The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Scholastic

Pages: 342pgs

The Story

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

The Review

I've read nothing but amazing and glowing reviews for this book (everyone I know seemed to love it), and since I was so desperate to read it, I finally got myself a copy to see for myself just what an amazing read it was and I hoped to join ranks of those who'd loved it as well. Now while I liked the potential the book had, what it offered and the sound of the storyline itself, but unfortunately I found nothing particularly likable about this book which is such a shame really, considering I love the fantasy genre and I was really looking forward to this title.

I don't what it was exactly but I just got nothing from this book. The story was predictable, the characters faded into the background (not even the main character could save them all let alone himself) and nothing in the entire world Nielsen created got me invested in the storyline either. There was . . . nothing as sad as it is to say so. I just needed something more because something major was missing to make it an even greater tale and I guess it's my loss on this one because it's not for me.

Overall, THE FALSE PRINCE will probably appeal for younger readers than myself, but other than that I was quite disappointed with this book and it just wasn't what I was looking for originally.

The Rating

1/5 stars

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 432pgs

The Story

On a cool autumn night, Annaliese Rose Gordon stumbled out of the woods and into a high school party. She was screaming. Drenched in blood. Then she vanished.

A year later, Annaliese is found wandering down a road hundreds of miles away. She doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know how she got there. She only knows one thing: She is not the real Annaliese Rose Gordon.

Now Annaliese is haunted by strange visions and broken memories. Memories of a reckless, desperate wish . . . a bloody razor . . . and the faces of other girls who disappeared. Piece by piece, Annaliese's fractured memories come together to reveal a violent, endless cycle that she will never escape—unless she can unlock the twisted secrets of her past.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher on Edelweiss for accepting my request in reading this book early!

ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE is one of the most different books I've read this year. There's no doubt about it. But personally for me, while I found this book had a great concept going for it and was entirely original in terms of its own storyline and the direction it was heading towards, but in the execution itself I just found it was too complicated for my taste.
But don't get me wrong here. It was still an okay book. I mean, when I first started reading ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE, I thought the book opened on a great note and introduced something new to the paranormal-like genre that I haven't quite seen before which was great. After all, the world Kate Karyus Quinn created and the strange events that constantly surround the main character were so undeniably interesting and it only made me want to keep reading more and more of it. But once I reached the mid-point of the book, I quickly began to forget about all of the characters and when you add certain flashbacks (ones coming out of nowhere mind you) it all just confused the hell out of me and soon ruined my enjoyment of the entire book. Not because it was a bad book but rather because I didn't understand what was going on at the time until the very end of it. . . so it was very disappointing in that aspect.
Overall, ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE is quite a difficult book to read and it's only redemption was the ending where most things began to click into place (well most of them at least). So whether you're into a complicated storyline or not, it's really up to the reader themselves to figure out what to like about this particular book, but regardless of that, I thought the book was entirely original and I'll definitely give it that.
The Rating

2/5 stars

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Pages: 352pgs

The Story

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher on Edelweiss for accepting my request in reading this book early!

I LOVED this book. There I said it! It's the kind of book that's very different compared to most YA books but I enjoyed every moment of it.

While the writing style was very much loved by me not to mention the whole Houdini side of things in the storyline (I just LOVE Houdini by the way as I'm a big fan of him!), but I found Anna was the true shining star in this book. She was strong, independent, game for pretty much anything thrown at her, caring, witty, loved her family to bits and was quite daring if I do say so myself. I just loved her character and I found her to be a perfect protagonist for the backdrop of this book's setting. So even when the book took some time getting into, but I think Anna was what pulled me through in the end and if you end up reading this book you'll see why I loved her so much because she's awesome in many ways.

Overall, BORN OF ILLUSION was delightful for me and since I was really looking forward to reading this one, I'm so glad I ended up loving too! Full of magic, mystery, drama and featuring a time period that is to die for (honestly who doesn't love the 1920's time period?) I think a lot of readers are going to love this one and this boy named Cole . . . he was pretty cute too! All in all, you'll be in for a real treat!

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

Icons by Margaret Stohl

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Little Brown

Pages: 428pgs

The Story

Your heart beats only with their permission.

Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn't know it was fighting.

Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside -- safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid.

She's different. She survived. Why?

When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a conspiracy.

Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions -- which they've always thought to be their greatest weaknesses -- may actually be their greatest strengths.

The Review

After already being a fan of the Beautiful Creatures series, it was a nice change to see how Margaret Stohl writes for herself and how she will branch out into her own story rather than being known as a co-author of a book series. For her own debut of sorts, ICONS, I thought it was the type of read where I wasn't sure what to expect from it at first since the genre is quite a popular one, but in the end I'm really glad that I decided to read it anyway despite the average reviews it's been receiving lately because this book actually surprised me in many ways and I really enjoyed it. Loved it even.

Now from what I've just read of the book, the author is such a splendid storyteller and knows how to take on her own original ideas and make them interesting. Or rather make them pop out to the reader. While Stohl's world-building wasn't necessarily her strongest suit as I still had so many questions about the origins of the 'aliens' that have invaded the Earth (because from what I understand of the series it had many things to do with aliens and yet we saw none at all which was a shame really considering I love aliens and all) but what made this story flow, exciting and fast-paced was the characters that we were soon introduced to. They, in my opinion, made the story for what it is and I loved them all in their own special way. Especially Dol, Ro and Lucas. Those three were one of the most interesting characters in the entire book and I can't wait to see how they will develop in the future books of the series.

Overall, ICONS is a wonderful start to a YA series and for what it's worth I think it was a great sci-fi book with plenty to love about it so I'm looking forward to the sequel now!

The Rating

4/5 stars

Lola Bensky by Lily Brett

Release Date: 10th September, 2013

Publisher: Counterpoint

Pages: 267pgs

The Story

Lola Bensky is a nineteen-year-old rock journalist who irons her hair straight and asks a lot of questions. A high-school dropout, she's not sure how she got the job but she's been sent by her Australian newspaper right to the heart of the London music scene at the most exciting time in music history: 1967.

Lola spends her days planning diets and interviewing rock stars. In London, Mick Jagger makes her a cup of tea, Jimi Hendrix (possibly) propositions her and Cher borrows her false eyelashes. At the Monterey International Pop Festival, Lola props up Brian Jones and talks to Janis Joplin about sex. In Los Angeles, she discusses being overweight with Mama Cass and tries to pluck up the courage to ask Cher to return those false eyelashes.

Lola has an irrepressible curiosity, but she begins to wonder whether the questions she asks these extraordinary young musicians are really a substitute for questions about her parents' calamitous past that can't be asked or answered. As Lola moves on through marriage, motherhood, psychoanalysis and a close relationship with an unexpected pair of detectives, she discovers the question of what it means to be human is the hardest one for anyone—including herself—to answer.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for accepting my request in reading this book early!

LOLA BENSKY was quite a interesting book and surprisingly I actually enjoyed it for the most part. I guess that comes from the main character, Lola, being only nineteen-years-old and having what most would consider the dream job as she's traveling to the likes of London and America, and also interviewing up and coming rock-stars for an Australian publication. What's not to love when she interviews music legends such as Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Cher? I mean it can't get better than that for a storyline and an interesting one at that.

But moving away from the music scene, what I loved the most was getting to know Lola personally - her alone as an individual - and all of the insecurities she has had for most of her life and one coming from her mother who continues to put her down about her weight and such. You felt quite sorry for her in that matter. But what I particularly enjoyed was Lola's backstory and how the book shifts between the years of her younger years, her adult years and eventually moving up to her much older years which was such a great transition for me as a reader and it was great learning so much about her as well as the music scene. It was very well-written to say the least.

Overall, LOLA BENSKY isn't my typical read nor everyone else's, but if you love the music scene as much as me then you're going to definitely enjoy this book! It may seem like a lighter read at first, but once you dive into it, it's actually quite a heavy book dealing with plenty of interesting things and I really enjoyed reading about them all.

The Rating

4/5 stars

Giveaway Winner!

Thank you very much to everyone who'd entered my Devoured book giveaway. So now I'm pleased to announce the winner today!

Congrats to . . .

Tabitha W.

Yay! Congrats to you Tabitha!

I've forwarded your address to the publisher. Your book will be on its way soon!

The Twelve by Justin Cronin

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Orion

Pages: 688pgs

The Story

THE EPIC STORY OF THE PASSAGE CONTINUES

At the end of The Passage, the great viral plague had left a small group of survivors clinging to life amidst a world transformed into a nightmare. In the second volume of this epic trilogy, this same group of survivors, led by the mysterious, charismatic Amy, go on the attack, leading an insurrection against the virals: the first offensives of the Second Viral War.

To do this, they must infiltrate a dozen hives, each presided over by one of the original Twelve. Their secret weapon: Alicia, transformed at the end of book one into a half human, half viral—but whose side, in the end, is she really on?

The Review

For those who have read my review for Justin Cronin's The Passage last year, you would know how much I love this author and of his unique, bleak tale. So you can only imagine my own excitement when I received my copy of the sequel, THE TWELVE, because I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to some of my favourite characters - including my favourite girl, Amy. But after reading the book, while certain parts of it certainly answered a lot of my questions from the previous book, but unfortunately my love of the first book was not shared with this sequel. At least not on a grand epic scale this time round.

THE TWELVE was quite a mouthful. I mean, The Passage, the first installment of the series, was quite a mouthful as well (like a lot of readers have already pointed out), but unlike the sequel I found the first book flowed much more easily and beautifully at that, which made me enjoy every second of it. So while I still love this sequel, especially with Justin Cronin's imaginative - but very bleak - world and the overall tale the author is telling us that is still so cryptic and exciting, however I did get confused and quite a bit bored by the amount of perspectives we receive in this particular book. Some more unnecessary than others. I guess I just wanted more from my favourite characters, Amy and Peter, whom I was more interested in than any other character we've been introduced to lately. I just felt like those two characters in particular had so much more to offer, especially Amy who is the center of all of this world.

Despite the very long book that dragged on now and again, the ending was definitely worth it. An ending that features Amy and another beloved character of mine, Wolgast, who looked after Amy from the first book, The Passage. Wolgast was like a father figure to our unusual and mysterious Amy, and while his story comes to an end in this sequel, but my god the ending was so sad and yet so incredibly empowering not to mention wonderful. Gosh . . . Amy and Wolgast bring out all sorts of emotions in me when I read them together on the page. I'm going to really miss you Wolgast. I'm really going to miss you.

Overall, while I had a lack of a connection to THE TWELVE compared to The Passage, but I'm still looking forward to reading the third and final book in the series next year. I just hope there is more Amy and Peter scenes, because no matter how you look at it, I always ship them together and yet they have very small scenes together . . . so please bring me some more of them!

The Rating

3/5 stars

Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 448pgs

The Story

A Russian honey trap agent targets a young CIA operative to uncover a senior-ranking mole at the heart of the Russian Intelligence service.

Dominika Egorov, former prima ballerina, is sucked into the heart of Putin's Russia, the country she loved, and spat out as the twists and turns of betrayal and counter-betrayal unravel.

American Nate Nash, idealistic and ambitious, handles the double agent, codenamed MARBLE, considered one of CIA's biggest assets. He needs to keep his identity secret for as long as the mole can keep supplying golden information.

Will Dominika be able to unmask MARBLE, or will the mission see her faith destroyed in the country she has always passionately defended?

The Review

A big thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia for sending me a review copy of this book!

I will happily admit I don't usually read CIA books unless they have an interesting blurb at the back of the book (because some CIA books can clearly be quite long and heavy reads) but I do have quite a fetish for thriller books, particularly espionage thriller stories since they are the most exciting reads of all. And, in line with those exciting reads that I love and adore, I surprisingly really enjoyed Jason Matthews's RED SPARROW and I knew all along it was right up my alley in the first place.

RED SPARROW, in my opinion, may not be for everyone's taste but it definitely has so many appealing things about it - what with credible characters, beautiful descriptions of settings and with some pretty exciting experiences of what the CIA has to offer in terms of actually feeling what it's like to be apart of this grand scale organisation with many deceptions, schemes, double-crossings and dangerous missions of all types. It was just such a fascinating read for me and sets up a great tale that I think any reader would enjoy, no matter what you like or don't like in books or in their genres.

Overall, RED SPARROW is not for the light-hearted or impatient people, but on a whole I thought the book felt really authentic and I love that considering the author himself was in the actual CIA in real life (I mean that's seriously cool because he knows his stuff!). So I find Jason Matthews definitely gets a two thumbs up from me with his new book!

The Rating

4/5 stars

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Dutton Adult

Pages: 464pgs

The Story

In Bee Ridgway’s wonderfully imaginative debut novel, a man and a woman travel through time in a quest to bring down a secret society that controls the past and, thus, the future. 

“You are now a member of the Guild. There is no return.” Two hundred years after he was about to die on a Napoleonic battlefield, Nick Falcott, soldier and aristocrat, wakes up in a hospital bed in modern London. The Guild, an entity that controls time travel, showers him with life's advantages. But Nick yearns for home and for one brown-eyed girl, lost now down the centuries. Then the Guild asks him to break its own rule. It needs Nick to go back to 1815 to fight the Guild’s enemies and to find something called the Talisman.

In 1815, Julia Percy mourns the death of her beloved grandfather, an earl who could play with time. On his deathbed he whispers in her ear: “Pretend!” Pretend what? When Nick returns home as if from the dead, older than he should be and battle scarred, Julia begins to suspect that her very life depends upon the secrets Grandfather never told her. Soon enough Julia and Nick are caught up in an adventure that stretches up and down the river of time. As their knowledge of the Guild and their feelings for each other grow, the fate of the future itself is hanging in the balance.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for accepting my request in reading this book early!

This book is quite a spectacular read and is one of the most fascinating books that I've read this year! It had this wonderful mixture of time travel, history and romance but combined all into one and I ate it all up without even knowing it myself.

THE RIVER OF NO RETURN has a very awesome - but a very complicated - premise: Nicholas Falcott, a marquess and solider in 1812, accidentally time travels to the year of 2003 in the middle of a battle and is soon intercepted by an organisation called 'The Guild', people who claim to help these jumpers - ultimately people who jump time unintentionally to flee a life-threatening situation which Nicholas has done. As The Guild teaches him how to adjust to modern society, as it's nearly impossible to return to his time, Nicholas is soon called upon to travel back in time (so it wasn't impossible after all) to 1815 for a mission and during the mission he ends up meeting Julia, the grand-daughter of his newly decreased neighbour, who can also travel in time, which - for Nicholas - ultimately changes everything for him.

So let's talk about the writing and the storyline. First off, the writing was beautiful and I loved the way the author used 19th century language alongside the modern language. I thought she balanced the two out really well and I believed in it which doesn't happen very often for historical-like novels as the languages can sometimes have this unauthentic feel to them, which this book clearly doesn't have at all obviously. Secondly, the storyline was perfect. Complicated for the most part but perfect. It was so thought-provoking and you'll always be left asking more and more questions about the characters and what secrets they are hiding or what is going on in their mind. And honestly, what can be better than that? Being so curious all the damn time? It's awesome.

Thirdly, what I loved most about the book out of everything else was the characters. Every character, no matter the purpose they had, had their own unique elements to them, especially when it comes to the characters of Nicholas and Julia. Now while I would've liked more romance to occur between Nicholas and Julia, as they are the main focus of the story I find, but regardless of that, I still enjoyed getting to know them and finding out what parts they would play in the storyline. Trust me, it's worth reading this book to meet these two characters! I really loved them!

Overall, THE RIVER OF NO RETURN may not be for everyone's taste, but if you're looking for a very unique story with time travel and historical aspects that keep you questioning everything you read, then this book is definitely worth checking out!

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

Data Runner by Sam A. Patel

Release Date: 25th June, 2013

Publisher: Diversion Books

Pages: 231pgs

The Story

In the not-too-distant future, in what was once the old City of New York, megacorporations have taken over everything. Now even the internet is owned, and the only way to transmit sensitive information is by a network of highly skilled couriers called “data runners” who run it over the sneakernet. It is a dangerous gig in a dirty world, but Jack Nill doesn't have much choice in the matter. A brilliant young math whiz and champion of parkour, Jack must become one of these data runners in order to get his father out of a major gambling debt. But when a mysterious stranger loads Jack’s chip with a cryptic cargo that everybody wants, he soon becomes the key figure in a conspiracy that could affect the entire North American Alliance. Now it’s all up to Jack. With the help of his best friend, Dexter, and a girl who runs under the name Red Tail, Jack will have to use all his skills to outrun the retrievers and uncover the truth before they catch him and clip him for good.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for accepting my request in reading this book early!

THE DATA RUNNER seemed right up my alley in books because I have a profound love of parkour (if you don't know what it is then look up immediately). It's exciting, fast, fun to look at and looks totally awesome when you watch videos of people running around ridiculously up and down walls and buildings . . . it's just awesome and so movie-like. So when this book came about, it sounded awesome and just what I needed right now. So in some certain aspects of the book, especially in the action and of parkour, it certainly delivered a fast-paced read. However, in terms of the storyline itself and what occurred within the book, while I loved the idea of it . . . it just wasn't as enjoyable as I wanted it to be but it was still a decent book.

While I liked the majority of the characters, particularly the main character, I still felt as if the book was too technical for me and perhaps a little bit too confusing. But with those small things aside, I loved how the author wrote the parkour action sequences because I think - in my own view - it's very hard writing about people running everywhere and anywhere so in that aspect I think the author did very well with that. He definitely captivated the art of the parkour in a fun way.

Overall, DATA RUNNER may not be for everyone, but if you love parkour like I do then you'll definitely come to enjoy this small fast-paced tale.

The Rating

3/5 stars

The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Pages: 304pgs

The Story

Strange things are happening on the remote and snowbound archipelago of St. Hauda’s Land. Unusual winged creatures flit around the icy bogland, albino animals hide themselves in the snow-glazed woods, and Ida Maclaird is slowly turning into glass. Ida is an outsider in these parts, a mainlander who has visited the islands only once before. Yet during that one fateful visit the glass transformation began to take hold, and now she has returned in search of a cure.

Midas Crook is a young loner who has lived on the islands his entire life. When he meets Ida, something about her sad, defiant spirit pierces his emotional defenses. As Midas helps Ida come to terms with her affliction, she gradually unpicks the knots of his heart. Love must be paid in precious hours and, as the glass encroaches, time is slipping away fast. Will they find a way to stave off the spread of the glass?

The Review

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book, only that I've been dying to read for quite some time now and I finally managed to grab a copy of it at my local library. And look, after reading it and taking everything in and what just happened, there's not a lot to say about this book (and without spoiling it too) except that THE GIRL WITH GLASS FEET is one of the most beautiful reads I've across in adult fiction and I admit it did leave a few tears one my cheeks at the end of the book because it's so damn sad now. But in a good way of course.

I don't know what it was that drew me into this book, but I know Ali Shaw did such an amazing job bringing together a beautiful story with a European fairytale into the mix. With those two elements together, it was just simply breath-taking, especially in the little moments the main character, Ida, and her love interest, Midas, shared together and while we know Ida is . . . slowly turning to glass and perhaps is dying which we can also gather since turning into glass is kind of bad (well really bad in fact), but those little moments between those two very unique main characters . . . there was just something there that's so . . . I don't know . . . beautiful. Sad but very beautiful.

Overall, I'm quite speechless with this book because it's just SO GOOD, but all in all, THE GIRL WITH GLASS FEET was everything I was hoping for and more, and even though I still can't get over that sad ending it offered to me, but I loved this book and it was such a shiny gem this one!

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 464pgs

The Story

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. 

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

The Review

I'm sure many of you were just as excited as I was to read this sequel to Wendy Higgins's awesome and sexy debut novel Sweet Evil. I was so desperate to read this book and after finishing it, I have to say considering it's a a middle book of a trilogy, while it did have its ups and downs, I still found Higgins's writing to be fun, consistent, exciting and smooth, and so, in that particular aspect, I think many readers will continue to enjoy this series and will be gearing up for the final book!

SWEET PERIL continued a great story and I thought every character - whether they were main or supporting characters - really stepped up their game in this sequel. Especially Anna, even though she's still in love sick mode over Kaiden (and really who can blame her?). However, the main reason why I'm rating the book three stars instead of a good old five (which clearly and should have deserved) was because there was something . . . missing. Something to make it shine even more than the first book did and I guess it had a lot to do with the story itself and how little of Kaiden we get to see. I just didn't feel a connection with this book this time round and that's okay because we still got one more book to go, so fingers crossed I fall back in love with this series when it comes to read that third and final installment.

Out of everything, what I loved most was Kopano, the son of Wrath, and even though I know the author said there was no love triangle for Anna in regards to Kopano since she will always be hang up on Kaiden, but I secretly hoped something would happen between her and Kopano. I just adored him! Kaiden was very hot in the first book, but considering he wasn't present for the majority of this book, well my attention was focused more on someone else entirely, so don't blame me when I say I'm team Kopano from now on. He may not be a love interest for Anna which makes me sad, but I'm going to be on his team and I hope he has more of a role in the final book. Sorry Kaiden . . . I didn't like you very much in this book because you were missing and because you were pushing away an amazing girl for no real reason . . . I mean people will know you still love Anna so why not fight to be with her than push her away? Think of your future hormones (you will never stay away from her in the long run) and clealry I'm tired of the whole bad boy routine in the pushing away act. Tired of it.

Overall, SWEET PERIL was a great continuation of the series and even though it wasn't necessarily my favourite book in the series by far, but I'm still looking forward to reading Sweet Reckoning next year! I expect a lot more Kaiden hotness or rather more Kopano hotness. It's guaranteed judging by the ending of this book.

The Rating

3/5 stars

Devoured Giveaway

Hello everyone! Today I thought I should hold a small giveaway! So thanks to the Touchstone publishers for this opportunity, we are giving away a copy of Emily Snow's Devoured book to one lucky winner! If you have yet to read my book review on this fun and sexy read, then you can read it here.

To enter, simply click the link below and fill out the form! Easy.

Click here to fill out form

This giveaway is only open to US & Canada residents and will close on the 21st June.

Good luck!

• • •

More about the book:

Sienna Jensen had no plans to return home when she graduated college last spring—after all, her dreams lie in California. But when she discovers her grandmother’s Nashville home has been foreclosed, and the new owner has started the eviction process, Sienna has no other choice but go back to Music City. And she comes face to face with the flawed, gorgeous man she never thought she’d see again. The man who now holds the deed to her grandma’s estate.

When millionaire rock star Lucas Wolfe finds the outspoken redhead glaring at him from across a courtroom, he’s both infuriated and intrigued. He still can't get the night Sienna almost spent with him out of his mind, and the chemistry between them is as undeniable as it was two years ago. He craves Sienna more than ever. And just like everything Lucas hungers for, he’s determined to have her.

Now, Lucas will do whatever it takes to lure Sienna into his bed, even if that means making a deal with her: ten days with him, playing by his rules, and he’ll hand over the deed to her grandmother’s home. Though she agrees to the arrangement, Sienna is conflicted. Because of her duty to her family. Because of promises she’s made to herself and a past that still haunts her. And as Lucas’s game of seduction continues, and Sienna is introduced to his dark, erotic world and even darker background, she realizes that at any moment, she could be devoured.

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 480pgs

The Story

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

The Review

I admit I was struggling with how to rate this book. Should it be a four, a four and a half or a straight up five? But in all honestly, despite what others thought of this particular title, I thought this book deserves a five because I thought it was so action-packed, exciting, riveting and it just always had me in the position where I didn't want a break from the book (I didn't even want to walk away from the book in one second) . . . I just wanted to keep on reading so if that doesn't deserve a five star rating for me then I don't know what does.

MILA 2.0 was one of the most fascinating reads I've read this year. There's just something about it that pops out to me, you know? I mean, at first when you start the book it reads almost like a contemporary story which I like because it feels realistic in that aspect, but once all of the secrets of Mila's past are unveiled (even if she can't exactly remember them) and once you begin to realize what Mila actually is, everything from the story and its characters changes for the better, and becomes this very addictive tale where you can't see things coming your way. What can I say? It rocked this book.

Personally for me, the most fun part was Mila's character - our awesome, kick-ass, inspiring young heroine who doesn't take no for answer. She may not be 'human' to the rest of us or to those people who are after her, but how the author writes her character up you wouldn't even think twice about her humanity or what she actually is because she just felt so real and emotional to me . . . so human that made me form this special bond with her. And I love it when it's so easy to love a character like that. It's rare for me to connect so easily like that as well so the author obviously did something right there. But in terms of Mila's romance part of the book, I didn't 'feel it' or rather with this other character named Hunter, but what I did like was Mila's connection to another guy we meet later on in the book and whether there's a potential romance in the works with that other guy . . . let's just say I'm looking forward to more of 'him' because I loved boy number 2. Hunter is sweet and all, but he's too safe and too simple for Mia . . . but that's just me.

And another thing I loved was the action! I'm not kidding. The book has so much action and it's no wonder why so many compare it to the Bourne series because it's definitely like it. It's so out there and risky and boy I ate it right up. There's chasing people, there's a Mila double, there's a testing field trial and well . . . just wait until you read this book. It's awesome in every way.

Overall, MILA 2.0 is a very strong debut coming from a talented Debra Driza and I'm really looking forward to the next sequel! Bring me some more Mila please.

The Rating

5/5 stars

Taken by Erin Bowman

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 352pgs

The Story

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

The Review

Don't get me wrong here. I really wanted to love this one and I would given it close to four or even four and half stars considering I loved the first half of the book. After all, the storyline and what it all entailed had something truly great going for it as reminded me of Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking trilogy for a moment or two. However, once I reached the halfway point of the book, the book itself kind of lost me and in the end made it very hard for me to connect with the rest of the tale. It wasn't that bad, but it just wasn't a very likable book after that halfway point.

TAKEN started off with a very great premise. There was just something so mysterious and exciting about boys disappearing after their eighteenth birthday and with everyone having little clue as to what happens next . . . it was just super creepy and yet such a great start to a book, you know? But personally, what ruined this book the most and what I thought brought everything down in the fun factor for me was the romance part. I get romance has to be introduced at some point or another, but I found both of the love interests (one that comes a little too early and one that comes a little too late in the book and yet too quickly as well) were not likable at all. One of the girls I gradually began to like but as soon as she fades into the background and once another girl came into the picture . . . it just ruined the book completely and sidetracked me with this great potential storyline. It made me feel uneasy to say the least and I wasn't a big fan of it I'm afraid.

In terms of the main character, Gray, I liked him in the beginning like I did with the storyline itself. He was a bit of smart-ass and a little bit 'headstrong' perhaps, but on a whole I liked him a lot as a character. But once again - and as I mentioned before - the whole romance thing kind of interfered with my liking of Gray. I thought here is a guy who can actually stick with only one girl, but here's the kicker for me . . . he falls in love way too quickly (which I hate) and his connection to these two girls just didn't seem realistic enough for me nor was there any chemistry to begin with. I just didn't believe in it and that's hard when you're trying to like the main character as well as the storyline, so it's a big disappointment on my part.

Overall, while I'm still struggling to make a decision as to whether I should continue with this series or not, but on a whole I thought it had a great concept but just wasn't executed in the way I wanted. But TAKEN offers a lot of cool things including an interesting plot, a diverse of characters and some unexpected plot twists along the way, so if that sounds like you're kind of thing then you'll definitely love this book!

The Rating

2/5 stars

The Rising by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: ATOM

Pages: 288pgs

The Story

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the St. Clouds and a rival Cabal, they’re quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it’s not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they’re so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she’ll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can’t keep running forever.

The Review

Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the sequel, The Calling, but I've actually quite enjoyed this trilogy on a whole. Sure I will admit that this particular series may not have beaten my love for Kelley Armstrong's original Darkest Powers series which this spin-off series is based on, but the author sure knows how to thrill her readers with intense characters, complicated situations and plenty of drama to keep you guessing on how the book will come to an end. So considering THE RISING is the final book of a trilogy, I thought it was pretty good and was definitely a major improvement to the previous sequel.

Within the course of this series, we got pretty familiar with Maya and her group of friends, especially with her love interests Rafe and Daniel. However, I found in this book it finally opened up a lot more doors to Maya's past and potential future with her friends and family and love interests, which was a nice change up considering the sequel - at least I found - was the weakest book out of all three and offered no excitement to me. Plus this book was really intense and definitely gripping so it was very hard to put down. Well . . . except when some characters were being stupid . . . but hey, it happens to the best of us I guess. 

Overall, THE RISING was a decent final book. In terms of the ending though, I was 'mostly' satisfied with it. It surprised me (that's for sure) because it was NOT at all how I imagined the series to end in that particular way, but with the obvious love triangle finally being solved and with everything wrapped up in a nice ta-da way . . . that's all you can really ask for. I may have wanted more from the characters in that ending and maybe an insight to where they are later down the track, but on a whole, I was mostly satisfied with it. A yay for Maya's decision in a love interest! I'm very happy about that part!

The Rating

4/5 stars

Chosen at Nightfall by C.C. Hunter

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Pages: 400pgs

The Story

Kylie Galen's life hasn't been the same since her world was turned upside-down in Born at Midnight, Shadow Falls #1, and now an epic conclusion to her journey—not to mention a tough choice between two guys!—is brewing in Chosen at Nightfall:

When Kylie Galen left Shadow Falls, she thought it was the hardest decision of her life. Heartbroken and separated from everyone she loves, she has to embrace her abilities and what it means to be a chameleon. But as Kylie's journey comes to a close, she must return to the camp that started it all...and she must finally chose between the two boys who love her. The werewolf who broke her heart when he chose his pack over her, and the half-fae who ran from their intense attraction before they ever really had a chance. For Kylie, everything will finally be revealed and nothing will ever be the same.

The Review

Over the course of the Shadow Falls series I thoroughly enjoyed it (like really, really enjoyed it) unlike some readers who were the total opposite to me. Although, on the other hand, at some point in the series - particularly in books three and four - there were times where I struggled to actually like this book series as it focused far too much on the endless love triangle 'situation' rather than on the progression of the storyline itself. However my dear friends, all is well in this final book because everything is finally resolved and concluded in a way that will make most of its readers very happy.

CHOSEN AT NIGHTFALL contains everything I love in a book - action, danger, romance, 'oh-my-god moments' and plenty of drama to keep you smiling away. But I guess part of the reason why I enjoyed this series so much even for a light, fun read was mostly because of the characters and the humor they always seemed to possess in some funny and very complicated situations. It's like one moment a scene can be so serious and intense, and then the next thing you know you find the scene is completely hilarious (for whatever reason that maybe) and it's just one of those things you can't help about C.C. Hunter's writing. She writes herself some pretty good one-liners in this book and in this series, which I've always appreciated.

But on a more serious side, for the majority of the book I was just glad the series was coming to an end and the fact that the whole love triangle between the three main characters Kylie, Lucas and Derek was finally going to be decided to one single choice for Kylie. Don't get me wrong here . . . I love Lucas and Derek in completely different ways and both can really frustrate the reader (almost like all the time) but like what other readers wanted . . . I wanted Kylie to decide for herself in who she loves more - Lucas or Derek. From the beginning of the series I already gathered who Kylie was going to end up with (it was pretty easy to figure out from book one) but nonetheless it still peeved me off that Kylie has taken SO LONG in deciding between both of her 'boys'. So to put the matter to rest . . . it's over and I'm glad and Kylie made a decision which I'm (mostly) happy about.

Overall, CHOSEN AT NIGHTFALL is a pretty good final book. It wasn't perfect that's for sure and perhaps I wasn't particularly thrilled with how the series ended (it just seemed a little rushed but I'm just being picky here), but with a promise of a spin-off series containing another favourite character of mine . . . well let's just say I'm sure we will get even more sneak-peeks with Kylie's future and those of the other supporting characters who still have some unfinished business to attend to.

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

Oath Bound by Rachel Vincent

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Mira

Pages: 400pgs

The Story

The Tower Syndicate will fall . . .

The secret daughter of the head of an infamous Skilled crime family, Sera Brandt has hidden her past, her potential and especially her powers. But when a tragedy strikes her other family, Sera needs justice. And the only way to get it is to reveal her heritage – including a rare Skill – and take the reins of the Tower Syndicate from her cunning and malicious aunt. 

if he can figure out how . . .

Kristopher Daniels might have the answer. He's fought the syndicate to protect his sisters, but he'd never realized just how close to the new heir he needed to get . . . 

And if they can survive. 

Neither is used to trusting. But there's something between them that can't be ignored. And so Sera is on the run with a man she can't figure out, a target on her back and the new knowledge of just how powerful she really is . . .

The Review

Like in your usual tradition of all Rachel Vincent novels, she yet again blows us away with her third and final installment of the Unbound trilogy and boy how I'm sad to see it all end. Only this time, I find, Vincent weaves a very complicated tale unlike her previous installments where many relationships are tested, where missions are much more dangerous and where nothing is what it seems until all is revealed at the end. Honestly, what more can I say about this book except that I loved it a lot and my oh my . . . what an ending it delivered. I'm almost sad to see this series end now.

But much like it's other two predecessors, Blood Bound and Shadow Bound, what I love most about this particular series is the fact that each story never feels repeated (like same old same old, you know?) and how each of the newly introduced main characters of those three tales were just so different to one another. No character felt the same to me, especially the main characters. I love that refreshing feel and how you can't really say which installment you liked the best because they are - again - all so different. While the storyline is so creative, interesting and most of all very addictive, but what drives this series and in particular this final book is the characters themselves. They are what makes this series so epic and full of greatness.

Sera, our new main leading character, was absolutely amazing! I like how her morals are always in check and she never allows power or money to influence her in any way, shape or form. She's quite a girl that one. But what I loved most about her is how determined she is and how her vulnerability slips through the cracks of her very tough exterior, it's just something so fascinating to watch and to read about. Then of course we have her love interest (the one person who wants to kill her only he doesn't know that she is the one he wants to kill but hey it's complicated), Kris, who was amazing as well. Like Sera he is a pretty tough guy but he too has a vulnerable side. They're just the perfect match and you'll definitely see their chemistry when you read this book (there's a lot of chemistry in this one trust me!).

Overall, OATH BOUND is something you have to read for yourself to understand what a great series Rachel Vincent has created, and quite honestly I think this is my favourite series by far coming from her which really says something. I just loved it and I'm going to miss all of these characters.

The Rating

5/5 stars