Book Review #320 - Claire de Lune (Claire de Lune #1) by Christine Johnson

Torn between two destinies?

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and gorgeous Matthew keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she's the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: she's a werewolf.

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she must deal not only with her changing identity, but also with a rogue werewolf who is putting everyone she knows in danger. Claire's new life threatens her blossoming romance with Matthew, whose father is leading the werewolf hunt. Now burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, Claire is struggling to feel comfortable in either skin. With her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart, she will make a choice that will change her forever?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

What I liked most about this book was that it was alot different to other YA Werewolf books. For starters the paranormal creature was female, and was the protagonist instead of the love interest like most other books.

 

 

I felt like the plot was lacking a bit. Not much happened throughout, and I didn't encounter any real surprises or plot twists. I was also let down a bit by the conclusion to Lisbeth acting weird as I thought it would be something more interesting that what it was.

 

 

I found Matthew to be a little weak. There wasn't much depth to him, in fact there wasn't much depth to any of the characters. I really didn't understand the purpose of Emily at all. I just found her distracting and annoying.

Book Review #319 - Elixir (Elixir #1) by Hilary Duff

Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. The daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington DC politician, she has grown to be a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world. But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, Clea’s photos begin to feature eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful man—a man she has never seen before.

When fate brings Clea and this man together, she is stunned by the immediate and powerful connection she feels with him. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance, and they discover the centuries old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fates, together they race against time to unravel their pasts in order to save their lives—and their futures.

 

 

My Rating: 2.5/5

 

 

When I first started reading this book several months ago I was captivated by it and found the whole plot really interesting.

 

 

I must have read 3/4 of it within the day I started it. Then I hit a wall. I just didn't want to read it anymore. The plot just got too weird for me to follow properly.

 

 

When I picked up the book again today to finish it, it had been that long since I last read it that I was really confused.

 

 

I have never read any William Shakespeare and so that could also be another reason why it didn't make any sense to me. It seemed to reference to him a lot.

 

 

I really don't see myself continuing on with this series, but am open to reading other books by Hilary Duff.

Book Review #318 - Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum #2) by Janet Evanovich

This one's double the fun!

Bounty hunter Stephanie Pum is still learning the ropes at her cousin Vinnie's bail bond office, so when she sets out on the trail of Kenny Mancuso - a suspiciously weatlhy, working class Trenton boy who has just shot his best friend - the stakes are higher than ever. That Mancuso is distantly related to vice cop Joe Morelli - who is trying to beat Stephanie to the punch - only makes the hunt more thrilling...

 

Taking pointers from her bounty hunter pal, Ranger, and using her pistol packing Grandma Mazur as a decoy, Stephanie is soon closing in on her mark. But Morelli and his libido are worthy foes. And a more sinister kind of enemy has made his first move... and his next move might be Stephanie's last.

 

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This book was equally as good as the first one One for the Money.

 

 

Grandma Mazur is by far my favourite character, she brings humour everytime she is involved. Stephanie's entire family are really dysfunctional and so her family dynamics are hilarious.

 

 

I found the plot a little hard to follow at times, but overall I found it really enthralling, although a little bit more slowly paced than the first book.

 

 

Stephanie's relationship with Morelli is very interesting, and I am intrigued to see how that goes in the rest of the series.

Book Haul (22 May 2013)

These are the books that I bought in the very short time since I posted my last one. Very few YA books in this lot.

1. Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3) by Patricia Briggs;


2. Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum #2) by Janet Evanovich;


3. Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum #3) by Janet Evanovich;


4. Four to Score (Stephanie Plum #4) by Janet Evanovich;


5. The Art of Captaincy by Mike Brearley;


6. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby;


7. He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo;


8. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck;


9. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier;


10. Then (Once #2) by Morris Gleitzman;


11. Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) by Richelle Mead;

12. Taken by Storm (Raised by Wolves #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes;

 

 

13. Hot Six (Stephanie Plum #6) by Janet Evanovich;

 

 

14. Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum #8) by Janet Evanovich;

 

 

15. Notorious Nineteen (Stephanie Plum #19) by Janet Evanovich

 

Book Review #317 - The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams

Piper, Cassidy, Mei, and Izzy have been best friends their whole lives. And they've always agreed on one goal: to get out of tiny Paris, Texas, and see the world. The school's foreign exchange program seems like the perfect escape: Piper will go to the original Paris; Mei will go to China; Cassidy will go to Australia; and Izzy, unable to afford the program, will stay at home. To add spice to their semester away, and to stay connected to their best friends, the girls start The International Kissing Club, a Facebook page where they can anonymously update one another and brag about all the amazing guys they're meeting. After all, these girls are traveling abroad: amazing guys abound at every turn! But sometimes fun, flirty vacation flings turn into more serious romances, and sometimes you don't return from abroad the same person you were. Will the girls' relationships-and their friendships-be able to survive?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I received this book for review from Bloomsbury Australia.

 

 

I didn't really expect much as the premise didn't really appeal to me. I am really glad that I read it though as I really enjoyed it.

 

 

This book was written by a few authors, and for the most part the writing really does reflect this. Piper's personality was too dominant compared to the others in the first half of the book.

 

 

I really liked the idea of the book being set in numerous international locations. However, I thought that a lot more could have been made about that.

 

 

My favourite character was probably Cassidy, simply because she went to Australia I was able to relate to her experience more than the others.

Book Review #316 - Seventeen & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

Seventeen-year-old Lauren is having visions of girls who have gone missing. And all these girls have just one thing in common – they are 17 and gone without a trace. As Lauren struggles to shake these waking nightmares, impossible questions demand urgent answers: Why are the girls speaking to Lauren? How can she help them? And… is she next?

As Lauren searches for clues, everything begins to unravel. Then a brush with death lands her in the hospital and a shocking truth emerges, changing everything

.

 

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I received this book for review from Hardie Grant Egmont.

 

 

 

Given how much I loved the authors previous book Imaginary Girls I had really high expectations for this book. I really did enjoy this book, but I felt like the ending let it down.

 

 

Lauren was an interesting character. Although she seemed distanced from the other characters and her narration was at times very confusing.

 

 

Like with Imaginary Girls, the setting was the highlight of the book for me. I was described so well that I could picture it with great clarity.

Book Review #315 - Thorn on the Rose (Woody Creek #2) by Joy Dettman

I received this book for review from Pan Macmillan Australia. It is the sequel to Pearl in a Cage.

This book was equally as good as Pearl in a Cage which is fairly uncommon for sequels. The plot progressed immensely and had numerous unexpected twists along the way.

Jenny never seems to be able to cut a break. I really liked her son Jimmy and the conflict with Vern. I can see that reaching a peak soon.

Given that I really liked the setting of Woody Creek from the first book I didn't really like that most of the book was set in Sydney.

I liked that Gertrude told Jenny  about her past which I thought was long overdue. I am not really sold yet on the fact that Archie Foote is going to be a part of Jenny's life now.

Like in Pearl in a Cage the mentioning of real historical events like Hitler's death and the bombing of Hiroshima gave a authentic feel to the story.

Book Haul (9 May 2013)

It's been a while since I have posted one of these. These are just the books I have gotten over the past two weeks. 


1. How to be Good by Nick Hornby; 


2. The Pact by Jodi Picoult;


3. The Luxe (The Luxe #1) by Anna Godbersen; 


4. Nobody Does It Better (Gossip Girl #7) by Cecily von Ziegesar; 


5. Because I'm Worth It (Gossip Girl #4) by Cecily von Ziegesar; 


6. Rot and Ruin (Benny Imura #1) by Jonathan Maberry; 


7. December Boys by Michael Noonan; 


8. Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby; 


9. Seventeen and Gone by Nova Ren Suma - for review from Hardie Grant Egmont; 


10. Tattoo (Tattoo #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes; 


11. What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7? by Mugglenet.com


12. The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #6) by Rick Riordan; 


13. Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin