Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding
My Review:
This book makes you realize how much the storyline in the first two depended upon the tension created by the love triangle. In Mockingjay, the author robs her readers of what they crave! By the end, everything is so messed up that Peeta vs. Gale became "OH snap. Who even cares anymore?" I couldn't help but be disappointed--it was so violent, everyone dies (I CANNOT forgive Collins for taking away both Finnick and Prim!!) and even though there is a nicely packaged epilogue, I wanted more...EXPECTED more out of this final installment.
Bottom line: You have to read it, but don't spend money on it- wait and borrow it from your friend. And then fondly recall the first book.
That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.
Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.
But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?
Review:
I always wonder why authors spend so much time building up a setting and then completely switch to another for a sequel. I was all ready for another year at Hex Hall but, no, we're off to England to Thorne Abbey.
Once I get settled into my new abode (with the help of Sophie, of course) I actually liked it. All the English-isms were a little cliche (not all English people like fish and chips - i don't!) but I expect overseas readers will feel at home with them.
The story carries on a few weeks after the last book ends. But this time Sophie is in so much danger it's untrue. The author steps up the tension and suspense and with a smidgen of romance, Spellbound lives up to the expectations of Hex Hall.
Again, the story is evenly paced, clues drop in nicely every now and again, and I must admit, I thought the Dad was in on it so much to my surprise the twists are even better than the last book.
We have more of a love-triangle going on too as Cal enters the story in small doses, and Archer makes a welcome return.
Synopsis:-
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…
It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks… This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.
But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…
My Review:
Rose Hathaway has great attitude! She starts by winding up her mother and Dimitri Belikov (her mentor) and pushes them both away. She feels rejection from Lissa who is spending more time with boyfriend Christian leaving little left for Rose. And soon she meets Adrian Ivashkov (who we all love!)
The characters start to get wrapped up in their own adventures and sooner or later Rose has to be the voice of reason. We see Rose start to grow up and think rationally (especially when Dimitri is concerned).
A follow up is always harder than the first book but Frostbite covers all the bases. The romance is gorgeous and beautifully written and the story doesn't stop from beginning to end.
Definitely a great read if you like the first VA book.
I loved this book. I literally could not put it down. And as usual, it starts with a boy....
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
This is one of those books where you get torn in two. Firstly I loved the fact that Clara knew she was an angel from the beginning. There was no - OMG what's happening - moment except a little way into the book when her powers advance.
Christian is the one she has to save. I feel an enderaing quality in Christian, even though he's always sucking face with Kay. This part of his character creeps me out, but when he's on his own he's so lovely. Except then we all begin to hate him when he leaves Clara high and dry at the Prom.
YOU SEE! These characters really draw you in and I haven't even begun to discuss Tucker. Well, he's one that you hate to begin with and then get to love as he loves Clara.
At no point in this book did I get the feeling that Clara was doing anything behind anyone's back, she didn't cheat, and she certainly kept her good girl values which is a likeable quality in our heroine.
The ending was not a total surprise after a remark when clara follows Christian to lunch. So I kind of knew what would happen, but it still had me gripping my Kindle right to the last page.
An excellent new Author, and an excellent first novel. 5 Stars!!!
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.
Review:
One of my favourite books this year!
I loved Evie, her character is young, naive, bubbly, witty and she takes everything in her stride. The fact that she's lived most of her life (that she can remember) in the IPCA doesn't get her down. She enjoys her work bagging and tagging the worlds paranormal creatures and comes home to enjoy her soap operas and chatting with her best friend, Lish, a mermaid.
But when an unknown paranormal enters IPCA and pretends to be her mentor, Raquel, everything changes for Evie. She starts to understand that while IPCA does good in the world, it's also pretty bad. And then the evil one starts killing off paranormals around the world and Evie's caught in dilemma.
This book is fast paced, quick and the characters are all easy to adore - especially Lend. When he takes Evie back to his house (or rather, evil Reth does) she starts to understand what she's been missing in a Normal world and that IPCA have been keeping her under false pretenses.
It's easy to understand why this book was a quick hit at the booksellers. Paranormalcy is one of those books that you just cannot put down until the end page.
