Secrets by Dawn Kirby - Book Reivew

A gem for fans of the supernatural fantasy genre, whilst bringing something new to the table. Secrets has everything you could want and more besides!

Secrets by Dawn Kirby - 1st book in the Serenity series.
Summary: It is said that the truth will set you free, but for Leah it kills.

Leah always knew she was different. From her extreme light sensitivity, to her ability to read people by their auric scent, she kept these differences secret.

Not even Mia, Leah's mother, knew the fullness of her daughter's differences, but she held even greater secrets to Leah's past - the truth about her father and Leah's conception. 

With the escape of an old foe, Mia is too late to reveal to her daughter 

the truth before Judith can exact her revenge in a wash of blood and death.

Thrown into a world unheard of, Leah discovers that she is not alone in keeping her secrets. That there are people from her parent's past who would die to protect her.If she only knew why.

Raine, placed as her protector, hides deadly secrets of his own. Drawn to each other, Leah and Raine must uncover the truth before one of both are killed.

This new offering on the teen/adult supernatural fantasy genre will be a read treat for fans of the genre. I can seen teenage readers of series such as Twilight, True Blood and the House of the Night who have now grown up loving Secrets for its similar themes of romance mixed with secrets, danger and adventure - just like me.

Leah is the extraordinary protagonist who has supernatural powers coming out of her ears. Super hearing, being able to view people auroras, smell their personality (yes I do mean smell) and withstanding, and enjoying extreme heat at times seem like a little too much. But her weaknesses balance her out to be a character I grew to love through-out the book. Fans of supernatural and fantasy fiction will recognise the signs of different fictional races common within the genre, which I really enjoyed. Yet Leah's predicament in my reading experience still presenting something unique. 

Discovering Leah's secrets as the book progresses became an really enjoyable read for me. With my habit of reading more than one book at a time, it was great to have to read only two sentences to be absorbed back into narrative. With dramatic and shocking scenes holding a serious tone, the personalities and relationships growing between characters provided light release, delivering the romantic domestic scenes I really enjoy.

I did feel like more than a few of the events throughout the book were rather rushed, in particular the romantic developments between characters. Alongside this, the constant addition of characters, often with similar names, sometimes required some hard concentration to keep up with (yes I am speaking to you David, Donovan and Declan). The enemies were often just as numerous and their intertwining motivations becoming clear eventually.

Despite my mixed feelings about the character developments and rushed narrative, I truly enjoyed going to bed every night to just read a bit more before I went to sleep. The writing style is effortless to read providing much needed escapism into another world where vampires, werewolves and everything else in-between exists. 

Overall I give Secrets:

7/10

Secrets is not cheap, priced at just over £6 for the Kindle version on Amazon in the UK (and nearly $10 in the US) and more the the printed version - but I think it is one to put on your wishlist. I will defiantly be picking up the next book in the series regardless.

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x

I was gifted this book to read and review as part of the Secrets blog tour organised by Illuminated Tours. 

13 by Kelley Armstrong - Book Review

This final book in the Women of the Otherworld series is all that fans could have wanted... and more! Action packed, fantastically written and some fab character development make this a 10/10!

13 by Kelley Armstrong - Final book in the Women of the Otherworld Series.
Summary courtesy of Amazon: War is coming to the Otherworld. A sinister cult known as The Supernatural Liberation Movement is hell-bent on exposing the truth about supernaturals to the rest of the world. Their violent, ruthless plan has put everyone at risk: from werewolves to vampires, from witches to half-demons.

This has easily been my most anticipated book release of all time. Over time I have done a number of posts on this series including reviews, reading challenges and even an interview with Kelley Armstrong herself (the highlight of my blogging life :D). This book as the final instalment in the Women of the Otherworld had a lot to live up to. Which it did - and more!

Released on Wednesday, my busy schedule meant I didn't get my hands on my copy (which was waiting for my at the post office) until the Sunday. I sat down with best friend and fellow Armstrong super fan, Sam Crossley, and devoured this book in pretty much one day. 

At 419 pages this is not a short book, but the hard back with a reasonable size font is easy to read. Having read everything published around the series we were also able to skip the first few chapters which were a re-publish of the opening chapter of Bitten, the first book in the series and a preview published in The Hunter and the Hunted. If you haven't read anything by Armstrong before, this wouldn't be a bad place to pick it up.

Each characters from all the previous books makes an appearance and readers are treated to some great character development.This action packed book pulls at the emotions with worry, loss and anger, but more importantly returning to the lust, romance and love amongst the characters that the latter books in the series have lacked.

The narrative moves so fast, but even so at just over the half way point I was baffled at how Armstrong was going to tie up all the loose ends.Yet the ending works fantastically. Not falling into the trap of trying to deliver too many happy endings the extra little short story From Russia with Love, in my opinion, was the perfect finish.

I am so sad that the series is over, but having been promised a new adult series, Omens & Shadows, with the first book Cainsville being released next year, there is so much to look forward too!

10/10

I would love to know your thoughts on this book if you have read it, please let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x

The Hunter &The Hunted by Kelley Armstrong - Book Review

This pair of short stories is a small appetiser for the main event - the release of the final book in the Women of the Otherworld series - 13.

The Hunter and the Hunted by Kelley Armstrong .
Summary courtesy of Amazon:  From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes two Otherworld short stories that take readers on an exhilarating honeymoon chase with werewolves Elena and Clay, and a mysterious mission through the afterlife with dark witch-turned-angel, Eve Levine.

13 has to be the book I have been most looking forward to being released in my book worm years. As a self confessed fan girl of the Women of the Otherworld series I am happy to pick anything related to the series, and in this case it is a pair of bite sized short stories.

Stalked

Summary: It was supposed to be a quiet honeymoon. But when the happy couple just happen to be werewolves, 'quiet' is not an option.
Clay and Elena are trying their best to enjoy a traditional romantic getaway. But secretly, they're both bored with drifting round St Louis, pretending to be a normal couple. So when Clay realises a non-pack werewolf is stalking Elena, he leaps at the chance to pursue his rival and teach him a very hard lesson. The trouble is, Clay's plan involves deceiving Elena, which is not a good idea . . .
Originally part of an anthology of supernatural romance stories, Stalked is the perfect introduction to Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series and an exhilarating, action-packed interlude for fans.

Clay & Elena have to be my favourite character couple from the series so anything that is about them I am pretty much guaranteed to enjoy. Having said that, this is not a fantastic example of their story. I can't help but think, that without having read any of the other books this might be a thrilling read. The plot is short, well written and fast paced. But as a regular reader this doesn't really add anything to the series. Nothing new is learnt, no real new characters are introduced and my favourite characters related to them are barely mentioned.

Off-Duty Angel

Dark witch and part-time angel Eve Levine is desperate for a little entertainment. With her lover Kristof away on business, things are so quiet in the afterlife Eve's even ready to volunteer for an extra week's worth of angel corps duty, just to pass the time. Luckily something even better comes up: a real celestial bounty-hunter mission. But when the trail leads her to the British Museum and a mysterious, secret dimension, a pleasant diversion turns into something much more intriguing - and dangerous . . . Packed with suspense and surprising twists, Off-Duty Angelreveals fascinating new insights into a beloved series character.

I really enjoyed this short story. The plot was original and there was considerable amount of character development. Eve really is a kick ass character and I really warmed to her in this episode. I would have purchased for just this one short.

13 Preview
Last books in series tend to be action packed. Deathly Hallows. Breaking Dawn. 13 looks to be no different in that respect. I was positively shocked by some of the gore and really intrigued to read the rest of the book now. I just really hope that with all this action it doesn't loose the romance (sex), character development and the domestic scenes I really enjoy. My biggest gripe with this preview though was its formatting. I can only assume with its conversion to a Kindle readable format something went wrong, resulting in a series of small but annoying spacing errors. This aside this really is just a taster and I can wait for the next book!

Overall this was not a dissapointment, but just not the best I have read by Armstrong. Just today I received my email confirmation that my copy of 13 has been shipped, and this short story collection has in no way affected the anticipation and excitement I have for this final book, be it good or bad.

6/10

Look out for my review of 13 coming in the next few days!

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x

Acorss the Universe by Beth Revis - Book Review

A seriously good YA science fiction that grips from the first page to the last twist!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis. 

Summary courtesy of Amazon :

Trapped in space and frozen in time, Amy is bound for a new planet. But fifty years before she's due to arrive, she is violently woken, the victim of an attempted murder. Now Amy's lost on board and nothing makes sense - she's never felt so alone.

Yet someone is waiting for her. He wants to protect her; and more if she'll let him.

I fell in love with this book the moment I read a review on Grazing Pages. I think we can all agree this is a truly beautiful cover, and partnered with a glowing review from Katie I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. Kindly best buddy Mr Crossley purchased this for me to cheer me up one day and I was thrilled.

So now about the book! The majority of the narrative is set onboard Godspeed, a spaceship destined for a new planet now that Earth (which they call Sol Earth) has spiralled into decline. The ship, big enough to house 3,000 occupants and a secret level full of frozen passengers to populate the new planet, is part way through its 300 year journey.


Now as a sci-fi lover this is enough to get my pulse racing about a book. But this is so much more. The frozen passengers are being unplugged. Amy is violently awoken and brought into a miniature world where she is very different. Everyone is mono-ethnic: caramel skin, brown eyes,brown hair and Amy with her pale complexion and fiery hair couldn't look more different. But if this wasn't enough more Frozens are getting unplugged and left to die trapped in the glass coffins they were frozen in. This is more than a YA sci-fi, this is a mystery / thriller / crime / sci-fi that is a cracking good read.


There are some really interesting topics brought up in this book that got me thinking, in a way that I really enjoy. To say any more or give examples would give to much away, but it is well worth reading just to chew them over in your mind every time you put the book down. 


This is a YA so the construction of sentences, word choice and the narrative as a whole, although shocking at times, is deliciously easy to devour and not a difficult read. I did find some of my short term predictions of the plot coming true in a way that is flattering rather than predictable, yet the narrative as a whole isn't short of its twists. Some revlations at the end of the book left me reeling - and I think it is safe to say the second book in this series, A Million Suns, will be making its way to me in the post very soon!


Overall I think you can tell that I think a lot of this book, and really couldn't give it anything less than:


10/10


In the comments below let me know if you have read this book and what you though of it. As always I love receiving book recommendations, so if you know something similar to this I might like to read please let me know here, on Facebook or Twitter.


Thanks for reading,


Love Rie x

Bookish Wonders #4

Gone are the days when I used to hold places in a book by train tickets, receipts or God forbid a folded corner. Book marks are not only useful, but super stylish! This Bookish Wonders post is all about, yup you got it, book marks:

These hand made photo bookmarks are a great little present for a loved one!

I adore these colourful paperclip ones. 

I love a second hand book, and the history that goes with it. And although it kills me to see one carved up to make a book mark, I have to admit these are really cool!

Recycling is cool, and stylish! There are loads of different design ideas of these on Pinterest, and I had never thought that paint cards could be so useful after you have made the choice of the colour for your walls!

Again the recycling ethic here is super cool. Lollipop Avengers bookmarks, what is not to love?

Button me up :)

I bet this would look great sticking out of the top of Fifty Shades of Grey or similar over hyper erotic novels!

One for your crime dramas!

I just want this one to sit in a book on my bookshelf. Seeing Morphs face peeking at me over the top of a book is bound to make me smile everytime!

These 'melting' bookmarks are hand made so each on is unique. How cool!

Forget book marks, why not just hang them on the wall over your bed? Not that portable though....

Book mark design feature! 

This one is techy cool! To turn the light off all you need to do is to place an open book on the shelf above it! The light will turn on automatically when you next remove the book. Want one!

These ones are for the iPhone users that can't bear to use anything  that is not an app! App paperclip bookmarks.

Save your bookmark.

These little bunny and bear stick bookmarks are super cute for adults and children alike.

What about a metal bird bookmark clip?

But my personal favourite, the puppy book stand and book mark. You may awww!

I found all these little beauties online, and you find out how to make or purchase all of these via by Pinterest board.

Know of anymore, include the link or in the comments to we can all enjoy them.

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x

Bookish Wonders #3

Post #3 in my bookish wonders series is all about book shelves. Ever since I have been on Pinterest I have fallen in love with some truly amazing ways to display books! Here is just some of the ones I have found.

Staircase book shelf... or a books shelf staircase?

Door book case, the classic hidden door re-invented!

Or why not a whole wall book case?

Another book case staircase, super cute!

You would have to make a matching stool to reach these books!

Somewhere to rest your cuppa whilst reading. 

A fab little reading chair.

Tree bookcase, great for children's bedrooms.

For when the books just no longer fit in doors!

Or when the outside has to come in!

If all else fails just make them float on the walls!

In the comments I would love to see any book shelves you have seen that you love, or even better how you creatively store your books!

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong - Book Review

Non stop, action packed and  fantastic addition to the YA series by Kelly Armstrong.

Summary courtesy of KelleyArmstrong.com: Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

This second book in the YA series, Darkness Rising, doesn't need to start with a bang. The bang has already happened at the end of the first book in the series, The Gathering , and this starts if it was only a turn of a page rather than a new book. As a companion series to her other YA series Darkest Powers, they compliment each other perfectly, throwing in inter-textual references left, right and centre from both Darkest Powers and her adult fantasy series Women of the Otherworld, this is a real treat for Armstrong fans.

Maya Delaney is soon becoming one of my favourite YA protagonists. Strong willed, talented and a skin-walker. What more do you need to look up to? Superbly written the love triangle in the book is just on the right side of teenage awkward without being overly predictable. Rafe is troubled, invincible and most of all hot for a 15 year old! But with a minor revelation at the end of this book I feel that the relationship may develop in a way I have never imagined before.

As this group of teens struggle to find out who, or what, they really are they are forced to flee for their lives with no one to trust. There is something about this narrative that I really fell in love with, and I can't wait to see where the next instalment will take us next.

Not read any of Kelley Armstrongs YA fiction before? What are you waiting for! My recommendation would be to start with the Darkest Powers series, and work your way to this companion series. Although I don't doubt you will enjoy it as a stand alone novel, its well worth the wait to understand all the complexities and inter-textual references.

Overall I have got really fan girl over this book. In my mind YA fiction doesn't get much better than this!

10/10!

Let me know in the comments below what you think of this book? Think you have a better YA series I will like, let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x

Book Tag

Apologies for the absence of late. A lot of exciting things have been happening over the last few weeks and along with a lot of uni work for the final push of my degree I haven't had a lot of time for myself. But I am planning to get back into the YouTube videos very soon and may even try my hand at vlogging :D

Right so on to today's post. I have decided to do a Book Tag! 6 rules and tons of questions >>>>

The Rules:
1. Post these rules
2. Post a photo of your favourite book cover
3. Answer the questions below
4. Tag a few people to answer them too
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you've tagged them
6. Make sure you tell the person who tagged you that you've taken part!

What are you reading right now?
Dragonquest by Anne McCaffery

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?
The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

What 5 books have you always wanted to read but haven’t got round to?

1. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R Tolkien
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
4. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
5. Divergent by Veronica Roth

What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?
I am not a big magazine reader, much preferring to read a book at any opportunity. However I often have a Top Gear magazine lying around that belongs to my boyfriend.

What’s the worst book you've ever read?
There are very few books that I hate, and even worse haven't finished. But I particularly despised Fateful by Cheri Smidt. I got is for free of Amazon with high hopes and didn't get past the second chapter, it was like Twilight but worse!

What book seems really popular but you actually hated?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo . This was just not what I was expecting and found it super difficult to read. But I hope that I will tackle it again soon.

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, but it comes with a warning! It will hook you in and you won't be released until you finish the series. So well written and addicting!!

What are your 3 favourite poems?
I have never been the biggest poetry lover. But I do love some of the stuff I studied at school and college. I would recommend to anyone The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy - the whole collection is really clever. Simon Armatiage is also good! Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare is also a gooden!

Where do you usually get your books?
Amazon kindle store and Waterstones thanks for lots of book vouchers from friends and family that know me very well.

Where do you usually read your books?
In bed, at the table whilst eating breakfast/ lunch/ dinner, in the living room whilst other people are eating, on the train, anywhere I can!!

When you were little, did you have any particular reading habits?
Going to the library with my Grandparents or Mum and being able to choose a book to read :)

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?
The The Hunger Games and Catching Fire .

Have you ever “faked” reading a book?
Not really. Maybe when listening in to other peoples conversations of the train I am not really reading :P

Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?
As much as well all say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover we all do it. I was first attracted to the True Blood series because of the cover of the first book!

What was your favourite book when you were a child?
I loved anything by Jacqueline Wilson as a chile, but Harry Potter stole my teen years.

What book changed your life?
I find it difficult to pin down just one book that changed my life. But the book that will always stick with me is one I have not finished - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, what happened to Hassan in the opening chapters has stuck with me and haunted me since!

What is your favourite passage from a book?
No single passage has stuck with me as much as this quote:

"Children who don't eavesdrop on adult conversations are doomed to a childhood of ignorance" Kelley Armstrong, Men of the Otherworld

What are your top five favourite authors?

1. Kelley Armstrong
2. Jeffery Deaver
3. Suzanne Collins
4. J. K. Rowling
5. Anne McCaffrey

What book has no one heard about but should read?
City of the Falling Sky by Joseph Evans - first time book of young British author and one of the best YA's I have read in a long long time.

What 3 books are you an “evangelist” for?

1. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
2. City of the Falling Sky by Joseph Evans
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

What are your favourite books by a first-time author?
Hopefully you can tell by mentioning this book in the third question in a row: City of the Falling Sky by Joseph Evans!

What is your favourite classic book?
Define a classic?

3 other notable mentions?

1. If you normally read YA try some adult fantasy fiction. The Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong is the best I have ever read!
2. Hunt for the Phoenix by the Byfords is a great read and I the authors are very friendly on Twitter.
3. Don't normally read? Try a Garfunkle Puzzlebook - fun for all the family!

I tag:
Grazing Pages, All Things Urban Fantasy, Moonlights Gleam's Bookshelf, and YOU!

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x