Browsing Tag

paranormal

reviews November 14, 2013

Omens by Kelley Armstrong

Omens (Cainsville 1) by Kelley Armstrong

Olivia Jones has lived a life of privilege and good fortune. But on the eve of her wedding she discovers two shocking facts. One – she was adopted. Two – her biological parents are notorious serial killers. And now the secret’s out, she’s in immediate danger.

Running for her life, Liv must face reality in the most brutal and terrifying way. But then she is confronted with a tantalising hope – is it possible that her parents weren’t guilty of the murders after all? And if so, who did commit them?

Arriving at the remote town of Cainsville, Liv believes she has found the perfect place to hide while she uncovers the truth. But Cainsville is no ordinary town – and Liv’s arrival was no accident. (back cover)

Olivia Taylor-Jones comes from a wealthy family and has had a life of privilege. But then everything changes when she learns that she’s adopted, and her biological parents are infamous serial killers. The ensuing scandal drives Olivia from Chicago to a small town called Cainsville.
While trying to re-investigate her parent’s crimes, Olivia starts to notice something peculiar about the town.

I’ve read one Kelley Armstrong book before which I liked and I had high expectations for this one. And it didn’t disappoint me!

I liked Olivia who at first was just another poor little rich girl but she really grew after settling into Cainsville and learning to take care of herself instead of using the family money. When she learned about the adoption, she didn’t run straight into the arms of her biological family and still thought her adoptive parents as her parents. I really liked that even if her mother didn’t win the mother of the year price after fleeing to Europe from the scandal…

I think the best thing in the book was Gabriel. He was a lawyer who once represented Olivia’s mother and now helps her re-investigate. I sense a future love interest and I’m looking forward to it!

There is paranormal aspect in the book but it’s more mystery book. It worked for me but I haven’t read many of the author’s previous books so I don’t have much to compare it to. I guess we learn more about the town in the next books maybe paranormal things starts to come up too.
This wasn’t very action packed and felt like it prepared us for the things to come, but I didn’t realize until after the book was over that there didn’t happen that much in the book after all. But it kept me very entertained that’s for sure.

4,5/5

Published: Sphere (2013)
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 486
Source: publisher

reviews August 29, 2013

Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine

Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires 3) by Rachel Caine

Morganville is such a nice place to live… And die. If you don’t mind that sort of thing.

When Claire Danvers learnt that her college town was run by vampires, she did what any intelligent, self-preserving student would do: she applied for a transfer and stocked up on garlic. The transfer is no longer an option, but that garlic may come in handy.

Now Claire has pledged herself to Amelie, the most powerful vampire in town. The protection her contract secures does little to reassure her friends. All of a sudden, people are turning up dead, a stalker resurfaces from Claire’s past, and an ancient bloodsucker extends a chilling invitation for private lessons in his secluded home. (back cover)

Claire has now pledged herself to Amelie, the founder of Morganville, but is scared to tell her friends knowing they will get mad. Something is happening to the vampires and Amelie needs Claire’s help to solve it. She sends Claire as a pupil to Myrnin, who is old and half-crazy with periods of lucidity.

I have to say that I hate these evil cliffhangers! It’s so wrong to end every book like that…

The book pretty much starts where the last one ended and now Claire is pledged to Amelie but is afraid to tell her friends because she knows they’ll get mad. Especially Shane who is still trying to come to terms with the fact that Michael is a vampire. Shane doesn’t trust Michael anymore and honestly it’s getting old very soon. I mean they’ve been best friends for ages and now that Michael is a vampire everything suddenly changes? It’s not like he wanted it and is killing half the city.
But I like Shane and Claire together and it’s nice to see they move forward slowly.

How Claire always manages to get herself into these situations where she need to be saved is beyond me. And once again she finds herself in party where everything doesn’t go as planned. I understand she’s polite and all but enough. Monica threw her down the stairs and what else and she’s still being polite to her. Enough is enough.

We meet new vampire Myrnin to whom Amelie sends Claire. I liked Myrnin who’s half-crazy and only has periods of lucidity. His mood swings made him unpredictable and dangerous but he was nice between those.

We also meet Eve’s brother Jason again who’s apparently killing girls but no one seems to do anything about it. I really want to learn what’s his deal and I think he is hiding something.

Another enjoyable read from Caine. These are fairly quick reads but entertaining.

3,5/5

Published: Allison & Busby (2008)
Format: paperback
Pages: 384
Source: my own

reviews August 11, 2013

The Dead Girls’ Dance by Rachel Caine

The Dead Girls’ Dance (The Morganville Vampires 2) by Rachel Caine

Claire Danvers has her share of challenges—like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains, dealing with the homicidal girls in her dorm, and above all, finding out that her college town is overrun with vampires. On the up side, she has a great roommate (who tends to disappear at sunup) and a new boyfriend named Shane, whose vampire-hunting dad has called in backup: cycle punks who like the idea of killing just about anything.

Now a fraternity is throwing its annual Dead Girls’ Dance and—surprise!—Claire and her equally outcast best friend, Eve, have been invited. When they find out why, all hell is going to break loose. Because this time both the living and the dead are coming out—and everybody’s hungry for blood. (Goodreads)

Starting right after where Glass Houses ended, Shane’s dad is back with his friends intending to kill every vampire they can get their hands on. Then Shane gets himself implicated in a vampire killing and Claire finds herself in trouble trying to help him, while Michael makes drastic decisions to help his friend.

I didn’t remember that Glass Houses ended in a cliffhanger and of course this one started right from it. Good thing my friend has the 1 book so I could read the last chapter.

I think Claire grows little during this book and comes to herself more but I found her more annoying than in book 1. She’s supposed to be this genius who skipped few grades but makes few idiotic choices. Like when in dark alley where more than one person has told you not to go, then what do you do? Well go in there of course because that’s the sensible thing to do. Or when she’s told to stay at home in safe she insist going to school. To a class she’s already read the books and spends the entire time daydreaming about her boyfriend. Intelligent behavior?

Also what is such a big deal with the age difference between Claire and Shane? I don’t remember for sure but if Michael is 19 I assume Shane is the same or close and Claire is 17. This was bugging me in the first book also but then it was with Claire and Michael. And now it’s between Claire and Shane. See how fast these things changes?

While I liked the first book more this wasn’t bad either even if there was some stupid things mentioned before. Guess I have to read the next book to see if it gets better than this since the first was better too.

3/5
Published: NAL (2007)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 248
Source: my own

reviews August 11, 2013

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Evernight (Evernight 1) by Claudia Gray

Bianca wants to escape. 

At the eerily Gothic Evernight Academy, the other students are sleek, smart, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn’t fit in.

When she meets handsome, brooding Lucas he warns her to be careful–even when it comes to caring about him. But the connection between them can’t be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart…and to make Bianca question everything she’s ever believed. (Goodreads)

When sixteen year old Bianca’s parents decides they’re moving to Evernight Academy where they are starting as teachers, Bianca is horrified. Being extremely shy, bit of a loner and living in the same place her whole life, she’s not looking forward to this.

The night before the school starts she makes an attempt to run away and runs into Lucas who is also starting at the Evernight Academy. Lucas is a loner, and not to mention good-looking, and they start to spend time together.
But then one night Bianca nearly looses control and nothing is like it seems.

Girl goes into new school where everyone are rich, snobby, beautiful and bunch of vampires and a hot guy and there’s basically everything that goes on in this book.
I’ve read worse books but this wasn’t great either. But at least it was enjoyable.

Bianca makes some idiotic choices like trying to run away with nothing but flashlight. I mean who does that? And of course fall head over heels with the first boy she meets.

And what is with vampires going into school? Especially when this is a school where nearly everyone is a vampire then why about 400 year old goes into school? I admit that I laughed when teacher tries to explain ipod to a guy from 7th century but still.

The first half was pretty slow paced but action started to pick up in the second half. I’m still in two minds what to think about this but it was quick and enjoyable read.

3/5
Published: HarperTeen (2009)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 327
Source: my own

reviews August 10, 2013

Abandon by Meg Cabot

Abandon (Abandon Trilogy 1) by Meg Cabot

Last year, Pierce died – just for a moment. And when she was in the space between life and death, she met John: tall dark and terrifying, it’s his job to usher souls from one realm to the next.

There’s a fierce attraction between them, but Pierce knows that if she allows herself to fall for John she will be doomed to a life of shadows and loneliness in the underworld. But now things are getting dangerous for her, and her only hope is to do exactly what John says . . . (Goodreads)

Pierce moves to Isla Huesos with her mom after her parent’s divorce and Pierce’s near death experience. One day she was trying to save a bird and ended up in a pool and hitting her head. While dead she ends up in a mysterious world where she meets this gorgeous boy John. After John explains that she has to stay in that world, Pierce panicked and escaped. But now John has appeared at Pierce’s new school and weird things are happening.

I’ve heard lot about Cabot’s books and I was curious to try this.
I liked the idea of Underworld and Persephone and all but it ended being just flat. I didn’t feel any chemistry between Pierce and John but gladly there was no love triangle. Can’t say the same about insta-love though. Can’t blame Pierce bolting after you hear you’re dead and you’re supposed to live there with this guy you met once when you were 7 years old.

I wasn’t too crazy about Pierce either who was too annoying and whiny but the book was rather enjoyable but I don’t see the hype over Cabot’s books.

3/5
Published: Macmillan (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 297
Source: my own