Review 2014

Review: World After by Susan Ee

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World After by Susan Ee

Title: World After (Penryn and The End of Days)
Author: Susan Ee
Genre: Dystopian, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (21st November 2013)
Blurb:

THE SURVIVORS OF THE ANGEL APOCALYPSE BEGIN TO SCRAPE BACK TOGETHER WHAT’S LEFT OF THE MODERN WORLD.

When a group of people capture Penryn’s sister Paige, thinking she’s a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. As Penryn searches the streets of San Francisco looking for her, she’s drawn into the heart of the angel’s secret plans, where she learns the horrifying extent to which they are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them he can’t rejoin the angels, but when faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn to survive, which will he choose?

The sequel to the internet phenomenon, ANGELFALL

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

WORLD AFTER is the sequel to Susan Ee’s brilliant ANGELFALL (review), and the second book in the PENRYN AND THE END OF DAYS series. In this book Ee continues Penryn’s story from where is basically left off in the first book. Finally reunited with her family, things seem to be going okay for Penryn. Until they don’t. Forced to search for her younger sister once again, Penryn finds herself drawn back into the angels’ brutal world.

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Review: Landline by Rainbow Rowell

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Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Orion Books (3rd July 2014)
Blurb:

Georgie McCool knows that her marriage is in trouble. It’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and he still loves her – but that almost seems besides the point now.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells him that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her – he is always a little upset with her – but she doesn’t expect him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do? Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

LANDLINE is a standalone novel from Rainbow Rowell. Before reading this book I had already read FANGIRL (review)which is aimed at a young adult audience, whereas LANDLINE is my first foray into her adult fiction work. LANDLINE tells the story of Georgie McCool a woman in her late thirties who is a writer for a TV show, she is also a wife and a mother to two daughters. Just days before Christmas that she is supposed to spend with her family in Omaha, Georgie gets a big break but that means she has to stay in Los Angeles. It is only after her husband leaves with the children that she realises that she might have gone too far.

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Review: Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

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Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

Title: Frozen (Heart of Dread, #1)
Authors: Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston
Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Orchard Books (2nd October 2014)
Blurb:

WELCOME TO NEW VEGAS.

A city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. At the heart of it, Natasha Kestal is looking for a way out. Like many, she’s heard of a mythical land where the sun still shines and the waters flow. A place where she won’t be hunted by those who know her darkest secret.

Until Nat gets to the Blue, she will never be safe. Not even from the boy entrusted with her life – and heart.

The thrilling first instalment in a spellbinding new series about the dawn of a new kind of magic.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

FROZEN is the first book in a new series from wife and husband team Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston. It follows the story of Natasha Kestal who wants to leave New Vegas and head to a place called the Blue. Unfortunately, leaving New Vegas isn’t an easy task – it costs a lot to get the help needed to get past government security – and you have to be careful that the people you hire to get you out aren’t going to sell you.

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Review: Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Pure (Covenant, 2)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: Mythology, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (18th September 2014)
Blurb:

Enter the world of Covenant . . .

For Alexandria, being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn’t exactly awesome – especially when her ‘other half’ is everywhere she goes. Seth’s in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom – so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off memories of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden.

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies – creatures determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods . . . and that includes Alex. If that and the hordes of aether-sucking monsters weren’t bad enough, a mysterious threat seems wiling to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude . . . or killing her.

When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

PURE is the second instalment of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s brilliant COVENANT series. Alexandria Andros’s story continues after the events of HALF-BLOOD (review), and the stakes are even higher. Alex is still reeling from the revelations, and choices she made in HALF-BLOOD but things are moving forward, and the threat to the Covenants – and therefore the pure-bloods – are rising. Events seem to be coming to a head, and Alex finds herself unable to escape them.

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Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

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We Were Liards by E. Lockhart

Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Publisher: Hot Key Books (15th May 2014)
Blurb:

We are liars

We are beautiful and privileged

We are cracked and broken

A tale of love and romance

A tale of tragedy

Which are lies?

Which is truth?

You decide

Rating: ** (2 stars)
Review:

WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart is a contemporary novel that there was a lot of buzz about around its release date. It tells the story of Cadence Sinclair Eastman and the mysterious summer fifteen which she cannot remember anything about.

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Review: Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh

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Uk cover of Shield of Winter

Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh

Title: Shield of Winter (A Psy-Changeling Novel, 13)
Author: Nalini Singh
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Gollancz (5th June 2014)
Blurb:

‘The alpha author of paranormal romance’ (Booklist) draws us back into her extraordinary Psy-Changeling world, a world torn between violence and peace, passion and ice . . .

Assassin. Soldier. Arrow. That is who Vasic is, who he will always be. His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he’s done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch – if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion. To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life:

If the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake . . .

Having rebuilt her life after medical ‘treatment’ that violated her mind and sought to stifle her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost. But Ivy Jane has never done what she should. Now, she’ll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption.

But as the world turns to a screaming crimson, even Ivy’s fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness . . .

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)
Review:

SHIELD OF WINTER is the thirteenth addition to Nalini Singh’s brilliant PSY-CHANGELING series. I would not advise reading this review unless you have read the series because although I am going to try to keep it spoiler free, there is the possibility that I might accidentally reveal something. This time we follow the story of Vasic and Ivy. Being an Arrow means that Vasic has blood on his hands, and he has lost all hope for the possible future that his fellow Arrows hope for. Ivy meanwhile has had to rebuild herself after her mind was violated during medical ‘treatment’. The appearance of Vasic offers Ivy the chance not only to help her race, but to protect herself.

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Review: The InComplete Book of Dragons by Cressida Cowell

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The InComplete Book of Dragons by Cressida Cowell

Title: The InComplete Book of Dragons (How to Train Your Dragon)
Author: Cressida Cowell
Genre: Fantasy, Humour, Middle Grade
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books (12th June 2014)
Blurb:

Long ago, the world was full of dragons. This book is packed with dragon profiles, tips on how to ride and train them and, most importantly, how to deal with dragons if they attack.

These pages are taken from the notebooks of Viking Hero and Dragonwatcher, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third when he was just a boy . . .

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

THE INCOMPLETE BOOK OF DRAGONS by Cressida Cowell is made up of the notes and journal entries of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. In it he details notes on the dragons he himself has encountered with helpful tips and tricks, and he also notes the dragons that he has had to rely on other vikings for the details of.

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CLOVEN BLOG TOUR: Review & Giveaway Link

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Today I am taking part in the Cloven Blog Tour – you can find the tour schedule here. I got my copy of Cloven courtesy of the Blog Tour, but all opinions in the review below are my own.

Cloven by Georgeann Swiger

Title: Cloven (The Trinity of Souls #2)
Author: Georgeann Swiger
Category: New Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: CreateSpace (Self-Published)
Format: Ebook
Published: 21st October 2014
Blurb:

What would you do if the only things standing between you and the angel you love were another angel and the fiery pits of Hell?

When Anya and Micah declare their love for each other, the battle for the souls of the star-crossed angels stretches across the heavens. With Heaven forbidding their love, Micah vows to protect Anya by sentencing himself to Hell.

But Anya won’t let him go without a fight. She goes into Hell after him, only to discover an angel from Micah’s past is willing to do anything to keep Micah in Hell.

With love and lies blinding Micah, Anya fights to get him to face his demons and return to Heaven, even if it means hearts will be broken.

The battle for the angels begins where it left off. Between Heaven and Hell is forbidden love.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

CLOVEN is the second book in Georgeann Swiger’s New Adult THE TRINITY OF SOULS. CLOVEN continues the story of Anya, who we first meet in ADORNED – the first book in the series. CLOVEN deals with the fall-out of the events in ADORNED, and continues Anya’s story.

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Review: Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

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UK Cover of Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends 1)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Atom (8th April 2014)
Blurb:

THEY HEAR THE SPIRITS.
THEY MUST OBEY.

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, they will not be quieted.

Ambushed by an ancient evil, Moria and Ashyn must race to warn the empire of a terrifying threat. Accompanied by a dashing thief and a warrior with a dark history, the sisters battle their way across a wasteland filled with reawakened monsters of legend. But there are more sinister enemies waiting for them at court – and a secret that will alter the balance of their world for ever.

The first volume of the Age of Legends trilogy, Sea of Shadows is a thrilling dark fantasy where evil hides in every shadow and the deadliest monsters of all come in human form . . .

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

SEA OF SHADOWS is the first book in Kelley Armstrong’s new trilogy AGE OF LEGENDS. SEA OF SHADOWS introduces twin sisters Moria and Ashyn who live outside of the Forest of the Dead. They are the Keeper and the Seeker for this area, and are charged with quieting the enraged souls of the criminals who are exiled to the forest as punishment. This is their first year on their own, and something goes terribly wrong – the souls will not be quieted.

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Review: Dark Vision by Debbie Johnson

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Dark Vision by Debbie Johnson

Title: Dark Vision
Author: Debbie Johnson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Del Rey (27th March 2014)
Blurb:

LILY MCCAIN IS CURSED.

With just one touch she can see a person’s future, whether it’s a good fortune or a terrible fate. Afraid of the potent visions she foresees, she distances herself from the world, succumbing to a life of solitude.

But at the touch of a mysterious stranger – who has powers of his own – Lily sees a new, chilling future for herself: one where she is fated to make a terrible choice . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

DARK VISION tells the story of Lily McCain, who is doomed to see the futures of the people she touches – good and bad. Having lived with this ability from when she was a child, Lily has turned the ability not to touch people – both physically and metaphorically – into an art form. Her life as a music reporter is pretty mundane, until she crosses the path of a mysterious stranger at a bar while she is working.

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