Review: Nocturnal Academy (Nocturnal Academy #1)

Alice Dibble, about to start high-school, is accepted into the prestigious Nocturnal Academy, a school for supernatural creatures. Alice is both overjoyed and horrified to discover that she is a vampire.

To make things even more interesting, her worst enemy, Toby Thompson, has also been selected. He is a werewolf.

But before Alice can even start at the Nocturnal Academy she must come to terms with her new identity, defeat Toby’s old bully friends who have discovered the truth about her, and expose a local coven that wants to raise the Demon-Lord Vladrakov.

The cover in my opinion is horrible, reminds me of the sixties for some reason and not in a good way. The book itself was much better you will be glad to hear.

It was quite simply written but since the main character was twelve years old this suited the tone of the book well. I did think that Alice acted too old at times, she was acting more 16 that 12 at times. The storyline was good, flowed well and kept me guessing. I was sure I knew what was going to happen, but I was wrong in some aspects which was good, it was a nice surprise.

It was good to see bullying not tolerated but a stronger punishment would have been nice.

Overall it was a good read, I would highly recommend it and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.

Four out of five stars.

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Review: Princess in the Spotlight

No one ever said being a princess was easy.

Just when Mia thought she had the whole princess thing under control, things get out of hand, fast. First there’s an unexpected announcement from her mother. Then Grandmère arranges a national primetime interview for the brand-new crown princess of Genovia. On top of that, intriguing, exasperating letters from a secret admirer begin to arrive.

Before she even has the chance to wonder who those letters are from, Mia is swept up in a whirlwind of royal intrigue the likes of which hasn’t been seen since volume I of The Princess Diaries.

This one was nothing like the film, which made me enjoy it more. The familiar characters were all back and up to their old tricks. Lilly was still being a pain and quite a bad friend. Michael was still being vague and not owning up to his feelings for Mia until someone else showed their feelings for her. But he is a much better friend to her than his sister is. I actually think I would prefer it if Lilly wasn’t such a close friend. I didn’t really like her in the films either.
I haven’t felt that Mia has grown much yet but I am hoping over the next few books she will. I also want to see her get together with Michael, he seems like such a nice person and would be good for her.

Looking forward to the next one very much.

5 out of 5 stars.

ARC Review: Bewitched in Oz

When Zerie Greenapple’s friend is arrested for using her magic, she knows she must do everything she can to protect her own magic…even if it means traversing the dangerous landscapes of Oz and encountering strange creatures along the way. Zerie and two friends set out to find Glinda the Good, in the hope that she can help them defeat the evil Princess Ozma. But what they experience on their journey might just tear them apart. Will magic be enough to save these three friends?

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love the wizard of oz. I thought this would hold all the same magic, it did to an extent, but it was lacking slightly for me. The writing was a little too childish for young adult, and the plot was a little predictable and did not flow as well as it could.

It has a great concept and with a little polishing could be a great book. Saying that I did enjoy the story and was glad to be transported back to the wonderful oz.

The romance elements were forced and not needed for the story to progress.

The ending was a little lacking.

All in all a book for younger readers and trip to memory lane.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

Review: The Thief

The king’s scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king’s prison. The magus is interested only in the thief’s abilities.

What Gen is interested in is anyone’s guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses.

For starters I love the cover, it’s intriguing but doesn’t give much away.

I am in love!! This book was amazing. It had me from the word go. I was fully engrossed in the story. I had no idea where it was going. There was always something I needed to find out that kept me reading. What were they going to steal? Where were they going to steal it from? Who stole the food?

The setting was wonderfully realistic and full of beautiful descriptions. I loved the stories about the history of the gods and the different countries. It was very refreshing.

Gen was a bit of an enigma, I had confusion at the start because I could swear the main character was female (I was wrong). I never got a grasp of how old he was, I could take guesses but wasn’t sure. It was a minor thing, but it would have helped get a better picture of the character for me.

Pol, was quiet and you didn’t find out too much about him, but I was a massive fan. Everyone trusted him.

The story progressed well and full of interesting action.

I am looking forward to the next book very much.

5 out of 5 stars.

ARC Review: Conduits

Mara is a Japanese-American girl with a history of personal tragedy. Though she still cuts herself to quell the pain, she thought the worst was behind her. But her boyfriend’s sudden death, and a visit to one of the most haunted places in Washington State, sends her into a spiral of madness, landing her in a psychiatric ward.

Already suffering from dreams of a strange, ghost-infested house in the woods, Mara begins to question the very existence of reality. She is forced to confront the truth about her older sister’s death and the reason the ghosts have chosen her as their conduit.

I received a free copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was not really a fan. It felt rushed and jumbled, I was confused for most of the book. I did not know which way was up. The start I loved, I honestly thought it was going to be right up my alley, but then I was struggling to even read the next page. I probably wouldn’t have if it was not a review copy.

The cutting was a part that I felt was over romanticised. I felt like the book was making it sound like a good thing, a beautiful thing. Okay it’s not a young adult book so it will adults reading it and they can make up their minds, but it put me off.

At points I had no clue as to what was happening, who was alive and where the main character actually was. There were a few inconstancies.

Overall, it was well written but not my kind of thing.

3 out of 5 stars.

 

Top Ten Tuesdays: Winter to be read list

Top Ten Tuesdays are hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks theme is books on your winter to be read list. I am not promising I will manage to get through all of these but I can try. Half the list will be from Netgalley, trying to keep up. In no particular order;

1. The Bell Between Worlds

This looks really intriguing. Love the cover, hope the book is as good.

2. The Midnight Witch

This is from netgalley and I am quite excited about reading it. Looks really good.

3.

This is not the kind of book I normally read but it intrigued me. And once again a gorgeous cover.

4.

It’s been a while since I have read a good historical fiction book, hope this one will hold my attention.

5.

I still need to reread fallen, but I am really looking forward to reading this. 🙂

6.

The idea of this book intrigues me greatly. Cannot wait until I get to read this.

7.

I have actually already started this and is really good so far 🙂

8.

Love Karen Maitland, cannot wait to read more of her books.

9.

I loved the first book in the series, just waiting for a day when I can sit and read it from cover to cover.

10.

I haven’t read the first two in the series but I hope it should be fine. Looks like a good mystery book.

What books are on your winter reading list?

Review: The Princess Diaries

She’s just a New York City girl living with her artist mom…

News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that’s why a limo meets her at the airport!)

Downer: Dad can’t have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)

Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material.

Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.

Well, her father can lecture her until he’s royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty–no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what’s a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo?

I love the films and only recently found out it was a book, let alone a series. So when I did I went out and bought it straight away. I am glad I did.

It was fun and full of teenage princess drama. It had what every teenage book needs, a great main character, a friend that needs taking down a peg or two and potential love interests and of course the glue that holds it all together, the storyline. And what a great story line it was. It differed from the film but I was glad of this. It made it much more interesting. This first book in the series only took about about the first half of the film, which means there’s plenty more to come.

Mia was a great character, she was not confident in herself but not in a whiny way, she was a realist and when the situation changed so does her opinion.

Unlike the film Mia’s father is a prominent character, with a complicated relationship with his daughter, mother and ex-girlfriend (Mia’s mother).

Although Mia had two love interests, there was not a love triangle which was great to see.

If you like a nice easy exciting read that you actually learn things from, I strongly suggest this book.

Four out of five stars.

Similar Books (In my opinion)

ARC Review: The Forgotten Ones

Tags

Allison O'Malley, fae, young adult

Allison O’Malley’s plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison’s mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn’t trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother’s sanity.

I received a free copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. I could have done with a little more explanation in to the world of the fey, at times I was confused as to who was in the room. I got mixed up with names too. The story itself was interesting and unique. It unfolded well and left me wanting more.

This book had a few too many cliches though, girl and boy like each other but girl pushes boy away because her life is super complicated. I think the read would have been better if they had either been friends and nothing more or a couple, getting through it together.

I liked Ethan he seemed sweet under the mask of a bad boy.

Alison was not my favourite character, she was rude to her friends and led Ethan on. Even so he was always there when she needed him.

I would buy the next book.

Four out of five stars.

Similar books (in my opinion)

Arc Review: Black Ice

Danger is hard to resist in this sexy thriller from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.

Brit Pheiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn’t prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

Britt is forced to guide the men off the mountain, and knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there…and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

Black Ice is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous

I received a free copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book, but there was some parts that were just way over the top and I wanted to shout “What was she thinking?”.
The overall story was good. It was full of suspense and action. It left me wondering who was the bad guy. I did guess correctly but I wasn’t 100% sure. The interaction between Korbie and Britt was strange, they were supposed best friends, but all they did was keep secrets and try to get one over on each other.
Calvin seemed like the nice boy next door at the start but as the book went on, it was revealed he was a jackass. I don’t understand why she put up with it. I know she was only seventeen but come-on.
There was a little too much “I am attracted the guy who kidnapped me” going on for my liking.

But all in all it was a good story. I would recommend it to my friends.

Four out of four stars.

Similar books, (in my opinion).

The Harry Potter Book Tag

I saw this on Brilliantly Novel and I have been meaning to this for ages. I hope you don’t mind I stole your titles, they were very cool. 🙂

I didn’t really read much until I found the Harry Potter series as a teenager. This is the series that got me into reading.

I originally bought this for my sister, thinking it would be okay but nothing special, she handed it back to me the next day and told me to go read. I had it finished by the next afternoon. It was really really good. The whole series was amazing.

I bought when I went to the Harry Potter Studios. I have been in a little of a reading slump so this was a nice easy read to get me out of it.

I do read this sort of thing if it has a paranormal side to it, this was the first time I read one without it. I quite enjoyed it.

I found some funny moments. It was good and quirky.

A really good dystopian read that feels unique but familiar at the same time.

Films like this are fine, but not very keen on books like this. It was not for me, gave me a head ache.

I read it for college rather than school, but hey. I wasn’t the biggest fan, it kind of bored me. I need more in my books.

This was such a sad book, I could only read it a chapter at a time. It was hard to read since I knew it was a true story and all this hurt really happened.

The middle was mediocre, but end had me wanting more. I was feeling so many emotions at once. It was so good.

Your turn 🙂