Shadowland - Alyson Noel

4/5 Stars

Shadowland is the third of six books in the Immortal Series by Alyson Noel

Ever and Damen have travelled through countless past lives—and fought off the world’s darkest enemies—so they could be together forever. But just when their long-awaited destiny is finally within reach, a powerful curse falls upon Damen…one that could destroy everything. Now a single touch of their hands or a soft brush of their lips could mean sudden death—plunging Damen into the Shadowland. Desperate to break the curse and save Damen, Ever immerses herself in magick—and gets help from an unexpected source…a surfer named Jude.

Although she and Jude have only just met, he feels startlingly familiar. Despite her fierce loyalty to Damen, Ever is drawn to Jude, a green-eyed golden boy with magical talents and a mysterious past. She’s always believed Damen to be her soulmate and one true love—and she still believes it to be true. But as Damen pulls away to save them, Ever’s connection with Jude grows stronger—and tests her love for Damen like never before…

I have to say that I honestly liked the book but not as much as the first two but I think this was because I wanted to know if they got what they needed but they didn’t and I already knew they didn't.

Until chapter 25ish it took me a while to read. I didn’t want to rush it knowing I had to wait awhile for Dark Flame (Book 4).

After chapter 25 it took me a day to read the rest and I’m into the book that much I found myself crying I couldn’t believe what Alyson had done at the end and I really wanted to throw the book at her for it. Haha.

I am really Looking forward to reading Dark Flame (Book 4) and can't wait for it to be released in the UK.

Blue Moon - Alyson Noel

5/5 Stars

Blue Moon is the second of six books in the Immortal Series by Alyson Noel

Things have changed for Ever since she met her beloved Damen - not least because she's got a whole new set of powers, courtesy of her new Immortal status. Just as she's getting stronger, though, Damen seems to be weakening. Panicked at the thought of losing him, Ever finds a path to the in-between world known as Summerland, where she learns the secrets of Damen's tortured past. But in searching for a cure for him, Ever accidentally discovers a way to twist time so she can save her family from the accident that killed them. It's all she's ever wanted - but so is Damen. And Ever must choose between them...

Blue Moon starts off where it left us with Damen and Ever happier than ever.

Damen help’s Ever learn more about her new abilities and everything’s good as they plan to seal the deal, and live happily ever after.

Except Damen’s getting sicker and sicker and on that special day everything goes wrong: Damen ditches her, abandons their plans of romance and love.

The next day Damen’s done a complete 180 and ignores Ever. What gives? –I’ll let you read it yourself to find out-. But in order to ‘save’ Damen, Ever has to travel to Summerland where she meets new people and learns new things. Thing’s that can change Ever and Damen’s lives forever. Even her family’s lives.

Ever, is strong, mature and independent and despite her undying love for Damen she makes some tough decisions.

Now, I must say Alyson Noel surprised me with a twist which left me wanting the third book, but with living in the UK meant I had to wait. I needed to know what happened next and I didn’t want to wait.

Evermore - Alyson Noel

5/5 Stars

Evermore is the first of six books in the Immortal Series by Alyson Noel

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

Ever Bloom is a teenage girl who is living with her aunt in California because her family have all died in a car accident.

Ever hides herself under baggy jeans and hooded sweatshirts so she doesn’t attract any attention.

Ever is see’s the ghost of her dead little sister Riley everywhere. They even have conversations. Ever finds comfort in it, because it almost feels like Riley is still alive.

Something happened to Ever in the accident. She’s received power she can see the dead, see peoples auras she can see people’s life story from just one touch and she can read everyone’s minds. But Ever knows it’s not right to push your way through people’s privacy like that so she does very little with her gift.

When a new guy starts the school things start to change for Ever, she can’t see inside his mind at all, which is very strange indeed. But it’s more than that. Something about Damen is off. Ever notices this straight away but can’t seem to figure out what it is. The more time she spends with him, the more her imagination gets carried away and suddenly she finds herself contemplating all kinds of crazy things.

Damen is not at all what he seem, or at least what the author wants you to think he is. He’s very old, he drinks a red liquid from a glass at dinner, he has lots of money, he disappears and he has books signed by authors who died years ago. – Is this making you think he’s a vampire?

Well sorry to disappoint you but Damon’s no vampire. He’s just a guy who has lived a really long time. Apart from the whole mind reading stuff he is fairly limited to what he does.

He’s not running from anyone and he’s absolutely not a threat to Ever in any way. – Wondering where the conflicted is? – Well there’s no forbidden love so its not like Romeo and Juliet not even close.

Evermore is the best book I have ever read. I know some people will disagree with me but I loved it and I really couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait to read Blue Moon.

Chris D'Lacey

I met Chris D'Lacey today when he visited the library and my placement classes went to see him. I had never heard of him before even tho he has written a lot of books. Maybe i will check one out of the library or maybe even buy one haha

Wintercraft - Jenna Burtenshaw

4/5 Stars

Wintercraft is the first of three books in the Wintercraft Series by Jenna Burtenshaw

Ten years ago Kate Winters' parents were taken by the High Council's wardens to help with the country's war effort. Now the wardens are back...and prisoners, including Kate's uncle Artemis, are taken south on the terrifying Night Train. Kate and her friend Edgar are hunted by a far more dangerous enemy. Silas Dane -- the High Council's most feared man -- recognises Kate as one of the Skilled; a rare group of people able to see through the veil between the living and the dead. His spirit was damaged by the High Council's experiments into the veil, and he's convinced that Kate can undo the damage and allow him to find peace. The knowledge Kate needs lies within Wintercraft -- a book thought to be hidden deep beneath the graveyard city of Fume. But the Night of Souls, when the veil between life and death is at its thinnest, is just days away and the High Council have their own sinister plans for Kate and Wintercraft. To help Artemis, Edgar and herself, Kate must honour her pact with a murderer and come face to face with the true nature of death.

Jenna Burtenshaw's debut novel Wintercraft is the first book in a trilogy. It takes you to Albion a small town in Morvane.

Kate, Artemis and Edgar get taken to the city of Fume which is a graveyard city, where the High Council meet. This is where Kate learn's the truth about herself and those around her.

As it tells you in the blurb above Kate's mother and father were harvested by the high council to help in the country's war.

10 years later, their back and their harvest falls on the city of Morvane.

The citizens of Morvane have lived in peace, so when a swarm of blackbirds arrive along with the warden's only Kate and her book-store owning uncle Artemis are ready for a fast departure.

However when Kate restore's life to one of the blackbirds she is forced to hide in a secret hiding place in the basement of the book-store along with Edgar an employee at the book-store.

Silas arrives with the warden's and captures Artemis and takes him on a terrifying journey on the Night Train which used to transport the dead.

Silas Dane is the most feared High Council member who is nothing like the other members on the High Council.

Twelve years ago Silas was used as an experiment by the High Council and they damaged his spirit making it so he could never be killed.

Knowing Kate is one of the skilled - A rare group of people who have the ability to see into the veil (A place between the living and the dead) - Silas want's her and set's out to get her so she can undo what the High Council did to him all them years ago.

Kate need the knowledge of Wintercraft - A very powerful spell book that is kept hidden beneath the graveyard city of Fume - Wintercraft is a book so powerful it is believed to be able to change the fate of Albion forever.

Kate ends up questioning the very people she has always trusted, it seems that everyone has their own secret. Where will Kate turn?

This novel was an enchanting read and continues at a nice flowing pace. The character's don't let their personality's show very much but hopefully this will change in the next book and we will learn a lot more about Kate, Edgar and Silas.

Wintercraft is definitely the beginning of a great new series in teen fantasy as Kate's journey through Albion and Fume has only just begun.

I am really looking forward to reading Blackwatch which is the sequel to Wintercraft.

Evernight - Claudia Gray

4/5 Stars

Bianca wants to escape.

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

I saw this book in my local supermarket - along with most of my other books. I read the blurb in the store and decided to buy the book. On my way home I read the prologue and couldn't wait to get started on the book.

This book is really good and caught my attention from the go which for me is something I love in a book. If it doesn't pull me in by the end of Chapter One I give up reading the book unless I have nothing else to read.

Even though after reading the prologue I thought I had an idea of what I though the book was about bits of it were different and it surprised me.

You get those books where you think its going to be great but not many 'live up to it' well Evernight does.

Evernight is one of the best books i've read this year so far. Claudia Gray makes it look like she has written dozens of books, even thought Evernight was her first.

The book is about a teenage girl Bianca who's parents get a job teaching at Evernight Academy. Bianca doesnt want to be their, so she decideds to run away - she runs as more of a statement than anything - but she ends up bumping into Lucas another student who has just arrived at the school. They hit it off right away and exchange there running away stories. Bianca is pulled into a love story with a twist.

After talking with Bianca a while Lucas convinces her to go back to Evernight and when she returns her parents are still asleep and never noticed she had gone anywhere.

I think the main characters are interesting. You will fall for bad boy Lucas who has an attitude but not in the way that will make you hate him - although you may hate him a little at some point in the book because I no I did - And you will feel sorry for Bianca throughout the book.

Lucas will shock you so be prepared!!!

I cant wait to read the next book in this series.

All in all I enjoyed the book and recommend I to anyone who loves a good vampire and teen romance book.

You will be hooked from the prologue on. :)

Ash - Malinda Lo

1/5 stars

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

Many book's just don't turn out how you imagined them originally in your head and you suffer from the "it sounded good on the back of the book" syndrome not that these books are bad but sometimes they just aren't what you wanted out of the book.

I thought that about Ash. I found it hard to keep focus on and I kept getting bored while reading it but I continued reading anyway.

I actually bought this book mainly because the front cover looks really pretty and the blurb on the back cover made it sound like a really good book. It sounded a bit like a remake of Cinderella.

I like reading fairy tales and fantasy books. Fairies are the main bit in Ash but that makes thing's different - Ash's 'fairy godmother' is a male fairy called Sidhean and he grants her wishes but for a price - The other thing different is who Ash falls for. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read it but Ash doesn't fall for the Prince, she falls for a woman.

Ash starts of slowly but you get to meet Ask and her father who are grieving over the death of her mother, like in all Cinderella stories her father remarries. Ash's step-mother and two step-sisters are also like the Cinderella stories.

After Ash's father dies Ash becomes a servant to her step-family. The only thing that keeps her happy is reading an old book about fairy tales.

Ash meets Sidhean, while she is walking in the forest Sidhean is a fairy from the forest. Ash and Sidhean they form a friendship.

Sidhean grants Ash wishes which help her escape life of a servant for a few hours.

Ash's step-mother is obsessed with getting her two daughter's married to wealthy men. Then Ash meets the Huntress Kaisa.

I liked the twist on my favourite fairy tale, but i think because I love the original Cinderella so much this is why I didn't enjoy Ash very much.

RATING SYSTEM

5/5 Stars - Excellent. I definitely recommend and will more than likely re-read it.

4/5 Stars - Pretty good and a worth while read.

3/5 Stars - It was OK, but It's not a book I'd re-read.

2/5 Stars - Satisfactory.

1/5 Stars - I do not recommend.