Project Paper Doll #1 The Rules

I requested this on netgalley purely because of the cover, and because of its mysterious synopsis..... and I totally did not regret it. Presenting Project Paper Doll #1 The Rules by Stacey Kade.

Here is the summary of the book:

1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…

Rules are meant to be broken. Rules are what sets your life straight. Two lines that describe Stacey Kade's The Rules rather perfectly in my opinion. I have not read any of Kade's books before so this is a first for me and I liked it. The plot is pretty, the scene maybe old but it is very refreshing and there is enough romance, action and suspense to keep everyone happy.

Rules are what Ariane Tucker must follow in order to spend life in anonymity. Rules are what are keeping her and her father (who is not really her father) safe. Escapee of a secret government research project, Ariane has always had to make do with five simple and very important rules - Never trust anyone, Remember they are always searching, Don't get involved, Keep your head down and Don't fall in love. But these rules be damned, as the GTX tightens its noose around her, another distraction comes around in the form of Zane Bradshaw and suddenly every careful planning comes undone.....

The characters were very well crafted and the plot very well conditioned. Ariane's character was very well made. She is a government experiment, she is some who gets into a lot of trouble for speaking her mind, but most of all she is scared that somehow her secret would be known and then she would be back in her cage. Zane is the equally handsome boy toy. What began just for payback evolves into something so beautiful with him and Ariane....... for me that was the highlight of the book. And i want the sequel soon. We don't know as of yet what is going to be title of the next book but i'm totally excited.

"The Rules is one refreshing, heartwarming, heart-wrenching and action packed tale"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Sci-fi


Publisher: Disney-Hyperion


My Copy:  Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              5/5 (It was Awesome)

Blood of Eden #2 The Eternity Cure

Blood calls to blood and it just keeps getting stronger.....  Presenting Blood of Eden #2 The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa.

Here is the summary of the book:

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

What do you want me to say that others already haven't!!! Julie Kagawa you are bloody brilliant. There is nothing imperfect about this tale at all. Kagawa wowed us first with her bestseller Iron Fey series (which still continues with its brilliance) then she forays into the vampire lore, adds post-apocalyptic dystopian to the mix and brings us vampires in their original glory, which I'm pretty thankful for. Beginning with the Immortal Rules, the journey gets even more hair-raising in this second installment, The Eternity Cure.

There is something pretty appealing about the notion of the 'call of the blood' or even that of  'blood is thicker than water'. People (and i'm including supernaturals too in that quota) tend to stick closer to or are impartial to blood relatives rather than to friends. Although even that can be contradictory in itself but it gets the concrete feel when its vampire blood involved. This is where the story begins Allison leaves Ethan and his group in Eden and sets out to find and rescue her sire Kanin, who she realizes has been captured and tortured repeatedly by the psychopath Sarren. Making usual allies along the way and braving the storm of danger coming everywhere around her.

One of the best things about this book was the brother-sister relationship between Jackal and Allison. Both are sired from Kanin, so both are looking for him and they joined forces for it. Jackal is sharp as a hot needle and snarky as the devil. He knows how to press someone's buttons to the point of no return and likes to make dirty jokes. Allison on the other hand is the strong-willed, determined heroine who fights tooth and nail to get what she sets out to do.

Come to think of it, in a way both Jackal and Allie are pretty much similar to each other.... well according to Jackal they are. And even if they are polar opposites and hold opposite ends of the stick when dealing with each other they are united in their goal. To save Kanin. Somehow the dynamics of their sibling relationship reminds us of two hot headed vampire brothers of CW.... (you can all totally guess that one i'm sure) but completely different topic. Still it is refreshing the dynamics is. Jackal totally adapted to the norm of a blood sucker - no regrets about the kill, be sure to keep his head in the game, manipulative and unpredictable. Allie on the other hand still got both legs on both boats = one in the humanity and other in vampirism. Rational and still possessing the ability to love and choose for herself........ her and Ethan are totally corny in that area but who cares, it balances the darker elements of the book perfectly.



I read this way before the release of this book but only now posting my review. I just couldn't find the words to describe the perfection this book is. Julie Kagawa knows how to deliver. Impeccable, suave, dystopic; the setting, the plot, the characters, the action, everything was amazing. Well balanced. And i'd go as far as to say that Kagawa really had me gobsmacked.... "you are terrible....... first you make us cry and then throw a bone like that at the end of the book"..... *seriously* that is the reason why we love you so much, you know how to keep the plot alive (a quality that an author needs very much) ....... Gimme 'The Forever Song' soon please, I can't wait.......

"Enthralling, Shocking, Compelling and sinister acts abound.... oh just perfection..... utter perfection"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopia


Publisher: Harlequin Teen


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)

Books in Series(review links):

         #1 The Immortal Rules

Other Books by the Author(review links):

         The Iron Fey & Call of the Forgotten(series)

Alternate Covers of the book:

As far as the redesigned covers go while the new ones do suit the dystopia theme, i like the UK and Australian covers much better than the lot.

Australian Cover

UK Cover

The Sweetest Dark #1 The Sweetest Dark

A historical fantasy through the dark period of Europe..... fascinating. Presenting The Sweetest Dark #1 The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe.

Here is the summary of the book:

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

Elegantly written and beautifully crafted. Breadth takingly detailed. 1915 circa England, the year of the first great world war. Picturesque landscapes of English countryside and elegance of the days of old. But the mirror world is what we miss out on if we don't look hard enough and it is in this world that our tale begins.... of the legacy of the ancient creatures of old, the Drakon (Dragons i.e.).

A paranormal romance. A love triangle of sorts, Lora, Jesse and Armand form the crux of the tale. These two polar opposite males enter Lora's life when she comes to Iverson as a scholarship student. Once is shy and passionate Jesse and the other, the rich aristocrat Armand. This is the tale of self-discoveries and committing the most dangerous of all sins in this sweetest dark amidst the air-raids, bombings, of the mysterious wailing in the air and of touching romance that surprised us since we came across it within the pages. Don't get me wrong there is danger too and the sword cutting almost at the edge that makes it all the more perfect and very light read.

This is my first Shana Abe read and I admit I was a little confused at the beginning of the tale. Only to figure out later that this somewhat follows Abe's another bestseller series 'Drakon', well definitely some chapters but as the clueless, I tried to make sense of Rue and almost everything else. The three protagonists are brilliantly written. Lora makes for a fantastic heroine and her chemistry with both Jesse and Armand was simply off the charts. And while Lora and Jesse's romantic sojourn come as a big change from the norm that i'm used to so I slowly adapted to it with the shocking demise of one of the characters to rock the boat. I am definitely excited to see where it goes from there in the Deepest Night.

"An enchantress of a tale.....Refreshingly new and Elegantly beautiful"

Genre :      Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, Paranormal Romance


Publisher: Bantam


My Copy:  Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Warm Bodies #1 Warm Bodies

Marvelous...... Brilliant..... I didn't know whether to laugh at the hilarity of the situation or cringe at the habits of a zombie. Presenting Warm Bodies #1 Warm Bodies by Issac Marion.

Here is the summary of the book:

R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse. Just dreams.

After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a burst of vibrant color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that R lives in. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world...

Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead and the blurry line in between.

I'm a skeptic when it comes to these two brand words "zombie" and "romance", a not so new sub-genre, I have read a few books in this genre but Warm Bodies felt warm..... in a bloody amazing way, a u-turn for me..... Oh! WHO AM I KIDDING I'M READING THIS BOOK WAY AFTER THE RELEASE OF THE MOVIE..... I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET BUT THE TRAILER INTERESTED ME (i'm waiting for the dvd/blueray release).... so I thought why not check the original text after all books are way better than the screen adaptations....And my prediction....... F****** AMAZING.....

R is the protagonist of the tale. And he is a human chewing zombie in the post apocalyptic world. The reader sees this world through the eyes of this "still in the early stages of decay" zombie. Reading how these zombies love, being lorded over by the even uglier and skeletal Boney's, eating human brains to sustain themselves..... the warm and pulsing Homo sapien brain and the warm read blood pumping through the veins...... sounds tasty doesn't it (yup i said it with a straight face not cringing at all) to a zombie perhaps and disgusting to us readers but somehow makes you appreciate that we are quite different (even with all the short comings).

What we see about 'R' is that he is different from the other zombies, he gnaws at the human cerebrum but his motif is to relieve memories of his victims with each savory bite.... glimpses into their lives. But it all changes when he eats his next victim Perry and his impulsive desire to save his girlfriend Julie. Therein begins this sweet journey of self discovery and a sweet evolving love between a zombie and a human.... helped along by some pretty kick-ass and slick action. Suffice it to say Warm Bodies is a warm zombie romance and new in its own right.

A sensitive love story..... Dry humor abound, Issac Marion has done the impossible and made us appreciate our humanity and produces brain chewing zombies who have the ability to amuse us with those creeptastic one-liners and feel for them. Action packed too for those looking ahead of the moral stuffs, human hunting zombies....zombie hunting and eating the humans. While this book is the first in the series and there is more to come so I have no problem with the ending.... its surreal this new world they need to brave and I have to say I'm pretty excited for what Marion chugs towards us with his next book..... and God so excited for this movie now that I know what I'm actually dealing with here.... happy eating  nom.....nom....

"Interesting and moralistic.... Isaac Marion spins a post apocalyptic zombie romance that has us laughing at  all the creepy lines and see this brave new world from the eyes of a zombie, whose default action is to chomp on the braaaaaiiiiiin .... nom nom"

Genre :     Young Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Paranormal Romance


Publisher: Atria


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)

Night School #1 Night School

While the cover may speak otherwise... this is definitely not of a paranormal genre but a contemporary suspense/thriller. Presenting Night School #1 Night School by C.J. Daugherty.

Here is the summary of the book:

Allie's world is falling apart...

She hates her school. Her brother has run away. And she's just been arrested.

Again.

Now her parents are sending her away to a boarding school where she doesn't know a soul.

But instead of hating her new school, Allie finds she's happy there. She's making friends. And then there's Sylvain, a suave French student who openly flirts with her. And Carter, the brooding loner who seems to have her back.

Soon, though, Allie discovers Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. Nothing there is as it seems. And her new friends are hiding dangerous secrets.

Covers can go a long way in establishing a general sense of the book, as to what the reader should expect reading it. The cover of this book does that rather nicely and to an extent confuses the reader too. It is clear that the book is going to have mystery, suspense and a certain amount of thriller too but it also gives the impression that this is a paranormal story enough for readers to categorize it as such which is definitely not true. 

Well on with the story..... there is a definite amount of mystery in the air and the author manages to successfully put a tight lid to it throughout only gradually and slowly letting the cat out of the bag. Allison comes to Cimmeria Academy after her school tint in vandalizing and destroying school property and pretty much hanging in the wrong crowd. There she catches the attention of (excuse my language) two hot pieces of male anatomy, Sylvain and Carter. And while she seems to adjust rather nicely to the school making new friends but the school still is shrouded in a thicket of mystery. But the enemies are moving in as we speak and it won't be long before Allison finds out the secret of her family, of her legacy and of Night School.

A good introduction to the series. Mysterious and suspenseful to the end. And its not just the school but its inhabitants too who retain a certain degree of anonymity to themselves. But most of all I liked Cimmeria, its old and ancient architecture and mysterious hallways and arks. C.J. Daugherty's way of beginning the story of this school was brilliant and truly commendable but it was still a bit slow and that could have been corrected. I am very much on the wagon to check out the next ones in the series.

"Thrill of the chase - Thrill of the unknown..... C.J. Daugherty has brought about a tantalizing mystery for us to solve"

Genre :      Young Adult, Contemporary, Suspense, Mystery, Thriller


Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books


My Copy:  Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Parallel

Contemporary and sci-fi rolled into one.... a worthy check out don't you think..... Presenting Parallel by Lauren Miller.

Here is the summary of the book:

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

Book with the brains to support and such a beautiful cover to boot too. By and large a contemporary with the major branch of sci-fi and sometimes philosophical twists that play a tug-of-war of balance throughout this book. Parallel dimensions and its existence & the idea of 'destiny' and 'fate' are highly layered and play a major part in the life of the characters. This book has the potentials of being a great read..... thats guaranteed for sure.

When scientists ponder about and lay out all those complex equations to calculate such matter.... as a student  of science and a certified geek I am. i have a mind to spout out all of that ....fairly all those complex theories and statistics related to time and matter of past, present and future.... but I will loose  readers halfway and the sole purpose of the review will be dead..... so carrying on..... Time is a non-linear affair..... there is enough truth in the travels of that blue police box (*wink*) to know that one single change of decision at present can spark a whole new future. And I believe that parallel dimensions do exists depicting that said change between here and there (wonder what my parallel self would be like *sighs*).

And sometimes these parallel dimensions can collide joining together where the decisions made "there" super-imposes the ones made "here" and you wouldn't even know the difference. Although that's where the story begins. This is the story of Abby Barnes who  by fluke or what, remembers every decisions she takes "there" and tries to understand what all this means with the help of her friend Caitlin. Trying to do everything to get out of the shadow of her parallel self and get her life back to the way it was back on the Hollywood scene and not in a dorm at Yale.

Come to think there is very little, I would almost say that 3% of sci-fi is in this book. Propelling the contemporary along. Smart choice and brilliant thinking by author Lauren Miller. Even the chapters are skillfully labelled "here" and "there" to alternate the two worlds. It actually took me sometimes to get around it and get used to the brilliance of it..... and I did end up enjoying it very much. Abby and Caitlin were pretty much the only constant characters throughout, strong, determined, fragile, ready to jump the problem and make a difference, fitting the decisions of their parallel selves together..... pretty much everyday tale spiked with a hint of science fiction.

I did like the fact that they did not give in to their parallel selves' decisions and worked to retain their own life and damn well achieving it with Earth-shattering-star-blazing results. Good piece of writing...and it is my humble request that you guys give this book by the amazing Lauren Miller a chance.... I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

"Its exciting, a certain level of uncertainty and of decisions of cosmic consequences...... Lauren Miller has produced a fresh of the mill tale that is sure to entice you in its many folds"

Genre :      Young Adult, Contemporary, Sci-fi


Publisher: HarperTeen


My Copy:  Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

The Infernal Devices #3 Clockwork Princess

*sighs* This is a fitting end .... a good end a marvelous end *sighs* ......... oh why did it end...... Presenting The Infernal Devices #3 Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare.

Here is the summary of the book:

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy. 

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

Perfection. Utter Perfection. Cassandra Clare you are a genius. Truly exciting. Dramatic. Romantic. Tragic. A full circle completed......... oh! I'm so happy....yet still so sad. Everyone was here. Every character got to play a huge part in this stunning book and in a way every character got their own happy ending. Tessa, Jem, Will, Charlotte, Henry, Sophie, Gideon, Gabriel, Cecily, Magnus and every other character here.....simply brilliant. I'll try to keep it spoiler free (but feels kinda pointless since i'm reviewing it way later than when i read it but i'll try) but my track record squealing over these books has not been the cleanest so i'll try for those who have yet to read it.... no promises though... 

Only good things for this book. I say only good things because I didn't actually find anything bad at all.....and I never would. Honestly what do you expect...... It was PERFECT. You will laugh, you will bawl your eyes out, you will swoon, you will sit on the edge of your seat trying to predict the next course of action and you will simply marvel at the way Ms. Clare will handle things her way.

Perfection in every sense, Clare really developed her characters throughout the books. What they once were during Clockwork Angel or Clockwork Prince, they don't remain such. Some have grown, some have matured, some stayed the same but switched roles. The true sense of the term Parabatai is beautifully laid out here. Strong enough for Jem and Will to have switched roles than what they were in the previous books. 

Tessa also grew beautifully into her character, much more sure, much more braver. I'm rather envious (we all would be) of her. She gets not one but two true loves. We had been contemplating the everyday cliche for the trio.... but as another surprising twist, the author gives us a conclusion to the problem we may never have thought possible. The trio loved each other equally. Their moments together, simple gestures of love and trust, every stolen moments, those swoon-worthy glances and their all-pervasive love. That was what made them Tessa, Jem and Will.

And if that's not all, Clare finally unveils all the secrets she had been sneakily *wink* hiding from us. By the end of it all you finally get to appreciate why the characters some of those decisions they committed before and you gain a new found appreciation for them.

The final battle and the Epilogue. Graceful, deadly, and enlightening. Truths were revealed, rash decisions were made and some weird (in a good way) things happened and swear to God it was bloody brilliant. The Epilogue just couldn't have been more perfect. I cried..... yes I knew this series was over, and yes there are going to be other series in this world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders but you know what I mean. It connected all the loose ends..... I'm truly thankful to Cassandra Clare for creating such an amazing series that doesn't need any explanation whatsoever. Thank you Cassie Clare..........you brilliant you.......

(I'm very excited for the City of Bones movie....can't wait for it...... and I also heard that they were turning the Infernal Devices into movies as well...... OMG SO EXCITED)

"A Perfect conclusion to the Infernal Devices.....it couldn't get any better than this"

Genre :     Historical Fantasy, Steampunk, Paranormal, Young Adult


Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)

Books in Series(review links):

         #1 Clockwork Angel

         #2 Clockwork Prince

Other Books by the Author(review links):

         The Mortal Instruments(series)

No Strings Attached GIVEAWAY HOP

No Strings Attached Giveaway Hop

May 21st – 27th

RULES : 

1. There will be only One Winner (subjected to change). 

2. Winner will be informed via email and *must* reply within 48 hours else I won't have a choice but to select another winner. 

3. All entries would be verified. 

4. Just fill in the rafflecopter below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring Fling GIVEAWAY HOP

Spring Fling Giveaway Hop

May 1st – 7th

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Eve’s Fan Garden

RULES : 

1. There will be only One Winner (subjected to change). 

2. Winner will be informed via email and *must* reply within 48 hours else I won't have a choice but to select another winner. 

3. All entries would be verified. 

4. Just fill in the rafflecopter below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Owl Post #8 [April, 2013]

Guys, today I'm doing something new on my blog....been coming on for a long time. This meme, called Owl Post is created by Brodie of Eleusinian Mysteries inspired by In My Mailbox by The Story Siren. Been meaning to do this since forever and I just love this idea. I'm being a Ravenclaw since at the age of eleven and couldn't seem to remember to do this....kudos to Brodie for thinking about this!

Before you all proceed further, let me make something clear:-

1. Just like my IMM posts, this will not be done every Sunday but on the last Sunday of each month... the reason why you'll see a lot more books in here than normal.

2. This first Owl Post will have all the books that I received in April, 2013.

3. Also it will feature a list of recap link at the bottom of the page, which enlists all the review, interviews and tour posts I have done that particular month. Now I expect you all to visit each link and give out a comment here and there(would very much appreciate it) and you all can link your reviews too, i'd love to comment.

4. You are all welcome to share what you all got in the comment section below....i'd love to visit....

For Review

Netgalley

Paper Gods #1 Ink - Amanda Sun

Doctor Who: Prisoner of Time Vol I

Elemental #3 Spirit - Brigid Kemmerer

The Selection #2 The Elite - Kiera Cass

Edelweiss

Hollow Earth #1 Hollow Earth - John Barrowman & Carole E. Barrowman

The Brokenhearted - Amelia Kahaney

Bought

Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion
Immortal City #2 Natural Born Angel - Scott Speer
His Fair Assassin #2 Dark Triumph - Robin LaFevers
The Guardians (Books #1-3) - William Joyce



Recap Links


Soul Screamers #1 My Soul To Take - Rachel Vincent
 Bannon & Clare #1 The Iron Wyrm Affair - Lilith Saintcrow
Dance of Shadows #1 Dance of Shadows - Yelena Black
Ex-heroes #1 Ex-heroes - Peter Clines
Poison - Bridget Zinn
Coveted #2 Kept - Shawntelle Madison
Harbinger - Sara Wilson Etienne
Fateful - Claudia Gray
The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1 Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood
Double Crossed : A Spies and Thieves Story - Ally Carter
Lies Beneath #2 Deep Betrayal - Anne Greenwood Brown
The Lotus War #1 Stormdancer - Jay Kristoff
Towering - Alex Flinn
Born of Illusion - Teri Brown

Born of Illusion

Flapper-era new York, magic shows, illusion acts and séances. Presenting Born of Illusion by Teri Brown.

Here is the summary of the book:

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

Magic, mystery, drama, the act of illusions, escapists.... oh don't you just love it when a magician produces such wondrous magic infront of you. You are just awed aren't you. It is there in your mind somewhere, that little corner of truth that all this is not real, just that the person on stage uses some well made props to execute such marvel and is a really good actor but we don't really care do we! We are just looking to be entertained,to forget reality for a short while, and while in this fantasy. Brown's Born of Illusion transcends all of this perfectly within ts pages pretty well.

Anna Anna Anna..... oh I totally loved her. She is a worthy protagonist. In this cut throat world of performers, she is but one of them. Living under the shadow of her mother, she has learned to hide her abilities well. Se knows her mother wouldn't hesitate to throw her out of the show, if for a slightest chance it becomes apparent that she is getting more attention than her mother, who is the main act of their show.

Her supernatural abilities or should I say psychic abilities also gives her an edge of mysticism. She truly wants to control it but can't seem to know how to as they have a tendency of attacking her in broad daylight.

Then enters Cole. Handsome Cole. He moves in next door and in an old England sort of way has an air of an even greater mystery to himself. His chance collision (literally) with Anna and his suspicious behavior makes it difficult for Anna to trust him at first but in time she finds out that they are more like her out there and that Cole is actually trying to help her.

Besides the magic and coming into your abilities part which form the core of the tale. It is clear enough with this 1920s, Flapper-era New York tale that romance takes an almost back seat. Dealing with the supernatural is what form the core of the book but love is present too but not dominant. And just like the magic shows providing a good time for us Ms. Brown's book provides for a good time too. I definitely had a very good time reading it.

"Magic, Mystery, Drama, and facing the unknown Teri Brown's Born of Illusion provides it all in spades"

Genre :      Young Adult, Historical Ficiton, Paranormal, Romance


Publisher: Balzer & Bray


My Copy:  Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Towering

As impressive as the other books of Flinn. Presenting Towering by Alex Flinn.

Here is the summary of the book:

At first, I merely saw his face, his hands on the window ledge. Then, his whole body as he swung himself through the window. Only I could not see what he swung on.
Until, one day, I told my dream self to look down. And it was then that I saw. He had climbed on a rope. I knew without asking that the rope had been one of my own tying.

Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now.

A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Alex Flinn knows her fairy tales, and Towering is her most mind-bending interpretation yet. Dark and mysterious, this reimagining of Rapunzel will have readers on the edge of their seats wondering where Alex will take them next!

Technically Book 3 of the Kendra Chronicles but can be treated as standalone nonetheless. I'm sure the cover is self-explanatory nonetheless. Rapunzel. This is a modern day Rapunzel. And Ms. Flinn has made it a tale of the ages. Granted i've not read Bewitching yet but this is another good fairy-tale re-telling that makes the list.

Rachel's been locked up all her life in her tower as long as she has known with just her mama, her song and her book. And golden hair that grows so fast that it needs cutting weekly. Singing songs from her childhood hoping someone would come up and rescue her from her lonely existence. Naive, pure, innocent and ethereal, words that define our Rapunzel of this story perfectly..... still not the damsel in distress though.

Wyatt comes to live in that almost scarce town to escape the tragic experience of his home town moving in with a Mrs. Greenwood. A friend of his mother. There, Wyatt gets entangled in another mystery, of the disappearance of her daughter, Danielle. With just a dairy for clue, the spooky climate and the odd singing in the air that only Wyatt could hear, this is a stay he is so not going to forget as he and Rachel find their way to one another and discover the mystery shrouded in the mists of the desolate town.

There is nothing more that can be said and I'm not going to spoil this story but Ms. Flinn is sure the maestro of modern fairytale re-tellings. Its as modern as can be and yet retaining the characteristics of the classic tale with the twists and turns giving it its fresh spin.

"Towering is a classic, fresh, a quick read and truly beautiful in its innocence.... Brava Ms. Flinn. Brava"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Fairytale Re-telling


Publisher: HarperTeen


My Copy:  Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)