Book Review: Consumed by Rebecca Zanetti

Title: Consumed (Dark Protectors #4)

Author: Rebecca Zanetti

Release Date: July 5th 2012

Publisher: Kensington

Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley

Sometimes You Mate For Life

Katie Smith is the best of her class, part of an elite hunting force trained to eliminate werewolves from the hills of Western Virginia. She's good at it because she has the kind of focus and drive that won't back down no matter how steep the odds. Call it southern sass. Whatever it is, there's no denying her willingness to risk everything for the only man she's ever cared about--a man on the verge of losing his very humanity...

Sometimes You Mate To Stay Alive

For the past ten years Jordan Pride has dedicated his life to protecting his people from a deadly shifter virus. But in a rare moment of distraction, Jordan's guard drops just long enough for his fate to take an irreversible twist. Unless the woman he loves surrenders everything to him, again and again, under a full moon rising...

My Thoughts

Although not a bad story, there are an awful lot of story arcs to keep track of which was kind of distracting, and I got quite bogged down with a lot of details in places. The lack of story flow bored me and so I did skim over a fair chunk of it.

The main storyline was interesting, and I did like Jordan a lot, however I didn't really think too much of Katie, she came off too whiny, and annoyed me.

There were some other really great characters in the book and I'd love to read more about them, especially Janie and her possible love triangle, I'm definitely intrigued.

Overall a good read, if a little slow for me 3.5 Stars :]

Childrens Book Review: Sparkle's Song by Samantha Hale

Title: Sparkle's Song

Author: Samantha Hale

Illustrator: Mariana Ruiz Johnson

Release Date: February 2012

Publisher: Maverick Arts publishing Ltd

Source: Received from PR company for the purpose of an honest review

Aunt Millicent does not allow music in her house, so when Sparkle hears a beautiful song coming from the forest, she wants to find out where it is coming from. Following a songbird, she discovers something magical that will change her life forever. 

A special gift book with a story about the magic of music by film-maker Samantha Hale, and stunning gouache illustrations by Argentinian artist Mariana Ruiz Johnson.

My Thoughts
 
I enjoyed reading this book but my Miss 5 lost interest in it pretty early on.
The illustrations are quite lovely and the story is sweet, if a little sad.
In fact, Miss 5 got upset and almost cried because Sparkle's parents died; she lost all interest after that.
Here's what she had to say about Sparkle's Song:

"I dont like it, its sad"

"I'll look at the pictures, but no reading!"

Although I convinced her to listen to the rest of the story, it was easy to tell it wasnt a book for her.
And I got a scrunched up sourpuss face in response to asking what she thought of the book, but I liked it.
 
So its probably not a book that all kids will like, but still a good 3.5 Star read :]

LINKS

Publishers Website

Publisher on Facebook

Book Review: This Heart For Hire by Elysa Hendricks

Title: This Heart For Hire

Author: Elysa Hendricks
Release Date: October 12th 2011
Publisher: Self published
Source: Recieved from RomCon for the purpose of an honest review

A convent reared innocent and a gunslinger with no memory struggle to survive and find love while crossing the dangerous west Texas frontier.

Abandoned by his father and betrayed by his half-brother and fiancee on the eve of his wedding, JAKE GALLAGHER no longer believes in love. Though he longs to go home, his undercover work for the Texas Rangers keeps him in a lawless Texas border town. Even though it jeopardises his mission he refuses to stand by and watch outlaws rape and murder a young woman. Getting shot and losing his memory wasn’t part of his plan.

While fleeing from her stepfather’s plans to steal their ranch, CHRISTINA GOODWIN witnesses her brother’s murder and is left in the hands of a merciless band of outlaws. Raised in a strict convent, Christina has little knowledge of men or the world, its dangers and temptations. Frightened and alone, she is forced to accept the help of the dark gunslinger who rescues her. Though drawn to Jake’s potent masculinity, she hesitates to trust him, fearing her stepfather has sent him to bring her back. Unsure of Jake’s motives for helping her, she struggles against him, determined to find a way to avenge her brother’s death and regain control of her ranch from her stepfather.

My Thoughts

This Heart for Hire is action packed pretty much from start to finish.
A well paced, interesting story, full of conflict and excitement with plenty of sexual tension thrown in too.
While the story telling isn't perfect, there is a lot going on to keep you interested and caring about the characters.

The secondary characters are easy to like also and definitely worthy of their own book, and it'd be first in line to see what happens for them in the future.

My only real criticism would be that the ending is very abrupt which left me unhappy and definitely unsatisfied.
Still a good 3.5 Star read :]

Book Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley

MY VAMPIRE CREATOR TOLD ME THIS:

"Sometime in your life, Allison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. The question is not if it will happen, but when. Do you understand?"

I didn't then, not really.

I DO NOW. 

 

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for. 

My Thoughts

For me, The Immortal Rules started off slowly. 

I wasn't sure if I liked Allie, I didn't really feel anything for her, and I found myself eye rolling a bit with the background story.

Its been 60 years since the plague and yet there is still food to be found in abandoned stores and houses...really? are you sure? if everyone is so starving and destitute don't you think that after 60 years it would of all been picked over years ago?
That seriously did not make sense to me, but maybe I'm just being overly picky.

Anyway, after 50 pages I was considering turfing it on the DNF pile, but I persevered...and around about page 195, I thought 'Okay, now we're on to something'

Even though I may not have always enjoyed her storytelling, I can't deny that Julie Kagawa writes beautifully.

Her words are descriptive and flow easily through the mind creating some great mental pictures, and I loved her vicious, more traditionally styled vampires and rabids.
And Allie grew on me, probably more than I care to admit.
Her struggle to adapt to being a vampire yet still aching to cling on to her humanity struck a chord, it felt real and believable. She showed great strength and tenacity.
And then she meets the mysterious Zeke and his motley crew of survivors with all their quirks and beliefs.

But then towards the end I started eye rolling again.

Eden's only a day or so's ride away from Jackal and his vampire city and he never stumbled upon it? really? after years of searching for Jeb and Zeke it was never discovered by anyone? after all these years? and then the only voice of suspicion, the 'thorn' in Allie's side gets killed right near the end, just as they approach Eden...
Am I the only one finding too many threads conveniently tying themselves together in a nice tidy bow?

All in all, I enjoyed the fresh take on vampires, the zombie like rabids, and the idea of an Eden waiting in the wastelands.
But I just felt it was all too safe, the ending too predictable.

A 3.5 Star read for me ;]

Book Review: Angel Evolution by David Estes

Title: Angel Evolution (Evolution Trilogy #1)

Author: David Estes

Release Date: October 17th 2011

Publisher: Smashwords

Source: Received from the author for an honest review

The Evolution Trilogy... When Taylor meets Gabriel at college, she is in awe of the subtle glow that surrounds him. No one else, not even her best friend, seems to notice. Something about him scares her. Is all as it appears? While Taylor struggles for answers, she finds herself in the middle of a century old war centered on one miraculous revelation: evolution.

My Thoughts

I really like what this author has done with his tale of Angels and Demons, good and evil.

He's flipped it around, turned it on its head and injected a refreshing and intriguing twist.

I have enjoyed this new look Angel story.
Sadly, I haven't enjoyed some of the characters.

I found Taylor to be extremely gullible and very annoying so she was well suited to Gabriel who I quite frankly, found to be sleazy. 

By the end of the book Gabriel pretty much redeems himself with his genuine love for Taylor but it may have been a little late in coming and not enough to make me really like him. 

I wanted to fall in love with the characters and get to know them more but the only character I wanted to hear more about was Chris who I felt could have had a bigger role in the story, to really shake up the foundations and question every ones beliefs.

All in all, I did enjoy the authors writing and the premise of the story but for me, the characters needed some development, they were a little weak. 

I wouldn't mind reading books 2 and 3 in this series to see what happens next, but I'm in no rush.

An entertaining but lack lustre 3.5 star read