ARC Review: A Jot of Blood

Adolescence is hard enough, but add magic to the mix and things have a way of getting complicated in a hurry. Even at Coventry Academy, one of the best schools in the world for the magically inclined, some ‘gifts’ mean nothing but trouble. What do you do when anything—your clothes, your food, the accidental brush of a fingertip—can instantly reveal the dark secrets of your closest friend … or, worse, a mortal enemy?

Coventry may have been Lire Devon’s haven since she was a little girl, but there are some who despise and even fear her rare clairvoyant power. Now, after years of simmering resentment, Lire’s nemesis, a sorceress with beauty, status, and well-connected friends, has thrown down the gauntlet. The challenge will push Lire’s resourcefulness to its limits and beyond—to a place where arcane dangers lurk and the price of power is knowledge too excruciating to bear.

Warning: The contents of this book include one surly werewolf, a snarky invisible prankster, and enough indelicate language to make a succubus blush.

Review

This was very different than  I expected. I also enjoyed it much more than I was expecting. I really like Lire as a character, she was fun, grew well as a character. Cal and Zach were great too, I loved their introduction, it was fun and unique. I really enjoyed finding out about the different kinds of magic. I thought the way Lire learned more about her powers was well done and has got me wondering what else she can do.

The mystery was good, it kept twisting and turning, keeping me guessing. I want to know more though, I want to know more, I am very much looking forward to the next book. The conflict between Lire and the popular girl (cannot remember her name) was interesting, seemed like jealousy on the popular girls part.

Cal, was a great character, I can see him being a very popular book love interest. He is strong and fun and a great friend. And yes he sounds like a catch.

I will be reading the next book in the series. And raving about this book to anyone who will listen.

Want a book with magic, werewolves, vampires, fun, excitement and a lot of mystery, go on pick this up you won’t be disappointed.

4 out of 5 stars

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ARC Review: Revenge is Sweet: DNF

Tags

vampire

Hell hath no fury like a vampire seeking revenge …
Life hasn’t been exactly normal for Ellie since she became a vampire. Although joining the legion of the undead was always going to take some getting used to, even if you are the partner of Will Austen, the Elder of London.

But when Daniel, a fifteen-year-old fledgling vampire, unexpectedly turns up at Ellie’s and Will’s Highgate home, things start getting very strange – and more than a little scary.

Events take a devastating turn as a mystery troublemaker leaves behind a trail of carnage – and it soon becomes clear they will stop at nothing to get the Elder’s attention, even if it involves hurting the person he cherishes the most …

But when it comes to Ellie, Will Austen is the wrong vampire to mess with.

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

First off I did not know this book was a sequel, I did my research, I checked on goodreads and it said it was stand alone, so I requested it. Turns out it’s the second in the series. I decided to see if I could make sense of it and I could there was enough description in it to leave me more than enough knowledge as to what happened in the last book.

I only managed to get about 20% the way through this book, I decided that was enough otherwise I was going to put myself into a reading slump. (May happen anyway the new book I have just started is almost as bad).

I found this book very dry and the characters very dry. The storyline was fin but it lacked any oomph, the parts of the about the vampires either felt like I was reading from a text book or it was just cliched or trying very hard to make it not a cliche.

I did not like the relationship between Ellie and Will it seemed a little like the author was trying to fifty shades of grey and mix vampires in. Will was a very hot and cold character and I often cannot relate to characters like that. I know people change their moods but this was too often too quick.

Overall I did not think this book was or me. I will not be rating since I did not get past 50%.

Review: Stake You

Devlin O’Mara has spent a long time cultivating her reputation as a scary bitch, and nothing’s going to change that. Not cheating boyfriends, annoying ex-crushes, or even a cheesy new kid who looks like he could have walked straight out of a young adult novel.

But life takes odd turns and eerie events coupled with a stalking classmate threaten to send Dev’s walls crumbling down around her, finally forcing her to face the true horror of her past.

Joining forces with an enemy is the only way to get to the heart of an enigmatic boy’s true intentions and protect everyone in her life from a being who couldn’t possibly exist.

It took me a little to get into this, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. In the beginning I thought it was too similar to Twilight but after the first few chapters I realised it was completely different. Devlin was a strong character who was scared and wasn’t in love with the idea of having a vampire boyfriend.

I cannot believe how bad her mum was, she was never there for her daughter. I cannot believe none of her friends noticed what was going on.

I thought the story progressed nicely and flowed well. The history was explained at a reasonable pace. I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series, although every thing was wrapped up so not sure what will happen.

4 out of 5 stars

Review: Crush

His precious touch could prove deadly…

When Taylor Sparks moves from New York City to Big Bear Lake, California, her life is forever changed when she meets a hot guy with winter-blue eyes named Jesse. Their attraction is instant, the chemistry undeniable. But sadly, things aren’t adding up. Taylor wonders what her ‘crush’ is hiding. When her new friend, Fred tells her his suspicions about Jesse being a paranormal creature, Taylor laughs. But when Fred turns up dead, she believes every warning he ever told her.

Taylor is shocked to learn that Big Bear Lake isn’t just glittering lakes, towering pines, and breathtaking mountains…there’s more…way more than meets the eye.

Will Taylor dive into a paranormal world she knows nothing about? To be with the one her heart can’t live without?

I enjoyed this book, it was fun and a nice easy read. But I just wish there was more of the paranormal element for me, the cover has wolves in it but they only showed up at the start then stopped. The other paranormal elements were not in it enough for me either, it started with the right amount then tapered off and left me feeling like I was reading a romance book.

I liked the characters but I did not know enough about them. Half way through I realised that I did not know much about them, didn’t really know what they liked or disliked, music, tv shows etc. These details make books feel more real.

Overall it was a nice quick read and I will read the second book just to find out some of the mysteries left open.

3 out of 5 stars.

ARC Review: Blood Wars

After just having died while saving all of humanity, Julia wakes up to a world where no vampires exist. Unexplainably, she and Nicholas are the only ones who remember the past. Julia’s wish to be a normal teen has come to pass, and like a gift, they can start their happily ever after.
That was until a new teacher showed up. To everyone else, Mr. Cruor is just a good looking guy with a voice that makes everything sound exciting, including stories of a bunch of dead guys. However, Julia knows Mr. Cruor. Stuck in his class, Julia is afraid that he’s not here to teach her history. He’s here for something else and there’s nothing she can do about it.

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

When I requested this book I did not realise it was a spin off of another series. It is not a series I have read. I managed to follow the book well enough but I often felt like the past was just not there, anything they said about it was either vague or info dump.

I do not really enjoy this book at all. Maybe it would be better if you knew and loved the characters, but the characters were not deep enough for me. I also was not a huge fan of the writing style.

I will not be picking up the original series based on this badly put together book.

2 out of 5 stars.

Review: Vampire University

Constantly moving as she grew up, Taylor had learned the hard way how to blend in wherever she went. But when she moves to VanCamp University for her freshman year of college, she immediately finds herself at the center of attention of nearly everyone she encounters. From the charismatic and mysterious Evans twins, to her quirky, clingy roommate Hannah, it seems that the people in Taylor’s new college life have no intention of letting her be the wallflower.

It’s not just blending in that Taylor has to worry about, though. At VanCamp University, there is more to the staff and students than meets the eye. While trying to adjust to her new life on campus, she finds herself in a world where fairy tales and reality collide, where gargoyles and leprechauns mingle with humans and vampires, and where nothing is as it first appears.

And as she discovers the truth of her own unusual heritage, Taylor learns that fairy tales are just the beginning.

This was a little different from other vampire books I have read and for this was grateful. Yes the main character does not know vampires exist until she arrives at the school and then she gets thrown in the deep end. I really enjoyed the descriptions and unique take on these vampires.

The story was intriguing and left me wanting more. I read it in about 3 sittings and did not want to put it down. The characters were interesting, each one has their own story to tell and I am looking forward to finding out more in the next one.

Taylor was a good little grumpy main character. But then again with everything that went on, she is allowed to be a little grumpy.

Overall this was a very enjoyable book.

4 out of 5 stars

Review: Forsaken

Tags

vampires, young adult

Nora Colburn was perfectly content in life. A junior in high school, she had good friends, a great family, and did well in school. Nothing particularly exciting ever happened where she lived, and everything was stable. But that all drastically changes when a new student arrives at Nora’s school. Wild rumors swirl about his past, and Nora becomes determined to find out the truth. As she gets to know the mysterious student, he shares with her an ancient secret… one that may yet put both of them in grave danger. And for the first time in her life, Nora is exposed to a completely unfamiliar world. She is swept away on an exhilarating journey that takes her to a place where romance and great destiny may yet await… and where supernatural powers run wild.

Love the cover of this book. I am pretty sure the dress was featured in the book, or something similar, so at least it is relevant.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. I found the start really strong and inviting but it got a tad boring for me. Very predictable, like Twilight with a little more thought into the concept of vampires. I liked to dream world but it didn’t really fit the story for me.

The new boy (I cannot remember his name) was a very odd character. Very similar to Edward Cullen, moody to begin with then got really friendly then for no reason shares his deepest darkest secret.

Nora left home with some one she had not known very long with out telling her friends or family, she never went back and never spared a thought to how they would feel. Very annoying and selfish. That really bugged me. And the end was interesting. Really you can become a vampire that quickly? And be okay?

I will not be reading the next book in the series.

2.5 out of 5 stars

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: Never Bite a Boy on the First Date

I’ve got a few issues. I’m a vampire now. One of my classmates was found dead, with telltale fang marks. I didn’t do it! (really!) Nobody believes me, so … I’m going to have to find the real killer. I’ve already got three suspects. (three very cute suspects.) One more problem: I am seriously falling for one of them … but what if he’s the killer?

I liked the fun, light style and tone of this book. It was entertaining to read and the identity of the murderer kept me on my toes. I was not a fan of the main character juggling three/ four guys, depends on how you look at it. It was an interesting story and although I had worked out who the murderer was half way through the book, there was lots of other mysteries for me to uncover.

Milo – aww he sounds so cute, def the boy you want to be dating. Funny too always a bonus.

Daniel – Hmm he was not my fave character, a little too mysterious for my liking.

Zach – a little bit of a physco from the start.

I would read more books if this was a series, not sure what else could happen though.

It was a good teenage vampire story, unlike any I have ever read which is a great thing.

All in all an original story full of mysteries and cute boys.

Four out of five stars.

A shade of vampire

I got a Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest for free in exchange for an honest review.

When I first got offered this book I was skeptical, in my mind it was going to be a cross between twilight and 50 shades of gray. Thankfully it was not! There were quite a few parts that reminded me of twilight but with any vampire romance book there is that danger, if not unavoidable trap. The similarities: a girl falls for a vampire even though she has seen exactly what evil creatures they can be; the vampire falls for the girl before getting to know her; there is someone else that wants to harm or kill the girl; there is at least another man/vampire who wants to be with her; there is another female vampire that resents the girl for being the one the male vampire picked and last of all (well probably not, but all I can think of right this second), even though the male vampire finds the girl’s blood the sweetest blood he has every smelt, he somehow manages to resist.  Most of the similarities mentioned are the cringe-worthy parts of Twilight.

The book is fairly short at 152 pages, a quick read. Thankfully there were no sex scenes, I am  not fond of sex in books just for the sake of it, if it is intergral to the story then fine but the whole new fad with new adult books that are basically young adult novels with adult issues, most of thbe time sex. I personally think the authors are shootign themselves in the feet when they do that because they are ruling out a whole generation of readers. But hey, I still read them and just ignore the dirty bits.

Okay, back to the book. Sofia is kidnapped by vampires on her 17th birthday and is taken to an unknown island of eternal night, known as the Shade.  The prince of the vampires awakes from a 400year sleep and Sofia is enslaved to his harem. She soon realises that the safest place in the shade is at the prince Derek’s side and in his good books. Will she survive?

Good points: Easy to read, well edited, enjoyable and best of all you actually see vampires for what they are, they do not go into sunlight and their known predators and prey are humans.

Bad points: Too much like twlight (in the basics, not the actual story line), not long enough, the first few chapters did not have enought charcater development.

Time for me to read another book, so I bid you goodnight bookworms.