Blog Tour + Review: The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco

Today we are a tour stop for Rin Chupeco's The Girl from the Well blog tour!!!

Read on for Elicia's review of the YA horror novel.

The Girl from The Well  ●  Author: Rin Chupeco

Sourcebooks Fire ● August 5, 2014 ● ISBN: 9781402292187

Hardcover/$16.99 U.S. ● Ages 14+

The Ring meets The Exorcist in this haunting and lyrical reimagining of the Japanese fable.

Okiku has wandered the world for hundreds of years, setting free the spirits of murdered children. Wherever there’s a monster hurting a child, her spirit is there to deliver punishment. Such is her existence, until the day she discovers a troubled American teenager named Tark and the dangerous demon that writhes beneath his skin, trapped by a series of intricate tattoos. Tark needs to be freed, but there is one problem—if the demon dies, so does its host.

With the vigilante spirit Okiku as his guide, Tark is drawn deep into a dark world of sinister doll rituals and Shinto exorcisms that will take him far from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Japan. Can Okiku protect him from the demon within or will her presence bring more harm? The answer lies in the depths of a long-forgotten well

Detailed Review:  *I received an ARC copy of this book via NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback*

Something you should know firsthand: I actually requested this book in NetGalley because it had something to do with Japan.

The fact that I had just finished reading Amanda Sun's Rain at that time was another contribution to my decision, what with it being set in Japan and the rich culture within the country.

But honestly, I would still have requested for this book regardless because a) The story is really intriguing and b) Look at that cover, just look at it. Perfection to the eyes. I could look at it all day long.

Basically, The Girl from the Well tells a story of a boy who is quite unusual, and has a secret that could put him in an asylum, like his mom. Okiku and his cousin Callie may be the only ones to help Tark as he slowly loses control to the evil spirit that lives within him. 

This book is not usually what I would read, because it has a strong sense of horror in it, and I being quite- ahem- afraid of ghosts, would not pick up books like this.

I do not regret my decision. The book scared me, especially when the narrator is a ghost from an ancient ghost story, and she kills people who murder kids in the most gruesome ways. 

But I am proud to have finished reading the book. 

The book was really graphic, with the author describing death scenes without missing any detail, even the bloodiest ones. I really admire Chupeco for being so forthcoming with these details. God knows what goes on in her head when she writes. *wince*

What intrigued me the most though, was the relationship between Okiku and Tark. It's almost like there's romance between them, but there seems to be no show of it through anything physical, possibly except the ending.

I'm still left wondering if this book has romance in it, but I guess it really depends on the reader.

However, let me make something clear.

You don't really need romance to make a YA book good. It would surely score points, but it would be incredibly boring if every single YA novel had romance inside them (not that I mind, but sometimes it would be good to have something unique once in a while)

The Girl from the Well is proof of that.

The characters... They were awesome. I can't find any other word to describe them. They each have their own secrets and backgrounds that they enrich the book itself, making it even more vibrant. Do I even make sense? Think of a beautiful painting that stands out among a collection of many others.

All the characters are related to each other in the most unexpected ways. And this usually results in twists.

Okiku's obsession with counting and her sometimes third-person narration makes her a very unique character. Her character is unusual but, I think that gives the story more depth. If someone is so easy to read, where's the fun?

I also think Okiku isn't just a unique character, I think she also deserved the title for heroine, even though she was a strange type of heroine. She did save Tark's life.

Now when I speak of twists, which I know all readers dread and love, you will not be disappointed. You will get the  I-can't-believe-this-is-true feeling as you wade through the book.

And many thanks to the author for making dolls really creepy. I think every time I look at one, I'll start thinking that there's an evil spirit residing in there...

BEWARE: The ending is one you are not prepared for, not now or ever.

Brief Review: Ghosts, exorcisms, demon and death- what better things to have in a horror book? This author's love of ghosts is obvious in her writing and characters. She doesn't hold back in her descriptions; no matter how bloody they are, she moves on with a grim determination which could be entertaining at times and adds to the climax of the book. All I can say is that the author's writing really flourished in this book. She has already made me re-consider my decision to not pick up any horror books in the future!

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE: 

The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living---Marcus Tullius Cicero

Your Reviewer:

Praise for The Girl From the Well:

“[A] Stephen King–like horror story…A chilling, bloody ghost story that resonates.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Chupeco makes a powerful debut with this unsettling ghost story…told in a marvelously disjointed fashion from Okiku’s numbers-obsessed point of view, this story unfolds with creepy imagery and an intimate appreciation for Japanese horror, myth, and legend.” –Publishers Weekly, STARRED

“The Girl from the Well is part The Ring, part The Grudge and part The Exorcist…A fantastically creepy story sure to keep readers up at night… Okiku is one of the most interesting YA characters to date.” RT Book Reviews,  4 ½ STARS-TOP PICK!

“A dark novel that will appeal to horror fans, lovers of Elizabeth Scott’s ‘Living Dead Girl.’” –School Library Journal

About Rin Chupeco: Despite uncanny resemblances to Japanese revenants, Rin Chupeco has always maintained her sense of humor. Raised in Manila, Philippines, she keeps four pets: a dog, two birds, and a husband. She’s been a technical writer and travel blogger, but now makes things up for a living. The Girl from the Well is her debut novel. Connect with Rin at www.rinchupeco.com

ARC Review: Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell

Title: Sweet Unrest
Author: Lisa Maxwell
Release Date: 8th October 2014
Publisher: Flux
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: Lucy Aimes has always been practical. But try as she might, she can’t come up with a logical explanation for the recurring dreams that have always haunted her. Dark dreams. Dreams of a long-ago place filled with people she shouldn’t know…but does.

When her family moves to a New Orleans plantation, Lucy’s dreams become more intense, and her search for answers draws her reluctantly into the old city’s world of Voodoo and mysticism. There, Lucy finds Alex, a mysterious boy who behaves as if they’ve known each other forever. Lucy knows Alex is hiding something, and her rational side doesn’t want to be drawn to him. But she is.

As she tries to uncover Alex’s secrets, a killer strikes close to home, and Lucy finds herself ensnared in a century-old vendetta. With the lives of everyone she loves in danger, Lucy will have to unravel the mystery of her dreams before it all comes to a deadly finish.

Detailed Review:  <<I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review>>

When I read that first sentence, it didn't prepare me for what was due to come. Even countless re-readings of the synopsis didn't help soften the blows this book dealt me.

One thing was obvious though: this was about reincarnation and Voodoo. I already knew that from my first glimpse of the synopsis. 

How these two elements came together though, was a different story. I twisted my mind in every way to see how the pieces fit into the puzzle, but I couldn't figure it out. Not as well as Maxwell, anyway. 

Everything is not a coincidence in this book; it is all planned out from the start. This is what a really good book needs: some prior planning before plunging into writing and some significant character development (especially the main characters) throughout the book.

Sweet Unrest had both. That means that it's a really good book. 

Honestly, I didn't expect this book to be this good, because there was quite an ordinary first line and first paragraph (I judge books by first lines and paragraphs), not enough to capture someone's fancy for long.

Until you read the end of the prologue. That's when it sparks your interest. 

My sole advice when reading this book is to read on-yes, even when you're bored- because you'll always discover something at each turn of the page. You wouldn't want to miss any of it.

I'm talking about the plot twists here. There are a few. Fair warning: they're not light ones; they pack a punch. 

The characters had interesting developments throughout the book, but that was one of the plot twists (hopefully that's not considered a spoiler)

This book had a considerable amount of fear factor in it, because it's Voodoo. Yet, the author does mention that it's not all bad, the story itself does highlight that the art can be used for ulterior motives.

The romance between Alex and Lucy was certainly great, but I thought more attention could be given to their relationship in the present, not in the past. This did somehow make the romance seem slightly unnatural, despite the fact that they have met each other in a different life at a different time.

But... Everything other than that was great.

The writing in this book is straight to the point, though Maxwell loves leading you off the safe path to dark places, so beware... She even likes to include some meaningful musings about life (ahhhhhhh). 

Another point scorer is the author's inclusion of family. She emphasis throughout the book how important family really is. I just loved Lucy's brother, T.J. He is the absolute cutest. And the prologue even mentioned her parents and how they met (that's actually quite interesting but nothing compared to the rest of the story)

Did I mention that I swooned when I read that Alex had a French accent (OMG THAT IS HOT) and that his full name was Alexandre Jourdain (double OMG)? French guys are seriously the best.

The ending wasn't a cliffhanger, but honestly it was still as heartbreaking as if there was a cliffhanger. You get what I mean. But it was good though, in a way that it gives your imagination full reign of what will happen to the characters in the future. It isn't just restricted by what the author gives you, it's up to you what happens. That's what I liked the most.

Brief Review: Maxwell successfully fits two very different elements together into a well-written book. She gives Voodoo a near insight- she transforms the art into something beautiful and horrifying at the same time. She not only does it with talent; she does it with amazing characters and storytelling on her part. I must say that Sweet Unrest will most definitely clear a path for the author to start of her writing career!!!

Final Rating: 4/5 'Really Liked It!'

QUOTE: 

This somehow reminded me of Alex and Lucy's first meeting in Le Ciel

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye---H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Your Reviewer:

ARC Review: Sekret by Lindsay Smith

Title: Sekret
Author: Lindsay Smith
Release Date: 1st April 2014
Publisher: Macmillan Children's
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: An empty mind is a safe mind.

Yulia's father always taught her to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive the harsh realities of Soviet Russia. But when she's captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she's thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power. Yulia quickly realizes she can trust no one--not her KGB superiors or the other operatives vying for her attention--and must rely on her own wits and skills to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.

Detailed Review: When I first stumbled across this book on Goodreads and my partner mentioned that the cover for Sekret was really good, I thought to myself, this needs to be on my TBR list. I'm a sucker for historical fiction. Anything that involves past incidents that have actually happened. So when I saw Sekret available for request on NetGalley, I absolutely had no hesitation on clicking the Request button. I kept my fingers crossed on being approved. 

I got approved. I read it. I rated it. And now I'm writing this review on how much this book really fazed and awed me. 

Sekret is a great example of how history can really make an original setting for your book. I was very intrigued when I found out that the book was set in the USSR (now Russia) while it was engaged in the Cold War with America. Using a historical setting will give an atmosphere hardly associated with books that have present or future settings. The atmosphere in Sekret was one of tension and secrecy. Giving psychic abilities to the characters gives the book another finishing touch. I especially loved the different abilities which the psychics have, everything from mind-reading to remote viewing and altering memories. The author has got a good imagination.

What gives it a high polish are the characters. Yulia is a brave and smart heroine that challenges all-time favourites like Katniss. She did remind me of Katniss at times, possibly because they were somehow under the same circumstances. Yulia's love interest, Valentin was a very hard code to crack most of the time, yet I still loved him. Rostov made a great antagonist as well as Misha and Masha. 

The secret ingredient though, was still the twists. The thing is, there's no warning of a twist coming your way. It just leaps out at you and stares you down. It's like being drowned and then pulled onto shore and then being drowned again. This cycle will keep on repeating as you read the book.

And then when you find out there's a sequel... I was like, where's the cliffhanger?!? Unlike other books, the ending was surprisingly well-rounded. Nonetheless, I still need the second book!!!

Finally, a request. MAKE ME A PSYCHIC!!!

Brief Review: Lindsay has obviously done her research regarding Russia in the 1960s and captures the atmosphere well with her descriptive prose and secretive air in writing. She artfully brings her characters to life with words and their psychic abilities is the result of creativity and thorough research. This debut clearly wears out a path for the author to easily navigate and make her voice heard in the writing industry!

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

This quote captures the mood of the book so well,

“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”---George Orwell

Your Reviewer:

Review: Dance in Shadow and Whisper by Sarah Godfrey and Victoria DeRubeis

Title: Dance in Shadow and Whisper

Author Sarah Godfrey and Victoria DeRubeis

Release Date: 19th June 2013 

Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: Kali unexpectedly discovers on her first day of human high school that she’s forbidden to eat or partake of the toilet during class time, the assigned history and species books look best on the shelves of popular fiction, and the boy she’s watching over is definitely a reincarnated war lord.

The highest powers of Kali’s people and the highest powers of Yuuhi’s people, irreconcilable enemies, designated them to find proof that Jason is, in fact, the reincarnated Ares.

All Yuuhi sees in Jason is the typical scrawny, socially inept emo kid dressed in conflicting shades of black. But Kali sees that Jason’s shadow is bigger than he is, and if the powers of Yuuhi’s people find out, Jason won’t be human much longer.

The desire to protect him from an unexpected visitor brings out her most dangerous sides. Something’s changing in her, something she can’t control, and she’s not afraid of Jason mutating into a creature of the shadows more than she’s afraid she’s becoming something even worse.

And the highest powers will be watching her.

Detailed Review: This book was the BEST fantasy book I've ever read surrounding demons and vampires. Really it was. It just managed to suck me right into the vortex of a story and not let me go. For starters, the story is very original and intriguing. The authors' style of writing leaves you questioning on every page and you know you'll have to read on to get the answers. I also liked how the authors only chose to involve demons and vampires and not werewolves and faeries. I'm starting to get tired of all those. But Dance in Shadow and Whisper was really a wake-up call for me.

Not only was the story mesmerizing, the characters set off a pretty high standard too. They fit right into the story and were clearly and elaborately thought out. I also like the multiple POVs in this book because sometimes it gets a bit tiring just seeing from one person's perspective. Also besides the central theme of war and retribution in the book, there was this word echoing the whole time in my head, the really obvious theme in this book.

FAMILY.

I could see how Kali and her brothers and fathers stayed closed together and never let go of each other. This was clearly what makes it so different from other books I've read. I've never read about such strong family bonds. This somehow affected the story more than I thought it would. It affected the ending too, no question about that.

The twist in the story which I think worthy of mentioning is that there is also another reincarnation of another war lord besides Ares. And what is most shocking is that the person you suspected the least is the reincarnation.

Now that ending is what kills me the most. It was really really painful for me to find that there was no continuation to the story that had me like a fish dangling on a hook. 

WHICH MEANS I NEED THE SECOND BOOK. The second book must come out soon. I'm dying of anticipation and apprehension here. 

Note: If the story and the review is not already a tip-off, the cover should do it. It's beautiful.

Brief Review: This book was unexpected in many ways. First the content was just a punch in the gut, and the characters were a stab to my body then the ending was a bullet to my head. This makes the book perfectly addictive and compelling to read. AND I WANT MORE KALI!

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE: 

The best quote to describe the theme of family in this book:

Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.---David Ogden Stiers

Your Reviewer:

Review: Silent Echo: A Siren's Tale by Elisa Freilich

Title: Silent Echo: A Siren's Tale
Author: Elisa Freilich
Release Date: 10th September 2013
Publisher: Diversion Books
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: Haunted by silence, a mute teenage girl is mysteriously given back her voice ... and it is divine.

Rendered mute at birth, Portia Griffin has been silent for 16 years. Music is her constant companion, along with Felix, her deaf best friend who couldn’t care less whether or not she can speak. If only he were as nonchalant about her newfound interest in the musically gifted Max Hunter.

But Portia’s silence is about to be broken with the abrupt discovery of her voice, unparalleled in its purity and the power it affords to control those around her. Able to persuade, seduce and destroy using only her voice, Portia embarks on a search for answers about who she really is, and what she is destined to become.

Inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, SILENT ECHO: A Siren's Tale is an epic story filled with fantasy, romance and original music.

Detailed Review: This book literally gave me the chills because it was so intense. I must say this book isn't lacking in the mystery and horror department. And the author really did her research, that's what made it so perfect and addictive at the same time.

Elisa manages to make the transition from reality into fantasy smooth, going easily with the flow. This is an admirable skill I like in authors. The story was unlike so many other fantasy books I've read so far. First, it was higher on the scare factor, especially in the end. I found that I couldn't stop reading just because of the fact that I was petrified that something would happen if I stopped. Second, the mythology in it is really strong, and not to mention were real. This turns the story into a more haunting one than some stories or myths created by the author himself. 

The best part in the book though, was admittedly the characters because they gave depth to the story. It felt like they were shaping it, that the story was affected by their actions and words, not something that's made-up. The story felt like it was really happening and I was a spectator. The characters fit in so well with the story, for example Portia's deaf best friend Felix wasn't influenced by her powers because he simply couldn't hear her. He was clearly meant to help her not get controlled by her powers. 

And like any good book. It has its twists. Good ones that will certainly leave you shocked and restless.

Now, this is what I call a good book... This is one hell of a story that will be hard to forget.

Brief Review: Mesmerizing and beautiful, this book manages to exploit music in a dangerous and seductive way, such that I got really overwhelmed and scared whenever I read it. Elisa shows consciousness of her readers and manages to surprise and stun at the most unexpected of times. I don't think it needs any more saying, but I'll say it. IT'S AMAZING. 

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:  

'Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.'---Jimi Hendrix

Your Reviewer: 

Review: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Summoning
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Release Date: !st July 2008
Publisher: HarperCollins
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost - and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? it's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House...before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

Detailed Review: Great job, Kelley. You did a great job there. And it's your DEBUT novel. Wow. I was just amazed.

That's what I was thinking the whole time after I read The Summoning. It's too good to be a debut novel but let's just say, the author is talented.

The Summoning is told from Chloe Saunder's POV. (How fitting, my co-blogger is also named Chloe) And I'm happy that it's told from her point of view. Because I know if it's told from the other characters' point of view, I. Would. Die. Of. Boredom. Full stop.

It's the way she tells her story that intrigues me so much. The way she portrays everything as a movie to get over some of her fears and solve problems. How many people do that? None.

When you say this book is paranormal, it totally hit that mark where it says PARANORMAL in big block letters. I'm not adding romance in it because there's none. Sorry, romance lovers.

The other characters in the book were very interesting too. Armstrong has managed to vary all of them so you wouldn't get bored.

So the story?

You see ghosts, people think you're crazy, you get sent to a group home for teenagers with mental illnesses, and then you discover that you ACTUALLY see ghosts and can also raise the dead. And then you find out that the other teens in the house are not normal too. One of them's a werewolf. One of them's a sorcerer. One of them is a poltergeist.

And then you discover a secret you're not meant to know. And then...

I was happy for once after reading a book with a cliffhanger. Yup you heard me right. You know how much I hate cliffhangers and to say that I'm ok with it? Impossible. But I'm making an exception. The cliffhanger provided does make you a squirm with a degree of desperation but does not make you go too over. So the cliffhanger was perfect.

Brief Review: So what can I say? It's just AMAZING. The author topped it off so well that I'm giving her a clap right now at this moment. If she can even make me have nightmares and do silent screams, then you will find yourself doing the same thing.



Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing'

QUOTE:

Just to honour Chloe (not the blogging one, the character in the book), 

No ghost was every seen by two pair of eyes---- Thomas Carlyle

Your Reviewer:

Review: Scapemaker by Steve V, Cypert

Title: Scapemaker
Author: Steve V. Cypert
Release Date: 19th November 2012
Publisher: -
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: Matthew is the son of Mr. Nicholas Namely, a local high school teacher. But unbeknownst to Matthew, his father is a dreamscaper whose classroom is connected to the dream-world. From his classroom, his students enter the halls of Scapemaker, a dream-world high school for young dreamscapers.

Following a couple of heartfelt tragic events, Matthew is compelled to investigate the unbelievable mysteries surrounding those events and is propelled into a whole new world. Matthew and his mother, Mae, are soon coerced into moving across the country for his father's strange medical needs. While attending his new school, Matthew comes to know the secrets that Daedree, an annoying girl from his former high school, has locked away. Matthew also meets Amber, a beautiful enigmatic girl who leads him to Mr. Xoner's classroom. While there, he learns the art of dreamscaping (which has been in the Namely bloodline for thousands of years). 

Matthew will come to know of Nox Celare, otherwise known as The Sandman, who is after a special element called Magineum. Neck deep in skinwalkers, sandsleepers, zombies, soul feeders, ghosts, dream-world criminals known as “night terrors” and more, Matthew learns he is in over his head. Matthew must not only solve the mysteries surrounding those tragic events, but he will also have to protect the Magineum with his life and find a way to be with the one girl of his dreams. Filled with secrecy, mystery and a forbidden tangle of young love, this new life will lead Matthew to unbelievable characters with the most extraordinary abilities he could never have imagined.

Scapemaker will keep you grounded in the real world while at the same time make the fantastical world around it that much more possible and enduring. This tale of young adult paranormal fantasy will keep you guessing and wanting more.

Detailed Review: Before I was even halfway through the book, I knew that it was going to be awesome. No way could any other person have written like Steve Cypert. His ideas are ingenious and insane. But hey, I just loved it all the way.

By the way, I know the cover looks spooky, but it think it ties in well with the story.

This book made me realise that the dream-world can control the real-world, and how different you can be when you're dreaming. 

I just wished I was a dreamscaper. That would be my birthday wish! It's just really cool and different to me. Everything is new. But too bad, I was born a non-scaper. 

After Matthew Namely's father fell into a coma and the murder of his friend Dobian Brown, he is forced into the dream-world, where it is both dangerous and beautiful at the same time. He finds out about his own blood and his father's past in Scapemaker, a school that educates dream-scapers.

What he finds out is this:
-The dream-world is not as safe as you think
-His father used to be Scapemaker's principal
-His father is not actually in a coma, he is in a prison called Sandstorm, a prison for traitors and night terrors
-Which means that his father was seen as a traitor 
-And this leads to the conclusion that he has to prove his father's innocence
-This includes saving his father's magineum from Nox, the sandman to gain full power

Dream-scapers are people who can cross into the dream-world consciously. They can do anything they want as they do in the real-world.

Non-scapers are just people like us, who dream but are unable to control the dream we are in. 

Actually I thought the book was going to be quite lame because it started with a football game but then it managed to evolve into something meaningful. Steve is such a great writer.

This book was always leaving me short-breathed, as if I just ran a marathon because I accompanied Matt on every adventure he went. I feel like Daedree, Matthew's friend, who can dream-read and be near the person at the same time, being tugged into adventure after adventure. It simply was exhilarating. Also, I love the way the dream-scapers have their own abilities which are unique. Skye can fly. Elijah can rewind time. Matthew can control the movements of non-scapers in the dream world. Amber can shape-shift. It's just AMAZING.

So I'm wishing to reborn into a dream-scaper. So please, GOD, I really want to be a dream-scaper just let me be one next time ok?

Also, the romance in there is a bit underdeveloped but you can expect more in the next book since the 'forbidden love' and 'love triangle' elements are still there. Those of you who love books like this, go ahead. But if you ignore this book, you're gonna regret forever! (jokes, don't take it seriously. Do whatever you want)

Brief Review: I wish I can read another book as good as this. This book is full of twists that is sure to leave your mind confused but wanting for more as questions develop page by page. This book will keep you reading all the way to the end! I'm being honest here!

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

To all non-scapers and dreamscapers in the the world, 

You know, Willie Wonka said it best: we are the makers of dreams, the dreamers of dreams.--- Herb Brooks

Your Reviewer: 

Review: Requiem for Blood by Alexandra Hope

Title: Requiem for Blood

Author: Alexandra Hope

Publisher: Createspace

Release Date: 25th March 2013

Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: Seventeen year old Olivia Cohen has always had an appetite for blood and an aversion to the sun as a human and when she is killed by a mysterious young woman, she finds her appetite has heightened and her skin is now burned by the sun. Living her life in a colony with other people who live a "vampire-like" lifestyle, she has grown up hunting humans and believing there is a blood so powerful it will turn them from vampire-like into true vampires. On one of Olivia's final nights as a human she meets eighteen year old Troy Evans and is immediately drawn to the unique scent of his blood. Now as an actual vampire, she must learn how to suppress her need to hunt and kill for his sake and decide if his unique blood is worth saving from those who seek it.

Detailed Review: To be honest, I don't really appeal to stories that involve vampires or stuff of the like (although I go for werewolves more) but in the end this book totally rocked my world. 

This is not some Twilight book you'll expect, this is something different, something NEW, which I totally drank it like ironically, a vampire drinking blood. Because of this book, I look at vampires in a whole different light, because it is really not your average vampire story where some girl falls in love with a vampire and wants to live with him forever. If this is what you are expecting, you definitely won't get it. I mean even I was fooled by it. 

In the book there was one character I loved the most, which was the main character. Let me just say why. At first, when I read the book, I didn't really like her, but as it progressed my admiration for her started building up to a high level. When she turned into a vampire, she totally accepted it. And even though a vampire isn't supposed to be compassionate or human at all, Olivia is actually the most human vampire I've read about. When she killed her sister Alexa, she grieved and grieved and never forgave herself. Usually vampires would just forget about it but she still remembered it. And when she went on a hunting spree with another one of her colony members and killed many people for their blood, this heightened her conscience. Her ability to feel even as a vampire fascinated me.

Also, another aspect of the book which I liked was how you turned into a vampire. There are actually conditions for it. 

First, you have to be a blood-drinking human.

Second, you have to acquire a special type of blood, which comes from kitsunes, or fox spirits.

Olivia got the blood from Troy Evans, who is half-kitsune, if you're wondering with some help from 'a girl with all the answers', Erika, who is also a kitsune.

Although the book had not much romance, I still completely enjoyed it.

Brief Review: A vampire book with a whole new twist is just AWESOME. I hope I will stumble upon more books like this! Please say that there would be a sequel, please Alexandra. I am jumping up and down now with too much adrenaline! All from the book because it's packed with action too! Did I forget to mention that?

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing'




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Review: Persistence of Vision by Liesel K. Hill

Title: Persistence of Vision
Author: Liesel K. Hill
Release Date: 29th January 2012
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away...

Detailed Review: I like to think that there are two groups of authors in this world:

a) Authors who can make a fantastic story using the most ordinary circumstances and mythology. 

b) Authors who use their imagination to create stories that are just as good as the first group's.

This author certainly lands in group B. Why? This is just totally AMAZING. Let me tell you 5 reasons why:

1. Original. Ah. I feel like I'm sitting and exercising in the park, feeling the cool air on my face. 
2. Amazing plot. I must give it to this author. She's is atrociously GOOD. In a good way.
3. Not much romance. Just action.
4. Cool characters. Just cool.
5. Unexpected twists likely to land you in your bed crying or sobbing or gasping. You choose.

The plot? Well, there is a prophecy to fulfill to overthrow a group called the collectives. And the main character Maggie has to fulfill her role as the Executioner. Now don't think too far ahead. It's not executing people. The rest of the roles are Concealer, Protector, Healer, Witness and Deceiver. They're all individuals. And Maggie has had an unexpected memory loss, one year's worth of memories gone. She doesn't remember what happen in that one year.

But she has flashes from her memory. Which is not nice actually. 

As for the twists, I'm not telling you.

You've got to read it for more. ;)

Brief Review: This author has been overlooked by many authors. Her debut is something worth reading for me. It was a great reading experience since it was a New Adult book, something new for me.

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing'




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