A Review for Entangled (Spellbound #1) by Nikki Jefford

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie

Published Date: February 20th, 2012

Finished Date: March 13th, 2012

Publishers: Self-Published Author

Source: For Review

Format: Kindle

Pages: 303

The Blurb from Goodreads: Twin witches Graylee and Charlene Perez agree on one rule: No dating warlocks. Not so easy when a certain rogue warlock is convinced he and Graylee belong together and will use anything, including magic, to try and impress Gray. When Charlene’s boyfriend dumps her, she threatens to kill either herself or the girl who stole Blake. Somehow, Gray ends up dead.

A Resurrection Spell Gone Wrong:

Two months after dying, Gray wakes up in Charlene’s body. As a witch, can anyone blame her mother for attempting to bring her daughter back to life? Only now Gray’s stuck sharing her sister’s body 50/50 in twenty-four hour shifts.

The race is on for Gray to find a way back inside her own body before Charlene purges her from existence. Raj McKenna is rumored to meddle in the black arts, not to mention he’s after Gray’s invisibility spell and worse – her heart. But Raj might be the only one powerful enough to save Gray from fading away forever.

The Review: I’m not going to write my own blurb because the above sums it up perfectly and I don’t feel I could add anything to it to make it better. So straight onto my opinion. . . . .

This is a really good ‘witchy’ book and I enjoyed it a lot. I really liked the characters, the twins – Charlene is the hot headed drama queen who has a very selfish view on life and Graylee is practically her opposite, she is the level headed one who always has to keep Charlene in check and calm her down, she is more mature in many ways and less focussed on her social life. Graylee has also been unable to do most magic for a number of years. It’s good what happens between them because it was like seeing two sides of one coin, each side battling for supremacy. Raj was cool, he had a bit of the bad boy vibe about him and although he was in a lot of the book I would have liked more form him, we get a little insight into his family life and school persona but I wanted more on a personal level, hopefully we get that in book two.

It had a great plot with a few twists and turns. I have read something with a similar outcome but different journey and I have to say I really preferred this, there was a lot more going on and although I saw where it was going in some places, I didn’t in others because of a few surprises. I loved the witchcraft element; I’ve said it before that I love a good witchy book and this was no exception particularly when we see both sides of the spectrum i.e. The way it’s used and for what and we also get to see the consequences for someone who miss-uses their magic. I read it all in one go because it was hard to put down, the pacing was good with reveals throughout the book rather than clumped at the end and I liked how we got to know the girls separately for a good portion of the book before the inevitable happened, it helped to keep in each of their mind-sets and separated their personalities so you could still see them both clearly.

So yeah, this was a great read with awesome characters and an unusual plot peppered with twists and turns that will keep you thoroughly entertained for a few hours and I would definitely recommend it. I will be looking out for the next book- Duplicity – out in May 2012 which looks really promising from the sneak peak in the back of the book.

 

A Review for Tomorrow Land by Mari Mancusi

Posted by Donna
Published Date: March 8th, 2012
Finished Date: March 20th, 2012
Publishers: NLA Digital 
Source: NetGalley
Format: Kindle
Pages: Unknown
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The Blurb from Goodreads: Can true love survive the end of the world? Imagine finding your first love, only to be ripped apart by the apocalypse. Peyton Anderson will never forget the day she was forced to make a choice--between her family--and Chris Parker, the boy she'd given her heart. Now, four years later, as she steps from the fallout shelter and into a dead and broken world, he's the only thing on her mind.

All Chris "Chase" Parker wanted was to take Peyton away and keep her safe from harm. But he waited for hours in the rain on judgment day and she never showed--breaking his heart without ever telling him why.

Now the two of them have been thrown together once again, reluctant chaperones to a group of orphan children in a post-apocalyptic world where the dead still walk...and feed. As they begin their pilgramage to the last human outpost on Earth, can they find a way to let go of old hurts and find the love they lost--all while attempting to save what's left of the human race?

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The Review: Tomorrow Land follows the lives of Peyton Anderson and Chris Parker, where the story is told from alternative points of view but each chapter is jumping from present to past.  When the apocalypse happens, Peyton and Chris are forced to make choices that will forever change their lives….leading Peyton to choose her family over him. Four years later, Peyton emerges from a fallout shelter that her father created and now she steps into the world where everything is in ruins, and there are now people called ‘The Others’ running around and killing people. When Peyton and Chris “Chase” are reunited, they try to work together to find a safe haven and mainly to track down Peyton’s father, who she believes holds the key to restoring the world to how it once was. Peyton and Chase have the fight of their lives on their hands but the question is…can they both survive?

I’ll be honest, I’d never heard of this book before until I’d seen it available on NetGalley and surprisingly, it is a really fun read. Zombie’s really aren’t my favourite creature to read about, I think there is only so far the story can go, but Mari did a great job bringing the perfect blend of excitement and romance into the story and also the element of surprise with the creepy zombies and that’s why I rated it 3 stars.

What I noticed about this book was how unique it is. I know I’ve already said there is only so far a zombie book can go, but I have never read a zombie book that is really unique. The world that was created, the viruses, the apocalypse, the people …everything about it screamed uniqueness and for this it made the book a really interesting read. 

Peyton was probably the best character out of the book, not only does she know what's going on but her father has prepared her for the worst in more ways than one. With him being a scientist, he physically changes Peyton and turns her into something similar to a cyborg. She can fight, she is fast, strong and has knifes in her fingers....making her unbeatable and can kill any zombie. Now Chase, he's just amazing. He isn't perfect and he does have his problems but he's loyal, kind and such a lovable guy. He adores Peyton and he is there for her every step of the way. I loved them as a couple together and I loved watching their romance grow.

All in all, Tomorrow Land was a fast paced, intriguing and dangerous read and I'd highly recommend it if your looking for something a little different. 

The Mira Ink Blogger Party - In My Mailbox Edition

Hey all! 

So as you may have known, we were invited to Mira Ink's (Harlequin UK) first Blogger party! 

We started off by meeting up with Misty from Bookaholics Book Club and Dani from Pen to Paper. By the time we all got to the Richmond train station, we were hungry. So we went on the hunt for fooood! We walked a fair bit, not really wanting to settle on the first restaurant we saw. What we did know was that we all wanted pizza or burgers. So after walking far, and returning the same way we came, we settled on One Kew Road, a nice Italian restaurant that did pizza AND burgers. Win, win. We were seated, and that's when the book chat commenced. Among other topics. Here's a few photos. Jess posed a lot, because she believes cameras add pounds and if you turn to the side you look thinner. Stomach in, breasts out, that's her motto. She says to try it. It really works! 

   

We had a good time at dinner, laughing and chatting. It's always good to find people you have things in common with. 

Anyway we had an amazing time at the blooger party, and we were so glad we decided to go. We would have missed out on a lot. Including the AMAZING goodie bag they gave to all 19 of us! 

This is what we got! 

 

     

Goddess Interrupted (The Goddess Test #2) by Aimee Carter

Crave by Melissa Darnell

Twisted by Gena Showalter

Inside Out by Maria V Snyder

Outside In by Maria V Snyder

Pushing the Limits by Kate McGarry

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

If I Die (Soul Screamers #6) by Rachel Vincent

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schults

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Special Hardback editions;

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross (NOT available in the UK at all!)

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Exclusive UK hardback edition, yay!!!)

Different colour nail polish for each of us Jess got yellow, Donna got pink. 

Hard sweets & A Lollipop

So, that's our IMM direct from Mira Ink! Awesome huh? We were also informed by Mira Ink, that we'd be receiving something very special from Julie Kagawa. Would you like to know what it is? Would you? 

We will all (19 of us remember) be receiving signed advanced copies of The Immortal Rules. That's right! You heard us! A SIGNED copy of The Immortal Rules! Eeeee how excited are you for us? Turns out Julie is lovely, and was happy to sign the books so we could all get a copy. 

Other than Mira taking us through their new summer releases, we skyped with Julie Kagawa. She's absolutely lovely. So funny, lots of questions were asked, including: "If Ash and Puck were stuck on a desert island, what three things would they take with them?" according to Julie, Ash would only need his sword, he can do lots with that. Including stabbing coconuts for milk. Puck, I believe would take a copy of 'Canoe building for dummies'. That was the funniest, we can't remember what else Puck would take. 

Along with the many other questions that were asked, one was "Is there anything you're allowed to tell us about the spinoff to the Iron Fey series?". Julie had to check with her editor who was in the room at the same time. She said it was fine. So we are happy to announce (If you haven't already seen it on Goodreads) the name of the first book in the Iron Fey spinoff is called 'The Iron Prince'! This series follows Meghans' younger (now older because it's set a few years after the final Iron Fey book) brother Ethan who gets swept away into the Fey world like his sister did. The expected publication, we believe is the end of 2012. So we can't wait for that! Who doesn't love a male lead's POV? 

Mira were amazing hosts, with goodie bags, news, skyping with Julie. They set out food including beautifully decorated cupcakes! As you can tell from the images below, those are the beautiful cupcakes. And the other is Julie showing off one of her chicks. That's right. She has chickens in her house. Apparently they were cute to begin with, now they remind her of gangly dinosaurs lol. Silly. 

 

Well that's pretty much it from Mira's Blogger party! We hope you've enjoyed reading about it as much as we enjoyed being there.

Happy reading and don't forget to attend a blogger party when one pops up! :)

A Review for Dark Storm by Sarah Singleton

Posted by Jess
Expected Published Date: March 29th, 2012
Finished Date: March  26th, 2012
Publishers: Simon & Schuster
Source: ARC, For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
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The Blurb from Goodreads:  Ellie is staying with her maternal grandparents for the summer, while her recently bereaved dad takes off on holiday with his new girlfriend. Upset by his apparent callousness, missing her mother, and jealous for her dad's attention, she begins to spiral into depression. Her grandparents suggest she joins a local theatre group, to meet people her own age and get away from the dark thoughts that threaten to engulf her. But then she gets roped into a seance at the theatre, and is the only one who actually sees a real ghost. Now a spirit is contacting her from beyond the grave - and as the dead boy's story unfolds, Ellie finds herself falling in love with him. But if she solves his mystery and helps release his soul, will he be lost to her forever?
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The Review: This was a fun book to read. It was the first ghost story that I've read and I really enjoyed it. Having it set in a small sea side town in England, Sarah Singleton managed to create a creepy dark vibe to it. Where else in the world would a ghost haunt a small theatre? Except in Lyme-on-Sea in England. Having grown up in a seaside town myself, I was able to connect with the atmosphere, the small town, the holiday makers. 
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Initially the book itself was a slow starter. It was just Ellie moping about for a long time, not really doing anything. It's not until she enters a small book shop, where she discovers a replica model of the small theatre that lies in the town that strange things start to happen. At that point, you're completely sucked into Ellie's world, and you're with her through out, and you literally can't wait to find out more about the mysterious and beautiful ghost that is Harry Weatherstone. You want to know so much more about him and his tragic death that happened over 100 years ago in the same town. With all that said, Sarah Singleton has a unique writing style that keeps you engaged through out with a mix of suspense and she certainly knows how to write dark stories. 
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Her characters were all realistically portrayed as older teenagers (18years) and are all easy to like and empathise with. Ellie, our protagonist is likeable from the start, although there were times where I wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up and smell the real world, she didn't bug me. Her friend Daisy, was great, pretty much the typical best friend. And Alex, ah Alex, other than have you falling for Harry as well, Sarah added Alex to the mix, Alex is the typical male love interest (Even though Ellie is completely oblivious to him), strong, handsome, understanding. Harry is an intriguing character. Although he's a ghost, there was something about him that leaves you falling head over heels for him. He's the gentleman from the 1890's who died tragically. His and Ellie's relationship wasn't healthy, it was very much a modern tale on Romeo & Juliet, which is a big recurring theme in the book. It's a love that you know isn't going to work, he'd dead, she's alive; that's the sad tragic thing. Two people who would have obviously been (if times were different) made for each other, just can't be.
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There isn't a lot more I can say about this book without giving too much away, except that it's an intriguing dark story that will leave you wanting more. Dark Storm is a stand alone book and the ending it pretty perfect, and doesn't leave it open to interpretation or for a sequel. This has been a very engaging read, and one that you should all experience upon the books' release. 

Dusty Reads (#12)

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme, hosted by Xpresso Reads featuring a book that has been sitting unread on our shelves for some time. To participate and more information, click here.

Jess's Dusty Read

Infinite Days
by Rebecca Maizel

"Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you...no one."

Those were some of Rhode's last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face.

It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste. Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust.

I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn't Rhode. But Justin was... daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream. I never expected to be sixteen again... then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me.

Jess's thoughts: This has been on my shelf for a while! Donna has read this one, and she loved it. I think the only reason I put it off was because last year when it was published in the Summer, book 2 wasn't going to out until late this year (2012) that's why I've been putting it off. I've only heard good things about it, and I will get around to reading it this year. I hope.

 Donna's Dusty Read

Entwined 
by Heather Dixon

Confined to their dreary castle while mourning their mother's death, Princess Azalea and her 11 sisters join The Keeper, who is trapped in a magic passageway, in a nightly dance that soon becomes nightmarish.

Donna's thoughts: I can not wait to read this. Haley from Ya-aholic bought me this book for my birthday last year and I still haven't read it. It sounds amazing and totally unique. And I adore the cover so hopefully it's good! 

So that's our Dusty Read's for this week! Don't forget to leave us your thoughts below. 

Happy Reading!

A Review for Dead Rules by R.S Russell

Posted by Donna
Published Date: March 29th, 2012
Finished Date: March 15th, 2012
Publishers: Quercus
Source: ARC, For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 352


The Blurb from Goodreads: When Jana Webster dies in a tragic accident, she finds herself transferred to 'Dead School' in the afterlife, where students fall into distinct cliques. Risers (good kids who died innocently), Sliders (bad kids, who have one foot tied to earth) and Virgins (there are fewer than Jana would expect). Jana's boyfriend and love of her life - Michael - is still in the land of the living. Michael is Romeo to Jana's Juliet and as the story goes... even death can't keep them apart. Tired of waiting for him to kill himself over his grief of losing her, Jana decides she needs to do it for him. To kill Michael she'll need the help of a dangerous and sexy Slider - Mars Dreamcoate. But Mars has a goal of his own: he wants to save a life to atone for having taken one in a drunk-driving accident. And to complicate matters, he was trying to save Jana when she died and saw what was really going on when her 'accident' happened. Jana decides to do whatever it takes to get Michael back, and nothing - not even Mars' warm touch or the devastating secret he holds about her death - will stop her.
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The Review: Dead Rules was a book I had wanted to read for a while, so when it arrived through my letter box – which was a nice surprise, I was really excited about reading it but, after reading I have to say I’m really disappointed and here’s why;

The story follows the life of Jana Webster, a young girl that one day finds herself transferred to ‘Dead School’ after she is involved in a tragic accident that of course, leaves her dead. When Jana was alive she had a boyfriend named Michael, and Jana will do anything she can to be reunited with him. So, she enlists the help of Mars Dreamcoate, a Slider that is still connected to the real world and with his help she plans to kill Michael.

Now this book sounds pretty amazing but while I really liked the idea and found it quite fascinating, it just didn’t work for me. I read a lot of young adult books and I love them but this was really was wrote for the age level and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone over the age of 14+. This was the main reason I found it hard to get into because the wording is very simple and basic and the execution of the story had too many flaws. The story had a lot of potential and there were things that kept me reading mainly being Mars but that’s about it.

Our main character Jana wasn’t very likable. I found her very naïve and she was really obsessed with her boyfriend Michael to the point of it being annoying. I really hated the way she introduced herself as ‘Of Webster and Haynes’ – and never in my life have I cringed so much at a few little words but my god I did, every single time she said it. Even though Jana is suppose to be 16 years old, she was more like an 8 year old and I just really didn’t like her. And then of course, we have Michael…who as the story progresses he appears to be a really nice character but nope, he’s a horrible boy that didn’t really care for Jana…but most shockingly wait until the end….it was quite a bitter sweet ending for him and was probably one of the most interesting twists to the story.

Now Mars is a different story, he was my main reason for reading and I found him the most interesting. He was actually present when Jana died, so he knows what really happened and because of this he has a connection with her. I loved how he supported her even though she was in love with Michael but what I loved about Mars was his back story, I loved finding out how he died and seeing him still connect with the real world. He was probably the most interesting character from the book.

Most of the other characters in the book have back stories and I loved how the author ventured out and told the tales of the other characters but I sometimes found it confusing as there were quite a few characters introduced at the same time. Some of them do have horrible deaths and of course, how they died is how they appear in the story, and I actually found this very intriguing to see the author’s descriptions of everyone else despite the confusion to start with.

Overall, I thought Dead Rules was an interesting and great idea but sadly it just did not work for me.

Thank you to the publishers for the giving me the opportunity to review this book.

 

In My Mailbox (#45)

Hey guys! 
So Jess and I have had a great week, if you didn't know we went to Richmond, Surrey and met up with the publishers at Mira Ink. We will be doing a special post at some point over the next few days, but here's what we got in our mailbox's for the last two weeks. 

Donna's In My Mailbox

For Review: 
Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb
Fated by Alyson Noel
Burn Mark by Laura Powell
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Endure by Carrie Jones (Will show next week)
Surrender by Lee Nichols (Will show next week)
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Won:
Immortal City by Scott Speer
Thank you Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading 
Firelight by Kristen Callihan 
Thank you My Keeper Shelf
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Gifted:
Ascend by Amanda Hocking 
Thank you Kate! =)
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On Loan:
A Million Suns by Beth Revis 
Thank you Misty! 
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Swapped: 
Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt
Paradise by Jill S. Alexander 


Thank you to Bloomsbury, Macmillian, Random House, Kate, Misty & Simon & Schuster. 
 


Jess's In My Mailbox 

For Review:
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
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Bought Books
Legend by Marie Lu
Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
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Birthday Presents
Shatter Me by Taherah Mafi (From Donna)
Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst (From my brother) 
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout (From Kayleigh) 
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Thank you Hodder, Donna, My Brother & Kayleigh.
 

What's in your mailbox this week?
Watch out for our special Mira Ink In My Mailbox edition coming soon!

A Review for Venus City (Legacy of the Sares #1) by Tabitha Vale

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie

Published Date: February 14th, 2012

Finished Date: March 11th, 2012

Publishers: Self-Published Author

Source: For Review

Format: Kindle

Pages: Unknown

The Blurb from Goodreads: "His magenta eyes flashed up to meet hers and for a moment she thought she saw something spark behind them—something fierce, something challenging." In a city where boys’ eyes are magenta and their emotions of lust, anger, greed, and ambition are remarkably absent, spoiled Braya Vace finds herself in the biggest problem of her young life when she meets handsome, blue-eyed Asher Benedict. It wasn’t supposed to be possible. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone else living outside Venus City. As she tries to unravel the mystery of Asher and his group of foreigner boys, the rest of Braya’s life seems to crumble apart around her. A disapproving mother, a sick younger sister, a mysterious brother, and a humiliating career as a Bride are just a few of the things that Braya has to deal with. Those, and her conflicting feelings for Asher.

The Review: Braya Vace lives in Venus city; she has been brought up privileged with every opportunity available to her and considering her mother is a very important person, they have been vast. Now it comes to the time in her life when Braya must chose a career and she expects only the best, why wouldn’t she? She is a crown, and crowns are the elite in the Venus City society. Venus city has a strict class system, in which you career defines you and men are the lowest of the low, with magenta eyes and no feelings – not fit for anything but Braya’s disdain – they are just born that way and so, after a disastrous career interview, Braya is given a position that is way beneath her, that of Bride – nothing more than a breeding machine. She is horrified and expects her mother to make things right, but will she help? With her sister being sick also, she is persuaded to stay in order to search for a cure and tries to make do until things are sorted out but then she comes across some new boys, boys whose eyes aren’t magenta, boys like Asher . . . . . and her world is blown apart!

Well, I was really surprised by this book and what started out as just ok turned into something really good. I suppose you could class this book as dystopian, an imaginary society build on a set of beliefs, different to our own with certain magic, powers, technology etc. but for all it has a futuristic feel, their class system and prejudice has a sexist, dated feel to it – obviously that is needed though otherwise all would be well in Braya’s world. Braya wasn’t the best of characters to warm to especially with her views on people and the ways of the world but you can understand her because those views were drummed into her from an early age and that type of thing isn’t easily broken, she reminded me of one of the ‘mean girls’. She has such a black & white perspective that she refuses to see any grey areas until she can’t deny them any longer. That starts to change with the appearance of Asher and the Locers, a bunch of foreigners who have managed to slip into the city on some sort of mission and by using a master/slave bond on Braya, she is forced to help them and is drawn to Asher as a result. That’s when she starts to see a little of the grey but is so stubborn about being who people expect her to be that she refuses to see what’s in front of her both as a whole and emotionally. So it does take a lot to like her and when I allowed myself to, I sort of understood her. I think what brought me round the most was when she was with Asher and her sister because some of her vulnerability came through, softening her a little and humanising her.

The plot was definitely where it’s at though, I have to say that in the beginning I was pretty confused with all the information about classes, jobs and areas but once that was out of the way it got really interesting and I felt like there was two stories in one book and not in a bad way either. It was really interesting as everything was revealed and when you thought you could trust one person, you couldn’t and then you thought it was going to go one way and it didn’t. There were so many twists and turns that you really have no idea about, they’re just sprung on you and leave you wondering where that just came from and to be honest that is what turned this around for me and made it from a good book into a really good book. There is also this elaborate game that features heavily throughout the book which I didn’t think would be good but has a very important role in the book and turned out to be not so bad too. So after the not so great start I kept on reading and by the end of the book, I was so into it that I didn’t want it to end and I’m glad I stick to the ‘If I start it, I finish it’ rule otherwise I would have missed out on what this book really was about and book two - Ephraim City (Legacy of the Sares, #2) is already on my TBR list.

 

Blog Tour Stop: A Review for Pure (Covenant #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Posted by Donna
Expected Published Date: April 3rd, 2012
Finished Date: December 10th, 2011
Publishers: Spencer Hill Press
Source: ARC, For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 329
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The Blurb from Goodreads: There is need. And then there is Fate... Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her. When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her.When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

The Review: “Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve wanted to break every rule.” Aiden turned away, the muscles in his neck tensing. He sighed. “You’ll become the center of someone’s world one day. And he’ll be the luckiest son of a b*tch on this earth.” – Aiden

My initial thoughts after reading Pure were wow, Jennifer L. Armentrout is a genius and now, several months later I was definitely right, because it is the best sequel I have EVER read!

This time around we see Alex training with both Aiden and Seth. Aiden is still trying to get her caught up on the work she missed and Seth is training her to become the future Apollyon. No one said it was going to be easy - and for Alex is isn’t, especially when she becomes targeted by someone who is trying to get her kicked out of the Covenant. Alex can’t help but question who’s behind it? but with danger around every corner for Alex she soon has something else to worry about and that is, can she stay safe from the biggest danger of all; the Furies - who have arrived after daimons attack the students at the Covenant?

Pure is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads so far this year and it really surpassed my expectations. Jennifer’s work continues to amaze me and if anything her work gets better and better with each book I read. She manages to create the perfect blend of paranormal, romance and excitement, mixed with pure perfection and I absolutely adored every single minute.

The characters as ever do not let us down. Alex is as feisty and strong as always and she really goes through an even tougher time in this book. There’s so many things happening in her life that she cannot control and for some reason she is in the middle of everything. But with Alex being Alex, through out all these hard times she stays true to herself even if it does land her in even more trouble. She’s her fun, witty self and I really admire her - she’s a fantastic heroine!

Seth is amazing! I loved him from the first moment I met him and if anything I love him that much more this time around. His and Alex’s relationship takes so many twists during this book and it was really nice to see a different side of him. He’s still as comical as ever and I felt it was a great addition.

Now Aiden….I cannot even put into words how much I am in love with this guy, seriously he’s so swoon-worthy that I almost had to wipe the drool off of my mouth. His love for Alex really shows in this book and even though he does do things that make you really angry with him, you really can’t stay made at him for long because he’s doing what he thinks is best….even if that means pushing away the one person he loves more than anything. He’s such an admiral character and you really see the levels he will go to protect Alex and it makes me love him even more. So even though Seth did make his way into my heart, I will always be Team Aiden!

The story itself was as dangerous as ever, with twists and turns through-out that really leave you speechless. It’s fast paced, exciting and so, so intense and there’s so much heat between these characters that you can almost feel the book burning in your hand. Honestly, Jennifer doesn’t disappoint one bit and she has completely raised the bar for Deity. I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Now, I need answers.... I’m left with so many questions........who is really after Alex? Will Alex and Aiden ever be together? Will the Covenant ever be safe? But most importantly will the rule on Pure’s and Half-Blood’s being together ever be thrown out? So, so many questions and I’m counting down the days until I finally get my answers.

Overall, The Covenant series is definitely one of my favourite series with Pure being my favourite sequel and I highly recommend this series to anyone.

A huge, huge thank you to Spencer Hill press for sending me an ARC copy of this book. You guys rock!

 


If your following the tour you will know there are a few awesome giveaways going on. So to be in with a chance to win head on over to;
A Cupcake and a Latte & Stuck in Books
AND if you want more details on the tour click HERE

A Review for Toxic Treacle: No.1 by Echo Freer

Posted by Donna
Published Date: March 22nd, 2012
Finished Date: March 16th, 2012
Publishers: Mira Ink
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 207
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The Blurb from Goodreads: This is a world without parents. There are nurturers – women who bear and raise children, and breeders – men whose only obligation is to produce three offspring and then leave. No responsibilities, no involvement, no contact. This is a world devoid of paternal relationships, of parental homes, of families.

Micky “Monkey” Gibbon is counting down the days until graduation – until he can leave high school, start playing professional football, breed with his high-school crush, Angel, and enjoy living the life of a breeder. He can’t understand why his best mate, Tragic, is so sceptical. Who wouldn’t want to escape the oppressive rules of the TREACLE regime (Training and Resources for Educating Adolescent Children in a Loving Environment), where there’s unrest on the streets and frequent disappearances? Life couldn’t get better. Until Tragic disappears…

A mysterious clue left in Tragic’s abandoned house opens a whole plethora of questions. Enlisting the help of Angel, Micky embarks on a desperate quest to find his friend, but each step closer to Tragic is a step away from the safety of the world he thought he knew.

Angel and Micky want to uncover the truth, and in the process determine the paths their own lives will take…but rebellion comes at a high price. Angel and Monkey must choose between what is accepted, and what they think is right. Complicated by forbidden love and intertwined with fear, Toxic Treacle is a provocative consideration of what family, masculinity, and fatherhood really mean today.

The Review: I had not heard of this book or the author before so when I was asked to review it by the publishers, I said yes straight away because I had been on a high dystopian kick a few weeks ago and I’ve been looking for the next big thing since then. And while I think Toxic Treacle is a fast paced, fun and intriguing novel, it wasn’t my favourite dystopian this year but it was still worth a read.

I won’t go into to many details about the book because if you’ve read the blurb above, your’ll pretty much know what the story is about, but what intrigued me about Toxic Treacle is that the males are breeders and the women are left to raise the children on their own with no help from the males. This was like nothing I’ve ever read before and it had a very strong fountain and as I read each page, the stronger and stronger the story got. It was a very unique story and I felt the author did a great job trying to creating some fresh and new.

With Monkey – ergh, I’ll be honest, I hate that name and I much prefer Micky…but anyway with him nearly being at the age to start breeding, I liked that he started to question things and this was mainly because of his friend’s disappearance but also for her his love for Angel. He always liked to go off a play football which is forbidden but he was a little bit of a rebel, so I think he was the perfect person to start investigating. Deep down he really wants to shape his life and do the things he wants to do rather than have someone dictating to him and him and Angel really worked well together as a team. Now I really liked Angel, she was a sweet character and I loved how dedicated she was to Monkey. Their romance was really touching and I loved them together.

Even though I really liked the story, I did feel there was something missing…hence the three star rating but the problem is, I can’t quite put my finger on the problem. I did feel the ending was slightly rushed and with the book only being 200 pages maybe it could have been longer…umm…even now I’m not sure but overall, it was a good read and I’ll look out for more work by this author in the future. 

 

Waiting on Wednesday (#10)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Jess's WoW

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) 
by Julie Kagawa
Release date: April 24th, 2012

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.

Donna's WoW

 

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
Release date: May 1st, 2012

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

Want to participate? Grab the logo, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. 

Happy Reading!