Sunday, 6 May 2012

Book Review (82).

Winter's Light (Winter Saga #2)

by M.J. Hearle

Publication: 1st May 2012

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Pages: 440

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Blake is gone.

He sacrificed himself to save Winter, leaving her alone, unprotected... hunted.

An ancient enemy is rising, but Winter is no longer the innocent girl who was fated to die at Pilgrim's Lament. She will not wait to be saved. She will do what she must to survive, even accept an unsavoury alliance with those who destroyed her love.

In the gathering darkness, the enemy of an enemy is not always a friend, and Winter must find the strength to stand alone and fight for the one she loves. For she is the key to unlocking the secrets beyond the veil of shadows.

And she is Blake's only hope.

My Thoughts.

I loved this book as much as the first one my only problem, no Blake and I definitely felt his abscence.

After losing Blake at the end of the last book after sacrificing himself for her Winter is lost it's been three months she calls him to her with his lodestone (a crystal that will let him know when Winter needs him) to no avail, until one day she sees a vision of him being held prisoner in the Dead Lands.

While attending a graduation party Winter wanders off and is set upon by two Demori who realise that she is a Key but just as she is about to be attacked she is saved by Sam who has been on the run since the end of the last book.

Sam becomes her ally in trying to find Blake after realising from reading Blake's diary that he stole that he never killed anyone and that his family the Bane who are sworn enemies of the Demori had him believing that all Demori were bad.

Through Sam, Winter is introduced to more Bane members and they strike a deal with her, they'll reunite her with Blake after she opens a portal for them into the Dead Lands, so she flies out to France with Sam and her best friend Jasmine and after arriving at the castle has a feeling that something is wrong but she doesn't quite know what it is.

As in the last book this one has chapters relating to the past, this time to Ariman (Blake's father the first Demori) and Ariman's mother Lamara the Farseer, I find the back stories of all these characters really interesting and hope that the same theme continues in the next book.

I also loved the addition of Blake's diary entries leading up to and after he met Winter to see what his thoughts were when they first met.

I wasn't a big fan of Sam in the previous book but he's definitely one of my favourites now and I'm thinking that Sam has developed feelings for Winter and perhaps she might have done the same, I think that this would make an interesting twist to the story.

All in all this was a fantastic addition to this series, an unputdownable book from an author who knows how to keep you enthralled.

I give this 4/5.

A Big Thanks To Charlotte @ Pan Macmillan Australia.

Saturday, 5 May 2012

In My Mailbox (26).

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

Review.

Every Other Day - Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Pan Macmillan Australia)

Whisper (Riley Bloom #4) - Alyson Noel (Pan Macmillan Australia)

The Age Of Miracles - Karen Thompson Walker (Simon And Schuster Australia)

Brought.

Slated (Slated #1) - Terri Terry

Body & Soul (The Ghost And The Goth #3) - Stacey Kade

Into The Dreaming (Highlander #8) - Karen Marie Moning

The Temptation (Kindred #1) - Alisa Valdes

Bitterblue (Graceling Realm #3) - Kristin Cashore

Under A Vampire Moon (Argeneau #16) - Lynsay Sands

Warrior (The Fallen #3) - Kristina Douglas

Unraveling - Elizabeth Norris

Social Suicide (Deadly Cool #2) - Gemma Halliday

Dreams (Sarah Midnight #1) - Daniela Sacerdoti

Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1) - Wendy Higgins

The Serpent's Shadow (Kane Chronicles #3) - Rick Riordan

Obsidian (Lux #1) - Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Half-Breed Vampire (Sons Of Midnight #3) - Theresa Meyers

Friday, 4 May 2012

Book Review (81).

Winter's Shadow (Winter Saga #1)

by M.J. Hearle

Publication: 1st June 2011

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Pages: 424

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Blake Duchamp...

He's all that Winter Adams can think of. Ever since their fateful meeting at Pilgrim's Lament. Ever since he looked at her with those emerald eyes. Ever since he saved her life.

But Blake isn't all that he seems. There is a strangeness about him, something dark and otherworldly. Something dangerous. In his attic is a secret he would kill to defend, but Winter seems to have a special ability to make him forget his duty. And he is her only protection against the gathering darkness.

The only problem is, to protect Winter, Blake must risk exposing her to an even greater danger. Himself.

My Thoughts.

I absolutely loved this book, the concept isn't something that I've particularly read about before and that's what made this a quick and easy read that I simply did not want to put down, unfortunately things like work and sleep got in the way.

I loved that the author had you waiting till around about the halfway point of the book till you discovered who and what Blake was, and I was surprised it was an original idea that I've never come across in all the time that I've been reading this particular genre of books, and that's the genius of this book you don't want to put it down until you find out what's going on and kudos to the author for this.

Winter our heroine is taking photos in a rundown church for the school newspaper when she catches sight of a boy outside standing at a grave, after he notices her staring at him he disappears next thing Winter knows the roof starts to collapse and when she wakes up she finds herself outside with the the mysterious boy with the vivid green eyes.

He introduces himself as Blake and after giving her a lift home after her bike wouldn't start she finds out that he's just moved into town, into the house known as the most haunted house in all of Hagan's Bluff, mysterious as he is Winter can't stop thinking about him even days after, her best friend Jasmine tries to encourage her to go to his house and ask him out but is knocked back especially after he finds her inside his house when he wasn't there (Winter has the ability to open any locks just by touch), she finds a box of old diaries from the 1800's and a family portrait of a woman and her two children from the turn of the century, the boy in the portrait looks familiar but Winter can't quite put her finger on it.

I loved the glimpses into the past it added a bit more to the story and was really interesting, and you definitely are wanting Winter and Blake to get together in this book I love them as a couple, Jasmine is a lot of fun and we get introduced to a new boy at school Sam who at the mention of Blake really wants to meet him, and we find that Sam has a lot of secrets of his own.

The ending of this book was heartbreaking, the secret that Blake was keeping, the real reason that Sam was in Hagan's Bluff and the sacrifice at the end that was so sad that it just makes you want to get stuck into the next book straight away.

I give this 4.5/5.

Thursday, 3 May 2012

Feature And Follow Friday (26).

Q: What is one thing you wish you could tell your favorite author?

Dear Stephenie Meyer,

I would be your slave for life if you would only finish writing and release Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edward's Point Of View) I understand that you were upset that a friend leaked part of the draft but you would be doing all of your Twilight fans a huge favour and make us all incredibly happy!

Kindest regards Sarah. (Team Edward all the way).

Book Review (80).

Dark Flame (The Immortals #4)

by Alyson Noel

Publication: 22nd June 2010
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
Pages: 320
Genre: Fantasy
Age Appropriate: Young Adult

*Warning Contains Spoilers From Previous Books In The Series*
Ever is trying to help Haven transition into life as an immortal. But with Haven drunk on her new powers and acting recklessly, she poses the ultimate threat—exposing their secret world to the outside. As Ever struggles to keep the Immortals hidden, it only propels Haven closer to the enemy—Roman and his evil companions

At the same time, Ever delves deeper into dark magick to free Damen from Roman’s power. But when her spell backfires, it binds her to the one guy who’s hell-bent on her destruction. Now there’s a strange, foreign pulse coursing through her, and no matter what she does, she can’t stop thinking about Roman—and longing for his touch. As she struggles to resist the fiery attraction threatening to consume her, Roman is more than willing to take advantage of her weakened state…and Ever edges closer and closer to surrender.

Frantic to break the spell before its too late, Ever turns to Jude for help, risking everything she knows and loves to save herself—and her future with Damen …

My Thoughts.
So we're up to the fourth book in the series and Ever and Damen still can't touch, ever since the end of the second book and I have to say it's getting pretty old, it's making me wonder whether this will continue until the sixth and last book in the series.
After the spell that Ever cast at the end of the previous book backfired she now finds herself sexually attracted to Roman and spends a lot of the book trying to sleep with him.
Roman is also all she thinks about so we don't see much of Damen not that Ever seems to care, it's only when she is in Summerland that she's back to normal but after a while Damen has enough and tells her to work it out before they can be together again.
And that's the problem I had with this book and the last couple of books in the series the lack of time that Ever and Damen spend together which is one of the reasons that I loved the first book so much.
Haven is another thing I didn't like, I've never really been a fan of hers anyway but in this book she really made me dislike her even more, I don't even know why Ever continues to try and be friends with her and after what happened at the end of this book it's going to be war between these two.
I still love Jude and he finds out about his past lives with Ever after he visits Summerland with her and lets her know his feelings for her and his actions at the end destroys the only chance that Damen and Ever have of ever being able to touch each other again.
We find out that Ava is the reincarnated Aunt of the twins Romy and Rayne and they subsequently moved in with her and Ever and Ava renew their friendship.
I will proceed to read the last two books in the series because I don't like to not finish a series I've started but I'm hoping that they improve from the last few but unfortunately my hopes aren't that high for that to be the case.
I give this 3.5/5.

Wednesday, 2 May 2012

Waiting On Wednesday.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

Reaper

by L.S. Murphy

7th January 2013 By J. Taylor Publishing

There's no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.

She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.

It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.

Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.

Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.

Maybe ... just maybe ... that’s okay.

It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.

Fangirl

by Laurie Boyle Crompton

January 2013 By Sourcebooks Fire

Laurie Boyle Crompton’s debut is about a comic-obsessed girl who gets into an online war after her first major crush dumps her supervillain-style.

Falling For You

by Lisa Schroeder

2013 By Simon Pulse

Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give.

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous.

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.

The Farm

by Emily McKay

4th December 2012 By Berkley Trade

Life was different in the Before: before the Ticks began devouring humans in a deadly swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined “for their own protection.” These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race..