City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

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 City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Hardcover, 535 pages

Published May 8th 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry 

Synopsis

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Review

In this latest installment, Clary is shocked to find out that Jace is bound to Sebastian, both mentally and physically. It is impossible to separate them - if you hurt one, the other bleeds. If one dies, the other will not live. Jace now even commits himself fully to support Sebastian's greater cause, even though his love for Clary still remains. So Clary and the gang brainstormed a way to separate the inseparable duo without hurting Jace in the process.

I love how Clare portrays the deep love between Jace and Clary, and the bond between Clary and the supporting characters that make them more like family than mere friends. The storyline is refreshing , unlike some novels in a series that keep on repeating the same things due to lack of ideas. The story is packed with action, drama and suspense, which makes it hard not to fall in love with. Finally, it feels good to admit that Clare's penmanship and wonderful ideas for creative story writing still amazes me to no end. Reading this book was a breeze, and a cooling one for that. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

Book Review: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

Hardcover, 485 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Available on The Book Depository / Amazon

In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked- and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend- a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isnt easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what- and who- is worth dying for.

Vampires= Sparkles+Romantic+Baseball? Read this book and tell me how you'd like to date a vampire. :)

THE IMMORTAL RULES? EPIC!! Let me tell you this: This book is not just any vampire or dystopian novel. NO! This is a book with the kind of story that will keep you reading all night with the lights on. If there’s a limit to how many times a heart could beat, I’m probably already dead ‘cause this book got me worrying that my heart’s beating way too fast. Even listening to Swift’s Safe and Sound couldn’t calm me down.

First of all, I love how Julie creates the world that is both unique and terrifying at the same time. It’s very well written and the Asian girl,- Allison Sekemoto- as the protagonist, PERFECT!  The actions and choices the cast seems genuine if you’d ask me, and it’s as if the characters are real.

When I read this book, I pictured Daybreakers and the rabids? Oh, that sooo Descent’s creepy creatures. As unpredictable how the story goes as it is, I was glued to my bed, unable to stop reading. I started to love the book right after Allie got attacked by the rabids and were given the choice to either die or become one of the vamps. WOAH!

Last but not least, Julie, finish the second book ASAP alright? ‘Cause I can’t wait to get my hands on it. *Thumbs up*

 - 4.5 stars

Almost perfect!

Extras

Note of Thanks

Thank you Thank you Thank you Mira Ink for the copy of The Immortal Rules!

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn�t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

Check her out at http://juliekagawa.blogspot.co.uk/

Book Review : My Soul To Save (Soul Screamers, #2) by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers, #2) by Rachel Vincent

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition (December 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373210043
• ISBN-13: 978-0373210046
• Available at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can't possibly understand.

Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk….

In My Soul to Save, Kaylee Cavanaugh finds out that she cannot scream when a a teen pop star dies abruptly onstage. She and her boyfriend Nash Hudson eventually realizes that things are not so simple as it seems - the pop star has sold her soul to the demon of avarice. When Tod approaches them and begs them to help in saving his ex-girlfriend (now also a teenage pop star) Addison, they have no other choice but to agree, because Tod is Nash's already-dead-but-not-quite older brother.

BUT, I don't know why do Kaylee and Nash risk everything to save Addison's and her idiot sister's souls whose name I have forgotten. Addison made her own choice, and she's stupid for not reading the contract before signing it. But she's even stupider (is there such a word?) for going against the out-clause of the contract. Really, is losing your career worse than dying without your soul and suffering for eternity in Hell?

And her sister, I don't know what to say about her. She is such a spoiled little girl who dreams about being a singer like her older sister and she is dying to sign the agreement even when Addison begged her not to. And like her sister, she is stupid enough to not bother reading the contract. I have a doubt, though. Why doesn't Addison show her sister her all-white eyes and tell her what will happen if she sells her soul?

And being the girl with the superhero-complex, Kaylee once again let herself in danger to save two ignorant girls. However, at the end of the novel, I felt that Addison has redeemed herself by sacrificing herself and saving her sister, even though she knows that she has to suffer endless torments in the hands of the hellion of avarice since then.

I have mixed feelings for this book, but still, I enjoy reading the parts where Kaylee crosses over to the Netherworld. The words used by the author are descriptive and well-placed. The romance between Kaylee and Nash is sweet, but I'm very against Kaylee's behaviour of ignoring and snapping at her father at times. I'd give this book 4 stars because it has a good, exciting plot and an unexpected ending.

You will like this book if you're a fan of:

• Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine
• Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer
• Dark Elite Series by Chloe Neill
  

This book has some graphic kissing scenes. Recommended to readers aged 15 and above.

BLOG :: WEBSITE
Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her office with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks—seriously—and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

Find Rachel Vincent On:

UK version of My Soul To Save:

Book Review : My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1) by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1) by Rachel Vincent

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373210035
• ISBN-13: 978-0373210039
• Available at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
  

She doesn't see dead people, but she senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

After Kaylee Cavanaugh experiences a grieve so frightening and the abnormal, powerful urge to scream when she sees a black shroud over a girl at a bar, she discovers that the girl is dead the next day. She questions her own sanity because of her ability to predict death, only to find out that she is not so normal after all. Kaylee soon discovers that she is a bean sídhe [bʲæn ˈʃiː], an omen of death.

My Soul to Take has an entertaining, refreshing plot and nice, likable characters. The author keeps me guessing who is the perpetrator / culprit behind the untimely deaths of young, beautiful girls, giving me a shock at the end. Together with Nash Hudson, the hottest boy in school who actually has a secret identity, and grim reaper Tod, Kaylee investigates the matter to prevent innocent lives from being ended.

This book will appeal to those who have a preference for Irish mythology and folklore, as well as paranormal YA lovers. It's a delightful twist in the paranormal genre which stands out from the overflowing abundance of vampires and werewolves. I enjoyed reading this book and I'm sure you'd like it too!

Rating:

You will like this book if you're a fan of:

• Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine
• Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer

Notes: This book has some graphic kissing scenes. Recommended to readers aged 15 and above.

Thanks to Alyson Beecher from Kid Lit Frenzy for helping me to order this book. *Hugs!*

BLOG :: WEBSITE

Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her office with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks—seriously—and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

Find Rachel Vincent On:

Book Review : Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, April 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847387225
• ISBN-13: 978-1847387226
• List Price: £6.99

In the wake of a love spell gone horribly wrong, Sophie Mercer, a sixteen-year-old witch, is shipped off to Hecate Hall, a boarding school for witches, shapeshifters and faeries. The traumas of mortal high school are nothing compared to the goings on at "Freak High." It's bad enough that she has to deal with a trio of mean girls led by the glamorous Elodie, but it's even worse when she begins to fall for Elodie's gorgeous boyfriend, Archer Cross, and frankly terrifying that the trio are an extremely powerful coven of dark witches. But when Sophie begins to learn the disturbing truth about her father, she is forced to face demons both metaphorical and real, and come to terms with her own growing power as a witch.

First Impression:
I liked the opening because the writing is humourous and witty. However, it did not have the 'wow' factor that makes me deeply captivated. I knew from the prologue that Sophie is a kind-hearted person, but she's a little too helpful. Maybe that's the thing that distinguishes her from other people who are too busy to care for others.

Plot:
The story is mostly set in Hecate 'Hex' Hall, where Sophie is sent to after her love spell goes very wrong. The plot is kind of plain, but in a nice way. It goes on smoothly, just as I had expected. Sophie eventually falls in love for the boy, Archer Cross, who saved her earlier when a werewolf tried to attack her. I'm very impressed with the ending, though. It really took me by surprise and I'll gladly say that's my favourite part of the story. I never questioned Sophie's real identity.

Characters:
Sophie Mercer is a lovable character. She is the sort of friend you'd want to have. She is caring, kind and supportive towards Jenna, her roommate even though Jenna is a vampire and an outcast. She believes in Jenna's innocence when a series of mysterious attacks occur. Archer Cross is the most popular boy in Hex Hall. He is in a relationship with the ever-so-annoying Elodie, a powerful black witch who is both gorgeous and famous. He is quite intriguing, from the way he avoids mentioning his family while doing cellar duty with Sophie. He is also quite charming, even though he might be sarcastic at times. I don't like Elodie. That's because she is just nasty and unbelievably irritating. I like Jenna the vampire's character, because she is so different from what we have in mind about a vampire's liking. Almost everything in her territory is pink. Hot pink, in fact. What a cool girl!

Favourite quote:
"Sophia Mercer," Elodie intoned, "we have come to induct you into our sisterhood. Say the five words to begin the ritual."
I blinked at her. "Are you freaking kidding me?"
Anna gave an exasperated sigh. "No, the five words are 'I accept you offer, sisters."
— Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall)

Overall:
Hex Hall is a quick read, and it sure is interesting, funny and addicting. Sophie is a great character, but as all humans (she's half-human), she also has flaws and I sometimes laugh at her mistakes. I look forward to reading the sequel and keep following Sophie on her next journey!

Rating:

Rachel Hawkins is a 28-year-old former teacher who left teaching to take a chance and get serious about finishing that book she'd always wanted to write. Her first book, HEX HALL, was the result of that leap of faith. She's a graduate of Auburn University in Alabama and lives with her husband and three-year-old son. She's currently working on the sequel to DEMONGLASS.

Buy Hex Hall (paperback) at:

Simon and Schuster UK / The Book Depository

Book Review : Arson by Estevan Vega

Arson by Estevan Vega

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Tate Publishing (May 4, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1615666036
• ISBN-13: 978-1615666034

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.


When I first saw the cover of Arson, I was intrigued. When I read the synopsis and found out that it was about a kid who could create fire, I was very excited. When I started the first page, I thought that it went well, and I anticipated for a huge event - or something of that sort - to happen. After more than 100 pages, I started to wonder if there would be any at all. I couldn't see where the story was going, but I kept reading anyway.

Towards the end of the novel, finally, something huge happened. I loved how the author wrote it - so frightening, powerful and exciting. However, that was the only part that I loved reading. I admire Estevan's writing style, and he's really talented, but I can't see the point of the whole story except for a boy called Arson Gable who could create fire but hated his ability and had a grandmother with multiple personality disorder (I think so), a girl named Emery who hid behind a mask the whole time, and Emery's parents who were always at at each other's throats.

The part where Arson was attracted to Emery was kind of nice. He loved her even though he knew that the face behind the mask was not a perfect one. The way Arson saved his girl was awesome. He embraced his talent (or curse, whatever he thought about it) and used it to fight against the evil, vindictive people.

In a nutshell, this book is moderately enjoyable, and I think there is still room for improvements regarding the plot and storyline. I wanted to give this book 2.5 stars at first, but considering that I really liked the "huge event" and the cover is awesome, I finally decided to give it 3 stars. I will consider reading another book by Estevan Vega if there's chance.

Rating:

Vega was born in 1989 in Connecticut, where he currently resides. Growing up, he fell in love with sketching comic book superheroes, watching movies, and listening to rock music. While his passion for art still remains, he now focuses his time on creating rather than copying someone else’s work through a picture. When he was 12, he knew he wanted to be a writer, so he began Servant of the Realm, what would become his first published book. Though the book wasn’t a national best-seller, it became the catalyst for everything that was to come. The Sacred Sin, a dark, psychological thriller about a soul-stealing madman, was released three years later to considerable acclaim.

Website / Twitter

Book Review : Firespell by Chloe Neill

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Signet (January 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451228863
• ISBN-13: 978-0451228864

Synopsis

Lily's parents have sent her to a fancy boarding school in Chicago filled with the ultra-rich. If that wasn't bad enough, she's hearing and seeing bizarre things on St. Sophie's creepy campus. Her roommate, Scout, keeps her sane, but keeps disappearing at night. When one day Lily finds Scout running from real-life monsters, she learns the hard way that Scout is involved in a splinter group of rebel teens. They protect Chicago from demons, vamps, and dark magic users. It's too bad Lily doesn't have powers of her own to help. At least, none that she's discovered yet...

Review:

First impression: I enjoyed it fairly well. It started off with Lily's parents telling her that they had to go on a sabbatical in Germany for two years, and Lily will be sent to St. Sophia's boarding school. Lily wasn't that happy about it, but she went there, anyway.

My thoughts: Firespell will surely appeal to readers who enjoy the young adult genre. It is full of mysteries. I really doubted the fact that Lily's parents were on an academic sabbatical. I thought hard about Lily's real identity, when she discovered that she, too, had something unique that differentiates her from the ordinary humans. And I really wanted to know more about Sebastian, who has a dark and mysterious character.

The characters in this novel are well-developed, and I'm sure readers will remember them easily. Lily is clever, but her curiosity sometimes bring disaster to herself. Although Lily is the main character of this novel, I think that her best friend Scout seems to grab the limelight. I like that she is independent, brave and full of energy. It is because of her that Lily finally discovers her hidden potential. I admire the friendship between Lily and Scout. They are willing to protect and save each other from danger, no matter what it costs. I also think it is nice that Chloe do not forget to give our heroine a cute, handsome hero by the name Jason, who turns out to be less human and more of something else.

The brat-pack, which consists of Veronica (the leader), Mary Katherine (sidekick) and Amie (also sidekick) really gets on my nerves with their nonsensical ways. I've read lots about these "I'm-glamourous-and-you're-a-loser" type of girls in other chick-lit novels, so this does not catch my attention for too long. However, I still hate them because of their attitudes.

In a nutshell : This novel is exciting and suspenseful, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel! Highly recommended to teenagers who love magic and related items. Fans of The Morganville Vampires series will most likely love to read Firespell.

Rating:

I'd like to thank Chloe for sending me a copy of this book, which I won from Liyana Land. THANK YOU, Chloe!

Chloe Neill was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest, just close enough to Cadogan House to keep an eye on the vampires. When not transcribing Merit’s adventures, she bakes, watches entirely too much television, roots for her favorite college football team, plays with her dog, Baxter.

Visit Chloe Neill's Website HERE

Available now:

FIRESPELL
A Novel of the Dark Elite: Book One

US Edition:
Barnes & Noble | Powells | Books-A-Million | Borders | Amazon

Pre-order UK Edition:
Waterstones | Book Depository | Amazon

COMING SOON!
January 2011

Hexbound
Novel of the Dark Elite:
Book Two

Books On My Wishlist!

This post is a response to the "Getting Hooked on Paranormal Young Adult Book & THE GIVEAWAY!" post on Larissa's Bookish Life!

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1)
by Kami Garcia

Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles, #2)
by Kami Garcia

Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2)
by Becca Fitzpatrick

Fallen (Fallen, #1)
by Lauren Kate

Torment (Fallen, #2)
by Lauren Kate

Captivate (Need, #2)
by Carrie Jones

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)

by Maggie Stiefvater

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)
by Maggie Stiefvater

Wings (Wings, #1)
by Aprilynne Pike

Spells (Wings, #2)
by Aprilynne Pike