Posts Tagged: Paranormal

Friday, December 02, 2011

Review: Arson by Estevan Vega

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Arson
Estevan Vega
Released May 4th, 2010
by Tate Publishing

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Arson Gable feels like a freak. He can create fire. He never asked for it. He never wanted it. But he can’t shut it off. Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl—who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin—moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he’s never had: purpose. Using what he fears most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is his present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

*A copy was provided by Estevan Vega for review purposes*
A gentle start is not what you should expect when going into this book. You get thrown into the midst of Arson’s complicated and unorthodox life blind as a bat. Consequently, it takes a bit to get situated in the story. But once you do, it becomes quite the intriguing tale.

Arson, who lives with his senile grandmother, is just trying to live his life. When he becomes acquainted with his new neighbour, a strange girl who wears a creepy mask at all times, his life becomes even more complicated. Oh and by the way, he can create fire with his mind… I found the concept really fascinating. I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t get a lot of insight into Arson’s ability, however. I would have loved to see more of what he can do, or why. I’m not disheartened though, there are some events that transpire at the end that lets us know further details are forthcoming. This installment focuses more on establishing Arson’s relationship with his neighbour, Emery. This relationship – though peculiar – is realistic and entertaining. I consider Emery as much a main character as Arson. And a very interesting one at that! Emery has been hiding behind her mask for years. This isn’t a pretty masquerade ball mask either, think Micheal Myers! *shutters* I was incredibly intrigued by Emery. She has a fun, snarky personality and a mysterious past that I couldn’t help but want to know everything about. What also surprised me in this book was how we got to see Aimee’s perspective – Emery’s mother. That’s right! An adult’s perspective, and one with marital issues to boot! The older YA and adult crowd are likely to welcome this unique angle as much as I did.

While I really enjoyed getting to know Arson and Emery, I was a bit annoyed with the secondary characters. Mandy, the stereotypical it-girl who has this perplexing crush on Arson was a bit hard to swallow. I couldn’t picture this happening at all which may be due to getting no real understanding of her intentions. I was also a bit confused by Arson’s grandmother. I wasn’t sure if she had abilities, like Arson, that made her psychotic or if she was just senile. I think some backstory would have made a world of a difference to really bring this book from good to great.

Like most cliffhanger endings, this one was exciting and left me wanting more. If my assumptions are correct, book 2 – Ashes – is going to be more focused on the paranormal aspect of the story and give us a little of what is missing in Arson. I’m happy that I already have it ready to go as I look forward to getting some answers!

3 Hot Espressos

Review: The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle

Posted by on 11/25/2011 • 28 Comments

The Secret of Spruce Knoll

Heather McCorkleReleased August 3rd, 2011by Abbott Press

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It’s hard enough being a teenager under normal circumstances; imagine being orphaned, sent to live with an unfamiliar aunt-and learning that there really is magic in the world. Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with her aunt. Little does Eren know the entire town of Spruce Knoll is filled with so-called “channelers”-a magical group of people who immigrated to the small Colorado town when they were driven out of their own lands.

Channelers are tied to the fate of the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they-and they alone have the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Now, Eren learns she not only…

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Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Posted by on 11/22/2011 • 36 Comments

ParanormalcyKiersten WhiteReleased August 31st, 2010by HarperTeen

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Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie’s dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

This is the book that you read when…

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Review: Brightest Kind of Darkness by PT Michelle

Posted by on 11/17/2011 • 44 Comments

Brightest Kind of DarknessP.T. MichelleReleased June 27th, 2011

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Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate- until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about…

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Review & Giveaway: Become by Ali Cross

Posted by on 11/07/2011 • 27 Comments

BecomeAli CrossRelease date: November 11th, 2011

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Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.

*A copy was provided by Ali Cross for review purposes*

 Become is not your average YA paranormal. We’re thrown into an intense novel about the battle between angels…

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Review: Pyxis by K.C. Neal

Posted by on 11/04/2011 • 21 Comments

PyxisK.C. NealRelease date: November 4th, 2011by Stonehouse Ink

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Two worlds… one 16-year-old girl must learn to protect them both.

The nightmares haunting Corinne and her friend Mason hint at a universe that exists beyond the one they know. Her destiny is to protect a weakness between the two worlds, but her mentor is dead. As Corinne and Mason search for answers, she tries to ignore the sparks igniting between them, but can’t deny she feels safe only when he’s nearby. Will they find help before their nightmares break free?

*A copy was provided by K.C. Neal for review purposes*

With quite the original premise, Pyxis takes you on a fun and mysterious ride with Corinne and her best friend Mason. All throughout the book, you’re…

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Review: Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Posted by on 11/03/2011 • 24 Comments

Hunting LilaSarah AldersonReleased August 4th, 2011by Simon & Schuster

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17-year-old Lila has two secrets she’s prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she’s been in love with her brother’s best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust – her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they’ve found them. Trying to…

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Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Posted by on 10/28/2011 • 31 Comments

ObsidianJennifer L. ArmentroutRelease date: December 6th, 2011by Entangled Publishing

Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit…

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