Tag Archive | 2012

Book Review: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Annah has been waiting over three years for Elias to return to the Dark City. She’s survived alone, taking care of herself but never forgetting about her twin sister Abigail. She’s never forgiven herself for leaving Abigail behind in The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Her twin, her other half, her only family left in this Unconsecrated filled world. When finally Annah decides to leave the Dark City, on that day she sees her again, Abigail.

There’s also a horde of Unconsecrated and they’re coming and they’re unstoppable. Fighting against the dead Annah is saved by Catcher and taken to an island. It’s the only safe place left in the world. Reunited with Abigail – now Gabry, along with Elias, Annah is faced by the overwhelming notion of being trapped on the only space left not taken over by the dead. Her sister and Elias are now strangers, and Catcher is a force not to tempt despite mutual feelings growing between them. In a world where the dead don’t stay that way, how can Annah see the light in living?

I have to be honest; I wasn’t a fan from the first half. It is so much grimmer than the other two books. There is almost no hope left in this world. The fear is frightening. To imagine being stuck on an island that is a façade of safety. Where being a woman is more dangerous when it should be a blessing.

However, as I progressed through the book and pushed through the blah romance (I’m a bit over it, it’s just too…easy I guess.) I saw the bigger picture. I saw how much stronger of a character Annah is than her sister Gabry from the previous book. She’s an excellent role model. She’s brave and fights for what’s right and stands by her morals no matter what others say. She never stops going, moving, trying to survive and at the end of this series that’s the best lesson we can learn from what Ryan has written.

This series is not for those that are easily scared or hate romance. There’s so much more to these stories of characters interconnected through love and loss. I wanted to be scared by these books because I hate zombies and Ryan is brilliant at always making sure I never forgot that they will keep on hungering. For a series that will keep you turning pages wondering how everything will end, this series will keep you up at night.

Book Review: Entangled by Nikki Jefford

Feb26

Graylee and her identical twin sister Charlene are witches. Far from being two peas in a pod the girls are as different as night and day. Charlene is devastated that her boyfriend Blake broke up with her a week before Valentine’s Day for Stacey Morehouse. Graylee’s more concerned with perfecting her invisibility spell. Charlene is one of the hottest girls in school, dressed to the nines with full makeup. Graylee glides through the halls without a boyfriend in embroidered jeans and a tank top.

One night Graylee falls asleep and the next morning she wakes up in Charlene’s room. It’s also April 1^st. Graylee’s been dead for two months and now is sharing Charlene’s body. Every other day Graylee wakes, but she has to act as Charlene in order to avoid repercussion from the coven. Their mother is on the case to fix the problem but time is running out. The more time Graylee spends in her sister’s body the more she learns her sister was more than just heartbroken. Charlene ‘s patience is also running thin and Gray is terrified to learn she’ll do anything to get her body back even if it means losing her sister a second time.

Firstly, I love the cover. Second, the first 30% of the book is a bit rough; the characters aren’t fully developed and honestly, are shallow. The writing isn’t anything new and I wasn’t interested in the story until the double occupying of the body happened. Finally some tension and conflict that’s somewhat engaging. I enjoyed the brief introduction to this world of witches and warlocks, the language and rules. Also, it’s based in Kent, Washington. KENT! If you’re a regular reader it’s not a secret that I am such a sucker for all books that have ANYTHING linked to Washington State.

There is some substance to this book but it gets lost in the romance. Romance isn’t even the main theme – its revenge. Charlene is one piece of work and although it works for the premise of the story. It’s still Graylee’s twin sister. I didn’t really buy the fact that she would act intentionally the way she does in wanting to purge her sister. The readers don’t get to know Charlene before Graylee dies and because of this I’m sceptic of her motives. Nevertheless, I think this read is great for young female readers that are looking for a love story that has drama. At the end of the day that’s all it is. Drama: High school drama. I was left wanting more and I hope the second book can accomplish this but I’m not hoping for a magic spell here. However, it’s based in Washington, I have to read this series!

Life is Love

Feb18

London, England 2012 – The Big Egg Hunt

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Feb2

Seventeen-year-old Penryn used to live in what was known as California. Six weeks ago she was concerned with makeup and teenage angst. Now it’s fight for survival. Food is scarce, safe shelter unheard of and above all else; watch the skies. The skies are the keepers of the danger that rip off limbs: Angels.

All Penryn tried to do was keep her seven-year-old paralysed sister Paige safe. Together with their schizophrenic mother they fled their home for a new hiding place. It wasn’t supposed to be easy, but they didn’t think a group of angels would fall to the ground, trying to execute an archangel. One false sound and Paige is abducted. Gone. Taken away in the sky.

Penryn will do anything to find her sister, even if it means saving a dying angel. It’ll take going into the lion’s den and seeking help from the angelic demon himself to bring her family together.

This isn’t your traditional Angelic story. The tales of angels being godly and kind are transformed into the opposite. Instead they are evil beings that are unsure of why they are on Earth, this story only gets more interesting as each page is turned. This is a totally surprising read and as one progresses through the chapters the better it gets. Penryn reads a bit younger than seventeen, where the rest of book follows along general fiction.

For a Young Adult read it’s also startlingly grown up. Violence is present and shockingly adult. For being post-apocalyptic, Ee has hit the nail on the head with how humanity loses all aspects of right and wrong. Yet, there is also hope in this novel, on a scale that even Penryn is surprised to see. I really enjoyed this book, but I’d recommend this to older readers. I loved changing the Angel theme from good to evil, it’s not something I expected and there is lots of room for the story to grow. I patiently await the second book!

Horse Thoughts

Jan21

Abbeylex, Ireland, 2012

Sneak by Evan Angler

Jan19

Logan has done the impossible: He’s refused his Mark procedure and escaped the facility with a rumour of where his missing sister might be held. Now on the run, Logan attempts to make his way to Acheron, a place that goes bump in the dark. It’s told to be a place that holds everyone that didn’t come back from his or her Mark procedure. No one knows where Acheron is, or if it even exists, but Logan will do anything if it means finding Lily.

Meanwhile, The Dust is on the move, travelling through an underground system for the Markless, they risk discovery and capture to continue their fight against the Government. However, there’s more to the Mark than any of them realise. There’s a secret the Government is keeping that is so big it has the possibility to destroy all that it has created. The holder of this secret is at Acheron

Sneak is at a faster pace than the debut novel, Swipe. I found it much more engaging and as the Government’s practices and how they run the world is further explained, I fell deeper into this world with renewed interested. The book follows along the same lines with it’s characters, making it perfect follow up for it’s reader base.

I was surprised to learn that this series is actually Christian Fiction. I didn’t find any evidence of this in the first book but it’s been made clearly in the second. It’s not overpowering and it certainly doesn’t take away anything from the book. It’s a low undertone that if anything, has made me really curious to check out the third book once it gets published. If you’re eager to get back to Angler’s world, he doesn’t disappoint.

I’ve received this book for free from Netgalley for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley and the lovely publisher Thomas Nelson for providing me with this book!