Review ~ Fallen (After #1) by Traci L. Slatton

Paperback received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: 12th July 2011

Publisher: Parvati Press

Description:

As chaos descends on a crippled Earth, survivors are tormented by strange psychic gifts. In this time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test. One woman with mysterious healing power guides eight children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. But at the moment of their sweetest love, his devastating secret is revealed, and they are lost to each other.

My Opinion

It was the premise that caught my attention with this book. I liked the idea of the Mist as it wasn't going to be the standard paranormal novel. It also had strange powers, the promise of romance and a dystopian theme so obviously it sounded like my kind of book. However, having finished the book I feel a little let down as the book didn't live up to what I thought it would be.

The book started off really well and did catch my attention. It set everything up nicely and portrayed Emma as a strong determined female lead. It was also tense and introduced the subject of the Mist well. It showed how deadly it was and it also hit upon a mother's love for their child. However I felt that as the book went on this atmosphere was lost. Emma stayed strong throughout though which was good but I couldn't connect with her. I wanted more thoughts, to see inside her mind and get her opinion, especially as this book is written in 1st person.

For me there was just too much text and not enough speech - and the speech that was there felt very stiff. It made the book very slow to read and dense so I found myself skimming sections, especially nearer the end. I felt that there was a lot of unnecessary description that didn't really add anything to the story and there were parts that were underdeveloped which I wanted to know more about. For example the whole paranormal aspect is never really explained very well. We get a little idea about the mist but have to wait until the penultimate chapter for it to be revealed, which was frustrating. Also the abilities created by the mist weren't really developed well for me. Emma had a healing ability but I didn't understand how it worked and why she couldn't heal herself or certain condition and I wasn't keen that the author made the character unwilling to learn as for me it felt like an easy way of not having to come up with the back story. I wanted to know the limits of the ability, how they were created and what triggered it. It needed to be more developed. 

As well as this I didn't really understand the setting.  I think it was in Paris (can't be sure though). Slatton created such a diverse range of nationalities in her cast of characters that it became slightly unrealistic as it just didn't seem to fit with the location. It was hard to keep up with who was who and then it led to questions to why were they in Paris to begin with when the Mist hit - something that wasn't really explained.

My biggest issue with the book though was the relationship. The description implies a "sweet" romance but it just felt wrong to me. The first time Arthur appears, Emma basically gets him to look after her and the children by offering sex. After that Arthur seemed to force himself upon Emma and she some how went from being reluctant to pleased by it within a matter of seconds. It was unrealistic and kind of creepy. I couldn't see how she would fall for him after stuff like that and it didn't make him likable. 

Overall, although there is something I can't put my finger on that kept me reading. However, Fallen was just too slow for me to engage with it. For me it needed to be broken up a lot more with speech or shorter sentences to change the pace every now and then. It also needed more development in terms of the paranormal aspect. The premise has potential and I think with work it could be an interesting book however for me I feel slightly indifferent and that it was just an average read right now.

Review ~ Oath Bound (Unbound #3) - Rachel Vincent

Paperback purchased by myself

Release Date: 30th April 2013

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Description:
The Tower Syndicate will fall... 

The secret daughter of the head of an infamous Skilled crime family, Sera Brandt has hidden her past, her potential and especially her powers. But when a tragedy strikes her other family, Sera needs justice. And the only way to get it is to reveal her heritage–including a rare Skill–and take the reins of the Tower Syndicate from her cunning and malicious aunt.

If he can figure out how... 

Kristopher Daniels might have the answer. He's fought the syndicate to protect his sisters, but he'd never realized just how close to the new heir he needed to get....

And if they can survive 

Neither is used to trusting. But there's something between them that can't be ignored. And so Sera is on the run with a man she can't figure out, a target on her back and the new knowledge of just how powerful she really is....

My Opinion

I had this book on pre-order and I was so excited when it arrived - I was literally jumping around the room. However because of exams season as much I was dying to read it I had to put it on my pile and wait as I wanted to spend a whole day getting lost in Rachel's world rather than stop and start reading it in between the millions of other things that had to be done. Anyway I have finally made time to read this book, thanks to a beautiful sunny day and it was definitely worth waiting for!

I love this series as it is so much darker than Vincent's other work. There is loads of action and the setting is original, brilliant and really intriguing. I loved Sera's witty and take-no-nonsense attitude that was established right from the beginning and it developed well throughout the entire book. She also had a vulnerable side that appears at times which was a nice change as you could really feel for her loss. Other times though there were moments when I was laughing out loud to myself with some of the comments made which was a nice change from the darker undertone. Gran was definitely a nice addition too and her comments like "I like her" when choosing Sera over Kris really put a smile to my face. I could relate and picture it easily.

This book engaged me and kept me hooked right from page one. The storyline is unpredictable and well structured so that you find things out at the right time and aren't left with any questions. I especially like how the author has used different characters for each installment in the series. Although Liv (from book one) is still my favourite - and thankfully still in the others slightly - I also like the other characters as they bring a fresh set of personalities, history and stories to the series which I enjoy discovering around the action.

This book was fast-paced and I really hope for another book in the series. I'm slightly annoyed the publisher has changed the size of the book because now they don't fit right on my shelf but that's a moot point when the book is this good. As well as this I really enjoyed the conflict in Kris and Sera's relationship. They were both stubborn, strong and determined to be right and what starts as a serious point of kidnapping turns into a funny ritual when questioned about it.

The only thing I wanted more of was the action at the end to big bigger and longer. Personally it felt a bit abrupt and too little people but that is my only complaint and it didn't stop me enjoying the book in the slightest - I think it's more a case of me wanting it to last longer.

Overall Rachel Vincent is one of my favourite authors and this series is definitely my favourite out of all her work (I've read it all)! Her writing style is brilliant and she crafts imaginative, believable and original worlds that keep you hooked and sat on the edge of your seat as you turn the pages to find out what happens next. I would highly recommend not only this book but every book by this author! If you haven't read anything by her you are seriously missing out. Go buy it!

Review ~ If I should Die (Revenants #3) - Amy Plum

Paperback purchased by myself

Published: May 1st 2013 by Atom

ISBN: 1907411046

Description

I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.

Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.

It shouldn't be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.

After what we've already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying - to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others - so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?

This is the final book in a series. I haven't included as much detail in the review due to the fact I didn't want to include spoilers.

My Opinion 

After the impossible cliff hanger the second book in the series left me on I couldn't believe I was going to have to wait a year to get my hands on this book. To make matter worse it was released during the middle of my exams so only now have I found a chance to read it as I didn't want to break the story up but rather read it the whole way through, due to it being a final installment.

I'm always nervous starting the final book in a series and besides having to force myself not to flick to the end to find out if everything will be OK, I worry the author won't do the series justice. However I should have guessed from Amy Plum's previous writing style that she would resolve everything well with no loose ends so that the reader feels satisfied and happy. For once I thought a series came to a natural resolve and conclusion without being stretched out or forced.

I wasn't sure how the author was going to fit all the detail into one final book but the answer is simple. It is action packed with never a dull moment! It kept me turning the pages from start to finish and I was hooked throughout the entire novel. The story moves at a fast pace and although it just touched on a few bits I would have liked more detail on (Kate's friends) there was enough so as not to confuse and keep your understanding and interest. 

As well as this it brought on many emotions from me, sad, happy, laughter I went through them all at certain parts of the story and I couldn't tear myself away from the engaging and believable characters. I like how Kate came into her own in this book due to Vincent's absence and although I did predict some of the twists a lot earlier than they were revealed it didn't stop me enjoying the rest of the book as when I got to it, it was not only better than expected but Plum's writing describes everything beautifully to hook the reader's imaginations and draw them into the spectacular world she has created. 

Overall I would highly recommend this series to everyone who loves romance, Parisian settings, the paranormal or YA. Amy's writing is beautiful to read like the worlds she creates are enthralling and exciting. The characters will take you on an emotional journey and you grow to love the whole revenant family. This final book resolved everything brilliantly and I was left satisfied with the ending that although leaves it open for another book seems final enough if there never is.

Review ~ Don't Fear the Reaper (Netherworld #1) - Michelle Muto

Ebook received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Published: September 23rd 2011

ASIN: B005P4534O

Description

Grief-stricken by the murder of her twin, Keely Morrison is convinced suicide is her ticket to eternal peace and a chance to reunite with her sister. When Keely succeeds in taking her own life, she discovers death isn’t at all what she expected. Instead, she’s trapped in a netherworld on Earth and her only hope for reconnecting with her sister and navigating the afterlife is a bounty-hunting reaper and a sardonic, possibly unscrupulous, demon. But when the demon offers Keely her greatest temptation—revenge on her sister’s murderer—she must uncover his motives and determine who she can trust. Because, as Keely soon learns, both reaper and demon are keeping secrets and she fears the worst is true—that her every decision will change how, and with whom, she spends eternity.

My Opinion

I'm not sure why but for some reason I kept putting off reading this book. I don't know why as I was excited when I first got it but now I have read it I can't believe I waited so long to pick up this book. It was a really great read that I couldn't put down once I started.

The storyline was well constructed and interesting. It was also surprisingly original. I wasn't sure how Michelle was going to develop the reaper side of things but I really enjoyed it and can honestly say it was a new take on the paranormal characters that I have read about before. I also loved the after-life aspect. Although it was related to Heaven, Hell and Purgatory and used that as a basis, I liked how the author developed the earth-bound characters and changed how we think of the after-life. One thing I really enjoyed was reapers being the enforcers rather than just death-bringers. 

Because of this different take and Banning's relationship with Keely he was a character I could really feel compassion for and connect with. He contrasted well with Daniel's personality and the two together were great. They had a few funny moments and others where they split your opinion with their view. I also liked how Daniel developed, I'm not sure if there is anything going on with Keely or if there will be but it was subtle concern that helped me grow to like him by the end.

With the way the book started I was a bit wary about it being a book that covers teen and hard hitting issues. Now, I know death and grief is one of these but it was more the suicide aspect that I think helped put me off reading this book. I understand why it was needed and it wasn't as bad as I expected. As well as this thankfully that was the only way it was majorly involved and the way Keely comes to deal with it (and Daniel's stages of grief/blunt nature) made it more interesting. I liked how Keely comes to accept and and her journey was filled with fast-paced moments and slower moments that kept my interest well and helped me engage with the story and characters well. 

The only thing I wasn't so keen on was how the story built itself around this mystery and secrets that were kept from Keely. There were some successful moments that I couldn't predict how parts would turn out, however the main ending I saw coming a mile away and for me, the rest of the mystery became slightly irrelevant as it didn't matter what happened. Once I figured out how the characters were going to get out of the situation the rest of the secrets became a little pointless. Although saying that, it didn't stop me reading as I was really enjoying the book. As well as this even though I knew how it would end when I got there it was executed well and had a good resolve that satisfies the reader while wanting to find out more if there is a sequel. 

Overall this was an enjoyable read that had an original take on a paranormal species and stands out from other books I have read in the genre that deals with these beings. The characters were interesting and engaging, as well as easy to relate to. Although it's predictable it was a nice read and if there is a sequel I will be looking forward to it.

4.5

          

Review ~ The Accident - Dorice Grey

Ebook received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Published: May 6th 2013

ASIN: B00COKLL98

Description

Miruna meets a mysterious young man which seems to follow her everywhere. Soon, she realizes that she is the only one who can see him, but he is not a ghost and she's pretty sure he is not just the result of her imagination, either. He has a secret mission. Will she find out what is all about with this man and what is he hiding?

My Opinion

It was a combination of the mystery created in the description and cover that made me accept this book. It sounded like my kind of thing and looked like a nice romance novel so I gladly accepted The Accident. As well as this standing at only 27,112 words it looked like a perfect quick read that could break up my revision in short bursts. Sadly though this novel (well novella) didn't really live up to my expectations.

At the start of the book we find out that Miruna has been in an accident and intrigue is built as to what is going to happen next, especially when a mystery man starts following her. However the writing quickly started to irritate me due to the weird use of punctuation. Besides the excessive use of exclamation marks in places they were not needed as they put an odd emphasis on utterances,  the author also uses elipsis (...) continuously in random places that didn't require it. I tried to find a pattern but couldn't and not only did this lead to a break up in the flow of writing as I was constantly thinking "why is that there?" but it also had me re-reading parts with appropriate punctuation so the lines didn't sound so weird; either being shouted or with long pauses in between. 

As well as this the writing becomes repetitive with sentences frequently starting with "She did....She...She" or "he" one after the other. This was another thing that started to make my interest sway as it didn't engage me or keep me hooked. It needed more variations. As I mentioned I was reading this book as a break from revision so I decided I would read a chapter or two as a break, this plan did not go accordingly though as strangely this book has none! I know it's short in length but it was definitely too long to be one chapter and needed to be split into sections as there are readers like me who hate stopping mid chapter.

One thing I did like was the new take on angels and guardians with Adrian that I haven't come across before. It seemed more like a military organisation with the ID numbers and hierarchy and I thought it was original and interesting. However I do think it needs a lot of work as this is where the biggest problem arose. The concept was there but the writing is not. My biggest problem with the book is that the author more often than not 'tells' the audience rather than 'shows' them through description. It came across I was reading lists of facts and they didn't really build up a picture of what was going on or a relationship with any of the character. This also made the writing jumpy and lack fluency as a scene never really developed before the reader is thrown into another one. For me it needed a lot more description to help engage the reader and make it flow better. It would also have made it a longer read as it felt like the story was over before it started. 

As well as this when I did get to the end it was confusing and in my opinion really unoriginal. I won't tell you what it is in case you read this book but it is something I have been taught not to do since high school. Personally, when I read it, it rendered the rest of the book totally pointless and irrelevant and I was left feeling disappointed as it started to pick up slightly in the last 30 pages or so.

Overall I liked the concept of this book but I think it needs to go through some serious editing to fill in the gaps where the writing jumps, pick up the random punctuation and grammar/spelling errors and basically add more to the story as I feel it is under developed as it stands right now and leaves little for the reader to imagine or get lost in.

1.5

          

Review ~ The Metamorphosis of Elissa Brown (The Elissa Chronicles) - Rebecca Lawrance

Ebook received from the author in exchange for an honest review

ASIN: B00B10MFJM

Pages: 417

Description

Elissa Brown considers herself to be a bit of a nerd with her muddy orange hair and vaguely green eyes. The one feature that does set her apart from the crowd is her scars. Upon first inspection it would seem that, at some point in her life she was impaled through her head and her heart. She has no recollection of how she got these scars. The only person who could have told her is her mother who died before Elissa could remember her existence.
Unfortunately Elissa lives next door to the most sought after boy at college, Jaret, whom she pines for on a daily basis, conjuring all manner of imagined scenarios that she hopes will bring them together but to no avail.
Until one day Jaret does something completely unexpected that has rumours rife in the college and Elissa confused and desperate to know what he meant by it. Whilst seeking explanation and chasing her dreams Elissa fails to notice that the altercation between her and the love of her life has ignited other changes, changes that catapult her and her friends to delirious heights before the fairy tale warps into a nightmare where monsters and supernatural beings are a mere dormant strand of DNA away.

My Opinion

The Metamorphosis of Elissa Brown was and interesting novel that kept the suspense throughout the entire book. It started off quite slowly but soon picked up and was hard to put down as it made me questions what was going on, who people really were and why they were doing certain things.

The book starts off with quite an eerie atmosphere so the reader knows that something is not right. I loved this as it kept me guessing what was going to happen. As well as this the random messages from someone who goes by J only add to the suspense as they give little hints about a bigger plot that is developing.  

It takes a while for certain things to become clear but the author did a really good job of keeping the reader's interest even though the paranormal aspect wasn't revealed. The romance with Jaret was one of the ways I stayed interested. Like with everything else in the book I found myself questioning whether it was real or whether Jaret really was the 'bad' guy so it kept me reading as I wanted to find out who was playing Elissa.

There were however a few points I wasn't so keen on. When supernatural element was revealed around the 60%and I found out what everyone was I did feel slightly disappointed. Up until that point I thought the book was a really original story and believed that there was something new I hadn't read about before, yet when it all became clear the creatures were more of the standard paranormal species and I felt it ruined part of the originality and the eeriness as they were too common. The book still did keep my interest though as I wanted to find out what was going on so it didn't put me off.

The only other thing I had an issue with was some of the writing. Although it keeps your interest I feel that some parts can be cut down considerably as they were a little wordy and filled with too much description (especially the start). By the end though I think the author had got more into the style and flow of writing and this didn't seem to be a problem. As well as this I didn't really like the switching between the third and first person. I have read a few books where this works but for me in The Metamorphosis of Elissa Brown it broke up the writing too much for me as sometimes the story continued and other times they were just thoughts which confused me slightly. Maybe if they were just thoughts it would have worked better.

Towards the end the writing became more fast paced and action packed which was great. I was left feeling slightly confused about what was going on and there wasn't a definite resolve.   I don't know if there is going to be a sequel but it does leave you on a huge cliff hanger though that poses new questions.

Overall The Metamorphosis of Elissa Brown was an engaging and intriguing book. Parts of it were really original and it keeps you in suspense the whole way through. If you like paranormal, mysteries and romance I'd recommend checking out this book.

Rating: 3.5

                                     

Review ~ The Sweetest Dark (The Sweetest Dark #1) - Shana Abe

ARC received in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Expected release: 9th April 2013
ISBN: 9780345531704

Description
“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.”

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

My Opinion
The main thing that attracted me to this book was the cover, it is absolutely beautiful and now that I have read it I love how the smokey dress effect links in with the plot. I'm not normally a fan of books set in a historical setting but I know quite a bit about the WW1 so for once a book set in this time period intrigued me as there were paranormal elements.

I liked the originality of the story and how the author picked on different paranormal species. As well as this it was one I would have believed to normally be aimed at guys so it was a nice twist to take dragons and turn them into a book girls would love. 

The romance in this book was the main thing I liked. It was developed well and consistent throughout, I may have liked a little more passion but it was in keeping with the time period so may have looked slightly odd if the author had. Jesse was definitely my favourite character and I fell in love with his personality. I was a bit colder towards Armand but by the end I had grown to like him too. 

As well as this for once I actually liked the fact that Lora is an orphan. Generally if I read anything like this in description it turns me straight off a book as I find them full of cliches and the same stereotypical drama. The Sweetest Dark however did none of this and I thought that Shana Abe did an excellent job of creating an interesting character that doesn't use their past as a way to create sympathy by bringing it up every second. I fell in love with Lora because of her actions and quick wit not because she whined about her past and pitied herself.

There were a few things that  I didn't like though. For one, the writing at times was quite jumpy and moved from one scene to the next abruptly with the use of an asterisk rather than the author filling in what happens during the blank moments. I can handle this a few times in a book but sometimes there was only 2/3 paragraphs in between and at times it felt like the author didn't know how to link up sections with detail so resorted to missing it out altogether. As well as this at random points in the book a few letters were used as chapters. Although they are cleared up towards the end and I understood at that point, while reading them they became increasingly annoying as I had no idea who was meant to be reading/writing them, who they were for, or what they signified. This added to the jumpy nature of the book and broke up the flow.

Overall though The Sweetest Dark was an enjoyable read, and I liked how the action picked up towards the end. It's a book that makes you fall in love with the characters and I'm glad I have received the sequel via NetGalley too so I can start it straight away.

3.5

Devil's Bargain (Red Letter Days #1) - Rachel Caine

Description
Jazz Callender is an ex-cop struggling to prove her partner's innocence after he is sent to prison for murder, and she's willing to take whatever help comes along ... but she's about to make a bargain with the devil. Approached by a mysterious, attractive stranger with a check and a business offer, she finds herself plunged deep into a world where nothing is as it seems - not James Borden, Attorney At Law, who fascinates her even as she doubts his honesty; not Lucia Garza, her beautiful, brilliant new partner with hidden depths and secrets; not The Cross Society, who seems to be able to know more about the cases she's being sent to investigate than Jazz does herself. With each new revelation, Jazz and Lucia uncover a world of psychic predictions and unseen forces, and find themselves playing not just for keeps, but for souls. With lives at stake, Jazz finds that every choice she makes is dangerous ... even the one to fall in love.

My Opinion

I received the sequel Devil's Dues via Netgalley earlier this month so I purchased this after finding out it was the first in the series. 

This book was an interesting read. Detective novels aren't usually my thing but this had a paranormal aspect that gave it an interesting twist. To begin with the book was slightly confusing but this kept me hooked as I wanted to find out what was happening and who was behind everything. I really liked the action in this book, the fights, stake outs and general P.I work were described well and made the book an exciting read. As well as this I love Jazz, she had a hard, cold nature but also showed a vulnerable side. She knew how to handle herself and was a great, strong female lead.

The relationships and characters were developed well and became increasingly more obvious as the book went on. Although I wouldn't class the book as a romance as this was more of an undercurrent it added a extra layer to the book that made it harder to put down.

Overall this was an interesting read that became clearer as I read on. It's full of action and great female leads and would strongly recommend reading it to anyone who loves paranormal/mystery/detectives/female leads in a novel.

Enigma Black - Sara Furlong Burr

Description
When she was just seventeen, the course of Celaine Stevens' life was permanently altered with the murders of her father, mother, and brother in one of a series of mysterious and violent explosions occurring across the country. Struggling with picking up the pieces, she's haunted by the memory of that day and her promise of retribution against those responsible for her misery. But just as she seems to be getting her life back on track, an encounter with a mysterious stranger promises her the vengeance she desires, ultimately turning the former target into the assassin.

However, as she soon learns, all choices come with consequences. And the consequence of her choice threatens to destroy the very fabric of her being.

My Opinion

All I can say is wow! This book surpassed all of my expectations and kept me hooked from beginning to end and I'm glad I received the professionally edited copy so I could read it without any trouble. This book is faced paced, action packed and took me on an emotional ride.

I loved Celiane, she had a dry sarcastic sense of humor which I adored and made me laugh on occasions  She was also strong willed and determined but Sara cleverly interwove moments of vulnerability to create an engaging character that I could sympathise with. Also because of this vulnerability it justified her actions, which created a solid and strong story line. As well as this the two guys, Chase and Blake were total opposites. Chase being the sweet, caring, shoulder to cry on and Blake the partner who has had his emotions drilled out of him. These two really played with my emotions through out the book as their relationships with Celiane changed but I loved the difference in personality as it made it all the more interesting to read.

In Enigma Black the action is constructed incredibly well, it is fast paced but filled with loads of detail that leaves everything easy to imagine and visualise. I loved it when Celaine turned into her cold 'super hero' version of herself and the confrontations with The Man in Black were brilliant. The start did confuse me slightly as it is written from multiple POV but that was down to the fact we hadn't been introduced to everyone. After that I had no trouble and towards the end I had the moment of "Oh I get the beginning now" which was great as it linked nicely. 

The only bad thing I have to say about this book is the cliff hanger ending! It definitely leaves you wanting to know more and I don't know if I can wait too long to find out what happens next. Overall this book is an engaging, action packed story that will take you on an emotional ride and keep you hooked all the way to the end. I would highly recommend this to anyone and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment!

Book Spotlight - Viviana by Georg Freese

Viviana

Description
Viviana loves her man Bartolomeo, who does not love her as much any more. This tense tale of love and blood takes place in 18th century Venice, where Viviana and Bartolomeo dwell in a mansion with their five brethren; their coven of Vampires. As Bartolomeo's mistress, Viviana presides over the coven, but when a new girl, Nicoletta, joins the family and begins to challenge her, Viviana finds herself fighting both to assert her place and to regain Bartolomeo's love.

Genre: Vampire/Gothic/Romance



Links: http://www.vivianabook.blogspot.com/

About the Author
Georg Freese has lived in Europe, South America and the United States, observing and learning from different cultures and peoples. His narrative is intimate and brazen, compelling readers with dangerous storylines.

History and Fantasy are his main inspirations, though the themes of his works, albeit set in ancient lands or mystic realms, always pertain to human nature and the force of circumstances, honoring the old proverb, "adversity reveals the true character of an individual.

Book Spotlight -Shadows of the Past by Carmen Stefanescu

Shadows of the Past

Description
Anne's relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a
week vacation in hopes of reconciling. But fate has other plans for them.

The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world-
-one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest. This new world threatens
not only to ruin Anne and Neil's vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to
help free Genevieve's soul from its torment.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest?

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves
together into a quest to rekindle love.

Publish date: 4th December 2012
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing

Genre: paranormal/light romance/light horror.

Trailer

Buy Links: 

Amazon.com , Amazon.uk , Amazon.de , Barnes & Noble ,  Wild Child Publishing

About the Author

Carmen Stefanescu was born in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.
Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world, that of the books.

She has dreamt all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989 and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

Follow her Here:

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http://openbooksociety.com/article/shadows-of-the-past-by-carmen- stefanescu-book-release/

Book Spotlight - Hidden (Hidden Series) by M Lathan

Hidden

Description
Everyone keeps secrets. But Leah's secret means the difference between life and death. Earth and Hell.

Sixteen-year-old Leah Grant is one year away from leaving the Catholic orphanage where she has lived since she was two months old. She's barely spoken a word since getting magical powers at twelve, the day she learned she was the last of Satan's creatures left on Earth, the only one to escape the mass extinction after her kind tried to take over the world. Barely speaking keeps her alive, and taking the torment her bullies dish out keeps them alive.

But it isn't in her nature to be pushed without consequence forever. She was made to punish. At least, that's what she believes until she falls in love, and now she'll do anything not to let her secret tear them apart.

But the more she exposes about herself, the closer she will get to being captured for her powers that the evil covet and the good must end for the safety of us all.

Genre: YA Fiction, Paranormal

Link: Amazon

About the Author

M. Lathan spends her time reading and writing YA fiction with a needy mini schnauzer on her lap. Hidden is her first novel, and she is currently working on the second of the series to be released soon.

Follow Her Here:

Blog

Dark Application - Brian Krogstad & Lindsey Waterman

Description
Luke Jeffers is a student at Brafferton Community College in Fort Christanna, Virginia. Like any other college guy, he dreams about Amy, his grade-school crush, and finds time to party on the weekends while struggling to make his meager budget pay his bills. But unlike anyone else, Luke has discovered the secret Department of Defense Application for Remote Kinetics that unlocks a whirlwind of shocking events, and changes Luke's life direction forever.

While working as an intern at a Computer Information Systems research facility, Luke secretly downloads games from the main server onto his smart phone. Unbeknownst to him, Dark Application is also installed on his phone. And once Dark Application is installed on a phone, it can never be removed. Suddenly Luke's life takes on utterly unpredicted changes; he passes his first Chemistry exam, he mysteriously acquires a large sum of money, and he finally gets the girl of his dreams go out with him on Valentine's Day. Slowly the Dark Application sucks him in, and he becomes addicted and unable to put it down.

Lurking just around the corner in this thriller are horrific secrets and mystery that land Luke in a world of hurt, and he becomes entangled in a web of murder, lies, and criminal activities that shock the town and lead to his ultimate destruction. Dark Application: One, is the technothriller of the iPhone era and a fast-paced, quick read, that will lead into the next book of The Dark Application Series.

My Opinion
Standing at 26,391 words (100 pages) this book was an incredibly quick read that took only a few hours to read. Even though it was a shorter book than I would have normally like there was a lot of content packed into it. 

Dark Applications had a unique, modern and interesting concept as it followed Luke Jeffers when his life started to slowly be controlled by an app he downloaded. There was a lot of action included in the short amount of pages and it did keep you hooked when reading. It made you want to read on and find out what the phone was going to make him do next. The start also gripped me. It intrigued me into what had happened and linked with the ending nicely. I really didn't see the way it ended coming.

However sometimes the book lacked detail and jumped from once scene to the next quite rapidly. Although this didn't confuse me, I would have liked to have had more of a back story and for it to 'show me' with description rather than 'telling me' as I couldn't really connect with the characters as the book stands now. Also I found myself questioning the believe-ability of the plot and whether or not someone would really just follow a message on the phone without question. For me it just didn't seem realistic but maybe that was because of the little description or maybe it needed smaller tasks before building up to following directions.

As well as this the writing did become a little repetitive. I don't mean the story line but rather the sentence structure. Quite often there were occurrence where sentences that followed on from each other started with the same word "She...She...She..." I think the book could use another edit to pick up on this to help the writing flow smoother and not become repetitive.

Overall this was an interesting read that has both good and bad points. It was original, action packed and surprising which was great considering it is such a short book. For me though it wasn't as believable as I would have liked and the lack of detail made it hard for me to engage with the characters. I think this book could be really interesting if it goes through another edit so the repetitiveness is removed and it shows the reader instead of telling them.

Souled Out (Ell Clyne #1) - Blakely Chorpenning

Description

Ell Clyne is lost living someone else’s life. But reading souls to save the fate of a loved one seemed like a fair trade. At first.

The lie has cost Ell her family, her future, her very soul. Now the secret is out and the vampires want answers. Becoming a pawn in her own conspiracy and being abducted more times than a psychiatrist might recommend, Ell just wants to stay alive and reclaim her life without burning something down. Oops, something else.

This is the story of a girl who isn’t a superhero or a badass, but manages to fight for her place in a cold-blooded world regardless of the pain caused by that empty space where her soul should be.

 

My Opinion

It was the description that drew me to this book when I received the request. The concept sounded original and it intrigued me into wondering what Ell Clyne was. The book was interesting and kept me hooked throughout a long train journey. I liked Ell's character, she took no nonsense and could be quite witty at times, a few of which made me laugh, especially towards the start. I loved it when she went crazy but it was also great when we got to see her more vulnerable side. Chorpenning did a great job with balancing the character's emotions so it wasn't one sided. Also, because of this it meant it was easy to relate and engage with Ell. I will admit that there were times I didn't like her and my brain was screaming "What the hell did you do that for!" but that made the book better as it meant it had enthralled me in the world. 

The book was really well written. It gave me enough detail to satisfy my curiosity but did not reveal everything at once. Also it did not overly describe objects, surroundings etc which I loved as it left something to my imagination (I don't like it when book describe every minute detail with flowery language). I found myself a little confused at times but after re-reading the paragraph/section or reading on a few pages it was cleared up easily enough. 

One thing I didn't like/understand is why Gabriel, Seth etc had to be vampires. For me it added nothing to the book and I would have rather Chorpenning make up or use another mythological character related to Ell's job more as it would have been more interesting and unusual. In my opinion it didn't make sense for vampire to want the souls of prospective humans to be read as the book didn't give much background detail on this aspect. In all honesty, for me, it made the book less original as the vampire thing has been done hundred of times now and I don't believe this book needed them. I don't think I would have minded so much if they acted like vampires but besides one feeding, fire and their strength nothing else was related to vampires. 

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to paranormal lovers. It does keep your interest, there was a lot of action and the main character - Ell - was great. However it could have done without the vampires. For me it lumped an enjoyable/partly original (Ell's job and soul element) book into the swamped vampire genre when it wasn't needed. This book would be able to stand on its own if the vampires were changed but for me, as it stands, it is lost as a vampire book. 

3.5

 

Scarlette - Davonna Juroe

Description
Find the Beast ~ Find the Cure

Scarlette, an 18-year-old peasant, lives under a dark threat. A nightmarish creature lurks in the surrounding forest, killing the villagers one by one. When Scarlette's grandmother survives an attack, Scarlette learns that her grandmother hasn't suffered the bite of just any normal animal.

Now desperate, Scarlette searches throughout her province to find a cure. But there are those who want to keep their pasts hidden. As she begins to uncover the dark secrets of her village, Scarlette is befriended by a local nobleman and a woodcutter who share a gruesome history with the beast. To save her grandmother, Scarlette must unravel their mystery and solve an age-old crime. But as she pieces together the clues, Scarlette finds herself torn between the two men, both of whom want to be more than friends and hold the key to the cure.

What if Little Red Riding Hood was Real?

My Opinion
When I received a request to review this book I was interested by the dark, paranormal aspects. However I was slightly worried about the historical aspect of the book. I was unsure what to expect and was mostly concerned with how Juroe would use language, especially speech. All this was for nothing though and besides being based on old folklore and using a class system (peasants and nobels) I couldn't really say anything else was historical which was great.

I read this book in a few hours and although it took me a while to get into it, it did capture my interest and hold it all the way through the book. The plot was full of action, twists and turns that leave you guessing until the end and it was only a few chapters before the reveal when I figured out what was going on/who was behind what. I love a book that keeps you in suspense of who's good/bad, behind the events, or going to get together in a romance and this book definitely fulfilled that side of things. Juroe did a great job of revealing just the right amount of information to stop confusion but still create suspense. As well as this the romances (although not always pleasant) added extra interest and were intertwined in the story well so it flowed together without becoming disjointed.

There were a few things though that annoyed me slightly. The first was that although the book hooked you, for me it moved at a slow pace and some sections I found had a bit too much description which lead me to only skim read certain sections. For me there was quite a bit of unnecessary detail that did nothing to move the story along and left the me wondering why I needed to know it. As well as this I didn't really connect with the lead character Scarlette. I'm not sure why this is but I found her attitude at times irritating and she wasn't as strong as I would have liked. It got better towards the end but for me there was a connection missing. I'm also glad I didn't see the cover before I agreed to review this book as I didn't really like it and it would have probably put me off.

The biggest issue I had with this book was the originality. I have read a few books like this before and seen the dark retelling of Red Riding Hood (movie) and it seemed that there wasn't much variation. I know it was a retelling but for me there wasn't enough to differentiate it from others like it. But hey there are hundreds of vampire novels out there that all have the same theme so it shouldn't put you off if you like the genre.

Overall this book was and interesting read and had a few twists and turns that kept me hooked. It did however move at a slow pace with some scenes needing more development and editing for unnecessary details. I didn't connect with Scarlette but that maybe just me and even though the story isn't all that original it may be worth the read if you are interested in dark paranormal books or werewolves.