Review - Quantum Drop by Saci Lloyd

Quantum Drop by Saci Lloyd
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Futuristic/Sci-fi(ish) Young Adult
Received for review from publishers

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 276
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books (UK)

Summary: Anthony Griffin is an ordinary kid caught up in a dangerous world. The boundaries between real and virtual are more and more blurred, and when Anthony’s girlfriend is taken out in a gang hit, he has to venture into the underground world of the Drop to flush out her killer and bring him to justice.

Thoughts: Let me just start off that Quantum Drop was exactly what I want in a YA novel. Saci Lloyd doesn't shy away from real-life issues, she doesn't consider the status quo sacred, and she sure as hell isn't afraid of calling out our species for, well, sucking. I love that, because she's so right, but no one ever seems to want to say it. The fact that she not only does, but puts it into a kick-ass book? Brilliant.

But, I have to admit that Quantum Drop is probably not the book for everyone. If you aren't in the mood for a book that needs your brain to be "on" the whole time (which I totally get, by the way), then wait for a while before you pick up Quantum Drop. Otherwise you just won't enjoy it as much.

Now, apart from Saci Lloyd's oh-so-accurate insights into humanity, I also really enjoyed the setting of Quantum Drop. Anyone who has been round the East End will recognize the familiar-yet-futuristic "Debtbelt". Saci Lloyd has kept the verse just post-modern enough to be recognizable - so much so, I barely felt the sci-element of the book. That said, the characters spend a huge part of the novel in a virtual world known as "the drop" (which, if I had to describe it, I'd liken to The Matrix). Super futuristic stuff that, for some reason, felt totally normal.

The characters in Quantum Drop were complete stand-outs. They aren't the middle-class, worried-about-prom lot that we typically see in YA - instead, they have grown up with the odds stacked against them, and they know it. They are swimming against the tide, trying to do what is right while staying afloat. The main character, Anthony, wants justice for his girlfriend, but he also has a legitimate fear for his life and the life of his family. It's easy to just give up - so when many of the characters do, it's also easy to forgive them. This made Anthony's struggles all the more impressive.

Bottom line? Quantum Drop is one of those books that makes you think (about life, the universe and everything) while telling a hell of a tale along the way. Pick it up if you are looking for something different in your YA.

Review - Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6) by Rachel Vincent
Goodreads / Librarything

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 346
Publisher: MIRA (UK) HarlequinTeen (US)

Summary: Spoilers for previous books! Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….

Review: Before I Wake was just an absolute treat. We're six books into the Soul Screamers series now, and I can firmly state that none of the characters we met in the first book are the same - Kaylee most of all.

And thank God for that! Kaylee is one of those characters that has rather frustrated me over the years. She always feels pathologically responsible for the decisions of others - which leads to books and books of guilt, guilt, guilt. It's been frustrating beyond belief.

But her death in If I Die and her break up with Nash have, well, made Kaylee grow up. This is rather sad, in a way. A lot of reviewers have commented on how they felt sorry for Kaylee in this book, that she was so depressed and that it was sad to see her that way. I understand where they are coming from. After all, she died. She can't just "get over" that. But I happen to think that overcoming her death made her grow as a person - even if she's not the same (happier?) girl we met in the first book. Bad things happen and they suck - but that's part of growing up and sometimes people can come out the better because of them.

Gosh, that was maudlin.

Anyhow, I also loved what Vincent did with everyone else in this book. I very nearly felt sorry for Nash in this book (an absolute first for me, devoted anti-Nash fan that I am), and I certainly felt for Sabine (who I've always liked despite her insanity). Both Sabine and Nash have to deal with their own fallout from Kaylee getting together with Tod, not to mention Nash's never-ending addiction problems. I am so glad I am not reading a book from their POV, because that would be epically woeful.

Vincent also went all out plot-wise. The ending of Before I Wake was an absolute shocker and all I could think was, "wow". Love that this series can still surprise - considering all the bombs Vincent has dropped in this series, you'd think we'd see it all coming! But no... she's still got us on tenterhooks.

Best for last: Tod. He remains one of my favourite characters ever and fortunately there is plenty of him in this book! I don't want to give a single thing away, so all I will say is this: every word out of that boy's mouth was a bloody gift.

Bottom line? While not quite as stellar as stellar as If I Die, but up there. I cannot wait for the seventh and final book in this series: With All My Soul.

Review - Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan

Darkness Falls (Immortal Beloved #2) by Cate Tiernan
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Received for review from Hodder & Stoughton

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 392
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (UK) Poppy Books (US)

Summary: Nastasya has lived for hundreds of years, but for some reason it never seems to get any easier. She's left behind her days of debauchery to find peace and forgiveness at River's Edge, a safe haven for wayward immortals. There she's uncovered her family's epic history, reclaimed her magickal powers, and met Reyn, whom she dubs "the Viking god. " Just as she settles into her new life, Nastasya learns that her old friends might be in town....

Reuniting with her gorgeous and dangerous ex-best-friend, Innocencio, Nas wonders if she'll ever be truly free of her dark legacy. Is Incy dangerous, power-hungry, and wicked? Or is he the only one who truly understands Nas's darkness? Either way, Nas is desperate to find out who she really is-even if the answer kills her.

Review: I am really rather surprised by how much I enjoyed Darkness Falls. The first book in the series, Immortal Beloved, was... OK. The overarching plot of the book was a bit of a washout, but I remembered rather enjoying the main character, Nas, who was a tough cookie who had finally managed to check her damaged self into rehab. Her love interest Reyne, on the other hand, I would have paid good money to have killed.

Darkness Falls managed to keep the Nas I had enjoyed in the previous book, while also fixing the things I didn't like! It was rather miraculous. Though I will never be swooning over Reyne, nor will I ever completely understand the draw between him and Nas, I did end this book with a much better understanding of his character. Considering the bounties I'd been putting on his head, that's pretty amazing!

Tiernan added a lot of context to the background stories she introduced in Immortal Beloved and, to my surprise, they actually worked. Reyne was still the "Butcher of Winter" from the first book, but he was also the nice guy who helped out on the farm. Tiernan showed that the two identities could coexist, but cleverly she did it through another character (who I actually liked to start off with).

Also, as if by request, Darkness Falls featured a lot of Nas' former-BFF Incy... who was just fabulous. He certainly lived up to be dark, unhinged party boy Tiernan had described. But like all her characters, he wasn't completely past redemption. While I doubt we will see it in the final book, I really hope that Incy and Nas manage to reconnect at some point in the future. Sure, they were overly codependent for almost a century, but I don't think they were altogether terrible for each other.

But I have to warn you, the book does begin with some of the terrible premises that were in Immortal Beloved. A couple of lines at the start turned my stomach, as Nas practically swooned "you murderer! I want you!". But stick it out. It gets better and less rape-apologetic, I promise.

Bottom line? Darkness Falls has a tough heroine, a murderous villain, a brilliant betrayal, a bunch of unanswered questions... the works. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Review - My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers #3) by Rachel Vincent
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult 

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 378
Publisher: MIRA (UK)

Summary: Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them. Until something does. Demon's breath.

No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked. And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

Thoughts: In my review of My Soul to Save, I said that the Soul Screamers series was becoming rather episodic... well, this book makes me want to retract that statement. While the novel begins like a simple "new adventure" for Kaylee, events quickly take an extremely personal turn. Instead of fighting for the lives of strangers, Kaylee is fighting for those closest to her. This change gave the series a bit more gravitas and made this book my favourite in the series so far.

There is a big twist that takes place in the middle of the book - and unfortunately I found out about it before I read the book. To those of you who have no idea what I am talking about... stay that way until you read the book! Even though I was still somewhat shocked by the big revelation, I think it would have hit a lot harder if I hadn't known about it.

Big twist, you ask? Well, let's just say it is a complete game changer and I love game changers. While I don't like it when authors randomly kill off characters just for the sake of it, I do love it when they introduce something small that escalates naturally into a whole new disaster. And that? That's what Rachel Vincent did in My Soul to Keep. It was masterfully done and gave me a whole new respect for this series. While, sure, it's terrible - the twist completely revitalises the verse.

Now, I can't end this review without talking about some of the characters. I am having trouble understanding Kaylee. She spends most of the book hiding rather important problems from her father and uncle... which considering how dedicated she is to protecting people seems completely illogical. Surely consulting with people with decades of experience would be a good idea? But no. I think part of that might be Vincent's desire to keep parents out of the adventure, but it felt rather forced.

And then there is Nash. Eh. I've never been a Nash fan, mostly because we have never gotten to know him. He's always kept Kaylee at arms-length, while she has always been completely honest with him. My Soul to Keep made me even less of a Nash fan, and now I just want Kaylee to keep away from him. Far far away. I am Team Anyone-but-Nash! This book made me just... gah! Nash is going to have to sit down for a real soul-baring conversation with Kaylee before I let him anywhere near that girl!

Bottom line? My Soul to Keep lifts the Soul Screamers series from "good but not fantastic" to "this is something to write home about".

Review - Matched by Ally Condie

Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Dystopian Young Adult

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 366

Summary: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Thoughts: Matched is one of those books suffering from so-much-hype-I-don't-want-to-read-it syndrome. Every blogger out there has raved about the book, and as a result it took me a year to pick it up. Call it reverse psychology or whatever. But with the release of the sequel Crossed coming up, I knew I had to give Matched a shot. And - surprisingly - it lived up to the hype!

At its core, Matched is a romance novel. But like all good romantic stories, it is about so much more than just the romance. Its main message is an age-old one: Do not go gentle into that good night. The protagonist, Cassia, goes from being a girl who embraces the status quo to being a girl who refuses to give in. It is quite a dramatic change and the cause of the change is not just her newfound romance. There is a loss in her family, she has the things most precious to her taken away, and there are threats made against her two lovely parents. And, above all, there is the poetry. The beautiful, illegal poetry that tell her to not go gentle. It's a message that resounded with me, and I think will certainly speak to teens.

Moving on to the characters - I can wholeheartedly say that I enjoyed them all. Both love interests were fantastic (a real coup for a teen novel). They were gentle, kind, and smart - they didn't necessarily make you swoon, but they did fill me with the overwhelming urge to keep them safe. Safe, you ask? Well, while Matched is a very sedate dystopian novel (there aren't people running about with guns and cattle prods), there is a danger present in the book that was just a scary as actual violence. The Society expressed their power subtly, by reducing your food portions or cutting down your trees. It wasn't overt but it was constant. The effect was extremely unnerving.

I also enjoyed the integral role Cassia's family played in the novel. Her parents were wonderful, supportive people, and her relationship with them was one of the healthiest I have ever seen in a YA novel. It was refreshing to read - especially since most teenagers actually do have good relationships with their parents!

My only complaint would be Cassia. While I didn't dislike her, I found her to be rather bland. Every other character I felt something for, but Cassia felt like a blank slate for the reader to place themselves into the novel. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it kept me from truly connecting with the novel. Shame.

Bottom line? Matched was an extremely enjoyable dystopian novel. It's the perfect book for people who wanted more romance in their The Hunger Games!

Review - Sea Change by Aimee Friedman

Sea Change by Aimee Friedman
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 292

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science... and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship. . .and reality.

Is Leo hiding something? Or is he something that she never could have imagined?

Thoughts: Oh my, this book was so very very lovely. I realised the other day that I hadn't reviewed it and - even though I read it months ago - I knew I had to post something about it. Because, like many standalone novels, I feel like Sea Change doesn't quite get the press it ought to!

Let's start off with the main character, Miranda, who I absolutely adored. She had a thirst for logical answers that I could completely relate to. And, on occasion, she wanted something completely out-of-the-box illogical... which I could also relate to! She is a scientist with an artistic heart. Unlike a lot of YA novels, Miranda's mother plays a key role in this novel, and in Miranda's overall development. While Miranda had a lovely but realistic relationship with her mother before the book - over the course of the novel, her mother begins to act most peculiarly. She begins to seem rather foreign to Miranda... and it is scary, having someone you love seem different. I loved how their whole plot line developed - realistic but beautiful.

While Sea Change is a paranormal novel with real romantic elements in it, it is a coming of age novel above all. That isn't something that usually makes me pick up a book, but in Sea Change it was perfect. While there is a slight paranormal mystery, uncovering the answers to the island is not the most important part of the book. Miranda needed to find the answers to herself (does that sound deep, or what?). And when she does, the book ends.

And, oh, what an ending! I love books that leave you wondering; books that leave you hopeful yet still thinking. Aimee Friedman doesn't answer all the book's questions - and trust me when I say that you will love her for that.

Bottom line? Sea Change is a beautiful, mystical, romantic YA novel that I can easily recommend. Get a copy!

Review - Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine

Heat Stroke (Weather Warden #2) by Rachel Caine
Librarything / Goodreads 

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars

Review is spoiler-free - the summary is not!

Summary: Accused of murder, Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin was chased across the country—and killed—by a team charged with hunting down rogue Wardens. Five days later, Joanne had a lovely funeral and was posthumously cleared of all charges. Her human life was over, but she had been reborn in Djinnhood. Now, until she masters her enhanced powers, Joanne must try to avoid being "claimed" by a human. But when a hazard that only a Djinn could sense infiltrates Earth's atmosphere, Joanne must somehow convince someone to do something about it—or the forecast will be deadly. So who said being all-powerful was going to be easy?

Thoughts: When I started Heat Stroke, it had been over a year since I read Ill Wind, the first book in Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series. And while I had geniunely enjoyed Ill Wind, and I could remember as much, I couldn't remember anything that had happened in it. I vaguely recalled the ending, I remembered the main character had a thing for fast cars, and... that was it.

So, needless to say, this book started off a bit rough. There were a lot of characters dealing with the emotional fall-out of the last book – and that really meant nothing at all to me. But soon enough, Caine ramped up the action and I no longer had to worry about what I didn't remember. There were are new problems to worry about!

Heat Stroke reminded me of what I adored about the first 6 books of the Morganville Vampire Series: the out-of-nowhere twists and turns. Rachel Caine is not an author to stick with the status quo. She'll set you up in one direction and then – BAM – she'll move you into another. Heat Stroke was filled with twists and turns – all of them utterly realistic.

UK Cover

And now that I write that, I realise that that is exactly it. I've read 10+ Caine books and now I've finally worked out why she is such a joy to read! It's not just that she puts in great twists into her books, it's that the twists feel completely natural. A lot of excellent fantasy novelists put in mind-blowing twists into their books (Rachel Vincent and Richelle Mead, I'm looking at the two of you), but they always feel like twists. Your reaction to them will always be “Wow, I can't believe [author] did that!”. But with Caine, you don't even feel it. She creates characters and universes so complete within themselves that they can drive the show all on their own. It's fantastic.

I can officially say that Heat Stroke took me from just being a Rachel Caine fan to being a Weather Warden fan. Apparently, Rachel Caine can write a main character in love with more than one leading man without turning the novel into a migraine inducing disaster. She can writes 3D villains who you can both pity and wish dead. She's also one of the few authors I've read who “abuses” her male characters just as much as her female ones. In short, she's fab - there is a reason she has so many fans!

Bottom line? Read the Weather Warden series! It is extremely enjoyable, highly realistic, kick-ass urban fantasy filled with fast cars and physics.

Review - The Glass Demon by Helen Grant

The Glass Demon by Helen Grant

Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 416

Summary: The first death: Seventeen-year-old Lin Fox finds a body in an orchard. As she backs away in horror, she steps on broken glass.

The second death: Then blood appears on her doorstep – blood, and broken glass.

The third death: Something terrible is found in the cemetery. Shards of broken glass lie by a grave.

Who will be next? As the attacks become more sinister, Lin doesn’t know who to trust. She’s getting closer to the truth behind these chilling discoveries, but with each move the danger deepens. Because someone wants Lin gone – and won’t give up until he’s got rid of her and her family. Forever.

Thoughts: Helen Grant is one of the few YA authors to have gotten her novels reviewed by the mainstream newspapers - The Guardian, The Times, etc. have given her glowing reviews you'll find spotted across the back cover of her books. This unusual sight made me pick up The Glass Demon, and I am pleased to report that the blurbs were right. Helen Grant is pretty fantastic.

Grant took a risk when writing The Glass Demon - even though the novel is narrated by an English girl, it is set in Germany and the majority of the dialogue is in German. (That is, fake!German that we read as English.) Jumping between languages, and all the complications that arise because of it, is part of everyday life for Lin. As someone who grew up bilingual, I adored finally reading a novel in which the protagonist had two languages to choose from. It's unusual in YA fiction - hell, it's unusual in adult fiction too!

US Cover

Then there's atmosphere - something The Glass Demon had in spades. It is set in a small, creepy town in the backwoods of Germany - complete with gothic ruins and forests that the Brothers Grimm grew up in. To that Grant added a series of terrifying deaths and a demonic legend, all written in a light, suspenseful style... the book is scary yet utterly captivating.

As for Lin? Well, she's actually rather ruthless. I simultaneously loathed her and loved her as she made both brilliant and incredibly stupid decisions.  In short, this girl was as realistic as they come - she didn't fall head-over-heels for the "love interest", she had wildly inappropriate thoughts about priests, and had a family that took the fun out of dysfunctional.

And then there's the ending... which just made the book for me. It left room for interpretation while leaving no room for a sequel. In short? Fan-bloody-tastic.

Bottom line? The Glass Demon is a spooky, atmospheric, captivating read - if you are looking for an excellent standalone YA novel, look no further.

Review - Pride by Rachel Vincent

Pride (Werecats #3) by Rachel Vincent
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 432

Summary: I'm on trial for my life. Falsely accused of infecting my human ex-boyfriend—and killing him to cover up the crime. Infecting a human is one of three capital offenses recognized by the Pride—along with murder and disclosure of our existence to a human.

I'm two for three. A goner.

Now we've discovered a rogue stray terrorizing the mountainside, hunting a wild teenage tabbycat. It's up to us to find and stop him before a human discovers us. With my lover Marc's help, I think I can protect the vulnerable girl from both the ambitious rogue and the scheming of the territorial council.

If I survive my own trial…

Thoughts: I am SO friggin' glad I stuck with this series! Because Faythe? The character who I have consistently used as the poster girl for "everything I hate in a narrator"?  The character whose name I'd use as a synonym for "OMG she needs to die"?

Well, I kinda like her now.

People have been telling me for years (literally - I realised I started this series back in 2009) that Faythe gets better and grows up with every book.  And they're right - she does grow up.  She's not yet at the point where I actually would spend more than a half-a-minute with her, but she's getting there.  Because all the things I hated about her - her rudeness, her temper, her impulsiveness, her insistance that it is her-way-or-the-highway - they are becoming the things I love about her. Why?  Because Kaci - the tabbycat in the summary - needs these qualities in Faythe in order to keep her protected.  Turns out Faythe can be totally awesome while she's protecting someone...

Moving on.  The plot is as tight as always.  Even though there is a tonne of werecat-political intrigue, there is also a whole bunch of action.  All the bloods-and-guts scenes that I felt were missing from Rogue are back in full force.  Not to mention Vincent gives us not-one-but-two excellent villains to hate.  It's fantastic...

And then there's the wonderful-as-always Marc.  He's such a cat in some ways - violent and temperamental - but he's also so bloody noble that I just want to squeeze him to death.  Love this guy!  Ooh, I also adored Elias Keller, the were-bear introduced within the first few chapters.  I was intrigued to find out the verse had more were-species, and that Keller turned out be a welcome voice of reason among the pride of kitties made me even happier.

Bottom line?  Pride made me a believer in this series.  If you gave up on Faythe during Stray, well, you should stick it out.  She may be frustrating, but the series is well worth the effort.

Summer Shorts - Kelley Armstrong!

If only every beach had a library...

Welcome to Summer Shorts, a summer feature of short story/novella reviews, posted every Saturday of July and August, 2011. I am going to try to have a different theme every week - be it featuring a specific anthology, a particular genre, or a great author.

 Last week I reviewed a few tales from the Mammoth Book of PNR, and this week I'll be reviewing some YA stories by one of my favourite authors... Kelley Armstrong!

The following stories are all available online (free!) and are set in Kelley's Otherworld/Darkest Powers verse.  If you haven't read her Darkest Powers series yet, a) run out and buy it b) these might not be quite as meaningful to you.

Kat by Kelley Armstrong

(Read it here! Set in the Darkest Powers verse, following the story of another Edison Group subject.) 

Thoughts: Kat is the story of another Edison group experiment, Katiana, and one of her (many) encounters with Edison group minions. I really liked Kat - she reminded me of Maya from The Gathering, and for a while in the story I actually thought she might be her long lost sister. She's tough and could no doubt kick my ass. She won't back away from a fight and, if the circumstances require it, she'll run straight into one. The story is only 20 pages long, but I would have been happy to have read an entire book in her POV.

As for the style of the story - well, it felt like it was straight out of the Darkest Powers novels. Lots and lots of action, a whole bunch of running-for-their-lives, and the occasional bit of snappy dialogue. While I can't say that I was blown away by it all, I certainly did enjoy the tale. I'm hoping Kat is a lead-up to a fuller story or, perhaps, her inclusion into some of Kelley's other YA novels.

Favourite Quote:

As I strode into the alley, the driver leapt out, raising his gun.
“I come in peace,” I said, lifting my fingers in a V.
He paused, half out of the van, his broad face screwing up in confusion.
I raised my hands. “See? No pistol. No switchblade. Not even a ray gun.”

Bottom line? Kat is an action-packed tale with the same feel as Kelley's Darkest Powers series.  But even if you haven't read her trilogy, you'll enjoy it!

Divided by Kelley Armstrong

(Read it here! Darkest Powers Story set between The Summoning and The Awakening.)

Thoughts: Spoilers for the DP trilogy! Divided follows Derek and Simon after they are separated from Chloe at the end of The Summoning.  Divided is the second short story I've read from Derek's POV (Dangerous, I read and loved last year), and I can now officially say that he is the best narrator ever. Love this guy.

While - of course - it was fantastic to revisit my beloved DP characters, Divided did more than just that.  It added to the canon of the trilogy.  Kelley gives us more details about Chloe's mother's death (that was a real shocker), some insight into how Derek started to take more notice of Chloe, and how he felt about "using" her to get Simon to go on the run; and even some insight into how much Simon was honest-to-God pining after Chloe (see the quote, friggin' adorable and yet so sad).

Favourite Quote:

"I do. I mean sure, I've liked a lot of girls and you probably think this is just the same thing. But it's not. I like being with her. Hanging out with her. Talking to her. Getting to know her. Not that I didn't want to get to know the other girls, but I really want to this time. I'm not just asking questions to make conversation. She's different and she's interesting, and she doesn't know she is and that's . . ." He glanced back at me. "I'm glad you two seem to get along." He grinned. "A nice change."

Bottom line? If you love the Darkest Powers trilogy, you'll love Divided. It's a story I hadn't even known I'd wanted, and I am so glad it's been told.

FYI - If you're looking for some more great Darkest Powers stories, Kelley had completed three that are available here.  She's currently in the middle of another story set post-The Reckoning, which you can follow on the Darkest Powers blog.  Oh, and apparently the Enthralled anthology (edited by Melissa Marr) coming out in September is also going to be post-The Reckoning, set 2-3 weeks after the end of the book and told from Chloe's POV.  Needless to say that that news got the book onto my wishlist!

Next week... Zombies vs. Unicorns!

Review - Exile by Rebecca Lim

Exile (Mercy #2) by Rebecca Lim
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult (Angels!)

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 304

Summary: Mercy is an angel with a shattered memory, exiled from heaven for a crime she can’t remember committing.  So when she ‘wakes’ inside the body and life of eighteen-year-old Lela Neill, Mercy has only limited recall of her past life. Her strongest memories are of Ryan, the mortal boy who’d begun to fall for her – and she for him.

Mercy soon discovers that circumstances have forced Lela into waitressing at the Green Lantern, a busy city café frequented by suits, cab drivers, strippers, backpackers and the homeless, while caring for her terminally ill mother.

Just as Mercy is adjusting to Lela’s life, her beloved, Luc, reappears in her dreams, and she begins to glimpse her true nature and true feelings for Ryan. What she does not know is that her attempts to contact Ryan may have explosive consequences for everyone around her.  Meanwhile, ‘the Eight’ — the angelic beings responsible for her banishment — remain determined to keep Mercy and Luc apart, forever...

Thoughts: Wow, this book was just... lovely.  Just as ethereal and otherworldly as the first book in the series, Mercy, albeit not quite on the same epic scale.  But even still, it was fantastic.  Beautiful and just... lovely.

OK, specifics.  Our amnesiac heroine, Mercy, is as tough as ever.  This is an angel who may not have any idea who she is, but that hasn't made her weak.  She's fearless and strong - she can do anything, except, well, escape her body.  She's a protector, not the protectee.  Mercy is one of my very favourite YA heroines and she deserves more fans!

While I can still call her an amnesiac, she actually grows a lot more aware of her powers, her history, and her relationships with Luc and Ryan.  She becomes more "awake", looking at her situation without the love-spectacles forced on her by Luc.  Suddenly things she had never been capable of thinking about - the circumstances that led to her being trapped in mortal bodies, the reasons why Luc actually wants to find her, and her growing feelings for Ryan - become all she can think about.

And while we are only the subject... Ryan.  I am so glad Rebecca Lim brought him back for Exile!  I fell for him as slowly as Mercy did - it took me up until the last page of Mercy to really start to feel for him.  But by the time Exile came around, he was the highlight.  This is a guy that fell in love with a body-snatcher while she was wearing the body of an underdeveloped, acne-ridden teen.  In other words, he's a diamond in the friggin' rough.

Bottom line? You have to read this series.  If you've been let down by other Angel YA, this will restore your faith... literally.

Review - Brother/Sister by Sean Olin

Brother/Sister by Sean Olin
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Young Adult Thriller
Received for review from Puffin

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 256

Summary: Will and Asheley have a troubled past. Their father left them when they were little, and their mother has just been carted off to an alcohol treatment center. Now, they have the house to themselves, and an endless California summer stretching out before them. Through alternating perspectives, they tell the story of how and why their lives spun violently out of control - right up to the impossibly shocking conclusion you'll have to read for yourself to believe.

Thoughts: I really really enjoyed this book.  I mean, really enjoyed it.  Or maybe I loved it.  Now that I think about it, I think I did kind of love it. Loved it like you love your best friend even after they've killed their father...

Where was I?  Oh yes, Brother/Sister.

This book is dark - very dark.  It has the magical trio that would make it great source material for an HBO show: great characters, bloody deaths and incest (albeit, there's not that much incest).  The novel jumps between two main characters, siblings Will and Asheley, as they recount their story to the police.  Even though they were telling the same story, the differences between their accounts were fantastic.  You know how they say no two people see the same thing?  Well, that is exactly what Brother/Sister plays on.  I was never sure which of them was the stable one...

Neither of the siblings have had any stability outside each other.  Their father abandoned them, their mother is a violent alcoholic, and their school mates are all self-centred, abusive and petty children.  That this turned Will and Asheley into less-than-stable individuals is not surprising.  That I liked them and rooted for them anyways, well, that was rather surprising.

But while the characters and their ultra-realistic world were excellent, it was the mystery and suspense kept me reading.  I thought I knew where the book was going, but half way through Olin took it to a whole new level.  Most novels have 1 twist, Brother/Sister must have had 50.  Hell, there were twists within the twists.

And the ending... just, wow.  The ending made this book for me.  Just when I thought things were winding down, BAM.  Olin brings in yet another plot twist out of left field.

Bottom line?  Brother/Sister is unexpected.  Unexpectedly good, thrilling, disturbing... just unexpected.  Read it if you're starting to tire of the cookie-cutter YA that has been clogging the shelves.

Regarding release dates: This book is currently out in hardback in the US, but UK readers will have to wait until August 4th to get their paperback copy.

Review - Night Life by Caitlin Kittredge

Night Life (Nocturne City #1) by Caitlin Kittredge
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 352

Summary: Nocturne City could be any big city in the US. Poor areas, rampant drugs and violent crime, witches, demons and were creatures. Homicide detective Luna Wilder is investigating the death of a drug addict and comes across a drug that is more a spell than a chemical. A drug that leads her to the centre of a vicious war being fought between witches, a war that threatens to unleash hell on Nocturne City. Backed by a gritty take on crime and a vivid look inside a police department leading a fight against crime out of our worst nightmares the nocturne city novels bring crime to Dark Fantasy.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the protagonist, Luna, with her impulsive, kick-ass ways; the universe with its out-but-not-accepted!supernaturals; the bloody, complicated magic that actually made sense; and, of course, the love interest Dmitri, who was such a bad catch, it's ridiculous.

And yet, there are a number of reasons why I shouldn't have enjoyed Night Life. For starters, a lot of Luna's erratic, stupidly fearless behaviour was blamed on her being a were. Same went for her love interest Dmitri. One minute they are getting on just fine, the next they have nearly come to blows, and then they are jumping each other's bones. Unbelievable would be putting it lightly... or so one would think. It worked in Night Life - and so did a number of other things you'd think would have me rolling my eyes. For example, the book centres around an open-and-shut criminal case. I don't tend to like my Urban Fantasy overlapping too heavily with a criminal procedure novel - mostly because I think it illogical to have a character chose to risk their life (and the lives of their loved ones) for a stranger. And yet Night Life, for all its criminal fantasy elements, made it work.

I was also surprised by how much I liked Luna. Although she was erratic and had no sense of self-preservation, she was an enjoyable narrator that I could completely root for. Luna's fierce pursuit for justice, as well as her troubled past (which involves attempted rape and an evil grandmother), made her all the more admirable. And then there was love interest Dmitri... actually, I'm not sure I should call him a love interest. The guy is Bad. News. He has an extremely sordid criminal record and really should be everything I hate. And yet, he proves himself worth his weight more than once... and, well, everyone loves a proper bad boy now and again. Especially when partnered with a heroine who can more than take care of herself.

The only character I was less than fond of was Luna's cousin - and supposedly her best friend - Sunny. God, did I ever want to show her off a cliff. How could this woman profess to care for Luna whilst defending the man that attacked her and the woman that had kicked her out of her home? *makes stabbing gestures*

Bottom line? Night Life was a welcome respite from the mundane UF I've been reading lately. If you want a bit of a rough-and-tumble in your next fantasy, pick this up!

Review - Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) by Richelle Mead
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 493

Summary: How far will Rose go to keep her promise?

The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir’s Academy was the deadliest ever in the school’s history, claiming the lives of Moroi students, teachers, and guardians alike. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them. . . including Dimitri.

He’d rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa—the one she has sworn to protect no matter what—and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most?

Thoughts: Richelle Mead is one of those authors that makes you desperate for a conclusion. So, I'll just come out and admit it... I read spoilers for Blood Promise before I'd even read Shadow Kissed (which, FYI, broke my heart into so many ickle pieces, I couldn't deal enough to write a review). I knew what was going to happen before I picked up both books - and I have a pretty clear idea about the last two books in the series as well. I just had to know. Emotionally, I just wouldn't have made it through this series without some warning of what was ahead.

So, despite having a pretty fair idea what would happen in this book, it still blew me away. I wondered how far Mead could take vigilante!Rose. I mean, the book is over 400 pages long and there's only so much angst a girl can handle. But as Rose makes her way through Russia, Mead takes the opportunity to introduce some fabulous new characters: including Sydney, who will be the star of the spin-off series.

Along with the painful Dimitri/Rose action - which kept a lump in my throat the whole time - there are about a dozen new plot lines that pop up in Blood Promise. For one thing, we got a look at a very different Moroi/Dhamphir society - the one Dimitri was raised in, and boy does that ever explain him. We also got a whole new insight into the twisted world of Strigolis, and introduced to a whole new branch of supernatural none of us had even known about. I adored all the new intrigue. When it really comes down to it, the Vampire Academy is all plot plot plot and it's fantastic.

On top of that, Rose went through some extraordinarily terrifying things in this book. Seriously, there's death and torture and blood and prostitutes. It's not stuff for weaklings, and even knowing how everything could turn out did not comfort me! Rose proved to be stronger than I think humanly possible. I couldn't help but be proud of this girl for keeping herself together, both physically and mentally.

On the less-positive side... I still don't see what Rose sees in Lissa. I find her rather bland and continue to only be interested in her because of her friendship with our leading lady. I also don't get the fuss over Adrian. He seems a perfectly all right guy, but that's it. I guess he's a great rebound... but I found his woe-is-me business is extremely unattractive.

Bottom line?  I loved this book for its angsty, plotty goodness.  In case you haven't heard, the Vampire Academy series is a Must. Read.

Review - Soulless by Gail Carriger

Soulless (Soulless #1) by Gail Carriger
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Steampunk/Urban Fantasy

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 256

Summary: Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Soulless is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

Thoughts: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of no soul must be in want of a werewolf.

I've read dozens of great reviews for Soulless - they're not hard to find. Rapturous, joyful reviews about a book about proudly claims to be about "Vampires, Werewolves and Parasols". And yet I never picked it up - nor did I want to. Something about the premise - a girl with no soul, a Scottish werewolf, and steampunk Victorian London - just put me off. I recognise that most people would have exactly the opposite response, but not me. It wasn't until I saw Jenny's (Wondrous Reads) ludicrously positive review that I considered changing my mind. If Carriger could convince this hardcore YA fan of her awesomeness, she must be pretty damn talented.

She is - this book was fabulous! Soulless is the steampunk, urban fantasy version of a Jane Austen novel - the literary equivalent of a cotton-candy crumpet - Lord of Scoundrels pimped out with vampires. Loved. It.

It took me a little while to get used to Carriger's tongue-in-cheek yet formal style, but once I did, I absolutely adored it. Both her writing and her plot made me giggle like a mad woman, she's witty but with a slight edge. I made not of quite a few lines that stood out for me, here are some of my favourites:

"How ghastly for her," said Alexia, driven beyond endurance into comment. "People actually thinking, with their brains, and right next door. Oh, the travesty of it all." - p.27

'Highland werewolves had a reputation for doing atrocious and highly unwarranted things, like wearing smoking jackets to the dinner table. Lyall shivered at the delicious horror of the very idea.' - p.108

'Cats were not, in her experience, an animal with much soul. Prosaic, practical little creatures as a general rule. It would suit her very well to be thought catlike.' - p. 130

Soulless is one of those rare books that consumes you. You try to set it down for the night, but you just can't. It had fantastic world building, a unique take on the whole vampire/werewolf business, and some characters to die for. Lord Maccoon was utterly swoon-worthy and his snarky interactions with Alexia were just fabulous. He's a perfectly reasonable werewolf who turns rather intolerable when dealing with Alexia's rather infuriating disposition. Alexia, as you might have gathered, is extremely independent yet very proper. Always up to date with the latest science and fashion news - she's a lady with a brain who shall hit you over the head with a parasol if you get cheeky.

But, most of all, I loved Macoon's Beta Lyall. Despite seeming rather aloof, he always had his eye on the ball. He's the exasperated aunt who manages to guide you through life by the nose without offending your ego. I'd say "I completely agree, that's a lovely idea... but perhaps..." is Lyall's most commonly used phrase. It worked like a charm on every character - myself included.

However, there were a few things I rather disliked. For one, at times the novel seemed a bit too much like a romance. It was almost as if it couldn't decide what it was, so settled somewhere half-way between full-out romance and full-out fantasy. Basically, this amounted to crude references instead of full-frontal scenes. It just completely threw me off and was rather inappropriate. I am in no ways a prude but the "sexy" references just weren't meant for this book.

I also took issue with the depiction of scientists in this novel. On the one hand, Alexia is a huge fan of the sciences and the new-fangled technology it produces. Yet, the average "scientist" is presented as a logical-and-intelligent madman. My problem with this? A) Somewhat offensive - you never see evil gardeners killing in search of the greatest pesticide. B) Very cliche. I've seen, read, and sat next to these villains on the bus. It was an exciting concept when Mary Shelley wrote it, but it got old fast.

Even still, Soulless was a fab read that I devoured in just over a day.

Bottom line? If you're looking for a twist on your paranormal, look no further. Soulless has unforgettable character and will make even the most devoted coffee-lover brew a cup of tea.

Review - Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells

Green-Eyed Demon (Sabina Kane #3) by Jaye Wells
Bookdepository / Amazon UK / Amazon US
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Received for review from Netgalley

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 400

Summary: The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. She has to save her sister from her mysterious captors. And in order to do that, she has to broker a deal between the mages and the vampires before all hell breaks loose.

But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won’t be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about, she’s got to save herself from the ghosts of her past. Because the past is haunting her. Literally.

Thoughts: It's no secret that I am a fan of Jaye Wells - a big fan. This woman can make me laugh and cry and squee in delight, I love her. Green-Eyed Demon was fantabulous: lots of snarky dialogue by characters that I have grown to adore. It was not quite as strong as the first two books in the series, but I blame that on the fact that I read it on my computer... and I never love things I read on a computer. It's my reading equivalent of watching a film on a plane - distracting and unpleasant. So that I loved it as much as I did? Pretty impressive.

Sabina is still as kick-ass as ever, although she has really grown since the first time we met her. Her first instinct is to killkillkill, but she is gradually starting to get that under control. She also takes quite a few "grown-up" decisions regarding her relationship with Adam. I am so proud of this chick for getting her act together while still remaining true to herself. However, there were a few times when I felt like the development was a bit too explicit: Sabina would compare "Old Sabina" to "New Sabina" and my eyes would glaze over in boredom. *sigh*

But Wells takes strides developing Adam and Maisie. They seemed to have it all in the first two books, but the events of Green-Eyed Demon will spark a profound change both of them. I can't wait to see what Wells does with them in the next book, Silver-Tongued Devil. I am so glad that her series was extended another two books and can't wait to see what she has in store for us!

I also adored the New Orleans setting in this book - drag queens, voodoo . I adore New Orleans - y'all probably don't know, but I was born in the city and a bit of me never left. Jaye Wells just gets the deep south in a way that I didn't think a non-Southerner could (sorry Ms. Wells, but Texas doesn't quite count). If you love the Sookie Stackhouse books and you will love this installment of the Sabina Kane series.

Above all, it's the humour which makes this series stand out. Jaye Wells is as snarky and flat-out hysterical as she's ever been - mocking Twilight, making some kick-ass Star Trek references, giving a brief glimpse at a funny-yet-crazy-disturbing orgy, and giving demon!cat! Giguhl some lines that you will want to draw hearts over.

Bottom line? Sakina Kane still kicks some serious ass. Wells' frank, tell-it-like-it-is style will have you chomping at the bits for more.

Review - Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Bookdepository / Amazon UK / Amazon US
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Dystopia Young Adult
Received for review from Hodder & Stoughton

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 441

Summary: Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Thoughts: I read a number of reviews for Delirium before writing mine, and was surprised by the diverse reaction. There are a ton of glowing reviews out there, a few "I don't get the fuss" reviews, and a some "this is just a bad book" reviews. And each and every review I've read - across the spectrum - I have agreed with. There are some themes are raised by the book that some people hated and others loved - it's just a matter of taste. You know when you really enjoyed a book when the negative reviews don't change your mind.

While I really enjoyed the plot and the characters and all of the over-arching themes explored in Delirium - it is Lauren's writing that makes this book a keeper.  Lauren just has such a soft, elegant style to her writing. She molds and shapes her words and sentences with stellar technique. The way she writes reminds me of Maggie Stiefvater: she writes lyrical books that make you want to draw hearts around paragraphs while you're reading.  Lauren understands love - not just romantic love, but family love - and her descriptions of the emotion are simply stunning.  This book made me re-examine the relationship I was in at the time, reminding me to appreciate love - and the delirium that accompanies it.

Even though I wasn't over-the-moon-in-love with all of the characters, I enjoyed their part in the story.  I went in expecting to read a straightforward forbidden romance, but what I ended up with was, well, something else altogether.  Delirium was romantic, but it was also so much more than that.  It was a book about the bonds we share with family, friends and even our pets.  Stunning stuff. Not to mention, it has a few pretty fantastic twists that I never saw coming.

Bottom line?  Go out and get yourselves a copy right now - especially if you are a fan of Linger or Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.  Delirium is a lovely, elegant novel that I'd recommend to even the most hesitant of readers.  And don't be put off by the doom-and-gloom you're rightly expecting - it's totally worth it.

Rachel Vincent Interview + Review of My Soul to Take

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
Bookdepository / Amazon UK / Amazon US
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 368

Summary: Something is wrong with Kaylee Cavanaugh.

She doesn't see dead people, but...

She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next...

Thoughts: I really enjoyed My Soul to Take.  It had characters that I genuinely liked, a universe that I adored, and a focus on family that I found very realistic.

In fact, the entire book I found extremely realistic.  For example, there was a great scene where Kaylee decides to Google her supernatural powers and comes to the conclusion that she has a brain tumour.  How fantastic is that?  I mean, honestly, that is the most logical answer.  The idea that she would immediately assume she had inhuman abilities is just silly! As soon as I read that, I knew Kaylee and I were going to get on just fine.

You see, I'd read two of Rachel Vincent's werecat series (Stray and Rogue) and while I had liked her writing style, I really disliked the main character.  It made me apprehensive about starting My Soul to Take, as I was afraid I'd just be in for some more of the same.  But I'd needn't have worried, because Kaylee is fantastic.  She stands up for what she believes in, but not to the point where she is making too-stupid-to-live decisions. My Soul to Take proved to me that Vincent can write a main character that I could enjoy - it has made me hopeful for the rest of the werecat series too!

While I liked Kaylee's boyfriend Nash, I was most intrigued by Tod the teenage grim reaper.  Now really, just the phrase "teenage grim reaper" should be enough to get you into this series.  I am hoping to see more of him (and Kaylee's BFF Emma) in the rest of the books.

Bottom Line:  An original take on (what has become) the standard paranormal YA action/romance.  Great writing, a unique universe and fantastic characters make this book a must for YA readers.

❤ ❤ ❤

Interview with Rachel Vincent


Rachel was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about the Soul Screamers series and her upcoming literary plans.  Here's what she had to say:

Q. First of all, I am very excited to have your YA series released in the UK. What do you think of the UK jacket covers?

I love them! I think the UK covers are gorgeous, and I love that they capture a different aspect of the books than the US covers do. Both fit the series, but in different ways. ;)

Q. Any chance of a tour in the UK?

Oh, that depends entirely on my publisher. I’ll go wherever they want me to, but to my knowledge, there’s currently no plans for me to go overseas. Travel is expensive...

Q. A lot of Urban Fantasy authors have crossed over into the YA market - with great success. What do you think of this trend, and what inspired you to write a novel aimed at young adults?

I think any trend putting good books into the hands of teens who might not otherwise be reading is a good trend. As for why I’m writing YA, I write it because I like to read it. I love being taken back to a more fantastic, exciting version of my own youth.

Q. Could you introduce the Soul Screamers series to UK readers, new to the books?

The Soul Screamers books are about a sixteen year old high school junior who discovers that she’s a bean sidhe (banshee) who knows when someone near her is going to die. Along with her boyfriend, Nash, Tod the rookie reaper, and a growing and assorted cast of friends/family, she saves lives, returns souls, and battles evil hellions bent on owning her, body and soul. Also, there’s kissing. Lots of kissing. ;)

Q. With your werecat series at an end, will your be Young Adult series become your main focus or do you have something else in the works?

I have a new adult series debuting in the fall in the US, and I’ll be splitting my focus between them for as long as I’m fortunate enough to have both on my plate.

Q. What were your favourite reads as a teen? What YA reads have you recently enjoyed?

Oddly enough, as a teen, I read adult books. I was a huge fan of Stephen King, Robert R. McCammon, and Patricia Cornwell. Now, I read adult urban fantasy and YA paranormal and contemporaries. Recently I loved Matched by Ally Condie and Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers. Both are well-worth importing, if they aren’t shelved in the UK.

Thanks Rachel!

Review - Mercy by Rebecca Lim

Mercy (Mercy Book #1) by Rebecca Lim
Bookdepository / Amazon UK / Amazon US
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Received for review from HarperCollins UK

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 288

Summary: Mercy ‘wakes’ on a school bus bound for Paradise, a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business… or thinks they do. But Mercy has a secret life. She is an angel, doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, taking on a new ‘persona’ each time she does, in an effort to resolve a cataclysmic rift between heavenly beings. The first of a brilliant new series sees Mercy meeting Ryan, an eighteen-year-old whose sister was kidnapped two years ago and is presumed dead. When another girl is also kidnapped, Mercy knows she has to act quickly and use extraordinary powers to rescue her, even if it means exposing her true identity.

Thoughts:  Mercy was rather stunning.  Honestly, it took me quite a while to get past the first 50 pages.  I just really wasn't in love with the main character, as she seemed rather - well - evil. Not outright, "I kill puppies" sort of evil, but certainly not nice.  But I kept going, and I am so very glad I did!

There was a point, about 100 pages through the novel, when I knew I was going to love this book: it's when Mercy - as Carmen - sings her heart out.  It was a show stopper, and it practically stopped mine.  It was just glorious- I could almost hear the music through the pages - and rather indicative of the ethereal quality of the entire novel.  If I had known Mercy had this musical element, I would have made my way through those first 50 pages a lot sooner!

Although Mercy begins as a rather apathetic character, as she becomes more involved in her human's life, I really started to like her.  She is really difficult to describe... partly because I don't think she used to be a good "person".  She's a self-aware adult in one way, but her lack of memory has given her room to change for the better.  As she grows into her new body - Carmen - she really starts to develop into someone new.

In fact, even though this book has about 5 mysteries going on at once and a few romances that leave you begging for more action, Mercy is really all about Mercy.  The singing, the murder, the hot-human!boy, and the bizarre supernatural powers are all just tangential to Mercy's development.

I've read Fallen and Hush, Hush (oh, if only I were ethically capable of burning a book). Although both were Angel YA, they both lacked that otherworldly quality of angels - staring random "insert paranormal creature here" heros.  I don't mean a religious quality - I am the biggest atheist in town - but that feeling of something powerful that you can't begin to imagine.  Mercy had that quality in spades - there was no doubt in my mind that she's an angel.  Powerful and inhuman and, often, cruel.

So, I really can't wait for the rest of the books in this series - the nature of Mercy's condition will make the next book very interesting.

Bottom line?   I really enjoyed Mercy for it's tough amnesiac of a main character, it's show-stopping choir performances, and it's rather subtle-yet-star-crossed romance.  I'd recommend this book to fans of the Wicked Lovely series, as they both have that somewhat ethereal quality about them.