Book Shelf: The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson

Every Christmas, Wren is chased through the woods near her isolated village by her family's enemies—the Judges—and there’s nothing that she can do to stop it. Once her people, the Augurs, controlled a powerful magic. But now that power lies with the Judges, who are set on destroying her kind for good.

In a desperate bid to save her family, Wren takes a dangerous undercover assignment—as an intern to an influential Judge named Cassa Harkness. Cassa has spent her life researching a transformative spell, which could bring the war between the factions to its absolute end. Caught in a web of deceit, Wren must decide whether or not to gamble on the spell and seal the Augurs’ fate.

More info on Goodreads....

Review:

The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson is a unique and mysterious novel full of Irish folklore, deception and unexpected betrayals.

Every Winter Wren Silke is chased through the woods as part of a distorted childhood game by the boys of her village. As an augur, these boys are her sworn enemies, judges, but lucky for Wren her heritage remains a secrets from them. With their powers diminishing, Wren's grove send her undercover to intern at Harkness Foundation, the headquarters for some of the most powerful judges out there. Hoping to discover their secrets, Wren soon finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse and as her time at Harkness House begins to change her, Wren must make the ultimate choice in order to decide where her loyalties lay.

Having recently finished The Wren Hunt, I'm not completely sure how to wrap my mind around the book. Mary Watson has no doubt created a vivid and unique story; there's definitely nothing out there like The Wren Hunt but at the same time I feel as though the novel fell flat in many regards. Considering the uniqueness that was it's story, it had plenty of potential but there were elements of the novel that ultimately failed it in my eyes.

Set in a very atmospheric country Ireland, The Wren Hunt introduces the concept of two ancient magic practitioner’s; augurs and judges. From what I could wrap my head around, both groups practice magic through the use of natural means and rely on nature to harness and use its essence to fuel their power and abilities. Honestly, for the most part I struggled to really comprehend much of what Wren and her people did as well as the age old feud they had with the judges. I feel like Watson could have potentially set things up better whilst still harnessing in the Irish folklore and heritage she wove into the story. The Wren Hunt was still easy to follow as long as I didn’t get too caught up in this.

It wasn’t easy connecting with the characters of The Wren Hunt either. Though Wren was nice enough, I didn’t really care for anyone else within the story and found them bland and lacklustre. I liked her love interest Tarc and thought him likable, but I also struggled with the fact that he himself seemed to be a pivotal part in the plot development. Romance aside, I wanted Wren to make her choices based on what she learnt about the judge world and its people, not just because she liked a boy. All of Wren’s driving forced changed when she fell for Tarc and even though I appreciated their love story, I feel like the story could have benefited if it wasn’t written this particular way.

Despite my misgivings, there was something alluring about The Wren Hunt that kept be reading. Featuring a dreamlike aura and being rich in imagery, The Wren Hunt is a unique read for those who dare to try something a little different.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Format: Paperback
Australian RRP: $14.99
Release Date: February 8th 2018
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: Though it didn't blow me away, The Wren Hunt was a unique story that might appeal to readers wanting something a bit different.

Book Shelf: Gap Year in Ghost Town by Michael Pryor

Let's get this straight - ghosts are everywhere. I can see them. You can't. And, see them or not, they're dangerous. This is why my family has hunted ghosts for hundreds of years to protect people like you.

The Marin family are outcasts of the ghost hunting world. They run a two-man operation in inner city Melbourne. Anton has the Ghost-sight, but his father does not.

Rani Cross is supremely skilled in hand-to-hand combat, with enhanced speed and strength thanks to her magical initiation into the Company of the Righteous.

When it comes to ghost-hunting methodology, Anton and Rani don't see eye to eye - Anton likes to 'ease their passage' to the next world, while Rani's all about the slashing.

But Melbourne is under threat; with a massive spike in violent ghost manifestations, Anton and Rani must find a way to work together to keep supernatural forces at bay.

And what with all the blindingly terrifying brushes with death, Anton must decide if he really wants in on the whole ghost hunting biz anyway.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review: 

Gap Year in Ghost Town by Australian author Michael Pryor is a ghostly tale of adventure and danger set amongst a Melbourne backdrop. 

Anton Marin is a member of a long line of descendants capable of seeing ghosts and who have spent their lives hunting them down and helping them move on. Living with his father and running a used book-shop in the heart of Melbourne, Anton spends his nights searching for ghosts and is used to taking the gentle approach with exorcising them. Until he meets sword welding, British expat Rani Cross on assignment from London. Rani's approach to ghost hunting is more slash first, ask questions never. The Marin family are anomalies in the ghost hunting world and the organization Rani works for is sure their way is right, but with a massive spike in ghosts threatening society, Anton and Rani must work together to stop the ghosts from hurting innocent people, even if it means acknowledging that not everything is black and white.

I have to be honest; I really wanted to adore this novel, I did. I went into it looking for something fresh and with an open mind, and although there were parts of Gap Year in Ghost Town I appreciated, it was a struggle for me to read this novel all the way through. While Michael Pryor is clearly a talented writer and has a decent writing style, I feel like Gap Year in Ghost Town could have been condensed with the majority of the dialogue removed and you wouldn't loose anything within the story. 

Anton's personality is all sarcasm and sass, but what began as endearing in the beginning of the novel quickly became grating to me. I could totally see what Pryor was going for and it may work for some people, but for me so much of the conversations seemed unnecessary and overly witty that it all fell on deaf ears. It grew tiresome quickly and I just wanted to skip over a lot of the dialogue to get to important parts of the story which seemed far and few in between as it was. 

That being said, I enjoyed all the Melbourne and Australian culture thrown into Gap Year in Ghost Town. There was a lot of pop-culture references throughout the story with a detailed and poignant Melbourne setting. Ghosts bring a scary element to the story and a spooky undertone to Anton and Rani's adventures. 

Overall, this novel wasn't to my liking, but I can see how Gap Year in Ghost Town would appeal to other readers and would recommend you check it out if you're looking for a witty ghost hunting tale with an Australian urban twist.   

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you guys!) 
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Format: Paperback
Australian RRP: $19.99
Release Date: July 26th 2017
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon 
Final Thoughts: Unfortunately Gap Year in Ghost Town just wasn't for me.....

 

Book Shelf: A Girl Called Owl by Amy Wilson

It's bad enough having a mum dippy enough to name you Owl, but when you've got a dad you've never met, a best friend who needs you more than ever, and a new boy at school giving you weird looks, there's not a lot of room for much else.

So when Owl starts seeing strange frost patterns on her skin, she's tempted to just burrow down under the duvet and forget all about it. Could her strange new powers be linked to her mysterious father?And what will happen when she enters the magical world of winter for the first time?

A glittering story of frost and friendship, with writing full of magic and heart, A Girl Called Owl is a stunning debut about family, responsibility and the beauty of the natural world.

More info on Goodreads....


Review:

A Girl Called Owl is a unique debut novel from Amy Wilson that details a luscious, icy tale featuring some of mythology’s most interesting characters. 

Thirteen year old Owl has grown up with her quirky mother’s tales of magical lands and powerful beings. Owl knows most of her mother’s stories off by heart but never expects that the truth about her father could be as incredible as it really is. Yet when icy tendrils begin to bloom across Owl’s hands and she suddenly beings to notice strange creatures watching her every move, Owl will have to delve into worlds straight out of fairy tales if she wants to learn the truth about her new abilities and who she really is….. 

A Girl Called Owl is a hard book for me to review. I think Amy Wilson had a genius thought when she decided to write a novel featuring Jack Frost and a lot of the other forces of nature we hear about upon occasion, but I don’t think the execution was as good as it could have been. A Girl Called Owl was admittedly well written, but I failed to connect emotionally with the characters and felt the novel was a slow one to read. It wasn’t bad, it just was missing something and because of this I struggled.

Perhaps it’s an age thing, but to me Owl read too young and her attitude at times grated, making it difficult for me to really care about her and what was going on in her life. I loved seeing characters such as Jack Frost, the North Wind, Mother Nature, the Lady of the Lake, the Earl of October, etc come to life, but unfortunately these magical individuals weren’t able to save the story in my eyes. 

Promising, but ultimately falling flat for me, A Girl Called Owl featured a unique premise that failed to win me over but may suit the younger demographic who enjoy their tales whimsical and filled with magic. 

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Format: Paperback ARC
Australian RRP: $14.99
Release Date: January 26th 2017
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: I great premise that failed to really capture me; I'd recommend it you a younger audience however.

Book Shelf: Stealing Snow (Stealing Snow #1) by Danielle Paige

Seventeen-year-old Snow lives within the walls of the Whittaker Institute, a high security mental hospital in upstate New York. Deep down, she knows she doesn't belong there, but she has no memory of life outside, except for the strangest dreams. And then a mysterious, handsome man, an orderly in the hospital, opens a door – and Snow knows that she has to leave …

She finds herself in icy Algid, her true home, with witches, thieves, and a strangely alluring boy named Kai. As secret after secret is revealed, Snow discovers that she is on the run from a royal lineage she's destined to inherit, a father more powerful and ruthless than she could have imagined, and choices of the heart that could change everything. Heroine or villain, queen or broken girl, frozen heart or true love, Snow must choose her fate …

A wonderfully icy fantastical romance, with a strong heroine choosing her own destiny, Danielle Paige's irresistibly page-turning Snow Queen is like Maleficent and Frozen all grown up.

 

More info on Goodreads.....

 

Review:

Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige is a magical twist on the timeless fairy-tale The Snow Queen that introduces readers to an icy world full of secrets, danger and unexpected betrayals. 

Seventeen year old Snow has spent the majority of her life in the Whittaker Institute, a secure mental hospital in New York City after an accident involving a mirror left her scarred and labelled unstable. Though Snow struggles to remember her life before Whittaker, she knows she doesn’t belong there, and when someone she loves is pulled quite literally through a mirror, Snow decides to join the mysterious boy who has been visiting her and haunting her dreams to journey to the icy world of Algid. In the land of Algid, a world of witches, thieves and magic, Snow begins to learn the truth about who she is and the ice that runs through her veins. 

Stealing Snow is a really hard book for me to review; mainly because I was really looking forward to it and I feel it had so much potential. I know Danielle Paige has had success with her Dorothy Must Die series, but I really wasn’t feeling Stealing Snow. The concept had potential—I do so love The Snow Queen--and I really enjoyed discovering the land of Algid, but I just felt really dissatisfied with this novel. 

Though for the most part Snow was easy enough to follow, I found it hard to connect with her. And all the characters really. I honestly think Snow has potential as an individual, so I am genuinely intrigued to see how she grows with the series. As for the other characters….I felt like there was just something missing. Paige has created this really vivid, icy world that’s full of snow, magic and possibilities, but I don’t think the characters did it justice. I’m hoping to connect more in the future. 

The romantic aspect of Stealing Snow was a real disappointment for me. I was expecting a really lovely romance to accompany the story, but I disliked the fact that Snow had not one, not two, but three possible love interests that she seemed to care about and want in varying degrees. Supposedly she’s in love with one, but she is attracted to, desires slightly and gets jealous over two more?? Not buying it. Although so far if I have to choose, I’m team Kai!     

The overall feel of Stealing Snow reminded me of Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series—that aura of magic and endless possibilities. Though I had my issues with the novel, I am intrigued by Paige’s world and was really impressed by the last few chapters of the novel, especially the ending. There was a lot of unexpected twists and revelations that make me wonder what Danielle Paige plans for the rest of her series. 

Failing to win me over like I'd hoped, Stealing Snow could have soared, but ultimately didn’t. I may be persuaded to read the sequel when it comes out however, simply to see what happens next and whether there will be any redemption for the series in my eyes. 

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Format: Paperback ARC
Australian RRP: $16.99
Release Date: October 2016
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: Though Stealing Snow was a struggle for me at times, I will possibly read the next novel to see how author Danielle Paige develops the series next.

 

Book Shelf: The Witch's Kiss (The Witch's Kiss #1) by Katharine Corr & Elizabeth Corr

Sixteeen-year-old Meredith is fed-up with her feuding family and feeling invisible at school – not to mention the witch magic that shoots out of her fingernails when she’s stressed. Then sweet, sensitive Jack comes into her life and she falls for him hard. The only problem is that he is periodically possessed by a destructive centuries-old curse.

Meredith has lost her heart, but will she also lose her life? Or in true fairytale tradition, can true love’s kiss save the day?

More info on Goodreads.....



Review:

The Witch’s Kiss is the debut novel for sisters Katharine and Elizabeth Corr and is an intriguing twist on a classic fairy-tale.

Sixteen year old Meredith "Merry" Cooper is a witch…..technically. After a series of bad decisions, Merry has sworn off using her magic, but that doesn’t mean she can control the magic that shoots out of her fingers when she’s stressed or upset. When Merry begins having a series of dreams about a handsome young man named Jack, she soon learns that her family is connected to a centuries old curse placed upon Jack by a wizard out for revenge; a wizard that Merry is expected to defeat by using the very magic she’s sworn off using. But with lives on the line and the wizard growing more powerful every day, will Merry be able to save Jack and stop the wizard? Or is Jack fated to be doomed forever?

The Witch’s Kiss is one of those books that leaves me really conflicted. The concept is brilliant—loosely based around Sleeping Beauty, but where Sleeping Beauty is actually a prince not a princess who has been cursed by a wizard, not a witch that was wronged by the prince’s parents. Yet everything else about this novel seemed to fall flat….

I was hoping for a really fast paced story, but The Witch’s Kiss seemed to drag on for me. There was, what seemed to me, like a lot of unnecessary build up to a battle that is short lived and anticlimactic. Unfortunately, I found our main character Merry to be a little lacklustre. She got the job done as the heroine, but I failed to connect with her, as I did the rest of the characters.

Considering the curse put on Jack and the connection to the Sleeping Beauty fairy-tale that The Witch’s Kiss featured, I was anticipating this really heartfelt romance during this story, surely if some kind of true love is supposed to break the spell? Yet no. There is little to no romance between Merry and Jack that impacts on the story and the romance and connection between them seemed forced on the author’s part. I feel like Katharine and Elizabeth Corr had a brilliant idea, but the execution just isn’t there.

The back story surrounding The Witch’s Kiss was really interesting; lending a new twist on Sleeping Beauty. I personally would have loved to see more of Jack and his time—I actually quite liked this part of the book and thought his sweet character had potential.

Though it was a slow read that could have soared, but ultimately didn’t, The Witch’s Kiss wasn’t necessarily a bad book. It just didn’t do enough for me. Overall a good attempt—jury’s out on whether I’ll read the sequel. I may simply because the curiosity in me can’t be satisfied with anything but a true happily ever after…..

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Harper Collins Australia
Format: Paperback
Australian RRP: $16.99
Release Date: June 30th 2016
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: The storyline held promise, but fell flat. Keen to see if the authors turn it around in book too though.

Book Shelf: The Outliers (The Outliers #1) by Kimberly McCreight

Imagine if you could see inside the minds of everyone around you – your best friend, your boyfriend, your enemies…?
Imagine how valuable you'd be…
Imagine how much danger you'd be in…
Imagine being an Outlier.

Wylie hasn't heard from her best friend, Cassie, since their fight. That doesn't matter when she gets a text from her, asking for help. But as Cassie's messages become increasingly strange, Wylie has a growing sense that something is REALLY wrong. What isn't Cassie telling her? And could finding her be just the beginning?
 
More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight is a deeply mysterious and unexpected read that will keep you guessing until the final page.

The Outliers introduces readers to Wylie Lang whose estranged best friend Cassie contacts her via text message out of the blue, mysteriously telling Wylie she is in trouble and asking Wylie to come pick her up. Alongside Cassie’s boyfriend Jasper, Wylie travels across the state in a desperate attempt to reach her friend, but when weird things begin to happen, Wylie and Jasper discover that not everything is as it seems.

I’m going to be honest, The Outliers is a really hard book for me to review; mainly because I’ve finished the story and still can’t completely wrap my head around what I’ve read. While I must say kudos to Kimberly McCreight for keeping the mystery up and keeping me guessing until the final page, The Outliers starts out slow and unfortunately keeps this pace. I feel like McCreight wanted to write something really different and really unique, but The Outliers ultimately fell flat. And yet I find myself oddly eager to read the second book.

One of the reasons I think I struggled with this book so much at times is the characters. Wylie had potential, but I felt like she made too many bad choices. Perhaps Kimberly McCreight can redeem her in future novels, but during The Outliers Wylie failed to blow me away. And don’t even get me started on Cassie—Wylie’s supposedly best friend who was a spoilt and selfish individual who didn’t care who she hurt. Jasper I did like; he wasn’t who Wylie thought him to be, although he got the raw end of the stick where his girlfriend is concerned.

I felt like The Outliers only showed us the tip of the iceberg where this plotline is concerned. So much of the story is spent with Wylie and Jasper racing to reach Cassie—we never really get to see exactly what Outliers are and what they can do. Considering I am genuinely interested in reading the sequel when Kimberly McCreight releases it, I’d like to see more focus around the basic part of the storyline.

With The Outliers heating up in the final few chapters and then ending on a bit of a cliff-hanger, I’m intrigued to see what happens next. Ultimately I don’t think this book will be for everyone, but I plan to persevere and recommend this novel for those looking for something a little different.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you Holly!)
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Format: Paperback
Australian RRP: $19.99
Release Date: May 3rd 2016
Purchase: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: Despite my issues with this novel, I am genuinely interested in reading the sequel to see if Kimberly McCright can redeem the series and to see what she has in store next!

Book Shelf: A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to my village, looking for a wife. When Lo-Melkhiin - a formidable king - arrives at her desert home, she knows that he will take her beautiful sister for a wife. Desperate to save her sister from certain death, she makes the ultimate sacrifice - leaving home and family behind to live with a fearful man. But it seems that a strange magic flows between her and Lo-Melkhiin, and night after night, she survives. Finding power in storytelling, the words she speaks are given strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. But she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king ...if only she can stop her heart from falling for a monster.

Set against a harsh desert backdrop, A Thousand Nights by E K Johnston is an evocative tale of love, mystery and magic that would not feel out of place if Scheherazade herself were telling it. And perhaps she is...

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

A Thousand Nights by E.K Johnston is based on the classic tale, The Arabian Nights and tells of one girl’s fight for survival against the harsh, unforgiven desert and the man who holds her in his grasp.

King Lo-Melkhiin has had three hundred wives, and each one has died on their wedding night. Going from village to village taking girls to be his bride, none have lasted more than one night. That is until our heroine convinces the powerful ruler to take her instead of her beautiful sister, only to learn that dark forces haunt the palace she soon begins to call home. Haunted by visons of her sister and family back home and frustrated by the dark compulsion she feels towards Lo-Melkhiin and the magic that seeps beneath his skin, she soon sets out to discover Lo-Melkiins secrets and discovers that powerful beings exist within the world.

In all honestly, this novel is a hard one for me to review. Set amongst a desert backdrop, the writing style featured by Johnston really is perfect for the setting of this book and its clear the author has a very good grasp of what she wanted to produce, but for me A Thousand Nights just fell very flat. Was it a bad book? No. Would it appeal to certain people? For sure! Do those people include me? No.

As someone unfamiliar with the original The Arabian Nights, I went into this book with open eyes and an open mind. I can’t fault the author for the vivid setting she creates and the writing style she implores, but overall I didn’t find myself overly captured by A Thousand Nights. For the most part I just plodded along with this book, getting through each page and then the next without too much concern for what was going on and the characters themselves.

Personally I thought the concept was brilliant, but didn’t reach its full potential. I was disappointed by the lack of romance by what was advertised as a great love story and felt the novel lacked connection and dynamic between the characters.

The story was interesting at times, especially towards the end, however I felt we spent too much time getting to this part of the tale. Most of the story seemed unnecessary and redundant and the lack of chemistry or any connection between our main character and the supporting cast failed the story in my eyes.

A Thousand Nights had potential but ultimately fell flat. It wasn’t for me, but if you enjoy powerfully harsh settings and magic, you may want to give this fantasy tale a go.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Pan Macmillan
Format: Paperback ARC
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: If you like desert tales and magic, maybe give this a go.
Cover: I don't mind the purple colour, but it's really bland
Will I read sequel/continue with series: No. This is a standalone, but if it wasn't I wouldn't continue.

Book Shelf: Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst

Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she's in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember.

At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Conjured is a deeply mysterious novel that weaves together surprising magic and even more surprising revelations and will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Conjured follows, and is told through the eyes of Eve, a mysterious teenage girl who has no memory of who she is, or what happened in her past. All Eve knows, is that she’s a witness to some kind of heinous event and is in the custody of an agency hell bent on bringing the perpetrator to justice. Suffering numerous bouts of amnesia every time she uses the magical abilities she seems to have, Eve finds herself loosing time with days and months often lost to her. In Conjured, Eve must rely on her instincts to find out how to stop the killer and to determine just who she can trust.

To be honest, I’m not quite sure how to wrap my head around Conjured. Even now that I’ve finished it. To begin with I was so excited to read this novel seeing how enticing the brief description was and when I received a copy I dived straight in. The mystery surrounding the main character and the constant bouts of amnesia she featured kept me reading, even if not a lot was happening, because I needed to know what it was Eve was being protected from and who she was. The eventual revelation made by Durst at the end basically had me thinking, "HUH!" At the end of the day there’s no way you’ll expect the revelations about who and what Eve is.

Practically everything within this novel is vague and while that isn’t always an issue, I feel Conjured could have benefited by Sarah Beth Durst detailing and explaining the workings of this world a bit more. Durst details the bare minimum and while this helps to keep the mystery and intrigue at its highest it doesn’t help to layer the story, especially at the end when the big reveal is made. I feel like Durst let something down that could have had amazing potential.

I liked Eve, but she didn’t blow me away either. She was sufficient as a main character and gets the job done but I struggled to connect to her at times, especially where Zach was concerned. I thought her relationships with Malcom and Aunt Nicki were sweet, but even they could have been a little deeper. Eve and Zach were sweet and fit within the story, but even then their romance could have been left out of the story and I don’t think it would have made much of a difference.

I did like Conjured; I just felt it had so much more potential. While the big revelation is a shocker, I wish there had been a bit more depth to Durst’s world, or worlds, I should say. A bit more backstory would have made things a lot easier to understand and I think that would have been possible without losing the mystery—it just wasn’t utilized.

Overall Conjured may be worth a read, but be prepared for a surprising ending.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Bloomsbury (Thank you guys!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: If you enjoy unique tales and being kept guessing, this is the novel for you.
Cover: I do like the cover--it's simple, but actually really fitting.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: This is a standalone novel, but I'll keep reading novels by Sarah Beth Durst--I do enjoy her novels.

Book Shelf: Downfall (The Incorruptibles #1) by S.D. Wasley

Frankie’s cousin wants her to do three things this year:
1. Lose her inhibitions
2. Do something spectacularly stupid
3. Fall madly in love

Travelling was Frankie’s life. As the daughter of a big-name evangelist, she’s been able to feed her hunger for new sights throughout most of her teenage years. Then a hushed-up scandal gets her thrown off the tour circuit and stuck at her uncle’s house in the town of Augur’s Well.

Forced to repeat her failed senior year, it looks like a dismal existence for Frankie—until she’s invited to the bizarre meeting place of four mismatched people ... and falls hard for the fascinating, secretive Cain Aleister.

Furtive meetings in an underground chamber ... Latin words carved into a stone wall ... intense desire ... and a secret so elusive she’ll do almost anything to bust it open. Until now, Frankie never believed in grand passions—but that’s not the only one of her beliefs about to implode right before her eyes.

Looks like Frankie’s going to score three for three.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Downfall is the first novel in S.D. Wasley’s new Incorruptibles series and is an intriguing look at those with special abilities that gives a new twist to those with seemingly divine gifts who protect those around them. 

I have to be honest; Downfall is a really hard book for me to review. I really enjoy S.D. Wasley’s Seventh series and highly recommend it, but I found myself struggling with Downfall. While I thought the concept of the saints explored by Wasley was intriguing and fresh, I found it hard to connect with the main character or the romance within the story. 

Downfall follows Frankie, the eighteen year old daughter of a big time evangelist who is sent to live with her cousin after there is a scandal involving her family during her dad’s latest book-tour. Though she misses the travelling she loves, Frankie begins to settle into the small town of Augers Well and soon finds herself invited into a unique circle of friends whose mysterious meetings see Frankie determined to uncover their secrets. It’s at these meetings that Frankie meets Cain a darkly handsome and alluring stranger who is more mysterious than all and who Frankie can’t help but begin to fall for…..

Downfall had a lot of potential, but ultimately fell flat. I think the biggest issue for me was that I didn’t like Frankie and I didn’t care for her relationship with Cain. Personally Frankie wasn’t endearing to me, and I found Cain a bit bland. I was intrigued by many of the other characters and what their visions meant on the whole, but not Frankie. The beautiful black and white depictions at the start of most chapters are a beautiful addition to the novel and give it a real something extra. As you read the story, the pictures coincide and match up with much of what’s going on and I give Wasley real props for including them. 

Aside from my issues with Frankie I didn’t believe her and Cain’s romance. There was no build up, no expansion on the initial first attraction that normally develops into something deeper and meaningful. I felt like Frankie “fell for” and became obsessed over Cain too quickly and for no real reason. Though I understood the reason for their relationship, I didn’t understand Cain’s draw and in turn struggled to understand why Frankie became so entranced by him. At the end of the day I just didn’t feel it. 

Though my review may indicate otherwise, there were aspects of the story I did like and I’m intrigued as to what Frankie’s role in everything is. If you enjoy mystery and paranormal however then Downfall may just be the perfect book for you!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by the author (Thank you S.D!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
My Recommendation: If you like mystery and the paranormal, this may be perfect for you.
Cover: I do really like the cover. It's got an old-style appeal
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Undecided at this point.

Book Shelf: I Made Lattes for a Love God by Wendy Harmer

Elly Pickering has a juicy secret. A secret her PR mum won't let her tell anyone because if the kids at Oldcastle High knew that mega-star Jake Blake (yes, THE Jake Blake, teen sensation and all round heart-throb) was coming to Oldcastle to film his latest movie, they might just explode with excitement.

Elly is determined to get on set and to get more than a glimpse of her Hollywood crush. But now thanks to an unfortunate incident involving a car, a red handbag and the paparazzi, it looks like Elly's lost a lot more than her opportunity to be close to Hollywood royalty. She's lost her dignity, her job and her best friend. How will she ever be able to get everything back to normal?

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

I Made Lattes for a Love God by Wendy Harmer is a novel that in my opinion is best suited to the younger teenage girl who enjoys gossip, friendship and a whole lot of drama.

I Made Lattes for a Love God sees readers meet Eleanor "Elly" Pickering, a fifteen year old girl who discovers herself in the centre of a media frenzy when her mother lands a job looking after the promotional aspect of a Hollywood movie starring a popular "it" boy and they decide to shoot the film at Elly’s high school. Throw in a bunch of secrets and some paparazzi mayhem and Elly soon finds herself in the deep end without a paddle…..

Wendy Harmer is a well-known Australian comedian. I feel like I’ve grown up seeing her face on tv or hearing her voice on radio, so the chance to read a story by a home-grown talent was really exciting. But in all honesty, I Made Lattes for a Love God probably wasn’t the book for me. I persevered because I can be a stubborn thing and I felt as a review novel I had to finish it, but I didn’t enjoy the story all too much. Was I Made Lattes for a Love God a bad book? Not necessarily, no. It just wasn’t for me. If I’d read it maybe eight or so years ago I may have appreciated it a bit more, but for me at this point in my life, I really struggled.

Heading into I Made Lattes for a Love God I had no idea there was a previous novel called I Lost My Mobile At the Mall featuring Elly. When I realised about three chapters in, I was concerned, but found this didn’t really effect my ability to read and understand what was going on. If anything, I Made Lattes for a Love God is more a companion novel than a strict sequel.

Personally I found the main character Elly to be incredibly difficult to like. I’m not trying to toot my own horn or anything, but I was always mature for my age and as such can’t imagine acting the way Elly acts in this novel. She was immature and childish, and although there was growth in her, it wasn’t enough to redeem her in my eyes.

When a main character is difficult to like, it can really effect the rest of the novel and this was the case for me and I Made Lattes for a Love God. After a new chapters I found myself growing tired of Elly’s friendship and relationship dramas. Everything felt overly dramatic and unnecessary. From interactions with her sister to her reactions to her best friend’s involvement in the movie---I really struggled. Elly seemed vapid and childish and just not someone I enjoyed following.

For me the saving characters were Rosie and Tyler, both of whom I liked but felt we didn’t see enough of. Overall I Made Lattes for a Love God was just a hard book for me to get through and not something I would be quick to recommend.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Allen & Unwin (Thanks guys!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: This isn't something I highly recommend, but if your on the younger end of the YA reader, you may enjoy this.
Cover: The cover is actually much nicer in person.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: No. I won't be interested in reading any more of Elly's tales.......

Book Shelf: The Guy, the Girl, the Artist and His Ex by Gabrielle Williams

A rock chick.

An artist with attitude.

A girl with a past.

A party animal.

Four lives collide when one of the world's most famous paintings is stolen. It's a mystery that has the nation talking, but while Picasso's Weeping Woman might be absent from the walls of the National Gallery, in other parts of Melbourne the controversial painting's presence is being felt by Guy, Rafi, Luke and Penny for four very different reasons.

Life, love, art and one giant party intersect in this offbeat comedy about good intentions, unexpected consequences and the irresistible force of true love.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

The Guy, The Girl, The Artist and His Ex is a story that sees the lives of four very different individuals intertwine and explores different aspects of human nature in this latest novel by Gabrielle Williams.

I want to be honest here; despite my lower rating, The Guy, The Girl, The Artist and His Ex wasn’t in any way a bad book….it’s just not my exact kind of read. Yet in saying that, I have made a pact with myself to read more Australian fiction by Australian authors this year so I don’t regret reading this.

Set in Melbourne, Australia in the 1980’s, The Guy, The Girl, The Artist and His Ex is told through the eyes of four different people. Seventeen year old Guy, a teenage boy who is just looking to finish school without disappointing his parents, seventeen year old Rafi, a Spanish teenager who struggles to take care of her mother, mentally affected by the loss of her young son years before and struggling with reality, Luke a promising and rebellious artist who has been involved with one of the art thefts of the decade and Penny, Luke’s ex-girlfriend and mother of his child who is attempting to move on with her life.

Unbeknown to the foursome, all their lives are about to intersect over the course of one disastrous night that will change them all forever, where hard choices are made and lives are on the line.

The Guy, The Girl, The Artist and His Ex is a solid fiction novel. While it didn’t blow me away I can certainly see what author Gabrielle Williams was going for with this story and for the most part I found it entertaining….I simply found myself not as invested as I would have liked. And yet, I think William’s did a fantastic job weaving the characters’ lives together the way she did in such a simple, natural way. All four voices were different and unique and the everyday feel of the novel went well with the idea that Picasso’s Weeping Woman painting has been stolen by one of the main characters and people he knows.

Personally I wasn’t impressed by Luke and his attitude towards everything in general, not to mention how he treated his ex and his son, but I genuinely liked Guy, Rafi and Penny. They were easy enough to follow and I was hoping for the best possible outcomes for their stories.

Easily written and woven together beautifully, The Guy, The Girl, The Artist and His Ex is a readable novel, that whilst it didn’t blow me away would be a sure hit with a lot of Aussie fiction lovers and most readers in general. Try it—you may just find you love it!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Allen & Unwin (Thank you guys!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | Amazon
My Recommendation: Fans of contemporary and Aussie fiction will enjoy this.
Cover: Doesn't do anything for me.....
Will I read sequel/continue with series: This is a standalone novel, but I wouldn't rule out reading more by this author.

Book Shelf: Betrothed (Betrothed #1) by Wanda Wiltshire

Amy Smith has always known she was different. Severe allergies, fragile health and taunts at school have made life an endurance test for the adopted seventeen year old.

When Amy starts having strange dreams, everything changes. Night after night, she becomes trapped in a shroud of black - a void of silence but for a male voice calling for a girl named ‘Marla’.

One night, the darkness clears, Leif is revealed and Amy discovers that she is the girl he has been searching for.
Immediately the two are swept up in a passionate yet forbidden love. Leif isn’t like the other boys Amy knows. Breathtakingly gorgeous, he speaks with her telepathically … not to mention, he can fly …

Desperate to find a way to be with her, Leif tells Amy of the terrifying threat to his Fae homeland, the danger to the people, and of an unforgivable betrayal to his King. He urges her to seek her true identity…. But Amy is confused... isn't it all just a dream?

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Betrothed is Wanda Wiltshire’s debut novel and introduces readers to a lush and imaginative world of Fae where the bonds of love are stronger than anything else.

Betrothed is told through the eyes of seventeen year old Amy Smith, a teenage girl who is quite literally allergic to the whole world. As someone who has to watch what kind of foods she eats, fragrances she inhales and chemicals she is exposed to, Amy has always known she was different. In Betrothed, Amy finds herself dreaming of an alluring young man who seems too perfect to be real, and is shocked when she discovers that Leif not only is real, but has been searching for her for a long time. Amy is really Marla, a member of the Fae who has grown up in the human world with her adopted family. As Amy and Leif fall for one another, they begin looking into Marla’s family and must soon face the truth that their journey together will never be an easy one….

I want to be really honest here; Betrothed is a really hard novel for me to review. In a lot of ways it wasn’t a bad book, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I struggled an awful lot whilst reading Betrothed. I’m going to try very hard not to be negative but I’m still going to be brutally honest.

Wanda Wiltshire has written a very enticing world in Faera and the concepts throughout the story were quite unique. Her writing was beautifully descriptive and paints a lush world heroine Marla discovers. However I truly struggled to connect with the characters in this story and the romance completely fell flat for me. As a hopeless romantic, who enjoys chemistry and growth, the instant-love between Marla and Leif felt me feeling dissatisfied. I didn’t feel these two at all.

The idea of two betrothed was really fantastic; the idea that upon birth, a piece of the soul of a male baby is sent out and joins with his betrothed—a kind of soul mate—at her conception and then when these two find each other in adulthood they connect like no other and normally have a long life together. As two betrothed, Marla and Leif were always destined to be together, but their "romance" was too tedious.

They were instantly "in love" with each other, and Marla’s obsession with Leif too much to read about at times. Personally I didn’t think him too great and after a while her constantly yearning, desire and obsession with him grated. It was too much, too in-your-face and I felt the author tried too hard to emphasize their connection and due to this the subtly was lacking. There was no spark between them, and even though he had a supposedly old worldly charm, I couldn’t connect with him as a love interest.

I struggled too much to connect with Marla in the story too as an individual. Obsession with Leif aside, she didn’t have much going for her. I wanted to like her, I did, and though I felt bad, I just couldn’t make myself like her. Sometimes a simple heroine who is a part of an epic romance can really shine for her simplicity when she makes tough choices, but with her romance with Leif lacking for me, all Marla was left with was to be someone who seemed too caught up in "her man".

The plotline of Betrothed had real potential but I feel like it fell flat; lost amongst the tiresome romance and lackluster characters. I think if the characters had have been more likable and personable, the storyline could have really shone but unfortunately this wasn’t the case for me personally.

Overall Betrothed had plenty of potential but lost me when the unbelievable romance between Marla and her betrothed Leif became such a focal point and the instant-love shared between them failed to win a fan in me.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Pantera Press (Thank you guys!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Recommendation: Fae fans may enjoy this one.
Cover: Simple but pretty.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: No. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me....

Book Shelf: Followers (Point Horror) by Anna Davies

To tweet or not to tweet . . . what a deadly question.

When Briana loses out on a starring role in the school's production of Hamlet, she reluctantly agrees to be the drama department's "social media director" and starts tweeting half-hearted updates. She barely has any followers, so when someone hacks her twitter account, Briana can't muster the energy to stop it. After all, tweets like "Something's rotten in the state of Denmark . . . and a body's rotting in the theater" are obviously a joke.

But then a body IS discovered in the theater: Briana's rival. Suddenly, what seemed like a prank turns deadly serious. To everyone's horror, the grisly tweets continue . . . and the body count starts to rise.

There's no other explanation; someone is live-tweeting murders on campus.

With the school in chaos and the police unable to find the culprit, it's up to Briana to unmask the psycho-tweeter before the carnage reaches Shakespearian proportions . . . or she becomes the next victim.

More info on Goodreads.......


Review:

Followers by Anna Davis is marketed as a scary and mysterious murder mystery with Shakespearean elements woven into its pages but does unfortunately not translate well onto paper in this quick read that holds promise but ultimately falls flat.

I’m not going to beat around the bush here; Followers is, for the most part, a disappointment. While it benefits from being a short, quick read, the premise promised so much, including a really exciting murder tale. However the actual novel holds very little of this considering it’s almost halfway through the novel before anything nefarious even starts happening.

Told through the eyes of Briana Beland, a student who loses out on a coveted role in her school’s production of Hamlet and instead finds herself thrust into the shadows of the stars, Followers sees Briana faced with some mystery when students start dying and the school population suspect Briana of being the culprit when the mysterious "Hamlet’s Ghost" starts tweeting about the murders.

I’m being quite generous in my description of this novel, as while all these events do happen, they seem to get lost amongst the petty drama and social issues in this novel. Davis focuses too much on the lead up to the murders and the petty teen drama that encompasses McHale than the actual murders and mystery that surround them. More than half a novel on this stuff gets tiresome as we wait for something entertaining to happen and I found it difficult to concentrate when I wasn’t very interested in her characters’ lives.

Unfortunately for me, I found main character Bree to be quite pathetic and vain throughout the novel. Bree wants to be a star and while she has potential and some talent, seems to get too caught up in the nonsense at McHale with "friends" who turn on her without a second thought. Personally, the book could have benefited from a heroine that wasn’t quite so worried about what other people thought—someone more likable. Granted Bree does eventually grow a little bit, but not before you as the reader find her tiresome. Basically I found her too self-centered and a bit dense.

The ending was too predictable for my liking and seemed farfetched. Everything concluded too quickly and I found too many aspects seemed unbelievable. There was no police involvement in the deaths on campus and yet Bree stumbles over the identity of the killer as easy as pie. Someone had evidently gone to great lengths to commit murder, not just now, but decades in the past and a teenager stumbles upon their identity without any difficulty—yeah; not buying it!

Overall Followers was a great concept that could have been written a lot better. Anna Davis needed to have given the story a bit more depth and believability to have given it any chance…..

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Scholastic Australia (Thanks guys!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: This book may not be for everyone, but everything is worth a shot I guess.
Cover: I think the cover's cool--creepy but cool.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: This is a standalone tale, however it is a part of the Point Horror series which I may read more of as it's by varying authors......

Book Shelf: Rough Waters (Drenaline Surf #2) by Nikki Godwin

Haley's future has been waiting on the west coast for the past year, but she isn't the only new face in Crescent Cove this summer. When Colby Taylor's parents locate him and interrupt his surf competition, the surf star spirals out of control, dragging Drenaline Surf's reputation through the mud and into the ground with him.

With Colby's secrets plastered across surf magazines and tabloid headlines, Haley takes on the job of playing damage control for Drenaline Surf - which isn't easy when Colby breaks everything he touches, Topher breaks the law, and Miles breaks his leg.

Instead of chasing dreams of forever, Haley spends her summer chasing the unraveling careers of the hottest new faces in the surf world, and she's about to learn what happens when forever doesn't last.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review: (WARNING! Contains MAJOR SPOILERS! Read on with care)

Before I begin to express my thoughts about this novel, I feel I have to warn you that this review is going to be completely filled with spoilers. I have a lot I want to say and there's no way in which I can do that without revealing parts of the storyline, so please read on with caution.

I'm going to be honest; I'm finding it really difficult to wrap my head around this novel right now. I mean, what the hell happened? Rough Waters was a complete and utter disappointment for me. I truly, truly enjoyed Chasing Forever Down--it was a light, fun story with a great romance, and I was so ready to see Hayley and Vin and the gang again and now I feel like I just read a completely different series. Seriously. What gives?

Personally I think that not only is Nikki Godwin an awesome person but a great writer, so I have no idea how to wrap my head around Rough Waters. I know they say never to allow your feelings concerning one character to cloud your judgment, or enjoyment of a story, but I feel like this series just did a complete one-eighty.

What happened?! What the hell happened with Vin?!?! How can he go from being a charming, cheeky love interest for Hayley in book one to a moody, almost non-existent character in the next book. How could Nikki Godwin to that? I feel like she had him written out of the novel before it had even begun.

At the end of Chasing Forever Down, Vin and Hayley's relationship seemed so solid. The storyline ended so promisingly. I was happy; I was hopeful with them....now I just feel gutted! I understand authors like to include love triangles in their stories and sometimes the person the main character ends up with isn’t the same person they started out with or date in the beginning, but I feel like Vin and his relationship with Hayley were just plucked from the story, and I just don’t understand why.

Where was the character growth or reason behind this development or devolvement? Vin was a background character where prior he had been more prominent. I understand people grow apart, but when I read a story if this is the case, I want to at lease witness it—Rough Waters didn’t even allow closure between Vin and Hayley. Vin was just gone, and to be honest this seemed to be in confliction with Vin’s character from the first book.

And Topher and Hayley? Where the hell did that relationship come from!?!? Aside from being Vin's younger brother--a connection I thought was really cute in the first book by the way, Topher didn't seem to be a focal character in the series and then suddenly he and Hayley are as thick as thieves; having been constantly texting and talking during the six months between where Chasing Forever Down concludes and Rough Waters picks up.

I just don’t know how to wrap my head around this novel. It felt so much more disjointed than the first novel and before I loved the magnitude of characters and the dynamic they shared, but in Rough Waters I felt like a lot of the magic was lost.

I’m sad because I was so looking forward to this sequel and now I just feel lost; whether I’ll read the next book remains to be seen. I probably will—simply to see what happens next and whether Nikki Godwin can redeem this series in my eyes.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by the author (Thank you Nikki!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it:  Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Paperback) | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
My Recommendation: Summer and fun together.
Cover: I think the cover is very fun and fresh--makes me think of summer
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Possibly....