Review + Giveaway: Sealed with a Curse by Cecy Robson

Title: Sealed with a Curse
Author: Cecy Robson
Series: Weird Girls #1
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 12/31/12
Reviewed by: Sara
Buy the Book:

Summary:

Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls -- with one tiny exception: they're products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, weird...

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region -- until one of them blows up a vampire in self-defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust-fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders: are the vampires of Tahoe cursed with a plague?

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the region safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and oh yeah, not lose her heart to the wrong guy -- or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, it’s coming for her and her sisters. This Wird girl has never had it so tough.

Plot: 4 Stars
The powers that the four Wird sisters received through a curse are very interesting. I really liked how they were able to work together with their different abilities when fighting bad guys. I really enjoyed the fresh, new take on vampires and werewolves that the author brought to the table. And the bloodlust plaguing the vampire community kept everyone, including me, on their toes. Over and over, the sisters' found themselves in tight situations that I didn't think they'd find a way out of. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat for most of the novel.

Pace: 4 Stars
This novel started out with a bang as the sisters were dragged into vampire court to defend themselves. From there, it was a non-stop journey as they dealt with the vampire bloodlust. One of the things that made the novel really flow for me was how the sisters went to work at the hospital in between the fight scenes. And sometimes the danger met them at the hospital. There was never a dull moment as the sisters ran into danger at every turn as they tried to help Misha and his vampires, along with Aric and the werewolves.

Characters: 5 Stars
The Wird girls are some of the best characters I have read. All four of them were strong in their own ways with their own powers. No one overshadowed everyone else. This book was balanced between the four of them in a way I haven't read before. Most series that involve larger groups of main characters focus on a different character in each book. Although Celia narrated this novel, she never overshadowed the Taran, Shayna, or Emme. All four sisters had a moment in which I said to myself, "She's my favorite!" I'll have to read the next novel to figure out which one is actually my favorite because right now they're all tied. I wish we could've seen more of Bren and Danny because I really enjoyed their interactions with the sisters. Although I thought the some of the relationships with the wolves seemed a bit rushed at first, but soon grew to enjoy the wolves and their protective instincts.

Cover: 4 Stars
There are many details to this cover that I really enjoy. I like how the color is kinda purple and kinda blue because it reminds me of twilight (the time of day, not the book). I really enjoy the swirls on the title. I like the full moon showing through the branches in the background. I like the claw marks on the cover model, and I think she's a great interpretation of Celia. I think the only thing keeping this cover from being great to me is the fact that I'm missing the other three sisters. I realize there isn't room on a cover for four people, but I enjoyed all four sisters and would've really liked for them to be represented.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I received an eARC of this novel from via Netgalley and also purchased a finished copy with a GC I received as a gift.

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Now, for the giveaway! Cecy has offered up an advanced reader copy (ARC) of Sealed with a Curse to one lucky winner. To enter just leave a comment with a valid e-mail address. For extra entries, you can follow Cecy on Twitter or Facebook. The giveaway will be open until 11:59pm on Monday 01/21. I will choose a winner using random.org.

Review + Giveaway: The Weird Girls by Cecy Robson

Title: The Weird Girls
Author: Cecy Robson
Series: Weird Girls #0.5
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 12/04/12
Reviewed by: Sara
Buy the Book:
Summary:

Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls -- with one tiny exception: they're products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, a little weird...

The Wird sisters are different from every race on earth -- human and supernatural. When human society is no longer an option for them, they move in among the resident vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region. Could this be the true home they’ve longed for? Um, not quite. After the sisters accidentally strip a witch of her powers in a bar brawl, they soon realize the mistake will cost them. Because to take on a witch means to take on her coven. And losing the battle isn’t an option.

Review: This novella was the perfect introduction to Celia and her sisters' world. I can't wait to read Sealed with a Curse because I want to learn more about the sisters and their curse. Each sister had such a unique personality and they worked together very well. The plot of this novella was excellent. The witch coven had a number of things up their sleeves that I wasn't expecting, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The cover was nice and simple, while tying into the cover for book #1. I really liked that it was purple because that color just seems to fit the sisters. Anyone that likes magic and curses and interesting takes on the paranormal should pick this novella up immediately!

Plot: 4.5 Stars
Pace: 4.5 Stars
Characters: 5 Stars
Cover: 4 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this novella from the author.

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Now, for the giveaway! Cecy has offered up a lovely water bottle, dragon fruit lip balm, and official (well, not really) SEALED WITH A CURSE magnets to one lucky winners. To enter just leave a comment with a valid e-mail address. For extra entries, you can follow Cecy on Twitter or Facebook. The giveaway will be open until 11:59pm on Monday 12/10. I will chose a winner using random.org.

Mini-Review: Viper Moon by Lee Roland

Title: Viper Moon
Author: Lee Roland
Series: Earth Witches #1
Publisher: Signet
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 07/05/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Cassandra Archer is the Huntress. She has faithfully served the Earth Mother for years, rescuing kidnapped children from monsters -- both human and supernatural -- dwelling in the ruins of the Barrows District. But when two children are kidnapped under similar circumstances, all clues point to a cataclysmic event on the next dark moon. Now Cass must race against the clock and prevent a sacrifice that could destroy the entire town...

Mini-Review: I really enjoyed the idea of the Earth Mothers and the powers she gives to those who serve her. I also liked the Barrows District and how only those who knew about the horrors within could actually see it. There was a point in the middle where the pace slowed down a bit, but overall the pace was pretty steady. Cassandra was a great character. She was strong and fought for what was right. I also enjoyed the way she interacted and communicated with her pets. Flynn was a nice match for Cassandra. Michael intrigued me, and I can't wait to find out more about him in the next book. The cover model is a great depiction of Cassandra, and the blues give off a slightly creepy feel reminiscent of the Barrows. My favorite aspect of the cover is the snakes wrapped around her arm.

Plot: 4 Stars
Pace: 3 Stars
Characters: 3.5 Stars
Cover: 3.5 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars

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

Review: Evil Dark by Justin Gustainis

Title: Evil Dark
Author: Justin Gustainis
Series: Occult Crime Unit Investigation #2
Publisher: Angry Robot
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 04/24/12
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

My name's Markowski. I carry a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.

A series of seemingly motiveless murders of supernatural creatures points to a vigilante targeting the supe community. Markowski wouldn't normally have much of a problem with that, but his daughter may be next on the killer's list...

File Under: Urban Fantasy [ Unnatural Law | Thicker Than Water | The Bite Stuff | Duty Calls ]

Plot: 4.5 Stars
I love the balance between cop procedural and the paranormal in this series. Stan and Karl are a part of the Occult Crimes Unit, and its no different from any other police unit, except for the paranormal creatures. On any given day, Stan and Karl are tring to solve numerous cases involving werewolves, vampires, goblins, witches, and any of the other supernatural creatures that are living in Scranton. If this series was made into a tv show, it would be something like Law and Order: Paranormal Victims Unit.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
This novel was non-stop Paranormal cop drama/action. From the very first page, I was sucked right back into the author's gritty world. This time around I already knew about the no-chapters-only-page-breaks thing, and I didn't even notice. My favorite part about this novel was that Stan and Karl has other cases to work around the big case that was the main focus. These cases filled the spaces between twists and turns, which meant there was no downtime for my brain to wander. This was a fast-paced, gritty Urban Fantasy that I didn't want to put down.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
Although I enjoyed learning more about Stan and Karl, I was really excited to learn more about Stan's daughter, Christine. Between Karl and Christine, Stan's opinion of Supes, or supernatural creatures, has been turned upside-down. It's forced him to face some hard truths, and even get into a couple of arguments. It was also nice to see more of Rachel, a witch that the precinct hires as a consultant for cases. There were also a couple of FBI agents that were introduced, and it was very interesting to see how they interacted with the cops within the precinct. There were also numerous characters introduced as Stan and Karl made progress in their cases, with a few surprises mixed in.

Cover: 4 Stars
If you put this cover next to its predecessor, there's no mistaking that the two go together. The main image of the cover is a bit grainy, like its an actual crime scene photo. Which fits considering the image is a crime scene straight out of the pages of the novel. The bold fonts and font colors draw your attention, while the detailed crime scene keeps it. I liked that a little bit of yellow was used in this cover, since it was so prominent in the first cover. But the addition of red for the title was a great idea, considering how much blood is involved in the cases within the novel.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this novel for my own reading pleasure.

Mini-Review: Hexed by Kevin Hearne

Title: Hexed
Author: Kevin Hearne
Series: Iron Druid Chronicles #2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 06/07/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty -- when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.

With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Mini-Review: After enjoying book one so much, I don't know what took me so long to pick up book two. The plot of this novel was just as intriguing as the last, with many twists and turns along the way for Atticus and Oberon. The humor was definitely still there, especially where Oberon is concerned. The pace of this novel slowed down just a touch compared to book one, but nothing to make me put the book down. There was a lot of development for many of the characters Atticus interacted with, and I enjoyed learning more about everyone. And for those keeping track, the cover model is still gorgeous (and I'd still hit that). The greens and yellows contrasted well against the browns of the first cover, while still keeping a great continuity for the series.

Plot: 4.5 Stars
Pace: 4 Stars
Characters: 4.5 Stars
Cover: 5 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

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

Review: Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

Title: Witch Eyes
Author: Scott Tracey
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 09/08/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

A boy who can see the world's secrets and unravel spells with just a glance.

Braden's witch eyes give him an enormous power. A mere look causes a kaleidoscopic explosion of emotions, memories, darkness, and magic. But this rare gift is also his biggest curse.

Compelled to learn about his shadowed past and the family he never knew, Braden is drawn to the city of Belle Dam, where he is soon caught between two feuding witch dynasties. Sworn rivals Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe will use anything -- lies, manipulation, illusion, and even murder -- to seize control of Braden's powers. To stop an ancient evil from destroying the town, Braden must master his gift, even through the shocking discovery that Jason is his father. While his feelings for an enigmatic boy named Trey grow deeper, Braden realizes a terrible truth: Trey is Catherine Lansing's son... and Braden may be destined to kill him.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
There were so many reasons I wanted to read this novel. The main character of the novel is gay, instead of a smaller background character. It's a young adult novel that focuses on a male main character instead of a female. Plus, the magic and specifically Braden's witch eyes really drew me in. There are so many ways you can twist magic and wizards/witches to be your own, and the author definitely did that. I really enjoyed Belle Dam as the setting. It was a very creepy place that centered around a fued between Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe. There were a number of details about the fued that were glossed over that would've probably helped me understand things a bit more as the reader, and I hope more of these details will come out in future novels as Braden learns more about his witch eyes.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
This novel flew by as Braden ran around Belle Dam trying to learn anything he can about his witch eyes. Although there were a couple points in which Braden was in a rush, whether to get away from something or to find something else before it was too late, the novel didn't feel rushed. And the calmer scenes, like hanging out with other student at school or falling asleep after a migraine, didn't slow the book down. It felt like Belle Dam was sending Braden in circles as he tried to learn more about his abilities, and it was fun to follow him on his journey.

Characters: 4 Stars
My favorite part of this whole novel was that Braden was gay, he knew he was gay, and he wasn't ashamed of it. It was who he was, and it did not affect the majority of the story. I really liked that he had already figured everything out, it wasn't a big deal, and that this novel was not his coming out. I thought it was a bit too coincidental that Trey, the boy Braden had a crush on, just happened to also be gay. But as they got to know each other, and things weren't always perfect, the coincidental feeling went away. Trey's sister was also a very interesting character, although I wish her part could've been a bit bigger. Although everyone in town knew about the Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe rivalry, I didn't feel like I was as up to speed as the rest of the characters, so I hope more information about them and their rivalry comes out in the next novel.

Cover: 4 Stars
The eyes of the cover model really grab your attention, which makes sense due to both the title of the novel, and Braden's ability. The lightning type detail on one of the eyes gives a hint as to the powers Braden possesses, but still leaves you wondering exactly how his witch eyes work. Although floating face covers don't always work for me, I can't think of any other way to focus on the eyes. I also like that the nose and lips kind of fall away into the forest so that there is nothing to draw your attention to a different part of the cover model. The forest and the mansion below the cover model's face are creepy in all of the right ways. The colors are a bit somber, but fit the feel of Belle Dam quite well.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I borrowed this novel from the local library.

Review + Giveaway: Damned by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

Title: Damned
Author: Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
Series: Crusade #2
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 08/30/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

Vampires -- the Cursed Ones -- have made their presence known to mankind... and declared war on humanity. Most people are too afraid or unwilling to take a stand, but eighteen-year-old Jenn Leitner trains to become a vampire fighter, risking everything in the process.

When Jenn falls for Antonio, a vampire fighting on the side of humanity, she discovers a love that transcends attraction and physical consummation -- but before the couple can reconcile their forbidden affair, they must bring light into the darkness that vampires have spread across the world.

Plot: 4.5 Stars
This novel picks up shortly after where Crusade left off. The fight against the Cursed Ones, or vampires, seems even more dire than before. The team gets wind of a Cursed One in Russia making "super soldiers" by combining the DNA of vampires, werewolves, and humans. The Salamancan hunters set off for Russia to try to stop these experiments, and they find out there's more to the situation than everyone originally thought. This sets off a chain of events that has them running across the globe in hopes of not only defeating the key vampires in this war, but putting their team back together.

Pace: 4 Stars
The pacing of this novel was better than the first novel. Since we learned about each character's past and foundation in the first novel, it allowed the story to develop a bit faster in this novel, even as the point of view jumped between characters. Considering the group doesn't always stay together in this novel, the book needed the different points of view to keep the reader in the loop with many of the events. Also, by getting inside each character's head, it helped the reader fully understand the motivations behind each character's actions and decisions. There were a number of plotlines in this book that kind of weaved around each other through the different points of view, and I can't wait for the next book when these different paths are all going to come together.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
This series has such a strong cast of characters. Jenn, now the leader of the Salamancan hunters, has to make a number of important decisions throughout this novel. She doesn't understand why Father Juan put her in charge, and neither does Jamie, who voices his opinion every chance he gets. Antonio is definitely put to the test in this novel, and only time will tell which side he will end up on. Eriko's body continues to breakdown, due to the elixir given to her when she was chosen as the hunter, and she tries to hide it as best as she can. Her past comes back to haunt her, although the team does use it as a chance to attack the Cursed Ones. I really enjoyed learning more about Holgar before he left his pack to fight vampires because I felt like he was the team member we learned the least about in book one. Skye's past comes back to haunt her also in this book, and it'll be very interesting to see how she deals with it in the next novel. Father Juan continues to be a rock for the entire team, even as the university is put in danger.

Cover: 5 Stars
I loved that we finally get to see Antonio on this cover. The cover model chosen to depict Antonio was perfect, very close to how I envisioned the character. The snowy background and blue colors were perfect for this cover considering a good portion of the novel takes place in Russia during the winter. It also lends a starkness to the cover that really fits Antonio's character and what he goes through. The placement of the cover model on this cover really helps continue the feeling of isolation that Antonio often feels. The cover model himself is very small, with the cold, snowy background taking up the majority of the image. While this cover (and the new cover for the paperback release of Crusade) are a bit of a departure from the original cover for Crusade, I feel like they really embody the two main characters of the story.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this novel for review from the publisher.

Giveaway:
I have one (1) ARC of Damned to giveaway! To enter, just answer the following question: Would you join the resistance against the Cursed Ones?

Giveaway Rules:
1. Must leave a comment answering the question.
2. Must leave a valid e-mail address.
3. Giveaway is open internationally.
4. Giveaway is open until midnight on Sunday 09/18.
5. Winners will be chosen on Monday 09-19 using random.org.

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: Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Spell Bound
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #12
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 07/26/11
Buy the Book:

Summary:

At last, in the novel every Kelley Armstrong fan will need to own, all the major heroines and heroes of Otherworld are united.

It's been ten years since Bitten, the first novel in Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Otherworld series. In that time hundreds of thousands of fans have ravenously devoured the adventures of Armstrong's witches, demons, and werewolves. Now, in Spell Bound, she brings them all together for her most sweeping tale yet.

Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the heartbreaking conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would prevent further pain for a young orphan. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.

And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons, and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Armstrong gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jamie, Hope, and other beloved characters, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.

Plot: 4 Stars
Every other chapter had this twist or that turn. Every time I thought I had figured something out, WHAM! a new twist had smacked me in the face. I've never read a book that made me feel like I was on a roller coaster until Spell Bound. It was non-stop action and mystery and danger and suspense around every corner. It was a wild ride, and I had a lot of fun reading it. Besides all of the shocking twists and turns, I really enjoyed how all of the characters came together. The mystery of the plot had escalated to a much larger scale, so it was great to see that Savannah wouldn't be facing everything by herself.

Pace: 4 Stars
Armstrong is the master of the not-quite-cliffhanger. It drove me crazy when I read The Summoning (although that was right on the edge of cliffhanger), and it drove me crazy after finishing Waking the Witch. And guess what? She's driving me crazy again with the ending of Spell Bound. It's diabolical. She wraps up the conflict at the end of the novel in a satisfying way, and then at the last second, she drops a bomb on the reader. It's not quite a cliffhanger (in my opinion) because it doesn't leave you hanging in the middle of the action. But it leaves you wanting the next book ASAP because now there's this new crumb of information that could snowball into something epic.

Characters: 4 Stars
Although I had only read Bitten and Waking the Witch before starting Spell Bound, I was not overwhelmed by all of the characters that came into play throughout the novel. I had not met all of the Women of the Otherworld, so there were bits and pieces of backstory I was missing, but I still felt like I learned a lot about each new-to-me character. It was also nice to see Elena again, because Bitten is one of the novels that originally drew me out of reading just Young Adult and got me venturing into Urban Fantasy. It was very interesting to follow Savannah as she dealt with things in a more mundane way. She's very stubborn and strong-willed, and definitely tough, which is how I like my Urban Fantasy heroines.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
I've seen many different styles of covers for this series, including multiples covers for some of the earlier titles. This latest trend of covers for the series has only hit the first two and latest two titles, but they are my favorite. They really capture the essence of the character, especially compared to the older covers that included faceless cover models or random objects. This cover focuses on Savannah, and the cover model chosen fits the character perfectly. I really enjoyed the reds and oranges used in this cover, because it fits some of the events that take place very well. I'm also glad they kept the cover model small. I like seeing more than just a huge face on the cover, makes the cover seem more real and less like a photoshoot to me.

Overall: 4 Stars

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

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: 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: Chime by Frannie Billingsley

Title: Chime (ARC)
Author: Frannie Billingsley
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 03/17/11
Buy the Book:

Summary:

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

Plot: 3.5 Stars
This story had a lot of potential: Briony being one of very few to see the Old Ones in the swamp, causing her to think she's a witch, the spread of the swamp cough because the swamp was being drained. But the lack of action in the story left a lot of things underdeveloped. Briony mentions a number of Old Ones throughout the novel. Only a few are described in any detail, and only one or two actually make an appearance. There was also a lot of dwelling in the past on the part of Briony. She has flashbacks of the fire and the flood that took place at their house, and then brings them up multiple times throughout the novel. Even without the flashbacks, time moved very oddly within this novel. There are points in which a week is spread over a couple chapters, and then it would jump a few months forward. The story was enjoyable, if a bit confusing at times, but I just feel like there were some elements that could've been expanded on to make it better.

Pace: 3 Stars
This novel was a very slow read for me until around the last five chapters. I will admit, that I got the flu in the middle of reading this novel and took about a week off (from reading in general), but before and after being sick, I still had issues with the pace. I believe part of my issue was the way the characters talked. It took a number of chapters before I was comfortable understanding the dialogue and narration. There also seemed to be a lack of action in numberous parts of the book. There was a lot of talking and thinking and flashbacks, but not as much going on in the present. My biggest problem with the pacing was that after a story that took its time to unravel, the ending seemed very rushed and disjointed, and left me a bit confused.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
Briony was a very strange character. I often had trouble understanding her internal dialogue because she talked in circles and repeated herself. She believed she was a witch and could see the Old Ones in the swamp. Her twin sister, Rose, was the complete opposite of Briony, but I feel like her character wasn't included enough in the story. Briony often talked about Rose and what she didn't like, but Rose herself wasn't in that many scenes. Eldric was a very interesting character. He seemed to understand Briony's illogical way of talking and acting, and the two of them started a "Bad Boy Fraternity" together. A number of the adult characters seemed a bit removed from the story, especially Briony and Rose's father. Their stepmother, on the other hand, is only mentioned in the flashbacks due to her passing, and it seems like Briony dwell on these scenes and repeats a lot of her exchanges with her stepmother for the reader.

Cover: 3.5 Stars
My favorite part of this cover is the tree branches draped across the cover model. They look like hands that are trying to grab her, which really resonates with the story. They also give the cover a darker, mysterious feel. Across the bottom, there are also a trail of what might be stars or glitter that makes me think of magic. The cover model was a good choice for Briony, although the necklace she is wearing is not relevant to the story. Normally, I wouldn't comment on clothing or accessory choices for a cover model, but my eye is drawn immediately to the necklace which leads me to think it's important. So it's a tiny letdown when something like that doesn't come into play. The monochromatic browns and tans of the cover really fit the mood of the book, but the sky blue title contrasts with the brown a bit too much.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this novel from Authors on the Web.

Review: Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

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

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: Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

Title: Grave Witch
Author: Kalayna Price
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 10/05/10
Summary:

Not even death can save her now.

As a grave witch, Alex Craft can speak to the dead -- she's even on good terms with Death himself. As a consultant for the police, she's seen a lot of dark magic, but nothing has prepared her for her latest case. When she's raising a "shade" involved in a high profile murder, it attacks her, and then someone makes an attempt on her life. Someone really doesn't want her to know what the dead have to say, and she'll have to work with mysterious homicide detective Falin Andrews to figure out why...

Plot: 5 Stars
I absolutely love a novel based around magic in which the use of magic extracts a physical price from the person performing it. In the case of this novel, the use of Alex's grave magic affects her vision afterwards, to the point where she needs light up stones to get to her apartment door after a normal ritual, and is basically blind after a stronger than normal ritual. Another aspect to this novel I really enjoyed was the different kinds of magic, and how the fae were weaved into the supernatural world. It's not very often a novel has only witches and faw; it was a very interesting combination. The twists and turns in this novel kept me guessing until the very last second. And the ending didn't disappoint. It's not very often (knowing there's at least another book in a series) that I seriously don't know how a main character is going to make it out alive.

Pace: 5 Stars
This was one of those awesome novels that I just could not put down. I read at least two-thirds of the book in just one afternoon. And I could barely put it down to watch some of my favorite tv shows. I would pick it up again at every commercial, just for those couple pages I'd be able to read in the break. Every scene in this novel flowed together very well, and all of the crazy events that took place wrapped up very nicely in the end. Time also passed in a very realistic, but still hectic, amount of time. Alex didn't have a lot of time between each crazy twist and turn, but it didn't feel like forty hours worth of mayhem was crammed into a day either.

Characters: 5 Stars
Alex was a very likeable and interesting heroine. Her family was all kinds of crazy, but that didn't keep her down. Plus, she really loved her little dog. Her grave magic was interesting and unique, and the author really did a great job weaving all of the little details of her magic together. Although I wish we could've seen a bit more of John and her roommates, they seemed like great characters and I hope to see more of them in future novels. Detective was fun to hate in the beginning, although I think he grew on me as much as he grew on Alex.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
Normally, I find black and white covers to be a bit boring. But this cover had just enough color splashed onto the cover model's face, hair, and shirt to stand out. Although the scene depicted on the cover takes place during the night, it wasn't too dark. The contrast between all the black, gray, and white layers was enough to keep the details crisp. I also liked the scene depicted on the cover. It doesn't depict an actual scene from the novel, but it still gives a good idea as to what Alex does for a living. The graveyard is a great setting for a Grave Witch, although Alex does a lot of her jobs in morgues and funeral homes. And although Alex doesn't make her ritual circles out of candles, like on the cover, she uses a wide variety of means to make circles throughout the book, so one could assume that a circle of candles would also work. Lastly, I want to point out that I think the cover model looks a bit likea slightly younger Chelsea Handler, but that could just be because I watch Chelsea Lately every night before bed.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Almost to Die For by Tate Hallaway

Title: Almost to Die For
Author: Tate Hallaway
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 08/03/10
Summary:

On her sixteenth birthday, Anastasija Parker learns that her so-called deadbeat dad is actually a vampire king. And he wants Ana to assume her rightful position at his side, in spite of the fact that she has witch's blood running through her veins-from her mother's side.

Too bad witches and vampires are mortal enemies. And now Ana's parents are at each other's throats over her future. It's up to Ana to make a choice, but deciding your eternal destiny is a pretty big deal for a girl who just wants to get through high school.

Plot: 3 Stars
More often than not, if two paranormal creatures are going to be enemies, it tends to be vampires vs. werewolves. So I was really excited for a novel in which the rivalry was between vampires and witches. I just wish we could've gotten a little more information and history into the rivalry. I feel like some of the information was glossed over, and I hope it's covered in more detail in future books.

Pace: 4 Stars
I zoomed through this book in a little over a day, which is a record for me as of late. The novel was short and sweet, but definitely not in a bad way. There was no downtime for the reader to become restless or bored. The scenes blended together seamlessly and time passed in a logical and realistic manner. The events within the book took place over the course of a week or so, which felt natural, as compared to many books that fit way too many events into only a day or two.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
I really anjoyed the main character, Ana. I really related to how she was experiencing high school, from the loneliness of having only a few friends to the bullying by the popular kids. She was also very interesting and multi-dimensional, and I liked how her inner voice worked through the conflicts throughout the novel. That being said, I didn't feel like I learned enough about any other character to connect to them.

Cover: 3 Stars
The cover model's eyes, one being blue and one being brown, is both very striking and an accurate portrayal of the main character. The cover model in general was a great choice from the description we receive while reading. The blues used for the text and accent at the bottom is a very rich and eye-catching color. I just wish the background color wasn't so close to the cover model's skin tone. Her arm disappears into the background, and the white leaves a bit of dead space.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Review: Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Waking the Witch
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 07/27/10
Summary:

The orphaned daughter of a sorcerer and a half-demon, Savannah is a terrifyingly powerful young witch who has never been able to resist the chance to throw her magical weight around. But at 21 she knows she needs to grow up and prove to her guardians, Paige and Lucas, that she can be a responsible member of their supernatural detective agency. So she jumps at the chance to fly solo, investigating the mysterious deaths of three young women in a nearby factory town as a favour to one of the agency’s associates. At first glance, the murders look garden-variety human, but on closer inspection signs point to otherworldly stakes.

Soon Savannah is in over her head. She’s run off the road and nearly killed, haunted by a mystery stalker, and freaked out when the brother of one of the dead women is murdered when he tries to investigate the crime. To complicate things, something weird is happening to her powers. Pitted against shamans, demons, a voodoo-inflected cult and garden-variety goons, Savannah has to fight to ensure her first case isn’t her last. And she also has to ask for help, perhaps the hardest lesson she’s ever had to learn.

Plot: 4 Stars
Having only read Bitten, the first novel in this series, I was a bit hesitant that I would be completely lost when reading book eleven. But Kelley's website FAQs assured me that minus a few details here and there, this novel could be read as a stand alone. And I have to say, she did a great job. Having never met Savannah before, I really got a good glimpse into her character and the world she lives in. For her first investigation, Savannah does a pretty good job digging for clues and staying alive. The culprit of the crimes definitely took me by surprise, which I love. All in all, this was a great blend of urban fantasy and mystery.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
Savannah follows several leads throughout this novel, leading to many twists and turns of the plot. Every time it seemed like she was taking a step forward in the case, something threw her two steps back. There was a brief moment in which I wondered if she'd ever figured it out, but my doubt was quickly squashed. The ending isn't a clifferhanger exactly, but on the very last page you find out something major possibly happened and you're left with months to wait before finding out if its true.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
Although I would never ride one myself, I love a girl who's not afraid to ride a motorcycle. Savannah makes a very kick-ass, no-nonsense private investigator. I wish we could've seen a bit more of Paige and Lucas, but that's probably moslty because I haven't read any of Paige's books in the series. Jaime was very interesting for the short span she showed up, which makes me want to go back and read her books. Although he wasn't there for a lot of the investigation, I really enjoyed Adam and his half-demon idiosycracies.

Cover: 4.5 Stars
This was a great cover. I loved the motorcycle in the background, since it's such a huge part of Savannah's personality. And the cover model chosen to portray Savannah was a great choice. She really embodied the character. The color choices of greans and blues really fit the tone of the novel and brought out many of the cover's details. When I saw the first cover, I was disappointed at how generic it looked, so I'm glad they redesigned the cover.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.

Teaser Tuesday (39)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Waking the Witch
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 08/03/10

Jaime Vegas was a celebrity spiritualist. She mainly did live shows these days, where she contacted the dead to reassure the living. Great gig for a necromancer... except most times, Jaime faked it. She had to. The messages that the living need aren't necessarily the ones the dead want to impart. -- pg. 68

Review: Vicious Circle by Linda Robertson

Title: Vicious Circle
Author: Linda Robertson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 06/30/09
Summary:

A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do...

Being a witch doesn't pay the bills, but Persephone Alcmedi gets by between reading Tarot cards, writing her syndicated newspaper column, and kenneling werewolves in the basement when the moon is full -- even if witches aren't supposed to mingle with wolves. She really reaches the end of her leash, though, when her grandmother gets kicked out of the nursing home and Seph finds herself in the doghouse about some things she's written. Then her werewolf friend Lorrie is murdered... and the high priestess of an important coven offers Seph big money to destroy the killer, a powerful vampire named Goliath Kline. Seph is a tough girl, but this time she bites off more than she can chew. She needs a little help from her friends -- werewolf friends. One of those friends, Johnny, the motorcycle-riding lead singer for the techno-metal-Goth band Lycanthropia, has a crush on her. And while Seph has always been on edge around this 6'2" leather-clad hunk, she's starting to realize that although their attraction may be dangerous, nothing could be as lethal as the showdown that awaits them.

Plot: 3 Stars
The plot of this novel was refreshing and fun. All of the paranormal creatures were interesting and had a unique twist. There were many aspects of this story that I really enjoyed. Especially the twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. But there were also aspects that didn't work so well. The biggest of these is the fact that we are told that werewolves and witches aren't supposed to mingle, but we're never really told why. There's a brief moment in which it is implied that a witches magic affects the werewolf's shift, but there's really nothing else to explain why. I hope more information about this comes up in future books.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
This novel was a bit of a bumpy read. There were many moments in which I was glued to the page, surprise twist after surprise turn. But there were also times in which I had to force myself through a scene or two. There weren't many scenes like that, but just enough to slow down my reading.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
I really enjoyed a number of the characters, but felt we didn't really get to know them that well. I really liked reading the dynamic between Persephone and her grandmother, and I hope they continue their current dynamic in future books. I really wanted to enjoy Johnny with his techno-goth band and tattoos, but I feel like we never got to see too far under the surface. Even the villians seemed a bit lacking in details at times. But what I did learn about these characters will definitely not keep me from reading the next books in the series in hopes that they grow throughout the next couple books.

Cover: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this cover. I felt the cover model was a good match to what we learn about Persephone. My favorite part is the light swirls and designs. They really give an abstract magic feel without having to actually come out of the cover model's hand or a wand. The color choices were also interesting because purples aren't used as often on urban fantasy covers. I just wish there could've been a werewolf somewhere on the cover. Although the story is focused on Persephone, the werewolves play a large part in her life so it makes sense that they should be portrayed on the cover.

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Teaser Tuesday (36)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Vicious Circle
Author: Linda Robertson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 06/30/09

This was bigger than me, my easily bruised ego, or my karmic future. Still, I did not have to like any of it. And the weight on my shoulders felt impossibly burdensome. How could I be that important? I never stood out anywhere else in my life; I wasn't ready to think there was any place that I should. So I said the words he probably knew were coming: "I don't want to be a killer." -- pg. 126

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 03/02/10
Summary:

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father -- an elusive European warlock -- only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Plot: 5 Stars
The YA market is filled with novels involving paranormal students going to a special academy or school that caters to their skills, but Hex Hall stood out and felt very original. I really liked how Hecate was a place for paranormal students to go when their powers put them in jeopardy of showing society what they truly are, instead of being a place all paranormals within the world had to go. The twists and turns within this novel kept me guessing until the last second, and I cannot wait for the sequel.

Pace: 5 Stars
I haven't read a book in less than three days for months, and I finished Hex Hall in 36 hours (with two seven hours shifts at work getting in the way). This novel grabbed me from the first page and never let go. There was never a dull moment in which I contemplated putting the book down for a little bit. Instead, I had to force myself to put it down so I could get some sleep.

Characters: 5 Stars
Sophie was a very likeable young adult main character. She did teen angst perfectly: just angsty enough that you feel for her, but not so much that it makes you crazy. She deals very well with being thrown into a new school filled with talented paranormal students, especially since they seem to know more about her father than she does. I also loved Sophie's roommate Jenna. It was nice to read a novel with a lesbian character without it being a big deal. Jenna tells Sophie that she likes girls when the subject of Archer (Sophie's crush she doesn't want to have a crush on) comes up, and that's that.

Cover: 4 Stars
The cover is very striking, especially after reading the novel and knowing the significance of the cover models. It just seemed a little too happy and cheery for a paranormal YA novel. It had almost a fairy tale feel to it that didn't match the more urban fantasy of the book. I was also a bit puzzled by the cat (since there wasn't one in the book) but I love cats, so it's ok in the end.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.