bookswooning

Haze by Paula Weston

June 16, 2013 by bookswoongirl

Hey Ho…Let’s go. I feel like going and burying myself, removing myself from the world until book three comes out. Oh that ending….. really…….

Shadows was in my top three books of 2012 and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Haze, the second book of the Rephaim series. But when I did get it, I didn’t want to start reading it because this would mean that I would just be closer to the end. But now I have finished it. Sigh.

Starting Haze and I was instantly transported back into the world of The Rephaim. Back into the world with Gaby and Rafa. (Oh Rafa….*swoons*….) Gaby and Rafa are about to begin their quest for Jude, Gaby’s brother but things keep on getting in the way and the hunt for Jude doesn’t really start until about two thirds of the way through the book. I am not sure which part of the story I enjoy more. Watching Gaby and Rafa’s relationship with equal amounts of tension and gentleness, or maybe the action of fighting with demons and bad guys, or maybe the constant jibing between Rafa and Simon, or learning more about the Outcasts Ez, Zac, Jones and Mya. Or maybe I just love it all.

This is a world that I love to escape to.

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Sex & VIolence by Carrie Mesrobian

June 9, 2013 by bookswoongirl

Sex & Violence by Carrie Mesrobian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is not the book to read if you are looking for something uplifting and happy. And I guess the title kinda gives that away.
To begin with, I didn’t really feel anything for Evan. He was just a guy who liked having sex with girls and whose father moved him around to lots of new schools. But then he got the shit kicked out of him, and he changed. Throughout most of the book I just felt an overwhelming sadness for Evan. He was going through a traumatic time after what happened to him but also, it really came to light that he didn’t have anyone. His father was absent so much of the time, his mother was dead and because of all of the moving that him and his father did, he didn’t have any friends. He had no-one.
After his father brought him to Pearl Lake for the summer to try to heal, it was refreshing to see Evan starting to form relationships with other people, to see him start to trust people and to also trust himself to do the right thing. It didn’t end with rainbows and good times, but that wouldn’t have suited the story. I did like the way it ended though and it made me feel that finally, Evan might have started to be kind to himself.
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this book.

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The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

April 25, 2013 by bookswoongirl

The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I quite liked the first book in this series, ‘The Name of the Star’, but I REALLY, REALLY LIKED this one. And I don’t want to take anything away from the story but I think one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much was the narrator. Nicola Barber is without a doubt one of the best audio book narrators that I have ever listened to and I ended up even doing housework just so I could listen to this book!
Rory, who survived a Jack the Ripper attack has been sent away to Bristol with her parents but ends up back at school in London at Wexford and finally back with the Shades gang – Stephen, Boo and Callum. Rory has discovered that she has new talents but she is just not sure that she wants to use them. We still get to see a bit of Jerome, Rory’s kind-of boyfriend and then there is the addition of a new character – Jane the therapist.
I really enjoyed the story line and definitely got caught up in it… I felt that Rory made some bad decisions but then when I think about it, she is a 16 year old and her behaviour was what any 16 year old would do.
And then onto the ending… at first I felt happy and shiny and couldn’t stop smiling but then…… the other thing happened. And now I just have to wait to book three to find out……. ARRGGHHHHH…….

………………………………………………………………………………………….

I managed to avoid all reviews before I read this, and now having finished it…. That ending! OMG! Wasn’t expecting it all and now I don’t know how to feel.
More words to come when I have had time to think.

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Pure (#2 Covenant Series) by Jennifer Armentrout

September 30, 2012 by bookswoongirl

Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok, well I think I may have just enjoyed Pure, the second book in the Covenant series better than the first. Alex is back, still not being to control her temper and getting into all kinds of trouble. But gee I love her. And I guess it is a good thing that she is trained to kill daimons because there were plenty of times where she needed to draw on those skills. The love triangle hits in a major way in Pure and I have to say – I am SETH all the way. I was a bit heart broken at certain events early on but then it was just bang, wham, a bit of swoon, then more bang, wham….and a bit more swoon.
As always, the type of book I want to read to get away from reality and Pure was the book to take me there!

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The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

August 29, 2012 by bookswoongirl

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was an interesting book to read.  I must admit, I didn't connect with any of the characters but I did really like the story and was flipping through the pages thoroughly enjoying the experience!  I have read many books that include humans and vampires and this one was slightly different with Gene, a human, who has been pretending to be a vampire so that...well basically so that the vampires don't rip him to pieces.
One drop of blood would turn the vampires into a frenzied bunch of animals.  And did I mention that Gene is the only human left.  Apart from a bunch of humans that have been kept hidden away, locked in a dome, awaiting The Hunt.  And also the vampires don't call themselves vampires, they are called people.  And humans are called 'hepers'. And The Hunt is where a few lucky people(vampires) get to hunt the bunch of hepers(humans).
This book was fun to read, (not a funny book) and it certainly kept my attention and at times I was holding my breath just hoping that Gene's humaness wouldn't be found out.  I did feel sorry for Gene, who had to hide his emotions, couldn't laugh or cry and I was definitely on his side, cheering for him as the story went along.  There were a few little twists and surprises and a whole lot of action..like vampire/sunlight action!
A good read and I will be looking out for the next book.

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

August 26, 2012 by bookswoongirl

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished this book a week ago and in that time, I haven’t had any desire to pick up another book to start reading….because I really loved ‘Throne of Glass’ so much. I started reading it and from the first four pages, I was hooked. I was introduced to Celaena, an 18 year old girl who is also a trained assassin and who is serving a life sentence in the salt mines and instantly I was , ‘well I just love this girl’. She was sassy, smart, bold and had attitude and this was all while she was in chains!! Reading the blurb of the book gave me a good idea what the story was about and it sounded good but the characters, their dialogue and the setting was what made it great for me. I did make it 1/4 through the book before finding out that there were also 4 novellas that ‘really should be read before reading Throne of Glass’ and so I put it down and read each of these and I must agree, they gave me so much more background and I enjoyed Throne of Glass so much more. As I said Celaena is smart and bold, she knows what she wants and she will do whatever she has to to get it. She is beautiful and tough and at times, I just wanted to jump into the story and throw some punches and kicks to help her out…not that she needed any help! And then there were two….Captain Chaol Westfall, who sees Celaena every day and trains her and his friend and future king, Prince Dorian. I really like both of these guys and it wasn’t a case of good guy/bad guy…they are both good guys. While I wouldn’t say there wasn’t really much romance in this story there was certainly lots going on with Celaena’s developing relationships with both of these guys. And for me…sorry Prince Dorian but I hope that Chaol comes out being ‘the one’ in the next book!
So, the setting was great, I love a good royal court with castle and guards and stone stairways. There were big dresses and dances which mixed in nicely with the fighting and training and killing. I was totally transported into this world and as I said at the start, it has taken me a week to even feel like reading another book. And now the wait begins…book two come forth soon…..Loved it!!!!

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Blood Storm by Rhiannon Hart

August 5, 2012 by bookswoongirl

Blood Storm by Rhiannon Hart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This is one of those book that I finish….and then sob because I have to wait now until the third book comes out. It has been a few hours now since I have finished it and I so I have calmed down and can talk about it. This book was fantastic, everything that I wanted and more. Zeraphina is still amazing and in this book (book 2) she seemed slightly more vulnerable yet still being so brave and courageous. Rodden was still Rodden (swoon!) and I was glad to find out more about him and his past. I enjoyed reading the interaction between Zeraphina and Rodden throughout their journey and at times I was almost holding my breath, (c’mon..just kiss) They both work so well together that when they were apart, I felt as though I was missing someone myself.
And then that ending, I really do think I held my breath for the last 10 pages and well…. all I can say is , that ending just made me want book three so much more!
A great read!

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