Book Review: Hidden (The Avena #1) by Marianne Curley

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Format: Paperback (arc)

Publishers: Bloomsbury Children

Published: 14th March 2013

Pages: 336

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance

Main Characters: Ebony, Jordan

Date Read: 20th February - 24th February 2013

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Ebony has always known that she is different. Her violet eyes mark her out, and her protective parents have kept her in a gorgeous valley, home-schooled, safe from everything—almost as if she’s being hidden. But she’s changing: glowing, getting more and more beautiful, and stronger than anyone knows. Ebony can’t stay hidden for ever, and when she meets complicated, intense Jordan, something explodes inside her—something that can be seen from the heavens; something that changes everything. Ebony is a stolen angel, concealed on Earth. Now the heavens have found her, they want her back.

Fans of Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush Saga and L.A. Weatherly’s Angel series will adore Hidden. Full of irresistible romance and breath-taking suspense, this is a sensational start to a brilliant new series. Get ready to be swept away by this spellbinding story of eternal love.
 

When I was sent a email from the publishers over at Bloomsbury about this book I just knew this was going to be one of those books that I would love.

I love this cover as it is so eye catching. I also love that you know what your going to get from just looking at the cover. The use of colour within this cover has been used very well as it makes the title of the book stand out.

When I first started this book I actually wasn't too sure about it as for some reason I couldn't get into it but then all of a sudden I was so into the book I couldn't put it down. Even though the beginning wasn't all that I still couldn't put the rating down as the rest of the book was epic and I loved it so much I just had to give it 5/5. For most of the first half of this book there was hardly any paranormal activities going on and a lot of things that did happen could be explained as anything but paranormal. Angel's is one of my favourite mythical character and this was no different but I did like the different take on them. With the romance side there was a bit of a love triangle and usually I can pick a side but this time I couldn't throughout the book I was liking one of the guys then the other in the next chapter which hardly ever happens to me. The ending was left on a bit of a cliff hanger and it was one I just never saw coming.

Ebony's character I liked as she was sweet but also she wasn't a gullible person so it did take her awhile to believe anyone. Jordan I started off loving as he seemed like a nice guy with a bit of edge but there was times when I didn't like him and I'm not sure I am going to like him in the next book. I loved that we got to read from both Ebony and Jordan's point of view as I felt it gave a better understanding to both characters. There was also another character called Nathaneal who I didn't actually like to start with but by the end I loved him and I do wish we could have read from his point of view too.

Overall I loved this book even if I couldn't get into it at start. I would say to anyone reading or planning on reading this book to stick with it as you won't be disappointed.

Book Review: Ever (Ever #1) by Jessa Russo

 

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Curiosity Quill Press

Published: 1st October 2012

Pages: 295

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance

Main Characters: Ever, Frankie, Toby

Date Read: 1st March - 8th March 2013

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

BOOK ONE in The EVER Trilogy

Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious.

Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible.

Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

Some girls lose their hearts to love.

Some girls lose their minds.

Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.

I was asked by the author if I wanted to join a review only blog tour of this book and I jumped at the chance as it sounded like my kind of book, which I wasn't wrong about. Thank you Jessa for sending me a copy of Ever to review.

I am used to seeing a lot of girls and boys on the front cover but I still like this one as it looks as though it has captured a moment in the book. I also love the blurred look of it. The font of the title is my favourite kind of font so it captured my interest straight away.

When I first started it I was liking it but I didn't love it as I wasn't too sure about the things that was happening. Once I hit about halfway through things started to really pick up, to the point where I just couldn't put it down. The romance side of the story I didn't really believe until everything changed and now I can't pick who Ever should be with. As for the paranormal side of the story I didn't feel as though I was reading one as it just felt like normal (even though nothing was normal). I have only read a couple of ghost stories and all of them have been different to this one which I never expected ghost stories to be different to one another and I never expected everyone to be able to see the ghost. This book did have me close to tears a few times which i didn't mind as i just felt as though I was that invested in the characters. There was times when I thought I knew what was going to happen but I never really guessed right which I liked.

At the beginning of the book I wasn't sure I was going to like all of the characters and a few of them took me by surprise. Ever started of like your everyday teenager only she could see ghosts. I did feel as though she was a bit naive at times but apart from that she seemed like a good character. I loved Frankie from the moment we met him and I really did feel so sorry for him. Now Toby I actually didn't like to start with as I just didn't believe his intentions and it wasn't until nearer to the end when I actually found that I ended up loving him and believing him. Her best friend Jessie I also wasn't too sure about but in the end I found she was a great friend and there for her. Greg was another one of those characters that I just ended up loving when I thought I didn't.

Overall I found this was a great start to the series and I can't wait to find out what is going to happen next.

It's Monday What Are You Reading? #68

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we plan our reading week!
(Click on images to send you to Goodreads)

Reviewed Last Week

(Click on title for review)

 

You'll Be Safe Here by Kristine Pierce

Entangled by Nikki Jefford

 

 

Currently Reading

 

The Vincent Brothers by Abbi Glines

I am loving this one just as much as the first one. I really didn't think I would be loving Sawyer as much as what I am either.

 

 

Reading Next

 

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

I was going to start this last week but then The Vincent Brothers arrived so I didn't get around to reading it but I am going to try again this week.

 

The Crimson Hunt by Victoria H. Smith

Looking forward to reading this book as I have heard some good things.

 

 

Book Review: You'll Be Safe Here (Promises, Prayers & Secrets #1) by Kristine Pierce

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Published: 20th January 2013

Pages: 41

Genre: NA, Contemporary Romance

Main Characters: Bella, Gabriel, Scal

Date Read: 8th March - 9th March 2013

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Bella Martinez has been living in hell since she was born. Raised by an abusive mother, she thought she was safe when she was found by Gabriel.

Gabriel Collins is a criminal. A Manhattan thief now turned millionaire. He loves Bella but still doesn’t understand how love goes when it’s mixed with money and power especially when Bella disapproves of his current work where he earns millions of dollars.

Enter Scal Farrell. A lead vocalist of an international band who accidentally meets Bella. A bit younger than Gabriel and playful.
 

On Goodreads I have joined a group called New Adult Book Club (which I am addicted to) where they have NA books available for review which this was one of them. I thought it sounded good and tried to see if I was able to get a copy.

I'm not a huge fan of the cover as it seems a bit too plain for me plus I don't think it gives us readers any clues to what the story is actually about. For me I thought it looked a bit sci-fi but when I read the book I knew that wasn't the case.

This was a very quick read with it only being 41 pages long. The only thing was because of how short it was I didn't feel as though I knew the full story. I also didn't find the story was believable as at the beginning I felt like the guy was form a different species but then she randomly mentions what he actually does (confused? I sure was). None of the romance was believable either as how can someone love someone that does what he living? Also when the other guy Scal enters the scene she tells him everything and she didn't even know him it's something you wouldn't do to a complete stranger that isn't qualified. There was parts of the book that I really did enjoy but I do think it would have been better if it was a longer book.

Bella seemed like a likable person but when we find out that she has always known what Gabriel does it kind of put me off her. Gabriel I thought I was going to like but as soon as I knew about his 'job' I was put off him but I think that is supposed to happen and by the end I hated him. Scal was one of my favourite characters in this book but even he didn't seem genuine because some of the things that happens with him I just didn't get.

Overall this book did take awhile to get into and even when I did there was still things that kept happening that just didn't feel right. I will probably continue with the series though, as I would hope that it gets better.

BOTM #17

Here is my February Book of the Month post. I have done a vlog of the books that I have read and also books that I am going to read in March.

Here's the Books that I read during the month of February:

• Speechless by Hannah Harrington (4/5)
• Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey (3.5/5)
• Deadly Offer by Caroline B. Cooney (3/5)
• Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson (5/5)
• Alpha Moon by Rebecca A. Rogers (3/5)
• The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines(5/5)
• Entangled by Nikki Jefford (3/5)
• He Dark Angel by Felicity E. Heaton (4/5)
• Hidden by Marianne Curley (5/5)
• The Deepest Cut by J.A. Templeton (5/5)
• The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (4/5)
• Deadly Drive by Justine Korman Fontes (2.5/5)

And the Book of the Month goes too...

 

This was another hard month for me to decide as there was a few five star books and they was all brilliant in their own way but in the end it had to go to The Vincent Boys, and why you ask me well none of the other five star books had Beau. Beau was what made this one that much more than the other books I read I just loved him.

To see my full review of this book click here.

Changing Covers #15

 

Hi everyone welcome to my new weekly feature which all about covers that change either in the middle of the series or even when the series had finished. (The covers will mainly be UK changes but also from the USA.) I decided to do this feature as there has been so many cover changes it's hard to keep up.

I am not sure if anyone has done this particular feature so feel free to let me know so I can start linking it up to them. It is similar to other features that are out there but I'm hoping that this is different enough.

Click on the covers to take you to Goodreads.

 

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

 

 

 

With these cover changes I haven't been able to find out which was published first as it looks as though they was all published around the same year.

I actually hadn't known about this book until last year when someone from Waterstones recommended it which was the white cover and it was only recently that I found out there have been a few covers for it.

The first two are pretty much similar in the way the red flows across the cover as well as the font. The third cover is very different to the others with a completely different font and background.

My favourite cover would have to be the first one as I love the simplicity of it with only a few colours which I think makes the title stand out more than the second one does. Although the second cover has some buildings on it which would help me visualize the location of the book. My least favourite would have to be the last one as it reminds me of a star sign guide which for all I know that could be what it is supposed to be portraying but I haven't read the book yet but I still don't like it.

 

What is everyone else's thoughts on these cover changes let me know in the comments below.

 

Book Review: Entangled (Spellbound #1) by Nikki Jefford

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Format: Kindle (arc)

Publishers: Indie

Published: 19th February 2012

Pages: 303

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance

Main Characters: Graylee

Date Read: 17th February - 20th February 2013

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Two months after dying, seventeen-year-old witch Graylee Perez wakes up in her twin sister Charlene’s body.

Until Gray finds a way back inside her own body, she’s stuck being Charlene every twenty-hour hours. Her sister has left precise instructions on how Gray should dress and behave. Looking like a prep isn’t half as bad as hanging out with Charlene’s snotty friends and gropey boyfriend.

The “normals” of McKinley High might be quick to write her behavior off as post-traumatic stress, but warlock Raj McKenna is the only person who suspects Gray has returned from the dead.

Now Gray has to solve the mystery of her death and resurrection and disentangle herself from Charlene’s body before she disappears for good.

I had been after this book for ages but never got around to getting it which I am now grateful for as I was able to get it from Netgalley (which surprised me as it came out last year and was on Netgalley this year), plus it wasn't as good as what I thought would've been.

It was the cover that made me want this book so much as I just thought it was so eye catching. I love the use of colours as the blue and white work really well together.

When I first started this book I just couldn't get into it as it was so slow but then Gray dies (not a spoiler it's in the blurb) and it gets a lot more interesting. At first I thought this was meant to be a paranormal book but I felt that side of it was lacking but then we do find out the reason behind this which made sense. I also felt that the romance side was also a bit lacking as it felt a bit flat and rushed so I'm hoping that this will improve as the story continues. There was a lot of mystery which I loved as it kept me guessing throughout the book.

At first I wasn't too keen on the characters but by the end they did grow on me especially Raj. Raj in the beginning was supposed to be this bad boy that nobody likes (even me and that's coming from someone with a soft spot for bad boys!) but the more we get to know him the more I started to like him. I liked that we got to have part of the story from his side as otherwise I'm not sure I would've understood where he was coming from. Gray was a bit annoying to start with and I just wanted her to open her eyes and see what was in front of her but again she grew on me and by the end I was rooting for her.

Overall it was a decent start to the series I just wish it picked up a lot sooner than when it did.