Review: The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Generations of twin goddesses have long ruled Aeon. But seventeen years ago, one sister’s betrayal defied an ancient prophecy and split their world in two. The planet ceased to spin, and a Great Abyss now divides two realms: one cloaked in perpetual night, the other scorched by an unrelenting sun.

While one sister rules Aranth—a frozen city surrounded by a storm-wracked sea —her twin inhabits the sand-locked Golden City. Each goddess has raised a daughter, and each keeps her own secrets about her sister’s betrayal.

But when shadowy forces begin to call their daughters, Odessa and Haidee, back to the site of the Breaking, the two young goddesses —along with a powerful healer from Aranth, and a mouthy desert scavenger —set out on separate journeys across treacherous wastelands, desperate to heal their broken world. No matter the sacrifice it demands.

I have a bit of a bugbear about books written from lots of POV's, it has to be done really really well otherwise my attention span just doesn't connect and I forget who is narrating each particular chapter and it all blends in together and I just get from the book what I guest I'm meant to get from it. I class it as sort of 50% my own fault and 50% the author's. In this case, I really did try because I loved the world building and I wanted to love the story and characters - I didn't want to come away feeling unfulfilled but unfortunately I sort of did.

Firstly, let me tell you what I really enjoyed about this book. As I said above, the world building was fantastic. I would say that this book has one of the best fleshed out settings in current YA fantasy because it incorporates mythology and science and magic and I found it so rich. Despite what I'm going to say below, the author's voice was so rich and strong and the writing style was so good I would love to read more from her - I've avoided her previous novels as I struggle with horror sometimes.

That being said, my main issue is as stated above. The changing narration threw me, and I didn't feel like each character had their own voice. As a result I got bored. This is a long book at nearly 500 pages and it felt a lot longer to me. I struggled to get through it and I never connected well with any of the characters, ergo I never really connected with the plot or the story.

This is one of those books which I feel guilty for not loving, because it had so much potential and it was so well thought out, I just really struggled with the narrative and since that is what drives a story, it detracted so much from all of those good point.

I won't be continuing this series, but I will definitely be reading Chupeco's previous works and any future releases not in this story.

Book released  15th October 2019 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Gilded by Christina Farley

Sixteen-year-old Jae Hwa Lee is a Korean-American girl with a black belt, a deadly proclivity with steel-tipped arrows, and a chip on her shoulder the size of Korea itself. When her widowed dad uproots her to Seoul from her home in L.A., Jae thinks her biggest challenges will be fitting in to a new school and dealing with her dismissive Korean grandfather. Then she discovers that a Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she's next.

But that’s not Jae’s only problem.

There's also Marc. Irresistible and charming, Marc threatens to break the barriers around Jae's heart. As the two grow closer, Jae must decide if she can trust him. But Marc has a secret of his own—one that could help Jae overturn the curse on her family for good. It turns out that Jae's been wrong about a lot of things: her grandfather is her greatest ally, even the tough girl can fall in love, and Korea might just be the home she's always been looking for.

I am what may be called a koreaboo - one of those annoying white westerners with an unhealthy obsession with Korean culture. It starts with K-pop, but doesn't end there because I now love korean mythology and history and all of that. Therefore, it seemed only right that I snatch up the chance to review Gilded. It's weird, because as a reader I really enjoyed this book. As a reviewer, I found some flaws in it that I can't quite get over.

Let me talk about the good first: I loved the plot of this book, and the action never stops. Despite a few flaws with Jae Hwa (and the way she treated people at times), she actually got off her feet and did stuff and I did as a whole like her character. I think the interpretation of Korean myths was well done and Farley had clearly done some research because the execution was well done and well explained. I enjoyed the book as a reader, but when you start to look deeper there are some problems.

Farley is a good author; the writing flowed and the dialogue felt natural for the most part. However there are some similes and phrases that she uses that make me think she was trying to always remind us that Jae Hwa is korean. The constant references to kimchi - at points Jae Hwa compares herself to Kimchi - and the fact that Jae Hwa is a black belt at Tae Kwon Do are just a few of these things, but they are always there. That being said, there is a lack of Korean people in the book. The love interest is called Mark, her best friend is another American-born Korean called Michelle... where is the culture immersion!? Not to mention the fact that Jae mentions missing her friends back in the US... does she once call them or skype them or email them? No.

 

I guess overall, Gilded was a good, fast paced read on the surface, so controversially it's getting a higher rating then I should give it, but if you're picking it up solely for the setting and the culture, I'd say give it a miss. Gilded is not much more than a pretty average YA fantasy read.

Book released 1st March 2014 by Skyscape

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: The Shadow Behind the Stars by Rebecca Hahn

Chloe is the youngest. Hers are the fingers that choose the wool, that shape the thread, that begin it. The sun smiles upon her. Men love her without knowing who she is. She has lived forever and will live forever more. She and her sisters have been on their isolated Greek island for centuries, longer than any mortal can remember. They spin, measure, and slice the countless golden threads of human life. They are the three Fates, and they have stayed separate for good reason: it is dangerous for them to become involved with the humans whose lives they shape.

So when a beautiful girl named Aglaia shows up on their doorstep, Chloe tries to make sure her sisters don’t become attached. But in seeking to protect them, Chloe discovers the dark power of Aglaia’s destiny. As her path unwinds, the three Fates find themselves pulled inextricably along—toward mortal pain, and mortal love, and a fate that could unravel the world.

The Shadow Behind the Stars was one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It was written in a way that mythology books need to be - lyrical, gorgeous and enthralling. The storyline itself was also all of those things, and I am a sucker for books that dare to be different - this was one of them.

The book follows Chloe, one of the three fates and her sisters in their journey to save the world in a way... it isn't their story though, it's Aglaia's - our narrator is actually just an observer. I really dn't know how to describe it, but it worked. The reason it works so well is because we come to care for Aglaia as Chloe does, so this makes everything feel more authentic. 

The book is simple and does feel slow paced, but it feels like it worked. There are some moments when the pace picks up and I will admit that for a lot of the last 20% of the book, I didn't always know what was going on. That being said, Chloe doesn't, so it also sort of works.

I think there are some readers that will struggle with the tone and pacing of The Shadow Behind the Stars and that's understandable - if you want things to happen this isn't the book for you. if you're looking for lyrical prose and something that feels like something special, give this book a go. I don't think it's for everyone, but it definitely worked for me.

Book released September 1st by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

He was Apollo, the sun, and he'd burn down anything that tried to hurt her... Cassandra and Aidan are just your average high-school couple. Or so Cassandra believes. Blissfully unaware that she was once a powerful prophetess, Cassandra doesn't even know thats god exist... Until now.

Because the gods are dying - and Cassandra could hold the answer to their survival. But Aidan has a secret of his own. He is really Apollo, god of the sun, and he will do anything to protect the girl he loves from the danger that's coming for her. Even if it means war against his immortal family...

To say that I enjoyed Anna Dressed in Blood would be an understatement, and when I heard that Blake had released another book in my absence - on one of my favorite genres; mythology, as well - I was psyched. As soon as this book dropped through my door and onto my floor I had to read it.

I got through Antigoddess in two days, which is pretty slow for me but not bad going considering that I had two essays due in, a presentation and I was working extra hours this week. The main reason I was able to let these tiny insignificant other things overtake my main priority - reading - is because Antigoddess dragged in places. I felt like this book suffered the rare issue of 'first book syndrome' where there is so much information to digest and the author wants drastically to avoid the dreaded infodump that she spends the whole first part of the book developing this world and the history, and it made the book sort of dreadful to get into. The action comes in parts and doesn't really kick in until the middle of the book so I found it pretty easy to put this book down and do other things for a while. That is pretty regretful.

That being said, I did actually quite enjoy the book. It was fun, the mythology was well developed and I did really like the characters. My favorite by far was Athena, with Odysseus being a close second. Cassandra and Aidan were likeable and WHY! AIDEN!. That's all I'm going to say on the matter. They were, however, cookie-YA-cutouts and I found that the tougher, less 'typical YA hero and heroine' characters were my favorite. The tone bounced between fun and dark and I actually really enjoyed this.

I will definitely be reading the sequel, though for certain reason's it pains my heart to do so. So therefore, I have to conclude that Antigoddess was a little slow and a little washy, but it had great character's with fantastic dialogue and chemistry. I loved the tone of it and I can't help myself wanting more!

Book released September 10th 201 by Orchard

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: The Night Itself by Zoe Marriott

When fifteen year old Mio Yamato furtively sneaks the katana - an ancestral Japanese sword - out of its hiding place in her parent's attic to help liven up her Christmas party costume, she has no idea of the darkness she is about to unleash on modern day London, or the family secrets that she is going to uncover.

The paralysing paranoia that descends on her before she gets to her friend's party is her first clue. The vivid and terrifying visions that nearly get her killed are a pretty good warning too.

The giant nine-tailed cat demon that comes after the sword and tries to rip her throat out? Overkill.

Seconds away from becoming kitty-food, Mio is saved by Shinobu, a mysterious warrior boy. But it's already too late. Mio has ruptured the veil between the mortal realm and the Underworld, and now the gods and monsters of ancient Japan stalk the streets of London, searching for her and the sword. 

With the help of her best friend Jack, a fox spirit named Hikaru - and the devoted protection of the betwitchingly familiar Shinobu - Mio attempts to discover the true nature of the sword and its connection to the Yamato family. Because if she doesn't learn how to control the katana's incredible powers, she's in danger of being overwhelmed by them. And if she can't keep the sword safe from the terrible creatures who want it for their own, she'll lose not only her own life... but the love of a lifetime.

Zoe Marriott is a goddess, and I am just a humble servant.

Okay, wait, maybe that was a weird way to start this review but, honestly, there's just no other way to put it. I have forever worshipped this woman's writing and she has not failed me yet. I've loved all of her previous books (all fantasy), with Daughter of the Flames being one of my all time favorite reads ever. That being said, I adored Shadows on the Moon and I loved how Marriott weaved in the traditional Japanese intricacies with such ease so I should have been confident about The Night Itself.

Still, somehow I wasn't. Marriott has forever impressed with her fantasy titles but urban fantasy is a whole new ball game. I was hoping that Marriott would not dissapoint and sure enough she didn't. This book is thrilling from the get go, with the action happening pretty fast in. I did have some issues with it but they were, for the most part, rebutted by the awesomeness that is Zoe Marriott's action writing.

There's something about Japanese mythology which has always gripped me, maybe it's my childhood with anime and manga or maybe it's something else, and I loved how these things were written from a British born Japanese girl's point of view. The action was amazingly written - especially the final action scene - and Mio was kick-ass (if sometimes rather annoying). I was gripped from start to finish.

However, as I said above, Mio was pretty annoying to me sometimes. To start with I never got why she took the katana. Forget about her Grandpa's severe warnings and her somewhat confusingly broken memories, what teenager takes a sharp scary sword to a party anyway?! That's just screaming stupid to me. Sure, it completed her costume, but what's up with a plastic katana from eBay?  

Also, as much as I myself swooned over Shinobu, I did have some issues with the love story. I felt that it developed way too quickly (oh why the insta-love, YA authors?!) and it lacked chemistry. Like, I didn't hate it. I shipped it pretty hard by the end, but I would have preferred a few more moments rather than 'ohmygodthisjapaneseguycameoutofmyswordandheshotomg'. I expected better from The-Goddess-That-Is-Zoe-Marriott and this was a tiny letdown.

However any issues that I had with the main cast was easily fixed by the supporting cast. Hikaru and Jack are characters that I adore and I cannot wait to see how all of that plays out. I'll be reading the others even if only for them.

Overall, The Night Itself was not without it's flaws. It was, however, gripping and funny and a really pleasant read.

Book released July 4th 2013 by Walker Books

Book purchased by myself.

Review: Thin Space by Jody Cassella

Ever since the car accident that killed his twin brother, Marshall Windsor has been consumed with guilt and crippled by secrets of that fateful night. He has only one chance to make amends, to right his wrongs and set things right. He must find a Thin Space—a mythical point where the barrier between this world and the next is thin enough for a person to step through to the other side.

But, when a new girl moves into the house next door, the same house Marsh is sure holds a thin space, she may be the key—or the unraveling of all his secrets.

As they get closer to finding a thin space—and closer to each other—Marsh must decide once and for all how far he’s willing to go to right the wrongs of the living…and the dead.

Thin Space was a really cold book - I felt so disconnected from it because the tone was so... I guess I'd call it distant. However, the tone did actually fit the book because Marsh and Maddie are both going through difficult times so they walk around feeling very distant from themselves, as well as the fact that the book is set in a freezing cold winter, so the bleak tone kind of fit the setting and time.

Casella writes grief so well and whilst I've never lost someone very close to me, I felt that Marsh was grieving so well - his search for a thin space showed his disbelief and anger that his brother is dead, especially his going as far as walking around with bare feet, even in the middle of a freezing cold winter. I didn't feel like anyone else was acting as though they had lost someone but I'm going to blame this on the fact that very few of the backing characters are developed at all - Maddie and Marsh are the only people who matter in this book. Marsh's voice reads so well and he was such a realistic person to follow.

The relationship between Maddie and Marsh developed from curiosity to friendship to something more and the progression did feel very realistic and well developed, so I applaud Casella on this, however the ending where Maddie forgives him for the big secret seemed a little unrealistic, at least make him work for it girl! Speaking of the secret... well that threw me off big time! I was not expecting that and whilst it didn't affect my judgement of the book, I still don't think it was necessary!

Overall, Thin Space was a bleak and dreary read - and I mean that in the best way! The tone and mood of the book really matched the content. I liked the romance but would have liked more characters to be developed, and I think the big twist ending should have been either foreshadowed more or omitted from the book.

Book released 10th September 2013 by Simon Pulse

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (Edelweiss)

Review: The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

The Chaos of Stars was by far one of my most anticipated 2013 releases since I adored Kiersten White's Paranormalcy series and Mind Games was a fun read as well. I can't say that The Chaos of Stars totally lived up to my expectations, but it wasn't a serious let-down either.

This book has an awesome and original idea - I honestly never thought I'd see an mythology book based on Egyptian mythology since generally Greek and Roman mythology seem to be the craze these days, with a little Norse thrown in every now and again and I love what White did for the mythology, with Isadora's story mixed in with the stories of ancient Egyptian gods. Honestly, it was a fantastic idea and it was pulled off quite well, excusing a few issues in execution and plot holes.

I've always enjoyed reading White' writing, honestly even if the story was boring I would still be entertained by the writing. Thankfully The Chaos of Stars wasn't boring, I was really absorbed in the story even though I realised when I finished the book that actually not that much happened and I think that this is because I enjoyed reading Isadora so much - she was a very honest and fun narrator. I also couldn't help but love Ry even though his plot-twist was extremely obvious!

The main issue that I had with this book was that there didn't really seen to be a lot going on until the end and whilst the characters and narration kind of made up for it I do wish there had been more white knuckle, gripping moments. I mean, I don't think that the book was made bad by this, but I would have LOVED it if there had been a little bit more action like the Anubis show down at the end - hopefully in the next book there will be!

Overall, The Chaos of Stars was a great read even though there was a lot of build-up and not a lot of action. I did still enjoy reading it since Isadora was an amazing character and she basically made this book as great as it was. Still, a little bit more action wouldn't go amiss. Definitely one you should try if you're a mythology lover!

Book released 10th September 2013 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (Edelweiss)

Review: The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond

Seventeen-year-old Kyra lives in a transformed Washington, D.C., dominated by the embassies of divine pantheons and watched over by the mysterious Society of the Sun that governs mankind’s relations with the gods. But when rebellious Kyra encounters two trickster gods on her way home, one offering a threat and the other a warning, it turns out her life isn't what it seems. She escapes with the aid of Osborne "Oz" Spencer, a young Society field operative, only to discover that her scholar father has disappeared with a dangerous Egyptian relic. The Society needs the item back, and they aren’t interested in her protests that she knows nothing about it or her father's secrets.

Now Kyra must depend on her wits and the suspect help of scary Sumerian gods, her estranged oracle mother, and, of course, Oz--whose first allegiance is to the Society. She has no choice if she’s going to recover the missing relic and save her father. And if she doesn't? Well, that may just mean the end of the world as she knows it.

Well... that wasn't what I expected. Whenever I read a book based on some sort of 'mythology' I expect a cheesy instant romance, an overly perfect heroine and references to overly used Greek/Roman deities with a lot of artistic license taken, I'm not saying I don't like these books but they have to be pretty awesome to really impress me. Whilst I kind of knew from the awesome cover that this wasn't going to be one of those books, I was a little bit careful when I started it just in case it turned out like that. I should have known better really, I read Gwenda Bond's first book (Blackwood) last year and it really impressed me but The Woken Gods really impressed me even more. This may well be the best YA mythology book that I have read in like... ever and that includes Karsten Knight's Wildefire.

Can you tell that I really enjoyed this book yet? If not, let me tell you that I have been in a reading slump for weeks, unable to concentrate completely on any book, even going as far as to not want to read at all. Despite that, I devoured all 384 pages of this book in less than four hours, I took my Kindle with me to the toilet, to the kitchen, I sat reading whilst everyone else was watching one of my favorite TV shows, then when I finally finished the book I was pretty close to crying because I didn't want it to end. I didn't want to leave Kyra and Tam and Bea and Oz and everyone behind, I just wanted to read the book again straight away because Gwenda Bond is an extremely talented writer.

I love that this book has the conspiracy thriller feel to it, amped up by the Washington DC setting, but it also has this mythology aspect and the heroine (the awesome Kyra) was so tough and strongwilled despite the fact that her life hasn't exactly been the easiest. She has this awesome group of friends helping her along the way with Tam and Bea and there is some romance in there. What I loved was that the romance is very subtle and you can see the attraction yet they don't act on it until the very end of the book, which really sets it apart from other books in this genre.

I can't recommend The Woken Gods enough, the world, the writing, the action and the characters are all so awesome. this is a unique concept that you have to try even if you aren't a fan of the YA mythology genre. This book is political thriller mixed with mythology which doesn't sound like it should work... yet strangely they go together like cookies and cream.

Just read it... you'll see what I mean.

Book released  3rd September 2013 by Strange Chemistry

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (NetGalley)

Reviews for other books by this author:

BLACKWOOD

Review: Incubus by Jennifer Quintenz

Braedyn Murphy used to think nothing important ever happened in her sleepy town of Puerto Escondido. But that was before she learned she was a descendent of Lilith, the mother of all demons. Now Braedyn fights to protect humanity from the Lilitu - the beautiful, souls-stealing daughters of Lilith.

As she fights the Lilitu, Braedyn must also fight her growing love for her boyfriend Lucas - because even a simple kiss could end his life. Their only ray of hope is an angel’s offer to make Braedyn human, but it’s an offer she can’t accept until the world is safe from the Lilitu.

Braedyn knows she’s a key player in this ancient war... but she’s not ready to believe she just might be humanity’s best hope of surviving the final battle for Earth.

Despite thinking that Thrall was a bit meh, I really enjoyed Incubus,it was a definite improvement on the first book. Whereas Thrall set the scene, Incubus is where all the action and the mystery happens. I also started to really like the characters and the romance, which I didn't feel so keen on here. The best thing about this book was that it kept me guessing, since I thought Thrall was pretty predictable. We know the bad guy is an incubus, but we have no idea what powers an incubus could have and who it is, there are a few suspects though and I kind of guessed who it was, but I was still kept doubting and guessing from the start to the big reveal.

I really liked Braedyn in this book, she was head-strong and smart and I really felt sorry or her - she just couldn't catch a break! She was constantly being told not to do anything even though she was RAISED to do what she was doing then she does something wrong because she hasn't been told anything and she gets in more trouble. Lucas was more likable here, he has his jealous moments and his mean moments but his dedication to Braedyn is really obvious. I also like that this book happens nearly a year after the first book and their relationship has evolved. I liked that the couple were together but faced troubles, it made it more believable. I found myself actually rooting for the pair and I can't wait for them to be able to be together.

Something that stood out for me in this book was that the friends (Cassie and Royal) are still in it. In sequels, I sometimes find that some characters are completely forgotten about and even though Braedyn is too busy for them, this is explored and is actually the reason the antagonist is able to get to them. 

Despite the story being so much better, I did still feel that the whole plot itself wasn't anything too unique, it did it's job and set up for the next book and was well executed, but it just didn't do anything to make it stand-out.

Overall, Incubus was definitely better than Thrall but didn't do enough to make it amazing. I did like the relationships and characters more in this book though. I recommend fans of the typical paranormal romance books start this series, but not really anyone after anything too original.

Book released  21st June 2013 by Secret Tree Press

Book received from the author in exchange for an honest review 

Reviews for other books by this author:

Thrall (Daughters of Lilith #1)

Review: A Beautiful Fate by Cat Mann

Obsessive and driven by nightmares, Ava Baio is uprooted from her Chicago home after the untimely and tragic death of her loving mother. Taken across country by her antagonistic grandmother and placed as a boarding student at a school in Dana Point, California, Ava struggles with isolation and the loss of her mother and her grandfather. Faced with having left her beloved brownstone behind and attending a new school, surrounded by new faces and unfamiliar scenery, she finds herself sorting through unfamiliar and uncharted feelings with a strange and beautiful boy, Ari – a modern day Adonis. After an unconventional start to their relationship, Ava becomes intensely absorbed by her love for Ari, and with his help and the help of his family, she discovers who she really is – a Fate descended from Atropos. She learns that the Greek mythology she grew up reading is not comprised of myth after all.
Ava faces constant challenges both in her relationship with Ari and with the fact that she is being hunted by six threatening and ruthless men who want nothing more than for her to die so that they can live forever. She has no choice but to stand up for those she has come to love. In doing so, she becomes something she hates, a killer.

The synopsis of this book is so amazing and it totally sounded like it would have everything that I would ever want in a book - Mythology, boarding school, killing, a gorgeous boy - it sounded safe but it sounded like a mixture of what I love in my YA books. The first thing I'm going to say is that this book could have done with another round of editing since some of the dialogue sounded very stilted and formal and honestly I could have cringed every time I read the phrase "pure wow", It was just as annoying as Ana's 'Oh my!' in the Fifty Shades series! The writing was good, but I did notice that the sentences were very short, it was like this: I am Ava. I am moving to boarding school. My mum died and I don't like my grandmother.

There is total insta-love in this book - Ari and Ava start the relationship in secret but within weeks it becomes a serious thing and Ava seemed to grow obsessed with Ari very quickly. The whole book spans around nine or so months and by the end of it their relationship has grown at an extreme speed - this was whirlwind romance to the extreme.

One thing that really annoyed me about this book was Ari's family. Fair enough, they're a close family but what happened to family boundaries and how did Ava put up with them barging in on her in bed? Rude much?! As well as that, the family are all nicey nicey but they become super adoring when they find out that SHE is who they've been waiting for, their 'baby'. They even call her 'Ava Baby' all the time - it seemed like they loved her for what she was, not who she was. I found fault in Ava as well, I liked her but I can't help but mention that even though her mother is dead and it's mentioned occasionally, she died only a week before the book began yet Ava didn't seem to be mourning that much about it, same with the death of one of her friends during the book.

This book was a really thrilling read though, and it was gripping. I liked watching the Kakos' drop and the tension being built up about number six kept me reading through all of the things that I disliked in this book. The ending was high paced and terrifying and the cliffhanger totally had me shocked. 

Overall, A Beautiful Fate was a thrilling and exciting read, however I disliked most of the characters and the romance and since the romance was a massive part of the book I can't say I really enjoyed this book all that much. I really regret to say this since Cat Mann seems like a lovely woman and I have seen some positive reviews.

Book released 11th June 2013

Book received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Lullaby by Amanda Hocking

Gemma had to disappear with Penn, Lexi and Thea after a night of incredible violence on the island. She can still barely come to terms with her new affinity with the ocean – and the siren powers that go with it. Now she’s been transformed, Gemma has no choice but to leave all she loves behind. She swears she won’t lose her humanity, but the call of the sea is maddening and compulsive.
Harper won’t give up on her missing sister. The search draws her closer than she’d like to bohemian Daniel, but she could really use his help. They’d almost given up, until a small news item tells of a horrific murder in a nearby beach town, and Harper thinks she’s found the deadly group. But can Gemma’s curse be reversed – and what if she doesn’t want to come home?

In my review of Wake a few weeks ago I concluded that whilst I wan't blown away, I just knew that Lullaby would be much better, and I was absolutely right. Maybe it was this cover, which is really pretty (I love the dark, stormy blue sea and the red dress - so dramatic) which made me want to read Lullaby so much or maybe it's just because I wanted to see what happened to the characters (especially Daniel and Harper), but after finishing Wake all I wanted to do was read Lullaby.

I can honestly say that though it still wasn't AMAZING, Lullaby was noticeably better than Wake, maybe because the plot has finally been set up and so the pacing was so much more dramatic. On one end we have Gemma, who is now a siren and is having to battle her siren-y urge to kill people and on the other we have Harper, perfectly organised Harper who has had her perfectly planned life turned upside down. I did still enjoy reading Harper's POV much more, but Gemma was far more bearable in this book and her story did have me terrified for her.

There were characters in this book that I didn't pay much attention to in Wake but that were totally awesome, I loved Marcy with her dry humour and her open mind, she is the chaos to Harper's organised life and I loved that. Daniel remains my favorite character by far - he is such a sweetheart, but he's tough, fearless, protective and absolutely perfect for Harper. The chemistry between Alex and Gemma is more there in this book, in the few scenes where they are together, and I'm actually starting to really root for this couple as well.

Hocking manages to weave in these romantic, relationship defining scenes with the tension and the darker scenes. I love this take on siren mythology, it's the darker more terrifying side of mermaids that we just don't see enough in YA these days. (I know they aren't mermaids but hear me out here) 

The ending was absolutely perfect and has me waiting impatiently to read Tidal, my heart was breaking by the last page but there was also this feeling of hope as I realised that we still have two books to go yet, anything can happen. Also, Penn's last lines in the book were extremely terrifying, I can't wait to see how THAT plays out!

Overall, Lullaby was a great second book and a definite improvement from Wake. I can't wait to read Tidal now! I hope this series just keeps getting better!

Book released 6th December 2012 by Tor

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Reviews for other books by this author:

Wake (Watersong #1)

Tidal (Watersong #3)

Review: Ink by Amanda Sun

Katie Greene is lost in the wake of her mum's death. Sent to Japan, she meets gorgeous but aloof artist Tomohiro, whose tough attitude intrigues and scares her. Then things get really strange. When they're near each other, Tomohiro's drawings start to come to life…

Soon the wrong people begin to ask questions, and Katie and Tomohiro must risk everything to protect the truth.

The thing that made me want to read Ink so much was the gorgeous cover and the Japan setting. This book sounded like something brand new and refreshing with an original and absorbing setting. My issue with this book - and it's not just this book but a lot of the YA that I'm reading lately - is that it just didn't do that much to separate itself from other books in the genre, meaning that it isn't all that memorable and by the time the sequel comes out I'll likely have forgotten what happened here.

Not that it was a bad book, not at all, I really did enjoy it. There were a number of things that annoyed me but there were an equal number of things that I enjoyed. I was a little confused by how the Kami abilities worked, but the whole idea was so original that I was in awe of how creative Amanda Sun was. Also the Japan setting worked so well, the little snippets of Japanese were so nice for me, since I speak some Japanese and I could understand it though I was a little confused over whether they were all speaking Japanese, since Katie seems a little too fluent or English since the Japanese characters all seemed to be fluent.

The romance was a little typical, it was sexy and quick developing and Tomohiro was the typical "Don't come near me, I'm too dangerous!" YA boy. He was a bit of a jerk and Katie was too trusting and seemed pretty stupid, putting herself in dangerous situations from him. I liked it though, and I usually don't enjoy Bella and Edward-esque romances since they seem unhealthy. Katie and Tomohiro's romance didn't seem unhealthy at all.

Overall, I did enjoy Ink but it won't stay with me for too long. The writing was good and the plot was original but the execution wasn't anything new. The romance was pretty typical as well but I did enjoy it. Will I read the sequel? More than likely, but there are books that I'll put above it on the 'must-read' list!

Book released 5th July 2013 by Mira Ink (UK)

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (NetGalley)