Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Series: Anna #1

Genre: Paranormal, Horror

Format: Paperback

Published: July 5, 2012, first published August 30, 2011

Publisher: Orchard Books

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life. -Summary from Goodreads

My Review 

Cas Lowood never stays anywhere for long. He and his mother routinely blow in and out of towns for the family business: ghost killing. It doesn't leave much time for making friends, but when Cas is researching the gruesome ghost of Anna Dressed in Blood, a ghost known for ripping people up, he needs all the help he can get! He is determined to discover why Anna spares his life despite being just as gruesome as she was rumoured to be.

As far as this book goes, it's pretty darn creepy and mysterious. On my paperback there is a warning against younger readers due to some graphic content and I think that that warning is entirely warranted. In this world, ghosts are excessively gross and Anna rips people limb from limb. And I like it that way. It's original. I loved Cas and the premise of a male YA main character who was actually pretty darn bad-ass. 

I liked the characters in general, even if the supporting characters are at times clichéd  Cas meets Carmel, the typical popular girl at school who turns out to be a bit more complicated than that. And Thomas, the nerdy boy with the ability to read minds who happens to have a pretty big thing for Carmel. It's a fairly standard set of sidekicks, but the real icing on the cake is Anna herself. She's scary, yet fragile and there's something innocent lurking behind her evil eyes that makes you want to know more. It had really me turning the pages to find out what happened to her to make her that way.

So, if you're looking for a creepy read, then look no further than Anna Dressed in Blood. It's a refreshing male perspective to the YA genre. And with Halloween approaching, this would be a great series to pick up! It's got blood and guts with some mystery and romance thrown in. What else could you want from a ghost story?

Find Anna Dressed in Blood:

Goodreads | Amazon UK | The Book Depository

Find Kendare Blake:

Website | Blog | Twitter

Review: The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines #2
Genre: Paranormal
Format: Paperback, published June 12, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
My Rating: 3/5 Stars

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.
Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.
But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age–old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.
When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.
Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart? - Summary from Goodreads

My Review:

Once again, I expected to love this second addition to The Vampire Academy spinoff series, Bloodlines, despite being disappointed by the first. Sadly, I was once again disappointed. My feelings for this book are all over the map and this is one of the most difficult and perhaps incoherent reviews I've ever written. I realize that I'm certainly a minority in the YA blogging community for not going gaga for this series. I guess I can't get past the premise of this series to enjoy the heart of this story.

Putting vampires into a Californian high school and expecting a teenage human girl to run the entire operation of babysitting some princess is kind of an asinine premise. I'm sorry. Had to say it. The first half of The Golden Lily was about Sydney babysitting an annoying Jill, watching an annoying love square unfold, and then going on a few dates with this weird guy who is like Sydney but with a whats-it. The plot was laid out early with extremely obvious foreshadowing, but nothing was done with it until the last bit of the book. I had to force myself to finish and for some crazy reason I was glad to have done so (for Adrian).

That was my reaction to the book, scribbled down along with a few potty words, until I read reviews after having finished. I was too blinded by my annoyance to really see the point of this book. It does what nearly every second book in a series does, have little plot and function as a bridge between the first and third. But this bridge, this fantastically subtle bridge, is the relationship of Sydney and Adrian. There is really something great going on there. Something mature and unlike YA insta-love. And it makes me want to read more. (I never thought I'd say that about this series again.)

Yeah, I wasn't crazy about it, but now after having finished, I appreciate its subplot immensely. I recommend The Golden Lily if you are one of those screaming teary-eyed girls who want to ravish Adrian whole. But, you've probably already read it if you are one of them. So, if you haven't picked up this series then I say 'meh' to you. Do it with caution, but only if you enjoyed The Vampire Academy series.

Find The Golden Lily:

Goodreads | Amazon UK | The Book Depository

Find Richelle Mead:

Website | Bio | Blog | Twitter

Review: Fated by Alyson Noel

Series: The Soul Seekers #1
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Format: Paperback, Published May 24, 2012
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Rating: 3/5 Stars

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Immortals comes a breathtaking new saga brimming with magic, mystery, and an intoxicating love story that will steal your heart away. Meet The Soul Seekers.
Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter’s sanity, Daire’s mother sends her to live with the grandmother she’s never met. A woman who recognizes the visions for what they truly are—the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker—one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead.
There on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire sets out to harness her mystical powers. But it’s when she meets Dace, the boy from her dreams, that her whole world is shaken to its core. Now Daire is forced to discover if Dace is the one guy she's meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy.

My Review

I originally picked up this book because the premise seemed interesting and I hoped for a scenic setting in the Southwest. I'd read another book by this author and it really wasn't my favorite, but I'm glad to report that I enjoyed this book much better! Daire, who is used to travelling the world on movie sets with her celebrity makeup artist mother, begins to have some pretty freaky visions. Other than putting her straight into a mental institution, Daire's mom decides it might be less traumatising to ship her off to her grandmother in New Mexico. Long lost grandmother then tells Daire that she hails from a long line of Soul Seekers, who have the ability to see visions and visit other realms. And of course, Daire meets a boy. But can he be trusted? His identical twin certainly can't be.

This book started out rather quickly. The scene was set and I got a good feeling for each of the characters, even if Daire was a bit annoying until you got to know her. The characters in general were fairly basic. Not bad. My one gripe is that if you're going to have a blind character, would it be so hard to actually have them be blind? It's kind of a cop-out that she can just 'sense' everything in the world without her vision. Like Daredevil. If she had actually been blind, I think it would be more interesting.

After the first part of the book, I felt like there were pacing issues. It became slow suddenly when Daire was transported to New Mexico. There was an entire chapter about her 10 hour drive and her zoning out at a gas station. Yep. I'm still not sure how that was relevant to the story. When she arrived at Paloma's (the grandmother) house, it returned to normal and we got to learn more about her visions. Daire had to piece together who she was, but then all of a sudden she wasn't confused any more and she knew she had to go after the bad guys. I had to flip back in the book to see if I'd missed something, but it turns out I didn't. Her powers and knowledge of the bad guys practically came out of nowhere just because Paloma said so.

It was a bit unfortunate how the writing would win me over from my previous Noel book experience and then become awkward again. I didn't like how characters would talk for an entire page. It didn't make for natural dialogue in my opinion and it should be used sparingly. Needless to say, I found a few problems with this book, but for some reason it makes me want to read more. I know, I know-- you're probably confused. The premise just kind of sucks me in and I want to know a bit more. I want to know more about Dace and Cade and the spirit world. Plus, I actually want to find out what a Soul Seeker actually is. I've read this whole book and I still am not entirely sure. Read this at your own risk if you like Paranormal or Native American stories. Who knows, you just might enjoy it.

Find Alyson Noel: 

Website | Twitter | Goodreads Page

Find Fated: 

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Book Depository

Review: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Series: The Mortal Instruments #5
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Published May 8, 2012 by
The author: Tumblr // Twitter
The book: Goodreads // Amazon UK
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all eternity to Sebastian. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe he can be saved. To do this they must defy the Clave. And they must act without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. Clary is willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love? - Summary from Goodreads

My Review

I have always enjoyed The Mortal Instruments Series. It consistently continues to be a favorite of mine, even after the very slight let down of City of Fallen Angels (#4), a controversial topic in the fandom. City of Lost Souls, however, is definitely a return to excellence within this snarky paranormal world. It recaptures the spirit of the series and reaffirms Cassandra Clare's decision to create a six book series out of a trilogy. This fifth instalment will have you wishing there will be more than six books!

Let me get to my one and only gripe first. I still don't know what to call him. Sebastian? Jonathan? I have no clue. If I had my way, it would be Jonathan, as that is actually his name rather than one name he took on for a couple weeks, but he's still constantly referred to as Sebastian! It doesn't make sense to me. While he is basically evil in corporeal form, he was actually well written in this book. I wavered multiple times on whether he might actually be concerned for Clary.

Now that that's all out of the way, let me talk about characters that didn't confuse me. In fact, I love them. Clary has grown into such a brave main character! Yes, she's obsessed with Jace, and in this book she takes risks and really holds her own. Since the beginning of the series, Isabelle in my opinion, has gone from being rather vapid to being one of the most complicated characters. What I love about this book is that every character has their own complications and side plots that weave together brilliantly. Just brilliantly.

Overall, this is an instalment to the series that in my opinion validates Cassandra Clare's decision to expand on the trilogy. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger, but the story was so good it makes me want to jump straight into the final instalment! If you were a bit *meh* with City of Fallen Angels, I definitely suggest reading City of Lost Souls. It's got everything you would want from this series!

Review: Redemption by Veronique Launier

Series: Hearts of Stone #1
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
To be published September 8, 2012 by Flux
Find the author: Website // Twitter
Find it:  Goodreads // Amazon UK
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Guillaume: For five hundred years I've existed as a gargoyle. Perched atop an old Montreal church, I've watched idly as humanity wanders by. With the witch Marguerite gone, there is no one left to protect, nothing to care about. I never planned to feel again. But then a girl released me from my stone restraints, allowing me to return as a seventeen-year-old human boy. I must find out all I can about this girl's power . . .
Aude: Getting attacked twice in as many days is strange in itself, but even stranger is the intriguing guy I keep running into. There's something so familiar about him, like a primal drum rhythm from my dreams. But spending time together only raises more questions--about my heritage, a native Mohawk prophecy . . . and an unearthly magic threatening our city... - Summary from Goodreads

My Review

When I discovered this book, I was super excited at the prospect of a paranormal romance involving gargoyles. I know we've all read vampires and werewolves, so it was nice to read something new. Redemption is an original addition to the world of Young Adult paranormal romance, even if it lacks a bit of finesse. 

This book alternates between Aude and Guillame's point of view, and I'm not certain if I enjoyed that. Looking back I think it's the best way to tell the story in order to get Guillame's back story, but I don't think I enjoyed the alternating POVs as much as other books I've read. Their voices weren't as distinct as I would have liked. On the other hand, I absolutely love this author's ability to set a scene. My favourite aspect of this book was the setting of Montreal and Veronique does an amazing job at making me want to visit! 

While I enjoyed reading this book, I feel like parts of it were underdeveloped, as if it just needed some oomph. I really wanted to like the characters, but I felt pretty apathetic about the side characters like Guillaume's companions. Perhaps they just needed some more memorable scenes or background stories. They have so much potential!

I'd recommend this book to anyone curious about a paranormal romance with gargoyles and like an alternating point of view. It's a fresh take on paranormal romance, albeit not gracefully executed. I'm not entirely convinced that I'll continue with the series. 

Review: A Witch in Love by Ruth Warburton

Series: Winter Trilogy #2

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Format: Paperback

Published July 5, 2012 by Hodder Children's Books

More about the author: Website // Twitter // Bio

Find the book: Goodreads // Amazon UK

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Anna still finds it hard to believe that Seth loves her and has vowed to suppress her powers, no matter what. But magic - like love - is uncontrollable and soon, Anna is being hunted. Abe wants Anna to embrace her power, while Seth is pushing Anna to accept that his feelings are real. She finally does ... a moment too late. Suddenly, it's like the Salem witch trials all over again: burnings, torture and faceless judgements. In the face of the ultimate betrayal, who will save her?
The second novel in the Winter trilogy, this follows the critically acclaimed debut A WITCH IN WINTER. - Summary from Amazon

My Review

A Witch in Love is an amazing follow up to A Witch in Winter, a book that had me begging for more. I had high expectations for this second installation and I'm glad to say they were blown away! After the ending of the first book, Anna has sworn off using her magic for good. With Anna being hunted down, however, how long will she be able to keep her magic at bay? Well, she'll try to. In a book full of magic and sweet romance, this book has the 'wow' factor.

Anna is such a relate-able main character with her common sense and stubbornness; I found I only liked her more in this book. Her determination to discover things about her past and bring along her best friend and one of my favourite characters ever, Emmaline, really moved the plot along. The other, and perhaps most important relationship in this story, is the romance with Seth. It was such a refreshing romance to read. It just seems so realistic to read their ups and downs and to read a non-obsessive YA romance.

The secret world of the witches in London was a fascinating addition to Anna's magical world. Readers will definitely develop a love-hate relationship with the wider witch world when their knowledge of them from the first book is added to the knowledge gained in the second. This is also due to the introduction of another antagonistic group of people who really did give me the chills.

Readers who love witches and romance will definitely love this book series. I found this second book to be unputdownable. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book and to find out what else we will discover about Anna's world.

Review: Passion by Lauren Kate

Series: Fallen #3
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Format: Audiobook
Released: June 23, 2011 by Listening Library
Find the author: Website // Twitter // Goodreads Page
Find the book: Goodreads // Amazon UK // Audible

Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn't need to be that way....

Luce is certain that something - or someone - in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime...going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel...and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history. Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames...forever.

Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series. - Summary from Goodreads

Passion is the story in the Fallen series that everyone wants to know about, but may not necessarily love reading. Luce is determined to visit her past lives and understand the curse of their love. Flinging herself into each life after another, Luce discovers that she and Daniel do indeed have a special love rather than a cursing forcing them and it took an entire excursion across time to see it.

Luce grew on me a bit in this installation of the series. She was much more proactive than usual and stubborn in an admirable way. Not very many new side-characters were introduced, as the previous ones show up in her past lives or chase after her into the past. So, nothing too interesting there. The interesting part was learning all of the different lives Luce has lived and died loving Daniel. While I was intrigued at first to learn of the incarnations of Luce, it became rather old (and predictable since she inevitably dies in each life) after awhile.

I feel that this book would have been better suited as a novella. We just have Luce and Daniel's 'epic' love thrown in our face a good dozen times to reiterate the power of their love. It was entertaining, I suppose. I liked it for learning about their past, but it was too long and repetitive. I maintain that it could have been a novella, but I do recommend reading it if you are invested in the Fallen series. The background information you've been craving doesn't disappoint. The ending of Passion promises a very gripping fourth book that I will probably read.

*Audio Review*- As usual, the narrator delivers. Justine Eyre is a consistently fabulous audiobook reader and enhances the experience of listening to the book.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Series: Unearthly Series, Book #2

Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Format: Paperback
Published January 2, 2012 by Egmont Books
Find Cynthia Hand: Twitter // Website // Goodreads
Find the book: Goodreads // Amazon UK

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.
Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
In this compelling sequel to "Unearthly," Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Hallowed is a beautifully powerful sequel to Unearthly. Clara has troubled herself over the events of the last book concerning her angelic purpose. It didn't go to plan, but now there's an even more troubling vision clouding Clara's mind lately. A funeral, only months away, tells Clara that someone she loves dearly will leave this life forever. She will have to face some secrets about the angelic world she lives in and face emotional distress no one her age should have to face.


This book was a very emotional and revealing follow up to Unearthly and I enjoyed Clara immensely. While she's a worry-wart for pretty much the entire book, it's not without reason and I think it shows maturity, the thing Clara gains most of all in this book. The supporting characters become much more complicated and interesting than in the first book. I find myself intrigued by Jeffrey's angst and happy that Clara and Christian get to spend more time together (even if Clara doesn't want to). I couldn't get enough of the love triangle. It's so much more fabulous than the first book. Some more fabulous things include the addition of new mentor-type characters for Clara that come with some really interesting backgrounds. 


In addition to the characters, the plot was just fantastic. After mind-blowing revelations, romantic tension, and a prom scene that actually didn't make me want to throw up, I am seriously craving the third book! If you love love triangles, angel mythology, and serious secret reveals, then you will love this series. I hope to see more clashes between the good and bad angels in the third instalment! 

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Review: Torment by Lauren Kate

Book 2 in the Fallen Series
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Format: Audiobook
Released September 28, 2010 by Listening Library
Find Lauren Kate: Twitter // Goodreads Page // Website
Find the book: Goodreads // Amazon UK // Audible
My Review of Fallen (Fallen #1)

Hell on earth.
That’s what it’s like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.
It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts—immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.
At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn’t told her everything. He’s hiding something—something dangerous.
What if Daniel’s version of the past isn’t actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?
The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series . . . where love never dies.

The premise of reincarnated love and angels hooked me from the beginning of the series and it hasn't let me go yet! This book seriously furthered the world building of the fallen angels. It's darker, but somehow more light-hearted at the same time. I hope that makes sense. Luce is now surrounded by happier people than she was at Sword and Cross, but she's changed a lot. Now moodier than ever, Luce tries in vain to get answers about her relationship with Daniel and tries to seek out her countless past lives.

As much as I love Lauren Kate's angels, I didn't like Luce in this book. This book took place over just eighteen days and Luce's maturity level lowered with each one. It was like a constant battle between Daniel and Luce trying to get her to stay put in a place where she was told she would be safe. Luce constantly places herself in danger because she's mad at Daniel for keeping her in the dark for just a few days. I feel as though she's turned into a clichéd human girl in a paranormal romance, placing herself in danger and then requiring the romantic interest to constantly save her. What a shame!

I hope the next book will show Luce's stubbornness in a better light that won't make her seem as whiny. The premise is just so addictive, that I know I will keep reading the series. Lauren Kate writes in a way where I simply have to know more. I've not read a series I've been so love/hate with, but I have to keep reading!

*Audio Review*: I liked the narrator just as much in this book as I did in the first. She's simply a great narrator and makes it worth while to listen to the novel on audiobook!

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Review: ReVamped by Ada Adams

Genre: Paranormal
Format: Kindle edition
More about the author: Twitter // Website // Goodreads
Find it on: Goodreads // Amazon UK

A simple mission turned deadly.
Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.
When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

This book successfully tackles the clichéd vampire genre and turns it into something really fresh. Vampires are now out in the open but this isn't like True Blood. Vampires are fawned over by the public, quickly becoming celebrities and protectors of humans, not ostracised. And there is a fairly logic order to them. Dawn's father is the vampire President who resides in the Scarlet House (get it, eh?) and he has trained her to be a really kick-butt warrior in order to train other vampires to become protectors in turn. Needless to say, I really enjoyed Ada Adams' vampire world, not least the added addition of Born and Made vampires.

ReVamped has a much bigger complexity than it first seems. At first, this book felt like just an enjoyable light read, but things turned really fast in a really good way. I wasn't expecting the plot to thicken in the way it did. I also felt this way with the side characters. Their introduction was rather clunky, but they really grew on me after awhile, especially the maniacal Brooke and totally cute Ethan. The character that really stole the show was Sebastian, the moody vampire who doesn't want anything to do with Dawn at first.

I enjoyed the writing style of Ada Adams. She writes in a straight to the point sort of way that not only makes the book fluid and easy to read, but refreshingly uncomplicated. If you fancy yourself a crossover YA/Adult vampire book that's an easy but highly entertaining read, I'd suggest this book. I think it's a perfect summer paranormal read!

Review: Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Chronicles of Nick #1
Genre: Paranormal
Format: Audiobook
Released May 25, 2010 by Macmillan Audio
Originally released by St Martin's Griffin
More about the author: Website // Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads // Amazon UK 

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.
But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he's next on the menu.
As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that? Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead. - Summary from Goodreads. 

I didn't know much about this book series before I checked out the audiobook from my library. I'd heard that it was a popular series, but I didn't even know what kind of paranormal characters are in it! From the very beginning, it was clear that Kenyon has written a unique urban paranormal world where different types of paranormal collide. As the story went on, the reader is introduced to more and more paranormal beings and twisting plotlines and there is never a moment without action.

I felt that at about halfway through the book, there was just too much going on. Not that it was difficult to keep up on, I just thought that Greek gods, demons, vampires, zombies, werewolves and more in a single book was just really overwhelming. It felt really clunky and unnatural to introduce one thing after another. Fewer paranormal things in this book would have made it much more sleek.

This story's real saving grace was that the characters are hilarious. I thought that Nick was hilariously and realistically snarky for a young teen boy and I would read more books just for this fabulous protagonist. The supporting characters all added action and hilarious jibes, especially Bubba and Mark, the town weirdos who seem to be crazy paranormal experts and backwoods zombie hunters.

Overall, this book series is one that I would recommend to young teens. This series would be a good transition from Middle Grade to Young Adult. It is very well written, I just would prefer to not have as many things going on as there were. Hopefully as the series goes on, things will make sense and blend into a seamless action-packed paranormal series!

*Audio Review*: Listening to this book on audio was just fantastic. The pacing and narrator were simply spot on. Listening to the narrator do the voice of Nick's tiny Louisianan mama was hilarious! Each character had a clear personality and voice and were really entertaining. I'd definitely say that the experience of the book is enhanced by the audiobook. Recommended!

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Genre: Paranormal, Post-Apocalyptic

Format: e-galley (provided by publisher via NetGalley)
Published April 24, 2012 by HarlequinTeen
More about the author: Website // Bio // Twitter
Find it on: Goodreads // Amazon UK

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.
But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

My Review 

Rating: 5/5 stars

This book is a seriously thrilling ride. If that's not enough to convince you of its awesomeness, then I've got two words for you: post-apocalyptic vampires. This fresh take on a world with vampires sucked me in right from the start, trapping me in a whirlwind of terrifying rabid vampires and the quest to discover what humanity really means. This book manages to reign in a seriously bleak and bloody world and make it interesting.

The protagonist of this book could be hit or miss with readers. She's a survivor. She's had to make choices in her life to survive that perhaps she wouldn't have made otherwise and reacts to situations in the book because of this. I absolutely loved Allie because of her survival skills. Allie isn't a damsel in distress! I really enjoyed reading this book through the point of view of someone much more complex than the average paranormal protagonist, trying to discover what it means to be human. With the help of some new human acquaintances, whom I love, the reader sees the the stark contrast between the vampires and the human conditions. The side characters just add such a great element. Not all of them are very likeable, but if they were, it would go against the feel of this book! And it's the feel of this book I love.

The setting is what gives The Immortal Rules its edge. The dank post-apocalyptic world run by vampires is not a pretty one. Kagawa's landscape is full of rusty edges and rabid vampire-zombies out to kill you if you aren't killed by regular vampires first. But through it all survives the knight in shining armour, Zeke. He's such a sweet, yet rugged character. A natural-born leader. It's hard for Allie to not get feelings for him, despite her trying not to, and I think readers will feel the same way! (Although you can try to have feelings for him. I won't tell!).

Do you think you can survive this book? Then don't miss out and pick up this book today! If you're a vampire or zombie fan, this one is for you! If you like paranormal romance, this one's for you. If you like dystopians, this one's for you. Oh, you get the idea.

Review: Die for Me by Amy Plum

Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Format: Audiobook
Released May 10, 2011 by Harper Audio
Originally published by HarperTeen
More about the author: Website // Twitter
Goodreads // Amazon UK // Audible

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.
When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.
Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

At first, this book felt just like any other insta-love paranormal romance even though it was set in Paris, a fun and different location. What I got as I read further, was something pleasantly surprising. Amy Plum takes the over done template of teen paranormal romance and turns it into a gem. I'm not entirely sure how she does it, but I think it definitely has something to do with her innovative, non-vampire or werewolf ideas.

Amy Plum's world of Revenants is extremely intriguing and left me wanting more. The very idea of self-sacrificing immortals is a seriously cool addition to paranormal fiction. Revenants, especially the romantic interest Vincent, are mysterious, benevolent, and kick-ass to say the least. And yes, you read correctly; there is only one romantic interest in this book. No love triangles!

The protagonist, Kate, wasn't the most unique female lead, but she did have her quirks. She doesn't back into a corner and she's really pretty nosy. This works out well when the reader wants Kate to find out more information or fight for herself and it's never out of character when she does. The side characters really add something to this book. They're funny and endearing and I just want to hug them sometimes!

Overall, this book is really great. The setting is beautiful, especially because the author knows her Parisian landmarks, and the world building is really great. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal romance. It's awesome!

*Audio Review*: Being that this book is set in Paris with numerous French characters participating in the dialogue, the narrator has to put on some cheesy French accents. At first this really did bother me. I've taken about eight years of French myself, so I cringed many times when things weren't pronounced correctly. This is hardly something that a normal person would notice, however. I just hope that I read the second book rather than listen to it.

Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Genre: Paranormal
Format: Paperback
Published August 25, 2011 by Razorbill
More about the author: Website // Twitter
Goodreads // Amazon UK

Sydney protects vampire secrets - and human lives.
Sydney belongs to a secret group who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the world of humans and vampires.
But when Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, she fears she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. What unfolds is far worse. The sister of Moroi queen Lissa Dragomir is in mortal danger, and goes into hiding. Now Sydney must act as her protector.
The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one...

This book is a spinoff of the Vampire Academy series, so of course I had to pick up this book. I knew the main character was an enormous contrast to Rose Hathaway of the VA series, so I didn't expect the same pacing or action. What I did expect was some action. Bloodlines takes a seriously interesting world of vampires and alchemists and puts it in a human high school with a baby-sitting protagonist. It wasn't what I expected at all.

I liked reading from the perspective of Sydney. She and I are alike in a lot of ways and we constantly feel responsible for things, so she didn't bother me like other readers. The other characters in the book kind of fell flat for me. Adrian was entertaining for about ten pages and the others needed explanations for why they were in a scene constantly. And a 20ish year old university student is a creepy romantic option for a 15 year old girl. Did none of the characters see that? No, they said he was a nice guy and let them date. It wasn't the natural writing of Rachille Mead I was used to. In fact, the plot, especially in the beginning needed justification on every single page. To me, it felt forced. I wanted the plot to be shown to me, not explained.

Overall, I was disappointed but I'm torn at the same time. I love the world so much I'm willing to give the second book, Golden Lily, in the Bloodlines series a chance. Just for you, Richelle Mead. And because I'm interested to see if it gets better. Other people absolutely love this book, so I feel like there's something wrong with me. I'd recommend it as a staple for Vampire Academy fans, but not as a standalone book.

Review: The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine

Morganville Vampires #2
Genre: Paranormal
Format: Audiobook
Published July 6, 2009 by Tantor Media
Originally published April 3, 2007 by NAL Jam
More about the author: Website // Bio
Goodreads // Amazon UK // Audible

Claire Danvers has her share of challenges---like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains, dealing with the homicidal girls in her dorm, and above all, finding out that her college town is overrun with vampires. On the up side, she has a great roommate (who tends to disappear at sunup) and a new boyfriend named Shane, whose vampire-hunting dad has called in backup: cycle punks who like the idea of killing just about anything.
Now a fraternity is throwing its annual Dead Girls' Dance and---surprise!---Claire and her equally outcast best friend, Eve, have been invited. When they find out why, all hell is going to break loose. Because this time both the living and the dead are coming out---and everybody's hungry for blood.

This book picks up soon after the end of the first book. Shane's dad and his friends have returned to Morganville with vampire killing on their mind. This isn't good for the residents of the Glass House who want to keep a low profile. Turmoil has finally come to Morganville and Claire has to do her best to protect her friends. This book is far more exciting than the first in the series Glass Houses. It's filled with more action and a heroine who has discovered her gutsy side.

As compared with the shaky Claire from the first book, this Claire has really come into her own. She's gotten herself wrapped up with the town's vampires and has some serious motivation to keep her friends safe. I really enjoyed Claire in this book, along with the other supporting characters of Michael, Eve, and Shane who seem to really provide something for the storyline now other than entertaining scenes. They become much more complex, as does Claire's romantic connection with Shane.

The book has so much more action than Glass Houses. The characters were right there in the thick of it all. I'm glad I didn't give up on this series after the first one! This book is action packed, hilarious, and teeming with some really awesome characters I could easily get attached to. I would pick up this quick read if you like creepy vampires and goths with a snarky sense of humour! Highly recommended!

*Audio Review*: The narration on this book was just so-so. I prefer the edition I listened to for Glass Houses. It doesn't add much to the experience and I'm thinking about skipping the audiobook for Midnight Alley, the third book, and just reading it instead.

Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Format: Audiobook
Released December 8, 2009 by Listening Library
Originally published by Delacorte Books
More about the author: Website // Twitter
Goodreads // Amazon UK

Seventeen-year-old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.
It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her? It’s really a protective device that he’s used again... and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years... and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is. -Goodreads

Fallen was exactly what I had expected. That gorgeous cover and irresistible premise draw you in only to give you something fairly enjoyable and altogether just okay. I knew it, yet I still wanted to listen to this audiobook and find out what I was missing. I was, in fact, missing a fairly predictable romance set in a fabulous setting with a storyline much darker than I expected.

I absolutely enjoyed the eerie, moss covered setting of Sword and Cross and was literally begging for more information about the angels as I read. It's just that I didn't think the things that happened in the meantime were all that exciting. Personally, I think what kept me from singing this book's praises was Luce herself. While Daniel, Cam, and the other supporting characters all had their charm, Luce didn't do it for me. I know she's had life a bit rough recently but she really needed to stop whining and assuming that Daniel was dating a girl that,  for all Luce knew, Daniel had only met just two or three days prior.

I had come to grips with Luce's obsession-love before I even began this book, so the romance in this story didn't bother me. It was what it was and it wasn't too bad. I often found myself enjoying the scenes where Daniel was present and I understood what Luce saw in him. Their mysterious connection was actually very fascinating to me and it kept me wanting more. To get that, I think I'll have to pick up the other books in the series, something which I just might do.

Overall, this was a really easy book to keep up with. While the romance was predictable, the rest of the book wasn't and it definitely has some potential to keep me happy with the books to follow. I'd recommend it to somebody unafraid of insta-love (though it's with a reason) and intrigued by fallen angels. I think I may have to pick up the second book in the series to satisfy my curiosity of Lauren Kate's angel mythology.

*Audio Review:* This book was narrated by a single female reader with a pleasant voice. It was entertaining to listen to and I'd recommend the audiobook.

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Format: Audiobook
Released August 1, 2009 by Scholastic Audio
Originally published by Scholastic Inc.
More about the author: Website // Twitter
Goodreads // Amazon UK

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. - from Goodreads

This book was genuinely a good surprise. While the book centres more on Grace and Sam's relationship (and their dual narratives) rather than the wolves themselves, I still found this to be a charming read. The wolves of Mercy Falls aren't what I would call werewolves. They're more like people who turn into actual wolves for half the year. Whilst they are wolves, they don't have superpowers but their bite can turn other humans into wolves. It's a new take on werewolves that doesn't involve scary monsters, just people clinging to their life before they turn wolf forever.

The romance between Sam and Grace was nothing short of sweet. While Grace's parents were conveniently out of the picture for most of the book, Sam and Grace spent their cold evenings trying to keep Sam warm and human. Although there is some extremely toned down only mentioned teen sex, their romance isn't as physical as you would expect from the previous sentence. It's actually the romance that stole my heart and didn't have me focusing on some of the plot that would otherwise irritate me (like the convenient lack of parents). Because of an event that took place six years before the start of this book, Sam and Grace were already infatuated with each other and I actually believed it! While not the deepest of romances, I enjoyed it.

If you want a book that centres on romance with a side of wolves, then this book is for you. It isn't perfect, but this book has me looking forward to reading more of Maggie Stiefvater. She is obviously full of talent. This is a highly recommended read for those sappy-paranormal-romance lovers who don't mind the lack of scary werewolves in a werewolf book.

*Audio Review*: This book had really good pacing in the narratives (read by both a male and female). The female's voice was the typical high school girl voice and the male's voice was a tad boring to me. In fairness, Sam is a really serious person anyway. I'm not sure if I gained anything more by listening to it rather than reading it.