Pisces by Rachel Medhurst

Series: Zodiac Twin Flame

Author: Rachel Medhurst
Page Count: 264
Published: May 7th, 2015
Publisher: Createspace
  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Pisces is looking for her twin flame. It is her mission on earth to find her soulmate and to show the world that true love does exist. She has tried for several past lives to fulfill her purpose, but she is always being defeated by the Dysfunctionals; a group of people who want to keep the world negative and thus want to prevent twin flames from uniting.

After initially being kidnapped, she moves into her father's house. There, Antony is assigned as her bodyguard, an attractive man who she cannot resist thinking about, yet quarrels with often. 

After meeting Daniel at a club she thinks she has found her twin flame at last....but what if her soulmate is somebody else, like her siblings think? 

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this. The synopsis sounded like nothing I had ever read before, and I was right. The idea of twin flames / soulmates has been explored by many authors over the last few yeas, but Rachel Medhurst's ideas were a welcome change of pace.

I really like how Antony wasn't just a stereotypical "bad boy lover" that I see in so many paranormal romance books. He went deeper than that, he was a dynamic character who complemented Pisces' character and traits. 

Pisces reminded me so much of myself! Wanting to find your own way in the world, yet facing obstacles, sometimes losing hope. I connected to her easily and as a result I cared about her story. I found myself agreeing with a lot of her ideas and thoughts and rooting for her from the start.

The idea of a group of people, named after the Zodiac signs, with personalities and powers matching their sign / name is quite unique. I found this humorous at times, especially when the different "signs" were interacting with each other. The author really executed this idea well!

My only issue with the story is what I feel to be a lack of explanation or motive. Why do the Dysfunctionals want to stop the twin flames so badly? I didn't really understand their purpose, and I found "wanting the world to remain negative" to be a bit too broad of a motive.

Overall, a great book! I recommend this to paranormal romance readers, romance lovers and to those looking for a unique story about soulmates / twin flames.

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Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

Series:The Blood Journals

Author: Tessa Gratton

Page Count: 405
Published: May 24th, 2011
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

5 Stars ★★★★★

Silla's parents died under suspicious circumstances; what appeared to be a murder-suicide. But after receiving a mysterious book of spells, she begins to wonder if there is more to what happened on that fateful day.

Nick moves in next door and finds Silla in the cemetery, and her blood brings back memories of his mother.....and magic. Together, along with Silla's brother, Reese, they unravel the mystery of their families' histories, the surprising connections, and the terrifying truth.

I really loved this book. It has earned it's way into my list of favourite books. First, there was Silla. A complex character, I felt connected to her and I cared about her story and her life. I often saw things the way that she saw them, and I felt her every emotion as if they were my own feelings.

Nick is a likeable love interest. He is perfect for Silla, and he has a mysterious past which connects him to her in ways that he never thought could be true. I found this a unique idea because I haven't read many books where the love interests are more closely connected than they thought; usually they just meet, sparks fly, and romance ensues. But with Nick and Silla, it went much deeper than that.

I was so deeply involved in the story that I cried at times. I had to put the book down so that I could grab a tissue! The beautiful writing mixed with the complex plot and amazing characters made me forget that I lived in the real world and not in the world of this book.

I recommend this book to those who want a dark, unique paranormal story without a love triangle. If you like emotional stories with supernatural elements, this book is for you.


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Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson

Series: Valkyrie

Author: Ingrid Paulson
Page Count: 352
Published: October 9th, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

  5 Stars ★★★★★

Ellie goes to Norway to visit her grandmother for a part of the summer. There she learns about the rumors surrounding her grandmother and the locals' superstition. Young men have been going missing and some people believe that her grandmother may have something to do with it. 

When her older brother, Graham, and his infuriating yet irresistible friend Tuck join her, she grows closer to Tuck and finds herself caught between her attraction towards him and the impossibility that they will ever be together. After all, she is constantly being overshadowed by her seemingly perfect brother, and he is fiercely protective of her.

When her brother is kidnapped, Ellie must go on a quest of self-discovery and bravery. With the help of Tuck and Norway's Valkyrie-hunting citizens, she journeys to save the kidnapped boys before it is too late. 

I usually don't enjoy books based around mythology such as Norse, Celtic, etc, but I decided to pick this one up on the bargain table at the bookstore. I am so glad I did!  This book made me re-evaluate my attitude toward books about mythology and it completely surpassed my expectations. My main problem with books about such kinds of mythology is that some authors will assume you understand the basics of whatever mythology they are working with, and thus do not explain certain details of the story, resulting in readers such as myself being completely lost. Ingrid Paulson did the opposite of that; she explained everything in detail and I was able to keep up with the story despite my lack of familiarity with Norse mythology. If anything, this book expanded my knowledge!

Ellie is an admirable character. She is strong-willed and intelligent, yet the reader learns that she has an insecure side and has issues just like everybody else. She pushes past the barriers that the issues create and as a result, this book is sort of a coming-of-age story. She stands up to affirm her position in the world, in her case as a Valkyrie, and she OWNS it! 

The romance was sweet and touching. Yes, the author worked with some of the "mischievous boy" clichés but she did it well. Tuck was realistic and had flaws, unlike other YA male love interests, which made this book stand out for me. They had a history together because they had known each other for a long time, which eliminated any sort of "insta-love" concerns I may have had.

I am definetly looking forward to the sequel! I am hooked on Ellie and her story and I feel like I'm living out my "badass" side through her! Not to mention that I am insanely interested in Norse mythology now! 

I recommend this book to those seeking a YA novel with a strong female character, sweet romance, and themes such as mythology, self-discovery and loyalty.

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Quote of the Day

“Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.” 

-John Green

The Girl With Borrowed Wings by Rinsai Rossetti

Series: N/A

Author: Rinsai Rossetti
Page Count: 290
Published: July 19th, 2012

Publisher: Dial Books

  4 Stars ★★★★

Frenenqer Paje has wings. But they're not real, of course, only imagined. She is quiet and obedient, living in a loveless household with her father always on her case, her only escape through her books. 

She saves a cat from his death one day, and brings him home to find that he is actually a Free person, able to shapeshift and to make his own decisions. He takes her to new places on his own, real wings, but will Frenenqer be able to push past her father and society, and finally become her own person? 

First off, this book was incredibly unique. It was a paranormal fantasy, with elements of contemporary and romance. A coming of age story in its own way. Set in "the oasis", Frenenqer lives in an oppressive home and a conservative society. I have never encountered a book like this one before.

The reader learns about Frenenqer as a person, about who she really is beneath who she pretends to be, beneath what her father wishes she was. I found myself rooting for her from the beginning, hoping that she'd break free of all that was binding her. Admittedly, I got very angry at her sometimes. "Just run away with Sangris, the shape-shifting Free person! It's easy: he can take you anywhere and you'll never get caught!" 

I also found myself angry at the society she was living in. I mean, it was dangerous for her to go outside with her arms exposed. I was sad for her, having to live in such a ridiculous place. 

Sangris was an amazing character. He was mysterious and mischievous, open and adventurous. He was everything that Frenenqer wasn't. They really complimented each other through their opposite personalities, they highlighted the qualities and flaws of the other.

I had some trouble getting into the story at first. I had to get used to the writing style, and I had to reread some lines to make sure I had understood them correctly. Besides this, I loved this book and I got emotionally involved with the characters and their stories. 

I recommend The Girl With Borrowed Wings to readers looking for a unique YA book. Those searching for an emotional story with themes about coming-of-age will enjoy this, and if you want to read about characters who genuinely care, and eventually love, each other, this novel is for you.

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