Unravel Me

The sequel to Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi's new novel has all the characters we loved in the last book, and a few more we come to care for.

Juliette has been brought into Omega Point, where she can claim sanctuary and not be tested like an animal. Omega Point now has a girl who can kill just by touching someone. But that's not her only superpower. In this installment, we get to know more about that superstrength of hers, and why Adam can touch her. But when the truth comes out, will she still be with Adam? Or is her touch poison to him too?

Then, another twist is thrown upon us. Warner, the evil SOB who can also touch Juliette, is captured and taken to Omega Point as a prisoner. Juliette is chosen to interogate him to find out where their missing men (and Juliette's new friends) are. But as Juliette spends more time with Warner, she starts to see him more as a person, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't hate him. Further straining the relationship between Adam and Juliette, Warner loves her, and can touch her. When a shocking revelation about Warner's father is made known to the main characters, the hate between the two boys explodes, and Kenji is hurt.
With suspicion around Warner, and everyone thinking Juliette harmed Kenji, what will happen to Omega Point, and who will Juliette choose?

I liked the twists in this book, haing read the previous novel I definately could not see some of what happened. This one really made me dislike Juliette though. I felt sorry for her in Shatter Me, and the first few chapters, but after that she was just... boring. All boo-hoo my life sucks, which was really grating considering she got what she wanted and was a hell of a lot better than when she was Warner's prisoner or in the mental institution. After Kenji yelled at her, she toughened up a bit, but would still have the occasional pity party. Personally, I thought the best character was Kenji, but we didn't get to see much of what he felt, although he was often mentioned. Therefore, I was interested when we got to learn more of his past.

Giving it a 3.7. Juliette really let down the book from what it could have been.

Read safely (that means remember to eat occasionally - don't starve due to engrossment in your novel of the moment)
Astarte

Zenn Scarlett

Hello all!

First off, may I just say I LOVED this book. It was amazing. And as Christian Schoon's debut work, it's certainly nothing to sneeze at.

Zenn Scarlett, a seventeen-year-old girl, lives on Mars in a religious cloister. Currently training to become an exoveterinarian (pretty much a vet for aliens - typically very large or very dangerous aliens) she has three tests to pass before she can go onto the next part of her training. With the cloister facing possible shutdown, due to the townspeople's attitudes towards aliens, and suspected sabotage, will she be able to pass her tests to get one step closer to her dreams? And will the mind-melds she keeps having with the animals help or hinder her?

So, off to my review now. I've already said I loved it, but I'll say it again. I Loved It. This books was just the right amount of weird, with excellent descriptions of the all the aliens, so you can actually picture them perfectly. Upside of this, it makes for some amazing mental pictures whilst you're reading. Downside, I really, really want a rikkaset (a animal about the size of a cat, with violet tiger stripes and a cream body, a ringed tail, lynx ears, and big golden eyes. Rikkasets can also turn invisible and are as smart as chimps. Zenn's one, Katie, is learning sign language) odds are though, I won't get one :(
Zenn herself is a pretty great main character too. From the very beginning she is exceptional from those around her. She's possibly one of the youngest trainee exoveterinarians ever, she's training in a time when it's not popular to be an exo, as there is so much bad feeling towards aliens on Mars, she's dealing with the stresses of study for her exams (a huge workload, as you can imagine) along with her wierd mind-thing and sabotage of the cloister. And yet, she doesn't break down at any time, she just does what needs doing. Some might say that Schoon hasn't made her 'realistic' but I loved her. And her confusion was pretty clearly shown when she started thinking about Liam, a cute boy from town who seems to be pretty helpful whenever Zenn is concerned.

Now that you're all desperate to read it, it will be released on May 7th by Strange Chemistry, so you should definately all go buy it, or harass your local librarian until you get it. It really is worth it.

With the cliff-hanging ending I'm hankering for the next one in the series, which unfortunately does not as yet have a release date.

This book gets a 5.9 stars out of 5

Happy Reading (which if you read this book, you really will get)
Astarte

Gallagher Girls Series

Yet another series by Ally Carter, this one is about an exclusive girls' school: The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. At this prestigious education facility, the girls learn the basic necessecities for their future careers: languages, history, hand-to-hand combat, all things they'll need to know when they graduate as spies.
Follow Cammie, Bex, Liz and Macey as they complete their training, despite the distractions from boys:
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You (1)
Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy (2)
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (3)
Only the Good Spy Young (4)
Out of Sight, Out of Time (5)
Double Crossed (5.5)
Gallagher Girls Website: http://gallaghergirls.com/index.php

Enjoy,
Astarte

Heist Society Series

Good mornig everyone!

This series is about Katarina Bishop, the daughter of a con man with skills of her own. Her team of teenage crooks include her cousin Gabrielle, the Bagshaw brothers, Simon and Hale. Each with their own talents they 'acquire' things and give them back to their rightful owners.
Written by the talented Ally Carter, there is a tie-in with the Gallagher Girls series at Double Crossed.

Heist Society (1)
Uncommon Criminals (2)
Double Crossed (2.5)
Perfect Scoundrels (3)

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Double Crossed

Hi,
This time it's about Double Crossed, a novel by Ally Carter that that combines both the Heist Society series and her other young adult series, Gallagher Girls. Both W.W. Hale the Fifth and Macey McHenry are at an exclusive charity ball, being bored out of their minds, when suddenly there's a hostage situation. Will her spy skills and his crminal knowledge be enough to save the day, or will the Calloway Canary diamond be stolen?

I liked the way the two series were woven together in this book. It showed both the strengths and weaknesses in their different fields and how the two different skill sets can complement each other. I think Kat's blubbering about Hale was kinda cute too :)

This gets a solid 4.2 stars

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Perfect Scoundrels

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I haven't blogged for a bit. Life got pretty hectic. Anywho, today is all about Miss Ally Carter's thrid novel in the Heist Society series: Perfect Scoundrels.

Kat Bishop is pretty happy. Hale is her boyfriend (finally), she's far happier with her restealing jobs, and her team is one of the best, filled with teenage geniuses. But in the middle of an operation, Hale leaves. Turns out his grandmother (the only member of his family he actually liked) has died... and willed the multi-national Hale Industries to him. Is this an elaborate con? And how can Kat save the company and keep Hale?

I found this book ok... I thought the Hale-Kat relationship swings were too often, and the reasons for them forgiving each other and getting back together each time not really fleshed out enough. Same also for Hale. We're told he's sad, and people are worried about him, but we don't get a lot of descriptions on it. I did like the end result though, it seemed a lot more life-like than the usual impossible thing to break into/con people to believe ending. Not sure what was up with the Niagra Falls and Uncle Eddie...

3.5 stars

Happy reading all,
Astarte

Moonlight

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

A Dark Guardian Novel, Moonlight, penned by Rachel Hawthorne, was recent;y devoured by myself. The basic storyline is that Kayla, an adopted child who's parents died in the forest that she's come to work as a guide in. She's attracted to the mysterious Lucas, who is the leader of the sherpas, as they call themselves. As they lead a research team into the middle of the national forest where they hope to find proof of werewolves, strange things start happening that jeopardises those in the party. Then there is the beautiful wolf who comes to Kayla at night. What does it all mean, and will these researchers really find werewolves in the park?

When I picked up this book, I was kind of hoping the main characters would be over 25, simply because this usually mean sit has more in the book than the main challenge that must be overcome and relationship building. Well, it's about teenagers, and there is plenty of tension between the two main characters, Kayla and Lucas, and the second half of the book is mainly about solving the problem. There is some work done to set up for the sequels, but not a whole lot, and parts that should have gotten more attention, such as the bear-wolf fight and when Lucas deals with his brother, were let down by the half-a-page descriptions.

Good ideas, but could have been written better
2 stars

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Charmfall

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Book 3 in Chloe Neill's series the Dark Elite finally managed to get off my to-read shelf and into my currently reading one (I love Goodreads).
Lily Parker, an Adept with firespell is all psyched up to go to the school dance with her werewolf boyfriend. There hasn't been a lot of activity lately from the Reapers, so the only thing on her mind is her dress. Then, when an attack happens at the school, Lily's powers are gone. Who's taken all the powers of the Chicago Dark Elite, and why? And can Sebastian be trusted to help?

This book was engrossing enough to pull me away from the daily worries, but not so much that I had to finish it before I did anything else. The relationships here are done really well, much better than the first two books (in my opinion) There's the tension between Lily and Jason when the Sebastian issue is brought into the open is really good, and seems true to the characters. I also like what happens with Veronica. Either she subconsciously knows that she owes Lily, or Nicu is just a good influence (I know, we're all laughing) but she seems a whole lot nicer in this book. As a character, I think she's got a whole lot of potential, particualrily when we learn why Nicu is drawn to her.

According to Chloe Neill's website, there are 'no current plans for a fourth book.' I think the series still had a way to go, but maybe she'll come back to it later :)

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Rachel Vincent

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Rachel Vincent is the author of the Soul Screamers series, Shifters series and the Unbound series. My favourite part so far from looking her up to write this post is something on her website, which you find here, which is she 'remains convinced that for every day she spend writing, one day will be added to her lifespan' I like the originality of that.

Unbound Series:
Blood Bound (1)
Shadow Bound (2)
Oath Bound (3)

Soul Screamer Series:
My Soul to Lose (0.5)
My Soul to Take (1)
My Soul to Save (2)
My Soul to Keep (3)
Reaper (3.5)
My Soul to Steal (4)
A Day in the Afterlife of Tod (4.1)
If I Die (5)
Never to Sleep (5.5)
Before I Wake (6)
With All My Soul (7)
Shifters Series:
Stray (1)
Rogue (2)
Pride (3)
Prey (4)
Shift (5)
Alpha (6)

On top of all these, she's also got stuff in a bunch of anthologies.

Rachel Vincent website: http://www.rachelvincent.com/
An older blog, last updated July 2012: http://rkvincent.wordpress.com/
Her new blog: http://www.rachelvincent.com/blog/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Soul Screamers Series

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

This is the Soul Screamers series, with the main character being Kaylee Cavanaugh, a bean sidhe (banshee) who is learning about her powers and the myriad dangers of the Netherworld. To help her is a reaper, a male bean sidhe and other characters, some whom are friendly and some... not so much. This series is the brain-baby of Rachel Vincent.

My Soul to Lose (0.5)
My Soul to Take (1)
My Soul to Save (2)
My Soul to Keep (3)
Reaper (3.5)
My Soul to Steal (4)
A Day in the Afterlife of Tod (4.1)
If I Die (5)
Never to Sleep (5.5)
Before I Wake (6)
With All My Soul (7)

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

My Soul to Save

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

My Soul To Save by the talented Rachel Vincent, is the story of young teen popstars who make deals bartering their souls for fame and fortune. Enter Kaylee Cavanaugh and Nash Hudson, young bean sidhe (banshee) who are determined to save the popstar's souls from eternal torture by a demon of avarice (greed).

I liked this book. I didn't like it as much as I could have (possibly because I've been reading way to many of the literary classics recently and am becoming a book snob) but it was still worthwhile reading. I particularily liked the end of the book. The conclusion was really, really sad, but it was the right ending for the book. If it had been a happy-happy la-la ending, it would have left a horrid aftertaste, because it would have been wrong.
This is the second book in the Soul Screamers Series. If you liked this one, try the others.
3.8 stars

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Young Adult

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Want some Young Adult novels to tide you through? Look no further, because here are the ones I've reviewed:

Rules of Attraction
North of Beautiful
Perfect Scoundrels
Double Crossed

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Simone Elkeles

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Simone Elkeles writes teenage fiction. Some of her series are included below:

Perfect Chemistry Series:
Perfect Chemistry (1)
Rules of Attraction (2)
Chain Reaction (3)

Her website can be found here: http://simoneelkeles.com/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

A Shimmer of Angels

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso decribes Rayna, a teenager who was commited to a mental asylum because she can see angels. Out, and desperate to be normal, she meets the new student at her school, Cam, who has wings. After convincing her that she's not crazy, Cam and Ray start looking for the fallen angel who is murdering her classmates. When Rayna stumbles upon Kade, she immediately suspects him. But is he the killer, or an ally?

I enjoyed the little bit of reality that is in this book. It seems more real because Ray was considered crazy, where as other books in the supernatural genre always have no one discovering anything unless it's because the supernatural told them. Ray's reaction to Cam when they first met was another highlight. Ray actually has a little bit of sense, instead of relying on luck like other main female characters. I enjoyed the characters and the plot, but I think Ray's Kade-Cam dilemma wasn't handled as well as it could have been. There could have been more interaction between Cam and Ray, other than 'oh, he's got wings and is nice to me. I'm totally head over heels about him.' Whereas there is a lot of interaction between Ray and Kade. I also like the, well I won't call it a twist, as it wasn't written that way, but the part at the end that none of the characters can explain, I liked that part, but it could have been written as a twist, and as such would have made it seem more significant.

Overall, 4.3 stars

Book 2 of the Angel Sight series, A Sliver of Hope, is expected to be published in January of 2014. Guess we'll all have to hold out 'til then to see where this goes next.

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Hexbound

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Hexbound, the second book in the Dark Elite series by Chloe Neill, has recently ended up on my to-read pile. The basic storyline is Lily Parker, a junior at a prestigious girl's boarding school in Chicago, discovers the magic underground where teenagers battle to protect the city and finds she has magic powers.

This novel had a storyline that was as tangled as Lily's emotions. Neill has Lily and Scout focusing on way to many things, and nothing is given enough weight to really make it necessary to the plot. Of course, if you got rid of all the things in here that aren't necessary, they'd be no book. Jumping from vampires, to wierd fangy creatures, to secretive parents, and budding relationships, the plot is sacttered at best.
I really hope some of the scenes from this book tie in to future books, otherwise there's no much unneeded text in here, that not only goes nowhere, but doesn't lend any weight to character developement, understanding of the setting, or subtle clues to answer the vital question that the Adepts have, which we know is there, but aren't sure just what it is.

Overall, 2.5 stars
Book three, Charmfall will soon be given a review here, with a rather belated one for Firespell, book 1

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Dark Elite Series

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

This is the Dark Elite Series written by Chloe Neill. It follows Lily Parker, a 15-year-old whose parents leave her at a swanky girl's boarding school when they get a research opportunity in Germany. Lily stumbles on the magical underground of Chicago and discovers that she has powers too. Lily, and her new best friend Scout, must protect the citizens of Chicago from the Dark Elite - those who take human energy to fuel their magic.

Firespell (1)
Hexbound (2)
Charmfall (3)

Let this give you a taste of Chloe Neill, and bust that boredom for books

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte