Book Review #337 - As You Wish (Genies #1) by Jackson Pearce

Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent her days silently wishing—to have someone love her again and, more importantly, to belong again—until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to return home, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid she will not wish for the right thing, the thing that will make her truly happy. As the two spend time together, the lines between master and servant begin to blur, and soon Jinn can't deny that he's falling for Viola. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn as well . . . and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life—and her world—forever.

My Rating: 3/5

I have been aware of this book for a while. I put off reading it because I thought that the concept of it was a little immature. It definitely has a fairytale kind of feel to it throughout.

There is not much depth to this story at all which is what I liked about it. It was just a fun and quick read.

The relationship between Viola and Jinn was interesting because you were able to see both perspectives because of the split chapters.

It didn't exactly end the way that I thought it was going to which was a big positive.

I probably would recommend it more for the younger portion of YA readers as they will get the most enjoyment out of it.

Book Review #336 - Torn (Trylle #2) by Amanda Hocking

When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself—that she’s a changeling switched at birth—she knows her life will never be the same. Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story…

She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined—and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers—and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.

Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she’s ever wanted…in both worlds.

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This is the sequel to Switched.

 

 

This book was equally as good as the first one. It wasn't as strong with plot but it made up for it with character development.

 

 

The one thing I didn't really believe was Matt's ability to just go with it when he didn't know what was going on. I understand that some people are like that, but it just didn't fit in with his whole protective older brother persona.

 

 

I liked how the Vittra are now more personally involved in the story. Although I did predict this before it happened. The whole idea of Trylle politics is explored very thoroughly.

 

 

In terms of romance, there seems to be a love square developing which I am not sure if I like the idea of or not.

Book Review #335 - Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup

Previously published as Q&A

A former tiffinboy from Mumbai, Ram Mohammad Thomas, has just got twelve questions correct on a TV quiz show to win a cool one billion rupees. But he is brutally slung in a prison cell on suspicion of cheating. Because how can a kid from the slums know who Shakespeare was, unless he has been pulling a fast one?

In the order of the questions on the show, Ram tells us which amazing adventures in his street-kid life taught him the answers. From orphanages to brothels, gangsters to beggar-masters, and into the homes of Bollywood's rich and famous, Slumdog Millionaire is brimming with the chaotic comedy, heart-stopping tragedy, and tear-inducing joyfulness of modern India.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

Like most people who have read this book I had watched the movie first. I felt like that helped me a lot because the book is not written in any kind of order.

 

 

I felt like it was a pretty accurate portrayal of Indian culture. The only thing I found a little distracting was all the characters names were foreign and so they were hard to distinguish at times.

 

 

The whole idea of the game show was my favourite part about this book. It is a very unique and interesting story.

 

 

Even though it's predictable because you know from the start that he wins all the money, I really enjoyed the journey into his past as he explains how he knew each answer.

Book Review 334 - Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.
 

So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?

 

 

My Rating: 5/5

 

 

This is by far the best book I have read in 2013. It was a surprising read as well as I just chose it on a whim from the Library.

 

 

I really liked how angsty the book was. The sense of loss was evident in every little aspect.

 

 

Vera's relationship with everyone was also interesting, especially Charlie and her father.

 

 

I liked how the point of view differed. It was told primarily from Vera's view but occasionally was told from Vera's father, Charlie and even from inanimate objects.

 

 

Vera's parents backgrounds influence heavily into the plot. Her father doesn't want her to be like them. He probably didn't approach this the right way, however he did have her best interests at heart.

 

 

I really loved all the characters in this book, especially Vera and Charlie. They both lost their innocence very young and life and so were always very mature for their age.

 

 

This book is very quirky and witty which made me love it even more. This will not be the last book I read by this author especially since I've heard that her other book is better than this one.

Book Review #333 - The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

 

As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was laying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

This was in a book of short stories. It was only around 55 pages long. I didn't bother reading the other books as this was the only story I was interested in reading and was the primary reason I borrowed it from the Library.

 

 

The story is quite weird. The protagonist awakens one morning to find that he is now a giant insect. I knew it was going to be weird before I read it, and so I was surprised to find that I didn't think it was a weird as I thought it was going to be.

 

 

His family were unable to accept him as an insect and their relationship not only with him but amongst themselves were interesting. Especially the relationship with the parents and the sister.

 

 

I would have liked a reason as to how he came to become an insect. I felt like this would have made the story a little less weird.

 

 

I thought overall this book was thought provoking and should probably be read with an open mind.

Book Review #332 - Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

This was a very quick read. For a book that was over 300 pages in length, I finished it in no time.

 

 

I found the format a little weird at first, but once I got used to it I found it really interesting and unique. You know the outcome of their relationship from the start, and so you know where the story is constantly going to go.

 

 

The author of this book also wrote The Series of Unfortunate Events which I have a love/hate relationship with. He has a very distinct writing style, which I think was my favourite aspect about this book.

 

 

I didn't really connect with the characters and I thought that this was probably intentional. This was more about the characters feelings rather than the characters themselves.

 

 

The plot was a little hard to follow at times, again I think this was probably done intentionally. I also didn't like how 90% of the book was speech.

Book Review #331 - Switched (Trylle #1) by Amanda Hocking

What if your entire world was built on a lie?

Wendy Everly knew she was different the day her mother tried to kill her and accused her of having been switched at birth. Although certain she’s not the monster her mother claims she is – she does feel that she doesn’t quite fit in...

She’s bored and frustrated by her small town life – and then there’s the secret that she can’t tell anyone. Her mysterious ability – she can influence people’s decisions, without knowing how, or why...

When the intense and darkly handsome newcomer Finn suddenly turns up at her bedroom window one night – her world is turned upside down. He holds the key to her past, the answers to her strange powers and is the doorway to a place she never imagined could exist. Förening, the home of the Trylle.

Finally everything makes sense. Among the Trylle, Wendy is not just different, but special. But what marks her out as chosen for greatness in this world also places her in grave danger. With everything around her changing, Finn is the only person she can trust. But dark forces are conspiring – not only to separate them, but to see the downfall everything that Wendy cares about.

The fate of Förening rests in Wendy’s hands, and the decisions she and Finn make could change all their lives forever...

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

Given that I consider Amanda Hocking one of my favourite authors, I am not sure why it has taken me so long to read what it probably considered her most well known novel.

 

 

It reminded me at times of The Replacement with the whole changeling aspect. I really liked the idea of the Trolls as it was entirely unique.

 

 

When it was first established that Wendy was not only a Troll, but also a Princess I thought that I had read this before. However, I was surprised by how unique it was still able to remain.

 

 

I really liked both Finn and Rhys, but just hope this is not going to develop into a love triangle.

 

 

The ending was amazing, and as soon as I finished I went straight to the local Library to get the second book Torn.

Book Review #330 - Breathe (Breathe #1) by Sarah Crossan

When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? A dystopian thriller about courage and freedom, with a love story at its heart.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

I really liked the concept for this dystopian world. It seemed much more realistic than other dystopian novels. Not so much people living in pods, but the lack of oxygen because of destruction of trees.

 

 

Overall though I thought this book could have been better. It just didn't feel fleshed out enough. It was told from three different character's perspectives, and at times it felt like too much.

 

 

I found it hard to connect with all of the characters. They develop very slowly throughout the novel. Alina felt like a third wheel at times. Bea was clingy and Quinn was clueless and probably just a typical teenage boy.

 

 

It had a very political aspect to it which was a little more strongly portrayed than other most other dystopian books I have read.

 

 

There was a character whose story was never resolved. We never find out who Abel really was or who he was working for. I'm not sure if this was an intentional cliff-hanger or just unresolved.

Book Review #329 - Choices by Diane Wolfer

Told in a nonjudgmental narrative that confronts issues head-on, this story follows 17-year-old Elisabeth who discovers she is pregnant and has a tough choice to make: keep the baby or make alternative arrangements. With parents pressuring her, a boyfriend she cannot trust, a best friend she keeps pushing away, and her own indecision, Elisabeth's dilemma grows more and more difficult. This realistic account of teenage pregnancy addresses the pros and cons of both possible outcomes through the alternating perspectives through Libby, who keeps the baby, and Beth, who does not.

My Rating: 3.5/5

According to Goodreads, this is the third time I have read this book. It was like reading it for the first time though as I didn't remember anything about it.

This book has really interesting concept. It shows the impact of both sides of a life changing decision.

This book is set in Perth, Australia where I am from. It was good to have familiarity with the setting as not many books are set here.

The family dynamics were interesting. Libby who has the baby fights with her parents but makes up with them in the end. Whereas Beth who doesn't tell her parents she has an abortion, grows gradually apart from her parents.

I liked how Libby kept her pride and didn't ask her parents for help when Darren left her. Even though it was probably something I wouldn't have done if I was in her position, I could really admire her for that.

Even at the end of the novel, neither decision seemed like the right one. Elisabeth's life turned out okay in both perspectives.

Book Review #328 - Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire, fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her Family think she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's Family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the king's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends — especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache — to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her Family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

When I first borrowed this book from the Library, I had intentions of reading it instantly. After renewing it a record 27 times I finally decided to pick it up. I read the book cover to cover in one sitting.

 

 

The whole concept of a Vampire being staked by a Unicorn seemed a little strange at first, but I actually ended up really liking the whole concept.

 

 

I never really liked Pearl. She was confident and everything I would probably normally like in a female protagonist, but at times I thought she was a little too confident.

 

 

I liked the whole idea of how Pearl was caught between her life amongst the humans and her family's expectations for her as a vampire.

 

 

I normally cannot stand pop culture references at all, but the way they were used in this book were smart and so didn't bother me that much.

Book Review #327 - Shadowflesh (Shadowflesh #1) by Shawn Martin

Torn from her home and fighting bouts of suicidal depression, seventeen year old Aileen McCormick lands in the small coastal town of Redcliff, North Carolina. Her first day of school promises to be the worst day of her life - until she falls into the arms of Addison Wake. Addison's otherworldly charm and drop-dead gorgeous face leave Aileen breathless, but only for a moment. Grim and painful secrets lurk in his dark soul.

Addison Wake isn't exactly like other boys. Far from it. He's dead and has been for 300 years, locked in an ethereal prison by a lethal enchantress named Donelle. When she hungers, she blesses Addison's tortured spirit with moments of freedom, allowing him to roam the mortal world as Shadowflesh. But that dark blessing comes at a price. He must deliver the souls of five unsuspecting humans to Donelle.

When four dead bodies pop up in Redcliff, Aileen asks herself is her love for the mysterious boy unconditional? Is the love worth the risk? And will she be the next victim?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I received this book for review from the author. His website can be found here.

 

 

I really enjoyed this book. It had a nice underlying gothic feel to it which really set the tone for the novel.

 

 

Aileen was an interesting protagonist. It took me a while to warm up to her, but once I did I found her really enjoyable.

 

 

I really liked Aileen's grandmother. I would describe her as a young adult version of Grandma Mazur from the Stephanie Plum novels.

 

 

I also really liked the paranormal aspect, as it was unique and I just found the whole concept of it fascinating.

 

 

The plot was a little slow paced, but I preferred it that way. There were so many awesome characters especially Addison.

Book Review #326 - The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events #9) by Lemony Snicket

When the Baudelaire Orphans finally make it out of Count Olaf's car trunk (from Book the Eighth), they wind up at the horribly perilous Caligari Carnival. Trying to avoid capture but desperate to find out more information about a possible surviving parent, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny pose as circus freaks, only to be humiliated in front of visitors and pushed to the brink of consumption by lions. Fortunately, though, the three discover a few surprises about fortune-telling Madame Lulu, who offers a faint clue about V.F.D. and even the Snicket family itself.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

I'm not what I can say about this book that I haven't already said in any of my reviews of the eight previous books. My thoughts are all pretty similar for all books.

 

 

This book is hard to review, because it is hard to see it as an individual book. It is more of a continuation of the previous book.

 

 

The plot seems to get more depth to it with each book, and the ending had the series first ever real cliff-hanger.

Book Review #325 - Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1) by Kendare Blake

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

 

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

 

This was a book that has been sitting on my bookshelf for sometime. I had pretty high expectations for it, and it just didn't meet them at all.

 

 

First of all, it was nowhere near as creepy as I thought it was going to be. I didn't find it creepy at all. Someone who scares easily would probably love this book.

 

 

The characters were okay, but I felt like they were only half developed. Cas had some great one liners, but overall I didn't really care for him at all.

 

 

I really did like the idea of Cas hunting down ghosts and releasing them but felt like this could have been explored a lot deeper.

 

 

I didn't really like the whole witchcraft aspect to it. I felt like the book was going in a certain direction with ghosts,and then the witchcraft part took the story in a completely different direction.

 

 

The ending is the only reason why I am intending to pick up the sequel, as it was a decent cliff-hanger.  

Follow Friday #59

Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee & Alison of Alison Can Read.

This weeks question:

 

 

Have you broken up with a series? If so which one and why

 

 

I never break up with a series, but I do to quote Ross from Friends take a break from them. I can rarely take too much of the one series at a time and so I take breaks between reading them.

 

 

 

Follow me on Twitter @bookworm8921.

Book Review #324 - City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And - most importantly of all - she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side - along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls - neither of whom knows about the other one.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

 

 

My Rating: 3.5/5

 

 

Given that the first three books were meant to be a trilogy, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book. I thought that it was a little weaker in terms of plot than the original three but was glad to be back in the world of Shadowhunters.

 

 

When I first started reading this book and found out that Simon was the dominant character I didn't think I was going to like it as much as what I did. Simon just isn't one of my favourite characters at all, but I did quite like him in this book.

 

 

It was good how the vampire dynamics were explored a little deeper. It is also good to see how Simon is adapting to his new life not only as a vampire, but also as a daylighter.

 

 

Alec was a character that really irritated me throughout the entire book. He was really insecure with his relationship with Magnus.

 

 

Jace was another character that I liked less in this book. He wasn't as mopey as he was in book three but still annoyed me. His relationship with Clary was all over the place.

Book Review #323 - The Sacrificed by Jordan Link

Emerald Hayden lives in the City of Centsia, a half-winged among the other walkers. She has no family, friends, or food: only a grim future filled with tiresome labor in the upper level’s factories. But everything changes when she meets Dusk, a winged from the place that she previously scorned. He opens her eyes to a new possibility: the possibility of the unity of winged and walkers, of freedom, and of love. Together, they decide to challenge the upper level’s supreme, winged council. But when a friend betrays them, they must choose whether to sacrifice their beliefs and save their own lives, or to remain along the thin line that divides the city in two. Success could mean liberty; failure, death.

 

 

My Rating: 3/5

 

 

I received this book for review from the author. The author's website can be found here.

 

 

This book was way shorter than what it felt like. There was an amazing amount of depth in only 92 pages.

 

 

The world building could have been better, but I was able to grasp it the further I progressed with the story.

 

 

The characters were well portrayed especially Emerald. Her relationship with all characters especially her father and Dusk were interesting.

Book Review #322 - City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

My Rating: 4/5

This series is pretty addictive, and each book seems to be better than the last.

There seemed to be even more action in this book than the previous two combined. The final battle is where the majority of the action occured.

There were a number of plot twists, but I didn't feel like any of them were shocking. I saw the main one coming a mile away.

There seemed to less of Clary in this book, which in a way was a good thing because I thought that a number of other characters really developed because of that. 

I didn't really like how the book was no longer set in Brooklyn. I didn't feel like the new setting of Idris was developed enough.

Jace was a character that I liked in the first book, but he seems to be getting weaker and weaker as the series progresses. He was really mopey in this book.

Book Review #321 - City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

 

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I honestly don't know why it has taken me so long to continue this series, especially when it seems to be as good as the hype.

 

 

I liked this book a little bit more than the first, and only because I thought it contained more action especially with the ending.

 

 

It was good how there was a stronger involvement from the werewolves, vampires and faeries. I have read enough of Young Adult literature though that the plot twist with Simon was not surprising at all.

 

 

The romance aspect is nowhere as dominant as is with most YA paranormal books which I am really enjoying.

 

 

I don't really know what to think about Clary's relationship with Jace. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but I couldn't overlook the fact that they are brother and sister. As for her relationship with Simon, I prefer them as friends.

 

 

I am interested in seeing what happens when Clary's mother wakes up as she will shed more depth on the Clave and Valentine.

Book Review - City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

It's after dark in New York City, and Clary Fray is seeing things. The best-looking guy in the nightclub just stabbed a boy to death - but the victim has vanished into thin air. Her mother has disappeared, and a hideous monster is lurking in her apartment. With her life spiralling into darkness, Clary realizes that she has stumbled into an invisible war between ancient demonic forces and the secretive Shadowhunters - a war which she has a fateful role to play.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I don't normally write reviews for books that I have already reviewed here on my blog, however my views on this book drastically changed so I thought I should review it again.

 

 

My first review of this book from 18 January 2011 can be found here.

 

 

I read this book in one day, compared to three weeks when I read it in 2011. This is probably why I liked it considerably more this time around.

 

 

I connected with the characters instantly this time, and the only characters I didn't really like were Alec and Izzy.

 

 

There were some aspects of the book that reminded me of Harry Potter, which wasn't surprising given the author's past.

 

 

I really liked the world that was created, and I haven't liked the world building as much as I did with this book since Harry Potter. I also liked the variety of paranormal creatures as this book seems to involve almost all of them.