Browsing Tag

paranormal

reviews August 10, 2013

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices 1) by Cassandra Clare

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them…. (Goodreads)

16-year old Tessa is heading to Victorian England in search of her brother. She’s kidnapped by mysterious Dark Sisters and learns she has the ability to transform into another person. She also learns there are Shadowhunters who are fighting against the demons.

Hmm…. What to say about the book? So this is a prequel to Mortal Instruments but I’ve only read the first book City of Bones.

Tessa is a likeable person but just couldn’t connect with her. I liked Jem who was a sweetheart but couldn’t see what’s the deal with Will. Most of the time he was just annoying and rude. I also didn’t see any chemistry between Tessa and Will or is it supposed to be in later books?

I don’t really know what to say about this. This was easy and quick to read but in couple of months I won’t be able to remember what happened here. It was entertaining but that’s it. I’m in two ways if I should try the second book but we’ll see.

3/5
Published: Walker (2010)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 479
Source: library

reviews August 10, 2013

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy 5) by Richelle Mead

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Siberia, Dimitri’s birthplace, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s — and to her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. It’s graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives outside of the Academy’s cold iron gates to finally begin. But even with the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri. He’s out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won’t join him, he won’t rest until he’s silenced her…forever.

But Rose can’t forget what she learned on her journey — whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose’s prayers, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what — and who — matters most to her. And in the end, is true love really worth the price? (Goodreads)

Rose is finally graduating from the Academy and only the last trial is ahead. But she hasn’t given up on getting Dimitri back and with Lissa’s help she uses the information she gathered in Blood Promise. But they need help from Victor who is in prison.

There are times I don’t understand what makes me read these books but I can’t help myself. I need to know what happens to these people and if they have some sense in the end.

In the last book I thought Rose had finally matured little and damn now were back on square one. Okay, there was parts where she acted like responsible person and the she’s back on being childish and selfish.
She’s taking guarding Lissa seriously but when her relationships are concerned I just want to slap her. Rose is supposed to be with Adrian, or at least give him a chance but instead she’s obsessed getting Dimitri back. And even when Dimitri tells he’s no longer interested she just don’t get it. And she’s still with Adrian! I was reminded how slutty I thought her to be in book 1.

I’m glad that Dimitri is back but oh the drama! I get that he regrets the things he did as strigoi but the way he wants to protect Rose even though she doesn’t mind the things he did. Or enough not wanting to be with him anyway.

I’m starting to like Adrian but I wish he finds someone better than Rose to be with. Just saying…

3,5/5
Published: Puffin (2010)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 479
Source: library

reviews August 9, 2013

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Darkfever (Fever 1) by Karen Marie Moning

MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks…until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae….

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands…. (Goodreads)

After Mac’s sister is murdered in Dublin, Mac travels to Ireland without her parents’ blessing. Soon after arriving there she meets mysterious Jericho Barrons, and learns that there’s whole other world hidden in there. Mac discovers she’s sidhe-seer; someone who can see through fay’s glamour. She can also sense powerful fae objects and Barrons sees an opportunity to find the book he’s after.

I’ve heard so much about these books and about Barrons that I finally craved in and started reading. It seems like I’m the last one to read these but oh well…

I liked the Ireland setting and Dublin’s darkness which was, thankfully, the opposite of Mac’s character. For me the biggest problem with the book was Mac. When the book starts she’s this, naïve, not-so-bright, I love all things pink-bright-fluffy-rainbows-clothes-makeup kind of girl that I wouldn’t want to be locked in the same room with. The kind who nearly gets driven over by a car and the first thing is if your hair looks good. It just made her sound little shallow and there was just too much telling what kind of nail polish she uses and stuff.

Also the book is told by first person Mac, but by Mac in the future. She would tell these annoying hindsight things that got old very quickly.

Or so I thought. It would turn out to be just one more of those things I was wrong about. Soon, we would be living inside each other’s pockets, whether we liked it or not.
And believe you me, we didn’t. pg. 75

Believe you me? I certainly won’t but apparently the editor does.

I’ve been reading so much about Mac and Barrons and I was waiting to see some attraction between them but nada. Nothing. I guess that’s for later books. I didn’t hate Barrons but I didn’t see that something that everyone else seems to see.

All in all the book was enjoyable but not great. But I’m curious enough to see if that will change in future books to read more.

3/5
Published: Delacorte Press (2006)
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 309
Source: library

reviews August 9, 2013

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent (Divergent 2) by Veronica Roth

One choice can transform you, or destroy you. Every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves, and herself, while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. (Goodreads)

The book starts where the last one ended and Tris is grieving for her parents who died on Divergent. Dauntless has been divided into two and the brainwashed Dauntless soldiers are hunting for Tris and others who managed to escape. She’s feeling guilty about killing Will, which is causing problems when the traitors attack.
New alliances are made and they will also meet people from the past.

I loved Divergent and I was little worried how this would turn out but I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

I like Tris and she’s a great heroine. She has weaknesses like everyone else and she’s trying to cope with everything that happened, and having hard time doing that. Unfortunately it also makes her kinda suicidal. She’s volunteering to every dangerous operation like she’s hoping she won’t survive. I think it went little too far and caused unnecessary strain in her relationship with Tobias (Four).

In the end I don’t think this was as good as Divergent but I did love it. And it was evil way to end a book but it makes me even more to looking forward to the next book!

4/5
Published: Katherine Tegen Books (2012)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 525
Source: library

reviews August 8, 2013

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Wolfsbane (Nightshade 2) by Andrea Cremer

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended.Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she’s certain her days are numbered.

But then the Searchers make her an offer,one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack and the man she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive. (Goodreads)

The book starts right after the last one ended. Calla wakes up in the custody of the Searchers and they make her an offer; to help them to take down the Keepers. She’s still trying to choose between Shay and Ren and along the way she learns more about the history of the Guardians, Keepers, and Searchers.

I really loved Nightshade and I’ve wanted to get my hands on this one but I have to say I’m kinda disappointed. The first half was so boring with page after page telling the history of the war but it got better towards the end.

Calla goes through huge change in this book, and not all for the best. Gone is the confident leader and she’s turned to this unsure, easily-trusting-person who probably lost half her IQ along the way. I mean she grew up thinking The Searchers are the enemy and she spent a week in chains and when they unchain her explaining they need her help, she just agrees? Just like that. I’m not convinced it’s should be that easy. At all. There were few times that I just wanted to slap her really hard to get her to understand. There were so many hints dropped that even I figured that out and I’m not exactly rocket scientist…

There was way too much telling about the history with dialogs that went on and on and quite frankly I just skipped most of them. Maybe I missed something but I just don’t care.

I’m not sure if my biggest complain is that there’s hardly any Ren in the book. I started to think if I read the books just for him and I just might be right…

I still find Shay very annoying and for the life of me can’t understand why Calla would choose him! I wasn’t fan of him in the first book and I’m even less in this. He gets mad pretty much every time someone mentions Ren and can’t remember that’s its him that stole another’s intended mate in the first place?!

We get bunch of new characters who are Searchers and I liked Connor. I really hope he’s in the next book too! I wasn’t huge fan of Adne but I think she would be good with Shay. Especially if it means Shay won’t be with Calla… Then there is Ethan. Guardians killed his brother and he hates Calla from the start, and all the guardians. But when he sees Sabine he is awestruck from the first. Seriously?!

All in all it wasn’t bad but it could have been so much better and it did get better towards the end. I’m hoping the next one is better but I’m fearing for the worst. I read couple reviews of Bloodrose and I’m already having problems with it…

3/5
Published: Atom (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 390
Source: library