'Til The World Ends by Julie Kagawa et al

Publication Date: 29/01/13
Publisher: Harlequin Luna
Pages: 368
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi
Target Audience: Young Adults

Synopsis:
Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa:

Before The Immortal Rules, there was the Red Lung, a relentless virus determined to take out all in its path. For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden—as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What’s worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she’s beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems...

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre:

After a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside—in the Red Zone—is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they’ll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside... for good.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall:

Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms—in the cosmos and beyond. And she’s not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She’ll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.

My Review: I usually avoid collections because there's always at least one story in them that makes me want to tear my hair out or slam my face against a wall. Sadly, this collection was no different. But I'll start with the positives.

Dawn of Eden:

I was thrilled with Dawn of Eden and I found it a unique insight into the world of The Immortal Rules before Ali's adventure begun.  Kylie made a sympathetic  caring, yet tough protagonist and I was pulled into her story and her reasons for fighting the Red Lung Virus without much trouble.  
The story even took a romantic turn and featured a cameo from a pretty important character from The Immortal Rules. 
The ending was pretty well done, which is usually difficult with a Novella and overall, with this story, I was very impressed. Not only did it give additional background on the vamps and Red Lung Virus, but also an insight into how difficult life was during the breakout. 

Thistle and Thorne
I was really surprised with this novella. I have books by Ann Aguirre on my to-read list but have yet to read any of them; needless to say this will have to change very soon because she is an exceptional writer.
Mari and Thorne made a brilliant twosome and I really hope Miss Aguirre writes a full book based on these characters because I really want to know what happens after this novella ends, especially as it ends with the suggestion that there is more to come.
There is a little tinge of romance in this, but very little and the plot and action certainly takes centre stage.  The post-apocalyptic background is well thought out, and so different from most others I've read since I've never read anything about a chemical spill before.
Overall, this is a cleverly written novella but with quite a bit of violence and gore though not without the emotional undercurrent with the characters which make them feel more human.

Sun Storm
This is unfortunately the short story that let me down and by this point I was actually pretty hopeful that all three stories would be made of win. Don't get me wrong, the idea of solar flares and the end of the world is realistic enough, but what failed to capture me was the idea of developing powers when hit by the sparks from these flares. Having said that, It's no more unbelievable than zombies I guess so I gave it a chance.
When I got to a certain part half way through though, I thought the following: 'that could never happen in a million years' even my huge imagination has a limit and it reached it. Having said that, some people may take to it though to me it seemed a bit silly.
Character wise, though I loved Sarah, Ian just didn't gel with me and I didn't really feel his relationship with Sarah. Add what felt like a much too rushed ending and when I finally finished I was ready to admit that I didn't personally enjoy it.

All in all for the first two stories this is worth reading, but honestly, I did not get on with the third. Having said that, I'm sure some people will disagree with me. Give it a go when it's released!

Clockwork Dolls by William Meikle

Publication Date: 29/01/2013

Publisher: DarkFuse

Pages: 152

Genre: Horror/Mystery/Thriller

Target Audience: Adults

Synopsis: Does all human passion, all memory, all imagination come merely from the chemistry in our brains, like the movements of a clock follow from the arrangement of its cogs and wheels?

Are we just clockwork dolls? 

Or is there an organizing principle at work, something we can ask for answers to the important questions of existence... something that might answer? 

Dave Burns has asked. 

Now he, and his friends, might not live long enough to understand the reply.

My Review: Netgalley doesn't class this as horror. I disagree. It scared the crap out of me in more ways than one. I'm going to keep this review spoiler free so as not to ruin the affect for future readers because this is one short story you don't want to miss.

Is it really possible to ask the Cosmos for something and actually have it granted? well it does in this novel and with devastating consequences.  This is so well written I was creeped out by every twist and turn and every time something unexpected happened I felt like the bottom of my stomach dropped about a foot.

I never thought that such a short novel could have such a huge impact, not only on my emotions but also on my ideas of God, the Universe and Fate.  This is a thought provoker if ever there was one. Though be warned the main character is a bit erm annoying at first but I did warm to him.

Anyway read this when it's released. It's totally mind blowing.

Oblivion (The Power of Five #5) - Anthony Horowitz

Release Date: 4/10/2012
Publisher: Walker
Pages: 672
Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Thriller/Fiction

Synopsis: Having escaped from Hong Kong, the five gatekeepers - Matt, Pedro, Scott, Jamie and Scarlett - are scattered in a hostile and dangerous world. As they struggle to re-group and plan their next move, the malevolent King of the Old Ones gathers his forces in Oblivion: a desolate landscape where the last survivors of humanity must fight the ultimate battle.

My Review: Wow. Well I'm not even sure where to begin with this book. I waited years to read this and though I sort of guessed  part of the ending correctly, it was no less of a shock when it happened.  I bawled my eyes out  and I felt immensely sad for two characters in particular though there was a happier epilogue to soften the blow.
It was a little disconcerting at first, what with the jumping between Jamie/Holly, Matt/Lohan, Pedro/Scott and Scarlett/Richard and it took some serious getting used too, and that was just the gatekeepers and there companions. There were also some POV shifts to those behind the enemy lines too, but by the end these all came together brilliantly with no loose ends.

The research done for this book must have been immense because, whether the characters were in Rome, Naples, Brazil, Cairo or Antarctica, the descriptions were vivid and very easy to picture. Oblivion was especially well planned out; I could almost feel the empty coldness in the Old One's fortress while I was reading and imagine the swarms of enemy soldiers in the final battle.

Was I happy with the twists and turns? I'd say I was even if I would personally have preferred a happier ending for all involved. Poor Richard is all I have to say, I really felt for that man, and I wouldn't have wished what he was forced to do on any one (lets just say the mystery of the Inca's Knife is revealed). Having said that it wasn't doom and gloom all the way to the end and I have to admit if there was one character I was proud of it was Matt. He proved himself to be strong and determined despite being weighed down with knowledge he should never have had to carry. Scott also impressed me, though I wanted to slap him on several occasions near the middle of the book.

When it came to the epilogue I was hoping for some  relief or maybe just some hope, which is actually what I got. I loved the epilogue and it did provide some sort of closure and I shed a few happy tears whilst reading it, and it was also nice to have a bit more explanation of the dream world too.
All in all I was very impressed with the ending to this series. it was an emotional, frightening and thrilling ride and i'm sure certain scenes from this book will haunt me for a very long time (and no, I'm not exaggerating).  I don't know how Horowitz will match this with what he writes next but I hope he gives it a good go.

Changeling: Zombie Dawn by Steve Feasey

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Thriller/Fantasy/Horror


It's here, the end of one of my favourite series is here and it is AMAZING!  I literally finished this in one day because I could not put it down. It seems like only yesterday when, after a crap day at work I decided to buy myself a book and Changeling was the one that caught my attention.  Five books later and I am so glad I made that choice :-)

I'll give you a brief, spoiler free synopsis to give you an idea what this book is about. If you haven't read the first four yet please don't read this synopsis, go read the first book instead!
Anyway, after the demon games of the previous book, Trey, Alexa, Tom and Lucien are left planning what to do about the evil vampire Caliban and his sorceress; Helde, who have taken over most of the Netherworld and is plotting world domination.
Trey is still coming to terms with the effects of the demon games and his changing relationship with Alexa, and Lucien is also still dealing with the changes he is going through. In the midst of all this, an old friend of Trey's turns up and things take a horrible turn for the worse.

Anyway, that's all I'm summing up! I will tell you though that this book is amazing and well, amazing! Wow! I was left breathless after reading this and ending was superb, I honestly couldn't have asked for a better ending.
As usual the plot was pacey and the twists and turns were amazing. I will say that there are some truly tense moments that will have you on the edge of your seat and some that are extremely moving and very sad.  At the same time, the fact that this is a teenage/young adult book is evident as the gore factor never goes over the top and is written just right, after all, no one wants to be so grossed out they can't finish a book, and the storyline is fantastic so I think Steve has found a perfect meeting in the middle.

And the characters?  All your the favourites are back including Trey, Alexa, Tom, and Lucien as well as a few other characters that we have come to know. Perhaps my favourite two though were Trey and Alexa, there relationship is amazing and I loved how things progressed for them and the way they worked together throughout the novel.
Tom and Lucien were amazing as well, and it was fascinating to learn more about Lucien's abilities and the ways in which he's changing.

In the interests of not spoiling the plot I will stop now and sum up this review by saying that this is a scary, funny, pacey, breathtaking and slightly romantic read and as it is the last in the series I will also say that I loved how it has been brought to a close. I don't know what Steve is writing next, but you can be sure I'll be reading it!
Oh, and also, don't forget the zombies...Lots of ZOMBIES!!!

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adult
Genre: Faerie/Horror

Having read quite a few books about changeling's, replacements and the Fae i was looking for something with a darker and creepier twist, and this book turned out to be very very creepy and extremelly dark and twisted at times.
Mackie Doyle is not actually human, but a replacement from the underground world of demons or Fae (among the many other names they are given throughout the novel). When he was a young child he was switched with the human Mackie Doyle and left in his cot as a changeling. Now grown up, Mackie is fully aware of what he is and is slowly dying from exposure to Iron, Steel and consecrated ground and realises that he probably wont last much longer.
But when Tate, a girl at his school, has her sister 'die' he becomes involved in the underground world of demons, blood sacrifice, a tiny sharp-toothed princess and a town wide conspiracy that has been going on for centuries.

Probably the most amazing thing about this book is the pace and the way it evolves. A lot of authors have trouble revealing the plot at a steady pace but not so slowly or quickly that it seems to drag or feel alternatively feel rushed.  Brenna has no such issues with The Replacement, and she reveals important and juicy parts of the plot in such a way you can't help but turn the next page to find out what happens next. Miss Yovanoff deserves a round of applause for her skill in writing, she really does.

Content wise, there is a lot to get through. From the conspiracy and secrets of Gentry, to it's past, to the underground world of The Morrigan (who is awesome by the way) and the even darker world of The Lady (The Morrigan's evil sister), the action never stops and the plot links together perfectly, no matter which of these places you end up in as the reader.
I loved the Morrigan's underground world, with all the little dead people (no, i'm not morbid, i just found it intriguing) and i felt that there were valuable lessons to be learned about prejudice, discrimination and judgement in reading about the Morrigan and her people. Some of the people in her world were kind and so beautiful beneath the surface, it seemed a shame for them to be shunned and called demons.

With regards to characters i felt captivated by each and every one of them. Roswell made an amazing best friend for Mackie. He was understanding, accepting and very supportive and stood by him even though he new the truth of his birth. Mackie himself, made for a complex but clearly distressed and hurt young man, who struggles to find normality and find his place in the world. I think what makes this even more difficult is the little things that happen, such as accidentally touching a knife or touching canned food, which are all poisonous to him because of the iron in them. It's the ordinary every day things that other people take for granted that, ultimately, make Mackie's life strange and difficult.

Tate was another wonderful character to me. She was smart, strong and didn't bow down to the towns usual rules of keeping quiet and not saying anything, something which i admired in her. After all, it can be very hard to stand up for what you want and what you believe in when the world is against you, and she did this at a time when she was already dealing with so much.  Her relationship with Mackie was beautiful, and i loved the a certain conversation between them when she tells Mackie that he's 'Normal enough', which is probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever told him.

My other favourite female in the book was Emma, Mackie's sister. There are no words to describe the amount of love and loyalty she showed towards Mackie, she truly was the perfect sister, willing to risk so much for her brother, despite the risks. There were some true emotional moments between those two, and one of the best portrayal i've seen of siblings in a long time.

I'll conclude my review by saying that i can't wait to see what Brenna writes next. She is clearly a talented and exceptional writer with a bright career ahead of her. Whether it's a sequel to this or a completely different story, i don't really mind. This really is an emotional, action packed, creepy and slightly gory debut novel. Many thanks for a really good read Miss Yovanoff!

Out For Blood by Alyxandra Harvey

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Horror

I love this series and my only complaint was that the books aren't frequent enough or long enough! Which isn't a bad thing at all really, but a complaint non the less.
This installment, instead of following Vampires for the most part, tended to focus more on Hunter, a vampire hunter from the Helios-Ra Academy, where all vampire hunters are trained to kill.
The main plot was based around the fallout from the previous novel, which fans of the series will remember that a lot of Hel-blar got loose without a master and are now running around free to murder and maim.
As if this isn't enough a lot of the students at the Academy are getting sick and for no apparent reason, and as the Hel-Blar attacks increase, a certain Quinn Drake gets involved, and not just with killing Hel-Blar...

If there's one thing that makes a good romance, it's the chemistry between the two leads. Now the thing that makes a good Fantasy Romance is that the romance ties in well with the plot, without looking stupid.
This book manages this easily, and Quinn and Hunter's relationship developed in at a natural pace as they worked together and fell for one another.
The Hel-blar and the Illness storyline was very well done too, and i loved how the actual enemy in the book turned out not to be vampires but humans; the irony was not lost on me.
This book also contained some of the more tear-jerking scenes as the more emotional side of losing or risking losing people via vampires is explored and there are some truly sad moments that nearly had me in tears and did a great job of reminding me as a reader of the serious and dangerous nature that the characters in these books face every day.

On a character basis, the leads truly shone. Quinn and Hunter had such sparking chemistry between them it wasn't hard to imagine those two together.  Not to mention how well they worked together whilst hunting vampires, which again seemed extremely ironic, but then these books are full of controversial relationships and events.

This honestly is the best book in the series (well a close tie with My Love Lies Bleeding) and as well as reading like a roller coaster ride it is seriously funny. And some of the witty dialogue had me doubled up laughing, especially the exchanges between the Drakes, Lucy and Hunter.
Seriously, if you haven't read any of these books yet, give them a go, you won't regret it!

Soulless by Christopher Golden

Target Audience: Adults
Genre: Horror/Zombies

It's taken me a while to write this because i've been so busy with work and various other things.

It goes to show that it made such an impact on me that i can still make a very clear and precise recollection on which to write my review.

Soulless is at a basic level, a zombie novel but there's a lot more to it than the generic dead creatures feeding off the flesh of the living, and for once there's a reason for it (instead of, oh yeh, i'm a zombie, i should therefore eat people)

In Soulless the dead are a result of a seance gone wrong (or so the main characters suspect) and they all start clambering out of their graves and trying to find their loved ones, attacking and feeding on anyone in their path.

There were two major things that made this novel stand out among all other zombie novels, and the first was the timeline. The amount of destruction and death that occurs is quite overwhelming, even more so when you realise that all this occurs in a day. Not a week, not a month and no where near a year. To me this made the disaster even more profound because anything that can change humanity and our way of living in less than 24 hours is a truly tragic event.
 
Secondly, the actual zombies themselves were different, some of which were so intelligent it was heartbreaking to witness them destroyed, and must have been even harder for the characters themselves.

One of the most profound scenes in the novel was the part with Sara and her dad because one of the most frightening aspects was that without souls, all thats left of the dead are memories and thoughts, any warm humanity is gone. As a result, some of the dead characters say some truly hauntingly awful things to people they cared about while alive.

With regards to the characters i found myself truly amazed by there capabilities, and equally horrified in some cases. And i found it fascinating to see how different people responded to the tragedy. Some of the so called weaker people seemed to cope better than the stronger ones. And some just lost it altogether and were all for doing anything (including murder) to stop the end, even without knowing the true cause.


In conclusion, this is a trully horrifying and breathtaking addition to the zombie genre that will have you thiking about it for ages after you finish reading it.  The ending is truly amazing and i never saw it ending the way it did. The main issue for me though, when all was said and done, was what does it mean to be human? because after seeing how some people behave in the face of tragedy, i think human is a descriptive word thrown around all to easily.

Code:Veronica (Resident Evil #6) by S.D. Perry

Target Audience: Adults

Genre: Horror

I've always been intrigued as to how this book would play out as i'm a big fan of the resident evil games and code:veronica is my favourite by far.

To me, it played out perfectly in book form. The suspense, horror, and even the romance was fantastically described.

It was also interesting seeing how they replaced some of the puzzles that would have dragged on in a book.

Character wise i couldn't have asked for better. Claire and Steve were portrayed very accurately and it was very easy imagining scenes from the game whilst reading it, and i didn't half cry near the end with that scene between them.

There were some accuracy problems, but nothing major that particularly stood out and although the end felt a bit rushed i can well imagine that if chris's part in the arctic had been played out fully, it would have dragged slightly, so i can overlook that.

All in all an brilliant example of survival horror with a suspenseful and romantic twist that fans of the resident evil games will love.

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Target Audience: Young Adults/Adults

Genre: Sci-fi/Romance/Horror

There's a lot of hype surrounding this novel and while it was very very good, its wasn't my favourite sci-fi/fantasy book of all time. Having said that, there is plenty to be said for it's originality.

My main complaint was the pace of the plot, especially at the beginning but it did slowly pick up, and in the last 100 pages or so, there was so much happening and so much action that i couldn't put the book down. As usual i'll start with a recap...

John is a seemingly ordinary boy at first glance but is in fact an alien from a planet called Lorien. Along with eight other talented children and there guardians, they were sent to earth to be saved from the invasion of their home planet by vicious creatures called Mogadorians. The problem is that the Mogadorians are hell bent on destroying those that escaped them, the only plus side is that they have to kill the children in the correct order because of a charm, and John (number four) is next.

I expected the this to be more tense and highly strung because of the story line, but for the first part of the novel it moved very slowly. There was a lot of scene setting and the past of Lorien, John and his guardian Henri came about steadly which admittedly was a bit of a relief in some respect because potentially this book if not done properly could have been major information overload, but as i've already mentioned, the pace was a little too slow.

The characters themselves were an interesting mix. It made a change to have a hero who was capable of making selfless and brave decisions but was also equally capable of being a bit of an idiot in some cases acting with a lack of thought.Henri, his guardian was a brilliant character and i loved the scenes between him and John, and some of them really sent the message of the importance of family and what it truly means.

As undoubtably, John considers Henri as his father, Sarah was also awesome, although i have to admit, she was guilty of what im now calling 'Irrational Acceptance Syndrome'(this means that said person hears something extraordinary about someone and just shrugs and goes ok without having an odd or otherwise weird reaction).

Her love for John was sweet and the focus, for once, was on the emotional aspect of attachment and love, as opposed to sex, which is all to often the norm in teen books at the moment.What i loved about the supporting characters such as Sam and Sarah is that they all got the chance to show how brave they were and it was nice to see the 'normal' people play a role in saving the day.

But my all time favourite character was...Bernie Kosar. That dog is so sweet and the most adorable and brave character in the book. I fell in love with that dog right at the beginning and i loved him still at the end! Never underestimate animals!

With regard to the general story, there were some amazing twists and some of the things that were revealed about Lorien and the Mogadorians were purely amazing.When the aciton really did kick off at the end of the book i have to admit i was majorly impressed and some of the events that occur had me stunned and turning the pages so fast because i was desperate to find out what happened next.That's not to say there's a lack of emotional impact because i sobbed through several pages and i'm not ashamed to admit it, as it was truly one of the most emotional endings i have ever read.

As with most good series, this one is no exception in ending in some form of cliffhanger, but not the sort that will leave you infuriated and immediately wanting to know what happens next, which i'm sure will be a relief to most people.Anyway, give this book a go, it's full of aliens, romance, snow, evil creatures and an adorable doggy!

The Dead by Charlie Higson

Target Audience: Older Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Horror/Dystopian

If you thought that The Enemy was very gory and frightening then this will terrify the hell out of you. Initially i thought this continued from the first in series, but it is actually a different set of kids from a different area, trying to escape to London, but a year before the events of the The Enemy. Don't get me wrong, the books are intertwined and things overlap slightly with some characters from the first novel appearing in this one, but in different ways.

In summary, The Dead is about a group of children who are at a boarding school in Kent at the time the infection starts and it begins with a flashback to the very start of the infection, with a youtube video, which to me served as a stark reminder of the modern time it't set in. Shortly after the outbreak, the boys at the school realise that there only chance is to leave their school and look for safety. Eventually, they decide on London and then the most terrifying, gory and emotional story i've read in a long time, begins.

If this one thing that makes these books so enthralling, it's the characters as well as the plot and Mr Higson is once again, not scared to kill off main characters. This in itself adds to the emotional impact when bad things happen. I found myself getting attached to characters only for them to die, and this really made me feel like my heart had been twisted and on one particular occasion i found myself in floods of tears.

The actual events roll along nicely and i loved how simply growm-up these children were in the face of disaster. Ultimately this book does score one for the kids of the world, showing them in a capable and responsible light, as they manage to get by without adults. Having said that, there is a bit more interaction with the adults in this novel and you get to find out a lot more about the infection and what causes some to get it, some not to and why different people react differently to the disease. The idea is very plausible and the setting is so modern that the possible realism of it scares me to a certain extent.

My favourite characters were Ed and Jack, i loved there complex friendship and how much they both change over the course of the novel. The way they dealt with things was very grown up and extraordinarily mature, probably even more mature than the adults if there were any sane ones left. I thought the story came together nicely at the end and it linked perfectly with the first book, this is most definately a must have for fans of the first book and of survival horror!

Changeling: Demon Games by Steve Feasey

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults/Anyone with an imagination
Genre: Horror/Fantasy

I love this series a lot and i couldn't wait to get my hands on the forth in the series. The start was a little slow but i really didn't mind because the pace picked up so much that i found myself barely able to put it down.

This installment picks up roughly where the last one ended with Alexa and her friend Philipa stuck in the netherworld, Lucien is on a mission of his own to discover why his fangs have grown back and what Caliban is up to. Of course unbeknown to him, while Lucien is seeking out the battle Angel; Moriel, Trey and Alexa are in more danger than anyone realises. Meanwhile, Caliban is up to something sinister that will ultimately cause massive trouble in both the Netherworld and the Human world.

One of the things i really enjoyed about this book was how much the story developed and the little things that were revealed along the way, both character wise and story wise. The story itself comes from several viewpoints which merge as it progresses. I found Trey and Alexa's viewpoints to be the most attention grabbing though as i watched their relationship develop and progress. Also, the idea of the games themselves were a genius idea and watching Trey deal with everything that was thrown at him really strengthened my respect for his character and i can't believe he went from that disbelieving young boy to a strong and heroic young adult.

Also, Alexa's adventures with the Ashnon were brilliant and for a creature who is a demon and can't feel love then i was rather surprised at it's loyalty towards her and Philipa. With regards to Lucien, his side of the story was truly revealing as i learned about his new developing abilities and changes that he had undergone since he was healed at the end of book two and i loved the friendship he slowly develops with Moriel (who is simply awesome by the way)

For those who have been wanting more romance in the series, there is definately a bit more in this book. And there's a few scenes between Trey and Alexa that made me feel all gooey inside. Truly, truly an awesome book for those who are fans of Horror, fantasy and a general good story. Brilliantly Imaginative.

Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil by Derek Landy

Target Audience: Kids/Teens/Everyone else
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Humour

As with most books that i totally love, i'm going to struggle to write a review, infact its taken me a few days just to finally put fingers to keyboard.

Mortal Coil begins around about half a year after the end of dark days. Valkyrie is trying to find out how to stop herself from destroying the world and they are still trying to establish a new Sancturary in Ireland. Meanwhile, there's a giant psychotic man in a metal mask running around murdering people. So in short, it's all action from the very start!


There are several things about this series that i love and the first of these is the characters. Stephanie/Valkyrie is one of the most amusing and headstrong female leads i've ever read about. She witty, sarcastic and yet loving and caring at the same time. Her emotional human side clearly has an affect on skulduggery and yet she can hold her own against most things that are thrown her way.
Skulduggery himself is still as funny and awesome as ever. I would love to be friends with him. And the way he converses with Valkyrie just borderlines hilarious in some instances. I loved how their friendship changed in this book, and you see how much stronger there friendship has become because of the events in this book. Fletcher is also just as vain and annoying as in dark days, but he displays a lot more of his caring/loving qualities in this book (particularly in that scene near the end of the novel with Valkyrie, awwwww)
With regards to the plot, it seemed somewhat darker in this novel, but then this is understandable considering that they are dealing with someone who can destroy the world. The atmosphere itself was terrifying and some of the events borderlined disturbing and i felt chills creeping up my spine just imagining what would happen if this actually happened in reality.
Having said that, there isn't any lack of witty banter and humour in this book and i found myself laughing a lot despite the darker tone. Whether it's the geniune laugh out loud funny parts or just the one liners and conversation from Skulduggery and Valkyrie, there's plenty to make you laugh.
On that note, i must confess this is one of the things that never ceases to amaze me about Mr Landy, his ability to blend laugh out loud humour with an adrenaline fuelled adventure/horror story. The guy is a genius (and his dedications at the front of the novel were amusing too!)

Anyway, in short. This is a twisty, emotional, frightening, funny novel that ends with enough of a cliffhanger (or several more like) to ensure that all readers (me included) will come back for more. Whether your 13, 23 (like me) or 103, this book is AMAZING!!!

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Target Audience: Young Adults/Adults
Genre: Horror/Fantasy/Romance

It's taken me a few days to write this because i wasn't sure how to start it and had 'review writers block' but i think i'm ready to tackle this now.

Lenah is a Vampire who for has been terrorising the mortal world for over 500 years, simply because she lost touch with her human soul when she became a vampire. Fueled by anger, grief and pain she spent 500 years inflicting a reign of terror on anyone she met.

Rhode, the vampire who turned her is her lover and best friend who, after realising the mistake he made in turning her finds a ritual to turn her human again. Although he manages it, it is at the cost of his life. The result is that a newly human Lenah finds herself in a modern world and all alone and having to struggle through her junior year of high school...

If there was one thing i loved about this book it was it's originality. So many vampire novels paint the vampire lifestyle as idylic and something to be longed for. In this case, it is often lonely, filled with murder, leaves the vampire feeling numb and without the sense of touch. Doesn't sound to amazing when put like that does it?

The other thing i loved was the authors ability to make you thankful for simple human things, such as the feeling of rain on your skin, or the feel of soft pillows and the warm touch of another person. It seems to me that so often in life we strive for something better, usually over looking the most amazing things that are already there. And this book highlights all of the simple things that can make us feel human.

The characters too were phenomenal. Lenah herself i can probably class as an anti-hero in the beginning. Some of the things she says shes done and attrocities she's commited really made me hate her. But as she grew more human and truly began to rediscover her soul and her human heart, repenting what she done, i truly grew to love her a lot more as a person.

Rhode, although he dies in the beginning, is a pretty much constant character throughout as Lenah flashbacks to her vampire days, and i loved his personality, which was so different to how vampiric Lenah's was.

Tony was another favourite of mine, he was deep yet happy and an original character, a true best friend to Lenah and an amazing affect on her in the personality score.

Justin was ok as the love interest although i feel there could have been more depth to him as i found i didn't know much about him or why he was suddenly capitivated by Lenah, but that is my only nag and certainly not worth deducting a star.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a good horror/romance/paranormal read. Filled with action, love, some brilliant twists that i never saw coming, and a truly heartbreaking cliff-hanger ending this will leave you feeling rather stunned but with a sense of what it truly means to be human.

Almost To Die For by Tate Hallaway

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Horror/Fantasy/Romance


***Contains Spoilers***

I loved this book a lot, it was funny, had a writing style that i love, twisted the usual approach to vampire fiction and included some pretty awesome wicca stuff as well. My only complaint, and it is one that impacted my overall rating, was that the ending seemed a bit rushed but i'll get back to that later in the review.

To summarise, Ana is turning 16 and is part of a coven of witches. On her birthday she is supposed to take part in innitiation in order to become a true witch. Ana is dreading it because she's never once been able to use magic and so knows she will fail. But nothing prepares her for the shock that she is infact only half witch...and half vampire. And not just any half vampire, but a princess.

One of the main reasons i liked this so much was it's original take on vampires and the fact everything got turned on its head. Instead of some misunderstood creature who claims to be innocent, they admit they are technically from a demon world (and are demons) the difference being is that the blood drinking isn't supposed to end in death.

There were other things turned on there heads to. Instead of the cliche vampires/werewolves fighting, it turned out to be vampires and witches and there were perfectly good explanations for it too, rather than simply 'just because they hate one another'.
A complex story between the two races is told and yet as a reader i could still see how someone from both sides would be of great benefit., rather than being on either side.

The characters were wonderfully complex as well. Ana made a refreshing change from your usual heroine, with her down to earth attitude and reasoning. For example, when confronted with a situation in which she knows she might cause harm, she walks away. And i loved her ability to think for herself and do what she wanted, despite others opnions.
Bea was another fave of mine, which is odd because she had her bitchy moments. This i found to be more realistic also. She was clearly a good friend to Ana, but no friend is flawless, and watching her behave like a bitch sometimes just added to the realism of her character.
No one, after all, likes a perfect person!
Nik and Elias were interesting as Ana's love rivals, but i have to admit i prefer Elias, as i find Nik to be a bit of a mysterious dark horse, not knowing where he stands. Elias on the other hand tends to be more straighforward, although only the sequels will tell i guess!

Ana's relationship with her mother was another point of interest for me. At times Ana's mother could seem really attentive and doing everything for her daughter, but other times she just seemed like she was up to something else, and i really didnt like some of the things she did to try and get Ana onside.
It is obvious that she cares for Ana and that she has her best interests at heart, but still, watching her and Ramses (Ana's father) argue over her destiny was a bit like watching a soap to some extent.
At one point i wanted Ana to tell them both to shut up and butt out and to let her make her own decisions, and i wasn't disapointed with how Ana handles everything, proving herself to be a very strong and capable person.

Finally i come to the ending. I have to be honest and say i loved this book but the ending was rather rushed. After such a brillaint beginning and middle and everything happening at a decent pace, i was surprised and found it odd that everything would be resolved in a few pages towards the end. I also find it difficult to believe that the leaders of the witch and vampire sides (who are both very strong willed by the way) would just go, ok lets have a truce.
This might all be leading to something in the second novel, but i dont know that so im basing my judgement on how i see things now. Having said that, part of the ending took me completely by surprise in such a way i laughed and was left quite stunned.

Overall though a really funny, romantic, original and pacey thrill ride of a novel.

Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

Target Audience: Young Adults/Adults
Genre: Fiction/Suspense/Romance/Horror


***Contains Spoilers***

I'm likely to ramble by reviewing this because this book is simply amazing in so many different ways, albeit heartbreaking, tear-jerking and utterly gripping as well.


I found this book different to so many others i have read, in several ways. One of which was that the author revealed major things that happen before they occur by flicking across different points in time. This, in so many other novels, would probably ruin the plot, but in this it works, adding to the tension and drama as you know that ultimately Katherine will have a her world torn apart.


Another aspect that i found interesting was when the perspective changed and the main character was telling the story as if she was no longer part of herself, stressing how painful the event that occured was for her, that she had to distance herself. I noticed the tone change instantly, and it was one of the chapters that had me in tears.


The characters themselves were utterly compelling to follow, especially Katherine as we learn more about her past and her relationship with her sister and parents, both before and after her sisters death. I found it truly heartbreaking reading the recount of her sisters brutal death, and as i have younger sisters of my own, i found it even more horrifying to read what happened to Rachel. By the end of the novel i was awed at her resiliance, she endures heartbreak after heartbreak and in the end still takes a chance on love, and that i think is a very beautiful and hopeful message.


With regards to Alice, despite the fact she appears nice at the beginning i still got the impression she was up to something, but never imagined the conclusion that came about. The major plot twist surrounding her part just never even occured to me until it was revealed and i was stunned.
However, despite how evil she is, as a reader i am forced to admit a lot of it backfired. If Alice hadn't meddled, Katherine would never have met Phillipa, Mick or Robbie and she might never have been able to finally get through to her mother and repair their distant relationship. So, although Alice does destroy so much and is ultimately 'Evil' her actions do end up causing some good.


Having said that though, she did re-define evil for me and i was left gobsmacked at the levels to which she stooped on some occasions, i had no idea people could be so callous and cruel with such ease.
Although, it is important to bear in mind, Alice too was suffering and we get a sense of that, and even her victims realise this and end up pitying her rather than hating her in the end, and it makes you wonder, how many evil people could have been changed and saved from themselves if someone had simply tried to get through to them before they become a lost cause?


One things for sure, this novel will prompt you to consider some deep questions about the nature of good and evil, especially as Alice never seems to consider her actions as evil, more justified than anything else. I do feel compelled to warn readers, this book does contain some extremelly upsetting and disturbing events that will effect different people on different levels.
I cried my eyes out, i was shocked, horrified and yet oddly touched by some of the happier and beautiful aspects of the novel.
This isn't overall depressing and there is definately an expression of moving on and hope towards the end and at various points throughout. And to me, i got a sense of an overall message that life does go on, that we can choose to either give up or continue despite what happens to us, and we all have choices to make, but it is up to us what we make of them.

A truly eye-opening and touching novel from a very talented author.

Jealousy by Lili St Crow

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Romance

What can i say about this book? Firstly, i rated the first two in the series rather differently. The first got a four but the second nearly got a three, only just saved with a four by the ending, needless to say though, i still enjoyed them and eagerly anticipated the release of Jealousy. In my opinion, Jealousy was simply the best of them all and earned the full five stars.

The story picks up not long after Dru and Graves arrive at the main Schola having just narrowly escaped being killed. Christophe has apparently vanished and Ash, the broken Wulf is now chained up as they try to get him to change back to boy form. But things aren't as they seem, and although she should now be safe, there seems to be a traitor in the midst who is hell bent on destroying Dru, the question is who is it that so badly wants Dru dead and why?

I found there was a lot more depth to the plot in this installment and a lot more action to the events and that in some places i was left awestruck with some of things that came to pass and i found myself hooked to the complex and ever evolving story.

As well as the supernatural side, there is also a tense psychological thriller undertone to the procedings as i was left to guess, as the reader, what was happening and try and figure out who was behind some of the disasters as they happen. On their own the clues are intriguing, but as it all comes together i had one of those 'ah ha!' moments, which is great because i love it when a great story comes together and explains itself.

The characters themselves do some major shifting in this book, with alternate sides to Dru, Graves, Christophe and Anna being shown. While mentioning this, i also feel compelled to say that i got introduced to a new level of evil in this book. I just couldn't get over how damn evil some people can be, it takes malice all to a new level and the title of the novel becomes immensely clear. Graves reveals more of his softer side and i even got a glimpse of his past and how he came to be who he is. Christophe is missing from a good proportion of the book and in honesty it worked better that way, as his entrance is damn awesome!

Dru herself certainly undergoes some changes as she nears blooming time and undergoes more training, and i loved the way she handles all the attention from a school full of boys. Also, her confident stance against anna was magnificient, expect some major cat fights and some rather good wars of words.

All this aside, the conclusion at the end of the story allows for a lot of things to be tied up but without completing the series. A lot of the things that were a mystery become clear and the cliffhanger ending has left me longing for the next in the series, i simply can't wait for book four!

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Horror

I finished reading this then went to read other people's reviews about this to see if my thoughts were similar, and I've noticed that the very thing that i found off-putting has troubled other readers, so i'm glad i'm not the only one. This main off-putting thing being lack of depth in characters and also the explanation of the world it's set in, although the character problem was definately the biggest issue.

Don't get me wrong, there were some major positives to this story, or it would'nt have gotten the three stars it did, all of which are for plot and originality. The plot itself was really well thought out and there were some amazing twists, not to mention some rather amusing jokes throughout. The ending was fantastic, and i wouldn't have seen it coming even if it had been coming at me like a car with blazing headlights, it was cleverly done.
With regards to originality, the author takes old ideas of vampirism and werewolves and gives them a sharp twist, i don't think i've laughed so much as i did at some of the were's in this story!

The problem, as i've mentioned, depth. I didn't feel that there was enough character building and as a result by the end i felt detached from the characters and the ending, though being fantastic idea wise, simply didn't move me as much as it should. Also, Quincie's relationship with Kieren also suffered this problem, as by the time anything happened between them i just didn't feel anything towards them.

Having said that, i still think i'll read Eternal as i'm curious to see what will happen in the rest of the Tantalize series, although i'm well aware that Quincie and Kieren aren't in it. However, if you love vampire/werewolf romances you should give this a go.

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Horror/Paranormal Romance


***Contains a Few Spoilers***

First of all if you haven't read My Love Lies Bleeding don't read the rest of this review, ok?...





Ok, so after the end of My Love Lies Bleeding with Helena now Queen, Solange now a vampire, we pick up about a week after Isabeau saved them all from Lady Natasha (the bitch of a vampire who tried to kill Solange!). In my opinion ending the last book with introducing Isabeau made perfect sense and going into her and Logan's POV was a stroke of genius and i loved the differing view points.

Before i go into what i loved about it however, i'll explain why it didn't grab my full five stars. The main reason was that there didn't seem to be as much of an adventurous plot in this, and the mysterious goings on, attempts to attack Solange and a failed assisination didn't seem to grab me as much, but this i think is because it was seen from Isabeaus and Logans POV and they were busy else where most of the time. I know this was necessary, but i like a good pacey adventure and more battles etc and there wasn't as much in this. I felt the main theme was Isabeau and Logan's relationship.
Right...the above point, while it did make it seem a bit slower wasn't all a bad thing at all, and i do think it added a lot of understanding to the races that got very little page time in the last novel.

Learning about Isabeau was fascinating, and the flashbacks to the French Revolution were brilliant, especially as this is something i know so little about. I found myself completelly absorbed by this flashbacks because i wanted to know more, and i could really imagine the horror of that time, it was written really well.
Logan, on the otherhand, there wasn't as much to learn as a lot of the family were covered in the last novel. However, it was interesting to realise why he's so different from his brothers and also how quickly he falls for Isabeau. Considering how many centuries apart they were born, i just love how the idea of fate can bring two people together (that's because i'm a soppy romantic!)

I was also happy that the characters from the first novel weren't forgotten, there were frequent mentions of Lucy, Nicholas, Kieran, Solange, Helena and Liam. If they'd been left out i would have been very annoyed as Lucy is one of my favourite characters of all time, she's just so weird, i'd get along brilliantly with her if she were real!

Anyways, all in all a wonderful installment and i can't wait until the next in the series. And hopefully Nicholas won't be locking Lucy in any more cupboards!

The Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda

Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults/Adults
Genre: Fantasy/Horror

***Contains Some Spoilers***

Ok, so at first i thought: How the hell is Sarwat Chadda going to top the genius that was Devil's Kiss? The answer, i'm not sure, but he managed to.

As with the last book, this follows Billi SanGreal as she deals with those that are deamed unholy (werewolves, vampires etc) only this time she's dealing with the heartache of killing her soulmate Kay with her own sword to save the lives of many. If that wasn't enough to deal with, three months after his death she finds herself embroiled in a plot that may cause the death of the whole world if it comes to pass. In an effort to prevent the disaster occuring, she travels to Russia in search of a goddess dead set on cleansing the planet with a volcanic winter.

I'm going to take an easy way in writing this review and list the reasons i love it because if i try to write an mini essay i know i'll miss something:

1. Plot - as with his first book the plot is inventive, and despite the sheer number of books involving werewolves, vampires and the like it still manages to stand out. For one, the werewolves aren't drop dead gorgeous nice guys, yet neither are they bad-guys and even the really so called enemies are multi-faceted and not straight forward evil. It's difficult to explain, yes there's evil in the book, but for once, as the reader, i got a very good explanation as to why (rather than your standard 'she/he is just an evil person') This aside, it also makes for a complex story, with more than one plot line running throughout the story. In some cases, multiple plots make for a confusing mix, yet in this case, they all merged and blended seamlessly making for a beautifully told adventure story with more than a smattering of horror.

2. Genre - With most books there seems to be one over-riding genre, but i found this wasn't the case with this book. Yes, the main element is paranormal/horror, but i also found this to be a comprehensive adventure story with a hint of romance.

On top of that, there was also Billi's search for resolution within herself as she tried to come to terms with the trauma she suffered months ago, these parts of the text made for emotional moments for me as a reader as she slowly learns to move on.

The horror aspect of it was quite gruesome at times, and so i'd warn against young teens reading it, as some of the death/fighting scenes had me exclaiming outloud. (My sister thought i was nuts when i started yelling 'Yuck, that's disgusting' rather loudy, especially since she was trying to read The Reckoning!)Having said that though, personally i love a good horror novel, and it wasn't the most graphic i've read by a long shot!

3. Characters - I think i've already mentioned a lot about Billi but i did discover a lot more about her. She demonstrates a more steely side in this book, with her determination to not feel and just get the job done. This made it all the more amazing watching her overcome the barriers she's put around herself, and also watching her learn to feel again for others.

Her relationship with her father was another interesting development since now i know he doesn't hate her and now there trying to built their relationship again.
This was one of the things i was wondering how it would be done as it would have been unrealistic for Arthur and Billi to be all hugs and cuddles constantly, and thankfully that wasn't what happened.
Arthur's affection for his daughter is obvious now that he isn't being all cold towards her to toughen her up, and i found their relationship realistic as they try to make up for lost ground and put things right.
Having said that Arthur still has his moments, but i love the references he now makes to Billi's mum, about how alike they are, now that he's not avoiding mentioning the past.

The other stand out characters for me were Ivan who, in his own way, is just as troubled as Billi and so similar he was the perfect person to make her face up to things and come to terms with the demons in her life, i thought he was awesome.

Vasilisa was brilliant too, even though she was missing for a good proportion of the novel, she was still eerily present with the all the references that were made to her, and she bacame a major figure in the events that occur towards the end.
The two main enemies: the dark goddess herself and the werewolf pack are much more multi sided than in a lot of the book's i've read, prompting the question, is anyone completely evil? The answer i won't reveal, needless to say you'll make your own mind up whilst reading it.

4. Ending - What can i say? It's not the ending i was expecting, and that's all i'm saying, apart from this: It will leave chills running down you spine.

Brilliant book, Full Marks :-)

Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh

Target Audience: Adults
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Horror

I put off reading this book for ages and now i'm not sure why because i truly loved it. I'll start with a summarising of the plot just incase your reading this with no idea what it's about.

Elena is a guild hunter liscensed to hunt vampires and return them to their angel masters. On returning one vampire to an angel she is given her next assignment which happens to be for the Archangel Raphael, a dangerous, terrifying and very gorgeous angel.

He needs Elena's abilities to help him track an archangel gone bad, but it becomes clear that things aren't that straight forward and to make things more complicated she finds herself falling for Raphael.

This may sound like your usual romance/fantasy story but you'd be wrong by a long shot. The characters are much more complicated and there are so many barriers between them i started to lose count, not to mention the fact that Raphael is an arrogant twit and Elena is as stubborn as they come, it makes for an interesting story

As raphael and Elena track the archangel the plot unfolds nicely, with information being revealed at just the right pace to entice the reader to read on but not slow enough to infuriate, and i found all my questions answered by the end (which is rare in most cases!) The fight scenes were extraordinary and i gasped on several occasions, i could almost see that final battle in front of my eyes it seemed to real, it would make an excellent movie!

The characters themselves simply came alive and shone for me. Elena was fiesty, stubborn and more than a match for Raphaels arrogance and the pair complimented each other perfectly. I also found their softening emotions for each other rather beautiful, and by the scene after the final battle i shed a few tears, it was one of those scenes that just got to me in a rather emotional way. Other stand out characters for me, were Sara, who i totally loved, her kick-ass loyal friend nature was brilliant and i wish i had a friend that loyal. I also loved illium (i hope i spelt that right!) or 'bluebell' as Elena names him. He was so cute and the bit with the 'fluffy duck' feathers had me laughing :-)

Simply put i can't praise this book enough, it's romantic, riviting, sexy, intelligent and adventurous. Nalini's risk at writing a completely different novel as paid off and i love the world she's created. I will definately be reading Archangels Kiss!