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review 2020-04-27 12:15
Review: The Beautiful
The Beautiful - Renee Ahdieh

I received a copy from Netgalley.

 

I really, really, really wanted to love this. I was so excited to see vampires starting to make a comeback in YA fiction. I was thrilled when my review request was approved, then it was hinted at it would be in one of my YA subscription boxes – so I got a pretty signed hardback with sprayed edges. I did wait until the hype had died down a bit before delving in.

 

There were parts of it I really enjoyed, parts of it that were eye-rollingly stupid and parts that were just boring. The end was wholly unsatisfying (though thankfully I have pre ordered the sequel and had my review requested granted). Though there was enough of a what the??? To want to know more.

 

The 1800s New Orleans setting is vividly described. The main character, Celine is running from a terrible incident in her past in Paris and sets sail for the US with a convent, whose aim seems to be helping young women find suitable husbands. There were times I loved Celine’s character – she was strong willed, sassy and smart. Despite her worries about her past catching up with her she seemed very confident and together. She also came across as highly opinionated.

 

One thing I did like was the female friendships – Celine bonds with one of the other convent girls, Pippa, who becomes a real friend. As a former dressmaker – Celine’s stitching work for the convent catches the eyes of the beautiful and mysterious Odette who hires her to make a gown for a masquerade. Odette appears flippant and over the top, but she embraces Celine and seems keen for Celine to join her rather than head back to the convent.

 

Odette is part of a group of dangerously beautiful and alluring people, none of which seem quite normal. There’s something distinctly different about them, curious and bordering on frightening. Naturally Celine is intrigued by them. I found the male love interest, Sebastian, to be rather bland and uninteresting. A very typical stereotype – rich, well spoken, devious, and charming with a sense of darkness and foreboding. Nothing I haven’t seen in vampire novels before. He and Celine rub each other the wrong way yet unsurprisingly are annoyingly attracted to each other.

 

Doesn’t help when the bodies start turning up with strange symbols, and the police officer heading the investigation clearly has some sort of history with Sebastian and Odette and their group. Doesn’t help either that Celine seems to keep getting in his way. And she’s got things to say as well. Some of the mystery aspect was quite interesting and the plot did get more and more interesting as the novel progressed.

 

One thing that drove me up the wall though was the chapters from the killer’s point of view. To me they sounded just ridiculous. I think they were trying to sound like a sophisticated creature who has been around for centuries plotting his revenge against some perceived wrongness. It sounded woe is me over the top and stupid. Though to be fair, I didn’t actually guess who the culprit was.

 

This was a mixed bag of a novel, with good things and bad things. However, enough of a grip in the story telling that I need more from this world.

 

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for approving my request to view the title.

 

 

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review 2019-12-25 10:08
Black Moon Sing: An Urban Fantasy Novella of Shapeshifters vs. Vampires (The Turquoise Path Book 1) by L. M. Hawke
Black Moon Sing (The Turquoise Path Book 1) - L. M. Hawke

Black Moon Sing: An Urban Fantasy Novella of Shapeshifters vs. Vampires (The Turquoise Path Book 1) by L. M. Hawke is a gripping book about the paranormal.

 

I received a complimentary Kindle copy from Amazon. That did not change my opinion for this review. I gave it four stars.

 

"A dark force is targeting a secret enclave of shapeshifters in the desert southwest, delivering them to grisly fates. Suspected of witchery and cast out of her human society, it's up to Ellery Chee, a lone coyote shifter, to stop this dangerous magician before her world is destroyed."

 

Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Moon-Sing-Turquoise-Path-ebook/dp/B01HXEOR6S

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review 2019-11-04 12:00
Review: Music and Malice in Hurricane Town
Music and Malice in Hurricane Town - Alex Bell

I received a copy from Netgalley. 

 

This book was a lot of fun. I’ve read a few books by this author before and I’ve enjoyed them - this was something a little different. In a fantasy inspired New Orleans with a host of supernatural creatures, voodoo and magic being the norm, centred around a the mystery of a murdered voodoo queen. 

 

Main character Jude is a musician with a brass band who finds herself possessed by the dead queen who needs her help solving the mystery. Coming in to contact with a whole host of different characters from intriguing to creepy. Jude was a very likeable main character who discovered lots of things about herself as the plot progressed. Family and friendship played an important part. 

 

There were some rather disturbing bits towards the end. That being said it worked well with the plot and to be fair I didn’t guess or see it coming. Posed the questions for some interesting morality grey ares. 

 

There was some fantastic world building in mixing the familiarity of New Orleans with the Baton Noir fantasy version. The different types of magic and voodoo were explained very well - you don’t have to know hardly anything about the subject to work out what was going on. Quite a few interesting twists as well.

 

The plot was fast paced with plenty of action and little to no romance. A possibility hinted at with one sub plot which I personally would have loved to see explored. Left at an interesting ending - concluded the story but open for the possibility of more. I would definitely love to see more from this world. 

 

All in all enjoyable and fun. 

 

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Tiger Group for approving my request to view the title. 

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review 2019-02-21 07:30
DNF The Wicked Vampire
The Wicked Vampire (Last True Vampire series) - Kate Baxter

It’s bern nearly two months since I last picked this book up and current have no desire to finish it. While there are some deliciously steamy sex scenes the plot seems repetitive in the I love you but I hate you theme. It’s not badly written or anything it’s just not doing anything for me personally right now.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the review copy.

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review 2018-07-15 00:57
Hero Rising, The Four Book Secret Guardians Boxed Set, Secret Guardians Book #1 by H.T. Night
Hero Rising (Secret Guardians Book 1) - H.T. Night

Hero Rising, The Four Book Secret Guardians Boxed Set, Secret Guardians Book #1 by H.T. Night is a grand adventure. I gave it four stars.

 

The Tandra world are humans. Josiah goes on a crusade to help them escape the evil that surrounds them. He becomes a protector and superhero. He is also a vampire and a werewolf but is not immortal.

 

He heads for New York along with Tommy, the werewolf. Tommy was engaged to his sister before the accident killed her and her parents. After that, they bonded and were like brothers. Tommy now is a coach for MMA fighters.

 

Josiah flew in his eagle form to San Bernardino where he came across a building on fire with people trapped. "But fire. Yeah, I was cautious about my own hide like that. But there was no way I could turn my back on the....If I didn't help, if I walked away from people who could have been saved; it would haunt me for the rest of my days."

 

I bought it and read it in one sitting. I look forward to reading Hero Unbound (Secret Guardians Book 2).

 

Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Hero-Rising-Secret-Guardians-Book-ebook/dp/B00RC5GLAO

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