Witch Eyes
by Scott Tracey

ISBN-13: 9-780738-725956
Publication: September 2011 from Flux
Rating: 4 ♥ / 5 ♥ – I really liked it!

Braden’s witch eyes give him an enormous power. A mere look causes a kaleidoscopic explosion of emotions, memories, darkness, and magic. But this rare gift is also his biggest curse.

Compelled to learn about his shadowed past and the family he never knew, Braden is drawn to the city of Belle Dam, where he is soon caught between two feuding witch dynasties. Sworn rivals Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe will use anything – lies, manipulation, illusion, and even murder – to seize control of Braden’s powers. To stop an ancient evil from destroying the town, Braden must master his gift, even through the shocking discovery that Jason is his father. While his feelings for an enigmatic boy named Trey grow deeper, Braden realizes a terrible truth: Trey is Catherine Lansing’s son…and Braden may be destined to kill him.

Scott Tracey’s debut novel is concoction of awesome – mix up some mystery and drama, a dash of romance and a lot of mystical powers and you have Witch Eyes.

Braden is a witch, but he’s even a bit more special than that – he’s afflicted with witch eyes that, when uncovered, allow him to see the world as it was and is. Braden sees strong feelings that have imprinted on physical places. When he suddenly sees a vision of the future, Braden leaves his uncle and takes off for Belle Dam, where he hopes all the answers to his questions concerning the vision, his family and past can be found. But Braden is in for a lot more than he bargained for, including a feud between two witch families – a feud that he is intimately connected to. Throw in the cute son of the rival family and Braden is definitely in over his head.

I really like Braden. There were times I wanted to shake some sense into him, but I really like him. Braden is, at his heart, a good guy. He cares a lot for his uncle, who raised him, and is definitely trying to do the right thing…he just kind of rushes in head first sometimes and doesn’t think things through. But it’s all part of what makes Braden such a realistic character. Trey often annoyed and confused me, but I think it’s because I was seeing him through Braden’s viewpoint, and Trey often seemed to confuse and annoy Braden – especially with all that forbidden love, son of my enemy, but he’s really hot type angst running through Braden’s head whenever he’s around Trey. I loved their interactions, though, as well as Braden’s interactions with both Jason and Catherine and Jade, Trey’s sister. Witch Eyes showcases some great characterization, a definite strong point for the novel.

Scott Tracey also plays fast and fun with the backstory to Jason and Catherine’s feud, and Braden’s witch eyes. The glimpses we get into the history of Belle Dam are intense – a lot of them are seen through Braden’s eyes when he glimpses the past and the scenes are crazy. I’d love to see them in film, the scene would be this crazy montage of memories and colours and feelings (represented by appropriate music) all giving a history lesson. I thought the pacing was great in Witch Eyes – not too fast you got confused but not so slow you were bored, and we were left with just enough cliffhangers to make you wish you had the next book to read right away. I was intrigued and entertained from page one, and am definitely looking forward to the sequel!

Witch Eyes is part of the 2011 Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren.

ISBN-13: 9-781595-143396
Publication: November 15, 2011 from Razorbill (Penguin)
Rating: 3.5 ♥ / 5 ♥ – I liked it

Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped – and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie’s whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

Brenna Yovanoff has a way with writing the dark and gritty, and The Space Between is just that. Daphne – half-demon, half-fallen angel – is content to stay living in Pandemonium. She has no need to travel Earthside, until the day she discovers her brother Obie missing – kidnapped. Aware of the last person to see Obie, Daphne heads to Earth armed with only his name, address and a few supplies. Determined to have Truman help find her brother, Daphne barges her way into Truman’s life – but demons aren’t safe on Earth, and Daphne may be in for more than she can handle…which means Truman is in for one quick crash course in demons and angels.

I’m not going to lie, I was a little disappointed with The Space Between. From the synopsis, I was expecting more than I felt was delivered, especially on the demonic powers and archangels front. But on the other hand, I loved what was there – the relationship between Daphne and Truman was both fast and yet slow at the same time in a way that really worked for me. The demons, like Moloch, Beelzebub and Daphne’s sisters (succubi) were rather interesting. They seem at first rather set in their ways and yet you can tell they are quite complex in their emotions and rationals. Daphne is unlike her sisters, being the daughter of Lilith and Lucifer (while her sister’s are daughters of minor demons), and has until now never been to Earth. When she does go, it’s for loyalty and love of her brother Obie. Daphne’s views on life change completely throughout the course of the book and she does a bit of growing up – and for a demon, that’s pretty good. She is often clueless but determined, and she grows to love Truman, who is as damaged as anyone can be. Daphne helps him live again, and introduces him to a whole other side of himself.

The Space Between is, at its heart, a book about love – love for family (Daphne for Obie, and others), and romantic love (Daphne and Truman, for example). That’s not to say it’s just that, though. There is also mystery, fear, some running for their lives, and of course the demon/angel mythology that is the backbone to the whole book. Brenna Yovanoff knows how to write to catch your attention. While it may not have been everything I was expecting, I did enjoy The Space Between. If you’re looking for a book that offers a unique view on angel and demon lore paired with some gritty angst and a whole lot of learning to love, than I definitely recommend this one (especially if you liked Brenna’s first book The Replacement).

ARC received from Penguin Canada in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Anna Dressed in Blood
by Kendare Blake

ISBN-13: 9-780765-328656
Publication: August 2011 from Tor Teen
Source: publisher
Rating: 4 ♥ / 5 ♥ – I really liked it

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 not stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed and and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian house she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

So ever since I watched The Sixth Sense back when it was first released and had nightmares for two weeks, I have tended to avoid ghosts. But then Supernatural came along and I fell in love with the series so I decided to give ghosts a try again. And now there is Anna Dressed in Blood and I am hooked on ghosts! And they who hunt them, of course

Theseus Cassio Lowood – Cas for short – has taken up the family job of hunting ghosts. Just him and mother, they move from town to town hunting ghosts who are killing. Ghost serial killers, really. After being tipped off to a ghost in Thunder Bay, ON (yay Canada!) called Anna Dressed in Blood who haunts her old house and violently kills (read: rips apart) anyone who steps foot inside. Cas takes the tip and it’s not too long after settling in to his school in Thunder Bay that crap hits the fan. Cas is immediately dragged in to the mystery of Anna Dressed in Blood after she brutally kills a fellow student and yet leaves Cas alive. It-girl Carmel and magic-talented Thomas – and his grandfather Morfran – join Cas as he tries to figure out Anna, why she spared his life and why this ghost hunt is so different from all his others.

I actually really enjoyed Cas’ character. At the beginning, he’s a bit of an arrogant I-can-do-anything teenager who you kind of want to hate for being so good at everything but Anna is a bad-ass ghost and knocks him down a few pegs. Once he realizes Anna is a bit more than he can handle on his own, and that Carmel and Thomas are not going to go away, Cas does some quick maturing. I think he starts to understand that just because he has the athame that kills ghosts doesn’t mean he has to go through life alone with just his mother and cat for company and support. Cas is a strong main character with imperfections, emotions and a will to succeed – very much a teenage boy, albeit one who hunts ghosts. Carmel and Thomas are amazing secondary characters and I have so much love for them. Kind of geeky Thomas and most popular girl in school Carmel just work so well together that I just wanted to lock them in a basement until hooked up. Cutest couple ever, hands down, and they compliment each other so well. Heck, they compliment Cas! Cas is the one that just wants to jump right in and kill ghosts immediately, while Carmel and Thomas are the more cautious but yet still fierce duo. Thomas has the magic aspect and Carmel has confidence and connections galore.

And while I think Carmel and Thomas are meant to be, I wasn’t so sold on the Cas/Anna romance aspect of this gory and creepy ghost story. I don’t know if I just didn’t connect enough with Anna, but I don’t see the draw for Thomas. Yes, she has that uber creepy all dripping blood and dark eyes and the ripping people apart until she’s with Cas and then she is presumably very similar to when she was alive thing going on, but still. I almost feel like Cas was just so lonely before, had no one who really understood him, and was so caught up in the ghost goings-on around him that he just went for it, you know? But maybe others will see something there that I didn’t. But where I didn’t see her good side and the romance, Anna Dressed in Blood as a scary ghost? Amazing. So good! Kendare Blake does not shy away from the ghostly death and dismemberment. No half-done descriptions of shadowy figures in this book. We get the ghosts with all their dripping blood, missing parts and grotesque figures.

Anna Dressed in Blood is a great book for people like me who want spooky and creepy without being scared our of their wits. Characterization and language is engaging and keeps you wrapped up in the mystery – cause you know there’s more to the Anna case than just a ghost who kills people that invade her home. Kendare Blake’s debut is a ghost story that drags you inside and keeps you reading long into the night – perfect atmosphere for a story that tries to scare you. But it’s the character interactions and action parts amongst the scary that keep the book really interesting – who knew there could be so much life in a ghost story!

Hardcover copy provided by Tor Teen in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

ISBN-13: 9-780316-068659
Published: August 23, 2011 by Little, Brown
Rating: 4.5 ♥ / 5 ♥ – I really liked it!

As a child, Gretchen’s twin sister was taken by a witchlike monster in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch’s forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

When their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out as teens, they stumble upon the sleepy Southern town of Live Oak and are invited to stay with Sophia Kelly at her sweetshop. Sophia molds candied magic: coveted treats that excite confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic, and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past – until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel, who gives her a reason to fear Sophia: Girls have been vanishing at Sophia’s annual chocolate festival, taken by the insatiable “witch” of Gretchen’s nightmares. Can Gretchen save herself, the girls of Live Oak, and Sophia?

Of one thing Gretchen is certain: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

I highly enjoyed this companion novel to Sisters Red! I was expecting a companion set in the same world but quite different, and instead I got a crossover character and more werewolves. Awesome.

When Gretchen was younger, she, her brother Ansel and her twin sister go walking in the woods. Only Gretchen and Ansel come home. Gretchen is convinced it was a witch that stole away her sister, and when their stepmother kicks her and her brother out of the house, Gretchen wants to head for the ocean – as far away from the forests as she can get. Car trouble sees the siblings stopped in Live Oak, where they find themselves living with mysterious chocolatier Sophia, and Gretchen realizes the witch may not be quite what she expected.

The story isn’t so much about the witch and discovering what happened to Gretchen’s sister, as it is about Gretchen finding peace and realizing she can be strong. Thinking she was getting away from the witch of her past, Live Oak and Sophia just make Gretchen see that she is not alone. Girls have been disappearing from Live Oak, leaving without a word. Gretchen sees herself, sees her sister, in these girls and comes to understand that there is a witch – it’s just not a witch. It’s werewolves. A run in with hunter (and woodsman!) Samuel helps Gretchen to understand that she needs to face her fears, and not keep running from them. Gretchen comes to a lot of realizations throughout the story, and her relationships with Sophia and Samuel are the catalysts for a lot of them.

Quite a bit of paranormal violence in this one, but it’s secondary at best and not a highlight of the story. While I got a bit of a “grab a gun and kill things to overcome your fear and be strong”, I know that it is not the message of the story, and that killing the wolves is just Gretchen’s way of proving to herslef that she can help make a difference. Becoming strong is in her more subtle actions: not running away, speaking about her lost sister, confronting Sophia whom she sees as a sister. In these ways, Gretchen proves her stability and strength. Sweetly is a great retelling and twist on the Hansel and Gretal fairy tale, and a welcome addition to the Sisters Red family.

Thank you to Nicole at DogEar for sending me a copy to read and review. Thank you!

ISBN-13: 9-780062-004017
Published: May 2011 by HarperCollins
Rating: 4 ♥ / 5 ♥ – I really liked it!

My life has always been blissfuully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies…immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all his kind.

While I’m fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart – as well as my life and my family’s – in jeopardy for a chance at love?

Die For Me in a sentence? A paranormal, action-packed love story. In France. Ok, so that’s two sentences but you get the idea. Kate and her sister move to France after the death of their parents, and Kate finds more adventure than she ever wanted. Along with a gorgeous, mysterious guy, Kate finds herself hip deep in his paranormal world, where Vincent is immortal and has numerous enemies.

I was wrapped up in Kate and Vincent’s story from the beginning, and the pace of the story kept up right to the end of the book – I was never bored. I enjoyed the descriptions of the area of Paris Kate frequents, and the history behind Vincent and his family was wicked. Amy Plum’s take on a dead but still living human was great – not vampire, not zombie, something closer to Highlander. Her characters were very easy to connect with as well, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed the book so much, I think. At the beginning, Kate is lost and lonely, but after she meets Vincent and discovers his world she slowly comes out of her shell and finds the inner strength to be strong and brave in the face of adversity. And, she doesn’t just accept the paranormal right away either, which I liked. She had a health skepticism. Vincent is very soft spoken, but tough. He’s lived a long time, and is very much a protector of the people he loves and his family. Kate’s sister and Vincent’s family members all had wonderfully detailed personalities and helped make the book.

Die For Me is a great addition to the paranormal genre, and I think anyone that likes a good love story with their dark and mysterious action-filled paranormal world will highly enjoy it. The writing and characters are the high points of the book, and there is great description of people and places. I’m looking forward to reading more about Kate, Vincent and their families in the upcoming sequel- and I can’t wait to find out what kinds of trouble they’ll get into.

Copy provided by Inkpop and HarperCollins in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

ISBN-13: 9-781595-144232
Published: July 21, 2011
Rating: 3.5 ♥ / 5 ♥ – I liked it

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. The water calls to her, draws her in, forces her to sing her deadly song to unsuspecting victims. If she succumbs, she kills. If she doesn’t, the pain is unbearable. To keep herself and those she cares about safe, she shuts herself off, refusing to make friends or fall in love – again. Because the last time she fell in love with a boy, he ended up dead.

Then Lexi finds herself torn. Against her better judgement, she’s opening up again, falling in love with someone new when she knows she shouldn’t. But when she’s offered the chance to finally live a normal life, she learns that the price she must pay to be free of her curse is giving him up.

Ok, so Ripple is the story of Lexi – a siren. She has no idea why she feels the need to swim and sing at night, but she does, and it’s already claimed one life. For two years, Lexi has backed away from everyone she knows and cares about, terrified that it will happen again – that she will kill again. Throughout the course of the story, Lexi comes to understand why she is a siren and starts to realize that she can have friends, and even a boyfriend, without tragedy striking. Of course, tragedy nearly does strike.

Lexi is a pretty tough cookie. After her sixteenth birthday when her curse kicked in and she drowned a teen, she doesn’t let it overwhelm or break her. She takes hold of her curse and finds away to avoid killing, and backs away from any friends she had, hoping that way to keep her secret under wraps a little bit longer. But she also realizes that she doesn’t have to stay alone forever, and her shell begins to crack and she lets people back in. She grows up quite a bit throughout the story and comes into her own.

Of course, nothing can go smoothly for Lexi, and the new guy Erik throws a wrench into her re-found life very quickly. I really liked how Mandy Hubbard handled the mythology behind Lexi being a siren, and the ending of the book was intense. I was so nervous for Lexi and Cole, the love interest, and didn’t mind the happy ending one bit! Sometimes I’m a sucker for a good happily-ever-after.

I did feel that the love-interest portion of the story between Lexi and Cole was a little rushed and easy (I didn’t really get a good feel for Cole, I would have liked a bit more to him), and then the whole thing with Erik was kind of rushed feeling as well. I did enjoy the interactions between Lexi and ex-best friend Sienna a lot, Sienna’s character was very well done. Overall, Ripple is a book I enjoyed and is definitely recommended if you like the mermaid/siren trend right now and what a nice beach read about growing up and overcoming obstacles.

ARC received from Penguin Canada in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Mackie is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess.

He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is slowly dying in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us. He just wants to play bass guitar and find out more about an oddly intriguing girl named Tate.

But when Tate’s baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem.

He must face the dark creatures of the slag heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

The Replacement made me all kinds of happy.

Mackie is a Replacement (read: a changling) – a baby from the pit, the House of Mayhem, undearneath his town of Gentry. Allergic to iron, blood and consecrated ground, Mackie is very aware of his status as a Replacement, and though his family loves him, he knows he doesn’t belong.

Although the story in The Replacement is about Mackie and friends venturing underground to save Tate’s sister, it is also very much about belonging, and discovering where you come from doesn’t make you who you are. Mackie needs to travel back to the place he came from in order to find out who he is, and his place in Gentry. He needs to come to terms with everything, if you will. If, along the way, he helps out a potential friend, stirs up and handles some trouble, well – it all adds up to a really create story and one very memorable character.

And of course, there is the creepy ghost story factor going on, with quite a bit of darkness thrown in for good measure. Not a light and happy book by any means, it never-the-less gives you a feel good hopeful sort of feeling while giving you the shivers at the same time. I loved the writing in this one, and can’t wait for more by Brenna Yovanoff!

Fourteen-year-old Trey Laporte was “just a kid.” Not anymore. Not after the day he wakes up in agony – retina-splitting, vomit-inducing agony. His clothes are torn. His room is trashed.

Now, demons are closing in on every side, and the most psychopathic bloodsucker to rock the Netherworld wants to destroy him. And Trey is falling for a girl who is half vampire, half human, and insanely pretty. Above all, Trey must face one terrifying question: is he a boy…or is he a werewolf?

Wereling is the story of Trey, for all intents and purposes an ordinary boy. Until he isn’t. After one night where he wakes up aching and sick, he is suddenly whisked away by a stranger claiming to be his uncle. All too soon, Trey is living with the reality of vampires, demons and werewolves. The werewolf? Trey. His life? In danger from a power hungry vampire.

Wereling starts off strong. The description is great and Trey’s emotions come through bright and clear. Right from the start, we’re thrown into the action of the story and it seems that the reader is in for an intense and fun ride. It fell flat all to soon (for me, at least). As soon as Trey guesses that his “uncle” is a vampire, I was thrown for a loop. Trey comes to that conclusion very quickly, and seems to accept the idea as fact right away. I can live with that, though, even if it’s a little abrupt. The writing is still good, I’m liking Trey and the promise of action is still there.

So everything’s going pretty good, until I reach the end of the book. Although written in third person, the narration focuses on Trey…until two chapters near the end that disregard Trey completely and focus on Lucien, Trey’s vampire “uncle”. A little odd, but ok. But the end! It made me feel like I had been watching a tv show. The main plot of this first book was wrapped up nicely, everyone’s back home and sitting around (though Lucien is a little worse for wear), when suddenly…big reveal, and off they must go on another adventure. Very episodic feeling and it just didn’t sit right with me.

Something I did enjoy – the blurb on the back of the book mentions Trey falling in love with a half-vampire. While this mini-romance is present, it’s incredibly realistic and I enjoyed that aspect of the story. Trey acknowledges that he thinks Alexa is beautiful and that he likes her, but they don’t immediately start going out, being in love, etc. In fact, they can argue pretty well with each other. It’s nice to see a book with a romance aspect still rely on the action part to drive the story. Trey’s transformations to a werewolf are perfect, too. Instead of the actual wolf most werewolf books are sporting today, Trey turns into more of a wolfman – still standing on two legs, just covered in fur and with a wolf’s head.

Overall, Wereling is a good book with an awesome werewolf and some great action, and I enjoyed it. Definitely worth a try if you like werewolves! The sequel, Dark Moon, will be out in February 2011.

I received this book from a contest held by Teens Read and Write.

“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 who wasn’t Rhode. But Justin was…daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream. I never expected to be sixteen again…but then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me.

I cannot tell you how happy I was to read about Rebecca Maizel’s vampires. They’re vicious, bloody, tormented, living in the dark – you know, real vampires. Lenah is an almost 600 year old Vampire Queen who ruled over her coven with an iron and bloody fist. Until the day comes when she begs her maker to either find a way to make her human again, or she’d walk into the sun. And so, after 100 years of sleep, Lenah is sixteen years old and living at boarding school in the 21st century – as a human. She has until Hallowe’en to leave behind all traces of her vampire self and hope that her coven doesn’t find her when they come searching.

Ok, first things first. Rebecca does an amazing job of keeping Lenah believable (as much as a 600 year old vampire turned 16 year old human can be believable). Lenah has been asleep since early 1900, so is understandably a little lost when it comes to things like cars, technology, fashion, speech, etc. While she learns about these things after becoming human, it’s not overnight knowledge. By the end of the book, she’s still not fully immersed in 21st century tech and lingo, and I loved it. The progression was perfectly paced, in my opinion. And Lenah is such a great character. She knows perfectly well that when she was a vampire she was decidedly evil. She knows that even with the curse of being a vampire, in eternal torment, didn’t mean she had to be as evil as she was. Even though Lenah acknowledges her past, and regrets it, she makes no apologies for it. It’s who she was, and though she’s changed now, that past is still a part of her.

I’m not too keen on Justin, but I think that might change as the books continue. It seemed like they got together very quickly, with little resistance. Yes, it’s explained as a vampire thing, but I just couldn’t help but find the relationship between Justin and Lenah a little rushed. Especially after her love of 600 years just died to make her human! Tony, on the other hand, I love. He’s fun, unique, and just so sweet. There is a huge plot development near the end of the book that broke my heart into little pieces and I just stared at the book in disbelief for a few minutes. That’s another thing; the plot was great. I loved the pace at which everything was presented and the anxiety and fear that Lenah feels about her coven shines through. Descriptions were spot on, and Lenah’s transition from human to vampire is a strange and wonderful journey.

Infinite Days is a wonderful debut. Amazing vampires, characters and plot ensure this is one series whose sequels I will be waiting anxiously for.

Infinite Days is part of the 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Gwen Williams has been hiding a strange and fantastic secret: she’s a shapeshifter. Although society may tolerate vampires, centaurs and “Others” like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in her small Washington town who don’t care for her kind.

When a new werewolf pack moves into the area, tensions rise – and Others start showing up dead, including someone close to Gwen. Despite the methodical murders. the police are ignoring evidence that suggests a serial killer. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen – along with a mysterious and sexy guy who happens to be a Japanese fox spirit – risks her life to find the murderer. But Gwen is already the killer’s next target…

Other is an intriguing paranormal mystery. Gwen is a pooka – a shapeshifter. In a world where Others are common knowledge, but still looked down upon, Gwen is hiding who she is. When Others in her town start turning up murdered and the police show no signs of starting an in-depth investigation, Gwen, and friend Tavian, take matters into their own hands. Because Gwen begins to receive letters – letters showing that she’s next on the killer’s list.

I have to admit, I wasn’t Gwen’s biggest fan in the beginning. She hides who she is to an extreme, refusing to shift forms until it has her in pain. I can understand the fact that she doesn’t want anyone outside of her family to know she’s an Other (she wants to be normal), but there are many ways that she could shapeshift and not be seen – which she does a few times. Gwen is also a little prejudiced. She may be Other, but she looks down on werewolves and vampires because they aren’t born Other. She sees them all as criminals and murderers, refusing to believe that they can just be normal people, or even a normal Other. You’d think for someone who faces discrimination herself, she would be a bit more open minded. But this is in the beginning. Karen Kincy shows her talent with characterization in the fact that Gwen grows and matures as the story progresses. By the end, she’s much more open about who she is and proud of the fact that she is Other. She’s still leery of werewolves and vampires but she no longer paints them all with the same brush and is much more open minded. I credit much of her change to Tavian, an Other who manages to get passed all of Gwen’s barriers. Tavian is kind, gentle, (cute) and wonderfully mischievous.

While the plot did revolve around the paranormal aspect of the Others, and Gwen’s romances, the main overall driving force was the mystery. Who is murdering Others? It starts off fairly innocent, with a seemingly random instance of death. It quickly escalates to people Gwen knows personally. Karen provides the obvious suspects – werewolves. Gwen is already prejudiced against them, and it’s a huge coincidence that they arrive when the murders start. But then there are the other suspects. The ones you, as the reader, aren’t even sure if they’re suspects or not! There’s the small inkling in the back of your mind that something is not adding up, or too convenient. I had my suspicions as the book went on, but was definitely surprised at the end. In hind sight, I probably shouldn’t have been, but I was. Mark of good writing right there!

Other is definitely a debut to pick up, especially if you like some mystery with your paranormal =)

Other is part of the 2010 Debut Author Challenge

the longing
Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

the loss
Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of being human.

the linger
For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life is a constant struggle between two forces – wolf and human – with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

I am so, so happy with this book. Linger is an absolutely fantastic emotional journey from start to finish, and I couldn’t put it down. Reading about Sam and Grace again was catching up with friends from out of town who you only see once a year.

Sam is finally human, seemingly forever this time. Grace is ecstatic, but getting sick for the first time in a long time – very sick. Isabel, still coping after her brother’s death, is looking out for the wolves that roam into her backyard and gets tangled up in the life and history of one new wolf. Cole is trying desperately to leave his human life behind, a life that could bring intense media attention to Mercy Falls if Cole is recognized, but can’t seem to stay a wolf. Sam and Grace thought they were safe to be together, but everything is changing.

I see book one, Shiver, as Grace’s book. Linger felt very much like Sam’s book. Sam is learning how to be human year-round and dealing with all the responsibility that comes with that. He’s suddenly in charge of the wolves, including Cole – a newly turned wolf that can’t seem to stay a wolf. And there there’s all the normal things Sam has to cope with. Grace’s parents are wary about their relationship, and Grace herself is sick with something that no doctor can identify. For a character that can be so damaged, Sam is incredibly strong. He rises to the challenges presented to him, and will do anything for Grace. Grace is such an independent person, very strong. Suddenly dealing with her absentee parents who now seem to care, on top of her sickness throws her for a loop, but she struggles through. Cole is definitely damaged. At the beginning, I was so unsure about what I thought of him. By the end of the book, I wanted to know so much about Cole’s past, where he and Isabel are heading and what he means for the wolves. It was great getting to see more of Isabel as well. She’s tied to the wolves, and to Cole. She has so much guilt, but is quite a bit stronger than she guesses.

The depth that Maggie’s characters achieve is amazing, and they are all so distinct in their voices and mannerisms. But it’s her writing that really makes the story wonderful. There is so much emotion conveyed through the words that you get swept away into the plot, and you care about what happens to these characters you’re reading about. The flow of the words and the lyrical quality they assume is at times raw, passionate, hopeful and hopeless, devestating and yet so full of love and wonder. There is so much heartache for Grace and Sam, but you just know that they can get through it. It may not be all happiness and light in the end, but maybe bittersweet is the way to go. Linger has all the makings of a tragic love story but there is still that feeling of hope woven through it all. The ending fairly blew me away. I tend to read the last pages of books first, but I didn’t this time, and I am so glad. I was heartbroken for Sam and Grace, but so proud of Sam and the way he handles everything going on. There is so much determination amidst the heartache of the last chapter – it left me wanting the sequel Forever immediately. I’m so worried for Sam and Grace.

Linger is a beautifully written, wonderfully realized and character driven story. The world of Mercy Falls is constantly evolving and becoming more complicated than just trying to get Sam to stay human. You just know it’s all leading up to one big finale, where anything can happen and no one seems safe. One of the best books for having you emotionally invested in the story I’ve read in a long time, Linger (and Shiver!) is a must read.

Everything about Jessie Gillmansen’s life changed when her mother died. Now even her hometown of Junction is changing. Mysterious dark things are happening. All Jessie wants is to avoid more change. But while showing a hot new guy around Junction High, she’s about to discover a whole new type of change. Pietr Rusakova is more than good looks and a fascinating accent – he’s a guy with a dangerous secret. And his very existence is sure to bring big trouble to Jessie’s small town. It seems change is the one thing Jessie can’t avoid.

I am absolutely loving 13 to Life. It’s such a fun debut, with strong characters, a steady plot, huge mysteries and some teen romance.

Jessie is roped into showing the new boy at school around to his classes. Pietr is a broody new student that arrives with his own police escort, and immediately sets a fire of feeling under Jessie. Amidst school assignments, crushes, homecoming, animal scares and carnivals, Jessie finds herself drawn into Pietr’s world – and it’s not necessarily as normal as everything else in Junction.

Jessie is one of the best female characters I’ve read about this year. Her mother died pre-book, and though she is struggling to cope, she is still a strong-willed young woman. She works hard at home caring for her family horses, is on the school newspaper, gets good grades and maintains her friendships. Jessie has a slight martyr complex and tends to cling to certain ideas once she gets them in her head, but hey – she’s human. Pietr is our mysterious, broody Russian who’s new in town (I’m a little confused as to why Pietr has a feminine last name – Rusakova. My Russian co-worker informed me that as a male, his last name should be Rusakov. However, I was lucky enough to join in a chat tonight where Shannon gave a sneak peak at the prologue of book two, Secrets and Shadows, and it looks like the reason behind his last name is explained). Pietr immediately latches on to Jessie – despite her best efforts – and slowly opens up to her throughout the course of the novel.

Speaking of opening up, I really enjoyed the fact that Shannon Delany didn’t tell the characters’ backstory in large chunks, but rather let us have small glimpses as the facts became relevant until we had a more complete understanding of what had gone on pre-story. Of course, Pietr’s life is still quite the mystery since we have two more books to come, but Jessie’s past becomes a lot more clear. The romance between Jessie and Pietr is fraught with tension due to Jessie’s friend Sarah, who you just know is going to be difficult to handle as the series continues.

My favourite part of the plot? The nice long buildup we have to the werewolves. Jessie doesn’t find out until near the end that Pietr is a werewolf, so we as readers are only guessing up until then (though we know we’re right ). The novel was more about the relationships between the characters – Jessie and Pietr, Jessie and her friends, Pietr and his family, etc. – than about the supernatural. Naturally, I’m assuming the next book will deal more fully with the werewolf aspects of the plot since Shannon left us with a big ol’ cliffhanger, and Jessie is still reeling from the knowledge of what Pietr’s secret actually is.

13 to Life kept me completely entertained from start to finish. Shannon Delany is a wonderful debut author who has written a book that easily joins in my favourites of the year. I can’t wait to find out more about her werewolf lore, and where Jessie’s and Pietr’s relationship is going. Stay tuned for an interview with Shannon on June 30th!

13 to Life is part of the 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand-the mark of an angel.

But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel’s malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.

I’m on a huge angel kick right now, and Angel Star was just delicious. Teagan has had nightmares about black shadows for as long as she can remember. It’s not until she falls for new boy at school Garreth that she finds out why, and it’s something she never expected. Garreth is an angel, and comes with the news that a dark angel is out to create havoc (on Earth and in heaven) and Teagan is the only one who stands a chance of stopping him. As things progress, Teagan is determined to stop the dark angel Hadrian and yet finds herself struggling to maintain her sense of self, and the truth of the situation.

Jennifer Murgia’s debut novel is an amazing look into angel lore, the idea of heaven and the power of truth against deception. Teagan is an incredibly strong character. She is firm in her beliefs and will go to any means necessary to fight for the ones she loves. Throughout the course of the novel Teagan faces heartbreak, lies and love and almost loses her way – but she comes through everything tougher than ever and confident in her place in the world, and in her new emerging powers. Garreth showcases an absolute belief in Teagan and is a perfect ideal of an angel. The lore he imparts is wonderful and rich, with great detail (and it makes sense, too, which is always a plus). Hadrian, our dark angel, is just as real as Garreth, and quite creepy. He’s everything that you think a corrupt angel would be – the exact opposite of hope and light. All three characters are very well developed; I connected with Teagan immediately.

The plot moved along at a constant pace and I enjoyed the style of writing – I was kept engaged and was reluctant to put the book down. I’m not a fan of characters immediately falling in love at first sight, but with Teagan and Garreth it works (angel remember? He and Teagan already know each other, even if Teagan doesn’t know it right away) and I didn’t mind it. There were a few instances where I was a little unsure what was happening, but as I kept reading I was able to piece it all together and see the bigger picture. By the end, many questions were answered and yet some were left hanging, ready to be answered in the upcoming sequel.

Overall, Angel Star is an amazing debut and an immediate reccomendation for anyone who wants to read a well-written, entertaining YA dealing with angels. Keep an eye out for the sequel, Lemniscate, coming in spring 2011.

Angel Star is part of the 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Eighteen-year-old Aaron is on the run from the Powers that killed his foster parents and took his younger brother, Steven. With his dog, Gabriel, and Camael, a former Power, he is drawn north to a small town in Maine. Here Aaron, who still hasn’t accepted his newfound heritage, finds comfort in the isolated, tight-knit community.

But when Camael and Gabriel go missing, and their landlady suddenly attacks Aaron, he is forced to learn more about the War in Heaven and the many Powers that are fighting for dominance … of humankind.

Warning: This review contains spoilers if you haven’t read book one: The Fallen.

I really enjoyed this second enstallment in Sniegoski’s series. Aaron, the angel Camael and Aaron’s trusty dog Gabriel are on their way to find Stevie, Aaron’s foster brother. Without any clear destination in mind, Aaron is following his intuition and his angelic powers to try and find where Stevie may have been taken. Aaron is pulled to a small town in Maine, where he is sure he will find Stevie. Not everything in this small town is peaceful, though, and after first Camael and then Gabriel goes missing, Aaron finds himself fighting the Leviathan and needs his angelic powers more than ever.

The story picked right up from where the first book left off and the plot continued at a great pace. I swept along with Aaron as he grows into his power and discovers more ceatures than he could have ever guessed existed. Every once and a while an interlude is inserted between the chapters. These interludes give us a glimpse into other characters and their activities, all of which are adding to a bigger picture and most likely the climax of the series. As you’re reading you just get the sense that everything is clicking into place and there is going to be an epic confrontation between Aaron and the head of the Powers, Verchiel.

Aaron continues to grow as a character. He’s determined to save his brother, and is going to let nothing stop him. He knows he’ll need his angelic powers to do that, but he’s anxious and reluctant to use them. The power is overwhelming, and Aaron is clinging to his humanity. As the situation in Maine continues, though, he begins to understand that he has control over his power and can – and should – use it to help him while he searches for Stevie. We also get to see a bit more of Vilma, Aaron’s potential love interest. Presented in the first book as a normal girl, we’re slowly finding out that it might not be the case. She seems to have some sort of connection to the angels, and Aaron.

The series continues to move along at a nice pace, while the book manages to maintain its own unique plot. Aaron is an intriguing main character, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next two books!

You are indestructable. Three whispered words transfer to Jacob Fielding an astonishing power that changes everything. At first, Jacob is hesitant to use the power, unsure of it’s implications. But there’s something addictive about testing the limits of fear, experiencing the thrill of walking through fire, or saving your friend from a beating in front of the whole school.

Then Ophelia James, the beautiful and daring new girl in town, suggests that they use the power to do good, to save others. But with every heroic act, the power grows into the specter of a curse. How to decide who lives and who dies? Jacob has only thirteen days to figure out how to harness this terrifying power…and the answer is chilling:

What if he has to kill the one he loves to save her?

In this nail-biting novel of mystery and dark intrigue, Jacob must walk the razor-thin line between right and wrong, good and evil, and life and death. And time is running out.

Thirteen Days to Midnight absolutely blew me away. It’s an intense thrill-ride of moral dilemma, love and death and had me hooked from the beginning.

Jacob is an orphan who thought he’d never have a family of his own until he met Mr. Fielding. An older gentlemen (although no one knows exactly how old he is), he took Jacob in, sent him to school, and became his family. But there was a car crash, and now Jacob’s on his own again, living at the church connected to his private Catholic school. Jacob has secrets, and one of them comes to light when he writes the words You are indestructable. J on the pink cast of the new girl at school, Ophelia. It soon becomes clear that Jacob is in posession of a power that allows him to be indestructable…and anyone he passes that power too. But there are consequences Jacob and his friends don’t forsee when playing hero, and soon Jacob is racing to save Ophelia’s life.

This book was breathtaking. The build up in the beginning, to when we find out about Jacob’s power, was perfect. Once Ophelia and Jacob’s best friend Milo find out, the action is non-stop until the end of the book. Carman’s idea for this power that Jacob has is amazing. The legend behind it and the way it can be used (and not used) is very unique. Mr. Fielding’s friends slowly lead Jacob in the direction to discovering the truth of why he was given this power, and the responsibilty that comes with it. A responsibility he eventually has to take hold of in both hands when the power begins to corrupt Ophelia.

The characters were written incredibly well; you can feel Jacob’s uncertainty and fear, and Ophelia’s desperation and madness. You really understand that Jacob and Milo have been pushed to the bitter edge in order for them to do what they do to save Ophelia. There were no real big surprises in the book (except for the solution to their problems in the end) – all the little hints that we’re given about the power and what’s happening to Ophelia and Jacob continued to add up all the way to the big reveal.

Thirteen Days to Midnight kept me up and reading from the foreshadowing epilogue to the heart-stopping ending. It’s easily one of my favourite books so far this year.

Aaron Corbet isn’t a bad kid – he’s just a little different.

On the eve of his eighteenth birthday, Aaron dreams of a darkly violent landscape. He can hear the sounds of weapons clanging, the screams of the stricken, and another sound he cannot quite decipher. But gazing upward at the sky, he suddenly understands. It is the sound of great wings, angels’ wings, beating the air unmercifully as hundreds of armored warriors descend on the battlefield.

Orphaned since birth, Aaron is suddenly discovering newfound – and sometimes supernatural – talents. But it’s not until he is approached by two men that he learns the truth about his destiny, and his role as a liaison between angels, mortals, and Powers both good and evil, some of whom are hell-bent on his destruction…

Aaron has led a fairly normal life up until his eighteenth birthday. He’s got great foster parents, a little brother and the girl at school he likes just might like him back. Everything changes when his birthday hits and he can suddenly understand any language like it’s English – including his dog Gabriel! After that, Aaron is swept up in prophecies, angels and a heritage he doesn’t want.

I’ve been on a bit of an angel kick lately, saw when I saw this in the bookstore I just had to pick it up. And I am SO glad I did. Aaron is such a great character – he loves his foster family, does good in school, works at a local veterinary clinic…he’s normal. Except when he isn’t. I really connected with Aaron and the trials he has to face. The story really revolves around Aaron and his journey. Yes, there’s a potential love interest, but it’s realistic and not the overall point of the book.

The plot moves along wonderfully, and there’s some great action sprinkled throughout. The angel mythology is done really well, especially the reasons for the fallen angels. I absolutely disliked Verchiel, the angel in charge of hunting down Aaron. I just wanted to shake some sense into him, to make him stop and see reason, to listen to Aaron and the fallen angels. The plot for the first book was wrapped up nicely, with just enough problems left unresolved to make me glad I bought the two-in-one version of the book – I have the second book already here and ready to read. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to read about angels as main characters, not secondary ones. It’s a wildly entertaining, dark yet hopeful read.

Since the day her mother died, Jem has known about the numbers.

Numbers that pp into her head when she looks into someone’s eyes. They’re dates, the numbers. Dates predicting with brute accuracy each person’s death.

Burdened by such grim knowledge, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. Maybe they can find happiness together, if only in the brief time that remains before his expiration date.

But on a trip to London, Jem foresees a chilling chain of events:

The city’s a target. The clock is running out. The countdown is on to a blowup!

I’m not sure how I feel about Numbers. On one hand, it was a great life story about Jem and Spider finding each other and discovering how to care for and love another person, but on the other hand, it wasn’t the action packed mystery the blurbs lead you to believe it is.

Jem’s mother died when she was six and she’s spent the last 9 years bouncing around the foster care system getting close to no one and basically being a delinquent. When she meets Spider, she tries to stay away but he won’t take no for an answer. Against her will, Jem finds herself being drawn into becoming Spider’s friend…even though she can see his date of death, and it’s soon. After circumstances leave them both suspended from school, they find themselves down at the London Eye. Everything is going fine until Jem looks numerous people in the eye and they all have the same death day – today. Getting Spider’s attention, they run, and keep running. Jem and Spider flee London, trying to make their way to a new life.

The action at the London Eye is great – Jem’s horror at finding out so many people are going to die at once, the explosion and Jem and Spider running from authorities (for numerous reasons). Rachel Ward’s writing is fantastic. You can feel Jem’s panic and desperation, her insecurities and confusion. The story of Jem and Spider becoming friends and falling in love is terrific and incredibly well done. But the action and suspense that we’re led to believe is coming, takes place within a couple pages and then the rest of the book is Jem’s and Spider’s flight from London and the authorities. Really, I felt the major point of the book was Jem’s desire to try and change Spider’s death date, and the idea that the day we die is pre-determined and nothing can change that.

There was also a slight inconsistency, but I may have missed something so if you’ve read the book feel free to point things out. It’s decided, over the course of the novel, that Jem can see the numbers because she has seen her mother die – that’s how it happens (and there are other instances to prove this near the end). But Jem was seeing the numbers before her mother died. It confused me greatly. Is Jem the exception to this phenomenon? Besides the slight discrepancy and general lack of mystery/action/etc. I have to say that Numbers was incredibly well written and an interesting concept; it just wasn’t what I was expecting.

ISBN-13: 9-780142-415603
Publication: June 2009 from Dutton Children’s Books
Rating: 4 ♥ / 5 ♥ – I really liked it!

It’s another awful year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D’Ablo is hunting for a ritual that could steal Vlad’s powers. His best friend, Henry, doesn’t want to be his drudge anymore. And it’s getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. With the threat of D’Ablo looming closer and nightmares haunting him each night, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. He needs to act fast, and even his Pravus powers won’t save him this time.

The third book in the series, Tenth Grade Bleeds definitely manages to up the plot, action and character interaction.

Vlad has entered tenth grade. He and Meredith – the girl of his dreams – are officially boyfriend/girlfriend, but his best friend and drudge Henry is pulling away and his uncle Otis has once again refused to stick around for good. Throw into this a visit from D’Ablo, horrific nightmares and a growing hunger for blood straight from the source, and Vlad’s school year is not looking good. Oh yeah, and it looks like he might be the Pravus after all.

Vlad is definitely growing from the first book. He’s coming into his vampire powers and realizing that he has big issues to deal with and big decisions to make because of them. His interactions with Otis, Meredith, Henry and Nelly are great. We’re getting to see more of their characteristics through him. We get introduced to a few new characters in this installment, including a goth girl names Snow who quickly becomes very important to Vlad – but not in the way you would think.

The plot line, while similar to the first two books (D’Ablo wanting Vlad brought to him, Pravus powers, etc.) is unique in the fact that Vlad is receiving nightmares from D’Ablo – or so he thinks. We’re also introduced to a new hunter who has been told to bring Vlad to the Council at all costs. And this hunter is plainly sadistic. The ending was a shock, and sets up things for the next book nicely. Everything seems to be moving along at a fast pace now and it’s just going to get more intense.

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

The Body Finder is absolutely amazing, I was so happy with it.

Violet has always been able to feel the echoes that a dead animal/person leaves behind – not only on the murdered itself, but on the killer. Those who have been violently murdered leave behind such strong echoes that it almost draws her in when she comes across them. Her gift has never really been anything but a small annoyance until she uncovers the body of a girl who has been murdered – the start of a run of serial killings in the area. Violet is determined to use her gift to help solve the killings before more girls she knows go missing and end up dead. To do this, she enlists the help of her best friend Jay – a best friend she’s been feeling more than best friend feelings for.

The Body Finder has a great mix of mystery/suspence and romance. Interspersed throughout the main story are chapters from the perspective of the killer; his sections are eerie, and gave me chills. They were written to be creepy and Kimberly Derting delivered. The reader is able to see briefly into the killer’s mind, but never really find out too much…and that’s good. The book is about Violet and her journey discovering that her gift can be used in a practicale manner – and her relationship with her best friend Jay.

I was pleasently surprised with the romance in this book. For a moment in the beginning I was worried there was going to be yet another romance triangle in a YA book. The romance progression in The Body Finder was great. Violet and Jay have been friends practically forever. Recently, she’s noticed that she feels more than just friendship for him but doesn’t want to say anything. As the book goes on, her friendship with Jay is tested and the reader wonders if the romance is actually a romance at all (I don’t want to spoil it either way)!

I was impressed with Violet and Jay. Violet is comfortable in her family and her friendships, and she knows her ability can help people. She understands the need her family has to keep her protected, but Violet has the strength and will to help, and she’s going to. Jay is a great friend to Violet, and their relationship is believable – they argue, they make up, they hang out and go to school. Jay is incredibly protective of Violet and is a genuinely good guy. It’s quite refreshing, actually!

Between good writing, plot, characters and ability to entertain, The Body Finder is a great debut novel. I’m confident in recommending it to anyone age 12 and over (or even younger depending on the pre-teen).

The Body Finder is part of the 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Elevated and adopted by none other than the reigning King of the Mantle of Dracul, Miranda goes from high-schoo theater wannabe to glamorous royal fiend overnight. Meanwhile, her reckless and adoring guardian angel, Zachary – fighting in human guise as the princess’s personal assistant – has his work cut out for him with the Master’s Death Day gala fast approaching. Can Zachary save his girl’s soul and redeem himself before all hell arrives, quite literally, on their doorstep?

I was quite impressed with Eternal. It was a dark, intriguing atory about falling from grace and redemption. I finished the book and immediately wished for more.

Eternal alternates between two POVs – Zachary and Miranda. Even though each chapter is titled with the name of the character who is currently ‘speaking’, so you don’t get mixed up, I wouldn’t have needed it. I found it easy to distinguish between Miranda’s and Zachary’s voices. Each of them had their own distinct personality and style of thought, and I really enjoyed getting to see events from both their perspectives.

I loved Cynthia Leitich Smith’s style of writing. It dragged me in and made me want to keep reading. She was able to give voice to her characters and her descriptions were precise and informative, while managing to convey numerous emotions at the same time. She managed to surprise me at the end of the book, with a revelation I didn’t see coming (but should have).

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I do want to mention that I felt somethign Miranda does at the end of the book seemed to go too smoothly, too easily. the action bounced around a bit, so I may have missed some indication of time or what have you, but still. Also, I feel I should warn that this book has a very ambiguous happy ending. I percieved it as happy yet still sad. It’s kind of one of those endings where you’re glad everything turned out well, but sad because it’s not the perfect ending you wished for the characters. It was perfect for this book, though.

If middle school stunk for Vladimir Tod, high school is a real drain. Besides being a punching bag for bullies, he’s still stalled with dream girl Meredith, and he’s being tailed by a photographer from the school newspaper. Needless to say, practicing his vampire skills hasn’t exactly been a priority for Vlad – until now. A monumental trip to Siberia with Uncle Otis is Vlad’s crash course in Vampire 101. Training alongside the most gifted vampires is exactly what Vlad needs to sharpen those mind-control skills he’s been avoiding. And he’d better get it right, because the battle brewing back home with the slayer who’s been stalking him could be Vlad’s last.

I definitely enjoyed Ninth Grade Slays more than Eighth Grade Bites. I felt the plot really picked up and the characters were more developed (as they should be in a sequel).

Heather Brewer’s writing is still just as intriguing in this second book as it is in the first, although I still don’t like the massive time jumps (maybe I’m just used to my books taking place in short periods of time). Heather manages to portray Vlad as a normal teenager – with some extra abilities and blood sucking thrown in. She lets us see a bit more into the secondary characters of the book, such as Henry and Otis, and the plot for this second novel was more suspenseful and introduces the overall plot of the series. Loose ends were wrapped up nicely, yet a sufficient amount of questions were left to address in the forthcoming books.

Some of the surprises in the book I saw coming a mile away, but that may just be because of my age. A younger reader might be completely shocked with some of the revelations in the end (regarding the slayer hunting Vlad). Even though I had guessed, I still got that smug satisfaction when I was proved right; I love guessing plot points before they happen!

Vlad is a great character, and these books are definitely entertaining – I’m hooked. I really like Heather’s vampire society and hope we get to see more of the Councils and how the vampire world works. There’s a great base set up for an epic plot and I hope she pulls out all the stops.

Junior high really stinks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers and no one to teach him, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a strange substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he realizes he has a much bigger problem: He’s being hunted by a vampire killer who is closing in…fast!

I wasn’t quite sure what to think when I finished Eighth Grade Bites. I enjoyed the book, no questions about that, but it wasn’t absolutely amazing.

Vlad is a teenage vampire living with his aunt. He and his friend Henry are in grade eight, their last year of junior high, when things start going topsy-turvy, starting with a missing teacher and mystery surrounding the death of Vlad’s parents. The premise and storytelling was solid, and I really enjoyed the character of Vlad. Told through his point of view, we come to understand Vlad quite well. He’s a boy who has his world suddenly turned upside down with the revelation that there are more vampires out there somewhere.

The pace was a bit choppy – I was never quite sure where we were in time. It was winter one second, and the next it was Valentine’s day and then the end of school. I would have liked a bit more tension to the plot – the beginning starts off well, and I expected intense action and drama, but didn’t really get it.

I think my main feeling with this book was that it went too fast, with not enough substance. That being said, I was entertained and happy enough that I’m already reading the second book (which is thicker and gives me hope for more plot).

Grace Divine – daughter of the local pastor – always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel’s returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

The Dark Divine belongs to one of the most popular (and one of my favourite) genres of YA at the moment: paranormal. I found it unique, engaging and thouroughly entertaining.

I was unsure how much I would enjoy the book with the religious aspects of the story, Grace being a pastors daughter and all. Bree Despain wrote her book wonderfully, though. Although Grace, her family, school and th backstory to Daniel’s condition (no spoilers here!) are all steeped in religion, I did not feel preached at or taught – the facts were just that, facts. Grace and her family were obviously quite religious, but it was handled perfectly.

The writing was engaging and smooth, though I found the beginning of the book a little slow. I contribute this to the plot, rather than the writing style. Even with the bit of lag in the beginning, the plot soon gained momentum and I was sucked right in to Grace’s world. Grace’s character was pretty well-rounded; she knew exactly who she was…until Daniel showed up again and threw her for a loop. She’s soon conflicted between her feelings for her old friend, and her loyalty to her family, especially her brother. She’s an imperfect character, who can make mistakes but truely has good intentions. Daniel was also well-done, with a detailed background and emotions that came out loud and clear even through the first-person narrative.

I was actually most impressed with the ending, believe it or not. I like my happy endings, and while The Dark Divine can certainly be considered a happy ending, it’s not all roses and light – which I also like. There’s just something about having an ending where not everything works out perfectly for our characters that I enjoy. It’s a bit more real than the happily-ever-after scenario. Over-all, a wicked debut novel!

This book is part of the 2010 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at Sword & Cross boarding school in Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Except Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce – he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret…even if it kills her.

Sword & Cross is not just a boarding school, it’s a reform school. Luce has been sent there after a horrible accident at her old boarding school. Once there, she encounters Daniel Grigori – and is immediately hooked. Feeling as if she has met him somewhere before, Luce and her friend Penn set out to find out everything they can about Daniel’s background. Meanwhile, Luce has to contend with the seductive Cam, a fire, and the hot and cold attention of Daniel. Oh, and those mysterious shadows Luce has been seeing all her life? They’re still around.

I absolutely loved this book. Fallen contains the kind of plot-line that draws me in so completely, and makes me want to know everything, right away. Thankfully, the next book comes out next Fall (though earlier would be nice). Fallen starts off with a “flashback” chapter that sets up the story perfectly – as soon as we meet Luce and Daniel, we realize they have something to do with that first chapter. I was constantly guessing at plot details while I was reading. Yes, it’s easy to figure out the main plot from the first chapter and the references to the bible and angels, but the details? The exact whys, hows, whens and whats are a mystery. One that we only get brief explanations of, since the main character can’t know everything right away, after all. She’d have nothing to find out in the next book!

Luce was really the only character that is explored to any kind of depth, even though the book is not told in first person. Through most of it, I was sure that Penn had some kind of ulterior motive and that Arianne was the normal one (but knew something was up), when really, it was the opposite. Maybe that’s the way it was supposed to be, to throw us off the scent, and if so – well done. Daniel and Cam were explored to an extent, but once I closed that back cover, I still felt as though I didn’t really know them. I’m positive that’s the way it was supposed to be, since more of their story will no doubt show up in book two. Still, it would have been nice to find out some more of what makes these two boys fighting over Luce tick.

I was perfectly happy with the pacing of the book, and with the rate (and how) information was revealed to us, even though I wanted more of it, and with Lauren Kate’s writing style. I will definitely be purchasing the sequel, and I think I may have found another author to add to my “automatic buy” list. I feel safe in recommending Fallen to anyone who likes a bit of the fantastical in their books.

The Cold
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf – her wolf – watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn’t know why.

The Heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace…until now.

The Shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has alays been kept at a distance. But once it’s spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human – and Grace must fight to keep him – even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

I am so glad I picked this book up on a whim. I had heard very little about it (just basic, “this book is good, read it!” type stuff) but I absolutely loved the cover, so I found myself buying it on a random trip to the bookstore one day.

Basically: this book is good, read it!

Grace and Sam sort of remind me of Romeo and Juliet – without all the death at the end. There are no families keeping them apart, either, just Sam’s penchant for turning into a wolf when it’s cold outside. So not really like Romeo and Juliet, but I’m sure you know what I mean. It’s taken Sam and Grace six years to properly meet, and once they do there is a whirlwind of activity and mystery – and love. Now that Sam has actually talked to Grace, he wants to stay human at all costs – and Grace doesn’t want to let Sam go. They are constantly battling the encroaching winter cold, hoping to find a cure, and trying to figure out what Jack – presumed dead, but newly made werewolf – wants with Grace’s friend Olivia.

Shiver is told through the view points of both Grace and Sam; each chapter is labeled to tell you who’s head you’re inside. I have to admit, the times the story was being told by Sam were some of my favourites. I don’t know if this is because I really enjoyed Maggie Stiefvater’s writing style, and her voice for Sam was just that little bit more unique, or if I just liked reading the story from the perspective of the person who actually changes into the wolf.

The one aspect of this book that would have kept me from enjoying it – if they change in the cold, why don’t they move to Florida, or Texas – is actually answered on page 268. Thank God for authors who remember the details! Such little things can ruin books for me, and Shiver is entirely too wonderful to be ruined by the nitty-gritty details. The next book, Linger is due out in July, and while I’m excited to read it, I almost wish Shiver was a stand-alone. When I closed the book last night, I had one of those soft smiles on my face – you know, the ones you get when you’re happy and content with what you’ve just read and how everything turned out? That smile. And I don’t know if I really want to read more (but of course I will). Shiver was more than I was expecting, and I think it’s definitely worth the read!