Dear Immortal Beloved, I had my doubts from the very beginning. You are not the sort of book I usually grab. Party girl immortal, rehab center, undeniaDear Immortal Beloved, I had my doubts from the very beginning. You are not the sort of book I usually grab. Party girl immortal, rehab center, undeniably sexy dude - these are all warning signs for me. But I had to read you for several reasons. So I set aside my doubts and went into you with an open mind. I bet you fifty bucks to guess what my response was.
Nastasya is a 600+ years old immortal. She's experienced every horror life has to offer. Her family was murdered in front of her very eyes, she's been forced into marriages, watched her children die, suffered through famines and plague and wars. Somehow, though, instead of turning her into a callous, tortured soul who has seen humanity's cruelty, Nastasya has stayed a spoiled, angsty, self-absorbed teen. Who is also inexplicably, but conveniently, independently wealthy. She's buried her pain in drugs, bad fashion choices, drinking, snogging, and hanging out with a bunch of equally-immature, eons-old immortal teens. But then, everything changes, when her buddy Innocencio (don't laugh; that's actually his name) decides to take things a little too far and uses "dark magic" to snap a poor mortal's spine just for fun. Nasty (yes, that's what people call her for short) finds this disturbing behavior so out of character with creepy Innocencio that she packs her bags and heads to a rehab for immortals in the middle of nowhere. Once there, she spends the rest of the 300+ pages. . . .doing household chores. And throwing tantrums and crying because she doesn't fit in with the good, natural path immortals at this crazy ranch. And oggling super duper sexy Reyn. Oh, and there's a "weird scar" on her neck she doesn't want anyone to see. But that would be too interesting to explore. Nah, let's talk about floor scrubbing techniques. That's much more interesting.
You suffer from three major crimes: being boring, a punchable protagonist, and too many shirtless men - including men who are not actually shirtless, but somehow still manage to be. I can appreciate a sarcastic protagonist, but there's a fine line between a sarcastic female and a complaining bitch. Nasty landed in the latter category. I wanted to sympathize with her - I really did; it would suck to live for so long and suffer so much. But she was so teen and had so many freaking meltdowns that I finally just wanted someone to ram her head into a door. Just put her out of her misery, please. It will do the entire world a great service. I can't even really tell you what I thought of the other characters, except Reyn. Ohhhhh, broody, godlike, sexy Reyn. The world's most shirtless man, right next to Matthew McConaughey.
Reyn is a very typical "hot hunk." Temperamental, moody, broody, violent, and too hot for his own trousers. And in case there's any doubt in the Reader's mind, Nasty makes it clear every time he steps into a room just how handsome a hunk of man flesh Reyn is. Yes, their romance is totally and completely carnal. Nasty even fantasizes about what it'd be like if he slammed her against a wall and kissed her until she was bruised. Mmmm, sounds just sooooooo romantic, now doesn't it? Who wants a gentle, good man? Give me a woman beater any day! Reyn's personality follows his shirt: it isn't there.
Your plot, Immortal Beloved, literally consists of Nasty's tantrums, lusting after Reyn, and household chores. Occasionally the monotony is broken up with flashbacks to Nasty's past, but these flashbacks do nothing more than make the Reader weep when we are forced to return to the present narration - and also break up the natural flow of writing. There's some hinting at Nasty's scar; what it means, how she acquired it, why Innocencio maybe liked having her around so much. But mostly? We get to read about Nasty complaining about scrubbing floors, doing laundry, baking bread, currying horses, planting kale, suffering from dizzy spells after a bit of magic practice, and oggling Reyn some more. If I want to read a book about chores, I will pick up Little House on the Prairie - a much, much, much more fascinating read.
Right when the plot starts to show a tiny bit of promise, in the form of an assassination attempt on Nasty's life, it boils back down into a bitch fight. See, Nasty isn't the only one who notices Reyn's blinding hotness. There's another immortal: Nell. Nell has a thing for Reyn and she sure as hell isn't going to let little petite Nasty encroach on her man flesh. Suddenly Nasty is facing down little jealous rages, snide remarks, and little annoying things that make her chores just a bit more difficult. And no one suspects Nell might be behind the ill magic directed at Nasty. No, not at all, because no one else would want to harm charming Nasty, would they?
Oh, sorry; was that a spoiler?? NO! Because it was so flipping obvious!!!! Let me be perfectly clear about my feelings towards you, Immortal Beloved: I wanted to claw my eyes out by page 8. You begin so abruptly that the Reader has no time to appreciate the "sudden" change in Innocencio's behavior. Suddenly we're whisked off to the rehab center, where you boil down to 300+ pages of chores, self discovery, tantrums, and one of the world's shallowest romantic interests - complete with a jealous bitch. There's some hinting at magic and mysterious destinies and ancient houses and all that jazz - but it's hardly explored. When there seems to be promise of a villain, it becomes painfully obvious that no, it's just more bitch fighting, and your climax seriously boils down to a jealous rage over man flesh taken way too far. Your characters were either aggravating or flat at best. It was like pushing through a sandbox while wearing lead shoes, finishing your final 100 pages. I couldn't throw you across the room fast enough when I finally got to the end.
Despite everything about you - despite the horrendous movie, the terrifying fangirls, the hilarious satire - I actually picked you up wiDear Twilight,
Despite everything about you - despite the horrendous movie, the terrifying fangirls, the hilarious satire - I actually picked you up with an open mind. I wanted to give you a fighting chance to prove yourself to me. I wanted to let your words speak for you and tell me what sort of book you were. Well, you can probably guess my final opinion. . . .
You introduce us to one of literature's most regrettable protagonists, Bella. Dull as a base coat of paint, as charming and cute as a naked mole-rat, I tried very hard to feel something akin to affection - or even tolerance - towards her, but I couldn't. Her clumsiness was so extreme that she really should have been in a wheelchair, I was annoyed that she liked books, and her sarcasm was as flat as a pancake run over by a semitruck. Positively everything she did made me grind my teeth. Edward is prime material for a future abusive boyfriend. He is patronizing and stalkerish and moody and he chuckled. I don't trust people who chuckle. Jacob was a pathetic pup (no pun intended), the side characters were too chipper or too flat or liked Bella way too much for it to be convincing. I sort of liked Alice and Carlisle, but mostly because their backstories were more interesting than what was happening to Bella.
Bella has just moved from Arizona to Forks, Washington - a place that is too close to home, and I therefore resent you, Twilight, for polluting it with your taint. She makes this decision because her divorced mother is going to Florida, and Bella doesn't want to. She would rather move to a rainy town that she professes to hating. There, we get to follow her boring day-to-day high school schedule and her very suddenly bizarre popularity. Bella meets the "mysterious" Edward Cullen, one of the rich boys who would totally not ever go to Forks High School. She falls madly in love with him, despite his insistence that he's dangerous; in spite of the fact that he stalks her; in spite of all logic, in fact.
Twilight, there are so many issues with you. And also so many missed opportunities. You could have been interesting if you just told someone else's story, rather than an angst-filled teen girl at a boring high school falling in love with a creepy, stalker vampire. You could have told Carlisle's story, or Alice's = anyone else's. You could have been an origin story of the whole Cullen clan! I would have found that ten times more interesting. There was no logic in the Cullens repeating high school over and over, other than to create a high school setting for Bella meeting Edward. Repeating high school would show up on public records. People would question.
Then there's the big problem that no one cares about what happens to Bella and Edward. No one cares about their silly, angsty, and downright creepy romantic fling. No one cares that Bella is going to have a crisis if Edward leaves. No one cares that Edward has some stupid reason for not turning her into a vampire. No one understands what he sees in Bella, who is literally inept at everything. Edward insists she's special; special-ed, maybe.
And finally, Twilight, you're writing. Atrocious. Truly atrocious. Blocky, repetitive, amateur. We understood the first time that Bella passes out whenever she's near Edward; we get that Edward is unbearably handsome (whatever). We get it!!
I tried, Twilight. I tried to give you a fighting chance. You swung wide and my opinion of you is final.
A copy of Forget Me Not was provided by the author. I was not obligated to write a positive review. This is my full and honest opinion.
Cover Blurb: YeA copy of Forget Me Not was provided by the author. I was not obligated to write a positive review. This is my full and honest opinion.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I do like the cover art pretty well. Still not a fan of the character impersonator, but at least she isn't a photo of a real person that's been photoshopped in. :-)
Characters: Having not read the first book in this series, I can't say anything about the characters in terms of development. I have to base my opinion of them solely on their actions in this second book (I had no idea this was a sequel when I requested it for review; bad me). Aileen took a little while for me to warm up to. Her sense of humor was a little too cliche - the sort of bubbly sarcasm that I don't normally like - and I was frustrated with her for not understanding what was going on (even though it wasn't her fault). But as the story wore on, I got used to her and didn't mind her so much. I did very much like Addison. I don't know if he's really supposed to be a bad boy, but if he is I didn't think he came across as one. Just because he wears a leather jacket doesn't make him one. Addison was decent and classy - my only major gripe with him was his dating Missy when Aileen forgot about him. Seriously - why did he date Missy, of all people?! He had to have known she was a jerk; it made no sense. Aileen's friends I really have no idea what I thought of them. Again, this is the second book in a series. I don't know the whole story behind their relationship with Aileen and all of that. The same kind of goes for Geoff, though from what I saw of him in this book, I didn't like him much. Or Missy.
The Romance: This is a paranormal romance, so Aileen and Addison's relationship does take center stage. Of course, for over half of Forget Me Not, Aileen doesn't remember Addison - which surprisingly doesn't cause as much romantic tension as you might think. Addison knows exactly what's going on from the moment he sees the cameo. He doesn't blame Aileen for what's happened, and he immediately sets about trying to fix it. . . .while dating Missy, the resident mean girl, which, again, I totally didn't get. And Aileen gives Geoff a chance, though she knows he's a jerk and isn't going to change. Overall, though, the romance wasn't that bad. I didn't become terribly emotionally invested in Aileen and Addison's struggles - mostly because I haven't read the first book!
Plot: The summary above does an excellent job of, well, summing it up. I'm not usually a fan of romance stories where one party forgets about the other. It creates unnecessary romantic tension and I hate unnecessary misunderstandings. Especially when you want to blame someone for it, but you really can't. It's not Aileen's fault that she forgets Addison; she's under a curse. And Addison, thank goodness, understands this. For the most part, Aileen doesn't make an ass of herself in getting involved with other guys. I did get frustrated with her for thinking everyone was pranking her. Seriously, Aileen - you think your best friends and your grandmother are going to team up with Missy and play a prank on you? The one plot device that made absolutely no sense to me was Addison dating Missy (as I think I've already said). Addison isn't trying to make Aileen jealous, and therefore jog her memory. He just . . . . is. And from what I understand, Missy has a reputation of being horrible to Aileen and her family. Doesn't seem logical that a nice boy like Addison who still cares a great deal for Aileen would date her, and put up with her behavior. The plot itself moves along pretty well. Not at a super duper fast pace, but it's not slow, either.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: First person, past tense. Aileen wasn't a bad narrator; like I said, it took me a little while to warm up to her sense of humor because it was kind of cliche. But after a while, I actually enjoyed her as a narrator.
Content: None.
Conclusion: I have to say that the Author had me guessing about how it would end. Aileen was in a tight spot, and there didn't seem to be too many options for her to escape Stonecypher and his cursed cameo. If I had been more invested in Aileen and Addison's romance, it would have been an extremely emotional ending. But for me, at least, it wasn't - but I think it will be for people who have read the first book and enjoyed it.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, seventeen-and-up, fans of paranormal romance....more
This is a review for an uncorrected Advanced Readers Copy.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I do love the cover art. It's dark and intriguing and Gothic. Love iThis is a review for an uncorrected Advanced Readers Copy.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I do love the cover art. It's dark and intriguing and Gothic. Love it!
Characters: Jacob is very entertaining, very likable guy protagonist. We get to know him best, through his hilarious narration. He had me laughing the whole time. Aunt "Syl" was bursting with personality, with her obsession in playing the nursemaid and her overly loud presence. There were three characters I would have liked to have gotten to know better: Jacob's sister Lizzy, Zsofia, and Aunt Syl's other intern who also happens to like Zsofia. I could tell they all had lots of personality, but I didn't get to know they as well as I wanted to. Zsofia made sense, since getting to know her is kind of part of the plot. But even so, it would have been nice to know even her a little better.
The Romance: Jacob has a big crush of Zsofia, and he's going to try his hardest to get her to notice him. I admittedly don't like adolescent crushes, but in this case it was amusing.
Plot: Jacob has a rare blood disorder, which requires him to have a very strict diet and to take blood transfusions on a regular basis. At least, that's what he tells everyone. In reality, the blood isn't for transfusions - it is his special diet. But Jake isn't a vampire - or so he tries to convince himself. He doesn't go around biting people, he's not allergic to sunlight, and he doesn't only come out at night (though he is most awake then). Even so, it's important that no one finds out about his rare condition. So when he and his sister Lizzy go to stay with their Aunt Sylvia for the summer, Jacob knows it's going to be just an absolute blast (not). Aunt Syl is dying to take care of her invalid nephew, and Lizzy is having way too much fun making up all kinds of untrue things about his illness. Then Jake meets Zsofia, Aunt Syl's gorgeous Hungarian graduate student. Who happens to be doing a paper on the history and lore of vampires. The concept of High Stakes was awesome. I'm no vampire fiction lover, but I did really like the cleverness of this story. We're given a witty protagonist, the plausible struggles of having to live a modern life with such problems - and not letting anyone find out about it. And then there's the mystery of Zsofia, who certainly isn't everything she seems. The problem? High Stakes was way, way too short. The Author gives us some very memorable characters, but we don't get to know them as well as we would like to. The plot follows a very day-to-day linear style, but the opportunities the Author has to explore more of Jake's condition are skimmed over. For instance, Jake at one point gets his hands on The Vampire Bible, which is essentially a user's guide for new vampires. But Readers are only given a cursory look into it; not many details. Jake doesn't do any exploring around his aunt's house or anything. So there's very little sense of scenery/setting. It was all just too fast.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: First person, past tense. Jake was a great narrator; he was hilarious and added a lot to the story. There were quite a few spelling/grammatical errors, but not so much that it took away from the writing.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The climax was very exciting and intense, which almost made up for the too hurried plot. I knew a split second before it was revealed what Zsofia's secret was, but the realization just made it better. High Stakes is a fun read. The Reader is left wondering: Does Jacob just have a weird and rare illness? Or is he really a vampire? I'm still not entirely certain myself. It has good characters, but it's a story that has a lot of unrealized potential. I hope that changes with future installments, because it has an overall great concept.
Recommended Audience: Guy-and-girl read, sixteen-and-up, fans of vampires, clever paranormal, and comedy....more
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I love the shiny-ness of these covers, but am not a fan of the body shot. At least this one has a shirt on. . . . ;-)
CharacterCover Blurb: Yes or No? I love the shiny-ness of these covers, but am not a fan of the body shot. At least this one has a shirt on. . . . ;-)
Characters: Oh, where to start with the characters? For the most part, I am still indifferent to pretty much everyone. I neither hate them nor love them. But with certain situations, I began to form a more solid emotional opinion on some of them. Clary still isn't a bad protagonist, though I wish someone would just sit down and train her, rather than going on about how she can't do this and that and that she's not a proper Shadowhunter. I feel sorry for Alec; he's a really nice, shy guy. And Isabelle still somehow manages to have attitude without being annoying. But Jace. . . .I liked Jace in City of Bones. I didn't really think he was a jerk; just really sarcastic. Well, I don't like him anymore. Jace is all attitude and pouting and sulking and taking things personally. I can't stand that. Simon is sad and adorable; I do really like him. The more secondary characters - Luke, Magnus, et cetera - are still pretty cool. Valentine isn't the world's greatest villain. He's scary in the sense that what he's doing he 100% believes is the right thing. But he talks too much and is extremely cliche.
The Romance: So the love triangle is super awkward. Simon likes Clary, Clary is trying to convince herself that she can feel the same way for Simon. Meanwhile, she's also trying to deny her feelings for Jace, and Jace is pouting because he doesn't understand why they can't just ignore convention and be together. Never mind they're related. Yes, it's weird - even though I know "the twist" it takes later that makes it a little less so. It's still awkward and weird. There's also the fact that Clary has this to say about her feelings:
She wondered for a moment if he might actually spring at her, what it would be like if he struck her, knocked her down, grabbed her wrists even. Fighting to [Jace] was like sex to other people. The thought of him touching her like that brought the blood to her cheeks in a hot flood. (pg. 223)
So, Clary wants an abusive relationship. Abuse turns her on, does it? O-kay. Clary and Jace's relationship isn't the only awkward romance. There's also Alec and Magnus. For the most part, I'm actually not all that bothered with Alec being gay. It doesn't feel like it's being shoved down my throat. And Magnus is just a weird dude - I wouldn't be surprised if he was bisexual. However, the way Alec behaves around Magnus doesn't feel like a healthy relationship. He acts like someone who is being molested. He gets super quiet and confused and awkward, and avoids Magnus's touch. If I saw those two together, I would think that Magnus was molesting him.
Plot: It's the aftermath of City of Bones. Clary's mum is still in a coma, Valentine is still out there with the Mortal Cup, and everyone is in emotional upheaval. Especially Jace, who's just Mr. Moody and Grumpy now; who won't communicate to anyone what he's doing. And when Downworlder children start dying, of course Jace is blamed, and of course everyone starts saying that he's in league with Valentine because, y'know - like father, like son. So of course instead of cooperating and working to prove his innocence, Jace starts going off on his own, goes to suspicious locations, doesn't tell his friends anything about what he's doing. In short, kinda creates his own problems. The Inquisitor, I'll grant you, wouldn't listen anyway; she's made up her mind a long time ago. But Alec, Isabelle, Clary - talk to them!! Then the Soul-Sword goes missing, and that's super bad news. 'Cause now Valentine has both Mortal Instruments and can cause all sorts of havoc. As soon as he completes some complicated rituals. But he's a little too busy listening to his own voice to do that. Okay, enough sarcasm. I did like the plot. It was exciting, there was lots of action, there was more world building, I like the Author's twist on werewolf, vampire, and faerie mythology - it's awesome. There's just. . . .holes. Holes that could have been fixed just a bit more if characters had communicated more.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. Extremely movie-ish - especially toward the end, during the action sequences. The Author breaks off in the middle of intense moments to go follow another intense moment, then breaks off again to follow another and another. Very much like scenes in a movie.
Content: 2 g--damns. Lots of blood and gore. Awkward romance.
Conclusion: At least the characters don't think that Valentine is dead. It may be because I wasn't able to read the climax just straight through (I kept getting interrupted), but it felt way too drawn out. So much so that I actually started getting kinda bored. (view spoiler)[And maybe we were supposed to be feel super bad for Clary when Jace declared they should just be friends, but that's when I started liking Jace again. (hide spoiler)] As a whole, I liked City of Ashes. It had some great twists and exciting moments. The romance is just not for me.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, eighteen-and-up, fans of paranormal....more
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? It's not enough that the cover is shiny - there is still a shirtless man on the front. I'm not down with that; sorry. It's embCover Blurb: Yes or No? It's not enough that the cover is shiny - there is still a shirtless man on the front. I'm not down with that; sorry. It's embarrassing to walk around in public with this book.
Characters: I was a little surprised at how okay I was with all of the characters. I wasn't super attached to anyone, but I didn't hate any of them and I was all right with accepting them as my "team" for the book. Having seen the movie before reading the book, I couldn't help but make comparisons. I did like Clary better in the movie, but she was all right in this as well. She was a normal girl who had been thrust into dangerous circumstances, and everyone she had known her whole life weren't who she thought they were. Her emotional trauma and flying off the handle made absolute sense. I didn't think Jace was a jerk. He was confident - or at least pretended confidence when he didn't feel it - and he was also very sarcastic. Both are traits that I can relate to. Alec was okay; I definitely liked him better in the book than the movie. His reasons for disliking Clary were annoying, but I liked his quieter personality - and I could understand his not wanting to let an outsider into the group. Especially one that yes, could get them killed. I was also pretty okay with Isabelle. Her personality was straight forward; she didn't hide who she was or what she thought. Simon was better in the movie - less whining - but I also understood his complaints in both cases. If I was especially attached to anyone, though, it was Luke. He was pretty awesome. Valentine was an all right villain; he didn't especially intimidate me, nor was he just a silly villain. He was somewhere in between, and he did have style and the ability to control the situation. He's a villain that I think can grow as the series continues. So we'll see.
The Romance: It's probably easy to guess that affection blooms between Jace and Clary. To make things a bit more complicated, Simon has had a lifelong crush on Clary, and Alec happens to like Jace (yes, Alec is gay). The romance is a hard thing to really decide what I thought of it. I dislike love triangles, and I couldn't believe it took Clary so bloody long to realize that Simon liked her. Alec's main initial dislike for Clary is because he has a crush on Jace, and Clary is kind of shoving in, which is why I thought it was annoying. But surprisingly, the romance is balanced pretty well with the action. It isn't focused on too heavily, and it also isn't in the background. It gets even more awkward, of course, when Clary finds something out about Jace (view spoiler)[he's her brother (hide spoiler)]. So I do have to give the Author some props for having some original twists in the romance.
Plot: Clary has been a regular fifteen-year-old girl, hanging out with friends and going to clubs, until the day she witnesses a murder by people that no one else can see. Suddenly, Clary is thrust into the world of Shadowhunters - or Nephilim, as they are known in legend - and their legacy of hunting demons. It's an accident that Clary stumbles into their world, but it opens up a whole lot of secrets about her mom's past that she didn't know about. When Clary's mom disappears and Clary is attacked by a demon, it becomes obvious that Clary must know something. But Clary's mom wiped her memory, and they have to find someone who can lift the spell so they can find what the enemy is after before they do - the legendary Mortal Cup. The cup that originally created the Shadowhunters. I would never call The Mortal Instruments literature, or even good fiction. But the storyline and the world are all very entertaining - mindless entertainment, but entertaining nonetheless. And while I maintain that reading is about more than entertainment, there's nothing wrong with having some books that are just that and not much else. The Author has created a strangely addicting world that, as the Reader, you do want to learn more about, despite yourself. There's plenty of action in City of Bones to keep things exciting, and when our heroes aren't fighting demons and vampires and other Downworlders, we're learning about the background of the Shadowhunters and exploring the mundane world through Shadowhunter eyes. Like I said, this isn't a book that requires you to think at all; you just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. I'm really glad it was in third person; I didn't mind Clary, but if I had to be locked up in her head the entire time, I think I would have grown to hate her. The style itself is nothing special, but it worked for the book.
Content: 1 g--damn. Alec is gay, Magnus Bane - the High Warlock of Brooklyn - is gay, there's lots of blood and freaky demons.
Conclusion: I do wish I hadn't seen the movie first, because all of the twists at the end of the book were ruined for me. I knew what was coming - in general - so the surprise was totally lost on me. Oh well. City of Bones is an entertaining read, and not as bad as I was expecting. Of course, this is only the first book, and many have told me that it's after Book #3 it gets frustrating. However, I've also heard that the last book makes it all worth it. So we'll see. It's the summer and I'm willing to stick with this series to get some entertainment out of it.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, seventeen-and-up, fans of well-developed supernatural and paranormal worlds will like this. So long as you don't mind some complicated romance. ;-)...more
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I suppose that, despite the character impersonator, I do like the cover art. The dress is so pretty! And actually, as far as cCover Blurb: Yes or No? I suppose that, despite the character impersonator, I do like the cover art. The dress is so pretty! And actually, as far as character impersonators go, this one does look something like how I imagined Nadia.
Characters: Nadia has a bad propensity to blame herself for everything that goes wrong. And yes, it does get a little old after a while. That being said, Nadia also isn’t a bad protagonist. She’s smart, quick to notice things, and she’s a very loyal friend. I couldn’t help but like her, despite her tendency to take the blame about, well, everything. Verlaine offered up some comic relief with her rather dark sense of humor and “take life as it comes” attitude. I definitely didn’t dislike her, but I kind of get the sense that she might begin to grate on my nerves in future books. I don’t know why, because I usually love characters like her – very much into vintage, sarcastic, an outcast. But with Verlaine, I just have that feeling. Mateo is a very nice young man. While not the most memorable male character I’ve encountered, he’s not all that bad, either. He’s got all of the trademark gallantry and honesty. And double points for him: when he gets angry and storms off about stuff (and he does that several times), it doesn’t take him very long to see sense, and he apologizes. Now Elizabeth, the villainess. She’s . . . . moderately terrifying. Since she is not the principle villain in the series, but a secondary servant for The Villain, her over confidence and tendency to boast was acceptable.
The Romance: Yes, Mateo and Nadia become involved. But the romance actually isn’t all that bad – I in fact very much enjoyed their relationship! In the case of this first book in a series, at least, the romance is not overwhelming or horribly rushed. The Author spends more time on the plot itself rather than swamping everything in mooney-eyed ridiculousness. The attraction is definitely there, and they’re a pretty solidified couple by the end of it, but there are no mushy details, and their affection, while at first stems from physical attraction (there is nothing wrong with noticing someone; just don’t claim that you’re in love when that’s all you know about them), deepens through their fight with Elizabeth.
Plot: Nadia is descended from a long line of witches, and is one herself, just like her mom. In fact, her mom is the one that has been training her. Nadia’s dad and little brother don’t know anything about it. Men cannot know about magic or the doings of witches. So when Nadia’s mom suddenly packs up and leaves them, she’s left alone in her training or even understanding what she’s going through as a budding witch. Her dad decides to move them to Captive’s Sound, for a fresh start. But when their car crashes because of a magical barrier set up around Captive’s Sound that senses Nadia’s presence, things take a very dark turn for Nadia. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound all his life, as have his ancestors. He’s the victim of an ages-old family curse that causes them to go insane from future-telling dreams. Mateo hopes that he has escaped the curse – until he has a dream about Nadia’s car crash, leading to his timely arrival to rescue them. Now Nadia and Mateo must investigate the almost sickly aspect of Captive’s Sound, and who put a curse on Mateo’s family in the first place. This is sort of a mystery, though the villain – Elizabeth – is revealed so quickly that I don’t consider is a spoiler. But the rest of the plot is spent with Nadia, Mateo, and Verlaine – another friend Nadia makes quite by accident – trying to figure out what, exactly, Elizabeth is up to. It’s surprisingly engaging. From the very beginning, Spellcaster takes off with a lot of excitement and foreboding and creepiness. It’s relatively predictable, but a fun sort of predictable. And there were times when it gave me the heebie-jeebies.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. This gave us an opportunity to not only follow Nadia, Verlaine, and Mateo, but Elizabeth as well. The writing was, of course, modern. This is a modern-based story. But it also has a very creepy, dark ambiance to it that made the story very engaging.
Content: Beyond some scary images, nothing.
Conclusion: It was surprisingly not drawn out or ridiculously perilous. It also really makes you want to pick up Book #2, Steadfast. I don’t really know why, but I’m actually a bit of a fan of “witch fiction.” A historical setting is always most desired, but isn’t necessary. I took a bit of a risk with Spellcaster, because it sounded like it would be more romance and less paranormal. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was really fun! Not my favorite witch series, but still really fun. And scary.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, sixteen-and-up, good for fans of witch fiction, and paranormal romance that is more paranormal, less romance....more
This is a review for an uncorrected Advanced Readers Copy.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I don't like it as much as the cover art for Spellcaster, because thThis is a review for an uncorrected Advanced Readers Copy.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I don't like it as much as the cover art for Spellcaster, because the character impersonator is much more prominent. And I'm not loving the dress as much (not a fan of the sheathe look). Also, that isn't how I picture Verlaine.
Characters: Nadia continues her propensity towards blaming herself for everything that goes wrong . . . . . And it gets close to dangerously old in Steadfast. She doesn't become a senseless, emotional wreck exactly. But she does use her self-blame as an excuse to not ask for help, but to go off on her own. Yeah, it causes problems. Not a ridiculous amount that would have made me dislike Nadia, but enough to be slightly irksome. Nadia is still a good protagonist, but I wish she would lay off on blaming herself all the time. Verlaine I still felt the same way as I did in Spellcaster: she offers some comic relief with her dark sense of humor, but I think that she'll get a little tiring after a while. Mateo continued to be gallant, but not the most memorable male character ever. And Elizabeth continues to threaten and boast, but doesn't really accomplish anything, lessening her intimidation by quite a bit. I really liked Asa, the demon forced to serve Elizabeth and the One Beneath. He was funny in a very dark sort of way, and I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him as well.
The Romance: Yeah, the romance is upped a bit more in Steadfast. Nadia and Mateo get a bit mushier, and Verlaine has a thing for Asa (the beginnings of something, at least, no doubt to be explored more in a later book). Still, the romance isn't aggravating. It's more present than I would like, but it doesn't take over.
Plot: Nadia, Verlaine, and Mateo thought they defeated Elizabeth on the night of Halloween, saving Captive's Sound from complete destruction. But Elizabeth escaped, and the One Beneath is slowly beginning to rise from his prison underneath Captive's Sound. In order for Mateo's family curse to be broken, and Verlaine's strange enchantment ended, Nadia must defeat Elizabeth. But it isn't as easy as it seems. And when she has a chance to discover why her mom suddenly abandoned her family, Nadia realizes that the only way to defeat Elizabeth may be to join her. But can Nadia do that and not fall into the trap that is enslavement to the One Beneath herself? I don't know what it was about Steadfast, but the creepy factor wasn't as big. And without that creepy factor, it becomes a little less interesting. Oh, I still liked Steadfast; it's a great bridge into Book #3. But out of the two, it's my least favorite. A lot happens in it, but very little of it actually goes anywhere. Elizabeth accomplishes hardly anything, nor does Nadia and her friends, for that matter. There's lots of posturing, failed attempts, and running around - but it doesn't go anywhere. If I didn't feel like this book set everything up for Book #3, I would say that this was a very meandering plot. I could be wrong; there may be no purpose to everything that happens. But it felt like there was. We just don't know what the purpose is yet.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. As in Book #1, the writing is modern, but of course it works, because this is a modern-based story. The creepy ambiance is still there, but not as heavy as in Steadfast.
Content: 1 s-word. Verlaine has two dads, but the Author doesn't cram a gay rights agenda down our throats. In fact, I was confused for a long time, because Verlaine calls them her uncles, but everyone acted like they were in fact a couple, so I wasn't sure if people misconstrued their relationship and Verlaine just called them her dads because they adopted her, or if they were in fact gay. They're gay. But it's not in your face.
Conclusion: It's rather . . . uneventful. Especially compared to Spellcaster. But as a bridge between Book #1 and Book #3, Steadfast worked. It's rather uneventful, but that can be excused if things become more involved in the next book. This series continues to surprise me by how much I enjoy it. I very much look forward to seeing what happens to Nadia, Verlaine, and Mateo next.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, seventeen-and-up, fans of witch fiction....more
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I do really like the cover. It’s simple, but rather creepy at the same time. Love the colors and the bleeding hand.
CharacterCover Blurb: Yes or No? I do really like the cover. It’s simple, but rather creepy at the same time. Love the colors and the bleeding hand.
Characters: This isn’t a story where you can like anyone. With the exception of one character, Sydney, they are all villains or anti-heroes. That said, this is also a story where you don’t need to like anyone. This is a book about villains, so it would in fact be a disappointment if we liked them as more than what they are: horrid people. Both Victor and Eli are eaten up with selfishness and a craving for power. They never do anything for anyone else; just themselves, even if they claim otherwise. Eli is most certainly the worst of them, as he develops a sort of god complex once he gains his powers, but Victor’s reasons for seeking revenge on Eli are impossible to sympathize with. It’s because of Victor’s need to be as powerful as Eli; to share the fame of discovering EOs, that he is accused of murder. Victor causes all of his own problems. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity of these two villains. A part of them knows that they’re doing wrong, but they can’t stop themselves, and eventually give themselves up for dead and don’t even try. In the end, they are two mad scientists who have been literally consumed by their experiment. Mitch, Victor’s henchman, is more likable, even though he’s a convicted criminal. He shows a distaste for what Victor does, and he isn’t as guilty of his crimes as one first assumes. Just a man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time – in every instance throughout his entire life. Sydney, the girl Victor ends up rescuing from the street (that act of kindness doesn’t even remotely redeem him; Victor has ulterior motives for everything), is the only real innocent in this book. An accident created her EO power, and Victor is the only person she can trust now. Despite all of the horrible things he does, I could kind of understand why she still became attached to him and even trusted him.
The Romance: There isn’t any really.
Plot: I’m not going to try and explain beyond the official synopsis, because this is a very twisty plot that you just have to read to appreciate. The story is told in a series of flashbacks and lots of jumping around in the timeline. Confusing at first, it unfolds the entirety of the characters’ stories and circumstances in a completely amazing and haunting manner that grips your attention to the very end. To reveal anything in simple English would detract from the magic of the reading experience. Because that’s what this book is: not just a story, but an experience. It’s not slow at all – I can assure you of that right away. The way it’s written keeps the Reader guessing and wondering and flipping the pages. The Author reveals just enough to catch your interest and lures you through the story like a tantalizing cookie (I would say carrot on a stick, but who would chase after a carrot?). It’s a very dark story; most revenge stories are. But this one may take the cake. There’s snatches of very dark humor, but overall there’s no laughs in this one. Just grim horror, and it’s awesome. I would love to know how big my eyes were as I read this.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. I actually really missed Victoria Schwab’s trait present tense narration! Not to say that the past tense didn’t work; it did. I just missed the present tense, because she does it so bloody well. Each chapter alternates not only between characters, but location and times. That is, the narration jumps all over the timeline. There’s the present timeline, and then there will be chapters that take place ten years before that present time, or chapters that take place two weeks after that ten years. It was a little confusing at first, but once I got what the Author was doing, it worked terrifically. It allowed the suspense to accumulate while offering very thorough backstory, and not have the book drag. It eventually creeps into a countdown to Victor and Eli’s final confrontation. Very suspenseful.
Content: 18 s-words, 17 f-words. There’s a lot of violence, but it isn’t gory; just lots of blood. Aside from the profanity, the lack of content actually surprised me, since this is technically an adult book.
Conclusion: As the final showdown between Eli and Victor slowly creeps closer, the suspense builds. I honestly didn’t really know how this would turn out. There was only one real possibility, and I suppose if I had thought about it more, I might have solved it. But I was so wrapped up in the story that I just let it take me along for the ride. I didn’t want to try and guess. Actually, I forgot to try. Vicious is an adult novel, but this could easily be an older YA novel. It may, in fact, be my favorite Victoria Schwab book. It was just so intense and so interesting and everyone was a villain! If it weren't for the profanity, it would get five stars.
Recommended Audience: Girl-and-guy read, eighteen-and-up, great for fans of revenge stories, Victoria Schwab, and supernatural thrillers....more
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I must admit that the cover is what first caught my attention. It's dark and moody and there's a big cliff in the background .Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I must admit that the cover is what first caught my attention. It's dark and moody and there's a big cliff in the background . . . Which is a pretty good metaphor for this whole story: you're conscious of this impending fall, but it never comes.
Characters: I liked Violet's classiness - her appreciation for antiques and literature and the fine arts. But for a girl who was so well-read, she wasn't very cautious about strangers, especially strangers as creepy and screaming "red flag" as River West. As the story progressed, Violet became so nonsensical and and displayed such a complete lack of common sense that I ceased to care about her as a protagonist. I didn't necessarily dislike her, but she definitely got what she asked for. The other characters, meanwhile, weren't much better. Violet's brother was a jerk, her friend was a slut, and River and Neely . . . Well, they were entirely creepy. I didn't trust River and Neely was just too obviously a potential second love interest. I liked Gianni - he seemed nice and steady tempered. But he wasn't in it enough and I got frustrated with Violet for constantly brushing him aside.
The Romance: Ah, yes, the romance. Well, it was annoying, to say the least. Quite reminiscent of Twilight, in fact. I will not go so far as to say that Violet is as bad as Bella, but she came close. Here we have a young man that shows up with a wad of cash in his pocket, no real reason to be where he is, and who so obviously lies about his background every time Violet asks him something. Oh yes, and he requests that Violet snuggle with him on the couch about two days after they meet. Red flag, people! Violet later finds out just how much River has truly lied about his background, and she also discovers that he may in fact be responsible for the massacre of an entire town, as well as the apparent suicide of a local person and the bizarre behavior of the local kids after a girl is kidnapped. And yet Violet still hangs around River and even falls in love with him (well, in lust, at any rate). Many of the aspects of the initial storyline actually kept the romance from being too overwhelming. But once it became apparent that the romance would be the storyline, things got pretty annoying.
Plot: Violet's rich parents are traveling in Europe one fine summer, as usual, leaving her and her brother alone in the massive and ancient house that once belonged to Violet's grandmother. While the family is related to one of the many great families of old name on the East Coast, Violet's parents don't have much money, and she's required to rent out the guesthouse on the estate. Enter River West. A rich young man with an unknown past and a tendency to make Violet all fluttery in the gut with his easy charm and ability to relate so thoroughly to her. But with River West's arrival comes bizarre events. When a young girl goes missing, the local kids claim that the Devil took her away, and that he would be back for more of them. Is River West connected? The reason I don't lay this book flat is because the plot did initially keep me reading. I suspected that it wouldn't be as dark and creepy as it implied, so I hadn't set myself up for disappointment. But until the romance became the focal point, I was desperately curious to see what would happen next - and to find out if the Devil really was responsible - or if it was something else. So kudos to the Author for stringing her Readers along! Unfortunately, about halfway through Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, it becomes very evident that this was nothing more than a romance.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: First person, past tense. I did really like the Gothic novel feel of the whole story - I only wish it had stayed that way. There's no real complaint about the style itself. It worked for the book and wasn't necessarily bad.
Content: 14 s-words, 3 f-words. Content is more sensual than sexual, though it just walks the line between the two. There's lots of cuddling and barely managing to keep one's trousers on, and it is implied at one point that River and Violet do it.
Conclusion: Surprisingly, the climax was a bit exciting. I guessed the twist early on, but it was still made for a bit of an intense ending. And a little ridiculous. I can't say too much without giving things away, but it did yet again feel like Twilight. I didn't have especially high hopes for this book when I picked it up. I suspected it would probably be a waste of my time, but I was willing to give it a try. The style and the initial premise kept me reading, but the romance was aggravating and in the end, the story really didn't deliver. I didn't like any of the characters except Gianni, and I really wanted to smack some sense into Violet.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, eighteen-and-up, fans of Twilight and like-minded books....more
My copy of Winter Fire was given to me by the Author. I was not obligated to write a positive review. This is my full and honest opinion.
Cover Blurb:My copy of Winter Fire was given to me by the Author. I was not obligated to write a positive review. This is my full and honest opinion.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? While not the most attention-grabbing cover I've seen, I do like its simplicity. The title alone would make me pick up the book.
Characters: In a story like this, protagonists such as Jenna are very often highly annoying and shallow. So I was a little surprised to discover that Jenna was neither. She makes no real attempt to fit in to the new crowd, despite pressure to, and instead stays true to who she is. She also doesn't quit when she sets her mind to accomplishing a task, gets over her hurt and irritations quickly, and takes what happens in stride. While Jenna makes plenty of mistakes, she learns from them and tries her best to rectify her poor decisions. In short, Jenna was a very realistic, down-to-earth protagonist, and I appreciated that. I liked Bren right off. He has a quiet personality, but also has a great sense of humor and is very protective of his friends. He affects arrogance, but it's so obvious that he's teasing that I actually liked it rather than finding it annoying. I didn't form a great deal of attachment to any of the other Bergans (though I still liked them), except Skye. A girl who threatened to have a real Attitude, I ended up really liking Skye. She could have been an absolute jerk to Jenna, but instead looks after her right along with the other Bergans, and seems to have a real practical and independent streak to her. Meanwhile, on the "characters to hate" side, we have Tyler, Brianna, and - of course - Loki (who actually falls somewhere in between). Tyler was a joy to hate, the little creep, and Brianna rubbed me the wrong way the moment I met her, with her overly bubbly personality and a penchant for flirting with most of the guys she ran into. And then there's Loki, the true villain of the piece (or is he?). Naturally Loki is bursting with personality, from his quick wit, suave manner, cool temper, and tendency of quoting famous poets. But at the same time, we glimpse a side of Loki that I was able to sympathize with; a tortured soul that has been driven to desperate acts - and yet is still quite evil. And those are my favorite kinds of villains: those that we can understand and sometimes even agree with, but are still evil to the core.
The Romance: Need I really point out the obvious fact that of course Jenna and Bren fall in love? For the most part, I was okay with the romance. While there was more smooching and cuddling than I like (and descriptions of Bren's scent and tasty minty breath), I did still like both Bren and Jenna as characters. What lovers' quarrels they have are resolved long before they can become annoying. The romance starts out at a practical pace. It's obvious that Jenna is attracted to Bren, but it isn't an automatic "Oh my gosh, I can't live without him, even though we have known each other for, like, an hour!!!!!!" It's more of a "He's cute, he seems interesting; I want to know him better." Of course, with the story only being 140 pages, the romance does become accelerated after a while, but again - I still liked Jenna and Bren enough to not be as bothered by it as I usually am.
Plot: After moving to Yew Dales Resort in Pennsylvania, Jenna has pretty much decided that her life sucks. She doesn't have any friends, she'll be the new girl at school, and forget about snowboarding or skiing, 'cause Jenna and sliding down a snowy slope don't mix. That is, until Jenna meets Bren Bergan and his Norwegian cousins. They're instructors at Yew Dales Resort, and they're also strange, going out for after-hours snowboarding, sometimes disappearing for days on end into the snowy mountains. But it's how Bren snowboards that catches Jenna's attention, because it isn't normal. The air, the snow, even the trees seem to obey him, and time seems to slow and stop altogether. It's breathtaking and frightening all at once. So when Bren offers to teach Jenna how to snowboard, logic says that she should refuse. But she doesn't, and as her friendship with Bren deepens into something more, it's the beginning of the end - in more ways than one. Bren is forced to reveal his secret to Jenna - that he and his cousins are Norse gods, who have left Asgard in an attempt to stop the destructive cycle of Ragnorak: living life over and over and over again. His affection for Jenna turns her into a target for the mischievous Loki, who comes down from Asgard for some mysterious purpose. But what is he up to exactly? Bren and Jenna must find out before it's too late - for them and for the mortal world itself. Winter Fire is more of a paranormal romance that it is a story about a Norse god rebellion, so the plot begins very sedately, with lots of snowboarding and sorting out of Jenna's feelings for Bren. And then . . . more snowboarding. Now, snowboarding isn't my thing, so for those Readers who understand that special zen that comes with the sport will probably appreciate this part of the book far more than I did. And to be fair, the snowboarding scenes weren't totally pointless; something happened in each part, whether it was further character emotions development or Jenna noticing small, strange details about how Bren and Co. could snowboard so bloody well. And once Asgard and Loki's arrival are all introduced, the plot picks up and becomes faster paced and (for me) more engaging.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: First person, past tense! Yay! Jenna's sense of humor is very subtle, so having the story told in first person worked really well. We Readers are able to enjoy her slight sense of sarcasm this way. The writing style itself was actually rather nice. I'm not a big fan of modern styles, but I did like this Author's style. She had some great descriptions of mountains in the winter - an ambiance that is much harder to capture in writing than one might think. Sometimes the writing is choppy, but that's to be expected in modern stories, and what typing errors I found were mostly unnecessarily capitalized words at the end of dialogue (like "He said") and a very few spelling errors. It was nothing that obstructed the narration's flow.
Content: 1 s-word, 1 f-word. Jenna is almost raped (pg. 34-35), but the scene is interrupted long before it gets far (the dude doesn't even get his or her trousers unbuttoned). Bren and Jenna cuddle and kiss quite a bit, but Jenna keeps their cuddles from going any further, and Bren respects her wishes.
Conclusion: As Loki carefully lays his trap, Jenna is faced with some very difficult decisions, and either choice she makes could end in her and Bren's separation forever - or the earth's total destruction. For Loki will stop at nothing to get what he's come for; failure for him will come at a very high price. Where Winter Fire began sedately, the climax is anything but. I was very near on the edge of my seat, quite uncertain how things would turn out. And the conclusion did come as a surprise, nicely setting up the book's sequel at the same time without creating a killer cliffhanger. I'm not normally a fan of paranormal romances, but Winter Fire was an enjoyable and quick read, perfect for the weekend or a few hours at the coffee shop. With likable characters and a great climax, it delivered in areas that most paranormal romances don't.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, fifteen-and-up, good for Readers who are looking for a paranormal romance that has likable characters, a non-aggravating romance (and no love triangles!), and a plot that does speed up as the story progresses....more
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