Into The Fire by Jeaniene Frost

In the wrong hands, love can be a deadly weapon.

For nearly six hundred years, Vlad Tepesh cared for nothing, so he had nothing to lose. His brutal reputation ensured that all but the most foolhardy stayed away. Now falling in love with Leila has put him at the mercy of his passions. And one adversary has found a devastating way to use Vlad’s new bride against him.

A powerful spell links Leila to the necromancer Mircea. If he suffers or dies, so does she. Magic is forbidden to vampires, so Vlad and Leila enlist an unlikely guide as they search for a way to break the spell. But an ancient enemy lies in wait, capable of turning Vlad and Leila’s closest friends against them…and finally tearing the lovers apart forever.

The Night Prince book four very much felt like a finale, the story was all about wrapping things up and lying lose ends. For our power couple, it meant that the hunt for Mircea now has a extra desperate edge: he himself has been kidnapped by necromancers and is being used to test Vlad's love for Leila.

Ian, the lovable rogue, is roped into helping Vlad and Leila navigate the magical underworld, which included some experiments with glamours and magical disguises. Those were hilarious, and there was even a little Buffy reference sneaked in there, which made me very happy. 

On this "magical journey", we learnt some real details about the origin of Leila's powers, which was pretty damn cool. Leila and her sister go to the reservation they used to live on before their mother died and discover some familial traits that come from the Cherokee part of their bloodline. I would have loved more details but we got the information necessary to whoop some Mircea butt.

As much as I loved it, and all of Frost's books, I did have some minor issues with it - the drama wasn't all there, the sexiness was definitely absent - but it was still funny, clever, dramatic and full of great vampire and/or magical characters. And it actually felt like a happy ending, even though parts were rushed or brushed off. Vlad might not have completely learned his lesson about keeping secrets from his wife, and Leila is still getting over some serious PTSD, but the worst is finally over and they can be a normal couple - well, as much as they can be.

Published 28th February 2017 by Avon.

The Name Of The Blade trilogy by Zoe Marriott

When fifteen year old Mio Yamato furtively sneaks the katana - an ancestral Japanese sword - out of its hiding place in her parent's attic to help liven up her Christmas party costume, she has no idea of the darkness she is about to unleash on modern day London, or the family secrets that she is going to uncover.

The paralysing paranoia that descends on her before she gets to her friend's party is her first clue. The vivid and terrifying visions that nearly get her killed are a pretty good warning too.

The giant nine-tailed cat demon that comes after the sword and tries to rip her throat out? Overkill.

Seconds away from becoming kitty-food, Mio is saved by Shinobu, a mysterious warrior boy. But it's already too late. Mio has ruptured the veil between the mortal realm and the Underworld, and now the gods and monsters of ancient Japan stalk the streets of London, searching for her and the sword. 

With the help of her best friend Jack, a fox spirit named Hikaru - and the devoted protection of the betwitchingly familiar Shinobu - Mio attempts to discover the true nature of the sword and its connection to the Yamato family. Because if she doesn't learn how to control the katana's incredible powers, she's in danger of being overwhelmed by them. And if she can't keep the sword safe from the terrible creatures who want it for their own, she'll lose not only her own life... but the love of a lifetime.

Ah, another trilogy full review! And this was one incredible trilogy! You know how some, especially the middle book, can feel like filler? That was not the case here, every page seemed to have a point, even if the point was to make the reader giggle or some down time for the protagonist. 

Amazingly simple thing, accidentally unlocking the sword's power - the trouble was stuffing it back in! When Mio unleashes an ancient and dark battle for power, she takes it one step at a time to figure out a way to stop the world from ending. She and the gang were fighting demons on the London streets, trying to cure a deadly plague from one touch of a demonic feather, and stop the ancient gods of Japan. To succeed, Mio has to sacrifice too much; the boy she loves, the safety of her family and sometimes her mind. It was all a little complicated but I adored the mixture of old Japanese traditions and battling them on new streets.

Mio was damn adorable. Only half aware of her heritage, she was easy to relate to with her parent troubles, a mental best friend, and of course her reaction to everything when it hit the fan: to try not to cry! Even when the katana was trying to possess her, Mio kept her head... mostly. Yeah, she was totally winging it, but she had that inner strength to help her through, and the support of her friends, and later, parents. 

Speaking of, Marriott gave us some amazing characters - the best friend and upstairs neighbour Jack, goth girl extraordinaire; Shinobu, the boy who should't exist; and Hikaru, magical fox boy with extra charm. Then of course things get a little complicated, like Mio and Shinobu are even more intertwined than previously thought and Hikaru might actually be perfect for Jack after all! 

I loved this series. I took a bit of a gamble, buying all 3 books without knowing hardly anything about them, but I got an amazing urban fantasy with kick-ass and witty characters and a well paced and thought-out story line. Highly recommended. 

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

When Clary discovers she is a Shadowhunter, her world is turned upside down. Over six books, she and friends try to take down manic-Shadowhunter and Clary's father, Valentine. 

There are many things I loved about this series. The characters are amazingly varied, from in-the-closet, bad ass with a bow, Alec and magical Magnus with his glittered hair, to mundane turned vampire Simon. I also loved the love story. Thinking they were brother and sister for a while did put a crimp in the tale but all they've been through just makes Clary and Jace stronger. 

The series actually works in two trilogies. In books one to three, Clary and Jace fight their feelings for each other after they were told they are brother and sister. Awkward or what? They all also have to figure out Valentine's next move, as he attempts to take over Idris and all Shadowhunters. Valentine's action's escalate until Clary is forced to do something desperate, to stop him and to save Jace.

Then in books four to six, it's Valentine's son Sebastian that they have to look out for. Cunning, charming and even more dangerous than Valentine, Sebastian has a different plan for Shadowhunters, one that threatens all their lives. What I especially loved about the complicated plot was how it all linked together. Although the series is roughly split in half, events overlap and affect things and people throughout the books. 


This is an epic urban fantasy series and one of my favourite series ever. Just everything about it, from the characters, the world building, the magical creatures, everything adds up to make one incredible story. The journey the group goes on, to save themselves and the world of Shadowhunters, is awe-inspiring and so amazingly written, you just fly through the pages. A great series that cannot be recommended enough.

Bound By Flames by Jeaniene Frost

Leila’s years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin…

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t like Vlad to feel fear, but he does…for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both… 

The third in Night Prince series is finally here! We catch up with Leila and Vlad as they hunt for Vlad's arch nemesis before he finds them.

I've always had a soft spot for Vlad and finally seeing him happy with Leila makes my heart burst. But Vlad's heart has been hardened over the centuries and getting him to admit that he loved Leila has made him vulnerable. The un-pronounceable Szilagyi has taunted and hurt Vlad for centuries and now realises that Vlad's weak spot is his wife. Of course, married life isn't easy but add in kidnapping and running for your life and ancient magic, and you have a taste of what Vlad and Leila has to deal with! 

Leila really has to deal with a lot of shit this time around; between Vlad being annoyingly over-protective and Szilagyi using her as bait and horrible revenge, Leila handled it all the best she could. There were a few truly terrifying moments, especially with the once-trusted Maximus. That just made me sick. 

The ending had an amazing twist that I didn't see coming; it was dramatic and a little crazy and wonderfully shocking; a great ending to build up to the last book. I always enjoy Vlad and Leila's relationship and they had some great development with Vlad's old-fashioned nature and Leila's stubbornness. I was holding my breath for most of this book, and I'm beyond happy to see that Vlad and Leila finished this part of their story all the stronger and hopefully more prepared for their final showdown. 

Published 27th January 2015 by Avon.

Terminated by Rachel Caine

Problems turn from dead to worse ...Already addicted to the pharmaceutical drug that keeps her body from decomposing, Bryn Davis has survived Pharmadene's attempts to destroy her. But in doing so she may have sacrificed something massive - her own humanity. Made even more dangerous than before, even to her own friends, Bryn must stop a group of rich and powerful investors from eliminating Returne addicts altogether. And meanwhile, the investors' undead assassin is on the hunt for anyone who stands in their way. It's time to terminate the oncoming corporate zombie apocalypse for good ...even if it means terminating herself along with it. 

It's been a while since I read the previous book Two Weeks Notice so details were few and far between but I had faith in Caine's writing that I'd be able to keep up and luckily I was; things came flooding back as I got lost once again in Bryn's terrifying world.
 
The characters are still reeling from the events of the last book, as they recover from their torture and captivity they are experiencing some serious PTSD. Bryn and Riley are still very unsure about their upgrade to super-soldier; through the course of the book, we see them as definitely more zombie-like as they need a hell of a lot of protein to keep the nanites happy. Caine uses this to explore what it means to be human and alive, as opposed to stubbornly hanging on to threads of life. It also pushes the boundaries of Bryn and Patrick's relationship as Bryn is worried about her limits.

There is non-stop action as they run for their lives and hunt down anyone tied to the Foundation Group, trying desperately to keep ahead of Jane, the evil mastermind behind a lot of the Returne and a super-soldier herself. This book had much more of the conspiracy thriller angle as they don't even know who they're looking for. My heart was definitely in my throat for a lot of this, as they are in major trouble as they are chased across the country, unable to trust anyone as they are unsure how high up this goes. As it turns out, quite high up! A great, non-stop thrilling conclusion to Bryn's story.

Published 30th September 2013 by Alison and Busby.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Tessa Gray should be happy—aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

Warning, this review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.
 
This is it, the final installment of the Infernal Devices. I launched myself straight into it, literally immediately after Clockwork Prince. I could not wait to find out what happened next with everyone. And as I expected, Clare did not disappoint. We went from battling a giant demon worm - both hilarious and terrifying - to the final dramatic clash with Mortmain. Tessa was kidnapped, Will runs away to save her while Jem's on his death bed. Add in the threat of Charlotte losing the Institute and you have one incredible book.

We learned much more about the characters, new and old; I completely fell in love with Charlotte and Henry and their relationship, and it was both weird and adorable seeing Cecily and Gabriel. Then of course there was the complex relationship of the trio; I wanted everyone to be happy and it was quite heart-breaking seeing Will around as Tessa and Jem prepared to get married. Speaking of which, this part of the story was quite emotionally driven; considering this is the final book, it wasn't hugely action-packed but it was still an amazing story. I honestly couldn't put it down as we went from London to middle of nowhere Wales to fight Mortmain and his robotic army. 

Now, the ending. After Mortmain has been destroyed once and for all (which was amazing by the way), the final few chapters were like a goodbye. While it was quite long, I liked that the whole summary and happy endings weren't rushed; the characters' futures weren't left to chance and speculation, I for one needed to know that. And finally, one last thing, because trust me I could gone on for quite a while otherwise: I really need to read the Mortal Instruments series now to understand all the references!

Published 5th September 2013 by Walker Books. 

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Love and lies can corrupt even the purest heart... In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, while her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will - the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers to who she is and what she was born to do? As their search for the truth leads the three friends into peril, Tessa's heart is increasingly torn, especially when one of their own betrays them.

Warning: this review may contain spoilers for the first book.

I was so looking forward to carrying on with this series, to finding out what Tessa was and why the Magister wanted her, knowing more about the Shadowhunters and their heritage and of course what the deal was with Will. Clare can tell one heck of a story, winding different character stories together and pulling them all together all the while keeping up a fast pace to the overall plot. I absolutely adore Clare's writing style, it is almost lyrical in its mimicked-Victorian descriptions which was incredible to read.

We finally found out Will's secret, the reason he's the way he is and while I'm not going to ruin the secret, can I just say it completely broke my heart? Jem came out of his shell too, sometimes showing a lighter side as well as his strength. We got more from well-loved characters as well as some new ones. I especially loved Woolsey Scott, the London werewolf pack leader and the return of Magnus Bane. The wide variety of characters and their individual development was very well done and even with so many, I never felt lost. 

Onto the main storyline, the threat of Mortmain looms closer but there was no sign of the great evil one, instead we learned more about his motives and his minions. Speaking of, Nate makes a comeback. He was truly weasel-like in his actions and every time he opened his mouth, my skin crawled. And the betrayal was quite a shock as well; it was a horrible thought that anyone would hurt the Shadowhunters' cause but one of their own did, and it hurt. 

This might have been the middle book in the trilogy, it never felt like a filler. The story kept moving at a fast pace, and Clare definitely kept me in suspense! I quickly fell in love with this story and its characters and the second book didn't change that feeling. 

Published 1st May 2013 by Walker Books.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. Whats more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by and torn between two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

I'm sure by now every single one of you has read this, so I'm not sure what else I can add! Therefore, I'm going to just narrow it down to a few bullet points, my main impressions, so you all don't get bored with yet another big name book review.

• Had high praise and promises that I would love it. Luckily, and obviously, I did! Everything from the incredible prose style to the historical elements, I ate it all up and wanted more.
• Tessa was quite adorable but nicely... spunky, I guess is the word. Despite tight Victorian ideals, she spoke her mind and I loved that about her. 
• Never really knew what to make of Will. He was awesome, don't get me wrong, but very defensive and we never saw that mask of humour he uses taken off. 
• And finally Jem was sweet and his heartbreaking back story just made me want to hug him. Between the two boys, I couldn't decide which one I liked more; they complimented and balanced each other out so I don't think you could separate them. And nor should you, as you soon realised they were something of a package deal.
• The story of the Institute and the Dark Sisters, the vampires and automatons, it should have been too complicated but somehow it wove together so well. There were shocking twists and turns, good guys who were bad and vice versa, plus some sexy romantic scenes that left my heart aching. 
• Final thoughts? Bring on Clockwork Prince!

Published 4th October 2011 by Margaret K McElderry Books.

City of Halves by Lucy Inglis

London. Girls are disappearing. They've all got one thing in common; they just don't know it yet... 

Sixteen-year-old Lily was meant to be next, but she's saved by a stranger: a half-human boy with gold-flecked eyes. Regan is from an unseen world hidden within our own, where legendary creatures hide in plain sight. But now both worlds are under threat, and Lily and Regan must race to find the girls, and save their divided city.

I was really excited by this, it promised to have a great story in a lovely London setting. And it was pretty good but I think a little too simplistic. Written by a historian, I believe this is her first fictional work and you can tell. It was technically well written but things were sometimes a bit too simplistic and brushed over. For example, the whole magic underbelly of London was awesome, with mythical creatures hiding in plain sight and dragons protecting the gates of the City, however Lily seemed to accept everything a little too easily.

The folklore creatures were really cool, however there was a lot of info-dumping and I got confused. Some were done well, happening across them like the dragons, but Regan tried to explain the whole world right after an evil dog attack and it just went right over my head! But apart from that, the blending of the two worlds, while a little overwhelming, was amazing to imagine and very well written. Alongside the great descriptions of London, I fell very easily into the story. But it wasn't just magical creatures, there was also a budding romance. Lily and Regan's romance was pretty sweet, with the things they went through of course they would connect - but sometimes it did seem a little too like insta-love. 

In terms of the plot and saving the world, they discover that the reason  the girls are missing is to do with their genetics. Specifically, the bad guys want their mythical powers. Oh, don't we all! The details of the whole blood and genetic mutation stuff went over my head, although I got the gist of it to understand some of the bad guys motivations. Good people were doing seemingly bad things, at least in Lily's and Regan's perspective, but things had obviously gotten out of hand. The big dramatic ending mostly made up for the slow beginning. Everything collided together and suddenly every little thing was happening and possibly going wrong. It was a very exciting ending and left me a little breathless, as well as heartbroken for a while, which was scary! It was a very well written and exciting urban fantasy, but maybe for a younger audience; definitely an author to watch with her historical knowledge and great settings. 

Published 7th August 2014 by Chicken House. Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

God Save The Queen by Kate Locke

The Year is 2012—and Queen Victoria still rules with an immortal fist.

She's the undead matriarch of a Britain, where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground, and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where technology lives side by side with magic, where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath) and Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it's her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But things get complicated when her sister goes missing. Xandra will not only realise she's the prize in a dangerous power struggle—but she'll also uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire itself.

Something most people don't know about me is that I love Steampunk. So a story purely about a Steampunk alternate history, I was bound to adore. And I did but the details was a lot to take in. For example, the aristocracy was mostly made up of vampires, but there were also werewolves, goblins (who were deformed aristocracy) plagued humans, who carried the gene for... god, something. See? It was all a bit complicated but very interesting. The other thing with the alternate history was how the world had evolved with modern gadgets. For the most part, they hadn't. As one might assume from the immortal reign of the Victorians, they were a bit reluctant to rid themselves of traditions, which is why the Season was still in the summer even though the nights were shorter. 

We followed Alexandra, or as she liked to be called Xanrda, as she hunts down her supposedly dead sister. I really liked Xandra, with her spunky attitude and toughness but she wasn't that complex. Which was fine, fun actually, as with everything else going on, I didn't need a complicated and troubled heroine on top of that. And the relationship she had with her half-siblings was really sweet although the whole thing with bastard children of the aristocracy took a while to get my head around. You know normally, bastard children are looked down upon (think Jon Snow of Game of Thrones) but in this, they were sort of special, because of the extra strength and thus were tasked with protecting the aristocracy. 

So, while on the hunt, Xandra discovers something horrifying about the world she lives in. Everything she holds dear about the aristocracy appears to be wrong and I couldn't really blame her for being in denial about it all. But, to me at least, this sort of made sense. Of course the aristocracy wouldn't want to give up control to half-breed bastard children, or not have secrets about any so-called research they might be doing about the plagued genes. 

All in all, an enjoyable read but took longer to read than I expected and was surprisingly complicated. The basic story line and the characters were very likeable but there were too many things to get your head around, which for me ruined the overall feel of the book at times. 

Published 5th July 2012 by Orbit. 

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L Armentrout

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.
Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she’s crushed on since forever.
Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she’s not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn’t an issue, considering Roth has no soul.
But when Layla discovers she’s the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

I don't know what it says about me but the possibles flaws in this book, from it stereotypical slutty best friend to world-revolves-around-me heroine, from the (again) typical almost-love triangle to the more-sexual tension-than-plot, I don't care, this book was hilarious and adorable and so dramatic it verges on soap opera. I'm a sucker for dark romance and this, with it's demon powers and gargoyles being the guardians between good and evil, I just loved it.

Layla was sort of-almost spoiled and her "I must make up for having demon blood even though that's not my fault" thing was admirable if naive and a little stupid. However, she was quite easy to like, despite having nothing that makes her stand out. Apart from the demon blood of course, but let's not go into that. She was having sort of a rough time of it at the moment, with more and more demons coming topside and apparently having a thing for her. Then she meets Roth, an Upper Level demon with amazing strength and incredibly good looks, who should be a bad guy but saves her from another demon trying to nom her face.

Roth was your typical bad guy with a good heart: hot, a tough guy, always around to save the day. He was incredibly sarcastic and would have been annoying if he wasn't so funny. I adored their relationship, as basic as it was. Although Layla had no actual skills of her own, she wasn't about to let Roth, a guy she had the hots for but shouldn't trust, swoop in and save her every time. 

As for the plot, it was your typical good girl and bad guy team up to save the world. The mythology behind the gargoyles/Wardens and their eternal battle with Hell was very cool; I always appreciate how it was slipped into the plot when and where it was necessary so it wasn't an overload of information. The demon blood in Layla becomes a major plot point - of course it does - one that I sort of saw coming but really liked the detail and complexity behind it. 

Armentrout's novels are something of a guilty pleasure of mine; the flowing plot, the hot romances, the dark and sometimes gritty twist on mythology, I loved it all. The ending was especially surprising and gripping and I can't wait to see what happens next in this series.

Published 4th March 2014 by MiraInk. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen

When the disease spread through the world, people had no choice but to go into hiding. The Colony is hidden deep underground, far away from the vampires—humans that were transformed by the disease. The vampires are hideous, starving, and they will kill any human they come across.

Seventeen-year-old Kayla is a Bellator, a warrior that protects The Colony. In order to survive, there are three rules she must follow:

Rule #1—Never go out after dark.
Rule #2—Always carry a weapon.
Rule #3—No matter what, never EVER get bit.

But what happens when the rules Kayla has always lived by can no longer apply?

The synopsis for this book promises so much but unfortunately, it just didn't deliver. It had good fighting scenes and dramatic flair but characters were flat, it was vague on the explanations and with so much was going on, it was hard to follow. Which is unfortunate because I really wanted to like this. 

I did finish this book, as annoying as it was; it was addictive in a 'have to know' sort of way. It continually hinted at revealing secrets but just made more questions! And as I already mentioned, it was incredibly plot heavy with so many half-explained details that made my head spin. However, there were many little mistakes that frustrated me more than the confusing plot; Sorensen had a really odd and often non-existent ways of showing the passing of time, which confused me beyond belief when we suddenly moved from place to place. Also, I could forgive the question marks in the wrong place, but I actually yelled at the kindle when they used the wrong 'there/their'!

Now, onto the characters. The protagonist Kayla was incredibly boring, considering she had awesome fighting skills, could feel people's fears and lived in a world where vampiric monsters roamed. She was supposed to be awesome but instead was pretty weak-willed and inconsistent; I wanted her to stand up for herself and stop messing around with confusing people. As for the "love interest", I get the impression we were supposed to like Aiden and he did had his moments but he was a serial liar! I just could not trust him, nor hardly anyone else while they continued to lie and hide behind superficial fears. 

So, an excellent premise but nothing really worked the way it was supposed to; the plot was confusing, the characters inconsistent and unlikeable, and the whole story not very well executed. The only thing that did mostly work was the writing. Apart from a few silly grammatical errors, it was imaginative and full of pretty descriptions of the settings and new world order. 

Published 14th March 2012.

Up From The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Lately, life has been unnaturally calm for vampires Cat Crawfield and her husband Bones. They should have known better than to relax their guard, because a shocking revelation sends them back into action to stop an all-out war…

A rogue CIA agent is involved in horrifying secret activities that threaten to raise tensions between humans and the undead to dangerous heights. Now Cat and Bones are in a race against time to save their friends from a fate worse than death…because the more secrets they unravel, the deadlier the consequences. And if they fail, their lives—and those of everyone they hold dear— will be hovering on the edge of the grave.

Warning: spoilers for previous books.

This is the seventh and final installment of Cat and Bones' story and Frost did not disappoint or hold back. It continues with the troubles with Madigan, the CIA jackass that took over the operation after Don's death, and the trouble he is stirring is something that Cat has to stop, for the sake of her friends lives. But of course nothing is as easy as it seems, and it turns out that Madigan was involved in something much more dangerous than Cat's old team gone missing, and his horrific experiments could even lead to a war between vampires and ghouls if he succeeds.

As per with Cat and Bones' stories, I am left breathless and reeling from dramatic rescues and shocking twists, as well as the funny and sexy side that I've come to expect from Frost's writing. As it is the final book, Frost does a good job in wrapping everything up quite neatly and although some twists were easy to spot, I was so caught up in the drama that I didn't see them! Some things never change, which is why I sometimes wanted to smack Cat for not trusting Bones when she should have, and also want to smack Bones and a couple of others (*coughs Tate) for being over-protective. But domestic issues are side-lined when they have to save the world - again. 

Marie, the voodoo queen, makes an appearance, as well as old favourites Mencheres and Ian. God, I love Ian, he is a welcome distraction, not to mention a great fighter to have on the good side. And Cat needs all the allies she can find because they are on the hunt of a little girl able to bring down the undead world. 

This is a world that I have loved for years and I cannot believe it is over. Cat and Bones' story is enticing and entertaining and one I will definitely re-read over and over.

Published 28th January 2014 by Avon. 

Daylighters by Rachel Caine

While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become a different place—a deadly one…

Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.

It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.

Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end

I entered the final book with both excitement and trepidation - I always fly through these books, I literally cannot put them down, but at the same time it's the end! I don't want it to end!

So, the Daylight Foundation have wormed their way into Morganville and the vampires are no longer in control. In fact, they've been penned in and shackled, and the gang have a horrible feeling that what Fallon, Daylight leader, has in mind for them is not what he promised. So they have to be the bad guys and save the vampires. Because Claire knows that it is just prejudice to punish them all for a few's crimes. I really liked the moral implications here, it's a problem that Morganville citizens all have when faced with vamp problems and if anyone thinks it's a black and white solution then they're as heartless as Fallon.

The Foundation was incredibly scary, like Umbridge from Potter-verse, they honestly thought what they were doing was the right thing. Like therapy for vamp-lovers, to have them drained to point of death, and forcing a so-called cure on vampires that had a 20% success rate! Speaking of the cure - even though I wouldn't understand it, I kind of wanted the science behind it. Knowing later that Fallon was a priest and a student of alchemy made a bit more sense but come on, turning vamps back into humans? Even for Morganville, where apparently humans can turn into werewolf-vampire hunters, it seemed a little far-fetched. Oh yeah, the werewolf-hunter creatures, or hellhounds as Shane so affectionately calls them; these things are quite possibly the creepiest thing I've ever heard of. I really must commend Caine, her description of them hunting for Amelie gave me shivers!

I so love how all the characters have grown, especially the Glass House gang. Claire and Eve are all grown up, fighting for themselves selflessly, the boys are as funny and endearing as ever, while still being the kickass hero's they are. As for the vamps, Amelie and Oliver were incredible in this, especially how Amelie dealt with the Foundation. She was brave and regal and showed real leadership in setting an example for all the vampires. And Myrnin. I don't really have anything to say about him, except: I LOVE YOU! He is by far the best thing in these books and his interactions with the group made me laugh out loud, especially Jesse. Although I will miss his flirting with Claire, Jesse really is sort of perfect for him.

It's the end! I honestly could not think of a better ending for this series - it was typical HEA but with a Morganville twist: of course the good guys had to win but of course it wasn't tied up with a neat little bow. Come on, it's Morganville! It still needs a lot of work but this ending gave us the readers and the town some closure. Not to mention hope. 

Published 5th November 2013 by Allison and Busby.

Skulk by Rosie Best

When Meg witnesses the dying moments of a shapeshifting fox and is given a beautiful and powerful stone, her life changes forever. She is plunged into the dark world of the Skulk, a group of shapeshifting foxes.

As she learns about the other groups of shapeshifters that lurk around London – the Rabble, the Horde, the Cluster and the Conspiracy – she becomes aware of a deadly threat against all the shapeshifters. They must put aside all their enmity and hostility and fight together to defeat it.

Although this is about shapeshifting, don't be fooled into thinking it was childish or that's all it's about. It was so much more and I loved it for that. I loved how it was dark and a little creepy, I loved the introduction of sensitive topics like abuse and I especially loved the blending of the gritty underworld and the up-scale City life. 

I fell instantly into the under world of London, and can I just say that setting it in London is brilliant! The city is basically perfect for the creepy and secretive shifting world, with dank Tube stations and the Tower of London. Now, back to shape shifting, I really liked the mystical element of shifting. Even if it wasn't completely explained, some blanks were filled in and the bits that weren't, it wasn't because the author couldn't be bothered, it was more that it was a lost secret to the characters. That, to me, made it brilliant: as confusing and weird as it was to the reader, Meg had no more idea than we did and we found out what we could together. I also liked the variety of animals, although who would want to shift into a spider I have no idea!

I adored Meg. She was very real; she fought with her weight, didn't like the social scene her friends did, suffered terribly from emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her mother. Considering the amount of crap she has put up with, I loved how sweet and empathetic she was. She was quite tough skinned, but also very vulnerable and needed the freedom that shifting gave her. I especially liked how she gained more confidence from shifting as it allowed her to have a secret life away from her awful home life. 

Finally, I greatly appreciated the secondary characters. Addie was so amazing, considering her lot in life; James was incredibly funny in a well-spoken Artful Dodger sort of way; Suzanne was lovely and a charming mother figure that Meg desperately needed; and Mo was so very talented and ladish in a funny way. Speaking of which, the romance slipped in there was very sweet, it didn't shift focus from the main plot and as much I love a good love story, I really liked that it wasn't exaggerated and allowed to grow naturally. Or as naturally as a budding romance can grow as they're fighting for their lives against a power-hungry sorceress. 

Publisher 3rd October 2013 by Strange Chemistry. Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Moon Dance by JR Rain

Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.

Now the world at large thinks Samantha has developed a rare skin disease, a disease which forces her to quit her day job and stay out of the light of the sun. Now working the night shift as a private investigator, Samantha is hired by Kingsley Fulcrum to investigate the murder attempt on his life, a horrific scene captured on TV and seen around the country. But as the case unfolds, Samantha discovers Kingsley isn't exactly what he appears to be; after all, there is a reason why he survived five shots to the head.

You'd think that I'd be bored with vampire stories by now, but I'm not. Because I still love the creatures of the night, and especially when an author can put a nice new spin on it. Like this one. Sam Moon is a vampire by accident and now she's stuck behind taped-up windows while she does housework and big-brimmed hats when she picks up her kids from school. I really liked how she didn't give up on her human life and I definitely loved how she was with her kids: she was a great mum and I could completely understand how she did not want to give that up. But her husband has starting pulling away from her, believing she is a danger to him and their kids. While I could somewhat sympathise with that, part of me wanted to smack upside the head for leaving it 6 years!

Now that she can't work during daylight, Sam had to turn private investigator. Just saying, as a vampire, that is practically the perfect gig: sneaking around, enhanced senses and all that. Her case in this book is finding out who shot Kingsley. Even though it wasn't a very tough case, I did appreciate the mystery. Plus, it allowed Sam to get to know Kingsley, who had some very interesting secrets and knowledge to share.

And while there were quite a few silly little typo's and I had no idea what the point of turning into a creeping giant bat hybrid was, I still liked this story and did read it very quickly. I liked Sam and her outlook on life, I liked her tough exterior and snarky moments as much as I loved when she dropped her guard. I liked the banter she had when Kingsley and I even liked the old detective that asked too many questions. In fact, I think I appreciated the characters more than the story! Not that the story wasn't good, but the secondary characters were well-rounded without taking the focus off the main plot. 

This isn't the best vampire novel I've read, but it was entertaining and an easy enough read for me to enjoy it. Plus it was different and funny with its sweet and sometimes scary moments that I would happily recommend it to any fan of the genre. 

Published 10th August 2009 by Crop Circle.

The Demon Trappers Series by Jana Oliver

I'm going to try something different today and review this four part series all in one go, in four mini reviews. That way, you can read up to where you want and I won't have four posts with hardly any views! Let's go:

Forsaken
Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get—even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart—and her life?

Riley Blackthorne, daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, is the first girl trapper. She is strong-willed, stubborn, tough skin but very insecure - all the makings of a great heroine. I loved the world she lived in, the characters she interacted with, and really admired how she handled herself after her dad died. So what shall we start with? The world building was just incredible. Set slightly in the future, the world is a hunting ground for demons and what I really loved was that this strange aspect of life was completely integrated into modern society! Demons were no secret, they were a common nuisance and danger and the trappers were, I think, treated rather unfairly for the work they do to protect their city. 

Riley had great interactions with all sorts of characters. She had great banter with Beck, a sweet chemistry with Simon, but I think the synopsis should have left Ori a mystery. Her fellow trappers like Stewart were amazing characters, with a wealth of knowledge. Then there was Harper, who was a right douche to both Riley and Simon as trappers in training. As much as I understood that they had to start at the bottom, I quite despised Harper for acting so horrible. But Riley learnt a lot from him about being a good trapper and to not let the bad-mouthing ruin her attitude, which comes in handy in later adventures. 

All in all, I was incredibly impressed with the beginning of this series. I loved the characters, the demonology history, the balance between modern society and old-fashioned magic, the relaxed writing style and the slips into colloquial Southern twang. If this is where you stop reading in this massive review, go get this book and find out why I loved falling into this world of demons and angels and spheres with Holy Water. 

Forbidden
The second books picks up right where Forsaken left us, in the aftermath of the big fight that left the trappers weak. There was an epic battle that finished with hurtful accusations and lots of possible lies, most of which concern her recently-reanimated father. What I loved about this book was that Riley's world was now even bigger than trapping demons, now its the balance between Heaven and Hell and apparently Riley is stuck in the middle. Even as complicated and terrifying as that is, it made for great story-telling and I applaud Ms Oliver for keeping the balance between the action, the religion and the romance. 

Speaking of romance, there was development on the boy front. After Riley saved his life by making a deal with Heaven, Simon is beyond confused and might even have the bad guy whispering in his ear. Whatever it is, while Riley is checking up on him, he throws Holy Water on her to make sure she doesn't melt. Like, what?! I get that he had been through a lot and might be losing his faith, but really? Holy Water over your now ex-girlfriend? Following on from douchebag boys, Ori is back. The freelance demon hunter has a secret and I will not ruin it for you, just in case! Even as sweet as he was, I knew there was something off with him and it turns out I was right! And finally Beck... well, Beck is just as complicated as ever, changing his moods so quickly it wasn't a surprise Riley lost her temper with him so often. 

Forgiven
Riley is now learning from her mistakes, determined to make things better, not just for her but for those she cares about as well. She is definitely not taking any more shit from boys, whether it be Beck, Simon or Ori. Which I think is very impressive and admirable, especially as it is really difficult to give up on someone you cared about, even if that person is now a massive douche. And that won't make much sense unless you've read it and know what horrible thing Ori did to her. And still on the subject of boys, Riley has finally realised what I noticed at the start: Beck likes her. Silly girl, wasting all that time on idiots when you could be with that hotness!

Oh yeah, and Armageddon happens. Riley takes her stand between angels and demons and rather incredibly, survives to tell the tale! Obviously, as there's one more book in the series! And let me tell you, it was an incredible fight. Everyone was pulled in, even Ozy, the evil super-necromancer who reanimated her father without her permission, and Mort, the friendly summoner, and Ayden who is the best witch I think I've ever read, she is so amazing! All this magic and trapper knowledge makes for an epic battle which was exciting and terrifying. Not just because they were literally fighting Hell, but because Heaven turned up way too late to the party, especially since it was their blooming fight!

Foretold
The last book in the series describes the aftermath of Armageddon. Which is a relatively rare thing, as we like our "happily ever after" but I loved having one more book to show everyone getting to grips with the aftermath of such a horrifying and challenging event. But the main focus of this book, at least the first half, is Beck's past. Riley and Beck are finally admitting that they have feelings for each other but Beck fears that his past will scare her away. And it turns out that Beck's secrets are terrifying in a very different way to the demons and fighting Hell but just as scary. 

After the battle between Heaven and Hell, now the trappers have a civil unrest in Hell to worry about. The Prince of Darkness himself, Lucifer to those who dare speak his name, is apparently having trouble controlling his subjects and that fight is coming topside. Now Riley has to show the talents that Ori has been secretly teaching her: to fight Arch-fiends and the Fallen. Plus, you know, protecting those she loves and her city. The usual. Everyone has an agenda in this fight and it really wasn't fair that Riley was stuck in the middle, once again playing the pawn. Luckily, it doesn't last long and she plays her part and is then granted her life back. Just in time to enjoy her future with Beck!

I loved this series. It was full of drama and secrets, with incredible mythology and well-written twisting plot lines. It was surprising and romantic, annoying and frightening but I loved it so much. Riley is now one of my favourite heroines and I am so proud of her for learning from her mistakes and finally getting a good lot in life.