Review: Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep

Title: Dark Frost
Author: Jennifer Estep
Series: Mythos Academy #3
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 05/29/12
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

I've seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I'm supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I'm just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me -- again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects -- and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I'm also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me? It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can't use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me -- and I'm in for the fight of my life.

Plot: 5 Stars
The world the author has built at Mythos Academy is such an interesting and unique place. Each book shows us a little more of the world, and I really enjoyed the field trips we take with the characters in this installment. Gwen's search for the Helheim Dagger involved her digging into her mom's past and it was great to learn more about her. And it was fun trying to puzzle it out alongside Gwen. The Reapers always end up sneaking up on me, and this novel didn't disappoint.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
I don't think I've read a book by this author that hasn't had a terrific pace, and this novel didn't disappoint. There is enough backstory and recapping that I feel comfortable jumping right in, which is great because I have way too big of a TBR pile to be re-reading everything. There was never a dull moment while following Gwen and company around Mythos Academy on their latest adventure.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
Gwen is such a fantastic character. She's had a lot thrown at her throughout this series, but she has stayed strong. I really liked how she learned more about her powers in this novel. A few characters from book two that I wasn't expecting came back and I really enjoyed what they brought to the story. We met a number of new characters in this novel, and many brought along some surprises that I definitely didn't see coming. All in all, this series has a fantastic cast.

Cover: 4 Stars
I like that they went back to the cover model from the first novel. It gives the covers a bit of continuity. But her hair blends into the background a little too much, leaving too much blank space and leaving me wondering if the cover model is bald. But other than that, the cover is spot on. I love the lit up building in the background. And the snowflake necklace is a nice detail. My favorite detail is the sword that is always in place of a "t" in the title. The yellow text complements the purple eyes and stand out against the dark background.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

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

Mini-Review: Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Daimon
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Covenant #0.5
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Release Date: 04/19/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

"Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing 'I smite thee!' as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life."

For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals -- pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return -- the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death... because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.

The daimons have found her.

Mini-Review: This title had been sitting on my Kindle for a while, and it wasn't until I went to the author's book signing that I decided to pick it up. And I'm glad I did. This novella was the perfect prequel: it introduced me to the world and the main characters, and made me so thankful that I have book one on my Kindle also. I read this novella in one sitting. Once I was sucked into the world, it didn't let go. Alexandria was a strong young woman, and I can't wait to learn more about the mysterious covenant. The cover is simple, but very elegant and catched the eye.

Plot: 4 Stars
Pace: 4.5 Stars
Characters: 4 Stars
Cover: 3.5 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

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

Review: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

Title: Hounded
Author: Kevin Hearne
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 05/03/11
Buy the Book:

Summary:

The first novel in an original, back-to-back three-book series The Iron Druid Chronicles—introducing a cool, new, funny urban fantasy hero.

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old -- when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power -- plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish -- to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Plot: 5 Stars
Normally, male main characters within the Urban Fantasy genre fall a bit short for me in comparison to many of their female counterparts, but Hounded is by far the best Urban Fantasy with a male lead that I've ever read. And it's definitely my favorite read so far this year. This novel was refreshing in it's use of gods and goddesses (and Druids, of course) that don't normally make appearances in Urban Fantasy, while still blending in the normal paranormal creatures like werewolves and vampires. And there was a perfect balance of humor between the action scenes. Some of my favorite scenes were flashbacks in which Atticus' history unfolded and I learned more about what it meant to be a Druid. Everyone that loves Urban Fantasy needs to go out and get a copy right now!

Pace: 5 Stars
When I picked this novel up from the post office, I put down whatever I was reading at the time, and immediately jumped right in. I had been waiting in anticipation for this novel since last year, and it definitely didn't disappoint. I gobbled it up in just a few days, and can't wait for the next installment. Even though they're being released in three consecutive months, the waiting is killing me. I need the next one right now! There was never a dull moment while reading Hounded. Whether Atticus was out for a run with Oberon, working at the bookstore, or fighting against the bad guys, the pace never let up.

Characters: 5 Stars
Although I absolutely loved Atticus, Oberon, his talking dog, really stole the spotlight. From his random obsession with Ghandi to his lusting for a harem of French poodles, Oberon made me laugh on a number of occasions. The author did a great job of making Oberon able to converse with Atticus, without seeming too human. He still looked at the world like a normal dog would, and had all of the instincts. I loved all of the information about Druids weaved into the novel. There was never a moment in which I felt like the author was dumping details about Atticus' heritage or history, which made learning about him that much more interesting. The Morrigan is one of those characters I hope to see more of in future novels because she's a wild card, completely unpredictable. Atticus' Irish neighbor, Ms. MacDonaugh, brought along her own share of giggles too, especially when she said, "A friend will help ye move...but a really good friend will help ye move a body."

Cover: 5 Stars
I'm not gonna lie, my first thought upon seeing this cover was, "I wanna hit that." The cover model is one hot dude, definitely my type. My personal preference aside, I also think he was perfect to depict Atticus. This cover has a simplicity that works really well, while showcasing two important objects: Atticus' necklace and sword. I always enjoy when important details to the story are included in the cover. It makes the cover extra special. My favorite part of this cover (besides the model) is that the title and the series details below it are in relief. I love it when I can run my hand over a cover and feel different elements. I also really like the font choice for the title. It has a spray paint/grafiti feel that fits the novel. I just wish Oberon could've made an appearance on the cover somehow, although it would have become too crowded. I also love that the next two covers work so well with this first one, while still standing on their own through the use of color.














Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I won a copy of this novel in a giveaway at The Spinecracker.

Teaser Tuesday (37)

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.

I'm currently bouncing between two books, so I figured I'd include teasers for both. Enjoy! :)

Title: Insatiable
Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 06/08/10

But she knew what it was like to have problems. Real problems. The kind that kept you up nights, stumbling around in the dark, reaching for amber prescription sleeping-pill bottles. -- pg. 145

Title: The Lightning Thief
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 03/21/06

He pushed me into the creek and I landed with a splash. They all laughed. I figured as soon as they were through being amused, I would die. But then something happened. -- pg. 121