Obsession with Books

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 starsWhat an emotional, heartfelt and captivating story! I absolutely loved Marie Landry’s debut novel Blue Sky Days so when the opportunity arose to read Waiting for the Storm, I jumped at the chance and boy am I glad I did.Charlotte O’Dell is grief-stricken and lonely after losing her mother and is fulfilling her final wish by spending the summer with her estranged sister Ella and her father who is lost in his own personal grief at a beach house on Angel Island, it’s her chance to move on and heal from her heart-ache and pain with the hope of mending the rift in her broken family.Ezra {swoon} is Charlotte’s new neighbour and a godsend to her, hired to fix the holiday house they form a bond which was built on a mutual understanding of pain and also friendship; he gave her a sympathetic ear, a shoulder to cry on and helped her to deal with her fears and her loss and at the same time built a sweet romance whilst dealing with his own personal pain, I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Ezra, he was a character I enjoyed getting to know and as the pieces of his past and present were put together, my opinion of him was boosted, his kindness and his devotion was amazing.The emotions this book evoked were aplenty, each character was dealing with their own inner turmoil and although they handled things differently they were each enjoyable to read about, it was a story which not only highlighted the pain of losing someone but also the hope that the hurt would eventually heal with time and support.I loved the way Marie tackled the many real life issues such as abuse, loss, grief and depression, you are drawn into this story and empathise with the characters, some you want to just scream at – Ella, but others you want to smother in a hug – Charlotte, dad & Ezrah.One thing I did like was the way the sisters relationship changed over the course of the book, I thought in the initial stages there was no hope at all – it was shrouded by jealousy, anger and resentment and although the way they came together wasn’t in the way I would have expected it was nice to see it evolve.Waiting for the Storm shows Marie’s talent for writing amazing, heart-warming stories with beautiful, believable characters you can’t help but love. This book was emotionally gripping with a satisfying ending to a wonderful tale. I enjoyed every moment!A review copy of this book was given to me by the author, Marie Landry in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 starsWhat an emotional, heartfelt and captivating story! I absolutely loved Marie Landry’s debut novel Blue Sky Days so when the opportunity arose to read Waiting for the Storm, I jumped at the chance and boy am I glad I did.Charlotte O’Dell is grief-stricken and lonely after losing her mother and is fulfilling her final wish by spending the summer with her estranged sister Ella and her father who is lost in his own personal grief at a beach house on Angel Island, it’s her chance to move on and heal from her heart-ache and pain with the hope of mending the rift in her broken family.Ezra {swoon} is Charlotte’s new neighbour and a godsend to her, hired to fix the holiday house they form a bond which was built on a mutual understanding of pain and also friendship; he gave her a sympathetic ear, a shoulder to cry on and helped her to deal with her fears and her loss and at the same time built a sweet romance whilst dealing with his own personal pain, I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Ezra, he was a character I enjoyed getting to know and as the pieces of his past and present were put together, my opinion of him was boosted, his kindness and his devotion was amazing.The emotions this book evoked were aplenty, each character was dealing with their own inner turmoil and although they handled things differently they were each enjoyable to read about, it was a story which not only highlighted the pain of losing someone but also the hope that the hurt would eventually heal with time and support.I loved the way Marie tackled the many real life issues such as abuse, loss, grief and depression, you are drawn into this story and empathise with the characters, some you want to just scream at – Ella, but others you want to smother in a hug – Charlotte, dad & Ezrah.One thing I did like was the way the sisters relationship changed over the course of the book, I thought in the initial stages there was no hope at all – it was shrouded by jealousy, anger and resentment and although the way they came together wasn’t in the way I would have expected it was nice to see it evolve.Waiting for the Storm shows Marie’s talent for writing amazing, heart-warming stories with beautiful, believable characters you can’t help but love. This book was emotionally gripping with a satisfying ending to a wonderful tale. I enjoyed every moment!A review copy of this book was given to me by the author, Marie Landry in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Review: 5 out of 5 starsThe Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa picks up right where The Immortal Rules ends and takes us on an action-packed journey that left me glued to the pages and wanting to learn more about this dangerous and gloomy plague filled world packed with darkly disturbing creatures.Allison Sekemoto is on a mission to rescue her maker, Kanin from the evil vampire Sarren; knowing the pain he is enduring at the hands of this psychopath makes her more than willing to do anything to save her sire.With an action packed and fast-paced plot, the intense drama and the tension kept me engrossed in Kagawa’s storytelling. With Allison’s journey to New Covington and the Fringe to find Kanin fraught with danger, it made for a fascinating tale if not for a violent and creepy one with what she had to endure.The world-building is strong and detailed with imagery that draws you in; some things are downright scary and the creatures pure evil, we get bloodshed, violence and a new threat to the humans in the form of a new strain of the Red Lung virus which was a concern for both the vampires and humans.The characters are each developed perfectly, we are given more of an insight into each of them – especially Allie’s blood-brother Jackal who despite his previous actions bought humour to the story, I actually found his character to be quite interesting and looked forward to his page time. Kanin holds a dear place in my heart and I adore Zeke! He is still as sweet and kind as ever but we also see a more fiercer, protective and stronger side of this preacher’s son. Sarren is pure evil! His plans made me quiver.We also get more romance between Zeke and Allie which I loved! I’m not usually a fan of vampire/human relationships; I just can’t see the HEA in them but this one is sweet and I adore their interactions.My only complaint with this book was Allison’s woe is me inner-monologue which at times grated on my nerves, she dwelled on what she was rather than what she had become, I wanted to see her embrace who she was rather than fear constantly over the evil she thought she would turn into.Other than this small gripe, I absolutely loved this book! It is brilliantly written and an amazing continuation in this wonderfully dark and thrilling series. The ending was gut-wrenching and so heart-breaking so I am definitely eager to read the next book.Thank-you kindly to the lovely people at Harlequin Teen Australia for the opportunity to read and review The Eternity Cure; it is a book/series I highly recommend to fans of Young Adult Paranormal and Dystopian alike.

Review to come: 3 1/2 out of 5 starsThank-you to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Prophecy Girl, the first book in the Angel Academy series by Cecily White.Seventeen year-old Amelie ‘Ami’ Bennett is a Crossworld Demon slayer and attends St Michaels Training Academy, a place where the Guardian’s learn to slay demons.Amelie is a strong kick-butt heroine; she was independent, determined, had a quirky sense of humour and didn’t really care for the rules; she was a character I really enjoyed getting to know. When we first meet her at the beginning of the book her biggest concern seemed to be bonding with a Watcher by graduation but she comes to realise this may be the least of her worries. I was really intrigued by the world Cecily White created, the plot was fast-paced and filled with fascinating characters and detailed explanations about the Guardians, Demons and Crossworlders. The murder/mystery plot was written well and seeing Amelie having to work alongside the smexy new trainer, Jackson ’Jack’ Smith-Hailey in order to clear her name was quite exciting to read about, I was eager to see how it would all unfold.The love interest is unattainable Jack who often ran hot and cold, their intense chemistry was off the charts but he acted indifferent which drove me crazy but there was a reason as to why. I loved the squabbling that went on between this couple, it was classic! There were a few revelations that we came to learn about Jack that I found quite interesting and it definitely explained Ami’s insta-love attraction to this broody boy.I enjoyed reading about each of the secondary characters; I was utterly shocked by the reveal of one of the villains! I really liked getting to know this person before it was shown who they were, I was completely blindsided. I enjoyed the banter between Amelie and best friend Lisa and Jack’s Vampire friend Lucas was really entertaining.Books which take place in schools and academies (Vampire Academy, Covenant, Hex Hall etc.) are usually huge hits for me and Prophecy Girl was no exception and quite comparable to these series; I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the prophecy surrounding Amelie which stated she was destined to bring down the whole race of Angelbloods, it was a gripping storyline I was quite eager to see play out. What I didn’t like: Without giving away spoilers, I’m not sure if I am completely comfortable with the way the plot weaved at the end, huge changes are to come for Ami and I’m not sure I quite like what has happened to her and the close proximity she will be sharing with a certain someone. I am curious to see what the author has in store for us.Overall, Prophecy Girl is a great start to this wonderful new series, there is action aplenty, humour, ongoing drama and a really sweet romance.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 starsTen tiny breaths … Seize them. Feel them. Love themI absolutely love the New Adult genre at the moment and I’m pleased to be able to add another favourite onto my list. Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker is a book filled with angst and grief but it also showed that with the right amount of love, help and healing there was a chance to be at peace and find forgiveness.Twenty year-old Kacey Cleary is full of rage and snark, her life changed four years ago when she was involved in a car crash caused by a drunk driver and as a result lost both of her parents, her best friend and boyfriend; a huge piece of her was lost that fateful day in the accident and her road to recovery hasn’t been an easy one.Having spent the past few years finding an outlet to recover physically and to express her anger, usually with sex or drugs Kacey now focuses on honing her body through exercise and also raising her fifteen year-old sister, Livie so they make the decision to up and leave their religious aunt and pervie uncle to move with barely anything to their name to Miami, Florida; Kacey wasn’t the most loveable character, she was full of aggression, offensive and easily infuriated but despite this I really came to like and admire her, the comments she would make and her quick wit had me giggling and with the help of her new neighbours, Storm and smexy Trent she was beginning to ever so slowly trust and talk about her grief.Mysterious {stalker} Trent was a sweetheart, he did seem to be everywhere which was a tad strange but we soon find out there was a reason for it; he was so caring, protective and determined to help with Kacey’s healing that I often wondered about his ulterior motives but he never asked or expected anything from her. I was blindsided by the huge twist, it left me gaping but it all played out really well.I adored the way Tucker wrote each of the relationships; everyone interacted with Kacey in a way which was believable and enjoyable to read about, I loved the way both Storm and Trent weaved their way into Kacey’s life despite her reluctance, and Livie was so sweet and loveable, her caring nature and her exchanges with everyone were so light-hearted and real.I loved Storm! She is an acrobatic/stripper/bar-tender and single mother to little Mia, her side-story was entertaining and although I thought it was tied up too conveniently she was a wonderful character to read about.There is a lot of sorrow and suffering in this book, but there were also parts which showed a more carefree side of Kacey, especially the moments where she was with Trent and she let down her guard, he was quite determined to make her smile but it didn’t come easily with her stubbornness. Tucker touched on a lot of real life issues that were written in a way which made you empathise with the characters and their stories.Overall, I became emotionally tangled in the story Tucker has written, I adored the writing, the sweet romance, the complicated characters and the unexpected plot developments; I was satisfied by the overall resolution in Ten Tiny Breaths and I am pleased to read we will also be getting innocent Livie’s story up next in One Tiny Lie.“Hope. Hope that something beautiful may come from this tragic story.Fear. Fear that it won’t.Forgiveness … forgiveness.”Thank-you kindly to Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review Ten Tiny Breaths.

Review: 3 out of 5 starsI admit to having a bit of an obsession with all things Richelle Mead, I adored her Vampire Academy, Georgina Kincaid and Bloodlines series so I was more than eager to start on her adult paranormal series Age of X but unfortunately it didn’t leave me with the euphoric feelings I usually get from a Mead book.Our main protagonist is Mae Koskinen, an elite Praetorian raised in an aristocratic caste and fierce amongst her kind – at the beginning of the book she had brutally beaten another woman at a funeral, she wasn’t to be messed with and unfortunately her cold demeanour didn’t endear me to her right away although as the book progressed so too did my feelings toward her.As part of her punishment she has been sent to the provinces to locate and return Justin March who lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. I wasn’t Justin’s biggest fan, he was conceited and has an obsession with booze, drugs and women; he wasn’t a hero I enjoyed reading about unfortunately despite his intelligence and knowledge.It took me a little while to get into Gameboard of the Gods, not because it wasn’t enjoyable because the world Mead has created was certainly ambitious and interesting but the complexity of it all left my small brain scrambled as I was trying to piece together what was going on and without explanation of the terminology being used, I was baffled.The pacing also started off really slowly as we are introduced to the characters and the world, I found myself putting the book down on numerous occasions just to mull over it all. The plot follows Mae and Justin as they go in search of a ritualistic murderer, their mission was intriguing and I found myself enjoying the mystery of it all and the secrets we came to learn. What I did love was Mead’s futuristic world which has nearly been destroyed by religious extremists and is now separated by the Republic of the United North America (RUNA) and the Eastern Alliance (EA) with the outlying areas considered the lower castes, seen as backwards in comparison. The imagery was vividly detailed and despite the complexity, I enjoyed the uniqueness of it.We get a bit of romance but it wasn’t convincing to me at all, there are no sweet, knee wobbling moments that had me gushing and the relaxed attitude towards having other partners sexually really put me off. I didn’t feel the connection between Justin and Mae so I wasn’t fully invested in their relationship especially considering their completely differing beliefs.Richelle Mead’s writing is pure perfection, you can’t fault it but unfortunately this book failed to wow me as her others have. The concept was certainly promising; I enjoyed the political, religious and militant aspects but my detachment from the characters let it down for me.Overall, Gameboard of the Gods reads differently to all of Richelle Mead’s other books; I found myself loving the game being played out and the fascinating and detailed world but there were a few too many elements which let it down for me. I do see potential in this series and will pick up the next book.Thank-you kindly to Dutton for providing me with a copy of Gameboard of the Gods to read and review.

Review: 4 out of 5 stars I absolutely adore Ednah Walters The Guardian Legacy series so I was eager to jump into Runes which is a story filled with mythology, romance and intriguing mystery. Seventeen year-old Lorraine ‘Raine’ Cooper has a bit on her plate, her father has been missing for a few months, her mother is in denial and convinced he will return and she has to deal with her snarky, smexy Harley riding new neighbour Torin St. James and her conflicted feeling for her best friend now boyfriend Eirik. It is difficult writing this review without giving away spoilers, the biggest being what Torin is, we find out he is different after he saves Raine by marking her with strange symbols – I was curious throughout and constantly guessing but I was way off the mark; I loved the mystery surrounding him, the runes and learning about his kind and their purpose. The plot was fast-paced and entertaining; I liked watching Raine learn about the runes and the newcomers to town, I was able to pick up on a few clues early on in the book but I couldn’t piece together if certain events were related to Torin. Towards the end there was also a more sinister vibe so I was eager to see how it would play out and was shocked by the outcome. My biggest gripe with this book was how Raines relationship was handled with both Eirik and Torin – she was so indecisive and torn and to me she was more or less stringing Eirik along so as not to hurt him, I don’t like cheating characters and it was more or less what she was doing BUT in saying this, her new relationship status still felt a little more brother/sisterly rather than boyfriend/girlfriend and she did have intentions of ending things with Eirik but there was never really the opportunity to do so. The chemistry between her and Torin and their interactions and fun banter did show who she should have been with from the onset. The highlight of this book for me were the characters, Raine was fun, loyal and quirky, she was so torn in her feelings and despite not liking the way she handled her relationship with Eirik, she was likeable and ‘real’, Eirik was a loyal sweetheart, Cora as a best friend was absolutely wonderful and smexy Torin was so charming and swoon worthy and despite his evasiveness I really adored him as a character. We also have a mother/daughter bond that was truly perfect; I loved the interactions between Raine and her mother and I was shocked by the twist we are given at the end. Ednah Walters writing is engrossing and enjoyable; I love the diverse characters she writes as well as the in-depth storyline; with the cliff-hanger surprise ending we are left with, I am definitely eager to dive in to the sequel. Thank-you to Firetrail Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Runes.

Reviews: 4 out of 5 starsI was instantly drawn to the beautiful cover of Poison, it is really eye-catching and after reading the synopsis, I knew it would be a fantasy tale I would enjoy.Poison was a real page turner, the main heroine is Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled and respected potions master and the only person who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction. Kyra ends up hunted when she attempts to kill her former best friend and the future queen, Ariana with her poison dart and misses, now on the run she sets out to find where the princess is hiding. She was such a strong, self-reliant character who I came to adore as the story progressed – some of the predicaments she landed herself in were quite hilarious; the storyline follows Kyra in her journey to finish the job she started – to kill her former friend and along the way she has the help from adorable Rosie her magical pig and Fred who I was drawn to instantly.Fred was such a likeable, fun and witty character who bought comic relief to the story; he was laid-back and carefree and although I think the relationship between Kyra and Fred progressed too fast, it was quite cute and sweet none the less. The fantasy story Zinn has weaved is filled with magical mayhem and interesting characters; it was adventurous and although I expected a heavier plot line it ended up being quite light-hearted and fun. You are drawn into the creative and wonderful well-built world.As the story developed, Kyra's secrets and her motives come to be revealed, leaving twists and turns aplenty until the very end. I loved the mystery and suspense; I was quite surprised by a few revelations.Poison was fast paced and engaging, I loved Ms. Zinn's simplistic writing style, the banter and the dialogue between Kyra and Fred had me laughing out loud, I loved every word. The plot was solid, the world-building amazing and the characterisations perfect.Overall, Poison was a terrific fantasy story that had me riveted throughout.Sadly, Bridget Zinn passed away before Poison was published. My sincerest condolences to her family and friends x

Review: 4 out of 5 starsI have wanted to read Mortality by Kellie Sheridan since I first glimpsed the wonderfully intriguing cover, its one of my favourites in YA - I initially thought it was about one normal girl who had been turned into a zombie but I was very wrong; it was action-packed, fast-paced, unique and really interesting right from the very first page, I was riveted by the plot and fascinating characters.Mortality is told from alternating POV’s, Savannah and Zarah, both wonderful characters surviving through the zombie apocalypse but Savannah’s story was the one I found I was personally more invested in and was the stronger character.Sixteen year-old Savannah was kick-butt, loyal and stubborn! She was fiercely determined and adamant to help out in any way she possibly could, she stood strong and held her ground in the most tense situations and handled herself really well.Zarah’s story is important to the overall story arc and gave us interesting insight into the life of a zombie and how the virus which had wiped out so many affects a person, I liked her as a character before she was turned and really sympathised with her after as well – we get two types of zombies in this book, the completely dead kind and infected Z's who are fast moving and can actually still think for themselves.The world Ms. Sheridan has given us is disturbing and the zombies gruesome to read about but also fascinating because of their intelligence; you can't help but feel empathy for what the humans had been turned into and for what had happened to the world they were now living in.With an action-packed plot and even pacing, I was engrossed in Ms Sheridan’s storytelling and captivating writing, I have to admit, zombies are my least favourite paranormal creature to read about, they have never appealed to me – at all, but I thoroughly enjoyed Kellie Sheridan’s take on the whole concept, it was written in a way that actually made me feel quite sympathetic towards these beings and not at all repelled by what they were, how they came to be I found to be quite interesting; the world-building was strong.Romance is definitely not at the forefront of the story but it is there between Savannah and Cole and Zarah and Liam, both relationships were developed in a way which was believable and realistic. I liked both of the love interests but really felt sorry for poor Liam - getting glimpses of romance gave what would normally feel like a morose story the sense of normalcy which definitely was not the case in their current predicaments but it was nice to see that there was hope.The ending came as quite the surprise so I am definitely eager to read the next book in The Hitchhiker Strain series, Duality which has an anticipated December 2013 release date.All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Mortality; the world-building was strong, the characters lovable and Kellie Sheridan’s writing crisp and engaging. It was a great take on zombies and I was satisfied by how the story played out.Thank-you to Kellie Sheridan for providing me with a copy of Mortality in exchange for my honest review.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars - Review to come

Review: 4 out of 5 starsI was initially captured by the gorgeous cover of this book and I love a school setting so this was high on my wishlist.Our main protagonist is Allie Sheridan whose parents have sent her off to a private boarding school as a last resort to set her on the straight and narrow after being in and out of trouble with a few arrests under her belt since the disappearance of her older brother, Christopher.Allie initially wasn’t an easy character to like, she was moody and not all that friendly, her behaviour came across as inconsistent but as the story progressed so too did my opinion of this troubled teen and I came to enjoy her feisty attitude, dedication and snark.Night School has a complex yet intriguing plot that was wonderfully developed; it revolves around conspiracies, murder and deceit - to be honest, I initially thought this was a paranormal novel judging by the cover and I was waiting for some supernatural elements but I was thankful it was very different to what I was expecting. I loved seeing how everything came together in the overall story, it was quite creative. I enjoyed seeing Allie adapt to her new life and eventually begin to question and investigate the strange happenings around the academy as well as the hush-hush society that the students are not allowed to know about. I was sucked in by this gripping story, the overall vibe gives a sinister feel and I was more than eager to unravel the secrets of Cimmeria which were aplenty.I liked some characters more than others; we have a love triangle with Allie, popular Sylvain (who I didn’t like nor trust) and moody Carter but it wasn’t one I found annoying because you could see Allie’s relationship with Carter came naturally and was more intense and believable. I also loved Rachel and Jo, mean girl Katie grated on my nerves.My biggest complaint with this book was the pacing, for me at times is dragged on and on and I found myself skimming to get to the more interesting parts; the second portion of the book was much more thrilling and the pacing picked up.Overall, Night School is a very well written story filled with mystery, romance and intrigue – I loved the academy setting and the suspense-filled plot. I still have many unanswered questions so I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

Review: 3 out of 5 stars Hidden by Marianne Curley was kindly provided to me by the publisher, Bloomsbury Australia in exchange for my honest review. Angel books tend to be hit or miss for me and I must admit Hidden started off really slowly and wasn’t holding my attention; but as it progressed so too did my interest and I found myself enjoying Ms. Curley’s writing style and storytelling. Our main protagonist is sixteen year-old Ebony who has been hidden away by her parents from the outside world, she feels she is different with her unusual violet eyes enhanced abilities and in the way her body is changing but getting answers from her parents has been like pulling teeth, they remain vague and don’t seem to know a lot about the contract they signed with a mysterious man who left her on their doorstep as a baby. But answers soon come when she meets Jordan, a fellow classmate with a painful life story. After a near fatal incident at an underage nightclub, Jordan is saved by an Angel named Thane and has been tasked with convincing Ebony of the threats surrounding her, with the story being told from both Ebony and Jordan’s POV’s we get a clear look into their thoughts and their actions; seeing them interact and learn more about the angels and the dangers I found to be quite interesting. The pacing I found to be choppy and the plot was unfortunately predictable but in saying this, I did enjoy seeing the details of the stolen angel and the disappearance of Ebony’s parents being unraveled; the history and the angel background information we were given I found to be written well and the angel realm of Avena which I am looking forward to learning more about was fascinating. I liked some characters more than others, Ebony at times I found to be lackluster and frustrating whereas Jordan and his past and his purpose I was more curious about; I hope in future installments we are given more detail about the Guardian and Angel relationship, at this stage I am still a little confused. Each of the angels was written well, I especially liked Thane and I’m eager to know of his destiny. Overall, despite a few elements not meshing well with me Hidden was an intriguing start to this series and the cover is absolutely stunning! I am curious to read the sequel to learn more about the world and the characters Ms. Curley has created. Thank-you to Bloomsbury Publishing Australia for the opportunity to read and review Hidden.

Loving this cover!!

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 starsThe Indigo Spell is the third book in the Bloodlines series by the wonderfully talented Richelle Mead and was kindly provided to me by Penguin Books Australia.I was eager to dive back into the world of the Alchemists and Vampires and it was certainly a roller-coaster of emotions with Sydney and the gang. Sydney for me has progressed so much as a character, she is intelligent, has a sense of humour without really realising it and despite over-analysing a few things she thinks before she acts which I really like. Her dedication to the alchemists is beginning to sway and she is understanding that the alchemy world around her isn’t quite what it seems and she is having to make some crucial choices.The plot is fast-paced and entertaining and the variety of story arcs we are given kept me really intrigued. In this installment we see Sydney continue to protect Jill at Amberwood Prep as well as hone her magical abilities with Ms Terwilliger to help search for an evil magic user who is targeting powerful young witches. There was a lot going on and in some ways it felt like too much had been pushed on Sydney but I also felt it helped her to move forward as a character.We are also given answers about the infamous Marcus Finch, renegade alchemist and although I found him quite appealing, he is a character I don’t quite trust - yet.Adrian for me has really changed, he isn’t as carefree and is facing his responsibilities in a more mature manner; I still adore his charm, smart little quips and snide remarks but he doesn’t come across as laid back as what he has in past books; I quite like these changes. I loved his interactions with Sydney, there is no holding back with the declarations now he has admitted how he feels which I really liked and seeing her deal with her forbidden feelings and inner turmoil was difficult for her – there were a few hot moments between them which really showed their chemistry but her beliefs made her question everything.I have absolutely loved the story progression, from the very first book, Bloodlines to now there has been amazing character growth, especially with Sydney and a romance that has bloomed from a friendship to so much more, I enjoyed Sydney’s adventures in The Indigo Spell, it was a real page turner; it is also nice to see Rose and Dimitri make an appearance.Richelle Mead is an auto-buy author for me, her writing is mesmerising and I find myself flying through the pages, her characters are true to life and believable and the story she has weaved is filled with action, mystery and romance.We are left with a cliff-hanger so I am really excited to read The Fiery Heart which has an anticipated 19th November 2013 release date.After my hesitation to begin this series, I am really thankful I did because it is certainly turning into a fave!Thank-you to Penguin Books Australia for the opportunity to read and review The Indigo Spell.

Review to come 13th March..

Review: 3 out of 5 starsThe Collector has been high up on my wishlist ever since I first glimpsed the smexy demon on the cover and read the amazing synopsis. But I always get nervous when there is so much hype surrounding a book; I am pleased to say though that this one lived up to my high expectations, it was fun and a very big surprise.Dante Walker loves his job as Soul Collector – it’s something he enjoys and is very good at, his latest assignment from the Boss Man downstairs is to tag Charlie Cooper within ten days, he thinks she’ll be an easy target and in return he’ll be promoted to Soul Director with a one way ticket out of hell but when he meets the angelic and nerdy Charlie, his work is certainly cut out for him.Charlie is a character who I thought was amazing! There were so many nasty descriptions to describe her looks which seemed at times to outshine her unbelievable kindness and sweet nature. She was put down and humiliated and despite Dante’s snarky attitude and trying to lead her astray, she stood tall and held strong. It was nice to see the relationship between Dante and Charlie change, I wouldn’t have thought she’d be able to tame this bad boy but she did a pretty good job of it – it was the perfect case of opposites attract.I think I may be one of the very few people to read this book and not instantly love Dante Walker! He was cocky, smexy and he knew it, overconfident and full of attitude that just didn’t endear me to him right away BUT in saying that, as the book progressed so too did my opinion of him.I adored each of the secondary characters, especially Max who is also a Collector and an absolute classic! I loved the comic relief he provided; Charlie’s best friends Blue and Annabelle were so wonderful, their kindness and the way they protected her was really sweet and I found Valery the liberator to be quite intriguing. Victoria Scott has created a diverse range of characters which complimented each other well.The unique plot, the tension, and the shockingly sweet romance all had me captivated, I was amazed by the many emotions this book evoked as well as the few twists thrown in which kept the story entertaining and the pacing flowing well, it was a tale that was filled with many surprises - of love, hope and redemption with a great cast of characters that you can’t help but cheer for and I really enjoyed Victoria Scott’s take on Heaven versus Hell, it was interesting.Overall, if you are after a book that shows great character progression with a story that is written well and creative then I would highly recommend The Collector. Book 2, The Liberator has an anticipated 3rd September 2013 release date.Thank-you to YA Bound for the opportunity to participate in the '2013 Belongs to Dante"blog tour.