Book Review: Switched by Cassie Mae

(Click image to take you to Goodreads)

 

Format: Kindle (earc)

Publishers: Flirt by Random House 

Published: 2nd December 2013

Pages: 259

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Main Characters: Kayla, Wesley, Reagan, Talon

Date Read: 15th February - 20th February 2014
 

Rating Given:

 

Blurb: 

Ever since high school, Kayla has been crazy for gorgeous football player Talon. But before she could muster the courage to tell him, he became a hot item with her beautiful BFF, Reagan. The only person who knows Kayla’s secret is Wesley, Talon’s best bud—and he’s got it bad for Reagan. Now they’re all in college together, hanging out 24/7. For Kayla, seeing the two lovebirds together is absolutely unbearable. So Kayla and Wesley hatch a plot to drive them apart before Talon has a chance to give Reagan the Christmas gift she’s been waiting for.

Soon enough, the once happy couple is fighting. Reagan suddenly can’t get enough of Wesley’s goofy sense of humor, and Talon seems to be paying more attention to Kayla than a guy who’s “only a friend” ever should. But just when everything seems to be falling into place, Kayla and Wesley accidentally spend a night together and discover a hitch in their plan they never considered: that switching partners may not lead to a perfect ending after all.

I found this book on Netgalley and I thought it sounded like an interesting book so I requested it and I'm glad I did as I loved every minute of it.

 The cover looks a little bit like the Losing It by Cora Carmack cover but a little more colourful. I do like this cover but that mainly has to do with the use of colours, I just don't feel like it's in keeping with the story, for starters the book is set over Christmas but this cover looks more like Spring.

After thinking the blurb sounded interesting last year to this year thinking I might not like it, I wasn't expecting a lot but I was addicted to it and I just wanted to read more and more and then when I was nearly finished I didn't want it to end. I found Switched to be such a sweet, light hearted and funny book which I just wasn't expecting. Even when I had (eventually stopped for some sleep) stopped I found myself thinking about what is going to happen next and how it's all going to get resolved but I didn't expect what did happen to happen. I loved seeing the growing attraction between Wesley and Kayla it was so sweet even if they didn't see it themselves which is where some of the humour came into the story. The ending was brilliant as it tied everything up in a bright and shiny bow!

I never expected to like any of the characters but I found them all endearing in their own unique way. Kayla was the main one that I expected to hate seeing as she was trying to get her best friend to split up with her boyfriend that she wanted but for some reason I couldn't hate her. Wesley was my favourite characters in this book as he was so funny but he was also kind (even if he wanted to split up his best friend so he could be with his girlfriend) and was always there for Kayla. I wish Wesley was in it more or even better if it had some of the story from his point of view as I would have loved to have seen how he was coping with everything going on plus it would be more Wesley time which I couldn't get enough of. Reagan I think was my least favourite character through out the book as she always wanted to embarrass everyone which is a quality I don't like. By the end I did warm to her as she seemed to be a true friend. Although Talon was in the book a lot I still don't feel like we got to know the real Talon but what did come across was he was a sweet guy.

Overall a new surprise favourite of mine as I enjoyed every minute of Switched.

Book Review: The Paladin Prophecy (The Paladin Prophecy #1)

The Paladin Prophecy (The Paladin Prophecy #1) by Mark Frost

 

 

Format: E-ARC

Publishers: Random House

Published: 25th September 2012

Pages: 560

Main Characters: Will

Date Started: 2nd October 2012

Date Finished: 18th October 2012

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Will West is careful to live life under the radar. At his parents' insistence, he's made sure to get mediocre grades and to stay in the middle of the pack on his cross-country team. Then Will slips up, accidentally scoring off the charts on a nationwide exam.

Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and is being followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he's capable of--physical and mental feats that should be impossible--and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.

Co-creator of the groundbreaking television series Twin Peaks, Mark Frost brings his unique vision to this sophisticated adventure, which combines mystery, heart-pounding action, and the supernatural.
 

I wanted to read this as soon as I saw it on Netgalley as it sounded like an intriguing book and I wasn't wrong.

The cover I was not a big fan of as I didn't get it but now that I have read the book I understand it that bit better. I don't like that there isn't much going on I think it needed something to make the book stand out.

From the moment I started this book there was a lot going on but by the middle it got a little too much so much so I got a little bit lost. Although I did loose my way during the middle of the book it did slow down towards the end which was more like the beginning which I was happy about. This book is a very different book one that I haven't read this kind of story before. Even though this was a unique take on a sci-fi/fantasy genre I just didn't find it believable enough which is a shame as I think books need to be believeable no matter what kind of book it is. The ending also left me guessing as well as wanting more and I can't wait to find out what is going to happen next. I did like that I never knew what was going to happen next and there was a shocking thing that happened at the end that I just didn't see coming.

There was quite a few characters but only one main character who was called Will. Will is a very clever boy but always had to hold back which I think was the reason why it took a little while to warm to his character. The more the book went on the more we found out about him and all these new things he found out about himself made him a stronger person. I didn't find him a believable character like other books that I have read. He was told a list of rules by his parents in which he had memorized and we get to see them and how he uses them in different situations. The only thing about these rules was that they wasn't in any order and we didn't get to see them all but what I didn't know was a list of the rules was at the end of the book which I think should have been at the beginning so that us readers know they where.

Overall there was a lot of thing happening in this book but sometimes it was a bit too much but apart from that it was an intriguing book well worth a read even if it is a bit too long.

Book Review: Mystic City (Mystic City #1)

Mystic City (Mystic City #1) by Theo Lawrence

 

 

Format: Paperback (arc)

Publishers: Corgi

Published: 11th October 2012

Pages: 397

Main Characters: Aria, Hunter, Thomas

Date Started: 10th October 2012

Date Finished: 17th October 2012

Rating Given: *** 1/2

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.

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.
 

For me the moment I saw this cover I wanted to read it so I was very happy when Corgi (Random House) kindly sent me a copy for me to review (Big thanks to Corgi) I just wish I loved the story as much as I did the cover.

I love this cover and I have even done a Book Talk post about it. I love the way it looks mystical as it matches the title and even the actual story.  There is nothing that I don't like about the cover.

This book has the whole Romeo and Juliet romance going on which I loved that part of the story even though for most of the story I'm (and Aria) not sure who is the Romeo of the story. I found it a very confusing book but this is because Aria is also confused as she has no memory of what is happening which in turn makes for a very confusing book. Even though I understand why the book is confusing, I just couldn't get past it until things started to get cleared up which didn't really happen until close to the end. Once things started to get cleared up it became such a thrilling read that I just didn't want to put it down. I love that there is so many twists and turns I never quite know who is the good guy it led to some shocking moments. I liked that this was a dystopian novel with a paranormal twist which I wasn't expecting.

It took a while to actually like Aria but once I got to know her better she grew on me and I think she will continue to do so in the next book. To begin with she seems like your typical spoilt rich girl but I soon learn she has some hidden depths and she will fight for what she believes in. Hunter I liked from the moment he entered as he was such a strong character especially with the thing he has and is going through. I can't really say much else about the other characters without giving the story away but what I will say is that not everyone is who they seem which makes for (sometimes) an exciting read.

Overall once you get past all the confusion it's not a bad book and I am looking forward to see where the story takes us next.

Book Review: Yesterday

Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin

 

Format: e-arc

Publisher: Random House

Published: 25th September 2012

Pages: 368

Main Characters: Freya, Garren

Date Started: 20th September 2012

Date Finished: 27th September 2012

Rating Given: ***

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from. Yesterday will appeal to fans of James Dashner's The Maze Runner, Veronica Roth's Divergent, Amy Ryan's Glow, Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Ally Condie's Matched.
 

 
When I saw this on Netgalley I thought this would be an interesting read and I wasn't wrong but I feel like it could have been better.

I love the cover it was what made me want to read this book. There is a lot going on in the cover without giving anything away which is how I felt about the most of the book. Every time I see this image my eye is drawn straight to the girls face especially the eye it makes me want to know more about her.

I loved that for the most part this book was based in 1985 as this was the year I was born so it was nice to see the different culture of that time period. For some of the book it was based in another time but i was thinking that it would be in the past so I was surprised when it went to 2063! I'm not sure what genre this book is as I think it's Dystopian with Paranormal but there's not much of the paranormal side in this book so I was a bit disappointed about that.
At first I couldn't get into this book and I think it could have only been about halfway through until I got into it which was a shame as once I got into it, it was a really gripping book. I was confused about what was happening for most of the book and I still don't think everything was explained very well. There was times when I found myself skimming through some of the chapters which I don't usually do especially when I was already confused but it just dragged. There was times however that I was so int the book that I didn't want to put the book down as it was gripping. The beginning may have dragged but from the halfway point so much was happening and it was such a thrilling ride. There was so many twists and turns that I was never sure about what was going to happen next which I love when a book can do that. The end I'm not sure about which is because I don't know if this is a stand alone or if it's a series so if it was a stand alone it was a bad ending but if not I am looking forward to see where the journey will take Freya and Garren next.

I wasn't a huge fan of the characters but like the book they grew on me and became good characters. Freya started of a bit confusing as she was not sure what was happening in her life and wasn't remembering things but when we find out about why this was happening she got better. She became a strong person and didn't care what people thought of her which I find a good trait to have. Garren I really didn't like to start with as he seemed a bit of a jerk but all of a sudden he starts being nice and starts to believe Freya but I found it was a bit out of the blue so for me it wasn't believable. I did start liking him after all that happened and loved to see Freya and Garren's friendship grow and they was really sweet together.

Overall I was confused for most part of the book but it did get loads better and I hope there is going to be another book.

Book Review: The Stone Girl

The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Format: e-arc
Publisher: Knopf Books
Published: 28th August 2012
Pages: 224
Main Characters: Sethie
Date Started: 6th September 2012
Date Finished: 13th September 2012
Rating Given: *

Blurb from Netgalley:

She feels like a creature out of a fairy tale; a girl who discovers that her bones are really made out of stone, that her skin is really as thin as glass, that her hair is brittle as straw, that her tears have dried up so that she cries only salt. Maybe that's why it doesn't hurt when she presses hard enough to begin bleeding: it doesn't hurt, because she's not real anymore.

     High school senior Sarah Beth (Sethie) Weiss is disciplined. She has never cut a class in her life, has never had a grade below a B+, and has always been a favorite among her teachers. Her college applications are finished and she only ate six Ritz crackers today. But even on days when Sethie needs to eat more, there's always the toilet to make up for her mistakes. Sethie manages to get down to 104, and maybe if she works just a little bit harder, becomes a little more disciplined, she can get below 100. Truth be told, Sethie has more to worry about than her relationship with her body; but the deeper she descends into her disorder, the smaller her world gets and the harder it is to see her way out.

I first knew about this book from Netgalley and I thought it sounded interesting and different to the books I normally read so I gave it a try. I must admit I'm not quite sure what to think about this book.

The cover intrigued me but I didn't notice the bones on the girl as she blended in to the background which I think should have been a shade darker so that you can see her figure. I do think that the cover is this way because when someone has an eating order they are good at concealing themselves just like the cover.

At first I thought I didn't like it and would cringe at the thought of having to start reading it again, but when I started reading it (after I had put it down the day before) I didn't what to put it down which kept happening every day I read it. I liked that Alyssa has touched on such a powerful subject but I felt because I was seeing everything from Sethie's point of view I didn't notice any of the side effects that we all know comes with eating disorder's. Maybe it would have been better if some of the book was done in someone else's point of view so we could tell that there was side effects. As well as an eating disorder she was also using drugs but that side of the story was only touched upon. I just didn't think it was believable and at times I thought it was glamorised. I found that the ending was a bit rushed and would have loved to have seen more into her future I think this would have been a better book if there was another book to it so that we could be on that journey of recovery or lack of recovery it would have made it more believable. I also felt like there was a few unanswered questions.

Sethie was a very vulnerable character as she was very naive and very self conscious. There was times when she had a stronger personality but I felt that it just wasn't enough. She was in a way very smart but that was only in her education but as I said before not believable as how can someone be smart who is using drugs I thought they was supposed to mess with your head and also she wouldn't have had any energy to even do her exams. Shaw, Sethie's 'boyfriend' was just plain awful I couldn't stand the way he was with Sethie he just used her. Janey I didn't really like to start with as I thought she was just going to use Sethie as well but she seemed a good enough friend as she was there when it mattered. Ben I loved I just wish he was in it more.

Overall, I think if this book was more believable it would have been rated higher but this could just be me being naive. It made me feel disgusted with myself which is not what I want to feel like when reading a book. I hate rating books one star but this just wasn't my kind of book in any shape or form.
Don't let me put you off reading this book just because I don't like it doesn't mean you won't.

Book Review: Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath #1)

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath #1) by Anne Greenwood Brown

Format: e-arc
Publisher: Random House
Published: 12th June 2012
Pages: 320
Main Characters: Calder, Lily
Date Started: 3rd June 2012
Date Finished: 8th June 2012
Rating Given: ***

Blurb from Netgalley:

The lore of mermaids and mermen is real. Just wait until you meet Calder White in this addictive debut novel that is destined to make a splash!
     Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters must prey on humans and absorb their positive energy. Usually they select their victims at random, but this time around the underwater clan chooses its target for a reason: revenge. They want to kill Jason Hancock, the man they blame for their mother's death.
     It's going to take the whole White family to lure the aquaphobic Hancock onto the water. Calder's job is to gain Hancock's trust by getting close to his family. Relying on his irresistible good looks and charm, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter Lily. Easy enough, but Calder screws everything up by falling in love—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined, and just as the mermaids threaten to take matters into their own hands, forcing Calder to choose between family and the girl he loves. One thing's for sure, whatever Calder decides, the outcome won't be pretty.

I had been after this book for review for a while and couldn't get it but then when I saw that it was on Netgalley I jumped at the chance and I'm very grateful that I was accepted as it was a different Mermaid tale in which I am used to reading.

I do like the cover although I'm not a huge fan. I love the fact that it is under water and what I originally thought was a mermaid but after reading the book I'm not so sure as she looks more like the human in the story than the mermaids. Great idea putting the title in the middle of the book in big letters as it makes the book stand out more.

Lies Beneath is Anne Greenwood Brown's first novel and I think it's a good start to her career. I love the way in which she has made it more original story of mermaids making them out to not the good guys which I think is a refreshing change. I loved the fact that she had short chapters as that is what I prefer when reading my books as then I can read more than what I normally would have.

It is a good story but it did take a long time to get to the answers which normally I don't mind as it adds to the mystery but in this case I was thinking hurry up all the way through. I just didn't believe in the story like I usually do but I will most likely continue with the series as like I said it was a good story and it was also the first in the series which doesn't always grab me into the series but then by the second I am hooked which I am hoping happens with this series. I did find it a little slow for my liking and nothing really big happens until right near the end but when something did happen I found it a bit glossed over.

I didn't really like Calder that much as he was a bit annoying and a bit of a stalker which I did understand as he wasn't exactly the good guy yet it was told from his point of view which I did find a bit strange I would have preferred it to be from Lily's point of view as she was a more interesting character. I did like Lily's sister as well but she wasn't in it that much which the same goes for most of the side characters. I didn't like Calder's sisters either but I don't think we are supposed to seeing as they are the mermaids that kill people and set out for revenge.

Overall a good start to the series but it was a bit too unbelievable.

Book Review: Starters (Starters #1)

Starters (Starters #1) by Lissa Price

Format: e-arc
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 13th March 2012
Pages: 352
Main Characters: Callie, Blake
Date Started: 17th March 2012
Date Finished: 22nd March 2012
Rating Given: ****

Netgalley:
A major book for spring 2012—Starters is the first in a high-concept, two-book, futuristic thriller teen project by newcomer Lissa Price—a tremendous bestselling author in the making. Every major publisher wanted this book on their list.
    Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson.
It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

The first thing that drew me in to this book was the cover as I absolutely loved it, it's one of my favourites so I knew I had to try it. When I read what it was about I found it sounded very interesting and was glad that I had requested to read it.

It started off a little slow and confusing. Nothing interesting was happening but the more I kept reading it the more things started to happen and the more I got hooked to it. At one point it kind of reminded me of The Host by Stephenie Meyer which I didn't mind as I enjoyed that book as well plus this one was done in a different way.

I loved the fact that by the end you're not quite sure who you can trust as so many things happened at once which gives me the feeling that something huge is going to happen in the next one to make me change my mind on who to trust.

Callie's character is a strong girl which she needs to be as she has her sick younger brother to look after and they are also living on the street. I could definitely understand why she did the things that she did as it was the only way they could survive. Everything she does is for her brother which is such a selfless trait that it is admirable.

I did like Blake he seemed like a kind person to Callie considering they never really knew each other but then something happens towards the end that just turns everything on it's head in a way that I am not sure who Blake as a person really is.

There is some really likable side characters which are so sweet I just hope that doesn't change in the next one. There was also another male character called Michael who I liked to start with but then he does something that made me change my mind about him as it quite a selfish thing to do.

Overall a stunning debut by Lissa Price and I can't wait to find out what is going to happen next in this series.

Book Review: Graffiti Moon

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Format: e-arc
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publishes: 14th February 2012
Pages: 272
Main Characters: Lucy, Ed
Date Started: 6th February 2012
Date Finished: 11th February 2012
Rating Given: ****

Netgalley:
An all-night cityscape moonlit love story.
     Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

I stumbled across this book on Netgalley and it sounded different but in a good way so I knew I had to try it. Then while waiting for it I found a couple of reviews which was good and they wasn't wrong.

This is a completely different book for me as the whole book is the duration of a night I never read a book that doesn't go over at least a week in time which I really liked as I felt like I was getting more of an explanation of what the characters was feeling even though the length of the book is shorter than some books that I have read before. The book was also set in Australia and I have only read a couple of books set in this place.

I loved the way everything was explained as I got the sense of where they were living. Just the description of all of there surroundings and the art was just stunning I could really see the art in my head which I really enjoyed.

The only reason why I couldn't give the book the full five stars (which I was very close to doing) was because the beginning for me was hard to get into and especially because of the style of writing I am not used to things being described in so much depth which some people may love it just was hard to get used to.

I loved Lucy's character she was so funny especially the punch one of the best scene's of the book. She is such a strong female character.

I also loved Ed's character the interaction between him and Leo and him and Lucy was brilliantly funny and emotional. He like Lucy is a strong character with the things he has had to go through you just understand why he is the way he is.

I love the way we get to know what each of the main characters are feeling with some of the story repeating itself but from the others perspective, it could have been annoying but the way it's written just makes sense.

You get a real sense of what these character's about which is kind of a surprise as in some series you still don't get that feeling until the last book.

After reading this by Cath Crowley I must take a look at her other books as this was a brilliantly beautiful written book which I would definitely recommend to anyone who is thinking about reading it to read it now!

Book Review: Inheritance (Inheritance #4)

Inheritance (Inheritance #4) by Christopher Paolini

Format: Hardback
Publisher: Doubleday/Random House
Published: 8th November 2011
Pages: 860
Main Characters: Eragon, Saphira, Roran, Arya, Nasuada, Murtagh
Date Started: 12 November 2011
Date Finished: 27th November 2011
Rating Given: ***

Goodreads:
Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

It has been quite a few years since we last heard from Eragon and Saphira and finally we got the fourth and the last of the series and I was so excited about it and just couldn't wait to get my hands on it but I was a little bit disappointed.

First of all this book is far too long at 860 pages it was a bit too much for me especially when some of the story dragged a bit. The bits that dragged was really bad and felt like giving the story 1 star but then there was a lot of parts that was so entertaining that I wanted to give it 5 stars which was why I went halfway with 3.

I liked that before we even got into the story there was a brief history of what has happened in previous book, however I didn't think that it was enough as I found myself wondering what they was on about in certain places and even who some of the characters was. I don't think it's a series I could have re-read before reading this one as like this book there is a lot of pages to read.

I also liked that at the end of the book we got a pronunciation guide which we have had in all the books which really does help with some of the really difficult and words that we have also not heard of before. I do wish we got it at the front because by the time you get to the guide it is a little bit too late at least by this book we know where it is so we can go straight to the back before we start so we know how to pronounce the words.

I found the battle scene's was done really well and the last battle was brilliantly done and I was always on the edge of my seat just wondering who was going to survive or what was going to happen with the injured. One of the death's in the last battle was actually surprising I wasn't expecting that person to die.

I loved the way Eragon had grown as a person in this and the other books I would loved to have seen him grow in the future. I also love his relationship with him and Saphira it was beautiful to watch them bond even more. I found myself feeling sorry for both of these characters by the end of the book but I won't spoil it for anyone else plus this could just be me.

Overall I would have loved more to the ending where we went more into the future of their lives and less in some other places. What would have been even better was if it was split into two books as it would have been easier to read. I loved parts and hated parts but all in all it was a descent end to the series.

Book Review: Dearly, Departed (Gone With the Respiration #1)

Dearly, Departed (Gone With the Respiration #1) by Lia Habel

Format: E-ARC
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 18th October 2011
Pages: 480
Main Characters: Nora, Bram, Pamela
Date Started: 25th October 2011
Date Finished: 7th November 2011
Rating Given: ****

Netgalley:
Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid's arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead-or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria-a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country's political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible-until she's nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she's suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting "The Laz," a fatal virus that raises the dead-and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there's no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

I had seen this a couple of times while looking through Netgalley but never really fancied it as I don't usually like books with zombie's as usually they are not gory enough or too gory I wanted a happy medium. However when reading other reviews on other blogs I started getting intrigued so much so I just had to put in a request and I am glad I did.

It did start off really slow and I just didn't think I was going to get into it as like other zombie books there wasn't much of zombie's. It wasn't until we meet the zombie's that this book really starts to pick up so much so I found myself wanting to read just another chapter before I stopped reading for the night.

I didn't really start off liking Nora as she was a bit annoying but when she meets Bram she gets more interesting and strong willed which I like in a female character.

Bram I loved from the get go he was a brilliant character even if he was the undead.

I loved the growing friendship between Nora and Bram but because this book was from a few different character's point of view I found that I missed something when it went back to them and I wanted more of these two.

When it was Pamela's point of view I got a bit bored and just wanted to get back to Bram and Nora but by the end I did want to know her and what was going to happen.

Once we hit half way through this book it was so good as it kept me on the edge of my seat right until the very end as it was so thrilling and you just didn't know what was going to happen next.

Overall a great start to the story and now we have the story setting I think we will see this series get better and better. I can't wait to read what is going to happen in the next installment.