Review: Kissed by Darkess - Shea MacLeod

Danger is always on the menu for Morgan Bailey, a sexy and street-smart bounty hunter, who prowls the dark underworld of Portland, Oregon hunting creatures of the night. Morgan’s never met a vampire she couldn’t dust or a demon she couldn’t kill until she’s hired to destroy a new kind of mystical threat: the Sunwalker.

A powerful immortal once believed myth, the Sunwalker carries with him an ancient secret which, if left unchecked, will destroy Morgan’s world. Pursued by a passionate Templar Knight and the target of the local vampire clans, an ancient power is awakened within her, unlike anything she’s ever known. Morgan must uncover the truth behind her mission and about herself, before the Darkness lurking inside swallows her whole.

Sunwalker Saga:
Kissed by Darkness
Kissed by Fire
Kissed by Smoke (December 2012)
Kissed by Moonlight (2013)

Visit Shea MacLeod's website for more information

Review:
Since surviving a vampire attack several years ago Morgan has developed some new abilities that make her a perfect vampire hunter. Now working for her friends PI firm she spends her time killing vampires and demons to keep the human population safe and unaware of the danger surrounding them. Her latest case is to track down and kill a Sunwalker but everyone knows that they are just a myth though so it's going to be a pretty impossible job. Well Morgan always thought that Sunwalkers were a myth but she's about to discover how little she really knows about the supernatural and the more she uncovers the greater the danger she must face.

I love urban fantasy so I'm always excited when I come across a new series to try, particularly one where the first few books are already available because it means I won't have to wait a whole year to find out what happens next. So when I saw Kissed by Darkness on the Amazon Vine list I jumped at the chance to review it. Unfortunately if I had to describe the book in just one word the only one I can think of is disappointing. I had such high hopes but although there are signs that this could develop into an interesting series it didn't manage to impress me.

I'll start with the things that I did like and the main one was the history the author has created for the vampires. With links to the Knights Templar and the lost city of Atlantis the author has come up with something a bit different which I always appreciate. I still have questions about the world but that is something to be expected when you're reading the first book in a series. I also quite liked Jack, he doesn't particularly stand out as different to many other heroes I've read about but there is definitely potential for a crush worthy male lead there. There were a few amusing moments throughout the book and I particularly liked Morgan's friend Cordelia and her pet cat.

I think the main reason I didn't enjoy the book was because I really don't think much of Morgan. She spends half of the book talking about how kickass she is and how she has become so much stronger and faster since her vampire attack and the rest of it talking about how hot every single guy she meets is. Seriously, there was not a man in the book who didn't make her hormones go crazy (apart from the bad guy so it's pretty obvious from page one that he must be evil!). I'm all for having hot guys in the story but I don't need to hear how gorgeous they are on EVERY. SINGLE. PAGE. I get it Morgan, you have a crush on Inigo but can't go there because he's your best friends cousin - I heard you the first 10 times and saying it another 20 isn't going to make me care. While we're on the subject of Inigo all I have to say about him is ugh, he is such a creepy stalker type that I didn't find him even slightly attractive! To go back to the point about how kickass Morgan is I have to mention that if a character is constantly telling me how good she is in a fight but then never once manages to back up her claims then I find it more than a little difficult to believe her. Honestly, I didn't think she was kickass in the slightest for the majority of the book and the tiny hint at it that I did see was a case of too little too late. I don't like to call characters too stupid to live but in this case the phrase really fits, she constantly made rookie mistakes and nearly got herself killed practically every time she came across a vampire - not ideal for someone who supposedly makes a living hunting them!

Like I said Kissed by Darkness isn't all bad but I think my dislike of Morgan really coloured my enjoyment of the rest of the story. After revelations towards the end of the book I do think the series has some potential but at the moment I'm undecided about whether I'll carry on reading it. Just reading the blurb of Kissed by Fire and seeing that the story is about dragons makes me want to pick it up (I have a bit of a thing for dragons) but unless Morgan has undergone a major personality transplant I'm not sure if I can bring myself to spend more time in her company.

Source: Received from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Matched - Ally Condie

On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her match.
Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life.
Except he's not.

In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love.
How many children they have.
Where they work.
When they die.

But as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own.

And that's when her whole world begins to unravel . . .

Matched Trilogy:
Matched
Crossed
Reached (30th November 2012)

Visit Ally Condie's website for more information

Review:
Cassia has been waiting her whole life for her matching ceremony, the day that she gets to see the face of her future husband for the very first time. You see, in her society everything about her life is controlled by officials - what job she will do, where she will live, who she will marry and even how many children they will be allowed to have. As much as she is excited about this right of passage into adulthood she is nervous about what is going to happen. What will he look like? Will she like him? Will he like her? What will happen if she has to move far away from her family to live with him? Then at the matching ceremony something incredibly unusual happens, Cassia's perfect match is someone she already knows. Not just anyone though, he is actually her best friend Xander! She should be over the moon, in fact she was until one very minor thing. When she looks at the memory card she is given that should contain details of her perfect match it doesn't show Xander, instead it shows another boy she knows Kye. Seeing Kye's face on the screen gets Cassia thinking, what if both boys would be perfect for her? Shouldn't she have the right to pick which one she wants to be with?

Matched is a book that I have heard so many things about since it was released a couple of years ago so I have no idea why I only just got around to reading it. The only reason I'm not kicking myself for waiting this long is that the third and final instalment to the series is just about to be published so I'm not going to have a long wait before I can finish reading the series. I have to say I would not want to live in the world that Ally Condie has created though, I can't bear the thought of some government official having the right to tell me how to live my entire life! And to think that there are only 100 books, 100 poems, 100 paintings etc that are considered acceptable for people to look at is just horrifying. One of the things that makes our world so amazing is the variety of things that are available to us and I hate the idea of limiting our options to such an extent.

I do still have questions about how Cassia's world came to be the way it is now and I also want to know more about the war that they are currently fighting but I'm confident we'll get these answers as the series continues. I was a little confused by the way that people from her society have forgotten how to write though. I know we use computers / gadgets more and more but I can't see that we will ever completely lose the skills to physically write - we still have to be capable of reading if we want to type!

It took me a while to warm up to the romance between Cassia and Kye. At first I couldn't understand why she was so drawn to him when she has always been so close with Xander and I was almost disappointed in her because of it. But then I got to thinking about how Kye had the draw of being forbidden to her and it was easy to see why that made him attractive and then as we got to know him better I found it easier to see how much they had in common too. I did end up feeling sorry for Xander though, he hasn't done anything to deserve losing his match and he seems to have genuine feelings for Cassia. I guess I'm going to have to read Crossed and Reached to find out how things play out between the three of them though. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what happens next, especially after the discoveries made by Cassia at the end of the book!

Source: Received from Penguin in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Book Trailer: Reached - Ally Condie

I'm actually very late to jump on the bandwagon for the incredibly popular Matched trilogy by Ally Condie because I only read Matched last week but I can tell you now that I absolutely loved it! The best thing about coming to a series so late is that I don't have a lengthy wait between instalments and I can't wait to read Crossed and the finale to the trilogy Reached!

I'll be posting my review of Matched later on today but if you haven't discovered the series yet then it's one I can't recommend highly enough for fans of dystopian fiction. It's a fabulous introduction to the series! If you've already read the first two books then you'll be very pleased to know that you only have a couple more weeks before you can get your hands on Reached, it is published in the UK on the 30th of November. While you're waiting I thought you might like to see the trailer:



What do you think? So how many of you are fans of the series who have been desperately waiting for the final book to release?

CILIP Carnegie Medal Long List for 2013

I'm sure you've probably all seen the long list for the 2013 CILIP Carnegie Medal was announced last week but I thought I'd post the list here just in case anyone missed it.

I had only read 10 of the books on the 2012 Long List when it was announced and although I had planned on making a concerted effort to work my way through as many of the books as possible I've still only managed to get my total up to 14 which is quite disappointing. There are just so many books I want to read and not enough time to read them all! I'm most annoyed with myself that I still haven't read last years winner, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, I've seen so many fabulous reviews for that book and really need to buy a copy!

Anyway, when it comes to this year's list I'm slightly ahead of last year having already read 13 of the books on the long list (you can read my reviews for these by clicking on the links below). Not a very impressive total I know but I do have several more of the books on my to read pile so I'm going to see if I can do a better job of reading them than I did last year!

Carnegie Medal 2013 Long List:

Goldilocks on CCTV by John Agard (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean by David Almond (Puffin Books)

Soldier Dog by Sam Angus (Macmillan Children's Books)

The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird by Atinuke (Walker Books)

The Traitors by Tom Becker (Scholastic)

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne (Doubleday Children's Books)

Jasmine Skies by Sita Brahmachari (Macmillan Children's Books)

Spy For The Queen of Scots by Theresa Breslin (Doubleday Children's Books)

Naked by Kevin Brooks (Puffin Books)

Kill All Enemies by Melvin Burgess (Puffin Books)

Dead Time by Anne Cassidy (Bloomsbury)

VIII by H.M. Castor (Templar Publishing)

Dying To Know You by Aidan Chambers (Bodley Head)

The Broken Road by B.R. Collins (Bloomsbury)

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce (Walker Books)

15 Days Without a Head by Dave Cousins (Oxford University Press)

After the Snow by S.D. Crockett (Macmillan Children's Books)

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)

Scramasax by Kevin Crossley-Holland (Quercus Publishing)

Mortal Chaos by Matt Dickinson (Oxford University Press)

Sektion 20 by Paul Dowswell (Bloomsbury)

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle (Marion Lloyd Books)

Saving Daisy by Phil Earle (Puffin Books)

Buzzing! by Anneliese Emmans Dean (Brambleby Books)

The Things We Did For Love by Natasha Farrant (Faber and Faber)

Trouble in Toadpool by Anne Fine (Doubleday Children's Books)

Call Down Thunder by Daniel Finn (Macmillan Children's Books)

Far Rockaway by Charlie Fletcher (Hodder Children's Books)

The Double Shadow by Sally Gardner (Indigo)

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner (Hot Key Books)

After by Morris Gleitzman (Puffin Books)

To Be A Cat by Matt Haig (Bodley Head)

A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan Children's Books)

Unrest by Michelle Harrison (Simon & Schuster Children's Books)

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (Doubleday Children's Books)

The Seeing by Diana Hendry (Bodley Head)

Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan (Walker Books)

Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes (Walker Books)

The Abominables by Eva Ibbotson (Marion Lloyd Books)

The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen (Oxford University Press)

The Prince Who Walked With Lions by Elizabeth Laird (Macmillan Children's Books)

In Darkness by Nick Lake (Bloomsbury)

The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan (David Fickling Books)

Skulduggery Pleasant: Death Bringer by Derek Landy (HarperCollins Children's Books)

Itch by Simon Mayo (Corgi Children's Books)

At Yellow Lake by Jane McLoughlin (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy (Andersen Press)

The Treasure House by Linda Newbery (Orion Children's Books)

All Fall Down by Sally Nicholls (Marion Lloyd Books)

This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel (Random House David Fickling Books)

Hitler's Angel by William Osborne (Chicken House)

Wonder by R.J. Palacio (Bodley Head)

Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver (Puffin Books)

Burn Mark by Laura Powell (Bloomsbury)

Black Arts: The Books of Pandemonium by Andrew Prentice and Jonathan Weil (David Fickling Books)

Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley (Bloomsbury)

This is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees (Bloomsbury)

Goblins by Philip Reeve (Marion Lloyd Books)

Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid (Puffin Books)

Pendragon Legacy: Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts (Templar Publishing)

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (Indigo)

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton (David Fickling Books)

The Sleeping Army by Francesca Simon (Profile Books)

The Flask by Nicky Singer (HarperCollins Children's Books)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic)

A Skull in Shadows Lane by Robert Swindells (Corgi Children's Books)

A Waste of Good Paper by Sean Taylor (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Electric Monkey)

I haven't included the long list of books for the Kate Greenaway Medal because I don't tend to read books for younger children but if you'd like to know more you can see the list here.

So how many of these books have you read? Which ones are you hoping to see make the short list when it's announced next March? I have to say I've enjoyed all of the ones that I've read but my top two (out of the ones I've read) would have to be 15 Days Without A Head and Wonder. Two very different books but both equally good and I really hope to see them make it at least as far as the short list!

Review: Blaze of Winter - Elisabeth Barrett

Winter heats up in this hot new Star Harbor romance, as another sexy Grayson brother, a wickedly handsome writer, plots his happily ever after with a sweet stranger.

Frustrated with her job in Boston, social worker Avery Newbridge welcomes the opportunity to reassess her life when family asks her to help manage the Star Harbor Inn. Trying to figure out her future is overwhelming enough, but she doesn’t count on distraction in the form of one Theo Grayson, the gorgeous, green-eyed author who she knows is trouble from the moment he saunters into the inn.

Not only does he have a talent for writing swashbuckling adventures, but Theo also has a soft spot for big-hearted damsels in distress, especially a woman who’s great at helping everyone—except herself. Avery’s demons challenge him, but for desire this hot, he isn’t backing down. With every kiss and heated whisper Theo promises her his heart . . . if only Avery is willing to open up and accept it.

Star Harbor Series:
Deep Autumn Heat
Blaze of Winter
Long Simmering Spring (Release date to be confirmed)
Slow Summer Burn (Release date to be confirmed)

Visit Elisabeth Barrett's website for more information.

Review:
Blaze of Winter is the second instalment to Elisabeth Barrett's Star Harbor series and was just as enjoyable as Deep Autumn Heat. This series is perfect for anyone who is looking for a light hearted, sweet and sexy contemporary romance - especially if you like a small town setting that allows you to get to know a whole cast of characters as the series progresses.

This is the story of Theo Grayson, a famous author of swashbuckling adventure novels who has recently lost his muse. Struggling to get started on his latest book Theo has decided to spend a few months in his home town, catching up with his brothers and deciding what he really wants from his life. It doesn't take long before Theo finds himself being distracted by another newcomer to Star Harbor though. Social worker Avery has taken a break from her job to reassess her future, she has been staying with her aunt and helping run the local inn while she decides whether she is cut out to work with recovering addicts. Her life is complicated enough right now and the last thing she needs is a guy distracting her - no matter how handsome he is. Theo isn't one to take no for an answer though and as he sets about breaking down her walls it is going to take more self control than Avery possesses to resist him.

I really enjoyed Deep Autumn Heat and thought that Elisabeth Barrett would find it hard to top hero Seb but his twin Theo managed to steal my heart and I loved Blaze of Winter even more. Theo is a real bad boy turned good, he was the mastermind behind most of the childhood pranks his brothers played but has now turned his intelligence to his writing and the research he carries out. I loved the way he was instantly so protective of Avery, he sees straight away that she always puts everyone else's needs before her own and he decides it's about time someone puts her first for a change. For someone who spends a lot of time writing Theo is still incredibly fit and I have to say he can pull his caveman act on me any day of the week! Avery has a hard time accepting help from anyone, she likes to be in control and prefers to be looking after everyone else. She desperately needed someone to care for her but it took her a while to admit that to herself. There was no way she could have resisted Theo for long though - he was just too damn sexy for his own good! The chemistry between the two of them is fabulous and I thoroughly enjoyed watching him break down her defences.

It was great to catch up with the characters from the previous book, I loved Seb and Lexie so I enjoyed seeing how their relationship is doing but it was also good to see some of the side characters we'd already met. I can't wait to carry on reading this series, I have a feeling that each of the Grayson brothers is going to be better than the last but I'm particularly excited for Val's book - there is just a quiet intensity about him and I think his story will be explosive. Elisabeth Barrett has definitely earned a place on my must buy shelf and I will be keeping an eye out for all her future books. Contemporary romance fans won't want to miss this series, if you're a fan of Jill Shalvis's Lucky Harbor series then this is definitely a new series to watch out for.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Never Forget

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields

By John McCrae, 1915

Wear your poppy with pride!

Review: The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart - Leanna Renee Hieber

For Natalie Stewart, a normal life has never seemed so far away. Her only solace, Lord Jonathan Denbury, is wanted for murder. To clear his name, Denbury must return to England and assume the role of his demon doppelganger. But Natalie begins to doubt his true motives, especially as a new gentleman begins whispering in her ear. Natalie and Denbury may be able to visit each other in their dreams, but they can't escape the darkening shadows. Amid spontaneous explosions, friends turned enemies and dangerous secrets revealed, there's still a demon who has Natalie's scent, and someone is trying to resurrect the ultimate evil.

Magic Most Foul Series:
Darker Still
The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart
Titles & release dates for further books in the series are currently unavailable.

Visit Leanna Renee Hieber's website for more information

Review:
I loved Darker Still when I read it last year and had pre-ordered The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart months ago because I couldn't wait to read it. Anyone who loves dark and Gothic historical tales with a hint of the paranormal and a strong heroine will absolutely love this series but I would highly recommend reading the books in order so you don't miss out on the ongoing adventure. I'm going to assume that anyone reading this review has already read the first book so be warned that there will be spoilers for Darker Still so this is your last chance to look away if you're new to the series!

The story picks up immediately after the ending of the first book, Natalie has managed to free Jonathan from the painting he was trapped inside and she regained the use of her voice in the process. They were able to trap the demon who was using Jonathan's body but his description is still being circulated with regards to the recent spate of murders in New York. Natalie and Jonathan have been forced to flee the city to protect themselves but it soon becomes clear that the plot against Jonathan goes even deeper than they realised. To get to the bottom of the mystery Jonathan is going to have to return to London and pretend that the demon is still in control of his body. While Jonathan is away it is up to Natalie to work out what is happening in New York, her friends are in danger and she is going to have to figure things out quickly if she is going to have a chance at stopping what is happening.

One of the things I loved so much about the first book was the Gothic feel to the story and the setting of Victorian New York. I read so many Victorian era novels set in London that it makes a nice change to visit a different city during this time period and Leanna Renee Hieber does a wonderful job of bringing New York to life. She has also done a brilliant job of creating three dimensional characters who continue to grow with each instalment to the series. I loved the fact that Natalie was the one to rescue Jonathan in the first book and although he is now able to work alongside her to continue their investigation he still trusts her to play her part while he is off in London doing his. Natalie has become even stronger since the first book, she is still terrified by some of the things that she sees and experiences but that doesn't stop her from facing those fears and pushing through them. She cares so deeply for Jonathan and the people who are effected by the latest events that she will do whatever it takes to put a stop to things. It was nice to see that Jonathan has a larger role to play this time around but I'm glad he didn't completely take over from Natalie and he was willing to trust her judgement.

I felt that The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart was an even darker story than the first book, particularly with the discovery made towards the end of the book. While Darker Still was a tribute to The Picture of Dorian Gray this one gives a nod to another well known Gothic thriller that I guarantee you will recognise (I can't say which one here because of spoilers). I love the way Leanna Renee Hieber has taken well known stories and incorporated them into her own books after putting a different spin on things. For fans of Darker Still this book is a must read and I can't wait to read the next instalment to the Magic Most Foul series.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle: