Tag Archives: Paranormal

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Review: Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Title: Beautiful Chaos
Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Series: Castor Chronicles series
Pages: 518 pages hardcover/paperback, 566 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

The thing I enjoy most about these books is also the thing that I like least. I like that mixed in with all the doom and gloom and supernatural, we get to see Ethan and Lena living their lives. There’s a bit of normal mixed in. However, this adds a lot of extra material that is somewhat filer and that’s the part I don’t like. I’m not sure which side will eventually win out.

Beautiful Chaos is the culmination of everything that happened in the previous two books and the price that must be paid. Everything that went wrong in the past two books comes to a head and Ethan and Lena have to figure out how to save the Mortal and Caster world. I did figure out the ending fairly early in the book, but that didn’t take me out of the story any. I wanted to see how the characters ended up, even if I wanted to let them all in on the secret.

Ethan and Lena are still the wonderful couple that can make it through everything. They’ve both changed though and that affect their relationship. They have to learn to trust each other again and to not jump to conclusions. They had to stop being teens in love and start dealing with being in love while in the Mortal and Castor worlds. I enjoyed reading how they grew as individuals and as a couple. Their challenges are only making them work better together.

The subplots were really something else in this book. I would love a Link and Ridley story all their own. With everything going on, getting this other little stories to focus on for a little while was a nice break from the bad things you know are about to come.

Beautiful Chaos was a fantastic book that ended on quite the cliffhanger. I can’t wait to get started on Beautiful Redemption and see how this series concludes.

If Beautiful Chaos sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Title: Beautiful Darkness
Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Series: Castor Chronicles series
Pages: 503 pages hardcover/paperback, 508 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

Beautiful Creatures was on my meh list. It wasn’t fantastic, but it wasn’t horrible. It was a nice read, but it wasn’t one of my best. Beautiful Darkness was able to expand on the world created in the first novel and make the characters do things and grow in ways I didn’t see coming. I found myself losing sleep in order to read just a little bit more, rationing that decision with the power of caffeine. It takes quite a book to make me consider losing sleep.

The story of Ethan and Lena continues on shortly after the events of Beautiful Creatures. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’m not going to do much of a recap. I will say, however, that the events of the first book make everything that happens in this book make sense.

Lena is pulling away from Ethan and he doesn’t know why or what to do. She isn’t sure who she is or what she can do and that makes her worry about losing herself and hurting the people she loves. It’s more than the typically supernatural teen “I love you, but I can hurt you, so I’m going to leave” plotline. It doesn’t feel drawn-out or like the authors were trying to force something that wasn’t there.

I like that the story is told from Ethan’s point of view. It gives the complexity of the story just a touch of simplicity because we aren’t trying to figure out the Castor world as we try to figure out the problems the novel puts in front of us. We learn about the Castor world as Ethan does and as it ties into the story instead of trying to add more layers to an already complex story.

Beautiful Darkness makes up for what Beautiful Creatures lacked. There was a fantastic plotline, plus we got to explore Ethan and Lena as people. They grew and discovered things about themselves and the world that makes for a promising future in the next novels. I’m looking forward to getting started on the next book.

If Beautiful Darkness sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Review: The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston

Title: The Witch’s Daughter
Author: Paula Brackston
Pages: 305 pages hardcover, 387 paperback, 416 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

The Witch’s Daughter isn’t some epic fairy tale told over many lifetimes. It’s not a drama-filled, romance story that will twist your heart in knots. But it will still leave you a little bit breathless.

Elizabeth is just a girl when she loses her father, brother, and little sister to the plague. When she becomes sick, her mother does what any mother in her situation would do; save her last remaining child’s life through any means necessary. She goes to Gideon and it is his teaching ways and power that saves Elizabeth’s life, but at a huge cost. It is this action that starts Elizabeth on her journey through time, always looking over her shoulder for the one who wants to own her, yet trying to build a life wherever she can.

The book is told through two perspectives: the journal entries in The Book of Shadows and as Elizabeth telling Teagan stories. This isn’t distracting at all and only makes the story more inviting, in my opinion. The Book of Shadows is written in the present time. It talks of Elizabeth’s life now and her interactions with Teagan. She is teaching Teagan the ways of the hedge witch and in doing so, allows herself to feel for another person; something she hasn’t done in many, many years.

The rest of the novel is about Elizabeth’s many lives, from treating prostitutes in Jack the Ripper’s London to the war front of World War I. She is helping as many people as she can wherever she lives, trying to stay out of Gideon’s path, trying to save herself from becoming his. She tries to avoid magic whenever she can, as using her magic calls Gideon to her.

It is a special kind of heartbreaking to see Elizabeth go through so many lives, trying to not form attachments, yet yearning to find someone to love her. She knows any bonds she forms will be broken when the other person dies, but solitary life isn’t good for anyone and Elizabeth’s heartbreak hurt to read.

The ending of the novel is exactly what I wanted, and yet I wish there was just a little bit more. Not because the novel needed more, but because I wanted to know more.

The Witch’s Daughter isn’t a romance. It isn’t an action novel. It isn’t a drama. It’s a historical fiction novel that has a little bit of everything. I’m glad I decided to pick this book up and look forward to reading more from Brackston.

If The Witch’s Daughter sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Review: What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Title: What’s Left of Me
Author: Kat Zhang
Series: The Hybrid Chronicles series
Pages: 434 pages hardcover, 352 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

Addie and Eva share one body. They are two souls living in the same body and that shouldn’t happen. One soul is supposed to fade away and one soul is supposed to stay. Instead, Eva stays in the background, letting Addie live their life. While Addie gets to talk and be around other people, Eva’s only true companion is Addie.

It’s an interesting premise and I wasn’t sure how Zhang would pull it off. It could either be fantastic or completely confusing. Luckily, What’s Left of Me falls into the fantastic side of things.

I am amazed at how well Zhang managed to write two completely different characters and yet they are in the same body. It was easy to tell the difference between Addie and Eva. Their personalities are different and their growth as people is different. Even though they share the same body, they each experience everything in a slightly different way. It was fascinating.

Not only does Zhang manage to write one person with two souls well, she took on the challenge of making other characters the same way. At first, I wasn’t sure which soul was which; however, the more I read, the more I picked up on each soul’s different personalities. For Zhang to have done this is amazing. I wasn’t confused by the warring souls, but found myself drawn in and loving them.

This isn’t an action-packed novel, but it also isn’t a light read, either. There’s not a lot of fighting or other typical dystopian characteristics, but it never feels like things are moving slow. Something is always happening, even if it isn’t happening in big, elaborate fight scenes.

The only thing that had me a little confused was the time frame this story takes place in. Wars are referenced, but I was never really clear on when this story actually takes place. I’m hoping that was deliberate and in the novels to come, it becomes clearer.

What’s Left of Me is a novel that doesn’t disappoint. It’s different and thought-provoking and definitely worth a read. I’m looking forward to reading what comes next in this series.

If What’s Left of Me sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Review: The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Title: The Madness Underneath
Author: Maureen Johnson
Series: Shades of London series
Pages: 290 pages hardcover, 304 paperback/ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

I’m always afraid to start book series because the second book rarely lives up to the first. For some reason, the second book always seems like more of a way to get from A to C without really having much of a point. The Madness Underneath is not one of those books. It’s definitely not a book that can stand by itself, but it is its own book and serves a greater purpose than tying book 1 to book 3.

The Madness Underneath deals with the aftermath. The aftermath of the attack on Rory, the aftermath of her newly discovered power, the aftermath of what happened in the bathroom at Wexford. There’s a lot of material to work with in this book and Johnson does a suburb job of handling it all.

Rory has been living at home with her parents, but just wants to get back to her life in London. She wants to go back and act like she’s the same person she was before everything happened. Once back at school, she realized she’s bit off a little more than she can chew. The world didn’t stop for her while she was gone, and now she’s lagging just a little bit behind everyone else.

On top of that, she still has to deal with her new ghost knowledge and powers. There are things going on that only she and a few of her friends know about, but even they aren’t sure how to handle this new situation.

The Madness Underneath didn’t have me fearing every little noise, but it still had a sense of creepiness. There was no way to guess at what was about to happen and the ghosts are still sticking around. This was a book even better than the first. After the major cliffhanger in The Name of the Star, I thought I’d be able to handle anything Johnson threw at me. But the ending of The Madness Underneath punched me in the gut. I simply cannot wait to read what comes next.

If The Madness Underneath sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton

Title: Shadows in the Silence
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Series: Angelfire series
Pages: 469 pages hardcover, 384 ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

Shadows in the Silence blew me away. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading and as soon as I finished, I had that feeling. There’s really no way to describe that feeling, but you know when you have it.

Ellie really comes into her own in this novel. She’s strong, determined, and really figures out who she is. I really liked the focus on Ellie and her humanity. Moulton did an amazing job of speaking about what makes humans human without sounding like she was trying to preach; she wrote about souls perfectly. The struggle Ellie faces between saving the human world and possibly losing herself, or keeping who she is and risking evil taking over is done in a breathtaking way.

Will and Ellie together are fabulous. They realize that while love can make you weak in the knees, it does not make you weak in the heart. It gives you something to fight for when everything looks like it is stacked against you. They rely on each other, but they aren’t dependent upon each other. There’s a wonderful balance of give and take in their relationship and it’s perfect.

I was very hesitant about reading the Angelfire series. I just wasn’t sure if it would be my cup of tea. Moulton’s writing shook me and made me think, really slow down and savor each word she wrote. Ellie and Will’s story is timeless and I’m completely in love with them. Shadows in the Silence is a gripping, fast-paced novel that keeps you turning page after page, needing to know what’s next. Even in the darkest times, Moulton created a world that still had that ray of hope.

This is a definite must-read series for me. Don’t make the mistake I did and pass it up for two years. Read it, and read it as soon as possible.

If Shadows in the Silence sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Title: Wings of the Wicked
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Series: Angelfire series
Pages: 516 pages hardcover, 544 paperback, 533 ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

I had heard of Angelfire a couple years ago. I thought it sounded a little meh and predictable. I didn’t look at it again for almost two years, when the final book in the series was getting ready to be released. I both love and hate myself for that decision. I love that by putting reading it off for two years, I don’t have to wait a year to see how the series ends.

I hate myself because that is two years that this book series wasn’t in my life.

Wings of the Wicked was spectacular. If the action and drama of having to destroy the demonic wasn’t enough, Ellie must deal with finding a way to balance every piece of her. She needs to be Gabriel, she needs to be Ellie, and she needs to be Will’s. There is always the worry in her mind of losing one of those pieces and not knowing what her world would be like if a chunk of it was suddenly gone.

Will and Ellie’s romance was superb. It wasn’t the typical Young Adult, teen love angst. Yes, some of that was there, but there was another layer to it because even if they looked young, their souls had been through so much. I felt so caught up in their every interaction, my heart hurting at one moment and soaring the next.

I’m so happy and relieved I was able to get Shadows in the Silence the moment I finished Wings of the Wicked because I would have crumbled if I had to wait. I want to dive right in and let Moulton’s story wrap its arms around me and take me right back into Ellie’s life. I am officially a Courtney Allison Moulton fan.

If Wings of the Wicked sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Title: Boundless
Author: Cynthia Hand
Series: Unearthly series
Pages: 438 pages hardcover, 448 paperback, 320 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

I’ve been looking forward to reading Boundless for a while. I was nervous and excited and anxious to start it as soon as I got my hands on it. I knew once I started reading, I wouldn’t be able to stop until I had read every last word.

Boundless starts off the fall of Clara’s first year at Stanford. She feels a little alone, even though Angela and Christian are there with her. Angela begins to drift away from her and Christian wants more than she can give. She misses her mom, her Jackson friends, and Tucker. On top of that, she’s trying to balance being a typical college freshman with being an angel. Every choice she makes can alter the lives of those around her.

While I’ve been a huge fan of Tucker for the last two books, I did warm up to Christian. I could see why Clara struggled so much between her feelings for the two. It was a black and white choice. An author has to be amazing in order to make me love both guys in a love triangle, but Hand easily does it. I knew either choice Clara made would be bittersweet.

As for the other important part of any novel, the plot, it was just amazing. It had me anxious, waiting for someone to pop out and say the figurative “Boo!” I was completely engrossed, barely paying attention to anything in the real world. It kept me engaged and interested.

Boundless is the satisfying end to a fantastic paranormal series, definitely one of the best I’ve read. It has strong messages about life and love, and even with the paranormal aspect, it speaks true to life. Finishing a book is always bittersweet, but Boundless ends with hope lighting the future. Amazing book, amazing series, amazing read.

If Boundless sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Title: Wicked Kiss
Author: Michelle Rowen
Series: Nightwatchers series
Pages: 448 pages paperback, 336 ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

Here’s the thing. Wicked Kiss has a lot of my usual annoyances when it comes to Young Adult novels. There’s insta-love, secrets everywhere, lack of communication…it’s all there. And yet, Rowen was able to write all of that so amazingly well that none of it bothered me, at all. I was completely in love with this book.

It starts off not long after Dark Kiss ends. Sam still hungers for Bishop, the angels and demons are still working together to get rid of the greys in Trinity, and they are searching for Sam’s soul. An angel with a secret agenda falls and becomes part of the group. It’s then discovered that the greys are changing–they either wither completely away, or they become super-greys.

Sam is just as strong as she was in the first book. She doesn’t let anyone walk over her or tell her what to do. She is constantly trying to figure out things on her own, not succumbing to any “damsel in distress” moments. She fights her hunger, fights against the soulless being everyone is waiting for her to become.

Bishop was wonderful. This might sound strange, but I love that Rowen wrote their relationship filled with questions. Are they attracted to each other only because Sam took part of his soul, or is it something more? It made the insta-love work for me. It made it questionable until the end.

The plot was fascinating. Not only does the storyline from Dark Kiss bleed over, but it has its own plot to flesh through. At first I thought it might have been too much to fit into one novel, and man, near the end I had no idea how Rowen was going to be able to finish, but every word was completely worth staying up until 3am for.

Wicked Kiss is a superb novel that has a little bit of everything. Rowen has a real talent for making my heart bleed for these characters and I can’t wait to read more from her. Her Nightwatchers series is a definite must read.

If Wicked Kiss sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
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IndieBound

Thank you to HarlequinTeen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane

Title: Indigo Awakening
Author: Jordan Dane
Series: The Hunted series
Pages: 304 pages
Rating: ★★★

I was pretty intrigued by the premise of Indigo Awakening. A group hunting down a secret group of children because they’re different. It could have been really interesting. Instead, the novel felt a little off until the very end. It was a little disappointing to say the least.

Lucas Darby is different. He’s been locked away because of his differences, but he’s escaped and is on his own. His sister Rayne ignores his pleas to not look for him and in the process meets Gabe. Lucas and Gabe are different than normal teens. They’re gifted and that makes them targets of a fanatical church.

First of all, there were too many points of view. I can understand wanting to tell the story from all angles, but instead of giving me the full story, I felt like I was just skimming the surface. I didn’t feel that connection with the characters because as soon as a connection started, the point of view changed and I was back to square one.

My other issue relates to the differing points of view. Because I felt like I was just skimming the surface, it felt like there was a lot of story and questions brought up, but then those questions were pushed aside for more story and questions. I can understand wanting to leave some things unanswered, but I feel like in order to keep myself interested, I need some answers. Indigo Awakening kept bringing things up, but rarely ever dealt with them.

The ending of the book saved it from falling into the “pass on this book” category. The last few scenes didn’t quite make up for the rest of the book, but they definitely helped save it. There are a few answers and a bit of resolution. That part was nice.

Overall, Indigo Awakening didn’t wow me. It was an okay novel, but I was expecting a little bit more. I’m sure this kind of novel appeals to some, but for me, it just didn’t work.

If Indigo Awakening sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

Thank you to HarlequinTeen and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.