Review: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

Reviewed by Katie

Date Read: January 1^st, 2012

Date Published: September 27th, 2011

Publishers: Mira Ink

Format: Paperback

Pages: 342

Blurb: No one wants to be this teacher's pet…

The entire school’s talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr Beck. That is, everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee’s no ordinary high-school junior. She’s a banshee — she screams when someone dies.

But the next scream might be for Kaylee.

Yeah — it’s a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee’s going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine — her boyfriend’s needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr Beck…before he discovers they aren’t quite human, either.

But Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life. Anything

Review:

I swear this series just gets better as you go through the books, but I think that this one is my absolute favourite because of how the events have progressed - Tod, of course! - and I can safely say that I am definitely Team Tod after reading If I Die.
I read this book a few weeks ago and I have read many books in that time so this review isn't going to be the best of my standard.
Anyway, a lot has happened throughout this novel, but the ending truly shocked me, and if I remember correctly I stayed up late to devour every last word to see the outcome.
Tod. You make my heart flutter, and I'm looking forward to reading more of you in Before I Wake :)
Nash, bless him, really did try to get Kaylee back and I adore him for that, but for me, the scars are too deep on Kaylee's heart and he really isn't 'the one' for her.
Anyway, this was a really great read, and I'm eagerly awaiting for the next book to be in my hands, devouring every word again! :)
Also, I read on Rachel Vincent's website that she's contracted to be writing seven books in the Soul Screamers series, is this true because there is only six on Goodreads?

Review: Ghost Town by Rachel Caine

Reviewed by Katie

Date Read: February 13th, 2012

Date Published: November 1^st. 2010

Publishers: Allison & Busby

Format: Paperback

Pages: 480

Blurb: The fragile peace between humans and vampires in Morganville is in trouble, and when Claire takes drastic action, she’s put under serious pressure to re-establish the barriers that keep the town residents inside, and wipe the memories of those who leave.

But working with her half-crazy vampire boss Myrnin means that things don’t always turn out as planned... and as the people of Morganville begin acting strangely, Claire and her friends must solve the mystery and try to put things right. But one by one, her allies are turning on her... even the ones she trusts most.

Review:

Okay, I read this a few days ago and I have read quite a few books since so this is going to be a bit of a .. not so good review.
Ghost Town was a really good book and it had plenty of action in it and the many last pages were so tense that I had to stop looking below to see if everything would eventually be fine. I can see why the book was named Ghost Town but I think that Fade Out would've been better because everyone's memories are going faintly and then they remember stuff then they just altogether stop remembering, thinking that they are three years in the past. I like the concept of Oliver and Claire not getting the .. diease? The morning with Shane was predicted and I thought 'Oh dang, you would have to be next, tonight of all mother nights!'
The ending .. well it was creepy and I don't even want to think what Shane will do when he finds out, he can be quite an unpredicatble character sometimes, whether he lashes out or secretly wants to huddle in a corner and cry, so I'm dreading when - if - he finds out.
Good book and I'll be picking Bite Club off my shelves soon! :)

Review: Fated by Sarah Alderson

Reviewed by Katie

Date Read: March 14th, 2012

Date Published: January 5th, 2012

Publishers: Simon & Schuster UK

Format: Paperback

Pages: 320

Blurb: What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?

Review:

I was eagerly awaiting this novel because I loved Sarah Alderson's Hunting Lila book. Although, I don't think that I enjoyed this novel as much, I'm not sure why because there was good imagination but it didn't really hit the spot for me. But this isn't going to stop me from buying any other of Sarah Alderson's novels because Alderson is so great! :D
Lucas was so yummy, and I swear Sarah is going to making even more ones in her future books! :)

Review: Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Reviewed by Gina

Date Read: March 10th, 2012

Date Published: October 25th, 2011

Publishers: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books

Format: Hardback

Pages: 4229

Blurb: For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alander, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alander band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

Review:

This was just a fun read and it’s refreshing to read a stand-alone novel every once in a while. The characters were fun and loveable and I enjoyed this book.

Esmerine has finally become a siren just like her sister, Dosinia, but everything turns for the worst. Dosinia has run away and disappeared....with a human. The two have always shared a fascination with the land and the occupants but Esmerine never thought she’d do something like that. So Esmerine begins a quest to find her sister with her old friend who is a winged being. Together they set off on an adventure of a liftetime.

Technically this was my first mermaid book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I read Paranormalcy but the main character wasn’t a mermaid so it didn’t exactly count. I remember wanting to be a mermaid and playing in the pool with my sister pretending to be one (the joys of childhood) and I think that this book was a refreshing book on the mermaid myths (I’ve seen a few films about mermaids – do they count?).

I loved the character of Esmerine and the winged boy Alander and I thought there romance was very sweet and different. The world Dolamore created had a fairy tale feeling to it which I liked and it was a light and fun read. It was a detailed world that I enjoyed and in the future I’d like to re-read the book just for a light read as I enjoyed it that much.

An enjoyable read for people who like something fun and light and not too heavy. And for anyone who loves a little sprinkling of romance that is sweet and not full on love that overcomes the plot and storyline.

Rating: 4 stars!!