Tuesday 30 October 2012

Surrender

**
2 Stars/5


Thanks to Netgalley and Coscom Entertainment for giving me this book to review.

Elvins do not fall in love, they marry the land, so when Kaliel and Krishani start getting feeling for each other they have to hide them or be judged by everyone. At the same time they both have to deal with their own destinies and how they affect all of Avristar.

While this has all the elements I love in a fantasy book I just could not connect with it. As you go straight into the story I felt a bit lost and confused throughout half the book.

We only got to know Kaliel and Krishani in terms of their romance and destiny but not much else about them. I also did not like the insta-love in this book as they only met once yet pined after each other for over a year.

However I did like how descriptive and imaginative this book this is a I actually felt like I was in Avristar while reading this book and I could see how it look and felt like.

Overall a good story but with characters I could not relate to.

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Devil's Bargain


****
4 Stars/5


Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for giving me a copy of this book to review.

Jazz's life has reached rock bottom, she has no job, her friend and partner has been convicted of a crime he did not commit. Until James Borden offers her a job, for a shadowy organisation called the Cross Society, which could be an offer that is too good to be true. 

I have been a fan of Morganville vampires for ages so I was interested in what Caine did in Devil’s Bargain. It is a really good book with romance, psychics and action. The pace of this book is good because it is slow enough that you can understand everything but not so fast that it gets boring.

Similar to Morganville, Caine strength in this book is her characters. Jazz is a kick-ass person who is head strong and stubborn but also does not mind running into danger to save someone. However I did find it a bit hard to connect to Jazz mostly because we are in very different times of our lives as she is mid-thirties and I am early 20s. The other characters in this book are also awesome including James the mysterious lawyer and deliver of the red letters and Lucia who is Jazz’s calm and sophisticated new partner.

The romance in this book is good but a bit obvious, because as soon as the love interest enters, it was clear that is what he what is meant to be in this book. That being said it was enjoyable reading about the romantic tension between the two of them.

If I have one criticism is that there is not enough paranormal romance in this book. There are a lot of unanswered questions in this book and I can wait to read the next book. I would recommend this book to anyone who like Rachel Caine’s books

Tuesday 23 October 2012

The High Lord


*****
5 Stars/ 5

It has been a year since the challenge and Sonea has earned the respect of her fellow novices, but is still being held captive by the High Lord, but as she learns more about Akkarin, she has to figure out if he is telling the truth or manipulating her. Meanwhile Dannyl and Tayend are happy together and have a mission to stop a group of rogue magicians, and Cery is now a Thief and is tracking down some serial killers.

Trudi Canavan is a fantastic author and this is my favourite series because of the story, how she writes the characters, but mostly it has a certain spark. This book has action, romance and suspense.

I love how you get so involved in the character’s lives and get worried when they are in danger. I also like how much Sonea has grown as a character throughout the series and how she puts others before herself even those she does not like.

I really like how action packed the book gets at the end and how involved I got and how understandable the motives of the baddies are (even though I don’t agree with them).

SPOILER
However my favourite character is Akkarin because who knew a author could change how much I felt about a character in just one book! I went from hating him to pitying him to finally crying at the end about him, it is amazing how Canavan does it.

My one criticism of this book is the ending, Why Trudi why kill him off when they both could of survived if they did ONE thing differently! I know good triumphed over evil but I like my endings happy (sorry rant over)
SPOILER END

I would recommend this trilogy to everyone especially whose who likes fantasy whether YA or not similar to Maria V Snyder or Kristin Cashore.

The Novice


*****
5 Stars/ 5

The Novice starts a few months after The Magicians Guild. Sonea is now a novice at the Guild but faces a tough time from the other novices who are distrustful because she is a girl from the slums. Dannyl is now ambassador to Elyne and is on a mission to rediscover ancient magic.  At the same time Sonea, Rothen and Administrator Lorlen have to find a way of dealing with and stopping the High Lord Akkarin from using his black magic.

As I said in my review of The Magicians Guild, I am a big fan of the Black Magician Trilogy, so this might not be an unbiased review. This book has great character development and story line and leaves you wanting to finish the series right then and there.

Sonea grows as a character in this book but at the same time is more vulnerable as she is out of her element and does not fit in at the Guild as much as the slums. I also like how we learn about Dannyl and also different parts of this world.

I love how Trudi Canavan can make us empathise with all of the characters and how everything is not black and white, similarly the suspected villain is very mysterious and you are unsure of his motives, and whether what he is doing is evil or not..

The Novice is an excellent book and if you are a fan of fantasy books then you should read this series.

The Magicians Guild


*****
5 Stars/5

In the city of Imardin every year Magicians drive the Thieves, beggars and the poor out of the city without any trouble, until one year a young woman called Sonea is able to break through their magical barrier. Now, the hunt is on, as the magicians to find her before she destroys the city and herself. Meanwhile, Sonea is trying to hide from them and the bounty on her head by taking refuge with the Thieves.

The Magicians Guild, the first book in the Black Magician trilogy, is my favourite series ever so I may not be as unbiased as I wish. This book does start a bit slow but has a brilliant mix of humour, action and suspense, and in my opinion is a brilliant story with a certain spark, which I have seen in very few books.

Canavan is brilliant at writing characters, because, even though there are different points of view, they all have their own unique voices. Sonea is a character whom I really admire because, even though she has not had the best upbringing, she is still a kind character, who is brave and very loyal to those she cares about.

The other main characters are really likeable as well, especially Cery who is really devoted to Sonea and would do anything to protect her and Rothen who is a kind fatherly character. The villain in this book has really understandable motives, and believes that what he is doing is the right thing, for both himself and the Magicians Guild

This is a brilliant fantasy book and whilst it is a bit slow at the start, if you stick with it, it gets MUCH better. I would recommend this book to everyone but especially those who like Maria V Snyder and Tamora Pierce. 

Witch Born



*****
5 Stars/5

The Dark Witch has been defeated and Senna is engaged to the man she loves, everything should be perfect, but it is not. Haven is not the paradise she thought it would be, Tarten is still suffering from the witches curse and there is a new threat that could destroy everything Senna holds dear.

Witch Born is a brilliant sequel which has lots of twists and turns and is much more unpredictable than Witch Song. Also this book is more action-packed and involves additional characters than the first book.

Senna has really grown up since the Witch Song but she is still finding out who she wants to be in life, which causes tension between her and those who care about her. I really like Joshen in this book as he is everything a love interest in a light YA fantasy and while they may be away from each other more in this book you can still tell they love each other very much.

I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to see what else Amber Argyle is going to write. I would recommend this series to people who like Shannon Hale and Gail Carson Levine.

Witch Song


*****
5 Stars/5 

Brusenna has always been hidden away by her mother, but when she and the rest of the haven witches are taken captive by the dark witch Espen, Brusenna is the last witch left, so with the help of her guardian Joshen and her dog Bruke, she must find a way to do what no other witch has done before and defeat the dark witch.

Witch Song is a really brilliant and charming story with true love, adventure and magic it is a good story for YA fantasy readers. The story was non-stop and really captivating and action packed.

I love Senna’s growth in this book but it does not change her too much from the shy insecure girl from the beginning, I admire how she does admit her mistakes and acts on them and how she reacts maybe not in the right way but a realistic one. Also Joshen is also a great character as he is brave, strong and totally loyal to Senna no matter what.

Also the secondary characters are well rounded from Senna’s mother Sacra to the Captain Parknel. The romance is so sweet and gentle but is also very innocent.

I would recommend this book to people who like light but enchanting YA fantasy.

Monday 22 October 2012

Fire Study


*****
5 Stars/5


Fire Study starts off with Yelena having learnt that she is a Soulfinder, which causes distrust, and fear from the council, Cahil has released Ferde and a new enemy called the Fire Warper is after Yelena.

Although this is still a brilliant story and series, it did not flow as easily as the other two books, but saying that it is still a very good plot and you want to find out what happens next to Yelena and her friends.

Yelena regresses back into her old self a bit in this book, running and hiding instead of taking charge, however it did seem that everyone was putting too much pressure on her as she is still a young woman. However this did make her stronger by the end of the book.

Loads of my favourite characters from both Ixia and Sitia are back in this book, but as we see them through Yelena’s eyes, and because she is finding it hard to trust people in some parts of the book, sometimes the characters act differently that you think they should, but most of the time they are the character you know and love.

Yelena and Valek’s relationship in this novel faces more trouble as they are both struggling to understand each other, especially when it comes to Yelena’s powers, but in the end they realise that while that don’t need each other that want each other.  The villain was a bit obvious and you cannot understand how one person in particular did not see it all along, but overall a good ending to the series.

I would recommend this book to those like fantasy especially Graceling or the Black Magician trilogy.

Magic Study


*****
5 Stars/5


Magic study starts a few weeks after the events of Poison Study, in that time Yelena has gone to Sitia to escape the death warrant in Ixia, and also to learn magic and to find her long lost family. But not everything is plain sailing, as her brother is hostile towards her, and many of the people at the Magician’s Keep think she is a spy, including the First Magician, and on top of all that, there is a serial killer torturing and killing girls, and it looks like Yelena may be next.

This is a brilliant sequel to Poison Study, and Ms Snyder is really good with the pacing of the books. It has everything you want in a fantasy book, with action, romance, magic and a fight between good and evil.

Yelena has grown as a character, as at the beginning of Poison Study, she was all about self-preservation, and running away. In this book, she has grown more confident, and helps others at risk to herself.

The romance between Yelena and Valek is a bit different from the last book, because for most of the book their relationship is long-distance, although they still have a very strong relationship, and you will end up rooting for them.

Even though there are still some of my favourite characters from Poison Study appearing in this book, such as Commander Ambrose, Valek, Ari and Janco, we are also introduced to some new people, such as Moon Man, Yelena’s guide, and Cahil, Yelena’s frenemy. But my favourite new character is Kiki, Yelena’s horse (You will understand when you read the book)

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys well-written fantasy novels, whether Young Adult or not.

Poison Study


*****
5 Stars/5



After being arrested for murdering a general’s son, Yelena is spared the noose by becoming Commander Ambrose’s food taster, but whilst this is a dangerous enough job, she also has to avoid General Brazell’s men, escape assassination attempts on her life, survive the poison which the Commander’s Advisor, Valek, has given her to prevent her from escaping. All the while she discovers that she is developing magical abilities which are forbidden in Ixia.

This is a brilliant fantasy novel set in a world that is different from most others in this genre. The pacing of this book is really good and makes you want to stay up all night just to find out what happens next.

Yelena is a really interesting character who grows in confidence throughout the book and as you learn more about her past the more you realise how strong a person she is. Valek is also a really fascinating character who you would not want to get on the wrong side of, and whilst he is cunning and intelligent he is also very loyal.

Ari and Janco’s character’s as they add humour to the book and they also help Yelena out of her shell and become a bit surer of herself.

The romance is perfect in this book as it was not obvious from the beginning if there was going to be any, and if so with whom, but as the story went on it was there just enough to keep you rooting for them but not too much to overtake the story.

This is an excellent book which is perfect if you are looking to read a fantasy book that is in-between a YA and an adult novel. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes Trudi Canavan or Kristin Cashore. 

The Magician's Apprentice



*****
5 Stars/5

The Magician’s Apprentice is about Tessia, the local healer’s daughter, who unknowingly uses magic after fending of the advances of a visiting Sachakan mage, she becomes an apprentice to the magician Lord Dakon alongside fellow apprentice Jayan. However she would soon learn that with her magical gifts comes with responsibilities and not all is peaceful as it seems between Sachakan and Kyralia.

This prequel, set a few centuries before the black magician trilogy, has the features that Trudi Canavan is good at - action, romance, humour and lots of magic. It is really interesting to see how the events of this book affected this world centuries down the line in the black magician’s and the traitor spy trilogies, I especially like finding out how the traitors began and how the war affected relations between the nations for years to come.

The characters in this book are all really realistic and you can understand everyone’s motives, while each character is still very different from the people in Canavan’s other series. However while I really liked Tessia, Jayan and Dakon perspectives, I could not get into Hanara’s or Stara’s however it was interesting to hear the story from the other sides view point.

I also like how Canavan did not romanticise what war is like and the hardships of it and how even the “good guys” can justify doing bad things as a means to an end and everyone believes they are they doing what they think is right.

This is a brilliant prequel and would recommend this book to anyone likes Trudi Canavan’s work especially her Black Magician trilogy.

The False Prince


****
4 Star/5

The False Prince is about a 14 year old boy called Sage who is taken, along with 3 other boys who look alike, by a noble called Connor, who will choose one of them to impersonate the king’s long lost son and make him a puppet prince.


I really liked this book as it is a nice light read which will appeal to everyone young and old, and while the book is a bit predictable, it is not as bad as other books in this genre. Sage is a really likeable and relatable teenage boy and while at first he comes across as arrogant and annoying he is actually nice and selfless.

I enjoyed the way Nielsen wrote the relationship between the boys and how they became friends through shared experiences but at the same time how they were rivals as they know that only one will be chosen and the others will die.

This is a really good book which reminded me a bit of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, but I preferred this one as I could relate more to the characters. I would recommend this book to people who like the Belgariad or Eragon.

The Assassin and The Empire


****
4 Stars/5

This is the fourth and final throne of glass novella in which Sam and Celaena are living together and trying to get enough money to leave Rifthold for good by doing one last but dangerous assignment.

This novella is heart breaking but it is nice to know how Celaena ends up where she is at the beginning of throne of glass. Celaena does make a lot of mistakes in this book but she is still a really interesting character which I have liked getting to know.

I love the relationship between Celaena and Sam but I’m annoyed about how this story line ends, but I can see why it needs to happen this way for Celaena story to progress.

I love how Maas makes you really care about the character even in a story as short as this and I am counting down the days until Throne of Glass comes out and I hope it is as good as the novellas suggest it will be.

The Assassin and the Desert


****
4 Stars/5
This is the second throne of glass novella in which Celaena, as punishment for her actions in the Pirate Lord, has to train with the Silent Assassins for a month and get a letter of approval from the master or be exiled.

I like this novella a bit more than the last one as it is slower than the first one and focuses more on the characters and the plot. Celaena is a little less sure of herself in this book after the consequences of the pirate lord, but she is still a really interesting character who is different from other main characters in this genre.

This novella focuses more on the characters and how Celaena interacts with them as there are more people in this story. I especially like the master, who is all Yoda like and not what you would expect from a leader of assassins.

After this I really cannot wait to get my hands on the Throne of Glass as Maas seems to be a brilliant author, I cannot wait to see what she does with a full length novel. I would recommend to people who like Maria V Snyder and Trudi Canavan. 

The Assassin and The Pirate Lord


****
4 Stars/5

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is a prequel novella to Throne of Glass which comes out August 2012. This novella is about a 16 year old assassin called Celaena and her fellow assassin Sam as they go to the Pirate Lord’s home to work out a deal with him.

This is an enjoyable novella which deals with right and wrong and is really fast paced and action packed. Maas does a really good job getting us to understand and relate to the characters, which is quite an achievement for a story this short. There is a slight hit of romance in this book but it is much understated which looks promising for her main novel.

Celaena is a bit of a conflicting character because on one side she is good looking, knows it and uses it as a weapon and is also arrogant, but on the other side wants to be good and moral and is very naïve about who she assassinates and how that business is run.

Sarah J Maas does a brilliant job with the Assassin and the Pirate Lord and I cannot wait to read the next 3 novellas and throne of glass. I would recommend this to people who like young adult fantasy books.

Blood Moon


****
4 Stars/5

Bleeding Hearts starts a few months after Out for Blood, in which the blood moon is fast approaching, Lucy is feeling isolated and abandoned by the Drakes and Lucy’s cousin Christabel is coming to town

I really liked finding out more about the Hel-Blar and how there society works. I also liked how Lucy is back as a main character and how the past two books has affected as a person.

My favourite character in this book is Connor as I totally get his sense of humour and we like similar stuff as him, as in I get the Firefly and Star Wars references and I read fantasy books because the good guys always win like him.

However I did not connect with Christabel as while we both like reading, I felt all of her characteristics were not realist and were only there to create obstacles. I also felt no spark between Connor and Christabel as it did not seem they would like each other that way in real life and this was disappointing as this was the relationship I was looking forward to, however Nicholas and Lucy’s relationship made up for it.

This book felt a bit like a middle book and end on a cliff-hanger which will make you itch to pick up Blood Moon straight away. I would recommend this book to all who liked the rest of Harvey’s books.

Bleeding Hearts


****
4 Stars/5

Bleeding Hearts starts a few months after Out for Blood, in which the blood moon is fast approaching, Lucy is feeling isolated and abandoned by the Drakes and Lucy’s cousin Christabel is coming to town

I really liked finding out more about the Hel-Blar and how there society works. I also liked how Lucy is back as a main character and how the past two books has affected as a person.

My favourite character in this book is Connor as I totally get his sense of humour and we like similar stuff as him, as in I get the Firefly and Star Wars references and I read fantasy books because the good guys always win like him.

However I did not connect with Christabel as while we both like reading, I felt all of her characteristics were not realist and were only there to create obstacles. I also felt no spark between Connor and Christabel as it did not seem they would like each other that way in real life and this was disappointing as this was the relationship I was looking forward to, however Nicholas and Lucy’s relationship made up for it.

This book felt a bit like a middle book and end on a cliff-hanger which will make you itch to pick up Blood Moon straight away. I would recommend this book to all who liked the rest of Harvey’s books.

A Killer First Date


*****
5 Stars/5

A Killer First Date is set between Out for Blood and Bleeding Hearts, where Nicholas and Lucy have finally got round to having their first date at Lucy’s school carnival with Quinn and Hunter but with the Drakes nothing stays calm and simple.

This is told from the POV of both Lucy and Hunter and it has the mixture of action, romance and humour of all Harvey’s novels but for 69p it is a bargain.

What I really like about this novella is how Nicholas and Lucy’s relationship has evolved since My Love Lies Bleeding and how they act together now they have accepted their feelings for each other.

I really like this novella and would recommend this to anyone who has read the first three books in the Drake Chronicles. 

Corsets and Crossbows


*****
5 Stars/5

Corsets and Crossbows is novella is about Rosalind who a young woman in the 19th century who is writing to a friend about trying to uncover a plot about someone trying to kill the head of the London Helios-Ra. I can’t tell you much more about the story line as it would be giving it away.

Rosalind Wild (ancestor of Hunter) is really ahead of her time as she wants to do what the men do in Helios-Ra and be accepted for it but instead she is not told all the facts about vampires and is excluded (and other women) from helping in hunting vampires.

I would recommend this novella to people who like the Drake chronicles as although I did miss the Drakes it still had the action, humour and romance and for 69p it is a brilliant price.

Out For Blood


*****
5 Stars/5

Out for Blood is set a week after Blood feud where Helena is about to be crowned as queen, more Hel-Blar are attacking Violet hill and it is the start of a new year for the students at the Helios-Ra academy.

Out for Blood (like all of Alyxandra Harvey’s books so far) has a good mix of Humour action and romance. This book is like a lot of YA paranormal romance books, where it is set in a boarding school and where a vampire and a vampire hunter have a star-crossed romance, but Harvey writes this book brilliantly so I don’t mind if it is not as unique as her other Drake books.

I really understand and like hunter and how she always does what is right no matter how she is pressured not to and also how she acts when she is fighting want she should do and what she wants to do, which I think is very realistic. The romance in this book is good but I did not feel that Hunter and Quinn had as much of a spark as Lucy and Nick or Logan and Isabeau but I did like the start-crossed nature of their romance.

This book seems to have more supporting characters than the other books with Hunter’s friends and teachers at the academy, and while I like the Drakes it was nice to get to know different characters such as Chloe and Spencer.

I would recommend this book to those who like the rest of the Drake chronicles.

Blood Feud


*****
5 Star/5

Blood Feud starts a week after the events of My Love Lies Bleeding where Helena has become the queen, Montmarte is still after the crown and Solange and the Drakes are holding negotiations with the Helios-Ra and the Hounds.

This book is really good and has the combination of action, humour and romance that I love from Harvey’s books. This book is all about discovering about the characters discovering about themselves and like I still prefer the first book it did still have that fairy tale feel about it.

This book is about the second youngest Drake brother Logan and how everyone than he is more than just the drake brother who dresses fancy. It is also about the Hound handmaiden Isabeau who after living through the events of the French revolution and then being turned into a vampire, has to decide what is more important to her love or her revenge.

I really like the flash backs to Isabeau’s life in Paris during the French revolution and how desperate and scared she was and yet how she survived through creating a wall around her heart, and then later how Logan was able to break through it.

I would recommend this book to people who liked My Love Lies Bleeding and also those who like a fairy tale edge to their paranormal romances.

My Love Lies Bleeding


*****
5 Stars/5


Solange Drake is soon going to become a vampire on her 16th birthday; this causes problems as she has been prophesied to become the next queen. With help from her best friend Lucy her Brother Nick and her potential enemy Kieran Black, they have to help fight against those who want to either harm or use her.

I really love this book as it has a great mix of romance, humour, action and while it is a light and fluffy read, it is a perfect holiday book or if you want to feel like you did as a child listening to a fairy tale.

It is told from the points of view of both Solange and Lucy, but while this can sometimes cause confusion, Solange and Lucy are totally different characters and tell their story differently. While both girls are strong and loyal they do it in totally different ways, with Solange being quiet and introvert, while Lucy is louder and would do anything to defend those she loves (especially breaking people’s noses).

The Drake brothers are amazing and you feel they all have a different personality and you can distinguish between them. I especially like Nick, who does not love a bad boy with a heart of gold, and Connor, but that because we are both geeks. What I really like about this series so far is that there is not a love triangle, which it seems almost every other YA paranormal book has, so thank you Harvey.

SPOILER
I only noticed this after reading it a few times but I think Alyxandra Harvey has been influenced by Snow White with this book because Solange attracts not birds and wildlife creatures but blood thirsty vampires, she has seven brothers and finally the “huntsman” Kieran gives a deer heart to the evil queen. I am not sure if it was intentional but it is a nice twist on the traditional fairy tale.
SPOILER END

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes light YA paranormal books, or just books which leave you feeling that all is right in the world.

The Golden Lily


*****
5 Stars/5

The Golden Lily starts of a few weeks after the events of Bloodlines with Sonya, Demitri and Adrian are experimenting with spirit, Sydney’s teacher Ms Terwilliger is trying to convince her to learn magic and Sydney is summoned to meet the alchemists. This book is more action packed than Bloodlines with people attacking Sonya and Sydney realising how vulnerable she really is.

Sydney is more conflicted in this book as she has grown close to people she has been taught to hate and fear and how to go about protecting them without going against her beliefs.

I love how Mead writes her romance in this series and how you route for them to be together, yet you don’t know how the situations will allow them too.

I like how even more characters are back from the VA series and how this changes the dynamic of the group. However I did feel that Jill in this book is not as much of a main character in this one, but it could be that there are more characters in this one.

Even though the plot was a bit predictable I really love this series and would recommend it to fans of the Vampire Academy series

Bloodlines


*****
5 Stars/5

Bloodlines is a spin-off series of the vampire academy series in which the alchemist Sydney has to look after Jill because she is being hunted by assassins trying to stop Lissa staying Queen. Also girls are being murdered and there tattoo which have unique powers.

I really like Sydney’s character and while both rose and Sydney are both protective and loyal, Sydney likes to think before acting and enjoys learning new things which I can really relate to.

I’m really glad some of our favourite characters return such as Jill and Eddie but it was also good to meet new ones like Keith and Trey. However was I am really happy about is that Adrian is back, although I always thought Rose should be with Demitri, I really hope Adrian his happily ever after.

I also like how the romance in this series is slower and more realistic than most YA paranormal romances, and while there was not much romance in this book there is a lot of potential.

Although it is a bit slower than the vampire academy series it was brilliant and kept on making you guess what was going on and who the bad guys are. I would recommend Bloodlines to anyone who likes or loves the Vampire Academy series

Friday 19 October 2012

City of Lost Souls


****
4 Stars/5



City of Lost Souls starts of 2 weeks after Jace and Sebastian have disappeared. The clave de-prioritise the search of them but clary and the rest of the gang don’t want to give up and will even break the law to do it.

This book is much more captivating than City of Fallen Angels as you don’t want to put it down and not find out what happens next. Although I did find it annoying that everyone has to be in a relationship and that no one could be happy and single.

I really connected with Clary in this book as both her and reader don’t know what is going on and who to trust while she tries to find out Sebastian’s plans, and even though Clary did make some mistakes she own up to them in the end. I could not work out Sebastian and what he was doing and I sometimes doubted whether he was evil or not. Jace is a really good baddy but I am glad we got to see a bit of normal Jace as well.

While Clary is finding out Sebastian’s plans Simon, Isabelle Magnus and the rest are trying to find a weapon that could kill Sebastian, I felt that this bit was more about the characters and their emotions than any action especially compared to Clary’s parts of the book but in City of Heavenly Fire there will probably be enough action to make up for this.

Overall this is a very good book but it is still not as up to the same level as the first 3 as they has the right balance between humour, romance, emotion and action. I would recommend to anyone who likes or loves the immortal instruments and infernal devices series.
P.S. I think brother Zachariah is someone we might already know.

Monday 15 October 2012

City of Fallen Angels


****
4 Stars/5



City of Fallen Angels starts 6 weeks after City of Glass, Clary is training to be a shadow hunter, Alec and Magnus are on holiday and Luke and Jocelyn are about to get married. But not everything is happily ever after Shadow hunters are being murdered and people are targeting Simon but no one knows why.

While I really like this book I did not love it mostly it is because it is a bit slower than the first 3 which had action all the way through them, while City of Fallen Angels not much happen until the last quarter.

However the characters are still a strong point in this book especially Simon who is much more of a main character in this book. He is coming to terms with having the mark of Cain and being a daylighter, while dating both Maia and Isabelle and does not know how to tell them about each other. Simon has also been offered a deal by the head of the New York coven Camille but does not know whether to trust her or not plus there is a new member of his band called Kyle but is he all that he seems.

Jace and Clary just cannot catch a break, while this should be their HEA but things are just not going their way. Jace is suffering nightmares about hurting Clary and cannot deal with his feeling about Valentine. But instead of talking to Clary he distances himself from her, making her think he does not love her.

Overall this is a very go read and while it is a bit slow it is worth it to see all the characters we love again. I do love how they have intermingled the infernal devices series into this one while giving to much away about what happens init. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the first 3 of the mortal instruments series. 

Friday 12 October 2012

Endure

****
4 Stars/5



Endure started right after Entice where Zara and friends are trying to stop Frank and his pixies from destroying Bedford and the rest of the world.

The book is REALLY action packed and nonstop full of suspense and emotion, and wraps up the series brilliantly. It is amazing to see the characters change and grow throughout the books, especially Zara who in the first book said she would not be violent even to those who would hurt her, to in this book her defending her loved ones no matter what. Also she finally accepts her who she is and is comfortable in her own skin.

SPOILER
The one annoying thing about this book (and I know most of you will disagree) is that she chooses Astley, throughout the series it’s been all about Nick and Zara, whether accepting their star-crossed romance or Zara in Entice willing to do anything to rescue Nick from Valhalla, and then in this book them just being ok being friends. It just did not seem realist as I thought she was destined to be with Nick and best friends with Astley, as I only got the friend vibe between Zara and Astley throughout the first three books and the romance between them felt forced and unnatural.
SPOILER END

It is full of twists and turns and keeps on making you guess who the good guys are and who are not. Plus I love the secondary characters especially Issie who is so cute and I just want to give her a hug and Betty who is the coolest grandmother ever.

Endure is a fantastic book and would recommend the book to people who have read the first three books and the series to anyone who likes YA paranormal romance.

Entice


****
4 Stars/5



Entice starts off right after Captivate where Zara’s friends are still struggling to accept that she is a good pixie and Zara is determined to rescue Nick from Valhalla.

This is basically about Zara learning about Valhalla and Norse mythology to find a way to rescue Nick both for her and as the defender of Bedford. At the same time Zara worries whether Nick will even accept her as a pixie. Also Frank and his evil pixies are terrorising the town and are kidnapping boys for their needs, and Zara plus friends have to help protect everyone.

One down side is the lack of Nick in this book although he does influence everything in this book. There are plenty of plot twists and turns and you do not know what will happen next.

What I love about this series is the relationships between the characters, especially Betty and Zara relationship, and how Betty overcomes her resentment of pixies because of Zara. I also like the friendship between Astley and Zara and how they are both there for each other when they need help.

Even though I love this book it is a bit of a filler between Captivate and Endure. However it is still a very enticing read and I would recommend for those who have the rest of the series of if you like YA paranormal books.

Captivate

****
4 Stars/5



Captivate starts a while after Need with Zara’s father being trapped in the house with his pixies and the friends are stopping other pixies which are arriving more often.

In the first half of the book Nick and Zara are in love, Issie is jealous of Devyn’s friendship with a girl called Cassidy. Also Zara, after rescuing a pixie called Astley, has an internal debate about whether all pixies are evil. I love the addition of Norse mythology as I did not know much about it and I found it fascinating.

The second half of the book is the saddest part in the entire series and I won’t spoil it for those who have not read it, but Zara has an important decision which could affect her life forever.

This is a captivating book with many twists and turns and I could not guess at the ending.  I would recommend it to people who have read Need and those who like YA paranormal romances.

Need

*****
5 Stars/5



Need is about a girl called Zara White who after her step-dad’s death is sent to Maine to see whether living with her grandmother will help with her depression. However there is a sinister man seems to be following her around and may be linked to her step-father’s death.

Need is an interesting YA paranormal book which is full of suspense, romance and action, in a world filled with weres (were-tigers, werewolves) and pixies. But what I really love about this book are the characters, the four friends Zara, Nick, Issie and Devyn work really well together and have a good chemistry. Also the romance is a part of the story line but does not take it over like some YA paranormal books.

The baddies are really creepy and I would not want to meet them in a dark alley. But they are really fascinating and it is easy to understand and empathise with the main baddy. There is a lot of twists in the book and I could not guess what would happen next.

Need is a brilliant series and you really NEED to read this, I would recommend this to anyone who likes YA paranormal romance with a twist.
P.S. I love the phobias


Seraphina


****
4 Stars/5


Seraphina is a YA fantasy book about a girl who is caught in the middle of an uneasy peace between the dragons and her kingdom Goredd after the murder of one of the princes, which gets worse with the dragons general about to arrive. Also in the mist of all this Seraphina has a secret which she has to hide or it could be deadly to her.

Seraphina is a really interesting book by Rachel Hartman which combines mystery, romance and action and also involves dragons which I love to read about although these dragons did have a bit of a twist as these dragons remind me of Vulcans from Star Trek.

I really like the action and mystery of this book as we the reader try to figure out who might have killed Prince Rufus and if there is an assassination attempt on Ardmagar Comonot, the dragons leader and general. However the romance in this book did not have the chemistry that makes a relationship believable but hopefully it will be better in the next book.

I really like Seraphina as she is a really likable character who acts in an understandable and relatable way. I also like the relationship between her, Lucian Kiggs and princess Glisselda and how it developed throughout the book.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this book to people who like reading YA fantasy book about dragons.

Hope's Daughter


****
4 Stars/5


Cassie has always felt that she is the same as everyone else on the SS Hope until she talks to her class mate Balik and she feels that he is the only one who understands her, meanwhile teenagers are eloping without saying goodbye to their friends and while investigating this Cassie finds that she has a unique ability that could change her life forever.

Hope’s daughter is a really good YA dystopia and while at first is seems not very original, it is actually fascinating and really creepy at the same time. This book has a really good pace although a bit too fast at the end and has a good mix of romance, action and suspense.

I really like Cassie as she is nice and relatable and acts realistically when things in this book happen. Balik is a really good character who is a bit mysterious at the beginning and as we go through the book we see he is really brave and caring.

The one thing I feel that is missing in this book is that I could not connect to the secondary but I feel that Cusick-Jones will improve on this in her next book. I would recommend Hope’s Daughter to people who like Young Adult dystopian books.