Owl Post #8 [April, 2013]

Guys, today I'm doing something new on my blog....been coming on for a long time. This meme, called Owl Post is created by Brodie of Eleusinian Mysteries inspired by In My Mailbox by The Story Siren. Been meaning to do this since forever and I just love this idea. I'm being a Ravenclaw since at the age of eleven and couldn't seem to remember to do this....kudos to Brodie for thinking about this!

Before you all proceed further, let me make something clear:-

1. Just like my IMM posts, this will not be done every Sunday but on the last Sunday of each month... the reason why you'll see a lot more books in here than normal.

2. This first Owl Post will have all the books that I received in April, 2013.

3. Also it will feature a list of recap link at the bottom of the page, which enlists all the review, interviews and tour posts I have done that particular month. Now I expect you all to visit each link and give out a comment here and there(would very much appreciate it) and you all can link your reviews too, i'd love to comment.

4. You are all welcome to share what you all got in the comment section below....i'd love to visit....

For Review

Netgalley

Paper Gods #1 Ink - Amanda Sun

Doctor Who: Prisoner of Time Vol I

Elemental #3 Spirit - Brigid Kemmerer

The Selection #2 The Elite - Kiera Cass

Edelweiss

Hollow Earth #1 Hollow Earth - John Barrowman & Carole E. Barrowman

The Brokenhearted - Amelia Kahaney

Bought

Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion
Immortal City #2 Natural Born Angel - Scott Speer
His Fair Assassin #2 Dark Triumph - Robin LaFevers
The Guardians (Books #1-3) - William Joyce



Recap Links


Soul Screamers #1 My Soul To Take - Rachel Vincent
 Bannon & Clare #1 The Iron Wyrm Affair - Lilith Saintcrow
Dance of Shadows #1 Dance of Shadows - Yelena Black
Ex-heroes #1 Ex-heroes - Peter Clines
Poison - Bridget Zinn
Coveted #2 Kept - Shawntelle Madison
Harbinger - Sara Wilson Etienne
Fateful - Claudia Gray
The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1 Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood
Double Crossed : A Spies and Thieves Story - Ally Carter
Lies Beneath #2 Deep Betrayal - Anne Greenwood Brown
The Lotus War #1 Stormdancer - Jay Kristoff
Towering - Alex Flinn
Born of Illusion - Teri Brown

Born of Illusion

Flapper-era new York, magic shows, illusion acts and séances. Presenting Born of Illusion by Teri Brown.

Here is the summary of the book:

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

Magic, mystery, drama, the act of illusions, escapists.... oh don't you just love it when a magician produces such wondrous magic infront of you. You are just awed aren't you. It is there in your mind somewhere, that little corner of truth that all this is not real, just that the person on stage uses some well made props to execute such marvel and is a really good actor but we don't really care do we! We are just looking to be entertained,to forget reality for a short while, and while in this fantasy. Brown's Born of Illusion transcends all of this perfectly within ts pages pretty well.

Anna Anna Anna..... oh I totally loved her. She is a worthy protagonist. In this cut throat world of performers, she is but one of them. Living under the shadow of her mother, she has learned to hide her abilities well. Se knows her mother wouldn't hesitate to throw her out of the show, if for a slightest chance it becomes apparent that she is getting more attention than her mother, who is the main act of their show.

Her supernatural abilities or should I say psychic abilities also gives her an edge of mysticism. She truly wants to control it but can't seem to know how to as they have a tendency of attacking her in broad daylight.

Then enters Cole. Handsome Cole. He moves in next door and in an old England sort of way has an air of an even greater mystery to himself. His chance collision (literally) with Anna and his suspicious behavior makes it difficult for Anna to trust him at first but in time she finds out that they are more like her out there and that Cole is actually trying to help her.

Besides the magic and coming into your abilities part which form the core of the tale. It is clear enough with this 1920s, Flapper-era New York tale that romance takes an almost back seat. Dealing with the supernatural is what form the core of the book but love is present too but not dominant. And just like the magic shows providing a good time for us Ms. Brown's book provides for a good time too. I definitely had a very good time reading it.

"Magic, Mystery, Drama, and facing the unknown Teri Brown's Born of Illusion provides it all in spades"

Genre :      Young Adult, Historical Ficiton, Paranormal, Romance


Publisher: Balzer & Bray


My Copy:  Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Towering

As impressive as the other books of Flinn. Presenting Towering by Alex Flinn.

Here is the summary of the book:

At first, I merely saw his face, his hands on the window ledge. Then, his whole body as he swung himself through the window. Only I could not see what he swung on.
Until, one day, I told my dream self to look down. And it was then that I saw. He had climbed on a rope. I knew without asking that the rope had been one of my own tying.

Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now.

A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Alex Flinn knows her fairy tales, and Towering is her most mind-bending interpretation yet. Dark and mysterious, this reimagining of Rapunzel will have readers on the edge of their seats wondering where Alex will take them next!

Technically Book 3 of the Kendra Chronicles but can be treated as standalone nonetheless. I'm sure the cover is self-explanatory nonetheless. Rapunzel. This is a modern day Rapunzel. And Ms. Flinn has made it a tale of the ages. Granted i've not read Bewitching yet but this is another good fairy-tale re-telling that makes the list.

Rachel's been locked up all her life in her tower as long as she has known with just her mama, her song and her book. And golden hair that grows so fast that it needs cutting weekly. Singing songs from her childhood hoping someone would come up and rescue her from her lonely existence. Naive, pure, innocent and ethereal, words that define our Rapunzel of this story perfectly..... still not the damsel in distress though.

Wyatt comes to live in that almost scarce town to escape the tragic experience of his home town moving in with a Mrs. Greenwood. A friend of his mother. There, Wyatt gets entangled in another mystery, of the disappearance of her daughter, Danielle. With just a dairy for clue, the spooky climate and the odd singing in the air that only Wyatt could hear, this is a stay he is so not going to forget as he and Rachel find their way to one another and discover the mystery shrouded in the mists of the desolate town.

There is nothing more that can be said and I'm not going to spoil this story but Ms. Flinn is sure the maestro of modern fairytale re-tellings. Its as modern as can be and yet retaining the characteristics of the classic tale with the twists and turns giving it its fresh spin.

"Towering is a classic, fresh, a quick read and truly beautiful in its innocence.... Brava Ms. Flinn. Brava"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Fairytale Re-telling


Publisher: HarperTeen


My Copy:  Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

The Lotus War #1 Stormdancer

Oh! finally.... oh! it was so good...... as good as they said....... oh! I love it! Presenting The Lotus War #1 Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff.

Here is the summary of the book:

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A HIDDEN GIFT
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

In literature, Japanese customs, the jargon, the mannerism and the history.....most specifically Oriental tradition..... without a good foundation and goo explanation don't bode well....but by God Mr. Kristoff made sure to maintain a brilliant ratio throughout his book and procured success with us. You want Japanese, you want dystopian, you want mythology, you want steampunk...... or you want the post-apocalyptic.... well then this is the book for you..... Yes I mentioned all these sub-genre.... may be sounding weird but God Kristoff makes it bloody amazing.

A dystopian-post-apocalyptic Japan, destroyed by war, and the materialistic greed to gain comfort even if it leads to the destruction of the mankind itself. A chance adventure. A chance capture(or hunt or whatever). A chance airship crash. A chance bonding, braving the storm, over throwing the tyranny. Yukiko's chance encounter, befriending and bonding of the arashitora and eventually becoming the stormdancerwas vivid  dazzling, sometimes hilarious and highly engaging. Jay Kristoff not only gave life to an incredible idea but created some amazingcharacters to go alongwith the motion that made it so amazing. Yukiko, Buruu, Kin, Masaru, Akihito and Kasumi. Oh! amazing you....... But most of all the bond between Yukko and the storm tiger she named Buruu..... The bond they developed, the common understanding, their endeavor in this lotus war... it was simply excellent and so engaging. Stormdancer simply..... just amazing. You can actually visualize what takes place through the lines from Mr. Kristoff's pen...... Amazing.

"Steampunk, mythical creatures, strong female protagonist, Dystopia and a growing civil unrest.... AROUND JAPAN? IS THAT RIGHT?..... OF COURSE ITS RIGHT..... ITS BLOODY BRILLIANT IT IS"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Steampunk, Dystopia, Paranormal, Fantasy


Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)

Lies Beneath #2 Deep Betrayal

Truth revealed and stakes raised high. Presenting Lies Beneath #2 Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown.

Here is the summary of the book:

It's been thirty days, two hours, and seventeen minutes since Calder left Lily standing on the shores of Lake Superior. Not that she's counting. And when Calder does return, it's not quite the reunion Lily hoped for. Especially after she lets her father in on a huge secret: he, like Calder, is a merman. Obsessed with his new identity, Lily's dad monopolizes Calder's time as the two of them spend every day in the water, leaving Lily behind. Then dead bodies start washing ashore. Calder blames his mermaid sisters, but Lily fears her father has embraced the merman's natural need to kill. As the body count grows, everyone is pointing fingers. Lily doesn't know what to believe—only that whoever's responsible is sure to strike again. . . .

Dark and sinister like the mer-folk of the mythologies. Anne Greenwood Brown's Lies Beneath, first scored huge points with us for a marvelous portrayal of the mer-folk as the mythologies proclaimed. The dark tones, the evil intentions of Calder and the three sisters...... oh tantalizing!

While Lies Beneath was totally in Calder's point of view (it was the first of its kind too); Deep Betrayal has a perspective change - to Lily's. the not-so-human girl Calder left behind to protect her. Quite an interesting perspective it had too. Now her dad knows, who he really is and when he adheres to his calling - he ends up  monopolizing Calder's time as the handsome hunk in question tries to teach Jason the know-hows of being a merman. but dead bodies are coming up, blames are thrown around but Lily fears the worst...... They say 'neglect' can be an ugly emotion.... (there.....somehow or the other I gave out a spoiler..... * sighs then wink*).

In someways, Deep betrayal was much more than just. A new story of its own. Delving deeper into Brown's mer-folk territory. Don't get me wrong, the dark tones is still there more than ever but there is a ray of hope as well. Lily and Calder prove even more stronger. Come what may but they stand in the face of danger and help uncover the traitor at the end. I particularly liked the way Ms. Greenwood Brown approached the conclusion to the book in the twisty way. Still feel the chills......

"Tantalizing dark with the thrill of the unknown - Deep Betrayal stand in a  league of its own"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Mythology, Urban Fantasy


Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers


My Copy:  Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Double Crossed : A Spies and Thieves Story

Gallahar Girls and Heist Society collision......wow. Presenting Gallahar Girls #5.5, Heist Society #2.5 Double Crossed : A Spies and Thieves Story by Ally Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists.

Lets be honest, I haven't really read any book from Gallahar Girls or Heist Society yet but I requested this on a whim. It is only rarely that Disney allows bloggers to request on Netgalley and I was like why not lets see what this is about. Now that I have read it and am writing the review, let me tell you, you are looking at a fan. Man this was simply brilliant.

I don't normally start reading books that come in between the series. If the foundation is not clear then reading about them certainly doesn't make sense one bit at all. But Double Crossed, let me tell you was in a league of its own. It can almost be treated as a standalone story. A connection between Gallahar Girls series and Heist Society series both popular in their own right.

Features Macy, Hale and Kat. A high profile auction, a prize jewelry  masked robbers, a spy and a thief, and a battle of wits. Brought back a few good memories of spy kids, although this is more of the fashion of rich heirs and heiresses but more than meets the eye type thing. Action with a cool use of intellect..... double crossed has double crossed me into being a fan.

"Action and adventure in the most unlikely of places - Ally Carter's Double Crossed created a perfect blend of Gallahar girls and Heist Society"

Genre :      Young Adult, Contemporary


Publisher: Disney Hyperion


My Copy:  Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1 Born Wicked

Wasn't my favorite but I quite liked it. Presenting The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1 Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood.

Here is the summary of the book:

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Set in 19th century, of the time when society and being prim and proper was the norm. While this book didn't dazzle me but it was likeable. And since this is historic London with the witchy twist so you can't expect action and adventure but as Victorian way of life suggests calm and demure, a way of dong everything the curtains.

The first half of the book was pretty boring and slow. Since Spotswood's book follows Victorian mannerism and fashion. there is a deep suspicion in the air. And people like our lead characters Cate, Tess and Maura, the Cahill sisters run great risk of being found out as born witches and taken away to an asylum or penalty of death. 

A good start to the series. A little slow at first but picks up speed at the middle.

"The Cahill Witches were quite likeable in Victorian London"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance


Publisher: Putnam Juvenile


Rate:             3 /5 (Liked It)

Fateful

Marvelous......simply marvelous.....just as rand as the Titanic but with twists of its own. Presenting Fateful by Claudia Gray.

Here is the summary of the book:

A tragic tale about falling in love on the world’s most infamous ill-fated sea voyage as heroine, Tess, discovers darker secrets that lie beneath the doomed crossing… and a hidden brotherhood that threaten to tear her lover from her forever. The RMS Titanic is the most luxurious ship ever built, but for eighteen-year-old Tess Davies it’s a prison. Travelling as a maid for the family she has served for years, Tess is trapped in their employ amid painful memories and family secrets. When she meets Alec, a handsome upper class passenger, Tess falls helplessly in love. But Alec has secrets of his own… and soon Tess is entangled in a dangerous game. A sinister brotherhood that will do anything to induct Alec into their mystical order has followed him onboard. And Tess is now their most powerful pawn. Tess and Alec fight the dark forces threatening to tear them apart, never realising that they will have to face an even greater peril before the journey is over… New York Times best-selling author Claudia Gray delivers adventure, dark paranormal suspense, alluring romance, and a truly surprise ending, set against the opulent backdrop of the Titanic's first — and last — voyage.

 Grand, ethnic, paranormal, supernatural, extravagant and just the embodiment of the RMS Titanic. Words that describe Claudia Gray's Fateful perfectly. Another author I have been meaning to check for so long and she definitely did not disappoint I knew there were a lot of historical fiction out there that base their tale around this drowned maiden voyage but this is the first of the category I have read. And let me tell you it was definitely worth my time.

Tess Davies works as a ladies maid for Lisle's daughter, Irene. A servant to Viscount Lisle, living under the tyranny of his wife Lady Regina. Alec Marlowe is the son of rich industrialist and looking to leave behind his dangerous past and his paranormal affliction that come with it. And Mikhail  is the predator, looking to hunt two birds with one stone. Everyone has a purpose to be on this grand lady. But can this maiden voyage be what they need when the inevitable happens? Well that's for sure as Fateful puts a twist to the tragedy of the Titanic.

This is the story that kept me guessing as to the outcome of the tale.... I'm not saying what since I want to maintain the shroud of mystery for those of you who have yet to read this book..... but you'll know what I'm trying to say if you have seen the James Cameroon movie....

Brilliantly done by Gray, keeping it as close to the facts as possible, the iceberg hit, the starcrossed lovers, saving the girl form the bad man. All brilliantly executed.... and the paranormal twist, the call of the moon.....marvelous indeed. Us readers have absolutely no choice but to fall in love with Tess & Alec as they battle the supernatural and the heavy..... so heavy caste norms to find their way out together..... Oh! I am a new Claudia Gray fan after reading this.

"Majestic as the steam-liner and tragic in the most historical and paranormal of ways possible.... Fateful gives a new spin to the tragic history of the maiden voyage of the Titanic"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance


Publisher: HarperCollins


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)

Harbinger

I'm all for dystopia and post-apocalyptic theme but this book was simply not for me. Presenting Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne.

Here is the summary of the book:

Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller. When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast. But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red. Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too. Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

 I'm all for dystopia and mix of paranormal but what actually made me get this book but I just couldn't get the point of this. Faye has been fighting these visions all her life but then not being able to do anything about it, her father carts her to his glorified mental institute, Holbrook Academy. With caretakers armed with Tasers and pepper sprays and her group being targeted much more than the other......but I just couldn't see the balance in the tale......lost interest in it halfway and just couldn't understand the point of this.

The world building in not done properly. Description felt a bit verging on verbose and frankly couldn't create the atmosphere this genre does. There is also no clue as to what led to these averse conditions. Th part of the Red stained hands tried to create a type of mystery it but by then.....it simply confused everything about it for us. There is imagination here.... vivid imagination but Ms. Etienne couldn't deliver on it.

"Another book that bored me....sorry but this just couldn't seal the deal"

Genre :     Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, Paranormal


Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR


Rate:             2 /5 (It was Ok)

Coveted #2 Kept

Much better than book 1 but still not amazing. Presenting Coveted #2 Kept by Shawntelle Madison.

Here is the summary of the book:

Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack, and has even gotten a handle on her obsessive urge to hoard holiday ornaments. Yet Nat barely has time to revel in her progress before the next crisis comes howling at her door. Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected . . . or else risk losing everything.

Like Coveted, Kept also features a simple storyline to set this second book off. Nat is trying to overcome her hoarding issues and her OCD  and just when things were starting to go back to normal, she finds out a debt needs to be paid by her father or he looses his life and her family never regains their honor. So, Nat rescues him and takes his place to fulfill the debt and by that regain her family's honor and rise in the eyes of her family.

Pretty good read this time around. There is much more depth to the characters. Much more action, while still a simple plot at the crux. But still no visible chemistry (to me) between Nat and Thorn. While getting hot and heavy, both blessed with the werewolfy so of good looks..... I still didn't feel anything between them. While Nat and Nick, the warlock.... that felt beautiful..... they shared good rapport..... a sweet love and much more screen space too. But I'm not going to screw the story but I'd like to say this time around this was a pretty good improvement from the first one.

"Much better than the first book..... very likable"

Genre :      Urban Fantasy, Paranormal


Publisher: Ballantine


My Copy:  Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Poison

Good effort by Disney but still not good. Presenting Poison by Brigid Zinn.

Here is the summary of the book:

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses. Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Sad to hear that Ms. Zinn died before she saw her work published. Very commendable of Disney Hyperion to do it but here is the thing, the story had a great concept, a great setting and even a pretty great theme to it too but it missed the crucial part, the editing. While yes its sad to hear about the author, it is also sad that the editors didn't do a much better work to make the story shine.

A few parts altered here and there, a few scenes polished, given more for the characters to get to fledge out more and this book would have been perfect. This is the story of the sixteen year old, potion master Kyra out to prove her second chance and for me it was simply just not enough..... It was an OK read.

"Sad Bridget Zinn passed away and couldn't see her book published....but also sad because I expected more from this book"

Genre :      High Fantasy, Young Adult


Publisher: Disney Hyperion


My Copy:  Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              2/5 (It was Ok)

Ex-heroes #1 Ex-heroes

Superhero stereotypes and post-apocalyptic planet conditions.... Interesting at first but looses steam pretty soon. Presenting Ex-heroes #1 Ex-heroes by Peter Clines.

Here is the summary of the book:

The first in a spectacularly genre-mashing adventure series that pits a small group of courageous, flawed, terrified superheroes against hordes of undead. Stealth. Gorgon. Regenerator. Cerberus. Zzzap. The Mighty Dragon. They were heroes, using their superhuman abilities to make Los Angeles a better place. Then the plague of living death spread around the globe. Now, a year later, the heroes struggle to overcome their differences and recover from their own scars as they protect the thousands of survivors huddled in their film-studio-turned-fortress, the Mount. But the hungry ex-humans are not the only threat the survivors face. Across the city, another group has grown and gained power.

Superheroes check. Stereotypes check. Post-Apocalyptic Earth triple check. Conditions as such would have been a treasure island for a geek like me and I've been wanting to read this book for so long. But the idea lost its steam pretty quickly. And  got bored of this book halfway..... waste of my tablet battery this way and i'm being totally honest here.

There were few major things wrong with this book. The theme and secondly the dialogue. Action sequences were better done though. Clines knows how to write action but apart from that this was just not good. The idea of superheroes in post-apocalyptic L.A. felt good at first but afterwards it just felt non-essential. All the heroes, while their THEN chapters gave them much depth, their NOW chapters evaporated that as they came.

"Just saying this book would have done better as a movie...one liners like that only work there"

Genre :      Post-Apcalyptic, Dystopia


Publisher: Crown Publishing Group


My Copy:  Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              2/5 (It was Ok)

Dance of Shadows #1 Dance of Shadows

Dance and Demons.... I'm very impressed. Presenting Dance of Shadows #1 Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black.

Here is the summary of the book:

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . . Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed . . 

Ballet Its is a killer on tip toes. It is elegance. It is poise. It is inmate. With someone it is an act of trust, a sojourn with the partner into the most deeper place of the body, mind and soul. You just can't help but get lost into the music and the story that the dance was created to tell you.

This is the story of Vanessa Adler, who enters the elite ballet school... not to dance maybe but to search for her lost sister, Margaret. Soon catching the attention of three mysterious males at the school, Zep, Josef and Justin. But things are amiss....and her way of dancing, the way she just losses herself deeply into the music, breathing the air so different than normal. After all the right steps, the right rhythm, the right tempo and the right level of sensitivity can do a lot of good and can raise certain things from the darkness....much more dangerous than anything you could imagine. 

Brilliant. Brilliant and hauntingly beautiful with a dark embodiment. Yelena Black has given us another story that comes alive by the grace of ballet. I confess I know nothing of this form of dance besides watching the anime series Princess Tutu, and the animated movies Swan Lake, Nutcracker and 12 dancing Princesses(sue i still like my Barbie ;)) and the motion picture Black Swan. So I'm mos grateful that she had sent another ballet classic our way, the Firebird (I totally watched the whole thing on youtube after I finished the book).

Vanessa is the protagonist and while she maybe strong, and determined but there is a certain lack of surety and a certain amount of vulnerability too. She knows something is wrong with the school. Prima Ballerinas disappearing just before the showcase and never to be heard after succumbing to the pressure was definitely not unheard of but for the same play and disappearing in the same pattern was just suspicious. Then there is the question of Josef, Zep and Justin somehow or the other with her poise, her red hair, pale skin  and the way she dances.... well the truth doe set you free but it also maybe deadlier than anybody wold have imagined.... Can't wait for the sequel.... Can' wait for the next one.... We don't even have a title for it yet.

 "The embodiment of darkness with the hauntingly beautiful ballet... the dance of the firebird tells not just tale but those of much more darker consequences if you will..... Magnifique"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance


Publisher: Bloomsbury


My Copy:  Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Bannon and Clare #1 The Iron Wyrm Affair

Steampunk at the most difficult difficult.... Presenting Bannon & Clare #1 The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow.

Here is the summary of the book:

Emma Bannon, forensic sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn't help much that they barely tolerate each other, or that Bannon's Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen. In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs. The game is afoot..

When I meant steampunk at the most difficult, I meant steampunk at its most messiest. This is another author I have wanted to check out for a long time and this boo was another one I wanted to read for a long time but.....this is disappointing. Alternative history yes....but steampunk? Didn't feel like it much.

Bannon & Clare. Out of this Archibald Clare is one part of the quota and Emma Bannon. One is the mentath and other one is the sorceress. One lives to solves the intellectual problems, finding mysteries everywhere and driving the closest of all insane and the sorceress just throws magic at everything every time. Then comes the steampunk element Steampunk is nothing but alternate history (based around steam based machinery as the people of the 19th century would have envisioned) and the setting London (preferably named Londinium to keep with the times) and absolutely nothing steampunk at all if you insist slight mentions of mechas, logic engines, automatons and such.

The whole book is divided with alternating chapters from Clare and Bannon. And I have to say Clare's part got petty overshadowed by Bannon's part of the tale. And if things weren't messier enough the author just throws in a verbose prose just to keep with the language of the era.....it just went on and on and one....sooner than later the reader gets bored of such long winding sentences. And if that wasn't enough.... well the characters as I specified were no good either. Clare just talked and talked and Bannon with the trust issues just went about flicking magic spells at the slightest sign of danger and pretty much acting unlady-like at all times... I want to rant more but i'll keep it short.... Totally expected more...

"Dark London and a messed up alternate London... not my cup of tea"

Genre :     Urban Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal


Publisher: Orbit


Rate:             2 /5 (It was Ok)

Soul Screamers #1 My Soul to Take

Finally I foray into Rachel Vincent's books and this was an amazing introduction. Presenting Soul Screamers #1 My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent.

Here is the summary of the book:

She doesn’t see dead people, but...She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally. Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who’ll be next...

It was high time I began this series and I'm totally not disappointed....the reason I bought the one with the UK cover (I love it). Okay back to the story. Mythos. Bean Sidhes. Mysterious killings. Young girls falling over dead everywhere. And the typical teenage high school love story......or not.

Kaylee Cavanaugh is the typical teenagers. In love with the hot & hunky Nash Hudson. And screams whenever she is near someone about to die. Definitely not normal. Then she finds out she is a bean sidhe, the proverbial wailing spirit, the harbinger of death. Finds out her family and that sexy boyfriend of her's is too.

I was rather skeptical at first. Come on bean sidhe or in the common language pronounced banshee were as the lore around them suggests the wailing spirit, long haired and flowing gown trailing behind funeral processions. Come on how do you make that into a good thing.....but Rachel Vincent did it, she took the sad/bad omen and turned it into an adrenaline inducing fresh story that made us what to know what her bean sidhe(s) look and sound like.

Kaylee was a brilliant protagonist, refreshingly teenager-ly and it was equally interesting to read about her finding her roots and solving the unsolvable murders. Nash Hudson was atotal hottie. An insta-love is not my thing but I suppose it works with both of them being bean sidhes(yes both!). A sweet love this was too and I would definitely like to see how things progress with them in the next books in the series......Rooting for them.

Got to say I did not expect the culprit..... understandable yes but unexpected. And Tod is another character who kept his own share of secrets till the end and brought the spices to this book, would like to see how that is going to develop into. What was truly gorgeous aside from the cover and Vincent's writing was the process of Kaylee discovering her potentials as the female bean sidhe as well as Nash helping her along the way. Oh! This is one series I totally want to own in print with the UK covers.....can't wait to get them all.....bloody brilliant.......BUT GOD I WANT TO STRIKE OUT THE KIRKUS REVIEW LINER ON THE COVER.....what has this got to with TWILIGHT ANYWAY!!!!! *exasperated sigh*

"Dark, Deadly, Soul Screaming and Intrinsic.....Rachel Vincent has given a good meaning to the lore of the bean sidhes"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance


Publisher: MiraINK


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)