A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness Review

A Discovery of Witches 

All Souls Trilogy Book One

By Deborah Harkness

Diana has spent her entire life denying herself anything to do with witchcraft, though she is descended from a long line of witches. When she was a child her parents were killed and she knew that it was because their deaths had, had something to do with magic. Now Diana is a historian focusing on alchemical texts, when she pulls stumbles upon an enchanted book within Oxford’s Bodleian Library she is soon pulled into more magic than she had ever imagined.  With the help of vampire geneticist, Mathew Clairmont, Diana must survive witches who want her to recall the manuscript at any cost and she will soon realize that she is not quite as inept in witchcraft as she had previously thought.

First and foremost this is a romance novel; I say this because the synopsis you read on the book or even on goodreads make it seem as it will be more of a novel like a Game of Thrones with only slight romance, and this is not the case. I don’t have a problem with romance it was just not what I had expected when I started reading it. Most of the novel is rather slow; it’s more of a building of the story and the characters than having a story of its own but when you get towards the end the author truly sucks you into the story. It is a well written novel and the world that Deborah Harkness has created in which there are four types of beings, Vampires Witches, Demons, and Humans, is truly fascinating. Demons are eccentric and focus more on the arts as Vampires focus more on science in their lives, now I know the Vampire aspect is not quite original but to take that theory and use it with demons is truly interesting. All in all this is an amazing start to a trilogy and worth it if you don’t mind the slow start.

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Eve by Anna Carey Review

Eve

Eve Book One

By Anna Carey

Ninety Eight percent of the world’s population has been wiped out by a deadly virus, leaving many children orphans in the aftermath. Eve is one of these orphans, she lost her mother when she was a child and sent to a school where she became the top of her class and the best student they had seen. Eve looks forward to being sent across the lake to the dorms where the graduates will learn a trade, until she discovers that the girls sent to the dorms will never leave instead they are used to breed children, as many as they possibly can at a single time, after her world has been shattered all Eve can think of is escaping.

This is certainly an interesting novel as we travel along with Eve into the true aftermath of a world that has been left decimated. Once Eve escapes and is in the outside world the author truly brings to life a scary possibility full of gangs and the worst form of human nature possible, but she also shows the best side when Eve reunites with a classmate and is saved by a young man we see both sides of the coin, true love and true evil. Not only is Anna Carey able to create a world that you come to fear, and make you fall in love with each character along the way she also manages to pull on your heartstrings at every possible moment, if you are highly sentimental I recommend a box of tissues by your side as you read this novel. This was a fantastic beginning with an unexpected ending ensuring you will continue on Eve’s journey.

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Professor Gargoyle by Charles Gilman Review

Professor Gargoyle

Tales From Lovecraft Middle School Book One

By Charles Gilman

Robert Arthur’s neighborhood has been redistricted so now Robert will be starting middle school at the new state of the art school Lovecraft Middle School. To add to his misfortune of starting a new school the one person he recognizes from elementary is his long time bully, Glenn, having to deal with Glenn after so many years may not be so bad, but when a cute girl comes up asks if you are ok, well for a teenage boy life just gets worse from there. But soon Robert will make one or two new friends depending on how you count the two headed rat he finds in the Attic above the library, and this is just the beginning of Robert’s adventures at Lovecraft Middle School.

Where do I start with this novel? Ok, how about the obvious, the cover. My favorite part of having the cover transform from a solemn looking man to a smiling red skinned yellow eyed “gargoyle” is not telling anyone about it. For example I was in the middle of moving from Germany back to the U.S. when I was trying to receive this book so I had it sent to my mother, I am on the phone with her right after she receives it and she is telling me she is going to open it. Well, there is no arguing with my mother, so the next thing I hear is “Oh, Shoot!” to which I calmly reply “Oh, you saw the cover?” Not only does the cover provide hours of fun but when you add onto this fact that the novel itself is full of twists and turns at every step, you start with an average kid trying to survive school add in a two headed rat and the fun is exponential. Then the book is rounded off by amazing illustrations making this a book that is truly fun for all ages.

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Taking the Day Off!

Well today is a special day, so I decided to take a break. Today Just so happens to be my Birthday. 

I feel a bit like the guy driving this car, Out of nowhere my birthday has snuck up on me and I am yet another year older. 

Thank you to everyone who has already left me Birthday wishes I will see you guys tomorrow with an ARC, Squeee! 

Painted Black by Debra R. Borys

Painted Black

By Debra R. Borys

Jo Sullivan is a reporter for a Chicago newspaper, Winds of Change, one night she and her friend Keisha run into a young woman who is selling herself on the streets. Keisha knows this girl from her work with an outreach program, insisting she stop and talk to the girl; Jo goes along and soon becomes wrapped up in a strange tale. When Lexie disappears the reporter in Jo must find out what has happened, along the way she soon runs into Chris a street kid who is trying his best to rescue Lexie after he leaves her alone with a perverse mortuary attendant.  

This is such an interesting story, though this is not for everyone, there are moments when it is crass and takes an unforgiving look at life on the streets. That being said, this is a fantastic novel full of suspense and intrigue. Each character comes to life in these pages making it almost impossible to put it down for even a moment as you wonder what is going to happen to Chris and Jo. I think the author has come across an interesting setting for an entire series of novels featuring Jo and hopefully Chris as well, at least I hope so. The only thing I must say that it does need a bit of editing other than that the author has certainly struck gold with this novel.

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The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux Review

The Summerhouse

Summerhouse Book One

By Jude Deveraux

On their twenty-first birthday three women met in New York as they are renewing their driver’s licenses. The three soon hit it off Leslie has come to New York to become a dancer, Madison was sent by her small home town to become a model, and Ellie has dreams of becoming an artist. Nineteen years later after Ellie has been through a horrific divorce she decides to reconnect with the two women who touched her life forever inviting them to spend their fortieth birthday at a Summerhouse in Maine. What turns out to be an ordinary vacation soon turns into an extraordinary opportunity that will alter their lives.

This is a novel of choices, the choices we have made in our lives and where those decisions have brought us. What if you had the chance to change something in your past? This is the idea that Jude Deveraux takes on with this novel, not only is it thought provoking the author is simple brilliant in the execution of this novel intertwining three very unique stories. The only thing I must say is that the story itself starts off a bit slow, but each character has an interesting back story somewhat making up for the lack of anything truly happening, the novel truly kicks off about halfway through when the three women meet Madame Zoya. Once this happens you truly cannot put this novel down until you find out how it will end, I cannot say weather this novel is suprising the first time I read it myself I was a teenager and I absolutely fell in love, so re-reading it for review I knew what would happen and I find myself falling in love with this novel all over again, definitely worth the read.  

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Sneak by Evan Angler Review

Sneak

Book Two of the Swipe Series

By Evan Angler

Logan Langly is searching for his sister, when she was preparing to receive her mark that would make her a true citizen she was “flunked” at the last minute; she was taken from her family and everyone she knew. Logan has come across a lead in search that will take him to one of the worst places imaginable, Acheron, a prison for the markless. As Logan continues on his search he soon becomes part of an underground “river” for the markless who wish to find freedom.

Though I haven’t read the first novel in this series this book was absolutely amazing. The beginning can be a bit confusing if you don’t know what is happening but soon you are wrapped up into a story full of outstanding characters each one bringing a different aspect of this story to life. Though the main story centers around Logan and his sister it also encompasses Peck, the leader of “The Dust” a rebel group of teenagers, who is also searching for Logan’s sister as they had been very close before she went missing and also Erin a marked girl whose father is one of the men sent to track down Logan though she does everything she can to help Logan himself. Each storyline intertwines flawlessly making this an interesting and captivating read.

For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:

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