Showing posts with label Disney Hyperion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disney Hyperion. Show all posts

Review: Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Publishers: Hyperion
Published Date: March 13th 2012
From: Bought
My rating: 3 out of 5
Synopsis:
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?
Review:
After loving the previous books, Hex Hall and Demonglass, Spell Bound was one of those books that had been on my TBR pile forever so I HAD to buy as soon as it was published. Sophie is such a great character and Archer was everything I wanted him to be. Cal was an interesting addition. As betrothed to Sophie I was extremely curious to see how this love triangle would pan out. But the essential part of this story is that Sophie was a witch, now a demon, and now she was up against the world. Everyone who she thought was on her side is now the enemy. But what is the real enemy going to do next to ruin Sophie's world.

I won't deny that I found this book difficult to get into. By chapter 7 I was even a little bored and started reading other books. But I came back and stuck with it to the end. Sophie began to annoy me with her snarky comments when a very serious situation was going on. The split between her feelings for Archer and Cal even made me think she would finally stick with Cal. 

But when all the classmates returned to Hex Hall the danger was real. Now Sophie had to take things seriously and work out how to deal with the evil. What happens? She ends up making out with Archer in the cellar. Really? Someones already died from trying to get out through the fog surrounding the school and she's making out?  


I realise that the atmosphere of the books is supposed to be light hearted and enjoyable but I just didn't feel it worked in this book. Maybe if there had been a fourth book then Sophie might have grown as a character but this one felt like there was so much story trying to be crammed into such a short book.


In the end I was glad I read it and had closure from all the characters but it wasn't my favourite ending to a series.

You can reach Rachel Hawkins here:

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Review: Life Eternal (Dead Beautiful #2) by Yvonne Woon

My rating: 3 out of 5

Synopsis:
Renée Winters has changed. When she looks in the mirror, a beautiful girl with an older, sadder face stares back. Her condition has doctors mystified, but Renée can never reveal the truth: she died last May, and was brought back to life by the kiss of her Undead soul mate, Dante Berlin.
Now, her separation from Dante becomes almost unbearable. His second life is close to an end, and each passing day means one less that she will spend with the boy who shares her soul.
Just when Renée has almost given up hope, she learns of the Nine Sisters--brilliant scholars who, according to legend, found a way to cheat death. She can't shake the feeling that they are somehow connected to her dreams, strange visions that hint at a discovery so powerful, and so dangerous, that some will stop at nothing to protect it.
Renée thought she knew the truth about life and death. But there is a secret woven through history that holds the only hope for Dante and Renée. Unless they find answers soon, their time together is doomed to be cut short.
Review:
I can't remember the last time I read a sequel and was so underwhelmed. Which is a shame because I loved Dead Beautiful and the prospect of reading more about Renee and Dante made me buy this book as soon as it was out.
Firstly, it isn't until a good way into the book that Renee really figures out that she must find out the secret of the Nine Sisters and hopefully find a cure for Dante.
Now, Renee and Dante have both changed a great deal since the last book. If you remember, Renee saved Dante and gave back his soul. Then he kissed Renee and returned it back. This must explain (although its never confirmed) Renee no longer tastes food, has no sense of smell, and constantly has the window open. As far as Dante is concerned he's aged, but is still recognised as Undead. So my only opinion is that they have both experienced and changed due to both being a little bit Undead but have also both grown up due to the passing on of Renees live soul. Hmm. Quite complicated.
The writing of this book is as good as the first with the descriptions of the new school and Montreal really making you feel like you are there.. A new history is told to us about the beginnings and reasons why Montreal became as it is.
Apart from that Renees narration is just average and full of 'woe is me' moments, even when it comes to Dante (who doesn't feature much in the book anyway). She has no spark, and felt like she was just going through the motions rather than eagerly grasp this new chance for Dante and her to be together.
We have a new third wheel, Noah, but I didn't really feel a great deal of chemistry between him and Renee either.
When the treasure hunt started I really hoped the book would pick up a bit, but such random places were implanted into the story such as the house with all the undead children, that it gave the story a not-so-real element.
The only character I really would have wanted to learn more from was Anya, Renee's new Russian school friend, who has a few secrets of her own.
All in all, I felt that a lot of the story was ground work for the next installment, there was only a flicker about the Liberum so I'm sure we'll get more from them in book 3.
And the ending? Much too fast and over with loose ends left hanging...
You can reach Yvonne Woon here:
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Review: Deadly Little Voices (Touch #4) by Laurie Faria Stolarz

My Rating: 4 out of 5
Synopsis:

High school junior Camelia thought her powers of psychometry only gave her the ability to sense the future through touch. But now she’s started to hear voices. Mean voices. Berating her, telling her how ugly she is, and that she’d be better off dead. It’s a troubling development that has Camelia terrified for her mental stability, especially since her deranged aunt with a suicidal history just moved into the family house. More torturing, ex-boyfriend Ben, who has similar psychometric abilities, has been spending more time with their classmate Alejandra, even as her own feelings for Adam grow stronger. Still, the bond between Camelia and Ben is palpable.

With the line between right and wrong fraying, Camelia turns to pottery to get a grasp on her emotions. She begins sculpting a beautiful figure skater, only to receive frightening premonitions that someone’s in danger. But who is the victim? And how can Camelia help them when she is on the brink of losing her own sanity?

My Review:
I have to revert back to what I wrote about the first Touch book, Deadly Little Secrets - "This was a very quick, light read. I'm giving this a 3 out of 5 because that's all it really deserves, there was no real wow factor."
Oh boy, has this series come a long way since then! The books just keep getting better and better and this must be the best one yet. We don't have so much of the romance angling from the previous books. Camelia's resolved to accept her relationship with Ben will never be what she wants. But Adam, even though he was a complete idiot in book 2 really stepped into his own in this one, so much that I wanted Camelia to finally give him a break and settle for him instead.
But the premise of this book is much darker than the others. Now Camelia's hearing voices and her Aunt Alexia is staying for a while but this only complicates matters even more. Camelia wants to get to know her Aunt better but her mother is still popping the pills and excessing negative vibes where Alexia is concerned. Camelia knows that her mother feels a whole lifetime of guilt with regards to her sister, but still her mother thinks that Alexia is schitzophrenic. Something that Camelia doesn't believe any more.
The creep factor gets even more alarming in this book and for the first time I felt truly afraid for Camelia. Especially when Danica causes an upset between her and her best friend, Kimmie. Ben is still on the edge on Camelia's life, not wanting to get too close but still wanting her friendship, which mixes Camelia's head a little. 
Overall, I couldn't put this one down. The letters between Jack and Jill were thrilling and a nice diversion and the author did another brilliant job of creating the mystery and suspense right until the end.
If you haven't tucked into this series yet then you must. Now I can't wait for the 5th book out this autumn!
CBx

You can reach Laurie Faria Stolarz  here: 
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Review: Deadly Little Games (Touch #3) by Laurie Faria Stolarz

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:
High school juniors Camelia and Ben have discovered a powerful bond: They both possess the power of psychometry, the ability to see the future through touch. For Ben, the gift is a frightening liability. When he senses a strong threat or betrayal, he risks losing control. Camelia's gift is more mysterious. When she works with clay, her hands sculpt messages her mind doesn't yet comprehend.
Before either one has a chance to fully grasp their abilities, a new danger surfaces, but this time, Camelia is not the target. Adam, a familiar face from Ben's past, is drawn into a puzzle he can't solve...and his life is on the line. As the clues pile up, Camelia must decide whether to help him and risk losing Ben or do nothing and suffer the consequences. But in these games, who can be trusted?

My Review:
So, add the basics from the first book, the love triangle from the second book and a few mean college students and you get Dirty Little Games with all the jealousy and teenage angst included. Still packed with the same mystery and intrigue with the author trying to throw you off the scent this time with therapy session transcripts of an unknown patient and crossword puzzles with creepy solutions, and Camelia has another serious case of the Pyschometrics in her pottery!
Adam, the sly ex-best friend of Ben is appearing in Camelia's art sculpture this time. She's convinced he's in danger which doesn't go down to well with Ben, who is just about getting over the last stint of betrayal from Adam.
But this time Camelia's open to helping Adam and Ben doesn't object as much as he should. Adam is as receptive as ever to Camelia which makes things a little more difficult for our heroine.
But when Ben starts backing away and staying tight-lipped on things he's sensing, Camelia gets annoyed. Once again something or someone is driving a wedge between them but who is it? And who is sending the weird cryptic messages?
If you like high school mysteries then this is definitely a great series to read. The only thing that really sticks out now when I read these books is how many times Camelia and Ben/Adam/Kimmie need to talk and they always have to go some place different. Also how many times did she actually sneak out of her bedroom window in this one?
The banter between Wes, Kimmie and Camelia is still funny and light-hearted and kept the flow of the story pacy.
This is another great book. All the way through I had my suspicions of who and this time I nearly had it right! CBx
You can reach Laurie Faria Stolarz  here: 
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Review: Deadly Little Lies (Touch #2) by Laurie Faria Stolarz

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:
Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, the mysterious new boy at school who turned out to have a very "mysterious" gift--pyschometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry, and experiencing her own strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow rubbed off on her. Can the power of psychometry be transferred?
Even once Ben returns to school, Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Despite the romantic tension between them, Ben remains aloof, avoiding contact. Then when an unexpected kiss leads to a frightening argument, Camelia makes the painful decision to let Ben go and move on. Adam, the hot new guy at work, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. Adam is easygoing, and seems to really care about her.
But when Camelia and Adam start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events upturns secrets from Ben's past--and Adam's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out who--before it's too late.
My Review:
This book was so much better than the first. The mystery and intrigue gets better and better throughout the book, and towards the end I had no idea who was the bad guy. Camelia is still being secretive with her parents, some thing I'd hoped she'd get over. But her parents have enough on their plate with Aunt Alexia being in hospital, then wanting to meet with Camelia's mum finally.
Kimmie and Wes prove to be true friends still but I was surprised how little they helped Camelia out. Apart from school lunches where they discuss pending doom and disaster, neither of them openly offer to walk Camelia home or stay with her in case of danger. Again, after the kidnapping in the first book I thought her friends would be a little more vigilant.
Camelia and Ben still have a very strained relationship. The new guy Adam is pushing Ben's buttons from afar and vise versa but little does Camelia know the true story from them.
The ending was a happy one though, and all loose ends tied up nicely. Even a glimmer of hope awaits our heroine....
CBx
You can reach Laurie Faria Stolarz  here: 
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Review: Deadly Little Secret (Touch #1) by Laurie Faria Stolarz

My Rating: 3 out of 5


Synopsis:
Until three months ago, everything about sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at an art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes far from ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe he's trouble, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. Instead she's inexplicably drawn to Ben...and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help – but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something...but he's not the only one with a secret.


Review:
This was a very quick, light read. I'm giving this a 3 out of 5 because that's all it really deserves, there was no real wow factor.
But I still liked it. It was quick and pacey, the story was entertaining and mysterious. The characters were all pretty good too. The author brings in more intrigue with the alternate points of view, spaced throughout the book. Camelia's relationship with Ben is unusual and the ending was sad though not one to really pull at my heart strings.
All in all a pleasant read to fill the time.

You can reach Laurie Faria Stolarz  here: 
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Review: Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon



My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Synopsis:
On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Renée Winters was still an ordinary girl. She spent her summers at the beach, had the perfect best friend, and had just started dating the cutest guy at school. No one she'd ever known had died. But all that changes when she finds her parents dead in the Redwood Forest, in what appears to be a strange double murder.

After the funeral Renée’s wealthy grandfather sends her to Gottfried Academy, a remote and mysterious boarding school in Maine, where she finds herself studying subjects like Philosophy, Latin, and the “Crude Sciences.”

It’s there that she meets Dante Berlin, a handsome and elusive boy to whom she feels inexplicably drawn. As they grow closer, unexplainable things begin to happen, but Renée can’t stop herself from falling in love. It’s only when she discovers a dark tragedy in Gottfried’s past that she begins to wonder if the Academy is everything it seems.

Little does she know, Dante is the one hiding a dangerous secret, one that has him fearing for her life.

Dead Beautiful is both a compelling romance and thought-provoking read, bringing shocking new meaning to life, death, love, and the nature of the soul.
Review:
Forbidden love, what a dangerous thing! I've literally just finished this which left me in a world of 'Nooooooooooo'. I can't believe the ending was so sad, I thought at least they'd be able to be together.

Rewind! So, this is a story about Renee, who lives a nice average life in California. She goes to school, hangs our with her friend Annie, and has two loving parents. But tragedy strikes and on the way home from a day by the sea she finds her parents car on the roadside. After a search she then finds her parents. Both dead, with gauze and coins around them.

Renee is taken in by her grandfather but not before she almost implodes with the shock and pain of her loss. The writing absolutely captures her want to remain in the minute or the hour and not move forward. She wants her parents back and everything to be normal again. But from that point on, nothing is ever normal again.

Her grandfather came over as a really creepy guy. Someone who, at sixteen, would make me certainly scared of. He tries to set rules and knock out the carefree-ness of her but to little effect. And then the final blow. He sends her to Gottfried Academy, in Maine, and tells her to wave her old life goodbye.

When Dante Berlin comes into the picture she feels an enlightening, a meeting of minds and a joining of hearts. Although no-one in the school really knows him, he is revered by all. The enigma. The one with no friends but the one everyone looks for. Eleanor, Renees new room-mate fills in the blanks, but it is Renees strong will and character that worms its way into Dante's heart.

Dante and Renee begin meeting and soon there are more questions than answers going on in her head. Why are his hands always cold? Why does she feel sometimes like he's reading her mind? Why will he not kiss her?

With a mixture of philosophy, history, the dead language of latin, and odd subjects like crude science and horticulture Renee begins to put the pieces together of how students have been dying from heart attacks. Exactly the same way her parents died. And the truth isn't at all what she expected.

This isn't a ghost story, or a story about Zombies. It's the space inbetween that makes Dead Beautiful such an amazing part of the Paranormal genre.

The next installment, Life Eternal, came out on 24th January and I'm going to bag me a copy right now!
You can reach Yvonne Woon here:
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Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins


Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Synopsis:

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

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.

All in all, I loved it, and couldn't put it down.


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Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins


Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Synopsis:
Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punish...more.
Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary.
But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.
By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.



Review:
For those of you that have severe Harry Potter withdrawal then this book is for you. Sophie joins Hex Hall having little know-how of her powers (which keep doing everything but what she wants) nor any real knowledge of her father.

But things get a whole lot stranger when she's made to join a coven, and her major crush turns about to be her enemy's boyfriend. Plus her new room-mate is a vampire who allegedly killed the previous occupant of her bed.

This book is wonderfully written, almost whimsical at times. The flow and pace keep you wanting more, and the story doesn't disappoint. I thought when I started that I would hate it but I ended up loving the characters, the setting and even the magical talk which is kept to a nice minimum.

My only wish was that there would be more interaction with Sophie and Archer, and maybe a little more emotion. What we had was nice but it was quite tame considering many YA books these days have more sexual tension than some adult books.

A wonderful and, I'm sure, a great start to a new series.


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