Review: The Sea of Monster (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) by Rick Riordan

Title: The Sea of Monsters
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Genre: Adventure, Paranormal, Middle Grade
Publisher: Puffin Books
Publication date: April 30th 2017
Pages: 265 (paperback)
Source: own it






The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Rioran's amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a "half blood" whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Rioran's series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment. In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book's drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.

Goodreads

Earlier this week I posted my review of the first Percy Jackson book and like I told you in there this series really got me hooked. So here is my review for the second book in the series The Sea of Monsters.

The Percy Jackson isn’t the best that I have ever read but it certainly is not bad and I am sure that it is even more appealing to a 12-year-old which is the target audience. But like the first book The Sea of Monsters was such a fun read. There is just so much adventure and so much is happening that it does not bore you for a minute. In every chapter something new and exciting happens and I guess that is one of the main reasons why this book was so hard to put down and why I read it in just one day, something I have not done in ages.

My only issue with this book is that this book is a bit repetitive, every single time it seems like that the heroes come across a big issue. They are able to solve it, most of the time with somebodies help, but that gets them into some more problems later on.  But I guess the characters make up a lot for that. I just cannot withstand their charms. Annabeth who is too intelligent for her age and always has a plan for everything, Percy who is the reckless one and never thinks about what his actions might do and Grover who always gets himself accidently into some trouble, bad luck just seems to follow him. And then of course there was Tyson, the cyclops, that got introduced in this book. I really liked him as a character and I am hoping we will get to see more of him in the next books.

A lot of other characters from the Greek mythology made an appearance in this book. I really liked reading about all of them and getting to know their little back stories. I know that those have to be taken with a pinch of salt since it’s aimed at middle graders so it has some alternations but it was still so great to read about it.

I have a feeling that the back story will come more and more to the forefront now in the next books, Kronos his rise to power. And I am really excited for that, that together with the major event at the end of the book makes that I cannot wait to start reading the next book in the series.

Overall I really enjoyed The Sea of Monster, it was a quick and fun read. The Percy Jackson world is definitely a really interesting one. And I cannot wait to continue reading this series. 

Elien

Review: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan

Title: The Lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan 
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians 
Genre: Adventure, Paranormal, Middle Grade
Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books
Publication date: March 1st 2006
Pages: 377 (paperback)
Source: Own it






Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he got to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends - one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Goodreads

After all those years of hearing how amazing the Percy Jackson series I finally gave in and I started to read the series. And now I finally understand why people love those books so much! I should have read those years ago. I have always liked Greek mythology; those Greek gods always seemed a bit of a weird bunch thrown together and to be hones reading Percy Jackson is a great way to get to know more about them.

By now I think most people know what these books are about but I’ll tell you again anyway. Percy Jackson is a bit of a troubled teen, the fact that he has ADHD and dyslexia does not really help his case. Because of that he has been thrown out of several boarding schools, so he’s constantly on the move. Then in sixth grade things get weirder than they have ever been and he finally finds out why he never belonged anywhere else before.

I picked The Lightning Thief up thinking that it would be a fun and fast read and it certainly was. But what I did not expect was how hooked I would get on this series from the very beginning. The book might be oriented towards Middle Graders but it was so much fun to read and I really got addicted to it. I had seen the movie before so I know more or less what was going to happen but the movie really didn’t do any justice to the book. The book gives you so much more than the story of a young guy that goes on an adventure with his friends. It also provided a great insight into Greek mythology and you get to see it all in a new way and that was pretty nice.

I do get why people often compare it to Harry Potter, yes there are some big similarities but to be honest that didn’t bother me so much. This book still had enough unique things to make it something special. And I’m hoping that the similarities will disappear more to the background in the following books. Also I really liked Percy as the main character; he has such a strong loyalty to his friends that it’s pretty remarkable. When he first comes to camp Half-Blood he’s a bit of an outcast because of his heritage so he really has to gain all their trust and he does it pretty well I have to say.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to read all the other books in this series. And probably all of Rick Riordan’s other books. If you haven’t read this books yet then I would certainly recommend that you do so soon!

Elien

Review: Phantasma by Efthalia

Title: Phantasma
Author: Efthalia
Genre: Supernatural, Adult, Romance
Publisher: Mill City Press
Publication date: April 12th 2016
Pages: 396 (paperback)
Source: received from author






Carissa Alkippes is the daughter of a god but she doesn't know it. As a cop she's seen her fair share of bad but nothing prepared her for the horror of the world she has been plunged into. 

Xen lyson is the head of the Phi Athanatoi, a group of immortals who have been protecting man for over 2,000 years from the Kakodiamones - demons who want nothing more than to feast on humanity. 

Thrown face to face with Xen during a skirmish with the demons, Carissa becomes a pawn in the deadly game of a demi-god who seeks godly powers.

Goodreads

Phantasma was not really my cup of tea. It started of good and it had a lot of potential but it just could not hold my interest until the end.

I liked that the book had some Greek mythology woven into it together with some other supernatural aspects but I would have loved it if the author had exploited those things more. You can do so many great things with Greek mythology but know it sometimes felt like it was there just because she needed some action.

Basically what this book was just about a hot sexy guys that has been around for centuries and has never found love and this lovely, beautiful and independent girl who happens to be all alone as well. And of course when they meet it is love at first side and since it is a supernatural book they were fated to be with each other. And to be fair I am a bit done with that. But I could have looked past that if the rest of the book was okay. At first it was there was some mystery going on and some action. But then it seems like the author run out of inspiration since the story kept repeating itself. Carissa, the main character got kidnapped and rescued by Xen about five times. And those five times she got kidnapped by the same time. After the second kidnapping I already got a bit tired of it and that is where the book lost my interest.

Overall I was not really impressed by this book. It started off pretty good but after that it went downhill which is really a shame since it had so much potential. I probably will not continue this series since I have this feeling that it will just be more like this.

Elien

Review: Iron Cast by Destiny Soria

Title: Iron Cast

Author: Destiny Soria

Genre: historical fiction, paranormal, YA

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams

Publication date: October 11th 2016

Pages: 384 (hardcover)

Source: Netgalley

It's Boston, 1919, and the Cast Iron club is packed. On stage, hemopaths - whose "afflicted" blood gives them the ability to create illusions through art - captivated their audience. Corinne and Ada have been best friends ever since infamous gangster Johnny Dervish recruited them into his circle. By nihgt they perform for Johnny's crowds, and by day they con Boston's elite. When a job goes wrong and Ada is imprisoned, they realize how precarious their position is. After she escapes, two of the Cast Iron's hires are shot, and Johnny disappears. With the law closing in, Corinne and Ada are forced to hunt for answers, even as betrayal faces them at every turn. 

Goodreads

Iron Cast is a really interesting read and I enjoyed reading it. The book had so many aspects that I liked. It was set back in the early 20^th century and I do love that time period; the world was on the brink of so many changes.  And I loved  that the author also portrayed characters whose lives were not that easy back then. My only problem was that it was a bit slow at first, it took about 50 pages before I really got into it. But after that I just could not put it down!

The historical setting in this book was really good. I had never read any books before that were set in the 1920’s in Boston. So it is always nice to read more about how the city was back then. I especially loved it that the author weaved in some crucial historical facts into her book.  The prohibition was a thing back then and it affected so many aspects of living back then. And since the book was set in a night club it definitely fitted in.

I really loved the main characters. Ada and Corinne were both such a headstrong characters with an unique personality.  Back then it was pretty uncommon for girls to be so independent so I really liked how the author portrayed that. Also their friendship looked so realistic to me. They had there issues  from time to time but they worked it out eventually and got past their issues. Most importantly they were not prejudiced about each other while they came from total different backgrounds. And they always had each other’s back so what else can you wish for?  What I also loved about the characters was that they were all quiet divers, back then your life was not easy when you were somewhat different than most.

The concept of hemopathy was so intriguing. It took me a while to understand what exactly it was but after that it was quiet fascinating. To have the ability to influence people’s emotions through music and other types of art is really interesting. In some ways art can already do that but this book took it one step further. It was just really interesting to read about.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It had a perfect combination of historical elements, fantasy and friendship. I am glad that I got the chance to read this one and I cannot wait until the next book in this series comes out!

Elien

Review: Lair of Dreams (The Diviners #2) by Libba Bray

Title: Lair of Dreams
Author: Libba Bray
Series: The Diviners
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: August 25th 2015
Pages: 613 (Hardcover)
Source: Netgalley






The longing of dreams draws the dead, and this city holds many dreams. 

After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. With her uncanny ability to read people's secrets, she's become a media darling, earning the title "America's Sweetheart Seer." Everyone's in love with the city's newest It Girl... everyone except the other Diviners. 

Piano-playing Henry DuBois and Chinatown resident Ling Chan are two Diviners struggling to keep their powers secret - for they can walk in dreams. And while Evie is living the high life, victims of a mysterious sleeping sickness are turning up across New York City. 

As Henry searches for a lost love and Ling strives to succeed in a world that shuns her, a malevolent force infects their dreams. And at the edges of it all lurks a man in a stovepipe hat who has plans that extend farther than anyone can guess.... As the sickness spreads, can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld to save the city? 

In this heart-stopping sequel to The Diviners, Printz Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Libba Bray takes readers deeper into the mystical underbelly of New York City.

Goodreads

Earlier this year I had read The Diviners and I loved that book. The book was a real match for me. It offered a mix of different genres - historical, supernatural, romance, mystery and horror – while balancing it all out perfectly. So I could not wait until Lair of Dreams came out.

I cannot say that Lair of Dreams was as good as its prequel but it was still definitely worth my time and worth reading. I really love the alternate 1920’s NYC Libba Bray has created in this series. It is a really interesting era that has always intrigued me. Lair of Dreams introduced us to new horrors and some new people who had to help solve the mystery. I like the way Libba Bray is able to wave the supernatural story line into a very realistic historical setting. It is not an easy thing to because you do not want to diminish the credibility of the book. But Libba Bray has a real talent for doing it in a perfect way and that is one of the many reasons why I love her books so much. Into this world full of jazz, speakeasies and illegal liquor Libba Bray introduces us to supernatural events. This time she introduces us to a sleeping sickness and dream walkers. Ghosts roam the city, people go missing and people fall asleep to never wake up again.

A lot of familiar characters reappear in this book such as Evie, Sam and Jericho and I was thrilled to see them again. They are great characters to follow and they make sure that there is never a dull moment to spot in the book. But in this book we saw less of them because they made some room for new characters like Ling and we got to know more about Henry. Ling was definitely an interesting character and I was glad she was introduced into this book; I believe she makes a nice addition to the gang since she is more down to earth than all the others. It will balance them out a little.

But this book missed some of the things The Diviners possessed. The supernatural mystery was not as strong and it did not give me the goosebumps Naughty John gave me. But then again it is almost impossible to compete against him, that man was one of the creepiest characters I have ever encountered in a novel. Still enough happened to keep me on the edge of my seat and to let my heart stop a beat at certain points.

Overall I really liked this book and Libba Bray has proved yet again that she is an excellent author. Lair of Dreams was an excellent mix of different aspects and while it might have been slow at certain moments it kept me interested until the very end. Personally I cannot wait until the next book in this series is released. 

Elien

Review + Interview + Giveaway: Gaia (Wings of War #2) by Karen Ann Hopkins

Title: Gaia
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Series: Wings of War
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Publication date: July 26th 2015
Pages: 294 (paperback)
Source: Received from author (Thank you!!)
Buy links: Amazon





Watchers and Angels are at war. Which side will Ember choose?

Humankind is on the precipice of the apocalypse.

As the Demons grow bolder and the walls between the planes of existence weaken, Ember is forced to develop her powers as quickly as possible, and she seeks out a powerful earth Watcher to continue her supernatural lessons. Her glimpse of the future demands she fight the dark forces spreading across the earth.

But her new mentor has his own agenda, making her question everyone and everything she ever trusted.

When Ember is thrust into the world of the Watchers, she learns of their plans - ones that defy the scripture and make them enemies of the Celestial Host. Ridding the world of evil gets complicated when it becomes impossible to take sides.

As Ember struggles with morality, she soon discovers that there's something more frightening than anything she's faced before.

Goodreads

Ember ended with a huge climax. So much happened near the ending that my head was about to explode. All this time I have been pretty excited to get my hands on the sequel. It had been a while since I read Embers so I forgot some of the details but since Gaia started right after Embers ended the details came back to me and it was easy to fall back into the world of the Wings of War series.

This series by Karen Ann Hopkins is truly amazing. By now I know that she is an excellent writer but still her books keep blowing me away. It is so easy to get sucked into the world and atmosphere she creates in her books. If you thought that there was already a lot happening in Embers than you are up for a really nice treat because so much happened in Gaia. There was almost no time to catch your breath so many things happened. Were Embers focused a lot on romance, Gaia focused a lot more on the action parts. And I loved it!

Ember was still as amazing as in the first book. She is so fierce, smart and strong. Her determination to do the right thing no matter what the cost is really admiring. It is easy to identify yourself with her because she also has her faults and her weaknesses. She is just a human being like us even though she is not really human. Ember grew a lot in the first book, she learned about her powers and her true identity. In the second book she keeps growing as a character. She tackles the obstacles that are thrown at her with ease and she learns how to control herself and her powers. I loved seeing how she got more confident with herself and her powers.
Swayer the other main character of this book was still the same as in the first book. He is still a bit of a mystery to me. There are still so many things we have to learn about him and his past. And I cannot wait to find out more things about him. I had the feeling that he did not grow a lot in this book. Mostly he was just there for Ember whenever she needed him. So I hope to see more of him in the next book.

The Watcher history is really interesting and I loved learning more about it. The war between the factions, there animosity with the angels…. Everything is just so intriguing. Overall I really liked the book. It was fast paced and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I would highly recommend this series to any fans of paranormal fiction. And to the ones who love to read fantasy books. The ending of this book like the previous one was great and I cannot wait till the next book in this series comes out!

Interview

Q: Both your other series are contemporary books set in an Amish culture. What made you decide to venture into the paranormal genre?

A: I love writing Amish fiction, but after I’d finished the Temptation series and book one of my Amish mystery series, Serenity’s Plain Secrets, I needed a short break from the Plain culture. Embers had been a daydream of mine for many years, long before I began writing Temptation. Fantasy and paranormal had always been my favorite genres, so I took and chance and created the Wings of War series.


Q: In Embers there were some epic battles between good and evil. Can we expect those again in Gaia?

A: Oh yes, and on a much grander scale! Gaia is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. I also got to add a few scenes in an Amish community, which I think my Amish readers will enjoy very much.


Q: There are a lot of YA books about angels and demons out there. How does your series stand out against all the others?

A: Honestly, I haven’t read any others, so I can’t really compare. It’s the same with my Amish books. I try not to read books in the same genre in fear of corrupting my own ideas and plot development. But I can say that the Wings of War series is epic in scope. I worked hard to create a world that the reader would believe in, even the supernatural aspects. I also did a lot of biblical research on the rapture and angels in general. I infused legend, lore and historical references into the books, along with scripture verses from the bible.


Q: A lot of things happened to Ember and the people she cares about at the end of Embers. How will she deal with all that in Gaia?
A: Ember is a touch cookie, a true survivor. She deals with her actions, justifying them in her mind as just and unavoidable, but they’re always with her, making her question her own goodness deep down. Gaia is an action filled segment of the series and Ember doesn’t have a lot of time to worry about the consequences of her choices.


Q: Ember’s and Sawyer’s relationship is not exactly easy. How would you describe their relationship in five words?

A: Passionate, loyal, honest, frightening, hopeful.


Q: How many books can we expect in this series?
A: I’m planning five books in the Wings of War series. The first four books will focus on Ember learning a new element; fire, earth, water and air. The fifth book will be a culmination of all the books and the conclusion to the series, when Ember and her friends face the apocalypse. The next book in the series is TEMPTEST. It will be available late spring 2016.


Q: Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

A: Thank you for being a part of Gaia’s blog tour! I love to connect with readers on my Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram or at www.karenannhopkins.com. Please be on the lookout for the release of SECRETS IN THE GRAVE, the third installment in my mystery series, Serenity’s Plain Secrets, in early September! Thanks for reading!


Karen Ann Hopkins

Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive a $50 gift card (Amazon, B&N, iTunes), as well as a complete set of Karen's YA books, including Embers, Gaia, Temptation, Belonging, Forever, and Rachel's Deception! Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. Giveaway is open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Karen Ann Hopkins resides in northern Kentucky with her family on a farm that boasts a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens , ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats. Karen's main job is home schooling the kids, but she finds time to give riding lessons, coach a youth equestrian drill team, and of course, write. She was inspired to create her fist book, Temptation, by the Amish community she lived in. The experiential knowledge she gained through her interactions with her neighbors drove her to create the story of the star-crossed lovers, Rose and Noah. 

Karen grew up about a mile from Lake Ontario in Upstate New York. She was bitten by the horse but at the age of five, and after diligently taking riding lessons for several years, was rewarded with her fist horse when she turned eleven. The feisty horse's name was Lady, a Quarter Horse-Thoroughbred cross, who became Karen's steadfast companion. Through the years, the constant force in her life was horses. Eventually, she found her place as a riding instructor herself. Before accepting her fate in the barnyard, she worked a short stint as a paralegal, traveled abroad, and guided tourists on horseback riding tours in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. 
Karen is currently working on her Amish mystery series, Serenity's Plain Secrets, along with her YA paranormal/fantasy series, The Wings of  War. Karen is also excited to announce the Temptation series has been optioned for TV by Pilgrim Studios and is available on Audible. more books in the Temptation series are in the works. 
Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Website | Facebook Fan Page

Tour Schedule

Monday, August 24th 

Bittersweet Enchantment (Review)

A Bookish Escape (Review)

Tuesday, August 25th
Behind the Pages (Guest Post)
Lose Time Reading (Review)

Wednesday, August 26th
Taking It One Book at a Time (Guest Post)

Thursday, August 27th
Such a Novel Idea (Review)
The Perks of Being a Book Girl (Guest Post)

Friday, August 18th
Avid Reader Musings (Review/Guest Post)
Books and Things (Guest Post)

Monday, August 31st
Bewitched Bookworms (Guest Post)
Pause Time Reviews (Review/Guest Post)

Tuesday, September 1st
A Dream Within a Dream (Review)
Addicted Readers (Guest Post)

Wednesday, September 2nd
Actin' Up with Books (review)
The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club (Guest Post)

Thursday, September 3rd
Sassy Book Lovers (Review/Guest Post)
Fire and Ice (Interview)

Friday, September 4th
Read by Amanda (Review)
Curling Up With A Good Book (Guest Post)

Monday, September 7th
A Book Addict's Bookshelves (Review/Interview)
Bumbles and Fairy-Tales (Review)

Tuesday, September 8th
The Cheshire Cat's Looking Glass (Guest Post)

Wednesday, September 9th
On Writing and Riding (Interview)
Little Miss Drama Queen (Review)

Thursday, September 10th
Book Lovers Life (Guest Post)
So Bookalicious (Review/Interview)

Friday, September 11th
Rainy Days and Pajamas (Review)
Her Book Thoughts (Review)

Monday, September 14th
the bookdragon (Interview)
God's Girl, Books and Coffee (Review/Interview)

Tuesday, September 15th
Don't Fold the Page (Review)
Jessie Marie Reads (Review/Guest Post)
Sassy & Dangerous (Guest Post)

Wednesday, September 16th
Mortal Moments (Review/Guest Post)
Roxy's Review (Review/Guest Post)

Thursday, September 17th
The Forest of Words and Pages (Review)
Hearrs Reading (Review/Interview)

Friday, September 18th
Literary Meanderings (Guest Post)

El

Review: A Prayer Heeded (A Prayer Series #2) by Samreen Ahsan

Title: A Prayer Heeded
Author: Samreen Ahsan
Series: A Prayer Series
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Adult
Publication date: April 17th 2014
Pages: 272 (paperback)
Source: received from author







Adam Gibson is a multimillionaire who is not searching for God - or demons - when he finds love with a beautiful woman. Unfortunately, Rania, the one who has captured his heart, has a tormented past. Adam is unaware of his powers, how God makes sure his each prayer is heeded due to his virtue of charity. Adam knows Rania is still the answer to all his silent prayers. But now only time will tell if her soul is destined to be his once again. Rania Ahmed is dead inside. Adam, the man she mistakenly considered to be her soul mate, has crushed her soul into millions of pieces. Due to her broken past, she still believes her curse will keep her from loving her soul into millions of pieces. Due to her broken past, she still believes her curse will keep her from loving ever again. What she does not know is that Adam has made a promise to himself to never give up on her - no matter what. But Adam does not know what he is getting himself into. In this spiritual romance, an atheist embarks on a path of enlightenment with a tormented soul who may just have the power to change everything he has ever believed to be true.

Goodreads

The first book in this series, A Silent Prayer, did surprise me in a good way. And after the way the book ended I was curious to find out how the series would continue. Besides there were still so many questions, especially regarding Rania’s past, that I wanted answers to. So I was really excited to read this story and sadly I have to admit that this book did disappoint me in some ways.

A Silent Prayer was a romance story, and that’s why I liked it so much. It held a strong message about love. Love between two different cultures and religions. But A Prayer Heeded was different then the first book. It was a mix of paranormal, magical realism and myths. And that together with the romance aspect of the first book. I wasn’t a biggest fan of this change. I thought that the genre of the book was perfect as it was in the first book. Because of this mix I had a hard time believing everything that happened in this book. It also felt like an overload of things to me.

Maybe I remember it wrong but the writing style of this book also seemed different to me than the writing style in the first book. The writing style of A Prayer Heeded felt forced to me at some points, especially at the beginning of the book.

But there were still many aspects that I liked of this book. Like Rania’s and Adam’s relationship. It’s clear that they were meant for each other. They heal one another without realizing they are doing exactly that. There was also a lot of character growth in this book. Adam learned that he couldn’t control everything in his life and that he has to be patient. Rania her growth was even more remarkable. And the beginning of the first book she was closed off towards everyone, except her best friend Mike. But even he could never break down all her walls. Adam is somehow able to break down the walls surrounding her, by breaking it apart piece by piece. In the end Rania learned that she was allowed to love people and that she could be loved. I really loved seeing how they both developed throughout these books. I loved learning about the Muslim religion and getting to know there myths. That was probably one of my favorite aspects of this series.

A Prayer Heeded is a faced-paced book, there was always something happening to keep you on the edge of your seat. And while it is not my favorite book in this series I still liked it and I’m glad that I read it. 

El

Review: Animal by Nikki Rae

Title: Animal
Author: Nikki Rae
Genre: Paranormal Suspense, New Adult
Publication date: February 28th 2015
Pages: 412 (ebook)
Source: received from author
Buy link: Amazon







Ava has spent her life running from the monsters that lurk in the shadows, always the prey. She finally thinks she can settle down, have a normal life, and work on not being so scared of the world around her. That is until she runs into her worst fear.

He has finally found the potential family he has always wanted. All he has to do is make his little bird sing. Will Ava escape with her humanity intact?

Goodreads

Animal is a spin-off of Nikki Rae’s Sunshine Series. Ever since I read that series I’m in love with the author’s writing. We first got a glimpse of Ava in the Sunshine Series, back then I was intrigued with her story. So when I found out that Ava would get her own book I was so excited. Ava’s story didn’t disappoint me. Since Animal is a prequel to the Sunshine Series it can easily be read when you haven’t read the Sunshine Series yet. And believe me after you have finished this book you will want to read Nikki’s other work.

Ava has been on the run for the last couple of years. She feels that someone is lurking in the shadows. Ready to grab her as soon she lets her guard down. But she knows from what she’s running but not from whom. Ava is one of the few humans that know that vampire live among humans. Her parents used to help them integrate into the human world. But they also taught her how to block them out of her head and never to trust one of them. Still somehow one of them managed to sneak into her world. All Ava can do now that her worst nightmare has come to life is try to fight and survive in any way that she can.

I really admired Ava her strength. She is so incredibly brave, I don’t think I could have handled it the way she did if I was in her shoes. No matter how hopeless her situation seemed, she never gave up. When plan A failed she thought of a new plan. And if that one also failed she thought of yet another one. Never once did it cross her mind to just give up. Partly why she never gave up was because of Evan. She didn’t know if she could trust him, even Evan didn’t know if he could be trusted. After all he is bonded to Michael. But Evan reminded Ava whenever she thought that all hope was gone that there was something left to fight for.  I really liked Evan for that.

Overall I really loved this book. Nikki always manages to capture my attention and suck me into the story right from page one of the book. Her books are always so raw, horrifying and beautiful at the same time.  For all of you who haven’t read any of her books yet, I would highly recommend them to you. 

El

Review: Frostbitten by Heather Beck

Title: Frostbitten
Author: Heather Beck
Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult
Publisher: Enchanted Publishing
Publication date: June 23rd 2014
Pages: 226 (Kindle)
Source: received from author






Great beauty hides dark secrets...

Seventeen-year-old Anastasia Lockhart has never led an easy life, but when she starts getting into serious trouble, she's sent to live with her grandparents in Cedar Falls. The small, picturesque town hasn't changed since she visited four years ago, with one exception - the presence of a handsome, mysterious boy named Frost. Despite warning from her grandparents and friends to stay away from From, Anastasia can't deny their attraction, and the more time they spend together, the deeper in love they fall. Unfortunately, Frost has a secret that is beyond Anastasia's wildest imagination, and she soon finds herself in the midst of a supernatural legend that has haunted Cedar Falls for years.

Can Anastasia and Frost's love really overcome anything, or are their fates much darker.

Goodreads

The setting of Frostbitten is really pretty. It’s set in a small, idyllic town in Canada, in the midst of a wintery forest. For that aspect alone I already liked the book. I love it when books are set in some idyllic town in the middle of nowhere, they always spark my imagination.

Anastasia was overall a lovely character. In the past she had made some bad mistakes, hung out with the wrong crowd. But nothing that most teenagers won’t do. So when she is sent to live with her grandparents for the rest of the school year Anastasia is determined to get her life back on track. Some of the things that Anastasia had to face in her new school were sad. But I also had a hard time believing some of the horrible things that were done to her or said by her. I know that people, especially teenagers, can be cruel to each other. But this just seemed a bit unreal to me. In the end she also learns who her true friends really are and she learns to be herself again.
Frost is a really cute guy. He’s a bit of a mystery since no one really ever talks to him so no one knows anything about him. You could clearly see from the beginning of the book that he was a genuine nice guy. It was another good aspect of this book, since nowadays it seems like the girl always has to fall in love with the bad guy. So I really liked it that Frost was a good guy. But I kind of missed the development in their relationship. It happened way too quickly for me. Frost was also not developed enough for my taste. We still know so little about him and his past and family. I wouldn’t have mind if we got to know him deeper. But that might be the case in the second book in this series, I certainly hope so.

The action and the paranormal elements were well done in this book. The author has a really descriptive way of writing. So I had a very vivid image of what was going on. This definitely added to the suspense of the book. Near the end of the book the author also threw in some folklore, I really hope that she will explore this more in the following books. This series has a lot of potential to be great. So I hope that it will have a thrilling sequel.

Overall I really liked Frostbitten. It’s a good young adult paranormal read. I liked the characters, especially Anastasia, and I really would like to see how they develop in the rest of the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a new young adult paranormal read.

El

Review: Faded (The Faded Trilogy #1) by Chloe Miles

Title: Faded
Author Chloe Miles
Series: The Faded Trilogy
Genre: Paranormal, YA
Publication date: August 24th 2012
Pages: 392 (paperback) 
Source: received from author







"Savannah wanted to kiss him, but she had never even kissed a human guy before, let alone a ghost. How was she supposed to kiss him if he wasn't really there?"

Savannah has never been in love before, but she's in love with Hunter Emmerton. He's cute, funny, charming... and a ghost. How can you date someone if nobody else can see them?

When seventeen-year-old Savannah Fraser and her three friends are killed in a car accident, they are given a second chance at life by a group of century-old earthbound spirits who need their help.

Savannah learns she is a Chosen One, which means she can switch between human and spirit form, heal people, and control the weather - and she is also now invincible.

The Chosen Ones are the only ones who can defeat The Forces - a trio of evil half-spirits who are slowly destroying the perfect little town of Fort Everwich with violent storms and not-so-natural disasters - and stop them from harming everyone they care about.

The Forces are set on destroying everything Savannah knows and loves, but they also have a more sinister plan - they want a new member to join them. They won't give up until they get the one they want - and they have Savannah firmly in their sights.

But what Savannah didn't count on was falling in love with Hunter. She's never loved anyone the way she loves Hunter, and she knows he loves her, too. But how can they be together forever if he no longer exists and she's the only one who can see him?

Will Savannah have enough belief in herself to defeat the Forces, or will they be able to lure her to the dark side and turn her against her loved ones - and tear her and Hunter apart?

Goodreads

When the author approached me with the question if I wanted to read Faded I didn’t hesitate a moment. The blurb of this book sounded really interesting and I couldn’t wait to find out more about the Chosen Ones and The Forces.

The beginning of the book was rather slow. The first few chapters were rather unnecessary, they were too introductory. It took quite a bit too really get into the story. But the story progressed from there on and it all culminated in a great ending. One of the things why it was hard to really get into the story was because the author constantly switched from point of view. Sometimes it took me a couple of lines until I realized that she had switched, so that was a little annoying.

The plot was rather a classic one, Good versus Evil. But to be honest I still feel like I need to see the real Evil. The Evil ones in this book are another set of ‘chosen ones’ who have gone rough. They want control of the population of the town. Yes the cause some heavy storms but they never really hurt anyone. So I don’t see how they can gain power when they don’t take any action. Maybe we are going to see more of this in the next two books, I certainly hope so.

There were a lot of characters and we all get to meet them in the beginning of the book. It could have been confusing, often it is when you get to meet a lot of characters in the first few pages. But not this time, the author described them well and it was clear who is who. The characters were likeable, I especially liked Hunter a lot. He was such a sweet guy and he always knows what to do to make someone feel better. And most importantly he never loses fate in someone. Savannah the other main character was likeable as well. She might not be my favorite character ever but I liked her well enough. I especially loved her love for her family and friends. She’s really loyal to them and she would do anything do them to protect them. One of the thing I loved the most about the characters was that they were all so different form one another. But at the same time they completed each other so well and that was so great to see.

Overall the book was good, while it might not be a page turner it did make me want to find out what was going to happen next.  I am excited to see what will happen in the next two books and I hope to learn more about the Chosen Ones and The Forces. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes YA paranormal books, especially Ghost stories. 

El