Review: Partials by Dan Wells

Partials by Dan Wells
Published: February 28th, 2012 (HarperTeen)
Pages: 472
Source: for review
Challenge: none
Series: Partials #1
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★☆☆ ½


The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic in training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws threaten to launch what’s left of humanity into civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will discover that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

When I got this one for review, I think I did some happy dancing. I had such high hopes for this book, because it sounded awesome, but my hopes were too high for this one, unfortunately.

Kira is a sixteen-year-old intern at the maternity ward of her hospital, and she is desperate to find a cure for RIM - a virus that makes having children impossible. Babies die within days from birth from the virus, and the last time a child was born, was 14 years ago. Time is running out.

The main problem I had with this book was the fact that everything came very easy to Kira. She thought of something, and that something would be part of the solution for the problem. She was an intern, not even a fully trained scientist or something, yet she was able to come up with solutions within a couple of days, or sometimes it was even in only a couple of sentences. While it worked for the plot, I would have liked to see a bit more of a struggle for Kira.

The story was quite fast paced, but also contained a lot of (semi-)scientifical explanations of the virus and particles in human and Partial breathing. To be honest, that went way over my head and I couldn't understand half of it. That bothered me, as it was obviously a very important part of the book, but I just couldn't figure out what it meant after reading it twice, so I continued reading, hoping I would figure it out along the way.

Having said that, I enjoyed the rest of the story quite a bit. The senators were believable and I liked the worldbuilding of the story. The twist near the end was both predictable (I had thought of the possibility of this happening earlier in the book) and completely unexpected at the same time. I applaud the author for being able to do that! I really liked the twist, and it probably explained a lot of why Kira was able to come up with some things.

Despite the scientifical explanations going over my head, I liked reading this book. It made me curious for book 2, and I will definitely be picking that one up to see how this story continues, especially after that last twist in Partials.

On My Wishlist (32)

In On My Wishlist I spotlight books that I'm really looking forward to. I know there's a meme Waiting on Wednesday and there even are others, but I'm going to rebel and do it how I want it (hehe). I'll feature the synopsis as posted on Goodreads and put a linkie to the Goodreads page of the book. This week: Shadow Bound by Rachel Vincent.

Shadow Bound by Rachel Vincent
Expected publication date: June 1st, 2012

Synopsis
KORI DANIELS is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if that means taking it from someone else...

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister.

Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty...


Goodreads page

I usually don't post these in my wishlist posts, but I finished Blood Bound in the first week of January and it was so. bloody. good! Probably my favorite in the genre that I've read so far. It was addicting, and I just wanted to keep on reading.. And I'm so curious to find out more about Kori! She seems like an interesting character and I'm just about dying to get my hands on this book. If you haven't read Blood Bound yet, I'd definitely recommend it if you like adult urban fantasy/paranormal romance. It's awesome!

Review: The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison

The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison
Published: March 1st, 2012 (HarperCollins)
Pages: 368
Source: for review from publisher
Challenge: none
Series: NA
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★☆☆ ½


In a darkly funny, action-packed adventure, fourteen year old Drake is surprised to discover the Horsemen of the Apocalypse hanging out in his garden shed. He’s even more surprised when they ask him to join them. The team is missing a Horseman, having gone through several Deaths, and they think Drake is the boy for the job.

Drake is a 14 year-old boy who discovers a shed in his back yard with three men in it who claim to be the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. They claim he is the fourth, even though Drake thinks there has been a mistake in appointing him Death. With the other Horsemen, he goes on several adventures, trying to stop an bitter former Death, who seems to have set things in motion to get the Apocalypse started, even though he is no longer a Horseman.

The story was fast paced, full of adventure and tasks set for Drake to perform. Personally, I loved Pest - although War definitely has his charms, too. They really added to the story and I loved the scenes with them. I'm sorry Famine, you just didn't do it for me!

While I really enjoyed reading this book, I had one issue with it: Drake's voice. At one moment, I felt like Drake was older than he was, and a moment after that I felt he was a 9 year-old boy. I only discovered he was 14 after reading the back while I already started the book and felt he was younger than his stated age. It doesn't really matter for the story, but to me it matters for the character of Drake - he didn't act like his age, and I didn't think his toughts and actions fitted.

Having said that, it's a pretty intense story, with dark humor and I think that boys especially will really enjoy reading this book. It's exciting and I'm sure it will be able to pull even the most reluctant reader in.

In My Mailbox (70)

Another Sunday, another In My Mailbox! In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where we show what book(ish thing)s we got this week. Small, but good again! Here's this week's vlog :)

For review

The Changelings by Elle Casey

Bought

Evernight by Claudia Gray (free for kindle)

Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

Swag

Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

Thanks so much to Suzanne Lazear for sending me the swag for Innocent Darkness! I'm so very excited for the book to come out. Evernight was free on Amazon, clickie here to go to the book page.

That's all for me this week, what did you get in your mailbox this week? Happy reading :)

Coming up: Chaos Walking Week!

The last week of March will focus entirely on the amazing Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness; The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men (clicky on the titles to go to their Goodreads pages).


I absolutely love this series and I think it deserves even more love, so I've decided to do a theme week from March 25th until March 31st! Yay! I'm so excited :)


There will be reviews of course, but also tons of other awesome stuff (which is a bit of a surprise so you'll have to stop by to find out what it is, hehe) and I'm so very excited to be able to do this!

So don't forget to mark your calendars:
March 25th - March 31st!

Meanwhile, I challenge YOU to pick up a copy for The Knife of Never Letting Go and reading it before Chaos Walking Week will kick off at the end of March. There'll be a linkie thing where you can link up your review so we can spread the word! 

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Published: January 24th, 2012 (HarperCollins)
Pages: 370
Source: ARC via NetGalley
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge 2012
Series: Everneath #1
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★★☆


Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

With a refreshing new take on the myth of Persephone, Brodi Ashton has created a thrilling debut novel that will pull the reader in while they get sucked into the story.

Everyone who knows me, knows I'm a big fan of Greek Mythology and I thoroughly enjoyed Ashton's take on it. Her writing is fluent and to be honest, it made me read like a maniac. I couldn't flip the pages quick enough! Nikki's time on the Surface it ticking away, and she is determined to find a way to stay there with Jack, her boyfriend. The pacing is fast and manages to keep the reader's attention perfectly.

While I thought that Nikki could have spent some more time with her family, like she wanted in the beginning, I was intrigued by her determination to not go back to the Everneath. To her, Cole is both alluring and repulsive, because of what he did to her when she was at her weakest. She admits her faults and that she should have done it differently, but there's no way to turn back time, so she has to live with the consequences. I liked that about her. I liked that she was a fighter, even though she knew that the Tunnels would come for her in six months time. I liked her.

And for the first time in probably ever, I liked both guys in the story. They both had their good sides and even though Cole fed on her emotions for six months, draining Nikki until she was almost an empty shell, I felt myself to be curious about him. I want to know more.

After that ending, I can only say that I'm already impatiently awaiting the sequel to Everneath. I'm sure it'll be just as addicting as this debut novel!

Ten Things About Me As A Reader (6)

In the next couple of weeks, I'll be doing a weekly post that is a little more personal than the ones I usually post on the blog. Every week, I'll be listing ten things about me as a reader, until I reach 100. It can be anything relating to reading or books, as long as it also has to do with me - otherwise it wouldn't be Ten Things About Me As A Reader, right? :) We're already past the half-way point, so here are things 51 - 60!


51. I use an Aquarius sportsdrink bottle to drink from so I can drink without looking up from my book.
52. While I've got a ton of vampire books, I've gotten a little tired of YA vampire stories. Funnily, it seems like that draws me more towards adult vampire books.
53. Last time I went on holiday I brought six books, and I bought two at the airport. I was only gone for a week.
54. I can read just about anywhere; at home, but also in public transport, or while eating (not when I have company, of course).
55. I can't seem to get the hang of eating ice-cream while I'm reading. I'm using next summer to practice.

56. I have reserved places on my bookshelves for special books. Harry Potter, for instance, has its own cube that is entirely dedicated to the books and the related books I have.
57. My OCD is protesting loudly at the change of book covers for already half published series. I have yet to buy a next book in a series with a different cover. I simply refuse.
58. Call me a weirdo, but I try to read the story with the character's voices instead of seeing what they look like. I usually have an entirely different idea of how a certain character should look than the author.
59. Sometimes I read funny passages out loud and then about die laughing at what I just said.
60. I only really got back into reading because a psychologist (who I saw when I had mono and couldn't work) suggested that I should pick up a book to increase my concentration levels. I haven't stopped reading since.

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And once again it was harder to think of new little facts, but there still are some little things I can share!


Next week and the week after that there won't be a Ten Things, but there will be another in the second full week of March :) No worries, I'll keep them coming!

Review: The Fault in our Stars by John Green

The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Published: January 10th, 2012 (Dutton)
Pages: 318
Source: bought
Challenge: none
Series: no
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★★★


Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Please note that my review does not do this book justice at all. I've tried to form some coherent thoughts, but they are all over the place. I'm sorry about that - TFioS left me a wreck after I finished it. I blame John for my scattered thoughts afterwards.

Since the synopsis says all there is to know about the book beforehand (except: AMSTERDAM!), I'll jump straight in with my thoughts. While his other books were good, they never pulled me in fully because I didn't have a connection to the characters. The Fault in our Stars has all what I need to be fully sucked into the story, and it did exactly that and more. I felt connected to Hazel and Augustus, and I felt with them while I experienced their journey together.

It didn't take that long before I was in tears. Proper crying, not just burning eyes or a lone tear travelling down my cheek. Proper crying, that made my vision blurry and my eyes red. I was a mess while reading it, and even afterwards I had problems trying to form a decent thought. I was a wreck.

Cancer is a disease that has taken a lot of loved ones from me. John managed to tell the story with heart. It wasn't only about the disease and I loved that. I loved how he has created this story that shows us how the characters develop despite their disease and for the first time he managed to actually move something in me while I was reading it.

As far as I'm concerned, this book is John Green's best work to date by far. If you haven't gotten your hands on a (signed) copy yet, I highly recommend you do so in the next couple of days. This book is absolutely amazing.

Nothing short of brilliant - The Fault in our Stars deserves all the stars.

On My Wishlist (31)

In On My Wishlist I spotlight books that I'm really looking forward to. I know there's a meme Waiting on Wednesday and there even are others, but I'm going to rebel and do it how I want it (hehe). I'll feature the synopsis as posted on Goodreads and put a linkie to the Goodreads page of the book. This week: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini.

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
Expected publication date: May 29th, 2012

Synopsis
As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.


Goodreads page

I thoroughly enjoyed Starcrossed and was very lucky to get an ARC of the book. I finished it quickly and was left waiting for the sequel for over a year.. BUT the wait is almost over!! YES! I cannot wait. I want to find out what happens to Helen and Lucas, of course, but most of all I'm curious to find out what will happen to Hector. Can it just be published already? *pouts*

Review: The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge

The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge
Published: February 14th, 2012 (Delacorte)
Pages: 432
Source: ARC
Challenge: Sophomore Reading Challenge
Series: The Iron Codex, #2
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Note: this is not the first book in a series, and can therefore contain (minor) spoilers for the previous book(s) in the series. Reading of this review is at your own risk.

Everything Aoife thought she knew about the world was a lie. There is no Necrovirus. And Aoife isn't going to succumb to madness because of a latent strain—she will lose her faculties because she is allergic to iron. Aoife isn't human. She is a changeling—half human and half from the land of Thorn. And time is running out for her.

When Aoife destroyed the Lovecraft engine she released the monsters from the Thorn Lands into the Iron Lands and now she must find a way to seal the gates and reverse the destruction she's ravaged on the world that's about to poison her.

After reading and enjoying The Iron Thorn last year, I couldn't wait to get my hands on its sequel. Now that I've read it, I'm still fascinating by the world Kittredge has created with The Iron Codex series. But I can't help but feel a bit disappointed, since this book didn't live up to my expectations.

I won't go into detail on what happens in this book as that would probably spoil some of the things that happen in The Iron Thorn, so I'll try to work around it. Aoife was a strong young woman in the first book, but in this one she's mainly a stubborn 16 year old girl. Every time she was offered help, she would decline it, or worse, destroy some things and run away, which was really annoying. I described her as a little stubborn in the first book, but it's ten times worse in this one. Cal (who didn't nearly get enough attention in this book if you ask me) tried to help her, but was turned down. He was ignored throughout most of the book, which bothered me because he is such a lovely character.

Having said that, the storytelling in this book was just as good as it was in the first book. I liked all the twists and turns the story was taking, even though I didn't think Aoife made the right (or even reasonable) decisions. In the end, I guess I can say she paid for it, but that's not a nice thing to say if you know what happens at the end.

Anyhoo, if you've read and enjoyed The Iron Thorn, I'm positive you'll be able to enjoy this book as well. It's just as captivating and twisty, but with a heroine with a mind of her own that tends to get her into (unnecessary) trouble. I know I'll be awaiting the third installment to find out what happens next, because I sure as heck want to know..

In My Mailbox (69)

Another Sunday, another In My Mailbox! In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where we show what book(ish thing)s we got this week. I'm once again very happy with what I got! Here's this week's vlog :)

For review
Hollow Pike by James Dawson
Hollow Earth by John and Carole E. Borrowman

Won
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Free (kindle)
I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella (Dutch edition)
The New World by Patrick Ness

Big thanks to Bookdepository for hosting the giveaway which allowed me to win! I won a surprise book, and it turns out to be a very interesting looking book at that. Curious to see how I like it.

That's everything for me this week! What did you get in your mailbox this week? Happy reading :)

Series Index

Since I'm reading so many series at the moment (or have read books in a series), I decided to list all books I've read or have books from on my shelves, so I can track my progress. I will be updating when reviews go up, when I read and review new books in a series, or when new titles are announced. Hopefully you'll find this helpful as well :)

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Series are listed in alphabetical order.

Where possible, review links have been added to the books and/or tags for the series. Note: if you track the series tag, it's possible that you get to see the review for the newest book first. This may contain minor spoilers for the earlier books in the series.




Abandon Trilogy by Meg Cabot - 3 books total
Abandon (#1), Underworld (#2), Awaken (#3)


A Beautiful Dark Trilogy by Jocelyn Davies - 3 books total
A Beautiful Dark (#1), A Fractured Light (#2), A Radiant Sky (#3)


Across the Universe Trilogy by Beth Revis - 3 books total
Across the Universe (#1), A Million Suns (#2), Shades of Earth (#3)


A Touch Trilogy by Leah Clifford - 3 books total
A Touch Mortal (#1), A Touch Morbid (#2), A Touch Menacing (#3)


Angelfire Trilogy by Courtney Allison Moulton - 3 books total
Angelfire (#1), Wings of the Wicked (#2), Shadows in the Silence (#3)


Benedict series by Joss Stirling - 3 books total
Finding Sky (#1), Stealing Phoenix (#2), Seeing Chrystal (#3)


Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien - 3 books total
Birthmarked (#1), Prized (#2), Promised (#3)


Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward - 11 books total
Dark Lover (#1), Lover Eternal (#2), Lover Awakened (#3), Lover Revealed (#4), Lover Unbound (#5), Lover Enshrined (#6), Lover Avenged (#7), Lover Mine (#8), Lover Unleashed (#9), Lover Reborn (#10), Lover at Last (#11)


Bumped series by Megan McCafferty - 2 books total
Bumped (#1), Thumped (#2)


Carrier Trilogy by Leigh Fallon - 3 books total
Carrier of the Mark (#1), Dawn of Knights (#2), Age of the Fifth (#3)


Caster Chronicles by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia - 4 books total
Beautiful Creatures (#1), Beautiful Darkness (#2), Beautiful Chaos (#3), Beautiful Redemption (#4)


Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness - 3 books total
The Knife of Never Letting Go (#1), The Ask and the Answer (#2), Monsters of Men (#3)


Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 5 books total
Infinity (#1), Invincible (#2), Infamous (#3), Inferno (#4), Illusion (#5)


Covenant Saga by Jennifer L. Armentrout - 4 books total
Half-Blood (#1), Pure (#2), Deity (#3), Apollyon (#4)


Curse Workers series by Holly Black - 3 books total
White Cat (#1), Red Glove (#2), Black Heart (#3)


Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong - 3 books total
The Summoning (#1), The Awakening (#2), The Reckoning (#3)


Dark Life series by Kat Falls - 3 books total
Dark Life (#1), Rip Tide (#2), Untitled (#3)


Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor - 3 books total
Daughter of Smoke and Bone (#1), Days of Blood and Starlight (#2), Untitled (#3)


Delirium Trilogy by Lauren Oliver - 3 books total
Delirium (#1), Pandemonium (#2), Requiem (#3)


Demonica series by Larissa Ione - 5 books total
Pleasure Unbound (#1), Desire Unchained (#2), Passion Unleashed (#3), Ecstacy Unveiled (#4), Sin Undone (#5)


Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth - 3 books total
Divergent (#1), Insurgent (#2), Allegiant (#3)


Dustlands Trilogy by Moira Young - 3 books total
Blood Red Road (#1), Rebel Heart (#2), Raging Star (#3)


Eon series by Allison Goodman - 2 books total
Eon - Dragoneye Reborn (#1), Eona - The Last Dragoneye (#2)


Eve Trilogy by Anna Carey - 3 books total
Eve (#1), Once (#2), Rise (#3)


Everneath Trilogy by Brodi Ashton - 3 books total
Everneath (#1), Everbound (#2), Evertrue (#3)


Evernight by Claudia Gray  - 4 books total
Evernight (#1), Stargazer (#2), Hourglass (#3), Afterlife (#4)


Fallen Saga by Lauren Kate - 4 books total
Fallen (#1), Torment (#2), Passion (#3), Rapture (#4)


Fallen World by Megan Crewe - 3 books total
The Way We Fall (#1), The Lives We Lost (#2), The Worlds We Make (#3)


Falling Under series by Gwen Hayes - 3 books total
Falling Under (#1), Dreaming Awake (#2), Untitled (#3)


Firelight Trilogy by Sophie Jordan - 3 books total
Firelight (#1), Vanish (#2), Hidden (#3)


Goddess Girls series by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams - 8 books total
Athena the Brain (#1), Persephone the Phony (#2), Aphrodite the Beauty (#3), Artemis the Brave (#4), Athena the Wise (#5), Aphrodite the Diva (#6), Artemis the Loyal (#7), Medusa the Mean (#8)


Gone series by Michael Grant - 6 books total
Gone (#1), Hunger (#2), Lies (#3), Plague (#4), Fear (#5), Light (#6)


Healer Trilogy by Maria V. Snyder - 3 books total
Touch of Power (#1), Scent of Magic (#2), Taste of Death (#3)


Hereafter Trilogy by Tara Hudson - 3 books total
Hereafter (#1), Arise (#2), Elegy (#3)


Hush, Hush Saga by Becca Fitzpatrick - 4 books total
Hush, Hush (#1), Crescendo (#2), Silence (#3), Finale (#4)


Incarceron by Catherine Fisher - 2 books total
Incarceron (#1), Sapphique (#2)


Insider series by Maria V. Snyder - 2 books total
Inside Out (#1), Outside In (#2)


Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan - 3 books total
The Red Pyramid (#1), The Throne of Fire (#2), The Serpent's Shadow (#3)


Katana Trilogy by Zoë Marriott - 3 books total
The Night Itself (#1), Untitled (#2), Untitled (#3)


Last Survivors by Susan Beth Pfeffer - 3 books total
Life As We Knew It (#1), The Dead and the Gone (#2), This World We Live In (#3)


Lords of the Underworld by Gena Showalter - 10 books total
The Darkest Night (#1), The Darkest Kiss (#2), The Darkest Pleasure (#3), The Darkest Whisper (#4), The Darkest Passion (#5), The Darkest Lie (#6), The Darkest Secret (#7), The Darkest Surrender (#8), The Darkest Seduction (#9), The Darkest Craving (#10)


Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - 4 books total
Cinder (#1), Scarlet (#2), Cress (#3), Winter (#4)


Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin - 3 books total
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (#1), The Evolution of Mara Dyer (#2), The Retribution of Mara Dyer (#3)


Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie - 3 books total
Matched (#1), Crossed (#2), Reached (#3)


Medusa Girls Trilogy by Tera Lynn Childs - 3 books total
Sweet Venom (#1), Sweet Shadows (#2), Sweet Legacy (#3)


Mila 2.0 series by Debra Driza - 3 books total
Mila 2.0  (#1), Renegade (#2), Untitled (#3)


Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine - 13 books total
Glass Houses (#1), The Dead Girls' Dance (#2), Midnight Alley (#3), Feast of Fools (#4), Lord of Misrule (#5), Carpe Corpus (#6), Fade Out (#7), Kiss of Death (#8), Ghost Town (#9), Bite Club (#10), Last Breath (#11), Black Dawn (#12), Bitter Blood (#13)


Mystic City series by Theo Lawrence - 3 books total
Your Heart Like Quicksilver (#1), Untitled (#2), Untitled (#3)


Need series by Carrie Jones - 4 books total
Need (#1), Captivate (#2), Entice (#3), Endure (#4)


Nevermore Trilogy by Kelly Creagh - 3 books total
Nevermore (#1), Enshadowed (#2), Untitled (#3)


Newsoul Trilogy by Jodi Meadows - 3 books total
Incarnate (#1), Asunder (#2), Untitled (#3)


Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost - 9 books total
Halfway to the Grave (#1), One Foot in the Grave (#2), At Grave's End (#3), Destined for an Early Grave (#4), This Side of the Grave (#5), One Grave at a Time (#6), Untitled (#7), Untitled (#8), Untitled (#9)


Numbers Trilogy by Rachel Ward - 3 books total
Numbers (#1), The Chaos (#2), Infinity (#3)


Paranormalcy Trilogy by Kiersten White - 3 books total
Paranormalcy (#1), Supernaturally (#2), Endlessly (#3)


Partials series by Dan Wells - 3 books total
Partials (#1), Fragments (#2), Untitled (#3)


Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan - 5 books total
The Lightning Thief (#1), The Sea of Monsters (#2), The Titan's Curse (#3), The Battle of the Labyrinth (#4), The Last Olympian (#5)


Personal Demons Trilogy by Lisa Desrochers - 3 books total
Personal Demons (#1), Original Sin (#2), Last Rite (#3)


Pivot Point series by Kasie West - 2 books total
Pivot Point (#1), Split Second (#2)

Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh - 11 books total
Slave to Sensation  (#1), Visions of Heat (#2), Caressed by Ice (#3), Mine to Possess (#4), Hostage to Pleasure (#5), Branded by Fire (#6), Blaze of Memory (#7), Bonds of Justice (#8), Play of Passion (#9), Kiss of Snow (#10), Tangle of Need (#11)


Riders of the Apacolypse series by Jackie Morse Kessler - 4 books total
Hunger (#1), Rage (#2), Loss (#3), Breath (#4)


Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage - 6 books total
Magyk (#1), Flyte (#2), Physik (#3), Queste (#4), Syren (#5), Darke (#6)


Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready - 3 books total
Shade (#1), Shift (#2), Shine (#3)


Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson - 3 books total
The Name of the Star (#1), The Madness Underneath (#2), Untitled (#3)


Shadow Falls series by C. C. Hunter - 4 books total
Born at Midnight (#1), Awake at Dawn (#2), Taken at Dusk (#3), Whispers at Moonrise (#4)


Shatter Me Trilogy by Tahereh Mafi - 3 books total
Shatter Me (#1), Unravel Me (#2), Untitled (#3)


Slated Trilogy by Teri Terry - 3 books total
Slated (#1), Fractured (#2), Shattered (#3)


Slide series by Jill Hathaway - 2 books total
Slide (#1), Imposter (#2)


A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin - 7 books total
A Game of Thrones (#1), A Clash of Kings (#2), A Storm of Swords (#3), A Feast for Crows (#4), A Dance With Dragons (#5), The Winds of Winter (#6), A Dream of Spring (#7)

Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris - 12 books in total
Dead Until Dark (#1), Living Dead in Dallas (#2) Club Dead (#3), Dead to the World (#4), Dead as a Doornail  (#5), Definitely Dead (#6), All Together Dead (#7), From Dead to Worse (#8), Dead and Gone (#9), Dead in the Family (#10), Dead Reckoning (#11), Deadlocked (#12)


Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent - 7 books total
My Soul to Take (#1), My Soul to Save (#2), My Soul to Keep (#3), My Soul to Steal (#4), If I Die (#5), Before I Wake (#6), With All My Soul (#7)


Spellbound series by Cara Lynn Schultz - 2 books total
Spellbound (#1), Spellcaster (#2)


Starcrossed Trilogy by Josephine Angelini - 3 books total
Starcrossed (#1), Dreamless (#2),  Goddess (#3)


Steampunk Chronicles by Kady Cross - 3 books total
The Girl in the Steel Corset (#1), The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (#2), The Girl with the Iron Touch (#3)


Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow - 5 books total
Strange Angels (#1), Betrayals (#2), Jealousy (#3), Defiance (#4), Reckoning (#5)


Study Series by Maria V. Snyder - 3 books total
Poison Study (#1), Magic Study (#2), Fire Study (#3)


Summer series by Jenny Han - 3 books total
The Summer I Turned Pretty (#1), It's Not Summer Without You (#2), We'll Always Have Summer (#3)


Talisman series by Brenda Pandos - 3 books total
The Emerald Talisman (#1), The Sapphire Talisman (#2), The Onyx Talisman (#3)


The Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano - 3 books total
Wither (#1), Fever (#2), Sever (#3)


The Declaration Trilogy by Gemma Malley - 3 books total
The Declaration (#1), The Resistance (#2), The Legacy (#3)


The Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy by Carry Ryan - 3 books total
The Forest of Hands and Teeth (#1), The Dead-Tossed Waves (#2), The Dark and Hollow Places (#3)


The Goddess Test Trilogy by Aimee Carterb - 3 books total
The Goddess Test (#1), Goddess Interrupted (#2), The Goddess Inheritance (#3)


The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan - 5 books total
The Lost Hero (#1), The Son of Neptune (#2), The Mark of Athena (#3), The House of Hades (#4), Untitled (#5)


The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins - 3 books total
The Hunger Games (#1), Catching Fire (#2), Mockingjay (#3)


The Immortals series by Alyson Noël - 6 books total
Evermore (#1), Blue Moon (#2), Shadowland (#3), Dark Flame (#4), Night Star (#5), Everlasting (#6)


The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare - 3 books total
Clockwork Angel (#1), Clockwork Prince (#2), Clockwork Princess (#3)


The Iron Codex by Caitlin Kittredge - 3 books total
The Iron Thorn (#1), The Nightmare Garden (#2), The Mirrored Shard (#3)


The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne - 6 books total
Hounded (#1), Hexed (#2), Hammered (#3), Tricked (#4), Trapped (#5), Hunted (#6)


The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - 4 books total
The Iron King (#1), The Iron Daughter (#2), The Iron Queen (#3), The Iron Knight (#4)


The Iron Witch Trilogy by Karen Mahoney - 3 books total
The Iron Witch (#1), The Wood Queen (#2), The Stone Demon (#3)


The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare - 6 books total
City of Bones (#1), City of Ashes (#2), City of Glass (#3), City of Fallen Angels (#4), City of Lost Souls (#5), City of Heavenly Fire (#6)


The Poison Diaries Trilogy by Maryrose Wood - 3 books total
The Poison Diaries (#1), Nightshade (#2), Untitled (#3)


The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series by Michael Scott - 6 books total
The Alchemyst (#1), The Magician (#2), The Sorceress (#3), The Necromancer (#4), The Warlock (#5), The Enchantress (#6)


Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld - 4 books total
Uglies (#1), Pretties (#2), Specials (#3), Extras (#4)


Unbound Trilogy by Rachel Vincent - 3 books total
Blood Bound (#1), Shadow Bound (#2), Oath Bound (#3)


Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins - 5 books total
Gregor the Overlander (#1), Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (#2), Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods (#3), Gregor and the Marks of Secret (#4), Gregor and the Code of Claw (#5)


Under the Never Sky Trilogy by Veronica Rossi - 3 books total
Under the Never Sky (#1), Through the Ever Night (#2), Into the Still Blue (#3)


Unearthly Trilogy by Cynthia Hand - 3 books total
Unearthly (#1), Hallowed (#2), Boundless (#3)


Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead - 6 books total
Vampire Academy (#1), Frostbite (#2), Shadow Kiss (#3), Blood Promise (#4), Spirit Bound (#5), Last Sacrifice (#6)


Vampire Kisses series by Ellen Schreiber - 9 books total
Vampire Kisses (#1), Kissing Coffins (#2), Vampireville (#3), Dance with a Vampire (#4), The Coffin Club (#5), Royal Blood (#6), Love Bites (#7), Cryptic Cravings (#8), Immortal Hearts (#9)


Wildefire series by Karsten Knight - 3 books total
Wildefire (#1), Embers and Echoes (#2), Afterglow (#3)


Wings series by Aprilynne Pike - 4 books total
Wings (#1), Spells (#2), Illusions (#3), Destined (#4)


Winterhaven series by Kristi Cook - 3 books total
Haven (#1), Mirage (#2), Eternal (#3)


Wolven series by Di Toft - 3 books total
Wolven (#1), Wolven: The Twilight Circus (#2), Wolven: Bad Wolf Rising (#3)


Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater - 3 books total
Shiver (#1), Linger (#2), Forever (#3)

Review: Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Published: September 2007 (Gollancz)
Pages: 358
Age group: adult
Source: bought
Challenge: none
Series: Night Huntress, #1
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★★☆


Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

Why did I wait so long to pick up this book? It has great (and often funny) dialogue, kick-ass action scenes and of course, it has Bones, who made sure there were some steamy moments to enjoy. Me like!

Cat is a half-vampire, and she despises that part of her because her mother has fed her that she is a monster because she was conceived by a vampire, which resembles the devil, in her mother's opinion. Cat has never really been happy about who she is, and compensates that by taking out vampires at night. One night she runs into Bones - and he's not so easy to take down..

Bones takes Cat in to teach her all sorts of battle techniques and soon her reflexes are almost as good as Bones'. Combine those scenes with snarky and funny dialogue, one hot and steamy vampire hunk, and you've got yourself a very nice start of the Night Huntress series.

For me personally, I loved Bones. He even bumped Eric Northman from the top spot on my list, and I adore Eric. But nothing can really compare to Bones, to be honest. He has a British accent, is funny, dangerous, sexy as hell and those steamy scenes between Cat and Bones? Ooh lala.

Four big fat stars for Bones and Cat and I can't wait to find out about that steamy scene in book 2 that I've heard so much about.. If you're looking for a good paranormal romance series with great chemistry between the two main characters, Night Huntress will be a great start to the series for you!

Ten Things About Me As A Reader (5)

In the next couple of weeks, I'll be doing a weekly post that is a little more personal than the ones I usually post on the blog. Every week, I'll be listing ten things about me as a reader, until I reach 100. It can be anything relating to reading or books, as long as it also has to do with me - otherwise it wouldn't be Ten Things About Me As A Reader, right? :) This is the fifth week and we're at the half-way point, so here are Things 41 - 50!


41. Since I've discovered so much awesomeness, I can't find the time to re-read my favorite books, even though I really want to.
42. I keep a reading list with titles I need/want to read in a particular month. Otherwise I can spend way too much time just staring at my bookshelves (I'm talking way over an hour).
43. When I love a book, I tend to go a little overboard on my fangirliness.
44. I love swag! Unfortunately, there's not much specific book swag going around here, so I collect it like trophies.
45. I fell in love with Peeta while he was doing his interview before the Games.

46. When books have a gimmick, I'm more likely to buy them. Think the blueprint in Across the Universe or the ice-blue font in Shiver.
47. I'm a sucker for book statistics. I have a spreadsheet and I love the stats section on Goodreads.
48. When I got a speedreading pamflet a little while back, I counted the amount of words I read in an hour, and it turns out you're a speedreader when you read 85+ pages per 60 minutes. Count me in.
49. When I'm reading something that makes me anxious, or something indicates something is going to happen, I'm likely to put the book down for a small break if it's at the end of a chapter, or at a page break. It's a bad habit, and I need to break it.
50. There are only two books that I have two copies of: Deathly Hallows and Divergent (from publisher). Okay, and I have a digital copy of the entire The Hunger Games trilogy in addition to my hardcover boxed set.

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It's getting harder and harder to think of new little facts, but they make me think about myself and my reading habits quite a lot! 

That's it for this week. Next week I'll have another ten things :) 

On My Wishlist (30)

In On My Wishlist I spotlight books that I'm really looking forward to. I know there's a meme Waiting on Wednesday and there even are others, but I'm going to rebel and do it how I want it (hehe). I'll feature the synopsis as posted on Goodreads and put a linkie to the Goodreads page of the book. This week: The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan.

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan
Expected publication date: May 1st, 2012

Synopsis
He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sade Kane can’t seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos.

To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent’s shadow... or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld...



Goodreads page

Finally! Finally! It's the third and final book in the Kane Chronicles! Rick Riordan is a fantastic author and one of my absolute favorites. I'm at the point that I would blindly buy anything he writes, but this one has been on my wishlist ever since I got the second book in the series. While it didn't really end on a cliffhanger, it certainly spiked my interest and I'm really curious how it all ends. I want to know what happens!! Can it be May already, please? *stares at preorder confirmation*

Review: Shadow Runners by Daniel Blythe

Shadow Runners by Daniel Blythe
Published: February 2nd, 2012 (Chicken House)
Pages: 288
Source: for review
Challenge: none
Other: First book in a planned series
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★☆☆ ½

Thirteen-year-old Miranda has moved to a small seaside town. At first, it seems to be dull place where nothing happens. But it's not long before she becomes convinced that something is stalking her. But at her new school she's drawn to the haughty but talented Callie, and her mysterious group of friends.

In this story we follow Miranda, who moves to a small seaside town where not much is going on. Until she gets the feeling she's being stalked, and weird things are starting to happen. Buses that freeze over and computers that overheat and explode without a reason are no exceptions in what is going on. Miranda gets adapted into a group of friends, people who don't seem to belong together. They are Shadow Runners, and together they are trying to find out what's going on. When they find out, Miranda is not sure what to think..

This book is aimed at younger readers, I'd say 10+ or around that age. I loved how fast paced it was and really enjoyed reading it. At about 60% of the book, I got to a part where there was a lot of explaining going on, which took the pace out of the story. The explaining is necessary for the plot and the story to be fully understood, but for me it took too much of the pace out of the story - which was my absolute favorite part of the story. Blythe manages to keep my attention despite that (absolutely necessary) bit of explaining and delivered a climax that was both logical and a complete surprise at the same time.

While it didn't blow me away, Shadow Runners kept me entertained from the first page until the last. I think young readers will definitely enjoy this story, with its excitement, mystery and a hint of romance. I'm looking forward to see where the series will take me next.

In My Mailbox (68)

Another Sunday, another In My Mailbox! In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where we show what book(ish thing)s we got this week. Mine's teeny tiny this week, only two books, but I did a video anyway!

For review

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Bought

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

I've already read Strange Angels, looking forward to reading the sequel! 

What did you get in your mailbox this week? Happy reading! 

Swag giveaway! [CLOSED]

Since I've been collecting a ton of swag the past couple of months, I thought I'd share the love! One lucky winner will receive the following:

Wanderlove bookmark
The Faerie Ring bookmark (signed)
Burn Bright sticker
Sucks to be me bookplate (signed)
Sucks to be me temporary tattoo (2x)
A Touch Mortal bookmark (signed)
Dark days of supernatural bookmark


If I come across some more swag I'll include that as well. So what do you need to do to be entered? Well, easy: read my contest policy and fill in the little form below!

That's all. It's not required to be a follower, though it's always appreciated of course :)! You can gain one extra entry by tweeting the following tweet, but it's by no means required, just something to spread the word.

Tweet

This giveaway is now closed. Winner TBA

This giveaway is open until March 1st, 2012. Good luck!

Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Firelight by Sophie Jordan
Published: February 20th, 2012 (Blossom Books)
Pages: 320
Source: ARC from publisher
Challenge: none
Series: Firelight trilogy, #1
Dutch review: Firelight. Ziel van Vuur
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★★☆

Note: I read the Dutch edition of this book, so there might be some difference due to translation.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

I was very excited to receive a Dutch ARC of Firelight a couple of weeks ago from the Dutch publisher. I hadn't yet read it because at the time of the release, I was working on a dragon story and I didn't want to be influenced, but I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read and review it. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Despite their departure from the colony, Jacinda is strong and determined to let het draki live while she stays in the desert to stay with her mom and sister. She quickly finds out that Will stirs her inner draki, even though he is her enemy: he's a draki hunter. Though they crush on eachother pretty early in the story, their relationship develops over the next weeks and I really enjoyed seeing their feelings blossom into something more.

While there isn't that much action in the novel, the story is pretty fast paced and it read very easily. I loved how much the writing flowed and how it managed to keep my interest, even though some chapters only told about classes in school.

I really liked Will, alone and together with Jacinda, even though they are not supposed to be together because of his background. They were believable as a couple, and I liked reading about them. In the next book I hope to read some more about the draki colony, because I'm very curious about that!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to get my grabby little hands on the next installment. I'm very much looking forward to reading more about Jacinda's world! I'll be back for book 2 as soon as it's available in Dutch.

Ten Things About Me As A Reader (4)

In the next couple of weeks, I'll be doing a weekly post that is a little more personal than the ones I usually post on the blog. Every week, I'll be listing ten things about me as a reader, until I reach 100. It can be anything relating to reading or books, as long as it also has to do with me - otherwise it wouldn't be Ten Things About Me As A Reader, right? :) This is the fourth week, so here are Things 31 - 40!


31. I started using a book journal last year, but I read too quickly to keep up #bookwormproblems
32. One of the downsides of having a Kindle is that you don't get the satisfaction of throwing your book across the room when you're annoyed.
33. I only stop reading when I arrive at a new chapter, part of the book, or the end of the book. It's impossible for me to stop reading in the middle of a page.
34. I usually don't read books in a series back to back, because I want series to last longer. I feel like when I read it all at once, it's over too quickly.
35. I absolutely hate insta-love with a passion.

36. I've discovered some of my favorite series through book blogging. For example: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was a series that I had seen in stores a lot, but didn't want to pick up because of the gruesome premise. I'm so glad I decided to read it anyway because it's freaking fantastic.
37. When I read, I close myself off from the rest of the world. My parents always think I just ignore them when they're talking to me, but I really don't hear them when I'm engrossed in a book.
38. I'm a collector. I have books I bought years (YEARS!) ago that I still haven't read. I really should get to that.
39. While Deathly Hallows is my favorite Harry Potter book, Philosopher's Stone is the book in the series that I've read most often.
40. My favorite books when I was a teenager (gosh, makes me sound old!) and I still read some books, where the Confessions of Georgia Nicholson books. I was so obsessed with them that I started my own diary with snarky remarks to just about everyone around me.

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These little facts make me think about myself and my reading habits quite a lot! It's fun to write a post like this one - really makes me think about myself and my reading habits.

That's it for this week. Next week I'll have another ten things :) 

Cover reveal: Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris

So excited for this! Carrie Harris, the author of Bad Taste in Boys, which came out in 2011, has revealed the cover for the second book in the Kate Grable series! And I'm sharing it with you!

Here it is!

Zeh blurb:

Senior year is positively hair-raising.

Kate Grable is geeked out to shadow the county medical examiner as part of her school’s pre-med program. Except when he’s arrested for murder, she’s left with the bodies. And when Kate’s brother Jonah stumbles upon a dead gamer girl, she realizes that the zombie epidemic she cured last fall was only the beginning of the weirdness taking over her town. Someone’s murdering kids—something really hairy. And strong. Possibly with claws.

Is it werewolf awesomeness like Jonah and his dorktastic friends think? Kate’s supposed to be a butt-kicking zombie killing genius...but if she can’t figure out who’s behind the freakish attacks, the victims—or what’s left of them—are going to keep piling up.

It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.

Isn't it pretty? Pretty cover!! *stares* Bad Hair Day is set for release on November 13th 2012, but I don't think I'm able to wait that long. BUT Carrie promised some sneak peeks along the way so I'll be stalking her blog until it's November (which is a looooooong way away *cries*)


What do you think of the cover?

Review: Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
Published: October 4th, 2011 (HarperTeen)
Pages: 342
Source: for review from publisher
Challenge: none
Series: Carrier trilogy, #1
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ ½

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

Megan is a pretty normal teenager until she moves to Ireland with her father. Everything seems to work out perfectly when she gets to her new school: she makes a bunch of friends right away, and has an incredible crush on the hottest guy in school, Adam DeRís. After that, everything goes very fast and soon Megan discovers she has paranormal powers and she is part of a group of people who have all have similar powers.

I'm going to be honest with you. I'm having difficulty putting my thoughts into words for this one. Some of the aspects I liked, and some just did not work for me at all.

First up: Megan is easily accepted in high school and quickly develops a relationship with Adam. I do not like insta-love and this was no exception. I can understand a crush right away, and then getting to know eachother to build up some sort of relationship. I do not understand how you can promise eachother forever when you've only seen eachother a couple of times in class.

There was something else bothering me while I was reading it, but I couldn't put my finger on it until I was about halfway or three quarters through the book. The story reminds me a lot of Twilight, in terms of the heroine moves to a new place, is really insecure, gets new friends quickly, falls in love with someone she really shouldn't be with. The DeRís family reminded me of the Cullens, especially with their guardian. The difference between Bella and Megan though, is that Megan actually takes matters in her own hand when that needs to be done.

Having said that, there were also elements that I really liked. I liked the writing, even though it wasn't my taste, because it kept me reading til the end. The best thing about the book was the whole 'mythology' aspect of the Mark and the Carrier of the Mark. I thoroughly enjoyed reading that, even though I was disappointed that I couldn't understand some of the background information that was given later on in the novel. It went way over my head and that's a shame, because for me personally, that whole history made the book worth reading for me.

Overall, I just don't think this was really my thing, unfortunately. Even though the book was not really a match for me, I think people who enjoyed Twilight might be able to enjoy this story.