exerting the world-building she'd done beautifully, thoroughly, and the development of the characters. The Forest of Adventures is alternatively just another insufficient romance-driven novel.
The question is...who will come out alive?
Haunting, beautiful and sexy, The Forest of Adventures, is a dark romantic quest into the land of true and forbidden love.
I can't tell you how let down I felt by this book. In the occasional faerie books you get mentions of King Arthur, his court, and his knights, but rarely a well-done story that focuses primarily on that. So when I happened upon this book due to a friend, I was excited as hell. Then reading the book I found out I was disillusioned all along. This opening book has nothing whatsoever to do with the legend itself, apart from the related world-building and side characters, but the MC's "love" for one of the Arthurian Knights. *head-desk* I confess, I was bored out of my mind. All Mina thinks about is how beautiful and gorgeous he is and blah blah blah. Mina herself treats her so-called best friends and boyfriend like crap, utterly carelessly as soon as this Blake character waltzes into her life. I could detest her for her narration and actions.
But, really, who the heck is Mina Singer?
Even in light of the first-person POV I had absolutely no freaking clue who she is, apart from her Bella Swan Obsession with Blake. Other than her innate jerkiness, I discovered nothing about her, made no connection with her. Same goes for Blake. So he's an Arthurian Knight descended from a rather famous one, travels through the Realm, and lives with a *SORTA SPOILERY* contemporary depiction of The Lady of the Lake. But who is Blake the person? Other than Mina's constant reference to his good looks and some of his evident humor in the dialogue, Blake Beldivere is a relative stranger. So how could I have been expected to fall in love with this guy, this romance between two strangers who barely know themselves?
*HEAD-DESK*
Random and oddly placed moments in the book where some Arthurian-ish scenes take place aside, there is nothing very relevant to what's described in the summary. Then, the villain, oh the villain. Morgan le Fay has such promise. She's a dark, twisted character and could have been EPIC. But, no, alas, she's only a magically-inclined, vindictive woman hell-bent on making Blake hers. WHY? Maybe it's just me, but I've always felt that Morgan In The Legend was a Take Over the World Like Voldemort kind of person. John's depiction did little for me, and that glimmer of coolness in the character that I saw in the beginning of the book slowly fades away as it progresses, which ended in me shaking my head in distaste.
The ending may have actually been the worst part for me. I was confused and irritated. And frankly, I didn't care about the characters so why would I care how it ended?
So, plainly speaking, I really did NOT like The Forest of Adventures, as it's a flavorless Arthurian adaptation starring a flat heroine who engages in a poorly drawn out, detestable instaluv-esque romance that only serves to promote disinterest and failed to motivate me to read the rest of the series.
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No fun quotes this time :(
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