I have to admit I was a little nervous over this book. I had high expectations regarding Poppy and Rök’s story. I’ve been anticipating just how thingsI have to admit I was a little nervous over this book. I had high expectations regarding Poppy and Rök’s story. I’ve been anticipating just how things would go down now for years. And knowing this was only going to be less than 200 pages I was worried that their romance wasn’t going to feel earned. But I shouldn’t have worried. The immortals after dark is one of my favourite series and it remains so. Kresley managed to give us a backstory in amongst a spooky, camp Halloween themed house of horrors. I felt like I knew who both Poppy and Rök. I liked their pace of their romance (and that’s even considering most of the plot happens during a single evening). It’s cleverly written with all the pop culture references and steaming hot intimate scenes I adore from Kresley’s previous novels. I loved being back in the IAD world and now I’m even more eager to find out what happens next....more
I always enjoy Kresley Cole novels and Wicked Abyss is no exception. I love her combination of sassy heroines determined not to just accept whatever tI always enjoy Kresley Cole novels and Wicked Abyss is no exception. I love her combination of sassy heroines determined not to just accept whatever the universe throws at them and the alpha males who are their fated mates. This particular book wasn't my favourite in the series for a few reasons. It was a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast but it felt way too familiar. There's another book in the series (I think it was Macrieve) which did the whole kidnapped and captured helpless female thing a few stories ago. I also wanted more valkyrie. More interaction with other characters from the Lore (although I did like the snippets of some of the other Morior who popped in). But it was a fun book (view spoiler)[(once you get past all the abusing and blaming Lila for wicked deeds her previous self apparently committed against Sian) (hide spoiler)]. The sex was hot, I loved the magical castle and by the end of the book there was a sense that maybe they did deserve each other. There was just some things on the way that I wasn't really feeling.
Paige Kelly has the reputation for being crazy after being caught a number of times talking to herself in the girl's bathroom. But Paige isn't chattinPaige Kelly has the reputation for being crazy after being caught a number of times talking to herself in the girl's bathroom. But Paige isn't chatting to herself - she's talking to her best friend Dottie, the ghost of a girl who passed away over fifty years ago. Since a near fatal accident a few years ago, Paige and see and talk to ghosts. It's got her parents worried for her and the kids at school nicknaming her "Bellevue Kelly". But then she meets the new kid, Logan Bradley - he's gorgeous, funny and doesn't think she's crazy.
When attacked by a demon in detention, Paige gets pulled into a world she never could have imagine existed. Warlocks, magical swords and magical powers - Paige has to learn what she can to defend herself and stop from being used as the tool to open the door between the Light and Dark Worlds....
The Dark World is a great introduction to this new series by Cara Lynn Schultz. Paige is funny and entertaining. I love how even when she being hunted by demons, she still has to deal with real life issues like over protective dads and keeping up with her homework. Her friendship with Dottie is lovely because it could come across as one-sided but rather Dottie feels as real as Paige, even when most people can't see her.
Logan is one of those leading male characters I loved reading about. I loved him for Paige and spent much of the novel eager to read each new interaction between the two. Logan brought out the best in Paige and she did the same for him. Their friendship and camaraderie was one of my favourite parts of the novel. The other characters are just as interesting. From the mean girls at school led by Pepper Dennis, to the demons out to force Paige to their will - there is a lot going on and it all blends together in a lovely way.
Paige's parents added an extra something to the story with Paige having manage to living her regular life with the new-found paranormal world pushing its way into her life. So often in these types of books the parents are just absent leaving the children to do whatever it is they want to do. The fact that Paige's parents are present and involved in her life makes it all just that much more believable - despite being set in a world of the unreal.
As a first book in a new series, The Dark World does a great job at setting the scene for the next book. We get to know the history behind certain characters, the rationale behind why Paige is so special as well as some of the specific nuances behind the way the worlds work within the realm in which this book is set. I am eager to see just what is next for Paige, Logan and the others.
I recommend this book for fans of Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy and those who enjoy modern ghost stories. The Dark World is a great addition to the YA paranormal scene with fun characters and a plot which will keep you interested right up until the final page.
Thanks to Harlequin Teen Australia for the review copy....more
Kennedy lives in her safe little world with her mother, her best friend, her cat named Elvis and a room full of art supplies. But one day after her caKennedy lives in her safe little world with her mother, her best friend, her cat named Elvis and a room full of art supplies. But one day after her cat runs away, Kennedy finds herself in a graveyard and everything changes. Her mother dies mysteriously and Kennedy sees things that shouldn’t be there – ghostly things. When brothers, Jared and Lukas Lockhart show up, Kennedy is drawn into a world of paranormal spirits and the Legion – a group of five seemingly unconnected individuals with ghost hunting skills being passed down from generation to generation.
Kennedy isn’t the most likely person to become a ghost hunter. She’s content with her life. Her mother loves her and makes her pancakes. Her best friend Elle takes care of Kennedy’s social life organizing group outings and double dates. Her dad might be out of the picture and her boyfriend may have recently broken her heart but over all – things are good for Kennedy Waters. And then a ghost tries to kill her and her mother is murdered by a demon. In many ways this book feels like it’s trying to pick up the Supernatural TV show vibe but it misses the mark with me.
Unbreakable reads a little young at times. Kennedy is seventeen but someone could be forgiven for thinking she’s several years younger for most of the book. But she does grow up – somewhere between first meeting the girl in the white dress and joining the Legion – and the story gets more enjoyable.
The rest of the characters are fun to read. There are the Lockhart twins, Lucas and Jared, both with an interest in Kennedy, the technological genius Priest, and Alara – the privileged goth girl who bankrolls the adolescent ghost hunters. Each come with their own unique set of skills and interesting back stories for the reader to discover as the novel unfolds. There’s interesting plot that develops but at times it felt unplanned and hurried. The way the teens find each piece of the puzzle often felt bizarre and almost accidental. The love triangle felt convenient and not a situation where I cared which way Kennedy decided.
Overall this is an interesting read but I won’t be continuing with the series. I didn’t feel emotionally involved with what will happen next nor with the characters themselves. In many ways I felt like this book was trying to imitate the first season of Supernatural the TV show but fell a little short....more
I’ve been interesting about this book since I did a cover reveal a few months ago – books set in university have been one of my guilty pleasures sinceI’ve been interesting about this book since I did a cover reveal a few months ago – books set in university have been one of my guilty pleasures since the days of borrowing Sweet Valley University novels when I was a pre-teen. Darkness Watching is a great addition to the new adult world – with a delightful paranormal element to it all.
Ashlyn has her heart set on going to Oxford. But when she starts seeing dark shadows with creepy eyes and completely blows her interview, she finds a second chance in Blackstone. A smaller university – practically unheard of for many – this is Ash’s chance to embrace college life. Parties, room mates, professors and lectures aren’t the only new things in her life – she also has to deal with the new knowledge that she’s a sorceress and the things in the shadows aren’t the scariest things she has to face.
This is one of those books that is very much about the main character finding herself and embracing her new place in the world. I loved getting to see Ash embrace the university experience and starting the newest chapter of her life. And an added bonus for me was that all the new goings on in her life weren’t precipitated by some gorgeous guy who brings the creep with him. Not to say there aren’t males around in this book – and some of them rather creepy – but for the most part it’s not a romance at heart. I found myself cheering that she has so many interests that were her own and not just ones that she had because of a boy or because her friends forced them onto her. I found her to be similar to me – but better! – and I liked getting to follow her as she discovered the Darkworld.
The demons and magic in this book is something different – and not the type that I feel like I’ve read before. I liked the ‘magical’ characters and it was interesting to see where they fit into Ash’s story. There are twists and turns – not all I was expecting – and I imagine that this series is one that’s only going to get better with each instalment....more
After slaving away at her uncle’s diner and studying hard to get the marks required to get into college, Maddy Montgomery is faced with a choice. Her After slaving away at her uncle’s diner and studying hard to get the marks required to get into college, Maddy Montgomery is faced with a choice. Her dream school or the chance to train at the top-secret Guardian school. Going from the anonymous high school student to being the world’s number one It-Girl in less than a year, Maddy also has to navigate her new-found popularity and balance her new professional life with her relationship with the oh-so dreamy, Jackson Godspeed. Life will never be the same and Maddy needs to work out what she wants and where her allegiance lie before the war between Angels and Humans decides for her…
Natural Born Angel has so much going on – it’s fantastic! We get to see some Guardian training, the rise of a new dangerous enemy and the fantastic Former Angel, Detective Sylvester, is around again trying to save the world (this time with some help from Mark and Jacks). I loved the way that this novel managed to be describing a fantastical concept (like Angels on Earth) and have it mirror modern-day life - prejudices, terrorism and elitism. This book reminded me of a film in terms of how it is set up and in some ways I think this would make a better film than novel. There isn’t a lot of emotion evident and I think had I been watching actors they would have been able to bring the intensity that these characters in the novel couldn’t.
I had high hopes for this novel. I loved the concept of Immortal City and the dark underbelly of the Angelic world. This book is a breath of fresh air with regards to the action. There is no chance of getting stuck in a characters thoughts because this book is about what’s happening now – happening to Maddy, to Jacks and to the world in general. And whilst I liked the different style of storytelling I felt like it was a missed opportunity. We skip a year from where the first novel ended to a time when Maddy is well established in a relationship with Jacks. She’s almost come to terms with her new-found Angelic state and she’s handling the fame like a professional.
What disappointed me most about Natural Born Angel was the romance. I don’t need romance to enjoy a good book and this is one of those stories that I think was trying a bit too hard with the relationships. Maddy and Jacks have lost any sort of chemistry they shared in the first book and there’s a new element that made this book go from a suspenseful action fantasy novel to just another clichéd teen romance… but even then the romance was unbelievable and flat.
Overall – there are some great things about this book and some not-so great things too. IF you loved the first book I think you’ll enjoy where Speer takes Maddy and the others in this instalment. Will I be reading the next Immortal City novel? Absolutely! But I think I’ll go in with slightly lower expectations than I had for Natural Born Angel....more
Dante Walker is so bad he’s good. Good at his job working for the Boss Man ‘downstairs’, good at training fellow collectors and good with the ladies. Dante Walker is so bad he’s good. Good at his job working for the Boss Man ‘downstairs’, good at training fellow collectors and good with the ladies. He gets in, gets the job done and gets out. Until Charlie Cooper. With her gawky smile and limping leg – it shouldn’t be a problem to get her to be bad with him. Ten days to claim her soul? Piece of cake!
Except Charlie is nothing like anyone Dante has ever met before. She’s just so… good! The challenge gets even tougher when Dante starts falling for the plain jane and Dante is faced with a dilemma more difficult than anything he’s faced in life – or death.
I’ve been hearing a lot about Victoria Scott’s Dante Walker for a while now. The man’s man, ladies man, man about town whose swagger is to die for. He’s one of those characters that grew on me. At first I thought he was entertaining but about as deep as dishwater. But the more I read and the more involved I got with Dante and Charlie’s story – he surprised me on a number of levels. This character has a lot going for him – and not just the sex appeal and charm that he is oh-so-well aware of. He’s got heart.
Charlie Cooper. I’m a fan of alliterative names and Charlie is one character that I was shocked to like so much. She’s one of those people who are perfect. Perhaps not physically (and lets face it flawless appearances are a bit of a turn off for me so many be that’s another point in her favour) but she’s a all-round do-gooder. There’s no one she wouldn’t help even if it was at a disadvantage to herself. She’s just that nice! When tragedy and adversity had the chance to make her bitter and twisted, Charlie took the high road and tried to be the best person she could be. Sounds like she could be sickeningly sweet but when meeting and getting to know her through Dante’s eyes – she’s just adorable.
Plot wise – there’s a lot going on. Some twists I expected, some I never saw coming but they worked well with the rest of the drama unfolding. There were a few surprises and I have to admit the ending has left me so very curious as to where Scott is going to take Dante, Charlie and the rest of the crew in the next instalment of the Dante Walker series....more
After the Hollow unleashed hell on Earth in an all ages club only two weeks ago - Sam has been busy. The Grey Girl is on the lookout of Stephen, the gAfter the Hollow unleashed hell on Earth in an all ages club only two weeks ago - Sam has been busy. The Grey Girl is on the lookout of Stephen, the grey who sucked her soul out turning her into hungry soul sucking nexus. Add to that a mysterious memory blocked gorgeous angel who can only think straight when she's around. Too bad Sam can't keep her thoughts straight around him!
Dark Kiss laid a lot of groundwork but it was well worth the read for I devoured Wicked Kiss like a hungry grey would a soul. Sam and her misfit warriors from Heaven and Hell still have a mission to carry out. Sam needs her soul and to save her bff Carly from the Hollow. Bishop, Kraven and the others need to rid Trinity from the evil mess that Natalie unleashed. I liked these characters so much more the second time around. They're still slightly stereotypical and a little predictable in many ways but this time - but it worked for me. I loved the drama added from the new characters (like Cassandra) and getting to know some briefly mentioned ones from Dark Kiss a little better.
There's a lot going on in this book. Romance and evil supernatural villains are underfoot everywhere. I liked how the relationships evolved. Not just the romantic ones but the friendships and the way Kraven and Bishop's brotherly interactions evolved. Sam is developing as a character too. She's finally got some street sense kicked into her. She's embracing her nexus and grey-ness to the hilt and is becoming a force to be reckoned with in her own right.
The mythology of Angels and Demons are interestingly explained in this book. There's not too many religious overtones that sometimes overload books about Angels. But instead the angels and devils seem to just be concerned with good vs. evil. I wanted some facets to be explored in more detail but there was enough explained to understand Sam's situation.
I can recommend this book to anyone that liked the first instalment - but also those who were slightly ambivalent. This book is a satisfying ending to an interesting take on zombies, angels and demons. ...more
Karou, the girl with blue hair and mysterious tattoos, has grown up always knowing she was different. Her guardians are part human, part animal creatuKarou, the girl with blue hair and mysterious tattoos, has grown up always knowing she was different. Her guardians are part human, part animal creatures anyone else would find scary but she just knows them as family. She’s a girl of two worlds but doesn’t quite fit in either one.
When her worlds collide, Karou finds there more to either of her lives that she ever expected.
The first thing I want to say about this book is how beautifully written I found it. The language is lovely. Reading it was an absolute pleasure. I love Laini Taylor’s style and whilst I could have devoured this book in a matter of hours I wanted to savour the words and make it last.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is an original story. With a monster collecting teeth for possibly nefarious purposes, a stalker ex-boyfriend who larks around Prague pretending to be a vampire and a best friend who may be lacking in stature but a giant in soul. The fantasy world in which this book is set is remarkably detailed and beautifully described. I loved following Karou and finding out the secrets along with her.
The characters were fantastically interesting – from the humans Kaz and Zuzana to Brimstone and Issa. Even the mysterious and impossibly beautiful Akiva. These are characters I loved reading about and couldn’t wait to find out what came next for them. Karou is a someone with whom I have next to nothing in common and yet as I read on I found myself seeing myself in her – she’s strong with moments of weakness, scared and yet fearlessly brave. She has her secrets and finding out about her history and present was a fantastic journey.
In this novel, Laini Taylor has written a beautiful tale of fantasy and adventure. There’s romance, heartbreak and a plot that kept me enthralled long after reading the final page. The second book in the series, Days of Blood and Starlight, was released in November 2012 with the third book expected to be published sometime in 2014....more
I think the Darkest Powers trilogy is going to go down as one of my favourite YA paranormal series.
The Awakening picks up at the exact moment that theI think the Darkest Powers trilogy is going to go down as one of my favourite YA paranormal series.
The Awakening picks up at the exact moment that the first book in the series, The Summoning, finishes – with Chloe stuck in the institution after a somewhat failed break out attempt from Lyle House and the heartbreaking betrayal from Chloe’s aunt.
Now, with her every move being monitored by the staff and no escape routes visible, Chloe needs to deal with the ghosts that won’t leave her alone and her anxiety over Simon’s health and Derek’s “condition” whilst they are on the run. Not one to sit around and pout, Chloe – with the help of Liz’s ghost – needs finds a way to get out, find the boys and get to the bottom of what the sinister scientists are up to.
For me, this book had what The Summoning was lacking. It was exciting, fast paced and suspenseful. I picked this book up when I couldn’t sleep, vowing only to read a few chapters… next thing I knew it was 3am and I’d finished it.
I complained about Chloe coming across as a little bland in the first book but she’s completely redeemed herself in my eyes. I found that I enjoyed getting to see her embrace her ghost busting powers more and more as well as not letting anyone who was bigger and badder than her push her around.
Derek is a character that I adored after the first book and now I like him even more. He and the other supporting characters have issues and complicated pasts. It makes them somewhat real in an unreal and paranormal world. Tori, Simon and the others are an incredibly mismatched group but their bickering entertained me and I loved the fact that they were flawed and kept their grudges despite their current circumstances.
As a fan of Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series, I was thrilled to read the slight crossover that occurred in this novel (Clayton’s reputation precedes him!) and makes perfect sense to the plot of this story.
This book is not one that can be read as a stand alone – there is a lot that is assumed knowledge from the first book in the series – but is a fantastic story that includes some of my favourite supernatural creatures, exciting plot and interesting characters.
I jumped online and bought the third book as soon as I finished reading…....more
I'm not sure what I think about this one. It's strange. I love how the series is coming together and I can feel all the drama ramping up for one increI'm not sure what I think about this one. It's strange. I love how the series is coming together and I can feel all the drama ramping up for one incredible series final but I'm just... I didn't love all the dream sequences in this novel.
Too many dreams and flashbacks tend to lose me and I get disinterested... I'm ashamed to say that I flicked though many of them and sort of felt like it wouldn't really matter...
But I love Roman. I'm glad he's back and causing a little bit of drama here and there.
I've gone off Seth in a big way. He annoys me with his semi-wishy washy attitudes towards his love life. I think I'm starting to view him as a victim. He was only with Maddy because... well I'm not sure why he ever got together with Maddy. He claimed to love Georgina but cheated on her with Maddy... albeit sort of with Georgina's permission. I refuse to believe that he didn't think it'd piss Georgie off.
I just... find him pathetic and I think that marrs my views of him as a potential HEA with Georgina.
Alex has been on the run from daimons since she saw them murder her mother. After another attack, and nowhere to go, Alex is taken to the Covenant – aAlex has been on the run from daimons since she saw them murder her mother. After another attack, and nowhere to go, Alex is taken to the Covenant – a boarding school for Hermatoi, offspring of the gods – and the very place where she and her mother fled from three years earlier. Alex was not the best student and her past behaviour record threatens to have her expelled before she is even a student again. She has a choice – to train with the gorgeous pureblood, Aiden St Delphi, or become a servant in her stepfather’s mansion.
I’ve wanted to read this series for a while. I have a weakness for books with strong heroines and magical boarding schools. I’d heard that this series has a lot in common with Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy books and there is a lot that feels familiar (the forbidden romance, the class system, even the boarding school itself). However there is enough different about these stories that I wasn’t constantly comparing the two.
Alex is the kind of girl who acts first and deals with the repercussions later. But she isn’t blindly rebellious. She knows when to pull her head in and when to break the rules. Her loyalty to her mother and her friends is fierce and there is logic behind her decisions. The forbidden romance between Alex and Aiden is fun to read but it did feel a touch like déjà vu.
The plot is interesting. There’s an Apollyon, some mythical half-blood with the power of the elements and super daimon fighting skills. Mix with that some great fight scenes, some mean girls, evil stepfather, ominous and mysterious uncle and a heartbreaking decision. Armentrout is not kind to her characters and I admire Alex all the more for what she goes though in this novel.
I’m curious as to what happens next for Alex now she knows a little more about herself and I intend to read the next books in the series but it’s not a priority. I like the characters and the plot yet there are other series I want to catch up on first.
Nick Gautier is considered to be a loser. Born to a mother who has to work as a stripper just to make ends meet, he’s bI’m a socially awkward mandork.
Nick Gautier is considered to be a loser. Born to a mother who has to work as a stripper just to make ends meet, he’s been looked down upon by everyone he’s ever met. When his friends decide to mug an elderly tourist couple, Nick has to decide whether he wants to be the street scum that people think he is or to be the bigger man who his mother has raised him to be.
Unfortunately for him, his friends don’t take too kindly to his interference and Nick now has the gunshot wound to prove it. Enter Kyrian Hunter, tall dark and mysterious stranger who not only makes sure that Nick gets the medical attention he needs as well as paying for it and giving Nick an after school job as his assistant which pays more in a week than his mother makes in months.
But there’s something strange brewing in Nick’s school. The star-footballer just tried to take a bite out of his best friend and the coach tried to snack on the principal’s brains.
Between the zombie apocalypse at the high school and the crazy cast of characters that Nick’s been introduced since working for Kyrian, things have gotten deadly and a grounding from his mother is the least of his worries.
I enjoyed this book. Zombies aren’t something I’m all that familiar with and I did enjoy reading about just how scary they can be when they’re on mass and backing their prey into a corner. Nick is a very engaging lead character. He’s sarcastic and somewhat angry at his circumstances. He’s not always politically correct and he’s somewhat charming in spite of all this. I enjoyed his rapport with his mother – despite finding Cherise’s nagging and over the top protectiveness a little overwhelming at times.
Bubba was a very pleasant surprise. A computer tech guy who runs a gun shop and has two pieces of advice that he advocates for: ”Shoot first then ask questions” and “Double tap just for good measure. Better safe than sorry“. I think his side-kick, Mark, was just as amusing. They added some much-needed humour and comic relief when the threat of zombies was getting a little too much.
In some ways this was a strange novel to read. I have prior knowledge of Nick from reading Kenyon’s Dark Hunter’s series – an adult paranormal romance series. So many of the characters were familiar faces as well as their supernatural secrets. But this book is so much more than just a prequel telling Nick’s story. It’s a chance for Nick to redeem himself and to change everything that’s happened in his other future – which I’m glad of because things were looking extremely dark for him.
I do wonder if someone with no knowledge of the adult series would be able to keep up with the whole cast of characters who are not quite they seem but you’re not quite let in on the secret of their special ‘skills’ just yet.
This is a series that I think I’ll be continuing with. IF not just for Nick but for the brief cameo appearances by Kyrian, Ash and Tabitha....more
There's a lot that I loved about this book. The setting for one. The characters for another. And I liked the plot - it was interesting and exciting.
WThere's a lot that I loved about this book. The setting for one. The characters for another. And I liked the plot - it was interesting and exciting.
Witches and Vampires and Daemons! Oh My!
It's a long book and I sort of forgot what had happened in the start by the time I got to the end - and they sort of feel like very different books in a way. Diana and Matthew have completely changed and mellowed a lot.
The supporting characters I liked probably more than I liked the main two. I hope we get to see a lot more of them in the future books - especially the Bishop House.
