Immortal Hope by Claire Ashgrove (The Curse of the Templars #1) Tor Books (Jan 2012) Ebook, 368 pages Paranormal Romance Anne Macpherson is a history professor trying to complete her thesis on the Knights of Templar. She is continuing in her late fathers footsteps researching the knights and trying to unearth the secrets surrounding their histories, and to fathom why there was the separation from the church. She spends some of her spare time giving tarot readings, and she also has psychometric powers allowing her to get visions of the…
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (Anna #1) Tor Teen (Aug 2011) Hardcover, 316 pages YA Paranormal Romance Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake is a breath of fresh air into the current young adult fiction market, offering readers a unique romance story with a gripping sense of horror. It is unique to anything else I’ve ever read, and I actually felt compelled to read this book in one sitting, barely taking a break from the pages. The novel follows the story of Thesius Cassio Lowood, better known…
Firebrand (Rebel Angels #1) by Gillian Philip Strident (Aug 2010) | Paperback, 384 pages | Fantasy Before reviewing this book, I have a confession to make. Every time I hear the term, “Young Adult”, I run screaming from the book. Mainly due to the fact that most of the books in this genre seem to be a variation of Twilight or Vampire Diaries (well, the one’s I’ve read anyway). Though there are people my age who still like these books and find them entertaining, I am past the teenage angst stage and prefer…
The Gathering Dark / Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo Indigo (June 2012) | Paperback, 240 pages | YA Fantasy The Gathering Dark by Leigh Bardugo is a thrilling YA fantasy novel set in a fictional world where Grisha live side-by-side with humans, serving the King of Ravka in the war with the surrounding regions. The plot is intricately carved, with this novel providing a strong basis for the future books in the trilogy and carving out the foundations of the Grisha universe. Grisha are wielders of magic…
Lover Reborn by J. R. Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood #10) Piatkus (March 2012) Paperback, 572 pages Paranormal Romance Warning: contain spoilers from earlier books in series Ok, so this book is pants…. HAH, as if! But more on that in a bit, a quick run down first. Lover Reborn is the 10th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood saga, and is an awesome addition to the series. It focuses on Torhment, who, since returning from his extended vacay from the brotherhood is not really coping very well with life in general….
Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton Headline (2009, first pub. 1993) | Paperback, 326 pages Urban Fantasy I’ve actually already read books one through ten, but that was many years ago, and I loved them. I’ve wanted to get up to date with the series for so long, but felt that I should re-read the series to really get back into the story again. I was nervous reading Guilty Pleasures again after ten years, but I shouldn’t have worried. Hamilton is still the great writer I remember and Anita…
Blood Red Road (Dustlands #1) by Moira Young Marion Lloyd (May 2011) | Paperback, 531 pages Dystopian YA The moment this book landed in my hands I was intrigued. The plot sounded fantastic, but after a quick flick through I was afraid to read it. Not one speech mark graces the pages of this book, and it’s written exactly how Saba, the narrator speaks. A dialect not dissimilar to our own; without the rules and regulations of ‘proper‘ English. There was no need to be afraid. After two pages I was hooked….
The Hunger Games (Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins Audiobook: 11h 10m | Narrator: Carolyn McCormick Scholastic (Oct 2008) | Science Fiction | Young Adult Warning: potential spoilers There has been so much buzz about this trilogy on the book blogosphere that I couldn’t resist picking it up. But like anything that gets lots of positive press, I was slightly nervous when I began listening to the audiobooks in case I didn’t love them as much as everyone else. I needn’t have worried! The entire trilogy is narrated by Carolyn McCormick, who is a…
The Painted Man (The Demon Trilogy #1) by Peter V. Brett Audiobook: 19h 58m | Narrator: Peter Joyce HarperCollins (April 2010) | Fantasy The Painted Man is a phenomenal book. I listened to it as an audiobook and it was one of those stories that I downloaded and wasn’t really sure what to expect. At nearly 20 hours long, or 560 pages for the paperback version, it’s a commitment and not a quick read. But it’s well worth your time. The story is set in a world where humans live in fear. At…
Shadowfever (Fever #5) by Karen Marie Moning Gollancz (Jan 2012) | Ebook, 512 pages | Urban Fantasy This is a book many fans have been waiting (a long time) for. The final instalment of the Fever series. Both the book blogosphere and twitter were alive with a frenzy of ‘Shadowfever’ obsession last week as it was finally released. I was jealous of some people who were able to take the day off work in order to devour it in one single sitting. Sadly, I had to fit my reading around work, sneaking…
Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead | Penguin (Dec 2010) Paperback, 584 pages | Urban Fantasy Well, what can I say…sensational! Last Sacrifice is the last book in an amazing series, which has, to be honest, left me feeling a little depressed that it’s all over. However, Ms Mead gave the ending I had dreamed of. It was emotional, moving, exciting, happy, sad… I loved every word. Last Sacrifice began where Spirit Bound ended with Rose behind bars. She can’t quite believe she’s in prison and being accused of assassinating the…
Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) by Richelle Mead Penguin (Feb 2010) | Paperback, 493 pages Young Adult | Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance Warning: may contain spoilers Wow! This book is amazing! I read it so quickly (well, for me anyway), I honestly couldn’t put it down I was so absorbed in the story. Blood Promise is a total rollar-coaster ride and I loved every minute of it. After my small annoyance with Rose and Lissa in Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise bounces back and gives me everything I wanted from the characters and…
Avatar: Collectors Vault 3D Titan Books/Whitman Publishing (Nov 2010) Science Fiction As you make your way through James Camerons Avatar Collectors Vault 3D, you will journey through stunning terrain that few human eyes have seen the world of the Navi, the 10-foot-tall blue-skinned humanoids who inhabit Pandora. They have a mystical connection to Pandoras natural world, which they believe to be nurtured by and inextricably bound with Eywa, the goddess of life they worship. Enjoy natural wonders like the floating Hallelujah Mountains and Pandoras natural bioluminescence. View the moons amazing creatures,…
Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman Putnam Adult (Jan 2004) | Paperback, 448 pages | Crime What would you do if you walked into the courtroom one morning to discover you’re there to prosecute the man who tortured and raped you? Is it okay to keep your connection to the man a secret if it means it’s the only chance there’ll be to put him behind bars? Is it justified to steal evidence in order to keep a mistrial from being declared? Should you continue to prosecute an evil man when you’re not…
The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story by Susan Hill Penguin (1984, first pub. 1983) | Paperback, 139 pages Horror | Ghost Story I first read The Woman in Black back in 1990 – I loved it then and I still love it now. I re-read it especially for my All Hallows Eve event and I’m so pleased I revisited this amazing book. The eeriness of the story is combined with delicious descriptive prose. This is what I love about Hills’ writing. She’s able to describe the world surrounding her characters…
