Blog Tour Review/Giveaway ~ The Kingdom of Childhood by Rebecca Coleman

Title: The Kingdom of Childhood
Author: Rebecca Coleman
Release Date: October 4, 2011

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

The Kingdom of Childhood is the story of a boy and a woman; sixteen-year-old Zach Patterson, uprooted and struggling to reconcile his knowledge of his mother's extramarital affair, and Judy McFarland, a kindergarten teacher watching her family unravel before her eyes. Thrown together to organize a fundraiser for their failing private school and bonded by loneliness, they begin an affair that at first thrills, then corrupts each of them. Judy sees in Zachthe elements of a young man she loved as a child, but what Zach does not realize is that their relationship is, for Judy, only the latest in a lifetime of disturbing secrets.

Rebecca Coleman's manuscript forThe Kingdom of Childhood was a semifinalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition. An emotionally tense, increasingly chilling work of fiction set in the controversial Waldorf school community, it is equal parts enchanting and unsettling and is sure to be a much discussed and much-debated novel.

Review:

WOWZERS!  This stunning debut shows the destructive power sexual obsession can have on one's life!

Judy MacFarland is a kindergarten teacher at a failing private school in Maryland.  Now that her husband Russ has begun his doctoral dissertation he seems to have all but forgotten that he even has a family.  Their son, Scott, is one of the "cool kids" at the school who would rather spend time with his friends than his family and their daughter Maggie is away at college.  If you add all those things PLUS the recent death of her best friend you get a VERY lonely woman on a downward spiral.

Now this is where things start to get interesting....Sixteen year old Zach Patterson is new to the school and is a friend of Scott's.  Plus he has some family issues going on at home.  When Judy is approached by Zach's mom to supervise him while he is working on a project for the school auction, Judy jumps at the chance.  This is where the sexual tension between Zach and Judy starts to increase as the two of them spend more and more time together.

 While the subject matter may be disturbing to some, I believe that Coleman's writing is captivating as she gives us the readers a glimpse inside the minds of her flawed and, in my opinion, emotionally barren characters. The more we learn about the true depth of Judy's emotional disturbance, the more we are drawn into the story and you really can't help but feel for Judy.


GIVEAWAY!

In an effort to clear some space on my bookcase before my niece/nephew shows up in March, I am giving away my copy of this book.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post with a valid email address AND please leave a comment on the guest post as well.  The giveaway ends 11/5/2011.  US and Canada addresses only please.

Blog Tour/Giveaway ~ A Lawman's Christmas by Linda Lael Miller

Title:  A Lawman's Christmas
Author:  Linda Lael Miller
Series: A McKettricks of Texas Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: September 20, 2011

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

The sudden death of the town marshal leaves Blue River, Texas, without a lawman…and twenty-five-year-old Dara Rose Nolan without a husband. As winter approaches and her meager seamstress income dwindles, she has three options. Yet she won't give up her two young daughters, refuses to join the fallen women of the Bitter Gulch Saloon and can't fathom condemning herself to another loveless marriage. Unfortunately she must decide—soon—because there's a new marshal in town, and she's living under his roof.

With the heart of a cowboy, Clay McKettrick plans to start a ranch and finally settle down. He isn't interested in uprooting Dara Rose and her children, but he is interested in giving her protection, friendship—and passion. And when they say "I do" to a marriage of convenience, the temporary lawman's Christmas wish is to make Dara Rose his permanent wife….


Review:

I LOVE Linda Lael Miller.  She's one of my all time favorite romance authors.  So naturally, I jumped at the chance to be part of the blog tour for A Lawman's Christmas.  Here's a random confession:  I did a "happy dance" when I opened up the envelope that this book came in and saw that it was in there.  Good times here at The Eclectic Bookshelf.

The book takes place in 1914.  Right as things in Europe are REALLY starting to heat up and it's looking like there is going to be a war.  Which means that Armies are going to be in desperate need of beef to feed their soldiers.  Our hero Clay plans on being ready.  What he doesn't plan on is Dara.

See when Clay accepts the position of marshall of the town of Blue River, Texas he has a plan.  One that involves a ranch, a wife and a house full of children. But there is a slight wrinkle in his plan....Dara Rose Nolan, the widow of Clay's predessor.

Dara and her two small children are living in the cottage that has been promised to the new marshal as part of his pay package.  If they have to leave their home they will have no where else to turn to.  Dara is determined to not end up homeless and Clay is taken aback by Dara's determination and situation.  Clay decides that he can stay at the jailhouse until Dara can come up with a more suitable situation.  But circumstances happen which lead to a marriage of convience for Clay and Dara.  But how long will it remain "convenient" considering both Clay and Dara are more than a little bit attracted to one another?

Overall, I thought that this was a very good Christmas story.  I was hooked from the very beginning and I really liked Dara.  It had to be beyond difficult to be a woman in that time in history and I could not help but cheer for Dara.

Giveaway!

I am giving away 1 copy of A Lawman's Christmas (in an effort to clear some space on my overflowing bookcase) to 1 lucky commentor.  All you have to do is leave a comment with an email address and answer this question:  Do you like to read romance's where the hero is an alpha male cowboy and why? Contest ends on October 27.

Mini Review ~ Possession by Elana Johnson

Title:  Possession
Author: Elana Johnson
Series: Possession #1
Genre:  YA/Dystopian
Format:  ARC via AWTW Tours
Release Date:  June 7, 2011

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

Review:

First of all I thought that this book was FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!  I thought that the book had a very "real" futuristic feel to it.  Everything was well thought out and described to the reader in an excellent fashion.  I really thought that the story flowed and the overall build up was AWESOME and lead to so many different things happening through out.

I really LOVED Vi.  I thought that she was a pretty kick ass heroine.  She's a free thinker in a place where free thinking and free will are a thing of the past. Vi's matched to Zee, who is the "safe" choice, but then she ends up in jail with Jag and that's when things get interesting.  I can say though that the relationship between Vi and Jag drove me up the walls at times. But no relationship is perfect right?

I really loved how this book unfolded.  I had a very hard time putting this book down.  I had to know what was going to happen next.  I became completely engaged in reading this book.  I can hardly wait to read the next book!

Mini Review ~ Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title:  Blood Wounds
Author:  Susan Beth Pfeffer
Series: N/A
Genre: YA
Format: ARC from AWTW Tours
Release Date: September 12, 2011

Rating: DNF

Synopsis:



Review:

I had a very hard time getting into this book.  From the synopsis you think your getting a YA "thriller," that is not the case at all.  I felt that I had been duped into the book under false pretenses.  I don't know what it was about the book but I just lost interest in it.  I didn't get very far into the book so I will just touch on the things for the little bit that I did read.

First the positive...I think that the premise and idea for the story are excellent.  I do really enjoy books that deal with "heavy issues" a lot.  I just thought that for the small portion of the book I did read that the execution of  the idea from "notes" to book form left a lot to be desired, again this is just my opinion.

Aside from thinking I'm getting one type of book and getting something completely different.  I overall had a hard time connecting with the book.  Especially the characters. I thought that Willa was a pretty alright character, written in a "real" way.  I felt that the secondary characters were written in a manner that was pretty stereotypical. I know that the author has to build a world for the reader but I thought that the beginning of the book was too much.

Overall, this book was not for me but I've read some pretty good reviews for it elsewhere, so I may just be in the minority about this book.  Don't let my review entirely color your "vision" of this book.
Willa is lucky: She has a loving blended family that gets along. Not all families are so fortunate. But when a bloody crime takes place hundreds of miles away, it has an explosive effect on Willa’s peaceful life. The estranged father she hardly remembers has murdered his new wife and children, and is headed east toward Willa and her mother.

Under police protection, Willa discovers that her mother has harbored secrets that are threatening to boil over. Has everything Willa believed about herself been a lie? As Willa sets out to untangle the mysteries of her past, she keeps her own secret—one that has the potential to tear her family apart.

Quickie Review ~ Changing The Game by Jaci Burton

Title: Changing The Game
Author: Jaci Burton
Series:  Play by Play #2
Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Erotic
Format:  E-Book
Release Date:  August 2, 2011

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

An erotic new game from the New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Play.

Sports agent Liz Darnell will do anything to win back her number-one client, baseball pro Gavin Riley. And Gavin's more than ready- especially when Liz is offering herself as part of the bargain. But when love unexpectedly enters the playing field, neither Liz nor Gavin are ready for the biggest game-changer of all.

First Line:

Gavin Riley knew Elizabeth Darnell had been avoiding him for the past several months.



Review:

Changing The Game picks up right where The Perfect Play left off.  I think for me personally, the end of The Perfect Play was the perfect set up for Changing The Game.  Though I am going to agree with most of the reviews that I have read prior to purchasing the book and say that Mick was BEYOND a prick through out the book, though I am glad that he did FINALLY get his head out of his ass and get over himself.

Gavin and Elizabeth come from two completely different backgrounds.  Gavin comes from an family where there is more than enough love to go around.  Elizabeth comes from a family in which emotional abuse was the norm.  Gavin is a "ladies man" and Liz has a pretty significant "dry spell."  Gavin is Liz's client and Liz is Gavin's agent.  There are so many things and ways that these two are completely different and should not be together at all.

There is a TON of growing done by both Gavin and Liz in this book and they most defiantly took the scenic route through there love story.  The only thing that irked me about the book was that I thought that for a good chunk of the book the sex between Gavin and Liz was the main focus and not their budding romance.  That and Mick, I kept thinking "hey how 5 years old of you Mick" when ever he made and appearance right up until the end.  Another added bonus was the introduction of Jenna's love interest, Ty Anderson HOT hockey player extraordinaire.  It makes me sad that I have to wait until March 6, 2012 to read Jenna and Ty's story. :(

Book Review ~ The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton

Title: The Perfect Play
Author: Jaci Burton
Series: Play By Play #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports
Format: E-Book
Release Date: February 1, 2011

Rating: 5/5, Awesome Sauce Award

Synopsis:

Football pro Mick Riley is an all-star, both on the field and in the bedroom. But a sexy, determinedly single mom just might be the one to throw him off his game…

For years Mick has been taking full advantage of the life available to a pro athlete: fame, fortune, and a different girl in every city. But when he meets and beds confident, beautiful event planner Tara Lincoln, he wants much more than the typical one-night stand. Too bad Tara’s not interested in getting to know football’s most notorious playboy any better.

As the single mother of a teenage son, the last thing Tara needs is the jet-set lifestyle of Mick Riley; even though their steamy and passionate one-night stand was unforgettable. Tara’s life is complicated enough without being thrust into the spotlight as Mick’s latest girl du jour. Tara played the game of love once and lost big, and she doesn’t intend to put herself out there again, especially with a heartbreaker like Mick.

But when Mick sets his mind to win, nothing will stop him. And he has the perfect play in mind.

First Line: "Sweat dripped down Mick Riley's face and arms."

Review:

I have been wanting to get my hands on a copy of this book for a while now and I finally got tired of waiting so I downloaded a copy onto my Barnes and Noble Nook.  Honestly, what first drew me to this book was the cover...Yeah I want me some of that right there!  Once I got started reading I got completely sucked into the story right away.  And OH BOY is this one HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT!  Not only because of hunka hunka burnin' love Mick either! ;)

The chemistry between Mick and Tara is explosive right from the beginning and only builds as their relationship grows.  Tara is a very strong leading lady, she's been dealt some hard knocks pretty from the get go in life and she's just gotten stronger as a result.  She's also the kind leading lady who as much as she REALLY enjoys the really great sex she's having with Mick she puts her son first.  Mick is our leading man, who despite what Tara sees (perfection) he does in fact have a flaw.

Liz, Mick's agent, is written as the villain of the story but I think that she thought her heart was in the right place. Even the queen of 'cold' has a soft side...and it comes in the form of Mick's little brother Gavin.  I think that Jaci did an excellent job of building up to Liz and Gavin's story and I can hardly wait to start reading that book too!

Book Review ~ Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Title: Forget You
Author: Jennifer Echols
Series: N/A
Genre: Contemporary YA
Format: Paperback, 292 pages
Release Date: July 20, 2010

Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:

Why can't you choose what you forget . . . and what you remember?

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.

But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them?

Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her.

Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.


Review:

I ordered this book a few weeks ago to get free shipping on my Amazon order.  I'd been wanting to read it for a while now and I just went ahead and purchased a copy.  Does it make me a "bad" person to admit that I bought a book just to get free shipping?

Anyway back to the book, I had heard great things about this book and I really wanted to LOVE it but  that just didn't happen.  I really did LIKE it a lot though.  Our main character Zoey, works at her lowlife father's water park as a lifeguard and is also dealing with a seriously depressed mom.  Zoey has always been the definition of "good girl," if you looked up the word there would be her picture.  Then there is a horrible accident involving Zoey's mom that has Zoey taking more chances than she usually does.  Which leads up to the car crash that leaves Zoey with no memory of the events prior to the crash.

I really didn't care for Brandon at all and I really didn't see what Zoey saw in him either.  I thought that he was pretty much a prick but that's just my opinion.  I also seriously disliked Zoey's father.  I guess as far as I'm concerned this book has two "villains."  I did like Doug though.  He was our tall dark and mysterious character and I really liked how the relationship between Doug and Zoey grew.  At times Zoey could be really annoying, it started to bother me that she had to keep reminding people that Brandon was her boyfriend...Almost like she had to remind herself so she had a reason to attempt to keep her hands off Doug.

Overall, I really did like this book.  I'm still really happy that I bought it, even if it was just to get free shipping.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read a Jennifer Echols book before.  Jennifer is a new to me author and now I can hardly wait to pick Love Story, which I also purchased in that order too.

Book Review ~ Moon Called by Patrica Briggs

 

Title: Moon Called
Author: Patricia Briggs

Series: Mercy Thompson #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

Release Date: 2006, January 31

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Source: Paperbackswap.com

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself ... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

The "Short Story:"

Were-wolves, shape shifters, vamps and more oh my!

The "Long Story:"

Now that I've actually read the first book in the series so many things from the last book I read in this series makes sense.  I really like Mercy....She's a "no nonsense" take no prisoners type of heroine...I really LIKE ass kicking heroines!

I also was really impressed by all the attention to detail towards how the relationships between all the different types of paranormals in the book work as well as the politics.  I'm not usually big on politics but I think that the politics in this book were pretty alright.

Alright....I'm jealous of Mercy.  Who doesn't want to have the attention of not 1 but 2 sexy werewolves?!

The suspense kept me turning pages.  All the twists and turns kept me wanting MORE! I really hated to put the book down.  The only thing I didn't really care for was how LONG it took me to get this book read....DANG YOU REAL LIFE!

ARC Review ~ In Bed With A Highlander by Maya Banks

Title: In Bed With A Highlander

Author: Maya Banks

Series: Highlander #1

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: ARC won on Goodreads giveaways

Release Date: August 30, 2011

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Ewan McCabe, the eldest, is a warrior determined to vanquish his enemy. Now, with the time ripe for battle, his men are ready and Ewan is poised to take back what is his—until a blue-eyed, raven-haired temptress is thrust upon him. Mairin may be the salvation of Ewan’s clan, but for a man who dreams only of revenge, matters of the heart are strange territory to conquer.

The illegitimate daughter of the king, Mairin possesses prized property that has made her a pawn—and wary of love. Her worst fears are realized when she is rescued from peril only to be forced into marriage by her charismatic and commanding savior, Ewan McCabe. But her attraction to her ruggedly powerful new husband makes her crave his surprisingly tender touch; her body comes alive under his sensual mastery. And as war draws near, Mairin’s strength, spirit, and passion challenge Ewan to conquer his demons—and embrace a love that means more than revenge and land.

Review:

I won this ARC on Goodreads giveaways a few weeks ago and I picked it up and read it through in one sitting.  I LOVED this book!  I totally want to get my hands on the next two books in this series!  I have to know what happens next for each of Ewan's brother's!

As the daughter of King David, Mairin Stuart is a hot commodity.  So far she has spent most of her life in a convent, so she's never married, never had a child and comes with a dowry that any man would give his left nut for.  In Bed With A Highlander begins with Mairin in the convent where soldiers for the villain, Duncan Cameron, are looking for her.  Duncan's plan is to marry her and get her pregnant so that he can acquire her dowry for his evil plan.

The thing about Mairin is that she's a fighter and she never stops fighting throughout the whole book.  She's also pretty funny, which I really enjoyed.  Because of Mairin's fighting nature she's saved a little boy from the wrath of Duncan, a little boy who is the son of a true warrior and leader of his own clan.

Ewan, our hero, is a very intelligent very driven man.  Who is not only leading his clan but trying to rebuild it after a prior massacre by Duncan and his men.  When Ewan's little boy goes missing he sends his brothers out in an effort to find the little guy, Mairin is brought into the clan's keep.

After learning who Mairin really is and what her dowry would do for his clan her decides to marry her.  He doesn't force it on her, he bargains with her.  Between the two of them they find themselves in some pretty interesting situations and engage in plenty of verbal sparring.  Oh, yeah and lets not forget the white hot sex with a hot as hell highland warrior.  As the story progresses feelings grow stronger and a rapid succession of events keeps things chugging right along.

I really enjoyed watching this story unfold.  I loved how the author gave a voice to our heroine in a time when women really didn't have a voice.  Each character brings something special to the story and I really liked that a lot.  Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a really good historical romance, sexy highlanders, or just the sexy warrior type.

Book Review ~ Turn It Up by Inez Kelley

Title: Turn It Up
Author: Inez Kelley
Series: N/A
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: E-Book
Release Date: August 1, 2011

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Dr. Bastian Talbot and self-proclaimed sex goddess Charlie Pierce heat up the air waves with their flirty banter as radio hosts Dr. Hot and the Honeypot. Off the air, they're best friends…but Bastian wants to be so much more. He wants Charlie—in bed, and forever.
 
Problem is, Charlie doesn't do commitment. Sure, she's had X-rated fantasies of Bastian, but he was always just a friend—until he impulsively proposes and unleashes the lust they've been denying for years. Charlie's willing to explore where their wild chemistry leads, but she won't marry him. And he won't have sex with her until she accepts his proposal, despite her seductive schemes.

What are Dr. Hot and the Honeypot to do? Ask their listeners for advice on how to tame a sex kitten and turn a perfect gentleman into a shameless lover. The Race to Wed or Bed is on…who will turn up on top?

Review:

I want to thank The Fiction Vixen for turning me on to this book.  I found out about Turn It Up via a review that I found on The Fiction Vixen blog.  FV gave the book an A- but I had to give this one 5/5.  There was only one small part of the story that I was lukewarm on but it wasn't enough to detract from the rating.

Charlie has been "Honeypot" on her radio show - Honeypot and Dr. Love - for as long as she can remember.  The best part of the scenario is that she gets to do the show with her BFF Bastian.  Then Bastian goes and changes up the very foundation of their relationship by telling her that he wants to be more than just her friend...That he's IN love with her and actually wants to marry her.  This is the part where Charlie freaks out.  The real "fun and games" begin when Bastian announces on the air to all their listeners that he wants to marry her but Charlie takes it in stride and issues the challenge that she thinks they'll end up sleeping together before they ever even think about getting married.  Thus beginning the battle of the sexes.

I LOVED this story.  Once I downloaded it onto my Nook and opened it up I didn't put it down until I was done reading it.  Turn It Up is one of those books that sucks you in and doesn't let go.  The only part of the book that I was lukewarm on was "the kiss," you'll have to read Turn It Up in order to find out what I'm talking about. One of my favorite aspects of the story was all of the sexual innuendos that were sent flying left and right by all parties.  I spent a good portion of my reading time giggling because of it.  I thought that it was really sweet and enduring that Bastian wanted to get married and build a life with Charlie and show her that he's not like every other guy in her past.  All while Charlie is doing her dangdest to get in his pants and find out what kind of lover he really is.

There were a couple of times I thought that Charlie was a little over the top but then you learn about her past and it all makes sense.  I viewed Bastian as the rock that keeps her sane, even with the battle of the sexes raging on.  The secondary characters I thought were fabulous.  I hope that Bastian's little brother gets his own story soon.

Book Review ~ A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley

Synopis:

She's an outlaw; he's a preacher. Both are in need of a miracle.

Sarah Prescott has never known a respectable life. Just a hardscrabble childhood and brothers who taught her to shoot first and ask questions later.

Justin Wells left Boston in disgrace, heading out alone on the dusty trail to Texas. But when the once-respected clergyman encounters a feisty redhead in handcuffs with a dying U.S. Marshal at her side, their journey takes a dramatic turn.

His high society expectations and Sarah's outlaw habits clash from the start. With a price on her head and towing an orphaned baby rescued from the brink of starvation, Justin and Sarah make the difficult journey toward Rocky Creek. There, justice will be meted out. Perhaps—they hope—with a healthy portion of grace.

Filled with mishaps, laughs, and adventure, Margaret Brownley's inspiring romance will keep readers cheering for Sarah as she struggles to become a true lady.


Review:

This is my first ever Christian fiction novel and I really enjoyed it a lot. In the past Christian fiction hasn't really been something that I thought would "trip my trigger" so I just avoided that section at all costs in the bookstore. I'm glad to say that I was WRONG about the genre.

The story is about two characters who are trying to find God in unlikely places and circumstances. Sarah Prescott is an outlaw and a member of THE Prescott gang, who has always dreamed of having a "normal" life and Justin Wells is a Reverend who is out of his element, trying to bring God's word to the rough and tumble town of Rocky Creek.

Through many danger's, toils and snares....Justin and Sarah find the answers to their prayers. As well as one thing that neither of them had counted on at all....Love.

Overall, I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I can hardly wait to tear into book number 2...A Suitor for Jenny.



Rating: 4/5

Book Review ~ Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Infernal Devices Series #1

Genre: Fiction, YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Release Date: 2010, August
Format: Hardcover, 479 pages

Source: Purchased - Ebook

Rating: 4.75/5

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Review:

This is the first book by this author that I have ever read.  I definitely will be reading more of her books in the future!  Awesome Sauce is what it is and I LOVE me some Awesome Sauce!

Even though I think this book was Awesome Sauce I did think that it got off to a slow start.  I also was confused as to how exactly Will found Tessa at the Dark Sisters house.  Did he senses her while she was in someone else's body, a random tip?  That bothered me a little bit.

There were times when I thought Will was more than a little bit of an ass.  Now I like "bad boys" but there's a difference between being a "bad boy" and being verbally and emotionally abusive.  I think at times Will walked a little bit too close to that fine line for my taste.  I guess that makes me a member of Team Jem then.

I found the writing style to be of my liking also.  Once I got past the slow beginning I thought the story was a definite page turner.  The action throughout the book was very well described also.  You felt like you were there.  I also liked how the bad guy wasn't completely obvious (at least to me) until you got closer to the end of the book.  Just when you think you have it all figured out it turns out our completely WRONG!

Overall, I really enjoyed Clockwork Angel.  The cliff hanger ending has me thinking that December will NEVER get here!

Book Review (Contains Spoilers) ~ The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Daughter
Author: Julie Kagawa

Series: Iron Fey #2

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: 2010, August 1

Format: Paperback, 359 pages

Source: Bought via Barnes and Noble web page

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Review:

I LOVED The Iron King and I could hardly wait for the second book in the series to come out. This book came out and because I ordered it with a pre-ordered book I had to wait for it!  It was the LONGEST 26 days EVER!

The story starts out with Meghan saying good bye to her family, yet again as she's about to fulfill her contract with Ash and head for enemy territory. When Meghan gets to the Winter Court she is basically a prisoner to Queen Mab and Prince Ash abandons her.  Needless to say that the Winter Court is NOT happy to have Meghan around at all.  SPOILER AHEAD>>>When the Scepter of the Seasons is stolen and Prince Sage is murdered by the Iron Fey, Mab becomes enraged, because she doesn't not believe that these Iron Fey exist and think that Oberon took the Scepter, and a war between the Courts is in the works.  The Iron Fey are looking forward to the long trail of death and destruction that will come from the war. END SPOILER.  Now Meghan and her crew are on a journey to find the Scepter of the Seasons, return it to the Winter Court and stop the bloody war that is taking place.  All of this while being hopelessly in love with Ash.

Book number 2 in this series is just as captivating as The Iron King was.  The writing is very intense and extremely passionate.  In book 2 Julie Kagawa continues to build the world of Nevernever even bigger and badder than in the first book.  Nevernever only gets even more dangerous (as if that were even possible) in this book.  There are new characters that will have you completely mesmerized.  The plot, I think is better in this book, there are all sorts of twists and turns and it keeps you guessing.

This book is very fast-paced and I totally felt like I was there in Nevernever and as another member of Meghan's team trying to get back the Scepter.  I had a hard time putting this book down.  Ms. Kagawa does an excellent job of describing Faerie politics in this book, just to show how very dangerous the Fey can be.  The book is also a little bit of an emotional roller coaster.....Meghan learns some things along the way...some good and some not so good.

I was really happy with Meghan's personal growth along the way.  She's powerful and yet vulnerable as well....You mash those two things together and you get a pretty bad ass combination if you ask me.  There are times when she's struggling pretty badly with all the things that are going on around her.  She also makes some pretty bad decisions too....But in the end she rises to the occasion.  Meghan really is a force to be reckoned with!

OMG!  The romance triangle! As much as I love Puck I'm Team Ash (I have a "thing" for the "bad boy" types).  Puck has a lot of amazing qualities and when things started to heat up with Meghan I got a little bit worried.  But then along comes Ash, who has long since given in to his feelings for Meghan, and things get a "little bit" explosive.

My new favorite character is most defiantly Ironhorse!  He's a bad guy turned good.  And that's HOT!

Overall, I'm hopelessly hooked on this series and I'm finding it VERY difficult to wait until February for the Iron Queen to come out!

Book Review (May Contain Spoilers) ~ The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King

Author: Julie Kagawa

Series: Iron Fey #1

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: 2010, February 1

Format: Paperback, 363 pages

Source: Bought via Barnes and Noble web page

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

 

Review:

 

OMG! I absolutely LOVED this book! Fan-freaking-tastic! I'm usually NOT a real big fan of faery books..Vampires, werewolves and those sorts of paranormal are more up my alley. But once I started reading it I had a VERY hard time putting it down.

Julie Kagwa is VERY vivid and thorough of her descriptions of not only the characters, but of Nevernever land and the overall landscapes of the various Fey Courts. I felt like I was right there with Meghan and crew while they were on their journey.

There is action and "weird" things happening almost from the very start of the book. So your

on a fast track to Nevernever land real quick. See Meghan's life is turned upside down when her little brother (technically he's her 1/2 brother but who's being technical?) is kidnapped and a super nasty changeling (who attacks both Meghan and her mom) is left in his place.

But this is where Meghan's best friend Robbie comes into play. See in actuality Robby is the prankster Puck from a Midsummer's Night Dream. And off they go through the "trod," which is the portal into Nevernever land (conviently found in the closet of Meghan's brother.) As beautiful as Nevernever is a VERY dangerous place and you never really know who your friend or your foe is.

Pretty much everything keeps going wrong, more so when Grimalkin, who is a cat sith gets involved. Meghan keeps finding herself in one pickle after another, which makes her goal of finding her little brother seem almost unattainable. She's fighting trolls, gremlins, other faeries, each other, and other mythical creatures. It seems that Meghan and crew just couldn't catch a break if their lives depended upon it.

There were a couple parts of this book that were predictable. Like...Meghan is the daughter of the Summer king, so naturally she's gonna go and fall for the son of the Winter Queen. In all honesty I think that that piece of predictability was key to the story. I would have been severly dissapointed if it wasn't written the way it was. But for the most part the story kept me on my toes and guessing what was going to happen next.

Unlike Meghan (who is there looking for her brother and wants to get back to her life ASAP), it seems that pretty much all the rest of the characters in the story have a hidden agenda or have something that is brewing right there under the surface.

I think that Robbie/Puck takes the cake in this one, with his wicked sense of humor. Meghan is a very likeable character and seems to grow as the story goes along. Sometimes you think she's not real bright....Like bargaining with a faery. But just when you think she's going to go and do something dumb yet again, she throws you for a loop.

Which brings us to Ash, who is the prince of the Winter Court. He's written as a total hottie who is seriously cold in so many ways. He's attracted to Meghan but at the same time he wants to kill her. He even thinks about it several times but manages to stop himself. Ash is a superior swordsman with his sword of iciness and if his sword isn't cutting it....he likes to drop his predators by shooting icicles at them. Which I think is pretty cool.

I have to agree with Alyssa from Teens Read and Write. I just don't think that there was enough Ash in the story. We see him a little bit in the beginning but after that we don't really see him again until your well over a 100 pages into the book. Really that is my only complaint with the book....I wanted MORE Ash.

I can hardly wait until the second book comes out in the series. The Iron Daughter is being released in August. August seems so VERY far away!

Book Review ~ Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy

Author: Kiersten White

Series: Paranormalcy #1

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 2010, August

Format: Hardcover, 335 pages

Source: E-Book bought via Barnes and Noble 

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.


Review:

OMG!  This book was "bleeping"(read the book and you'll understand) AWESOME!  I had heard so much about this book in the weeks leading up to it's release that I decided that I needed to check it out. Evie, the main character, is able to see through other paranormals' "glamour" to what's really underneath...Like for example: Vampires....On the outside sex but underneath the glamour 'oh so NOT sexy'.  Evie thinks she's just a "normal" teenager that is able to do something "interesting" when it comes to paranormals.  But then bad things start to happen, paranormals start dying and Evie learns a couple secrets about herself.

Reth, her ex-boyfriend, who happens to be a faerie is crazy!  Through most of the book you think he's on one side but by the end you realize you were oh so wrong.  That all his craziness was supposed to be "helpful."  Then there's Lend, a shape shifting hottie!  He gets captured by the IPCA and is held prisoner for awhile.  When the center comes under attack Evie helps Lend escape.  Then we learn a little bit about Lend's life prior to being captured.

I loved the way that the story was written.  All of the dialogue for Evie and Lend were written in a way that was very believable.  Things that teens would actually say.  The dialogue for the other characters in the book were written in a very "grown up" manner....things that adults would say. The way things were described were very vivid as well.

Overall, I can hardly wait to read more of this series!  I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a fresh take on paranormal YA fiction.

Book Review ~ Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Title: Hunger

Author: Jackie Morse Kessler

Series: Horsemen of the Apocalypse #1

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy

Publisher: Harcourt Graphia

Release Date: 2010, October 18

Format: Paperback, 180 pages

Source: Purchased with my own money

 

Rating: 4.75/5

 

Synopsis:

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

Review:

I saw the cover of this book while checking out different YA titles on Goodreads one morning and thought that it sounded like something really interesting.  Something I needed to read NOW...So I got a copy.

I really liked the premise of the story - Horsemen of the Apocalypse and a 17 year old anorexic teenage girl as the new famine.  I thought the story overall was shockingly "real" almost to the point of being scary and uncomfortable for someone who has never dealt with the issues brought up in the book.  The research (the learning about famine) and the "the research" (from the author's personal experience) were very accurate and painted a lot of "not so pretty" pictures about eating disorders and world hunger.

Lisa is the new famine because of her eating disorder.  The "Thin Voice" keeps telling her that she's fat.  Then Death come along and throws famine in her lap.  At first she's scared to death (pun intended) of being famine.  But as the story progresses she becomes more comfortable with her new power.  She even conquers the blasted "Thin Voice".  Even kicks a little ass too!

The character that I liked the most was Death.  He wasn't real prominent character but when he was around it was memorable.  He was good looking too.  Sort of Kurt Cobainish only better and undead.

The character that I liked the least?...Hands down was the "Thin Voice."  I could NOT stand the "Thin Voice."

Book Review ~ Angelfire by Courtney Allison Mouton

Title: Angelfire

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton

Series: Angelfire #1

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Angels

Publisher: HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: 2011, February 15

Format: Hardcover, 464 pages

Source: Netgalley 

Rating: 3.75/5

Synopsis:

This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Review:

Ellie Monroe thinks she's just your normal everyday high school senior.  The truth is she's not.  She's not your normal everyday high school senior.

Ellis has been having nightmares for a LONG time.  VIOLENT nightmares.  She has everyone, with the exception of her best friend Kate, convinced that the nightmares have stopped.  But really Ellie's just used to them because they are pretty much a nightly thing.

Then she meets Will.  To Ellie Will is vaguely familiar but she's not really able to place where she's seen him before.

Then Ellie's economics teacher is brutally murdered and that's when things start getting REALLY weird.  One night while on a walk she hears a growl and then Will shows up not long after.  After giving Will crap she's headed for home when the growl happens again.  This time Will grabs her and puts, for a lack of a better word, a "spell" on Ellie.  Now she's able to see into the Grim.  Now the nightmares are starting to make sense.

Ellie is a Preliator.  The ONLY mortal in the world with the power to fight the reapers.  And Will?  Will is Ellie's Guardian, sworn to protect Ellie.

I had NO problem getting into this book.  Once I started it I just had to keep reading...I had to know what was going to happen next.  But that's where things start to go a little bit south for me.

I had a hard time relating to Ellie.  Ellie comes from a rich family (I don't know about you but I did NOT get a $30K car for my 17th B-Day) and up until recently really didn't have very many worries.  I felt she was a little bit on the spoiled side and really almost had to be forced to rise to the occasion when trouble starting happening (with both the reapers and her dad.)  I thought that the process that Ellie was going through to remember her past took to long and was a little bit too drawn out.

I did really enjoy the flashbacks and memories from Ellie's past.  They painted a very vibrant picture of Ellie's past as the Preliator.

I also really enjoyed the action and fight scenes.  Very well crafted, though at times I felt that they were a tab bit repetitive.

Overall, I did enjoy this debut and I will be checking out the next book in the series as well.