Review: Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington

Series: The Imdalind Series (Book 1)

Electronic: 374 pages

Publisher: Imdalind Press

Genre: Supernatural

Date of Publication: October 31, 2012

Synopsis: 

Joclyn Despain has been marred by a brand on her skin. She doesn't know why the mark appeared on her neck, but she doesn't want anyone to see it, including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won't let the idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.

The scar is the reason she is being hunted.

If only she knew that she was.

If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten feet in the air.

Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart. When Ryland finds her scar; only he knows what it means, and who will kill her because of it.

Review:

I love this book!

I felt the complete range of emotions with Kiss of Fire. I became invested in the characters. I wanted them to succeed. Usually I'm a sucker for the villain, but I wanted this one to just burn and die. There were some great twists and plot devices that I enjoyed. 

The entire time I kept wondering what race the characters belonged to--vampires, witches, ancient gods. I liked how they weren't what I expected. 

This novel is a page turner and will kept me enthralled until the end. I highly recommend it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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Review: Blue Violet by Abigail Owen

Series: The Svatura Series (Book 1)

Paperback: 234 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Genre: Mythology

Date of Publication: September 17, 2012

Synopsis:

Ellie Aubrey is a centuries-old gypsy princess whose extraordinary abilities once inspired her Roma ancestors' fairytales (or nightmares). Along with her twin-brother, Griffin, Ellie has spent most of her life hiding from the Vyusher, a rival tribe who destroyed their entire powerful family. But after a mysterious dream, Ellie risks discovery in order to find and watch over the Jenners, another group of similarly gifted people. She refuses to let them suffer the same fate.

Alex Jenner has come home to protect his family. His adopted mother can sense danger coming, but not who or when. Suspicious of the new girl in town, Alex challenges Ellie in ways that will spark one of two possible outcomes: they'll spontaneously combust, or she'll lose control of the one power she's fought so hard to contain.

When the Vyusher once again threaten everything she holds dear, Ellie will have to face her worst fear, and Alex will have to face an impossible decision. In this fairy tale, the dragon that the prince must slay is also the princess who holds his heart.

Review:

I enjoyed this book. The family reminded me of the Cullens from Twilight. Trust me, that's a good thing.

The characters are warm and inviting. They genuinely care for one another and want to do good. 

Owen developed an interesting mythology that worked well with her plot. I like the protagonist and the antagonist. My only hiccup is that Ellie seems to have too much strength. She is almost all powerful. I like to see a hero struggle. There wasn't enough serious heart-wrenching struggle for me, though there wasn't an absence of it either. Confusing, I know. 

Anyway, I enjoyed it. If you like reinvented mythologies you should check it out.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

 

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Review: Entangled by Nikki Jefford

Series: Spellbound Trilogy (Book 1)

Electronic: 281 pages

Genre: Paranormal

Synopsis:

Two months after dying, seventeen-year-old witch Graylee Perez wakes up in her twin sister Charlene's body. 

Until Gray finds a way back inside her own body, she's stuck being Charlene every twenty-four hours. Her sister has left precise instructions on how Gray should dress and behave. Looking like a prep isn't half as bad as hanging out with Charlene's snotty friends and gropey boyfriend. 

The "normals" of McKinley High might be quick to write her behavior off as post-traumatic stress, but warlock Raj McKenna is the only person who suspects Gray has returned from the dead. 

Now Gray has to solve the mystery of her death and resurrection and disentangle herself from Charlene's body before she disappears for good.

Review:

First off look at that cover. Gorgeous! 

I love this book. It is equal parts chilling, funny, and romantic. One minute you're laughing at the not-so-pleasant surprises the sisters leave each other and the next you're on the edge of your seat with suspense. At first I thought this novel would be full of trite teen drama (and there is a lot of it), but I was proved wrong. 

Raj is by far my favorite character. He is the determined suitor friend who wants to help Gray regain her body. He is definitely the typical charming bad-boy. 

Gray was annoyingly passive-aggressive at first, but she started to grow on me as she made more and more trial thrust at her. She makes some big decisions that takes a great deal of responsibility. 

Charlene is a brat. Make that a psycho brat. 

I enjoyed Jefford's magic lore. These aren't your typical witches and warlocks. I found myself surprised at every turn. There were so many twists that worked to create a seamless story that I felt thoroughly satisfied by the end. Entangled is a fast read--I read it in one sitting. I highly recommend it. 



Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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Review: Rua by Miranda Kavi

Genre: Fantasy | Faeries

Synopsis:

When Celeste starts at a new school in a small, Kansas town, she hears whispering voices has vivid nightmares, and swarms of blackbirds follow her every move. She is oddly drawn to aloof Rylan, the other new student who has his own secrets. The exact moment she turns seventeen, she wakes up to a bedroom full of strange creatures, purple light emanating from her hands, and Rylan breaking in through her bedroom window. He knows what she is.

Review:

I enjoyed this novel. It was not what I was expecting at all. I came across this book while looking for novel that explore the Fae mythology. This is not your typical Sidhe interpretation. But, I kind of liked that. 

Celeste was spunky and smart. She was cautious and strong. She worked to learn how to control her powers so she would be able to defend herself. 

Rylan played the part of the mysterious rogue. He was so sweet to Celeste, yet he was also serious about their situation. He was very intuitive, and I really appreciated that about his character. 

The characters were relatable and the plot flowed smoothly. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rua. 

 

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

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Review: Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Genre: Fairy Tales | Mermaids

Synopsis:

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant--until Celia meets Lo. 

Lo doesn't know who she is, or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea--a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid--all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy names Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection, Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for the Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her...and steal his soul. 

Review:

Jackson Pearce amazed me once again with her unique story-telling. She has such an amazing talent for capturing the essence of fairy tales and making them something new. Fathomless is a retelling of the famous story The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson. I loved the combination of the mermaids and the three sisters, who remind me of the Fates in Greek mythology. 

Normally I don't care for the double perspective, but Jackson made it work. It worked in Sisters Red and it worked in Fathomless. I loved her descriptions of the ocean. She made it so ark and mysterious. Even the mermaids reflected the vast darkness of the deep water. This was not your typical Disney fairy tale. These mermaids are mindless creatures that kill for the hope of stealing a human's soul to become an angel. Once becoming a mermaid these girls lose all touch with their humanity and memories. It is only by returning to the shore that they can begin to regain their past lives. 

Celia was the typical third sister that doesn't feel as if she good enough in comparison to her sisters. She feels out of place and lonely. The narrative between Celia and Lo has multiple layers of complexity that really add dimension to the plot. I especially liked the subtle ties from the previous books. I can really see how the stories are beginning to intertwine. 

My only complaint is that there was almost too much angst. It started from the first page and didn't end. I didn't feel like that angst was fully resolved by the end; however, this is a continuing series so I expect that I will have that in the next installment. 

Overall, Fathomless rose to my expectations. I love this series. Jackson definitely delivered once again.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

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Reviews: Sisters Red | Sweetly