REVIEW: MYSTIC CITY

Author: Theo Lawrence

Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Corgi
UK Release date: 11th October 2012
Genre: Urban fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

Mystic City has lots of references and parallels to Shakespeare, most particularly the forbidden love between two young people from rival families. I loved how this classic theme was paired with dystopian and paranormal elements; New York had been transformed into a futuristic Venice with the global-warming flooded streets in the Depths and its motorised gondoliers. With the contrast between luxurious high rises and the humble Depths, the setting was perfect for two star-crossed lovers to find each other.

I loved both Hunter and Aria. Aria, although brought up in a very wealthy and powerful family, was a sympathetic and caring person. Her family's power doesn't seem to have been built on honest foundations, and rather than go along with it and enjoy all the luxuries thrown at her, Aria was determined to find out the truth and fight for what was right no matter the consequences.  I thought Aria and Hunter were a perfect pair and really wanted to see them together. Hunter was a mysterious, mystic rebel, combining a dark and dangerous side with a funny, charming and protective personality. I liked the way he teased Aria, and was  a sensitive and caring person with real charisma. As an undrained mystic rebel, he was going against the city laws, but honestly who could blame him. He was standing up against the oppression and persecution of mystics which gave him a passionate, moral and slightly wild edge.

Although huge chunks of the plot were easy to foretell, I didn't mind because I was so invested in Hunter and Aria and their potential relationship. Their escapades to the Depths, especially during the old-fashioned carnival, were so romantic. When Aria was sneaky around and hiding from her family there was palpable tension and also plenty of mystery as Aria tried to fill in the missing gaps of her memory and figure out what the interesting little locket meant. This tension reached some big climaxes as she was discovered by her family and forced into some very horrible situations. Quite frankly I don't know how such a selfish, evil family brought up such an amazing girl!

Aria's friends were your typical spoilt socialites. They were selfish, ignorant and just a little annoying. Their speech included words like "upper" to describe anything cool. It definitely made the point that they were the popular girls, although it bugged me a little. But more importantly, their behaviour gave a strong contrast to Aria's; whereas they wanted to shop, eat and look good, Aria wasn't bothered attending parties or climbing the social ladder, caring instead about equality, fairness and truth. I did however love Turk, Hunter's best friend. He was witty, cool and cared about his friends, and I would much rather have him as a friend.

Mystic City is a gripping tale of forbidden love, magic, politics and fighting for what is right.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: A WITCH IN WINTER

Author: Ruth Warburton
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
UK Release date: January 2012
Genre: YA

With financial troubles forcing her father's hand, Anna Winterson and her dad move to a rural fishing village in England. There she moves into the spooky Wicker House, where she discovers an old spell book. But when she tries a spell late one night with friends, she discovers it works, making Seth fall head over heels for her. Anna will have to find a way to undo the spell and come to terms with her new witchy powers.

The setting for this witchy story is fantastic. Not only is the English rural fishing village of Winter old and full of history, which I really want to know more about, it is the kind of place that immediately conjures images of witchcraft and magic …old oak trees filled with cawing crows, thrashing grey seas, and creepy Wicker House. Possibly a make-over house from hell, but perfect for the mystery and intrigue of Anna’s discovery of an ancient spell book. The fact that it was based in England and incorporated British language and slang was an added extra for me.

Anna is an interesting but unusual heroine. Proclaiming herself as average, she is someone that I can relate to and find likeable. She is faced with touch decisions, a journey of self discovery and finds herself in some dire situations, yet her good heart leads her in the right direction.

With the flowingly beautiful writing and well past action, A Witch in Winter reads really well and is a quick read. And the action packed and magically charged ending will just knock your socks off! There was also plenty of mystery and underlying questions – who are the Ealdwitan and what do they want Anna for? Will there be a little love triangle between Anna, Seth and bad boy Abe? I do hope so!

If I had one complaint, it was that Seth and Anna’s romance develops rather quickly, all spells aside. Anna falls for him the moment she sees him. Yes he is good looking and does turn out to be a stellar guy, but initial feelings of infatuation are very different from love based on knowing someone’s character and personality. As Seth is spelled in love with Anna I also found it hard to see when the spell ended and their real feelings began, because for me there wasn’t enough build up and interaction between the two. Hopefully we’ll see more interaction and testing of their feelings in the rest of the series.

A Witch in Winter is a superb debut, full of mystery and eerie atmosphere. A great start to a witchy series.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: FATEFUL

Author: Claudia Gray
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: HarperCollins
UK Release date: March 2012
Genre: Historical Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Tess is embarking on the journey of her life. As maid to the Lisle family, she will be travelling with them to America on the HMS Titanic. However she secretly plans to run off and live a life free of servitude as soon as she arrives in America. But when she meets the handsome and rich Alec on board the ship, Tess becomes embroiled in a fight against dark forces. Soon she will be trapped, hunted throughout the ship and with no means of escape. Little does she know what else awaits on the journey across the Atlantic.

It seems the Titanic is having a bit of a revival at the moment, particularly so in this retelling of the tragic and ill-fated voyage. Gray has taken a unique point in time and given it a paranormal twist with the surprising element of werewolves, pushing the well-known story down a completely different path. As a sometimes-fan of historical stories, I loved the historical elements and how well it had been researched and portrayed with all the rich finery in first class and boisterous playfulness in third class.

For me, Tess was the perfect kind of heroine. She's kind, brave and knows her own mind, but isn't unnecessarily pushy or subservient. She really pushed forward the plot, coming up with plans and taking action when other characters were stuck in their own situation. I think without Tess's strength, the story wouldn't have been as good.

Although Alec was rich, handsome and protective of Tess, he wasn't necessarily your typical hero. His countenance was generally quite sad and depressed, which at some points overpowered any sense of individuality or personality. However I still liked Alec - even in the most difficult or unusual of situations he still protected her and felt a link to her. With plenty of secrets, he certainly has the element of mystery surrounding him, which is always an attraction for me!

I couldn't help but feel sorry for so many of the characters. Each of them had a reason for travelling across the Atlantic, which may or may not come to fruition. I mean, we all know what happens, but they are all oblivious to the fate that awaits them. I kept wondering who might survive and who might be swallowed by the dark cold waters (and who I actually wanted to survive!), which for me added an undercurrent of tension and suspense throughout the story. Although I never like giving spoilers, I will at least say that Gray did a great job with the inevitable ending, making it gripping, scary, powerful and yet very true and real.

Fateful is an enjoyable read, adding thrilling paranormal elements to a famously ill-fated tragedy.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: BLACK SWAN RISING

Black Swan Rising

Author: Lee Carroll
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Bantam Press
UK Release date: November 2010
Genre: Urban paranormal

Garet and her elderly father are in serious money trouble. When she is given a silver box with the same swan on it as the ring given to her by her mother, things worsen and her father ends up in hospital. Garet soon realises she is part of a world she never knew existed. 

Review: Garet is a pretty normal young woman, struggling to make ends meet running the art gallery and selling her jewellery designs in the midst of a recession. She's someone I easily related to, as she knows nothing of the Faerie and elemental world that she has been born to watch over. Although I feel like I shouldn't, I like the fact that she falls for the mysterious vampire Will Hughes. She knows she can't trust him but Garet still can't help wanting him, and think at some point we all do it and for me it makes her more human and real.

I love the New York setting for this book, as Garet travels around the city meeting elementals and picking up food. (For some reason, I love food in books). The setting becomes even more atmospheric when the mysterious fog rolls in, covering the streets and hiding Dee's summoned demons.

The cast of characters encompasses a number of different elementals and faerie characters, and it almost feels like A Midsummer's Night Dream has popped up in the middle of New York. Lol, the little fire fairy, is one of my favourite secondary characters as she is so sweet even without understanding what she says. The one character that needed expanding is the evil alchemist Dee. He has been behind atrocities for hundreds of years, but I still don’t feel I know enough about him or what motivates him.

There were lots of plot twists and plenty of secondary characters tying into Garet’s story and history. Sometimes this got confusing and I didn’t fully understand the bigger picture of the watchtowers, guardians and the black swans. Where as the first half of the book was really strong, intriguing and atmospheric, the second half was overfilled with plot and background details. Despite this niggle, I would still be interested in reading the rest of the series as I really enjoyed Lee Carroll’s [novelist Carol Goodman and husband poet Lee Slonimsky] writing style which flowed well.

Beautifully written, Black Swan Rising is the start of a promising urban fantasy trilogy.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: DEAD BEAUTIFUL

Dead Beautiful

Author: Yvonne Woon

UK Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd

UK Publication Date: May 2011

Genre: YA, Paranormal

Summary: When Renée finds the bodies of her parents in the woods near her California home, she suspects there is more to their deaths than just a heart attack. Her grandfather, a wealthy but strict man, becomes her guardian, deciding to move her to the East coast to study at the unusual Gottfried Academy. Studying Latin, Horticulture and Philosophy, things are a bit different at Gottfried, including Dante.  Aloof and with some well-hidden secrets, Renée instantly falls for him. Learning more about the history of the school, she pieces together clues that link her parents’ death with the school and the death of a past student.

Review: Reading Dead Beautiful I was instantly pulled into the mystery, wanting to fit together clues and figure out who Dante is and what the Gottfried curse might be.

Renée doesn’t fit into Gottfried’s code; speaking her mind, sneaking out at night to meet Dante and questioning everything. Dante, a loner who left his friends following the death of a student the previous spring, is drawn to Renée. Mystery surrounds him, and you can’t help but what to know what he is hiding. The build up of his relationship with Renée holds some similarities to Twilight’s Edward and Bella, however the premise and setting of Dead Beautiful stand it strongly in its own stead.

Set in the middle of the countryside and riddled with secret passages and underground tunnels, Gottfried Academy is creepy but wonderfully interesting. Students study an unusual array of subjects and a Board of Monitors is the school’s not-so-secret secret club for specially chosen students. With a history of deaths and disasters, the school suffers from the Gottfried curse, which Renée is determined to get to the bottom of.

Towards the middle of the story, the plot starts to become one dimensional focusing on Renée’s obsession with Dante and the deaths linked to the school, and at this point the story starts to slow. It picks up quickly when Renée finds intriguing school records on fellow students and helps to quicken up the pace and build up to all the final twists and surprises toward the end.

Dead Beautiful looks at immortality in an intriguing and new way, weaving in Latin, philosophy, history, mystery, love and theories of the soul. The end is spectacular, and makes you want to find out what will happen to Renée and Dante in the second book Life Eternal.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: DIE FOR ME

Die for Me (Revenants #1)
Author: Amy Plum
UK Publisher: Atom
UK Publication Date: May 2011
Genre: Paranormal YA

Summary: My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything. Suddenly, my sister, Georgia and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent. Mysterious, sexy and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen. Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies...immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

Review: Written from Kate's perspective following the death of her parents, she and her sister Georgia move to Paris to live with their grandparents. There she meets a dangerous nineteen year old who she falls for but struggles to come to terms with his immortality. Vincent is the perfect young guy: handsome, caring, sensitive, and in love with Kate. His good looks and flawless character, make him feel a little too perfect, despite being immortal.

Sisters Kate and Georgia are very different characters, with Kate being the more introvert bookworm with little experience with boys and Georgia being the party loving extrovert. Kate falls instantly for Vincent which I can relate to, however a little more build up and tension before their initial first date/encounter would have worked better for me.

The other characters in the revenant family are interesting and well developed, particularly Charlotte and Jules. We see the struggle they face not being able to share their existence with other humans, and how they enjoy Kate’s company as a rare opportunity to interact with others outside of their group.

We discover Vincent is part of a group called the Revenants: immortals who come back to life after dying to save another. Their immortlity is defined by a compulsion to continue dying to save others, always returning back to life at the same age as their first, original death. Their arch enemies are the Numa, immortals who first died betraying others, and who are compelled to keep on killing others. This an interesting twist on the popular immortal theme and although there is little science behind the phenomenon of Revenants and Numas, this isn’t a problem to start. However as more quirks pop up, and Kate and Vincent share an unprecedented breakthrough in human/revenant interaction, more questions arise for me that aren’t really answered.

There feels to be little action in the plot, and what action there is, the outcomes are predictable. Rather, the story follows Kate’s emotional ups and downs - her depression after the traumatic loss of her parents, the high of meeting Vincent, and the low of deciding whether to stay with him.

Set in Paris, Die for Me creates a beautiful backdrop in the city of lights, and is obviously a place Amy Plum is very passionate about and familiar with. For me this was the highlight of the story – there was so much descriptive detail of the Parisian landmarks and architecture, you really felt like you were there yourself basking in the beauty of the cities surroundings. With all the twinkling lights and secluded spots, this helps add a romantic and exciting element to the encounters between Kate and Vincent.

Over the past few years, there have been a string of books about the girl who falls for an immortal guy. For me, this is one of the good ones, but not one of the best.

Rating: 3.5*

MINI REVIEWS: THE PARASOL PROTECTORATE SERIES

As I was given all 3 of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate books as a gift from my lovely boyfriend, and read them one after the other, I thought it would be appropriate to do mini reviews of all 3. I must however give you a WARNING: SPOILER ALERT - reading the reviews will give away spoilers for the other books. I.e. if you don't want to know what happens at the end of book 1, don't read the review for book 2.

The Parasol Protectorate Series (#1-3)

Author: Gail Carriger

UK Publisher: Orbit

Genre: Steampunk, Paranormal Romance

Soulless

When she accidentally kills a vampire, Alexia Tarabotti becomes embroiled in the mystery of disappearing werewolves and vampires.  Her lack of a soul, which can neutralise supernatural powers, makes her a natural enemy of supernaturals, but now she must get to the bottom of the mystery before she disappears too.

The first thing I noticed about the story and its characters was its similarities to Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' - the main character, headstrong Alexi Tarabotti; her silly sisters and sillier mother; and the gruff but eligible love interest, Lord Maccon. I couldn’t help but like the snarky Alexia, who is determined and stubborn and on occasion very un-ladylike, and enjoyed the interplay between her and Lord Maccon.

Garriger’s comedic wit drew me in and the plot kept me guessing what would happen next. The supernatural theme has been given a new twist with Alexia's preternatural 'condition', a counter to the supernatural state, touching lightly on the issue of what the ‘soul’ is. I really enjoyed the Victorian setting and its lashings of steampunk features – who could not like the carriages, old fashioned rules to courting young men, and of course, the dresses!

Rating: 4*

Changeless

Having married Lord Maccon and become protector/investigator for the Crown, Alexia is taken to Scotland in her attempt to solve why werewolves in Lord Maccon’s pack are no longer able to shape shift. It seems however that someone is intent upon keeping Alexia from reaching Scotland and solving the mystery, and Alexia must discover who it is before it’s too late.

On the journey to Scotland, we are introduced to the mysterious character, Madame LeFoux, whose eccentricities I adore (including her wearing of men's clothes, and attractions towards Alexia). With attempts being made to kill Alexia, those around her including her best friend Ivy Hisselpenny and Madame LeFoux, become subject to suspicion.

Once again, Carriger finishes with a great plot twist at the end, and the witty dialogue continues throughout, however at some points the story lacked a certain depth. Effeminate vampires and friends with deplorable hats added humour, but not necessarily any sustenance.

Rating 3.5*

Blameless

Having been falsely accused of certain indiscretions by her husband and publicly shunned, Alexia decides to visit to Europe the birthplace of her father and learn more about the Preternatural condition. Being hunted by vampires, the journey with Madame LeFoux, and Floote,  turns into a race towards the apparent safety of the templars, who also have an interest in preternaturals. And in Alexia.

Being fond of Professor Lyall, the werewolf second in command, as well as Madame LeFoux and Floote, I was pleased that they all featured more in this book. Professor Lyall and Floote both add a sensible yet humourous element to the snarky stubbornness that surrounds both Alexia and Lord Maccon, whilst Madame LeFoux smoulders with an adventurous sex appeal. Lord Maccon’s reaction and treatment of Aleixa is rather disappointing, as he doesn’t stand beside her in a time of need, but rejects her. It will take a lot to feel their relationship is back on track.

Blameless was full of action, intrigue, as well as Carriger’s usual wit. Mystery surrounds the Templars, and what their interest in Preternaturals might mean. Hints that were dropped in Changeless come to fruition at the start of Blameless, and promise an interesting development in the understanding of supernatural conditions as well as a possible new addition to the Maccon family.

Rating: 4*

Overall, I really enjoyed the series as light-hearted and humorous: the characters are interesting, the dialogue is witty, the plot lines keep you guessing, and there’s a big dollop of steampunk thrown in to boot!

REVIEW: TEMPEST RISING (JANE TRUE #1)

Tempest Rising (Jane True #1)
Author: Nicole Peeler
UK Publisher: Orbit
UK Publication date: 2010
Genre: Paranormal, fantasy, romance

Summary (from Goodreads): Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever rub the genie's lamp.

Review: When I first came across this book, it was undoubtedly the cover that caught my eye - it looks so cool. (I'm bad I know.) Whilst the cover suggests a cutesy/goth YA book, the content is a whole lot more sexual and explicit. Which would explain why the book has its own warning on the back.

Jane True is twenty-something, living in a small coastal town with her ailing father. She has the tortured background that seems to be a common feature of YA novels: her mother disappeared when she was a child, she looks after her father, and she is ostracised by the community because of a tragic event that blighted her past.

After finding a body in the sea, Jane becomes embroiled in a supernatural world she never knew she existed. The plot follows Jane as she learns about the gnomes, nahuals and succubi living around her and discovers she herself is a halfling, since her mother was a selkie in the form of a seal. With her new love interest, vampire Ryu, they investigate why so many halfings are being killed off. There is plenty of action especially in the second half of the book, although as a whole it is well paced and fast moving. The first half of the book sets up a lot of the context and world building, which may have dragged a little in this book, but will set the scene for the rest of the series.

Jane's character and her inner dialogue, often her libido, is sassy, funny and realistic, voicing thoughts we all have but wouldn't necessarily share. There are a number of pop culture and literary references which might slow the reading if the audience doesn't get the reference, but I admittedly just skipped over them (yes, again, I'm bad).

The relationship between Jane and Ryu is very steamy and sexual; not that I mind a bit of sex. There is a limit on how much is necessary and realistic - personally I can't imagine many people would be in the mood after fighting in a big battle and getting choked to near death. The relationship itself lacks chemistry and substance, which may be down to the fact that we know little about Ryu, other than he is a vampire and investigator, and therefore have little investment in him as a character. Building on his character would definitely have helped carry the story and their 'hot-for-it' bond.

Anyan, a barghest/dog, keeps popping on along the way to watch over Jane and help out in desperate times. He's one you certainly want to find out more about.

Despite its minor flaws I enjoyed reading the Tempest Rising and imagining the world that Peeler sets up. Its not the kind of book I would necessarily want to re-read, but I would buy the second book, Tracking the Tempest, to see what happens next in Jane True's world (and hope that perhaps there is a little more to Ryu than meets the eye).

If you enjoy UF with a big dollop of sex on the side, then I would add this to your list next time you go to the bookstore.

Rating: 4*