THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS - I haven't written a spoiler review in a while so I thought it was about time. 
Review Written: 5th August 2012

Ascend by Amanda Hocking

This is the third and final book in the Trylleology (See what I did there?) which begs the question on whether the characters get given a happy ending. This book starts with a wedding and ends in a baby. Although the path between the two is not so smooth and it involves 2 different men. Wendy Everly is to marry Tove, from one of the most influential families in Trylle except the two only love one another as friends, and Tove does not have a thing for women at all. Before the wedding, Loki from the Vittra tribe asks for amnesty. A Prince, or there abouts, in his own land he is forced to flee after being abused by his King. He loves Wendy, and as the book progresses, it is clear she loves him. Chapter 16 includes a moment of passion between the pair as Wendy loses the virginity she assumed she'd lose on her wedding night; not with Tove, but with Loki.

The middle part involves a war. The night of Wendy's wedding to Tove, the town of Oslinna is attacked, 2000 estimated dead. Here begins her role as leader. She makes a deal with her father, the evil King of the Vittra, which on the surface makes it look like she's handing over her kingdom. Really, she's just buying time until she can find a way to kill him. The main battle is over really quickly. One minute the Trylle are attacking the Vittra and the next, peace has been achieved.

The baby at the end is Wendy and Loki's - a boy named Oliver. The two wed after Wendy's wedding to Tove is annulled. Willa ends up with Matt, a move that would previously been disallowed as she is a powerful Troll and he is a human. However, it's still not fully accepted and Willa had to give up her role as Marksinna. What happens to Finn you say? Well, during the rescue mission to Oslinna, before war is declared, Wendy meets a female tracker named Mia and her baby daughter Hanna; she had become a widow. During the extra story 'Ever After', we discover Finn and Mia have married, with a son on the way. Tove is also in a relationship with new Chancellor Bain. I am truly glad Wendy chose Loki. As she says herself Finn is not happy around her, not the way he is around his future with Mia. I preferred Loki as a character anyway. The ending was sickly sweet but I liked it. I'm sad that the series has come to an end but I am looking forward to Hocking's Watersong series.

NEXT REVIEW: ALYSON NOEL'S FATED

 This review contains a minor spoiler, consider this a warning

 Review Written: 2nd June 2012

Torn by Amanda Hocking

The last book ended with Wendy running back to her brother Matt. This book starts with her being kidnapped by the rival Vittra tribe and finding out a few secrets about her family and heritage. There, she meets the rather mysterious, and I’m assuming good-looking, Loki. Wendy is rescued, returned to Förening and the remainder of the story continues with her struggles between love and becoming the Queen the tribe deserves. Time is running out before she will sit on the throne so ‘Princess practise’ as I shall now dub it, is progressing at full speed.

In the third book, I want her to be with Loki. I’ve been reading a few reviews of this book online and I don’t quite understand the Loki hate. I prefer him to Finn – because Finn isn’t the ‘innocent’ guy some reviews tend to portray. Wendy and he argue, he leaves without explanation causing her to spend her time agonising over him like some sort of New Moon scenario and he doesn’t even try to fight the system to be with her. Loki may be a tad arrogant and a total pretty boy but at least he tells it like it is, which I admire. Now everyone is aware of what I think of the two love rivals, we can move on.

We see a slightly softer side to Elora (her actual mother) in this book. The reasons for this are rather sad, but a softer side was bound to appear eventually. I wouldn’t go as far as to say Wendy is now bonding with the mother who gave her up as a child, but at least she is beginning to understand Elora’s reasoning. 

This here is a spoiler – Wendy must get married. What I won’t spoil is who she gets engaged to. There is also a little shock about her fiancé. Wendy does not wish to have an arranged marriage, and rightly so and I’m hoping in the third book, a suitable conclusion shall be reached.

NEXT REVIEW: Well, you know I caved with The Hunger Games, I’ve caved with George R.R. Martin’s ‘A Game of Thrones’. I’m halfway through at the moment, this book is a monster, so I’m not sure when my next review will be.

  Although not all my reviews are spoilery, which I do not consider this one to be, here is a little warning just in case.

 Review Written: 1st May 2012

Switched by Amanda Hocking

Switched is a fairy story. If I ever find the inspiration to get past 20,000 words when writing a story, I would like to write my first book about fairies. Oh, I should confirm that when I say ‘fairy story’, I mean ‘a book about fairies’ not a prince/princess/talking animals/amusing sidekick kind of fairy story. Disney this is not. 

The story starts with 6 year old Wendy Everly being almost killed by her mother who believes she was switched at birth. The ultrasound said she was having a son, yet a daughter arrived. Back to the present day, Wendy and her overprotective brother Matt now live with their aunt Maggie. They’ve had to move house yet again as Wendy has been kicked out of school. Where does this romantic interest come in I hear you ask? He’s also a newbie at school who also happens to like staring at our main character. Cue awkward situations between them and one night, he turns up at her window and proclaims she’s a Trylle. She’s kind of important in Förening (that’s the place the Trylle live) so she needs to return. The remainder of the book is Wendy attempting to settle in to her new role and fight her feelings for Finn. Oh, and the must have fight scene between good and bad.

For those who know their fairy creatures, the title itself gives away part of the fairy element.  If you are not familiar, you can read the book and be surprised. The actually species, if species is the right word, of fairy that the Trylle tribe are took me by surprise. It’s not a stereotypically glamorous fairy but again, it’s all down to the way the author wants to portray their characters. 

Hocking has taken the title of ‘book with the coolest character names’. Not that I’m hosting an official award ceremony or anything but Wendy, Finn & Tove? These are hardly names you hear every day! (Unless you watch Peter Pan or Glee daily)

The book was fast paced – I read it in a space of a few evenings (yes, I normally read faster but I still have university work to complete.) Wendy as a main character, is certainly a feisty one and Finn has that whole ‘mysterious, sexy’ guy thing going on. There are a number of strong supporting characters, Tove, Rhys & Willa but to name a few. Her mother in Förening from first viewing appears just as loveable as her ‘human’ mother even though everyone tells her differently. I hope Wendy and the reader soon starts seeing this in the sequels.

Talking of sequels I currently have Torn on my bookcase. I think I should start reading it.

NEXT REVIEW: RACHEL CAINE'S BLACK DAWN (Yes, I know I said I'd start reading Torn but reading the next Morganville Vampires is a matter of life and death for me. Seriously)