Wesley Chu

Wesley Chu is the author of The Lives of Tao a novel on symbiotic aliens in human hosts. His second book, The Deaths of Tao, is supposed to be released October 29, 2013 but there may be some hiccup. I think we can trust to get the next installment by the end of the year. The write-up that is currently on goodreads says the events are five years after those of The Lives of Tao, but that could also be subject to change since not much is being let out of the bag by either Chu or the publishers, Angry Robot.

Website: http://www.chuforthought.com/

The Lives of Tao

The Lives of Tao written by Wesley Chu is the story of Roen, an overweight middle-age man who hates his job and himself and Tao, an alien who resides within host bodies. Tao's task is to stop the Genjix, aliens like himself who intend to take over the world and rule humans. Tao's host dies one night whilst fighting the Genjix, and Tao is forced to find a new host. The only one available: Roen.

The first third of the book is quite amusing, mainly Tao reprimanding Roen for being such a huge slob and trying to get him fit and combat trained. His trainer is Sonya, a very attractive woman who has a good alien (Prophus) with her. Roen's roommate is stunned when Roen starts eating right, working out and hanging out with pretty girls. The novelty is portrayed really well.
The next third is a little boring, mainly why me, this is too hard stuff. The last third I didn't like at all. Lots of high-action fighting but not a whole lot of plot, and the timeline was hard to follow. The ending, which is supposed to be really sad, wasn't written as well as it could have been, and once again timing was a little difficult to understand.

I did enjoy the symbiotic aliens, and thought the good aliens and bad aliens teams were believable, but the rest of the book just didn't live up to the first third, progressively getting worse as you read more.

2.4 stars

Astarte

Ashley Parker Novels

The Ashley Parker Novels chronicle the adventures of... you guessed it, Ashley Parker. Ashley is a 29 year old liberal arts major at the university. Zombies attack her and her boyfriend on a picnic, when she discovers she is a wild card, immune to zombie bites and stronger than a normal human. She and the other wild cards have to fight the zombies to save humanity. A series by Dana Fredsti, it currently has 3 books in it:

Plague Town (1)
Plague Nation (2)
Plague World (3)

Happy zombie-filled reading,
Astarte

Unravel Me

The sequel to Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi's new novel has all the characters we loved in the last book, and a few more we come to care for.

Juliette has been brought into Omega Point, where she can claim sanctuary and not be tested like an animal. Omega Point now has a girl who can kill just by touching someone. But that's not her only superpower. In this installment, we get to know more about that superstrength of hers, and why Adam can touch her. But when the truth comes out, will she still be with Adam? Or is her touch poison to him too?

Then, another twist is thrown upon us. Warner, the evil SOB who can also touch Juliette, is captured and taken to Omega Point as a prisoner. Juliette is chosen to interogate him to find out where their missing men (and Juliette's new friends) are. But as Juliette spends more time with Warner, she starts to see him more as a person, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't hate him. Further straining the relationship between Adam and Juliette, Warner loves her, and can touch her. When a shocking revelation about Warner's father is made known to the main characters, the hate between the two boys explodes, and Kenji is hurt.
With suspicion around Warner, and everyone thinking Juliette harmed Kenji, what will happen to Omega Point, and who will Juliette choose?

I liked the twists in this book, haing read the previous novel I definately could not see some of what happened. This one really made me dislike Juliette though. I felt sorry for her in Shatter Me, and the first few chapters, but after that she was just... boring. All boo-hoo my life sucks, which was really grating considering she got what she wanted and was a hell of a lot better than when she was Warner's prisoner or in the mental institution. After Kenji yelled at her, she toughened up a bit, but would still have the occasional pity party. Personally, I thought the best character was Kenji, but we didn't get to see much of what he felt, although he was often mentioned. Therefore, I was interested when we got to learn more of his past.

Giving it a 3.7. Juliette really let down the book from what it could have been.

Read safely (that means remember to eat occasionally - don't starve due to engrossment in your novel of the moment)
Astarte

Dana Fredsti

Hey All,
On her website, Dana Fredsti describes herself as a 'novelist and screenwriter, B-movie actress (okay, C movie actress), zombie aficionado, exotic and domestic feline advocate, swordfighter, wine lover and beach glass junkie.' Perhaps she is or isn't, but her Plague Town novel, which I recently read, was very similar to the type of movies she acts in.
Hopefully, her other books are better. Speaking of which, here they are:

Ashley Parker Novels:
Plague Town (1)
Plague Nation (2)
Plague World (3)

Others:
Murder for Hire: The Peruvian Pigeon
Hell on Heels

She also has a psudonym, Inara LaVey, who writes erotica.

Dana Fredsti's website can be found here: http://danafredsti.com/home.html

Astarte

Plague Town

Hello everyone.

An Ashley Parker novel, Plague Town is the story of (who would have guessed?) Ashley Parker, a twenty-nine year old university student. Dana Fredsti's book is the equiavlent of a shoot-'em-up movie, with zombies thrown in.
There is a whole lot of 'I'm a normal person' that ends up in a government military position because, once again, who would have guessed, Ashley is immune to the zombie bites. In another totally-unseen plot twist, the hot jerk she met at the beginning of the book ends up being her boyfriend by the end since her previous boyfriend inconviently got eaten by zombies. Furthermore, the great big revelation at the end of the book -how the zombies started this time- could be worked out in the first three chapters. The second great big revelation comes about two thirds of the way through the book, and that you could have figured out by chapter 5. I was kind of hoping for a more mature character, considering her age, but Ashley reacts, sadly, like your average lame 'heroine' (read, I'm the main female character, but there are always men coming to save me) in current YA reads. Her only redeeming action as a character came with the cats (if you read the book, you'll understand)
A terrible plot, and it's never going to win literature awards, but it's ok as a quick entertaining read, much like a made-for-TV shoot-'em-up movie.

2 stars

Astarte

Christian Schoon

So, that awesome book I just recently reviewed, Zenn Scarlett? Well, here's a bit about the author, Christian Schoon.

According to something-beautiful.org who managed to score an interview with Christian Schoon, a large inspiration to his writing is all the animals he takes in for the many rescue and animal welfare groups he's part of. Most interesting thing on his bio (at least in my opinion) is the year he spent in Sweden as a foreign exchange student, which may seem normal to some, but Sweden sounds like a really cool (no pun intended) place :)
His debut novel, Zenn Scarlett, will be availble for download and purchase from May 7th. It's really fantastic, so go read it

Books:
Zenn Scarlett

His blog: http://www.christianschoon.com/

I have a feeling we'll see great things in the future from this author.

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Science Fiction

Love Science Fiction? You've come to the right place, because right here is every Sci-Fi book I've reviewed.

Zenn Scarlett

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Zenn Scarlett

Hello all!

First off, may I just say I LOVED this book. It was amazing. And as Christian Schoon's debut work, it's certainly nothing to sneeze at.

Zenn Scarlett, a seventeen-year-old girl, lives on Mars in a religious cloister. Currently training to become an exoveterinarian (pretty much a vet for aliens - typically very large or very dangerous aliens) she has three tests to pass before she can go onto the next part of her training. With the cloister facing possible shutdown, due to the townspeople's attitudes towards aliens, and suspected sabotage, will she be able to pass her tests to get one step closer to her dreams? And will the mind-melds she keeps having with the animals help or hinder her?

So, off to my review now. I've already said I loved it, but I'll say it again. I Loved It. This books was just the right amount of weird, with excellent descriptions of the all the aliens, so you can actually picture them perfectly. Upside of this, it makes for some amazing mental pictures whilst you're reading. Downside, I really, really want a rikkaset (a animal about the size of a cat, with violet tiger stripes and a cream body, a ringed tail, lynx ears, and big golden eyes. Rikkasets can also turn invisible and are as smart as chimps. Zenn's one, Katie, is learning sign language) odds are though, I won't get one :(
Zenn herself is a pretty great main character too. From the very beginning she is exceptional from those around her. She's possibly one of the youngest trainee exoveterinarians ever, she's training in a time when it's not popular to be an exo, as there is so much bad feeling towards aliens on Mars, she's dealing with the stresses of study for her exams (a huge workload, as you can imagine) along with her wierd mind-thing and sabotage of the cloister. And yet, she doesn't break down at any time, she just does what needs doing. Some might say that Schoon hasn't made her 'realistic' but I loved her. And her confusion was pretty clearly shown when she started thinking about Liam, a cute boy from town who seems to be pretty helpful whenever Zenn is concerned.

Now that you're all desperate to read it, it will be released on May 7th by Strange Chemistry, so you should definately all go buy it, or harass your local librarian until you get it. It really is worth it.

With the cliff-hanging ending I'm hankering for the next one in the series, which unfortunately does not as yet have a release date.

This book gets a 5.9 stars out of 5

Happy Reading (which if you read this book, you really will get)
Astarte

Gallagher Girls Series

Yet another series by Ally Carter, this one is about an exclusive girls' school: The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. At this prestigious education facility, the girls learn the basic necessecities for their future careers: languages, history, hand-to-hand combat, all things they'll need to know when they graduate as spies.
Follow Cammie, Bex, Liz and Macey as they complete their training, despite the distractions from boys:
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You (1)
Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy (2)
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (3)
Only the Good Spy Young (4)
Out of Sight, Out of Time (5)
Double Crossed (5.5)
Gallagher Girls Website: http://gallaghergirls.com/index.php

Enjoy,
Astarte

Heist Society Series

Good mornig everyone!

This series is about Katarina Bishop, the daughter of a con man with skills of her own. Her team of teenage crooks include her cousin Gabrielle, the Bagshaw brothers, Simon and Hale. Each with their own talents they 'acquire' things and give them back to their rightful owners.
Written by the talented Ally Carter, there is a tie-in with the Gallagher Girls series at Double Crossed.

Heist Society (1)
Uncommon Criminals (2)
Double Crossed (2.5)
Perfect Scoundrels (3)

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Ally Carter

Ally Carter is the author of two Young Adult series, Heist Society and Gallagher Girls. As well as this she has also has two adult books.

 

Heist Society:
Heist Society (1)
Uncommon Criminals (2)
Double Crossed (2.5)
Perfect Scoundrels (3)

Gallagher Girls:
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You (1)
Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy (2)
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (3)
Only the Good Spy Young (4)
Out of Sight, Out of Time (5)
Double Crossed (5.5)

Cheating at Solitaire:
Cheating at Solitaire (1)
Learing to Play Gin (2)

Ally Carter's website: http://allycarter.com/

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Double Crossed

Hi,
This time it's about Double Crossed, a novel by Ally Carter that that combines both the Heist Society series and her other young adult series, Gallagher Girls. Both W.W. Hale the Fifth and Macey McHenry are at an exclusive charity ball, being bored out of their minds, when suddenly there's a hostage situation. Will her spy skills and his crminal knowledge be enough to save the day, or will the Calloway Canary diamond be stolen?

I liked the way the two series were woven together in this book. It showed both the strengths and weaknesses in their different fields and how the two different skill sets can complement each other. I think Kat's blubbering about Hale was kinda cute too :)

This gets a solid 4.2 stars

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Perfect Scoundrels

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I haven't blogged for a bit. Life got pretty hectic. Anywho, today is all about Miss Ally Carter's thrid novel in the Heist Society series: Perfect Scoundrels.

Kat Bishop is pretty happy. Hale is her boyfriend (finally), she's far happier with her restealing jobs, and her team is one of the best, filled with teenage geniuses. But in the middle of an operation, Hale leaves. Turns out his grandmother (the only member of his family he actually liked) has died... and willed the multi-national Hale Industries to him. Is this an elaborate con? And how can Kat save the company and keep Hale?

I found this book ok... I thought the Hale-Kat relationship swings were too often, and the reasons for them forgiving each other and getting back together each time not really fleshed out enough. Same also for Hale. We're told he's sad, and people are worried about him, but we don't get a lot of descriptions on it. I did like the end result though, it seemed a lot more life-like than the usual impossible thing to break into/con people to believe ending. Not sure what was up with the Niagra Falls and Uncle Eddie...

3.5 stars

Happy reading all,
Astarte

Dark Guardian Series

Good what-ever-time-it-is-where-you-are all!

The Dark Guardian Series is (at the moment) four novels depicting teenage werewolves and their relationships. Each book focusses on a different couple, and also has one challenge that affects the whole pack as well. Written by Rachel Hawthorne, the characters are believable and the werewolf lore is interesting (I particularily like the reason why girls transistion before boys) and different from other books in this genre.

Moonlight (1)
Full Moon (2)
Dark of the Moon (3)
Shadow of the Moon (4)

Keep reading,
Astarte

Rachel Hawthorne

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Rachel Hawthorne is a young adult and adult writer who was born in England, but moved to Texas later.
Her book include:

Dark Guardian Novels:
Moonlight (1)
Full Moon (2)
Dark of the Moon (3)
Shadow of the Moon (4)

Love Stories: Year Abroad Novels
London: Kit & Robin (1)
Paris: Alex & Dana (2)
Rome: Antonio & Carrie (3)

Others:
The Boyfriend League
Thrill Ride
Love on the Lifts
Caribbean Cruising
Snowed In
Labor of Love
Suite Dreams
Island Girls
Nick & the Nerd
The Older Guy
The Crocodile Who Was Afraid of the Water
Trust Me (First Kisses 1)

Psudonyms: Lorraine Heath and Jade Parker

Her website: http://rachelhawthorne.net/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Moonlight

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

A Dark Guardian Novel, Moonlight, penned by Rachel Hawthorne, was recent;y devoured by myself. The basic storyline is that Kayla, an adopted child who's parents died in the forest that she's come to work as a guide in. She's attracted to the mysterious Lucas, who is the leader of the sherpas, as they call themselves. As they lead a research team into the middle of the national forest where they hope to find proof of werewolves, strange things start happening that jeopardises those in the party. Then there is the beautiful wolf who comes to Kayla at night. What does it all mean, and will these researchers really find werewolves in the park?

When I picked up this book, I was kind of hoping the main characters would be over 25, simply because this usually mean sit has more in the book than the main challenge that must be overcome and relationship building. Well, it's about teenagers, and there is plenty of tension between the two main characters, Kayla and Lucas, and the second half of the book is mainly about solving the problem. There is some work done to set up for the sequels, but not a whole lot, and parts that should have gotten more attention, such as the bear-wolf fight and when Lucas deals with his brother, were let down by the half-a-page descriptions.

Good ideas, but could have been written better
2 stars

Happy Reading,
Astarte

Charmfall

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Book 3 in Chloe Neill's series the Dark Elite finally managed to get off my to-read shelf and into my currently reading one (I love Goodreads).
Lily Parker, an Adept with firespell is all psyched up to go to the school dance with her werewolf boyfriend. There hasn't been a lot of activity lately from the Reapers, so the only thing on her mind is her dress. Then, when an attack happens at the school, Lily's powers are gone. Who's taken all the powers of the Chicago Dark Elite, and why? And can Sebastian be trusted to help?

This book was engrossing enough to pull me away from the daily worries, but not so much that I had to finish it before I did anything else. The relationships here are done really well, much better than the first two books (in my opinion) There's the tension between Lily and Jason when the Sebastian issue is brought into the open is really good, and seems true to the characters. I also like what happens with Veronica. Either she subconsciously knows that she owes Lily, or Nicu is just a good influence (I know, we're all laughing) but she seems a whole lot nicer in this book. As a character, I think she's got a whole lot of potential, particualrily when we learn why Nicu is drawn to her.

According to Chloe Neill's website, there are 'no current plans for a fourth book.' I think the series still had a way to go, but maybe she'll come back to it later :)

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Children

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Generally, these books will be for the 8-13 age group. They do have chapters and aren't picture books. Just so you know.

Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Artemis Fowl Series

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Artemis Fowl is (at the beginning of the series) a 12-year-old Irish boy who happens to be the heir to the Fowl Estate, worth millions, since his father is missing and his mother is going through some psychological issues. Artemis also happens to be a child genius, and he comes up with brilliant schemes that include fairies. Artemis Fowl is the creation of Irish children's author Eoin Colfer.

Artemis Fowl Series:
Artemis Fowl (1)
Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident (2)
Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code (3)
Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception (4)
Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony (5)
Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox (6)
Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex (7)
Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian (8)
Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Eoin Colfer

Good whatever-time-it-is-where-you-are, fellow book-devourers!

Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) is an Irish author of predominately children's books.

Artemis Fowl Series:
Artemis Fowl (1)
Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident (2)
Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code (3)
Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception (4)
Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony (5)
Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox (6)
Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex (7)
Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian (8)

Benny Shaw Series:
Benny and Omar (1)
Benny and Babe (2)

Legend Books
The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth
The Legend of Spud Murphy
The Legend of the Worst Boy in School

Other Books:
Airman
The Supernaturalist
The Wish List
Half Moon Investigations


For Older Readers:
Plugged
And Another Thing: Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Part Six of Three


Website: http://www.eoincolfer.com/


Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

The Eternity Code

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Artemis returns to us in the third book of the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. Artemis, being the far-too clever child he is has created an amazing little electronic device that is pretty much all your current ones put together. Personal computer, mobile phone, mp3 player, as well as all those necessary 'optional extras' such as satellite tracking, hacking and instant download from any device whether DVD, phone or cables in a building. This C Cube, as it's called, is a hybrid from the Fairy technology he stole some years ago mixed with a little bit of his own work. Artemis calls a business executive so he can make money. However, the C Cube is stolen and Butler is injured. It's vital to get the C Cube back, otherwise the Lower Elements will be exposed, but how can he do that without Butler?

I liked it. When I read about what happened to Butler, I was all 'no, not Butler!' I'm glad Artemis managed to do what he did, but I wish it had been done later in the book, so the suspense over Butler was drawn out a little longer. But hey, maybe for the age group this book is aimed at, it was too long. I did like the inclusion of Juliet though. I'm looking forward to see where she goes.

3.8 stars

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Rachel Vincent

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Rachel Vincent is the author of the Soul Screamers series, Shifters series and the Unbound series. My favourite part so far from looking her up to write this post is something on her website, which you find here, which is she 'remains convinced that for every day she spend writing, one day will be added to her lifespan' I like the originality of that.

Unbound Series:
Blood Bound (1)
Shadow Bound (2)
Oath Bound (3)

Soul Screamer Series:
My Soul to Lose (0.5)
My Soul to Take (1)
My Soul to Save (2)
My Soul to Keep (3)
Reaper (3.5)
My Soul to Steal (4)
A Day in the Afterlife of Tod (4.1)
If I Die (5)
Never to Sleep (5.5)
Before I Wake (6)
With All My Soul (7)
Shifters Series:
Stray (1)
Rogue (2)
Pride (3)
Prey (4)
Shift (5)
Alpha (6)

On top of all these, she's also got stuff in a bunch of anthologies.

Rachel Vincent website: http://www.rachelvincent.com/
An older blog, last updated July 2012: http://rkvincent.wordpress.com/
Her new blog: http://www.rachelvincent.com/blog/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Soul Screamers Series

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

This is the Soul Screamers series, with the main character being Kaylee Cavanaugh, a bean sidhe (banshee) who is learning about her powers and the myriad dangers of the Netherworld. To help her is a reaper, a male bean sidhe and other characters, some whom are friendly and some... not so much. This series is the brain-baby of Rachel Vincent.

My Soul to Lose (0.5)
My Soul to Take (1)
My Soul to Save (2)
My Soul to Keep (3)
Reaper (3.5)
My Soul to Steal (4)
A Day in the Afterlife of Tod (4.1)
If I Die (5)
Never to Sleep (5.5)
Before I Wake (6)
With All My Soul (7)

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

My Soul to Save

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

My Soul To Save by the talented Rachel Vincent, is the story of young teen popstars who make deals bartering their souls for fame and fortune. Enter Kaylee Cavanaugh and Nash Hudson, young bean sidhe (banshee) who are determined to save the popstar's souls from eternal torture by a demon of avarice (greed).

I liked this book. I didn't like it as much as I could have (possibly because I've been reading way to many of the literary classics recently and am becoming a book snob) but it was still worthwhile reading. I particularily liked the end of the book. The conclusion was really, really sad, but it was the right ending for the book. If it had been a happy-happy la-la ending, it would have left a horrid aftertaste, because it would have been wrong.
This is the second book in the Soul Screamers Series. If you liked this one, try the others.
3.8 stars

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Justina Chen Headley

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Justina Chen Headley is a Taiwanese-American fiction writer. Her works include:

North of Beautiful
Girl Overboard
Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies)
Return to Me
The Patch

Her blog http://justinachenheadley.blogspot.co.nz/ is old and hasn't been updated for a while, but if you're interested in some of the older stuff she's done, it ends at about 2010
http://www.justinachen.blogspot.co.nz/ is updated more regularily and is her current operating blog.

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

North of Beautiful

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

This book by Justina Chen Headley is absolutely freaking amazing. Terra Cooper is beautiful in the tall, blond killer-body way. But she has a large birthmark on her face. North of Beautiful documents Terra's journey to find self-acceptance, whilst also exploring race identity and how important familial support is.

 I know, it kinda sounds like some sad sob story that wins lots of awards and ends up being studied for English and completely and utterly wrecked for it. But it is some incredible writing, and throughout there are many parts that I identified with, and I believe there's something for everyone in there. Plus (as if this book needed anything else) it talks about geocaching, which I had no idea existed. Pretty much it's like hide-and-seek for grownups (though kids can do it too) with a GPS. I love it, and this book got me hooked. If you're interested, Opencaching has a beginner's guide to it and more information.
A full 5 stars

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

What are you looking forward to?

Hey everyone!

It's almost halfway through February, and my how time has flown by! How are you all doing with your new year's resolutions? One of mine was to join a team sport, and I'm looking forward to our first training next week. Not doing as well as I'd like on the rest of them, but it's a work in progress.

I'm also looking forward to putting up some more reviews of books I've read up here. There will be some works from Louisa May Alcott, P.C. Cast, some more from the brilliant Christina Henry and one of Ron Koertge's novels. Hopefully you're as excited about these as I am.

Good luck with sticking to your resolutions, and make sure you check here often for updates. Just seeing the page views each time I update the blog gets me all happy inside, so spread the happiness and come back often. :)

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Carol Goodman

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Carol Goodman is pretty cool. Why? Because she knows Latin (I think antiquated languages are interesting). Also, she has a bunch of awesome books under her belt, and more still under her psudonym, Juliet Dark

Her books include:
Arcadia Falls
The Night Villa
The Sonnet Lover
The Ghost Orchid
The Drowning Tree
The Seduction of Water
The Lake of Dead Languages

And her website can be found at: http://carolgoodman.com/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Juliet Dark

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Juliet Dark is the psudonym of author Carol Goodman.

Her books include:

The Fairwick Chronicles:
The Demon Lover (1)
The Water Witch (2)
Tha Hallowed Door (3)

And her website can be found here: http://julietdark.com/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

The Water Witch

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

The Water Witch, book 2 in the Fairwick Chronicles penned by Juliet Dark, has Callie caught between promises she made to various people. These promises threaten to tear her her friends away from her. Whilst fighting for the people she's grown to care about, their is her own strange powers to be dealt with, and handsome strangers are popping up all over the place more than happy to help. When all's said and done, which way will Callie's heart turn?

Loved it. A brilliant sequel to The Demon Lover, it has Callie making up with Liam again, which was great. It also expands on Fairwick and some of its unique problems and history, which builds upon the setting and makes it seem more real. The relationships here are exquisite, with the right amount of tension and sweet moments to make them perfect.
4.9 stars

Now just waiting for The Hallowed Door (book 3) which won't be out until Septemeber.

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

The Fairwick Chronicles

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

This is a trilogy (I'm kinda hoping a lot it'll be like Christopher Paolini's trilogy, as in, more than three books, this series is so great) detailing the events that befall Cailleach McFay (pronounced Kay-lex) when she moves to the town of Fairwick, a place filled with witches, wizards, fairies, demons and other fey creatures, as well as the garden-variety humans and a few in on the secret.

Written by Juliet Dark, this series has very quickly become a favourite of mine. I truly hope book 3 comes out soon.

The Demon Lover (1)
The Water Witch (2)
The Hallowed Door (3)

The Water Witch will be published in about two weeks, but we'll have to hang out until September for The Hallowed Door.

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

The Demon Lover

Greetings, fellow book-devourers!
The Demon Lover, book one in the Fairwick Chronicles by Juliet Dark, tells of Cailleach (pronounced Kay-lex) McFay who accepts a teaching job at a university in the middle of nowhere. Soon after arriving in Fairwick, Callie starts having erotic dreams. The local witches (who happen to consist of  her dean, a colleague and the inn-keeper) intervene and banish the incubus who had possessed her. So why does Callie think something's up with the new professor?

 I really liked this book. I ended up stopping everything and just reading it, with the old 'I'll just finish this chapter.' Yeah... I finished the book first :) I like how  there is an obvious good guy and bad guy in the beginning, but by the end it starts to get greyer as Callie experiences more. I'm so glad I have the second book, The Water Witch, as I'm really excited to see where this goes.

4.8 stars

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Perfect Chemistry series

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

The Perfect Chemistry series follows the Fuentes brothers as they all fall in love with girls who keep them on the straight and narrow. They then have to go up against gangs so they can love the people they want to.

This series is written by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry (1)
Rules of Attraction (2)
Chain Reaction (3)

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Young Adult

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Want some Young Adult novels to tide you through? Look no further, because here are the ones I've reviewed:

Rules of Attraction
North of Beautiful
Perfect Scoundrels
Double Crossed

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Simone Elkeles

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Simone Elkeles writes teenage fiction. Some of her series are included below:

Perfect Chemistry Series:
Perfect Chemistry (1)
Rules of Attraction (2)
Chain Reaction (3)

Her website can be found here: http://simoneelkeles.com/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Rules of Attraction

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Book 2 in the Perfect Chemistry series written by Simone Elkeles. This second book has Brittany and Alex appearing again, but as supporting characters to Carlos and Kiara.

Carlos was fired after protecting a fellow workmate from sexual harassment, and his mother sent him to live with brother, Alex. Carlos wanted to stay in Mexico with his mother, so he could work and look after her. Instead he's forced to go to school. His gang affiliations soon catch up with him, and he's set up to look like a drug dealer. By court order, Kiara's family takes him in, and soon Kiara and Carlos are fighting an attraction that could break their hearts.

I didn't like this one as much as the first. Here the 'forbidden love' is trying to make an appearance, but unlike with Perfect Chemistry, there's no reason why they can't be together. There also isn't as much of the gang violence as in the last one. Whether I'd like this one more if I hadn't read the first one, I don't know. I give it 2 stars.

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Angel Sight

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Angel Sight is a series about Rayna, who is crazy because she sees angels. After one shows up at her school trying to stop suicide murders and confesses what he is to her, her belief in her sanity is restored. With the help of an angel and a fallen angel, Rayna must protect her family and classmates from a threat worse than she could imagine.

A Shimmer of Angels (1)
A Slither of Hope (2)
A Matter of Time (3)

Written by Lisa M. Basso, the first book was pretty great. A Slither of Hope doesn't come out until January of 2014 though, so we all have a bit of waiting to do.

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Lisa M. Basso

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Lisa M. Basso is the author of the Angel Sight series, the first which came out pretty recently. The rest won't be out for ages though :(

Angel Sight series
A Shimmer of Angels (1)
A Slither of Hope (2)
A Matter of Time (3)

Her blog can be found here: http://lisa-basso.blogspot.co.nz/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

A Shimmer of Angels

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso decribes Rayna, a teenager who was commited to a mental asylum because she can see angels. Out, and desperate to be normal, she meets the new student at her school, Cam, who has wings. After convincing her that she's not crazy, Cam and Ray start looking for the fallen angel who is murdering her classmates. When Rayna stumbles upon Kade, she immediately suspects him. But is he the killer, or an ally?

I enjoyed the little bit of reality that is in this book. It seems more real because Ray was considered crazy, where as other books in the supernatural genre always have no one discovering anything unless it's because the supernatural told them. Ray's reaction to Cam when they first met was another highlight. Ray actually has a little bit of sense, instead of relying on luck like other main female characters. I enjoyed the characters and the plot, but I think Ray's Kade-Cam dilemma wasn't handled as well as it could have been. There could have been more interaction between Cam and Ray, other than 'oh, he's got wings and is nice to me. I'm totally head over heels about him.' Whereas there is a lot of interaction between Ray and Kade. I also like the, well I won't call it a twist, as it wasn't written that way, but the part at the end that none of the characters can explain, I liked that part, but it could have been written as a twist, and as such would have made it seem more significant.

Overall, 4.3 stars

Book 2 of the Angel Sight series, A Sliver of Hope, is expected to be published in January of 2014. Guess we'll all have to hold out 'til then to see where this goes next.

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Fantasy

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

These are the fantasy novels that I've reviewed so far:

The Lady of the Sorrows

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Cecilia Dart-Thornton

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Cecilia Dart-Thornton write Fantasy novels, and her writing has been compared to J.R.R Tolkien. A wrning for new readers of hers though, she uses alot of unfamiliar words, so you might want a really good dictionary at hand if you want to understand every word.

Bitterbynde trilogy:
The Ill-Made Mute (1)
The Lady of the Sorrows (2)
The Battle for Evernight (3)

The Crowthistle Chronicles:
The Iron Tree (1)
The Well of Tears (2)
Weatherwitch (3)
Fallowblade (4)

Dart-Thornton's website: http://www.dartthornton.com/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

The Lady of the Sorrows

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

The Lady of the Sorrows, book 2 in the Bitterbynde trilogy penned by Cecilia Dart-Thornton, took me a couple of days to read, but read it I did, and here's the verdict:

Complicated. I've read some of Dart-Thornton's other works,and this one rings true with the others. The plot is tricky, but foreshadows just enough to keep you proposing how it might work out. But be warned, if you intend to read any of her works, have a very good dictionary kept nearby at all times. Some of the passages, especially those used for setting up scenes, use lots of unfamiliar words. I liked it though. This wasn't one of those books I could just fly through, I had to stop and pick up something lighter at times. Never the less, I enjoyed it, and give it 3.5 stars.

Imrhien, a scarred mute with no past, has finally made it to White Down Rory and been treated by the carlin (wise-woman) there. With a face and a voice, she heads off to the capital, hoping to give news to the king about treasure, and also see Thorn, the handsome ranger she fell for. There are a lot of twists, most of which were pleasant surprises, but it rings true to life, where nothing can be predicted absolutely. For a heavier fantasy read, I'd definitely recommend this

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

The Bitterbynde trilogy

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

The Bitterbynde trilogy, a series by Cecilia Dart-Thornton, is the story of a scarred mute with no memory of their previous life before the drudgery of Isse Tower. They run away from their servile life, and the revulsion of the other servants, looking for a face and a past. Many misadventures follow which end up fulfilling all the wishes.

The Ill-Made Mute (1)
The Lady of the Sorrows (2)
The Battle of Evernight (3)

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Young Adult Supernatural

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Here are the Young Adult Supernatural books I've reviewed thus far

A Shimmer of Angels
Charmfall
Hexbound
Moonlight
My Soul to Save

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Hexbound

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Hexbound, the second book in the Dark Elite series by Chloe Neill, has recently ended up on my to-read pile. The basic storyline is Lily Parker, a junior at a prestigious girl's boarding school in Chicago, discovers the magic underground where teenagers battle to protect the city and finds she has magic powers.

This novel had a storyline that was as tangled as Lily's emotions. Neill has Lily and Scout focusing on way to many things, and nothing is given enough weight to really make it necessary to the plot. Of course, if you got rid of all the things in here that aren't necessary, they'd be no book. Jumping from vampires, to wierd fangy creatures, to secretive parents, and budding relationships, the plot is sacttered at best.
I really hope some of the scenes from this book tie in to future books, otherwise there's no much unneeded text in here, that not only goes nowhere, but doesn't lend any weight to character developement, understanding of the setting, or subtle clues to answer the vital question that the Adepts have, which we know is there, but aren't sure just what it is.

Overall, 2.5 stars
Book three, Charmfall will soon be given a review here, with a rather belated one for Firespell, book 1

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Dark Elite Series

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

This is the Dark Elite Series written by Chloe Neill. It follows Lily Parker, a 15-year-old whose parents leave her at a swanky girl's boarding school when they get a research opportunity in Germany. Lily stumbles on the magical underground of Chicago and discovers that she has powers too. Lily, and her new best friend Scout, must protect the citizens of Chicago from the Dark Elite - those who take human energy to fuel their magic.

Firespell (1)
Hexbound (2)
Charmfall (3)

Let this give you a taste of Chloe Neill, and bust that boredom for books

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Chloe Neill

Hello, fellow book-devourers!
This is a short list of some of Chloe Neill's works

Dark Elite Series
Firespell (1)
Hexbound (2)
Charmfall (3)

Chloe Neill's website: http://www.chloeneill.com/

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Black Wings Series

Written by Christina Henry, these books follow Madeline Black, an Agent of Death who must battle for her freedom and those she loves

Black Wings (1)
Black Night (2)
Black Howl (3)
Black Lament (4)
Black City (5)
May this series leave you no longer bored for books!

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Urban Fantasy

Black Lament
The Water Witch
The Demon Lover

Hopefully these will whet your appetite for Urban Fantasy, and bust that bored for books feeling!

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Christina Henry

Black Wings Series
Black Wings (1)
Black Night (2)
Black Howl (3)
Black Lament (4)
Black City (5)

Christina Henry's website: http://www.christinahenry.net/

Get your fix of Christina Henry, guaranteed to cure any bored for books symtoms!

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Black Lament

Hello, fellow book-devourers!

Just gobbled up Black Lament by Christina Henry. This is the fourth book in the Black Wings series starring Madeline Black.

Gabriel, her husband, has just been murdered in front of her and Maddy's grief stricken. Her strength to carry on is mostly because Lucifer (yes, THAT Lucifer) her many-times-over-grandfather reveals that she is pregnant. Never-the-less, there's a blood price on her head that the fairy courts are more than happy to try to claim, her father, Azazel, to extract vengeance upon, Agents to rescue, old enemies to reconcile with and her Agency gig to keep track of through space-time portals, all whilst trying to figure out how she'll raise her child.
In short, Maddy's a pretty kick-arse heroine.

I cried at the end of the last book in this series, Black Howl, and was hoping for more of that emotive writing in this one. I didn't get it though. Maddy's emotions are mostly pushed to the side in order to survive all the battles that she faces. What emotion is in there is rather poorly written, being rather obvios such as complaining of hormones, stating that she is sobbing, and many, many comments on how confused she is about Nathaniel.
This isn't to say that the book was bad. There was still lots of wit that left me howling with laughter, and plenty of action. I just would have liked a bit more grief over Gabriel.
The characters stayed true to the most part. Maddy has changed a lot since Black Wings, but you couldn't expect anything less. Nathaniel had some character depth building scenes, which will be quite interesting to see where that goes.

Overall, 4.5 stars

Book 5, Black City, will be released on the 26th of February, 2013. Until then, there are new books being put up, so you won't be bored for books!

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte

Welcome

Rather excited as this is my first post in my new blog. Hopefully there will be many to come.
Until then, stay tuned, because the first books are coming up, so you'll no longer be bored for books!

Many witty ripostes,
Astarte