Monday 28 July 2014

Quote of the Day


"There's always another storm. It's the way the world works. Snowstorms, rainstorms, windstorms, sandstorms, and firestorms. Some are fierce and others are small. You have to deal with each one separately, but you need to keep an eye on what's brewing for tomorrow. "

~Fire Study, Maria V. Snyder

The Keepers by Donna Augustine


Josephine (Jo) Davids was a normal 18 year old who girl who worked at one of the most prominent bars on the Vegas Strip by night, and was a College medical student by day. But this all changes when she sees a man change into a snarling beast and is killed by her boss Cormac for witnessing something she shouldn't have. The only problem is...she didn't die. Augustine has written a fast pass and very addictive series based off of the tales of Alchemists and Faeries. Only she has taken none of their usual and stereotypical powers and instead has woven a story where not all is black and white or even moral. The Fae battle to save the lives of their families by seeking asylum on Earth, but the portal is guarded by the Alchemists whose main concern is that if the Fae have damaged their homeland so much that they have to escape it, what is to stop them from destroying Earth? A story filled with intrigue, a wavering of ethics and strong characters, I enjoyed the first book to the series entitled 'Alchemy' and am eager to start onto the second. 

Rating: 3/5 Titans

"Only honest people take you at your word. Liars and thieves expect the same in return." 

Other Books in the Series

Keepers and Killers
Shattered
Redemption




Thursday 24 July 2014

Quote of the Day


"People think that happiness will simply fall into their laps. You have to aspire to it. And sometimes you have to seize it when it's kicking and screaming." 

~Dark Needs at Night's Edge, Kresley Cole

Cover of the Week


Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassins #1) by Robin LaFevers

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Quote of the Day


"If no one cares for you at all, do you even really exist?"

~Clockwork Angel, Cassandra Claire 

Kindling Ashes by Laura Harris


Sixteen years ago the Dragon War was fought and the dragons were killed out...or at least the human's believed them to be. But the alpha dragon Baltair was able to conserve the soul of himself and the rest of his nest by hiding them away in the bodies of humans. But the dragon souls cannot be contained within the body of a human forever and even now their hosts are becoming weakened, some even dying from the exertion of having two souls. Giselle is a teenaged gold smuggler working on the streets of Auland who struggles to survive on the street with the help of the voice in her head, so when she is given the opportunity to travel to the mountains that she and Voice have dreamed about for so long, she jumps at the chance. Corran is the youngest son of the dragonslayer that led the battle all of those years ago, he is the weakest amongst his brothers and seeks the approval of his legendary father, so when he hears rumours of dragon sympathises is the area he decides that this is the opportunity to prove himself once and for all. But as soon as he embarks on his journey of lies and betrayals, his destiny will be changed forever.
Ever since the beauty and success of Eragon, I have been searching for the next dragon book that I would fall in love with, and sadly, Kindling Ashes is not that book. 
I enjoyed the world that Harris has created and it is a very unique and different idea amongst the young adult and fantasy genre, but the characters, whilst interesting, I did not fully connect with. Corran is an egotistical and immature child that continuously made me want to slam the book shut, but his character development was his saving grace, whilst Giselle on the other hand was a selfish girl who couldn't even bear to think about having to let her dragon leave her body, and her character development needed more of something. The beginning drew me into the story, but by the end of it I was glad that it was finished. Kindling Ashes had a lot of potential and I was a bit disappointed that it didn't live up to it.

Rating: 2.5/5


Monday 21 July 2014

Quote of the Day


"Okay. Right. Horror meets romance meets fantasy meets hip hop. Throw in some leather and Miami Ink Shit, stir with a baseball bat and tire iron, sprinkle on some baby-powder, and serve over a hot bed of Holy-Mary-mother-of-god-this-has-to-work-or-I'm-gonna-be-a-lawyer-for-the-rest-of-my-natural-life. No Problem." 

~J.R Ward on the elements of writing the Black Dagger Brotherhood series

Sunday 20 July 2014

Quote of the Day


"But it is in our nature for stars to cross, and never was Shakespeare more wrong when he had Cassius note, 'The fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars/ but in ourselves.'" 

"There is no shortage of faults to be found amidst our stars."

~The Fault in our Stars, John Green

Bully by Penelope Douglas



Tate has been bullied by her former best friend and neighbour, Jared since they began high school. When once they were each other's anchors holding the other together through the death of parents and ones with alcohol problems, they now can't stand to look at each other, let alone be in the same room. So when the vicious rumours that are being spread about Tate by Jared  escalate into borderline sadistic territory, Tate packs up and moves to France for a year in the hope that the animosity between the two will have dissipated by the time she comes back for her senior year. But on her return, Tate has finally grown a back-bone and decides to turn Jared's games back on him, though not everything is as it seems and Tate will have to discover exactly what it was that made Jared despise the very sight of her all those years ago in order for them to finally escape the past and move forward into the future. I don't really know what to say about this book because I both absolutely loved and hated it...Jared had been through a very hard time and he decided to hurt the person he could when he couldn't get to the one that he wanted to, and in a way I understand why he would see the need to do that, although I really loved Tate's character and was saddened that her best friend would turn against her over something so unsubstancial. I equally love and hate Jared because whilst he was able to mostly overcome what happened to him, he terrorised Tate for years and made her feel as though she needed to leave the country in order to escape him and his cronies, when instead he should have been seeking support and help from her. Douglas writes a book with strong characters, witty one-liners and a very psychological story that taps into the mind of a bully and what eventually creates one. 

Rating: 3/5 Titans

"If you beat metal long enough, it turns to steel"

Thursday 17 July 2014

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Quote of the Day


"I'd have been dead a long time ago if not for my friends, one of whom had just jumped off a cliff after me. I'd have been a lot more appreciative if he hadn't pushed me first."

~Hunt the Moon, Karen Chance 

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Quote of the Day


"Walking around nude in front of humans was not a good way to keep a low profile within the community. It was an excellent way to make new friends, though. "

~Rogue, Rachel Vincent

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne


Growing up as a street-rat in Forge, Kyra has learnt that in order to survive, she must take, and her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her retrieve whatever she needs. But when the Assassin's Guild begins to take an interest in her thieving abilities and offers her a string of risky jobs, Kyra hesitates, though when she is attacked by Palace guards, Kyra gives into her need for vengeance, coin and the challenge of spying from within the walls of the Palace. Tristam is a young Palace knight with a need for revenge against the vicious Demon Riders-barbarians who ride on the back of giant wildcats- who murdered his best friend. But as the string of attacks continues and Tristam is no closer to stopping the raids, he realises that his plans are being thwarted by a thief who is able to sneak past all of the Palace defences with an embarrassing ease. When a raid by the Demon Riders throws them together, Tristam and Kyra must learn to work together in order to untangle a dangerous web of lies, betrayals and subterfuge. And as their loyalty to each other is tested to its breaking point, they learn a secret about Kyra's past that may just change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone within the city of Forge. A great start to an interesting series, Midnight Thief is a unique and rare find within the young adult genre, and whilst it wasn't a story that I fell head-over-heels in love with, Blackburne still produced a book that kept making me flip the pages without hesitation or falter; overall Midnight Thief is a pleasant and exciting read and I will definitely continue on with the next book in the series. 

Rating: 3/5 Titans


Monday 14 July 2014

Quote of the Day



"Some people say when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But when life gives you one seriously ticked off God gunning for your ass, you prepare for war and hope for Paradise." 

~Sentinel, Jennifer L. Armentrout

Sunday 13 July 2014

Here be Sexist Vampires by Suzanne Wright



Sam Parker is a vampire with a gift so rare and substantial that she is called upon to partake in a test for a position in the Grand High Vampire's private and very elite army. Being of the Svente vampire breed is hard enough as they are seen as too tame and human-like by the super strong Pagori and the hypnotically beautiful Keja, so being a women on top of all that leads to no-one taking her seriously. But this is what Suzannne Wright is famous for: giving us an iron-willed and very snarky female lead who not only keeps up with the guys, but surpasses them in everything and ultimately demands the respect that she deserves. So after Jared-the commander of the squad-kicks Sam out after she fairly beat him in a fight, the Grand High Vampire still sees her potential and much to Jared's indignation, makes Sam the legion's co-commander, now ironically working alongside Jared. Now Sam has to demonstrate to Jared and the squad of chauvinists why it is incredibly foolish to underestimate a witty, wilful, temperamental, borderline homicidal Svente female vampire. One of my favourite authors, Wright always takes me on an adventure filled with strong female characters, a lot of laughs and a lot more intense battle scenes. She creates these worlds so vividly and creatively that they are completely different to everything I have ever read before, and Here be Sexist Vampires is no different. Fantastic world building, great monologues and even better characters, Wright will always leave you begging for more. 

Rating: 5/5 Titans

"So you're prejudiced against women, young vampires and another breed of vampire. I bet you're a delight to have around."

Quote of the Day





"The boy never cried again, and he never forgot what he'd learned: that to love is to destroy, and to be loved, is to be the one destroyed."

~City of Bones, Cassandra Clare

Switch by Janelle Stalder


After the worst war Earth has ever seen, two thirds of the human population has been wiped out. Charlotte has been recruited by the wrong side of the war, and although she had no choice at the time, she soon becomes the feared and powerful weapon that the New World Order hoped she would become. Posing as a man named 'Weapon X', Charlotte instills fear into the hearts of the rebels due not only to being the New World leader's left-hand-man, but also for the stories that are whispered about Weapon X being able to read minds. It is Charlotte's duty to make sure the rebels stay down where they belong, until one rebel sneaks past her copious defences and into her betrayed and lonely heart. 

Switch is a story of love, betrayal and hope. Told from a few different POV's, Stalder makes it so easy to imagine the desperate world that she has created and she writes the characters so diversely that I was able to figure out whose chapter it was within a sentence of reading. I really enjoyed this book, though my favourite aspect of it had to be the superb world building. Other books in the series include 'Masked' and 'Tested'. 

Rating: 5/5 Titans

"It was the only way to survive now. Be strong, or be killed. She chose to be strong."


Thursday 10 July 2014

Lovely Vicious by Sara Wolf

Isis Blake hasn't fallen in love in 3 years, 9 weeks and 5 days, and after what happened the last time, she intends to keep it that way. After a huge physical and emotional transformation, Isis moves to Ohio with her mother in order to escape both of their bad relationships. Jack Hunter is the Ice Prince of East Summit High, hotter than an Armani add and colder than the Arctic, he has never spared a thought for anyone at his high school...until Isis Blake punches him in the face, and suddenly everything is a game with the objective to make the other beg for mercy. 

One of my favourite books, Lovely Vicious is filled with heartache, copious amounts of humour and eventually, the chance of loving and being loved in return. The verbal battle of wits and wills between Isis and Jack is some of the best dialogue I have ever read and never failed to make me laugh and most importantly, question my own thoughts on the subjects they battled over. A must read book that almost everyone will enjoy, and definitely one of my favourite of all time stories. Other books in the series so far include 'Savage Delight' and 'Brutal Precious'. 

Rating: 5/5 Titans

"I would love to slap you right now, but I'm currently wielding a nine pound ball and I'm afraid that would be called murder."

Firebolt by Adrienne Woods


16 year old Elena Watkins never believed in the fairy tales that her father told her, but when she is attacked by those very same fairy tales and her father is killed, Elena enters a world of dragons and dragon riders. Entered into a school where she must learn what her birthright entails, Elena is pitted against other students who have had their whole lives to train in the art of swordplay and magic, and the only way that she is ever going to graduate is on the back of her very own nightmare. Woods has created a very unique world in which everyone who reads Firebolt wants to be apart of, the action is non-stop and very well put together and the characters are very realistic in their mannerisms and conversations (well, as far as shape-shifting dragons go). Firebolt is a must read for all fantasy and dragon fans and I have very high hopes and expectations for the next book in the Dragonian series, entitled 'Thunderlight'. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Titans


Avery by Charlotte McConaghy


The people of Kaya die in pairs, when one lover dies, the other does too. Though everything changes when Ava's bondmate is killed, and she is the first person to survive the seperation. Missing half of her soul, Ava is merely a shadow of her old self, swearing revenge upon the queen of Pirenti who has been held responsible for the war and the death of hundreds of Kayans. Ava's plans are interrupted when she is captured by the deadly prince of her enemies, Ambrose, and through a twisted turn of events, they must work together in order to survive on a dangerous island. Avery is a beautiful story filled with everything a reader could ask for; villians, heroes, magic, flying horses, strong willed characters, war, and a haunting romance that transcends the hate between two countries. I absolutely adore this book and beg everyone, everywhere to go on this adventure with Ava and Ambrose. 

Rating:   5/5 Titans


"I love you as a women. I see you as you are, Ave-broken into pieces and suffocating-and I love all the pieces of you, no matter how small they've shattered, nor how far they've been scattered."

Thief (The Scarab Beetle #1) by C.L. Stone


Kayli Winchester is a down-on-her-luck girl who has sacrificed her education in order to put her younger brother through high school whilst having to deal with her drunk of a father. Struggling to pay rent each week, Kayli resorts to pick-pocketing (though never from women or old ladies). Thinking she is flying under the radar, she is surprised when she is approached by a group of Academy guys who need to borrow her area of expertise. Meant to be a one night job, it escalates into a mission of epic and adventurous proportions, fraught with underground drug dealings and undercover personas. Whilst I enjoyed Kayli's story of mischief and mayhem, I was a little shocked with the amount of times she manages to get herself into some sexual situations with the boys from the Academy. Seriously, out of the 5 boys-she manages to juggle 4 of them...and that's only because the fifth is more interested in guys. But I digress; Thief is a fun and exciting read for the more mature teenage audiences, and I am looking forward to the second book in the series entitled 'Liar'. 

Rating: 3/5 Titans

"We're the good guys, little thief. Stop talking like you're trying to figure out if we're not."
"Bad guys think they're good guys, too."

Perfected By Kate Jarvik Birch

Perfected shows an alternative harrowing view of our society, one that is not set in the near distant future, but now; where human girls are bred and cloned to resemble perfect dolls and are sold as 'pets' to the families of the very rich and famous in order to present a new way in which to establish hierarchical class and prestige. Birch shows how easy it would be for our government today to revert back to the times of uneducated and accepting slaves through the eyes of Number 8, a 16 year old girl educated in the only thing that matters: keeping her masters happy through etiquette, classical music and pretty dresses. Later renamed Ella by her new family, she develops throughout the novel from a docile and innocent child into a teenager aware of the fact that being kept in a gilded cage is still a cage and that there is a lot more to the world than making others happy. I very much enjoyed this story and implore everyone to read it from ages 14+ due to its somewhat mature theme. 

Rating: 4/5 Titans


"Perfected is a chilling look at what it means to be human, and a stunning celebration of the power of love to set us free, wrapped in a glamorous—and dangerous—bow."