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

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

My first order of business is to congratulate Jocelyn and her debut novel and praise her for such an outstanding novel. The cover alone speaks volume and at one point had me thinking that what I was reading could not possibly relate until further reading finally switched the light on for me.

I'm a huge sucker for angel novels and truth be told I didn't see that coming which grabbed me even more that I had my book glued to my hand everywhere that I went, if I had my way and the ability I would have stuck my copy under my pillow in the hopes that my brain could absorb the story while I slept (that would be an awesome power to have) just to help with my obsession to know what was going to happen.

I can't believe that I was completely off on the 2 very sexy strangers that walked into Skye's life and turned everything upside down. I'm not used to the feeling of having things go pear shaped on the guy that I'm backing. After reading the final pages I was gobsmacked that I had to read the chapter again.

Asher and Devin are 2 very different people playing for opposite teams that have similar plans for Skye but as I realised at the end of the novel that the one side was never going to let Skye go if she refused to join them.

I'm leaving my review right her because I can see that I'm heading into very dangerous territory of ruining A BEAUTIFUL DARK for those who have not yet read this amazing novel.
I cannot wait to see what happens in A FRACTURED LIGHT.

Happy Reading :)

Gillian
xxx

EB.com A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

First I would like to congratulate Amy on her debut novel. Absolutely stunning on so many levels for me.

I have to admit that I was a little confused when I first started reading COLD KISS but as I got into the novel everything started making sense and I could feel more of what was being expressed on the pages. I have this strong feeling that Amy's background as an editor added to the quality of her debut novel and for me it made an excellent read.

Amy has this amazing ability to have emotion so raw on the pages that you can't help but feel your heart being twisted in so many directions as Wren struggles with what she has done, keeping secrets from her mother, sister and aunt not to mention Danny's family and friends, her friends, falling in love with someone else that can also read her like book and the freshness of the wound for loosing Danny. I doubt there is a page in COLD KISS that does not have rawness between the lines or enveloped in the words.

Sure enough the novel is among the greats in the YA paranormal shelves but I don't think it was that apparent in the novel which for me was interesting. Sure Wren's family comes with powers of their own as well as Gabrielle and his sister but it didn't play a vital part of the story, maybe that is the wrong statement because with her powers Wren brought Danny back from the dead because she couldn't imagine her life without the one guy that knew everything about her. That does play a strong part in the novel but it isn't in your face paranormal.

I was so engrossed in Wren's battle over what she had done to Danny and the life that he now had to "live" that I found myself sneaking reading sessions during work and any other free time that I could get. At one point my mother asked if i had fallen asleep in the tub because I had been in there forever. It was one of those novels that you find hard to put down and if you don't have it in your hand or bag you feel like you're missing apart of yourself.

The final pages of COLD KISS had my on the edge of my seat and unable to talk to anyone until I knew how the novel ended. My heart was torn into a million pieces at the end but it left me speechless and in awe all at once. It was worth the endless hours of tears, laughs and even a bit of blue days thrown in for good measure.

I cannot wait to see what else Amy has under sleeve and I for one will keep an eye out for any of her novels that I can only hope she will write in the future.

Happy Reading :)

Gillian

xxx

EB.com Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

500 Likes on the Facebook page :)

I'm holding a giveaway for the Facebook page Bookworms Corner to reach 500 Likes. The giveaway will be running from 29/01/2012 until 29/02/2012. A random will will be choosen once we have reached out goal. You will then by able to choose your prize from the Book Depository :)

Good Luck :)

Half Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Congrats to Jennifer on her debut novel :)

After reading DAIMON I knew that I couldn't let it finish there, the need to get HALF BLOOD was pretty scary and that's not even mentioning how I devoured the book at work and home. I recall begging my sister to tell how the book ended because I had reached such a climax in the book that I was afraid to turn the page and have my hopes shattered. She refused and told me to keep reading and she forgot having read HALF BLOOD last year.

I have admit that I loved the Greek mythology, it explained more than DAIMON and went even further into the history and makings of Hamatois, Pures, Half Bloods, Pures and the Daimons. It was interesting to see how Alex questioned her own upbringing to the point of believing in the Gods-its like most teenagers today.

Jennifer has strong characters in this series, but Alex screamed to me from the pages, not because she's the main character but for who she is as a person. She's remarkably strong, stubborn, funny, smart, fierce and extremely courageous. Alex will fight to the death for what she believes in, even if it means questioning her superiors. Alex faces a lot in HALF BLOOD and if it had been anyone else i have a strong feeling they would not have come out still fighting like she did. She still has a lot of growth which I'm looking forward to. Alex has left a strong impression on me, one which I hope to share with fellow readers.

Aiden, now he is definitely something to write home about. From the moment he was introduced to me in DAIMON I could feel me knees go weak. The way Jennifer describes his stormy grey eyes and his dark, wavy hair had me hooked. He has his own demons to fight but is one of the strongest male characters in HALF BLOOD. He has so many sides to him that it makes connecting with him fun. Aiden doesn't like to go against what the Covenant has set in place but there's this indescribable pull towards Alex that he knows is wrong beyond so many reasons but trying to deny it I think is even worse for him. I doubt many Pures would have done what he had, which for makes him on the perfect gentleman in YA novels. There's a line in HALF BLOOD that still sticks with me, "I remember you too..." It had my heart pounding and talking to my pages like anyone could actually hear me.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the forbidden romance between Alex and Aiden play out. I believe it could leave me sitting on the edge of bed.

What book would be complete without a "love triangle"? Seth is the Apollyon, I'm not so sure about him because he still has this dark cloak of mystery surrounding him, but I do believe that he could be a contender for Alex's heart; but then again I'll have to wait and see what transpires in the following novels.
I look forward to learning more about Seth in PURE.

Alex is lucky to have a supportive circle of friends around her, especially Caleb who I believe would jump in front of a train if that could stop Alex from doing something stupid.

I thoroughly enjoyed to the forbidden romance in HALF BLOOD, not to mention the mandatory training sessions with Aiden. With each session things become more complicated. This novel has kept me on toes from the moment I read the first page. I believe that this book has a lot to offer with romance, competition, heartache and confusion. For me it was an epic read and if you're looking for one of those I cannot put it down reads then you've found the right book.

I'm counting the days until PURE's release day. I promise you will not go wrong with HALF BLOOD, i do however recommend that you get the prequel DAIMON before because I feel it will help explain what lead to the events in HALF BLOOD.

Happy Reading

Gillian
xxx

Book Depository UK-Half Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout