Menagerie by Rachel Vincent #review

Title: Menagerie

Author: Rachel Vincent

Series: Menagerie 1

Publisher: Harlequin

Source: Supplied by publisher

Release Date: September 29 2015

Goodreads

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent comes a richly imagined, provocative new series set in the dark mythology of the Menagerie…

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger’s Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she’s forced to “perform” in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other “attractions”—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she’ll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

Renowned author Rachel Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic and startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful tale

My Thoughts

To me anything written by Rachel Vincent is pure gold, I have never read a book of hers that I did not thoroughly enjoy, I must admit I could not put this book down.

Delilah has a great life she has a wonderful mother, a good job, excellent boyfriend and a best friend that has been there for years, until the night her boyfriend decides to splash out on horribly expensive tickets to the travelling Menagerie, things go horribly wrong for Delilah when she sees a handler torturing a young werewolf child to  get her to perform, it flips a switch in Delilah and she strikes out with a power that she did not know she possessed.

Now instead of watching from the outside Delilah is watching from the inside as a Cryptid (mythical monster) while they determine what she is, with no idea how to turn on her powers and watching the other cryptids be humiliated and tortured day in and day out Delilah must find a way to not only protect herself but those around her.

The Menagerie world is so beautifully written you are transported to a world that has mythological beings, although these beings have been stripped of their rights and used and abused by humans, after an event that is slowly unravelled to us as the book progresses.  I would absolutely love a prequel to get more information about the history of the book.

This book is hard to put in a genre, fantasy yes, little bit dystopia and Adult literature, Ms Vincent has made a beautifully smooth transition between Y.A and Adult that makes this book so enjoyable.

I love that even though Delilah is being tortured, abused, beaten and starved she stays herself and doesn’t break, she is strong and powerful she just needs to find her voice.

I extremely recommend this book for anyone who is a Rachel Vincent fan and anyone in general that wants to take part of an amazing fantasy ride that will have you gripping the edge of your seat.

*It seems I made a embarrassing mistake in my review in mentioning that Rachel has just moved into adult writing, which is of course not true, silly me, sorry Rachel, I have removed this part of my review.

Australian Feature Book of the Month Risk by Fleur Ferris #review

Title: Risk

Author: Fleur Ferris

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Random House Australia

Source: Kindly provided by Publisher and Netgalley

Release Date:July 1  2015

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Taylor and Sierra have been best friends for their whole lives. But Taylor’s fed up. Why does Sierra always get what – and who – she wants? From kissing Taylor’s crush to stealing the guy they both met online for herself, Sierra doesn’t seem to notice when she hurts her friends.

So when Sierra says Jacob Jones is the one and asks her friends to cover for her while she goes to meet him for the first time, Taylor rolls her eyes.

But Sierra doesn’t come back when she said she would.

One day. Two days. Three . . .

What if Taylor’s worrying for nothing? What if Sierra’s just being Sierra, forgetting about everyone else to spend time with her new guy?

When Taylor finally tells Sierra’s mum that her daughter is missing, Taylor and her friends are thrown into a dark world they never even knew existed.

Can Taylor find Sierra’s abductor in time? Or should she be looking for a killer?

My Thoughts

This would have to be the best book I have read all year, which if you follow my blog you would probably see that this is out of character for me.  Risk is a hauntingly beautiful, scary and harrowing. Risk is the story of Sierra and Taylor, best friends forever even their mothers are best friends.

Sierra and Taylor are messing around on chat rooms which we all end up doing in teenage years at one time or another, when Sierra meets a guy that she really likes, she gives this guy Taylor’s email address and goes home.

Taylor starts getting emails from this guy Jacob and they chat on line for hours with Taylor falling head over heals with him. The next time at school Taylor is about to tell Sierra her news when Sierra gets in first, she has fallen in love with Jacob herself and has organised to meet him on Friday for a quick date in the city. Embarrassed and upset  Taylor refuses to go with her but still covers for her with their parents.

Sierra is never seen again.  Taylor starts a website called Risk to teach other people the dangers of the Internet, hoping that it never happens again.

Risk is all about the dangers of the Internet particular for those who don’t understand how easy it is for you to be untraceable.  It is scary how easy Sierra and Taylor fall for this guys grooming techniques and it is explained in the book without taking away for the story how he does it.

You will need tissues for this book, not only do Sierra’s friends have to deal with her murder they we also get a front seat view on how they deal with their guilt and grief in dealing with their own issues from the murder.

I could not recommend this book enough, especially for teens who think this could never happen to them. In the age of Internet, sexting and chat rooms. You never know who you are going to meet.

 

The Harvesting Melanie Karsak #review

 

Title: The Harvesting

Author: Melanie Karsak

Series: The Harvesting

Publisher: clockpunk press

Source: Brought

Release Date: 2014

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“The world, it seemed, had gone silent. It was something we knew but did not talk about. We were alone.”

While Layla Petrovich returns home to rural Hamletville after a desperate call from her psychic grandmother, she never could have anticipated the horror of what Grandma Petrovich has foreseen. The residents of Hamletville will need Layla’s cool head, fast blade and itchy trigger finger to survive the undead apocalypse that’s upon them. But even that may not be enough. With mankind silenced, it soon becomes apparent that we were never alone. As the beings living on the fringe seek power, Layla must find a way to protect the ones she loves or all humanity may be lost.

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up undead!

My Thoughts

 

 

This book is really a Gem, I was not expecting this book to be as wonderful as it was. I could not put it down. The Author Melanie Karsak, really mixes it up in regards to genres and creatures, It is a wonderful mix between apocalypse fiction, fantasy and a hint of romance. As scary as that sounds Karsak was completely able to pull it off, with no dramas. I loved how the book kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing at the plot twists.

I highly recommend this book and looking forward to reading more of Karsak’s books.

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick #review

 

Title: Black Ice

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Source: Netgalley

Release Date: October 7th 2014

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Danger is hard to resist in this sexy thriller from Becca Fitzpatrick, theNew York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.

Brit Pheiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn’t prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants;but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

Britt is forced to guide the men off the mountain, and knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

Black Ice is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous.

My Thoughts

I usually hate Murder Mysteries, but this one wow, I picked it because I love Becca Fitzpatrick’s books, so I gave it a go and wow I am glad I did.

Britt has been training to backpack the Teton Range, she has taught her self survival skills as well as working on her fitness, all to impress her ex boyfriend who may be joining her and her best friend on this holiday.  At first glance Britt, is superficial and annoyingly reliant on people to save her, but as soon as she finds herself and Korbie sheltering in a cabin with two strangers to wait out a storm, she begins to feel uneasy, until they are taken captive by Shaun and Mason, Britt can either rely on herself, her smarts and her survival skills, or she can wait for the ex boyfriend to save her.

Korbie is horrible, she is jealous, dumb and I did not like one thing about her, she is Calvin’s (The Ex) sister and she is only worried about her own survival.  Shaun is Charming and Smooth but something is off about him, and Mason is quiet, reserved and you don’t know too much about him.  Calvin is a dick which makes you wonder why Britt loves him so much, although he comes looking for the girls when they don’t show up at the Cabin he is obnoxious and treats Britt horrid.

Over all the Characters are Amazing, you either hate them or love them but either way they all fit into the story perfectly. I love seeing Britt change and learn to adapt to any situation to survive, and stumbling across some clues from a recent spat of disappearances, it is a book you just can’t put down till the end.

 

 

 

In the End by Demitria Lunetta #review

 

Title: In the End

Author: Demitria Lunetta

Series: In The After #2

Publisher: Harper Teen

Source: Brought

Release Date:June 24th 2014

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She thought it was the end of the world… But it was only the beginning of the end.

It’s been three months since Amy escaped New Hope. Since she’s seen Baby, or Kay, or Rice. And she’s been surviving on her own, like she did before she was “rescued” and taken to what she thought was a safe haven. Then, in the midst of foraging for supplies, her former fellow Guardian’s voice rings out in her earpiece. And in a desperate tone, Kay utters the four words Any had hoped she would never hear:

Dr. Reynolds has Baby.

Now it’s a race against time, for Baby is in imminent danger, her life threatened by the malevolent doctor who had helped start the end of the world. In order to save Baby, Amy will have to make her way to Fort Black, a former prison-turned-survivor colony. There she will need to find Ken—Kay’s brother—for he holds the key to Baby’s survival.

But before she can do any of this, she’ll have to endure the darkest places—and people—of the prison. And one small slip-up could not only cost Baby and Amy their lives, but threaten the survival of he people in the After.

Demitria Lunetta has created an utterly compelling conclusion to the story she set forth in In the After. Readers of the Hunger Games trilogy will not be able to pit down this book, which is gripping from beginning to end.

My Thoughts

Such an amazing end, to bad In the After is only a duology and not a trilogy or even more I really think that this world could have a lot of potential, I loved this series and hope that spin off’s will be made.

Amy has escaped New hope and is back to surviving on her own, I really feel for her with this because even though she was surviving on her own before baby, being separated is terrible, Amy finds out that Baby has been taken by  The horrible Dr Reynolds and is “testing” her.  The horror of knowing what this evil man is capable of and now has innocent Baby really makes your blood boil, but it gives Amy a new mission. To save Baby.

Amy makes her way to Fort black to find Kay’s brother who may be able to help her save Baby.  Fort Black is like a slap in the face for Amy, after surviving on her own for so long, in Fort black life is pretty much Anarchy, to survive untouched Amy meets a guy called Jacks who will help her find Ken, but first in order to save Baby and survive Fort Black she must give herself to Jacks and let him own her, as are the rules in Fort Black.

Lunetta paints such a vivid picture in her writing from the pristine, regulated New Hope to the Anarchy and Mayhem of Fort Black you get to see the worst and best of human kind in a crisis and the different ways they adapt to survive.

Amy is such a strong character that I loved seeing her have to live under the rule of a man owning her, it was a great seeing her interactions with Jacks and the other characters that are owned in Fort black.

All up I Love the whole In the After Series, but I want more!  please make some spin-offs, I could not put it down and highly recommend the series.

Previous Books:

 

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey #review

 

Title: The Infinite Sea

Author:Rick Yancey

Series: The 5TH Wave

Publisher: Penguin Books

Source: Brought

Release Date: September 16th 2014

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My Thoughts

Wow, where to start, when I started reading The Infinite Sea I was a bit confused on who was who, but quickly became immersed in the characters lives again.

I love how Mr Yancey has such a deep understanding of call his characters, you cannot say that there is a main character in his book, as It is told in a few different POV’s At first I was frustrated I don’t like multiple POV and I didn’t really like Ringer but towards the end of the book she really stood out after really getting to the nitty gritty of who she was, You are really rooting for her. Usually in dystopian/Sci-fi books you have one hero the one person throughout all the books that you know is going to save the world, but with this series just as you have that figured out someone else pops up all hero like and keeps you guessing. I have no idea what is next to come all I know is that I couldn’t put this book down and I can’t wait till 2015 for the next instalment.

Highly recommended reading for anyone who likes Dystopian and Sci-fi hell even just Y.A as I am only just getting my feet wet in the whole
Sci-fi Genre.

Previous Books:

The 5th Wave

 

The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter #Review

 

Title: The Queen of Zombie Hearts

Author: Gena Showalter

Series: Alice in Zombieland

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Source: Brought from Harlequin Au

Release Date: September 30 2014

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My Thoughts

This was the Best book yet in the Series! I could not put it down, Ali was awesome as usual but we got deeper insight into her unusual talents and family.
Ali and Cole dive deeper into their relationship, which is still a bit rocky but without over doing the tension between them, They are both such strong, Independent characters that they have to rub each other the wrong way sometimes.

Kat was as sweet and funny as usual and with her relationship with frosty giving us some comedic relief really Kat is one of my favourites I want to see a book about her or Emma. I love her relationship with frosty, she is such a beautiful person and is a rock for all the characters.

So much heartbreak in this story, and yes characters are lost to us, but it was done so beautiful and without making you scream at Gena, of course you are going to bawl your eyes out, but like I said it is done beautifully and with so much action happening in the storyline you don’t really get much of a chance to grieve.

I really didn’t want this series to end I love it so much, but everything was wrapped up nicely with lots of action, tension and heartbreak, It was the perfect end and I really hope we can get a spin off.

Previous Books:

Alice in zombieland                                                     Through the Zombie Glass

 

#Jump Girl by Leigh Hutton #Review Feature Author

Title: Jump Girl

Author: Leigh Hutton

Series: The Go Girl Chronicles

Publisher: Leigh Hutton Books

Source: Provided by Author

Release Date:November 22nd 2014

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My Thoughts

After reading the first book in the Go Girl Chronicles Rev Girl, I am hooked. I couldn’t wait for Jump girl to be released and I was not disappointed.
In Jump girl we meet Ebony, who has had a rough start at life, and after finally finding a stable loving home, it is torn apart by her mothers mysterious death. At least she still has her passion, Horse Jumping.

Living with a gold digging aunt, it isn’t surprising that she starts to get rid of Ebony’s horses with no horse to ride, Ebony starts getting depressed, everything she loves is getting ripped away from her.

Until one day Ebony finds Monster a fiery horse that has been left neglected and half starved, Ebony brings him back to life and with the both of them Ebony finally has a chance to realise her dreams of jumping for the World Equestrian Games.

Jump girl has everything in it, mystery, murder, moments that will have you heartbroken and in tears and moments that will have you jumping for joy. Even with so many different plot themes they all tie in together perfectly.

All up I would say Jump Girl is another Amazing Edition to The Go Girl Chronicles and add it as a Must Read.

As an Added bonus I love how some characters from Rev Girl were added into this story tying the two together, especially Clover’s Sister who I imagined a stuck up snob from Rev Girl but really enjoyed in Jump Girl.

Previous Books:

Rev Girl

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa #Review

Title: The Forever Song

Author: Julie Kagawa

Series: Blood of Eden #3

Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Australia

Source: With Thanks from Publisher

Release Date:  May 1st 2014

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Buy from Harlequin Aus

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The Synopsis

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 Thoughts

I cried, I yelled, I laughed and I could not put it down.

Lately there has been a lot of bad reviews for the ending of trilogy, It must be the hardest job in the world to finish a series, and keep everyone happy.  In my personal opinion Ms Kagawa nailed it.  Not once while reading The forever song did I stop and think why the hell is this happening? The whole series is UnFreakin Believable! Although I am sad to finish the series and it took me a while to actually read it because I didn’t want it to end, It could not have ended better.

The story line follows on as Jackel, Kanin and Allie, are on the road trying to beat Sarren to Eden to save the humans, from his evilness.  Kanin as always is the quiet father figure more so in this story because Allie and Jackel act like naughty kids sometimes.  Jackel is his usual boisterous, cocky self that made me laugh on many occasions.  And of course Allie who is not only struggling with the death of
Zeke she is also still trying to fight the demon inside her to keep her humanity at many points in the novel she is torn between what Kanin wants from her, which is to be more human than demon and Jackel who wants his little sister to be more demon than human.

During the first part of the novel Allison turns a bit twisted with what happened to Zeke in Eternity Cure, I honestly loved this struggle with Allie as it led to some Brother/Sister bonding and some mighty gory scenes.

“Open your eyes, Kanin. Your favorite hellspawn is a demon, just like the rest of us. Only now, she’s finally realized it.” 
― Julie Kagawa, The Forever Song

I actually loved this bit about Allie we have seen her strive so hard to keep her humanity in check and make Kanin proud of her, It was great to see Allie let loose and explore her demon side, as well as making Jackel proud of her, It made a great edge of your seat reading.

Jackel also had a lot of character development in this story, Evolving from the Badass Clown, he has been although he still has some memorable funny lines and still loves to goad Allison and Kanin he also showed at times his softer side and his willingness to be part of something bigger, fighting beside Kanin and Allison he put himself out there for them time and time again, for someone who likes to prove he is a disappointment to his family, he sure takes a lot of risks to himself to save humanity and his family.

Kanin of course is still one of my favorites, although he is quiet and a huge Influence on how Allison and Jackel act, he is always there for them whether he approves of  what they are doing or not.  I also love how he loses his composure a few times at Jackel and Allisons constant bickering, having a boy and a girl myself I know how bad it can get travelling, which is amazing for Kanin because it takes so much to break his composure.

“I am proud of you, Allison Sekemoto,” he whispered as he drew back. “Whatever you decide, whatever path you choose to take, I hope that you will remain the same girl I met that night in the rain. The one decision for which I have no regrets.” 
― Julie Kagawa, The Forever Song

 

I highly Recommend this book If you get to read only one Trilogy this year make it the Blood of Eden, You won’t regret it.

 

Now I only have to Wait for Talon.

Burn Out by Kristi Helvig #Review

Title: Burn Out

Author: Kristi Helvig

Series: Burn Out #1

Publisher: Egemont USA

Source: Netgalley for honest review

Release Date:  April 8th 2014

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The Synopsis

“A scorching series opener not to be missed.” – Kirkus 

A futuristic blend of Beth Revis’s Across the Universe and Lenore Appelhans’s Level 2, Burn Out will satisfy the growing desire for science fiction with a thrilling story of survival, intrigue, and adventure. 

Most people want to save the world; seventeen-year-old Tora Reynolds just wants to get the hell off of it. One of the last survivors in Earth’s final years, Tora yearns to escape the wasteland her planet has become after the sun turns “red giant,” but discovers her fellow survivors are even deadlier than the hostile environment.


Holed up in an underground shelter, Tora is alone–her brilliant scientist father murdered, her mother and sister burned to death. She dreams of living on a planet with oceans, plants, and animals. Unfortunately, the oceans dried out ages ago, the only plants are giant cacti with deadly spines, and her pet, Trigger, is a gun–one of the bio-energetic weapons her father created for the government before his conscience kicked in.

When family friend, Markus, arrives with mercenaries to take the weapons by force, Tora’s fury turns to fear when government ships descend in an attempt to kill them all. She forges an unlikely alliance with Markus and his rag-tag group of raiders, including a smart but quiet soldier named James. Tora must quickly figure out who she can trust, as she must choose between saving herself by giving up the guns or honoring her father’s request to save humanity from the most lethal weapons in existence.

My Thoughts

My God this book was Amazing!!!

Tora is left alone in an underground shelter after the Sun Burnt out the world, becoming so hot the oceans dried up and the plants and animal life burnt, the only way to survive was in government made pods, the rest of the world was left to die.  Tora’s family was lucky enough to belong to a pod, her father was a genius developing weapons to be used to help keep people safe when a new planet was found, until Tora’s father learned that they wanted to use the weapons for bad not good, he took his family and the guns and ran.

Tora is the only survivor of her family, her father was murdered by the government and her mother and little sister burned to death in mysterious circumstances after they did not return to the shelter.  Tora is the last person left, until Marcus a guy that her father trusted returns and tries to get Tora to give up the weapons, when she refuses her returns with mercenaries to force her to give them up, Tora needs to decide weather to die protecting the weapons from the world or saving herself and sacrificing the weapons.

Written from Tora’s point of view, you really get invested in her character, she is a tough cookie that is torn between living and dying and protecting the world from the weapons her father created.  There is some romance between Tora and James one of the mercenaries, but if any relationship is to be listed as complicated this is it.  Between strong sexual tension, Tora’s refusal to trust and James’s confusing mixed signals, you really can’t decide weather James is a bad guy or good guy, I love it, It has the excitement of Instant love but mixed with the fact he keeps trying to kill her.

Burn out kept me on the edge of my seat in excitement, when it ended I still didn’t know who the good guys and the bad guys are, unfortunately I thought I had only read 50% when the book ended which was disappointing because I really want to know what happens next.

I highly recommend this book for anyone that loves Beth Revis, and Sci-fi dystopians.

I am hanging out for the next installment.