Genre: Paranormal


Thursday, June 19, 2014

Review: Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

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I received this book for free from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Sinner by Maggie StiefvaterSinner by Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3.5
Published by Scholastic on July 1st 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, YA
Source: Scholastic
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four-stars

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

It has been a while since I read the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, so I was a bit worried that remembering next to no details about it would make reading this a flop, but it was not a problem at all. If you want to refresh your memory there’s a convenient Wikipedia page that reminds you who’s who. But everything you need to know is recapped (albeit briefly) as we go along.

Sinner is narrated by our beloved Cole and Isabel, a couple of characters who you won’t soon forget. Cole is somewhat of an arrogant ass, yet charming and hilarious, and Isabel is a bit psychotic with quick wit and, to be honest, she scares me a little >.< I love her, though. She's sarcastic and may be cold at times, but she's just so real and gets that sometimes life just freaking sucks. Plus she doesn't take any shit from anybody and that's something I always respect. As for Cole, sometimes I love him, other times I just want to slap that smug face of his. He does take some patience, but you know that he really does mean well - especially when it comes to Isabelle. I also love how much he's changed, and even though the world seems to be against him he gives them the finger and keeps on keeping on. That's a true sign of strength if you ask me. Also I have to mention Leon - for a side character, he entertained! Together… Cole and Isabel can definitely bring out the worst in each other. It's a complicated relationship, that's for sure. They have a lot of wounds to heal, and a lot of issues to work out. As expected, it's a hot and cold kind of romance, but for once I wasn't irritated by it. I completely understood why Isabel reacted the way she did, and her lack of trust is not hard to grasp - who expects a guy to actually have changed when his personality is such an extreme? Their chemistry is off the charts, though, and you can feel how much love they have for each other despite all the crap they went through. It makes it easy to root for them.

The plot, honestly there’s not much paranormal going on in this book. It’s a werewolf book, yes, but the werewolf is nothing but another burden Cole is trying to be rid of. We do see him turn occasionally, but this novel focuses more on its contemporary side. It’s a story about a boy learning to live with the harsh consequences of his past choices. It’s also a love story. It’s slow-ish paced, but the characters and situations keep you compelled. Cole being semi-famous lends the book a dash of the “life of the rich and famous”. He also takes on a reality show for an extra spin of drama as well. I was actually quite fascinated by it all.

In a dazzling, sometimes frustrating LA setting, Sinner is full of wonder, heartbreak, and colourful characters; a great addition to the original Wolves of Mercy Falls series. This one is less wolf, and more broken human, but fans of the series will love it nonetheless!

four-stars

4 Hot Espressos

Review: Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore

Posted by on 06/10/2014 • 23 Comments

An enjoyable plot with a very unique zombie story, but it was missing… something. Many aspects about this world and its happenings were explained only briefly to make the plot move forward, which made it hard to invest myself fully. But it was fun, nonetheless!

We begin by following Thea, whose mother’s strange illness has left her in charge of supporting the family. This is where we begin to see the part that magic has in the story, when we learn of this magical connection between her mother and father that has caused the illness. I found this was really intriguing and a great start that compels you to read more. Especially when combined with the glamorous setting of a Telephone Club we’re lured into by its enchanting atmosphere and…

Review: Born of Deception by Teri Brown

Review: Born of Deception by Teri Brown

Posted by on 05/26/2014 • 14 Comments

*Spoiler free for the series*

Having really enjoyed the wonderfully atmospheric and captivating Born of Illusion last year, I was excited to get back into Anna’s world full of magic and mystery.

Born of Deception is just as mesmerizing in its storytelling, and even more-so with its historical London setting. Brown is gifted in bringing these settings to life; making us walk the busy streets alongside our protagonist, feel the vibrancy of the city and the excitement of the crowds. As far as the writing goes, I loved it all. I did find disappointment in the plot itself, however. While Born of Illusion was full of mystique and wonder, this second installment has a big focus on a new love triangle in addition to – and somewhat the cause…

Review: (Don’t You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

Review: (Don’t You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

Posted by on 05/22/2014 • 18 Comments

Holy crap! I feel like my brain is totally spent after this mind-f*ck of a book! Books like these are so hard to review, so I’m going to do my best to make sense of my thoughts. First, I gotta warn you this not the kind of book that will mesh with everyone. For one, it’s so different it breaks all molds of normalcy ever built around story-telling. For another, it introduces the kind of paranormal where you have to go in with an open mind, and just accept this town for what it is (similarly to Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz).

Welcome to Gardnerville. A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.

This is the story of Gardernville. A bizarre isolated town where sickness and…

Giveaway: The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Giveaway: The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Posted by on 05/17/2014 • 5 Comments

Thanks to the lovely people at Hachette Children’s Books UK, you all have a chance to win yourself an advanced copy of The Moment Colletor – the newest novel by Jodi Lynn Anderson which is releasing this summer. Most of you are probably a bit more familiar with the US title/cover: The Vanishing Season. Both me and Jenni are very excited about this one and can’t wait to dig into it ourselves! You will see our reviews in the coming months here on the blog!

Giveaway

Hachette Children’s Books UK has generously offered an advanced copy of The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson (UK edition) for giveaway.

Open internationally Giveaway ends June 6th, 2014 Full contest terms…

Review: The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz

Review: The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz

Posted by on 05/12/2014 • 15 Comments

With one of my favourite settings – New York City – The Dark World has a lot to offer. We’ve got a unique and terrifying alternate evil world concept, a protagonist who can see the dead, a love interest who’s incredibly charming, and an exciting climax. But… I was also disappointed by how much of a tease it was on the aspect that I found the most interesting.

Let’s start with the plot itself. It begins at school where we meet Paige talking to a ghost in the girl’s bathroom, quickly getting us to understand both her social standing and how she really doesn’t give a rats butt (trying to stay PG13 here!). This also introduces us to the mean girl and Paige’s hilarious ghost best friend. It takes no…

Review: The End or Something Like That by Ann Dee Ellis

Review: The End or Something Like That by Ann Dee Ellis

Posted by on 04/29/2014 • 10 Comments

I went into The End or Something Like That expecting to read a YA contemporary novel.  Having this mindset left me very annoyed at the repetitive writing and juvenile attitudes presented.  Once I started easing into the story I switched my perception of the novel and starting looking at is as a middle grade one which helped with my enjoyment of it greatly.  Don’t get me wrong, lots still annoyed me about it but I was much more forgiving of its quirkiness than I was initially.

In this story we are Emmy, a grade 9 student who lost her very best friend the year before.  She grew up with her best friend Kim from as early as one can because their mothers were also best friends.  From birth Kim had…

Review: Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike

Review: Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike

Posted by on 04/18/2014 • 16 Comments

Sleep No More has some good entertaining content and an interesting Oracle premise, but there were many eye-rolling parts as well. I had mixed feelings even before I started this one. The mention of both Inception which I loved, and the Wake trilogy which I loathed made for an odd combination of expectations. Still, I was intrigued and it was fun while it lasted, but it’s not without a list of flaws.

The Oracle lore is what kept my interest the most. It takes a while to get a clear picture of the Oracle abilities and the history is weak at best, but the concept is fascinating and, in many ways, thought provoking. Changing someone’s fate does not come without consequences, thus giving the ability a very bittersweet feel….