Book Review: Trial by Fire

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.
What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.   Quoted from Goodreads

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If you're looking for an original, unique book, look no further.  Trial by fire doesn't sound all that different from a lot of other books out there, but the world building is so unique, especially when you start off with the whole Salem witch thing (which has been done a lot) and see exactly where you end up and all the well thought out changes and adaptions of fairly common historical practices. I loved it.

First, world building. Honestly, like I said before, I love how absolutely unique the world building is.  I mean, we have witches and alternate worlds, which have all been done before, but the way she combines everything together.  How Lily becomes a crucible and how that relates to magic and the mechanics that she uses, the willstones, the burnings, etc. It was combined together in such a perfectly creative way, that I absolutely loved what Josephine Angelini did with the mythology.

The characters are also pretty great.  Lily, herself has to grow a lot, but I love who she becomes by the end.  She starts off as someone who physically can't do a lot, and becomes a girl who is sure of herself with the power to really make a difference. Plus, Lily is surrounded by a lot of great side characters, from Rowan, the complicated boy you can't help but fall in love with, to her sister Juliet, who loves Lily in each and every world.  Each character has depth and personality, and it's fun to see the different people in the different worlds.

As for action, this book is full of it, from monster attacks to mistrust, kidnappings to secret meetings, it's all there.  It really is one of those books you can't put down because there's almost never a good place.  Even when the action does pause a bit, it's filled with magic and more world building. 

Really, my only complaint for the book is how easily Lily does everything.  I understand that she's powerful, and sometimes she has problems with the simple stuff, but she gets the big stuff a little too quickly for my taste.  We are told over and over again that she is being introduced to magic that most crucibles never achieve, and she masters it on her first try.  I get the book really isn't about her learning magic, it's more about facing off with her alternate self, Lillian, and fighting for what she believes, but I wish she would have failed a few more times instead of mastering what no one else can every time.  I'm not disparaging Lily's character---I thought she was developed beautifully---just how easily everything came to her.  I wanted a bit more struggle. 

Despite that one small problem, this book is amazing.  I adore the world building, the way we start with things like burning witches, and how it is morphed into this complete, amazing mythology.  I love the characters and the adventures Lily is thrust into.  For me, this book is a strong 4 stars.  It's fun, unique, and fascinating.  The ending is a bit abrupt, but we have too more books to go, and I can't wait.

Book Review: Heir of Fire

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. 
While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?  Quoted from Goodreads

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I'll be honest, when I started this series, I wasn't too impressed.  I'd heard so much about the first book, how amazing it was, how much I would love it, that really nothing could live up to the hype, and it sort of didn't.  It was a good book, but I never fell in love with it.  So when the second book came out, I didn't rush right out to read it, but I knew I would get to it some day, and I did.  And I loved it.  It was everything I wanted the series to be and more.  Maybe it was my lowered expectations or (and this is my personal opinion) it was just better and more complex, full of twists I didn't see coming.  So I tried to keep my expectations lower for this third one so it could possibly be as amazing as the second one, and it absolutely was.  I am totally and completely a huge fan of this series.  It's complex and amazing and everything I could have wished for and more.

Celaena grows so much in this book.  I love the person she is by the end, but it takes her a long time to get there.  She really grows up.  She's been so broken by the deaths of so many people she loved, she really has to work through all those emotional scars, and it's a fantastic journey.  We get a lot of new characters this book, and one of the best has to be Rowan.  He's basically the male version of Celaena plus a few hundred years, and he is awesome.  Sure, there were moments when I disliked him.  But then, there are moments (especially in the first book) when I disliked Celaena, and a lot of times for similar reasons.  Basically he is kick-butt awesome with his own set of scars to rival Celaena's and I adore how their friendship grows. 

In this third book, we finally get to leave the castle, so you see and experience so much more of the world Sarah J. Mass has created.  The world building is awesome.  Part of it is a few of those new characters.  We get Manon Blackbeak, a witch (like Baba Yellowlegs), and I love these witches.  They are delightfully evil, and yet you can't help cheering for Manon, dark as she is, and her own journey. Then there's Mab and the Fae.  The author takes so many similar elements and then twists them, making them her own, complex, and completely unique to this world, that I love it. 

Other new characters, we get the absolutely delightful Aedion Ashryver, who I thought I would hate at first, but has become one of my favorite characters in the series, and I will be so sad if he dies later (no one is safe in this series. NO ONE). Through him, (and Chaol and a little bit Dorian) we learn more about what the King did ten years before.  It's fascinating watching them solve one of the mysteries that ripped apart their world.

As for Dorian and Chaol, I have mixed feelings.  I feel like both of them are growing up, but I hate their relationship in this book.  Mostly, I'll admit, I'm frustrated with Chaol.  I feel like Dorian and Celaena grow up a lot (though they're not perfect) but it takes Chaol a little longer  to get where you know he can be.  He's good by the ending . . . mostly.  I won't go into it because he does something I love and absolutely hated him for at the same time, but I like the person he's starting to become.  

Aaaaaaagg, the ending!  It really just about killed me.  You might want to stop reading a few chapters before and then read the rest right before the fourth book because I guarantee it will kill you just a little bit.  It starts to wrap up nicely, and then . . . well you know there are some absolutely, perfect villains that you can't help but hate on multiple levels (the King of Adarlan, anyone?) and the things they do at the end to characters I absolutely love . . . well, death is only the beginning of the bad things that happen.

All in all, this is an amazing addition to an amazing series.  If you want something that's complex, full of action and character growth, world building and history, with characters you love and hate, you need to read this series.  My only stipulation is it isn't done yet (we get 3 more books!) and the ending will leave you dying to know what happens next.  I'm giving it a delightful 4.5 star.  It's wonderful, delightful, and one of those books I want to rush out and make everyone read.

Book Review: The Spooks Revenge or Fury of the Seventh Son

'He's the seventh son of a seventh son. His name is Thomas J. Ward and he's my gift to the County. When he's old enough we'll send you word. Train him well. He'll be the best apprentice you've ever had and he'll also be your last.'

These were the words of Tom's Mam to the county Spook some years ago. As Tom, the Spook and their allies prepare to battle with the Fiend on a huge scale, to finally enact their revenge, it now remains to be seen whether Mam's declaration will come true.  Quoted from Goodreads

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Well, five years (for me at least) and thirteen books later, the Wardstone Chronicles has finally come to an end.  I've got mixed feelings about the final book in this series.  Some of it I won't mention here  because spoilers, spoilers, spoilers, which will make this review a bit shorter than normal because I don't want to give too much away, but you have no idea how much I want to rant.   

One of my biggest problems with this book as the conclusion is that it spends a good third of the book

setting up Joseph Delaney's next series!  I realize it's all part of Tom's story, but I felt like this final installment and face off with the Fiend got a bit short changed because there's a new big bad coming to town that will make the Fiend look like child's play. Plus another problem comes along (again, I won't mention it because of spoilers) and Tom spends at least as much time contemplating that problem as he does the final showdown with the Fiend.  I just felt like after thirteen books, what should have been the climax of the series was short changed.

As for the rest, it's just what you expect from Joseph Delaney: great characters, spooky/gruesome situations, frightening battles, strange allies, spooks agains impossible odds . . . if you've come this far, you know the drill.  His writing is simple yet descriptive, his characters well developed, and the situations complex.  While I may have some issues, it's still a fast paced, interesting read.

Basically, my advice to you is don't think of this as the last book of the series.  Another one is clearly coming out (A New Darkenss, book 1 in the Starblade Chroicles, release date Sept 2, 2014) and the story will go on.  Yes, there will be a few changes and a few new characters introduced, but it's still the same basic plot: Tom vs. The Dark. I'm giving this book a tentative 3.5 stars. The series is great and I've thoroughly enjoyed it, but I had some major issues with this book in particular. Still, it's nice to look forward to another dark adventure.

Book Review: The Fiery Heart

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.  Quoted from Goodreads

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I don't even know where to begin.  I thoroughly enjoy this series---a lot more, even, than the original Vampire Academy. It's kind of amazing, really, because usually it's the other way around. Granted, if you've been paying attention at all, you knew exactly where this book was going and what would happen in the end.  Part of me even debated not reading it until the next one came out because the last one ended so well, but I couldn't resist.

Let's be honest, what everyone loves most is Sydney and Adrien's relationship, especially now that (caution: spoilers from the last book ahead) they're together as a couple and half the book is told from Adrien's POV.  While I found that this was important in this book, I'm guessing it will be more important in the next one.  I love the two of them together.  What makes these books stand out from so many others is how much the characters progress and change. The Sydney and Adrien now are very different people from the two we met in Bloodlines, and that's in not small part thanks to each other.

What really drives the book are the characters and relationships. I love the way they interact with each other and how much they've come to care about their little group.  Sure, Sydney's sister Zoe adds a problematic ingredient into the mix, but it keeps things interesting, upping the tension, especially for Sydney. Zoe also helps us see how far Sydney has really come since the series started.

What's interesting about these books, is while they're set in our world (mostly), the vampire/alchemist elements drive me crazy. They're perfect for conflict and tension, but never is this painted as a world I'd love to live in.  Again, it creates excellent conflict for the characters, but both societies are so stifling, full of injustice and twisted rules that I end up feeling bad for the characters, while at the same time, giving me an almost dystopia feel for the government/laws under which they live.

This book focused more about Sydney finding a way to break free from the Alchemists, while Adrian contributes more to finding an immunity against the Strogoi.  They both support and help each other, but I really enjoyed that each of them had their own problem to focus on.  It's one of the main things that made the alternating POV work.  

All in all, this is a fantastic addition to a wonderful series, and now I'm dying for the next book.  I'm going to give this book a high four stars for me. Now I'm stuck waiting for July 29th along with everyone else so I can find out what happens next to Sydney and Adrien.

Book Review: Doon

Veronica doesn't think she's going crazy. But why can't anyone else see the mysterious blond boy who keeps popping up wherever she goes? When her best friend, Mackenna, invites her to spend the summer in Scotland, Veronica jumps at the opportunity to leave her complicated life behind for a few months. 

But the Scottish countryside holds other plans. 
Not only has the imaginary kilted boy followed her to Alloway, she and Mackenna uncover a strange set of rings and a very unnerving letter from Mackenna's great aunt—and when the girls test the instructions Aunt Gracie left behind, they find themselves transported to a land that defies explanation. Doon seems like a real-life fairy tale, complete with one prince who has eyes for Mackenna and another who looks suspiciously like the boy from Veronica's daydreams. But Doon has a dark underbelly as well. The two girls could have everything they've longed for . . . or they could end up breaking an enchantment and find themselves trapped in a world that has become a nightmare.   Quoted from Goodreads

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There are a lot of things I really liked about Doon . . . and then there are a few things I would have changed.

First, I love the whole idea of Doon, the mythic land that you can only access once every hundred years, Scotland's hidden Utopia/Atlantis if you will.  Yes, it's inspired by the musical and the poem, but it definitely has it's own mythology going for it.  I really did like the world and the conflicts inherent in it. For example, they live in this perfect kingdom, but they can never leave.  They can see the ocean but never swim in it.  Part of me wishes the author's would have explored the sacrifice of living there further. Still, I love the idea of this idyllic kingdom.

Veronica and Mackenna are both great characters.  They're strong, spunky, and I love their friendship. They're both the sort of people you could see yourself being friends with.  To be completely honest, I actually wish the whole book would have been told from Veronica's POV.  It's not that I didn't like Mackenna. I did.  She's fun, spunky, and has a lot more to loose than Veronica, but the book time isn't shared out equally between them.  We get four chapters of Veronica, then one of Mackenna, and Mackenna's chapters didn't tell us anything we couldn't have gotten from Veronica's POV (well, except, maybe, how perfect and beautiful Veronica is).  It sort of broke up the story for me.  Honestly, I wish we would have simply gotten an epilogue from Mackenna's POV, maybe a prologue too, and that's it.  Then she could be the main character in the second book, which seems to be shaping up to be more of her story. Still, since there are two authors, maybe that's how the decided to split the work?

This sort of leads me to the down-side of this book.  It's a little bit too wish fulfillment happy for me.  For example, both friends potentially have a prince devoted to them? Couldn't one have at least been the captain of the guard or something?  Plus, Veronica's life is horrible.  From the beginning, you know the girls have to choose whether to stay in the Doon or leave.  For Veronica, she's basically leaving nothing behind. Half of what makes Brig o'Doon such a great story is what a person would have to give up to live there, and for Veronica the price is a bit too easy.

Other than that, the book really is a fun adventure.  There's plenty of romance.  Like I mentioned before, there are two princes for our two main characters.  Both are dreamy in their own way, though it took me a while to warm up to one of them.  

As for our villain, she is pure black and white evil (make of that what you will), and the book led up to a strong conclusion/confrontation. Most of it I totally saw coming, but there were a few twists that I enjoyed. 

Overall, this is a fun, light read.  I love the mythology behind it and our main characters. I'm interested to see how this series will continue and where the authors will take it next.  It's a delightful 3.5 stars for me.  Now I just need to figure out when the second book is coming out.

Book Review: Star Cursed

With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England. Quoted from Goodreads

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Excellent book!  Loved it. Star Cursed stars just where Born Wicked left off.  Cate is miserable about leaving her sisters and Finn, but they're all reunited in one way or another soon enough, and the action just keeps on going.  No middle book slump for this series. The Brotherhood is still evil and repressive, the Sisterhood manipulative, and Cate torn between what she wants and everyone else's expectations.

Seriously, I love this series.  It's one of those you can't put down.  There's so much tension coming from everyone and so very few people Cate can trust, it's hard to stop reading. I really love the way Jessica Spotswood handles everything.  There are problems on all sides, and things are escalating   Nothing is black and white.  The Brotherhood is mostly evil, but then there are good men working on it like Finn who are only trying to save their families.  Same with the Sisterhood.  Some of them really are good, trying to save girls and provide safety for young witches.  But others are power hungry, willing to sacrifice people for their own power.  Plus, the ending!  It's just as horrible and impactful as the first book, leaving you feeling like you've been punched in the gut and you don't quite know how you will recover without the third book. 

 Everything else is also up to par.  I really liked how I got to know Tess better in this book.  In the first one she was mostly just Cate's youngest sister, but she didn't play nearly the role that Maura did.  I really liked the way she developed more in this book.  She's only twelve, but she grows up a lot and is a comfort to Cate, especially with what is happening with Maura.  Oh, Maura.  She's irritating and tragic all at once. I won't give anything away, but she continues down the path she began in the first book.

Finally, Cate and Finn. I loved them in the first book, and they get even cuter in this one. I thought with the change of location we would loose a lot of the characters from the first book, but besides Cate and Finn's parents, everyone is here, and their stories get to continue.  Harwood becomes more of a frightening reality. In contrast, there's also some hope on the horizon.  Common people are starting to turn against the Brotherhood, following the patter of the witches' downfall hundred's of years before.

Basically, you need to read this series.  It's a fascinating alternative history, oozing with suspense and tension.  There's so much peril and manipulation, oppression and rebellion, I love it. It's a enchanting 4 stars for me, and I can't wait for the next book to come out. I'm just praying it doesn't take as long as this one to come out.  I'll admit, her writing is good and the story superb, but like I said, that ending killed me.

Book Review: School Spirits

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 

Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as theNew York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!   Quoted from Goodreads

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I loved the Hex Hall series. I love Sophie and her snarky comments, Archer and his witty comebacks, so I wasn't sure how School Spirits would work out for me. Did I love Hex Hall because of those characters, and would new characters work for me in the same world?  No worries. Izzy is a delightful new character, and while she isn't Sophie by any means, she is her own unique self and an easy character to root for.   Plus, if you're in the mood for snarky or at least slightly off-beat comments, there's always Dex (and Torin to a lesser extent).

This book, while functioning in the same world as Hex Hall, comes off with a different feel.  It's one of those great spin-off series (like Richelle Mead's Bloodlines series)  that uses the same world, yet has a completely different main character and challenge so it doesn't feel like it's rehashing the same old problem we've seen before. 

Okay, so Izzy is Sophie's cousin, the knife-wielding girl who was always talking to Torin (the 400+ year old warlock trapped in a mirror) and hunting down Prodegium (aka paranormals) in Spell Bound.  Things have changed just a bit since they're now related to Sophie, the girl headed to be their illustrious leader, so instead of hunting paranormals point blank, they serve more as a police force, hunting only those break the rules.

First, I loved seeing Izzy go to a regular school.  I love that she chooses high school soap operas to help her blend in and that she as the resident school bully terrified of her in the first ten minutes of class (in a  dodgeball incident gone wrong).  I also liked how her friends were utterly and completely different from her, but they still became good, close friends.

Then there's Torin and Dex---the two men in Izzy's life.  Torin, well, I'm so excited to see where that is headed.  I felt like this first book was just a set up for bigger things to come, and a big portion of those things, I feel, will involve Torin--and I absolutely love that.  He is a great character.  He's half on Izzy's side, but he so ambiguous, that you never know if he's really going to help her or just trying to manipulate her.  I can't wait to see where he goes.  Then there's Dex. He's more your standard romantic lead, but he's so quirky (with his own mystery) that you can't help but love him.  And like I said before, he's so different from Izzy, he's good for her.  My only complaint with him is how rushed his ending was.  I'm glad about what happened, but I'm still interested to see how things are going to play out with this new development.

All told, this is a wonderful beginning to a spin-off series.  It does start out a little bit basic.  It's not really much more than a simple haunting.  At the same time, there's enough intrigue between Torin and the disappearance of Finley, Izzy's sister,  that I can't wait to see where this series is heading.  If you're a fan of Hex Hall, or ghost stories in general, or are simply looking for a great writer with a bouncy voice and some great one-liners, you need to pick this up.

Book Review: Shadow Falls Series

 One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs . . . Quoted from Goodreads

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This is a hard series to review.  It started during the vampire craze, when every book had to have it's obligatory love triangle, and that shows.  It's not really anything new , but for what it is, it's a fun read.  I mean, I read all five books, which is saying something.

First for the things I liked.  I love Kylie's girl friends, as in friends who are girls.  Whether it's the best friend she left behind or the two new ones she found at camp, I loved their relationships. They were always there for her, while having enough of their own drama to keep everything interesting.  I mean, Della got her own novella (and maybe a spinoff series?).  Plus, they act like teenage girls.  They have silly moments, fight, and get jealous, but then are back to being friends again.

I liked Holley and Burnett. They're good leaders, have their own problems, yet have time for Kylie.  They don't sit back and expect her to defeat the evil whatever.  They also have their own cute relationship.

What I had a problem with?  Well, Lucas and Derek. Not that they both don't have their shining moments, but the drama dragged out way too long.  I mean, Kylie was still agonizing over them in the fifth book.  I was so tired of that particular drama by then, I sort of had to force myself to slog through the parts where she agonized over her torn feelings. 

Second, not enough action.  I get that these books all have some kind  of mystery.  Kylie is warned by a ghost or has to complete that ghost's unfinished business, all of which is connected to her, but the ghosts aren't all that helpful, thus the mystery.  Oh, and there's the mystery of Kylie's supernatural species.  All in all that is good, but it was almost all buildup with very little climax.  The action chapters at the end were too short.  While the mystery built up and there were plenty of mild cliffhangers along the way, the ending wasn't ever as grand or scary as I wanted it to be.

Still, it's a fun series. It's probably a solid 3 stars for me through all three books.  Maybe it just tried to be a little bit too much of everything.  I mean we have vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, shape-shifters, fairies, and a super secret new paranormal species all rolled up into one. Still, it's a fun read, and the series is over, so you can enjoy all the books at once without having to deal with horrible cliff hangers that leave you begging for the next book.

Flashback Friday: Darkest Powers Trilogy

 With the release of Kelly Armstrong's The Rising (the conclusion to her Darkness Rising trilogy) this week, I thought I'd do a quick review of her prequel/companion trilogy, Darkest Powers, which I loved.

Saying that, I guess you know the end from the beginning.  I mean, I loved this trilogy, but I was also really lucky.  For me, Kelly Armstrong's books go better when you read them all at once.  While I didn't do that with the Darkness Rising, (I read the first two at once, then had to wait a year for the third one), I did get to do it with Darkest Powers, and it totally paid off.  Here's the thing about her books, they really read as one.  Sure the end of the first and second books have a climax, but they aren't built up to that climax in particular.  They're all about being chased, kidnapped, shot at, dealing with mysterious powers, (and relationships), coming of age, etc., which makes for a really exciting read, but you need that third book to wrap up the ending and give you some kind of satisfying closure.   The good news is, all three books are out, so you can read them 1, 2, 3, without having to suffer any kind of wait.

Okay, so I should probably add a quick recap of the story. Chloe sees dead people . . . well dead everything. She gets locked up in the Lyle House, where she meets other paranormal teens and discovers she's a necromancer (aka, she raises the dead and can talk to ghosts). Okay, I'm going to spoil the first book here, but it's pretty obvious from the beginning, the Lyle house is bad.  She, along with a few of her friends (and enemies) break out and go on the run.  Chases, betrayals, animated corpses, werewolves, witches, sorcerers, and other craziness ensues, all while they try and figure out who they can trust and how to use their emerging powers.

Yes, these books are exciting, and the tension grows from book to book, but what I love most about these series are the way the characters grow.  Take Chloe, the protagonist of our story.  She starts out as a cute, fluffy blond whose biggest rebellion is dying a stripe of her hair pink.  By the end she's taking on seriously bad people and making life and death decisions. Basically she grows up, and despite all the paranormal stuff happening around her (and a little bit because of it) her growth is genuine.  Same with Derek.  He goes from no social skills, to . . . limited social skills. And then there's Tori.  I hated her in the beginning, and at the end, well she's still not my favorite character, but I love who she's becoming, and that she gets her own character arc.

Then there's Chloe and Derek's relationship.  That is probably my favorite.  It's very much a beauty and the beast sort of thing, and I'm always a sucker for those sort of stories.  Plus it's refreshing that the boy isn't drop dead gorgeous at first sight.  He's anything but, and while he does improve throughout the books, he's looks aren't his main selling point. It's how he and Chloe interact, the way they make each other better people and the way that is consistently shown throughout the books that make me love this relationship. Plus, he's a strong, memorable character.  You never wonder what he would do in a given situation or that he's the one speaking. He is utterly distinctive and stands out well against too many bland prince charmings.

So should you read these books?  Absolutely. It also helps that these characters make an appearance in The Rising, so while you don't need to read this trilogy before The Darkness Rising one, it helps. As for me, I would give the first book 3 stars, the second 3.5, and the third 4.5. I thought they just got better and better.

Book Review: A Witch Alone

Where do you go when your heart has been ripped out?

For Anna there is only one answer; into her past, where the truth about her mother, her power, and her real identity lie hidden.

But as Anna delves deeper into her history, she begins to fear that the truth about what set her mother running may be darker than she ever suspected. With the witches of the world on the brink of war, Seth gone, and her friend Abe wanting more from her than she can possibly give, Anna is in crisis.As the clouds around her gather, Anna is torn between friends, family and rival tribes of witches and – at the last – between love and magic. Quoted from Goodreads

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So another trilogy comes to a close. This has been a fun little series, and I'm kind of sad to see it end.  Still, all good things . . .

What I probably enjoyed most was how very British his book is.  Yes, a good chunk of it takes place in Russia, but they didn't bother to change British terms for American ones like they did in Harry Potter, and I think it served the story better that way.  It isn't as if we can't all figure out what a jumper is.

Plus, the action was revved up a notch in this last installment   The first book dealt more with the problems of casting a love spell and the fall out therefrom.  This one is more focused on the search for Anna's mother and the attack on the Ealdwitan.  Anna's world is falling apart, and she is desperate to find some way of putting her life back together and solving the mysteries of her past.  This leads to Russia, crazy witch covens, random attacks, river demons, spies, sacrifice, and deaths, all of which combine together for a great story.

Then there's the romance aspect of the book. Despite it's title, Anna really isn't ever alone.  Yes, Seth is gone for the first part of the story, but Abe is more than happy to try and pick up the pieces.  I suppose you could label Anna's relationship with the two boys as a love triangle, but it never felt that way to me.   I won't give away what happens in the end, but I thought it pretty consistent for the series, and I like the way everything was resolved.

This book is a fun 3.5 stars for me.  It was an excellent ending and a must read for anyone who read the first two books.  If you haven't, don't dismiss this  because it sounds a bit cliche.  It's a fun, delightful series, full of hard choices, crazy attacks, and sacrifice, all of which get bigger and better as the series progress.  

Book Review: The Indigo Spell

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood. Quoted from Goodreads

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Here's the short version: I loved it.  It has everything I love in a series: action, multiple conflicts, romance, mystery, character growth, humor, twists,  and a cliffhanger that doesn't kill you while still leaving you anxious for the next book.

If you're still not convinced, here's the longer version of why I adore this book.   Last Thursday when I talked about the Vampire Academy movie, I stated that I enjoyed that series, but I love this one.  Sydney's a big part of that. She starts out as such a limited character.  She grew a lot in the VA series, but those were baby steps to what she goes through in these books, and in the Indigo Spell she finally comes into her own.  We learn more about the shady dealings of the Alchemists,  there's a serial-killer witch on the loose, and of course there is Adrian.

All the walls Sydney has been struggling against finally get knocked down in this book.  Yes, she still has qualms about different things (magic, vampires, wearing bright colors . . .), but she is finally able to embrace what she believes for herself instead of what she's been taught all her life.  Plus she gets to shine in a fight.  She actually throws some good punches, and then there's her own magic showdown . . .  She's no Rose, but she's not supposed to be, and I admired her strength in dealing with all the crap thrown at her.

I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two completely separate conflicts in this book. She's constantly flipping back and forth between the two, and you know it's only going to get worse before it gets better. There's Marcus and his quest against the Alchemists  and while he wasn't at all what I was expecting (and thank goodness there is no love triangle forming), he's still a fun, interesting character.  I especially like the insights he gave Sydney into her tattoo.  In contrast, we have Ms. Terwilliger's mysterious witch, who is hunting down young witches to steal their youth and power.  The idea's not new, but I still found it tense, with good twists and a sort of "dun dun dun" (cue music) cliffhanger of its own.

Adrian.  Everyone loves Adrien, but I especially liked him in this book.  He could have been all sighs and puppy-dog eyes after the Golden Lily's ending, but he's not.  He loves Sydney, but he's not all mopey about her rejection at the end of the second book. He's simply there for her whenever she needs him. Plus, he's starting to live up to his potential.

You can tell The Indigo Spell is something of a turning point in the series.  While there has always been outside conflict in each of the books, half the battle was Sydney vs. herself and her upbringing.  The next three books will be different.  Not only is she facing all sorts of problems (including that lovely cliffhanger twist at the end), but they are building, and you know there's some bad stuff coming.

I adored this book.  It's a strong 4.5 stars for me.  I'll be honest, part of me is afraid for the next one because I hear it has a horrible cliffhanger. A small part of me wants to wait until the next three are out, then I could read them all together.   It will never happen, of course, but I'm kind of really enjoying the mostly happy feeling at the end of this book.

Book Review: Born Wicked

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other. Quoted from Goodreads

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I saw this book almost a year ago and thought it was beautiful.  Granted, I thought it was set in the roaring '20s, not the late 1800s, but still, the cover is gorgeous. I'm kind of sad it took me this long to read it, and a little bit happy as well--sad because I've been missing out on this book for the past 10 months, happy because I only have to wait another 6 months for the second book.

I'll warn you from the beginning, this is not a fast paced book--I stayed up till 1:30 last night because I couldn't put it down, but it's not heart-pounding suspense.  It's built more on tension than action.  Cate's time/childhood is running out.  She has to decide who she wants to marry or if she wants to join the Sisterhood before her seventeenth birthday, all while protecting her sisters and their secret from both the Brotherhood and the Sisterhood.

The beauty of this series is I'm not exactly sure how it's going to end well. Of course, I'm hoping Cate ends up with the boy she loves and a nice garden, but as for the bigger picture?  I'm not really liking the two options the author presents, so I'm excited to see what the author will do with it. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely hate the Brotherhood. They were so utterly stifling, it drove me crazy.  But then (spoiler alert) the Sisterhood, who Cate finds out are witches working against the Brotherhood, were also so unlikable I didn't really want them to win either.  Honestly, this is one of the things I loved (and hated) most about the book. I'm rooting for Cate and her sisters, but not really for anyone else, and I'm interested to see what will happen in the next books.

Cate and her sisters really are the heart of this book.  Cate's the practical one, too young, with too much responsibility heaped on her shoulders. She's strong but very human. Maura's fifteen.  Yes, at times she drove me crazy and I didn't like her all that much, but again. Fifteen. (You all remember the fifth Harry Potter book, right?) Enough said.  Last, there's Tess.  She's the sweet one, the one who's older than her years.  Honestly, I have a bad feeling she might be the Beth of the series (or Rue if you want a more modern equivalent), but it only makes me love her more. The relationship between these three is genuine.  They fought, disagreed, and basically came across as sisters, but when push came to shove, they were there for each other.  Still, I'm kind of afraid for  them. I mean, who knows what will happen with the prophecy . . .

Ah, the ending. I loved it.  It was beautifully painful, full of dashed hopes and people you love to hate.  It wasn't entirely unexpected, but it still was sad. I absolutely can't wait for the next book.

This book was a fun 3.5 stars for me. I enjoyed the setting and the expansion of the Salem Witch Trials into an alternate history.  I liked Cate and her sisters, partly because they were so human.  They weren't always brave and good, but they were trying, especially Cate.  I loved the romance.  It was a bit rushed when you look at it on a timeline, but it didn't feel that way.  The characters were developed, and their relationship fit and was sweet. Plus while there were hints of the dreaded love triangle, it never really happened. If you like historical romance with a paranormal twist, this book is perfect. Now enjoy the book preview below.  If focus's on the romance, leaving out a lot of the tension in the plot, but it's still fun.