Book Review: Taken by Storm (Angela Morrison)

Leesie Hunt has many rules: No kissing. No sex. No dating outside the Mormon faith.

When Michael Walden--a deep-sea diver who lost his parents in a violent hurricane--arrives in town, Leesie sees someone who needs her. They fall for one another, even though his dreams are tied to the depths of the ocean and hers to salvation above.

Will their intense chemistry be too strong to resist?

Leesie and Michael must make the hardest choice of their lives: whether to follow their beliefs or their hearts.

Angela Morrison's debut novel is a stunning piece of work. Michael and Leesie's story is in itself, moving - but Angela delivers this through a superb writing that is both poetic and honest. It's hard to tear myself away from this book. It's so beautiful.

Taken by Storm will introduce into a romance that will take your breath away; heartbreakingly sad yet honest in every turn, Michael and Leesie's story will challenge, question and provoke readers. The author's impeccable writing style will touch your emotions and will make you ask for more, despite the ache it might bring. Angela perfects the pang of yearning, the heat of passion and the gut-wrenching feel of loss. In short, perfectly constructed phrases, her writing hits the target and stays there.

Michael and Leesie are equal in strength of character. Michael is broken, aching, mournful - his words are coated with grief and loss. His passion for diving, and later for Leesie, is described so accurately. Leesie's ability to heal Michael and guide his lost soul back to his body brings them together. I marvel at Michael's humanity in this novel - the author's ability to paint his emotions accurately does not smother his humanity, but reiterates it. His flaws - particularly his detachment and tunnel vision - made me dislike him at many points in the novel. Even Leesie's indecisiveness at times made me frown. However, their growth is also strongly noted in the novel. They undergo a transformation only they can bring to each other. Michael and Leesie introduce each other to a different outlook in life. 

With an ending that is devastating, moving, poignant and satisfying, Taken by Storm is a novel about loving, yearning, moving forward and remembering. It's about friendship, companionship, passion and love - ultimately, it's about Michael and Leesie. I will remember it as such.

Five Stars.

P.S. I just realised that the title is perfect.

P. P.S. The sequel, Unbroken Connection, will be released next month in E-book format (hoorah!) You can find out more and read the prologue on Angela's website HERE.

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

*Bought

Generation Dead (Daniel Waters)

Kiss of Life (Daniel Waters)

Passing Strange (Daniel Waters)

*From the Library

Kissed by an Angel (Elizabeth Chandler)

*Won

Guilt Trip (Anne Cassidy) - Thank you, Scholastic!

White Crow (Marcus Sedgwick) - Thank you to Nina @ Orion Books!

And of course, some swags! Just look all those Marcus Sedgwick postcards! Lurve it :)

I'm trying to impose a book ban on myself. Except next week, just because it's my birthday week :D

 I'm failing because I am always so tempted - reading outside in the British Summer heat is glorious! :)

Have a summery reading week everyone!

Book Review: Aurelia (Anne Osterlund)

Princess Aurelia is next in line to rule the kingdom of Tyralt, but she would rather be one of the common folk, free to learn and roam and . . . not marry the next tyrannical prince that comes courting. Naturally, the king wants Aurelia to marry for political power. Aurelia wants to marry for love. And someone in the kingdom wants her . . . dead. Assigned to investigate and protect Aurelia is Robert, the son of the king’s former royal spy and one of Aurelia’s oldest friends. As Aurelia and Robert slowly uncover clues as to who is threatening her, their friendship turns to romance. With everything possible on the line—her life, her kingdom, her heart—Aurelia is forced to take matters into her own hands, no matter the cost.

Aurelia focuses on the mystery of the identity of the person behind the assassination attempts of Princess Aurelia of Tyralt. It is the search for this assassin that dictates the whole plot, one I found to unravel very unexpectedly. Personally however, it was not as satisfying as I thought.

Aurelia is a good book if you want extensive guess works on who might be the suspect within a few choice characters. Let me say that I personally enjoyed guessing and re-guessing and trying to play a detective to figure out who wants Aurelia dead. I also did not guess right - the culprit is so far beyond my guesses and I can only credit the author's talents for this. If you enjoy mystery, you'll love Aurelia.

It is also a good book if you want to read about the nasties behind royalties. It depicts a perfect combination of good royals and bad royals, greedy royals and giving royals. I enjoyed Tyralt's court life, the realistic and frequent discussions of politics in the royal household, and the strained relationship of the Queen and the Princess and other royals'. Set in a foreign world, the author really perfects royalties in Aurelia.

If you are looking for a romance novel however, you might as well forget it. Whilst it's a good book for mystery, it's not quite the same for romance. There was no focus on it at all, which is shame because I expected it to be the romantic sort of book. I would have liked more insight into Robert's and Aurelia's shared past. The romance I felt is mentioned only in passing; there was lack of development on the protagonists' relationship - it was such a let down because I held high hopes for the two of them! Of course, I believe the sequel, Exile, will deliver this in great detail.

What Aurelia lacks is a few important details. Firstly, I felt the characterisation was inadequate and fragments towards the end. Princess Aurelia begins as a strong character; however, as the plot deepens I felt disconnect to the Princess Aurelia I met in the first few pages. In fact, at the end her actions and reactions are uncharacteristic of the strong princess that she is. Robert is hardly developed; there was little insight to his personality past his protectiveness of Aurelia - he reminded me of a mechanical robot, thinking but without a definable personality. This is the same with the rest of the characters - even the most important ones I felt were not fully developed as to support the plot in a stronger way.

Secondly, there were several loose threads left at the end; several subplots that needed polishing. I was not satisfied with the ending because I felt the pieces were not neat enough to be pieced together perfectly. I hope the problem only lies with me and my expectations, so do check it out for yourself!

Three Stars.

Crescendo: Countdown!

OH YES.

Book Review: Boys Next Door (Jennifer Echols)

Lori lives for summertime on the lake. She spends all season wakeboarding, swimming, and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties in the house next door. With the Vader brothers, Lori's always been one of the guys.

But while Lori and the "baby" brother, Adam, are inseparable friends, she can't deny a secret crush on Sean, the older Vader boy. This year Sean's been paying Lori a lot of attention, and not in a brotherly way.

But just as Lori decides to prove to Sean she's girlfriend material, she realizes that her role as girl friend to Adam may be even more important. And by trying so hard for the perfect summer romance, she could be going way overboard....

Boys Next Door is exactly the way a summer books should feel. It's light -hearted, filled with bright spirited characters and full of surprises. This is a perfect beach read, a complete summer in a book!

The narrative, in the first person by Lori, is one of the funniest I have read. Her humour is so natural it becomes virtually impossible for readers not to love her. Her personality underpins the whole plot and makes it so ridiculously loveable it is difficult to dislike her even in her worse. And Adam - Mr skull and crossbones Adam is very very cute. Jennifer's characters are always a delight and very distinct, and Adam is no exception - his ADHD helps build him to be a very adorable character. It's safe to say that his imperfections are what makes his actions perfect.

The Vader brothers are a colourful brothers that are as collectively endearing as Lori. Their antics, habits and crazy outlooks are so boy my inner teen could not help but giggle! Their brotherhood is real and hence imperfect. Although disastrous, I particularly like Adam and Sean's rivalry, because it's such a common and sometimes inevitable part of brotherhood. The Vaders even extend these ties to McGillicuddy (Lori's brother Bill's unfortunate nickname) and to Lori herself which really feels welcoming to the characters and readers alike. I found the shared history of both set of siblings establish the story fairly quickly, and it was all down to Jennifer's wonderful talent that really makes the reader feel like they know a lot about this history even without overwhelming amounts of flashbacks. Lori is so comfortable with Adam in particular she just blurts out crazy lines and questions at him without flinching. I loved it.

Now the romance - I would not say smooth, because it's honestly a tangled (very) web of lies, deceit and pretenses, but it was nonetheless good. There were some questionable actions from Lori in terms of her interactions with the Vader brothers, but it was part of the book's charm. I think at every turn Jennifer's characters had me all warm and sighing with satisfaction! There were some powerful, ohmygodsoromantic lines from Adam which I really giggled about too. 

They were so many surprises in Boys Next Door, many mistakes, but I should not forget - many romantic and hilarious moments too. Such a fun combination, and I'm sure teenagers and adults alike would definitely enjoy this as their summer read!

I'm so glad the sequel is in my hands already, and in the same book! 

Four Stars!

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

BY MIDNIGHT (MIA JAMES)

April Dunne is not impressed. She had to move from Edinburgh to Highgate, London, with her parents. She's left her friends - and her entire life - behind. She has to start at a new school and, worst of all, now she's stuck in a creepy old dump of a house which doesn't even have proper mobile phone reception. Ravenwood, her new school, is a prestigious academy for gifted (financially or academically) students - and the only place her parents could find her a place, in the middle of term, in the middle of London, on incredibly short notice. 

So she's stuck with the super-rich, and the super-smart . . . and trying to fit in is when the rest of the students seem to be more glamorous, smarter, or more talented than she is, is more than tough. It's intimidating and isolating, even when she finds a friend in the conspiracy-theorist Caro Jackson - and perhaps finds something more than friendship in the gorgeous, mysterious Gabriel Swift. But there's more going on at Ravenwood than meets the eye. Practical jokes on new students are normal, but when Gabriel saves her from . . . something . . . . in the Highgate Cemetery, and then she discovers that a murder took place, just yards away from where she had been standing, April has to wonder if something more sinister is going on. . . . and whether or not she's going to live through it . . .

To be published by Orion Books on 15 July 2010.

Highgate is a familiar place to me and the idea of Vampires in Highgate is quite exciting! Not to mention it is being released on my birthday!

Watch this creepy trailer if you need more convincing. I love it!

Book Review: Blood Feud (Alyxandra Harvey)

It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks.

I was hugely excited for the second installment in the Drake Chronicles and am glad to say that it pleased me a lot! I know a lot of you girls out there are excited for it too - you better be, because this is so much better than Love Lies Bleeding (US title: Hearts at Stake)!

Let me start by saying that it surpassed all my expectations. I thought it was going to be a book that was more romance than anything but boy was I wrong. It was a good mix of mystery and action (I love!) - it was really a fast-paced read which I could barely let go of.

It is not only an excellent sequel, it can also stand-alone. Alyxandra Harvey continues the plot in Love Lies Bleeding smoothly, without foregoing the development of the relationships (Nicholas-Lucy!) established in its predecessor. If anything, it actually entices any reader who has not yet read Love Lies Bleeding to read it.

Blood Feud is told in both Logan's and Isabeau's perspectives. The difference in their way of thinking delivered a very insightful glimpse into a tale that was part past and part present. Logan's point of view is always fraught with humour and indignation whilst Isabeau is the more reserved, thoughtful type. Logan is hilariously funny and Isabeau, though trying not to be, is still a girl underneath all the hatred she harbours. They are a wonderful pair together, but I'm afraid I'm still a hard-core Lucy-Nicholas shipper!

The narrative is not exactly told in alternate POVs, but rather in blocks. You have several chapters of Isabeau's perspective and several of Logan's succeeding that. In between an omniscient narrator relays the past that explains Isabeau's experiences during the French for revolution and elaborates her thirst for revenge. I must say that these chapters are very well-placed, so that they support the continuity of the plot rather than distract the reader from it. They serve also as a form of characterisation of Isabeau. Well described and strongly portrayed, it allows the readers to not only understand, but also sympathise with Isabeau.

What I did not favour in the general plot would be the lack of characterisation on Logan's part. Isabeau was definitely a developed character; I was not sure Logan is. I certainly would have wanted more on his part. The second and final thing I can say about the plot is that I wanted more romance! Quite difficult to impose on a character such as Isabeau but the fan-girl in me screams more.

I have once more enjoyed immersing myself in Alyxandra Harvey's vampire world. The Drakes and Lucy are always a pleasure to be with, but with the addition of Isabeau and with the deeper, more action-packed plot, Blood Feud just made it a whole lot better!

Four Stars.


P.S. If you haven't yet read Love Lies Bleeding/Hearts at Stake, why not download it? For 24 hours only, Bloomsbury is giving away a free download of the first book in the Drake chronicles! Download it HERE.

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

*For Review

Manifest (Artist Arthur)
The Luxe (Anna Godbersen)

*Bought

Blood Feud (Alyxandra Harvey)

Sing Me to Sleep (Angela Morrison)

*Borrowed from the Library

Truth About Forever (Sarah Dessen)

*Swapped via Read It Swap It

Shadows (Amy Meredith)

Wicked Lovely (Melissa Marr)

*E-book

Ransom My Heart (Meg Cabot)

I just add more books to my TBR every week, such a shame I can't seem to read them all as quickly as I want to. That said, I'm looking forward to what's on everyone's list this week!

Book Review: The 13 Treasures (Michelle Harrison)

While visiting her grandmother's house, an old photograph leads Tanya to an unsolved mystery. Fifty years ago a girl vanished in the woods nearby - a girl Tanya's grandmother will not speak of. Fabian, the caretaker's son, is tormented by the girl's disappearance. His grandfather was the last person to see her alive, and has lived under suspicion ever since. Together, Tanya and Fabian decide to find the truth. But Tanya has her own secret: the ability to see fairies. Can it help them to unravel the mystery? Soon they are facing terrible danger. Could the manor's sinister history be about to repeat itself?

This. Book. Is. Sooo. Amazing! This is all I can say. I love this book, It's just thrilling and exciting, this book is definitely going on my top ten list. The cover is perfect to represent the thirteen treasures and the plot was promising. My sister showed my this awesome book and told me how everyone was just going crazy about it. I have to agree to all those who love love love this book. It's a fantastic novel with a mixture of cool characters.

The characters are very nice. The ability to see fairies is a lovely idea...... I just wish I could also see them. Anyways, Tanya, in terms of characterisation was mostly the focus of the novel. Fabian, the science geek, is one of the funny characters and is always on to science. Florence is the grandmother of Tanya and lives in an enormous manor. Why won't she speak of the girls disappearance as is said on the blurb? It's just tempting to find the answers, aren't they? In my opinion, these three chracters are the main ones in the story.

Somehow, this book scared me, I didn't want to be left alone, I even jumped nearly out of my skin when my sister made a sudden noise. Even if this book is full of thrill, mystery and fantasy, it's still a very worthy book to read and just one of the best books I have ever read. I was entirely fascinated by this book.

I would really really really recommend it to everyone and I would rate it FIVE STARS!

Book Review: Just Listen (Sarah Dessen)

When Annabel, the youngest of three beautiful sisters, has a bitter falling out with her best friend—the popular and exciting Sophie—she suddenly finds herself isolated and friendless. but then she meets Owen—a loner, passionate about music and his weekly radio show, and always determined to tell the truth. And when they develop a friendship, Annabel is not only introduced to new music but is encouraged to listen to her own inner voice. with Owen's help, can Annabel find the courage to speak out about what exactly happened the night her friendship with Sophie came to a screeching halt?

Annabel's story is a very moving tale of a young girl whose life begins to fall apart. I believe there are two kinds of people in the world - those who face their problems, and those who turn away from them. Annabel is of the latter, and not only does she turn away from her troubles, she runs away from them and hides, alone, behind a non-chalant facade. But she undergoes a slow transition, where she begins to realise what might be best for her - this is what makes the book a good read. That slow, painful journey towards growth.

Early on it was obvious that Annabel is a character broken and chased by her past. She is generally a decent character; however towards the ending I felt slightly irritated with her decisions. In retrospect I believe her actions may represent the distance someone such as Annabel would take in the circumstances. However I felt that I would have wanted to understand her more as oppose to watch her isolate herself; I did not find all her reflections well expressed and well conveyed.

Sarah Dessen compensates with the characterisation of Owen Armstrong however - I felt that he is a well painted character with a distinct quality and admirable traits. It was easy to be comfortable with and relate to his character. As far as male protagonists are concerned, Owen is probably one of those with the cutest traits. His passion for music is very swoony! I also vastly enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Annabel's sister Whitney, who I think is easily the most realistic character in the book. Each plays a significant, sometimes pivotal role in the plot - and together they become a part of a very real, very possible set of circumstances.

The romance in this novel is well based, one-of-a-kind, and honestly cute. Even if it is not the most prominent theme of the novel, it has a pivotal role. I found myself giggling and certainly very contented with the many interactions between Annabel and Owen. They are completely opposite and have everything in common. I really did adore them.

This novel has many elements to it - so many different levels of reflective I can write a list and still can't include everything. The repurcussions of silence, the power of honesty, love, friendship and camaraderie...there's an element of crime, vulnerability, trust, loyalty. There's the bond of sisterhood, of music, of control, of letting go...and so much more. It is however, not overwhelming, only more intricate. It is with regret that I found the subtleties to subtle. It is noticeably present in the book, but it is not remarkable or memorable.

Slightly predictable, Just Listen is a good novel with even better characters.

Three stars.

Giveaway: ARCs, July books, etc!

*Reggie @ The Undercover Book Lover is having an awesome Paranormal Five Giveaway, where you can win ARCs of amazing must-read books and gums :D

Click here to enter!

*Alaine is also holding a contest where you can win new releases, including Linger by Maggie Stiefvater! Enter here.

*Eleni @ La Femme readers is giving away an ARC of Hunger! Click here if you please ;)

*Bibliophile's Book Lounge is giving away a $15 GC from Book Depository. Click here to enter.

*Maria @ The Bibliophilic Book Blog is giving away an E-reader. Yes, an E-reader (or $100 Amazon GC). It's international too, so what're ya waiting for, folk? Enter here!

Book Review: Ransom My Heart (Mia Thermapolis - Meg Cabot)

He’s a tall, handsome knight with a secret. She’s an adventurous beauty with more than a few secrets of her own.

Finnula Crais needs money for her sister’s dowry, and fast. Handsome Hugo Fitzstephen, Earl of Stephensgate, returning home to England from the Crusades, has money–saddlebags of gold and jewels–and lots of it. What could be simpler than to kidnap him and hold him for ransom? Especially when he’s more than willing to allow himself to be caught by such a winsome captor.

Well, for starters, Finnula could make the terrible mistake of falling in love with her hostage, only to realize he’s been lying about his identity all along ….

But then, so has she.

Now their lives—and the lives of everyone they know and love—could be in mortal danger. Is Finnula in hell? Or is she in heaven?

I was quite surprised with this book. Here I was, thinking I was reading a Young Adult book in Ransom My Heart, only to find out that it is afterall, a full-fledge adult book! Deceived (or not), it was a good read nonetheless.

Set in Medieval England, Ransom My Heart portrays a very easy transition to the said period. I came to terms with the change in ways very easily, what with all the narrative style and the characters' attitudes. It is mostly the characters that relays this and I was happy with that. The primary characters are well-drawn and accurate and between them can extend laughter in all directions. Even the narrative itself was hilarious with well-chosen words!

For some inexplicable reason, this was a slow read for me. I toiled over it for days. I guess this was partly due to the slow start. No matter, it speeds up quickly. This results to quite a strange pacing - a slow introduction and then a whirl and blur towards the end.

Ransom My Heart can honestly be split into two parts. The plot first focused on the romance between Finnula and Hugo, one I was very excited to read, but found nothing so extraordinary about. Maybe it was due to my overly excitement, but although I had nothing against it, I found the romance a little too fast, in every sense of the word. Although the banters are funny and smart, the whole romance side is strangely reflective of a general plot in a number of romance novels. It just did not connect with me as much as I wanted it to. There were moments that appeared too brief for my liking, but there were quite a few bits and pieces I just can't say no to either.

After the romance is cemented, a mystery is then introduced. This transition flows readily, and I liked it, generally speaking. What I found slightly disappointing was the lack of actual mystery. The culprit was obviously meant to be hidden, but whilst the plot attempts to divert the reader to other possible suspects, it becomes blatantly obvious where the real culpability lies. In the end it was only a matter of how this would be played about. I found no strong dislike on how everything is arranged, but nothing special about them too.

This is my first Meg Cabot read, and I think I still have to explore more of her writing to get a firm grasp on my general liking of her works. Ransom My Heart, with its endearing characters though, is not a bad start at all!

Three stars.