Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman

Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft (Audrey’s Guides #1) by Jody Gehrman

YA Paranormal

Rating: 5 Stars

Falling in Love, baking a magical cake, fighting an evil necromancer—it’s all in a day’s work for Audrey Oliver, seventeen-year-old witch-in-training.

When her mother goes missing and her twenty-one-year-old witchy cousin shows up out of the blue, Audrey knows something’s gone horribly, dangerously wrong. Now it’s up to her to get her own magical powers up to speed before everyone she loves is destroyed by the sorcerer intricately connected to her mother’s secret past.

My Thoughts: I can never stop saying it enough, where have al the witches gone? Ever since Harry Potter ended I have been looking for more stories about witches that I can fall in love with. Turns out, it is harder than I thought. The books you find now are about vampires, werewolves, and zombies. I have always loved reading about witches and magic. With this book, I got my fix.

            There was one thing that annoyed me in this novel and that Sadie and the clan. I understand the purpose of Sadie and how important she is but did she have to be annoying too? She followed the rules of the clan but at what cost? I understand the importance of keeping secrets but keeping the secret almost killed Meg. Not to mention the fact she slipped on why Audrey’s and Julian’s relationship is special but then proceeded to erase it from her memory. Why? What is the purpose? No one gains anything from the secrets, keeping them is more dangerous than the bad guy.

            Regardless of my irritation of Sadie and the damn rules, I really enjoyed this book. I love how meeting Audrey changed who Julian was. They are clearly meant to be together and he wasn’t complete until he met her. He may be a little too old for her but I can let that go. I know that age has nothing to do with relationships these days. The only problem is she is still under age and he is not. Anyway, I love their relationship and how they compliment each other.

            Overall, this book is amazing. There was just enough magic to keep me happy and enough action to keep me reading. Great read!

Cover: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Characters: 4/5

Overall Score:

Tempest by Holly Hook

Tempest (Destroyers #1) by Holly Hook

YA Fantasy/Paranormal

Rating: 4 Stars

Sixteen-year-old Janelle never thought the gray spiral birthmark on her arm meant anything special. That is, until she meets Gary, a boy her age with a birthmark exactly like hers. Gary’s attractive, brooding, and perfectly normal…except for the fact that he materialized out of a dangerous hurricane right in front of her. Janelle’s certain of only one thing. Gary’s mark—and hers, too—mean something, but he’s reluctant to tell her what.
At last she squeezes the truth from Gary about their markings. And the truth is utterly terrifying: Janelle and Gary are more connected to the destructive power of nature than she ever dreamed possible. And learning the truth about herself is only the start of her nightmare.

My Thoughts: This is the second book I have read written by Holly Hook. The other one was called Twisted (review can be found HERE). The thing I love most about Hook is she takes natural disasters and turns them into something supernatural. It’s not like someone is controlling the weather these people are the weather. Their physical bodies are actually the storm.

            This book is about a girl named Janelle. After a huge hurricane hits town weird things start happening to her. A guy appears nowhere from inside the storm, her father is acting secretive and suspicious, and she has become unbelievably strong. Turns out she is a hurricane waiting to happen. She is a very bad and powerful one.

            The characters were a bit bland from time to time but only someone who was analyzing them would feel that way. Everything else was filled with so much thought. The world that was created is amazing and mysterious. This book was in no way predictable for me. I was completely surprised by the things that happened to Janelle. I don’t see a lot of that. I have am very good and figuring out what happens next but this one stumped me a couple times.

            Overall, I loved this book. I find all of Holly Hook’s novels to be interesting. She takes these storms and creates different stories. It’s amazing and I can’t wait to read the next one in both of the series.

Cover: 5/5

Writing: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

Overall Score:

Insight by Jamie Magee

Insight (Insight #1) by Jamie Magee

YA Fantasy/Paranormal

Rating: 4 Stars

Before that fateful summer night, Willow had balanced the insight of emotion, and the vivid images. That night, the figure in her nightmare marked her wrist with a star, giving her father no choice but to tell Willow a family secret that would abruptly change life, as she knew it, forever. Before Willow had time to absorb the shock of her father's secret, her soul mate that had shared every stunning dream with her, found her, and darkness captured her closest friends. In order to save them, she must weave through broken myths and the undeniable power of the Zodiac. In the end, Willow discovers that at the moment of our birth we are all given a divine gift.

My Thoughts: There are so many things I liked about this story. Willow’s power is the one I love the most. The fact that she can influence people’s emotions is wonderful enough but the fact she can do it at distance without being around is amazing. I have never heard of anything like it. Originality is the best thing ever. Of course in her case it was more than that. Her family had their secret past that could explain what she was and how she had those powers. I think my favorite part is the relationship between Willow and Landen was very interesting as well. It’s annoying that every story I read now is about how some child finds her soul mate. It is just so unrealistic. While its unrealistic their love is a bit different. The reason their relationship seemed so strong was because in reality they knew each other their entire lives, they had been sharing dreams the entire time. I hate how unrealistic the love in young adult novels is these days. I have not met a teenager yet who was actually in love. Those high school relationships that made it after school as over usually ended in a couple years. Those who say they are desperately in love with someone at that age usually are not.

            Overall, the plot is awesome. I love everything about it. It’s an amazing idea. The writing isn’t perfect especially when it comes to the lovey parts. It’s too gooey for me and not in a good way either. The characters are a bit bland on moments as well. Even with those parts the story is great and I hope to be able to read the next one in the series.

Cover: 5/5

Writing: 3/5

Characters: 4/5

Overall Score:

The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn

The Iron Butterfly (Iron Butterfly #1) by Chanda Hahn

YA Fantasy/Paranormal

Rating: 2 Stars

Imprisoned, starved and left with no memories, Thalia awakens to find at the mercy of an evil cult known as the Septori. Their leader has chosen Thalia as the test subject for a torture device on untold power, designed to change and twist her into something that is neither human nor Denai. Escaping, Thalia finds an unwilling warrior to protect her and an unlikely Denai to befriend her. After finding a home at the Citadel as a servant, Thalia's worst nightmare comes to life and she begins to show signs of power. Scared and unable to control her gifts, she tries to hide her past to fit in among the Denai. But the Septori want their latest test subject back and will stop at nothing to retrieve her; dead or alive.

My Thoughts: There isn’t much I can say about this novel. The synopsis makes it sound pretty interesting but it ended up not being that way. Most of the time that I was reading this I was confused. There was no background presented up front so I spent more time trying to figure out what I was reading than actually enjoying the story. It felt like I was missing something. This will probably be my shortest review ever. I didn’t hate the book but I didn’t enjoy it either. I had to push to finish it and I don’t like having to do that. We want more from our novels and this one just didn’t give enough information to keep me interested.

Cover: 3/5

Writing: 2/5

Characters: 2/5

Overall Score:

Gwen Reaper by Jaz Primo

Gwen Reaper by Jaz Primo

YA Fantasy/Paranormal

Rating: 5 Stars

Sometimes small towns and their secrets are better left alone.Even after moving from the big city to a small town, Scott still has it all. He’s got a starting spot as a defensive safety on his high school football team, good grades, an almost new SUV, and his choice of a host of cute girls to date. Then Gwen catches his eye, and everything gets strange fast. Suddenly, people start doubting his judgment, warning him to stay away from the attractive, yet painfully shy girl with the dark past; a girl nobody likes. But Scott was a stubborn guy who didn’t take no for an answer.Read what happens when things go from strange to worse!Gwen Reaper…a paranormal romance with a dark edge that cuts deep.

My Thoughts: The cover was what originally got me interested in this book and I am seriously glad it did. I am not used to reading novels from a males point of view so it was a bit different but it was not a bad different whatsoever. Scott was a well-developed character that seemed really good at playing football and was a pretty popular guy. Gwen is his complete opposite and that was pretty much what attracted him to her. She was a strange girl who kept to herself but it didn’t take long for her to warm up to Scott. That does not surprise me because Scott is a very impressive character. He has the makings of a snob but isn’t one at all. The plot is also well developed and I think it’s an amazing story. I did see that this novel got an award in 2012 and I believe it was well deserved.

Cover: 5/5

Writing: 4/5

Characters: 5/5

Overall Score:

Grounded by G.P. Ching

Grounded by G.P Ching

YA Science Fiction

Rating: 4 Stars

In the year 2050, a secret government study nicknamed Operation Source Code injects eight volunteers with a retrovirus. The goal? To abate the energy crisis by reprogramming human DNA to power personal electronic devices. The experiment works but with disastrous consequences.

Seventeen years later, Lydia Troyer is far from concerned with the energy crisis. Growing up in the isolated community of Hemlock Hollow, life hasn't changed much since 1698 when her Amish ancestors came to America. She milks her cow by hand, bakes fresh bread every morning, and hopes to be courted by Jeremiah, the boy who's been her best friend since she could walk.

But when Lydia's father has a stroke and is taken to the outside world for medical treatment, Lydia and Jeremiah leave home to visit him. An ordinary light switch thrusts Lydia into a new world where energy is a coveted commodity and her own personal history makes her the most sought-after weapon on the planet.

My Thoughts: This is a strange but awesome novel. The idea seems a bit strange but it honestly seemed to work. In this world Amish seems to be the right way to live while everyone else is so advanced that they don’t even eat real food anymore. Just the though of people drinking milk from a cow or eating an animal was strange to those outside of the Amish community. When Lydia leaves she has her first reaction to electricity and ends up putting her and her friend’s lives in danger. The world that Ching created was amazing and he did a fantastic job showing us exactly how amazing it was.

            Overall, I think that this is an amazing idea and a great novel. It’s not exactly my kind of story but it definitely kept my attention and that is what is important to me.

Cover: 4/5

Writing: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

Overall Score:

Everblue by Brenda Pandos

Everblue (Mer Tales #1) by Brenda Pandos

YA Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

Best friends share everything with each other. Or do they? Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Frances Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Spending time with her best friend Tatiana, dreaming about kissing Tatiana's twin brother Fin, and swimming competitively are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college. But when Tatchi fails to return home after a family emergency, and no one knows where the family has gone, Ash chooses to do something drastic to find them.

Ashlyn is about to discover what she'd thought to be true her whole life, wasn't, and the truth, too fantastical to imagine. Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, secrets that will change Ashlyn's life forever.

My Thoughts: Yay for mermaids! I guess it’s more like merpeople in this case. I love fantasy novels but it’s more of werewolves and vampires so it’s nice to have that change. It was refreshing. I am a twin myself and I believe that they portrayed twins very well. The storyline between Ashlyn and Fin is pretty amazing. Even though they are just teenager they have to make a choice that could change Fin’s life forever and he doesn’t have a long time to choose which. The characters were well developed, that was part of the reason I fell in love with it! I can admit that for this novel it was the cover that grabbed my attention and it didn’t not disappoint me like a few have in the past.

            Overall, this is a fantastic read and I recommend it everyone! I cannot wait to read the next one.

Cover: 5/5

Writing: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

Overall Score:

Golden Blood by Melissa Pearl

Golden Blood (Time Spirit Trilogy #1) by Melissa Pearl

YA Science Fiction

Rating: 3 Stars

Gemma Hart never knows when her father is going to whisk her back in time. Her toes start tingling and she has a few minutes to find a secret haven where she can disintegrate and appear in another time and place. While “across the line,” her training and skills are put to the test as she completes a mission that will change history for the lucky few her father has selected.

Gemma's parents are adamant that secrecy is paramount to her family’s safety. If people knew what they were capable of, they could be "used and abused", as her mother always says. Afraid she might accidentally utter the truth and break the ancient oath of her people, Gemma spends her school days as a loner. Only one thing can throw her sheltered life askew... Harrison Granger.

Harrison never expected to talk to the strange Hart girl, but after a brief encounter he can't stop thinking about her. He begins a campaign to chisel away her icy veneer and is met with unexpected consequences. As he slowly wins this girl over, he enters a surreal world that has him fighting to keep his newfound love and his life.

My Thoughts: This is a very interesting story. I got it for free so I thought I would check it out. I didn’t really regret it but I also didn’t particularly like the entire book. The plot is awesome though. It’s a different way to travel in time and it is very intriguing. The only problem is it wasn’t developed enough in my opinion. The character seemed a bit bland and the main character, Gemma was not relatable. She was odd and good main character but there were times she seemed very boring. The relationship between her and Harrison seemed a bit strange to. It was as if their relationship grew over night. He was definitely not developed enough either.

            Overall, I love the idea and the plot but the writing was not that great. I gave it a four because there were certain parts that fit and worked out. It’s more reflective in the character section. I am tempted to read the next one but I have no idea on when I would.

Cover: 3/5

Writing: 4/5

Characters: 3/5

Overall Score:

Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis

Prince of Wolves (The Grey Wolves #1) by Quinn Loftis

YA Paranormal/Fantasy

Rating: 4 Stars

Jacque Pierce was just an ordinary 17-year-old girl getting ready to start her senior year in high school in Coldspring, Texas. When a mysterious foreign exchange student from Romania moves in across the street, Jacque and her two best friends, Sally and Jen, don't realize the last two weeks of their summer are going to get a lot more interesting.

From the moment Jacque sets eyes on Fane she feels an instant connection, a pull like a moth to a flame. Little does she know that the flame she is drawn to is actually a Canis lupis, werewolf, and she just happens to be his mate; the other half of his soul.

The problem is Fane is not the only wolf in Coldspring, Texas.

Just as Fane and Jacque are getting to know each other, another wolf steps out to try and claim Jacque as his mate. Fane will now have to fight for the right to complete the mating bond, something that is his right by birth but is being denied him by a crazed Alpha. Will the love Fane has for Jacque be enough to give him the strength to defeat his enemy, will Jacque accept that she is Fane's mate and complete the bond between them?

My Thoughts: The reason I love reading different stories about werewolves and vampires is because I love reading how each author changes the game. This particular story was very interesting. Fane moves into town and finds Jacque, his soul mate and they plan to live happily after. They connect on a different level and it’s an amazing love. Then another wolf claims that she was his soul mate and things start falling apart. It’s a great concept and I love how much backstory went into making this novel.

            Overall, I really love how this story goes. There are some very interesting parts and there are some parts that seem to drag the story down a bit. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Cover: 5/5

Writing: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

Overall Score:

Twisted by Holly Hook

Twisted (Deathwind Trilogy Book #1) by Holly Hook

YA Paranormal/Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

Sixteen-year-old Allie isn’t like other girls. Instead of spending her summer break sitting around on the beach, she takes the epic vacation of a lifetime.

Tornado chasing.

And she’s not disappointed. Just a few miles from the town of Evansburg, Nebraska, Allie meets her dream of seeing a tornado. In person. She can’t wait to tell her friends back home. Never mind that her parents are going to kill her.

But her dream soon turns into a nightmare, and a strange event leaves her shocked. Confused. When she returns home to Wisconsin, something’s…different. Allie now bears a curse so awful, it could destroy everyone and everything she’s ever known.

With her best friend, Tommy, Allie must return to the plains to find a way to reverse it. She enters a world that she had never imagined, where she becomes a pawn in a fight to save the people of Evansburg from her fate…or to destroy them

My Thoughts: This is a whole new concept. The fact that people are the cause of natural disasters is such a fantastic idea. Why didn’t anyone think of this sooner? This isn’t the first of Holly Hook’s books that I have read, I also read Tempest and I had the same reaction (review for that one coming soon). Anyway, back to the book. I am a Wisconsinite. I love that the main character is from Wisconsin, there needs to be more of that. I have always had a fascination with tornadoes so it was easy for me to connect with the character although I don’t think I have the guts to go tornado chasing. We have enough tornado warnings here that scare the crap out of me I can’t imagine going after them.

            What kind of story would it be without the best friend who helps you when you need it the most? Tommy is a great character and the backbone for Allie. She has been through so much and Tommy is the reminder of her old life and who she is, just what she needs when she feels more unlike herself than ever. Of course his feelings for her is a bit predictable.

            Her connection with Dorian is very intriguing and I love it. There is something definitely there and it gives us the love triangle. Sort of. They don’t actually say anything about it but I have a feeling its going to grow it something good.

            Overall, I really like this series and I can’t wait to continue it!

Cover: 4/5

Writing: 5/5

Characters: 5/5

Overall Score: