Book Review: Reaper’s Novice by Cecilia Robert

Summary from Amazon:

Publication Date: January 8, 2013
17- year- old Ana Maria Tei’s life has always been perfect: loving parents, good grades, and a future so bright it outshone the sun. But now words like “separation” and “divorce” are sending her world plummeting to hell. Determined to keep her family intact, Ana plans a family-bonding trip from Vienna to Tuscany. Except fate has other plans. Ana’s parents and siblings are killed in a car accident on their way to pick Ana up from school.

Enter Grim, aka Ernest. He promises to relinquish the four souls if Ana agrees to trade her soul for theirs and serve a lifetime as his novice. In order for Ana to graduate from her Reaper’s Novice station to a Soul Collector graduate, Grim puts her to test. To her horror, she finds out becoming a Reaper’s Novice didn’t happen by chance. It was preordained, and she is forced to make a choice: save her family’s souls or come to terms with who she really is and complete the task set for her

Author: Cecilia Robert

Genre: YA paranormal

Length: 304 pages

MY REVIEW:

     I received this book from the author on GoodReads in exchange for a review. Honestly, I had to debate what I was going to choose number-wise. Part of me wanted it to be a 3, but I did really enjoy it, so it hovers between a 3.5-4 for me.

I wasn’t quite sure where this book was going when her family died and she became the grim’s novice, but it was great. I was actually scared it was going to be sad! Overall, I loved the idea of collecting the souls after people have died and the soul snatchers were interesting.

My complaints: sometimes the book read very quickly and 100% held my attention. Other times, the book seemed like it dragged on forever and was slow in spots. As in- I had to make myself flip the page. When I did get to a spot that picked back up, it seemed like all of the excitement dumped on me all at once. This could just be me though. I also found Zig annoying at times even though I mostly enjoyed his character. His use of the word “lovely” over and over and over got old. However, he was a fun character despite this catchphrase of sorts. I also didn’t get constantly saying “mobile” instead of cell phone…or just phone in general. I think this may have been a regional/culture thing, so I didn’t let it get in the way. I was also frustrated with the amount of questions that were presented, but unanswered. Those answers will come eventually I suppose.

MAJOR PLUS: I loved the setting!! I hope that it plays a bigger part in the next books (I’m assuming this is a series from the ending) because I’d love to see some real Vienna landmarks and history come into play.

Characters: I love Ana, Ernest, and Zig!! They’re great characters with some intense back stories. Very good character development between those three!

Again, this was a really interesting idea and the things that bothered me were minor and probably wouldn’t even be noticed by most people. I can’t say that I would read this one again, but I am certainly looking forward to book 2 so I can know what happens next!

I do recommend it as it is only .99 on Kindle. Go check it out!

-M

Heads up! FREE book alert :)

Just a heads up, tomorrow through Sunday the book The Curse of Yama will be FREE on Kindle. This is an adorable Middle Grade adventure story with the second book releasing in July. I’ll have a review up for it soon- as I’m still working on it. (I maybe misplaced my copy in the mess that I call a bedroom.) go HERE for more information and the link to purchase the book!

In the meantime, I’m currently reading The Reaper’s Novice and should have the review sometime tomorrow. It is almost 11 and I’m wide awake, so story time is in order to knock me out! The next book I’m reading will be a YA ZOMBIE book!! I’m excited to start it (I can’t remember the name off hand, sorry!)

Also, I’m excited to announce that I’ve already lined up my first blog tour post with a book that I’m VERY excited to read. More to come on that later too though.

As always, hit me up on the recommendation area if you have any ideas for books.

-M

Book Review—Split Blood: The Ancient Codex part 1

Amazon Summary:

Publication Date: December 14, 2012

When Faith’s mother starts organizing the second stage of her arranged marriage to wizard, Damien, Faith knew she needed to escape, so she used her school as a place to retreat.

Throughout her after school duties, she meets the intense, alluring Rohan, who changes her life forever.

With his ice cold skin, transfixing eyes and enchanting voice, Rohan took hold of Faith’s heart and soul as soon as they looked at each other.

She knew it was wrong.

They were from two different circles and if the Elder’s found out, the consequences would be catastrophic for all involved, but the more time they spent together, the stronger they’re love grew, until one day someone sees them…

Will their love be strong enough to combat their conflicting mythical needs? And what will they do when Faith is dealt a life threatening blow that forces her to make a heartbreaking decision?

INTENSELY PASSIONATE WITH EXTRAORDINARY TWISTS AND TURNS, SPLIT BLOOD IS A LOVE STORY WITH A DARK MYTHICAL DIFFERENCE
http://www.split-blood.com

 

MY REVIEW:

    This was sent to me by the author on GoodReads in exchange for an honest review. That said, I didn’t really know anything about it apart from the summary. The summary wasn’t the clearest in the world as I was surprised to learn that the story is in modern time and a set apart magic area. I really enjoyed the book because of that aspect. Faith learned that she is a witch and that she is arranged to be married to a boy that she can’t stand. The marriage process is long and leads to her falling in love with a guy who is not a warlock, but a vampire instead. I know what you’re thinking, “not more vampires!” Don’t think that. It isn’t typical. Faith learns that she was prophesied to be the strongest witch to come from her circle and that leads to a desperate search to find her and kill her. This is a great book for anyone who enjoys paranormal romance. It is different from many that are already on the market. I’m ready for the next book already!

I’d probably rate this between a 3.5-4. It was great, but the beginning took off a bit fast and I was a tad confused. After awhile, it got to a better pace that was much easier to follow. Don’t let this deter you though. It is only .99 on Amazon!

Currently Reading– Split Blood: The Ancient Codex Part 1

    I was sent this book several weeks ago from the author. She was looking for reviews and it sounds interesting. I KIND OF got busy and forgot about it. That said, I started it last night and…whoa! It is really good so far! I’ll probably have my review up tomorrow if I finish tonight like I intend to. It is only .99 on Amazon, so check it out!

 

Book Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Summary taken from Amazon:

Would you rather know a truth that makes you feel hopeless, or keep believing the lies?Beloved and bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with the spellbinding story of two young people with devastating pasts who embark on a passionate, intriguing journey to discover the lessons of life, love, trust—and above all, the healing power that only truth can bring.

Sky, a senior in high school, meets Dean Holder, a guy with a promiscuous reputation that rivals her own. From their very first encounter, he terrifies and captivates her. Something about him sparks memories of her deeply troubled past, a time she’s tried so hard to bury. Though Sky is determined to stay far away from him, his unwavering pursuit and enigmatic smile break down her defenses and the intensity of the bond between them grows. But the mysterious Holder has been keeping secrets of his own, and once they are revealed, Sky is changed forever and her ability to trust may be a casualty of the truth.

Only by courageously facing the stark revelations can Sky and Holder hope to heal their emotional scars and find a way to live and love without boundaries. Hopeless is a novel that will leave you breathless, entranced, and remembering your own first love.

My Review: 5/5 stars

As I said yesterday, I grappled with what to post on this book. It left me absolutely speechless. A friend highly recommended this book. We don’t really share the same tastes in books, but I’d been interested in Hopeless because of how long it was #1 on Kindle. I wondered if it could POSSIBLY meet the hype that I knew it had. Again, I was left speechless.

I laughed. I cried. I literally GASPED. I hurt. I thought.

I kept trying to guess what was coming and Mrs. Hoover kept throwing me curve balls. This book broke my heart, ripped it out, and stomped on it. Without giving anything away, Sky and Holder’s story could happen in real life to some extent. I think that’s part of what made this novel so beautiful. Yes, it was sad. However, every now and then I like to take a break from fantasy and remember that the real world has awful things that happen all the time. Yes, that’s not good or happy. That’s not my point. My point is that life is what you make of it and a person can overcome anything–as evidenced by Sky and Holder. It may be painful and it may be hard, but life always goes on. I think that’s the absolute most beautiful thing about Hopeless. It reminds us that life goes on.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Are parts of it hard to swallow? Yes. Completely. However, this is a heartbreaking book that still has a place. I hate that there are Skies in the world, but I know from the media that “Sky” exists.

Books & More

I finished Kiss & Makeup and very much enjoyed it. A review may or may not be coming since I’d already mentioned it a good bit while I was reading. Yesterday I read Colleen Hoover’s Hopeless. I was interested in it because of a friend’s recommendation and its constant spot on top of the Amazon charts. I want to blog about it, but I’m still speechless. I may get to it tomorrow. I wanted to post something today, but I’m still getting my feelings in order.

In unrelated news, I will officially be a college graduate in about 12 or so hours!! Look out, education world!

Currently Reading: Kiss & Make Up

I’ve started this ADORABLE book that I got at USM’s Children’s Book Festival last month and am loving it so far. The cover is too cute, but I couldn’t get a good feel for the book just from reading the summary. Thankfully, the author was doing signings at the festival so I asked her about it. She made it sound like the cool book that it really is and I bought it on the spot and got it signed by her. Here’s the summary, but don’t judge it by this!

 

Release date: October 2, 2012

Lip gloss addict Emerson Taylor and her best friend, Trina, have declared this year the Year of the Boy and vowed to find boyfriends. But for Emerson, there’s just one problem: she can read the mind of anyone whose lips touch hers. It’s totally creepy—and at first it seems like a curse. But Emerson soon realizes there are perks to her strange talent—like the ability to steal secrets, memories, and most importantly, test answers. If Emerson doesn’t bring up her grades soon, her days at her private school will be numbered. But kissing for grades is stickier than lip gloss, and Emerson’s about to learn some lessons not found in her textbooks—lessons about true love, and real beauty. Oh, why can’t life be as simple as choosing the perfect shade of lip gloss?

Montana Mustangs by Danica Winters

I received a random tweet one day last week from this author asking for a review. She sent me the link to check it out on Amazon before agreeing and I almost said no just based on the title and cover. Don’t get me wrong, the cover looks great, but I thought it was just your plain, run-of-the-mill romance novel. I was wrong and I’m glad that I was wrong!

Summary taken from Amazon:
Publication Date: May 6, 2013

A nymph: a woman with the ability to seduce at will, shift to protect, but cursed with the fate to have the man she falls in love with die a tragic death. As one of these ill-fated nymphs, Aura Montgarten has spent her lifetime drifting from one place to another hiding from love. Until she meets Dane.

When a body washes up on the shore of a rural Montana lake, police officer Dane Burke is faced with the task of finding the killer – even if it means he will be forced to put his life and heart at risk by working with a drifter. As the truth of Aura’s Mustang-shifting nymph ways are revealed, Dane learns exactly the amount of danger he and Aura are in, but can’t force himself to leave a case unsolved when the truth is just outside his grasp.

When the killer decides he needs to take another victim – Dane – Aura must choose between their forbidden love and her immortal life. Can there be life without love or is death her only choice?

Sensuality Level: Sensual

Review:
I love mysteries. That’s not a surprise as I drool over Criminal Minds and obsess over the paranormal crimes on Grimm. I do enjoy romances on occasion, but I rarely ever pick just a regular romance novel. This isn’t just a regular romance novel, so I didn’t make an exception. 🙂

The novel starts the mystery out quickly and held on to my attention as I wanted to know who the next victim would be and what on earth was going on. Honestly, that would have been enough to keep me hooked, yet there was still the paranormal aspect. I’d never read a book about shapeshifting nymphs, but I found the concept interesting. The biggest obstacle is that nymphs can’t fall in love or the lover will face a tragic death. HELLO, relationship issues! Even THAT would have been enough to keep me hooked without having the mystery!

I won’t spoil the story, but I will say that I highly recommend this to BOTH romance and paranormal fans, even if you don’t usually read paranormal romance. The “magic” is just enough to satisfy a paranormal fan without it being too much for someone who may not usually read paranormal. I’m glad that I opted to read this and am looking forward to more from the author. You can find Montana Mustangs on Kindle for $3.82 and it is well worth the price! You can find the author at http://www.danicawinters.net to learn more about this and her other books.

Update

Just a quick update that I haven’t fallen off the planet. I’ve been reading, but it is hard to type with stitches in one hand! I’ll probably have a mass of updates next Monday when they’re out. Back to reading 🙂