Monday, 30 March 2009

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Review: Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin

Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin - Raine Benares is an elven sorceress of meagre talent, and a seeker. When her friend Quentin is paid to burgle a powerful and nasty necromancer, who he is terrified of, Raine watches him from a distance to make sure he's safe. But when goblins suddenly appear out of no where, for the purpose of going after whatever it is Quentin is stealing, Raine, along with her cousin, get involved.

Finding out the stolen object is an amulet, Raine takes it from Quentin for safe keeping until they can find out what the hell is happening. They soon realise that the Khrynsani, an army of militant goblins, lead by Sarad Nukpana, an evil, insane, extremely powerful goblin shaman, are after the amulet, as well as the Conclave Guardians, the protectors of the governing body of magical users in all seven kingdoms. Unable to take the powerful amulet off without almost dying, everyone is suddenly after Raine, and no where is safe. Raine has to work out what the amulet is and how to get it off, before anyone catches up with her and takes it off for her.
Continue reading Review: Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

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Review: PureHeart by Rita Hsu Syers

PureHeart by Rita Hsu SyersPureHeart by Rita Hsu Syers - On a Saturday night in late October of 2005, four thirteen-year old girls performed an ancient ritual to raise a demon. It was just a lark to them. They never even considered the possibility that they were dealing with forces older than Christianity.
Their ignorance of the incredible power they unleashed that night raised a demon vomited up from the lowest depths of Hell.
And not just any demon.
Unbeknownst to them, they used an ancient invocation to undo the bonds of a demoness so terrible she could not even be free in Hell.
Chained for all eternity by four mighty Archangels, she slavered and howled and gnashed her teeth but could not get free.
She threatened and warned and shrieked her hatred of anything and everything that was good, but she could not get free. The Archangels knew only too well what would happen if this particular demoness were freed. She paced back and forth, back and forth, dragging huge silver chains that were heavier then a mountain range, stronger then all of Nature at the height of its fury, and longer than the distance between Heaven and Hell.
She screamed and screamed her frustration.Born in darkness, she embraced it and made it her own. She was the Terror of the Night, red fire of hatred, slime of all things dead, decomposing and putrid, lover of blood and disembowelment and gouger of eyes and heart. Mother of Madness and Mayhem, daughter of Horror and Hopelessness, she waited. Bound by chains of pure silver, blessed by the Archangels and God Himself, she could not break free.
Unless the ancient ritual of words and sacrifice were performed. And then Satan himself would shudder and hide in Hell.
And once freed, there wasn't a human being on Earth that could stop her.
But a little dog, sent from God, would change all that. Taken from Bronwen Publishing Website.

This is a multiple POV book, with at least eight different characters who we follow through third person narrative, or get to speak through first person. I found this book very difficult to read in the beginning; it doesn't seem to flow very well, sentences not seeming to link. It jumps from third to first person, with someone telling their version of things the reader already read about that seem pointless. A lot of the being is the reader being told things, rather than us seeing things in action, and there isn't a huge amount of explanation as to how or why such things are known.

The book picks up after a few chapters, though. After page 76, everything flows, and the characters are more believable, but it still takes a hell of a while for things to get going. About three quarters of the book go by before the demoness has been released. On several occasions, things are repeated a few times. This can be understandable if the reader knows things certain characters don't, but after reading something four or five times, it gets a little irritating.

Another factor that annoyed be a little was how quickly everyone was able to accept and believe that Jack, the dog in the book, is sent from God. In the real world, a lot of people find it quite easy to believe in a higher power, but this is a fictitious book, and it just feels a little off how quickly all things are accepted without much questioning.

Despite it all, PureHeart isn't a bad book. It's a fairly enjoyable read if you can look past the few faults and be patient with it. Some scenes are quite disturbing, and more than once it's quite gruesome, but it fits the story. I was a little disappointed with the end, it felt a little anticlimactical after the build up throughout the book. Still, all in all, it was an enjoyable read.

PureHeart may seem a little controversial to those with a strong Christian faith, as a dog gives birth to two puppies after being neutered, and one of the puppies has the power to heal.

Would be a good book for those who love their pets as children.

Thank you to Bronwen Publishing for a review copy.



Published: 1st June 2009
Publisher: Bronwen Publishing
Buy from Amazon US
Bronwen Publishing Website
Continue reading Review: PureHeart by Rita Hsu Syers

Monday, 23 March 2009

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Review: Claimed by Shadow by Karen Chance

Claimed by Shadow by Karen ChanceClaimed by Shadow by Karen Chance - WARNING! This is the second book in a series. I may spoil the first book while talking about this one. Read no further if you plan on reading Touch the Dark.

Cassandra Palmer would like a normal life, but now she is heir to the Pythia, the world's cheif clairvoyant, and has more power than she ever wanted. A power the Silver Circle and the Vampire Senate want control over. Unfortunately for her, this power has a mind of it's own, and it's wants the ritual that will make her finally Pythia completed, so it's doing all it can to make this happen, and some people have never looked so good to Cassie.

Then she finds out that Mircea had a geis on her, a magical spell which has now started to make itself known, acting like a big "keep off" sign to anyone who shows any interest.

If that wasn't enough, Myra, the original heir to the Pythia, is trying to screw up the timeline to get things to go her way. What's a girl to do when everyone wants to screw up your day?
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Review: Sold: A Young Girl Betrayed by Her Mother into a Life of Vice by Tess Stevens

Sold: A Young Girl Betrayed by Her Mother into a Life of Vice by Tess StevensSold: A Young Girl Betrayed by Her Mother into a Life of Vice by Tess Stevens - What kind of woman would sell her own child?

Grace ran a brothel in Croydon just after the war and Tess, a timid child who longed for her mother's love more than anything, grew up in an atmosphere of sex depravity. Then, when she was 11, her mother began passing her to clients and Tess's childhood happiness, precarious as it was, shattered into tiny pieces.

Years of mind control and emotional abuse ensured that Tess followed in her mother's footsteps, ensnared in abusive relationships and unable to escape the world she was born into. It wasn't until after her mother's death that Tess managed to leave prostitution and has now completely turned her life around.
From the blurb.
Continue reading Review: Sold: A Young Girl Betrayed by Her Mother into a Life of Vice by Tess Stevens
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Review: Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Ink Exchange by Melissa MarrInk Exchange by Melissa Marr - WARNING! This is the secondd novel in a series. I cannot talk about this book without spoiling the first one. Don't read any further if you plan on reading Wicked Lovely.

Again, I love the blurb on the back of this book, so I'll give you that again.

"Images cluttered the page. But only one set her nerves on edge: inky black eyes surrounded by wings like coalescing shadows..."

After suffering a terrible trauma Leslie becomes obsessed with getting a tattoo. And when her local tattoo artist shows her a book of his own designs, she finds one of them irrisistible.

Soon, her back is adorned with a pair of eyes, framed by black wings. Leslie feels good - more than good. But what she doesn't know is that her new tattoo binds her to the faery whose symbol she chose: Irial, the exquisitely dangerous king of the Dark Court...
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Review: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Wicked Lovely by Melissa MarrWicked Lovely by Melissa Marr - I would normally give my own summery for novels, but I just love the blurb for this novel, so I'm going to give you that.

Rule 3: Never stare at invisible faeries - Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world.
Rule 2: Never speak to invisible faeries - One of them, a beautiful faery boy named Keenan is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule 1: Don't ever attract their attention - Now it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King and is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost. Without her, summer itself will perish...
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Review: The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis KlauseThe Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause - Zoe is a young girl having to deal with the knowledge that her mother is dying. Simon is a vampire looing for revenge for the murder of his mother three hundred years ago. When their paths cross, Zoe is wary of the handsome stranger, but warms to him when he understands her loneliness and her pain. Can Simon bring himself to ask Zoe for her help on his dangerous quest? Can Zoe has to let down her guard and let him in to see who he truely is? One things for sure, nothing will stay the same.
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Review: Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis KlauseBlood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause - Vivian Gandillon is a werewolf. Her pack has been leaderless since the death of her father. As well as having to deal with her grief, she also has to listen to the arguments that arise over who will take over, and it irritates her beyond belief. If that wasn't enough, she also has the young wolves of the pack sniffing after her. But then she meets Aiden, a human with a passion for all things magical. Vivian soon falls in love and dreams of showing him her other form. He's bound to love her even more for being this magical, beautiful creature, right? However things get turned upside down when a murder threatens to expose the pack for what they really are. Caught in the middle, Vivians actions can endanger both human and wolf, and she needs to decide who she is, and where her loyalties lie.
Continue reading Review: Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
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Review: Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

Ill Wind by Rachel CaineIll Wind by Rachel Caine - Joanne Baldwin, a weather warden, is on the run. She's been accused of mudering a powerful weather warden, and is being hunted down by the World Council. Her only hope is Lewis, the most powerful weather warden, but he is also on the run, and is proving difficult to find. But without the Djinn he can provide, Joanne's chances of surviving for much longer are slim. Can Joanne get to Lewis before she's caught?
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Review: Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

Touch the Dark by Karen ChanceTouch the Dark by Karen Chance - Cassandra Palmer is clairvoyant and can talk to ghosts - qualities vampires want her for. Tony, a vampire master who cassie escaped from three years ago, has found her again, and there's no where to run, except to the Vampire senate. But they won't give their protection for nothing. Telling her the truth about her powers, the Senate need her to stop a powerful vampire who threatens not only the vampire population, but the whole paranormal community. Cassie finds betrayal and surprise around every corner, as well as several attempts on her life. Will Cassie survive to help the Senate?
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Review: At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

At Grave's End by Jeaniene FrostAt Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost - WARNING: This is the third book in a series. I cannot talk about this book without spoiling the first two. Read no further if you plan on reading Halfway to the Grave and One Foot in the Grave.

Working together, half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire boyfriend Bones work for a division of Homeland Security, keeping the rogue vampires off the street. But when Cat's cover is blown and it's getting even more dangerous when out on the job. A blast from Bones' past comes back into their lives with the intent of killing Bones - permanently, and things go from bad to worse. And when magic comes into the picture, nothing Cat has learned so far can save, and she has to fall back on the instincts that came to her at birth.
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Review: One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene FrostOne Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost - WARNING! This is the second book in a series. I cannot talk about this book without spoiling the first. Read no further if you plan on reading Halfway to the Grave.

Half- vampire Cat Crawfield is now working as a Special Agent for a divison of Homeland Security that takes out the rogue undead, using all the skills taught to her by Bones, her ex-boyfriend. But when assasination attempts come Cat's way, there is only one vamipire who can help her. Being around Bones again, Cat can't ignore the way she feels, but with guns pointed at her, teaming up with him is the only way she'll survive.
Continue reading Review: One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
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Review: Night Rising by Chris Marie Green

Night Rising: Vampire Babylon Book One by Chris Marie GreenNight Rising by Chris Marie Green - Dawn Madison - daughter of the late legendar movie star Eva Clearmont - is a movie stunt woman, and spends her time falling and fighting. But when her Dad, Frank, a PI, goes missing, she goes to LA to help her father's collegues find him. She soon finds out that this is no ordinary PI company. With a psychic, a beautiful technology geek, and the boss who never shows his face but gives orders through a speaker, who Dawn nicknames "The Voice",she realises the company investigates the paranormal; namely, vampires. The trio try to solve the case Frank was working on, hoping it will lead to clues about Frank's whereabouts, and find danger around every corner.
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Review: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

How I Live Now by Meg RosoffHow I Live Now by Meg Rosoff - Rosoff’s story begins in modern day London, slightly in the future, and as its heroine has a 15-year-old Manhattanite called Daisy. She’s picked up at the airport by Edmond, her English cousin, a boy in whose life she is destined to become intricately entwined. Daisy is staying for the summer in her Aunt Penn’s country farmhouse with Edmond and her other cousins. They spend some idyllic weeks together--often alone with Aunt Penn away travelling in Norway. Daisy’s cousins seem to have an almost telepathic bond, and Daisy is mesmerised by Edmond and soon falls in love with him.

But their world changes forever when an unnamed aggressor invades England and begins a years-long occupation. Daisy is parted from Edmond when soldiers take over their home, and Daisy and Piper, her younger cousin, must travel to another place to work. Their experiences of occupation are never kind and always hard. Daisy’s pain, living without Edmond, is tangible.
From Amazon UK
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Review: Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene FrostHalfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost - Cat is the result of rape, a vampire raped her mother. As a result, she is half vampire. Ever since finding out at the age of sixteen, she has been out to kill as many of them as she can, and hopes to get good ol' Dad along the way. That is, until she is caught by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and has to choose between death or becoming his partner. With the promise of training and help finding her father, she agrees. But once they start uncovering the truth behind a scheme of a vampire Bones has been after for years, things start to turn deadly. Add the fact that Bones is incredibly sexy into the mix, and things get a little complicated.
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Review: Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Dead Witch Walking by Kim HarrisonDead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison - A witch for Inderland Runner Services - the police after the supernatural baddies - she decides to leave and set up her own agency after getting jobs unworthy of her skills. But no-one leaves the I.S. Rachel has to pay off her contract, so after a discovering that the upstanding Councillor Trent Kalamack might be drug lord, she goes all out to try and bring him in, and get the I.S. off her case, while dodging assination attempts. But going after Trent could be a greater risk than leaving the I.S.
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Thursday, 19 March 2009

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Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsThe Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Set in the future, North America is run practically by a dictatorship, and as punishment for "past crimes" and as a reminder not to go against them again, they hold the Hunger Games: a reality TV show, where all children from 12-18 have to be submitted to take part in a fight to the death - two from each of the 12 districts are chosen, and this is mandatory. Twenty four in all. Twenty three kids will die, at the hands of his/her competition. We follow Katniss as she strives to survive the Hunger Games.
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