Book Review : Promise Me Eternity by Ian Fox

Promise Me Eternity by Ian Fox

Kindle Edition

Published January 20th 2011

Available on Amazon

Synopsis

Dr. Simon Patterson is a successful and well-respected neurosurgeon at Central Hospital in the town of Medford. Married, though without children, he keeps himself so busy that one day is not much different from another. Until, that is, he saves the life of the powerful mobster Carlo Vucci.

At a dinner in honor of Dr. Patterson, Carlo Vucci introduces him to his alluring wife Christine. Simon is entranced by her beauty. Three weeks later, Christine shows up at the hospital, complaining of terrible headaches. Dr. Patterson offers to help her, but Christine did not come to see him just because of her headaches. A series of shocking events follow that turn Dr. Patterson’s life into a nightmare.

Review

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, as I have never read any book by this author previously. Promise Me Eternity is not in my usual reading scope, but I found myself enjoying the book, which is a great thing.

The main character of this book, Dr. Simon Patterson, is someone who is clever but ultimately boring. Although he's a neurosurgeon, he's devoted to experimenting a vaccine that would prolong a man's life, even to the point of locking himself up in a basement for extended hours to conduct his experiment. There's no wonder why his wife Helen is so fed up with him, though she is definitely a materialistic, snobbish woman.

One thing I liked about the book was its unpredictability. The story takes so many twists and turns that you wouldn't know what to expect until the truth has been revealed. However, the story is made up of too many characters that I had to go back and reread certain passages to get a better grip of the story. Personally, I think that certain characters are unneeded and should be cut as their personal lives has nothing to do with the main character's life. The ending of the story is genuinely clever, though it's a little scary.

Overall, Promise Me Eternity is a book that I found to be highly enjoyable despite having some flaws. (Which book doesn't, anyway?) I would recommend it to adults who love a good mystery or thriller. :)

Rating:

Note of Thanks

Many thanks to the author for providing me with a bound copy of Promise Me Eternity!

About The Author

Ian Fox was born in Slovenia (EU), and has also lived in the U.S.A., France, and Germany. He is fluent in English, French, and German. Because of his extensive international experience, his books are set in the U.S.A. or Europe. Ian's books have enjoyed great success in Europe. He has published three crime (mystery) novels that have sold very well and been ranked among the top 100 most borrowed library books in Slovenia. He is currently working on two new novels. Enthusiastic readers write to him, saying they can't put his books down and read them in a few days. Individual libraries have ranked his works among the top ten, sometimes even the top five most-borrowed books.

Book Review : Clarity by Kim Harrington

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Published February 1st 2012 by Scholastic Inc.

Paperback, 256 pages
Available on IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Synopsis

Don't close your eyes. Except when the truth is too dark to bear.

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case -- but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother -- who has supernatural gifts of his own -- becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Review

Clarity "Clare" Fern is a psychic, just like her telepathic mother Starla and medium brother Perry. When a murder takes place at King's Courtyard, a cheap motel in Eastport (her living area), Clarity is determined to find out the truth, more so because her brother is the last person to see the victim alive. What starts out as a seemingly-simple task becomes more deadly when the murder count increases.

Although this book has something to do with paranormal abilities, I didn't find it hard to accept as the author didn't write long, boasting explanations about the Ferns' special powers. Instead, she simply tells you about how their powers work in general, without any hullabaloo. The author's writing style is one that will "lure" you into the fictional world she created without much thought. I also appreciate her quirky sense of humour, which you will come across more than once in this book.

Clare is a great heroine and a clever teen detective. She has a strong sense of family loyalty, and she's willing to do anything to prove her brother's innocence in the murder. She's undoubtedly my favourite character in this book, though she may be headstrong and "blind" at times. Justin, her ex, is a real good guy who loves Clare with all his heart. They broke up because of Justin's accidental betrayal, but I would really love to see them get back together again.

CLARITY's plot is well-planned, the story is fast-paced and you'll be thrown into a situation where everybody is a suspect. That's the one thing I love most about a murder mystery novel. The author handles with the story with such adeptness and finally sends me away smiling, satisfied with how the story ends.

CLARITY is a guaranteed page-turner, you won't want to stop reading until you've finished the book. Set in a lively tourist town, made up with complex, interesting characters, and spiced up with crime and mystery, Kim Harrington's debut will capture your heart.

For me, CLARITY is the perfect summer read. What about you?

Rating:

Note of Thanks
Many thanks to Stephanie from Scholastic Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia for sending me a copy of Clarity for this review! ♥

About The Author

Kim Harrington is the author of the CLARITY series for teens and the SLEUTH OR DARE series for kids. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and son. When not writing, she's most likely reading, watching one of her favorite TV shows, or fantasizing about her next vacation. Learn more about Kim on her website, Facebook or Twitter.

Brief Review: Book 1 of The Night Angel Trilogy: The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

      The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks

                

   Book 1: The Way of Shadows

The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

#1 

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art. And he is the city's most accomplished artist, his talents required from alleyway to courtly boudoir.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned the hard way to judge people quickly- and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.

But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassin; world of dangerous politics and strange magics- and cultivate a flair for death.

MY #2

Azoth is always afraid.  Living as an orphan in the Warrens of the Cenaria City, he and his only two best friend, Jarl and Doll Girl, are members of the Black Dragon guild. they are forced to make their living by stealing money and scraps to pay Rat, the Guild Fist as the guild dues. Failing to do so will cause them beatings by Rat. Azoth's first encounter with Durzo would be that one night when he was trying to scrap some coins underneath a local muddy tavern, when he suddenly realizes that Durzo's slaughtering the assassins in that place. Before leaving, Durzo blocks Azoth's escape route and tells him to pretend as if he werent there.

Eversince, he dreams of becoming Durzo's apprentice until one day when Jarl surprises Azoth by giving him a secret stash of coins that he has been saving for years. Jarl then asks Azoth to use that money for his apprenticeship with Durzo. Unfortunately, Durzo does not want any money, he instead makes Azoth an offer; if he's able to kill Rat within one week without any help and brings proof, Durzo will make Azoth his apprentice.

Azoth is in doubt and dilemma, up until he sees the consequences of his hesitation on both Jarl and Doll Girl. Azoth finally manages to gather the courage and motivations he needed to complete the test after Rat mutilates Doll Girl. With Rat's death, Azoth finally becomes Durzo's apprentice under one last condition; Azoth must leave his old life behind, including his relationships with Jarl and Doll Girl, etc. Durzo then fakes Azoth's death and gives him a new identity; Kylar Stern, the young nobleman of a minor family.

Kylar then begins his training with Durzo, which carries on for several years. He learns about fighting with different weapons and styles and how to make poisons, how to conduct the perfect kill, camouflaging, etc. But what frustrates both Kylar and Durzo is the fact that no mater how hard they tried, Kylar could not use his magical Talent, making him only a very skillful assassin, but not truly a wetboy.

Durzo eventually sends Kylar to Count Rimbold Drake, who gives him a new name and life. Staying at Count Rimbold's place, Kylar befriends the strong mountainous Lord Logan Gyre. 

Turns out that leaving behind the past is not as easy as it seemed. He has always cared about Doll Girl which is why he often watches Doll Girl from afar. He loves her...

A proper wetboy should not love. Those who wetboy cares about, can and will be used against them by the enemies. 'Love is a noose'- Durzo Blint

I first saw this book in the Adelaide Airport's bookstore. It was love at first sight and the moment I start reading the first few pages, I found myself unable to stop."Assassins have targets, wetboys have deaders.". 

These coming-of-age stories have always been my favorite kind and frankly speaking, this series beats others, PERIOD. You will find yourself as eager as a grasshopper, waiting for the time when Kylar finally becomes a wetboy. 

I love the characters, how so many of them grows and changes. Each and every one of them were beautifully crafted by Brent. The emotions portrayed     in the stories are.....well.... I literally cried for each of them that has to learn things the hard way.

There are swords, magical artifacts, tragedy, triumph, moody antihero with traumatic past and his hard-bitten mentor, training montages, sadistic swells of sentimental glurge and oh, "the curve yielded to curve with the sweetness that inspired art.", hehe! I mean, even the female characters were written with sensitivity, sarcasms, and a fair doses of badassery. 

What more can you expect from these kind of novels? Because I'm telling you, this book is way way beyond AWESOME! 

P/S : I bought all 3 books in Australia. Studied there for a year, and when I came back to Malaysia, these 3 books were nowhere to be found. But hey, I bought all 3 books back, the #1 from Auckland, #2 from Singapore, and #3 from Malaysia, all of these 3 books of mine are in different sizes. LOL. But you know why I'm willing to do so? Cos it's worth it, and I can't imagine my library without them. DFTBA!

 5.0 stars

Excellent/Fantastic!

Brent Weeks was born and raised in Montana.  After getting his paper keys from Hillsdale College, Brent had brief stints walking the earth like Caine from Kung Fu, tending bar, and corrupting the youth. (Not at the same time.) He started writing on bar napkins, then on lesson plans, then full time. Eventually, someone paid him for it. Brent lives in Oregon with his wife, Kristi. He doesn’t own cats or wear a ponytail.

Book Review : Shift by Em Bailey

Note: This post is an exception from my mid-exam blog ban. I finished this book within two days and I can't rave enough about its brilliance.

Shift by Em Bailey

Paperback, 320 pages

Published September 1st 2011 by Hardie Grant Egmont

Synopsis

Olive Corbett is definitely NOT crazy.

Not anymore. These days she takes her meds like a good girl, hangs out with her best friend Ami, and stays the hell away from the toxic girls she used to be friends with.

She doesn’t need a boyfriend. Especially not a lifesaver-type with a nice smile. And she doesn’t need the drama of that creepy new girl Miranda, who has somehow latched on to Olive's ex-best friend.

Yet from a distance, Olive can see there's something sinister about the new friendship. Something almost... parasitic. Maybe the wild rumours ARE true. Maybe Miranda is a killer.

But who would believe Olive? She does have a habit of letting her imagination run away with her…

Review

Wow. This book practically threw me off balance. The story itself is ah-mazing with a lot of twists and turns. If you've read my IMM 25, you would probably know that this book is soaked wet, and I spent hours drying it. And that was when I couldn't help but took a peek... and instantly, I was hooked.

Our main character Olive is a beautiful, witty, sarcastic but problematic teenage girl. Ever since her father left, she has not been the same as her old self. She is convinced that she is the reason of her father's leaving and she blames herself for it. Her best friend is a sensible and logical girl, Ami who also suffered a similar family tragedy.

Then, a newbie comes to school - Miranda Vaile's her name. Rumors are flying around that Miranda killed her parents. And Olive is intrigued. When she discovers Miranda's strange behaviour and Google it online, she found a shocking word: shape-shifter. A shape-shifter is said to be an organism that sticks onto its host and drain his/her life force away. Olive doesn't know whether this is true, but evidences are pointing towards it.

What is so great about this book, you ask?

1. The blurring of the fine line between fantasy and reality. Yes, this is a modern-day young adult novel, set in a normal place in a normal country. BUT, the author's words seem to gravitate towards the paranormal at times and then back to the real world. And guess what? I myself am not sure about it! Oh, how I love books that make me guess.

2. Oddities and Disturbing Behaviors. Olive gets paranoid about Miranda's getting close to her ex-best friend Katie, and fears that Miranda is really a shapeshifter as Miranda slowly takes on the shape of Katie herself while Katie slowly shrinks and becomes a 'skeleton'. Before that, Miranda was fascinated by Katie - she imitates the way Katie walks, talks and wears. She was always murmuring lines - words that are previously spoken by Katie herself. At this point, I was really worried that Miranda is crazy. But then, tidbits are revealed about Olive herself, and I started to question her sanity as well. There, the author makes me doubtful again.

3. Quirky Romance. A real hottie/nice guy/liveguard, Lachlan becomes interested in Olive, and while she does like him, she is self conscious of her current status as the school's pariah and also her dark past. She tries her best to make him go away even though in her heart, she really, really likes him. But Lachlan has no interest in the pretty, typical cheerleader-type girls in school. He's only interested in Olive. Later, he becomes Olives anchor to sanity in a rough, stormy ocean.

4. Twists and Turns. The author cleverly spun a thriller based on a devious plot, and I, the pleasantly surprised reader, shall happily applaud her for it. I was outsmarted more than once - can I use that word? - and not even once I did not go, What? OMG.

5. Flawed Characters. What I appreciate about flawed characters is that they are real people that makes mistakes, have problems and are sometimes troubled by events in life. They may not be perfect or dream-like or posses super powers, but they are true-to-life.

6. Writing Style. The author tells the story with ease and adeptness. The words are simple and easy to read, but at the same time, it also portrays the author's unique writing style. I like how the author describes some of the personal traits of the characters, they felt so real that I can't help but imagine what they are like.

7. High on The Creepiness Factor. Don't let yourself be fooled. This book is not what you think. Symptoms after reading include: fear, minor discomfort and a high admiration for the author's brilliant mind.

I hope these seven reasons are enough to convince you that Shift is indeed a highly exceptional, gripping and engrossing debut in the sea of young adult books. If you want a fresh breath from the usual teen romance, vampires, werewolves and shape-shifters, go read Shift. Mark my words: You won't regret reading this book.

Rating:

About THe Author

Em Bailey is an Australian living in Germany where, despite having been a vegetarian for many years, she now enjoys the occasional Wurst. Em used to be a new-media designer for a children’s television production house and is now a full-time author. Shift is her first YA novel, although she has written a number of books for children under the name Meredith Badger.

When she’s not writing, Em is generally getting lost, losing stuff, reading, hanging out with her friends and family, and listening to Radiolab podcasts. Like Olive, she doesn’t like leggings that look like jeans, but has no problem with tofu schnitzels.

Book Review : Logic of Demons by H.A. Goodman

Logic of Demons by H.A. Goodman

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (July 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1452018189
• ISBN-13: 978-1452018188
• Available at: Amazon /Barnes & Noble /IndieBound
  

What would you do if the love of your life was murdered by a deranged killer? Would you become a vigilante and seek retribution? And would this revenge affect those you care for in the afterlife? LOGIC OF DEMONS The Quest for Nadine's Soul takes you on a journey inside the psyches of men and women forced to deal with the spiritual consequences of their decisions. Through the lives of a demon, two Angels, and a mysterious teenage girl, a plethora of politically and socially relevant issues ranging from the roots of genocide and sex trafficking to child conscription and religious fundamentalism are addressed in this fantasy thriller. Life as well as the afterlife converge in this novel to explain certain peculiarities of the human condition. Whether you are God fearing individual or an atheist, LOGIC OF DEMONS The Quest for Nadine's Soul addresses moral and theological issues of interest for people of all backgrounds.

I think I should describe Logic of Demons as 'unexpected'. It started off with Devin mourning his wife, Bridget's terrible death. She was raped and killed by a serial killer caller Earl Gray. He wanted to seek revenge, and for a moment he considered calling off his idea, but finally decided to preserve justice in his own way - by killing the murderer with his own hands. Little did he know that his actions will lead to some unimaginable consequences in the afterworld - with him at the very center of it all.

In a way, this book presents readers with a debate between good and evil, and the twisted logic of those who think they are doing the right thing when actually they are committing a heinous act. I found this book to be interesting, and I was expecting some really exciting events to take place. And the author did managed to surprise me with his creativity, as well as his bizarre, one-of-a-kind storyline.

I really enjoyed Goodman's writing style. While descriptive, it is also straightforward and honest. He lets loose a piece of information in each chapter, clearing a path for the other events to take place smoothly as he continues to surprise readers with each page.

However, the second half part of the story made me left me in bewilderment. I couldn't grasp the author's message somehow. The ending left me a little disappointed, because I was expecting something more intense or action-packed. Nonetheless, H. A. Goodman did a good job with his debut novel. He has successfully created a story that will make you hold your breath in anticipation for the next page.

Pros: Original, creative, thought-provoking.
Cons: Perplexing at times.

Rating: - 3.5 stars (Very good!)

Thanks to H. A. Goodman for sending me a paperback copy of this book! :)

H. A. Goodman is a former financial advisor and high school history teacher. He has a B. A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California and has also worked at the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute. He is currently an author of fantasy and science fiction novels. He recently combined his love for fantasy and international relations to write his debut novel, Logic of Demons, The Quest for Nadine’s Soul. H. A. Goodman currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Book Review : Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805090053
• ISBN-13: 978-0805090055
• Available on: Amazon / The Book Depository
• Source: Review copy from publisher
  

Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen—with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

As you can read from the synopsis, the protagonist Cheyenne is sick and blind. But her bad luck doesn't end there. When her stepmother, Danielle drives her to a pharmacy to get medicine supplies, she asks her to leave the key in the ignition to keep her warm. Then, when someone enters the car, she realizes from the person's micro-behaviours that he/she is definitely not Danielle. That's when reality hits - her car is stolen, and worse, she's inside it!

This book is different from other books which I've read before. I think the best thing about this book is that the author has successfully portrayed Cheyenne's character. Having a blind protagonist is not easy, and I'm sure April has done quite a lot of researching and reading on this part. She narrates the story skillfully (this book is told in third person), telling us what Cheyenne feels at a particular moment, how she reacts to perilous events, and how she plans to outwit her captors.

Griffin steals a Cadillac Escalade on a whim, without realizing that there's a girl in the backseat. When he discovers her, it is too late to let her go. So he brings her back to his dad's place, along with the car. He promises her that he will let her go once it is dark. But his dad declares that they will keep her as a captive after listening to the news broadcast reporting about the missing Cheyenne Wilder, for her father is Nike's president, and she is their one-way-ticket to wealth.

The friendship between Cheyenne and Griffin is honest and unfeigned, although it seems out of place because of their different roles - one captive and the other the captor. But still, Cheyenne doesn't trust Griffin entirely, despite the fact that he's the only one who's kind towards her. She even tries to knock him unconscious on the day his father and his sidekicks go to get the ransom which they demanded earlier from Cheyenne's father. I don't blame her for this, because this only proves that her survival instincts are functional and that she already knows that Griffin's father is not going to release her. I really admire Cheyenne's extraordinary spirit and strength. You would probably think that being blind, she will just give up and surrender. But this tough teenage girl will absolutely prove you wrong. She faces the problem calmly, and even tries to escape without the help of her cane. Her courage and determination to keep herself alive is indeed commendable. I couldn't imagine myself going through everything that Cheyenne has gone through - it was a really scary experience. And what's worse is that she's blind.

Girl, Stolen is really amazing! I devoured the book in one-sitting. The story is fast-paced thrilling and suspenseful. Even though I constantly feared for Cheyenne's safety, I remained hopeful for her survival. The climax of this novel left me in awe with the author's creativity and brilliant storytelling ability. The twist she inserted made my insides churn with fear for Cheyenne's fate. I'll stop here so that I don't accidentally spill anything. If you want to know whether Cheyenne escapes efficaciously, you'll have to read this book to find out.

Note: This book is a clean read. I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a great, thrilling story.

Rating:

My deepest gratitude to April Henry and Kathryn Hurley from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for giving me the chance to read and review this amazing book! Thank you so much!

April Henry writes mysteries and thrillers. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her family. When she was 12, she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine. She has written eight novels for adults and teens, with more on the way.

Website :: Goodreads :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter

Book Review : When I Was Joe by Keren David

When I Was Joe by Keren David

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books; First Trade Paper Edition edition (April 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847801005
• ISBN-13: 978-1847801005

Available at Amazon / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound

When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he's named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image -- life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can't cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe's cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own.

I started reading this book without high hopes. It is not as popular as some other young adult novels. However, this book managed to give me a surprise. I never thought it would be so good. It shows us how crimes can change the lives of people, and how alarming the crime rates in specific parts of London are.

Ty, an average 14-year-old teenager, witnessed a terrifying murder, and he made a statement to the police. When his house underwent a petrol-bomb attack, he was put under the witness protection program. He was given a new identity, new birthday, new school and a new place to stay. Now, he is known as Joe. Life as Joe is unexpectedly good, and he wishes to remain that way. But with the gangsters tracking his whereabouts and preparing to silence him before the trial, can he stay as Joe forever?

Ty / Joe is a realistic character. He easily brings me into his mind, immersing me in his thoughts and feeling his fear. I can feel his guilty and pain of leaving his loved ones behind, unprotected. I can fathom his awkwardness of being in a new place, knowing not a soul and feeling lonely as ever. He cares about his mother, Nicki, but he's sometimes aggravated by her inert behaviour. Nicki seems to be having difficulties of acknowledging her new life. She is forlorn and miserable. Sometimes she feels like a teenager rather than a mother of one.

Joe's best friend is a girl named Claire. Mousey, shy, timid Claire. She is often overlooked, because she easily blends with the background. She wants to stay invisible, if possible. She, too, has a terrible secret. When Joe discovers her dark little secret, she warns him to keep it safe from others. Joe promises her, and tells her his secret in exchange.

Keren David has convinced me of her abilities and talent with her debut, When I Was Joe. This book is thrilling, action-packed and harrowing, finished with a suitable dose of humour. You will absolutely love it!

Rating:

Note: This book has some kissing scenes - nothing serious. Recommended to teenagers and adults alike.

I'd like to thank Becky from The Bookette for sending me a paperback copy of When I was Joe! I won this book on her blog.

Growing up in a small town just outside London, Keren David had two ambitions: to write a book and to live in the big city. Several decades on, she has finally achieved both. She was distracted by journalism, starting out at 18 as a messenger girl, then working as a reporter, news editor, features editor and feature writer for national newspapers and magazines. Along the way she lived in Glasgow and Amsterdam, where in eight years she learned enough Dutch to order coffee and buy fruit and vegetables.