Review: Aquila; From The Darkness by T.L. Searle

Title: Aquila; From The Darkness
Author: T.L. Searle
Release Date: 12th September 2013
Publisher: self-published
Find on: Goodreads

Blurb: Seventeen year old Aqua Vickers lives a secluded life in the English countryside. She keeps herself that way, hiding in plain sight, out of fear. She has no idea where she came from or what she is, she just knows she isn't human. Her mother is convinced she's an angel, but does having wings make you an angel? Sharp, angular and intimidating black wings?

The only other person Aqua has let into her life is Aaron, her best friend. They've grown up together, shared every milestone and Aqua's feelings for him have developed into something more. In a moment of impulse, Aqua revels her true nature. Aaron freaks, hurting Aqua so badly that she flees into the night.

Lucas has been watching and waiting. As an Angeli Tail it is his job to be a spy; and he's been ordered to watch Aqua. Lost and vulnerable above the clouds, Aqua is reaching exhaustion. When Lucas offers her the answers she seeks, she follows him impulsively.

In a city, carved into the rock of a mountain, Aqua discovers she's not as alone as she thought; and her life has been rooted on a bed of lies and deception. In her absence, her home is attacked and her mother taken. With this new enemy intent on her capture and new family who aren't all welcoming, Aqua must integrate and train with the Angeli Guard if she has any hope of rescuing her mother from the hands of the Dragone.

The Angeli Guard Master is unforgiving and ruthless, allowing Aqua little rest from his relentless and painful training exercises. Aqua can barely stand to look at him, but can't seem to exterminate the butterflies she feels when he's around.

War is coming but Aqua's battles may need to be fought closer to home.

Detailed Review: 

< ebook copy provided by the author herself >

OK, when I started this book, honestly I was kinda irked by the short sentences. I mean it is good to keep your sentences short and informative but it felt like the character was shortlived and out of breath most of the time. It made me feel...'irked' because I didn't really see an importance within the main character due to the short off writing and it made me think of her as a side character. 

The writing is good, pretty neat and sparkly, nothing wrong but I guess you could say that it was quite well done to the point of perfection but it lost it's touch. You know the writer's feel within the words like there is something that makes this book the author herself. Do you get what I'm trying to say? It lost it's authenticity or it's feel of being the author's work, a little evidence here and there that sprinkles the author into the pages.

But anyhow, the story of Aqua is quite interesting and how she has come to know that she has these black wings and how she confronts them to her best friend who rejects it ultimately. It was such a crushing feat to Aqua. But I do love the character style that the author's drawn up. She's really put a little bit of personality for the characters throughout the story. When Lucas came in, I was like "Seriously?" Yes, the Lucas character was unsettling, totally bleh to me. The moment he came in, I disliked him. It was this feeling in my gut that definitely spelled out 'H-A-T-E'. Have you ever felt that way about a character? Secretly, I prefer Aqua's dorky childhood best friend. 

There was only the occasional sarcasm that continued during the book and that held out the story's significance for Aqua. It helped to express more of her emotions and you could tell that she is quite sardonic with Lucas and somehow it has definitely pushed a lot of puncture points to enable the story have more personality. 

But what I especially love from this book was it's fantasy.  

I love how the author had created this world where humans evolved from birds and humans from mammals. I can actually picture a mountain full of characters with beautifully etched wings on their backs in different shades and how they each all signify a role within the story. It became so apparent that parts with Aqua discovering who and what she actually is was the main goal that made me consistently think about how these bird-human creatures called Avian /Angeli came into the story. 

Those parts made me very interested in these beings and invite a more original storyline that is hard to find as everyone is always looking for the usual vampires, werewolves, etc. instead of creating their own new species; that was one of the points that made me accept this request. 

In the 'book world', I think, many people are writing the same thing over and over again, it becomes overrated and quite boring. It typically makes me yawn whenever I pick up a book with the same storyline, same characters, same setting but otherwise this story has something different. 

It has imagination. 

Brief Review: A truly transcendent fantasised reality that made me enjoy it's telescopic world of evolutionary winged human beings. Searle, has created a book full of wonderful creatures and the coinciding fate of one Angeli who still believes in humans. 

Final Rating: 4/5    "Really Liked It"

Reviewer:

Review: The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe

Title: The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant
Author: Joanna Wiebe
Release Date: 14th January 2014
Publisher: BenBella Books
Find on: Goodreads

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

*There may be some mini spoilers*

This book blew me away. Honest-to-god blew me away. This wasn't anything I expected at all. There was no hint or warning beforehand that demons would come into this. 

Wiebe's story-writing kept my mind twisting and spinning that after finishing, my brain probably had the most hardcore workout it had ever had! Too many sudden twists. Too many in the last few chapters. Too many EVERYWHERE. I mean it, in the literal sense. This is not a hyperbole. 

I can seriously compare this book to a mind game. You can get frustrated, shocked, angry and sad from just reading this book. You really need plenty of rest after digesting so much. 

In the end though, you'll only have one thought in your head: WOW. That was good. It's the exact same feeling where you're in a race and you unexpectedly won. That exhilarating wow-I-can't-believe-I-made-it-through-that feeling.

It isn't just the twists, it's the story itself. It is so filled with creativity. I swear my mind must have broken down a few times from the abundance of creativity I encountered in Anne Merchant's story. It just makes me cry in shame as I admire Wiebe's imagination, which is so beautiful compared to mine. The concept that you need to become valedictorian to become alive again? Wow. And it's something so much more than that, as revealed in the ending? Double wow.

The characters themselves were as deep and complex as the story itself. Take Ben Zin for example. He seems willing to help Anne around the school but sometimes he just ignores her. And Pilot, he may look like the nicest guy in the school, with no PT and no wish to become valedictorian, there is something more than meets the eye about him.

The romance was very satisfying. Finger-licking satisfying. I can't wait for more of this swoon-worthy romance between Anne and... Take a guess.

I may not have ranted about this in my recent reviews, but once again I must, MUST, bring your attention to the ending, which wasn't an ending, more like THE CLIFFHANGER. I seriously felt like I was the one dangling off the cliff screaming NOOOOOOO and reaching out as the rest of the story become something intangible again, waiting to be continued by the scheming author behind this masterpiece.

Brief Review: Once again,  I must repeat, that this book unbelievably blew me away. The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant combines horror, fantasy, action and romance all into one, together with the most complicated characters you could ever know and the most twisted twists that have the ability to make you throw up later, which is an impressive feat to be applauded. This book is certainly not a joy ride; it is a terrifying roller-coaster ride. But it's worth the read. The most logical thing you should be doing right now is add this book to your TBR shelf!

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

Your Reviewer:

Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Title: These Broken Stars
Authors: Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Release Date: 10th December 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Find on: Goodreads, Amazon

Quick Review: It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

Detailed Review: This book was completely new to me. The writing style, the characters, the setting- which was in hyperspace, seemed foreign to me. 

But strangely, I still liked it. Loved it even. I think it's the setting itself that intrigued me and also the story. The storyline seemed simple, with a rich girl who was the daughter of the owner of a spaceship falling in love with a war hero, which is basically like the high school equivalent of popular girl falling in love with a musically talented guy. BUT... Yeah I know it's alot of buts BUT this book guarantees that I must use this connective.

The circumstances which the duo were cast into were very interesting. VERY, very interesting. They're stranded on a planet after crashing on it and find it to be uninhabited by anybody other than them. 

And the people whose whispers belong to. It starts with the whispers, then the hallucinations. At first, only Lilac hears and sees them. Then Tarver. 

I liked this love story because of its naturality and loved to see how the circumstances shaped their relationship. The love wasn't the typical love at first sight, but it took time to develop. 

The characters were great too. Lilac may be slightly proud and stubborn, but I think it's these traits that helped her survive on the planet with Tarver. She's got some hidden talents too. Tarver may seem hard on the outside, but he's a caring and kind person on the inside. When you put these two together, there's bound to be some sparks flying. *wink*

There were some very interesting developments and twists that's bound to provoke these reactions:

Crying

Laughing

Being scared

Staring into blank space with your mouth open

And the ending was nice. It's not the type that you would cry your heart out over, but nonetheless it's still a great ending. 

I just wished that I would still get to see Tarver and Lilac in the second book. *goes off to cry in a corner*

P.S. These Broken Stars are going to be made into a TV show!!! I'm so excited for it's release!!!

Brief Review: I honestly think both the authors did a great job with the story and the characters. It's impossible to say how many times this book had me almost in tears. Oh THE TWISTS!!! If you're looking for science fiction with romance and mystery in it, These Broken Stars is my pick! 

My Rating: 4.5/5 Really Liked It!

QUOTE:

This quote reminds me so much about These Broken Stars,

It is the stars, The stars above us, govern our conditions.---William Shakespeare

Your Reviewer: 

Ideas for your next BOOK HAUL

The Art of Letting Go by Anna Bloom

  Our Rating:  *  *  *  *


Genre: New-Adult, Contemporary

Filed under: Book-Boyfriends, Lazy day reads, humorous

Average rating on GoodReads: 4.83 out of 5.00

Summary:


One year. One woman. One Diary. One question: can you ever stop history from repeating itself and if you could what would you do to stop it?
When Lilah McCannon realises at the age of twenty-five that history is going to repeat itself and she is going to become her mother—bored, drunk and wearing a twinset—there is only one thing to do: take drastic action.
Turning her back on her old life, Lilah’s plan is to enrol at university, get a degree and prove she is a grown-up.
As plans go, it is a good one. There are rules to follow: no alcohol, no cigarettes, no boys and no going home. But when Lilah meets the lead singer of a local band and finds herself unexpectedly falling in love, she realises her rules are not going to be the only things hard to keep.
With the academic year slipping by too quickly, Lilah faces a barrage of new challenges: will she ever make it up the Library stairs without having a heart attack? Can she handle a day on campus without drinking vodka? Will she ever manage to read a history book without falling asleep? And most importantly, can she become the grown-up that she desperately wants to be.
With her head and her heart pulling her in different directions can Lilah learn the hardest lesson that her first year of university has to teach her: The Art of Letting Go?

Available on Amazon here for £1.93

If you've already got it or even finished it, TWEET ABOUT IT TODAY & let everyone know using the #hashtag #FridayReads

ALSO

ATTENTION ALL BOOK FANS - THERE'S STILL TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UNI FILES - THE ART OF LETTING GO READ ALONG.

So if you're interested in signing up, tweet or email either of us, (ANNA OR CAIT.)  First blog discussions start on the 1ST OF OCTOBER.



A Different Blue by Amy Harmon

Our Rating: TBC / not quite finished with this one, 3 provisional stars so far!


Genre: NA/YA, contemporary, romance,

Filed under/Lists with this book: Student-Teacher/ Best Books Published in 2013, NYTIMES BESTSELLER

Average Rating on GoodReads: 4.32 out of 5



Summary:

Blue Echohawk doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know her real name or when she was born. Abandoned at two and raised by a drifter, she didn't attend school until she was ten years old. At nineteen, when most kids her age are attending college or moving on with life, she is just a senior in high school. With no mother, no father, no faith, and no future, Blue Echohawk is a difficult student, to say the least. Tough, hard and overtly sexy, she is the complete opposite of the young British teacher who decides he is up for the challenge, and takes the troublemaker under his wing.

This is the story of a nobody who becomes somebody. It is the story of an unlikely friendship, where hope fosters healing and redemption becomes love. But falling in love can be hard when you don't know who you are. Falling in love with someone who knows exactly who they are and exactly why they can't love you back might be impossible.

Amazon UK Paperback: £9.27 / Kindle: £3.16
Amazon US Paperback: $12.08/ Kindle: $5.06

If you've already got it or even finished it, TWEET ABOUT IT TODAY & let everyone know using the #hashtag #FridayReads

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (Penguin Books)

Our Rating: TBC / Provisional 3 stars

Genre: Mystery, Cultural, Book Club, Contemporary,

Average Rating on GoodReads: 4.06 out of 5


Summary:

My Darling Cecilia
If you're reading this, then I've died . . .

Imagine your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret - something so terrible it would destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others too. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive . . .

Cecilia Fitzpatrick achieved it all - she's an incredibly successful business woman, a pillar of her small community and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia - or each other - but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband's devastating secret.

From the author of the critically acclaimed What Alice Forgot comes a breakout new novel about the secrets husbands and wives keep from each other.

Amazon UK/ Paperback: £3.75 / Kindle: £3.99
Amazon US / Paperback: $7.12/ Hardcover: $15.57


Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Our Rating: TBC - 3.5 Provisional Stars!

Genre: Paranormal Romance, YA, Fantasy,

Average Rating on GoodReads:  3.70 out of 5

Filed under: Books that should be made into a movie, NYTIMES  Bestseller

Summary:


Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty - especially if they learn of her Sight - and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.

Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale.


Amazon UK/ Paperback: £4.99/ Kindle: £1.99/ Audiobook: £13.55
Amazon US/ Hardcover: $12.98 / Paperback: £7.38 / Audiobook CD: $29.99


#FridayReads/WeekendReads, you know the drill!


That's all for now, folks. Happy reading!
 If you found this inspiring, give us a tweet  about your next Book haul!

Review: Indelible by Dawn Metcalf

Title: Indelible
Author: Dawn Metcalf
Release Date: 30th July 2013
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: Some things are permanent.

Indelible.

And they cannot be changed back.

Joy Malone learns this the night she sees a stranger with all-black eyes across a crowded room—right before the mystery boy tries to cut out her eye. Instead, the wound accidentally marks her as property of Indelible Ink, and this dangerous mistake thrusts Joy into an incomprehensible world—a world of monsters at the window, glowing girls on the doorstep, and a life that will never be the same.

Now, Joy must pretend to be Ink’s chosen one—his helper, his love, his something for the foreseeable future...and failure to be convincing means a painful death for them both. Swept into a world of monsters, illusion, immortal honor and revenge, Joy discovers that sometimes, there are no mistakes.

Somewhere between reality and myth lies…

THE TWIXT

Detailed Review: Three words describe how I felt after reading Indelible: awed, amazed, astounded. This book really took me by surprise because it was something new for me and it was fresh air. I enjoyed this book immensely. The story was perfect, with twists that make your heart pound. Let's just say, the author really quicken things up when it starts to get dull, and I appreciate this ability in authors. This means it will never bore the readers.

I also loved the romance because she clearly created one which was both surreal and impossible. She completely abandons the idea of 'forbidden love' and instead create more boundaries and stakes to an extent where it becomes 'impossible'. This book was a really new experience to me and really exposed me to the author's imagination.

The characters were really elaborately thought out, I couldn't find anything odd with them or anything that sticks out, they just fit in so well with the story and went with the flow without inhibiting it. Joy was an impressive character, she was as the author wrote: 'She was a wildflower with bite' and I agree. And also the pair of Scribes were really interesting and intriguing and have got really odd but mesmerising names: Indelible Ink and Invisible Inq. I liked Inq's encouragement and her ability to always be so happy. What I liked most about Ink was his curiosity about humans because this was what got him closer to Joy and created a spark of romance.

I think Joy really didn't regret being Ink's lehman in the end. I wouldn't also. 

Brief Review: I was outright blown away by this book, by the romance, the story, the characters. Armed with twists at the most unexpected of times, get ready for a fun ride together with the characters. 

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

 I am going to use a quote from the book, which perfectly describes Joy,

'She was a wildflower with bite.'

Your Reviewer:

Review: Ink by Amanda Sun

Title: Ink
Author: Amanda Sun
Release Date: 25th June 2013
Publisher: Harlequine Teen
Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.


Detailed Review: I felt so amazed and awed after reading Ink. It felt like I was on a roller-coaster ride the whole time with it's own set of slopes and loop-the-loops. It was so exhilarating the whole time I was reading the book.

What I loved most about the book was it's setting. It's actually the first time I read a book set somewhere in Japan and I wondered if this would influence the fact on how much I would like the book. True, it did feel foreign at first with all the Japanese words and background but then you'll get used to it and move along with the flow. I love books like this. 

Also the characters had depth, which always contributes to the amazingness level of the book. Katie is forced to go to a place where she's considered a foreigner but she is brave enough to face the difficulties and also uncover Tomohiro's true facade. Tomohiro is selfless as he tries to keep his ex-girlfriend and Katie away so his powers won't harm the people his love and yet he needs them more than they need him. I think these two main characters will be hard to forget in a long time.

The story also took my breath away, because of it's complex simplicity, since all the author did was took a key idea and story and developed it into something more.

This book was a new experience, with it's setting, characters, culture and events and I also really like Amanda's ability to involve both the mythological and fantasy world together with our world. She relates them together so well. Her debut novel will certainly win lots of hearts, not excluding mine.

AND I THANK THE PERSON WHO DESIGNED THE COVER AND DID THE SKETCHES IN THE BOOK. THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL. I loved the art. They're just so miraculously perfect.

Brief Review: Against a beautiful and cultural setting, Amanda Sun creates a story that exudes originality and creativity. And the characters are ones that wouldn't be easily forgotten. The author manages to weave in reality and the fantasy world so well into Katie's life that you would find yourself amazed by the skills wielded by the author.

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE: 

What Tomohiro thinks about his powers,

What lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.---Aristotle

Your Reviewer:

Review: The Dreamwalker by Constance Williams and Lillian Bishop

Title: The Dreamwalker
Authors: Constance Williams and Lillian Bishop
Release Date: 17th May 2013
Publisher: --
Find on: Goodreads


Quick Review: Everyone loves a good mystery – and Sam Gardener is certainly one of those. Abruptly pulled from school years before, nobody has seen or heard from him since – until now. Returning to high school for his senior year, he is not the same friendly boy his classmates remember, and the rumors are flying. None, however, come close to the truth. The bearer of a strange and frightening supernatural ability, Sam strives to regain control of his life.

Along with some unlikely new friends with secrets of their own, Sam learns that his own mystery is only the tip of the iceberg in the quaint town of Witch Lake. With their help, he must learn the strength of his own gift, and lose the fear that comes with it. With their help, he can stand against the gathering darkness. Together, they can face the truth of Witch Lake, but alone? They will be lost beneath the surface, drowning in depths none could foresee.

Detailed Review: First off, I thought this book was quite original and not too cliche like other books. But maybe what it lacked was a bit more pace. Overall though, the book fetched a quite high rating. 

Sam Gardener has an ability he never wanted and thinks of it as a curse. When he returns to high school, he is changed. He is a loner and doesn't make the effort to make friends. Instead, he stays cut off from the real world. His only friends are the ghost of a long-dead witch and a werewolf. In order to uncover the mystery that is unfolding between two of his teachers, he explores his ability and ultimately finds him in dangerous situations. 

Beware, the ending has a twist in it. And I really am curious to know how the two authors managed to pull off such an interesting story. It is truly well-written and well-planned but just needs a bit more excitement to really get the adrenaline pumping and heart racing. Overall, this is a good start for both authors. I would really love to see what they have in store for their next book!

Brief Review: I really thought this book was well-written and the story was really interesting and fascinating as well. If the authors could just make the story more exciting with more twists, I would be more than happy to give it a high rating. This is a must-read for fantasy, paranormal and mystery lovers!

Final Rating: 4.5/5 'Really Liked It!'

QUOTE: 

To Sam, who really feared his talents  and powers,

Always do what you are afraid to do---Ralph Waldo Emerson

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: After Realm by Renee Travis

Title: After Realm
Author: Renee Travis
Release Date: February 2013
Publisher: CreateSpace
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: Hellebella is not your average teenager. She is a demon princess from the underworld. She does, however, have teenager tendencies. She is outspoken, blunt, funny and rebellious. When a final act of rebellion sends her father into a rage, he sends her off to the North American School of Paranormal Princes-sing where he hopes she can learn to become a proper young lady and do something constructive with her life.

Not the only princess being sent away to the NASPP, Hellebella meets a lively bunch of girls from different paranormal kingdoms, including fairies, a vampire and shape-shifters. But not everything is light and happy at school. The girls find themselves entranced by a secret and mysterious club in another realm. There, they are forced to dance every night, and if they do not the consequences are dire. 

Helle, as her new friends call her, must find a way to break them free of the spell holding them hostage, figure out WHO is behind the malicious magic and struggle with her own love for her best friend’s brother. Hopefully she can save them in time, before they become ghosts powerless to stop the magic from harming someone else.

Detailed Review: This book far exceeded my expectations. Usually I expected quite little from self-published books but this book was just written with such amazing writing skills. This writer's words has the ability to transport you to the character's time and place with such vivid descriptions that you find you can't stop reading.

This books is actually a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses in a gothic twist that is simple and interesting. It is told from Hellabella's point of view, who is one of the Princesses of the Underworld or just known as Satan's daughter. After her father finds out that she has gone lava hopping with her brothers, which he finds really unladylike and not suiting for a princess, he decided to send her to a boarding school, or more precisely, the North American School of Paranormal Princessing.

She is unhappy at being sent there. She meets other princesses from paranormal realms such as faeries and vampires. She finds the school ok but always gets bored of it. Her roommate Lillith also seems to be hiding someone or something from her. And guess who that is?

Lillth's brother, Roarke who according to the author is pretty hot. And Hella just falls in love with him. Love at first sight. How nice.

But then something else happens. Hella has also stumbled upon a doorway in one of the bathrooms that leads to another realm. So one day, all the princesses went there together and started dancing.  They went there every day. Nothing seemed wrong to them.

But there is something really wrong. Their powers are waning. They are not as strong as they were. They try to stop, but something seems to push them to go. They try to tell someone but they end up suffering. Once they did not go to the realm but they fell violently sick.

A conspiracy is forming and they need to do something before they are trapped in After Realm forever.

Brief Review: Equal parts romance, fear and mystery, this book is a great read for paranormal fans. I guarantee that you'll love it from beginning to end. You have my word

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing'

QUOTE: 

To the princesses who attended boarding school together:

Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realise there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.-------Lao Tzu

Your Reviewer:

Review: AfterLIfe by S.P. Cloward

Title: AfterLife
Author: S.P. Cloward
Release Date: 11th September 2012
Publisher:--------
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

Quick Review: If you think you’ve read every possible “undead” scenario there is, you’re in for a surprise. AfterLife transcends the typical zombie or vampire genre and audience to present a plausible explanation of where such stories come from in an unsettling but believable way. Even those who shy away from this type of science fiction are falling prey to the “what if” question that makes this book so unique – and so compelling. What if the undead live among us but we don’t recognize them? 

At the time of his premature death, Wesley Lohmann not only learns about this unique race of humans, but due to a small genetic marker in his DNA, discovers he is one of them. He is now a Mortui, and must leave behind everyone he knows and loves. Through death Wes learns to live, learns the meaning of love, and learns to put others before himself. Ultimately, dying was the best thing that ever happened to him.

AfterLife is a richly woven tale of the struggle between good and evil, of allegiances, loyalties, and betrayals. The undead are surprisingly human and deeply motivated in their struggle for survival. Readers of all ages have been captured by the compelling story of Wes and AfterLife. Once you start reading you won’t be able to stop. And you’ll never look at a stranger the same way again.

Detailed Review: Hmmmm, the description of this book got me interested in it, because I wanted to know what other scenario is possible in the book. At first, I was like 'Yeah right'. 

But you know what, the author hit the mark in the head, and in my face. I did feel a bit ashamed for doubting the book but after that I just carried on reading like it was the MOST AWESOME BOOK IN THE WORLD. Yup, you heard it. 

It's like Warm Bodies, where the main character is a zombie, but in this book he's called a Mortui. Mortuis are people who die a premature death so they don't have to go through a second death. Cool right? So if they die, they are able to come to life again since their soul doesn't sever from their body. 

This book was told from two main characters in the story. The protagonist is a man named Wesley Lohmann who killed himself for a woman and finds himself alive a few hours later.

Then the antagonist is Seth, who you can just call the evil person with his own agenda. You know what bad guys do... 

But what's different between them is that they come from different Mortui organisations, the Atumra and AfterLife. 

Just think of it this way. The Atumra think themselves as gods and want to take over the human race. AfterLife just wants live peacefully with humans and help them in any way they can.

But what's the best about being a Mortui is the MEDITATION. Don't just stop reading. There's more. Mortui's don't sleep although they look like they do. They MEDITATE. First they can start making their own dreamland. Wesley did his on Disney World, which was quite helpful in the end to help defeat Seth. So imagine if you can build a whole world inside your head AND go inside it while you're asleep. It's even better than dreaming. It's permanent. 

Brief Review: So what's good about this book? EVERYTHING. The plot, the characters, the setting, the ingenious mind of the author who managed to conjure up this book.

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'

QUOTE:

I don't mean to make the Mortui feel more superior to us, but it's sort of true.

If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he's dead, then maybe he was a great man. ------James Dean
Your Reviewer: