You guys heard right, I'm going to BEA 2016 I've been waiting on it to come to Chicago for years, and even though I don't live there anymore, I'm going back to cover the show! Super excited. Here are some updates that I've gotten so far:
Bloomsbury Author Events:
Don't miss these Bloomsbury authors at BEA! Christine Sneed on the “Hot Fall Fiction” panel Fri. 5/13, 12:15pm, on the Downtown stage for The Virginity of Famous Men Autographing Area signings: 5/12, 2:00pm, Table 3: Elizabeth Eulberg, The Great Shelby Holmes; 5/13, 10:00am, Table 6: Danielle Paige, Stealing Snow; 5/13, 11:00am, Table 6: Jeff Giles, The Edge of Everything
Bloomsbury BEA Galley Giveaways:
-Adult titles: Mad Enchantment, The Secrets of Wishtide, The Blind Astronomer’s Daughter, and The Virginity of Famous Men
-Children's/YA titles: The Great Shelby Holmes, The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart, Stealing Snow, and The Edge of Everything
A paranormal/fantasy/supernatural/contemporary book review blog. I review both Young Adult (YA) novels and Adult novels. I only accept review requests from established publishers.
Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Friday, May 24, 2013
SLEEPING WITH THE ENTITY by Cat Devon
Sleeping with the Entity
Cat Devon
Rating: C-
Release Date: 06/04/13
Synopsis:
She has a sweet tooth and a dream.
Meet Daniella Delaney. She’s all ready to open her shop, Heavenly Cupcakes, in one of Chicago’s sleepier districts. But she’s having a hard time convincing the local business association—namely Nick St. George—that she’s a good addition to the neighborhood. Daniella hopes that her famous red velvet cupcakes will be enough to melt any man’s heart. But Nick is no ordinary man. He’s got fangs.
He has a constant craving...
As leader of the Vamptown clan, Nick has no intention of letting Daniella breathe new life into his old haunts. But something about her leaves Nick hungry…for more. He can’t control her mind like other humans, a trait that makes Daniella irresistible. Could it be that, for the first time in centuries, Nick has met his match? Love is always a force to be reckoned with. But can this vampire have his cake and eat it too?
My thoughts on the book:
Sleeping with the Entity is a cute, light, and quick read. However, it has many flaws. The characters aren't fully developed, many conversations and situations don't seem realistic, the writing is a bit amateurish in spots, and the world-building was practically non-existent. Still, I somehow managed to enjoy the book, if nothing else, for the simplicity of it all. The idea itself is a bit original, and I always love a story set in my hometown of Chicago.
Daniella was a bit of an obnoxious character. She rambled way too much, and there were times when I wanted to tell her to shut up. Also, many of her actions didn't make sense. However, she was a decent person, or so it seemed. It was hard to tell because there was zero character development. I also didn't feel like I got to know Nick at all. I mean sure I knew some facts about him by the end, but I never got a feel for him. He seemed okay, too, though he was a bit jerky at times. I didn't know enough about him to forgive him for it. The secondary characters may as well have not existed because it was glaringly obvious that they were there as filler characters only.
The plot was a bit nonexistent, and things didn't always make sense. Characters believed and agreed to things randomly with no rhyme or reason other than it fit neatly into the box that the author created. The plot felt extremely forced and planned, and nothing seemed very realistic. Also, nothing overly bad happened. Somehow, though, and I'm not sure how it happened, the book hooked me. I couldn't put it down and read it all in one sitting. It's a quick, light read, but how conveniently things worked out really got on my nerves.
Overall, I'd say check this one out at the library before buying. It was okay, but nothing special.
Pre-order Sleeping with the Entity
Cat Devon
Release Date: 06/04/13
Synopsis:
She has a sweet tooth and a dream.
Meet Daniella Delaney. She’s all ready to open her shop, Heavenly Cupcakes, in one of Chicago’s sleepier districts. But she’s having a hard time convincing the local business association—namely Nick St. George—that she’s a good addition to the neighborhood. Daniella hopes that her famous red velvet cupcakes will be enough to melt any man’s heart. But Nick is no ordinary man. He’s got fangs.
He has a constant craving...
As leader of the Vamptown clan, Nick has no intention of letting Daniella breathe new life into his old haunts. But something about her leaves Nick hungry…for more. He can’t control her mind like other humans, a trait that makes Daniella irresistible. Could it be that, for the first time in centuries, Nick has met his match? Love is always a force to be reckoned with. But can this vampire have his cake and eat it too?
My thoughts on the book:
Sleeping with the Entity is a cute, light, and quick read. However, it has many flaws. The characters aren't fully developed, many conversations and situations don't seem realistic, the writing is a bit amateurish in spots, and the world-building was practically non-existent. Still, I somehow managed to enjoy the book, if nothing else, for the simplicity of it all. The idea itself is a bit original, and I always love a story set in my hometown of Chicago.
Daniella was a bit of an obnoxious character. She rambled way too much, and there were times when I wanted to tell her to shut up. Also, many of her actions didn't make sense. However, she was a decent person, or so it seemed. It was hard to tell because there was zero character development. I also didn't feel like I got to know Nick at all. I mean sure I knew some facts about him by the end, but I never got a feel for him. He seemed okay, too, though he was a bit jerky at times. I didn't know enough about him to forgive him for it. The secondary characters may as well have not existed because it was glaringly obvious that they were there as filler characters only.
The plot was a bit nonexistent, and things didn't always make sense. Characters believed and agreed to things randomly with no rhyme or reason other than it fit neatly into the box that the author created. The plot felt extremely forced and planned, and nothing seemed very realistic. Also, nothing overly bad happened. Somehow, though, and I'm not sure how it happened, the book hooked me. I couldn't put it down and read it all in one sitting. It's a quick, light read, but how conveniently things worked out really got on my nerves.
Overall, I'd say check this one out at the library before buying. It was okay, but nothing special.
Pre-order Sleeping with the Entity
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
BITING COLD by Chloe Neill
Biting Cold
Chloe Neill
Rating: B-
Synopsis:
Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined.And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans. Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed.
No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on.
My thoughts on the book:
I never thought I'd rate a Chloe Neill book this low, but the pacing at the beginning was extremely slow. I put the book down and entertained the idea of just not finishing it a few times within the first 3-4 chapters. After chapter 5 or so, things picked up and got interesting. Then I couldn't put it down. Overall, this was a decent transition book, and it adds to the series. However, I don't feel that this is representative of Neill's immense talent as a writer. I'm confident that the next book in the series will be better.
Merit didn't grow a lot during this installment, but Ethan did. I really like who he is becoming and where his relationship with Merit is going. I also enjoyed learning more about Tate and finally figuring out what he is. The scenes with him were top notch. Mallory changed quite a bit over the course of the novel, but I'd like to know more regarding how these changes came about. The flimsy excuse given just didn't suffice, in my opinion. Paige was a new character, and I really liked her. I hope to see more of her in the next novel.
The plot was intriguing, but as I mentioned, it was very slow at first. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have the others. While things picked up around the 5th chapter, I didn't feel that this book really reached its stride until about the 70% mark. That was when it grew into a novel that was up to par with what I'd expect from Neill. I really loved the ending of the book, though, and I can't wait to see how that will affect the future of Cadogan house.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series. Also, I'd recommend this series to anyone who loves a good urban fantasy with a kick ass heroine. Merit does not disappoint. She's strong and smart, but she also has a heart. This series can't be missed.
Want to order Biting Cold?
Chloe Neill
Synopsis:
Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined.And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans. Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed.
No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on.
My thoughts on the book:
I never thought I'd rate a Chloe Neill book this low, but the pacing at the beginning was extremely slow. I put the book down and entertained the idea of just not finishing it a few times within the first 3-4 chapters. After chapter 5 or so, things picked up and got interesting. Then I couldn't put it down. Overall, this was a decent transition book, and it adds to the series. However, I don't feel that this is representative of Neill's immense talent as a writer. I'm confident that the next book in the series will be better.
Merit didn't grow a lot during this installment, but Ethan did. I really like who he is becoming and where his relationship with Merit is going. I also enjoyed learning more about Tate and finally figuring out what he is. The scenes with him were top notch. Mallory changed quite a bit over the course of the novel, but I'd like to know more regarding how these changes came about. The flimsy excuse given just didn't suffice, in my opinion. Paige was a new character, and I really liked her. I hope to see more of her in the next novel.
The plot was intriguing, but as I mentioned, it was very slow at first. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have the others. While things picked up around the 5th chapter, I didn't feel that this book really reached its stride until about the 70% mark. That was when it grew into a novel that was up to par with what I'd expect from Neill. I really loved the ending of the book, though, and I can't wait to see how that will affect the future of Cadogan house.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series. Also, I'd recommend this series to anyone who loves a good urban fantasy with a kick ass heroine. Merit does not disappoint. She's strong and smart, but she also has a heart. This series can't be missed.
Want to order Biting Cold?
Monday, July 9, 2012
COLD FURY by T.M. Goeglein
Cold Fury
T.M. Goeglein
Rating: B
Release Date: 07/24/12
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure
Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).
Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.
Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.
My thoughts on the book:
Anyone who wants to read from the perspective of a smart, tough, mature heroine needs to pick up Cold Fury as soon as possible. While Sara Jane's name may cause you to think that she came straight from Little House on the Prairie, her strength and resourcefulness will quickly end that notion. While there were some dialogue and pacing issues within this novel, Cold Fury is full of action and suspense. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. You don't want to miss this one!
I'm going to start with the very few things that I don't like and then tell you about the many things that I do like about this book. The dialogue was a bit ridiculous and cheesy at times. It seems like Goeglein has watched gangster movies too many times and now thinks that anyone who lives in the general proximity of the mob will talk like a 1920s thug. I lived in Chicago for many years, and hope to return there once I get my BA, and I have never heard anyone my age or younger refer to someone else as a "knucklehead." I mean some of the dialect in the midwest is a bit archaic, but not that archaic. Also, the use of "pinhead" threw me a bit. That is yet another phrase I never heard uttered in the Chicagoland area. I'm 99.9% sure that no teenagers really say those words. Having the teenagers say those words kind of makes everyone in Chicago seem like they should be wearing fedoras and running from the "coppers" or something. It's pretty comical, so I laughed at some inopportune times because of that. Anyway, other than the dialogue, the pacing was a bit slow. It seemed to take a little longer than it should to get from one important point to the next. Those two issues aside, I loved this book.
Sara Jane is the strongest heroine I've ever read in an adult novel, AND she's a Cubs fan. She doesn't waste time taking care of what needs to be done, and she certainly doesn't spend her time pining after some boy. Sure, there are romantic interests in this book, but she barely has time to worry with them. Instead, she takes care of things that need to be done in order to find her family. She's loyal to her friends and puts her family first. The girl obviously has her priorities straight. And where a lot of YA heroines would have broken down, cried, and waited on some knight in shining armor type to save them, Sara Jane squares her shoulders and carries on. And guess what, when she meets a hot guy, she doesn't go crying to him about her problems. She keeps them to herself and does what she has to do. She even *gasp* turns down dates! It's a miracle in YA literature that a female would EVER turn down a date. Because of her independence (and the fact that she's a Cubs fan), I think she is the perfect YA heroine. There isn't a lot of secondary character involvement quite yet, but my favorite is Tyler. I hope to see more of him in the sequel.
T.M. Goeglein
Release Date: 07/24/12
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure
Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).
Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.
Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.
My thoughts on the book:
Anyone who wants to read from the perspective of a smart, tough, mature heroine needs to pick up Cold Fury as soon as possible. While Sara Jane's name may cause you to think that she came straight from Little House on the Prairie, her strength and resourcefulness will quickly end that notion. While there were some dialogue and pacing issues within this novel, Cold Fury is full of action and suspense. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. You don't want to miss this one!
I'm going to start with the very few things that I don't like and then tell you about the many things that I do like about this book. The dialogue was a bit ridiculous and cheesy at times. It seems like Goeglein has watched gangster movies too many times and now thinks that anyone who lives in the general proximity of the mob will talk like a 1920s thug. I lived in Chicago for many years, and hope to return there once I get my BA, and I have never heard anyone my age or younger refer to someone else as a "knucklehead." I mean some of the dialect in the midwest is a bit archaic, but not that archaic. Also, the use of "pinhead" threw me a bit. That is yet another phrase I never heard uttered in the Chicagoland area. I'm 99.9% sure that no teenagers really say those words. Having the teenagers say those words kind of makes everyone in Chicago seem like they should be wearing fedoras and running from the "coppers" or something. It's pretty comical, so I laughed at some inopportune times because of that. Anyway, other than the dialogue, the pacing was a bit slow. It seemed to take a little longer than it should to get from one important point to the next. Those two issues aside, I loved this book.
Sara Jane is the strongest heroine I've ever read in an adult novel, AND she's a Cubs fan. She doesn't waste time taking care of what needs to be done, and she certainly doesn't spend her time pining after some boy. Sure, there are romantic interests in this book, but she barely has time to worry with them. Instead, she takes care of things that need to be done in order to find her family. She's loyal to her friends and puts her family first. The girl obviously has her priorities straight. And where a lot of YA heroines would have broken down, cried, and waited on some knight in shining armor type to save them, Sara Jane squares her shoulders and carries on. And guess what, when she meets a hot guy, she doesn't go crying to him about her problems. She keeps them to herself and does what she has to do. She even *gasp* turns down dates! It's a miracle in YA literature that a female would EVER turn down a date. Because of her independence (and the fact that she's a Cubs fan), I think she is the perfect YA heroine. There isn't a lot of secondary character involvement quite yet, but my favorite is Tyler. I hope to see more of him in the sequel.
I did love Sara Jane, but I think my favorite thing about this novel is that it feels like Chicago. Sara Jane's attitude and the way she interacts with the people around her, combined with the landscape painting that Goeglein does, made Cold Fury feel like home to me... which inevitably made me incredibly homesick. However, that Chicagoland feeling is part of what made me love this novel so much. It really does encompass all that is beautiful and terrible about the city. I hope the sequel has more of the same feel to it.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspenseful novels with a touch of the supernatural. I'd also recommend it to people who love Chicago or would like to visit the city one day, as well as people who enjoy mob and prohibition-era history. Regardless of your interests, Cold Fury has something for everyone. Give this book a try, you won't be disappointed!
Want to pre-order Cold Fury?
Thursday, March 1, 2012
BLACK HOWL by Christina Henry
Black Howl
Christina Henry
Rating: B+
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Something is wrong with the souls of Chicago's dead. Ghosts are walking the streets, and Agent of Death Madeline Black's exasperating boss wants her to figure out why. And while work is bad enough, Maddy has a plethora of personal problems, too.
In an effort not to spoil the first two books of the series, I'm going to cut the post here. Read this review at your own risk, if you haven't read the first two books!
Christina Henry
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Something is wrong with the souls of Chicago's dead. Ghosts are walking the streets, and Agent of Death Madeline Black's exasperating boss wants her to figure out why. And while work is bad enough, Maddy has a plethora of personal problems, too.
In an effort not to spoil the first two books of the series, I'm going to cut the post here. Read this review at your own risk, if you haven't read the first two books!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
DRINK DEEP by Chloe Neill
Drink Deep
Chloe Neill
Grade: A+
Description from goodreads.com:
Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and recently turned vampire Merit can't tell if this is the darkness before the dawn or the calm before the storm. With the city itself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times haven't been this precarious for vampires since they came out of the closet. If only they could lay low for a bit, and let the mortals calm down.
That's when the waters of Lake Michigan suddenly turn pitch black-and things really start getting ugly.
Chicago's mayor insists it's nothing to worry about, but Merit knows only the darkest magic could have woven a spell powerful enough to change the very fabric of nature. She'll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who's behind this, and stop them before it's too late for vampires and humans alike.
My thoughts on the book:
Chloe Neill
Description from goodreads.com:
Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and recently turned vampire Merit can't tell if this is the darkness before the dawn or the calm before the storm. With the city itself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times haven't been this precarious for vampires since they came out of the closet. If only they could lay low for a bit, and let the mortals calm down.
That's when the waters of Lake Michigan suddenly turn pitch black-and things really start getting ugly.
Chicago's mayor insists it's nothing to worry about, but Merit knows only the darkest magic could have woven a spell powerful enough to change the very fabric of nature. She'll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who's behind this, and stop them before it's too late for vampires and humans alike.
My thoughts on the book:
Having been in tears at the end of Hard Bitten, I was almost afraid to pick up this book. However, Neill said to trust her, and I am so glad I did. This book was full of surprises from start to finish! Merit is back, and she has to save Chicago, yet again, from vampires, sorcerers, and corrupt politicians. I love the corrupt politician angle that Neill adds to this series. It's just so Chicago, and yes, I can say that because I am a Chicagoan. GO CUBS! ahem...
Merit is a Cubs fan too, and that's just another reason that I love her. She started this book being a bit weak because she was still grieving over Ethan, but she gets her act together pretty quickly when she notices that things are going terribly wrong in Chicago. There's a scary looking cloud over the city, and the lake goes completely black and still. Being from Chicago, the the clouds are normal (especially in the winter), but the lake thing terrified me. I know, I know, it's fiction, but Neill has the ability to fully immerse the reader into her world, and I was curious and worried about the fate of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Not only that, but a new politician is in town, and she's wanting to get rid of all the supernatural/government alliances, which means Merit's grandfather is out of a job. Think things can't get any worse? You'd be wrong.
Outside of the house, the entire city is a mess, but inside the house is even worse. Since Ethan's death, Malik has taken over the house. However, the GP thinks that Cadogan house is falling apart, so they sent someone to watch and run the house. Of course, this GP doesn't want Merit involved in what's going on in Chicago, but in typical Merit style, she doesn't listen. Since she can't work with anyone from Cadogan House, Merit has to team up with Jonah from Grey House in order to solve this mystery.
I liked Jonah and everything, and his interactions with Merit were fun to read, but he's no Ethan. Therefore, I wasn't his biggest fan throughout the book because I kept missing Ethan, even though he was present in Merit's dreams. Mallory and Catcher also weren't present as much in this novel, and Mallory was distancing herself from Merit a lot. I missed their interactions a bit, but I missed Merit and Ethan the most.
In an effort not to give anything away with the plot, Neill packs this book full of surprises. Some of the things I saw coming, and others came completely from left field. From the first page, I was hooked. Of course I peeked to the back because I'm a big cheater, and I had to make sure things ended the way I wanted. After being satisfied with that, I went back and read through the entire plot to see how things ended up the way they did. Somehow peeking at the end didn't kill my enthusiasm for this book in the slightest. I still had to see what Neill had up her sleeve, and the pacing is so fast that the pages flew by.
The characters, of course, were well-developed, and everyone's favorites and least-favorites were present in this novel. Merit even talks to Tate about things. Tate's an enigma, and no one can figure out what he is. He doesn't exactly help Merit's cause of saving the city, but he's an entertaining villain nonetheless.
For those of you who have read the other books in the Chicagoland Vampire Series, Drink Deep is a must. Neill does not disappoint with this novel. If you haven't read the series yet, then start with Some Girls Bite and work you way through the series from the very beginning. Neill has created an enthralling world in Chicago, and you do not want to miss out on it!
Want to buy Drink Deep?
Friday, January 13, 2012
Read Chapter 1 of BLACK HOWL on Christina Henry's website!
How many of you are waiting not-so-patiently for Black Howl by Christina Henry to be released? I know I am! Well lucky for us, she's posted the first chapter of the third book in the Black Wings trilogy up on her website. What are you waiting for?! Go check it out!
Chapter 1 of BLACK WINGS
Chapter 1 of BLACK WINGS
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Charmfall by Chloe Neill
Charmfall
Chloe Neill
Grade: A+
Description from goodreads.com:
High school can be a battlefield, but for Lily Parker, surviving at St. Sophia’s School for Girls is a matter of life and death...
Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you’re a junior. So when the girls of St. Sophia’s start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good, old-fashioned party prep—even if it means not giving demons, vampires and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention.
But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn’t forget what she’s sworn to protect. She reaches deep into herself to draw out her magic—and finds that it’s gone. And it turns out she’s not alone. A magical blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what—or who—caused it. But Lily knows getting back her magic is worth the risk of going behind enemy lines...
This review contains Hexbound and Firespell spoilers. Click at your own risk!
Chloe Neill
Description from goodreads.com:
High school can be a battlefield, but for Lily Parker, surviving at St. Sophia’s School for Girls is a matter of life and death...
Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you’re a junior. So when the girls of St. Sophia’s start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good, old-fashioned party prep—even if it means not giving demons, vampires and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention.
But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn’t forget what she’s sworn to protect. She reaches deep into herself to draw out her magic—and finds that it’s gone. And it turns out she’s not alone. A magical blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what—or who—caused it. But Lily knows getting back her magic is worth the risk of going behind enemy lines...
This review contains Hexbound and Firespell spoilers. Click at your own risk!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Hexbound by Chloe Neill
Hexbound
Chloe Neill
Grade: A
Description from Goodreads.com
Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.
They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.
Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil isn’t always clear…
Chloe Neill
Description from Goodreads.com
Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.
They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.
Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil isn’t always clear…
Friday, December 23, 2011
Firespell by Chloe Neill
Firespell
Chloe Neill
Chloe Neill
Grade: B+
Description from Chloe Neill's website.
As the new girl at the elite St. Sophia’s boarding school, Lily Parker thinks her classmates are the most monstrous things she’ll have to face…When Lily’s guardians decided to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she was shocked. So was St. Sophia’s. Lily’s ultra-rich brat pack classmates think Lily should be the punchline to every joke, and on top of that, she’s hearing strange noises and seeing bizarre things in the shadows of the creepy building.
The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout’s a little weird—she keeps disappearing late at night and won’t tell Lily where she’s been. But when a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout running from a real monster.
Scout’s a member of a splinter group of rebel teens with unique magical talents, who’ve sworn to protect the city against demons, vampires, and Reapers, magic users who’ve been corrupted by their power. And when Lily finds herself in the line of firespell, Scout tells her the truth about her secret life, even though Lily has no powers of her own—at least none that she’s discovered yet…
My thoughts on the book:
Firespell by Chloe Neill is a good start to the Dark Elite series. I have read all of the Chicagoland Vampire books by Ms. Neill, and I was curious to see how her YA books stood up next to the adult books, and I wasn't disappointed. While it doesn't move as fast as I would have liked for it to, it does do a good job laying groundwork for a new series. The novel also introduces Lily Parker and her friends, who are all very well-rounded characters. Lily is the type of girl that everyone can relate to, especially young adults. Because of this, the first person narration works perfectly.
Lily's parents go to Germany for a sabbatical, and they force Lily to enroll in St. Sophia's School for Girls in Chicago. Lily, an Upstate New York native is none too happy about the change in the beginning. Neill does an excellent job using Chicago as a backdrop, and as a former Chicago resident, I can picture exactly where St. Sophia's would be in the city. As with the Chicagoland Vampire series, Chicago is almost a character unto itself. The city feels very alive in real life, and I feel that the way Neill makes it seem like its own character does it justice. Very few authors could pull that off, but the city is an important aspect of the story, as it should be. One of my favorite parts of the book is the fact that she uses the old Pedway as a setting.
There isn't a lot of magic in the book, and there is absolutely no violence to speak of. A couple of semi-violent spells are cast, but past that, there is nothing violent about it. That surprised me because even YA paranormal books generally have at least some violence. However, I think that the lack of violence is somewhat refreshing, even though I was hoping for at least one fight scene to spice things up a bit.
Lily has a love interest in the book, but the almost-relationship progresses slowly. I prefer the slow building relationship to the insta-love that is common in so many YA books today. There is an almost-kiss in the novel, but beyond that, nothing romantic really happens. Lily flirts with the guy she's interested in, and he flirts with her, but it's not some all-consuming love that can't be controlled. The fact that the relationship is taking its natural course makes the entire novel much more believable.
Lily's best friend Scout is a great addition to the story. She is funny and sarcastic. She reminds me of a true Chicagoan. I really enjoy her banter with Lily.
Of course there are mean girls in the novel. What YA novel would be complete without mean girls at the school? However, the heroine does handle the pranks rather well, which makes her a good role model, in my opinion.
Over all I enjoyed the book, and I am currently reading Hexbound, which is the next novel in the series. I will post my review of it once I'm finished.
Have a Happy Holiday, everyone!
Want to try out Firespell for yourself?
Amazon.com: Print
Amazon.com: Kindle E-Book
Barnes and Noble: Print
Barnes and Noble: Nook E-Book
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)