Category: J • K • L

THE YOUNG ELITES BY MARIE LU

3/5/2018

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

A dark fantasy world full of complex villains that are neither good, nor bad as there is a bit of hidden darkness within everyone. - Abooktopia

The Young Elites is set in the aftermaths of the blood fever: a deadly illness that swept through the lands of Kenetrra. The few children that survived were left with strange markings, and in some cases, were disfigured and scarred. But that is not the only marking left on these children as some are said to hold mysterious gifts that are not of this world.

Adelina Amouteru is a troubled girl who has spent her whole life by her abusive father’s side, feeling unloved and worthless. She is spat upon, as an abomination due to her status as a survivor of the blood fever. It was a fever that marked her once black hair, silver and a gruesome jiggered scar where her left eye once was. When Adelina lashes out at her father, and unleashes some of her power, she forced to run as she is marked as an enemy of their society.

Marie Lu creates a story that intrigues her readers with its dishonesty and brooding atmosphere that is set in a time of bankruptcy. Adelina’s struggle in accepting her powers allows for the story to be both emotional and beautiful amongst the action in which it holds. This was thanks to the delicate time that Lu took in building the relationships between her characters, which added an edge of realism amongst the wild and breathless tale.

***I received a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

Marie Lu is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels Legend, Prodigy and Champion. She graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry, working for Disney Interactive Studios as a flash artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare time reading, drawing, playing Assassin's Creed and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in Los Angeles, California (see above: traffic), with one husband, one Chihuahua mix and two Pembroke Welsh corgis.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu:
BOOK 1; The Young Elites
BOOK 2: The Rose Society
BOOK 3: The Midnight Star

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ALIENATED BY MELISSA LANDERS

15/11/2016

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Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Get ready for an intense race of survival that will cause one to be faced with the decision of choosing between all you’ve ever known and a planet you’ve never been to – Abooktopia

Cara Sweeney is the valedictorian for her high school’s ad and runs a blog where she was chosen to be a part of The L’eihr Exchange Program where three students are to host an exchange student from the other planet who made contact with earth about two years ago. The L’eihr wish to create an alliance with Earth and the exchange program is one of many ways to test out how well the two species are to get along with one another and to help create some familiarity between the two planets. However, not everyone supports the exchange program…

When Cara’s exchange student Aelyx first arrives, his differences and ethnics make the transition rather difficult and troublesome with his constant negative remarks to the human lifestyle and the lack of the L’eihr exchange students’ support doesn’t help much either with the situation. Especially considering Cara doesn’t know that Aelyx and the other L’ehir exchange students want this exchange experiment to fail in order to throw the humans into a state of paranoia to make them refuse to associate themselves with the L’ehirs in anyway or form.

After countless attempts to assimilate Aelyx into human society, he finally finds himself enjoying life on Earth and realises that not all humans are whom the L’ehir’s thought to be and starts to regret ever having placed his sabotage plans from the program into motion. With protesters staking out at the school, Cara’s life becomes more problematic especially with her now ex-befriend and ex-boyfriend and the rest of the school have shunned her out for supporting the program and the fellow planet. With strangers sending her threating letters, those who surround Cara start fearing for her life and the consequences of the social media manipulation that has been placed upon the L’ehir’s.

Unsure of whom to trust anymore, Cara finds that the alien boy that she has slowly come to love has been lying to her since the beginning. Deadly consequences follow after Aleyx’s past actions that he had wished to hide from Cara, as he fear that once knowing the truth, she would want nothing to do with him. Unfortunately for him, the past always seems to resurface and lies get dug up.

***I received a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives just outside Cincinnati in the town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio."

Alienated by Melissa Landers:
BOOK 1: Alienated
BOOK 2: Invaded
BOOK 3: United

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BROKEN SKIES BY THERESA KAY

15/10/2016

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Reunited with her brother, and surrounded by Flint, Peter and her new-found grandfather, Jax Mitchell has still never felt more alone. The choice to follow Rym back to the city to find answers and see Lir is an easy one, but their reunion is cut short and Jax is forced to leave Lir behind. She finds herself traveling with some unexpected companions and heading back toward a place she’d hoped to never see again.

After being imprisoned—and tortured—on the orders of his uncle, Lir hasn’t seen daylight or linked to anyone in weeks. After a lifetime of connection, the pain and loneliness is almost too much to bear. Elated that Jax actually came, Lir finds renewed hope and the strength to continue fighting his uncle's influence over the E'rikon, even when things look hopeless and Lir’s been branded a traitor by the very people he’s trying to save.

While Jax and Lir fight separate battles, their missions have more in common than they realize. It’s a race against time to stop men driven only by greed and power. But the ones they trust the most might be the very people working against them—and "family" doesn't mean what it used to. Will they recognize their friends from their enemies in time to save the people they love or will they lose each other in the process?

Broken Skies is a hidden gem in disguise that will have you gripping on the edge of your chair until the very last page. – Abooktopia

I am proud to say that this did not suffer from the second book syndrome, which was satisfying to find, as this series truly is a hidden gem in disguise. The long wait was well worth it for Theresa Kay has truly created a masterpiece and the plot and character progression was brilliantly done.

Fractured Suns jumped right back into the story at Peter’s cabin where Jax presently lives out in the woods with her brother, Jace, and a few other companions. Jax continued to show her strong willed and persistent characteristics, which make our beautiful heroine. With the aid of her new-found strength, Jax was a force to be reckoned with, with Lir supporting her throughout the journey. Lir I swear, is pure swoon worthy material for a fictional male character. With new introduced dual POV, we readers get so much more out of both of these amazing characters as their stories intertwine so effortlessly together with the pace of their relationship. The action was packed with romance, adventure, and plenty of character development as Jax and Lir’s relationship developed furthermore with new secondary characters coming into the picture. Oh and don’t even get me started on the plot twists… They will have you shocked and gripping onto the edge of the pages as Theresa Kay has no fear in creating the impossible and is more than willing to go where others wouldn’t dare. The stakes were higher than ever, and the challenges that our two main characters faced were increased for the whole world is now at stake.

This book will quickly pull you back into the story where you first left off and immerse you once again in a world surrounded by heartwarming characters. It is honestly such an enjoyable read and will surprise you with its peril, heartbreak, betrayals, and love.

***I received a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

The only person she knows who had a subscription to Writer's Digest at eleven and was always excited to write research papers, Theresa has been putting words to paper since a young age. Living in the mountains of central Virginia with her husband and two kids, she works as a paralegal by day, binges on Netflix at night and finds bits of time in between reading almost everything she can get her hands on and laundry to craft stories that tend to feature broken characters in sci-fi or paranormal worlds, with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure.

She's constantly lost in one fictional universe or another and is a self-proclaimed “fangirl” who loves being sucked in to new books or TV shows. Theresa originally wanted to write horror novels as an ode to her childhood passion for Stephen King novels, but between her internal Muse’s ramblings and the constant praise for her sci-fi pieces from her writer’s group – The Rebel Writers – she knew she should stick with what was working.

Broken Skies by Theresa Kay:
BOOK 1: Broken Skies
BOOK 2: Fractured Suns
BOOK 3: Shattered Stars

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THE NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLE BY JAY KRISTOFF

30/9/2016

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***This book is intended for readers 18+ as it contains explicit sexual contents and a lot of violence***

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

Prepare to immerse yourself in this intense and brutal tale that is flinching, fearsome, and unforgettable, with a perfect blend of blood, magic, murder, and seduction. – Abooktopia

At the age of ten, Mia witnessed her father’s unjustly execution and her mother and brother’s damnation. In her terror, on the same night that her mother and brother were taken away and imprisoned into a mental asylum, Mia discovers a hidden gift that enables her to talk to the shadows. Unbeknown to what this all means, Mia accepts the shadow as her companion and devotes her life to the lethal arts. Learning all that she can in hopes of joining The Red church, a mysterious school filled with a group of the deadliest assassins in The Republic of Itreya. There she will train to become a blade and avenge her family’s betrayal and those who wronged her. However, the journey to The Red Church will be a dangerous one, and she will soon find out that the trials of the Ministry and the Lord of the Blade will demand more than she’s willing to give and that she will question what point it is okay to turn into a monster; just like the one you are trying to kill, in the name of revenge.

Nevernight was truly something special and phenomenal with a perfect blend of blood, magic, murder, and seduction. The writing was superb and flowed right off the page in an almost dark, poetic rhythm. It had a unique and unexpected shadowy feel to it that was enthralling. The world was richly detailed, filled with little asterisks throughout the book to provide extra little footnotes. The writing style can take a while to adjust to and can be quite overwhelming at the start as you try to get a feel for the world, but once you do, the story picks up and the roller-coaster begins, with the twists and turns coming at you relentlessly. You are left constantly on the tips of your toes and the edge of your seat, anticipating for the next blood bath to behold. Brace yourself for the intense and dark foreboding page turns.

***I received a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

Jay Kristoff is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of THE LOTUS WAR, THE ILLUMINAE FILES and THE NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLE. He is the winner of two Aurealis Awards, an ABIA, nominee for the David Gemmell Morningstar and Legend awards, named multiple times in the Kirkus and Amazon Best Teen Books list and published in over twenty-five countries, most of which he has never visited. He is as surprised about all of this as you are. He is 6’7 and has approximately 13030 days to live. He abides in Melbourne with his secret agent kung-fu assassin wife, and the world’s laziest Jack Russell.

He does not believe in happy endings.

The Nevernight Chronicle by Jay Kristoff:
BOOK 1: Nevernight
BOOK 2: Untitled
BOOK 3: Untitled

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THE MALEDICTION BY DANIELLE L. JENSEN

15/9/2016

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Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.

Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.

To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…

Hidden Huntress showed no hint of ‘middle book syndrome’ but rather proved to be an exquisite continuation to Stolen Songbird that was just as suspenseful and nerve-racking as the first. – Abooktopia

Hidden Huntress was mysteriously intriguing to read as one tried to unravel the stimulating questions that surrounded Tristan and Cécile. In this sequel there was so much more at stake and it felt as if all Cécile’s trials were undefeatable as she went off and escaped from Tollus to hunt for the witch that cursed the trolls to their confinement. No matter how hard and dark times got, Cécile still managed to push though, and never gave up in trying to find a way to be with Tristan again, a troll prince who was once destined to rule, but now lay captive within his own city. Without his protection or help, Cécile finds herself to be still within the grasp of the King.

One of the things I loved most about this sequel was that fact that we got to be in Tristan’s head so much more, and got the chance to read about his thoughts and feelings and the pain he went through. It allowed one to get a better grasp on his character and to understand every detail about him and how he wished to be a better troll, not only Cécile but also for everyone else in Trollus who looked to him. My heart honestly ached for Tristan and Cécile to be together as I desperately wished for their chemistry to appear on the pages before me as I treasured the romance between the two. Unfortunately the two were separated for more than half the book, fighting their own battles.

Danielle’s writing flowed beautiful and allowed for POVs to be easily distinguishable with a hint of fantasy vibe. The ending was glorious and filled with actions and much intrigue. It was cleverly plotted with layers of plot twists and complications.

***I received a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

Danielle L. Jensen is the USA Today bestselling author of the acclaimed Malediction Trilogy: Stolen Songbird, Hidden Huntress, and Warrior Witch (Angry Robot Books).

Danielle was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. At the insistence of the left side of her brain, she graduated in 2003 from the University of Calgary with a bachelor’s degree in finance. But the right side of her brain has ever been mutinous; and in 2010, it sent her back to school to complete an entirely impractical English literature degree at Mount Royal University and to pursue publication. Much to her satisfaction, the right side shows no sign of relinquishing its domination.

The Malediction Trilogy by Danielle L. Jensen:
BOOK 1: Stolen Songbird
BOOK 2: Hidden Huntress
BOOK 3: Warrior Witch

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THE MALEDICTION BY DANIELLE L. JENSEN

15/5/2016

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For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the mountain. When Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she realises that the trolls are relying on her to break the curse.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind: escape. But the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time…

But the more time she spends with the trolls, the more she understands their plight. There is a rebellion brewing. And she just might be the one the trolls were looking for...

Stolen Songbird is a fantastic debut novel that is a wonderful edition to the fantasy world. Filled with adventure, romance and outlandish creature, Danielle L. Jensen turns the tables on fairytale cliché, leaving you wanting more. – Abooktopia

A young woman named Cécile is kidnapped from her life and sold to the trolls where she is forced to marry the troll prince in order to break a centuries-old curse that was brought upon the troll kingdom by a witch that seals them within their subterranean mountain. A prophecy claims that a human woman with red hair and the voice of an angel will be the one to break the curse, and free the trolls. However, Cécile must learn to adapt to their world as best she can, but the longer she lives without breaking the curse, the more expendable she becomes to the, for what use is she to the trolls if she cannot do the one thing she was bought down to do? But that’s not the only problem. A revolution is brewing beneath the exterior of the kingdom, and Cécile is about to get caught up in the middle of it all.

The overall story, introduced a different idea about trolls, and paints them in a new light. The world building for this novel was incredible, and destroyed all myths of your stereotypical troll. If you believe all trolls to ugly and stupid, it’s best to ride of those past thoughts for you are most mistaken. Their beautiful faces and twinkly grey eyes easily seduce you, catching one off guard. But no one ever anticipates beautiful exteriors to hide something so twisted and sadistic on the inside. With their cunning, and calculated ruthlessness, the trolls can predict your next move.

The plot was interesting and complex, but managed to flow nicely in a good pace filled with mystery, adventure, and action, to create an amazing storyline. I adored how Cécile, the heroine, was not whinny, but rather a capable and fierce character that was realistic. She had her little faults and imperfections, as we humans do, which made her easier to connect with. It was so easy to be pulled into the world of Trollus, and just has hard to be pulled away from its depth.

***I received a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

The Malediction Trilogy by Danielle L. Jensen:
BOOK 1: Stolen Songbird
BOOK 2: Hidden Huntress
BOOK 3: Warrior Witch

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THE VARA VOLUMES BY JOHN KERRY

15/4/2016

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The Vara of Yima, the original Garden of Eden, sealed from the rest of the world and populated with the fittest of men and women. A secret paradise that 150 years ago became ravaged by smog that choked out the skies.

Now the Vara exists in a permanent state of darkness and its people need a champion, a chosen one to save them from the smog that threatens to fill the realm and poison its inhabitants.

That’s what they needed. They got Sammy Ellis instead. She isn’t important enough for her dad to stick around for, never mind saving a realm or junk like that. Her only responsibility was to help the chosen one open the gateway into the Vara, but not only has she entered the realm in their place, she’s also locked them out in the process.

Stuck in a twilight land of giant mushrooms, pursued by dark forces and still in her pyjamas, being unimportant back in the real world is starting to seem way more attractive.

John Kerry has created an all new universe filled with lush and rich descriptions. – Abooktopia

John Kerry uses strong descriptive adjectives as he describes a magical vibrant world, so unlike our very own. A world filed with strange creatures and wonders. The Vara of Yima, the original Garden of Eden, is a secret paradise sealed off from the rest of the world, populated with the fittest men and women. A secret paradise that 150 years ago became ravaged by smog that choked out the skies.

The world of Vara was all together fascinating and unique. I loved the mystery and secretiveness that made me question each character’s hidden motive. I found the main character Sammy Ellis to be so different from all the other young female YA characters. Though Sammy was at times a little too quick in accepting her situations, she was still a nerdy relatable character. I also loved the fact that Sammy was never truly meant to be in the big picture as her only responsibility was to help the chosen one open the gateway into the Vara, when she accidentally entered the realm in place of the chosen one, and locked them out in the process. This made us wonder wether she was to be the saviour or the destroyer at times.

That being said, I wasn’t too happy at times with the dialogue and the main character herself. I found Sammy to be selfish and much too rash when it came to making decisions and facing the problems ahead of her. Though I do have a sneaking suspicion that John Kerry used Sammy’s personality as a means of showing that she was never truly intended to be the heroine…

Eden at the Edge of Midnight was very different from some of my past reads, and I enjoyed how it avoided the clichés, which can be found in many YA novels. I am also thankful to say that romance was not an important aspect of the story as it was tamed. Overall, the setting was really creative and imaginative, creating a whole new world of fantasy. There was so much detail for such a complex world, that help me as a reader obtain a better grasp on what was happening in this strange new world, even though I was at times confused.

***I received a personalised signed copy of this book in return***
***for an honest and unbiased review***

John Kerry is – to the untrained eye – an average-sized, average-looking, marginally out of shape white guy, but depending on which day you observe him, in his head he could be about to take down a cartel of drug dealers with his bare hands. On another day he might be about to force push a lorry from the path of a baby stroller before they collide. Or, on yet another, he might even be getting ready to dive into a telephone box so he can rip open his shirt and fly off round the world backwards turning back time for some reason known only to himself. When John isn’t living in a fantasy world he can be found in the city of Sheffield, UK where he lives. Originally from Ipswich, he lived in London for a while, before moving up north to raise his three padawan daughters. And one day he hopes to move to the US because that’s where all the other superheroes live and where alien invasions often occur. Books wise John loves virtually anything containing adventure, fantasy, Sci Fi, monsters, Harry Potter, Hunger Games, or Lovecraftian cyclopean horror.

The Vara Volumes by John Kerry:
BOOK 1: Eden at the Edge of Midnight
BOOK 2: Back to the Vara

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THE WITCH HUNTER BY MICHELLE KRYS

30/3/2016

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Indie has spent the last few weeks frantically searching for Paige. She's tried every spell imaginable, but witchcraft has gotten her nowhere, and she's going crazy with guilt. Despite what her warlock boyfriend, Bishop, tells her, Indie knows it's her fault her best friend was kidnapped by the Priory. And with the Priory destroyed, finding Paige feels more hopeless than ever-especially when Indie discovers that Paige isn't even on Earth. She's trapped in Los Demonios, an alternate dimension of Los Angeles filled with evil paranormals. No one who has gone there has ever come out.

Fueled by terror and loyalty, Indie is desperate to find a way into the underworld prison. She'll worry about getting out later. But facing the dark world's most dangerous witches and warlocks on her own means keeping her plan hush-hush-and forging alliances with some sketchy people, including a seriously sexy sorcerer.

Sometimes a witch must keep secrets from the people she cares about most. And sometimes she isn't the only one with secrets…

A definite page-turner consisting of a great blend of paranormal adventure and fantasy with a captivating blend of witches, warlocks and sorcerers. – Abooktopia

Charmed starts off right from where we last left Hexed, the first novel in The Witch Hunter series. Indie has spent the last few weeks frantically searching for her best friend Paige, after the now deceased sorcerer Leo kidnapped her. She’s tried every spell imaginable; getting her no closer to finding Paige than the last few hundred times she tried. Indigo believes it is her own fault that Paige was kidnapped, despite her warlock boyfriend Bishop telling her otherwise. There’s a reason why no one can find Paige. She’s trapped in another alternate dimension known as Los Demonios, a place where the worst and most dangerous witches, warlocks, and sorcerers are banished to for unimaginable crimes. But that won’t stop Indie from finding a way in. Despite everyone’s warnings that no one who has gone there has ever come out, Indie is still determined to find a way in. There she must team up with some of the most foulest and dangerous criminals of all time. But can she really trust them?

Indigo’s character was just as beautifully written as she was in the first installment. She is just as loving as before, as she is devoted to her friends and family, and full of determination. Sure she is also flawed with recklessness and jealously, but that is what makes her three-dimensional and real. Someone, we as reader can connect with. Throughout the first novel, Indigo grew as a person, and a witch as she learns about her heritage and what being a witch truly means. Whilst in the second novel, I found she matured a lot more as a person as she is thrown into tough situations where she must be quick on her feet if she wishes to succeed.

Bishop was just as adorable and flirtatious as always. I really love how he is so caring and loving as a boyfriend, as he never tries to control or demean Indie. Sure he gets pissed with some of her choices, but who wouldn’t? He at least understands why she makes the choices she does, and what she is going through.

I really enjoyed this book as a whole, as it surpassed my expectations and more. Everything was written in concrete detail, creating flamboyant imagery, leaving no unanswered questions in its wake. Michelle Krys does a wonderful job at transporting her readers into a brand new world of magic and terrifying wonders, leaving you gasping for more.

***I received a hardback copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

Michelle Krys lives with her husband and son in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. She has an identical twin called Brandy who is also a writer! She is the author of the YA novel HEXED, out now from Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books, as well as the sequel, CHARMED, and a separate, standalone novel called DEAD GIRLS SOCIETY. She works part-time as a NICU nurse and spends her free time writing books for teens. She is repped by Adriann Ranta of Wolf Literary. Michelle is probably not a witch, though she did belong to a witchcraft club in the fifth grade and “levitated” people in her bedroom, so that may be up for debate.

The Witch Hunter by Michelle Krys:
BOOK 1: Hexed
BOOK 2: Charmed

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THE WITCH HUNTER BY MICHELLE KRYS

15/12/2015

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If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

Indigo Blackwood is your average cheerleader, or so it seems… She couldn’t be happier with Bianca, her best friend since grade school and Devon the captain of the football team as her boyfriend, by her side.

Things change drastically when Indie and her next-door neighbour Paige witness a guy plummeting to his death from up above. But that’s not all… The boy was carrying a rumpled piece of paper with the address of her mom’s voodoo store, written on it. What was this stranger doing with her mom’s store address? Where did he come from? Most importantly, what happened to him? Was it suicide or homicide? Thoughts and questions run through her mind.

When a stranger in a leather jacket suggests that she should go home to check upon on her mother, Indie becomes suspicious. After many unanswered calls to her mother, Indie races home only to find her mother almost crushed under a bookshelf. Unable to stop the bookshelf from crushing her mother, the stranger lifts up the bookshelf before disappearing into the night. With her mother now safe, and the police question her about what happen. After those events, she finds her mother’s bible missing. The Witchcraft’s Bible that her mother is overly protective of. The one her mother is desperate not to allow from falling into the wrong hands. Promising that she knows exactly where it is, Indie must find the Witchcraft’s Bible and bring it back.

Her only clue is the stranger in the leather jacket. Dragging Paige, her next-door neighbor, into the foreboding night to find this mysterious boy, she recounts what happened. After hopelessly searching for the stranger, she receives a startling knock on her car window. It’s the boy who’s been following her, and he will only answer her questions in a private location. Accepting his over, she agrees to his terms.

It turns out on her 200th full moon; she has a 50% chance of becoming a witch. In a world where witches and sorceress are long-term enemies, she learns that her mother’s bible is more important than she could have ever imagined. It gives any sorcerer the power to kill witches, without them losing their powers. It unbinds the curse placed many generations ago by a witch, to prevent the two sides from killing each other.

I really loved Indie’s character development as she went from the girl who was balancing herself on the line of popularity, to being herself, as she finds out the truth about herself and her heritage. As for Bishop’s character… Watch out Patch Cipriano, ‘cause there’s a new hottie in town, and his name is Bishop. Bishop is a warlock who is there for Indie throughout the story as he teaches Indie about her inheritance and how to unleash her powers. Overall, this novel was undeniably phenomenal and addictive. It had you entertained right from the start to the finish. I would highly recommend this novel to all fans of Hush, Hush and Fallen alike. I cannot wait so get my hands on Charmed and to learn what happens next!

***I received a hardback copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

The Witch Hunter by Michelle Krys:
BOOK 1: Hexed
BOOK 2: Charmed

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BROKEN SKIES BY THERESA KAY

15/10/2015

55 Comments

In seventeen-year-old Jax Mitchell's world, humans are nearly extinct and alien settlers have arrived.

Until recently, the E’rikon have remained segregated in their city and ignored the few humans who have tried to engage them… but now they have taken Jax’s brother. To rescue him, she forms an uneasy alliance with a teenage E’rikon left stranded in the woods. She agrees to guide him to the city if he sneaks her past the human-proof barrier. Too bad it’s not that simple.

Jax, who cannot stand to be touched, finds that she’s drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales on his back. And he’s equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn’t know the alien’s true motives and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.

With the aliens and the humans at odds, the connection forming between the two teens has consequences. What started off as a rescue mission sets a chain of events in motion which threatens not only the remaining humans and the growing alien society, but Earth itself.

This novel was beyond phenomenal and breathtaking! There was never a dull moment as I enthusiastically consumed the pages one after the other. The story line is addictive as you fall into a new world. I adored how Theresa Kay sets her story in a dystopian world mixed with science fiction.

In a world where humans are almost extinct, they co-existed with the aliens: E’rikon. But it is they own fault for their near extinction after the Collapse in which a biological weapon killed over ninety percent of the world’s population. The E’rikon leave the humans alone to do their own bidding's and do not mix with them. That is until Jax and her twin brother Jace come face to face with the E’rikon and Jace in naively kidnapped by the aliens. But one of the E’rikon; Lir has been left behind. Wittingly Jax strikes a deal with the green haired boy. If she helps Lir find his way back to the city, he must help her get past the barrier surrounding the Erikon’s home so she may rescue her brother and bring him to safety. She will stop at nothing to get him back, even if it means to die trying.

This novel was written solely from Jax’s point of view as she wisp us into her world. Throughout the novel her character develops and grows as she fights her emotional ordeals that were cause from her being traumatised prior to the setting. Due to her ordeals, she is fearful of others touching her except for her brother Jace, with whom she has a really strong bond with. As she travels with Lir, she slowly becomes comfortable enough for him to touch her without her having a panic attack.

Then there was Lir… I mean who doesn’t love an alien who hogs all the best dolls? His character was intriguing as I was fascinated with his hair, his eyes, and even his back as he had scales running up and done his backbone. I loved his motives, and finding out each new secret he was willing to unshed as the story progressed.

Broken Skies is a hidden gem in disguise, and I highly recommend this gripping novel. It is a story of survival that is heavily action packed and overall a fantastic well-written story. I believe that those who loved the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout and The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey will enjoy this novel immensely. This is definitely a series that I must continue as I adored every moment. I have so many unanswered questions that I’d like to see in the sequel Fractured Suns as I look forward to exploring how Jax and Lir’s relationship develops.

***I received a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review***

Broken Skies by Theresa Kay:
BOOK 1: Broken Skies
BOOK 2: Fractured Suns
BOOK 3: Shattered Stars

55 Comments

THE GIVER QUARTET BY LOIS LOWRY

15/3/2015

44 Comments

Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

I quite enjoyed the simplicity of this book. Each book told of a different story from someone else's point of view, yet in the end they are all connected together and brought together the story through different perspectives. The main moral of the story explains how our lives and the way we live can sometimes be the outcome of how some misguided leaders think problems in the world should be solved or eliminated, though there is no such thing as a perfect world, and even if there was, it wouldn’t necessarily make us any happier. Those misguided leaders who try to control and change the world mostly end up causing more problems that we need to fight against to protect the meaning of our lives. Evil is always lurking near by and can only be overcome through happiness, which is accomplished when we help and support one another, and use our gifts to make the world a better place.

The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry:
BOOK 1: The Giver
BOOK 2: Gathering Blue
BOOK 3: The Messenger
BOOK 4: Son

44 Comments

Books

THE YOUNG ELITES BY MARIE LU

ALIENATED BY MELISSA LANDERS

BROKEN SKIES BY THERESA KAY

THE NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLE BY JAY KRISTOFF

THE MALEDICTION BY DANIELLE L. JENSEN

THE MALEDICTION BY DANIELLE L. JENSEN

THE VARA VOLUMES BY JOHN KERRY

THE WITCH HUNTER BY MICHELLE KRYS

THE WITCH HUNTER BY MICHELLE KRYS

BROKEN SKIES BY THERESA KAY

THE GIVER QUARTET BY LOIS LOWRY

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