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*Recommended for mature teens and adults

Eleanor “Elle” Chance, that is—a high-flying dirigible pilot with a taste for adventure and the heroine of this edgy new series that transforms elements of urban fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal romance into pure storytelling gold.

It is 1903, and the world is divided between light and shadow. On the side of light is a wondrous science that has transformed everyday life by harnessing magical energies to ingenious new technologies. But each advance of science has come at the expense of shadow—the traditional realm of the supernatural.

Now two ancient powers are preparing to strike back. Blood-sucking immortal Nightwalkers and their spellcasting Alchemist allies have a plan to cover the whole world in shadow. All they require is the sacrifice of a certain young woman whose past conceals a dangerous secret.

But when they come after Elle, they get more than they bargained for. This enterprising young woman, the daughter of a scientific genius, has reserves of bravery and determination that even she scarcely suspects. Now she is about to meet her match in more ways than one: a handsome yet infuriating Warlock named Hugh Marsh, whose agenda is as suspect as his charms are annoyingly irresistible.

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published March 5th 2013 by Del Rey (first published January 29th 2013)

Elle, an airship pilot, thinks that she is doing her friend Patrice a favor. But her trip to Paris goes horribly wrong. She loses her package before making it back to the ship and then finds out that her father has been kidnapped by the Alchemists.  A lost parcel, a broken ship, and a man who has decided he must protect her and help her find her father; Elle is in for a shock as her life is about to change.

This was the first time in a long time that I felt the author got Steampunk aspect completely right. The gadgets, airships, automatons were fascinating and leave such an impression that the story would not be the same without them. My absolute favourite character was the absinthe fairy who takes an interest in Elle and even narrates parts of the story.

Elle is a pretty spunky character. She is used to an independent life flying her airship, carrying weapons, and the comfort of her home life with her inventor father and predictable long-time house keeper.

When Mr Marsh comes into her life and now tells her that he knew her mother, and can help her get her father back, she reluctantly agrees to his patronage and accompanies him across Europe, by air and by train putting together the mysteries of the Alchemists and their connection to the scientist.

The world-building  is very imaginative and entertaining. The reader will get their fill of warlocks, nightwalkers, alchemists, magic, oracles and science. With an absinthe fairy who narrates between chapters, sky pirates and the fight for the  balance of Light and Shadow, this story was fun, exciting and at times romantic. 

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Bel:

 

Cover

The cover art is edgy and gritty, but is not my cup of tea. If it’s not yours either, don’t be fooled, give the book a chance!

Characters

I enjoy spending time in the shades of grey in a battle against good and evil.

Favourite

Maggie. Best friends should be made of this. She’s no flake and stands tall even in the face of the scary crap.

Least Favourite

Easy mark this one… Malachi. There just aren’t words for the epicness of his nastiness.

Beginning

Gaby is followed by a strange guy after putting the contents of her dreams on a website.

Storyline

The strange things just keep coming for Gaby, but she still can not remember her past.

Ending

The possibilities for part two are endless.

Thoughts

After reading this fabulous, book I am seriously kicking myself for not remembering to bring my copy of Shadows to the Brisbane Writer’s Festival at the start of the month. I seriously stood right next to Paula and had nothing for her to sign. UGH! Pity I hadn’t read the book by then or I also would have picked up part two and had that signed too.

Well and truly worth picking up Shadows even if it’s just for curiosity’s sake. You’ll be impressed.

Quote

Rusty Shrugs. ‘Simon’s all right.’ He points the fencepost at him at him. ‘You wouldn’t go out with wankers, would you, mate?’

‘Not if I could help it.’

Not quite a resounding endorsement.

‘Present company excepted, of course.’ I say, gesturing to the brothers.

 

 Lisa:

 

 

 

Cover: If you’ve stuck around for a while, and have been keeping up with a few of my reviews, you know just how important covers are to me. I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but does anyone actually do that?

The cover of a book is the first thing the consumer sees. It’s the books first impression on a possible buyer. The cover should pull people in, should giveaway a little bit about the story inside, and should be what makes a person pick up the book to see what it’s about.

The cover of Shadows tells the reader right away that it has something to do with angels. Also the cover is kind of mysterious looking. It makes me wonder what else is going on in this story, and I would mostly likely pick it up to see what the synopsis has to say.

The cover does its job! Love it!

Characters: When it comes to Shadows I can easily say that all of the elements are what made this book for me; not just the story, or the characters, or the ending, but everything. However, the characters were what made the story different from other YA angel books. I felt that the characters had so much density and felt so real that it pushed the book up to the next level.

Favorite: I liked a lot of the characters! Gaby for being so strong, not only is she dealing with the loss of her twin brother, but also with the whole “angel” thing. And Maggie for being such a good friend to Gaby, and absorbing all the crazy information that’s been thrown at her.

Least Favorite: I can’t really say I disliked any character.

Beginning: Gaby doesn’t know how to grieve for the loss of her twin brother after they were caught in a horrible car accident over a year ago. Gaby is now living in Pan Beach with her best friend Maggie, hoping to be able to deal with her loss, and move forward in her life.

Middle: Gaby and Maggie run into a mysterious guy named Rafa at a bar one night, who claims to be one of Jude’s (Gaby’s twin brother) best friend. He even proves himself, when he shows Gaby pictures of him and Jude together. Rafa informs Gaby that her brother didn’t die the way she thinks he did. And that Gaby isn’t who she thinks she is, instead she’s an angel. Within only a few chapters Gaby is thrown into the world of Rephaim!

Ending: MY LIPS ARE SEALED! *Throws away key*

Overall Thoughts:  Before picking this book up, I had no idea what it was about. I had never heard of it before, and decided to do a bit of research. After just one google search, I found tons of reviews, claiming amazing things and rating it with four or more stars (out of five). After finally reading Shadows, I can tell you first hand that everything, everyone is raving about in their reviews is correct!

I can say that I fell in love with this book. While many seem to be getting tired of angels, I’m just now discovering them. Shadows filled my angel craving! There are twists and turns in this story, that made me feel like I was on a roller coaster, and wasn’t getting off any time soon. Can’t wait to see what the rest of the series has in store!

 

Krista:

 

 

Cover

My favourite aspect of the US cover is the subtle shading of the wings. The art combined with the title represents the book well. And I love the red colour with the sunset background.

Characters

There are a handful of characters in this one. Gaby is the main focus of the storyline but we get different character’s point of view as the story unravels.

Favourite

My favorite character is Maggie, Gaby’s best friend. I really liked her personality. If I chose one of the main characters it would be Rafa, he’s got this protective side that I was attracted to.

Least Favourite

This was a hard question for this book. I couldn’t really pin point a character I didn’t think filled out the story well. Although there were a lot of details and characters to remember, I think they all meshed well.

Beginning

Gaby has been having dreams about fighting hell-beasts with a boy she refers to as  Matt. But when “Matt” shows up at the local bar, she’s determined to find answers. When he tells her that he was her dead brother’s best friend, Gaby has a hard time believing him because she cannot remember him. It turns out that the car accident that killed her brother and wiped her memory might have been something else all together.

Storyline

Gaby is still mourning the loss of her twin brother Jude, when Rafa appears. A real life embodiment of the man from her dreams. He tells her a story that blows her mind, and only upsets her more. As the proof starts rolling in that what Rafa has been telling her could possibly be true, it changes her life. It’s a story with constant movement and action scenes as the characters have to rescue and help each other.

Ending

Everything begins to come together nicely with a very powerful fight and revelations.

Thoughts

We get a lot of information for a first book in a series. It has a lot of Fallen Angel, Nephilim and Rephilim stories. Even though I did not connect with Gaby personally, her attitude makes sense with her story. She also has the physical fight to back up her mouth, so she’s a pretty bad arse character!

Quote

‘Why did you call me Matt?’
‘It seemed like a good idea at the time. Now that I know you, I realize I should have called that character Dick.’
He laughs, and then the couch shakes. ‘Honestly, Gabe, I forgot you could be this much fun.”

 

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For Gene and the remaining humans—or hepers—death is just a heartbeat away. On the run and hunted by society, they must find a way to survive in The Vast… and avoid the hungry predators tracking them in the dark. But they’re not the only things following Gene. He’s haunted by the girl he left behind and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

When they discover a refuge of exiled humans living high in the mountains, Gene and his friends think they’re finally safe. Led by a group of intensely secretive elders, the civilisation begins to raise more questions than answers. A strict code of behaviour is the rule, harsh punishments are meted out, young men are nowhere to be found—and Gene begins to wonder if the world they’ve entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As life at the refuge grows more perilous, he and Sissy only grow closer. In an increasingly violent world, all they have is each other… if they can only stay alive.

Hardcover, US, 304 pages

Published January 29th 2013 by St. Martin’s Press

 

The Prey, the sequel to The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda was able to keep me on the edge of my seat. Throughout the story there is a constant feeling of suspense and need for the characters to keep moving.

It is possible to read the sequel without having read the first book, but as usual it’s not something that I would recommend. 1) The Hunt was awesome and 2) you get a really good layout of the world building and characters in the first book.

The Prey starts off from exactly where we left book one. Gene and the humans are running from the vampires. In this world the vampires rule and the humans have been sectioned off and it is a rarity and a treat to feed on them. The vamps are highly intelligent, have their own schools, businesses and lives in the cities. But can smell pure human blood from miles away, and the urge to hunt is unstoppable.

Gene and his companions are not only looking for safety from the vampires, but also Gene’s father who has disappeared. As they try to make their escape I was fascinated by the gadgets and cleverness of the vampires in their pursuit. The vampires always seemed to be one step ahead as the humans make their way down river, hoping for safety.

There were several aspects to this book that both had me shocked, awed and sometimes grossed out as I read. Firstly the vampires were intelligent, gruesome and very animalistic. Next you have this strange cult-like civilization that is bordering on insane and creepy at the same time.

I really loved the new characters that were brought into the story. The non-stop fight for survival and the friendships forged through their struggles, a As well as this constant feeling of not knowing who to trust really, kept the story engaging. I wasn’t sure how the story was going to end, but it was amazing and very fast paced. 

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Bel:

 

Cover

I adore the cover art. Black, white and almost cerulean blue. Feathers, scrolling and embossing wrap their way from front to back. Then there is my weakness at the moment, foiling. This all comes together to make a charming and understated, yet relevant cover design.

Characters

It never ceases to amaze me that teens the world over all tend to do the same things. The characters in Hidden are Aussie, but you wouldn’t really pick it.

Favourite

Amber is someone I’d love as a friend of my very own. Fiercely protective, constantly loyal and sweet as pie.

Least Favourite

Adam. Ugh!

Beginning

Ebony knows she’s extremely strong and begins looking for answers.

Storyline

She meets Jordan and all hell breaks lose.

Ending

A great ending that screams for a second book.

Thoughts

I’m proud to say this beautiful story was written by an Aussie about Australia, though you wouldn’t pick it due to the lack of stereotypical markers – shrimp on the barbie, etc. What we do have is a subtle yet moving story about stolen angels in the land down under.

As an added note. Go check out Marianne Curley’s biography. This woman is a true fighter. I’m grateful she’s able to bless us with her beautiful storytelling.

Quote

“Well, Nathaneal Whoever-you-are, I don’t believe you’re telling me the truth because firstly, my name is not Ebrielle. You seem to have trouble remembering that. You won’t tell me your name, and the things you say are creepy.” Ebony.

 

Krista:

 

 

Cover

I love the smooth feel of the US cover, along with the pretty whirly designs. But I thought it weird that they cover her eyes, as it’s explained in the book that she has violet eyes that stand out. I think it would have made the cover pop. But by covering her eyes, it goes along with the “hidden” theme of the book.

Characters

I noticed that all of the characters have something in common. They all have protection as their main goal. The story is told from both Ebony and Jordan’s perspectives, which I enjoyed.

Favourite

Amber, she is Ebony’s best friend. I admired the way Amber was so dedicated and was able to help Ebony through her troubles, whether she agreed with what she was doing or not. Their friendship was one that everybody wishes they had.

Least Favourite

Adam, which is kind of predictable answer because he’s the bad guy. But there was something about his demeanor when we are first introduced to him that just got under my skin. Pretty sure we are meant to hate him from page 1.

Beginning

Ebony and Jordan meet outside a dance club. Ebony comes off as being klutzy and Jordan a bad boy. But as we get to know them, we learn that Ebony she is a very protected girl who loves to ride horses with her best friend and she sticks to her own group at school. Jordan has been through a lot,  moving from house to house. When he goes to live with the Skinner family, a very unfortunate accident happens. His best friend dies and he gains an enemy in the brother, Adam.

Storyline

During a near death experience, Jordan is visited by angels who promise him a better life if he helps them find Ebrielle, an Angel who was kidnapped at birth.

Ending

A couple of things come to a head at the ending to help lead into the next book in the series. It has great action and suspenseful.

Thoughts

Angel stories have become quite popular in Young Adult books recently and I read through this one in one weekend. It was gripping and had a fun twist to it. I was surprised at some of the events that happen and liked the direction the romance took.

Quote

“Do you believe me, Amber?”

She looks straight into my eyes, ‘Every Word.’

 

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Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom…

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

Hardcover, 324 pages  Published May 22nd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends  ISBN  1250003326 (ISBN13: 9781250003324)

Of Poseidon is a mermaid story that takes place on both land and sea with a basis of mythology and ties to the Triton and Poseidon legends.

When Galen and Emma meet, he is intrigued by her, eventually taking her into the group to train her. All the while he is investigating her bloodline and how it is that she exists and not know what she is.

As Emma and Galen spend more time together, their relationship grows. Emma is the feistiest main character I have come across in a long time. She has no intention of taking orders from anybody and is quick to argue anything and everything she has an opinion about. I was amazed at how calm Galen was in her presence and even more so that he falls for her.  But he is definitely up to the challenge.

Emma’s determined to push herself further underwater than Galen is comfortable with and she gets herself into some  sticky situations. Most of the time Galen takes her actions in his stride, but having to also maintain leadership and show control, takes its toll. As he begins to fall for her and anticipates her outbursts, he acts more on his own emotions as well, letting down his guard.

Of Poseidon ties the Syrena with the Greek myths and legends of Poseidon. A young girl who’s reality has just changed forever and a young Syrenian prince who has passed his marriage age and is finding love for the first time. A love that he will have to fight for. 

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