Shadow of the Wolf - Tim Hall

A world of gods and monsters. An elemental power, rising. This is Robin Hood, reborn, as he has never been seen before… 
Robin Loxley is seven years old when his parents disappear without trace. Years later the great love of his life, Marian, is also taken from him. Driven by these mysteries, and this anguish, Robin follows a darkening path into the ancient heart of Sherwood Forest. What he encounters there will leave him transformed, and will alter forever the legend of Robin Hood.

First, I have to take a moment to talk about how beautiful the book cover is. I bought this on my Kindle, but I want to buy the hard copy, just for the amazing cover.

This is a book which is hard to put into a category.  I will call it a historical supernatural fantasy OR high fantasy. It follows a boy - Robin Loxley - over a series of about 8-10 yrs of his life. I am not sure about how much time has lapsed in this book, so that is an estimate. The other main Protagonist is Marian Delbosque. She is a hard girl to like in my opinion. 

The supernatural elements in this book were very unique. I have not read anything like it. I do feel as though they were a little confusing, and we do not fully know what the special power is. I hope that this will be straightened out in the next book. 

Like most YA fantasy book that I have read, there is one main enemy figure, but there are also others which are evil and cruel. The Sheriff was the main enemy and he really is evil and twisted. This, again, i hope will be taken further in the next book because there is so much more that can be done with this character and there is so much that is unknown about him. Edric, if The Sheriff is evil, this guy is truly psychotic. I loved the way this character was portrayed. It was just right. I sometimes find that characters like Edric are over dramatised, but here it was not. 

The writing in this book was second to none. I had never read anything by Tim Hall, so I didn't know what to expect and I LOVED THIS BOOK. Definitely one of my favourite YA books of all time. Please read it. 

5/5 stars.

P.S. If you do not like cliffhangers, do not read this book. It is not a WHAT ON EARTH type of cliffhanger, but it is still there.

Stone Cold Touch (Dark Elements Series 2) - Jennifer L. Armentrout

Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

This book was one of my most anticipated books of October and it did not disappoint. I read it in one sitting (which is not unusual when I am reading a JLA book).

If you have not read the first one, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? If you do not want to read any spoilers for the 2nd book, do not read any further. Just know that I give this book and the series so far 5/5 stars.

The book starts a few weeks after the whole bruhaha in the school gym. Roth has gone and Layla is left with only a necklace, Bambi (who is my favourite character out of the whole book) and a broken heart. We find out, pretty early on in the book, that, dun dun duun, a Lilin had been born, and this book is about finding this creature.

I have to be honest and say that I fell for the trap. I, and most probably you too, thought that we knew who the Lilin was. 

The writing in this book is very similar to JLA's other books. The female characters are awesome and the male characters are obnoxious and totally swoon worthy. I did feel the need to punch Roth a couple of times throughout the book and Layla too. I was like get your ish together already.

I have to spend a little time talking about Bambi. That snake is amazing. The scenes with Bambi made me laugh and I ended up loving her more near the end of the book.

Abbot... needs to die. Me and my friends, when watching shows like TVD or The Originals, say that characters need to die when they are evil or try killing our favourite characters. I believe that he is evil. Not in the sense that he is a murderer and psychopath, but I hate him. I am sure many of you feel the same way.

The ending. WHAT THE HELL. If you have read The Lux series, you will know the pain of a JLA cliffhanger. Nothing will beat the end of Opal for me, in the worst cliffhanger ever, but this came close. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. Please... ( pouty face).

I highly recommend this book and cannot sing its praises enough. 5/5 stars.

Drops of Rain - Kathryn Andrews

So this book was a total impulse buy. I have loads of books on my to-read list, but couldn't find one that I wanted to read when I came across this book. The synopsis really intrigued me and the book had some amazing reviews. I was excited...



The prologue really sucked me in and the rest of the book was just as good. The fact that both the characters are so eager to get their ideal place at College, isn't really the main focal point of the book. It is definitely a part of it, but the book mainly explores the healing and growth of the characters.

Both characters had been dealt a really bad hand in life, Drew more than Ali, but these two tortured souls found a way to live. Drew is a champion swimmer and Ali a dancer. I loved the fact that Ali wasn't the shy, easily intimidated kind of girl that you find in most books like this. She was strong. There was obviously a little insecurity, but what was different, was that it wasn't played out for most of the book. The problem was dealt with relatively quickly.

The character that i loved the most was Beau. I loved him and his protectiveness. You don't usually see brothers have many heart to hearts but there were some in this book and I found it refreshing.

I give this book 5/5 stars. It was a quick and easy read. It made me shed a tear, smile and it was well written. I cannot wait to read the next book.

Compulsion - Martina Boone

Compulsion by Martina Boone


My rating: 1 of 5 stars



First I have to say that I LOVE the cover. Whoever says that you do not judge a book by its' cover is wrong. The cover caught my attention then the blurb.

I had very high expectations for this book. The amazing reviews from some of my favorite authors made me want the book even more.

The book started off very average. Most books start off slow but get better as you progress. This book did not. The slow pace of this book was unbearable and I could not finish it. I got to Chapter 20 and stopped because it was not going anywhere.

The main character, Barrie, really got on my nerves. I could not connect with her and her decisions made me want to hit her. Seriously annoying. Eight was, however, very charming. Maybe a little too understanding but I did like him. I also love Pru. Her story was very well written.

It is very important to me that I am able to get engrossed into a book. I love reading everywhere and if that is not possible, even in a loud place, i know that the book is not for me. I was reading this in a quiet place and yet the smallest noise would distract me. I would find excuses not to read the book.

I would not recommend this book.



View all my reviews

Screwdrivered (Cocktail Series) - Alice Clayton

Readers back for a third round of the bestselling Cocktail series will enjoy a madcap romantic comedy about bodice ripping and chest heaving, fiery passion and love everlasting. Plus a dash of paperwork filing and horseshi—wait, what?

By day, Viv Franklin designs software programs. By night, Vivian’s a secret romance-novel junkie who longs for a knight in shining armor, or a cowboy on a wild stallion, or a strapping firefighter to sweep her off her feet. And she gets to wear the bodice—don’t forget the bodice.
When a phone call brings news that she’s inherited a beautiful old home in Mendocino, California from a long-forgotten aunt, she moves her entire life across the country to embark on what she sees as a great, romance-novel-worthy adventure. But romance novels always have a twist, don’t they?
There’s a cowboy, one that ignites her loins. Because Cowboy Hank is totally loin-ignition worthy. But there’s also a librarian, Clark Barrow. And he calls her Vivian. Can tweed jackets and elbow patches compete with chaps and spurs? You bet your sweet cow pie.
In Screwdrivered, Alice Clayton pits Superman against Clark in a hilarious and hot battle that delights a swooning Viv/Vivian. 
Also within this book, an answer to the question of the ages: Why ride a cowboy when you can ride a librarian?

This is the third book in the series and I was soooooo excited to read it. The first two books in the series were amazing  so I was expecting a lot from it. I was not disappointed.

I advise you to find a quiet space to read because you will laugh out loud whilst reading these books. They are funny, steamy and just plain swoonworthy. The first book in the series - Wallbanger -  is my favourite but this one was fresh and had a slightly different type of male/female relationship to the first and second. 

Viv is spunky and in the words of Clark an 'impossible woman'. She featured in the second book Rusty Nailed as Simon's high school friend. She is a lover of  Smutty Romance books and falls upon a chance to live her own romance story.

Then you have Hank. The hot cowboy she believes is the star of her romance novel. He is the first man she sees and falls into lust. Her loins want him.

Then she meets Clark, the hot librarian, slightly awkward and someone who irritates her immensely.

I loved Clark, maybe because he reminded me of Superman - who happens to be my favourite superhero- but also because he wasn't the dominant character that you see in books with plots like this. The roles between Hank and Clark are usually reversed. 

I am going to give this book 4.5/5 stars because it wasn't my favourite book of the series but it was an entertaining read. I cannot wait for the second one.

What If - Rebecca Donovan

A new novel by the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Breathing Series . . . 

What if you had a second chance to meet someone for the first time?

Cal Logan is shocked to see Nicole Bentley sitting across from him at a coffee shop thousands of miles from their hometown. After all, no one has seen or heard from her since they graduated over a year ago.

Except this girl isn't Nicole.

She looks exactly like Cal's shy childhood crush, but her name is Nyelle Preston and she has no idea who he is. This girl is impulsive and daring, her passion for life infectious. The complete opposite of Nicole. Cal finds himself utterly fascinated-and falling hard. But Nyelle is also extremely secretive. And the closer he comes to finding out what she's hiding, the less he wants to know.

When the secrets from the past and present collide, one thing becomes clear: Nothing is what it seems.

 I have to admit that I was pretty scared before I started this book simply because I LOVE the Breathing series and I didn't want to be disappointed. I wasn't. This book had everything you need, chemistry, mystery, romance and an awesome best friend.

Nyelle was an eccentric character, and for me she was perfect. Cal isn't a bad boy and he reminded me a lot of Evan.

I usually find it hard to get into books which have many characters POV, because I find it hard to follow or unnecessary. In this book it was necessary. It gave you the perfect insight into the characters past and made you understand the characters in a way which you wouldn't without them.

I shed a tear which means that the book connected to me in some way. I hope that it does with you too.

5/5 stars.

Importance of Book Covers

I believe book covers are immensely important. It is the first thing that you see and it is the thing that draws you in. We all judge the book based on the cover and it is usually a good thing because it gives you an insight into what the book is going to be like.

For me, typography is really important. If the text on the page looks good an fits the genre and the book well, it is a job well done. If you look at this cover...

the typography is awesome. It is bright and was the thing that caught my eye. It tells you that it is a book for younger people and tells you that there is a twist in the story.

I am a huge Colleen Hoover fan. I Love her books. The American covers for her books are amazing.

                         

The UK covers, which are the one's that I own are not amazing. Frankly I hate them. They do not embody the genre or the feel of the books. The typography is bad and makes the books look like they are made for the older generation, when in fact they are New Adult books.

                         

For Maybe Someday and Ugly Love, the image, however beautiful it is, had nothing to do with the book itself. The font used for the authors name is usually used on Chick Lit Adult books.

The one that disappointed me the most was the cover for Hopeless. I looks like it is an adult books and the image on the front has nothing to do with the book itself.

However, there are are some UK covers which I prefer. An example of this is the cover for Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

             

Another think which is really important is consistency in book covers of, for example, trilogies. We all like the way books look on our shelves and when there is the odd book which doesn't fit, it aggravates me. The idea that book covers suddenly have to change on the last book is beyond me.

I understand that you need to update the covers but do it after the last book comes out. One example is the Lux series books. the first four books were these amazing covers that went do well on my shelves, then the covers changed before the last book came out and I do not like them.

I also understand that it is the publishers that have the say in these things to I do not blame the authors in any way, but it is a make or break thing. I have to be honest and say that if I saw the new book covers on Goodreads, I would not have clicked on it to look further into them. That would have been awful because they were the first JLA books I ever read and i may never have discovered her if were not for the amazingly good-looking guy and all round amazing cover.

 new                          old

I think that I have vented enough. Please leave a comment and tell me how you feel on these things.

There are links to all the books (Goodreads), and authors (Blogs) mentioned.