Title: Turned at Dark Author: C.C. Hunter # of Pages: 32 (ebook) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Short Story Rating: ★★★☆☆ Synopsis:Independent and strong-willed Della Tsang did not believe in ghosts, until she sees her dead cousin in a dark alley. She did not believe in vampires, until she turns into one. Should she follow her vampire cousin's lead and walk away from everything she knows, or join Shadow Falls, a camp for special teens? Review: This book is really short.
I'll always love C.C. Hunter's writing style, and this is no exception. However, I'm wondering how much research she put into writing from an Asian POV; Asian stereotypes seemed quite prominent in both this story and the other Shadow Falls books as well.
I can't really complain about this story because it's so short, and it's free! If you enjoyed the Shadow Falls series and want more, go ahead and give it a read. Could I have lived without it? Yes. Do I regret reading it? Not really.
Title: Reborn Author: C.C. Hunter # of Pages: 400 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance Rating: ★★★☆☆ Synopsis:For Della Tsang, Shadow Falls isn't just a camp: it's home. As a vampire who's never fit in with her human family, it's the one place she can truly be herself.
But when a mysterious new guy arrives at camp, Della’s whole world is thrown into turmoil. Chase is a vampire with secrets, who knows more than he’s telling. But the more time she spends with him, the more she begins to trust this attractive stranger—and feel drawn to him. But romance is the last thing she wants—as she keeps telling Steve, the hunky shapeshifter who won’t stop trying to win her heart. And if Della isn't careful, he just might succeed.
When a new case puts everyone she cares about in danger, Della’s determined to do everything she can to save them . . . even if it means teaming up with Steve and Chase, who leave her more confused than ever.
With their lives on the line, will Della and her friends survive—with their hearts intact? Review: This is one of those books where I know I should give it a lower rating. Why am I such a sucker for paranormal-romance?
It's been years since I read and fell in love with the Shadow Falls series. I purchased this book right around when I finished the main series because I loved Kylie's story and couldn't get enough of the characters. However, Reborn, along with many other books I purchased around the same time, have been sitting on my shelf for too long and my taste in books has changed. After just reading the Savage Drift and not enjoying it, I was concerned I would have a similar experience with Reborn.
The problems with Reborn could also be applied to every book in the Shadow Falls series. I believe I failed to mention it in my reviews for Whispers at Moonrise and Chosen at Nightfall, but most of the characters like to censor themselves despite them all being in their late teens. I'm not saying that all teens curse (but let's be honest, a lot of them do), but it would be much more natural and age appropriate if the characters actually cussed instead of saying "B with an itch." Hunter may have avoided including a lot of cursing in her books to broaden her potential audience, however, not censoring words such as "damn" and "hell" is enough to deter readers who care about strong language from reading the book. If Hunter was uncomfortable with putting cursing or using the correct terminology for reproductive organs in her book, she could have omitted it completely, and the dialogue would have sound much more natural than it does now.
It is very important for the reader to have already read the Shadow Falls series; most of the supernatural concepts are better explained in the original series than in Reborn. This series definitely cannot stand alone. As far as originality, it does not seem that different from the typical paranormal-romance book; two guys who like one girl (Della). Cliché and predictable, Reborn was giving me every reason to rate it two stars. However, there's something about the way Hunter writes the romantic scenes that makes the book addictive (halfway through the book, I told myself there was no way I was going to continue reading this series, but by the time I finished, I found myself wanting to know more about Della's love life even though deep down I already know Della is going to end up with Chase). There are even times when Kylie, Miranda, and/or Della are giving relationship advice to each other that seem overly abstract and unrealistic, but despite those poorly written segments, I still found enjoyment in reading Della's story.
I would recommend this book to those in their early teens (I believe this is Hunter's target audience), and only to those who have already read the Shadow Falls series. At this current time, I don't think I will read the rest of the series but it's not entirely out of the question.
Title: Half Bad Author: Sally Green # of Pages: 394 (paperback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal Rating: ★★★☆☆ Synopsis:In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and sixteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his seventeenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves? Review: I received a lot of grief for reading this book. Everyone who found out I was reading it told me it was a bad book or thought that a story about witches was ridiculous.
It was interesting that Green decided to call these all of these magical beings, regardless of gender, "witches" as it is more common (somewhat more accepted by society) to call the males wizards. But to each their own. Despite the criticize my friends had for this book, it's not half bad (see what I did there?). Especially for an author's first book, the story was actually quite interesting for a book that I expected to be a cliche paranormal-romance.
What I liked the most about that book is, although there is an underlying romantic plot, the story is mostly driven by Nathan's bond he has with his family and the way he refuses to believe in social norms. His character is rough, snarky, yet likable and definitely well developed.
Half Bad is an easy, quick read (especially since I spent the past year only reading classics...). While it did exceed my expectations, it did not reach the level of depth I am searching for in a book. I can't think of comparable books right now (perhaps Amanda Hocking's books? or Shatter Me?), but if you are looking for a read that has a plot that is simple to understand, this is a good book for you. As for me, I don't plan on reading the rest of the series.
Title: Night of the Soul Stealer Author: Joseph Delaney # of Pages: 489 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis:As the weather grows colder and the nights draw in, the Spook and his apprentice Tom Ward must be even more vigilant in their battles against the boggarts, witches, and ghosts roaming the county. When they receive an unexpected visitor, the Spook decides it is time to move to his winter house in Anglezarke. It is a bleak, forbidding place, full of witches and secrets. Tom hears rumors of menacing creatures stirring on the moors nearby, including the evil beast called Golgoth. Who was the mysterious visitor? And is Tom prepared for what he will find in Anglezarke? Review: Pretty much just as good as the first two.
This was the copy from this series where there were illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, which I'm usually fine with except for the fact that some of them REALLY freaked me out. The book itself isn't even scary, but the image of a feral witch is.
If you liked the other books from The Last Apprentice series, you'll like this one as well!
Title: Fallen Author: Lauren Kate # of Pages: 452 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Synopsis:There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.
Review: I had really low expectations for this one. With only a 3.75 star average and a page load of one and two star reviews, there wasn't much hope left for this book as far as first expectations.
I'll give it a little bit of credit; it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. With everyone comparing it to Twilight, I was expecting Twilight-quality or less. But I must have gotten soft or something (because I've always been a harsh critique, scrutinizing even the smallest, insignificant details and whatnot). For some reason, I didn't think this book was quite as bad as the infamous vampire romance we all love to hate. And that's why it's getting two stars instead of one.
But why didn't it get three? Just because it's better than Twilight doesn't mean that it's even remotely close to any of the other books I've rated two stars, let alone three. It's better than Twilight, but just barely. And don't worry; I'll tell you why.
1. The Plot
I found it a little funny that I happened to read Fallen right after I read Vampire Academy. Both struggle from the same problem; the plot lacks structure. Just as Vampire Academy was revolved around rumors, Fallen revolved around stalking. Kate tried to keep Daniel so mysterious so she could make this grand reveal at the end....only for it to fall flat. It's pretty obvious what Daniel is; if you can't figure it out by the title or the EXTREMELY obvious hints throughout the story, it basically tells you in the Goodreads genre list.
Seriously.
2. The Protagonist
Typical damsel in distress. Luce cries way too much, can't seem to make good decisions, and doesn't even really try that hard to defend herself. She's not a good role model; the way she handles the love triangle business was...terrible, for the lack of a better word. But, somehow, Kate expects me to believe her character is amazing academically with "a full academic scholarship at the best college-prep school in the country" (326)? And if that wasn't good for you, she supposedly knows Latin, French, won the science fair three years in a row, AND does the Sunday crossword puzzle (sometimes) under an hour. While her little list of achievements is only mildly impressive (because there are some students out there who are ACTUALLY amazing and have a lot longer list than Luce), it's the fact that the author/Luce lists it out in such an immodest way that bugs me. I surprised she could accomplish half of the stuff on her list.
3. Twilight Similarities
Once I saw a few reviews that mentioned how this book was similar to Twilight, I began comparing the two. There's the life-threatening situation that remind me of Twilight. In Twilight, it was Edward stopping the truck from hitting Bella. In Fallen, it's Daniel saving Luce from the falling statue. Also, Luce is pale like Bella ["In a landscape of southern sunbathers, Luce's paleness had always made her feel self-conscious" (148)]. And both Bella and Luce do Internet research on their love interests like a stalker. Both Bella and Luce aren't very good at being the strong, empowered women who I like to read about.
4. The Setting
The whole setting at the Sword and Cross school is kinda unbelievable. The school uniform is all BLACK? The campus is rundown and has mismatched buildings? This school is totally catering towards the whole delinquent image, which is unrealistic. If I were creating a dress code for children criminals, black would be one of the last colors I would choose; I'd pick some brighter color so it's easier to keep an eye on them.
5. Repetition
For example, Kate can't seem to stop mentioning that the gym used to be a church.
"'Over here, you'll find out state-of-the-art gymnasium...[a shrink] donated a shit-ton of money so they'd covert it into a gym'" (33).
"It was a large Gothic structure with flying buttresses and fieldstone turrets that made it look more like a church than a place where one would go to break a sweat" (124). (big surprise there, since it USED TO BE a church)
"The pool had been set down right in the middle of what used to be a massive church" (129).
I get it. It used to be a church, but now it's a gym. Telling me once was sufficient.
I haven't decided whether I'm going to continue reading this series or not. You could better send your time reading something else. Not recommended.
Title: Vampire Academy Author: Richelle Mead # of Pages: 332 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy Rating: ★★★☆☆ Synopsis:Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires - the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them. After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger... and the Strigoi are always close by. Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever... Review: I was a little surprised when I saw the average rating on Goodreads was 4.15 stars. Whenever I see the word "vampire" in the title, and the book is young adult, my expectations drop A LOT. I was expecting (without reading the synopsis) a female teenage vampire protagonist who attends an academy (duh) and falls in love with some hot guy. It's the basic young adult vampire romance format.
But I was kinda wrong. The romance bit with the protagonist wasn't as big of a component as I thought it would. Instead, I found there was some kind of womance (like a bromance?) going on between Lissa and Rose. I know they're best friends and all, but I mean they were closer than normal, even with the paranormal-fantasy aspect of their characters. But, hey, you do you. It's just not what I was expecting nor was it what I really was interested in reading about. I was all ready to read a cheesy romance novel, but I guess that's what happens when I don't read the synopsis.
I didn't particularly care for the protagonist, Rose. She's not someone I can admire or even relate to...and her ignorance was mildly irritating. Sometimes she just doesn't know certain facts that I would hope everyone at her age would know. Some examples:
"'I had to do a report on Russia and the R.S.S.R.'" (122).
"'Was...was there anything else?' [Rose] stammered.
He shook his head. 'No. You probably need some primary sources, but we don't have any here.'
'Primary what?'" (136).
The plot lacked structure. Every once in a while, I would ask myself, "What's the point in all of this? What's this leading up to?" It's really just a slice of life type of book but paranormal fantasy style that has an exciting conclusion that I wasn't really expecting.
And I think this line sums up how I feel about Rose's love relationship/crush. I think Dimitri stated it well:
"'Rose, I'm seven years older than you. In ten years, that won't mean so much, but for now, it's huge. I'm an adult. You're a child'" (313).
One of the less interesting books I've read recently, but still somewhat entertaining. I'm hoping that the series will improve as it goes along since I've heard so many good things about Vampire Academy and Bloodlines. If your on the fence, I suppose I would recommend it. I'm not even sure myself at the moment.
Title: Revenge of the Witch Author: Joseph Delaney # of Pages: 294 (paperback) Genre: YA, Horror, Paranormal Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis:For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the county, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over for him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried—some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive.
Only Thomas Ward is left. He's the last hope, the last apprentice. Review: I usually avoid horror books at all costs.
My scare tolerance is extremely low. Both the book and Disney movie for A Christmas Carol gave me nightmares (I only got two pages into the book before I threw it out of my room. I later gave the book to a friend; I didn't even want it in my house. As a general rule, I avoid any book in the "horror" or "thriller" genre.
When I first saw this book in the department store, I didn't know it was considered to be a horror book. I had heard that it was made into a movie and that the Last Apprentice series was suppose to be pretty good. I read the first half of the first chapter and loved it (the description of the food may have had something to do with it, but that's unimportant. As I usually do before buying a new book, I looked up the book on Goodreads.
When I saw the genre, I was disappointed. After reading a few reviews, I came under the impression that it was going to be scarier than Stephen King books (who's books I've avoided even looking at). I didn't buy the book that day.
Weeks later, I was still thinking about the book. I went to the book store again and read the beginning of the second chapter. Then, against all better judgement, I bought it. But I set a few ground rules; I would only read it during the day when I wasn't alone, and I would definitely not read it once it got dark.
Apparently, these rules worked pretty well because I didn't find it very scary at all. Sure, the "scary" parts would have undoubtably been scary if I read it in the dark at 3 am, but I didnt, so it wasn't. Delaney's writing flowed well and was an easy and quick read.
However, Delaney would unnecessarily explain the definition of words; if he thinks the reader won't understand them, then he shouldn't use them. Even if he did it to show how young and naive Tom is, it doesn't make it any less annoying to the reader.
EX: "'Malevolent means evil,' he explained. 'Benign means good.'" (84-85).
"The Spook had told me that the main topic in an apprentice's first year was boggarts, together with such subjects as botany, which meant learning all about plants.." (99).
"'Mr. Gregory called it the definitive work,' I said, "which means it's the best book ever written on the subject.' [Alice] looked up from the book then, and to my surprise her eyes were filled with anger. 'I know what definitive means,' she said. 'Think I'm stupid or something?'" (228).
Took the words right out of my mouth, Alice.
Otherwise, I loved this book! I'll be reading the second book. Recommended!
Title: Obsidian Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout # of Pages: 335 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy Rating:★★☆☆☆ Synopsis: Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth. Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is. Review:
I mean, seriously? This is the kind of book I get that has an average rating of 4.31 stars? I have definitely over-estimated it's quality.
To sum it up, it's Twilight all over again, but with aliens. And Twilight, if I may add, only got a 3.57 average rating. Doesn't seem quite fair to me.
Here's how it goes down:
Katy = Bella
Daemon = Edward
Dee = Alice
Ash = Rosalie
The other aliens = the other vampires
Katy's human friends = Bella's human friends
Etc.
Katy/Bella move to a brand new place. She meets a guy named Daemon/Edward. He saves her from a getting hit by truck. Katy/Bella talk to Daemon/Edward in the forest where she figures out that Daemon/Edward is an alien/vampire (which happens to be my favorite scene in Obsidian. Here I am, ranting in my head about how bad the book is and then Armentrout puts a Twilight references in the middle of it all. It really made my day...). All the other aliens/vampires are pissed about a human finding out about them. A bad guy ends up attacking Katy/Bella, and Katy/Bella is forced to face the guy by herself until Daemon/Edward saves the day. The end.
Alright, maybe that's the extremely over-simplified version of the story. There were these so-called "sexy" scenes, but to me, they fell short. Katy and Daemon only kissed twice (if you count the make-out session as one) in the whole story. And that isn't enough to call the book "sexy".
Daemon could be considered sexy, but I don't find the whole "perfect, model-like" description. Why do that have to be gorgeous? If they make a movie from this book (which wouldn't surprise me), I can almost guarantee that I will not consider the actor to be "perfect". It was the same thing with Twilight's Edward. Pattinson didn't create a character that I thought was overwhelmingly powerful, and the same would be for Daemon.
I do think that this book is better than Twilight, but Clare's books are better than Obsidian. I gave The Mortal Instruments three stars, so it would only be fair if I have Obsidian a lower rating.
Title:City of Fallen Angels Author: Cassandra Clare # of Pages: 424 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance Rating: ★★★☆☆ Synopsis: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, 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. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary 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.
Review: Well, this book took me longer to read than I expected. I really wanted to finish reading Great Expectations (which I haven't yet. It's hard to get into than I thought it would be), so City of Fallen Angels took the backseat as far as reading priority.
However, since I was reading this book at the same time I was reading Great Expectations, it was a bit of a relief for me to read it. Unlike Dickens' book, it was so much easier to read Clare's book. However, that does not change the fact that there were plenty of flaws that plagues the pages that make up The Mortal Instruments's fourth book.
For example, it doesn't even feel like Clary is the protagonist before. Simon became a leading character, but the other charcters also had their fair share of time in the spot light. There was so much drama; Jace is having relationship problems with Clary, Simon with Isabelle and Maria, Maria with Jordan, Alec with Magnus, etc. It's exhausting to read about.
There was a lot more interaction between Jace and Simon. This in particular is something that I didn't like very much because Simon turned into a nagging mother, asking Jace if he was okay. And JACE! I don't even know who he is now. Jace Wayland? Morgenstern? Herondale? Lightwood? I'm pretty sure it's not Morgenstern because he is not directly related to Valentine, but, then again, he was raised by Valentine early on. Does that make he a Morganstern? It's a puzzle of names that I'm not going to even try to figure out (although I'm sure I can Google it and some sort of explanation will come up).
So, yeah. I'm sure that if you hated this series, you wouldn't have read this far. So, to all the TMI fans, read this book. But if you don't like the series, don't waste your time. It's an okay book, I guess (do you feel my confidence in my opinion?).
Title: City of Ashes Author: Cassandra Clare # of Pages: 453 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy Rating: ★★★☆☆ Synopsis: 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? Clary would love to spend more time with her best friend, Simon. But the Shadowhunters won't 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. When the second of the Mortal Instruments is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor suspects Jace. Could Jace really be willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?
Review: WARNING! This review will contained uncensored spoilers for Cassandra Clare's City of Bones.
Why must you make this so hard for me to write a review????????? This is crazy. I'm not sure how to convey to y'all my feelings for this book. But, somehow, I'll manage. For your sake.
After watching the City of Bones movie, I have come to like Clary A LOT more. She's not that annoying anymore. BUT she's still not the best protagonist in the world. In contrast, Jace...he seems extra stupid in this book. His stupidity kind of showed through at the end of City of Bones when he was hanging out with Valentine, but this book brought it to a whole new level. My opinion of Alec, Isabelle, and Simon stays the same. But Magnus...I found him to be a lot more interesting in this book. I can see why everyone likes Magnus so much; he's personality is hilarious.
Speaking of hilarious, this book is funny. I'm not sure if it's suppose to be a comedy, but the humor is what makes me like this book. So if anyone out there has a hard time enjoying the series, try laughing at some of the dumb parts. Trust me; it'll improve the quality of the book A LOT.
But, despite all of this, I cannot seem to bring myself to rate the book anything other than three stars, just like City of Bones. It's neither terrible nor over-the-top fantastic. And I'll tell you why:
Here's an excerpt from Chapter 2, Hunter's Moon, in which the story of how Maia becomes a werewolf:
"The emergency room doctor had said the bite looked like a large dog's, but Maia knew better. Before the wolf had turned to race away, she'd heard a hot, familiar whispered voice in her ear, 'You're mine now. You'll always be mine'" (29).
Am I the only one how finds this incredibly cheesy? Lines like these that are too dumb to be even mildly amusing is what drags the quality of the book down. That, and the lack of romance. I get how Jace and Clary are siblings and can't really do anything, and Simon and Clary have Jace wedged in between them. But SOMEONE needs to get in a relationship, like Alec and Magnus. And Isabelle really needs to find someone who's NOT a minor character who's only mentioned in the book once.
I think the book could have been a hundred pages short. The last one hundred seem to drag on forever, and at that point I just wanted it to hurry up and be over. And the epilogue was a little disappointing because there was that whole "I know your mother made herself go into a coma and why" thing going on, yet I already knew that her mother made herself go into a coma from the movie! I'm telling, whoever recreated the storyline for the movie really messed up. Big time.
Jace, Jace, Jace. What the heck is up with him? Sure, your dad's Valentine, but that doesn't change the fact that he's a bad guy! Don't freakin' go over to his ship to talk to him, especially since people are already suspicious of you! But here's one thing I don't get; if everyone knew where Valentine's ship is, why isn't anyone doing anything? From that point of view, I have to applaud Jace's efforts; at least he's doing something, even if it's the wrong kind of something.
So, if you liked the first book, then read the second book. But if you DIDN'T like the first book, then you probably won't like this book very much. And if you haven't even read the first book, then you really, really shouldn't read this book yet. It'll be too confusing.
Title: Infinity Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon # of Pages: 464 (hardback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Synopsis:At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.
Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.
But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he's next on the menu.
As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?
Review: It's a mess. The beginning was okay. I liked Nick. But then there was so much POV switching, I wasn't sure what Nick did and didn't know!
I hated how Nick never found out exactly what was going on. He was in the dark most of the time!!! It felt wrong that I knew more about this new part of his world than he did. And what's up with the Simi? She annoyed me so much. There are multiple levels of weird, and she's the stupid-weird. I like the Bubba and Mark kind of weird. Just saying.
It was just really, really confusing. DO NOT READ IT!!!
Title: City of Bones Author: Cassandra Clare # of Pages: 485 (paperback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal Rating: ★★★☆☆ Synopsis: When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons--and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It's also her first meeting with gorgeous, golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....
Review:
ORIGINAL REVIEW - FEB 13, 2013 - 3 Stars
THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!!! Or at least that's what I thought when this hit me on the head. Literally. From a really highly shelf. I already know this book is going to be a painful read.
[Insert image of cover here]
Alright, maybe the dude isn't COMPLETELY naked, but it's close enough. So, of course, I was interested. But after I stopped seeing stars, I saw a little quote that was *cough*inconveniently*cough* scrawled across the guys chest. "The Mortal Instruments series is a story world that I would love to live in. Beautiful!" -Stephanie Meyers, Author of Twilight. Wait, what? Did I really just seem a quote from Stephanie Meyers on there? ...oh dear, first impressions aren't going very well.
You know the saying; don't judge a book by a cover. So I flip it over. (NOTE: This picture is not mine!)
The summary seemed interesting I suppose. But what caught my eye was the two little quotes at the top. Who the heck is Holly Black and Libba Bray? I guess it doesn't matter that much, but what interested me was the word "sexy" in both of them. Sexy= a LOT of romance. "Why not?" Is what I thought as I walked up to the counter, book in hand. I went home as quickly as possible to read the book.
There must have been a misprint. Where in the world did the "sexy thrill ride" fly away to? Because, last time I checked, one measly kissing scene wasn't my definition of "sexy". Now excuse me as I rant about all of the stuff that I hated about this book.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Clary is a modest, strong main character that all reader can look up to.
...I know, I'm a really bad liar. Let me try this again. Clary is a stuck up little girl with an undesirable attitude and a know-it-all personality. You want proof? Well, if you insist.
""'Clancy keeps out the undesirables,' said Jace, herding her to one of the booths.
'He's a demon,' she hissed."
What makes HER think that she know better than Jace and the other Shadowhunters, who (reality check, Clary) are WAY more experienced? Just because Clary has Shadowhunter blood running through her veins doesn't mean that she's all great and mighty. Did Clare (ha, I just thought of something: did Cassandra Clare name her character after herself? They're names seem suspiciously similar) make Clary like this on purpose? Sure, I can appreciate a girl with attitude, but there are some personality traits that I just can't stand. And Clary has all of them. But what's even more baffling is that the other characters actually LIKED her! There's got to be someone that...strongly dislikes her as I do!
Role models, role models, role models. Tell me wants wrong with this quote:
"'Filters are for cigarettes and coffee...Two things I could use right now...' [said Simon]"
I think Simon said the quote, I can't remember. But that's not the point. This character is, what, sixteen? Seventeen? And he's talking about smoking? Not exactly what I want to see in a character. But I'm really anti-smoking, so that might just be me.
The story line was decent enough, though not exactly original. Sure, there were some unique ideas about the demons and all that, but the vampires and werewolf focus...not so much.
Ah, the stupidity.
"It was a long thin dagger in a leather sheath...'I wouldn't know how to use that-'
[Jace] rested it into her hand... 'You'll learn.' He dropped his voice. 'It's in your blood.'"
You have got to be kidding me. DON'T FRICKING HAND THE GIRL A DAGGER!!! SHE'LL POKE HER EYE OUT!
"The missing stairs baffled Clary. What did vampires have against stairs?"
I really don't think that the vampires got rid of the stairs because they hated them...I hate to be the one to break this to you, but, well, lets just have Simon tell you:
"'You're so stupid, Clary.''"
Couldn't have said it better myself.
And then there's the big reveal of Jace and Clary being siblings. That's just...gross. No. Please no.
Alright, maybe my mini rant was a little "over the top", but I had to get it out of my system. If you haven't read, give it a try. Some like it, some don't. I'll give Clare some credit since the first book is (in my opinion) one of the hardest books to write.
August 19, 2013 REVIEW - 3 Stars
I swore that I rated this book two star the first time I read it. I guess not.
I decided to give this book a second read because a) the movie is coming out the day after tomorrow and b) I thought that I was critiquing this book a little too much in my first review. And here I am! So, I'm going to address each point in my previous review, just to let you know how I feel about them.
Quotes on the back cover by Holly Black and Libba Bray/book's sex appeal
Since the time I first read City of Bones, I've obtained a different copy. This one no longer has the quotes about how "sexy" the book is (and I now know who Holly Black and Libba Bray are. Turns out they're not as unknown as I thought). So this is no longer a problem for me.
2. Clary's stupidity and supporting characters' stupidity
Yes, I still think that Clary is stupid, although not as much as I did the first time. While Cassandra Clare tried (I think) to make Clary courageous and wise, she turned out to be overdramatic and full of herself. Maybe it's just because Clare is still developing the characters. I'm not sure. I'll just have to read the second book to find out.
As far as the supporting character's stupidity, they're actually pretty awesome now. Jace (he still shouldn't have given Clary a dagger when she doesn't have any, Alec (except for the time when he was acting like a jerk. But he apologized for that, so I guess it's okay now), Isabelle, and Simon are loveable, although (spoiler alert!) the fact that they end up being all chummy with Clary at the end bugs me. But, like I said above, maybe Clary's personality will improve by the second book. Now, here's something I don't get; Magnus. Everyone seems to love him, but he's not THAT important in the story. I think he might do something awesome in the other books. Who knows? I don't.
3. Clary and Jace *WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!*
I think that Clare making Jace and Clary siblings was still a big mistake. They had chemistry (if you call one, LITTLE kiss chemistry. I still can't believe they only kissed once!), but now technically they aren't allowed to be together. How wrong is that? I can only hope that their relation to each other will improve in further books.
4. Recommendation/Other
So, since I could remember the book pretty well, I found the reread a little boring. The shock factor was lost on me, and I swore that I gave this book two stars before. I had already decided to give this book three stars when I realized that that was the exact same rating I gave it the first time. I didn't really want to give it four stars, so I just gave it three stars again. But know that it was better the second time than it was the first.
I do recommend it because it's not as poorly written as a lot of books out there. If you're looking for a good read, you might want to try this one. But beware of Clary; she'll either make it or break it for you. She lost the book two stars, after all.
Title: Hush, Hush Author: Becca Fitzpatrick # of Pages: 391 (hardback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal Rating: ★★★★☆ Synopsis: A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE
Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.
Review: Some points I would like to cover:
How I feel about the cover/first impressions
My feelings of Nora, Patch, and Elliot (will contain SPOILERS)
It's likeness to Twilight (will contain SPOILERS)
Overall feelings
What I'm going to do for this review is go point by point and elaborate on them. Points two and three WILL contain spoilers.
1) If I hadn't heard of this book before, I would never have read it in the first place. The cover just didn't appeal to me. It's dark, and there's a dude looking like he's in pain (For some reason I decided to ignore the fact that he had wings. But I was pleasantly surprised when I read the prologue. It had a mysterious tone that I just LOVED!!! Honestly, I thought that this book was going to be like A House of Night series, not good. But I was dead wrong.
2) SPOILERS!!! I'm so glad that Nora didn't suck as a protagonist. She was awesome enough to meet my approval. And Patch, despite his slight cliché appearance, was hilarious What I really loved was the relationship between Nora and Patch. What I think sets their relationship apart from other relationships in other books is that Nora had this resistance from Patch. She wasn't going to give into him easily like so many other characters in different books. Patch was the flirt, of course. He was kind of a mystery throughout the whole book (not so much the fact that he was a fallen angel, I guess that. But more the fact that he actually wanted to kill her was a shock), which made him even MORE attractive.
Now, Elliot, on the other hand, was no good at all. I hated him the moment he was introduced into the book. What really tipped me off was when he helped Nora bat. Gross. I thought he was kind of a creep. I'm not exactly sure what was going through my mind, but I totally suspected that Elliot was a killer. His friend (I forgot his name...) didn't even cross my mind; he was such a minor character. So that was a surprise. But I still don't like Elliot; after all, he was still involved in the badness...
3) Still spoilers. I didn't realize this until near the ending of the book, but there seems to be a likeness to Twilight. And, I know what you're thinking. Nothing seems to be original anymore. But I thought that I would bring it up anyway. So Patch would kind of be like Edward, the hot, supernatural dude. And Nora would be the (much improved version) of Bella. Nora/Bella tried to figure out who Patch/Edward really is, and end up finding useful information on the Internet (such as how dangerous vampires/fallen angels are). At the end part, there's that big fight where Nora jumps off the rafters. She brushes with death, but ends up okay, kind of like Bella (not the rafter part, the brush with death part). And, um, I had thought up some other similes, but I kinda forget them. So it's KIND OF like Twilight, but maybe I'm just looking too deep into it.
4) No spoilers. So, yes, overall I loved it. It did really surprise me too, on just how well it was written. Of course, it helped that I read a particularly bad book before, but I give most of the credit to the author. I like how it's not just romance, but also a bit of mystery. Recommended!
Title: Marked Authors: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast # of Pages: 306 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance Rating:★☆☆☆☆ Synopsis: The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire -- that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends. Review: I have no comment on the cover.
Let's start with Zoey, our five year old sixteen year old protagonist.
"'...It's been like a million years since Broken Arrow beat Union." 'Sixteen.' I'm crappy at math, but K's math impairment makes me look like a genius."
Based on the quote above (which is found on page two), it's obvious to the reader that Zoey doesn't know what a hyperbole is is SO much smarter than her friends. And Zoey's character is created so that she seems like a little, whinny baby who thinks it's her job to save vampires and humans a relatable outcast who's destined to be great.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Okay, enough with the sarcasm. I obviously don't like her. I find her really immature (which is why it really confused me when the Goddess of vampires or whatever told her that she was wise beyond her years). For example:
"'Huh?' I said. Speaking of boobs - I was totally sounding like one. (Boob...hee hee)."
I just don't get how that has anything to do with the story. At all. The author's concentrate on way too many insignificant details and made the plot really, really boring. I get that they were trying to make it funny (right?), but did you see me crack a smile? No.
Going back to the characters, the whole Erik and Zoey thing was really unbelievable. I don't feel the chemistry between them probably because THERE IS NONE!!! They just met each other for heaven's sake! There is no way that Erik could fall for her in that short amount of time yet he's already sharing spit!
I don't get the point of the book either. Like, Zoey becomes the leader of the Dark Daughters. Big whoop. And it's not like she had to try very hard to get the position.
What I really would have liked would be if the authors didn't make Aphrodite so...weak, I guess. She seems more like the person who would have better comebacks and more of a competitive side to her. I can't understand why she just doesn't, like, make Zoey have a little "accident". She'd be doing us all a favor if she killed Zoey.
Alright, maybe that would be taking that too far. Just because I hate Zoey to the point where I wish her dead doesn't mean that Aphrodite has to kill her. She can just ruin Zoey's life instead.
I think I'm getting a little off track, so I'll conclude this review for now. It's an awful book.
Title: Whispers at Moonrise Author: C.C. Hunter # of Pages: 383 (paperback) Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance Rating:★★★★★ Synopsis: Even at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity, she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf. With his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible. As if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday, her closest confidante. Trouble is, Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway. Now Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too late—all while trying to stop her relationship with Lucas from slipping away forever. In a world of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure. Change is inevitable and all things must come to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls. Review: Oh. My. Frickin. Gosh.
I forgot how good this series was. It was probably the best book I've read in a long time.
As much as I would like to go straight to the content, I have to talk about the cover first. To tell you the truth, it's not my favorite. It has a bit of an erie feel to it; not a feeling I like very much. And the girl has a weird expression on her face.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Okay, so I haven't read the first, what, three books in a while. When I started reading, all I could remember is that there was a girl who could see ghosts, a hot boy fairy (I'm sorry Derek!), and a hot werewolf. But after I read the first, I don't know, fifty pages, I was pleasantly surprised that I could remember a lot of the characters again. So I giver Hunter props on that.
I also LOVED some of the sentences that could be mistaken as...something else. Here's some examples:
"That night, Kylie lay in her bed with her clothes on..." -Page 202
Okay, I know what she really means....but I can't help thinking "I sure hope she has clothes on!"
"Holiday tried to touch everyone." -Page 291
...it was funnier in the book. Trust me.
And the whole "she's a witch/vampire/fae/were" thing was pretty funny (at items) too. It gives you a little taste of what she would be like if she was a certain supernatural.
Honestly, after all this time, I thought I wouldn't like this book very much. I mean, c'mon, they're talking about werewolves and vampires? After Twilight, both of those topics are pretty much ruined. But I seriously was pleasantly surprised. Even with all the cliché parts (like the super hot boys that both love our protagonist) didn't bother me like they should. Kind of crazy, right?
And, just a little side note, I counted how many times Derek and Lucas made what I considered direct contact with Kylie. For Derek is was fifteen times and for Lucas it was...fifteen times! Ha! Fancy that; they both tied! But don't you think that's a little weird, considering the fact that Lucas and Kylie were an item throughout the book. I glad, however, that Hunter is giving Derek an equal shot in the love game (I am NOT saying love is just a game. It just seemed appropriate for this book). Just saying, y'know
Oh, umm, there is one thing. The whole "Collin Warren" was trying to kill Holiday was pretty predictable. Especially since they kept trying to blame it on Blake and Hayden. And they make Collin all innocently shy (which was suppose to cover up his fearfulness of being caught) and even defend him. But, lets think this through. Hannah (who annoyed me. I mean, of course Holiday has a twin! Hunter made it impossible for the reader to guess who the ghost really was) flipped out when she saw the new teachers. So it has to be one of the three (four? I can't remember how many of them there were). And Hayden is scratched off the list because all the attention was pointed at him, and that would make the killer way too obvious. But Hunter doesn't really talk much about the other teachers throughout the book, until the very end. Hunter mentioned that Holiday was talking to Collin. Kylie detected fear of some sort. None of the other teachers were mentioned that much (for goodness sakes, I can't even remember the female teacher's name! So it was pretty obvious it was Collin.
But, like I said earlier, this was the first book I loved in a long time. It's probably one of the few that truly put a smile on my face. C.c. Hunter truly has talent.
Title: Beautiful Darkness Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl # of Pages: 528 (paperback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Synopsis:Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen. Sometimes life-ending. Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems
Review: The beginning seemed to be very similar to the first book, not so much what is happening in the story, but what ISN'T happening. Half of the time, I'm reading and I'm asking myself, "What's the point in all this? Why does Ethan keep chasing Lena? Why is Lena hanging out with SPOILER ALERT! Riley when she knows that Riley is bad? WHY DOESN'T ETHAN JUST BREAK UP WITH LENA SO HE CAN LIVE A NORMAL LIFE AND NOT DEAL WITH LENA'S MESS-UPS?!" I blame love. If there wasn't love, then these characters would be making better decisions. I get that Lena's super depressed about Macon's death, but that doesn't mean that she's got to go all crazy and treat her boyfriend like crap. I guess Lena feels that Macon's death was her fault. But let's face it; Lena should become a Light Caster. I'm sure that's what she wanted (originally at least. Now I don't even know what she wants to be). And if she "claimed herself" as a light caster, then all the dark relatives would die, right? So that means Macon would have died anyway! And she would have "killed" him anyway!!! SO SHE SHOULD JUST GET OVER HERSELF!!!
I just don't think that I can feel anything from Lena and Ethan's relationship anymore. Ethan is chasing a girl that doesn't want to be chased or found. I can feel the bond between John and Ethan to be stronger, so maybe it would be best if Ethan and Lena broke it off and Lena gets together with John. And then Ethan can get together with Liv! I think the books stupid (sorry Beautiful Creatures lovers!) But that might just be because I tend not to like sequels.
Title: Beautiful Creatures Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl # of Pages: 563 (mass market paperback) Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
Review:
2/15/13
That's right! I'm reading Beautiful Creatures, the book that had a movie made out of it. The cover on the right it the one that I have, unfortunately. I would have liked the original cover better, but this was all that was available. But that's not important.
I just started reading this yesterday, the day that the movie came out. What I have problems with is when I watch movies that are made out of books that I've read. The movies are always at least slightly different from the book. But it always irritates me a little because the book (or even the movie) is always better than the other.
I know that some changes are necessary. Otherwise, the movie might be five hours long! But when the whole plot is twisted and turned until it is unrecognizable, that's when I really dislike the movie. But, more often than not, that is not the case. And I'm really hoping that Beautiful Creatures isn't going to be like that. But if I were to watch the movie right at this moment, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Y'know, since I haven't even read the first one-hundred pages. That's the thing about the book; the first, I don't know, forty-five pages are all development. There really isn't anything going on.
2/16/13
Disregard what I previously said about the book. There's quiet a bit going on now. If you haven't read up to the first 150 pages, stop reading now.
I'm so proud of Ethan! I love how he doesn't care about what other people think, and he asks Lena out to the movies!!!!!!! Ethan keeps saying that they're not dating, but I think they will. I really hope so...because that would be super cute! But Ethan should get his own car first. The whole borrowing-Link's-car isn't going to work out if Ethan has to keep driving places, especially with Lena. Because, let's face it, although Link might be supportive for Ethan and his decisions, his other "friends" (aka, the people that make him "popular") probably won't.
What I really want to know is what's up with the locket. Ethan and Lena keep on having this vision things, but I really don't see the point in it. Yeah, they're getting a very interesting history lesson, but how is that going to impact them? I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
***
Please note that this is an incomplete review. View the original here!
