Book Review (64).

Bloodrose (Nightshade #3)

by Andrea Cremer

Publication: 3rd January 2012

Publisher: Philomel

Pages: 406

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

**Warning May Contain Spoilers From Previous Books In The Series**

Calla has always welcomed war. 

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

My Thoughts.

O.k I honestly don't know where to begin I loved the first two books in this series and when I got my copy of this book I was so excited, so I started reading it and then someone at work told me what happened and I simply did not want to continue but I did because I don't like to not finish books, of all the ways I imagined this series to end this was not it, I was so disappointed and to be honest I hated the ending and I kept putting the book down when I got towards the end because I didn't want it to end the way it did and I sort of figured if I never read the end it doesn't happen (wishful thinking I know).

And I find I'm not the only person who wasn't impressed by the end, don't get me wrong it wasn't all bad just the last quarter or so.

Ren comes to work with Calla, Shay, the pack and the searchers to take down the Guardians, cue fights and  jealousy from the two Alpha's Ren and Shay over Calla.

Of course Calla doesn't know who to choose so she just strings them along so she doesn't jeapordise the mission, her theory is if she doesn't decide before then their heads will still be in the game.

Some people die, there are some adventures in gathering the different swords to make up the Scion's final weapon, some relationship hook-ups and a final big battle.

That's about the gist of it, it's really too depressing to even think about this book, I don't think I will ever re-read this book but at least it looks pretty on my bookshelf next to the other two books in the series.

I give this 3/5.

Feature And Follow Friday (18).

Q: Have you ever looked at book’s cover and thought, This is going to horrible? But, was instead pleasantly surprised? Show us the cover and tell us about the book.

I wasn't a big fan at all of this cover but the saying is true never ever judge a book by it's cover, I have never cried so much in a book, it's about a boy who's face is terribly disfigured and his parents have decided that he'll attend grade 5 at an actual school rather than continue being home schooled, and how other kids react to a person with a deformity.

I gave this 5 stars and cannot say enough good things about it.

Book Review (63).

Frost (Stork #2)

by Wendy Delsol 

Publication: 11th October 2011

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

Pages: 384

Genre: Fantasy

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

*Warning May Contain Spoilers From The Previous Book In The Series*

In this sequel to STORK, Katla Leblanc has to employ her grit, spirit, and special gifts to rescue the boy she loves.
After the drama of finding out that she’s a Stork, a member of an ancient and mystical order of women, and that her boyfriend, Jack, is a descendent of the Winter People able to control the weather, Katla Leblanc is delighted when all signs point to a busy and peaceful Christmas. That is, until the snowstorm Jack summons as a gift to Katla turns into the storm of the century, attracting Brigid, a gorgeous scientist who, in turn, attracts Jack. Between the school play, a bedridden, pregnant mother’s to-do lists, and keeping an eye on her aging grandfather, Katla doesn’t have time to question Brigid’s motives or deal with Jack’s increasingly cold behavior. But Katla’s suspicions mount when Jack joins Brigid on a research expedition to Greenland, and when the two of them go missing, it becomes clear that Katla is the only one who can save her beloved Jack from the Snow Queen who holds him prisoner. Adventure, romance, and myth combine in this winter escapade for teens who like a bit of fire with their ice.

My Thoughts.

This was a good second book in the series, I mostly enjoyed the storyline but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book.

This book was missing a lot of the elements which made me fall in love with the first book, one thing in particular was the relationship between Kat and Jack, Professor Brigid Fonnkona has come to town to work with Kat's mothers boyfriend on environmental research Jack ends up working with them in hopes of learning how to control his ability to manipulate weather it's while doing so he spends all his time in the lab and with Brigid and no time with Kat, of course Kat gets jealous and there hardly seemed to be any interaction between them which is a major part of why I enjoyed the first book.

Jack ends up going to Greenland with Brigid and their team and while there both Jack and Brigid go missing so it's up to Kat who's on a holiday with her Grandfather in Iceland to save him.

There is also hardly any Stork related storylines and I missed the interactions especially between Kat and Hulda who is attacked by an unknown assailant and then we don't hear from her again until the end of the book.

There are also subplots with Kat's mother and her bed-ridden pregnancy, and Kat's grandfather is acting weird and seems to be forgetting things

This story is loosely based on Hans Christian Anderson's 'The Snow Queen" so anybody who knows the story will know how the plot plays out in this modern version.

I hope the next book in the series concentrates more on the relationship between the two of them as I feel that's where the interest in this series mostly lies.

I give this 3.5/5.

A Big Thanks To Joanna @ Walker Books Australia.

10 Book Covers With.....

Red Hair.

Book Review (63).

Stork (Stork #1)

by Wendy Delsol

Publication: 12th October 2010

Publisher: Candlewick

Pages: 355

Genre: Fantasy

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Family secrets. Lost memories. And the arrival of an ancient magical ability that will reveal everything. 

Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.

My Thoughts.

Having read quite a lot of paranormal/fantasy books I have never come across this type of storyline before which made this book fresh, exciting and made me eager to find out how it all ends.

Katla, 'Kat' for short has moved from L.A to Minnesota with her Mum after her parents divorce, it's while working at her Grandfather's shop that she develops an increasingly itchy head which unknown to her occurs when a member from the secret Stork Society wants to call a meeting, it just so happens that across the street from the store is a shop that sells fabric which is always closed, Kat a budding fashion designer notices someone in the shop and goes to see about purchasing some fabric, a little old lady who owns the shop drags her down to the basement and informs her that the group has been waiting for her to show up to claim the second chair explaining that she is part of the Stork Society who through dreams decide who should become pregnant with the babies that they see in their dreams.

Kat who after the meeting is very sceptical is also confused when what seemed a very long meeting only lasted a few minutes, after getting back to the store a boy Jack bringing a delivery asks her why she doesn't remember him, Kat has never seen him before and has no clue as to what he's talking about but he's adamant that she knows him frustrated he leaves and we find out that she has met him before but a tragic event involving them both resulted in Kat losing all memory of it.

We see Kat having her first dream about a new soul needing to be born and she has three candidates she has to choose from all people she knows, and Jack we find out is not your ordinary teenage boy.

There's also a resident baddie who because of the connection Kat and Jack have from the past incident wants to use them to wreak havoc and open a portal into another dimension.

I love the relationship between Kat and Jack and how well they're suited together, and I have quite a few favourite minor characters among them Kat's Dad and Hulda the head chair of the Stork Society, I also liked the Icelandic traditions and the use of Norse mythology which just gave the story that little bit extra.

All in all a great read and definately excited to read Frost the next book in the series.

I give this 4/5.

In My Mailbox (17).

In My Mailbox Is A Weekly Meme Hosted By Kristi The Story Siren.

Pre-Order

A Touch Morbid (A Touch Trilogy #2) - Leah Clifford

The Darkest Seduction (Lords Of The Underworld #9) - Gena Showalter

Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) - Lauren DeStefano

A Beautiful Evil (Gods And Monsters #2) -  Kelly Keaton

The Nightmare Garden (Iron Codex #2) - Caitlin Kittredge

Brought.

A Witch In Winter (Winter Trilogy #1) - Ruth Warburton

Book Review (62).

A Taste of Midnight (Midnight Breed #9.5)

by Lara Adrian 

Publication: 5th December 2011
Publisher: Dell
Pages: 70
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Appropriate: Adult


**Warning May Contain Spoilers From Previous Books In The Series**
For fans who have been been waiting to devour Darker After Midnight, as well as new readers tempted by the seductive thrills of her Midnight Breed novels, New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian offers up a tantalizing appetizer in A Taste of Midnight. In this spellbinding eBook novella of otherworldly desire, a woman whose destiny was born from a blood kiss discovers that second chances do come . . . even for immortals. 

A shimmering holiday gala lights up an ancient castle in the Scottish Highlands, but beautiful widowed Breedmate Danika MacConn feels alone in the crowd. Even among the friends and festivity of the Darkhaven celebration, she can’t forget her lost love, a fallen warrior of the Order. Her brief return to her mate’s homeland has become treacherous after rejecting the advances of a dangerous Edinburgh crime boss with a taste for blood sport. 

As Danika seeks to expose the vampire and his dark trade, she discovers an unexpected ally in his forbidding, enigmatic henchman, Brannoc, a man who exudes heat, danger, and dark menace--and seems somehow achingly familiar. Bran has his own reasons for wanting to keep Dani out of his employer’s business . . . and his own secrets he means to keep buried. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a woman who tempts the wildest part of his Breed nature--especially when that woman is Danika MacConn, the one woman capable of bringing him to his knees.

My Thoughts.

This short story was quite different in the way that it was a Breedmate's story and not someone from the Order although the Breedmate in question is the widow of Conlan who died while working for the Order.

The story takes place in Scotland where Danika is visiting Conlan's family with their son Connor, it's while at a party that she overhears a conversation about the arrival of an exotic shipment (humans) to use in their blood club, after the meeting breaks up she see's a man that seems vaguely familiar but she can't pinpoint exactly where she's seen him before, he's the bodyguard of the man Reiver importing the humans into the country.

Danika gets on the wrong side of Reiver and the bodyguard Brannoc warns her to stay away from Reiver who is the local crime boss.
It turns out Brannoc is undercover working to take down Reiver and that his real name is Malcolm and he was the best friend of Danika's deceased husband, Malcolm has been in love with Danika since then.
The fact that both Danika and Malcolm had been friends for so long helped make the storyline of them falling in love so quickly believable, although there was a brief cameo by Gideon I missed the order and let's face it that's why we read the books, so although the Order was mostly missing it was still alright.
And it's good for Danika to get a Happily Ever After.


I give this 3.5/5.

Book Review (61).

The Alchemy of Forever (Incarnation #1)

by Avery Williams 

Publication: March 2012

Publisher: Simon And Schuster Australia

Pages: 246

Genre: Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Price: $16.99

After spending six hundred years on Earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world's riches but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to take the bodies of other humans from jumping from one vessel to the next, ending the human's life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she's done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again. 

Then sixteen-year old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body while trying to save her. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she's inhabiting--and falling in love with the boy who lives next door. But Cyrus will stop at nothing until she's his again, and every moment she stays, she's putting herself and the people she's grown to care about in danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that's eluded her for centuries: true love?

My Thoughts.

I have been eagerly anticipating this book since I first heard about it quite a few months ago and it's been on my wishlist ever since then, so when I got sent a copy to review as you could of guessed I was very excited and I'm happy to say it was worth the anticipation.

Its the year 1349 and fourteen year old Seraphina is attending a masquerade ball with her parents, it's while taking a walk with a boy named Cyrus that two homeless people attempt to rob them and after Seraphina is stabbed Cyrus pulls out a vial which contains an elixir that will allow souls to move into another body so after talking her into it she takes the elixir and swaps bodies with one of the robbers who is female.

Flash forward to the present day and after being around for over 600 years and having gone through quite a few bodies Seraphina is ready to die, she's had enough and feels extreme guilt for all the lives she's taken (once her soul inhabits a body the person's soul dies) and Cyrus has become mean and abusive.

Her current body is dying so she finds it only fitting that she dies along with it, Cyrus hosts a party for her to choose a new body to inhabit but she drugs his wine and escapes she happens to come across a car accident where a sixteen year old girl Kailey is dying as Seraphina is trying to save her she gives in and takes over her body.

She wakes up in hospital and is immediately swept up into Kailey's life her family and friends and discovers that Kailey wasn't really all that nice a person, Seraphina finds herself attracted to the next door neighbour Noah a childhood friend of Kailey's who she would never acknowledge at school but hung out with at home.

And then Cyrus shows up looking for her and Seraphina has to decide whether to stay or run away.

I loved the plot for this book and eagerly await the next book, because after reading the last page I'm hanging to find out what's going to happen next.

I give this 4/5.

A Big Thanks To Caroline @ Simon And Schuster Australia.

Feature And Follow Friday (17).

Q: What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?

I picked one that has been announced to be filmed but they haven't yet cast any of the parts.

It is Paranormalcy - Kiersten White and cast as Evie I pick Candice Accola from The Vampire Diaries.

Book Review (60).

Lenobia's Vow (House of Night Novellas #2)

by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast

Publication: 31st January 2012

Publisher: St Martin's Griffin

Pages: 160

Genre: Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

The second in the enthralling new mini-series of novellas from the #1 bestselling authors of the House of Night, Lenobia's Vow tells the gripping story behind the House of Night's enigmatic riding instructor – and one of Zoey’s closest allies against evil

The House of Night is an international publishing sensation; with almost 12 million books in print, and an incredible 120 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, the series has taken the world by storm. Now, the excitement continues as the Cast mother-daughter duo shares the back stories of a few of the House of Night's most important – and mysterious – characters. The second of the House of Night Novellas brings us Lenobia, the strong, beautiful horseback riding instructor, who guides Zoey through some of her darkest hours, and has a dark secret buried in her own past...

In a small southern town at the turn of the century, young Lenobia is developing into a beautiful young woman with ideas of her own. But when she is Marked as a fledgling vampyre, her world turns upside down, and she is drawn to the musical streets of New Orleans. There, she learns of the city’s dark underbelly, ruled by powerful black magic. As Lenobia experiences her first love – and loss – and discovers a passion for horses to sustain her, she must come face-to-face with Darkness itself. And she may not escape without scars.

My Thoughts.

I'm a big fan of the House Of Night series and I love the novellas as it gives us a closer look into the past and present lives of the chosen characters.

This story is about Lenobia the horse whisperer, an ally of Zoey and her favourite professor.

Lenobia is the illegitimate daughter of a Baron, she lives in his house with her mother as the help, after her half-sister Cecilia dies Lenobia's mother coerces her into taking her place on a ship bound to America to marry a wealthy man.

On board is an evil Bishop who lived not far from the Baron's house and who has had his eye on her and is very creepy, Lenobia feigns seasickness for quite a while so she doesn't have to come out of her room and run into him, she starts taking early morning walks before everybody arises when she happens to come across the hold which is carrying two horses which are being transported to a buyer in America.

It's there she meets Martin who is looking after the horses on the voyage, he also happens to be the son of the man who purchased the horses and they eventually fall in love her problem though is staying away from the Bishop once he realises she's on board.

We also see Lenobia being marked with the moon crescent and her using her talent for talking to horses for the first time.

This also explains about her relationship with Martin which has only ever been hinted at in the House Of Night books and it's quite tragic and you end up feeling very sorry for Lenobia and I just hope her new relationship she started in the last HON book lasts.

I managed to finish this book in a few hours and I'm eager to read the next novella which is Neferet's and I want to find out what made her into the evil person she is.

I give this 4/5.

Australian Vs. U.S.A. Book Covers

The Hunt (Untitled #1)

by Andrew Fukuda

Australian.

American.

I think I prefer the Australian Cover mostly because I think the guy  is hot.

Book Review (59).

Hallowed (Unearthly #2)

by Cynthia Hand

Publication: 13th December 2011

Publisher: Harper Collins Australia

Pages: 448

Genre: Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

**Warning May Contain Spoilers From The Previous Book In The Series**

Clara Gardner knew that as a part angel she would one day have to fulfill her purpose, rescuing Christian from a forest fire...what she never considered was what might happen if she were to fail. 

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend Tucker, Clara must deal with the repercussions of what happened the day of the fire as the two boys vie for her heart. And, as she is drawn further into the world of angels and part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain after a shocking revelation, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning..

My Thoughts.

Cynthia Hand how could you do this to me, the dread I felt reading this book was awful I knew what was coming and I sort of hoped that it would work out and nobody would die but they did, and did I suffer from despair, my kleenex got quite a workout even before it happened, the way Cynthia handled that moment was perfect I felt that I was suffering Clara's grief and heartbreak with her and the way the book ended wow.

And now I'm conflicted in the first book I was definately Team Tucker but now I don't know, I really liked Christian in this book and he and Clara are perfect for each other but Tucker is the one she chose and I can't decide who she should be with, I've never ever jumped teams in a book before but because of Cynthia's amazing writing and the warmth and intrigue she brought to Christian's character I'm loving them both and am undecided I'm just wondering can she keep them both?

The book takes place pretty much straight after Unearthly and Clara and Tucker are together, Clara doesn't know what's going to happen now that she hasn't fulfilled her purpose, her Mum is still keeping secrets from her and Jeffrey seems to be hiding a big one from the day of the fire too.

Then Clara starts having a vision which takes place in her dreams of her at a cemetery, a funeral in fact of someone close to her and when she figures out who it is, it's heartbreaking I couldn't help but wish she was mistaken.

Angela has started an Angel Club which consists of Clara, Jeffrey, Christian and herself to discuss Angel topics, Clara who is trying her best to avoid Christian and Jeffrey who seems sullen and angry with everyone get together and share information of what they've learned so far.

Clara and Jeffrey's Mum take them to a camp which consists of all Angel-Bloods including Angela and Christian and it's there that they learn more about their Mum who doesn't seem very forthcoming with information about her life as an Angel and they also meet their Mum's best friend Billy.

Clara and Christian start spending more time together and Christian opens up more about his life and we also see one of his visions come to life while we also find out what Jeffrey and Angela's purposes are.

We also meet Clara's father and we find out the reason why he has been absent for most of her and her brother's lives and it's something I was not expecting.

This book was so good I would even say better than the first book which I absolutely loved.

While I finished this book last night I couldn't stop thinking about it, even at work I kept getting distracted by thoughts of it, it made that much of an impact on me and for a book to do that it's something very special.

I hate the thought of having to wait till next year for the third book to come out, I need to know now what will happen, I don't really have much patience so this is going to kill me, the anticipation of wondering what will happen next, who will she chose and will everything work out in the end.

I give this a huge 5/5.

A Big Thanks to Harper Collins Australia.

10 Book Covers With.....

Tattoos.

Book Review (58).

Deeper Than Midnight (Midnight Breed #9)

by Lara Adrian

Publication: 28th June 2011

Publisher: Dell

Pages: 387

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Age Appropriate: Adult

**Warning May Contain Spoilers From Previous Books In The Series**

DELIVERED FROM THE DARKNESS, A WOMAN FINDS HERSELF PLUNGED INTO A PASSION THAT IS DEEPER THAN MIDNIGHT.
 
At eighteen, Corinne Bishop was a beautiful, spirited young woman living a life of privilege as the adopted daughter of a wealthy family. Her world changed in an instant when she was stolen away and held prisoner by the malevolent vampire Dragos. After many years of captivity and torment, Corinne is rescued by the Order, a cadre of vampire warriors embroiled in a war against Dragos and his followers. Her innocence taken, Corinne has lost a piece of her heart as well—the one thing that gave her hope during her imprisonment, and the only thing that matters to her now that she is free.

Assigned to safeguard Corinne on her trip home is a formidable golden-eyed Breed male called Hunter. Once Dragos’s most deadly assassin, Hunter now works for the Order, and he’s hell-bent on making Dragos pay for his manifold sins. Bonded to Corinne by their mutual desire, Hunter will have to decide how far he’ll go to end Dragos’s reign of evil—even if carrying out his mission means shattering Corinne’s tender heart.

My Thoughts.

After being slightly disappointed in the last book I was hoping that this one would be really good especially as I really wanted to read Hunter's story and I'm very happy to say that I was not disappointed.

Hunter has always been a mysterious character and I've wanted to know all about him ever since he joined the Order a few books back, and I think he was paired perfectly with Corinne.

Corinne was one of the Breedmates saved from Dragos, after using her and the others to breed with the Gen One to create more assassins, she wants to go home to see her family and after Brock and Jenna are detained in Alaska, Hunter offers to take her and once they arrive she discovers someone in her family betrayed her and pretty much handed her over to Dragos.

She leaves again with Hunter and their feelings for each other slowly develop, Corinne admits to Hunter that she has a son Nathan whom she gave birth to while being held captive, he'd be thirteen now and Hunter tells her he'd already be one of Dragos' assassins as he was at that age, but Corinne still wants to find him in hopes that she can save him.

There is also a subplot involving Chase losing control of his Bloodlust he has now cut ties with the Order and seems to dig himself deeper and deeper into trouble, Tess gives birth to her and Dante's son Xander Raphael and Lucan has to find somewhere else for everybody to live after he discovers Dragos knows where they live and he's out to destroy them.

This may possibly be my favourite book so far and I can't wait to see what happens with Chase and how he gets his happy ever after.

I give this 5/5.