Review: Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson

Title: Royal Street
Author: Suzanne Johnson
Series: Sentinels of New Orleans #1
Publisher: Tor
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 04/10/12
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco’s job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.

Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans’ fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters.

While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now, the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering the soldiers sent to help the city recover.

To make it worse, Gerry has gone missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ’s new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and for the serial killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter gumbo.

Plot: 3 Stars
I really enjoyed the idea of Old Orleans and the historical dead. They were definitely interesting ideas that were unique to the city. The wizards and their different sets of powers were also interesting, but I wished their powers could've been explained a little more. DJ's powers were explained throught the novel as she needed to use her powers, but we didn't learn nearly as much about the other Congresses. I enjoyed how the plot of the novel was woven into the events of Hurricane Katrina, although there were a couple parts in which the historical details overshadowed the fantasy.

Pace: 2 Stars
The first half of this novel dragged. While I enjoyed the information about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, it sometimes overshadowed the plot. Some of the details involving the storm, the aftermath, and the clean-up could've been worked into scenes a little more seemlessly. Plus, I felt DJ went a little too long in her search without getting a break. Don't get me wrong, I definitely wouldn't want the answers to all of her problems handed to her with no work, but I also don't want her to flounder with no new information for so long that I want to put the book down. Once DJ started getting a couple leads in her search for Gerry, the pace of the novel picked up and kept me hooked until the end.

Characters: 3 Stars
DJ is a likeable heroine still trying to figure things out. She's young, still training, and hasn't been given missions of merit. After Gerry disappears during the hurricane, she was a bit out of her element without his guidance. Some of her decisions were a bit hasty, but she does start to get the hang out being on her own. I wish I could've learned more about Gerry because the picture DJ painted intrigued me. Alex, the enforcer sent in by the Elders, was definitely rough around the edges socially. He rubbed me (and DJ) the wrong way when he showed up. They worked together, even if their goals aren't exactly the same, and got along better as the story progressed. My favorite characters were definitely the historical dead, and I wished their parts could've been a bit bigger.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
There are many elements about this cover that I enjoy. I think the choice of cover model was a great match for DJ, and I really enjoy the way her hair is blowing about. The staff and the glowing details are a great touch, especially since I enjoyed how the staff followed DJ around throughout the book. The orange hues of the cover somehow convey the effect of magic very well. Although the streetlight and building in the background are a nice touch, they are a bit generic. Considering this novel doesn't just take place in New Orleans, but New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina, I kinda wish a little bit of the hurricane's distruction could've been captured.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel for review from the publisher.

Review: ReVamped by Ada Adams

Title: ReVamped
Author: Ada Adams
Series: Angel Creek #1
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 02/19/12
Reviewed by: Sara
Summary:

A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
The vampires in this novel were a nice spin on the myth. There was just enough creativity to make them stand out against many other vampires, without them seeming too far-fetched. I also liked a lot of little details about the world the author created. There were some parts of this novel that read a bit more adult Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Young Adult (mostly the drug that gives the user vampire powers), but considering Dawn was a bit older than your average YA main character it worked. This novel had a few twists and turns I was expecting, but also a few that caught me off-guard.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
It took me a little to get into this novel. There were some punctuation inconsistancies (mostly the lack of quotations when a character spoke multiple paragraphs of dialogue) that I had to get used to while reading. Plus, the first half of the novel unfolded very slowly. It wasn't until I was around sixty percent through the novel that the action really started to grab me. One thing that really slowed this novel down was the dialogue. I'm all for characters explaining things in the place of paragraphs of descriptions, but the dialogue was often very wordy and sometimes ended up sounding more like a lecture than a casual conversation.

Characters: 2.5 Stars
I didn't really connect with the characters in this novel, because I feel like I didn't get to know them that well. I didn't get a lot of anyone's past, and therefore didn't always understand their motivations one hundred percent. I learned the most about Dawn, the main character, but some of the information was shared really late in the novel. I would have understood her and her choices a little better had some details been shared earlier. Ethan's character seemed to be there just to move the plot along at some points. Sebastian was a very intriguing character, but was a little too mysterious. The four recruits were a very odd mix of characters, but I liked them together and wish I could've learned more about them.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
This cover is very striking. I like the position of the cover model. You only get to see half of her face, but her expression grabs your attention. The purple is very bright and saturated, but still balanced. I like the cracked glass in the background. It fills the empty space without drawing the eye from the cover model. My favorite part of the cover is the font. The backwards letters are very interesting and unique, and the embellishments to the font are perfect. The necklace is an interesting addition, but its position is a little strange. It's sitting too high on her neck and off to the side.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel for review from the author.

Mini-Review: The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen

Title: The Mephisto Covenant
Author: Trinity Faegen
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 09/27/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger -- she is an Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx’s biggest threat.

A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant -- God’s promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he’s finally found the girl he’s been searching for: Sasha.

With the threat of Eryx always looming, Jax knows he has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?

Mini-Review: I'm always a little hesitant when religion is wrapped up in the paranormal aspect of a novel, but this one sounded very interesting. Lucky for me, while it was a novel about good vs. evil, it was in no way preachy. I really enjoyed the Anabo, Mephisto, and Eryx; it was a fresh addition to Paranormal Young Adult. There was just a lot of information that about them that bogged the pace down at certain times. Also, due to Eryx's influence, many characters came across a little flat. I really enjoyed Sasha and Jax, but there was a lot going on around them. The cover is a beautiful image, but it's one in a bunch of YA covers featuring a teenage girl in a fancy dress that the main character may or may not wear.

Plot: 3 Stars
Pace: 3 Stars
Characters: 3 Stars
Cover: 3.5 Stars
Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Mini-Review: Tempest by Julie Cross

Title: Tempest
Author: Julie Cross
Series: Tempest #1
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 01/17/12
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy... he’s in college, has a girlfriend... and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies –- nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors –- it’s just harmless fun.

That is... until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit... or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly... and possibly the entire world.

Mini-Review: I really wanted to love this novel, but there were so many aspects to the time travel that wasn't explained, or just glossed over. And with all of the time jumps, it was a bit confusing at times. Jackson wasn't a very likeable character, and I would've liked to have learned more about present Holly and Adam than the ones he interacts with more in the past. While the cover is a very striking image, it doesn't acurately portray how the characters travel through time. The biggest disappointment is that the ending of the novel led me to believe that book two is going to follow the New Moon Effect, meaning Jackson will have to leave Holly to save her. It's just a bit too predictable.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
Pace: 2.5 Stars
Characters: 2.5 Stars
Cover: 3.5 Stars
Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I won an ARC of this novel through Goodreads.

Review: Slayers by C.J. Hill

Title: Slayers
Author: C.J. Hill
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 09/27/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Dragons exist. They’re ferocious. And they’re smart: Before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant, so their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it –- these “Slayers” are descended from the original knights, and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a smart but spoiled senator’s daughter who didn’t sign up to save the world.

The dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands. The Slayers must work together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall in love. But will they survive?

Plot: 3 Stars
I really wanted to love this novel. The premise was fantastic. There aren't nearly enough urban-fantasy-esqe novels that include dragons. But I found the lack of details a bit disappointing. The reader get the basics as to how the slayers came to be and what the different abilities are, but many of the hows and whys were left unanswered. A few too many details are just taken for granted by the characters. Even while Tori is still learning about her destiny and questioning things, there are some details and history that I wanted her to question, but she did not. Those details aside, this novel was still very interesting. The different powers the slayers possessed and the training they went through were interesting. My favorite parts were the prologue and the last chapter. The prologue gives a glimpse of how evil the dragons can be and leaves you wanting to know more while Tori is finding her way. And the last chapter drops a bit of a bomb. It's not quite a cliffhanger, but it did leave me wanting to know what happens next.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
This novel moved a bit slow for my taste. Life at camp moved at a pretty slow pace while the slayers practiced and showed Tori what was going on. There were entire chapters dedicated to smaller, more trivial events that could've been wrapped up much quicker, like when Tori runs off to get her hair fixed after getting the majority of her ponytail burnt off. There were quite a few times in which the smaller details of every day life were blown up into much bigger scenes than they needed to be. It also threw me off a little when the point of view of the novel changed. The majority of the book was from Tori's perspective, but every now and then there would be a chapter all in italics that was a different point of view. It was normal enough the first couple times, when the point of view only changed to Jesse. But it seemed a little forced when the point of view jumped to a couple other characters.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
Some of the characters in this novel were definitely developed more than others. I really enjoyed the more developed characters, like Tori and Jesse. I wanted to like the less developed characters, but I really didn't get to learn that much about them. Many of the slayers tended to stay in the background, only coming into the spotlight when their powers were needed. Tori was a very interesting main character. She straddled the line in regards to being a bit spoiled. The author did a good job of making sure the reader could still relate to her and not think of her as a spoiled brat. I really enjoyed that she was vulnerable as she began to practice with the slayers. She didn't learn how to use her powers and fight overnight, which made her feel a bit more real.

Cover: 3 Stars
The dark green of this cover is my favorite part. The color really fits a novel about dragons. The yellow color of the title pops against the dark green and continues the dragon feel. But the font itself chosen for the title is a bit too masculine considering about half of the slayers are female, and the novel is mostly from Tori's point of view. The dragon egg used as the focus of the cover fits the novel, but doesn't really draw the eye. It's a little hard to tell what the item is or to distinguish details at a quick glance. I would've rather the cover included a real dragon and maybe a couple characters. This cover is just a bit too generic and doesn't give off enough of a dragon vibe to grab your attention.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel for review from Authors on the Web.

Review: Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Title: Bad Taste in Boys
Author: Carrie Harris
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 07/12/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Someone’s been a very bad zombie.

Super-smartie Kate Grable gets to play doctor, helping out her high school football team. Not only will the experience look good on her college apps, she gets to be this close to her quarterback crush, Aaron. Then something disturbing happens. Kate finds out that the coach has given the team steroids. Except... the vials she finds don’t exactly contain steroids. Whatever’s in them is turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless, flesh-eating... zombies.

Unless she finds an antidote, no one is safe. Not Aaron, not Kate’s brother, not her best friend... not even Kate...

It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.

Plot: 3 Stars
My favorite part of the novel was the twist on zombies. I liked that the zombie virus was spread via a steroid given to some of the football players. I really enjoyed the internal struggle Kate had in regards to actually admitting what was happening was indeed zombies. She often referred to it as the "z-word" and didn't want to say it. Aaron, Kate's crush, gets caught up in all of the mayhem as Kate is trying to figure it out, and it felt like he accepted what was going on a bit too quickly and without enough questions. The ending of this novel definitely caught me by surprise, but I felt like a few things wrapped up a little too nicely.

Pace: 4 Stars
I read this novel in one day, while on vacation, so I think it's safe to say that the pace was pretty good. The novel was on the shorter side, but it didn't feel rushed. There was no downtime for Kate once the steroids were given to the football players. A couple scenes, including the pancake breakfast at the high school, added a bit of much needed humor as the zombies were going around biting everyone. This was one of those rare novels that sped by as I was reading.

Characters: 3 Stars
Kate was a very interesting character. I liked that she was a bit more of a nerd than the typical Paranormal Young Adult heroine. Her love of science was a very interesting character trait, and ended up helping once the zombies were loose. Her seizures also added some depth to her character. I've never read about a character that suffers from seizures before, but I really enjoyed Kate. Other than Kate, the rest of the cast of characters in this novel were a bit flat. Kate's brother added some humor when he was around, but we didn't get to learn much about him. Her friends at school didn't have big parts and we only learned what Kate tells us about them.

Cover: 3 Stars
This cover confused me a bit. I would have never guessed it belonged to a zombie novel without reading the jacket. The main focus is a set of lips that is covered in what looks like sugar. While the zombies in this novel do bite each other, sugar-covered lips never come into play. There was never a point in which any character's lips were focused on for any reason. But it is a striking image that makes you want to know more. I really enjoyed the title. The font was a great choice because it kinda looked like it could've been Kate's handwriting. I also liked how the color of the title echoes the color of the lips behind the sugar.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Review: Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Witches of East End
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Series: Beauchamp Family #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 06/21/11
But the Book:

Summary:

The three Beauchamp women -- Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid -- live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret -- they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil.

Plot: 3 Stars
For the first three-quarters of this novel, I was left thinking at the end of every chapter, "Where is this story going?" It seemed like a lot of nothing was happening in this small town on Long Island. The three main characters had their own mostly separate storylines, and they didn't seem to be going anywhere. There was some mystery elements here and there, but no progress was made for the majority of the novel. And then, with about seventy pages left, everything started to tie together. I wish the author hadn't waited so long to tie all of these plotlines together, because it left the end feeling a bit rushed. Also, I was completely confused why a couple characters from the author's Blue Bloods series needed to crossover. Their appearances seemed completely arbitrary to the story, but maybe it'll make more sense in future books.

Pace: 3 Stars
Every time the pace would start flowing really well, the author would change points of view. I understand that the point of view needed to change between the three main characters due to their separate storylines (that would eventually come together). But the actually points in which the point of view would change was like a mini-cliffhanger over and over. Sometimes they were even less like cliffhangers and more like cutting a scene in half into separate chapters, and then pushing a chapter or two from a different character's point of view in the middle. It took a while to get used to the jumping around that the author did throughout the novel.

Characters: 3 Stars
Freya could have been a very likeable character if it wasn't for some of her actions. I just couldn't get past her trangressions, even when we learned a bit more near the end of the novel. Ingrid, her sister, was probably my favorite character. She was a librarian and I really resonated with her love for and care of the books. Joanna, their mother, was a strange character. I never connected with her, but I think it's because she had a lot less face time as compared to her daughters. There was a lot of family history that was alluded to, but never explained all that much, which I found kind of frustrating.

Cover: 3 Stars
This cover looks too much like the covers for the author's Blue Blood series. While there was the tiniest bit of crossover in regards to characters and the two series are in the same world, I think this novel could've had a cover that stood out against her YA books a little more. Since this cover looks so similar, some may confuse it with a YA novel and it's definitely not. Otherwise, I do not have a problem with the cover. The angle of the cover model is unique, and her eyes really draw you in. The pink leaves were a very rich, saturated pink that draws the eye away from any book it's shelved near. I do not know which sister the cover model is depicting, but maybe future covers will help clue me in.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Review: Renegade Angel by Kendra Leigh Castle

Title: Renegade Angel
Author: Kendra Leigh Castle
Series: Harlequin Nocturne #95
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 09/01/10
But the Book:

Summary:

It's been thousands of years since Raum's angelic wings turned from white to black, and the Destroyer of Dignities and Robber of Kings never looked back. These days he's also on the outs with Hell and works with a motley crew of ex-demons on a new mission: snuffing out lesser demons and their half-human progeny.

Raum's latest assignment brings him to a small Vermont town -- and a sweet, funny half-demon, half-human he'll risk everything to save. Ember Riddick stirs him as no woman ever before -- and she holds the key to what Lucifer will move Hell and Earth to prevent: his team's redemption.

But Ember's secrets are as dark as Raum's midnight wings. And their fate may leave them entwined... but destroyed...

Plot: 4 Stars
My favorite part of this novel was the lore surrounding the angels and demons. I liked that it wasn't tied to religion for the most part, but some of the players were still recognizable. I really enjoyed the demons (or fallen angels) that were trying to repent for their falls and help out the angels. Although this is a common theme in many paranormal novels involving angels, I liked that these fallen angels were sort of like hired assassins. Except they were hired to help out the good guys. And they weren't trying so much to be good, as they just wanted out of the underworld.

Pace: 3 Stars
This novel started off with a bang and drew me in almost immediately, so it was a bit of a bummer when the pace hit a kink after a couple chapters. Right when it looked like everything was really going to hit the fan, there were a number of chapters in which there wasn't a lot of plot progression. The main characters were in hiding, and there wasn't much more than that happening. Everything picked up again as plot finally came together for the epic showdown at the end, but there was a couple points where I almost put the novel down. I'm glad I didn't though, because there was a couple twists and turns that I wasn't expecting that really redeemed the novel in the end.

Characters: 3 Stars
Ember and Raum's interactions and the progression of their relationship came across very realistic. They didn't rush right into bed, and actually butted heads at a couple points. They were also very interesting characters, each with their own demons from their past to deal with. The rest of the cast of characters seemed a bit glossed over. Besides the other fallen that Raum was working with, we didn't learn that much about anyone else. A lot of the politics of the Underworld were glossed over, and their motivations weren't always apparent. A number of these characters were interesting, and I wish we could've learned a bit more about them.

Cover: 3 Stars
My eye is immediately drawn to the male cover model, and what looks like a mullet. On closer inspection, it is actually part of his wing sticking out behind his head. I'm not a mullet fan, and it still looks like a mullet every time I look at it. But other than that, I've got no issues with the male cover model. The female cover model, on the other hand, doesn't really embody Ember's characters. I envisioned her being a bit younger, smaller, and definitely a bit more innocent. I understand that this is a romance cover (and it definitely reads romance), but Ember wasn't constantly throwing herself at Raum like the cover elludes to.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I bid on and won a signed copy of this novel from the author via Operation Auction.

Review: Almost Final Curtain by Tate Hallaway

Title: Almost Final Curtain
Author: Tate Hallaway
Series: Vampire Princess #2
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 05/03/11
But the Book:

Summary:

Craving the spotlight is in her blood.

Ever since high school student Anastasija Parker discovered she was vampire royalty, her life has been sort of crazy. The half-vampire- half-witch just wants some normalcy, and trying out for the spring musical seems like the perfect fix.

But when the ancient talisman that stands between vampire freedom and slavery to witches is stolen, Ana has to skip rehersal and track down the dangerous artifact before someone uses it to make this year's curtain call her last...

Plot: 3 Stars
I was drawn back to this series due to the unlikely fued between witches and vampires. Normally, it's werewolves and vampires that don't get along, so this fued is very interesting. Although a bit more history about the fued was introduced in this novel, there is still so much about the two races and their dislike for each other that needs to be explained. There were some unexpected twists and turns in this novel, both in Ana's school life and her supernatural personal life.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
This novel mostly flowed at a great pace, which worked out for me because I only ended up with two days to read it once I picked it up (due to someone else having it on hold at the library). There was a point around three quarters of the way through in which I was wondering what all of these scenes were leading up to. Some of the scenes didn't seem to make sense. But everything came together at the end with a bang.

Characters: 2.5 Stars
The characters were a bit of a disappointment in this novel. I felt like none of them really grew or evolved throughout the novel. Some even seemed to move backwards a bit, act less mature than they did in the first novel. Bea, in particular, confused me throughout the novel. She was supposed to be Ana's friend, but many of her actions said otherwise. She seemed to be working against Ana at some points, but without being privy to her motivations, it just left me wondering what happened to the Bea I met in the first novel. Both sides, witches and vampires, seemed to be tug-o-warring with Ana throughout the novel, but keeping her in the dark as they did so.

Cover: 3 Stars
The white background with such a pale cover model just washes her out even more. I understand that the main character is a half-vampire, half-witch, but the white background makes her look pale enough to be a ghost. I also wish that her hair wasn't covering one of her eyes, because the two different colors (one blue eye, one brown eye) really drew my attention to the first novel's cover. On any other cover, the hair would really work, but I really wanted to see the quirky eyes. It made you want to know more about this character, because you knew she would be different. I did like the use of the red on this cover though. It works well with the blue used on the first cover.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Review: Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Title: Rage
Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 04/04/11
But the Book:

Summary:

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was... different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade -- a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.

Plot: 3 Stars
After reading Hunger, the first novel in this series, I was excited to see what Jackie Morse Kessler would do with Rage. I knew I wanted to read it when I found out it would deal with another tough subject, self-injury, because I would be able to draw on my own experiences while reading. I really connected with Missy and felt what she was going through while I was reading the novel. One part of the novel I didn't completely understand though, was how everyone was so cruel to Missy about her scars and wounds. Maybe I was just lucky enough to not experience the aspect of self-injury in which the entire student body finds out, but I couldn't believe how harshly all of the students in the novel reacted. I guess I expected more than just Missy's best friend to be the only one sticking by her side. But I love the way the author subtley weaves the paranormal aspect into the story. And although the ending isn't exactly what I expected, it did wrap up in a satisfying way.

Pace: 3 Stars
For such a short novel, it felt like it took me a pretty long time to read it. I was on vacation at the time, but we weren't doing vacation-y things all day long. I found that throughout the novel, there were a lot of ups and downs with the pacing. There were a few big, emotion scenes but the smaller scenes between them weren't enough to keep me going. I found myself putting this novel down numerous times in between these big scenes, instead of reading through the smallers scenes to the next big scene. It wasn't until the last third of the novel that the pace picked back up and didn't slow down again.

Characters: 3 Stars
Teenagers can be very mean and judgmental, and the author does a fantastic job of making the teenagers in this novel feel very real. I enjoyed Missy as a main character because I could relate to her from my own experiences as a teenager. Because of this, I feel like I connected with Missy more than I connected with the main character of Hunger due to my lack of experience with eating disorders. Death was once again a very interesting character. I love how the author alludes to him looking and acting like a certain rock star, without ever coming out and saying whether or not Death actually is said rock star. It was interesting to see the other Horsemen, Famine and Pestilance, although I didn't completely understand all of Pestilance's actions. I'm hoping a future novel will clear up some of the confusion. The parents and other grown-up figures didn't work out as well for me. Missy's parents came across slightly robotic. I feel like they should have noticed a little more of the dynamic between Missy and her sister (that they strongly disliked each other), instead of just brushing it off and telling them to kiss and make up. I also didn't completely agree with how the soccer coach dealt with a certain situation.

Cover: 4 Stars
The simplicity of this cover is what works so well. The sword gives you an idea about the content of the novel, without giving away too much. The font choice lets the imagery speak for itself instead of overwhelming the cover. All too often, novels with very short titles will over embellish the title to make up for its lack of length, but the simplicity of this novel's title really lets the sword speak for itself. The colors of this novel also work very well. The color choices work well with the sword, while still giving the cover a dark and moody feel that fits the novel. The shine of the cover works well too. I think that the cover wouldn't work nearly as well if the cover was in a matte finish. The colors wouldn't be as saturated, and the cover wouldn't be as dark.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Review: Demons are a Girl's Best Friend by Linda Wisdom

Title: Demons are a Girl's Best Friend
Author: Linda Wisdom
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 04/01/11
But the Book:

Summary:

A bewitching woman on a mission...

Feisty witch Maggie enjoys her work as a paranormal law enforcement officer -- that is, until she's assigned to protect a teenager with major attitude and plenty of Mayan enemies. Maggie's never going to survive this assignment without the help of a half-fire demon who makes her smolder...

A hotter-than-sin hero with an agenda...

Declan is proprietor of an underground club and busy demon portal. No way he'll allow his demon race to be blamed for the malicious acts of some crazy evil Mayans. But he's already got his hands full when the sexy witch offers him a challenge he can't refuse...

Plot: 3 Stars
This novel was one of those that suffers from the blurb on the back of the book not matching so well with the actual story that is read. Sure, everything mentioned actually happens, but there was a point where I wondered if they had put the wrong blurb on the back. The Mayan plotline wasn't nearly as involved as I thought it was going to be, which was a bit disappointing because it was one of the main reasons I picked the novel up. Basically, the blurb leads you to believe that the majority of the book is going to be the described events, when in reality these events didn't really start taking place until about halfway through the novel. The first half of the novel was a lot of set up between the characters, plus a number of scenes that played a large part in the plot and probably should've been mentioned in the blurb. By the time I finished, I really had enjoyed the novel. I just couldn't get over how long I was sitting there reading, wondering when the Mayans and teenagers would come into play. Outside of this fact, the author wove a great world where numerous paranormal creatures interact. And I always love paranormal law enforcement agencies. They tend to happen more in Urban Fantasy, so it was great to see one highlighted in a Paranormal Romance.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
Along with the strange blurb leaving me wondering for a while, the first half of the novel was a bit slow. I'm sure a part of it has to do with waiting around for certain plot elements that were promised. But I think a larger part was due to the amount of information the author shared about the world, the characters, and the law enforcement agency. Some of these details that were given to us right up front, could've been spread throughout the novel a little more. It seemed like the author wanted to make sure we had all of the information in the first half, so that the second half could focus more on the action. But the beginning ended up a bit muddled with a lot of long descriptions. Once the plot really took a turn in the direction that the blurb promised, the pace picked up and it was a race to the end.

Characters: 3 Stars
Maggie was one kick ass chick! I actually wondered at time if this novel would have a happily ever after (since it's a romance) because she was such a strong independant woman. Her powers were also very interesting. I've read many novels that included witches, but this was my first where all of the spells are little rhymes or phrases that are made up on the spot. They were silly without being cutesy, perfect for Maggie. I didn't really care for Declan at first because I had trouble connecting with his character, but he grew on me as the book continued. I wish we could've learned more about his powers as a fire demon. He rarely used them. The teenager they were tasked to watch wasn't as rambunctions and rebellious as I expected from the blurb, but I really enjoyed that plotline and her character, so I'm glad she was more toned down. The smaller characters that Maggie worked with were a wide variety of creatures, and I hope we learn more about them in future books.

Cover: 3 Stars
I'm not the biggest fan of the outfit worn by the cover model, but it is described in the novel, so I like that the cover artist picked up that detail. I also liked the bar detail in the background. The cover model's pose is great. It really gives her a kick ass vibe. And I love that she's looking away from the reader. It allowed me to picture Maggie how I wanted, and hinted at a bit of mystery. The model chosen for Declan was not how I pictured him at all though. My favorite part of the cover is the title placement and font choice. A long title like this could've easily taken over the cover with the wrong font, but this title stands out without detracting from the cover itself. My one problem with this cover is that I've seen it before, from the same publisher no less. One month early, on March 1st, Sourcebooks released Taste Me by Tamara Hogan, and the covers are eerily similar. It looks like another image taken from the same photoshoot, with small details such as hair color digitally changed. I can totally understand using multiple images from the same photoshoot for multiple books in a series, or years later with more drastic changes. But to use such similar images two months in a row just bugs me a little.


Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Review: River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Title: River Marked
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 03/01/11
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Summary:

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River -- one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...

Plot: 3 Stars
I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me, but this installment of the Mercy Thompson series just didn't do it for me. I have disliked Adam from the very beginning, and this novel was just too much Mercy and Adam for my liking. It started to feel very romancey, but not in the usual Paranormal Romance way. It felt like the novel after the HEA (happily ever after). The novel started off with a wedding, which doesn't really fit into an Urban Fantasy unless something paranormal attacks during a wedding in my eyes. It was nice to learn more about Mercy's background, but it didn't make up for the lack of the majority of the cast being present. Sam was absent for the entire novel, although after Silver Borne, this may not be a bad thing. The majority of Adam's wolf pack is absent, save a few of the larger characters. And don't get me started on Stefan. At the end of Silver Borne, Stefan's world is thrown into choas. At the beginning of River Marked, lets just say it's still chaos. Mercy makes a big deal out of the state of things, but then she leaves and Stefan is barely mentioned again, even though things still aren't great. Maybe the next book will address this, but if it doesn't I'm going to have to divorce myself from the series because Stefan is my favorite character.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
The pacing of this novel was my biggest issue. It seemed like the first ten or eleven chapters were all talk and no action. And then the action in the last two chapters was finished so quickly, it definitely didn't make up for the lack of action throughout the rest of the novel. I feel like the talking and the researching and the planning could've been spaced out so that there was action inbetween all of the chat sessions. Instead, the book felt split up into two parts: the detail part and the action part. There were a few chapters that moved so slow, that I feared I would have to return this novel to the library without finishing (or risk late fees) because the due date was approaching and I wasn't making much progress.

Characters: 3 Stars
Even though a number of regulars are absent or present for only a short time, we are introduced to a number of new characters while Adam and Mercy are off camping. Although these new characters served multiple purposes (to help Mercy learn more about her heritage, and to help defeat the evil in the lake), some weren't as developed as others. Coyote had a different way of looking at things, and was probably my favorite new character. He was snarky and mysterious, and used very unconventional methods to figure things out. Gordon Seeker was also mysterious, but it was more of an annoyance. Although he did come through in the end, he definitely rubbed me the wrong way.

Cover: 3 Stars
This was the weakest cover in the series for me. Whether the cover model is laying on the ground, or leaning against the wall, the pose and the expression on her face reads a little streetwalker to me. The biggest thing missing is the details. All of the covers up until this one have had so much relevant detail included. But this one only includes the cover model and some sort of large symbol. It stands out from the other five due to so much of the background being the same. Some trees, a lake, and some Native American art would've made a much more interesting and detail-oriented cover. But I do love the cover model. She embodies Mercy's character so well. And I love her tattoos. I like how she has the pawprint tattoo that Mercy actually has, and how the rest of the tattoos change depending on the plot of each book. I'm always able to look at the tattoos on the cover and know if the book will focus on vampires, werewolves, fae, etc.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Review: Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Title: Dead Witch Walking
Author: Kim Harrison
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 04/27/04
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Summary:

The underground population of witches, vampires, werewolves -- creatures of dreams and nightmares -- has lived beside humans for centuries, hiding their powers. But after a genetically engineered virus wipes out a large part of humanity, many of the "Inderlanders" reveal themselves, changing everything.

Rachel Morgan, witch and bounty hunter with the Inderland Runner Services, is one of the best at apprehending supernatural lawbreakers throughout Cincinnati, but when it comes to following the rules, she falls desperately short. Determined to buck the system, she quits and takes off on the run with an I.S. contract on her head and is reluctantly forced to team up with Ivy, Inderland's best runner... and a living vampire. But this witch is way out of her league, and to clear her name, Rachel must evade shape-changing assassins, outwit a powerful businessman/crime lord, and survive a vicious underground fight-to-the-death... not to mention her own roommate.

Plot: 3 Stars
Being very late in starting this series (book one has been on my TBR shelf for around two years), I had high expectations after all of the praise and love I've seen online. It almost pains me to say that I found this book to be a bit disappointing. There was a lot of potential, but also room for improvement. This novel included a number of things that I really enjoyed: an interesting way that the paranormal came out of hiding, paranormal creatures that aren't as widely used in UF (such as leprechauns and pixies), and unique details about the spells that Rachel Morgan puts together. But there were also things that I didn't enjoy as much. A number of aspects to the story seemed repetitious. There are only so many times Rachel can be afraid of Ivy, and she seemed to use the same basic plan numerous times. Plus, it was a bit confusing as to why the I.S. would take a contract out on Rachel. It's explained that it has happened, but I never quite understood their reasoning. All in all, despite these flaws, I will give book two a chance to see if the series improves.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
I feel like about one hundred pages could've been stripped from this novel and it would've read much smoother and more concise. There just seemed to be so much detail about every little thing. There were also a few points that I refer to as info-dumping, in which Rachel bombards the reader so much information about the world. This was a very slow read. It took a bit longer than average to get into this novel, and it also had a couple moments where my attention waned for a bit before being drawn back in. The repetition seemed to play a part in the slow pace as well.

Characters: 3 Stars
Rachel was an interesting character, although she seemed a bit jumpy. I liked the details included about the spells she crafted, but I felt like a bit of her history was missing. It seemed like there wasn't enough information about her past to allow the reader to truly understand her motivations. Hopefully, future novels will give a better glimpse. Ivy was even more mysterious than Rachel. I feel as if I didn't learn anything about her or her motivations. At some points, it seemed like she was there solely to keep Rachel slightly frightened at all times. Jenks was by far my favorite character. I don't think I've even read a book with pixies before, and after reading this book, I think there should definitely be more pixies in Urban Fantasy. He had spunk, he had attitude, he had a sense of humor. Plus, his loyalty to Rachel and Ivy was very strong.

Cover: 3 Stars
Although the outfit Rachel is wearing on the cover is accurate, she wears in on a job in the very beginning of the novel, it doesn't fit her personality or what she wears for the majority of the novel. I liked the detail put into the handcuffs on her belt. The charms on the handcuffs catch the eye, and are also described within the novel. The mansion in the background looks a bit scarier than the feel of the actual mansion within the novel. The only thing about the cover that I do not like is the brushstrokes that stand out, that tell you it is a painting. Normally, something artistic like this would be a positive thing, but since the rest of the novel include photographs of a cover model instead of paintings, it leaves this novel to stand out and not match the rest.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I received this novel as a gift.

Review: Married with Zombies by Jesse Petersen

Title: Married with Zombies
Author: Jesse Petersen
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 09/01/10
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Summary:

A heartwarming tale of terror in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.

Meet Sarah and David.

Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they're on the verge of divorce and going to couples' counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things -- the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat.

Meet the Zombies.

Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn't mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

Plot: 2.5 Stars
I was a little let down by this novel. The tagline on the back cover reads, "A romantic comedy with... BRAAAINS!" But this novel didn't come across as much of a romantic comedy for me because there wasn't much humor to it. There were a couple of interesting scenes that bordered on funny and a couple of one-liners, but I definitely wouldn't consider it a romantic comedy. It felt more like an Urban Fantasy or Horror novel about a zombie apocalypse. The only thing that set this novel apart from the majority of zombie novels and movies was that the main characters were a couple whose marriage was on the verge of divorce. While it was interesting to see how the couple dealt with the apocolypse, the zombies and the apocolypse did not seem all that unique.

Pace: 3 Stars
The beginning of this novel was a quick and easy read. The action grabs you from the very first page, and doesn't let go. As the characters rush around and try not the get eaten, the pace of the novel keeps up without feeling rushed. But at about the halfway mark, things start to slow down just a bit. And a couple scenes start to feel a bit repetitive. There's only so many times the zombies can sneak up on a person before it gets a bit monotonous. Although my interested did pick back up when Sarah and David ran into some humans that were just as freaky and dangerous.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
Sarah and David were an interesting couple. This was the first paranormal novel I've read that involved a married couple, let alone one that wasn't all that happy together. Their relationship's dynamic was probably the best part of the novel. Wondering whether or not they would survive the zombie apocalypse divorce-free kept me reading. There were also a number of strange people they met along the way. Considering they didn't stay in any one place for much time, the people they came across were pretty well-rounded for acquaintances. Amanda, their neighbor, was one of the few characters that stuck around for more than a chapter, and although she was a bit naive, she did help the couple out for a while.

Cover: 3 Stars
This novel has a very interesting cover. My favorite part is the line of zombie silouettes in the background because it looks like they're chasing after the silouettes of the main characters. Or dancing. The broken heart around the title was a nice touch, considering the premise of the novel. The hot pink really popped against the gray background and was a very interesting choice considering the book is about a zombie apocalypse. My main gripe with this cover is that the spine of the novel is very bland. It's just the gray background with the title in black. Considering the spine is most likely the only part of the novel showing on the shelf, there's nothing there to really catch the eye. Including the hot pink from the cover would definitely grab a shoppers attention.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this novel for my own reading pleasure.

Review: Amazon Ink by Lori Devoti

Title: Amazon Ink
Author: Lori Devoti
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 05/26/09
Summary:

Meet Mel: Business owner. Dedicated mom. Natural-born Amazon.

It's been ten years since Melanippe Saka left the Amazon tribe in order to create a normal life for her daughter, Harmony. True, running a tattoo parlor in Madison, Wisconsin, while living with your Amazon warrior mother and priestess grandmother is not everyone's idea of normal, but Mel thinks she's succeeded at blending in as human.

Turns out she's wrong. Someone knows all about her, someone who's targeting young Amazon girls, and no way is Mel going to let Harmony become tangled in this deadly web. With her mother love in overdrive, Ms. Melanippe Saka is quite a force...even when she's facing a barrage of distractions -- including a persistent detective whose interest in Mel goes beyond professional, a sexy tattoo artist with secrets of his own, and a seriously angry Amazon queen who views Mel as a prime suspect. To find answers, Mel will have to do the one thing she swore she'd never do: embrace her powers and admit that you can take the girl out of the tribe...but you can't take the tribe out of the girl.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
The Amazons in this story were very interesting. I liked that they all had different abilities, although I wish some of the abilities had been discussed in a little more detail. My favorite part of the whole story was that the main character was a tattoo artist. I love body modification (I have 11 piercings and 5 tattoos), so I was really excited for two of my favorite things to be come together in a novel: tattoos and urban fantasy. I was a little let down in the fact that the tattoo aspect of the story was only a small part, especially considering the title, but it fit with the Amazon storyline quite well. The end of the novel was a bit confusing. Mel spends the majority of the novel bouncing from one suspect to another, constantly changing who she her top suspect for the murders. As the final showdown comes around, she puts a lot of random pieces together really fast, and I'm still not sure exactly how she figured it out.

Pace: 3 Stars
This book was a bit of a slow read. As the story progressed, the pace picked up a little as well. But it definitely wasn't a fast-paced story. The ending was the only part of the story that I wouldn't describe as "slow" but it was a bit to fast-paced. Mel put things together too fast, too quickly, and before I knew it she was racing off to save the day while I was still trying to put things together. While the rest of the book could've used a little bit of a pick up, the ending needed a couple more pages to help walk the reader through all of the relevations leading to Mel figuring out who was behind the murders.

Characters: 3 Stars
Mel was a very interesting and complex character. Throughout the story, I really got to know who she was and how she would react. I enjoyed that she was a working mother and trying to keeps things as normal as possible, consider her and her family were all Amazons. But other than Mel, none of the other characters were developed all that well. Mel's mother and grandmother lived with her and her daughter, but you never learn too much about them. Mel hires a new tattoo artist, but doesn't know anything about him until he drops a bomb near the end of the novel. A whole parade of Amazons move into Mel's crazy old-school-turned-house, and the few who actually stand out still come across as a bit flat.

Cover: 3 Stars
The cover model was exactly how I pictured Mel. I really liked that they didn't choose some barely legal model, because Mel is the mother of a teenager. I liked that they kept the cover realistic. The color palette of the cover was also a good choice; the magenta catches the eye, while still giving off a bit of a darker atmosphere which fits the novel. I wasn't a big fan of the tattoo sign in the background. It leads you to believe that that aspect of the story is going to be a little bigger than it actually was. And it was very bright, which dragged your attention away from the cover model and her awesome sword. I just wish there was a bit more detail in the background, like something reminiscent of the setting.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Title: Low Red Moon
Author: Ivy Devlin
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 09/14/10
Summary:

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver -- deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school -- Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him -- at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.

Plot: 3 Stars
I really love shapeshifters, so this novel is right up my alley. But for all of the werewolf talk, we never really learn much about the lore or the creatures. Avery learns they exist, and accepts it as fact a bit quickly. She barely denied it for a day before accepting it as normal. But with that easy acceptance, there was ample opportunity for her to learn all about them, and that just didn't happen. All we learn is a few details about the change. Although I was disappointed about that aspect, I did enjoy Avery's struggle with memory loss and moving on from her parents' deaths. The ups and downs she experiences seemed genuine and realistic for a teenager.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
This novel was a quick read, but not as quick as it seemed like it should be. It's a pretty short novel, but it read more like a 350 page novel that was a quick read. The story starts out strong, and grabs you right away. Somewhere in the middle though, it seems like Avery keeps repeating herself (both in thought and in action). There is a point around two-thirds of the way through in which I wondered if the plot had stalled. But then it picks right back up and slaps you upside the head. Although there weren't too many twists and turns throughout, the ending and the events leading up to it were definitely a surprise.

Characters: 2 Stars
I wanted to enjoy these characters as I read, but I feel like we don't learn too much about anyone. We learn the most about Avery, as she is the main character, but it just doesn't seem like enough. We get bit and pieces about her past and her parents, but not a lot of detail. Instead, she's too engrossed in trying to remember the murder. I wish we could've learned a bit more why her father and grandmother stopped speaking, because that played a big part considering Avery goes to live with her grandmother. Ben was a complete mystery. I normally like mysterious characters, but Ben was mostly a mystery because we didn't really learn anything about him. We find out what he is, but never much about his past or personality.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
The cover was a little simple, but really gets the feel of the novel across. The forest was such an important aspect of the story, that I can't imagine the cover not including the trees and branches. The red chosen for the novel was a good choice when mixed with the shine from the foil. I think a darker, more blood-like red wouldn't show up quite as well. The font choice for the cover isn't my favorite, but it does stand out against the branches. My favorite aspect of the cover is the moon that takes the place of the second "o" in moon. Although it's not a part of the cover, every time the word "moon" came up in the novel, it was in red, while the rest of the text was black. Normally little touches like this really make a novel for me, it was a bit disconcerting at first, but I did eventually get used to it.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Abigail of All Things Urban Fantasy.

Review: Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Title: Strange Angels
Author: Lili St. Crow
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 05/14/09
Summary:

Dru Anderson has been “strange” for as long as she can remember. She travels from town to town with her father, hunting the things that go bump in the night and eat the unwary. It’s a weird life, but a good one -- until it all explodes and a zombie busts into her new house.

Alone, terrified, and trapped in an icy town, Dru’s going to need every inch of her wit and training to stay alive. Can she trust the boy who is just a little too adult -- and just happens to get bit by a werwulf? Or the strange blue-eyed boy who tells her she’s heir to a long-forgotten power? Can she even trust her own instincts?

Because Dru is not the first in her family to be killed by the darkness of the Real World. The monsters have decided to hunt back -- and now Dru has to figure out who to trust, who to fight, and when to run. And not incidentally, she has to figure out how she’s going to get out of this alive.

And she has to do it by sundown, or it’s all over...

Plot: 3.5 Stars
My favorite part of this book was the scary factor. Whether it be zombies, werewolves, or vampires, they were all frightening. And the paranormal creatures had interesting twists that set them apart from other novels. There were definitely a lot of twists and turns in this novel that completely took me by surprise. I just wish the ending had had a bit more action. It seemed like the book had been revving up for a crazy showdown, and the ending didn't quite live up to that. But the ending definitely leaves you wanting the next book without being a cliffhanger.

Pace: 2.5 Stars
This was one of those books that falls into that dreaded slump around two-thirds of the way through. The beginning of the book comes at you really fast and hooks you within minutes, but the pace definitely starts to slow down once you've been hooked. It seemed like Dru spent a little too much time thinking things through or complaining or reminiscing, instead of actually doing them. There were also certain phrases that she used that really stuck out and seemed a little weird and forced, and because of that, Dru's overuse of them really stood out.

Characters: 3 Stars
Dru was a very interesting character. I loved that she was tough, but also felt fear when the moment required it. Too many young adult protagonists aren't frightened of the monsters when any normal person would be. It helped make Dru feel more real. I wish we could've learned more about Dru's parents. It felt like we were shown they're habits and told how they would've reacted, but we don't really learn that much about them.

Cover: 3 Stars
I love shiny covers because they really catch my attention. But this cover is a little too dark to be so shiny. From many angles, you can't really see much of the image. If the actual image were a little brighter or had more contrast, it would hold up more underneath the shine. But other than that, the cover is great. The model chosen is exactly how I pictured Dru. Stark was a very interesting character, and I definitely hope to see more of him in the next book.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Radiance by Alyson Noel

Title: Radiance
Author: Alyson Noel
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 08/31/10
Summary:

Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife -- a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley...

Plot: 2.5 Stars
This was a very short novel, and it really showed. It seemed like a lot of the details were glossed over, and some elements of the plot were a bit rushed. Riley's conflict and resolution were a bit early on in the story compared to most, and there really wasn't much to it. It seemed like Bodhi's conflict and resolution were more important and given more detail, but he was not the main character. There were also some details that didn't always add up. At one point, Riley is told to shush because the kids around her can hear the thoughts she's projecting, but there are other points in which she is ignored. Plus, Riley can't hear anyone else's thoughts. It would've been fine if it had been described as something you can turn on and off, or turn into, but it was not.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
Although a few elements in this novel seemed a bit rushed, it was definitely a quick and easy read. I really enjoyed how it took a character from Noel's Immortals series, but was it's own story. It could've easily been bogged down by too much information about Riley's sister, Ever, and what was happening in the other series. I just wish there was a bit more too the story. It seemed to end a bit too quickly.

Characters: 3 Stars
Having never read a young adult novel with such a young protagonist, I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to connect with Riley. As much as I wanted to connect with her, she came across as very whiny and self-conscious. But she also came across as a bit mature for her age, so it wasn't a complete disconnect. Bodhi stayed a complete mystery throughout the whole novel. I hope we get to learn more about him in the future, because he has the potential to be a great character.

Cover: 3 Stars
My favorite part of this cover is the bridge in the background, since it plays such a big part in Riley's character, both in this series and her sister's series. I also enjoy that Buttercup is with Riley on the cover. The model chosen to play Riley was a good choice to portray her, and the pose is very interesting. The one aspect of the cover that seemed off for me was the bright colors. The story wasn't nearly as light and fluffy for such bright colors in my opinion.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Shadow Marked by Anna J. Evans

Title: Shadow Marked
Author: Anna J. Evans
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 05/04/10
Summary:

Samantha Quinn has been in the dark since age six, when her parents sacrificed her sight in a Satanic ritual. She is trying to get over her demonic past, but horrific lifelike visions haunt her. Her intuition gets stronger and clearer after a wild, adrenaline-fueled sexual encounter with Jace, her brother's childhood friend. And now Samantha is more tormented than ever by what she can "see"-and by what she felt in that forbidden encounter...

Samantha must now prevent the deaths she sees in her premonitions and protect her body from the same demon from her twisted childhood. Her dark curse reveals that Jace will be the next victim, and it is crystal clear that she must destroy the demon to protect her love.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
There were two main plot points that I really enjoyed about this novel: the main character being blind and the demons being scary and evil. I've never read a novel with a blind protagonist, and I've been reading too many paranormal novels lately where the demons are bad but sexy, or bad but not scary. The story had a lot of promise and I really enjoyed it, but the end was very rushed and confusing.

Pace: 2 Stars
The events of this novel barely take place over two full days, but it feels like forever. I'm not sure there was realistically enough time for everything that was packing into those two days. Normally I could overlook something like that and just assume it was a very action packed couple days, but for all the action squeezed into such a short span, it was a bit of a drag to read. There were times where the author gave us more details of the surrounding than was needed to get a visual, and other times when there wasn't enough. Altogether it was a bit disjointed for me.

Characters: 3 Stars
I felt as if I really got to know Jace and Samantha throughout the novel, and they really had well rounded personalities and depth, but most of the other characters were very flat and uninteresting. Outside of the two main characters, I also don't think we learned much about anyone else, unless it specifically played into the plot. There were also a few times in which I felt the author had Samantha doing or describing things that seemed like they'd be outside of the realm of possibility due to her lack of sight, but mostly did a good job conveying the issue.

Cover: 3.5 Star
I think the cover model is a good match given the description of Samantha we're given, especially since it was the only way to know what Samantha looks like for a number of chapters. It took so long for the author to give any sort of physical description of Sammy, that for a while I wondered if we'd ever learn what she looked like. Also, I felt that since Jace was such a big part of the story and about 40% of the novel was from his point of view, that he should've been on the cover also.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Vintage Soul by David Niall Wilson

Title: Vintage Soul
Author: David Niall Wilson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 12/09/09
Summary:

Donovan DeChance is a collector of ancient manuscripts and books, a practicing mage, and a private investigator. When, despite the finest in natural and supernatural security, a sexy and well-loved, three hundred year old lady vampire is kidnapped right out from under her lover's nose, Donovan is called in to investigate.

He soon finds that there is much more to the case than a simple abduction when an unknown intruder invades his home and steals a very rare, very ancient manuscript. There will be no ransom for the kidnap victim, and if Donovan doesn't prevent an ancient, forbidden ritual from reaching its culmination, far more than a single vampire's undead existence will be at stake.

Calling on his lover and partner, Amethyst, and an odd assortment of contacts, informants, and connections, Donovan follows the ghostly trail of the kidnapper through a winding maze of intrigue-always a step behind-through magical battles, murders, and confrontations with a rogue band of young vampires intent on beating Donovan at his own game.

Vintage Soul is a dark urban supernatural mystery with a hint of romance. Set in an underground society, a city within the city of San Valencez, California, it opens portals to the unknown darkness that surrounds us. Fast-paced, strewn with clues, investigation, and magic, this is a book sure to slake the appetites of fans of mystery and the supernatural.

Plot: 3 Stars
There are many twists and turns in this novel that will keep you guessing. The vampires were different from many other vampires in the way they aquired the blood they needed, and the magic performed by Donovan and others was interesting. I just wished more of it could've been explained. I did enjoy getting to see many interesting places within San Valencez. The world-building within this novel was definitely very thought out.

Pace: 2 Stars
The novel was a little slower paced than I would've liked. It took a bit longer to become really engaged in the story. There were also too many point of view changes. I understand that it was needed to cover all aspects of the plot, but the way the story jumped from point of view to point of view felt a little disjointed. They just didn't fit together smoothly in some points.

Characters: 2.5 Stars
I felt like we never really got to know any of the characters that well due to the numerous point of view changes. I didn't engage with many of the characters because we didn't really get to know a lot about them, neither from their point of view or other's. The main thing I wish we had gotten about some of the more important characters is history, especially Donovan and Amethyst. It's a bit hard to tell exactly what their relationship is.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
Although the cover is a little dark, it depicts a specific scene from the book with many details that are true to the story. With so many covers out there that are vaguely related to the story, this one was a fresh cover for the urban fantasy genre. As much as I would've loved the main character, Donovan, to make an appearance, it's still a striking cover.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I received my copy for review from the author.