ARC Review: Magic Academy

Tags

fantasy, new adult, under 1000 ratings

Out of a young woman’s ambition comes a love triangle that could destroy more than her heart.

Firia has always wanted to be a witch, but even though she’s a natural in magic, there’s a problem: She’s human.

Considered by the elven elite to be inferior, Firia needs an edge to be accepted into the Magic Academy. Out of sheer desperation, she summons the demon Varuj, a terrifyingly gorgeous spirit who helps her win the entrance competition. But at what price?

As the commanding demon does everything he can to penetrate every aspect of her innocent life, Firia still finds herself drawn to her study partner, Mae’lin. Not only is the sweet elf completely different from the powerful Varuj, but their relationship is forbidden.

How is she supposed to choose between the demon she owes her life to and the innocent elf who makes her a better person?

This thrilling new adult romance is from fantasy author, Jillian Keep.

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

I wasn’t sure about this novel when I first started it. I felt a little disjointed and bland. But as I got into it, these feeling ebbed away and left me with a well rounded book.

I still did feel it was a little lacking in oomph but it was a pleasant read. The characters were pleasant, but there wasn’t as much distinction between the good characters and the bad characters as I would have liked.

The magic elements were well expressed and exciting. I particularly enjoyed her test to get into the Academy. Although I found the main character a little annoying, she got too easily wound up and angry and then was subdued with a word from the demon.

There was not enough description of the surroundings and the world for my liking, it was very character centric which was not always a good thing.

3 out of 5 stars

 

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Review: Teacher’s Pet

Tags

magic, under 1000 ratings, vampires, werewolves, young adult

Alice Dibble has finally made it to the Nocturnal Academy, and is ready to start lessons at the most exclusive private school in Australia. She believes she is about to be trained to become a nocturnal defender of the Earth against the chaotic hordes of the Immaterium, and is ready to face up to this noble challenge.

Unfortunately, when she arrives she discovers that the Nocturnal Academy isn’t really that different from her old school. Lessons are tedious, equipment is old and broken, bats roosting in the rafters keep dropping presents on her notebook – and then there is scullery duty, which involves taking rubbish out to the epic compost heap, known to swallow children whole.

Alice’s new friend Toby, once a popular kid at her primary school, has become an outcast; her old enemy Carla needs help to learn how to change into her new animal form, and a little omniwere boy who can only change into tiny creatures like rats and rabbits has developed a crush on her.

Alice must also learn how to use her new vampire powers responsibly without succumbing to the lure of the darkness.

To make matters worse, Professor Abbacus, a teacher Alice thought liked her, now seems to want to kill her. It is all Alice can do to keep one step ahead of him and all of his devious, convoluted plans to punish her for the destruction of the Holloway Grimoire.

I enjoyed getting to know the character better in this second installment of the series and learning how the world works. It was good to see the old characters but also be introduced to new faces. A villain hiding in plain sight, got me good. I did not expect that at all.

I sometimes forget that the characters are so young, not even teenagers yet, they act so mature, which is probably not very realistic but it only bothers me when I am reminded of their ages.

The action is well written and enjoyable.

All in all it’s a good book for younger readers, but adults will enjoy it.

4 out of 5 stars

Review: Don’t Judge a Girl by her Cover

Tags

gallagher girls, spy, young adult

When Cammie “The Chameleon” Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she’s in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she’s there to watch Macey’s father accept the nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world’s best school (for spies), “exciting” and “deadly” are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnappers’ plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can’t shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn’t feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion’s corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey’s private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth.

As with the rest of this series I loved this book. I much prefer it to the first book. It is more spy centric which I love. We are finding more and more about Cammie’s family and more about the school.

Each book has it’s own story and does not feel like a prologue to the final book. But there is a bigger story that we are just now getting into that goes throughout the whole series.

There’s not much more to say than, it was a good third book in the series and I am very much looking forward to the fourth.

4 out of 5 stars

 

The Book Awards 2015

A great idea

Review: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Cammie Morgan is back, and it’s clear that her life hasn’t calmed down since the events of I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You. At first, giddy anticipation is in the air. Gallagher Academy, Cammie’s elite spy school, is hosting a visit from a covert training center for boys. Soon after the boys’ arrival, though, everything goes dangerously awry when a series of security breaches are discovered at the academy. Worse yet, teenage agent-in-training Cammie is being blamed for the penetration. With the school’s top-secret status at risk, the Gallagher Girls have to work quickly to save their beloved school.

I read this in about 4 hours, I liked it better than the first. Although I liked Josh and I was glad he was in the last one, I was pleased there was less of him in this one. The plot for this book was more focused on spy techniques and I loved it. It’s the reason I read these books.

I loved how the old characters were back but there was some new names joining the pack. They brought a lot to the book and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

It was action packed yet we still saw Cammie’s emotion. I want to know more about Blackthorn. I want more, I hope they are back in the next book.

5 out of 5 stars

Review: Fairest of All: Whatever After #1

A fresh, modern spin on a classic fairy tale–from bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski!
Mirror, mirror, on the basement wall . . .
Once upon a time my brother and I were normal kids. The next minute? The mirror in our basement slurped us up and magically transported us inside Snow White’s fairy tale.
I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true.
But hey — we’re heroes! We stopped Snow White from eating the poisoned apple. Hooray! Or not. If Snow White doesn’t die, she won’t get to meet her prince. And then she won’t get her happy ending. Oops.
Now it’s up to us to:
– Avoid getting poisoned
– Sneak into a castle
– Fix Snow White’s story
And then, fingers crossed, find our way home.

I really enjoyed this messed up fairytale. I know fairytale retellings are nothing new but this was. The premise was that two young kids accidentally got sucked into Snow White’s fairytale and ended up changing what happens.

Whilst trying to fix their mistake and get home, they cause even more problems, have an adventure and generally getting int funny situations. I loved the seven dwarfs they were not at all what I expected.

A fun book aimed at younger children, it was fun, maybe a little simple for me, but I would read it to my kids. I would read more of the series, they are quick fun reads 🙂

4 out of 5 stars

 

ARC Review: Forever Christmas

Tags

book, christmas, romance

This Christmas will change Andrew Farmer’s life forever.

Andrew can’t remember the last time he spent Christmas away from work. The end of the year is crunch time for literary agents. But when your career is your life, your life starts to suffer . . . beginning with your marriage.

When a heart-wrenching accident in a Christmas Eve snowstorm jars this high-powered agent from his obsession with success, a Christmas miracle will give him a second chance at love, life, and gratitude, but only if he can put aside his own ambition and learn to appreciate each moment.

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to change a man’s life–and to teach him to treat every day as if it were his last.

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

This was an interesting book for me, I only like romance when it is not the main focus of the book. Which this was, but I still enjoyed it. It wasn’t the romance that made me only like it and not love it. It the part Beth thought back to how they met, it was a little monotone and I was not feeling the story for a few chapters.

But the story with Andrew only get three days to give her the best gift, was exciting and I was trying to work out what it was, and would he manage to save her?

The story was a fun quick read. I would recommend it to people who enjoy romance and like Christmas miracles. I would read more by this author, he had a lovely writing style that captivated my heart.

3 out of 5 stars

The YA A-Z Book Tag

Tags

A to Z

I saw this on Clare’s blog and thought I would give it a go. It’s questions, it’s about books, sounds like good fun. 🙂

Click the book covers and it will open a new tab to their goodreads page.

A book you wish you owned?

The cover is beautiful and the book looks just as good. I will buy some day (soon I hope).

Best YA cover?

There are hundreds I could choose, but I love this one, I actually bought the book main based on the cover.

Could you ever see yourself with any of your favourite characters?

I could see myself (my teenage self or adult version of the character) with Neville Longbottom, he was always my favourite character and I had a book crush on him when I was younger. He is loyal and always seemed like a great friend.

Do you ever wish you could live in a fictional world?

Yes!!! Especially Hogwarts, I wish I could have gone there. But there are so many worlds I wish I could live in. Although some books I love I would hate to live in the world i.e. the Hunger Games, it would be a horrible world to live in.

Epic battle or love story?

Epic battle hands down. I mainly read fantasy, so what is that without a battle or two, I don’t hate love stories though but they are not the main reason I read the book.

Favourite YA title you have read so far?

This was a hard one to answer, there are so many great books, but this one really stood out to me. It was original and wonderfully written. I cannot wait for the next book.

Ghosts or aliens?

I don’t really read much of either but I do prefer Ghosts, there is something scarier about them and more real.

How do you choose which books to buy?

There’s a few different ways I use. The recommendations on goodreads, if I really loved a book I might look to see what else is like it. Seeing a book on a fellow bloggers post, found some good books that way. Being recommended by a friend but that’s usually a goodreads friend since most of my friends don’t read the same sort of thing I do. Lastly just seeing a book and I want it so I buy it.

If you could be a fictional character for a day, who would you choose?

Hermione, think of all the cool magic she knows, it would be wonderful to be able to all the spells she can do.

Judge books by their covers?

Yes, but if the synopsis looks dreadful I won’t give it a go. But if a cover is dreadful I am unlikely to look at the synopsis unless someone has told me how good it is.

Killing characters in YA books – should it be allowed?

Yes, of course. Sometimes it annoys me when all the main characters stay alive and don’t really get hurt but the baddies die or are wounded badly (I am looking at you Twilight). As much as it can be a bummer when my favourite character dies, it makes it more realistic.

Least favourite YA book you’ve read?

This is hard one, there has been a few that is just not for me. But this series is just everything I hate. The first book is fantastic but every book after gets progressively worse and filled with less content and more drivel. I gave up by the 5th book I think, I could not stand any more two chapters about her lying down and dreaming about all her boyfriends when she should be saving the world.

Male protagonist or female protagonist?

Honestly it does not bother me, as long as the book is good. I tend to read more female just because there seems to be more of them.

Name a YA book you are desperate to read.

I have been waiting for this book for years and it’s finally almost out 🙂

One YA book you want everyone to read?

I love this series very much. I know it’s not for everyone but if everyone who read and like Twilight read this I think they would love it 🙂

Pick three fictional characters you’d want on your side in an apocalypse.

Katniss from the Hunger Games, pretty self explanatory I think. Mrs Weasley from Harry Potter, she killed Bellatrix and she would look after everyone. Katsa from the Graceling, her skill is survival, I honestly think she would an asset. All I would have to do I’d be there.

Quick read or long read?

Either but I do tend to read quick reads more, but then I complain that I wish it was longer lol

Reading is essential to a happy life – agree?

For me yes it is, I feel lost without books and it makes me happy to share all my books ideas and read other peoples on wordpress 🙂

Series or standalone?

Both. Only if the rest of the series makes sense, I hate it when the first one would have been enough.

Tell us the most recent book you’ve read.

I just finished Forever Christmas by Robert Tate Miller, it’s not YA but it was okay.

Under the duvet – scariest book you’ve read?

I don’t really find books that scary but The Troop by Nick Cutter is gruesome, I haven’t finished it yet and not sure I will. Very explicit and not for the faint hearted.

Vanquish which YA series with a magic wand?

Probably the house of night series. I know lots of people like it, but I could do without it, and I regret spending my money on it.

What do you love most about YA fiction?

How easy it is to read and how relatable the characters are. We were all teenagers once and can probably remember feeling some of what the characters felt. There is also a varied range of books in the YA genre, something for everyone.

X marks the spot. Where is your favourite reading spot?

On my chair or curled up on my bed, but then I tend to fall asleep.

Your house is on fire. Which three books would you save?

My Harry Potter boxset. The fancy one with the gorgeous covers

Zombies or vampires?

Vampires, although I haven’t found a good vampire book in a while.

What would you choose?

 

First Lines: Between Two Thorns

“That night in Bath was the third time Sam’s beer bladder had got him into trouble.”

Something is wrong in Aquae Sulis, Bath’s secret mirror city.

The new season is starting and the Master of Ceremonies is missing. Max, an Arbiter of the Split Worlds Treaty, is assigned with the task of finding him with no one to help but a dislocated soul and a mad sorcerer.

There is a witness but his memories have been bound by magical chains only the enemy can break. A rebellious woman trying to escape her family may prove to be the ally Max needs.

But can she be trusted? And why does she want to give up eternal youth and the life of privilege she’s been born into?

Would you read this book based on the first line, synopsis and/or cover.

I love this book. 🙂

ARC Review: Neverlove

Tags

angels, devil, love, souls

For seventeen-year-old Abigail, one rash decision leads to an unexpected chance for redemption. At V’Salicus Academy, a unique institute where she trains to become an agent of heaven, she struggles with the pain of her past, the changes of the present and accepts a loveless future until her path – and heart – crosses with Basil’s.

Basil’s off-chance slip of the tongue binds him to a life of servitude to the Devourer, the master of hell. His existence has no upside until a chance meeting with Abigail brings new perspective.

Keeping the truth of their present lives from each other brings disaster when secrets are brought to light and the life of Abigail’s mentor is put on the line.

Can Abigail and Basil save her mentor and salvage their love amid the chaos? Or will they lose it all, destined forever to NEVERLOVE?

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

The beginning was really interesting and I found each person’s story interesting and unique, it was good to know what drove them to their current situation.

Abigail was a good character she had a lot of pain in her life, a did feel like she got over it a little quickly for my liking. She trusted too easily for someone who went through that.

Basil was a different situation, seemed to take Drakar’s words too lightly and it put his soul in jeopardy. I did like his view of life though, but once he me Drakar, I was not a fan of how he viewed his parents, seemed like teen angst to me.

Drakar he is a devil, he is very evil being. He purpose is not always clear. Some of his actions did not make sense. Did he know what Basil was before? Is that why he chose him? Seems like an awful big coincidence if he didn’t.

Father Q (sorry cannot find his name so initial will have to do) often acted like a love sick teenager although he was in authority, his actions put himself and others at risk. He was dismissive of other people’s concerns for him and what he was getting himself into.

The middle and the end of the book was a little meh for me. I found myself struggling to finish it (just a little struggle).

The very end was unexpected and I would not have guessed that was going to happen if you gave me a million guesses. So on that note it was unpredictable, but the rest of the story was fairly predictable.

I would read the second book if I happened to come across it but I would not seek it.

3 stars out of 5