---

At sixteen years old, Evie isn’t the normal teenage girl. Yes, she’s human, but she’s so much more than that. At a young age, she was pushed from one foster home to the next, until she discovered her power. She has the ability to see through paranormals’ glamour—glamour being the shield that paranormal creatures use to travel in public without the humans around them seeing their real form.

Since discovering her power, Evie has been adopted into IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency), going on missions to hunt down and tag paranormal creatures. Even with the knowledge that she is protecting the human race, Evie does miss the normal things teenagers do like going to school, having a locker, and attending prom with some cute boy!

Evie has always done what her job and Raquel, her mom/boss, asked of her, and never once questioned what IPCA was really doing. That is until an invisible shape shifter breaks into the IPCA building disguised as Raquel. With no real idea or plan to escape, Lend explains that he was there to gather information for the people he was working with. Evie can’t help but stare at Lend, not because he’s a shape shifter, but because he’s cute…and the only boy her age she’s seen in a very long time.

But after going on a mission to tag a couple of vampires, Evie barely escapes and comes back to find out that the vampires had somehow all died. Evie didn’t do it. So who did? Paranormals are dying quickly and Evie is the one who has to stop this!

Evie is having nightmares about a yellow-gold shadow and she can’t help but wonder what is going on. She soon discovers that she isn’t human at all and the person killing the paranormals is much closer than she could have ever thought!

I absolutely adored the characters in Paranormalcy. I loved Evie; she embraced her ability and enjoyed having it, unlike many characters in other YA genres that try their best to hide it and blend in. Besides that, Evie was totally kick butt, yet super girly and enjoyed dressing up and looking good.

Paranormalcy didn’t only include vampires, but many other paranormal creatures that pushed this book to the next level, such as trolls and hags.

The romance between Lend and Evie wasn’t too overpowering. It didn’t hide the rest of the story in its shadows, but was instead a light glow. You felt it, but it wasn’t taking up the entire focus.

Overall, Paranormaly had no slow parts and there was always something going on. I can’t say anything about the ending, but it was REALLY good! I hope you pick up Paranormalcy, and enjoy it just as much as I did!

---

---

*Thank you Weiser Books for sending me a copy for review*

The title of this book explains everything this book IS, in JUST five words! Goddess Spells for Busy Girls, is just that! The entire book is filled with short and sweet spells for everything.

Broken heart? Not enough money? Sick or stressed? Need a boost? Goddess Spells and at least of one (if not more) of the twenty five goddesses featured in this book will have something for you. Every spell is super quick and easy to do! All you need are a few small items, which you’ll most likely have laying around at home, and each spell comes with easy to read and follow instructions.

I haven’t read a non-fiction book in a long while, and haven’t reviewed one at all. So Goddess Spells is the first one. When I was asked to review Goddess Spells for Busy Girls, and I had no other choice but to accept, by purely seeing and LOVING the title of this book!

Goddess Spells for Busy Girls has no main character, has no twists and turns, and no cliff-hanger ending; it’s completely straight forward. Goddess Spells is a book filled entirely with  spells, descriptions of twenty five different goddesses, and even small glimpses into the author’s life at the beginning of each chapter.

It doesn’t matter what you might need a spell for, there are so many different types of spells for so many different types of situations. Each needed only a small list of household items  and can be done anywhere and any time!

Not having the items needed to fulfil a spell was my biggest worry, but I soon realized that all the required ingredients can easily be found in a grocery store, or local speciality store.

Some of the spells include:

 

Spell to Spark Creativity (page 27)

Spell to Promote Power (page 35)

Spell for Tough Choices (page 49)

Spell for Peace (page 81)

Spell for Protection (page 124)

I enjoyed not only learning about goddesses and the author but also performing some of the spells myself! They don’t take long, don’t make a mess and results can be seen very quickly!

Goddess Spells just hit the stores’ bookshelves at the beginning of February, so make sure to pick up your own copy soon! And start casting some spells!

---

---

Bel:

 

Cover

I believe I borrowed the first edition Aussie cover from the Library. It is a charmingly illustrated image of a waif-like girl beside a fire in a deep dark green forest. The title is embossed and Juliet’s name really pops in the bright red used on both the cover and the spine.

Characters

In this high fantasy setting there is no room for the weak of mind or the weak of will. Kind hearts are a plenty, though trying to figure out whose heart is true, is tricky.

Favourite

Mara. Mainly because she is making do in a horrible situation and loves her family anyway.

Least Favourite

King Keldec… though we haven’t technically met him. What a poop head.

Beginning

Neryn is put up as a prize and is lost in a gambling and drinking binge her father goes on.

Storyline

She is aiming to head to a place called Shadowfell, where people with unexplainable gifts are free to be themselves without fear of judgement by King Keldec’s cronies.

Ending

There is a book 2… and to be quite frank I want it in my hands right now!

Thoughts

It took me longer than it should have to finish Shadowfell, though I think it had more to do with life getting in the way than any disinterest on my part. I found grabbing a page or two on the bus in the morning was enough to get me through to lunch. I could spend all day in the world Juliet Marillier has created for Neryn. It is enchanting to say the very least.

Quote

‘I’m fond o’ banes’ the brollachan commented, noticing me looking.

‘I see that.’ My voice was unsteady

‘Ye thinkin’ I might eat ye up for supper?’

‘That did cross my mind, yes. I seem to remember that, in the tales, brollachans sometimes do that.’

‘Ye canna see yersel’, wee one. There’s hardly a scrap o’ meat on ye. Nae worth the trouble.

~ Conversation between Neryn and the brollachan

 

Krista

 

 

Cover

The US cover does represent the book, with the girl wrapped in the brown cloak in the forest. But I prefer the Australian cover with the young girl sitting by the fire in the forest.

 Characters

We follow Neryn throughout the story, but several characters come into play, both human and animal, as she travels across the land to get to a safe place away from the King’s men.

Favourite

The Good Folk. I really loved the idea behind them and the imagination that went into describing who they were. Since there was such a huge variety of them, it was very open to the imagination as to what features and abilities they had.

Least Favourite

Even though he didn’t actually show his face in this book, the King, and what he was doing to the people of this land, really did upset me. He is definitely somebody that you want to see taken down from power and taught a lesson by the end of the series.

Beginning

The story starts off with a bit of action, as Neryn and her father are running for their lives, and eventually ending with Neryn being left on her own to make her way to the only place she knows of that is safe from the King’s men – Shadowfell. She is alone, and walking by foot and it’s several days/weeks travelling to get there.

Storyline

When King Keldec calls for all magical people to be brought to him, Neryn and her father go on the run. She soon finds herself on her own and with the help of her gift, Neryn must traverse the land to reach a safe haven.

Ending

Pretty powerful. I wasn’t expecting to be as moved as I was when the book came to a close. There were so many emotions built up during the story that the ending has an impact, really driving the urge to get the next book pronto.

Thoughts

Neryn was often “stuck” during her travels and that lead to a lot of down time. But it seems that the times that adventure was happening were really pumped up and so thought provoking that I had to stop and consider the story before I could move on. The ending really made the difference for me. I found that I was more invested in the characters than I realized. The story has stayed with me for days now, in a very good way, and won’t leave my mind.

Quote

“I understand that it’s hard for you to trust. Your not alone in that” -Flint

 

Lisa:

 

 

Cover

At first, after ordering this book online and getting to see it first hand, I wasn’t too excited about it. There just isn’t anything special about the cover, and there is no real meaning to it. There are no elements of the story in this cover. The one thing I do like about it, is that the background is a forest scene, but that’s about it.

A little disappointed, since I LOVED the story so much.

Characters

Really enjoyed them! I thought they had real emotions, and thoughts. They weren’t overly dramatic, and didn’t move or do anything too fast, without thinking about it. They weren’t superficial.

Favorite

I absolutely loved each and every one of the characters in Shadowfell. Neryn was going through so much; the death of her mother and grandmother, the murder of her brother, and the fact that her alcoholic father gambled her off to a stranger. She was smart and made decisions in a calm and realistic way.

Flint wasn’t just battling as a man of the king, and a rebel, but also within himself. He has had to do unimaginable things for both the abusive king, and for the rebels going against the king. He was very torn.

While the fairy folk weren’t mentioned too often throughout the story, I liked the idea of them. They’re much smaller than humans, they hide and blend into their background, and they stay as far away as possible from cold iron. I hope we get to learn and see more of the fairy folk in the books to come.

Least Favorite

NONE!! Not a single one!

Beginning

The first chapter had me sucked in! Within the just the first three pages, my eyeballs were glued to the book and there was no way I was going to put it down.

In only the first chapter, the reader learns of Neryn’s past and current situation. She’s been travelling, and hiding with her dad, barely surviving. He heads into a bar to gamble and try to get enough money to be able to afford a barn and a pile of hay to sleep on. He gets drunk and decides to put up Neryn for the win.

Middle

This part was a bit slower than the first chapters, simply because the author needed to build up the world. I still really enjoyed it and liked learning about the fairy folk as well as Neryn’s past struggles.

Ending

LOVED IT! It’s so intense, and beautiful. But the battle’s not over yet… there is still so much to do!

Overall Thoughts

I couldn’t get enough, and that’s why I plan on picking up the second and third books, Raven Flight and The Caller, soon! If you love fantasy and get the chance to pick up this book, I completely recommend it.

http://www.julietmarillier.com/  

Paperback, Australian edition, 349 pages

Published: July 1st 2012 by Pan Macmillan Australia (first published January 1st 2012)

original title: Shadowfell

ISBN

1742611346 (ISBN13: 9781742611341)

---

---

Cath and Wren have been together their entire lives, mostly because they’re sisters! And twins! But also because when they were about eight years old, their mother packed her things and left them behind with their father. It’s been years since either of the three has talked to her, and no one truly knows the reason why she left.

Cath and Wren are all grown up and going to college. Cath isn’t too excited about the idea of going off to college far from home, and leaving their dad behind all alone. But Wren doesn’t make her feel any better about the whole situation when she tells her sister that she doesn’t want to dorm together; trying to convince her that they won’t get the FULL experience if they do! Instead Cath is left to share her room with a girl named Reagan, and partially with Reagan’s best friend/ex-boyfriend Levi; who is around all the time.

Cath loves writing and has spent the last two years of her life writing Simon Snow fanfiction online. She writes and posts a chapter a day to feed her devoted fans’ addiction.  With school work and writing a chapter every night, Cath doesn’t get out much. She doesn’t mind either. She would much rather get lost in the world of Simon Snow than have to deal with the awkward feeling of meeting new people, or going places she’s never been before. Even when Reagan and Levi ask her to go out with them to parties or just to hangout, Cath always declines their offers, staying in the dorm room instead.

But Cath does make one friend in her advanced writing class; Nick. He’s cute, nice and also LOVES writing! Sounds like the perfect guy for Cath. She even has a few “dates” with him in the library, where the two stay until midnight working on a story together! Aside from Reagan, Levi and Nick, Cath hasn’t talked much to anyone else, not even her sister.

Wren doesn’t think to come home, when Cath is told that their dad was put into the hospital for exhaustion from working too hard. Not even when Cath pleads her to come.

Wren spends most of her time hanging out with her roomate, Courtney, usually partying and/or drinking. So when Cath receives an emergency text message saying she’s at a bar, she asks Levi for a ride, and heads there to make sure her sister is safe. It just so turns out that Wren wasn’t trying to reach Cath, but Courtney instead, and that her sister is drunk.

Not too long after that night, Cath receives a message from her, telling her that Wren is in the hospital. Cath ignores all the anger she has towards her mother and towards Wren (for talking to their mother), and gets there as soon as possible for Wren.

Her dad in the hospital, a phone call from her mom saying Wren was in the hospital, and Nick doing something unbelievable; everything in Cath’s life seemed to be breaking apart. And strangely, the person who is there to help catch everything and make her feel better is Levi.

Fangirl totally rocked my world, and I’m not sure if that’s because I felt this strong connection between myself and Cath or what! Cath was awesome, real, and I felt like she could be my best friend!

Wren and Nick added a whole crazy level to the story with all its twists and turns. Cath was amazing, and dealt with everything going on around her, in a way I don’t think I could have. I would have probably freaked out, had a good cry and then tried to figure something out.

But there was one thing that wasn’t cleared up, and that was Cath and Wren’s mom. The reader is never truly informed as to why she left when they were so young, or what happened after Cath ran to hospital for Wren.

Overall, Fangirl was as AWESOME as everyone kept telling me, and I’m so glad that it went to the top of my TBR pile as soon as I purchased it!

 

---

---

Allegiant has been one of the most anticipated books of 2013! With the movie coming out soon, and Insurgent ending the way it did, Allegiant was on many wish lists of book bloggers and every day readers alike! I know a friend of my even had a count down on her phone, reminding her how many days were left until it released and was available in stores.

If you’ve stopped by and checked out my review of Insurgent than you might already know that I wasn’t too happy about it. The story was good, and so was the ending *MIND WAS BLOWN*, but I hated that Tris wasn’t the same Tris I met in Divergent.

Tris builds up her strength and courage throughout the entire first book, but for some reason all that is completely gone in the second. She was even too afraid to pick up a gun! The kick-butt chick I became to know and love just wasn’t in Insurgent.

So I completely adored Divergent, was a little bummed about Insurgent, but was still planning on reading Allegiant, with a small hope that Tris was back to normal.

I’ve already reviewed Allegiant on my blog, Turning Pages. And I feel that the best way to review such a popular and controversial book would be through points. Also I think it will more spoiler free this way for anyone who hasn’t gotten the chance to read it yet.

Tris and Four:

I was excited to see Tris was back to herself again, and she wasn’t afraid to pick up a gun! With this start to Allegiant I was excited to see how the rest of it would go… but it that didn’t last all too long. I was glad that Tris was through that weird phase, but now, Four was going through his own.

When he is first introduced, he’s this tough, hard guy, with tattoos. He seems to know what he’s doing, and being part of Dauntless, he seemed afraid of nothing. But during Allegiant, Four spent a lot of time either fearing his father, or following someone else’s lead (Tris or Nita).

Their Relationship:

I liked that Roth included a real relationship in this book, where a couple is going through its ups and downs, like in the real world. But Tris and Four had so many ups and downs it was emotionally exhausting. I felt that they would argue about small dumb things, but then make up by making out.

One argument the couple had was when Tris was telling Four that she doesn’t trust Nita. She never really gave a reason, besides jealousy. This argument seemed like one between five year olds, where Tris would yell, scream and stop her foot with no real reasoning.

Later in the book, when we find out what Nita is, Tris rubs it in Four’s face. Again like a five year old would. Tris almost makes it seem like she’s always right, and Four should just do what she says, all the time.

Liked it, but it was just a little too much.

Other Characters:

They had so much potential, but we didn’t get too see much of them. They were on the back burner most of the story.

The Ending:

This was my favourite part! You won’t believe what happens! I know I didn’t. I had no clue!! Best ending yet!!

So overall, I can say that Divergent was my favorite, then Allegiant, and then Insurgent. Allegiant comes into second because of the ending. I know a lot of people loved it, and I know a lot of people can agree with me. So feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts!

---