Book Review #679 - The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine #1) by Bree Despain

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

My Rating: 4/5

I went into this book knowing it was a paranormal romance book, but I did not know what the paranormal aspect was. 

Werewolves were the very last paranormal creatures that I had been expecting. The book felt very much almost like a contemporary novel at first and then the fantasy very slowly took over. 

I loved that the werewolves weren't just suddenly thrown at us. There was a whole story of the history of this unique breed of werewolf before it was completely revealed. 

The romance felt rather 'insta-love' in that I didn't feel like enough of their past was revealed to get the feeling that they were reconnecting rather than meeting for the first time. 

I loved the family dynamics in this book and how close they were all with one another. The father being a pastor who simply wanted to please not only his family the entire town added a whole other dynamic to this.

The twist at the end was completely unexpected and really sealed the book for me and persuaded me to pick up the sequel. 

Book Review #590 - Low Red Moon (Low Red Moon #1) by Ivy Devlin

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought 



Buy:  Publisher | The Book Depository | Booktopia



Goodreads

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver--deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school--Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him--at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans. As breathless as Twilight and as spooky as Shiver, this is a book to be devoured in one sitting--by an acclaimed YA author making her paranormal debut under the pseudonym Ivy Devlin.

This book had a very enchanting feel to it which was evident from the very beginning. 

I loved the setting of the woods as its presence was always felt and it almost doubled as a character itself. You could definitely feel the love and respect Avery and her parents had for the area and their want to preserve and save it won me over. 

The werewolf/paranormal aspect was kind of disappointing as it didn't impact or influence the story at all. Without this element, the book could have been written exactly the same as a contemporary novel. 

The mystery element was the major plot in this book and this is what I enjoyed the most. 

The romance was okay, although nothing special or memorable. 

I am looking forward to reading the sequel Moonrise to see if werewolves have an overall meaning to the story. 

If you are interested in buying this book, both The Book Depository and Booktopia have it largely discounted. 

Book Review #474 - Sinner (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3.5) by Maggie Stiefvater

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

My Rating: 3.5/5

I received this book for review from Scholastic Australia.

I didn't know how this book would be without the main characters of Sam and Grace but I found that it didn't bother me as much I thought it would. The main reason for this was because it felt completely disconnected from the previous books.

The book commences with Cole moving to LA to restart his music career and hopefully rekindle his relationship with Isabel.

The book being set in LA was my biggest grievance with this book as I really loved the enchanting Mercy Falls setting and really missed it in this book.

Without Sam and Grace's added narration, Isabel was a bit exposed as a character as I don't think her voice is as strong as theirs or Coles.

I have read numerous books about reality television and fame but none that felt as realistic as this one.  

Book Review #473 - Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

then.
When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their loved moved from curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.
That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.
Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

My Rating: 4/5

This is the third book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls Series and is the sequel to Shiver and Linger.

The way that Linger ended I can't believe I waited 9 months to finally read Forever. The story kicks off straight from Linger's ending.

I found the second portion of the book a lot more enjoyable than the first half - this was due to Grace and Sam's reunion halfway through the book. Both of their characters are stronger when in the others presence.

The plot in this book was rather basic - Isabel's fathers ongoing crusade to rid Mercy Falls of wolves goes to the next level leaving Grace, Sam, Cole and the pack at risk of extermination.

There were minor sub-plots like the police's fascination with Sam and Grace's parents but I wish there was more in this area.

Cole seems to grow and grow with each book and by the end of Sinner he will probably more than likely be my favourite character.

Book Review #461 - Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

This is not the fairytale you remember.

But it’s one you won’t forget.

Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.

Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive – when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.

As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . .

My Rating: 5/5

This book is the sequel to Cinder which I read earlier this year.

When I first began reading this book it didn't feel like a sequel at all and felt rather more like a companion novel. This was due to the change of narrator.

Because of this, I found it a little difficult to get into the story, even though it was enjoyable, I had to adjust my expectations.

However, once Scarlet and Cinder's stories began to merge I was unable to put the book down and found that ultimately I liked this book a lot more than I liked Cinder.

I found Scarlet a lot more relatable that Cinder as I found her to be more genuine.

Book Review #450 - City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare

ΕRCHOMAI, SEBASTIAN HAD SAID.

I am coming.

Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. As their society falls apart around them, Clary, Jace, Simon and their friends must band together to fight the greatest evil the Nephilim have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Nothing in the world can defeat him — must they journey to another world to find the chance?

My Rating: 5/5

This book was one of my most eagerly anticipated books of 2014.

In the lead up to its release, I decided to re-read the entire series. I definitely fell more in love with the shadowhunter world.

City of Glass is still my favourite book of this series, but City of Heavenly Fire runs a close second.

I loved the introduction of Emma as she reminded me of a mixture of Clary and Jace. I am definitely looking forward to reading more about her in The Dark Artifices series.

This book was a lot longer than the others because it deals with a lot more plot twists, action and characters.

I had numerous ideas on how this series would end, and whilst I wasn't completely accurate I was on the right track.

Possible Spoiler: Out of all the plot twists and endings, the Simon one surprised me the most.

This was the first time (probably because I re-read the entire series in under a week) that I felt a connection to both Izzy and Alec.

There was a significant more romance in this book compared to the others which will please a lot of people.

I have yet to read The Infernal Devices series so a lot of references to the characters from that series and their ancestors went a little over my head.

Book Review #396 - Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Grace and Sam must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping dangerous secrets. For Sam, it means grappling with his werewolf past ...and figuring out a way to survive the future.

 

 

But just when they manage to find happiness, Grace finds herself changing in ways she could never have expected...

 

 

My Rating: 3.5/5

This book was a solid sequel to Shiver. There were period where I found it slow paced with nothing happening plot wise but the characters and setting definitely overshadowed that.


Isabel played a stronger role in this book along with the newest character Cole. I liked this because I found Sam really annoying and boring at times.


I really didn't like the relationship between Sam and Grace at all in this book. It borders on obsession rather than romance. Also it was about time that Grace's parents did something about it.


The ending was by far my favourite part about the book and is probably the only reason why I will be reading Forever. 

Book Review #394 - Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.

Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

After reading the first two books in The Raven Cycle series and loving Maggie Stiefvater's writing style I thought I would finally read her more popular series which has been on my bookshelf unread for a while.

 

 

I loved the writing so much more in this series. It was very poetic but very descriptive and atmospheric as well. This was definitely the highlight of the book for me.

 

 

I liked both Grace and Sam instantly but didn't feel the connection between them until late in the book. For a romance driven novel, I found it surprising this didn't bother me that much.

 

 

Sam seemed more developed than Grace as a character. I think this was because of the amount of back story of his that was provided. Plus he had the whole wolf side of him.

 

 

There were numerous other characters that were well developed such as Isabel, Olivia, Jack and Beck. Olivia is the character that I am most interested in with regards to her character and story development.

 

 

The wolf mythology is completely different to anything I have ever read with the wolves change dependant on the temperature.

 

 

The way this book ended, I am very eager to read Linger and Forever as soon as possible.

Book Review #393 - Breaking Dawn (Twilight #4) by Stephenie Meyer

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fate of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life — first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse — seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed...forever?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I didn't like this book that much when I read it for the first time in 2008. Reading it for the second time now, five years later I was surprised by how much I actually did enjoy it. 

 

 

This book is split between Bella and Jacob's points of views. I know that this was written before Midnight Sun was put on hiatus, but it would have been interesting to have had chapters from Edward's point of view as well. 

 

 

The plot had a lot more depth to it than the previous three books, which is why it is significantly longer. I am glad that it wasn't split in halves like the films.

 

 

All loose ends were tied, although I thought that the ending was very anticlimactic as it felt like throughout the book it was building to something much greater.

 

 

 

The only new important character was Renesmee who quickly became one of my favourite characters in this series. I would love it if Stephenie Meyer wrote a series from her perspective.

 

 

In a way I am a little disappointed that this is the last book in the series as it would have been good to follow Bella into her new life as a vampire, but I am happy the way that this series ended.

Book Review #351 - City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare

Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all eternity to Sebastian. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe he can be saved. To do this they must defy the Clave. And they must act without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. 

Clary is willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

What price is too high to pay, even for love?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This is my least favourite in this series so far. It had been around 3 months since I read book 4 and so it took me a while to get back into the Shadowhunter world.

 

 

Sebastian was the character that surprised me the most in this book. I actually felt sorry for him. Underneath his evilness, he actually seems quite vulnerable, innocent and very lonely. I wanted to believe that he had changed, but I knew that he would have had an ulterior motive.

 

 

Although I felt like the plot in this book was significantly weaker than the previous books, I still liked reading about the world and the characters.

 

 

I would have liked more interaction between Clary and Simon as I really like their friendship but am glad that Simon seems to have developed a romantic relationship of his own.

 

 

I didn't really feel the need for Jordan and Maia to be included. They were barely mentioned at all throughout, and whenever they were it felt like it was only to remind you that they still existed.

 

 

The ending of this book was completely not what I had expected. The cliff hangers in this series always seem to come out of nowhere.

 

 

Now while I am waiting for book 6 (City of Heavenly Fire) to be published, I might finally start reading The Infernal Devices series.

 

 

 

 

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 #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.

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 #303 - The Wild Boys by Travis Heermann

 

One sixteen-year-old girl versus a plague of beasts. Can a sixteen-year-old girl stem the tide of a lycanthropocalypse? When three younger boys show up on Mia's doorstep, naked and on the run, she is drawn into a shadow world where a series of strange disappearances heralds a slowly spreading plague of lycanthropy. Mia must save the three orphaned boys from their brutal Alpha, a man-beast who believes humans are food. A war is brewing for the top of the food chain. Mia doesn't know it yet, but she holds the key to the future of the human race.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I received this book for review from the author. The author's Goodreads page is here.

 

 

This book was completely different to all the previous werewolf books that I have read.

 

 

Mia was a very intriging character although it did take a while for me to connect with her.

 

 

What I thought was really unique about this book was how involved Mia's parents were.

 

 

The plot was very fast paced and action packed. I finished this book in one sitting and really enjoyed it.

Book Review #261 - The Reckoning (Darkest Powers #3) by Kelley Armstrong

 

They gave Chloe Saunders her power.
Now they want to take it back. Big mistake

Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately she happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. Now she and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are fighting for survival against the evil corporation that created them.

 

As if that's not enough, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf...

Definitely not normal.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I liked this book a lot more than The Awakening, however The Summoning remains my favourite book of the series.

 

 

This book had a lot of action and adventure which was mostly found in the second half of the book.

 

 

I was not able to connect with Derek. He was my least favourite of the main characters. Chloe was the only character that I fully connected with. I had mixed feelings with Simon and Tori.

 

 

The love aspect, I felt just came out of nowhere. It wasn't that there was no build up to it or anything, I just failed to feel the chemistry between the two of them.

 

 

What I did like about the romance aspect was that it was not a dominant aspect and was more in the background.

 

 

The ending seemed a it abrupt, like it was leaving the door open for another book, however it was my favourite part of the entire book.

Book Review #255 - The Awakening (Darkest Powers #2) by Kelley Armstrong

You don't have to be alive to be awakened.

Chloe Saunders is a living science experiment--not only can she see ghosts, but she was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. She's a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control, which means she can raise the dead without even trying. Now Chloe's running for her life with three of her supernatural friends--a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch--and they have to find someone who can help them before the Edison Group catches them.

Or die trying.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I didn't like this book as much as the first one. As I can't really pin point why that was it was probably because I read it over Christmas and so it took me longer to read than usual.

 

 

The only thing that I liked in this book more than the first was the location. The first one is only set in Lyle House whereas this book was set with them on the run so there was more variety.

 

 

The characters all developed to a degree. More so than some. Derek came out of his shell a bit and Tori's background was revealed.

 

 

There was less focus on their supernatural powers in this book and more on them being chased by the Edison Group which I would have liked to have seen their powers develop more.

 

 

I am excited to read the final book in the trilogy so all the unanswered questions will finally be answered.

 

 

 

Book Review #237 - The Summoning (Darkest Powers #1) by Kelley Armstrong

 

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost - and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? it's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House...before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

 

 

 

My Rating: 5/5

 

 

I read this first time in 2010 and loved it. Rereading it now I loved it even more. Now that it is fresh in my mind I can read the rest of the series.


Although Chloe was a great protagonist, I wouldn't say she was my favourite character. I think that all the characters were all that well written that I can't choose between any of them.


I loved all the plot twists in this book and couldn't believe how many of them I had completely forgotten about especially the big backstabbing at the end.


I started reading this book the second I woke up last Friday and had finished it by dinner that night which was good because it took me a week to read it back in 2010. 

Book Review #124 - The Mayfair Moon (The Darkwoods Trilogy #1) by J.A. Redmerski

After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf, seventeen-year-old Adria Dawson loses her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious young man and his legendary family.

Strange and tragic things begin to happen in the small town of Hallowell, Maine: residents come down with an unexplainable ‘illness’ and some disappear. In the midst of everything, Isaac Mayfair is adamant about keeping Adria safe, even from her sister whom he has warned her to stay away from.

As unspeakable secrets unfold all around Adria, impossible choices become hers to bear. Ultimately, no matter what path she takes, her life and the lives of those she loves will be in peril. As she learns about the werewolf world she also learns why her place in it will change the destinies of many.

My Rating: 4/5

I was given this book for review from the author. The author's goodreads page is here.

This book was really perfectly paced and you were never inundated with too much information at any time.

It had been a while since I had read a book solely about werewolves so this book was a refreshing read. It also rates highly on my favourite werewolf books.

I really liked the protagonist Adria as she was unlike any protagonist I have read in any previous books. I liked her relationship with her sister Alex.

There were aspects of the book that reminded me of Twilight which is not always a good thing, but in this case it worked really well.


This is an alternate cover of this book: