Posts Categorized: Review

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Review: Airel by Aaron Patterson & Chris White

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Airel
Aaron Patterson & Chris White
Series: The Airel Saga, #1
Release date: August 31st, 2011
by StoneHouse Ink

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All Airel ever wanted was to be normal, to disappear into the crowd. But bloodlines can produce surprises, like an incredible ability to heal. Then there’s Michael Alexander, the new guy in school, who is impossibly gorgeous…and captivated by her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she can hear the sound of pages turning, and another, older story being written. It is the story of an ancient family, of great warriors, of the Sword of Light, and the struggle against an evil so terrible, so far-reaching, that it threatens everything. Airel knew change would be an inevitable part of life. But can she hold on when murder and darkness begin to close in and take away everything she loves? Will she have what it takes when the truth is finally revealed?

*A copy was provided by Aaron Patterson for review purposes*
Airel, with its beautiful cover and promising synopsis had me swooning over it. It sounds original, mysterious and full of action. This is all, in actuality, what we get. The angel lore is unique. I especially enjoyed how it’s told in dual, past and present, point-of-views. These become two very different, interesting plot lines that merge together for an exciting spin. My main problem, and what made this fall flat for me, were the characters.

Airel leads a normal, average life when she meets Michael. She immediately falls head over heels for him. I felt their relationship was very artificial with no chemistry behind it, which is almost always the case when it’s so instant; I never get a chance to feel the passion take hold. I also had difficulty connecting with Airel. She has a nice personality, but nothing stands out; she’s just very average. I could not comprehend some of the decisions she made either, that, to me, seemed nonsensical. When you see someone get murdered and the killer has seen you, stay with the crowd, don’t go hide in a bathroom stall alone! As for Michael, he’s a good character but I can’t say I have a clear picture of him in my head. I feel like I didn’t get to know him all that well. These characters are a part of one of the two storylines. The second storyline, happening in the past, has much more interesting personalities. Which is funny because I’m not usually into the mighty warrior stories. However, this one is exciting with a fast pace and good action scenes. I did feel a bit lost past the halfway point where the battles and twists started to all mix together, but I was still able to keep up for the most part.

What I do have to applaud is the way both considerably different storylines are weaved together so flawlessly. The jumps from past to present are never confusing. In addition, the pacing is made so that you always want to go back to the perspective you were just pulled out of, but equally happy to stay and finally see what’s happening in the current one. Although the story can feel a bit drawn out at times, this dual perspective definitely helps keep you entertained. As for the plot twists, I can’t say they took me by surprise, but there are still a few that I hadn’t completely figured out. 

Overall it’s not a bad novel, If it wasn’t for my non connection with the characters I probably would have enjoyed this much more. It seems to be the type that people either love, or just don’t.


2 Espressos

Review: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Posted by on 03/02/2012 • 38 Comments

Blood Red RoadMoira YoungSeries: Dust Lands, #1Release date: February 28th, 2012 (Paperback)by Doubleday Canada

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Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That’s fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba’s world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she’s…

Review: The Haunted by J.A. Templeton

Posted by on 03/01/2012 • 20 Comments

The HauntedJ.A. TempletonSeries: MacKinnon Curse, #2Release date: January 8th, 2012

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After battling a malevolent ghost that held the spirit of her friend Ian MacKinnon bound to the land for two hundred years, sixteen-year-old reluctant psychic, Riley Williams, felt as if she was finally easing into her new life in Scotland.

Or so she thought.

Laria, the spirit of the witch who had cursed Ian wants revenge for Riley’s interference and she’s bringing along friends—dark entities who thrive on evil.

The one bright spot in Riley’s world is Ian’s descendent, Kade MacKinnon, who could easily be Ian’s modern day twin. The parallels between the two guys are undeniable. As Riley’s relationship with Kade blossoms, she begins to realize Laria has grown in her power since…

The Weeping Tour Stop

Posted by on 02/28/2012 • 34 Comments

Today I’m thrilled to have The Weeping blog tour visiting Xpresso Reads for a super fun post. First I’ll be showing you my thoughts on this book so you all get to see what it’s about. Then I’ll be showing you O’Dell’s dream cast – which actors he’d love to see playing the roles of his characters. There is also a fabulous giveaway at the end! I’m telling you, this is one awesome day!

Review

The WeepingO’Dell Hutchison Release date: March 6th, 2012by  H, C & B Publishing

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Twenty years ago, Catherine Whitley was the victim of a horrible crime. Betrayed by her friends, including the boy she loved, she was left to die when the Rock Harbor Opera House caught fire, taking a disturbing secret…

Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Posted by on 02/27/2012 • 40 Comments

Graffiti MoonCath CrowleyRelease date: February 14th, 2012by Knopf Books for Young Readers

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Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she’s going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He’s out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy’s stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she’s managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they’re suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

Review & Guest Post: Deadlocked by A.R. Wise

Posted by on 02/25/2012 • 12 Comments

DeadlockedA.R. WiseRelease date: November 9th, 2011

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David was caught in the middle of the city when the zombie outbreak started. His wife and daughters were at home, stranded on the roof as zombies waited below. He would have to fight through hordes of undead, merciless other survivors, and a series of death defying stunts to get home. However, even if he makes it there, how can he be sure they’re safe?

Deadlocked puts you into David’s head as he struggles to get home. Then a final confrontation occurs that will guarantee his family’s survival, but at what cost?

Deadlocked 2 A.R. Wise Release date: December 9th, 2011 Goodreads / Purchase

Part two of this series picks up immediately after the end of the first. David’s wife,…

Review: Partials by Dan Wells

Posted by on 02/24/2012 • 36 Comments

PartialsDan WellsSeries: Partials, #1 Release date: February 28th, 2012by Balzer + Bray

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Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials–engineered organic beings identical to humans–has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save…

Review: Torn by Amanda Hocking

Posted by on 02/23/2012 • 32 Comments

TornAmanda HockingSeries: Trylle Trilogy, #2Release date: February 28th, 2012by St. Martin’s Press

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When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself–that she’s a changeling switched at birth–she knows her life will never be the same. Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story… She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined–and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side.

With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to marry a powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.

Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must…