Release Date: 09/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest-this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.
REVIEW:
Second books can be harder to do than the original, after all you’ve got the initial idea down but now’s the time when you have to step up and prove that you’re not a one hit wonder. Too often this is sadly the case and when you find a series that not only has potential but wonderful delivery then it’s something that’s pretty critical.
Having loved the original release (Tiger’s Curse) I was a little worried about this, would it be as good, would the characters grow and perhaps more importantly had Colleen expended everything with the original. There’s only one way to find out and as such I did the only thing I could. Grabbing a copy I opened and began to read…
Whereas the first book was not only an introduction but a revelation in YA the second takes a separate step forward and introduces a new character so the lead list, that of Dirhen, the moody bad boy brother of Ren, the love interest in the original for Kelsey. Whilst the adventure was still as prevalent within, the characters emotions are the key to this release. Especially for fans of the Vampire Diaries as Ren and Dirhen feel that they take over the Salvatore brothers roles in wonderful descriptiveness. As before the writing is crisp, the characters delightful and when backed with a real humdinger of a story, it’s a title that I really couldn’t put down. I really can’t wait to see how things develop from here.
Release Date: 26/05/11
BOOK BLURB:
Would you risk it all to change your destiny? The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that's exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.
REVIEW:
As a reader, for me a story has to take you somewhere, it’s not just about reaching the conclusion but about learning lessons along the way and that’s exactly what Collen Houck has done in this, the first book in the Tiger Saga.
Within the pages is a reasonably paced plot with outstanding characters who grow emotionally alongside the reader as they tale wends its merry way and whilst at the beginning you doubt Kelsey’s ability to handle the strange and unusual she steps up to the role that the fates have thrown her way. It’s handled wonderfully, the characters have real traits alongside desires and when backed up with cracking dialogue and the twist of shape shifters (feline as opposed to the usual canus) it really steps out on its own.
Finally add to this a love story interwoven within with a feeling that eastern myth has also woven its way into this tapestry of words and it was a more than satisfactory book. I’ll look forward to the second book.
Release Date: 09/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
A bloody war is raging across the oceans, with the Pirate Federation and Nocturnals in alliance against the renegade Vampirates, led by Sidorio and Lola. Lola might be heavily pregnant with twins, but it doesn't stop her from remaining an active in battle! Connor and Grace Tempest each have important roles to play - he as a pirate warrior at the heart of the fight; she as a powerful healer working with the war-wounded. As the twins face their greatest challenges to date, old allies and foes return to play their part in the ultimate battle of Pirate versus Vampirate.
REVIEW:
The sixth instalment in the hugely popular series featuring the Tempest Twins, Connor and Grace. As usual with Justin’s writing the tale is gripping from start to finish, the twists along the way will keep you glued and with the blood fest alongside two lead characters that step out of the pages into the imagination, it’s a title that will enthuse as well as please the reader.
Add to this some great prose, decent dialogue and continual growth for the characters within which when backed with a cracking supporting cast make this a YA series that you really shouldn’t miss out on. Great stuff.
Release Date: 23/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
Jesse is on a school trip in New York when his subway carriage is rocked by an explosion. When he and three friends crawl out of the wreckage they discover a city in chaos. Streets are deserted. Buildings are in ruins. And the only other survivors are infected with a virus that turns them into horrifying predators...
REVIEW:
To be honest this is a strange title for me to review. Yes it’s got Vampires, yes it’s got survivors and yes it’s a survival/coming of age title but its more than that. The plot is fast paced, and with the explosive opening, it really couldn’t slow down. Add to this a strong cast with their own individual traits which when backed with spartanesque prose really helps bring the whole thing to life. My only real gripe with the tale and concept to be honest was that it’s a multi-parted series which whilst gripping and intense now could lose pace and character links with the reader quickly. If that occurs then a multi character massacre may well be demanded.
Release Date: 19/05/11
BOOK BLURB:
Kathy Reichs takes forensics to a new level. Tory Brennan is as fascinated by bones and dead bodies as her famous aunt, acclaimed forensic anthropologist, Tempe Brennan. However living on a secluded island off Charleston in South Carolina there is not much opportunity to put her knowledge to the test. Until she and her group of technophile friends stumble across a shallow grave containing the remains of a girl who has been missing for over thirty years. With the cold-case murder suddenly hot, Tory realises that they are involved in something fatally dangerous. And when they rescue a sick dog from a laboratory on the same island, it becomes evident that somehow the two events are linked. On the run from forces they don't understand, they have only each other to fall back on. Until they succumb to a mysterious infection that heightens their senses and hones their instincts to impossible levels. Their illness seems to have changed their very biology - and suddenly it's clear that the island is home to something well beyond their comprehension. It's a secret that has driven men to kill once. And will drive them to kill again...
REVIEW:
Having read Kathy’s work for a number of years I was interested to see what she’d do with a whole new series and especially one aimed for the young reader. Here she brings her mystery skills to the younger audience where she blends a wonderful story arc with an old crime and presents the reader with a wide ranging story arc that will keep the reader guessing for quite some time.
Whilst overall this title was a joy to read I did have one key gripe. That Kathy’s addition of Urban Fantasy elements to the tale set in the same world as her adult tales featuring Tempe Brennan (she’s the lead characters Great Aunt) felt like she was taking the mick. Likewise had Kathy steered clear of the Brennan name then the tale would have worked as an Urban Fantasy. It just feels that too many coincidences ruined this part of the believability.
That said, Tory (our lead character) was fun, and whilst a younger version of Tempe she was fresh, she had goals and her emotional aspects kept the reader coming back for more even if some elements had a famous five feel. All in this title was a fun book to read and I will read others in the series but to make such a basic error as to place it in the same setting as her adult titles really shouldn’t have happened.
Release Date: 28/04/11
BOOK BLURB:
Meet Grimshaw and Lampwick the Robber, a curse demon and his master, stuck in Limbo and getting on each others nerves. Grimshaw hasn't had a chance to unleash any destruction in the Real World since Lampwick's death bed curses years ago. When Lampwick has an unexpected opportunity to curse a whole new set of humans, Grimshaw can't believe his luck! There is one young boy on Grimshaw's list: Fish Jones. But Fish has unworldly talents of his own. Unlike other humans, he can see Grimshaw. And as Grimshaw's destructive inventiveness intensifies, it is matched by Fish's ability to escape. Why is Fish able to avoid the curse? And when Grimshaw plans to wreak the ultimate destruction, not just on Fish, but on the world, will young Jones' power be enough to stop him? Full of humour and wild imagination, KILL FISH JONES is a devilishly good read.
REVIEW:
Having read a few of Caro’s titles to date I thought that I was starting to get a handle on her writing. That is until this latest title landed. Full of humour, action and adventure it’s a title that was a lot of fun to read and with the cracking pace set from the outset it’s a book that really keeps you chuckling as you read. Personally I didn’t think that the lead character was as well formed as previous ones but the real hero of the book for me was the vile demon Grimshaw. I loved that guy and whilst he may not be the best or the biggest, you had to give the guy credit for trying. All in a lot of fun and whilst I prefer her Seven Sorcerer series this one was a lot of fun to read.
Release Date: 26/05/11
BOOK BLURB:
Corvis Rebaine is no hero. In his trademark suit of black armour and skull-like helm, armed with a demon-forged axe and with allies that include a bloodthirsty ogre, Rebaine has twice brought death and destruction to Imphallion in pursuit of a better, more equitable and just society. If he had to kill countless innocents in order to achieve that dream, so be it. At least that was the old Rebaine. Before he slew the mad warlord Audriss. Before he banished the demon Khanda. Before he lost his wife and children, who could neither forgive nor forget his violent crimes. Now, years later, Rebaine lives in a distant city, under a false name. He's a member of one of the Guilds he despises and trying to achieve change nonviolently, from within the power structure. But just because Corvis has changed doesn't mean everyone else has. When Imphallion is invaded the bickering Guilds once again prove unable to respond ...but someone wearing Rebaine's trademark black armour, and bearing what appears to be his axe, does. Someone who is, if anything, even less careful of human life than Rebaine was. Worse, Rebaine's old nemesis Baron Jassion is hunting him once more, aided by a mysterious sorcerer named Kaleb, and a young woman who hates Corvis Rebaine more than anyone else: his own daughter, Mellorin. Suddenly Rebaine seems to have no choice. To clear his name, to protect his country, and to reconcile with his family, must he become the Terror of the East again?
REVIEW:
Having finally gotten around to reading the original tale in the series (the Conquerors Shadow) I was really looking forward to this titles release. I expected more of the same high octane action, good characterisation as well as a wonderfully constructed world.
What unfurled however was sadly a disappointment as there were quite a few holes and to be blunt I did feel that this title was more of a rushed job and the author didn’t have quite the same amount of time to polish and fix the problems. The characters were flat, the plot dilemma’s sadly lacking and when it hinges on collateral damage rather than taking the bull by the horns and getting out there made this feel more like a damp squib than the huge bang I was expecting. With luck things will improve in the next title and as such I will give it a go, but if it has a lot of the same failure points as this title then sadly it could well be time for me to call it a day with Ari.
Release Date: 13/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalised for mental illness. After putting on a brave face for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother - and she needs one fast. That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth - that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real.
REVIEW:
If you want a story of discovery that delves into issues that scare many a person then this title is for you. Whilst the mental illness is confined to the heroine’s mother, it is an issue that many are forced to face every day. It is wonderfully descriptive, its clearly well thought out and the overall arc is something that gives the reader a story that not only contains hope but allows the reader to learn through the telling.
Add to this a whole host of supporting cast that bring the book to life, a larger than life experience blended with mythology and it’s one that really was a joy to read. I’ll definitely be looking forward to Suzanne’s next title.
Release Date: 12/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
At seventeen, Bryn is has the usual schoolgirl worries: a new boyfriend, a new school and a new home. But she has one major concern that her friends don't have: she is an alpha - a human girl in charge of her own werewolf pack. When Bryn and her closest friends, Dev and Lake, broke from the werewolf Callum's pack, it had all felt right. Together with Chase, Bryn's new love, they had rescued some newly made female werewolves from a despicable master and established their own pack, with Bryn as leader. Yet Bryn has always resented the rules of Pack life - the constant bowing to authority, the submission to the alpha. And she is determined to live differently, to run this pack openly and justly. Then one night, a badly beaten werewolf shows up on her territory. He needs help, sanctuary, care. But taking him in could violate inter-pack rules, and no one knows better than Bryn the costs of challenging those rules. Obedience is law in Pack life, but Bryn is going to break the rules, again.
REVIEW:
The second novel in Jenn’s series and one that built upon the complex pack relationships of the original. What also happened within demonstrates that whilst other YA titles are a little light hearted the author of this one likes to play for keeps and that danger within, no matter who you are, can lead to consequences that you may not wish to pay. As with the original there was double dealing, there were characters that you got to know and love and perhaps best of all emotional growth for our tales heroine. Its cleverly written and lets face it when you find the key behind the events within it’s a shocker, one that you know will be called to account at some point.
All in I had a lot of fun reading this and if you want a YA series to help lead to other authors like Kelley Armstrong then this is perhaps the one that I’d recommend as the characters are wonderfully constructed, the story cleverly composed and all in it’s a tale (or tail if you prefer) that will keep you wondering exactly what will happen within and what the greater overall series arc will contain.
Release Date: 25/05/11
BOOK BLURB:
This anthology highlights some of the feelings and emotions experienced by teenagers - whether they have special and additional educational needs and disabilities, belong to minority groups, or just feel like the odd one out. It homes in on topics close to teenage hearts - unrequited love, isolation, unfairness, prejudice. This thought-provoking collection of poems on the theme of not fitting in has poems that range from funny to inspirational to deeply moving, and features some of the best poets around, including Jan Dean, James Carter, Andrew Fusek Peters and Rachel Rooney. The collection is published in association with nasen, and a donation will be made to nasen for each copy sold.
REVIEW:
If writing is the way to convey a story, poetry is the form to convey images as well as emotions. This title compiled by Roger is one that whilst I’m not 100% sure to the target age group (I suspect early Teens), is one that contains a lot of thoughts from bullying through to first love.
There’s something for everyone and at an age when getting those thoughts out is difficult, its one that can convey so much with associations and understanding that the reader will be able to sympathise. All in its wonderfully put together, the sheer range is admirable and there’s something for everyone within. Finally add to this that it’s thought provoking and it’s a title that can be dipped into to find the right mood and temperament for the reader which makes this a title that will understand at the same time as befriend. The only improvement that I’d have added to this title would have been to contain a few poems from Teen’s depicting how they feel in this day and age for a more complete picture.
Release Date: 06/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
Readers embark on a glorious day accompanying Lulu. She introduces us to her family, house, garden, toys, friends and favourite activities as we turn the pages and lift the flaps in this bright and bold picture book for the very young. Packed full of familiar activities and objects, this exciting identification book, with a story in the vein of bestseller Richard Scarry, will be welcomed by all whether they're already Lulu fans or are new readers.
REVIEW:
When I originally read Lulu’s Lunch it was a title that I thought was fun and quirky for the young reader. What this one has to offer is a book that keeps the fun within and allows the reader to learn by exploring the hidden area’s within the pages as well as giving them a great storyline. It’s fun, it’s inventive and when accompanied by the wonderful art of Allie Busby it’s a title that will become a firm favourite especially with the bright colours within. Add to that lots of things to discover and its an interactive adventure. Great stuff.
Release Date: 03/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
The year is 1868 and fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes faces his most baffling mystery yet. Mycroft, his older brother, has been found with a knife in his hand, locked in a room with a corpse. Only Sherlock believes that his brother is innocent. But can he prove it? In a chase that will take him to Moscow and back, Sherlock must discover who has framed Mycroft and why ...before Mycroft swings at the gallows. Young Sherlock Holmes is a series of novels in which the iconic detective is reimagined as a brilliant, troubled and engaging teenager creating unputdownable detective adventures that remain true to the spirit of the original books.
REVIEW:
So far, I’ve picked up and enjoyed each of these wonderful new tales featuring a young Sherlock Holmes and to be honest they’ve been thrilling, there has been mystery and above all else a cool clear deductive mind solves the clues as they appear with tips of the hat to the original Conan Doyle texts.
What this, the third instalment, offers the reader is pretty much a lot of the same. The writing is crisp, the storyline addictive as well as well thought out and the characters evolve as new skills come to the fore for them all. Add to this a larger role for Mycroft in this tale and its one that was a lot of fun to read. My only criticism of this title is that it felt that it ended a little abruptly and transferred back to a familiar location almost as if a chapter or two had been cut from the story. All in it is fun but to have it end in such a way I felt was unfair to the reader who after traveling along with the Holmes’ fir the full story deserved to meet one of Mycroft’s contemporaries.
Release Date: 02/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
NEW EDITION The cracks are beginning to show in the idyllic Stonewylde community. As Yul and Sylvie's forbidden friendship grows into something deeper, Magus' true nature starts to emerge through his charming facade. Ever since Yul defied him at the Summer Solstice, his power has been waning, and his mood darkening. Yul is the problem - and Magus is going to deal with him. Nobody challenges his authority and survives. Sylvie is in danger too. Magus has discovered her secret and now, for all its beauty, her magical gift and Magus' desire to possess it is putting her life at risk. As each full moon rises Sylvie is made to suffer more, and the agony she endures as her magic is stolen leaves her increasingly exhausted, sapping her will to fight back. Unless Magus can be stopped, every full moon could be Sylvie's last. As glorious summer turns to golden autumn, the magic of Stonewylde is becoming a curse to the very people it should nurture ...Are Yul and Sylvie the only ones who see the truth behind Magus' mask of kindness? Why is everyone so deceived by his charm - and why is Mother Heggy, the mysterious wise-woman the only one who will help them? The darkness of winter is coming, and as it does Sylvie and Yul's lives hang by a whisker. Either they will save each other, or history will repeat itself at the sinister standing stone above the cliffs.
REVIEW:
After reading the first novel in this series I was wondering what Kit would do to not only expand upon the carefully built infrastructure of her community but also to add layers of complexity as well as emotional interaction for the characters within. Whilst some of the contents won’t come as a shock due t the way things developed in the previous title it is one that, with the world building out of the way, can concentrate more on the emotional which this one does in spades.
It’s carefully crafted, the characters become more human with actions having consequences and it is a book that works more on the nuances rather than a big power outage. This makes this an ideal YA series and one that whilst Urban Fantasy, one that will strike a chord with many of the readers emotionally. All in a cleverly presented title and one that has great pace as well as character depiction which makes this all in a magical experience.
Release Date: 02/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
The book begins with a chase through the streets of Calcutta in May 1916. Lieutenant Peake pauses for breath outside the ruins of the Jheeter's Gate station knowing that he only has a few hours to live. Inside his overcoat he is sheltering two newborn babies - twins, a boy and a girl. Peake entrusts them Aryami Bose. Sixteen years later we meet the boy, Ben, and his friends. They have formed a secret club, The Chowbar Society, which meets each week at midnight in the old ruin they have christened The Midnight Palace. Then Aryami Bose turns up with Sheere, Ben's sister, and tells them the story of the parents they never knew. Their father was an engineer and writer who died in tragic circumstances at the inauguration of Jheeter's Gate station. But as the novel unfolds, there is more to their history than meets the eye and they are lured by a shadowy figure from the past into a final showdown in the ruins.
REVIEW:
Having loved Carlos’ first title last year I really couldn’t wait to see what would occur with this book and pretty much started after I realised what it was. As with the previously its devilishly clever, lovingly thought out and with a cracking cast and story arc that translates to English beautifully.
Add to this a cracking sense of whimsy, top notch descriptions alongside a decent pace which will leave the reader in no doubt about the scary yet enlightened story that they’re about to embark upon. If you haven’t yet read Prince of Mist then please do so, you won’t regret it and this title just goes to prove how good a writer Carlos is.
Release Date: 12/06/11
BOOK BLURB:
Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals - and they're camping outside Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Behind its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan are... tense, to say the least. But they have to work together when the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting: there's been a violent vampire attack which has left three women missing. The mayor's message is simple: get your House in order. Or else. Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it's not easy when she can't tell who's on her side. So she goes outside Cadogan House, secretly calling in a favour from someone who's tall, dark, and part of an underground vamp group which might be able to shed some light on the attack. It's not long before Merit finds herself in the dark, heady heart of Chicago's supernatural society - which seems to be full of vampires ready to fulfill the human's worst fears. She's about to learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands...
REVIEW:
It’s always a worry that when you start a series partway through that you really won’t give it the attention it deserves, not because you can’t be bothered but because you feel that you’re a little out in the cold and what would have been little niggles can turn into major problems.
What happens with Chloe Neill’s fourth title in the Chicagoland Vampires series is one that not only welcomes the reader but makes sure that the get a great story with a true flavour of Chicago (yeah I want a Saul’s Pizza now.) Its wonderfully written, the characters were fun to hang around and all in the arc moved at a wonderful pace with enough cleverly constructed prose to keep me attached as I discovered the heart of the nefarious plot within. All in a lot of fun and when I get the time I’ll be seeking out the earlier exploits to get the fuller picture.
Release Date: 09/06/11
