Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Series: Wolf Springs Chronicles
Author: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Page Count: 382
Published: November 22nd, 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
  4 Stars ★★★★

Katelyn's mother dies suddenly, and she is sent to live with her grandfather in Wolf Springs. Living in a house in the woods, she feels isolated and yearns for her home in L.A. She fears that she'll never achieve her dreams now, stuck in this little town.


Her life is about to get a lot more complicated. Everything from the town's name to the legends of the Hellhound seem to involve wolves, and her grandfather refuses to allow her to go in the woods alone. Two girls die in the woods, seemingly mauled by an animal, and after her own terrifying encounter with a wolf on the road, Katelyn isn't sure what to think.


I can't say much else without giving some important details away....so forgive my vague descriptions.


I was not expecting to enjoy this book so much. I thought it would be a typical young adult paranormal story, with a love triangle and some issues with a supernatural hierarchy and maybe a bit of hocus-pocus thrown in. I was right about a few things, but this book still stood out in a positive way.


I was right about the love triangle. It's fairly tame compared to those in other young adult paranormal romances, but it's still there. It didn't particularly bother me, except that her attraction to the one guy, Justin, seemed really immature? She basically doesn't think around him for the first while. It's like she can't control herself. That really annoyed me. Meanwhile her feelings for Trick seemed a lot more genuine, and I liked him too! So it wasn't entirely a bad thing.


I was also right that there would be some issues revolving around a supernatural hierarchy. Again, I can't say much without giving anything away, but within the werewolf pack that Katelyn eventually comes across, there are issues with the alpha. I actually didn't mind this part either, because the issues weren't like those typically dealt with in books concerning werewolf packs. There was something added and unique to it....


I took issue with the pacing of the book. It wasn't horrible by any means, but a lot of the more explicitly paranormal stuff started after the second half, and well into the fourth quarter, which made the first bit drag on quite a bit. It also made the ending seem a bit rushed.


I certainly would like to read the next book. There are questions still unanswered, and Katelyn was, while sometimes annoying, a pretty nice protagonist. The writing style didn't stand out as either amazing nor terrible, so it's really the story that makes this book a four star read.


Overall, while this isn't anything too special, there are definitely unique elements throughout the story that make it stand apart from other young adult paranormal books. While the love triangle was a bit irritating at times, the ending left me wondering what would happen next.


I recommend this to those who love werewolf stories. If you're interested in books that take place in small towns with big secrets, you might want to give this one a try.


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Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Series: Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Page Count: 452
Published: October 19th, 2010
Publisher: Speak
  4.5 Stars ★★★★

Calla is a shape-shifter who can turn into a wolf. She is the alpha of her pack, and she is expected to marry Ren, another wolf shape-shifter and another alpha, and to join their packs together. She lives in a world where the Keeper's rule over her, and she is expected to obey their every command. Everything changes when she saves Shay, a human boy, and he sees her shift from wolf to human. 

To her dismay, he begins to attend her school, and to seek answers about what happened on that day. What started as a kind act becomes a problem for Calla, especially because she and Shay become closer, and Calla starts to question everything that she has known about her life and her future. 

As a big fan of werewolf stories, I couldn't pass on reading this book, and I'm certainly glad that I didn't! While this was a different take on werewolves and witches, it worked well, and the world that the author created was one that stole my attention from the first chapter onward. 

The action starts right away, with the first scene being the one where Calla saves Shay, and he sees her shift from wolf to human. This caught my attention as it spurred on the first conflict, the issue of dealing with Shay, which brought on many of the conflicts that occur later in the book. Characterization occurs immediately afterward in the chapters following, where the reader meets the rest of Calla's pack and Ren's pack as well. 

The author did a great job of explaining the rules of the world she created to the reader. She also did a great job of making me angry, and therefore, making me interested! Calla is basically forced to marry Ren, and she is subjected to a double standard that is often found in the real world, the human world outside of books, of the "player" guy getting away with everything, and the "virgin" girl expected to stay "pure". This was an important aspect of the book as it provided extra tension considering Ren's advances and Calla's complicated relationship with Shay, and it helped make the world seem all the more real to me. 

The take on werewolves in this book was different to that of other books because in Nightshade, they don't seem to have much power. They are under the rule of the Keepers, expected to obey their commands and do as they say, even taking abuse and mistreatment quietly. This is in contrast to other interpretations of books that I've read, where werewolves are powerful creatures, feared by humans and other creatures within the supernatural or paranormal communities alike. Needless to say, it was an interesting and unique interpretation, and I thought the use of a paranormal hierarchy was done well with adequate back story and explanations. 

As Calla starts to question what she's expected to do in her life, she begins to rebel. Rebellion is a theme that I truly enjoy reading about, and the author used it to its full advantage. Tensions rose as Calla took more and more drastic measures to uncover the truth and try to lead her own life, from spending time with Shay, to questioning her engagement to Ren, to sneaking into libraries and reading forbidden books. 

The ending is definitely a cliff hanger, in my opinion. As I loved the book and I want to know what happens next, I will certainly be looking for a copy of the second novel! 

I recommend this book to those who like stories about werewolves. If you're interested in YA books about romance and rebellion, this is a great pick. 

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The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Series: The Dark Divine
Author: Bree Despain
Page Count: 372
Published: December 22nd, 2009
Publisher: EgmontUSA
  Did Not Finish

Grace lives a fairly simple and and uneventful life, until Daniel shows up at her school one day. Daniel, the boy who befriended her as a child, moved into her home and who later vanished, and who her family never ever talks about.

Daniel is different, but he doesn't hesitate to befriend Grace once again. Grace soon resolves to fix the tense relationship between her brother, Jude, and Daniel, but soon strange things start happening, things that leave people fearing that the "Markham Monster" might be back. Does Daniel have anything to do with it?

There will be minor spoilers in this review.

I decided to stop reading this at 56% of the way through. I was very disappointed in it, mostly for personal reasons.

The writing itself was actually pretty good, I liked the way that the author phrased things and I was able to picture everything very well. My favourite setting was the area that Daniel ended up living in, because she made it sound so sketchy and suspicious. I also really liked the descriptions of the angel statutes and the atmosphere in the Garden of Angels. 

I also liked Daniel. Actually, he was the only character that I really liked. I liked him because he seemed kind of rebellious, he seemed like he was still dealing with his past and as such he had depth. This is, unfortunately, in contrast to Grace. I found Grace and her family to be rather superficial. 

Grace was too much of a "follower" for me. I feel like she didn't question anything and that got on my nerves. She was kind of a "sheep". I felt no connection to her. Then there was her father, who seemed really awesome at first. He seemed kind and caring and I really liked him! Then, he showed a bit of a petty, somewhat intolerant side at the Thanksgiving dinner and I instantly disliked him. 

Usually I don't mind when some characters are like this, but because of the context it brought up some rather unpleasant memories, so when I say that most of my issues with this book was personal, I mean it.

Here's where the spoilers come in. The author's interpretation of werewolves or shapeshifters, which I'm guessing, due to other reviews and other readers' discussions of this book, is what Daniel is, was approached in a rather unique way. However, as unique as it was, it really didn't work for me.

Basically, Daniel's situation as a werewolf, shapeshifter or "urbat" was explained through people being super religious and devoted to "God", who then rewarded them with these powers. He is a descendant of these people, so he has these abilities. I didn't like this version of the shapeshifter or werewolf myth, and as with the characters, it kind of brought up unpleasant memories. 

I wanted to keep reading to give this book a chance. However, I had to put it down because I feel it had too much religion in it for myself, personally. I think it's kind of funny, actually, that a werewolf or shapeshifter book has more religion in it than most angel and demon books I've read! Of course, I was expecting some religion, but not this much. 

So while I liked the writing style and settings, the characters and religious interpretation of werewolves and shapeshifters turned me off this book. I tried and read more than half, but I just had to give up.

If you're interested in paranormal books with religious themes, this may be a good pick for you.

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Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

 

Series: Shadow Falls
Author: C.C. Hunter
Page Count: 398
Published: March 29th, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
  4 Stars ★★★★

Kylie is dealing with a lot, including breaking up with her boyfriend, being stalked by a strange man, and her parents' divorce. After being caught at a party, Kylie is sent to Shadow Falls, which is a camp for supposedly troubled teens. However, once she gets there, she learns the truth: this camp isn't for troubled teens, but rather for young vampires, werewolves, fairies, and others to learn how to deal with the world and each other despite tensions and feuds. 

There she meets some friends and some attractive "gifted" individuals, including Derek and Lucas. Derek falls for her quickly, and she remembers her secret history with Lucas. However, there's more to worry about than boys and crushes. She, and the others at the camp, are unsure of what kind of paranormal creature Kylie actually is. Having to deal with seeing ghosts complicates things, too. But Shadow Falls is in danger of being shut down, and when some start to suspect her and Lucas of having something to do with it, she must fight to figure out the truth before it is too late. 

So one thing that I will say about this book is that there was definitely some rather cliche aspects to it. The love triangle felt a bit out of place, although it wasn't too major of an issue within the book. The feud between vampires and werewolves seemed a tad unoriginal, but that didn't really take away from the story as a whole. 

My main issue with this book rested with the characters themselves. At times Kylie seemed really shallow. While the narration was not first person, the author did delve into the thoughts of the characters, especially Kylie, even while using third person. There were little things that made me dislike her, for example the long paragraph (on page 105 in my edition) where it is explained why Kylie "gets" the reason that Derek, who is half fairy, would prefer the term "fey". This reason is apparently due to the fact that "no straight guy would want to be called a fairy" (despite the fact that he is literally a fairy). Also notable is the fact that Derek is supposedly "overly female-loving male", whatever that means. I don't believe that books must remain politically correct or entirely inoffensive, because characters, just as real life individuals, aren't all going to believe the same things, they haven't all been raised the same way, et cetera. But because of my personal experiences, I found this to be something that affected me and my view of Kylie and the other characters, so I felt that it might be important to mention for other readers dealing with similar life circumstances or opinions. It seems fairly small, but as an LGBTQ person, it made me roll my eyes.

This wasn't my only issue with the characters. I feel like Derek fell for Kylie way too early in the book. It made his feelings for her seem superficial and I found this really annoying. I also don't really see what Kylie saw in Derek, to find herself attracted to him so early on as well? He seemed quite average. I mean, he could be spectacular and interesting and multidimensional, and in the next book this may become apparent, but the way that the author portrayed him within this book was really boring. 

The thing that I really enjoyed about this book was Kylie's ability to speak with ghosts and how that affected her.  Her struggle with accepting the fact that she wasn't fully human was reminiscent of the struggles that people may face in real life, and I felt that despite the fantasy or paranormal aspect, I could really relate to what Kylie was going through. Denying something that is an important part of you is something that lots of people have to deal with, including the changes that come with finally accepting that you're not who you thought you were. This theme or aspect was well discussed throughout the novel, in a way that I found redeemed Kylie's character enough to keep me reading and excited to pick up the next book in the series. 

I also really loved the setting! I've heard of many boarding schools for paranormal creatures used as a setting within books, but camps appear to be less popular. I thought that this was a unique twist on the idea, and I think that the setting made the story really interesting to read, especially considering some of the myths or legends surrounding the falls themselves. The idea that there might be some kind of sinister entities haunting the waterfall that the camp is named after was something that caught my attention quickly, and while I'm a bit disappointed that this wasn't investigated by the characters within this novel, I'm hoping that in the next books this will be a more important aspect of the stories! I want to know the truth about the falls!

So, while I took issue with some of the characters due to my life experiences and the way they perceived certain things, there were still many good things about this book! Kylie may not have been very likeable, but her struggle ultimately redeemed her, and the setting was captivating. I'm hoping that the next book in this series brings more excitement and character development to the story.

I recommend this book to those who like YA paranormal romances! If you're interested in a series that includes several supernatural or paranormal creatures, this would be a good pick. 

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Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

 

   Series: The Wolves of Mercy Falls
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Page Count: 360
Published: July 13th, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
  4 Stars ★★★★ 

Sam believes that he's been cured of being a werewolf and that he's going to stay a human for good. He and Grace are happy about this, but they have to consider their pasts and what they want for their future. With Sam hopeful that everything will work out and Grace dealing with tensions within her family, things get a bit more complicated when a new werewolf is brought into the mix.

Cole is adjusting to life as a werewolf, but he seems happy to escape his human life and his status as a rock star. But beneath his arrogant and confident demeanor lies unresolved issues. With the worry that he'll be spotted and that his location will be revealed to the world, Grace and Sam have a whole other problem to deal with.

Personally, I found Linger to be a lot slower than Shiver, and I thought it seemed more character-driven than plot-driven. While it had a great cliff-hanger ending and has made me excited to read the next book, I feel that it didn't live up to it's full potential, especially compared to Shiver.

I was glad to read more about one of my favourite couples in YA, Sam and Grace. I think they're so sweet together! Sam is such a sweetheart, with his concern and love for Grace, and of course, his passion for music. I like Grace because she's so ordinary, she's just a girl who got swept up into a paranormal world because of her interaction with, and love for Sam, and I think that this is a nice change from the whole "chosen one" or "secret past" trends within many YA books. One thing that has made me excited to continue reading this series is my interest in Sam and Grace's relationship and my hope that everything works out for them! I have to know how it ends with them, so I know I will definitely finish this series, even if the rest of the books aren't as great as the first.

Cole was an interesting character because I couldn't decide whether I liked him or not. He was kind of annoying with his arrogance and cockiness, however he had more beneath the surface and his own personal struggles. I thought his evolving relationship with Isabel was a nice touch and I was worried that I might find it turning cliche in the end, but I never found it to be that way at all.

I really like Maggie Stiefvater's interpretation of werewolves because it's not just a paranormal phenomenon within her books, but there's a bit of a scientific basis to it. Discussions of a possible cure throughout the book intrigued me because I wanted to learn more about werewolves and how they worked in this book's universe. Along with Sam and Grace's relationship, I'm going to be reading the rest of the books in this series with an anticipation for the conclusion of Sam's research for a cure. 

Overall, while slightly disappointing, this was still an enjoyable read and I can't wait to see how everything works out in the end. I recommend this series to fans of werewolves and YA fiction! If you like romance with your werewolves, this series is a must-read. 

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Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Series: Fairytale Retellings

Author: Jackson Pearce
Page Count: 328
Published: June 7th, 2010

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

  4 Stars ★★★★

Scarlett and Rosie's grandmother died in a werewolf attack when they were young, and Scarlett is now severely scarred and left with only one eye, as a result of protecting Rosie from the Fenris wolf. Years later, they hunt the Fenris, still haunted by memories of that fateful and traumatic day. 

Silas, their family friend, woodsman, and hunting partner returns to their small town just as they find they must move cities so that they can track the wolves and save the Potential....a regular man at risk of being targeted by one of the three Fenris packs and changed into a werewolf. But as Rosie becomes distracted by life outside of hunting and questions all that she has ever known, tensions bloom. Will they be able to find the Potential in time? Or will the Fenris claim him as another of their soul-less pack members?

First of all, I really liked how the author gave Silas, Rosie and Scarlett all distinguishable, unique personalities. It made for an interesting dynamic and their interactions were never boring.

However, I didn't truly like Scarlett. I wanted to like her, to see her as a hero. After all, she saved Rosie at the price of her own appearance and health! But I found Scarlett to be extremely manipulative and uptight, and I hated how she always made Rosie feel guilty. So to me, she was not a likeable character.

Rosie was the complete opposite. Open to new experiences and far from manipulative, I got angry when she felt guilty for doing normal things, thanks to her sister. Scarlett also seemed to make Rosie feel like she owed her everything..... I understand feeling gratitude towards the person who saved your life, but to take advantage of that gratitude was unacceptable. 

Silas was a great character. He was gentle and sincere, yet he was also fierce and emotional. He wasn't perfect but he was admirable. 

There isn't really a love triangle, which I know some people may appreciate. I personally appreciated it, and I feel that if the author had included a love triangle, it would have distracted from the main plot points. There is a romance and some romantic allusions and actions towards a third person, but certainly not a full-blast love triangle. 

I thought it was interesting that the author chose to make the Fenris werewolves true monsters. She didn't romanticize them in any way and I truly disliked them. This is a breath of fresh air when it comes to werewolves in current young adult fiction..... While I love myself a good paranormal romance and a supernatural love interest, I really enjoyed this take on werewolf mythology. 

The book felt a little slow at times but the pace in general was quite good and kept me interested throughout the whole novel. The climax was crazy and the ending was perfect. Be warned: the climax and the ending will play with your emotions! 

I recommend this book to those interested in werewolves and to those who want a novel that strays from the paranormal male, human female romance trend. If you like YA stories about monster hunting then this book is for you. 

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The Creatures of the Night

I saw this tag at The Book Goddess and thought I'd give it a shot, it seems interesting and I love paranormal books.

1. Vampires

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber, The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine, Evernight by Claudia Gray and Twilight by Stephenie Meyer are 4 series which I very much enjoy, I love the unique takes on the vampire myths and legends. Night World by L.J Smith is also a great series which includes vampires, but I'm not listing it under any specific category because it equally includes and focuses on everything from vampires to shape shifters to witches, so it appears to fall in a category of its own, in my opinion. 

2. Werewolves

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is the book which first got me interested in werewolf stories. Twilight also qualifies for this category.  

#3. Zombies and #4. Super-powered Human

I haven't read many zombie books or books centering on people with superpowers, but the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy covers both of these categories perfectly. 

#5. Ghosts 

I really enjoyed the book Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. I found that it brought a new twist to the monster / ghost hunting theme. Absolution by Gail Gallant was also an enjoyable ghost read.

#6. Witch/Warlock/Spellcaster

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl explores the idea of magical beings in a unique way. Straying from the 'paranormal boy, human girl' trend, it was bound to be a hit. The Sweep series by Cate Tiernan also includes magic and witches, however it takes a religious, Wiccan approach, mixing reality and fantasy.  Skulduggery Pleasant also qualifies for this category.

#7. Fairy/Fae

Two of my favourite fairy/fae series' includes the Faeriewalker series by Jenna Black and the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. Both take unique approaches to the world of the fae and both are equally mesmerizing and unforgettable. 

#8. Demons

I don't think I've read a book which focuses primarily on demons, but the Halo trilogy by Alexandra Adornetto contains some great demon characters, especially in book two, Hades. 

#9. Angels

While Halo also qualifies for this one, the Fallen series by Lauren Kate and Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick were the two series which introduced me to angel fiction, and, along with Twilight, to paranormal romance in general.

#10. Aliens

The only alien book I have ever read is Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout. I have a few on my to-read list, but as of now, this is the only one I have actually read.  

I hope you all enjoyed this tag! It was very fun to complete. If you make your own post based on this tag, please leave a link in the comment section. 

Beautiful Cover(s) of the Day!

L.J Smith is famous for writing the Vampire Diaries books. The Night World novels are another one of her captivating series, 10 books in total, now compiled into three omnibus books and one yet to be released. Their covers are undeniably intriguing with their gothic edge and simple colour schemes. I find that book series with covers such as these, a different colour scheme for every book, tend to catch my eye easily and side by side the covers tend to compliment each other.

The blurb

"Vampires, werewolves, witches, shapeshifters -- they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is their secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws of the Night World.

In Secret Vampire, Poppy thought the summer would last forever. Then she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Now Poppy's only hope for survival is James, her friend and secret love. A vampire in the Night World, James can make Poppy immortal. But first they both must risk everything to go against the laws of Night World.
Fugitives from Night World, three vampire sisters leave their isolated home to live among humans in Daughters of Darkness. Their brother, Ash, is sent to bring the girls back, but he falls in love with their beautiful friend.
Two witch cousins fight over their high school crush. It's a battle between black magic and white magic in Spellbinder."

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Haven by Kristi Cook

Series: Winterhaven

Author: Kristi Cook

Page Count: 401
Published: February 22nd, 2011

 Publisher: Simon Pulse

  4 Stars ★★★★

Violet McKenna can see the future, but she keeps her ability secret for fear of being thrown into a psych ward. She enrolls at Winterhaven when she moves from her hometown, and finds herself in a school filled with students who possess abilities similar to hers.

She soon meets Aidan and finds herself drawn to him, as many others are as well. However he shows an interest in her too, and soon Violet begins to suspect that something is different with Aidan, and that his life may be in danger.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was suspenseful. I was always wondering what the characters were hiding and what would happen next. Were they lying to each other? Did they really care about each other, or were they just getting close so that they'd be able to strike?

I liked the romance in this book. Violet and Aidan really had chemistry and they complimented each other well. Their feelings for each other were true and though they faced trials and pain, they always found their way back to each other. I also appreciated the lack of a love triangle and the development of the romance.

The only complaint I have about this book is that there were times when I felt like it was too Twilight-esque. Certain conversations were very similar to the ones found in the Twilight novel and I feel that they could have been revised or phrased differently to take away this literary deja vu, so to speak.

I recommend this novel to readers of YA paranormal romance looking for a book with a strong heroine and complex conflicts amongst characters who grow stronger through tough situations.

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