This review contains minor spoilers.

Review Written: 7th October 2011

Fateful by Claudia Gray

Another day, another teen book that I really enjoyed. Why? This book was really refreshing!

The book starts with maid Tess having to run a last minute errand before boarding the Titantic to start a new life in America. Unfortunately, this is where trouble starts after being chased by a wolf and saved by the dashing Alec. One minute he's sweet, next minute he is telling her to go before he hurts her too.

The following day, Tess boards the Titanic with the family she works for. The Lisle family made up of Lady Regina, son Layton and daughter Irene, have a diminishing fortune and are going to America to find a wealthy American family for both son and daughter to marry. This is 1920s America, after the time of rapid industrialisation, the land of the free is also the land of the rich. While boarding, Tessa feels someone watching her - Mikhail is a Russian count, and wants something the Lisle family have. He plans to get it through her. Fortunately, Alec is also on board, the son of a steel industrialist. Unfortunately, he's a werewolf who has to change form every night until he is inititated into an evil brotherhood. He has been avoiding it thus far, but now influential Mikhail is on board, it may be a matter of time.

As the book continues, Alec and Tessa's relationship blossoms even though they are from different social classes and Alec has to change every night (Tessa finds this out fairly early on in the book). We also find out a number of shocking revelations about the, shall we say, extra-curricular activities of the Lisle family which involve Tessa's fellow servant Ned and sister Daisy.

If I could take you back to the first sentence, this book was refreshing. It is a supernatural novel which uses a famous historical event to tell the story (I do a part history degree, I'm a sucker for historical novels!) Gray is a great writer who makes you want to read page after page hence why I recommend Fateful.

NEXT REVIEW: ROBERT HARRIS' FATHERLAND

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

 

Review Written: 28th August 2012

Endure by Carrie Jones

The previous three books have seen the rogue pixies become stronger in their world domination quest. In this novel, the evil pixies are going wild and attacking everyone, not just teen boys. Zara and Co form an army to 1) fight the pixie threat and 2) stop the end of the world. An end that could be brought about by Norse God Loki. In Entice, Zara met Odin and Thor and if you know your Norse mythology or even your Marvel universe, you should know: Odin/Thor - good, Loki - bad. The problem with this, is that I now had the image of Tom Hiddleston in my head while reading. I say problen, having an image of Tom Hiddleston in your head is never a problem, it's just I see him more as 'misunderstood' than 'taking over the world.' 

Zara also meets Hel, the daughter of Loki who looks after the dead. So when one goes to 'hell', it is not in the Christian sense of Heaven & Hell. People go to 'Hel' if they die of old age or disease rather than to Valhalla as a warrior. She helps Zara by giving her tips to defeat the pixies....and letting her see her stepfather again. I read this book on the train (I know, I do that often) and I almost cried; yes, I do that often too. Turns out, Loki is just as misunderstood as he is in the Thor movie, and he isn't going to bring about the end of the world at all. He admits he will fight in it, against Thor and Odin, but he will not cause it. The pixies do. I forgot to mention that they had to travel to Iceland in order to achieve this.

I was disappointed about the whole Nick/Zara breaking up thing. She went to Valhalla and back to rescue him, becoming pixie in order to do so and they both just seem to give up on the relationship. It falls apart but it's accepted. Like, shrug of the shoulders disappointed. Shrug of the shoulders but it's okay because I, Zara have Astley to fall back on, kind of disappointed. As a reader of the previous 3 books who found their relationship sweet, it is sad. I know hardly anyone stays with the first boyfriend they have, but this is a teen book and they tend to. To see a book breaking the mould, even though I constantly complain about that mould, makes me sad. I like Nick, and I never warmed to Astley.

I assume the series has finished. The pixies have been stopped, the state of Maine seems to be in peace and we are left with Astley, Zara and Issie making their way to Astley's villa in Europe. We are left with a remaining thought which suggests that Jones can always return to Zara's world if need be. I'm sad to say goodbye to it.

NEXT REVIEW: SOPHIE KINSELLA'S MINI SHOPAHOLIC

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: 27th April 2012

Dark Heart Surrender by Lee Monroe

This book is the third in the series and because I have not reviewed the first two, here is a quick 411. Jane Jonas is the protagonist, and she falls for Luca who happens to be a werewolf and lives in a world called Nissilum with other werewolves, vampires, angels, etc. The first two books featured the pair finding a way to be together because Luca’s folks were all ‘no way are we letting our son marry a human.’ Think Romeo & Juliet just with magical creatures & the absence of Shakespeare’s writing.  Fortunately, Dark Heart Surrender starts with Luca living with Jane in the mortal world (he’s decided to leave his world, get a job and live with Jane’s family full time.)

One evening at dinner, Jane’s sister Dot, starts talking about giant foxes – on Nissilum, these foxes, or the Vulpecula,  were human by day, and as the temperature dropped in the evening, they turned to foxes. They saw themselves as more intelligent than werewolves so there was a rivalry. It just so happens, while at work, Luca finds a necklace in a puddle of fresh blood. While at school, Jane has been asked to look after new student Polly and help her settle in. Of course, as a reader, you can’t help but feel suspicious. Especially when Polly wants to set Jane up with her brother Ade – he’s looking for a ‘match’ and as Jane states, it is “an odd way to describe a girlfriend, at least coming from a teenager.” (p.49)

As the book progresses, I dislike Polly & Ade even more. The true extent of their vindictiveness and evil nature is revealed as you read on. They’re very human in the way they twist words – so that everyone turns against Luca, even casting doubts in Jane’s mind about the ‘perfectness’ of her boyfriend. They are also successful in turning Jane’s very limited number of friends against her – when Ade starts dating her friend Ashley, she believes Jane wants Ade for herself. So, through the great power of female teenage jealousy....the two fall out through no fault of Jane’s own.

The tag line on the cover of this book ‘will love tear them apart this time?’ can finally be asked. For a brief moment, yes; Luca and Jane need help and yet Jane’s solution to the problem is sending Luca back to Nissilum. It’s him the Vulpecula want (there is a rivalry between the two families), so back at home surrounded by his family, he will be safe. However, Jane won’t be when she’s left behind on Mortal Earth at the mercy of the antagonists.

The climax is reached and resolved in a couple of chapters. Cue the reappearance of Luca in werewolf form and oh, the happily ever after. The ending tied together all three books quite nicely, if not a little quickly. The book is very easy to read and can be achieved in one sitting (considering you do not have something else to be doing, an essay for an example, which a certain reviewer should be doing with her time.) I'm assuming this is the last in the appeared trilogy - the Q&A with the author at the back states she is writing another series 'very much rooted in reality.' On this note, I do believe Monroe has ended Jane and Luca's story quite nicely.

NEXT REVIEW: AMANDA HOCKING'S SWITCHED