Review: School Spirits (Hex Hall, #4), by Rachel Hawkins

 

Title: School Spirits (Hex Hall, #4)

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Format: e-galley

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures.

But when Izzy's older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break. Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it's not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate.

But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it's strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush. Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?

Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!"

My Opinion: Izzy is only 15 and has never attended a normal school because she and her family (her mother and sister) are Brannicks, the last of the monster hunters. They go where the hunt is, and they only stay as long as they need to. But Izzy's older sister, Finley, disappeared on a job 6 months ago, and they haven't had a lead at all, so Izzy's mom decides they need to take a breather and they stop in a small town with what might be a haunting, and enroll Izzy in the local high school. Izzy doesn't know what to expect, but she meets some friends right away, one of whom may be what is called a "Prodigium."

Quote: "But things were different now. For starters, there were no more Brannicks besides me and my mom. Rather than hunt the Creatures of the Night, we worked for the Council that governed them. And they didn't call themselves monsters; they went by the much more civilized term "Prodigium." So the Brannicks were now more or less Prodigium cops. If one of their kind got out of hand, we tracked them, captured them, and did a ritual that sent them directly to the Council, who would them decide their punishment."

I confess that I didn't read the first three books in the Hex Hall series, but this book was advertised as a spin off of that series, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was very easy to follow and can definitely be read as a standalone. 

I liked the characters of Izzy, Dex, Romy, and Anderson, but my secret favorite was Torin, the man (warlock) in the mirror.

Quote: "It was the mirror I walked to now, yanking off the heavy canvas cover. Inside the glass, a warlock stared back at me. His name was Torin, and he looked a couple years older than me, maybe eighteen or so. But since he'd gotten trapped in the mirror back in 1583, he was technically over four hundred years old."

Torin is sassy and insufferable, and I really hope we get to see more of him in the next books of this spin off series.

I found that this book was well written and the pacing was quick and easy, making this a fun, quick read. The characters were likeable and the plot was easy to follow.

4/5 stars

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read it.

Review: Lord of the Wolfyn (Royal House of Shadows #3), by Jessica Andersen

 

Title:         Lord of the Wolfyn (Royal House of Shadows #3)

Author:    Jessica Andersen

Format:    e-galley

Source:    NetGalley

From Goodreads: "Once upon a time...the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs...and time is running out....

For practical Reda Weston, nothing could explain how reading a sexy version of Little Red Riding Hood catapulted her into another realm - face-to-fang with the legendary wolf-creature who seduced women. A wolf who transformed into a dark, virile man....

Dayn cursed the Sorcerer that turned him wolfyn and damned him to a lonely fate. As a beast, he mated with women to gain strength. Strength he needed to rescue his royal parents. But as a man, he craved Reda's heated, sizzling touch. With little time left, Dayn had to either embrace his wolf to save his kingdom...or fight it to save his woman."

My Opinion: This is the third book in this series, and since each book is written by a different author, that adds another layer to this series that just works out great. I haven't read anything by Jessica Andersen before but I was impressed by her writing.

This book is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, but definitely a grown up version. Reda's mother raised her on a special book, a one of a kind book, about Little Red Riding Hood, but she died while Reda was still young so she never had a chance to finish it. Reda is on leave from the police department for personal reasons when she finds that very same book in a book store. She takes it home and opens it and is transported to a magical realm, where she meets a man who is the spitting image of the sexy woodcutter from her book. She also lands square in the middle of a wolfyn village, which is the exact opposite of a safe place.

Dayn has his own problems. While he is away from the castle where he lives with his parents and his 3 siblings, an evil Blood Sorcerer attacks and casts a spell to vanquish the kingdom. The King and Queen are attacked and are dying, but they try to cast a spell of their own to protect their children before they succumb. Dayn's father sends him this message before he and his mother pass on to try to explain what's happening:

"Because of our wounds and the sorcerer's power, the spell turned warped as your mother and I cast it. The magic has sent you and your brothers and sister far away, as we intended, but it has also tied the four of you to the castle and begun a countdown. When this count enters its final four nights - and not before then -  you must all return to the island, retake the castle and kill the Blood Sorcerer. If you do not, you will die and Elden will be lost. But you must wait until the time is right."

He tells Dayn that a woman will come to guide him home, and then he is flung to another realm. He makes a home there and waits for this guide to appear. Enter Reda. They will have to work together to save Dayn's kingdom, and each other, from  unforeseen complications.

I enjoyed this installment of the series very much. Reda was a bit annoying in that she was constantly questioning herself and freezing when she and Dayn encountered any danger, but given her history and back story, it was pretty understandable and easy to get past. Dayn was just what you want in a hero - sexy and dangerous, but caring and tender as well, depending on what situation they found themselves in.

The world building was done very well, and given the different realms Reda finds herself in, this is saying something. The plot moved along at a good pace and it was easy to get invested in the characters and the story. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series to find out what happens with all of the siblings.

I can definitely recommend this book for fans of paranormal fairy tale retellings with a twist, and am giving it 4/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book freer of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Review: Resistance (Of Ember and Flame, #1), by C.E. Ord

 

Title: Resistance (Of Ember and Flame, #1)

Author: C.E. Ord

Format: e-galley

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "With their sixteenth birthday fast approaching, orphaned twins Lia and Tyler Ford are still settling into their new normal in Sydney, Australia. Life with their paternal grandmother—their sole remaining, living family member—is a million miles removed from their former life with their parents in Ardsley, New York. Their grandmother is wonderful, their new school friends are nice, and Sydney is a perfectly fine place to live, but life these days for the Ford twins is not what anyone expected it to be.

Lia wouldn't have thought life could surprise her any more than it already has, but the arrival of a strange young man with an even stranger message turns what's left of her fractured world upside down in an instant. She and Tyler suddenly have more questions than ever before about their family's mysterious past, but also—finally—the chance to maybe fill in some of the many gaps in their knowledge of their family's history. That possibility has them readily following their unexpected visitor, Coen, to Gaea: a parallel universe which perfectly mirrored Earth millennia ago, though the two worlds have evolved to be markedly different realms today.

Gaea is in crisis. The North has already fallen, and the people of the South live in fear of a force so evil and powerful it may be impossible to defeat. With an empire hanging in the balance, the stakes are impossibly high, as are the expectations being placed on Lia. She must rise to the challenge and play her part in the resistance, or die trying—as the people of Gaea surely will if she fails. And, if Lia and Tyler can stay alive long enough on their treacherous journey, they might find out not only who they really are, but who they're destined to be."

My Opinion: It's been almost a year since twins Lia and Tyler Ford lost both of their parents in a car crash and had to leave everything they knew in New York and move to Australia to live with their paternal grandmother. Tyler is adjusting better than Lia, but on the last day of school she agrees to go with him to meet up with some of his friends from school. There she is approached by a strange boy by the name of Coen, with an even stranger tale. 

Quote: "I'm from a world called Gaea," he said evenly, his eyes never wavering from mine.

"A---a world . . . a world? WORLD?" I looked from Coen over to Tyler and then back again. Maybe this guy was a crackpot after all.

"Yes," Coen said evenly, his gaze still fixed firmly on mine. "A world. A world your mother and grandmother came from. A world that needs your help."

Needless to say, Lia and Tyler's world is turned upside down. They agree to go to Gaea with Coen, and that's when their adventure starts.

I'm just going to say it, I loved this book! I loved the twins and their relationship, and the fact that Tyler left everything up to Lia, but said that no matter what she decided, he was with her 100%, and Coen was adorable, too. The world building was done well, although I would have liked a little bit more of a lead up to this. The pacing was also great, and this was a very fast read because of that. The characters grew and matured from the start of the book to the end as more and more responsibility was thrust upon them, which was written in a very believable way. And there was a great twist at the end, another plus!

In summary, I loved this book and can't wait to see where the next book takes us. 

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: A Coin for the Ferryman (audiobook), by Megan Edwards (Narrated by Mark Ashby)

 

Title: A Coin for the Ferryman

Author: Megan Edwards

Narrated by: Mark Ashby

Format: audiobook

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "In 1999, an elite interdisciplinary team headed by Nobel laureate Andrew Danicek gathered in California to carry out a ground-breaking time-travel experiment. While the rest of the world remained unaware, Julius Caesar was successfully transported from the last day of his life to a specially-constructed covert facility. Four days of conversation with historians and Latin scholars were planned, followed by Caesar’s return to the moment from which he was extracted. But despite the team’s meticulous efforts to maintain secrecy and plan for all possible exigencies, a kidnap attempt plunges Caesar into peril. Fully aware that the future of civilization may hang in the balance, one team member must summon strength she didn’t know she possessed to return Caesar to the Ides of March.

The shocking details of Caesar's visit and its effect on subsequent events have been protected by draconian nondisclosure agreements....until now."

My Opinion: I love books about time travel and books about Julius Caesar and ancient Rome, so I figured I couldn't go wrong with this book, and boy was I right! First off, the narrator did an excellent job with the voices and tone of the different characters. It was easy to switch back and forth between them without being yanked from the story, which is a pet peeve of mine. 

As for the story, and I never thought I'd say this, but there was just a bit too much back story for me. Not enough to dislike the book, but enough that I felt sort of bogged down by it. But the characters were written well, so this wasn't a huge problem. The setting was well described and the pacing was good. I absolutely loved Julius Caesar in all of his arrogance because you just have to figure that if you ever met him, that's exactly how he would be! Nice twist at the end, too, although I'll leave it at that.

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and can definitely recommend it, especially the audiobook version.

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this audiobook free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Spellcaster (Spellbound, #2), by Cara Lynn Shultz

 

Review: Spellcaster (Spellbound, #2)

Author: Cara Lynn Shultz

Format: e-book

From Goodreads: "After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although…it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a seventeen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain—especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close….

But something dark and hungry is using Emma's and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in überspells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own."

My Opinion: So, I know I'm way behind the crowd in just reading this book, but I absolutely loved it anyway! I didn't have a chance to read the first book in the series, but that wasn't a problem at all since they referred to the events from before often enough that I was able to follow along. 

Soul mates Emma and Brendan have already fought a curse to be together, but they don't really get a chance to rest on their laurels before their next crisis happens. This time they are fighting an unknown but very powerful dark witch who is literally out for Emma's blood.

I was drawn into this story very quickly, and didn't want to stop reading it once I started. The love story was written perfectly and the action just didn't stop!

I'm really glad I finally read this book and give it an enthusiastic 5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Review: Archibald Finch and the Lost Witches (Archibald Finch #1), by Michel Guyon

 

Title: Archibald Finch and the Lost Witches (Archibald Finch #1)

Author: Michel Guyon

Format: Audiobook

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:  "What happened 500 years ago was never supposed to resurface.

Exploring his Grandma’s scary manor, Archibald stumbles upon a dark family secret, linked to a time of great fears and superstitions. Key to that mystery: an ancient terrestrial globe, populated by the most fantastic creatures.
When he unlocks the storm inside by accident, the risk-averse boy gets whisked into the underworld of Lemurea, where a battle started in the Middle Ages has yet to be settled. Down here, it’s light versus darkness, magic versus fire, witches versus dragons. But not any kind of witches —an army of young girls, with the most magical weapons. And not any kind of dragons —Marodors, enigmatic monsters, part beast, part human, which will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about dragons.
While Archibald is thrust into an amazing adventure that will test his survival skills, on the flip side of the Earth, his sister Hailee faces her own challenges. Seeking to solve Archibald’s disappearance, she uncovers the grim plans of a dark priest.
Two breathtaking stories, running parallel with one another, but tightly intertwined. Two worlds, on a dangerous collision course..."

My Opinion:  Archibald and his family (mom, dad, and sister Hailee) move into a big, spooky mansion just before Christmas that they inherited from Archibald's grandmother. Archibald is searching the house one day, looking for his Christmas gifts (which, of course, his mother forbade him to do), when he came across an old globe. It wasn't an  ordinary globe, though, as there were countries on there that Archibald didn't recognize. It does have a keyhole, so Archibald goes on a search for the key, which he eventually finds. To his surprise, the globe starts spinning and emits a bright light, and sucks Archibald and his surrounding furniture into another world. Archibald has to learn the ways of this new world, and he has to search for a way home. Meanwhile, in present day England, Hailee  is also working on finding a way to bring Archibald home.

I really enjoyed this story, as did my 15 year old son when he listened to it. I think the narrator did a good job with the pacing and the dialogue, which makes all the difference when listening to an audiobook. The characters were well defined and explained, and I liked the changes I saw in both Archibald and Hailee as the story progressed. 

The pacing of the story itself was also done well, and the world building was extensive. Something else I appreciated was that the author didn't talk down to the reader like in some MG books I've read. That makes it much easier to enjoy.

All in all, I give this book 5/5 stars. 

I received a copy of this audiobook free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Review: Secret Magic (Evie Everyday Witch #1), by Elena Paige

Title: Secret Magic (Evie Everyday Witch #1)
Author: Elena Paige
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads: "Funny magical adventure series perfect for kids ages 7 and up

My name is Evie Everyday and I’m a witch. But all I’ve ever wanted is to be a Lamron. That’s the word normal spelled backward. Anyways, now I have the chance to go to a regular school and be a regular girl I’ll do whatever it takes to fit in.

Fitting in is easy. All I have to do is:

Keep my magic a secret Swap my favorite colorful clothes for boring black ones Suck up to scary Mrs. Rogers, the school principal Keep my pet cat, bat and corncob from causing any trouble And stay away from Izzy. She’s all colorful and funny and awesome…. and not helpful for fitting in.

But when everything starts to go wrong, there’s only one way to save my new school… use magic. And only one person who can help me… Izzy!

Evie Everyday Witch is a series of chapter books that kids and parents will love. Ideal for reluctant readers. Evie's quirky, funny personality will sweep kids off their feet, and get them reading again!"

My Opinion:  Evie is a witch who wants more than anything to be normal, which to her means dressing normal, having normal friends, and by all means, acting normal. She really, really wants to go to a normal school instead of the school for witches that she attends, and against all odds, she gets her parents to agree to this!! She shows up her first day dressed in her most colorful outfit, but she quickly realizes that the other kids are all dressed in black, with one exception, a girl by the name of Izzy. While Evie secretly admires the way Izzy acts and dresses, she decides that to be "normal" she can't hang out with or  be friends with Izzy. As Evie does her best to fit in, she realizes that it's not as easy as she thought it would be to change everything that makes her, her.

I thought this was a very cute book with a great message. The pacing was quick and the book was very easy to read, and Evie really great into herself over the course of the story.

I think this is a great MG book, full of magic, which would appeal to younger readers that like fantasy, or to introduce them to this genre. 

I'm giving this book 5/5 stars.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: The Magicians Convention, by Elena Paige

Title: The Magicians Convention
Author:  Elena Paige
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads: In a world of mages and illusionists, one orphan must find the magic within himself to save the ones he loves . . .

Twelve-year-old Toby would give anything to see his parents one last time. But since they died tragically ten years ago, he knows it’s an impossible wish. Raised by his grandfather, who’s a little too protective, Toby yearns for adventure. So when he wakes up one morning and realizes his grandfather is missing, he follows the clues that will lead to his rescue. Toby is soon engulfed in a secret world of magic and illusion.

In this unfamiliar world, Toby is joined by two new friends: Wesa, a runaway mage, and Thatch, a security boy who’d give anything to practice magic. The three friends are instructed to find a magical hat before an evil magician gets his hands on it first.

Failing will mean the deaths of those they love and create a dangerous divide in the world of magic.

The Magicians Convention is the spellbinding first book in a trilogy of middle-grade fantasy novels.

My Opinion: Toby, a 12 year old boy who is being raised by his over-protective grandpa, wishes for excitement, for an adventure, and whether good or bad, he gets his wish. One otherwise ordinary day, he is looking out his window when he sees a long line of people, dressed very strangely, queued up outside a neighbor's door, waiting to enter. He calls his grandpa up to witness this strange occurrence, but his grandpa thinks he's making it up because he, himself, sees nothing. And thus begins the very adventure he was wishing for.

This is the first book in a new series, but there is a prequel that I recommend you read before starting this one. You could definitely read The Magician's Convention without reading the prequel, and would understand it completely, but the prequel sets the tone and gives a bit of background that makes it easier to understand just what is happening and who some of the characters are.

As for the characters, they are written very, very well, in my opinion. The back story of each of them is written seamlessly into the story line, and they are able to grow and learn as the story progresses. The plot is easily followed but not predictable, and the pacing of the story is just right.

I like to review MG books because I have a seventh grader who doesn't mind my picking his brain to get an idea of what works in a story and what doesn't, and I can report that he gave this book 2 thumbs up and said that he really enjoyed reading it and is looking forward to reading the next book in the series, which was my opinion, as well.

In summary, I am giving this book 5/5 stars, and can enthusiastically recommend it for fans of all ages who could use a little bit of magic in their lives.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Hoods: The Beginning (Hoods #1), by David Niall Wilson

Title: Hoods: The Beginning (Hoods #1)
Author: David Niall Wilson
Format: ebook
Source: BookSirens

From Goodreads:  San Valencez is a city with many levels. Near the barrio, on the south side of town, gangs rule the streets, and those that don’t find a way out tend to be sucked into the shadows and consumed. Not far away, near the border between the bad side of town and civilization, there are those standing up to the shadows. They aren’t superheroes, exactly, but they aren’t regular kids either. They have abilities, intelligence, strength, skill—and a desire to see their city become a better place.

Four teenagers, Weaver, Cami, Shooter and Combo, come together with a mutual desire to make things better, to help those who need it and punish those who deserve it. When Shooter’s old friend Mikey approaches them, concerned over his brother Dale’s connections with a gang called Los Escorpiones, they organize and become something stronger than their separate parts. The city is in danger from a threat it doesn’t even know exists. All that stands in the way of disaster is a group of “Hoods.”

My Opinion: San Valencez is a tough place to live, so having friends, your own squad, is highly recommended, especially if you have to go out at night. Our four young heroes-to-be are pretty much loners, until a chance encounter in a dark alley brings two of them together. Bobby and Eddie both have enhanced abilities, and, unknown to them, they are caught on video by a classmate of theirs by the name of Luisa, code name Weaver. Weaver and Cami (another classmate named Lisa) have already been working together to help clean up their city, but they are not getting as far as they would like, so when Weaver sees what Bobby and Eddie can do, she knows instinctively that she needs to recruit them to join her cause. The boys agree that someone has to take on the gangs and other bad elements in their neighborhood, so they join forces with Weaver and Cami, and get their own code names, Shooter and Combo. They have to keep their identities secret because it would be very dangerous if anyone found out who they were.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The setting was described in such detail that I could feel the gritty darkness of it slipping into my mind as I read. The four kids who headline this book were well fleshed out and easy to like. You get to know them through their back stories and family history, which was written into the story very naturally.

I thought the plot flowed along at a good pace, which made the book very easy to read. It was a quick read because of this.

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and enthusiastically recommend it to lovers of MG/YA fantasy stories. I give it 5/5 stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Hugo and the Bird: Gnome Wars, by Jeff Mills

Title: Hugo and the Bird: Gnome Wars
Author: Jeff Mills
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: Kadavera, the witch, was dead. This should mean a celebration, but for nine-year-old Hugo, his schoolmate, Emma and their strange magical friend, Bird, it is the start of another dangerous adventure. Her death has precipitated the regeneration of not just one but both of her sister witches – and they are both far worse than she ever was. 

Conscripting the Cornish goblins, the witches capture the gnomes from the Gnome Reserve to use as guinea pigs in their experiments to be able to exist in daylight. This would allow them to fulfil their dying vow; to kill and destroy all those and their descendants, who were responsible for their own and their mothers’ unjust execution 300 years before. They are determined not to let anyone stand in their way, especially two interfering children and a stupid bird. 

A chance finding of a small amulet leads Hugo and his friends into realms of King Arthur and to the magic power of his sword, Excalibur. Emma receives some terrible news, which ultimately takes her on a journey from which there may be no return and pits her against her friends. Can Hugo and Bird, rescue the gnomes and prevent the witches from achieving their lethal goal and how can an inquisitive journalist make everything far worse? Set in North Devon, the heart-pounding adventure continues and is based on historical events. Hugo and the Bird: Gnome Wars is a tale of fantasy, revenge and friendship that readers from nine years to ninety will identify with and love.

My Opinion: Hugo and his friend, Emma, along with their magical "bird" find themselves dealing with another mystery involving resurrected witches. What's not to love about a story involving witches hell bent on revenge, magical creatures, goblins and gnomes? Due to the young age of the main characters, this book is geared towards older elementary age to middle school age children.

I didn't have a chance to read the first book in the series, Hugo and the Bird: The Toothfairy, but that didn't keep me from being able to follow along and keep up with this story. There were a number of errors with spelling, punctuation and grammar, but I received my copy through NetGalley and it is understood that the book is almost always an uncorrected proof, so hopefully the final version will go through a final editing process before release.

The characters were likeable and very much acted their age, which is better than some MG stories where the characters act much older and with more maturity than they should possess. The action was constant and the plot moved along at a quick pace. There was just the right amount of suspense to keep the reader involved, and some of it was downright scary, which younger readers will love!

In summary, I really enjoyed this story, and with some good editing to tighten it up, I can definitely recommend it for older elementary and middle grade students who love their fantasy with a good mystery thrown in to boot :)

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 out of 5 stars ;) 

Review: Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail (Magdalena Gottschalk #1) by M. Gail Grant

Title: Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail (Magdalena Gottschalk #1)
Author: M. Gail Grant
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: Lily Brooke, where small town charm and a hidden secret converge one fateful late autumn night. The demons of the past are determined to never be locked away again. MALB, the Mystical Alliance of Lily Brooke, consists of six childhood friends that are bound together in loyalty, friendship, and courage. Together, they all face the unleashed enchantments that are haunting the children after their discovery of the forbidden sacrificial cave, crooked trail, and mysterious treehouse. Magdalena has always known she is different from the others, but the cause has always escaped her, until now. Coming to grips with her soul purpose, she must gather courage she never knew she possessed to save her friends and family from the evil forces hiding amongst them. 

Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail, is a middle grades to young adult epic fantasy fiction novel, that explores faith, unity, differences, belief in a higher power, magic, and teamwork. It will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat, begging to turn the page, while written for audiences of all ages. With a touch of southern charm and tradition, this novel takes you on a journey not for the faint of heart. Witches, wizards, demons, black magic, and soul searching all have their place in the quaint little town of Lily Brooke. 

My Opinion: Magdalena and her friends Gabriel and Hubert decide to spend a beautiful day exploring the woods behind Hubert's farm. Magdalena just celebrated her 13th birthday and her wish to have something exciting happen to her has come true, but not in the way she had hoped! When people say to "be careful what you wish for," this is exactly what they had in mind!

I loved the description of this book and was looking forward to reading it, but there were a few glaring problems that really took away from my ability to fully engage with the characters and the story. The description of the book says that it is for middle grades to young adult, but I really think it is geared more toward the younger set. The characters are 13, so I would say this is the age of the readers that would enjoy it, as young adults would really notice the problems and be bogged down by them, as I was. The way the kids speak was weirdly formal, especially for 13 year olds. For example, they didn't use contractions when speaking to each other, and they explained things that the others should already know, almost like they were adults speaking to children instead of young teenagers speaking to friends they've known their whole lives. And at one point, when Magdalena is talking with 5 of her good friends (the members of MALB, the Mystical Alliance of Lily Brooke), she says: "This morning, he made eye contact with my mother, Leona, and had his assistant take his place at the door to greet the morning attendees. My mother turned to my father, Paulos, and excused herself stating she needed to go to the ladies' restroom." Again, these kids have known each other all of their lives, so you would assume they know who her mother and father are, which was why it was odd that she threw her parents' names in there, like they had no idea who she was talking about! I've just never heard kids do that, especially 13 year olds who seem to abbreviate everything these days. Then there was the wrong usage of who/whoever and whom/whomever, which is a pet peeve of mine. I stumbled every time the words were used wrong: e.g. "Whom wrote such a ridiculous story?" This happened over and over again. Also, the writing seems forced sometimes, which breaks the reader's concentration and the flow of the story itself. Other times, something just doesn't make sense, so you have to stop and figure out what didn't work in the sentence, and that takes you out of the story as well: "The group all tried to bend, move or sway the perfectly spaced boulders, but nothing gave." How the heck do you bend or sway a boulder? It just doesn't make sense. 

Another big problem for me was that there would be pages of descriptions of what was happening in a scene, as well as dialogue, and then when someone new came along, instead of just saying that the character repeated what they had heard, done or said, they actually repeated the whole darn thing! There was way too much retelling and re-explaining, and I feel like that bogged the story down a lot. But other times, not enough was explained. When something big happens to Magdalena in the second half of the book, and I mean big as in life changing, rock my world kind of big, she has a moment of indecision, then says she has come to terms with it, and then just seems to know instinctively what to do and how to do it (it's hard to describe it without giving it away lol), even though it's something that adults would have to take time themselves to figure out! There just wasn't enough explanation of how one got from point A to point B sometimes.

Now, the things that I liked about the book: the story itself was a good one. There was a sense of intrigue and mystery that drew you in and made you want to continue to read. The characters were described very well so it was easy to find yourself invested in them. The world building was great, so much so that you felt you were walking around Lily Brooke alongside the characters. The characters were likable so you found yourself honestly pulling for them to solve the mystery and save the town. The title comes from the choice you have in life of choosing the straight path, staying on the straight and narrow, or choosing the crooked trail, which can lead you to trouble. I really loved that symbolism.

In summary, I liked the actual story here, and the characters, but felt the book was bogged down with unnecessary repetition, stilted conversations, and story flow problems, which could all be fixed if the book were to be re-edited. 

I'm giving this book 3 stars out of 5 :)

Review: The Peculiars, by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Title: The Peculiars
Author: Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance.
On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears."

My Opinion: Number one, I have to say how much I LOVE the cover of this book! It's gorgeous and made me even more eager to read this book than I already was. I am already a huge steampunk fan, and was very interested to learn more about the Peculiars themselves, the "people whose unusual characterstics made them unacceptable to modern society," with modern society here meaning the late 1800s. I couldn't wait to hear their stories.

Lena has always had very long fingers with an extra knuckle on them and thin hands, as well as long, thin feet, which she tried to hide from the time she was very little by wearing gloves and learning to tuck her feet under her dress when she was sitting so no one would notice her. Her mother always said they were a birth defect and she was made to feel embarrassed and different by her own grandmother. She grew up hearing stories about the Peculiars, who some said didn't exist at all, and the government itself says have no soul so they are not even considered to be human. They all have some sort of unusual physical characteristic, and though Lena never talks to anyone about it, she is afraid that her hands and feet are signs of goblinism, which scares her to death because she believes her own father, who left her and her mother when she was 5, was a goblin, and goblins are not known for being nice, polite beings that contribute to society. Instead they are known for being thieves and wanderers, and Lena doesn't want this to be her future. Surprisingly, on her 18th birthday her mother gives her a letter from her father in which he leaves her an inheritance and the deed to the family mine in the town of Scree, which unfortunately is known to be the home of Peculiars and very scary creatures; basically not a friendly place to visit at all. I loved that Lena sucked up her courage and decided to go find her father in Scree and get some answers to the questions that have plagued her all of her life.

Along the way, on the train ride to Knob Knoster, where Lena plans to hire a guide to get her into Scree using the money from her inheritance, she meets a young man who is also traveling to Knob Knoster, to be the librarian for a very eccentric inventor, which excites him to no end. The young man is named Jimson Quiggley, and the eccentric inventor is a Mr. Tobias Beasley. Unfortunately, the train is set upon by thieves, who steal Lena's inheritance, but Lena is lucky enough to find work with the same Mr. Beasley that Jimson is working for. She loves her work and her employer, but when asked to spy on him by someone she thinks is her friend, she agrees, which I can't say I liked, but she is nothing if not flawed, which makes her a much more interesting character than someone who always makes the right decisions and lives with no regrets! 

Although I loved the world building, the inventions, and in particular, the descriptions of the Peculiars that Lena meets along her way and on her journeys, which definitely don't end with working for Mr. Beasley, I have to say that the pacing itself was off for me. I was excited to read the book, but the beginning and middle really dragged on sometimes, which I've read was a problem for others as well according to their reviews, but I was glad that I hung in there because the last third of the book or so was full of action and suspense and danger and all the good things that you hope to find in a story!

In summary, although the pacing was off and the book dragged on in places, when the pacing finally picks up, it is a very exciting ride that I would recommend to lovers of YA books with steampunk, adventure and action elements. The world of the Peculiars is like no other world that I have ever read about, and given the number of books I have read in my time, that's saying a lot! I give this book 4 stars, with one star taken off due to the slow pace at times. But the character growth and the action at the end earned it the 4 stars :D

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Velveteen, by Daniel Marks

Title: Velveteen
Author: Daniel Marks
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.

The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.

Bonesaw.

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days. 

It’ll be brutal... and awesome.

But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.

Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her."

My Opinion: I must admit I've had a hard time with this review. On the one hand, the synopsis of this book was what drew me in and made me want to read this book, but on the other hand, the book was much more about Velveteen's time in purgatory than it was about her getting revenge on the serial killer who murdered her. The book opens with a bang, with Velvet haunting her killer, Bonesaw, and trying to set free another of his victims. Then Velvet is pulled back to purgatory, and it all gets rather muddled. I definitely admired the world building of purgatory, even if I was confused half the time Velvet was down there. She's proud of the fact that she "has no emotions", but this made it a bit hard for me to like her. She was rude and bossy with her underlings, the gang she leads, and when a new very cute guy, Nick, arrives, she is rude to him, then she's making out with him, but then she treats him like crap again, which was very confusing. What could have been a very cute romance was almost embarrassing to watch.

Then it turns out that purgatory is suffering from earthquakes that could collapse it, which I don't understand, and Veltvet herself is contributing to this problem by going back and forth between purgatory and the real world to haunt Bonesaw, which causes more and more tremors every time she does this.

I know it sounds like I didn't like the book at all, which isn't true, hence the hard time I've had writing this review. There were some really good parts, and a lot of really confusing, although not terrible parts. 

Another problem I have is that this book was targeted towards "Teens and YA, and Children's Fiction," but I thought a lot of it would be too much for those age groups and should have been targeted to "New Adult." I think a lot of people will enjoy this book because it is dark and Gothic and does that well. For some reason I was just confused and felt like the book was murky and hard to navigate more often than not. 

I'm giving this book 4 stars because I think it will appeal to a large group of people, but I have to take off 1 star for the sheer confusion of it all. Part of the 4 stars is due to the absolutely gorgeous cover of the book! I loved it and thought it set the dark and Gothic stage for the book very well.

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles #1), by Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles #1)
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "One March day, Jack Swift, a high school student in a small college town, forgets to take the medicine he’s taken daily since he was an infant. There ensues a cascade of events that puts him in mortal danger.

Jack discovers he carries a secret within him that has made him a target of the ruthless wizards of the Red and White Rose. Jack is a Warrior Heir, the last of a dying breed, sought after by the Roses to fight in the tournaments that are used to allocate power among the Wizard Houses. Unknown to him, Jack has lived all his life surrounded by members of the Magical Guilds: wizards, enchanters, soothsayers, and sorcerers. They are determined to save him from the Roses.

With the aid of his aunt, a beautiful enchanter, Jack desperately tries to acquire the skills that might save his life. Jack and his friends, Will and Fitch, unearth a magical sword from a cemetery and fight off the wizards who would take it from them. Jack begins training with the dark and dangerous Leander Hastings, a wizard with a mysterious past.

Meanwhile, Jack is torn between his attraction to Ellen Stephenson, a new student at Trinity High School, and Leesha Middleton, his former girlfriend, who decides she wants him back.
Discovered and besieged by treachery at home, he flees to the Lake District of England. There he is confronted by the greatest challenge of all. "

My Opinion: I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jack Swift is just going about his normal life in a small town in Ohio, minding his own business, when he forgets to take his heart medicine and his life is changed forever. Jack finds out that there is a whole world of magic out there, and because he was born a warrior heir, he is being sought out by two warring factions of magicians and witches, the Red Rose House and the White Rose House. Warrior heirs are very rare so as soon as he is made known to the magic world, he is in grave danger, since the Houses don't exactly ask nicely for him to fight for them. The worst part is that since his mother and his aunt have shielded him from this world, he has no idea how to fight (he finds a magic sword which was passed down to him and which he has no idea how to use). He has to learn very fast though and gets help from strategically based people in his small town who, as it turns out, have been watching over him for years and who are ready to help him out now. My favorite relationship in the book is the one that Jack has with his two non-magical friends, Fitch and Will. Even though they don't possess magic, when Jack is forced to go on the run following a class trip to London, they go along with him, risking their lives and jumping feet first into a very scary unknown future, because they refuse to let Jack fight this battle alone. 

For me personally the beginning was a bit slow, and it took me a while to really get into it. but I'm glad I didn't give up on it. The rest of the story was very action packed and filled with adventure, and I really liked the boys and their aunt, and the boys' friend and Jack's former girlfriend, Leesha, who helps out as well, but I wasn't quite as fond of the new girl in school, Ellen Stephenson, who catches Jack's eye, because as I read on I found out that I am strongly "Team Leesha"!

I thought the pacing was a tiny bit off, moving quickly when Jack and company were fighting, but moving more slowly when they weren't, but it wasn't off enough to keep me from enjoying the book. I've read some other reviews for this book that mention teenage boys who really liked the book and even though they weren't big readers, they finished this book and gave it an A+, which is a huge recommendation! I plan on giving it to my son to read when he gets a little bit older based on these reviews because I'm always looking for books that appeal to teenage and pre-teen boys, so thank you very much for that Ms. Chima!

In summary, I thought this book started a bit slow but it more than made up for that in the end. Jack was a very likable character who fought against his destiny, but in the end, like all heroes, he accepted his fate and did what was required. I recommend this book to all teenage readers and lovers of YA fantasy books that deal with magic and witches and all of that fun stuff! I give this book an enthusiastic 5 stars because any book that has mature adults, young adults, and teens reading it and enjoying it deserves 5 stars :D

Review: Nice Shot, Cupid! (Myth-O-Mania #4), by Kate McMullan, David LaFleur (Illustrator)

Title: Nice Shot, Cupid! (Myth-O-Mania #4)
Author: Kate McMullan
Illustrator: David LaFleur
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "What a myth-o-maniac (old Greek-speak for "liar")! Zeus's version of the myths is completely wrong. It's time to set the record straight. For the first time ever, Hades, King of the Underworld, reveals the true story behind the myths.This laugh-out-loud series of fractured Greek myths by best-selling author Kate McMullan is irreverent, irresistible, and totally twisted.

That story about Cupid falling in love with the beautiful Psyche? What malarkey! He did accidentally prick himself with one of his own arrows and fall in love -- but with himself!"

My Opinion: I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my first experience with the Myth-O-Mania series of books and I have to say that I absolutely loved it! Since each book tackles a different myth, you don't have to read them in order to be able to follow what's happening, which is good for me because I plan on going back and reading them from the beginning, that's how much fun I had reading Nice Shot, Cupid! 

This book tells the"true" story of Cupid and Psyche according to Hades, God of the Underworld, because, as he puts it, "When it comes to myths, you can count on me, Hades, to give you the real deal." I have to admit that Hades has always been my favorite god because he's so dark and mysterious, dealing with the dead all the time, etc. Imagine my surprise when I found out that he has a wicked sense of humor and a great deal of love for his family, and mortals who may need his help. The humor in this book is tailored to the MG age group, i.e. "Yo, Hades!" Cupid said. "Am I ever glad to see you, man!" ... "Yo,  Cupid," I called back to him, wondering what exactly "Yo!" meant. He calls his wife, Persephone, P-Phone, and drives around in a chariot pulled by his steeds, Harley and Davidson!

Hades is also quite the romantic. When Cupid falls in love with Psyche but is too embarrassed to show her what he looks like (because in this series, Cupid is a teenager, covered in zits, with a mouth full of metal and greasy hair), he kidnaps her and takes her to one of Zeus's palaces where he speaks to her from behind a curtain (which she promises never to look behind), and figures that he'll keep her there like that until he gets through this awkward teenage phase he feels stuck in. Hades tries to help Cupid realize that he should be honest with Psyche and trust that she will see past his appearance to the love struck man inside, but unfortunately, Cupid's mother dearest, Aphrodite, shows up and all of Hades work goes to hell in a handbasket! 

This was really such a fun book that I would recommend it to all MG readers who love a good laugh and don't mind reading an alternative "truth" to all of our favorite Greek myths :D  I give this book a very enthusiastic 5 stars!

Review: The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3), by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. 

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON."

My Opinion: I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've never tried to hide the fact that I think Julie Kagawa is a god, or goddess in this case, and she didn't disappoint me with the end of this trilogy! All of the loose ends were tied up beautifully and the characters remained true to themselves to the end. Jackal was at his snarkiest, Kanin was his usual stoic self, and Allie was as confused as she ever is, although more so after she lost her beloved Zeke. When she realized that remaining human would mean being in pain constantly, and rethinking her choices that led to his demise over and over and over again, she decides to take a page out of Jackal's book - she in essence turned off her humanity and embraced her evil side, much to Kanin's chagrin. But Kanin being Kanin, he didn't exactly call her out on her wicked behavior, he just acted "disappointed" in her, and who among us can say that when someone we look up to more than anyone else in the world, and whose values we strive to meet ourselves, gives us the "disappointed" look, we wouldn't feel the same. Although in Allie's case, acting out means killing vamps willy-nilly and not caring at all what havoc she wreaks as a result! Eventually Allie does see the error of her ways when she feels like she is becoming what Zeke hated most in vamps, so she decides to go after Sarren to get the cure for the disease that is killing both humans and vampires alike. She also vows to finally take Sarren out for killing Zeke, as she hopes that that will finally allow her some closure. But along the way she is in for some huge surprises, and yes my little opinionators, you will have to read the book to find out what those surprises are, and what they mean for Allie personally. I will tell you that they are total game changers for everyone on the canvas.

As usual, I can find no fault with Ms. Kagawa's writing. The pacing is perfect and the characters continue to grow and change from beginning to end. The amazing world they live in is written so that you feel you are there with them, which means it's very easy to escape your daily troubles and get totally immersed in the story. 

In summary, I loved this book and thought it was a fitting end to an awesome series. I highly recommend it to all lovers of YA paranormal books about vampires. I give it a very enthusiastic 5 stars :D