Soul Seekers:Fated by Alyson Noel

Having read the IMMORTAL and RILEY BLOOM series I'm proud to say that I'm a hue fan of Alyson Noels and was excited to her that she was going to release another series and knew that without a doubt it would knock my socks off.
Counting the days until its release was fun too because I would check out the reviews that had been posted and get even more fidgety for my copy to arrive. Lets just say when it did I made a very quick finish of my current read :)

Daire's fate was sealed from her birth and the moment she turns 16 the visions play a much bigger role in her life. She's never had a home and travels the globe with her mother, Jennika who is the make-up artist to the big blockbusters in Hollywood. Things take a drastic turn in Morocco and she lands a long drive to her grandmother whom she's never met in a last attempt to salvage what is left of her life.

I loved watching Daire grow as a person as the shoreline progressed, being this self centered person to an amazing young woman that would  give her life to save the people she loved even if it cost her a great deal. I found it amazing how she wouldn't give up when everyone else told her that it would not be possible to do what she knew deep in her heart.

We meet the 2 guys in her dreams, Dace and Cade. Its remarkable how different they in their appearance as well as their eyes which seems to play a big part for Daire. Her date is intertwined with theirs. I found theme to be one of my main draws, she describes how their eyes are so different, one absorbs the light while another reflects it. I become hypnotized eventually :)

Paloma has suffered a great deal but not because she's been selfish or that it was her destiny but because she had to carry a great burden until Daire came back into her life. Having lost my grandmother I felt a deep connection with her relationship with her granddaughter-the need to teach her as much as possible before the worst hit and seeing how they become isync with each-other had me in my own little tear bubble.
I look forward to more of their relationship in an attempt to have that relationship even if now its fictional.

I'm excited for the release of ECHO in September and know that its going to come back with a bigger punch and learning more about how Dace, Daire and Cade are connected will be interesting. Here's hoping that good will prevail over evil.

Happy Reading :)
Gillian
EB.com Soul Seekers: Fated by Alyson Noel

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Let me first start off and say WOW!

After reading STARCROSSED last year and having been left on a huge cliff hanger I started to count down the months until DREAMLESS would be released and the last couple of days leading up to finally having my own copy lead me to dangerous steps. All I can say is that the talented Josephine Angelini has done it again.

I find Josephine's writing to not only leave you hanging as you finish a page but you become so absorbed in the words on the page that it feels like you're the one walking through the Underworld thirsty and devastatingly hungry. Speaking to a friend whose just finished STARCROSSED and jumped into DREAMLESS we both agree that her work is far more intense and we seem to loose time while reading our books-can be good when you don't have to be at work by 8am but just happen to look at the clock and notice that you have 5 minutes to get your desk from the car park.

I was looking forward to see how Helen would grow in this book and I'm not surprised to say that she has far past my expectations. I'm not sure I would take the responsibility of freeing those I love as well as my own race from a curse that has plagued them for many millennia. Reaching the final chapter of STARCROSSED and having the bomb hit made for an interesting twist towards Lucas and Helen. I was deviated but what hurt the most for me was seeing how much she loved Lucas but trying her utmost best not to act on her feelings and he in turn avoiding her. That left me in tears and begging Josephine to come with the solution I so desperately needed.

True to any great story we need a love triangle, enter Orion. He is eye hurting gorgeous and try as you might to hate him it just doesn't come. He's so sweet and has been through his own hardships as a kid and even now as a teenager. I find it heroic how he will defend Helen to the death even if it means bringing on something much bigger them. By the end of the book you might be sitting on the fence because you won't be able to decide between the 2 guys but my feet are firmly on the ground for Lucas.

Claire has a much bigger role in DREAMLESS along with Matt and I loved how they could help. I'm running on a thought here that I know if I carry on will ruin the story line here so I'm going end that thought there and let everyone experience it for themselves.

One more confession, I truly missed Hector but the small parts he had I felt my heart swell and knew that the lack of him was best for DREAMLESS and without that what reason would Helen have to go after the one thing that only she as the Descender is destined to do, but at what price?

After reading STARCROSSED, I sat down and did some research on Greek Mythology and understood a little more in DREAMLESS. I cannot wait to see what else happens in the final installment, GODDESS. I'm hoping that my wish will come true and everything will work out in the end.

No one will be disappointed with DREAMLESS. Time to start counting down the release for GODDESS in 2013.

Happy Reading :)
Gillian
EB.com DREAMLESS by Josephine Angelini

Lenobia's Vow by PC and Kristin Cast

I have been counting the days until LENOBIA’S VOW would be released because she is one of my favourite characters in the HOUSE OF NIGHT series. There hasn’t been much information or background about Lenobia within the series and I felt that she had the most to reveal but I could be wrong, but there’s a saying in my family that sometimes what happens in the past helps shape you as a person.

One of the things I love about the novellas is the illustrations which happen to depict one of the keys emotions or scenes within in that particular chapter. For me it adds more to the emotional side of the story and sometimes word can’t express as much but as many people say “pictures say a 1000words”, with that I have to agree. Lenobia’s story begins in small southern country and ends in stunning New Orleans. After reading DESTINED I have a better understanding why she reacted the way she did within the 9^th book of the series. I have a strong feeling that readers should read DESTINED before they sink their teeth into this breath taking second novella.

As a fan of the series I have developed a deep love for the series and the characters and sometimes there a few that I’m able to connect more with and have a need to know their back story so I can better understand them and the choices they have made to get this point in their lives. DRAGON’S OATH was a story of love and loss, but sometimes I feel that as reader I didn’t get a better understanding of him, but after reading DESTINED some things came to light, we saw the old Dragon before his beloved was taken from him, but with LENOBIA’S VOW I feel that I know how a lot better and can’t wait to learn more.

The novella has a bitter sweet ending for me, she is finally marked and protected from the Bishop but it seems to have come with a price that she would rather give her life for than see the person she loves sacrifice his to protect her. I had tissues piling up at the end and I know that you will not be disappointed. It’s a love story with a lot of twists and turns but also has evil (which explains her aversion to Neferet when her darkness is revealed) mixed with a healthy dose of sadness.

I’m hoping that the next instalment NEFERET’S CURSE will hold some interesting facts about who she is and how she becomes that way. I for one am not a fan of hers but there is always something interesting about her that draws you into her world even if you’re looking forward to her downfall.

Happy Reading :)

Gillian

xxx

EB.com Lenobia's Vow by PC and Kristin Cast

Destined by Jessie Harrell

Firstly I would like to congratulate Jessie on her debut novel and I'm hoping to the writing Gods that Jessie will pen another novel :)

My first comment on DESTINED is wow! What an amazing novel, I was on my toes the entire time I was reading the novel. I have to admit that I had to do a little background history with regard to the storyline which is a retelling of the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros and truth be told I enjoyed my novel more than the actual myth. DESTINED is very lighthearted and full of fun, adventure, sibling rivalry and of course a healthy dose of romance.

Psyche is an interesting character, when we first meet her she is innocent and naive but as the storyline progresses she grows into a beautiful young woman who puts others before herself in order to protect them. Near the beginning she is faced with a difficult choice that could have destroyed her but for the love her family she is able to make the journey and comes out stronger than when she started.

Apart from Psyche, Aphrodite and Eros kept me on the edge of my seat. Aphrodite has tones of spank, she's stubborn but as the saying goes like mother like son, true she is the Goddess of Love but what she feels for her son had my heart melting in some places and it others I just wanted to say to her, "Please mind your own business, let him learn on his own!"-there's a scene in the novel that left me shocked to my core considering what Aphrodite had done that I couldn't even pick DESTINED up because I was so afraid of what I might read....

Now for a little Eros dish :) Stubborn seems to come to mind considering how he entered into the storyline and maybe even throughout the novel but it does come with love, devotion, kind and dreamy. He did a full 180 from the first moment we meet him up until the final chapters of the book. I have to confess that there was a section within the novel where I though that this was going to be a devastating ending where I had a box of tissues to help me through the pages...

I don't want to spoil the book and I have a strong feeling that its going to happen soon...
Hopefully you come across DESTINED in your nearest bookstore, give it a chance because I know that you will enjoy the novel as much as I did.

Happy Reading :)

Gillian
xxx

EB.com Destined by Jessie Harrell

Eve by Anna Carey

Congrats to Anna on her debut novel.
I have to admit what grabbed me was the cover and when I finally reached EVE the content within the pages was well worth the pages. I find it complementary how the cover fits perfectly with the ending of the novel as well as one of the key themes within the pages-the constant running.

We often joke as women that all we are good for is becoming wives and mothers, but Anna has put this joke into a pretty scary thought. I could never imagine having my child treated as human incubator to help repopulate the planet after a devastating plague wiped a fair amount of the population. Its fascinating how if people are "brainwashed" enough they will believe what one person says as gold. The girls are taught in the Schools that boys and men are evil and will do anything in their power to make their lives miserable, I wouldn't throw the word around but maybe within their brains they could see it as slavery-I could be so off on this point but its something that struck me at the beginning of the novel.

I loved the romance and watching Eve become someone stronger, she still has a lot more growth before she will become the woman she dreams of. Eve has an amazing heart that only seems to grow as she meets new people along her journey to Califia. Arden is a trouble maker in a sense but the friendship that is developed between the 2 girls leaves me in tears when they have to spilt up to save themselves from the King's army.

Caleb sounds dreamy but I'm not sure I'm bug on the hair but that isn't the point. He comes with his baggage but has compassion bigger than his heart could possibly hold. I had by doubts about him throughout EVE but what he does at the end of the novel left me speechless and begging for a different ending because it just couldn't end like that.
I find it hard to describe Caleb because he's so complex and we're only just covering the basics with him, I know that Anna has more installed for us with ONCE and I can't wait to see what happens.

Grab a copy of EVE and let me know what you guys think of it because I know that I loved any minute of the novel even if I was surprised by what I was reading.

Happy Reading :)

Gillian
xxx
EB.com Eve by Anna Carey