Torn- Amanda Hocking

Title: Torn (A Trylle novel, book 2)
Author: Amanda Hocking

Publisher: St. Martin's
Pages: 324
Release Date: Available 


From The Back:  When Wendy Everly first discovered the truth about herself--that she's a changeling switched at birth--she knew her life would never be the same. Now she's about to learn that there's more to the story...


Wendy shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined--and they'll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers--and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who's strictly off-limits...and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.


Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything--and everybody--she's ever wanted...in both worlds.


My Review:  Right off the bat I'm going to tell you that no, there isn't a review for Switched (book one) because, I haven't actually read it. I picked up Torn, when I was at the mall one day, and I had absolutely no problems reading it. Ms. Hocking does a great job with the recap and filling in the reader of what happened in the first book while moving the plot of the second book along. Though, I suspect my not having read the first book was why I didn't really have an attachment to the Wendy/Finn romance, okay, I might have had a little attachment but I was more Loki right from the get go. I love that this isn't a typical fairy book, and that it's actually about Trolls, or at least the descendants of them. I love the characters, and the writing, and I have fallen absolutely in love with this series. 

Reviewer: Ashe

Shadow Eyes- Dusty Crabtree

Title: Shadow Eyes
Author: Dusty Crabtree
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Pages: 296
Release date: Already in stores!

From the back of the book: Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.

Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.

As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.

Review: I wasn't really pulled into the book until the second chapter, the first one didn't make sense and I didn't understand what it had to do with the book at all. At the second chapter I was pulled right into the story line, I loved the plot and the romance was just to cute. And then the romantic twist this books takes... well I think I can safely say that most girls over 14 have been there at least once, am I right?

About halfway through the book I was still really enjoying my read but I was wondering when something BIG was going to happen. I mean, I was halfway through and so far you only got little hints of bad things happening, sometimes this pulls me into the book even more, sometimes it makes me not want to finish reading the book, it all depends on the writers style. Luckily it was the former of the two and I kept reading and waiting for this big moment.

And then I got my big moment! But for me it seemed more like it was a big end of the the book. I found that there was a lot of information being tossed in at the last moment that could have been in the book halfway through to add more to the middle and even make a second book! There was just sooo much details being tossed in my face in the last little bit of the book.

Rate:Over all I give this book from 1, I couldn't finish it to 10, unputdownable, I rank this book a 4! I give this book this rating becasue while I did enjoy reading this book and I will read another of Dusty's book, I was just waiting for something to happen and when it did happen it was to late and burried in a whole bunch of other action!

Reviewer: Bec

Blood Rights- Heather Anne Lambert

Title: Cassius- Blood Rights- Memoirs of a Vampire
Author: Heather Anne Lambert
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 434
Release Date: Go out and get it now!

From the back of the book: Hot… Intense… ACTION! It’s Toronto’s night-time playground and Cassius, a two thousand year-old vampire, is on the hunt for dinner. His meals of choice are murderers, sex offenders, child abductors, and anyone who really pisses him off. In this burgeoning metropolis of almost 6 million people, Cassius is sure to find enough variety to satisfy his deadly palate. What he doesn’t count on is meeting Harmony, a beautiful female vampire who was turned against her will. When he takes her under his dark wing, Cassius finds himself embroiled in an all out war with Harmony’s maker, Sebastian—and in a struggle to protect his heart. Meanwhile, Cass’s meal-of-the-moment, the Valentine Killer, stays just beyond his reach. From the steamy dissipation of downtown Toronto to the fiery hell of Hamilton’s steel refineries, a chase with high collateral damage ensues. Will Harmony survive? Will Cassius finally risk his heart for love? Will Vic the Valentine Killer’s rampage of death and terror ever be brought to an end? Cassius: Blood Rights takes you on a dark and dangerous thrill ride that answers more questions than you dare to ask. Cassius ~ Memoirs of a Vampire is a new series. Blood Rights is Book One.

Review: I made the mistake of reading this book when I woke up early one morning. My cat got out and I had to chase her around the drive way in my PJ'S ... not a fun time! So I couldn't get back to sleep and I wanted to read, I have been planning on reading this for a very long time and finally my life slowed down enough that I can do some reading.

Now the mistake in reading this in the early morning on a day when I had to go to work. I didn't get that extra two hour power nap I had planned on getting before work, and I had to pull myself away from my laptop to go into work. I didn't want to stop reading this book! The whole time I was at work I was thinking about this book and wanting to know what would happen next.

I have said this before and I will say it again, there are almost to many vampire books out now, it seems that it mostly all I review because that's all there is for young adult romance! But the romance in this book did not come right away, and normally I am bored and waiting not so patiently for my lovey- dovy, super gooey romance scenes. This time, I was pulled in just by the main charactor and was drawn in by the story line and where it was going to head. The drama just added to this amazing book and I was in love!

Rate: Over all I give this book from 1, I couldn't finish it to 10, unputdownable, I rank this book a 10! This is a vampire book I found differnt from most that are out there now.

Favorite Quote from the book: "...I sucked as I f***ed."

Reviewer: Bec

Firelight - Sophie Jordan

Title: Firelight
Author: Sophie Jordan

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 323
Release Date: Available 


From The Back: A hidden truth. 

Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide. [[from Goodreads]]

My Review: I've had this book sitting on my shelf for a while, not because I didn't want to read it but because it's one of the books I bought during a book buying splurge and I hadn't gotten around to it yet. Boy, and I GLAD I did! Holy man. I devoured this book in four hours--yea, it surprised even me--it was amazing. I mean, who doesn't love dragon people who can turn into humans? And one Draki falling in love with probably her worst enemy? COMEON, it's awesome, you know it is. Nod you're heads. Do it now. Now go buy this book if you haven't already. The MC was totally easy to relate to, even though she isn't exactly human, her emotions are written out so well that you can feel them. And the writing! Oh the writing, I love the way this was written...and the romance, oh yes there is romance! Loving the romance. This is the first book in a series.

Reviewer: Ashe

Bloodlines- Richelle Mead

Title: Bloodlines

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

From the back of the book: The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.


Review: I was very upset when I found out that Rose and Dimitri's story was finally coming to an end, by this time I had really fallen in love with both of them and was rooting from the sidelines! So you can understand when I say I was overjoyed that Richelle was writing a new series still set in the same world! Yet, I was still nervous about this whole spin off idea, I mean going from a vampire to an alchemist, and yet Richelle pulled it off very well, it was a perfect new view of a not so perfect world.

There wasn't as much romance in this book as I would have hoped. There were hints of Syd maaaaybe having a crush and I can;t wait to see where the romance part of the book goes from here.

I liked the mystery involved. It kept me hooked through some of the less romantic or less action packed scenes.

I would recommend this book to: Anybody who is a lover of Rose and Dimitri from Vampire Academy. You do get to see them both a bit in this book and I almost hope you see them a bit more in the next. The way Richelle left it that's how it seemed it may be. But as a lover of the original series I can strongly say that this is just as amazing.

Rate:Over all I give this book from 1, I couldn't finish it to 10, unputdownable, I rank this book a 9 3/4!

Revewer: Bec

Forty Things I Want To Tell You - Alice Kuipers

Title:40 Things I Want To Tell You

Author: Alice Kuipers

Publisher: Harper Trophy Canada
Pages: 256

Release Date: Available now (Feb 10th 2012)


From The Back:  Amy (a.k.a. Bird) seems to have the perfect life: loving parents, a hot boyfriend, the best friend ever. She even writes an online advice column, full of Top Tips, to help other teens take control of their lives. But after a new guy shows up at school, Bird can’t seem to follow her own wisdom. 

Pete is the consummate bad boy. He’s everything Bird is not: wild, unambitious and more than a little dangerous. Although she knows he’s trouble, Bird can’t stay away. And the more drawn she is to Pete, the more cracks are revealed in her relationship with Griffin, her doting boyfriend. Meanwhile, her parents’ marriage is also fracturing, possibly for good. 

Bird is way out of her comfort zone. All it takes is one mistake, one momentary loss of control, for her entire future to be blown away . . . (From Good Reads)


My Review: I was lucky enough to win this book during a chat with the author, she's fabulous by the way. And so is this book. I was pulled in immediately, and couldn't put the book down. There are parts in this book that I believe every girl is able to relate to, mainly the advice column that Bird writes, the little bites of questions and advice are things that even in the past I've found myself looking for help on.  The book also touches on how one thing can make your world spin out of control, but also that you can no control everything even if you try to. I loved this book, right down to the very last page and it made me feel things as I read. Truly it is a good book, and I highly recommend it. 


Reviewer: Ashe

Dark of the Moon-Tracy Barrett

Title: Dark of the Moon

Author: Tracy Barrett

Publisher:Harcourt
Pages:310

Release Date: Available now


From The Back:It isn't true what they say about my brother--that he ate those children. He never did; he didn't even mean to hurt them. He wept as he held out their broken bodies, his soft brown eyes pleading with me to fix them the way I always fixed his dolls and toys. I couldn't fix the children, of course. They were dead, their heads flopping on their necks, their arms and legs pale and limp. My mother ordered the slaves to take them away and give them a decent burial, and I held my brother as he sobbed over the loss of his playmates. When the replacement children died as well, my mother said: No more playmates. My brother wailed and roared in his loneliness, deep beneath the palace, until the Minos took pity and said: Just once more. But not children from Krete. The people would stand for it no more, he said. And so they came in their long ships.


My Review: I thought I would love this book, it's a new twist on a myth, and I LOVE me some retellings of myths. Although I loved the concept of the Minotaur just being a misshapen boy with a loving sister, I don't think he was in the book enough. A lot of the time I stumbled over the names in this book, unsure at how to pronounce them--there are some that are easy others that left me clueless. I felt Dark of the Moon was slow, and I couldn't really get into it until the last 75-pages or so.  


Reviewer: Ashe