Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)

By Jessica Spotswood

Published February 7th, 2012

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Hardcover, 330 pages

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other. -Goodreads

Review

Okay, so I discovered this book from a friend who lent it to me who thought I might like it. She knows me very well. I definitely thought the cover was appealing, but not so much the title. 

Born Wicked is the story of Cate, a girl who is primarily responsible for taking care of her two younger sisters ever since her mother died and her father withdrew into himself. That is normally difficult, but even more so with the fact that they are all witches. Cate not only has to protect herself but her sisters from the suspicious eyes of the community and the Brotherhood. Her father has also recently hired a governess, one who is hiding something and seems all too understanding, Cate cannot trust her, or anyone for the matter. There is also the problem of her impending announcement, she only has a few months to decide on either marrying someone or joining the Sisterhood. What can a girl do?

I pity Cate so much. She has so much responsibility and such a heavy burden. Yet, somehow, she is still hopeful and courageous, in the end sacrificing all most everything she holds dear for her family. She doesn't really know how to take care of her sisters, and does the best she can. That means keeping their secret about being witches, which is harder than you might think. Maura, the middle child, rebels, she loves her magic and loves using it. She is suffocated by Cate, and longs to be free. However, Maura just annoyed me. She is just so selfish, all she wants to do is play with her magic without a care for anything else. I admit that I can sympathize with her a little (who likes being smothered?), but she should realize how difficult she is being and making Cate's burden that much heavier, and making their secret that much harder to keep. The youngest sister, Tess, I absolutely loved. She's so sweet and wise beyond her years, which enables her to help Cate out. The family dynamic is great. They all love each other, but even the best of families have some drama. However, no matter how much they might fight, in the end their family comes first.

The romance part of this book was kinda like a love triangle. It was Cate's childhood friend (whom she hadn't seen in a while) vs Finn, the Cahill's new gardener (who also helps out at his mother's bookshop). Paul is okay, I mean he certainly has the moves and actually does care for Cate and want to marry her and make her happy, but he isn't Finn. Finn is so cute and such a great person. He is quiet and unassuming, but underneath he is really passionate about the things he loves. He and Cate are definitely soul mates, but they can't be together mainly due to his lower place in society.

The world Cate lives in is a tough one. The Brotherhood controls everything, and if you go against them you're branded as a witch and sent away (either to an asylum or to die). Being a witch is heresy, and the Brotherhood uses that fear of being accused to keep people in line. Not only that, but females have a deadline to either marry or join the Sisterhood. But what really is the Sisterhood? What could they be hiding? And then there is this prophecy that Cate's mother never told her about. Turns out, there was a lot that Cate's mother didn't tell her. This prophecy is, well, kinda important.

The ending was such a ride. In a few words, crap hits the fan, and everything happens so quickly there's little time to think. I enjoyed it so much, especially the plot twist at the end. Way to be more creative. Overall, Born Wicked is an enchanting tale of a brave girl faced with many difficult choices, between the magic, romance, and the family secrets, how far will Cate go to protect her family?

Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

  

The Last Witch by Debbie Dee Blog Tour: Review

The Last Witch 

By Debbie Dee 

Released: September 12, 2012 

Publisher: Dolce Books 

Paperback, 246 pages 

For generations the Incenaga Witches have been forced to use their power to fulfill the wishes of others until they are drained of their magic and left to die. Desperate to protect his infant daughter - the last surviving witch - Emmeline’s father escapes with her to the forests where he vows to keep her hidden from the world and from the truth.

Sixteen years later, Emmeline is discovered and finds herself in the grip of a traitor who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if it means abusing her power until she dies. As she fights to regain her freedom she is faced with a choice between a prince who offers a lifetime of security and a common gamekeeper who has no idea of her power, but offers his heart.

But who can she trust when her power can be used against her? --Goodreads

3.5 Stars

Review

Basically, if you are a high fantasy that is well built in world building and can hold a reader's interest until the end, you get my positive ratings. High fantasies are the genre that I adore so much because it's almost impossible to find one that cannot execute itself properly. Writing one of these books is hard work, and since almost all authors put their best efforts into developing the realms of magic and royalty, it's nearly impossible for them to be bland. 

The Last Witch picks immediately a few pages in where Emmeline finds herself running away from a force that severely injures her father. Unlike most high fantasies that slowly build up to an epic confrontation, this book takes a huge risk with this unconventional plotting. It wasn't necessarily bad, but definitely could have been a smoother ride in. Fortunately, things smooth over from here as Emmeline, essentially a prisoner within the castle, yearns for her freedom and falls into a love triangle.

Hearing the word 'love triangle' is bound to elicit some groans. It's totally understandable when this plot device is used so frequently and blandly that the best compromise would be for everyone to die. It is how Romeo and Juliet solved its problem, and frankly, I don't blame Shakespeare. The whole romance between Emmeline, Erick, and Prince Weldon was nothing too serious or focal in the story, thankfully. It definitely was not one of the strong points of the novel, but managed to capture the bittersweet feelings of loving someone that you cannot have. 

The explanations for the mechanisms of the magic of Incenaga witches was a plot device that was exhilarating and irritating at the same time. While at many points I loved how the antagonist attempted to control Emmeline using the power of her heritage, it became infuriating when the very same girl who was so resilient and fierce toward her captor was ridiculously weak when it came to people attacking her. Her excuse for the reason why she was helpless actually made sense, but was still aggravating when she fell into the role of a damsel in distress. It was as if the very source of her power was a hindrance to her becoming a strong heroine that most high fantasies feature. 

Although nothing special or revolutionary in the genre of high fantasies, The Last Witch is a short, sweet story of a girl finding her soul mate within the walls of her prison. The plot is easily predictable and will not rock a person's socks off. Unfortunately, there are traces of noble idiocy (the main character sacrificing themselves to save or protect whoever they love), and they happen many times throughout this book. Despite this all, The Last Witch is a read that you will not stop once you have started and will make you cheer with its ending.

Purchase The Last Witch here: Amazon (Kindle)/ B&N (Nook)

Review and Giveaway: Blood, She Read by Sara Hubbard

Blood, She Read
by Sara Hubbard
Published: November 2, 2012
Publisher: Etopia Press 

eBook, 351 pages

Keeping secrets from a psychic can be murder.

Petra Maras lives a charmed life, but only in the magical sense. Her absentee father is a criminal, her mother is emotionally dead, and everyone at her new school knows she comes from a family of witches. All she wants is to be normal, but that’s impossible, given her family. And given that she’s psychic.

When the police request help with a murder investigation, Petra reluctantly agrees. Which isn’t such a good idea since the prime suspect wants to date her, and she really wants to say yes. Her gut says he’s innocent, but since she can’t get a read on him she can’t know for sure. And when she discovers he’s been keeping secrets, she wonders if maybe she’s been following her heart instead of her head… --GoodReads

4.5 Stars

Review

Blood, She Read was a fantastic paranormal full of humor, bittersweet nibblets, and a romance that stands out among all of the other YA paranormal's love stories. Although it was a read that took me a while to finish, the reading experience I had while reading this book was the best so far this year. I know only been a month and a half of this year will have passed by the time this review is posted, but out of the dozen of books I've read so far, this is the one that stands out the most. 

When Petra helps the police with an investigation by using her powers to give clues toward the murderer of a girl in town, she knows that she's going to have to face consequences. Sadly, this turns out to be a threat from the suspect and his family, not to mention even more ostracization from the people in her town. With a mystery she has reluctantly begun to piece together and deciding between her new friend and the boy she's attracted to (Finnigan), Petra has to face a conflict that trumps the hazards that are plaguing her life.

As we are introduced to Petra and her realm, everything is revealed slowly, methodically, and unconventionally. Instead of becoming a flaw, this unconventional pattern of slowly revealing the layers of the characters is captivating and mesmerizing. The characters that we're introduced to first appear to be skewed on the good or bad meter, but as time goes on, the complexities of each character are exposed, causing them to be seen a completely new light . For example, we meet characters that seem deranged like Gina, Petra's sociopathic mother, and Tommy, the anger-prone brother of Petra's crush, that are both hateful toward Petra, but are exposed as normal people who received the bad end of the stick. The incidents behind their anger and malice may seem like excuses; however, they're not when the revelations are revealed without any exaggerated confrontation. Somehow through the course of the book, many characters are able to hide secrets that slip out so easily without any awkward disruptions to the story. There wasn't a troublesome scene where the antagonist just spill the humongous pile of secrets that the author couldn't manage to explain quickly enough.

Well part of the reason why there wasn't an idiotic revelation scene was because there wasn't much to the actual climatic mystery itself; the whole mystery of the murder was a bit obvious. The problem lied with the fact that there were only so many suspects that were offered up as an option. There will be no spoiling who was the murderer because thankfully, the focus of the story seemed to be the fiery relationship between Petra and Finnigan. This messy relationship is one that is surprisingly very convincing because there isn't any fluff between the two. Although there are lies that cause conflict, the key factor, empathy for each, exists between the two of them, which is enough. Unlike most paranormals that have a somewhat refined, a little too polished romantic connection between the main couple, Petra and Finnigan give everything to each other in a realistic manner. Rather than trying mold into the other's model of a perfect boyfriend or girlfriend, the two cuties learn to accept each other for what they are. This is what I hope is in the waiting for future romances.

With basically everything a book can have going for it, it's really surprising that Blood, She Read doesn't receive more attention. This is what a paranormal should be! No noble idiocy or any of that bull crap that forces the reader to need to strangle someone, nothing of that sort. Just pure heartfelt moments with the bits and pieces of twisting plot that slowly entrap the reader, never letting them go. Although hastily concluded with a somewhat generic ending, Blood, She Read is a read that will give you the good kind of tingles while you read it (I don't mean those kind of tingles).

Purchase Blood, She Read here: Amazon (Kindle)/ B&N (Nook)

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Embrace Book Tour: Interview with Cherie Colyer

Embrace by Cherie Coyler

Published: December 20, 2011

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

eBook, 190 pages

How far would you go to save the people you love?

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.

Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound. --Goodreads

Interview with Cherie Colyer!

YAN: What is your biggest fear?

Hm… the dark. I like being able to see what’s around me.
YAN: What is your favorite drink?

Iced tea with a slice of lemon.

YAN: If you could have dinner with any of your characters, who would it be? What restaurant would you take him/her to?

The mysterious new guy, Isaac. There’s more to him than meets the eye and I think it would be fun to sit down and talk about his life. We’d go to Red Robin, because Isaac loves a good bacon cheese burgers.

YAN: Which character would you imagine yourself being best friends with? Why?

Can I pick two? I’d say both Madison and Kaylee. They’re loyal and caring and I know we’d have a lot of fun together.

YAN: Any parting words for our reader?

I hope you enjoy Embrace, and I have exciting news coming soon about a sequel.

Check out Cherie's Links Below:

Website     Twitter     Facebook      Goodreads

Purchase Embrace:

Amazon     Barnes & Noble   

Cover Reveal: The Midnight Spell by Rhiannon Frater and Kody Boye

The Midnight Spell by Rhiannon Frater and Kody Boye

Expected Publication: February 2013

Best friends since kindergarten, Adam and Christy have always been the perpetual outsiders in their small town in Texas. The other kids call Adam gay and Christy a witch.

On both counts the bullies are right.

Their junior year in high school seems destined to be the same old same old until Christy decides to cast a love spell for Adam at the midnight hour. The next day an alluring and mysterious boy enrolls at school and sets hearts a flutter, including Adam’s. Meanwhile, Christy’s mad crush on the handsome football player Ian seems to be going nowhere fast and her witch puberty is making her life miserable.

When a great evil arrives in town that threatens everything they hold dear, the best friends realize that finding a boyfriend is the least of their worries. Soon Adam and Christy will have to battle a force of darkness that has killed in their town before, and will again. --Goodreads

Review and Giveaway: The Assembly Room by Bryony Allen

The Assembly Room 

By Bryony Allen

Published: October 11, 2012

eBook, 186 pages

The ghosts of The Assembly Room have been waiting for someone to unlock their secrets, and Merryn Stearne has arrived.

For 14 year old Merryn, the future should have been perfect – a new home in the idyllic Suffolk countryside and romance with the gorgeous boy next door, Jamie. If only the past would stop interfering with the present. Dreams of medieval witchcraft trials become terrifyingly real and Merryn realises there is a mystery to be solved. With Jamie's help, she uncovers the truth about her ancestor's role in the Suffolk witch hunts of 1645.

But can they stop the curse that threatens to ruin the Stearne family once again, or are the forces of the past too strong?--Goodreads

4 Stars

Review

What would you usually get when you move into a crummy old house? The Assembly Room of course, which comes with a package of dark, gory mystery neatly wrapped in a beautifully written story. 

We start off with Merryn's family moving into the disgustingly rotting house that Merryn's father inherited from an insane late uncle. Right off the bat, we know that we're in for a disturbing past because really, all horror stories begin with someone doing something stupid in the past like 300 years ago. In this case, Merryn is reliving all of these moments in the past that are haunting the future, her present. 

Watching the present and the past intertwine to create a spellbinding tale just caused me to love this book. Although I am usually not a big fan of horror, The Assembly Room possesses something that lurks beneath the pages that drew me. Bryony Allen excels in seamlessly splitting the story between the present and the past. The witch trials provide a vindictive history behind the haunting events in the book. Let's just say that Bryony Allen has an extraordinary gift with storytelling. 

My only concern with The Assembly Room was the point of view. Most books have a consistent narration from first-person and third-person. However, this book had an interesting characteristic of incorporating the thoughts of all of the characters present in scene in the same chapter. Like, Merynne would be talking about how embarrassed she felt about her feelings for Jamie, while in the next paragraph, Jamie would be thinking the same thing. I didn't really dislike it, but it just felt a little out of place.

The Assembly Room is a amazingly written story of the past and present intermingling. The depth of many of the characters that face terrible luck due to the past is realistic and perfectly portrayed. This book is definitely one of my favorite surprises of this year. I totally did not expect to enjoy The Assembly Room as much as I did. The Assembly Room is a must read for all horror readers because honestly, it's an story that packs a punch and tantalizes one's reading palette.

 

Bryony Allen has graciously offered up a Print and an eBook copy up for giveaway! 

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Review: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)

By Deborah Harkness

Published: February 8, 2011

Publisher: Viking Adult

Paperback, 592 pages

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.
Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism. --Goodreads

3.5 Stars

Review

Yes, yes, I know that this is supposed to be a young adult book blog and I'm reviewing an adult book. Yes, yes, I know that this book compares itself to Twilight, and in fact it's pretty much a rated R version of it. Yes, yes, I also know that I'm going to be ranting in this review, so I give you, the reader, the option to exit this review at once, or continue on to experience my take on A Discovery of Witches.

This book is basically a recollection of thousands of years worth of history being merged into a mere 600 page book full of tons of medieval and fantasy elements. It is definitely a unique take on vampires, witches and daemons that meshes perfectly with the modern world mixed with the dark fantasy aspects. There is something enchanting about forbidden romance drawing creatures of juxtaposing natures that A Discovery of Witches presents.

Unfortunately, I found Diana and Matthew to be clones of Bella and Edward, respectively. Their histories may be different, as well as interests, but the plot of A Discovery of Witches fell in to place as a perfect Twilight cycle. Girl is special = Vampire is attracted to her, "smells yummy." They fall in love over dinner  and danger causes them to hook up. I won't say that I hated this "retelling" of The Twilight Saga, but I wish that there was more originality in the plot.

Now that I think about it, I still loved reading A Discovery of Witches. Despite its unoriginal plot, the lyrical writing enhanced the beauty, the darkness of the ancient world magic. The story flew so quickly, even with the immense size of the book. It took me a month to get through this book. Seriously look at it! The length of the book is incredibly long with the ridiculously high page count and ridiculously puny font. Still, considering that I had enough patience to deal with this book is a miracle that can be explained by the entrancing nature of this book.

My review is basically just saying how this book was so addicting, like meth (but healthier), but still flawed. The beginning was a bit shaky, nevertheless as things progressed, I couldn't put A Discovery of Witches down for a second without dreaming about what was to come. At times, the plot was a bit messed up, but there was so much momentum and history building up. A Discovery of Witches is definitely a somewhat unique read that will drive the reader closer and closer to the mysteriousness of this world. I am definitely recommending this for all and cannot wait to read The Shadows of the Night. 

Purchase this book: Amazon/ Barnes&Nobles/ The Book Depository

Movie Trailer: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

My Thoughts: I dunno... It looks kinda stupid. Don't get me wrong! I loved this book, well the first book. The second book of the series was kind of bleh for me. But look at this! The guy playing Ethan looks too old to be in high school and the window blasting out scene felt so fake. Not to mention, it feels like the dark atmosphere is forced, instead of naturally being the setting. Maybe it's just me.

What do you guys think?

 

Review: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Cold Kiss (Cold Kiss #1)

by Amy Garvey

 Release Date: September 20, 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Paperback, 292 pages

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver andBeautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned. --Goodreads

4.5 Stars

Review

Do you know the five stages of grief? Well Cold Kiss is a novel about a girl who hit all of the stages of grief except the most important one, acceptance. Yes, I know it does sound sad and the novel was in fact, sad I cried a little during the book. What I liked most about this book was that it wasn't all sad; it was also funny, cute, and romantic (without being creepy- it wasn't like some guy was hitting on Wren right after her boyfriend died, no the relationship between Wren and Gabriel was appropriate and adorable.) 

So who is Gabriel? Gabriel is the (cute) new guy in Wren's small town, where everyone knows everyone since kindergarten, who right off the bat takes an interest in Wren. Wren is also attracted to Gabriel, but doesn't want herself to feel that way because she has Danny. Gabriel is not just any ordinary new kid; he has special magical powers. Gabriel can feel other people's feelings and read their minds, but he is not Wren's kind of special, which is "I can do magic like bringing my dead boyfriend back to life magic." When Gabriel finds out what Wren did, he becomes the only person Wren can talk to about Danny and the person she turns to for help. 

The book alternates between flashbacks of Wren and Danny and the present time with zombified Danny. The style of how Cold Kiss is written kind of reminds me of how the book If I Stay because they both alternate between present time and the past. I really like this concept because it gives the reader a stronger sense of the main character's loss, and in Wren's cause, gives the reader a more in dept reason of why she used magic to bring back an empty Danny. The flashbacks in Cold Kiss really showed the change in the Dannys. In the flashbacks, Danny is an outgoing guy who loves and always wants to make his girlfriend laugh, but also has other interests besides Wren. In the present time, Danny is not an outgoing guy (not his fault because Wren can't let him go outside, otherwise Danny would freak out people because he is suppose to be dead) who is extremely whiney, and needs Wren like people need air. 

Bottom line I LOVED this book and I will be reading the sequel to this book, Glass Heart, which is released September 18, 2012. I would definitely recommend this to people, especially to people who loved If I Stay by Gayle Forman( check out my review). The only little thing that bugged me about this book was that it kept saying how cold dead Danny was. I got that Danny is always cold the first fifteen times it was mentioned. Also there was one or two times it got a bit too descriptive for me, but it was only a page or two, then it picked up again. Those are the only reasons why it is a 4.5/5 instead of a 5/5 . Overall this book was AWESOME! 

Purchase this book: Amazon / Barnes&Noble / The Book Depository