Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall
Author:Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: March 2, 2010
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Hex Hall Book #1
ISBN:   1423121309
ISBN13: 9781423121305
Genre: Young Adult

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters. 

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

I just recently heard of the Hex Hall Series and after reading great reviews I thought I would give it a try. I thought Sophie was a wonderful main character she was sarcastic, funny and down to earth. There were a few points in the book that my Husband looked over at me like I had lost my mind because I was cracking up so hard from all her witty comments and funny situations. HEX HALL was a fast fun read filled with tension, mystery, comic relief, great characters, a fantastic storyline and situations I had no problem picturing. There are some great twists I didn't expect and there is a big cliffhanger at the end that I wish wasn't so big that makes waiting for DEMONGLASS a tad bit harder.

 I gave it 4/5 stars

Review: The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

The Iron Witch
Author:Karen Mahoney
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Flux
The Iron Witch Saga Book #1
ISBN:  073872582X
ISBN13: 9780738725826
Genre: Young Adult

FREAK. That’s what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna’s own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.

When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

This is one of those books that I picked up purely for the fact that I loved the cover. After reading the summery I thought it interesting enough to read. THE IRON WITCH is paced well with plenty of things happening to keep you in the mood to read it. The characters are like able and easy to connect with. The ending for me fell completely flat, I know this is part of a series but the ending totally left me wondering what happened to the ending.  You know when you read a book and you expect there to be pages left only to have it end while your still waiting for the ending? If that at all made sense that is how I felt with THE IRON WITCH. I will still be looking for book two when it releases as the story was good and I want to know more about Donna, her parents, and what the wood elves have to reveal about Donna's past.

I gave it a 3.5/5

Review: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Shadowfever
Author:Karen Marie Moning
Release Date: January 18, 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Fever Book #5
ISBN:   0385341679
ISBN13: 9780385341677
Genre: Urban Fantasy


MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh--a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac, and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.
Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman that haunts her dreams? More importantly, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master's penthouse, to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover, to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and make a choice that will either save the world...or destroy it.

What a ride the Fever series has been. I am sad that SHADOWFEVER was the last book but I was blown away and couldn't have asked for a better last book. Everything you have been questioning or wondering about will be answered and I'm telling you you will have never guessed the things that are revealed. I am on information overload with all the revelations. I couldn't read this fast enough. I was so mad at the book in the first part but I slowly made my way back as I was reading on. I dont think I have never read about more stubborn characters in a series then what the characters were like in SHADOWFEVER, I wanted to jump in the book and smack them across the head. I dont want to list any spoilers so I will leave off saying WOW what a ride!! If you haven't picked uo and started reading the Fever series you are missing out on a fabulous series, I think I might have to start over and read the books again to see what clues I might have missed.


I gave it 5/5 Stars

Early Review: Nightshade by Michelle Rowen

Nightshade
Author:Michelle Rowen
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Nightshade/Jillian Conrad Book #1
ISBN:  0425239829
ISBN13: 9780425239827
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher for Review

DESIRE IS IN THE BLOOD

Jillian Conrad never believed in vampires. But she’s just become a living, breathing weapon against them. Attacked by a desperate scientist, she is injected with a serum that was supposed to act as a deadly poison to vampires. And when the scientist is gunned down in front of her, his secrets die with him.

Declan Reese was only half-vampire, but he hates them with all his heart. He knows that the poison in Jillian’s veins could finally destroy the undead kingdom. Also, the serum has had an unintended effect, making her blood irresistible to all vampires—including Declan, whose bloodthirsty traits are driven into a frenzy by her.

Driven by duty to protect her and by instinct to crave her, Declan takes Jillian into his shadowy world of blood and battle. But he soon realizes his increasing need for her may be a different kind of hunger…

Michelle Rowan decided to go a little darker and she pulled it off!! The Characters are all interesting and easy to like. The world building was fantastic, I could see myself in the places that were described with no difficulties. There was a lot of action. The main characters Jillian and Declan had wonderful chemistry. There is of course a big part of the book based on a budding romance but the action and storyline made the book so much more then just a romance in my opinion. The one bad thing about reading a book early is that you have to wait so much longer for the next book. BLOODLUST is scheduled to come out July 2011 and I will be pre-ordering it.

I gave it 4/5 stars

New Releases Jan 24- Jan 30

Tuesday January 25

 A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang

Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter #3) by Nalini Singh

Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Bloodshot (The Cheshire Red Reports #1) by Cherie Priest

Burning Darkness (Offspring #4) by Jaime Rush

Crossed (Void City #3) by J.F. Lewis

 Dark Goddess (A Devil's Kiss Novel) by Sarwat Chadda

Death's Sweet Embrace (Dark Brethren #2) by Tracey O'Hara

 The Fallen Blade: Act One of the Assassini (The Vampire Assassin Trilogy #1) by Jon Courtenay Grimwood

The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa 

The Iron Witch (The Iron witch Saga, #1) by Karen Mahoney 

Night Betrayed (Envy Chronicles #4) by Joss Ware

Raziel (Fallen #1) by Kristina Douglas

Throat by R.A. Nelson

Friday January 28

Legacy (Ganzfield #3) by Kate Kaynak
 

Please contact me if you see something is missing and I will add it. :)

Review: Taken by the Others by Jess Haines

Taken By the Others
Author:Jess Haines
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Zebra
H & W Investigations Book #2
ISBN:  1420111884
ISBN13: 9781420111880
Genre: Urban Fantasy


Jess Haines draws readers deep into the mesmerizing world of the Others–werewolves, vampires, and mages who make their home among humans, and are turning Shiarra Waynest’s life upside down…

Once, New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest’s most pressing problem was keeping her agency afloat. Now she’s dealing with two dangerous, seductive vampires who have been enemies for centuries. The only thing Max Carlyle and Alec Royce agree on is that they both want Shia–for very different reasons.

Max is determined to destroy Shia for killing his progeny, while Royce’s interest is a lot… more personal. That’s not sitting well with Shia’s werewolf boyfriend, Chaz. As the feud between Max and Royce gets ever more deadly, a powerful vampire-hunting faction is urging Shia to join their side. Shia has always believed vamps were the bad guys, but she’s discovering unexpected shades of grey that are about to redefine her friends, her loyalties–and even her desires.

TAKEN BY THE OTHERS is jam packed full of action. Shia seriously just rocks, I love her character. The tension between Royce and Shia is killing me (in a good way), I just cant wait to see what comes of these two. Will they become friends? More than friends? I'm seriously dying to find out what comes next with them. I have to say I'm kind of disappointed in Chaz at the end, you think even though he was hurting he might be a tad bit more supportive, its not like Shia has asked to be in any of the situations she was put in. I enjoyed the white hats in book 2, It was neat to get to know them more and I'm sure we will get more in the future. The dialogue is always fantastic coming from Jess Haines she knows how to keep you entertained and wanting more. You will not be disappointing in picking up any of Jess's books, start with HUNTED BY THE OTHERS, Follow with TAKEN BY THE OTHERS and make sure to pre-order the next book in the series DECEIVED BY THE OTHERS you wont want to miss it

I gave it 4/5 Stars

Week in Review 1/16-1/22

Books Ive Bought/received

*Down the Road by Bowie Ibarra- From publisher for review tour

*The Demon Trappers Daughter by Jana Oliver- ARC- From Publisher for review

*Demon Song by Cat Adams- ARC- From publisher for review

Tor also sent me some other books they thought Might interest me with Demon Song that I will make sure to read and review.

• The Reckoning by Doranna Durgin
• Storm of Reckoning by Doranna Durgin- ARC
• Game Over by Taylor Keating- ARC
• Mind Games by Taylor Keating- ARC
• Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn (Have already read but have not reviewed so will get one written up :) )

*Divergent by Veronica Roth- ARC- from Shelf Awereness for review

*Vampire Federation: Uprising by Sean McCabe- ARC-  Win from Librarything Early review program 

* Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda- Win from KidsBuzz through Shelf Awareness



Books I read

Taken by the Others by Jess Haines

Nightshade by Michelle Rowen
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Visions of Magic by Regan Hastings

Reviews posted

Death's Sweet Embrace by Tracey O'Hara
Minder by Kate Kaynak
Adversary by Kate Kayanak
Burning Darkness by Jaime Rush
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Awakened by P.C. Cast




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*Winner of the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop has been posted.

*Looking for books to swap? Visit my Book Swap page to see what I have.

*New Releases for the week.

* You can still help me win a contest for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis, and have a chance to win yourself PLEASE visit HERE to read how you can :) ENDS 1/31

*Like what you read? Make sure to leave a comment.