Book review-Ink by Amanda Sun

Title: Ink

 Author:  Amanda Sun

Series:  The Paper Gods #1

Published:  21 June 2013 by Mira

Length: 356 pages

Warnings: one scene which could be read as attempted rape

Source: ARC from publisher

Other info: There is an ebook novella prequel, called Shadow. Rain is the sequel coming in June.

Summary : Ink is in their blood. On the heels of a family tragedy, Katie Greene must move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn't know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks and she can't seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building. When Katie meets aloof but gorgeous Tomohiro, the star of the school's kendo team, she is intrigued by him…and a little scared. His tough attitude seems meant to keep her at a distance, and when they're near each other, strange things happen. Pens explode. Ink drips from nowhere. And unless Katie is seeing things, drawings come to life.
Somehow Tomo is connected to the kami, powerful ancient beings who once ruled Japan—and as feelings develop between Katie and Tomo, things begin to spiral out of control. The wrong people are starting to ask questions, and if they discover the truth, no one will be safe.

Review:  Katie Greene is forced to move to Japan to live with her aunt. There, she meets Tomohiro, a boy whose drawings come to life. with runins with the Yazuka and working around attraction to Tomohiro, Katie learns about his connections to the Kami, Japanese gods of old.

I had a period of really really loving Japan. I’m not totally obsessed any more, but I still like it. When I heard about this series, I was just “aww hell yes. Must read. Excited.”

Katie is still finding her feet in Japan. You get bits of Japanese and snippets of random culture, some of which I recognise from things written by Japanese people, so I’m assuming that the other things were all correct to. It was certainly fully built and different to the Western school settings.

The random Japanese phrases are nice to start with, but they get annoying quickly, because even though it comes with Katie’s translations (mainly), they interrupt the flow with their frequency and make you feel like you need to have a working knowledge of Japanese to understand this book in the way it flows. Oh, and the constant “ne”s got on my nerves. Because they indicate a question. And then are followed by a question mark. And at one point there was an explanation of this when you could infer what they meant. Unnecessary in written stories.

Characters, I liked Katie to start with because I relate to her difficulty at fitting in. However, once we met her and she got a few friends, she got a a bit boring and didn’t move on. Tomohiro, I didn’t care for at all. He moodswings a lot and is mysterious in a boring way. And then he’s really really creepy.   There’s a sweet guy whose name I forgot. I liked him. Minor characters were mainly forgotten when Tomohiro shows up.

 I loved the inclusion of the Kami, using mythology other than Classical Greek/Roman. Don’t get me wrong, I love Classical Greek and Roman, but it’s used so much, and the use of Japanese mythology was wonderful. The originalness and the description of the creatures added awesomeness to the book.

It’s very stereotypical YA paranormal romance, if you ignore the fact that it’s set in Japan and has Japanese gods. Badboy who wants you to stay away? Check. Instalove? Check. See him once, can’t get him out of your head? Check. I could go on, but I won’t.

Unrelated to the writing, the illustrations are gorgeous. 

  Overall:  Strength 2 tea to a book with a wonderful different mythology, but lots of drawbacks.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website |

Book Review- Death and Mr. Right by Kendra L. Saunders

 

Title: Death and Mr Right

 Author: Kendra L  Saunders

Series:  N/A

Published:  1 October 2013 by Spence City

Length: 264 pages

Source: Spence City Share Group (Thanks Kayleigh)

Summary :  It is March 32nd, the day that doesn't exist, and Death, the agent of nightmares, has been demoted and exiled to live among mortals for the rest of his unnaturally long life. Everyone knows They don't look lightly on important items getting lost or an agent falling in love.
Can the diva-like Death navigate the modern world, recover what was stolen from him (the names of the damned ooops!) and get his job back? Or will he fall in love with Lola, the pretty thief who got him into all this trouble in the first place?

Review: Death is the agent of nightmares. Well, was. He's just been fired and exiled to life among humans because he lost some paperwork and now wants to try and find Lola, the thief who stole them, and get his job back. As long as he doesn't fall in love.

I read this book purely because of the title. When I read the summary, it wasn't what I was expecting from the  title, but still it sounded good.

Death and Lola are both absolutely adorable.  They're both funny, Death especially with his thought processes , and I found myself  just really wanting to be friends with them and Mr Right, who seemed like a more secondary character than his being named in the title. Also, I loved Death's blue hair. Just because. Blue hair.

This is most definitely  primarily comedy. Standout moments include  Death on earth at the start  and Death finding his obituary. The plot aside from this is good, involving someone who wants to be the next agent of nightmares, and so tries to stop Death getting his job back. It's paced well- reading it isn't difficult.

I saw someone else compare this to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I agree with this comparison-both are crazy, unpredictable fun comedies. This just has a  more romance and  has supernatural elements and bureaucracy instead of space and aliens.

Overall:  Strength 3.5, just more a 3, to a light hearted, dark contented, romcom.

Links: Amazon |  Goodreads | Author website | 

Mini-reviews: Need by Carrie Jones and Death and Co by D.J. McCune

Title:  Need

 Author: Carrie Jones

Series:  Need #1            

Published:  

Warnings:

Source:

Review: Zara thinks she’s being stalked. She moves to Maine. She still thinks she’s being stalked. She is. The guy still comes after her, leaving gold dust in his wake. With new friends Nick, Issie, and Deryn, Zara learns about her history, the disappearing boys, and some other creatures, and why she is needed.

I read this because it’s one of those books I’ve seen around for ages and felt I needed to read one day. Then a friend of mine got on to me about it and so I  bumped it up my list.

You get to know Zara quite quickly. I quite liked that she recited the names of phobias-it makes her a little different. Tthe new friends were realistic, fun, supportive and good characters. Love interest Nick is nice, and our big reveal regarding him is unexpected. Betty, Zara’s grandmother, is cool from the start, and even more so by the end. 

The fantasy world building is good. The lore surrounding the creatures is developed nicely, and feeds in well to the mystery.

The writing isn’t that distinctive or especially interesting. The plot, I really didn’t like the way it turns out in the end.

Overall:  Strength  3 tea to a quick romance fantasy with an unsatisfactory conclusion.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website |

Title: Death & Co

 Author: D. J. McCune

Series:  Death &Co #1

Published: May 2 2013

Source: publisher

Review: Adam Morton’s life is mapped out for him. As a son of a prominent family in the business, he is to become a Luman, guiding dead souls into the afterlife. But he doesn’t want that. He’s already going against Luman norm by staying on at school for GCSEs and trying to date Melissa. Then Adam learns of an ability he has that gives him the chance to save peoples’ lives.  This is what happens when he uses it.

The thing that drew me in was the title. The summary looks interesting too. The breaking free of family theme isn’t particularly original/captivating, but the setting certainly is.

I liked Adam. He’s a very real teenager, with the independence and freedom-wanting side of him really showing, and I liked that. My favourite character was Auntie Jo-she’s crazy in an awesome way. Close second is sister Chloe, and her insistence against the really heavy patriarchal society of the Lumen. I also liked the group of Lumen who come round to Adam’s house for a formal dinner and move the plot along. Melissa is very sweet.

 I liked the fact that things happen because Adam chooses to make them happen and not just because yeah happenings. It’s good, because it shows responsibility and allows us to explore Adam’s character a bit more through his choices as well as his actions. I liked the romance as well, because Adam deserves some of the normality he really really wants. One big drawback for me was the sending fake emails to the head. I didn’t find it funny, and generally didn't enjoy what took up quite a bit of the book. 

The world of the Lumen is really fleshed out. I’d like to go back to it in other books.

Overall:  Strength 3.5, just about more a 3, to a book with a mixture of reality and fantasy and choices.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website |

Guest Review-Teardrop by Lauren Kate, reviewed by Cara

Hi guys. I have an amazing friend. She’s called Cara and she agreed to review Teardrop for me after I a)had too many books to get through and b)fell out of love with Lauren Kate after Passion.

Title: Teardrop

 Author: Lauren Kate

Series:   Teardrop #1

Published:  22 October 2013 by Random House

Length: 441 pages

Source: publisher

Summary : Never, ever cry... Seventeen-year-old Eureka won't let anyone close enough to feel her pain. After her mother was killed in a freak accident, the things she used to love hold no meaning. She wants to escape, but one thing holds her back: Ander, the boy who is everywhere she goes, whose turquoise eyes are like the ocean. And then Eureka uncovers an ancient tale of romance and heartbreak, about a girl who cried an entire continent into the sea. Suddenly her mother's death and Ander's appearance seem connected, and her life takes on dark undercurrents that don't make sense. Can everything you love be washed away?

Review: ‘Teardrop’ is set in New Iberia, Louisiana. The protagonist, a 17 year old girl named Eureka, is trying to cope with the recent death of her mother, who died in a freak wave created by a group of people called the seedbearers. They wanted to kill eureka but she doesn’t remember a thing. Cue attractive male hero; who must fight against his upbringing to save the girl he loves.

 Lauren Kate is a fantastic author, however I have found most of her books quite sluggish to begin with and often it is difficult to identify with the characters until at least a quarter of the way into the book. In teardrop however she jumps straight in with the description of a boy, who is waiting in a boat only a little way away from the Seven Mile Bridge, whose poetic view of the murder that is about to take place helps to define the tone of the book. Ander explains that he has been stalking the girl in the car for most of her life; he also explains the seedbearers’ plot to kill her. I really enjoyed his narration of events and it was a shame to lose his insight but in the second chapter and for the duration of the book we get to see the story unfold through Eureka’s eyes. I thought the plot was pretty typical of Lauren Kate; however it was narrated beautifully with lots of intricate details allowing the setting to appear before me. I thought that Eureka was really well written if a little repetitive at times. [BIG SPOILER HIGHLIGHT TO REVEAL] The best friend turned love interest follows almost every possible stereo type until our dear friend Ander reappears to explain the latest plot twists, involving an ancient storybook, a murder and a couple of car crashes. Not forgetting the all important best friend being possessed by an ancient king. [/END SPOILER] Altogether a rather well paced book which, though at times was gripping, was prone to slow, prolonged scenes concerning blooming romances between Eureka and male characters. I loved the plot twists and thought the touches of magic were incorporated nicely into the plot, making it a very enjoyable read!

Overall:  4/5

Links: | Goodreads | Author website | 

Mini Reviews-Zombies Don't Cry by Rusty Fischer and Hellbent by Anthony McGowan

Title: Zombies Don’t Cry

 Author:  Rusty Fischer

Series:  Living Dead Love Story #1

Published:  1 October 2012 by Electric Monkey

Source: won from US publisher

Review:  Maddy Swift is Normal. Trying to pass food class, sneaking in and out, and going out to dances. This stops when she is struck by lightning. Which makes her a zombie. Under the wing of some fellow zombies, Chloe and Dane, Maddy starts to adjust to life as a one of the undead. Even when you take into the fact that Zerkers, crazy ones past civilised zombie-ism, are running round her high school.

I’d heard of Rusty and his books ages ago and so was happy to see he got a deal in the UK.

These zombies are very original. I like the fact that there’s more to them than eating brains, but that is a big part of them. I also like the use of the lightning-not the bolt on the creators table, more a bolt while out doing normal things, and the subversion of the trope is good.

The main characters, Maddy, Chloe and Dane, are all very likable and make a great friendship group. Love interest Stamp is cute, but he doesn’t really do much. I like the fact that Maddie was quite active and did lots of things despite just being throne into this new world with its bureaucracy and rules. Chloe is my favourite  character because she just wins in terms of coolness.

The writing is chatty, open and fun. I love the chapter titles. All the things that happen to Maddy after she becomes undead are unpredictable and crazy. The climax at the school was well done. I liked the circular structure-the way it comes back to the guy in the blue suit…

Overall:   Strength 3 tea to a fun zombie romance.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website |

Title:  Hellbent

 Author:  Anthony McGowan

Series:  N/A

Published:  2005

Source: library

Review:  Conor ONeil dies and goes to hell. There he finds that hell is a mix of hells for different people. His hell, with him being a teenage boy into all the stereotypical teenage boy things, is to be surrounded in a room with classical music and heavy books. Hacking into a computer then leads Conor to find there’s someone whose hell is his heaven. with his pet dog who comes along as part of a new initiative, and Clarence, the demon who was assigned to oversee his eternal punishment, he sets out to find that someone.

I picked this up in a shop and started reading it. It wasn’t a great start, but the concept was very interesting.

It’s definitely for people who find humour in stereotypical teenage boys’ views of sex, excrement and such.  A lot of Conor’s narration revolves around it, which is fair enough, considering where they are, but sometimes it gets in the way a bit.

It’s a very chatty book. Conor is talking directly to you, telling you all about his life, and his death.

The characters were all exaggerated for comic effect. I particularly liked the Café Valhalla, where Vikings are put in as waiters and forced to form a string quartet. Conor isn’t the most engaging character for me, but some may like him more than me.  

Overall:  Strength 3 to a very different interpretation of Hell that may be enjoyed more by people with different senses of humour.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review-Switched by Amanda Hocking

Title: Switched

 Author: Amanda Hocking

Series:  Trylle #1

Published:  5 January 2012 by Tor

Length:335 pages

Source: bought

Other info: Other two in the series-Ascend and Torn. Amanda has also written My Blood Approves, The Hollows and Watersong.

Summary : When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.
Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

Review: Wendy Everly has always been different, and she’s known it since she was six and her mother tried to kill her because she wasn’t her child. Eleven years later, Finn shows up at her house ,and takes her away to Forerning, the home of the Trylle (trolls, but spelt differntly because they’re special).She learns that she was switched with her mother’s real child, that she’s the princess of the Trylles and that there’ll be a lot of things resting on her in the future.

This was hailed as an ebook sucess, and noticable enough to be picked up by a major publisher. So if millions of people like it, then I should too, hopefully. On another note, I was around for Amanda’s signing and I picked up a copy and got  a hug.

Forbidden love, boring to “special”, this book takes a lot of YA paranormal romance cliches and mixes it with trolls, which I like for the differentness of the creature, but in the grip of paranormal romance, doesn’t work.

Wendy doesn’t do much. She gets pushed into a new world, and I get that she’s confused and getting used to new things, but she’s not a kickass protagonist. Finn is a bit more actiony, but of course there’s the class divides that make their romance illicit. Max and Rhys, the two human boys, are the most grounded, real, and nice characters.

The Trylle world is built up through lessons and questions. It’s interesting, with the royalty and the magic, but  I got a little bored in places.

Looking back at the blurb, there’s a bit about “the fate of Forening rests in Wendy’s hadns and the descisions she and Finn make could change all their lives”. I’m sorry, I kind of missed that. There’s a lot of Trylle-world politics and romance and building up things for further books.  

In the same way, the Vitra (evil band of trolls) make an appearnce at the start and an appearance at the end. I didn’t feel any sense of threat through them, and when I  they came back it was just a “meh. Them.”

Overall:  Strength 2 tea to a paranormal book that’s a bit samey.  

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review-Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Title: Spellbound

 Author:  Cara Lynn

Series:  Spellbound #1

Published:  

Length: 341 pages

Source: I think the publisher. Or a gift. Forgotten.

Other info: Book 2, Spellcaster, was published last year.

Summary :  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.

Review:  Emma Connor moves to a fancy new school, after the latest near death experience is the last straw. Not much happens to begin with, but things start drawing her to Brendan Salinger. Such as his good looks. And his niceness. And the fact that they’re soulmates. Which shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but it is due to the fact that she’s meant to die horribly after she finds him. As they try to escape the evils of fellow   students and the while idea of the curse, Emma and Brandon realise how tightly together they are bound.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from this, but it certainly wasn’t this!  It’s a nice new take on the concept, and it comes off really well.

Emma was very nice. You get into her head really well and she’s funny and real. Brandan was nice, but he has annoying habit of showing up to save Emma most of the time. I would have liked her to do a bit more, considering that she handles everything else pretty well-she shouldn’t need someone to come save her from the school bully. Angelique was my favourite character-the fact she’s a witch and also her general way of being makes me think that we’d be good friends. Anthony and Kirsten were realistic and good antagonists.

The thing I enjoyed most was the book of the legends and the stories they  tell-beautifully written and intriguing.

This is very romance, which works plotwise because of the way the legend has it all set up, but when translate into actual  happenings, it makes it all a bit instalovey, even when you know it’s all due to the legend.

Plot wise, interest levels vary. Low to medium to start with, then you get the legend, theyget higher, then it goes down a bit, then comes up for the climax.

I would have liked to see a bit more of the magic side to it all.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a book for people who want a lot of romance with their magic.

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review-Immortal City by Scott Speer

Title: Immortal City

 Author: Scott Speer

Series:  Immortal City

Published:  5 April 2012 by Scholastic

Length: 405 pages

Source: won

Other info: Sequel, Natural Born Angel, is available now.

Summary : Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them.
He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery.
Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.
Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat & and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.

Review: This world knows about the existence of angels, and the angels make a profit of it. Jackson Godspeed is a rising star in this world, and every girl wants to date him. Apart from Maddy. Guess who ends up the lucky girl? Anyway, among that, someone’s killing angels. And going by the pattern, Jackson’s next.

I generally love the world that has been set up here. The angels are wonderfully consumerist, refusing to save a guy from a car crash when they save the one sitting beside him because the first one didn’t have insurance. They’re also humanlike in other ways, chasing after celebrity and fame over the things that you would normally associate angels with. And in Jackson’s case, falling to emotions.

Maddy and Jackson are good characters that make a great couple. I like the fact that she’s not totally lovelorn with the angels, and that he cares enough for Maddy to majorly defy what’s expected of him in a society guided so tightly.

It was well paced. Something was always happening and I never found myself getting bored with the plot or world. It’s a little predictable, but a lot of fun.

I’m still really confused why Jackson was next on the list of angels. It might have been done by fame, but I don’t think he’d done anything major  in the angel world by then other than be born pretty. It can’t have been by age, because there was an older guy before him. It seems like a random plot point to be  fussing over, but I must have either missed it or not had it explained, and I get a bit picky over things like this,

I’m glad there’s room for a  sequel, what with the reveal of the antagonist. And then there is a sequel! I’ll read it some time.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a starry supernatural romance with a good murder mystery added in too.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website |

Book Review- Ferryman by Claire McFall

Title: Ferryman

 Author: Claire McFall

Series:  N/A

Published:  1 March 2013

Length:334 pages

Source: publisher

Summary : When Dylan emerges from the wreckage of a train crash onto a bleak Scottish hillside, she meets a strange boy who seems to be waiting for her.
But Tristan is no ordinary teenage boy, and the journey across the desolate, wraith infested wasteland is no ordinary journey.
Life, death, love-which will Dylan choose?

Review: Dylan is on her way to meet her father that she’s never really known. Unfortunately, the train she’s on crashes. She thinks she’s the only survivor. She’s the only one who died. Once out of the tunnel, she ifnds Tristan-her ferryman, her guide through the wasteland towards the next part of the afterlife. On  their journey together through the wasteland, a harsh environment filled with wraiths waiting to drag her down, Tristan and Dylan soon fall in love, and Dylan needs to decide what she’ll choose.

I’m always on the look out for new afterlives. The idea of a ferryman is not new, but Claire has made it a very personal affair, with the ferryman being there every step of the journey.

This wasn’t what I expected. I was expecting something a bit more romancy or a bit more actiony. Yes, there’s romance, but it’s less romance more forming a really really deep bond. There’s tension and moments of danger, but you can’t really call it action. Instead, it’s calmer, but at the same time, moving.

Aside from the first thirty pages or so, the first two thirds are very insular. There’s only Tristan and Dylan.  You get really close to both of them, and see their relationship progress from the normal, a bit detached,one that’s expected to one that’s a lot closer than is good for them. I’m glad that the last third brings in a few more people to get to know for a short time anyway.

It’s a very quick read. There’s all sort of things going on in the wasteland, with all the wraiths trying to stop you and  the general danger of not getting across. Either because of the writing or the attachment to the characters of both you get invested in the story, you do get a bit worried for them at certain points, you get emotionally pulled in.

The descriptions are really really vivid. You have the picture of the wasteland, both the one that you normally see plus the one that Dylan sees without her ferryman, really clear, and the setting comes alive.

Also, generally irrelevant,, just want to say that quite a few of us loved the shininess of the cover.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to an beautiful  take on the Afterlife.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book tour review - WitchCraft by Emma Mills

Title: Witchcraft

 Author: Emma Mills

Series:  Witchblood #2

Published:  15 June 2012

Length:320 pages

Warnings: attempted rape

Source: author

Other info:  This is the second in the Witchblood series. The first was reviewed here.

Summary : Jess is no ordinary vampire. Protected by the Manchester vampire clan, and initiated by her family’s east coast American coven, she is sought after by every dark witch and warring vampire faction. Jess must fight if she wants to keep hold of her friends, her sanity and finally her existence.
As the dead bodies of human girls begin to stack up, and her recently accepted vampire boyfriend, Daniel, finds himself in prison, Jess goes on a crazy, forbidden trip to London, racing against time to save an old friend and solve the mystery behind Daniel’s incarceration. In battling new enemies and finding new friends, Jess’s confidence finds room to grow, but who will she lose along the way?

Review: Jess has just learnt that her heritage includes a family of witches. Then one of the shows up and initiates her into their coven. Now she’s a mix of both witch and vampire and everyone wants a piece of her.

It’s really nice coming back to characters you love. Jess is now vaguely used to being a vampire, but still wants remnants of her old life, leading to a rather amusing scene involving tea.The being a witch makes for a new set of discoveries waiting to be made. Once again, she’s strong, independent and takes it all in her stride.

I really like the supernatural mix of vampires, angels and witches. It’s not your typical mix, but it works really well. Each supernatural subset has their own society/heriarchy/ whatever and I really enjoyed seeing Jess navigate these.

It’s a very quick read, or maybe it’s because I was kept reading it for ages. Or maybe both. The writing is descriptive, and also accurate in the cases of the Wiccan ceremonies. The first bit is mainly grounding the setting with Jess’ witchiness, still with a lot of action there, but the second part is where it builds up and people die and such.  

Wholly shipping Jess and Luke. We definitely get to know him a bit more (after not getting that much of him in Witchblood) and I think they share a deeper connection than her and Daniel, even if both of these boys are annoying to her at times.

THE ENDING. EVIL AUTHOR. There are certain cliffhangers which should not be allowed to exist. This is one of them. Two of the characters who I was starting to really really like....and then.... WE DON’T KNOW. Must read Witchlove sooner rather than later!

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a mustread for any supernatural lover.

Links: Amazon |  Goodreads | Author website |

Book Review- Broken by A. E. Rought

Title: Broken

 Author: A.E. Rought

Series:  N/A

Published:   8 January 2013 by Strange Chemistry

Length: 384 pages

Warnings:  graphic gore in places

Source: netgalley

Summary : Skip this if you don’t want too spoilers!

A string of suspicious deaths near a small Michigan town ends with a fall that claims the life of Emma Gentry's boyfriend, Daniel. Emma is broken, a hollow shell mechanically moving through her days. She and Daniel had been made for each other, complete only when they were together. Now she restlessly wanders the town in the late Fall gloom, haunting the cemetery and its white-marbled tombs, feeling Daniel everywhere, his spectre in the moonlight and the fog.
When she encounters newcomer Alex Franks, only son of a renowned widowed surgeon, she's intrigued despite herself. He's an enigma, melting into shadows, preferring to keep to himself. But he is as drawn to her as she is to him. He is strangely... familiar. From the way he knows how to open her locker when it sticks, to the nickname she shared only with Daniel, even his hazel eyes with brown flecks are just like Daniel's.
The closer they become, though, the more something inside her screams there's something very wrong with Alex Franks. And when Emma stumbles across a grotesque and terrifying menagerie of mangled but living animals within the walls of the Franks' estate, creatures she surely knows must have died from their injuries, she knows.

Review:  Emma’s still mourning for Daniel, once her boyfriend and now the last in a mysterious line of deaths. One day, a boy turns up at school. General badboy Alex fights to defend her from Josh, is very kind to her, and is also quite like Daniel. Quite a lot.

I heard about this somewhere, and requested it from netgalley because I thought it would be interested.  By the time I read it, I’d forgotten why I wanted it. So I went in remembering nothing  about this.

It’s really easy to pick up on the characters. Emma, it didn’t take me long to know I wanted to befriends with her.  Favourite book-Dracula. Cat-Renfield. Describing the gym as a torture chamber? Heck yes.

To start with, she goes on too much about Daniel. I get that he’s recently died, and that you loved him, and it’s all very relevant to the plot, but every few sentences talking about him to start with really gets on my nerves.

Alex is a dark tortured soul with good reason. He ends up nearly getting Emma’s heart, and he’s the kind of guy I really really want to give a hug.  Josh is horrible, and it’s a big plot twist when we discover exactly why he is like he is. The other characters are a good support cast for Broken. And I really lovet the cat.

The romance is really sweet. What with Alex coming out with words...that aren’t his own, but still having feelings of his own, as Emma and him try to understand what he keeps seeing, and other things, and seeing them support eachother throughtout things,  I liked seeing them fall in love.

The big thing around Alex is TOO DAMN PREDICTABLE. I guessed a few minutes after Emma’s comments on the way he moves and so the big reveal wasn’t that much of a big reveal. But other happenings, such as the deer scene and the bit in Alex’s house and the ENDING.

Definetly the best bit was the ending for writing, engagement, and tension.. The first three quarters- I’m kind of enjoying this  good book. The scene in the lab with the father onwards? HOLY DFJKLSDK WOW.              Once you get to that part (a very easy thing  to do), you won’t be able to put it down until the end.

Overall:   Definitely  a retelling, but not completely follow the line, more taking an idea and running in another direction. Strength 4 tea to a romantic twist on Frankenstein with a lot of mystery and tension. I’m not sure if this will get a sequel or not, but I’d definitely like to see more from A E Rought.  

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review- Heartless by Gail Carriger

Title: Heartless

 Author:  Gail Carriger

Series:  The Parasol Protectorate #4

Published:  1 July 2011 by Orbit

Length: 385 pages

Source: Library

Other info: The others in the series are Soulless, Changeless, Blameless and Timeless. There is a graphic novel adaptation of Soulless. Gail is working on The Finishing School series for young adults.

Summary : Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant. Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?

Review: So, Alexia's baby's nearly due, and they have to find somewhere for her to live. Luckily, Lord Akeldama agrees to take the child in, leading to arguements in various forms. In other news, there's a plan to kill the Queen and the only source of info is a fading ghost, and Madame Lefoux seems to be building something that really has nothing to do with hats.

From start to finish, I was laughing. The first paragraph was enough to set me off, and seeing as I started Heartless in the middle of a bookstore, I got quite a few strange looks from those who couldn't understand what was so good. Poor them.

Alexia's pregnancy seems to have made her even more sharp and strong willed, much to the exasperation of the three men who are most heavily involved in her life. Their traits too have gone to the next level,   with Conall being more irritable at little things in a comical way, Lyall being more organised and ready for everything, and Akeldama being nope...Akeldama. If you've read these books, you'll know.

Lyall gets a huge amount of backstory revealed. As well as the plot to bring Conall to Woolsey, we also delve into Lyall's personal life. This leads to me shipping LyallxBiffy for all it's worth, as well as putting Alexia in an awkward situation regarding her husband's best friend and her father.

After gallavanting off to Scotland and Italy, it's nice to return back to the more familiar London. Madame Lefoux's steampunk designs are a huge part in Heartless, with a dramatic showdown near the end. We got good insight into (vampire) hive dynamics, and ends with some very unexpected events.

I love Alexia's fighting spirit. Throughout, she's almost into labour (and actually is in labour by the end). But she still keeps going, regarding her child as, while it is still inside her, a minor inconvenience.

Gail's writing is a bit more mature, featuring a lot of more adult references. Conall's attempt to phrase why Lyall and Biffy would not make a good couple ("both too much the Beta") is particularly note worthy, as are half the things that Akeldama comes out with. It's not enough to mark this as 18 and over, but for innocent little people, some things may go over their heads. And as always, there's the wordy jokes and sarcasm and general attitudes of the characters that make this a thoroughly enjoying read.

Important to note-at a gathering with London's important vampires, when a giant octopus is on the march,  treacle tart is the thing most deserving of protection.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to the most engaging, most interesting, and by far the most fun book in the series so far.

Links: | Goodreads | Author website |

Guest Post- Willow Rose on the inspiration for Savage

Hello! Today, we welcome Willow Rose,  to talk about her inspiration for her fantasy/paranormal romance, Savage.

Where did the inspiration to Savage come from? I get that question a lot and it is so hard to answer in just a few sentences. Because where do inspiration come from? I for one have no idea. I get it from everything and everyone around me. From people I meet, from articles I read and movies I watch. For me a book starts with the characters. The characters and their story come to me. I like to say that they "pop up" in my head. That is the best way I can describe it. The characters are just there all of a sudden with their backgrounds and problems and then they start to do stuff and talk to other people and soon there is a whole story that I simply have to tell or else I will burst. The main character Christian in Savage is somewhat inspired by my husband. Back in '83 when he was 19 years old he was sent to Florida by his parents to live with a very wealthy family just like Christian in Savage. My husband's experiences coming from a small country Denmark to the big USA in the 80'ies are very similar to those of Christian, yet they do not share backgrounds.  Christian has lost his mother in a young age and that has had a huge impact on who he is and why he acts the way he does. He matures a lot throughout the book and love changes him from being a selfish self-centered boy into a young man.

The female characters that Christian meets in the haunting house next door are my favorites in this book. They are so innocent and childlike yet very wise and magical. I like to say that they are inspired by my daughters and I have also dedicated the book to them. I have two young girls of four and six years and then I have a wonderful step-daughter who is twenty-three. Those three combined makes this world a magical place. As does the female characters in Savage. I simply adore them and I know everybody else will too. They are so lovable. I have a hard time letting go of them and think I will write many books about them. First of all I will write three books about the main character Christian and his great love Aiyana.  It is sort of a family-saga really. In the first book he is in his twenties and so is she. In the second book they have kids of their own and are in their thirties with all the problems and seriousness that comes with being that age. In the last book they will have young teenagers and face completely new challenges. I am also planning on doing a book about Aiyana, the magic spirit-filled Native American girl that he falls hopelessly in love with. About her and when she first discovers who and what she really is. I might also do a book about her sister who does telekinesis and their grand-mother who predicts natural disasters. I love those characters so much that they each deserve their own book. Sometimes I love them so much that they themselves become an inspiration to me.

The year is 1983. Christian is 22 years old when he leaves his home in Denmark to spend a year in Florida with a very wealthy family and go to med-school. A joyful night out with friends is shattered by an encounter with a savage predator that changes his life forever. Soon he faces challenges he had never expected. A supernatural gift he has no idea how to embrace. A haunting family in the house next door. A spirit-filled girl who seems to carry all the answers. An ancient secret hidden in the swamps of Florida. One life never the same. One love that becomes an obsession. Two destinies that will be forever entangled.

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willowredrose

twitter: @madamwillowrose

blog: http://www.willow-rose.blogspot.com/

Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13648992-savage

Book Review- Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Title: Lies Beneath

 Author: Anne Greenwood Brown

Series:   Lies Beneath #1

Published:  12 June 2012 by Random House

Length: 303 pages

Warnings: Violence, killer mermaids, a little romance, 12+

Source: netgalley

Other info: Book 2, Deep Betrayal, will be released March 2013

Summary : Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Review:  Calder is a merman.  A killer one. He and his sisters Maris, Tallulah and Pavati prey on humans, kill them for food. But this time, their target is different-they’re targeting Jason Hancock, who they blame for their mother’s death. Calder is told to seduce the daughter, Lily. This doesn’t work. Calder falls in love with her. In time though, Lily starts thinking more and more about those legends of the monsters in the lake, and Calder’s cover may be blown. On other counts, the sisters want the love interest’s father dead. Really soon.

KILLER MERMAIDS. That sums up why I really wanted to read this.  I kind of dislike mermaids that are generally boring. But these are really interesting versions. Oh, and we also have killer mer-MEN too. Sea creatures are generally female, so this was a nice breath of fresh air.

Lily and Calder fall in love really easily, which is a bit annoying. Actaully, it’s very annoying. Instalove is not good, just because i wonder how it happens. I’m sure it doesn’t happen  in real life. It’s also half-stereotypical circumstances they fall in love with-guy is meant to be doing something bad to girl, girl is in real danger, they fall in love anyway. Actually, not half stereotypical-very stereotypical. It would be nice if the guy fell in love with the girl and then killed the girl/her family anyway.

It’s really nice seeing things from the non-human POV. And from a merman’s perspective.  Whose sisters get  a little crazy in the insane, psychotic, way. Water based creatures are interesting but not seen enough of. It’s interesting how the mermaids can survive perfectly well on land and in the air.  Typical mermaid lore puts them in the water full time, and there’s nothing to say they’ve been enchanted or anything. So you can’t really call them mer-people. More like amphi-people.

Lots of different things happen, some of which you care about, many of which you don’t. It’s a bit predictable and simple, and I don’t really care. The romance took up too much of the plot considering we were promised much more interesting things in the summary, and it’s all quite typical in terms of what paranormal romance things were incorporated.

The male POV, and the general writing style, is good. You understand everything  that happens and it’s easy enough to  pick up on the surroundings, what with the description and stuff. It’s also quite slow and filled with some obligatory lifesaving scenes and tortured male love interest feelings.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a book with a nice idea, that didn’t turn out as well as it could have done.

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Author website |

Book Review-Angel Dust by Sarah Mussi

Title: Angel Dust

 Author: Sarah Mussi

Series:  N/A

Published:  2 August 2012 by Hot Key Books

Length: 352 pages

Warnings: violence and romance, 11+

Source: Publisher

Other info: Sarah has also written The Door of No Return and The Last of the Warrior Kings.

Summary : Would you move heaven and earth for the one you love? ANGEL DUST is a powerful, gritty and utterly modern tragic love story with a twist. When Serafina, the brightest and most beloved of all God's angels, is sent to collect Marcus Montague - the original badman - and take him to Hell, she finds herself powerfully drawn to him and makes a decision that places her in the middle of a war between Heaven and Hell. Can Serafina fall in love without falling from grace? Can Marcus's soul be saved? And just who is the mysterious and ever-so-helpful stranger Harry?

Review: Serafina is an angel, who has been sent to collect dead souls. One night, she goes to a night club to collect Marcus-but then falls in love with him. Because she can, she makes a deal with mysterious Larry as an extension on Marcus's life. Serafina now has until Halloween to get Marcus to repent- otherwise he goes to Hell.

The first thing I picked up on was Serafina's voice. It's got a distinctive quality to it that I can only really describe as being whiny. There's a lot of refering to Heaven and such, and also a lot about her-more than I'd expect an angel to. Serafina is also over-excited about something-there's an overabundance of exclamation marks, at least to start with, and then a little further on.

The characters are good. Marcus's friends are all your stereotypical London gangsters, but Marcus and his family had a bit more to them. Serafina, while not being all that likable due to her narration style, is built up well.

The Heaven and Hell that Sarah's built up is good. It's not the most interesting one I've seen, but the set up was what we're familiar with, with all happy clouds for Heaven and smoke for Hell.

I was slightly disappointed in the Devil character. He was fun, but not that deep. Same goes for all the characters really.

The romance was nicely done, with Serafina's love for Marcus being evident from start to finish-even if I couldn't really understand why she was in love with him for a reason other than a pretty face.

I liked the plot idea and the setting. It was well developed, and there's a slightly gritty feel to it.

The ending is a little bit confusing. It all happens quite fast and it does feel like, for little bits of it, in-world logic has been twisted to create the ending.

The story of Serafina's standing in Heaven due to her love is the most interesting thing. The most satisfying thing is seeing her dropped into the middle of London, and her being unable to get by without money. With the use of scenes like this and her confrontations with various characters, Serafina's definitely grown up.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a different take on angels with good romance and setting. Best not read if you want a heroine you don't want to kill for her narration skills.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website |