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Category: Paranormal

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

[ 5 ] January 19, 2012
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Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Reviewed by Megan Saldecki

Nikki Beckett mysteriously vanished last spring, leaving her family, her friend Jules, and her boyfriend Jack devastated. She was taken to the Everneath, a place where immortals feed on humans’ emotions to sustain their immortality.

So when Nikki suddenly comes back to her old town, everyone is surprised. She tries to slowly get back into the flow of things, but she harbours a secret that’ll devastate her loved ones even more: she has to go back to the Everneath in six months. And this time forever.

Nikki must find a way to stay above the ground, or lose everyone and everything again…

I found the premise of Everneath by Brodi Ashton extremely interesting, but because of a few problems, I just couldn’t like this book as much as I wanted to.

Nikki was all over the place for me. One minute she’d be entirely selfless and the next very selfish about having to go to the Tunnels at the end of her six months. She spent entirely too much time whining about the fact that she had to go back and that she wanted to make her disappearance up to her friends and family. Considering that her dad and her brother, Tommy, hardly entered the story, I didn’t feel that she made things better with them. This was also the case with her “best” friend, Jules, whom she hardly ever talked to or hung out with.

Now this is not to say I didn’t like Nikki at all. When she and Jack were actually making progress with each other and figuring out how to keep Nikki on Earth, I really enjoyed her character.

I did like Jack from the beginning of the story, however. I thought he was sweet and incredibly brave and understanding. I thought that he accepted Nikki’s story about the Everneath and her being a Forfeit way too fast, though.

Ashton’s writing was pretty simple, which was good in a way since it balanced out the complexity of the plot. I found the plot complex because it basically forced me to come up with explanations for the new vocabulary words such as Everliving, Tunnels, Forfeit and Feed. Some things were explained briefly in the beginning, but I thought the full answers were given too late, after I had already figured out what most things meant by the context clues.

Two things I definitely enjoyed, though, were the mythology incorporated in the story and the ending. The ending was executed perfectly in my opinion and I wish the rest of the novel was of the same quality.

Overall, once I looked past these flaws, I did enjoy Everneath quite a bit, but since so many things fell flat for me, I couldn’t give it a better rating. I would recommend this to fans of paranormal romance, though with some hesitation.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Meghan is a 18-year-old book blogger. She likes to read and write in her spare time and would like to become a published author one day. She plans on going to college soon.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Balzer + Bray. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Elphame’s Choice by P.C. Cast

[ 4 ] January 14, 2012
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Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jensen

Elphame, daughter of the goddess Epona’s Beloved, has always been treated differently by the citizens of Partholon. Born a combination of human, goddess, and centaur, Elphame’s uniquely beautiful figure is met with awe and shock by all she meets. Having never been comfortable with being an object of worship among her mother Etain’s people, Elphame is led by her prophetic dreams to set out on her own and rebuild the castle of her ancestors. Damaged in the war against the Fomorians centuries earlier, the MacCallan Castle requires all the assistance it can get to be restored to its former glory.

With the assistance of her centaur brother Cuchulainn and a small group of followers, Elphame makes the MacCallan Castle her new home. Instead of looking at her through worshipful eyes, the new tenants of MacCallan Castle become the friends that Elphame has always longed for. It is in the surrounding forest that Elphame will meet her destined lifemate, a man damned by the sins of his ancestors, the Fomorians. Like Elphame, Lochlan is of two worlds. Will he fulfill the prophecy that calls for the blood of a dying goddess and end the madness that plagues his people? Or will Lochlan forsake those like him for true love?

First published in 2004 by Luna, P.C. Cast’s coming-of-age story Elphame’s Choice has been beautifully repackaged and marketed toward teens under the Harlequin Teen publishing house. Fans of the House of Night series will undoubtedly be drawn to Elphame’s Choice, which promises “a different world…where the blood-suckers are truly dangerous”.

Elphame’s Choice takes place in the same world as Divine by Mistake (originally published as Goddess by Mistake) and Divine by Choice. Though each book could be enjoyed as a stand alone story, I highly recommend reading the Partholon books in the following order as suggested by goodreads.com: Divine by Mistake, Elphame’s Choice, Brighid’s Quest, Divine by Choice, and Divine by Blood.

Like Cast’s previous works, there are dark themes and adult sexual situations presented throughout the novel that may not be suitable for less mature teen readers. Adults shouldn’t shy away from this book, as I believe it was originally intended for that audience. Cast’s writing style is definitely appealing to younger readers; I especially found her use of foreshadowing in this novel to be too “telling.” When the events foreshadowed finally occurred, there was no element of surprise. For teen readers especially, Elphame’s Choice will be the perfect bridge to Cast’s adult-oriented novels.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Harlequin. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

[ 7 ] November 14, 2011
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Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Reviewed by Megan Saldecki

I’ve been extremely excited to read Shatter Me for a while because every review I saw has been a positive one. I’m so glad I got my hands on a copy! It was definitely one of the best young adult books of 2011!

Juliette was such a great character. I’ve been reading a lot of books full of tough, independent young women lately and Juliette was such a different story. She was thrown into independency and all she craved was for someone to love her. Tahereh Mafi really did well with describing just how lonely and attention-deprived Juliette was. I could relate to her as sometimes I question everyone’s love for me. Mafi sends a message that sometimes you just have to trust people.

Juliette stood her own ground, though, and I grew more and more proud of her as the story went on. She really evolved to the point of understanding that she was not a monster after all.

Adam was wonderfully perfect. He was strong and sexy and the right choice of character for Juliette. And Mafi once again shined  - this time in her ability to create the romance that every girl dreams of.

I must admit, Mafi’s writing did throw me off at first. For example, since the book was written in first person, some of Juliette’s personal feelings would be crossed out, as if she was writing a diary and getting rid of sentences she disliked. There were also plenty of short sentences, sentences without verbs, i.e. the type of things that would give an English teacher a heart attach. However, I quickly fell in love with this somewhat informal style. It often reminded me of Chuck Palahniuk and a bit of my own writing, which made it just a bit more personal.

Overall, Shatter Me was perfect in every way. I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t get enough. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes both paranormal and dystopian genres, and to anyone looking for a gateway novel into those genres.

Rating: 5/5

Meghan is a 18-year-old book blogger. She likes to read and write in her spare time and would like to become a published author one day. She plans on going to college soon.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by HarperCollins. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

[ 4 ] October 30, 2011
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Reviewed by Grace Soledad

Hades picks off where Halo left off. Bethany and Xavier are still very much in love. They’ve banished Jake, proven their love, and all they have to do now is finish the school year without anything going wrong. Bethany is in heaven. But, when one Halloween seance goes terribly wrong, Bethany ends up in Hell, the formal name being “Hades”.

Jake is convinced that Bethany will fall in love with him, Xavier, Ivy, and Gabriel are desperately trying to find her, and bringing an angel into Hell symbols the start of the end of the world, the battle between Heaven and Hell. Everything is going wrong and Bethany needs to find a way out in order to make it right. Surviving amongst demons and hellhounds is even harder than it looks when every good deed is punished and Bethany keeps finding good people who didn’t deserve this fate. Bethany and Xavier keep struggling to find each other, but will everything slip away?

Hades was a delight. The writing as usual was impeccable, the pacing perfect, and the lines between right and wrong explored. Alexandra Adornetto’s writing is impressively mature and clean for her age – she’s 19. The description and characters are amazingly crafted. Bethany is portrayed as naive and believing that everybody has good in them. Adornetto manages to bring the reader into Bethany’s mind and show us exactly how she thinks, while still providing a clear understanding of her surroundings.

While my favorite is still probably Halo, I loved Hades. It really showed another side of Adornetto’s writing. Hades was a darker and more diverse look into the Halo world. Adornetto’s writing has grown and explored many of the details debuted in Halo, allowing for a satisfying must-read. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Rating: 5/5

Grace Soledad is a teenage bibliophile who runs the blog Words Like Silver. She is described as “antisocial” because she constantly has her nose buried in a book or a notebook. When not reading, she can be found dancing, writing, or at the beach. 

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Feiwel & Friends. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Nocturne by Christine Johnson

[ 7 ] October 27, 2011
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Reviewed by Grace Soledad

Nocturne, the sequel to Claire de Lune, is the story of a girl named Claire. She’s nervous about her boyfriend asking her to the Autumn Ball, tangled friendships, and most importantly, the fact that she’s a werewolf.

With the date of her confirmation as a complete werewolf looming, she’s worried that she won’t be able to do her part. What if she’s incomplete? Something that should come naturally is causing her to struggle.

Her best friend may be drifting away from her, her boyfriend may be uncomfortable about his role in the pack, but these are the least of Claire’s problems. When somebody discovers Claire’s secret, she could lose everything.

Christine Johnson manages to convey a sense of culture and ceremony when talking about the werewolves. I felt like I was right there when she described the full moons and hunts that Claire participated in. The naming ceremony was another scene that she hit perfectly. She is a talented writer and knew exactly when to put in tension or emphasis on parts of the hunt.

I also loved how in both Claire de Lune and Nocturne Christine makes the condition of being a werewolf a well-known position. Like in the House of Night series, people know that these paranormal creatures exists, and it give the setting that little oomph. Not to mention that it makes everything a constant game of Guess Who?

For me, a lot of second books are kind of blah and read like fillers, like bridges from the first book to the third book. For me, one of the major reasons why I liked Nocturne was that everything that occurred in the book was plausible, filled with action, and actually important to the overall story.

The pacing in Nocturne was perfect. It wasn’t all action or paranormal; some problems were simply social or came with the territory of being a teenager. The romance was fantastic, the friendships were tangled, and there was a delightful little twist at the end. Nocturne is utterly delicious.

Rating: 4.5/5

Check out our review of Claire de Lune

Grace Soledad is a teenage bibliophile who runs the blog Words Like Silver. She is described as “antisocial” because she constantly has her nose buried in a book or a notebook. When not reading, she can be found dancing, writing, or at the beach. 

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Simon Pulse. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Drink, Slay, Love by Sara Beth Durst

[ 8 ] October 13, 2011
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Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jensen

After being stabbed through the heart by a unicorn’s horn after snacking on her favorite human entrée, 16-year-old vampire Pearl begins experiencing some rather strange symptoms. The most shocking occurs after two teenage “vampire hunters” capture and cage her, and she doesn’t burn at dawn’s early light. Because Pearl can withstand the daylight, her vampire Family comes up with a clever idea: they will enroll her in high school, and she will lure humans to the Fealty Ceremony as a treat for the King of New England.

Pearl agrees to the plan, but as she interacts with the humans, she discovers that she has a conscience and no longer wants to drink their blood. Evan, who once looked like a tasty morsel to her, now makes her experience true human feelings. Pearl decides she must find the unicorn who destroyed her nature, and get it reversed before her Family finds out.

Drink, Slay, Love by Sara Beth Durst is not your typical vampire novel; if you’re looking for another Twilight copycat, you won’t find it here. But if you love iconic movies like Lost Boys, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and anything starring Molly Ringwald, this is the perfect book for you. Light on the romance, Drink, Slay, Love is about a young vampire who does some soul-searching (well, if she had a soul!) and learns that where she thought she belonged might not necessarily be her ideal way of living any more. Caught in between two worlds, Pearl will have to choose: her family or the humans.

I absolutely loved the interactions between Evan and Pearl, and I hope that there will be a sequel to Drink, Slay, Love. This book is definitely one that I “sank my fangs into”, but my thirst isn’t quite satiated–I simply have to know what happens to these characters, and what the consequences for Pearl’s actions will be. If you love vampires, YA, witty dialogue, and are intrigued by the idea of were-unicorns, then you have to stalk your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of Drink, Slay, Love.

Rating: 3.5/5

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Margaret K. McElderry Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

[ 6 ] September 21, 2011
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Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Reviewed by Elizabeth Talbott

Megan Rosenberg has always moved around a lot. After her mother’s death, her father just can’t stay in one place for too long. This time, they are moving to Ireland because of her father’s new job at a marina. When she goes to her new school for the first time, she immediately notices Adam DeRis and feels a magnetic connection to him. Unfortunately, he seems to avoid her at all costs. Other than this anomaly, Megan makes many friends like Caitlin, who tell her about the rumors that Adam and his family are druids and cast black magic. This doesn’t deter Megan from her crush. As she spends more time with him, she notices strange things happening around him and his family. Is Adam some sort of druid? Is he dangerous? Why does she feel such a strong connection with him?

When I first heard about Carrier of the Mark, I was really excited to read it. I enjoy Ireland and paranormal books, plus the cover is gorgeous. I was also impressed that it was picked up by HarperCollins after being put up on InkPop, a creative writing community.

However, Carrier of the Mark fell short of my expectations. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the dialog between Megan and her friends. In fact, the writing was really what kept me interested. It flowed really well and had energy behind it that kept me reading even when parts of the plot didn’t interest me. The dialogue between the characters felt authentic; I wanted to know more about them and wish the book was more focused on character development.

The problems I had with Carrier of the Mark had to do with the romance between the main characters as well as some of the plot points. The romance was love at first sight and Adam and Megan became quickly obsessed with each other. I get that young love is intense, but they seemed too in love too quickly. I felt that their declarations of love and how they would die without each other got old really fast. There were a lot of similarities to Twilight including the forbidden love, girl moving to a new school and falling in love with the hot outcast, Adam’s family, and even some structural problems. The main conflict was introduced very late and then resolved very quickly as well because their meeting and subsequent relationship took up about the first two thirds of the book. The beautiful Irish landscape and culture was also underplayed for the most part.

Overall, I liked Carrier of the Mark for the original paranormal storyline and skilled writing. The romance was overplayed, tiresome, and seemed to similar to others in its genre. I would read the next book in the series to see if the mythology is explored in greater detail.

Rating: 3/5

Elizabeth is a student at Cal State Long Beach. She laughs a lot, loves cats, and lives for music and books. You can read her blog here: http://titania86-fishmuffins.blogspot.com/.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by HarperTeen. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

[ 6 ] September 20, 2011
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Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jensen

Three sisters, separated at birth and unaware of the others’ existence, are about to be reunited for the first time in 16 years. Gretchen has always known it is her destiny to hunt down the mythological monsters that come through the hellmouth in San Francisco. Under the tutelage of Ursula, Gretchen has become a fiercely independent young warrior. When fate throws Grace into her path, she is hesitant at first to share her legacy with someone else. Slowly, the idea grows on her that she has a sister–a twin.

Grace has always known she was adopted, and has often been curious about her birth parents. Finding Gretchen makes her feel like she really belongs, even though she has a terrific adoptive family. What neither Gretchen nor Grace expected was to find a third sister, Greer. Spoiled and one of the elite, Greer has always had a plan for her life–one that did not involve seeing and hunting monsters. Fighting monsters is the easy part; getting along with sisters that couldn’t be more different than her will be a struggle.

Sweet Venom is the first in a new series from Tera Lynn Childs. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I have read by her so far, and had eagerly been anticipating Tera’s take on Greek mythology. Forget everything you think you know about Medusa, the snake-haired gorgon beheaded by Perseus–Tera takes a well-known Greek myth and puts a totally unique spin on it. I am so in love with her wildly imaginative retelling that I’m disappointed that it isn’t the reality.

Though Sweet Venom is most definitely YA, it will appeal to adult readers, too. I saw quite a few similarities to my beloved Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show and Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. Fans of one or both will welcome Sweet Venom and its planned sequels with open arms.

Though I have quite a few questions about where everything is going, I trust Tera’s writing and development and know that she will answer everything all in due time.

Rating: 4.5/5

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Katherine Tegan Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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