Book Review: Shimmer by Alyson Noel

Shimmer by Alyson Noel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The second in the series & it was as delightful as the first. This is an easy read & an insightful look into the mind of Riley.

Riley is on vacation and decides to take matters into her own hands when she is confronted by a huge Hell Beast (dog). She figures if she can "convince" a troubled soul to move on another won't be too hard. But she is in for a big shock. What she discovers is not just one soul but over a hundred. Riley is matched against a 13 year old girl, Rebecca, whose anger has turned into hell. Riley has no choice now but to help rescue them all.

This is another great adventure for Riley and she also gets to learn a thing or two about her guide, Bhodi. She also learns some things about herself.

Dreamland

View all my reviews

The We Fancy Books Follower Appreciation Giveaway

The lovely folks over at We Fancy Books are having a wonderful giveaway for their followers and to enter you have to do a blog post and answer a question.

WHY DO YOU FANCY BOOKS?


Well, I really started getting into books when I started working and during my lunch hour would read a book because I couldn't go anywhere else.  From here it only grew and grew.  When I finished working to have my lovely children, I started to read more and more.  Now it is sort of a family affair, my Mum and sister are read-a-holics as well and we compare and share our opinions, what we think is good or not.  It makes it all that much more fun too.

Some of my all time favourites:
Harry Potter series
Twilight saga
Study series by Maria V Snyder

and of course Vampire Academy, House of Night, Morganville Vampires and Shifters series by Rachel Vincent.

There are some very awesome prize packs on offer from We Fancy Books, please head over and check them out.  There are Australian, US and International prize packs on offer.  Plus an extra special mystery prize.  This is a must enter!!

EBook Review: Diary of the Displaced by Glynn James

Goodreads: There is a place where nightmares come true.

It is a dark and terrifying place that is hidden from the world we know, by borders that only the most unfortunate of souls will ever cross.

James Halldon woke up in the dark, alone, without any food or water, and without a clue where he was.

And it only got stranger.

"Of all the places I had to end up, it had to be here."

Diary of the Displaced is a Horror Fantasy novel, giving a detailed account of his struggle to survive, whilst trying to understand the strange, dark, terrifying world in which he is trapped.

If it's dark when you wake up, and you can hear growling, then close your eyes and maybe it will go away.

But maybe it won't.

Title: Diary of the Displaced (Diary of the Displaced #1)
Author: Glynn James
Publisher: Self Published
Type: Ebook
Source: Kindle Book Review
My Rating: 4 stars


This was a great read. Something out of the norm and has twists and turns along the way.

It was addictive and I didn't want to put it down until I got to the end of the diary entry just to see what happened that day.  Love the diary aspect and this book is very scary, I slept with the light on for a few nights after reading it.

James wakes up in the dark, if you weren't scared of the dark before, you will be afterwards.  Man, the author has a very scary and vivid imagination.  James doesn't know what has happened or where he is.  Can't see anything, but starts to hear howling in the darkness.  James starts his journey to find his way back home, hopefully.  He becomes courageous, self sufficient and a warrior.  He finds he isn't the only one living down in the dark.

James is a smoker, so starts feeling around for his lighter, then puts some things together to make a camp site.  With a fire, he can see is surroundings a little and creates torches to go exploring.  He appears to be in some kind of junk yard.  With torch in hand, he goes looking for food and water.  James finds some mushrooms and cooks them over the fire.  Zombies come and invade his camp site, but James has help in destroying them.  The howling is a dog (of some kind) and he befriends the dog, which in turn helps James survive.

James journey is long, dangerous and full of surprises.  He makes some friends along the way and now knows why dogs are called mans best friend.  What James discovered will make your head spin and saying "OMG!!".

This is the first in the series, with the second being called Chasing Spirits.

Chasing Spirits via Goodreads

EBook Review: Storm Born (Dark Swan #1) by Richelle Mead

Goodreads: Just typical. No love life to speak of for months, then all at once, every horny creature in the Otherworld wants to get in your pants...

Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Mercenary, yes, but a girl's got to eat. Her most recent case, however, is enough to ruin her appetite. Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy--one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie's first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it.

Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon and Otherworldy ne'er-do-well, and the ones who don't want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, Eugenie realizes that the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within her...

Title: Storm Born (Dark Swan #1)
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Zebra 2008
Type: EBook
Source: Kobo Books - self purchase
My Rating: 4 stars

This was fantastic. It is full of action, intrigue, love, sex and humor. It has it all!

Eugenie is such a complex character, but really has it all. She is a shaman, ridding Tuscon of all the otherworldly creatures that are causing trouble. She starts to see a pattern and all the trouble makers are male and trying to have their way with her. It is discovered that there is a prophecy that she will have a son that will take over the human world. 

Eugenie goes on a quest to rescue a teenage girl from the Otherworld & finds herself betrayed and that the girl doesn't want to be rescued anyway. This is just the beginning. Eugenie discovers the truth behind her father and her true heritage. She is now on a mission to find out what is going on, but that means living with the enemy. 

Eugenie starts to learn how to use her true powers and finds this is harder than she thought.  But finds love in the most unlikely places. She has men falling all over her and all sorts of creatures trying to convince her of their worthiness to help conceive the heir. Who will Eugenie choose? Will she decide the gentry are not as bad as all that?  Will Eugenie become pregnant even though she it taking precautions? Can she still rid the human world of the otherworldly creatures when she is part one herself?  We will have to read the next instalment to find out....

Thorn Queen (Dark Swan #2)

ARC Book Review: Ashes by Ilsa J Bick

Goodreads: Alex has run away and is hiking through the wilderness with her dead parents' ashes, about to say goodbye to the life she no longer wants to live. But then the world suddenly changes. An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky zapping every electronic device and killing the vast majority of adults. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who has changed... Everyone still alive has turned - some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh). Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the zombies that are on the hunt, Alex meets up with Tom - an Army veteran who escaped one war only to find something worse at home - and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse. This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to find food, shelter, while fighting off the 'Changed' and those desperate to stay alive. A tense and involving adventure with shocks and sudden plot twists that will keep teen and adult readers gripped.

Title: Ashes (Ashes Trilogy #1)
Author: Ilsa J Bick
Publisher: Quercus
Format: Paperback, 465 pages
Source: Pan MacMillan Australia (thank you so much!)

This book was addictive!  When I started reading, it was night and I was home alone. Reading the part when Alex and Ellie are trekking through the woods when gun shots are heard and then they see the teenage kids eating a woman, well, I didn't sleep well that night!!  But gee, it was fantastic.

Alex is a teenager that has run away, she is just 15 years old.  Alex was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour and decided she needed time to sort out her options.  She was diagnose two years earlier and had been having treatment, but nothing worked.  She hiked up a mountain in the Waucamaw Wilderness and a few days later a couple of visitors arrived.  An elderly man, Jack and his Grand-daughter, Ellie (who is 8 years old) arrived with their dog Mina.  Ellie wasn't really impressed with Alex and didn't really want to stay, but Jack wanted a coffee and to shared their Krispy Kreme's.  A few moments later Jack was having a heart attack and Alex thought her head was going to explode.  Ellie had taken off down the trail to cool off and didn't know what was happening on top of the mountain.

Alex's head cleared, Jack had died with blood coming out of his head and Mina was also bleeding.  Mina became very protective of Jack's body while Ellie stumbled back up and she started to go into shock.  Nobody knew what was going on, but Alex decided it was best to pack up camp and head down to the Ranger's Station.  Ellie was fighting the idea, didn't want to leave Jack, but there was no alternative.  Alex headed off without Ellie, knowing she would follow eventually.

They reached the bottom of the mountain and headed to the camp ground for an overnight stay.  They heard noise, saw a couple of teenagers sitting around eating.  Then they realised what they were eating.  Alex and Ellie took off like a rocket, still not knowing what in the world was going on.

They had gotten away from those kids and set up camp for the night.  Heading for water the next day, Ellie was fishing for something to eat.  A bunch of wild dogs came upon the girls and decided they wanted lunch.  Alex was trying to ward them off when a man stumbled out of the woods, grabbed one of the dogs and he then proceeded to eat it... yummo!  After munching on the dog, he thought the girls looked tastier.  With a bang another man came along and shot the CHANGED man. The other man was Tom!

The three decided to keep to the plan and head for the Ranger's Station.  It was empty of people (all sorts), but fully stocked with food, weapons and beds.  They stayed there a while trying to work out what to do.  Tom was listed in the Army in explosives and told the girls he thought it was an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) or several that were detonated.

They made a plan to head to Canada.  There was an old truck in the shed and they found plenty of weapons and food to take along as well.  They headed out early one morning, following the old country roads to keep out of sight.  They had also been told about a town that was taking in refugees and that was their second option.

There are some very exciting adventures that Alex partakes in following their departure from the Ranger's Station.  I don't want to ruin the excitement, so will just say that Alex gets torn between two boys and has a strange affinity towards dogs.

My opinion:  I rated it 5 stars.  Wow, it ends in such a cliffhanger and now I want to read the next one, Shadows (Ashes #2), due out next year.  Ashes Trilogy

I loved that Alex was self sufficient, knew how to live off the land and protect herself.  She had the courage to do what was necessary and not think about her own needs in the process.

This was a fantastic read, I loved all the details, although some were gruesome.  The thing is this could actually happen in today's society, well except for the zombie part.  We rely on technology so much that I couldn't imagine being without electricity or plumbing for that matter.  Ilsa has a great method of writing and it was very easy to read.  Looking forward to the next one.

Aron Warner's Pariah Graphic Novels - TRAILERs

Thought I would share with you the trailer's for the Pariah graphic novels.  This was kindly sent out by Sea Lion Books & is a great series so far.  I cannot wait to read more. 

PARIAH…
A twelve-book graphic novel series from the mind of Oscar-winning film producer Aron Warner, illustrations by Eisner-nominated Brett Weldele, written by Philip Gelatt, and published by Sea Lion Books.

The series follows the adventures of a group of ‘vitros’ – genetically enhanced children with “beyond-human intelligence” – who go on the run after being framed for the release of a deadly virus.

Click here to view the trailers.

For a preview of Issue #!

Giveaway - over at She Known As Jess

Ten Weeks = TEN chances to win either Fateful by Claudia Gray OR Hades (Halo #2) by Alexandra Adornetto

Harper Collins has kindly supplied She Known As Jess with FIVE copies of Hades (Halo #2) & FIVE copies of Fateful to giveaway.  How fantastic is that!!  It starts September 17th until November 26th 2011.  Each week a lucky winner will be announced.  There are no special requirements, but it is only open to AUSSIES!

Please check out Jess' blog, it is wonderful in any case, but for all the details on extra entries go to:  She Known As Jess


YOU GIVE = WE GIVE


Another wonderful event is the YOU GIVE = WE GIVE program.  This one is supported by She Known As Jess, Eleusinian Mysteries & The Rest Is Still Unwritten.

You make a donation that goes under the Kmart Wishing Tree in December, which is an annual appeal in Australia & New Zealand.  Donations can made via money, which will be used to purchase books from The Book Depository; buy a book online & have it sent to one of the lovely ladies above &/or finally send any books that are cluttering your shelves to them as well.

All details can be found at one of the blogs above, so please give, it is a great way to spread the word that reading is wonderful.

But wait, there's more.  When you give, you go into the draw for some fantastic prizes.  There are so many that I cannot mention them all, but it is open to AUS, US & UK with prize packs listed for each.  Please go & check them out!

eBook Review: Gabriel's Redemption by Steve Umstead

Goodreads: SUMMARY OF GABRIEL'S REDEMPTION
Book One of the Evan Gabriel Trilogy

Can a disgraced Special Forces soldier find redemption, and will redemption cost him more than just his own life?

North American Federation Navy Commander Evan Gabriel was dishonorably discharged after losing his covert team on a far off world called Eden. Now, he's being offered an opportunity to command a new team, on a new world, with a new mission, but the true motives behind the mission are unclear.

From the decaying Caribbean to politically-charged South America, from the slums of Mars to a tiny colony on a planet six hundred light years from Earth, Gabriel's Redemption follows the disgraced Commander Gabriel as he leads a Special Forces team to an ice-bound world. Their given mission: to eradicate a drug cartel that is producing a highly-addictive stimulant brutally extracted from the bodies of the native inhabitants. Upon arriving, Gabriel and his team find the mission isn't exactly what it appeared to be, and that they weren't the only force dispatched to the planet.

Gabriel's Redemption is a near-future military science fiction story of a personal journey seen from the perspective of a soldier who has lost everything; one who desperately needs to redeem himself not only in his government's eyes, but also his own. Interstellar action and political intrigue mix with one-on-one battles on the surface of a frozen planet in this exciting tale of salvation. Approximately 65,000 words.
I really loved this book.  It was fantastic, full of action & had a happy ending.  This is the first in a trilogy, the next being Gabriel's Return.

Evan Gabriel took the fall for a mission that went wrong, he was in hiding, but has been found & recalled for duty.

The debriefing, a planet is producing a new drug that is having severe affects on the military personnel.  They are killing the native population to to make the drug.  Gabriel has been commissioned to take down the drug operation & save the natives.

Gabriel meets his new team members & has some concerns about a couple.  He is not sure what to make of them.  He has a few days to acquaint himself with them on their trip from Earth to Poliahu.  From the shuttle, Travolta, he transfers to another space ship that will take them the rest of the way to Poliahu.  The colony is only small & consists mainly of scientists. The mission should be easy as they have no defence systems either.  Gabriel thinks that easy is never that easy.

Once they have arrived on the planet & have taken over the command centre, every seems to go wrong.  Everything they were told was fake. There is no drug operation, the natives are not being killed, but being educated to read & write.

Another team has been sent as back up to make sure Gabriel destroys the operation.  They land & infiltrate the command centre.  Gabriel & his team are now being held prisoner.  Once of Gabriel's team members was located in the laboratory.  He entered through the upstairs & this gives Gabriel his opening.  Scuffles break out, Gabriel & his team lose a member, but gain control over the command centre once again.  Gabriel creates a plan to bring down the Admiral & the people who tried to set him up.

My opinion:  this was fantastic! I loved all the minute detailing of the ships, how they work & all the changes that took place on Earth.  The human upgrades were awesome too, if only this could happen now!!  Highly recommended with a 5 star rating.

Turner's Antics - catch up

Hello, so I haven't written one of these in a while, too preoccupied with my book reviews. I'm not neglecting the children at all, but just don't seem to find the time to sit & work out what they have been getting up to lately.

With the wonderful invention of the iPad, I am watching the children in the lounge & typing away. Excellent! 

Our little angels are getting bigger everyday & Emily seems to do something extraorndinay all the time. She turned 1 last month & it was an exciting milestone because she is starting to walk as well. We are in strife now, well William is anyway.

Went for a trip to see our family, my Dad turned the big 60 & my sister organized a surprise birthday party. We arrived & surprised him too. It was a lot of fun William loves going to visit. The plane trip was exhausting for me. I don't really like flying with the 2 kids by myself anymore. It is hard to keep them both entertained in such a small space, even though it is only a couple hours on the plane. Flight up was good, but coming back was harder. At least we won't have to do that again, we are moving back to Queensland at the end of this year. Everyone is excited, but the actual packing is painful. The kids like to "help" too! Both kids must be going through a growth spurt right now. We can't seem to be able to fill them up. Forever eating! That's a good thing I suppose.

William, being 3 and half is coming up with some beautifully funny words now.  He is trying to pronounce words like delicious, disgusting, beautiful, just to name a few & he is saying "OH MY GOD" when something doesn't go his way.  It is hilarious & beautiful at the same time.  He seems to have grown up a lot in the last few weeks.

While we were in Brisbane, we were lucky enough to watch the Riverfire fireworks from my sisters place.  William had an absolute ball watching his first (from a distance) & Emily enjoyed them as well.
Overall a great night & a fantastic visit to Queensland.

EBook Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Goodreads: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. 
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Title:  The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1)

Author:  Julie Kagawa

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Published:  February 2010

Source:  self purchase eBook from iBookstore

Meghan is an ordinary 15 soon to be 16 year old girl.  She is very excited about her birthday & cannot wait to get her drivers licence.  Her father disappeared when she was 3 years old.  Since then her Mother moved into the boon-docks & married another man.  She has a step-brother, Ethan who is now 4 years old.

Meghan goes about her daily routine, going to school, mucking around with Ethan & helping him get rid of the monsters under his bed or in the closet.  Meghan starts to see creatures out of the corner of her eye, but doesn't think anything of it yet.  She turns 16 & arrives home from school to find her Mother lying on the kitchen floor covered in blood.  Ethan is nearby hiding, but Meghan sees the oil patch on the floor.  Surely her little brother didn't put it there??  Ethan then attacks Meghan by biting her leg.  What is going on?  Meghan doesn't understand. Her best friend turns up, Robbie.  He helps clean everything up.  Her mother is taken to the hospital by her step-dad.  Robbie explains that Ethan is a changeling.  Somebody has kidnapped Ethan & replaced him with a changeling.  Meghan is mortified & is determined to find her little brother.

Robbie explains the world of the Nevernever or Faeryland.  Meghan is in disbelief until they cross over & start their adventure to the Seelie Court.  Things start to go wrong as soon as they cross over.  They are now being hunted by all sorts of creatures & Robbie throws Meghan into a tree to save her.  Meghan befriends a cat, Grim & has made a "deal" with him to help her find Robbie.  During this trek, she sees all sorts of creatures & scenery.  Meghan is in wonder of her surroundings.

They enter the Seelie Court & are summoned to front the King.  It is announced that Meghan is the daughter of King Oberon & she is now bound within the walls of his Court.  Meghan does not believe him & decides she needs to escape.  Robbie has been turned into a raven & held prisoner for punishment of not keeping Meghan away from Nevernever.  The Unseelie Court arrive for peace treaty discussions & Meghan is drawn to the Prince, Ash.  They have a dance & she is in love!!

A beast crashes the party & all knights fight together to destroy it.  This is Meghan's chance to escape the mayhem & find her brother.  Grim helps her, again after making a "DEAL".  Robbie finds her & they all decide to infiltrate the Unseelie Court to rescue her brother.  They are discovered & it is found that Ethan is not located in the Unseelie Court, he was captured by the Iron King.  This Iron King has not been heard of from either courts.

Meghan makes a "deal" with Ash to help them find her brother. The 4 of them undertake a great journey, trying to find the Iron King all the while being tracked & hunted by the Iron Fey.

Robbie is injured, now it is down to 3.  Grim decides to take another route, now it is down to Meghan & Ash.

They have help along the way & into the Iron King's realm.  They are captured, but rescued & then to be captured again.

Meghan confronts the Iron King & finds her brother caged like an animal.  The Iron King tries to make a "deal" with her.  She won't accept & a fight breaks out.

They escape & wake up in Meghan's school computer room.  Is it all a dream??

I absolutely loved this book.  The details & all the creatures are just amazing.  Julie has the most incredible ideas of faeries & their lands. This book has it all, love, action, lust & family loyalty.  I am glad this is a series & cannot wait to read The Iron Daughter.  Obviously I rated this a 5stars.  Highly recommended to all.

Graphic Novel Review: The Extraterrestrial Compendium by Pat Lee

The Extraterrestrial Compendium by Pat Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was wonderfully supplied by Sea Lion Books.

This is pretty self explanatory. It is a collection of descriptions & sketches of beings that are from far far away.

This is an awesome collection & the full version which comes out later this year will be very interesting. The artists depictions & the graphics were amazing, as were the descriptions.

I just wonder if they do exist somewhere out there......

View all my reviews

Graphic Novel Review: Storm Born volume 3 by Richelle Mead

Richelle Mead's Storm Born #3 by Richelle Mead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Thank you Sea Lion Books for supplying another great Graphic Novel.



Volume 3 in the series & I'm hooked.



Eugenie has gotten herself in trouble again. She has started her journey to rescue the sister. Her servants are on hand to help & guide her through the otherworld, but it is all on Eugenie.



Safely across into the otherworld, they start their search. Not far in, they are ambushed & taken to King Dorian. Everybody knows Eugenie's name & she is starting to get worried what that all means. Dorian has offered her help of one of his servants whom used to work for Aeson. He will lead Eugenie into the castle & has given directions to find the missing teenager.



Everything is quiet inside the castle, everything seems too quiet. Come to the final closed door & open to find the missing teenager guarded by several guards. Eugenie & her crew are caught off guard & are captured.



Aeson enters...... To be continued.



Oh my what another fantastic volume, can't wait for the next. I love the humor & sarcastic comments along the way. Wonderful!



View all my reviews

Graphic Novel Review: Storm Born volume 2 by Richelle Mead

Richelle Mead's Storm Born #2 by Richelle Mead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another edition supplied by Sea Lion Books, thank you.



Volume 2 was awesome, just like the first. Graphics were again fantastic & the cliffhanger ending causes an addiction, making me want to read the next one.



This volume is a straight continuation from volume 1. Eugenie fights the ice elemental & has help from the hot guy Kiyo. She is not sure what he is, but is glad of his help. He is not sure what she is either. Kiyo takes off without a trace & leaves Eugenie wondering who & what he is. Whilst in the heat of passion with Kiyo, Eugenie sustained scratches on her back. They won't heal & she is not sure what to make of them.



Eugenie has decided to find the missing sister in the otherworld & has summoned her helper....



Can't wait to read volume 3.



View all my reviews

Graphic Novel Review: Storm Born Volume 1 by Richelle Mead

Storm Born Volume 1 by Richelle Mead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was wonderfully supplied by Sea Lion Books. Thank you!

I really loved the graphics in this one. The bright colours & Eugenie's hair, it is fantastic.



I haven't started this series yet, but have it on my TBR list. After reading this issue, I I'll be starting them next. I really loved this one.



Eugenie is a Shaman. She rids the world of ghosts & Otherworldly creatures. This issue starts with her exorcising a Keres from a shoe. Once completed she speaks with her secretary regarding job offers & about a strange job request. A brother calls about his missing sister, she has been gone for over a year & has received information of her location. Faeries have kidnapped her & if Eugenie accepts the job, she will have to go into the otherworld body & spirit. This isn't something she takes lightly & it is very dangerous.



Unsure of her decision, Eugenie goes out to a bar. A very cute guy sits down on the stool next to her. They start conversing about dating rituals & Eugenie ends up back at his hotel room. Things get very heated & after some wine, more heat increasing activities ensue. Then all of a sudden everything goes cold. An ice spirit appears & it's to be continued....



What a cliffhanger. Will Eugenie take the missing sister job? What about the ice monster? And the hot guy? I'll just have to read issue #2.



View all my reviews

Graphic Novel Review: Pariah #3 by Aron Warner

Aron Warner's Pariah issue #3 by Aron Warner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"Robert Maudsley knows what makes us tick. He knows what people want, need, hate and love. He can use that knowledge to get us to do whatever he wants, no matter how dangerous, immoral or repungnant that might be. Maudsley has no moral compass. He has no compassion. But he's very curious about how far he can push people and what he can get away with. Maudsley wants to rule the world. Maudsley wants to control us all. Maudsley is 15 years old. "



The third issue of Pariah & things are starting to click into place. Maudsley is a very troubled teenager & causes mayhem everywhere he goes. His parents aren't much help either & only encourage him to cause trouble. As a Vitro he is super intelligent & tries to make up a master plan.



Maudsley's parents are too simple for him now & he decides to leave them. Once out on his own, working out which person to subject go his plan, another Vitro approaches. Franklin Hyde (from issue #2) approaches & offers Maudsley freedom & the availability to use his "gift" on other Vitros. They are going to an island, that is only inhabited by Vitros.



What is Franklin up to? Why does he need to use Maudsley to control the other Vitros? I guess we will have to wait & see in the next issue of Pariah!



View all my reviews

Ebook Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was extremely excited when I heard there was going to be a spin off series from Vampire Academy. I loved the other series & couldn't wait for this one to come out.



This will be a great series & I love that the perspective is from a human (albeit Alchemist) instead of a Moroi or Dhampir. It also continues on after the Vampire Academy series.



This one is about Sydney's life. She is an 18 year old Alchemist who was in trouble for helping Rose escape & being labeled as a vampire lover. Since she was cleared of everything regarding the escape, Sydney has been house bound. An assignment has come up & they have requested Sydney's sister be the agent involved. Sydney doesn't want to subject her sister, Zoe into the life & volunteers to go in her place. An argument erupts & all parties put in their views. Finally it is agreed that Sydney will go, but Zoe will begin training in case she is needed as a back up.



The assignment is watching over the Moroi Queen's half sister Jill. This means they are enrolling into a private school in Palm Springs. They are acting as a family & the siblings are Sydney, Jill, Eddie & Adrian. Plus another brother whom is also an alchemist, Keith.



Nobody seems very happy about this arrangement, though it is all for the safety of the Queen & her sister until the new law is passed. Like any other school, this one has their own cliques & agendas. Sydney fits right in & loves all the work, where the other 2 enrolled are not as keen.



Life goes along & little dramas come up for Jill along the way. The students at the school are awed by Sydney's golden tattoo on her cheek & there are rumors hers hold special abilities. Some other students have been getting special tattoos known as celestial tattoos that give the bearer special abilities for a short period of time. Sydney is determined to follow this through & find out what all the hullabaloo is.



There has also been some murders found in LA & around Palm Springs. Nobody seems too concerned, but again Sydney seems to be able to put the clues together.



Sydney seems to be in her element, figuring out puzzles & school work. But her supervisor Keith has other ideas & turns her in under suspicious behavior. She has been given 2 weeks, then her sister will replace her. But Sydney puts all the clues together & discovers who the murderer is & who is supplying the special ingredients for the tattoos. I also had my suspicions & they were correct.



Sydney starts to befriend Adrian, but her beliefs are still to strong to make anything of it. As are her beliefs that magic exists.



I really enjoyed this first installment into the life of Sydney & the way her mind works. I can't wait until June 2012 for The Golden Lily, the next installment to see if Adrian can put the charm on & crack Sydney's beliefs.



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Graphic Novel Review: Pariah #1 by Aron Warner

Aron Warner's Pariah issue #1 by Aron Warner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the first in the series & a great introduction.



Brent Marks is one of the Pariah! He is far more intelligent than any other normal human. He attends school like any normal teenager. One day after school when he arrives home, he finds his parents watching tv & discovers a breaking news story that there was an explosion at the labs. Vitros (or one of the Pariah) are to blame. Now they are all being tracked & arrested.



Brent attempts to go to school, only to be tormented & chased by some human boys. Brent creates a weapon & uses it against all the boys chasing him. He escapes only to be captured by the government when he arrives home.



This issue has great graphics & I can't wait to read the next issue.



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Book Review: Radiance (Riley Bloom #1) by Alyson Noel

Goodreads: Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . .



Radiance follows Riley Bloom after the Evermore series about her sister Ever.  This is the first in the series & a delightful insight into the life of Riley after crossing the bridge to the other side.  What happens in her life now she has crossed that bridge.

Riley thought it would be all fun & excitement.  Being able to do as she pleases & complete all her life's dreams.  Boy was she in for an eye opener.  Riley started school, which is where she gets sorted into her designated area for training & to be assigned a mentor.  Little does she know the dork that she teases at assembly is going to be her mentor.

Riley has to front up to the council & explain her life & her decisions.  This is where they determine which journey she should take.  Since Riley has a fixation to the Earth plain, they have assigned her as Soul Catcher.  She has to find lost souls on Earth & convince them there is a better place for them.

Riley's first assignment seems to be a doozy.  He is called the Radiant Boy & has been haunting a castle for centuries.  Nobody has been able to convince him to move on & leave the castle behind.  Riley meets the Radiant Boy & he tries to scare the living daylights out of her & it almost worked.  Then she realises that she cannot be killed, as she is already dead.  Her fear vanishes & like that the Radiant Boy is revealed for the little 10 year old boy THEY are.  He turns out to be triplets!  Riley convinces the boys to move onto the next step in their journey & like that she is proud to have accomplished what others have failed.  Until her mentor, Bodhi, has his own catching to do & it is their mother.  The boys mother has been haunting the upper most tower in the castle for centuries & it is now his turn.  Riley is told not to interfere & Bodhi tries to rescue Riley as well as save this mother from her never ending grief.  Eventually the mother is saved & moves on.  Riley & Bodhi are excited about accomplishing their assignments & take a joy flight over to London.  Riley realises that she doesn't want to linger on Earth any more, she wants to live her new life.

I rated this a 3stars & found it very delightful & enjoyable.  Can't wait to see what soul Riley has to catch in Shimmer.

Book Review: Destined (The Vampire Journals #4) by Morgan Rice

Goodreads: In DESTINED (Book #4 in the Vampire Journals), Caitlin Paine wakes to discover herself back in time. She finds herself in a cemetery, on the run from a mob of villagers, and seeks refuge in the ancient cloisters of Assisi, in the countryside of Umbria, Italy. There, she learns of her destiny and her mission: to find her father and the ancient vampire Shield needed to save mankind.




But Caitlin's heart still pines for her lost love: Caleb. She desperately needs to know if he has survived their trip back in time. She learns that her mission requires her to go to Florence, but if she wants to pursue matters of the heart, she must go to Venice. She chooses Venice.
Caitlin is overwhelmed at what she finds. Venice of the eighteenth century is a surreal place, men and women dressed in elaborate costumes and masks, celebrating an endless, lavish party. She is thrilled to discover and reunite with some of her close friends, and to be welcomed back into their coven. And she is excited to join them in Venice's Grand Ball, the most important costume dance of the year, where she hopes, once again, to find Caleb.
But Caitlin is not the only one who can travel back in time: Kyle soon arrives, too, and is determined to hunt her down and kill her once and for all. Sam, too, arrives, determined to save his sister before it is too late.

Caitlin awakes to find herself buried in the cemetery.  She has gone back in time to 1790 & the villagers have "killed" & buried her.  She breaks through the earth & out of her grave only to be attacked & chased by these villagers.  Her only building in site is a church & once inside a lonely Priest is of her kind & helps her hide.

Caitlin has to decide whether to follow her heart or her head.  Does she try to find Caleb or the shield?  Of course she decides to follow her heart, which takes her to Venice.  She find some friends from her future & attends a ball in hopes of finding Caleb.

Walking back to her gondola, she walks past a couple with a child.  She stands frozen because it is Caleb with his wife & son.  Caitlin confronts him & he has no memory of her or their love, so she has to leave disappointed.

Determined to put it all behind her, she now tries to find the shield.  She is so close only to be kidnapped by her evil enemy Kyle, whom has also travelled back in time to stop & kill her.  Caitlin wakes up in a cell in Rome. Since she won't tell Kyle where the shield is, he tries to torture her & makes her battle beast, vampires, humans & even her brother, Sam.  In the end Caitlin bested them all & Sam helps to defeat Kyle.  Caleb remembers Caitlin after things go wrong at his coven & he too comes to her rescue yet again.

Off they go to search for the shield & find out they again have to travel back in time.

This was another fantastic installment in the Vampire Journals.  I rated this a 4stars.  It was non-stop action, Caitlin was learning to fight on her own & win her battles.  She also learnt to trust her own instincts.  This is a Gladiators meets National Treasure & I can't wait to read Desired, number 5.