Review: "Personal Demons" by Lisa Desrochers

Personal Demons (Personal Demons #1)

Lisa Desrochers

Publication Date: September 14, 2010

Publisher: Tor Teen

Paperback: 365 pgs

Summary:

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.(Goodreads)

Review:
     I had a hard time getting into this book. While I thought the book was interesting it felt a little stiff to me. It had all the requirements of a book I usually really enjoy like a super hot bad boy, an equally hot nice guy, a girl who can't decide between the two, and some supernatural aspects thrown in, but I just though it was okay. It may be that I felt as though I read this book before. The characters were a little stereo-typical and I just really didn't connect to any of them. Another issue I had was the main character's name: Frannie. I don't know why but her name just bugged me the whole time I was reading.

     Though I obviously had some issues with this book, there were some things that I liked. We do get to see the story from both Frannie and Luc's POV's, which I love. I always like seeing what's going on in the other characters heads. Plus, I was interested to see what was going on with Frannie, there was more to her than I originally thought. The first book intrigued me enough that I will keep reading this trilogy to see what happens next. I think the ending was the best part for me. It had me curious as to where the story was going to go next.

Cover:
     I'm not really a fan of this cover. It doesn't really stand out to me. The model's poses are a little odd and for some reason I just don't find it that appealing.

Review "Captivate" by Carrie Jones

 

Captivate (Need #2)

Carrie Jones

Publication Date: January 5, 2010

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Hardcover: 273 pgs

Summary:
     Zara and her friends have trapped her father and his pixies in an old mansion but unfortunately pixies keep showing up in Bedford. The group believes they have no other choice but to trap the new arrivals with the other pixies in the mansion. When Astley a pixie king shows up, Zara's weird life gets even stranger. He claims to be different and seems to think Zara is meant to be his queen. Is he telling the truth about being different and if he is what does it mean for Zara? When things in Bedford take a bad turn Zara will make a life changing decision that she believes will help her protect the people she cares about.

Review: 

     I was glad to get back into Zara's world as she is once again compelled to deal with the pixies that continue to invade Bedford. In Captivate, Carrie Jones starts to tie in Norse mythology with pixie lore which I though was an interesting choice. I'm looking forward to seeing how this mythology will develop throughout the series. Some of the questions I had from the first book were answered, but this book left me with more questions that I hope will be solved in book 3. Captivate is full of new information as the group continues to learn more about pixies. I also really liked how the chapter headings in this book were pixie tips. Very different but very original. 

     Zara begins to struggle with her feelings about pixies. She doesn't see everything in black and white, she realizes that there are shades of gray in between, areas that they others don't seem to see. She knows the pixie situation is more complicated than she wants to believe. It's something she will struggle with throughout the book. One thing I enjoyed was that Zara continued to be involved with Amnesty International which is something she's always done, it's a part of her, and I think it adds a little normal to her crazy life. I did notice that she seemed to be ruled by her hormones and she let things go when normally she wouldn't. Her friendship with Issie grows as the two spend more time together. Issie is so adorable I was happy that the two were able to depend on each other. Devyn, Issie, and Zara decide to compile a pixie guide that has all the information they have gathered in one place. The book is also to help others if they ever come upon a pixie problem in the future. Zara and Nick have gotten closer, they have bonded over their shared experiences with the pixies. We are introduced to a new pixie king, Astley.  I was quite happy with the addition of Astley. He's funny, confident, and a huge mystery. I am definitely hoping for more of him in Entice. 

     Though I liked Captivate there were some things that bothered me. Nick calls Zara "baby" a lot, at times it felt forced and was a little annoying. It took me out of the story because I just didn't find it believable. I also noticed that Nick and Devyn were demeaning to both Zara and Issie. The boys seem to think that they are they strong ones because the are male which makes them more capable of making rational decisions than the girls. This type of behavior just aggravated me. I can't remember how prevalent it was but it occurred at least once. I also had mixed feelings about Nick. Sometimes he got on my nerves at other times he was the guy I grew to like in Need. I took issue with the group's use of the word "Tinked" when dealing with pixie issues around those not in the know. It doesn't stop people from asking questions and it seemed unoriginal to me.

Cover:

     Just like the cover of Need, I really like this cover. It continues the theme of gold dust with the eyelid and the tear. It's simple yet captivating ( oh yeah I went there) It's just different enough from Need but also similar enough that the reader can tell it's part of a series. 

Review "Torn" by Amanda Hocking

Torn (Trylle Trilogy #2)

Amanda Hocking

Publication Date: February 28, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Paperback 324 pgs

Goodreads

Summary:

     Wendy Everly has left Forening and returned home to her brother. But she'll soon realize why the Vittra are after her as well as what they want from her. With a war with the Vittra on the horizon, Wendy will have to make some extremely difficult choices. She'll have to choose between what she wants and what is best for the Trylle. When the time comes will Wendy be strong enough to make the difficult choices and what will happen if she chooses wrong?

Review:

     We are once again in the world of the Trylle as Wendy tries to navigate a world she barely knows or understands. We get more information on the life of the Trylle through Wendy and the people she interacts with. Though I enjoyed this story I felt it moved at a slower pace than Switched yet it was still pretty good. 

     I liked seeing Wendy get more comfortable in her role as princess. Though she doesn't know all there is to know about being Trylle she is starting to learn. She's also starting to develop her powers with the help of Tove. While trying to learn about being Trylle Wendy must try to deal with her complicated feelings for someone she can't be with. It was a little torturous to see her interactions with Finn. I was glad to see Wendy develop throughout this novel. She begins to try and become what she needs to once she realizes what's at stake. Character development is a huge reason why I love reading. If the character stays the same even though their world is falling apart, it's not believable. But Wendy matures and grows when she begins to understand the danger her people are in. 

     Of course we see more of the interesting characters we discovered in Switched, with the addition of Duncan and Loki. Duncan is her new tracker/bodyguard after Finn resigned at the end of Switched. Duncan is nothing like Finn, at times he can barley walk without tripping over himself. he may not be coordinated but he is likable. Then there is Loki, a Vittra who is charming, sarcastic, strong and seems to care for Wendy. Let me just say I loved the addition of Loki. I found myself waiting to see what he was going to do next. We learn a little about his back story but I would definitely be good with learning more. We also find out more about Elora, including why she placed Wendy with the Everly's. This new information helped me to understand her better. 

     Though I liked Switched a little more than Torn there were plenty of bright spots, like Loki. I just thought the pacing was slow and the interactions between Wendy and Finn were painful, which was sad. Not that I'm against having sad parts in books I realize everything isn't always rainbows and butterflies. It just seemed that Wendy spent a lot of time obsessing over him which bothered me a bit. I can't wait to see how Wendy's story ends in the final installment of the Trylle trilogy, Ascend. 

Cover:

     I'm really feeling the fairy tale look of this cover. I love the bare landscape surrounded by vibrant blue. Plus, once again I really like the swirls all around the title.  

Review "Bleeding Hearts" by Alyxandra Harvey

Bleeding Hearts (Drake Chronicles #4)

Alyxandra Harvey

Publication Date: December 20, 2011

Publisher: Walker Books

Paperback: 347 pgs

Goodreads

Summary:

     As the Blood Moon gathering approaches the Hel-Blar threat is only getting worse. Lucy's cousin Christabel comes to town, and keeping her from discovering how dangerous Violet Hill really is, is proving to be extremely difficult. Especially since the Hel-Blar seem to be everywhere and they tend to stand out a bit. When Christabel is mistaken for Lucy and kidnapped Conner Drake is determined to find her no matter the cost to him. Why was Christabel taken, and will Conner be able to find her before it's too late?

Review:

     Bleeding Hearts is the fourth book in the Drake Chronicles. In this installment we get three POV's (Lucy, Christabel, and Conner) instead of the usual two like in previous novels. A majority of the book is told from Lucy and Christabel's perspectives. Christabel is the first narrator in this series who does not know that vampires exist. While I enjoyed seeing the Drake's world from an outsiders POV, I wasn't a big fan of the character. Christabel is in love with classic authors and poets, and she quotes them constantly. No matter where she goes she can be found with her head in a book. For some reason I just didn't connect with Christabel. Something about her felt off. At times I found her to be annoying. I had a hard time getting through her sections especially when she said things like: "I read a lot. I love books. If they came in a bottle, I'd be a drunk too. I'd bloat myself on the wine of Wordsworth, the Gin of Charles Dickens, the licorice liqueur of Edgar Allan Poe." (25) She just didn't seem believable to me. 

     Conner Drake is the brother being highlighted in Bleeding Hearts. Conner is the high tech brother in the family. Give him any type of technological device and he knows what to do with it. Unlike his twin, Quinn, Conner is more comfortable with electronics than he is with girls. But he is a Drake so he knows his way around a variety of weapons and like his brothers he definitely knows how to use them. My one issue with him is that I didn't think enough of the book was told from Conner's POV. I didn't feel as though I got to know him as well as the other brothers in previous books. We already knew he was good with electronics but outside of that I'm not sure I got to know that much more about him.

     I was glad to get back into Lucy's head. She's so stubborn, determined and I like seeing this world through her eyes. In this book Lucy, who is used to spending most of her time with the Drake's finds herself drifting further from her best friend. Since Solange's change the relationship between the two has been strained. I kind of feel bad for Lucy. All she wants is to hangout with her best friend but everyone including Nicholas keeps telling her that it's too dangerous to be around the Drakes. It's as though she's supposed to forget everything about the past and move on. Which of course is easier said than done. She's stubborn and refuses to stop hanging out with the Drakes. She has known them practically her whole life and has come to feel like one of the family. But Lucy is getting some training from Hunter (Quinn Drake's girlfriend) a student at the Helios-Ra Academy. Lucy makes a decision that she hopes will help her be better prepared to face the dangers in Violet Hill. It was an interesting twist that I did not see coming and I liked the move. I'm interested to see how this plays out for Lucy. 

     Generally these books have been among my favorites but for me this one fell short. I'm used to a bit of tension between the two leads, which is one of the reasons I like this series so much. The witty, snarky banter thrown around seemed to be lacking. As I stated earlier I wish more of the story would have been told form Conner's POV. Fortunately we do see many of the characters that had starring roles in previous books such as Hunter, Logan, Quinn, Solange, and a few others. 

     It's always fun to learn about the different varieties of vampires. Instead of just good or bad vamps there are many types and each has their own back story. In Bleeding Hearts we are introduced to the Na-Foir, a type of vampire not seen before. I thought these new vamps added a great twist to the story. They shake things up a bit and make readers realize how quickly things can change when new elements are added to the story. I liked learning about them and finding out why they suddenly made their presence known. Overall, I have to say I only liked Bleeding Hearts, I didn't love it nor did I hate it. Plus I was not a fan of the cliff hanger. I'm hoping the next book draws me back in.

Cover:

     I'm a fan of the cover redesign for this series. I haven't really liked previous covers of the Drake Chronicles but this one I like. It's simple and mysterious. The couples pose is dramatic and dangerous making me want to read what their story is all about.

Review "Kiss of Frost" by Jennifer Estep

Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2)

Jennifer Estep

Publication Date: November 29, 2011

Publisher: Kensington

Paperback 354 pgs

Goodreads

Summary:

     In Kiss of Frost we are back with Gwen as she navigates life at the Mythos Academy. After nearly being killed in Touch of Frost, Gwen is forced to take warrior lessons from Logan Quinn and some of his Spartan friends. How will Gwen deal with being so close to the guy that rejected her and cracked her heart? She gets a brief break from all the training and heartache when her best friend Daphne forces her to go to the Winter Carnival which is pretty much a fun filled party with skiing during the day. But someone is after Gwen and trouble follows her all the way to the Winter Carnival. Will Gwen be able to figure out who is after her before it's too late?

Review:

     The main reason I like Gwen as a leading character is because she seems so real. It's the moments that she is unsure of herself that allow me to connect with her. If she were perfect and knew what she was doing all the time the story wouldn't be as fun for me to read. I like watching Gwen slowly start to grown into who she is, as she gets stronger and becomes more secure with her psychometry (touch magic). This is one of my favorite parts of the series that and the mythology. Since Gwen is still young she makes plenty of mistakes. Mistakes that could have been avoided but she doesn't entirely think things through at times. And of course these lapses in judgement end up endangering her life. We also get to see that Gwen's powers are growing as she learns a new skill that could be very useful especially since the Reaper of Chaos want her dead. 

     Logan the super hot Spartan has been tasked with teaching Gwen how to use weapons so that she can defend herself if and when the reapers come after her. We do learn a little more about the mysterious Logan. This information gave me a little insight as to who Logan is but of course I would still like to know more. There wasn't as much Gwen and Logan interaction as I would have liked. but it makes sense that they wouldn't spend a lot of time together after Logan rejected her. But I really like exchanges between them and hopefully there will be more in the next book.

     Daphne and Gwen's friendship continues to develop as the new best friend's spend more time together. She helps Gwen learn the ins and outs of the Academy.  I love that Daphne used to be one of the stuck up popular girls but she has shown that she is much more than that. Plus, I love that she has pink sparks flying out of her fingers because of her Valkyrie magic. Daphne is still with Carson a Celt who is also the leader of the marching band. Carson is super nice, kind of shy and also becoming good friends with Gwen. We meet a few new characters who are friends of Logan's, Oliver and Kenzie. The two guys help Logan as he tries to help Gwen learn to fight. 

     In this installment we learn more about what it means for Gwen to be a champion and how challenging and dangerous that role really is. We also meet another mythological creatures, Fenir Wolves. The mythology aspects of these books are part of the reason the story is so entertaining. I love learning about new pieces of Gwen's mythological world in each book. More insight is given into what the Reaper's of Chaos are up to and why. Though I liked this book and read it in a day I was a little disappointed by it. At times I found the story to be predictable. I would have liked to be a little more surprised when certain plot twists were revealed. But overall Kiss of Frost was a quick, light, fun read that had me smiling. I am eager to see more of these characters, and their world in the next book, Dark Frost.

Cover:

     So far Kiss of Frost is my favorite cover out of the series. I like how the girl has her eyes closed and is covered in snow. It's pretty and makes me want to know what's up with all the snow? 

Review "Daimon" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Daimon (Covenant #0.5)

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publication Date: May 10, 2011

Publisher: Spencer Hill

e-book 62 pgs

Goodreads

Summary:

     In Daimon the prequel to Half-Blood Alex is on the run from the Covenant as well as the Daimons that want to kill her. She goes to a human high school, has a human boyfriend, and is attempting to fit in with the mortals. Even though Alex is striving to live a normal life she's different and can't hide what she is. After a terrifying event Alex is forced to flee and try and find safety from the Daimons that are hunting her. What will Alex have to do in order to survive?

Review:

     Daimon is fun, quick, action packed read. In this novella we get a brief glimpse of Alex's life while she is on the run. We also see that though Alex has been away from the Covenant for three years and some of her training is still there. It is a part of her and ingrained into who she is. Despite her attempts to fit in she knows that she is different from those around her. A terrible incident causes Alex to run and hide from the Daimons that are hunting her. This event leaves Alex extremely vulnerable for the first time in her life. I thought Alex showed great strength as she deals with what has happened to her. Even though she is young she also shows an inner strength that pushes her to survive. When many others would have totally fallen apart Alex picks herself up and begins the long road to recovery. Though this was a novella I thought it added insight into who Alex is and allowed the reader to see how strong Alex can be.

     

Cover:

     I really love the cover of Daimon. Not only the beautiful flower but also the varying shades of flaming green. It just pops out and shouts, look at how pretty I am, read me. Very well done!

     

Review "Dark Seeker" Taryn Browning

Dark Seeker (Seeker #1)

Taryn Browning

Publication Date: October 4, 2011

Paperback 287 pgs

Goodreads

Summary:

     As a Seeker 17 year old Janie Gray has a job to do, take down the undead in Baltimore which includes vampires and daychildren. When Janie is out on a routine hunt she meets Kai, who is not what he appears. Though he seems to be like those she hunts, Kai is different. As Janie goes about her job she realizes that more and more teenagers are being attacked and Janie has to try and figure out why. As Janie tries to unravel the mystery that is Kai, she grows closer to him than she ever could have imagined. What will Janie do when she discovers the secrets that Kai has been hiding?

Review:

     I thought that Dark Seeker was an interesting novel. The idea of a girl out fighting the bad guys was a concept I had read about before. But luckily, Janie was a character all her own. She was witty, sarcastic, passionate about her job, and very likable. At first Kai was a mystery but as the story progresses we learn more about the puzzle that is Kai. I found myself engrossed in the novel, wanting to more know more about Janie and her world. Janie has strong friends and family around her to give her support as she risks her life to fight off the evil in Baltimore.  I was quite entertained as I found out more about the two main types of enemies, vampires and daychildren. Dark Seeker is an action packed novel with twists and turns that will keep you reading til the end.

     I did have a couple issues with Dark Seeker. I felt as though I didn't learn enough about the Seekers or Janie's Cherokee ancestry. I would have liked to know more about the Seekers and how they came to be. In places I was slightly confused because I didn't feel like I had enough background information to understand what was going on. Also I thought that the connection between Janie and Kai's relationship developed too quickly for me. Normally I don't mind the whole instant love, but somehow I just had a problem with this one. 

     Overall, Dark Seeker was a good book and I am interested to see where this series leads. 

Cover:

     I like the image of the girl on the cover. She looks mysterious like she should be out hunting down the bad guys. However, I think that the knife looks odd and out of place. I would have liked the cove better without it.