Review: Dark Companion

Dark Companion
by Marta Acosta
Published July 3rd 2012
by Tor/Macmillan
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member. 

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

Thoughts:
Maybe I would have enjoyed this book more if I have not read a ton of YA books with a somewhat similar plotline. A new girl enrolled in a private school located in a secluded compound known as Birch Grove. At first, everything seems perfect. Jane meet some new friends and was taken under the wing of the kind headmistress who is living near the school with her family. And this nice headmistress apparently have two sons and Jane is immediately attracted to one of them.

And then Jane discovered some weird things about the school. A former student and a teacher has been missing but everyone in the school is so nonchalant about it as if nothing happened. Are they hiding something? Yes, of course. But the book sure took a long time to reveal that bit of mystery and instead I had to slog through nearly two-third of the book which consists of teenage crushes and juvenile antics which I found so uninspiring.

Sadly, I must say that this book is certainly not for me. There are better books with mysterious boarding school in them and the paranormal element seemed out of place here.

Verdict: 1 star.
Available on: Amazon

Review: The One

The One (The Portal Trilogy #1)
by Heather Self
ebook
Published June 15th 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

Stranded on Earth two thousand years they’ve waited for the arrival of the One: some to save her, others to kill her. With her birth, the ancient prophecy could at last be fulfilled and the doorway between the worlds would open. Those who know the prophecy believe this event occurred almost eighteen years ago, and now, they’ll stop at nothing to find her.

Seventeen-year-old Eveline has lived her entire life on the move and she hates it. She knows her parents believe she’s the One, and they’ve done whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of those who want her dead. But Eveline isn’t fully convinced that her parents’ beliefs match her own. What she does believe is that Leadville, Colorado may be the chance she’s been waiting for. The chance to be somewhere safe. The chance for her to make friends and have fun. The chance to finally date a guy. The chance to be a normal girl, at least as normal as possible for someone not human.

Thoughts:
That cover just took my breath away! It looks so awesome and cool and it's a good description of Eveline or Evy with her freakish eyes and hair. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect when I first started reading this. All I know is that the story had something to do with an alien who had been living on earth for a long time.

But as I dig deeper into the story it is indeed so much more. Evy and her kind is actually dragons with powers related to the earth, water, wind and fire. They are known as the Kin and they got stuck when the portal between Earth and Cascalar closed nearly 2000 years ago. As times went by, they learned to survive and can take on human shape.

Apparently there's a prophecy where Evy is believed to be the one who can opened the portal and free her people since she has a certain mark on her. So her family is protecting her from the Nerada which are corrupt human/kin hybrids who is after her.

The story is a light and enjoyable read but the presence of instant love and love triangle is very cliché. And the relationship between Evy and her long lost brother;Liam is borderline weird for me. Liam is too intrusive, obsessive and over-protective that sometimes I'm just confused who is the supposed love interest in the story. Nevertheless I do think the characters with their individual powers are freaking cool and the story is interesting and engaging enough for me to finished it. The ending is such a cliffhanger and I so can't wait for the next book.

Recommended for: fans of Obsidian and I Am Number Four
Verdict: 3 stars.

In my Début Author & Self Published Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Wishlist Wednesday #25

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

The Iron Wyrm Affair (Bannon & Clare #1)
by Lilith Saintcrow
Expected publication: August 7th 2012

Orbit

Summary from Goodreads:

Emma Bannon, Prime sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn’t much help that they dislike each other, or that Bannon’s Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen. In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs.
The game is afoot…

Babble:
I really need to read more adult fantasy and this new steampunk series might just be the thing. It remind me of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. I just hope that there's a delicious hint of romance somewhere in this book.

Review: Timepiece

Timepiece: An Hourglass Novel (Hourglass #2)
by Myra McEntire
ebook

336 pages
Published June 12th 2012 

EgmontUSA

ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results. 

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

Thoughts:
I read Hourglass a year ago so when Timepiece came out, I had to read it all over again since I've forgotten most of the story. The switch to Kaleb's POV is kind of confusing in the beginning and it took me awhile to get into the book since the time travel concept has gotten a lot more complex.

Nevertheless the book is enjoyable and I love the chemistry Kaleb has with Emerson's best friend; Lily. They fight all the time but it's obvious that both of them are so attracted to each other. Unlike Emerson and Michael who is so lovey-dovey, Kaleb and Lily is much more realistic and funny.

As they are forced to locate the sinister Jack Landers by a mysterious man known simply as Poe who appeared through a time slip, now it's Lily's turn to use her gift. Now, the gang are thrown deeper into the intricate web of the Hourglass organisation and have to find out more not just about Jack but also the mysterious Teague and Cronos.

I would have enjoyed this book more if there is more explanation regarding the supposedly bad guys but everything seems so hush-hush that I have a feeling the author is trying to keep everything until the last book.

Recommended for: fans of time travel
Verdict: 3 stars.

Available on: Amazon

Review: Chosen Ones

Chosen Ones (The Lost Souls #1)
by Tiffany Truitt
Published June 12th 2012
Entangled Publishing, LLC

Summary from Goodreads:

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Thoughts:
I'm still very much on the fence on whether I'm a fan of the dystopian genre. Undoubtedly there are some dystopian books that I have enjoyed very much but most of it just goes into my mediocre or some people might called it meh pile. And sadly Chosen Ones qualifies for that pile.

The story is a confusing tale where humans in Western United States were forced to live in restricted compounds governed by the mysterious and shadowy Council who decided to cloned humans in a large scale so they can be shipped off to fight against the Eastern powers as super soldiers. Tess unwittingly was sent to serve at one of the facility where these clones or Chosens are bred and raised as a punishment for her sister's transgression and  found herself falling for one of the them.

Super soldiers? Umm....

Such forbidden romance could be tragic or even beautiful but in this case I was severely turn off by all the violence and vile treatment against the women in this book. In Tess future world, the infertility rate has gone up and giving birth would ultimately lead to death. So the Naturals (normal humans) are forbidden from having a sexual relationship or even have feelings towards the opposite sex. But the Chosen are all males and   highly aggressive since they are trained for battle. Certain events occurred which made me cringe while reading this and it took Tess a long time to finally accept the truth and worked against it.

Recommended for: fans of Under the Never Sky
Verdict: 2 stars.

In my Debut Author Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Reading Addiction Host Blog Hop

Welcome to the Reading Addiction Host Blog Hop.

Unfortunately due to my busy crazy schedule, I only participated in one Blog Tour so far. But there's so any upcoming Blog Tours and one that I'm eagerly anticipating is 

Whispers in Autumn

by Trisha Leigh

Published July 24th 2012

Synopsis: 

In 2015, a race of alien Others conquered Earth. They enslaved humanity not by force, but through an aggressive mind control that turned people into contented, unquestioning robots.

Except sixteen-year-old Althea isn’t content at all, and she doesn’t need the mysterious note inside her locket to tell her she’s Something Else. It also warns her to trust no one, so she hides the pieces that make her different, even though it means being alone.

The autumn she meets Lucas, everything changes.

Althea and Lucas are immune to the alien mind control, and together they search for the reason why. What they uncover is a stunning truth the Others never anticipated, one with the potential to free the brainwashed human race. 


It’s not who they are that makes them special, but what.

And what they are is a threat. One the Others are determined to eliminate for good

Review: Arise

Arise (Hereafter #2)
by Tara Hudson
Published June 5th 2012
by Harper Collins

Summary from Goodreads:

Amelia—still caught between life and death—must fight for every moment of her relationship with the human boy Joshua. They can hardly even kiss without Amelia accidentally dematerializing. Looking for answers, they go to visit some of Joshua’s Seer relatives in New Orleans. But even in a city so famously steeped in the supernatural, Amelia ends up with more questions than answers…and becomes increasingly convinced that she and Joshua can never have a future together.Wandering through the French Quarter, Amelia meets other in-between ghosts, and begins to seriously consider joining them. And then she meets Gabrielle. Somehow, against impossible odds, Gaby has found a way to live a sort of half-life...a half-life for which Amelia would pay any price. Torn between two worlds, Amelia must choose carefully, before the evil spirits of the netherworld choose for her.

Thoughts:
Let me be honest, I did quite enjoyed the first book and was really expecting for it's sequel but when I finally got around to read this, I even asked myself why did I started reading the series in the first place. It was painstakingly slow and nothing much happens. Amelia is still dead and is still clinging to the living Joshua. Magically, they can touch each other so conveniently as teenagers they make out- a lot despite the fact that demons from the netherworld are inching closer to capturing Amelia because of her unique gift.

I was hoping for some kind of closure or maybe a little reveal of how Amelia came to be. Something about the cause of her death or how she can have such weird existence complete with glowing/burning powers that can repel the other demons but instead we are introduced to a new set of characters in New Orleans because Amelia decided to hitch a ride with Joshua and his family who is spending their holidays there.

In New Orleans, Amelia meet other ghostly friends. Some nice and some not so nice. And with the help of one of her new ghostly friend who is quite adept in vodoo, Amelia can now appear as a corporeal being instead of a semi-translucent floating one but with a price of course.

Overall, I must say that the second book is not to my liking. Let's just hope the third book pick up the pace a bit or else I might just lose interest in the series altogether.

Verdict: 2 stars.
Available on: Amazon

Wishlist Wednesday #24

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Ten
by Gretchen McNeil
Expected publication: September 18th 2012
by Balzer + Bray

Summary from Goodreads:

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Babble:
I read Possess a while back and absolutely loved it despite the fact that I'm not a big fan of the horror genre. And when I found out that Gretchen McNeil is writing a new book based on Agatha Christie's And Then They Were None, I was jumping with excitement. Dame Agatha Christie is one of my all time favourite author so naturally I had to read this. If this is half as brilliant as the original work, then the readers are sure for a thrilling read.

Review: Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1)
by Leigh Bardugo
Published June 5th 2012
by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Summary from Goodreads:

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Thoughts:
I just love reading about adventures set in fantastical exotic locations and the world of Ravka that was created by Leigh Bardugo is enchanting and darkly sinister at the same time. At its heart is the story of Alina; an orphaned girl who joined the army at a young age as mapmaker. Not much is known about her except that she is devoted to her childhood friend Mal who is also a soldier.

When their ship is attacked by the flesh-eating Volcra (a birdlike creature) and Mal's life is at stake, Alina unwittingly let out a power unbeknownst to her. Unceremoniously shipped off to hone her craft and inducted to the Grisha fold, Alina found herself caught in the middle of the politics of the royal castle when she befriended the beautiful Genya who is the Queen's handmaiden. At the same time, Alina unwittingly found herself attracted to the mysterious Grisha leader; the Darkling and struggling to control her powers which may be a way to free the whole kingdom of Ravka from the Shadow Fold. I just can't get enough of the different magical types of Grisha and each Grisha group is differentiated by the colours they wore. The Grisha is basically an elite group of people who have certain distinct magical powers and serve the King of Ravka.

What I love most about the book is the wonderful world building. And just when I thought the story is going one way, the writer threw a big twist near the end that made the whole story upside down. Seriously, so good!

I certainly can't wait for the next book as I have a feeling Alina will be more powerful in the future.This is without a doubt one of my best read this year.

Recommended for: fans of epic & high fantasy; Graceling and Bitterblue
Verdict: 5 stars.

In my Début Author &Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars

For Darkness Shows the Stars
by Diana Peterfreund
ebook

293 pages
Published June 12th 2012 

by Balzer + Bray

Summary from Goodreads:

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Thoughts:
Let me just say that I was indeed a little bit apprehensive when I first heard that Diana Peterfreund is writing a new dystopian book based on the infamous Jane Austen's Persuasion. I'm just not sure that those concept would go well together. But since I enjoyed Peterfreund's Killer Unicorns series I thought that I might as well give this a try.

And I'm so glad that I did! This book is so much different from Peterfreund's earlier works as the story is much more polished and I found that the writing has indeed improved a lot. The beginning is indeed a little bit slow as we are introduced to Elliot and Kai through their correspondence. Elliot North is the second daughter of a Luddite noble and Kai is the son of her family's servant. Apparently in their world, humans are categorised into Luddites and Reduced. Luddites are the ones who rejected any form of human experiment and the Reduced were the result of human experiments gone wrong. Since the Reduced are mostly mentally incapable, the Luddites took them as slaves and servants in their vast estates.

However, as times passed, more and more Reduced gives birth to a new generation of children who turn out to be normal and they are called the Cors or Post. And the hero; Kai is one of them as he is very gifted with any kind of machine and was expected to be a mechanic in Elliot's farm. Unhappy with the treatment of the Reduced and Posts in the North estate, Kai decided to run away leaving the heartbroken Elliot behind.

Although the sci-fi elements of the book is quite confusing at times, I just fell in love with the book and the main reason behind it is because of the main character. I just can't help but feel sorry for Elliot as she desperately tried to save her family's estate, protect her slaves and cope with her feelings towards Kai at the same time when he made a surprising return as one of the Captain of the Cloud Fleet; a group of explorers renting out Elliot's grandfather's shipyard/estate.

I was nearly in tears when her beloved grandfather died and I just love how she overcome all the obstacles to become a strong and independent women in the end and finally had the courage to stand up to her materialistic and opportunist father. Such a wonderful read and for once I'm not turned off by the romance. Love it so much!

Verdict: 5 stars.
Available on: Amazon

Review: The Light and Fallen

The Light and Fallen (Chronicles of the Nephilim)
by Anna White
ebook
Published March 27th 2012
Review copy from author

Summary from Goodreads:

Lucian isn't sure what to expect when he steps over the banister separating Heaven from Earth. He opens his eyes in a new body, one with no wings, no knowledge of the future, and no special powers. All he remembers is his mission: to find a mysterious key. When he meets a human girl that he can't ignore he is forced, for the first time in eternity, to choose between duty and the pull of his heart. The future hangs on his decision, but he's fallen into a world where nothing is just what it seems.

Thoughts:
The book has such a predictable storyline where an angel sent to earth on a mysterious mission gets sidetracked and fell in love with a teenage girl instead. Once he's on earth, Lucian had a hard time coping with his new human body and was told to pretend to be a human teenager by his guardians.

Samara on the other hand, is a confused human girl undergoing some hardship as her father had been missing for some time. Nevertheless, the two met and have an instant connection but the appearance of bad boy Jack seems to complicated matters.

It was a light and easy read for me as the story is not too complicated to follow but somehow the twist in the end is something I had been expecting so it is not a big surprise for me at all.

Verdict: 3 stars.
In my Self-Published Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: The Shapeshifter's Secret

The Shapeshifter's Secret
by Heather Ostler
Published June 12th 2012

by Cedar Fort
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Julia is finally discovering what–not who–she is.

Like any sixteen-year-old, Julia's used to dealing with problems. From her overprotective father to her absent mother to a teacher who definitely has it in for her. But everything changes when Julia's reactions become oddly vicious and angry---more animal than human. This action-packed adventure has it all: humor, romance, and a plot that will keep you guessing to the very last page.

Thoughts:
The book has such an interesting premise; a teenage girl finding out that she's a descendant of a magical royal family from Ossai (a magical world unknown to humans) who has the ability to shape shift into a werecat but sadly I am not a fan of the disjointed style of writing.

From the beginning, I had an early sense of foreboding when the book opens with the MC; Julia and her friends gushing about the mysterious gorgeous new boy who coincidentally took an immediate interest in her. This just seems too cliché and predictable. And it turns out that the boy; Caleb is Julia's protector of some sort.

The way the story jumped from one part to the next without a proper build-up or description just confused me and left me with a lot of questions. I'm particularly puzzled about The Guild and The Soldier Union thing. I know that they are two opposite factions at war in Ossai but a further back story should be included to clarify things even more.

The whole magical school (Lockham Castle) concept where Julia had to attend once she's in Ossai to learn how to properly control her powers and the annoying love triangle between Julia, Caleb and Terrence just add to my list of grudges relating to the book. In the end, the book left me with very mixed feelings. I certainly love the idea of a fantastical adventure in a mythical world but I feel as if the book is unfortunately bogged down by its disappointing execution.

Verdict: 2 stars.
In my Début Author Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Wishlist Wednesday #23

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Witchstruck
by Victoria Lamb
Expected publication: July 5th 2012
by Corgi Childrens

Summary from Goodreads:

Meg Lytton has always known of her dark and powerful gift. Raised a student of the old magick by her Aunt Jane, casting the circle to see visions of the future and concocting spells from herbs and bones has always been as natural to Meg as breathing. But there has never been a more dangerous time to practise the craft, for it is 1554, and the sentence for any woman branded a witch is hanging, or burning at the stake.

Sent to the ruined, isolated palace of Woodstock to serve the disgraced Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII and half-sister of Queen Mary, Meg discovers her skills are of interest to the outcast princess, who is desperate to know if she will ever claim the throne. But Meg's existence becomes more dangerous every day, with the constant threat of exposure by the ruthless witchfinder Marcus Dent, and the arrival of a young Spanish priest, Alejandro de Castillo, to whom Meg is irresistibly drawn - despite their very different attitudes to her secret.

Babble:
I just love, love, love witches! And stories about witches set in a historical setting is even better! I just can't wait to get my hands on this book since the MC seems like a cool fortune telling witch caught in delicious forbidden romance. 

Review: The Vicious Deep

The Vicious Deep (The Vicious Deep #1)
by Zoraida Córdova
Published May 1st 2012

by Sourcebooks Fire

Summary from Goodreads:

For Tristan Hart, everything changes with one crashing wave.

He was gone for three days. Sucked out to sea in a tidal wave and spit back ashore at Coney Island with no memory of what happened. Now his dreams are haunted by a terrifying silver mermaid with razor-sharp teeth.

His best friend Layla is convinced something is wrong. But how can he explain he can sense emotion like never before? How can he explain he’s heir to a kingdom he never knew existed? That he’s suddenly a pawn in a battle as ancient as the gods.

Something happened to him in those three days. He was claimed by the sea…and now it wants him back. 

Thoughts:
The Vicious Deep is that rare YA fantasy book which is told from a male POV. After reading Lies Beneath, I was a bit reluctant to start reading this but in the end I found it quite enjoyable.

Tristan; the MC is just your average teenage boy who has a crush on his childhood friend; Layla when a huge wave suddenly strike the beach where he is working part-time as a lifeguard.Three days later, he was found unconscious but still alive in another part of the beach and then strange things started happening.

There are parts in the book that I found so hilarious and unbelievable at times. Two mermaids who have the ability to shape-shift to fish form appeared in his bathroom sink and bath tub and then told him that he is actually the heir to a mystical underwater kingdom and since his grandfather is getting old, he must take over the throne from him.

I would have enjoyed the book more if some of the characters are more likeable. The two shape-shift siblings; Kurt and Thalia are very entertaining and I love their fish out of water situations but I found Layla (Tristan's love interest) to be so annoying and I just can't believe the lengths that Tristan has to go through to  protect her.

Overall, the book is certainly not bad and I will certainly read the next instalment since the underwater adventures are quite thrilling and exciting.

Recommended for: fans of mermaids
Verdict: 3 stars.

In my Début Author Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Review: Lies Beneath

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath #1)
by Anne Greenwood Brown
Published June 12th 2012

by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Thoughts:
I am so excited to find out that there's more books about mermaids and mer-folk being published this year since I really think that they are a lot more exciting and mysterious than fallen angels or vampires. Unfortunately, this book failed to capture my excitement and attention. By the first few chapters, I've already figured everything out so it's hard for me to even finish the book, let alone be totally immersed in it.

The mer-boy Calder and his beautiful and alluring mermaid sisters have a sinister plan of avenging their mother's death by planning to murder a man. Just to make matters more complicated, they plan to do it by letting Calder seduce one of his daughter. And the rest as they say is history. Both of them fell in love which put quite a damper on the sisters' plan and annoyed one of the sister (who has an unhealthy obsession with Calder and not in a sisterly way).

There's a twist at the end which I think feels a little bit forced and I was surprised to find that this is actually the first in a series since there's not much left to be told. If you're into mermaids who likes to stalk and kills off humans then this is for you. Sadly, I'm not into that and the slow pace just turns me off.
Verdict: 2 stars.

In my Debut Author Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Winner: Splash into Summer Giveaway Hop

Congrats to the winner of

Splash into Summer Giveaway Hop

Mary

Wishlist Wednesday #22

Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

Dark Star
by Bethany Frenette
Expected publication: October 23rd 2012
by Hyperion

Summary from Goodreads:

Audrey Whitticomb has nothing to fear. Her mother is the superhero Morning Star, the most deadly crime-fighter in the Twin Cities, so it’s hard for Audrey not to feel safe. That is, until she’s lured into the sweet night air by something human and not human—something with talons and teeth, and a wide, scarlet smile.

Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn’t fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers—livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape. And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin.

To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person’s memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers’ next move. But Leon, her mother’s bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won’t let Audrey out of his sight.

When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything—and everyone—she loves.

Babble: 

A female superhero sounds way cool and I'm curious about the Harrowers. Are they zombies or vampires? Talons and teeth sounds sinister enough for me to add this to my huge wishlist.

Review: Dark Kiss

Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1)
by Michelle Rowen
Published May 29th 2012

by Harlequin Teen

ARC from Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

I don't do dangerous. Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back. 

Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me.... 

Thoughts:
There's an overload of angel books in May. And I don't know why but after reading so many of them, I still think Unearthly and Daughter of Smoke and Bone are the best of the lot as I think they have the right amount of humour, heart and hunky gorgeous guys (Tucker, of course).

What makes this book unique is that there's also an array of demons in them. Fallen angels and demons to be exact whom are sent to earth to eradicate a new breed of threat that seemed to infest the city where our young MC lives. And unfortunately without realising it, the MC is actually one of them. Interesting idea.

They are called grays. Beings who can sucked human souls just by kissing them. Another type of succubus/incubus perhaps? The MC is an interesting character since she has this mysterious ability to track supernatural beings without her knowing it but the forced chemistry between her and the fallen angel Bishop  just bore me.

Apparently I'm more interested to know about the demons and the mysterious women/demon queen who created the grays rather than reading about the romantic tension between the two leads and their so-called mission to maintain the balance between heaven and hell.

Recommended for: fans of angels and demons
Verdict: 3 stars.

In my Debut Author Reading Challenge 
Available on: Amazon

Book of the Month: May

Book of the Month is a monthly event, hosted by Book Whales. This is done to highlight one of the books we have read in the previous month.

I know this is kind of late but I'm really swamped these past few days. So my book of the month is (cue drum roll please..)

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

My review

So many great books are published on May and I know everyone is either buzzing about Insurgent or the latest instalment of The Mortal Instruments series but I think it's about time that a stand alone book receives some due attention. Besides I'm a huge fan of fairy tale stories.

Review, Interview & Giveaway: The House on Blackstone Moor

Welcome to author Carole Gill.

Where did you get the inspiration to write the book?
I have always been a fan of the gothic romantic genre. I think however the genre needs to be modernized for today’s reader. This I did with my novel, The House on Blackstone Moor.

The story is a lot darker than would have been permitted years ago.

Take the classic, Jane Eyre. I love the dark and brooding Mr. Rochester but I wanted to create an entirely different sort of brooding character, one who is damned through no fault of his own, a creature of the night, damned before he was born; a creature with no hope of salvation.

Louis Darton is the son of a fallen angel and a human mother; he is the male protagonist in my novel.

I asked myself how such a creature would react if a beautiful young girl came into his world. Would it hurt to look at her? Would the light of her soul cause him to feel filthy because he has lived with sin and corruption for so long? Hence, the story began to evolve.

What do you think is totally unique about your story?
I think the fact that I have taken all the elements that make gothic romance what it is, but I have introduced dark horror in it, makes it unique.

I have also included the theme of child abuse, abuse committed by a human being. I did this because the question is posed throughout, is human evil as bad as supernatural evil and does evil invite further worse evil in?

Your favorite character in the book and why?
I have to say, the evil counterpart to my hero, Louis Darton is my favorite. Eco is like Louis. He is also demon spawn; his father was a fallen angel as well. But unlike Louis, he is mad, bad and dangerous to know. He has become pretty popular too. And as such is featured in the sequel!

The sequel btw will be released shortly. It is called Unholy Testament and it is Eco’s confession of sins committed during his entire existence. It is presented to the woman he loves.

Favorite book of all time and why?
Jane Eyre. I remember reading it as a young girl and falling in love with the narrative.

Jane Eyre has other things going for it. There is the examination of religious hypocrisy and the awful problems of social injustice.

The world of Jane Eyre was grim and unforgiving. Her desire to survive and to actually be happy and see to it that others are as well makes Jane Eyre one of the most admirable heroines ever.

Her world did exist and we can thank Charlotte Bronte for illuminating it as brilliantly as she did.

Favorite holiday destination? 

Without doubt, Paris! I love it. It is a beautiful city, with its wide boulevards. I love the cafes and the book stalls along the Seine.

It is a place you can dream in. Sit in one of the cafes and day dream over a cup of excellent coffee. Walk anywhere and you will be delighted with what you see.

And if you like books please bear in mind that France’s highest rated television show is a book review show! That is commendable.

Yes, I love Paris!

If someone made a movie based on your life, which actor/actress will you pick to be you?
Cate Blanchett! Cate in cape and hood walking over moorland with dogs, a figure shrouded in the cold, gray mist of a foggy morning.

She is one of my favorite actresses and I would love to look like her!



The House on Blackstone Moor
by Carole Gill
ebook
251 pages
Published May 2nd 2012

Summary:

“They say my father was mad, so corrupted by evil and tainted by sin that he did what he did. I came home to find them all dead; their throats savagely cut. My sisters only five and eight were gone as well as my brother who was twelve. My mother too lay butchered in her marriage bed. The bed her children were born in…” 

Young Rose Baines discovers the savage murders of her family by her mad, incestuous father. 

She is plunged into a nightmare of hell and is incarcerated in two madhouses after which she is helped to obtain a position as governess at Blackstone House. 

The house is located on haunted moorland. Nothing is as it seems for Blackstone House and its inhabitants have hideous secrets. There is unimaginable horror there but there is love too--love that comes at a terrible price. 

Thoughts:
I'm always pleasantly surprised when a self-published book is so well written and this is certainly no exception. It's creepy and haunting and even from the first page I was so immersed in Rose's chilling account of the gruesome tragedy that has befallen her family that it's hard for me to put down the book.

As Rose tried to put the horrors behind her, she grew up and later offered a job in Blackstone Moor after going out of the asylum that she was put into when she was young. The house is enshrouded in mystery and darkness and Rose has decide where her heart and loyalty lies.

Recommended for: fans of horror and gothic fantasy
Verdict: 4 stars.
Available on: Amazon